LINDENMy house had come alive tonight. Laughter echoed off the high ceilings, mingling with the scent of expensive cologne and baked pastries. I kept my glass steady, my smile easier.Jensyn floated through it all like she's been born into this world of wealth. The dress she wore fitted her just rightly. It was silk red and it caught the light as she walked. Her hair was loose, just as I liked it. It wasn't necessary for her to utter a word, people knew she belonged here.Two of my business associates from the Singapore branch cornered her near the terrace doors. Herbert and Kyle. They brought her to the table I sat in and the conversation began. “So,” Herbert leaned in, eyes bright behind his glass, “tell me how you tamed him. Linden's been a mystery since I knew him. And that his friend, Lev, is just as mysterious. And now, look who is married.”One look at Herbert and I shot him a glare. I detest the way his eyes skimmed over Jensyn's dress. It reminded me of the way River AKA. R
JENSYN“You want me to do what?”River's voice bounced at all corners of the café.He didn't even pretend we were having a hushed conversation. His voice rang around, over the soft clinks of cutlery, low murmurs, and the gentle tapping of rain against the window.He sat across from me, his brows drawn, fingers tracing the rim of his coffee cup. His easy, carefree grin had disappeared when I told him what I had in mind (it wasn't much of a big deal though).I leaned in, lowering my voice, “I am not joking, Ri-Ri, I need your help.”Okay, this was the first time in a while I called him the hilarious ‘pet name’ I gave him. He would rub the bridge of his nose in disgust whenever I called him that, but now, he looked serious.His gaze lifted, dark eyes searching mine, hesitant. “Babe… you really want to play this game? Pretend I’m head over heels for you just to—what? Make that dude jealous?”My body straightened in the chair, fingers tightened around my tea cup. The warmth was doing nothi
THIRD PERSON POV Susanne's heels struck the floor with angry clicks as she took her seat in the first class seat of the plane. The burn in her chest wasn't from the perfume she had drowned herself in, it was from the rage that clouded her mind. Her fingers fumbled inside her purse until they closed around her phone. She pulled it out and stabbed Arthur's name on the screen, saved as ‘Old Fool—Father-In-Law’.It rang once then his voice, smooth as ever, came on. “What is it, Hallison?” “Susanne.” She corrected him. “I called to tell you I'm leaving Paris. I am tired, you hear me? I am tired of chasing your son, tired of him making me look like a fool. You couldn't fix this shit since.”“Is this how you talk to your father?” Arthur demanded coolly, upsetting Susanne even more.“I swear it, I will tell my father to cut off your little business arrangements if you don't get Jensyn and Linden to divorce.”A pause came. Not long, but enough to make her stomach clench. Then his laugh—dry,
LINDENJensyn laid curled up in bed when I entered the room. Sweat broke out on her brow and face. The sheets tangled around her legs as she shifted, as if seeking comfort from it. She gripped her stomach and I could hear the hitch in her breath. The furrow between my brows deepened as my gaze swept over her. My voice dropped, quiet, almost tentative. “What’s wrong?”I stood at the edge of the bed now, pulse tightening in my throat. She didn't lift her head, fingers pressed to her stomach. Her voice was thin, strained as she spoke. “I have menstrual cramps,” she murmured.With no idea of what to do, I crossed to her side, crouching so our faces met. My hands hovered, unsure whether I should reach for her or not. Could I smooth the damp hair from her temple? Should I massage her back? I didn't know what to do. Willow tend to herself on her period (probably because she went to a girls only boarding school and I went to a boys only school, there was no time to learn how to care for a wo
THIRD PERSON POV“You did what?”Emily had walked into his office with heels that clicked against the polished marble tires. He sat behind an oak desk this time, arms crossed, the afternoon light casting patterns of the windows bars across the room.She closed the door quietly, breathing in the scent of leather and coffee. She kept her shoulders squared, calm. He didn’t look at her.“I did what I said, I met Jensyn.” Emily let the words land like a challenge she dared him to take.He stiffened, his fists clenched tightly. A slow exhale escaped him. His jaw was tense and a frown creased his forehead. “Emily, are you mad?”“I met her at the Estate Wine Party and she was very accommodating.” Emily lied. She wouldn't be telling him the part Jensyn told her to stop stalking Andrea. Even he didn't know that. For this, he was not the only one who stood to gain something.“She asked about Andrea’s mother. She cared enough to ask.” She paused, meeting his eyes. The lid of his fountain pen tapp
LINDENThe phone rang for the second time before I picked it. Without looking at the caller, I answered. “Who is it?”“It's Maria, sir.”All my senses came alive when I heard that. “What is it?”The maid’s voice cracked through the speakerphone, hushed, anxious. “Andrea has been warm since morning. She wouldn’t eat. She was sent home because she slept through her class hours.”I pressed two fingers to the bridge of my nose. The wine I got from the estate and took this morning still clung to the back of my throat, bitter now.“Is Willow there?”“Yes, sir. She’s with her now.”“Good. Tell her to take Andrea to the hospital. No herbal teas and no paracetamol. Have her text me the moment the doctor checks in. Is that taken?”A faint “Yes, sir,” and the line ended.I stood there in the silence of the suite, my phone was loose in my hand. I went to the window and stood there, thoughts playing in my mind.I should talk to her. I meant Andrea. I haven't spoken to her since she was rescued. W