GABRIELI asked myself why I still wanted to be acquainted with Audrey many times. I wanted to look at her differently. I wanted to look at her like that young, naïve girl who destroyed me, but I couldn’t. Not when I knew she had kept her pure self. Why would she? Eight years ago, she was ready for me to claim her.I could only imagine what she would look like when I finally claimed her. I was just a few inches away from actually fucking her. She had been so tempting, so sexy, and so completely desirable. Her long golden hair grazed about the roundness of her breast, and those beautiful, ripe tits spilled out of her low-cut bra. Outside, they seemed to be average, but they weren’t. They were even bigger, rounder, and firmer than I imagined. I was instantly and violently turned on.Curiously, I felt bad for leaving her that way, but I couldn’t ignore the current news I heard from Coulson, and now I needed to talk with him as fast as I could.I went back to my room and opened my laptop
AUDREY“Thank you for coming here again, Audrey, and I’m sorry about yesterday,” Juliet stated sincerely when I came back to the mansion the next day. I could tell that ever since Anton married her, he had changed a little bit. “I’m used to it. This is where I grew up, and Dad has always been like that. There are worse days than yesterday.” I forced a smile to cheer her up. “Where’s Anton?”“Upstairs with Edward. Apparently, ever since last night, all he did was complain, so Anton asked him if he could rest in his room today.” She smiled back at Chelsea. “Welcome back.”Chelsea responded with a smile. “Thank you.”“Oh please, come in. You didn’t have a chance to stay yesterday.” Juliet ushered us inside. Since it was still early, there were only a few people inside. “We chose to use the house for Samuel’s wake because Edward requested it. After a short debate, we cannot complain anymore because you know—” she shrugged—“your father can be...”“Difficult. Yes, I know.”We walked close
AUDREYShortly, Anton joined our conversation. He told us Dad was currently sleeping upstairs, but he would usually come down at dinner when he woke up, so he suggested or even requested that I could stay low from his sight. “I can’t run forever from him, Anton. Not after what Cecile has done to Mom’s house,” I said firmly.“City life definitely suits you, Audrey,” Anton commented with a chuckle. “This has become your home too. I mean, I hope you understand that.”“Audrey, this is probably your mother’s house, but this is basically where we all grew up,” he pointed.I heard Chelsea sigh. “If I may, and I hope I’m not getting too involved, how much did your stepmother take for the mortgage?”“It’s three million, not quite for the value of this mansion. It’s vintage, and it’s been here for seventy years, but Audrey’s grandfather had preserved it, so it’s still pristine. Its value is more than that, but where else can we get three million dollars? I don’t even have a million right now.
AUDREYCharles invited me for a walk that afternoon in the town park. Strangely, for someone I hadn’t seen for a long time, I didn’t feel like he was a stranger. He’d follow Samuel wherever he went when they were kids, and he’d always give me a popsicle.He was saddened at Samuel’s sudden death but still managed to ooze charm with his smile. He was such a serene and gentle speaker. How he walked was mirrored with grace, yet with his broad shoulders, you’d still find a solid physique. His cobalt blue eyes looked as if it was speaking to me. Though we still hadn’t talked about the house, I was still planning to open it up.“After Dad divorced Mom, I went to Berlin with her and continued my studies. But as an only child, Dad’s legacy was passed on to me. I had no choice but to go back.” We stopped by a bench beside the swing and settled on it. He exhaled a breath lightheartedly and breathed in the air again. “It’s a quiet night, isn’t it?”I smiled as I watched him look over the dark sk
AUDREYI jumped at the sound of his voice. I wasn’t sure what he would be mad about. It’s not like I had to tell him wherever I went. But wasn’t he supposed to be back in Manhattan? And how long had he been in my room?“I don’t know why I should explain to you,” I decided to just leave him be.He caught my hand and gripped my wrist tight. “Aw!”“Don’t play with something you know you can’t win, and that’s not the answer I’m expecting,” he growled.I knew I wouldn’t win, of course, not when I couldn’t understand his sudden behavior. The past few days have been a roller coaster for me. I needed a break from all of this. I yanked my hand away and caressed the part where his grip lingered. “Why are you even here? I believe I asked first.”He briefly shut his eyes, and then he stared back at me furiously, shaking his head. He rushed his fingers on his hair harshly, and then he marched away to fill a drink in his empty glass. I watched him drink it straight, then he poured another shot ag
AUDREYThe next morning, Chelsea invited me for breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant. Apparently, my conversation with Gabriel last night was still bugging me. We had already been in an avoidable situation, and I had wanted my boss ever since my first day at Stark Apparel. I was holding back because I thought it would be indecent. I wouldn’t want him to know that I was ogling him, but I wouldn’t deny that a part of me was thrilled having to know that he was interested in me too. “Stark came back last night and asked me about you. I told him the truth, but maybe I shouldn’t have,” Chelsea stated, then ate a bite of her crepe. I told her about the incident last night with Stark, but not so much. And I wasn’t planning to, but then she was the only one I could talk to about it, or I’d be crazy otherwise.“I’m confused, Chels. Stark is out of my league,” I professed. “But he wants you. Gabriel Stark wants you! You should be happy. That man is every woman employee’s dream in our company,”
AUDREYToday was the day we all had to finally say goodbye to Samuel. It’s like the pain I had tripled as I watched Anton putting the ceramic jar of his remains in the internment. Though I could no longer shed tears, my heart was broken into tiny pieces. The day was so serene that only the closest friends and relatives attended, but Dad wasn’t present. He locked himself in his room, and Anton couldn’t convince him to come.It was a beautiful day with clear skies and the sun, but I couldn’t appreciate it. I felt empty. There was no chance in this life that I’d ever see Samuel’s face or hear his voice again.“Audrey, wait!” Charles called from behind us and tried to catch up. Chelsea and I stopped.“Charles.”He was still panting when he reached us. “Can I speak with you?”“Yes, of course. What is it?”“I know it’s a bad time,” he breathed, “but can we talk?”“I was planning on giving this day a break, Charles.”“I know. I know, as I said, this might be a bad time but hear me out. This
AUDREY“Are you ready? Got what you need?” Anton appeared at the door of my old room in the mansion in the afternoon before we left.“Yes, just a few things. Come in.” I packed my old books in my bag that I hadn’t had a chance to pick up when I left home. Anton came in and sat on the edge of the bed.“Hmm. This is Perry.” He picked up my brown teddy bear lying on top of my suitcase. “You carried this around when you were a little. You cried when I accidentally stepped on it.”I chuckled. “Mom’s first gift. I’m taking that,” I said.“And now you are leaving again. Aren’t you going to talk to Dad?”“There’s nothing to talk about with him, Anton. I have nothing to say to him.”“Stubborn man, is he? Yet you are keeping this house so that he could stay in here.”“Where else would he stay? He still calls this mansion his pride after losing everything.” I sighed. “He doesn’t want me in his life, I know the same goes with me, but he’s going to stay here without his children for the rest of hi