LOGINI had to take a few days off because my health is challenging me but I am back, and hopefully going to establish a reasonable schedule. Expect nothing from me on Thursdays as I have 12hrs at school here. All the same, thank you for being here and see you in the next chapter. Cheers!
Sofia sat cross-legged on her mother’s bed, surrounded by the faint scent of lavender and turpentine. Her mother had taken off her apron, now folded neatly on the armchair, and sat beside her—legs crossed, back straight, but the hard edge of her temper had softened.For the first time in weeks, Sofia could look at her without feeling like she was breaking a sacred law. The silence between them wasn’t angry anymore, just tired—weighted with things unsaid.“I didn’t know how to face you,” Sofia said quietly. “I thought if I came home, you’d look at me and see… failure. Disappointment.”Her mother’s expression flickered. “You really think that’s what I see when I look at you?”Sofia gave a humourless laugh and shrugged. “You were so excited for the wedding. The invitations, the dress, the venue—you’d picked it all before I could even blink. And I let you, because I thought… maybe if you were happy, then I’d be happy too. But when it all fell apart, I couldn’t bear to see that look on your
Sofia Zervas walked into the house feeling a little apprehensive. She knew her mother was going to be on her, and she had hidden from the woman for long enough. The butler was first to see her. He smiled at her and offered her a little bow.“Miss,” he said, “Do you want me to tell the Madam that you are in?” he asked.She shook her head, “No, that’s alright.”She looked around the house as if she could see her through the walls of the foyer and then asked, “Where is she?”The man pointed up as he said, “Her studio.”“Ah,” Sofia said and made a face.Her mother often secluded herself in what she called her studio when she was in a mood. She wondered what was going on. Was this still about her, or had something else happened? She did not bother asking the butler. He was a man of principle, and one of his principles was he did not gossip about his employer. Not even with her children.“Thank you, Uncle Tito,” Sofia said and began walking up the stairs.The family butler took out his phone
Aris had decided to give Adrea time. At best, until her birthday. He wanted to be carefree for a little while longer. He wanted a name in her life — a label. He loved her. He was sure that, somewhere deep down, she loved him too. But he wanted to hear her acknowledge it. Yet he was afraid of her rejecting him. He would have to live with the scraps she gave him. Yes, he was that shameless. He would take whatever she gave him.But he wanted more. More than being the guy she was living with because she was afraid to stay at home. He wanted to have a defined place in her life. Right now, he did not have that. Right now, they were floating around, knowing something was going unsaid — but surely this could not be their forever. How long could they go on like this?The elevator’s speakers let out a “bing” to indicate it had come to a stop, and the doors began to slide open. He walked into his apartment, and immediately he could hear Adrea moving around in the kitchen. There was something sizz
The elevator let out a soft “ding” and then the doors began to slide open. She walked through them and into Aris’ apartment. The air inside felt still — heavier somehow — like it had been waiting for her.She slipped off her shoes and walked with them dangling by her fingers to the living room. Her fingers trembled only slightly as she bent down and set the shoes down at the foot of the couch. She took off her blazer, then her bag, and put them both on the couch.She thought about sitting bur for a moment, she just stood there — listening to the hum of the refrigerator, the muted city sounds beyond her window, and her own shallow breathing. She thought she was alone.Then she heard it — the faint clink of a cup from the kitchen area.Adrea froze. Her mind caught up a second later, recalling whose apartment she was in.She turned on her heel and there he was — sleeves rolled to his elbows, hair slightly dishevelled, making himself tea. His back was turned to her and she began to walk wh
She wore a simple dress with a blazer over it. Her shoes clicked against the floor as she kept pace with her lawyer, who was, in fact, leading her to their assigned courtroom. People were briskly moving around the space, and you could tell who was not a regular visitor and who was well acquainted with the halls. There were people like her, looking around with curious eyes and being led about, and then there were those walking on muscle memory, not even looking where they were going as they tried to sort large stacks of documents and walk at the same time. At one point, Adrea’s lawyer had to steer her to the side as two people — a tall, lanky man in an oversized, ill-fitting suit and a woman in a power suit — carried a large box through the hall. So this was what the other side of a court looked like.She had been here before, in a very different department. This was where her marriage had been formally signed off, yet it felt so unfamiliar. Maybe it was because, at that time, she had
As she walked through the airport, Adrea realised that home was slightly different. For starters, Hunter and his team had to earn their pay by keeping the fans away from them. She, Moreau and Sanne had taken first, second and third in the poker match. In a country that respected poker almost as much as the Americans and the British did their versions of football, they were now legends.Camera flashes went off in the distance as security escorted them through the side exit. Hunter’s voice was calm but firm as he directed his men to make sure no one breached the barrier. Aris stirred Adrea toward the side entrance where Hunter had ensured that their cars were waiting.As she settled into the car, the exhaustion of the trip finally began to catch up to her. The city beyond the tinted window looked familiar yet foreign, like something she had left behind for years rather than weeks. She reached into her purse for her phone and realised it was still in flight mode. The moment she switched







