INICIAR SESIÓN~RICHARD~“You really think he’s worth all your trouble?” I passed her the bottle of brandy as requested.“Richard, I’m talking about how my daughter-in-law humiliated me, and you’re still only bothered about a random man?”“If you know he’s just a random man, Patricia, then why are you offering him so much?” I walked past her and grabbed my joysticks before turning the console on.“He saved your sister’s life, Richard. And then, in a flinch of being grateful, I told him I’d offer him anything he wanted as a way of showing my gratitude.”“Do the usual. Fatten his bank account and send him off. Don’t bother me with your ‘big promise to show capability’ gone wrong!” I switched the player on and waited for my game to load.“You’re letting down your guard, Patricia, all in the name of helping that man.”“I can’t believe you don’t know what this is like. Steeles don’t go back on their promises. And by the way, I found Raymond very interesting at first. The way he talked and jested, he appe
~MELISSA ~"Last time, we agreed we wouldn't do this again. We shouldn't have!" I was kneeling before the bedside table, looking for my earnings where I think I left them close to the lamp.Even as I said that, there was no trace of regret in my voice.Desmond was still on the bed, the blanket covering him from the waist downwards, his chest bared to the golden rays and his eyes on the ceiling. I wondered what he had been thinking about or was he just looking at the ceiling because he liked its design or something?One moment we were kissing on the balcony like two idiots and the next, we were on his bed. How did this even happen?The first time, we were both drunk. What's our excuse now?"You're right," He finally said. "We shouldn't have," But he didn't sound remorseful either.This was bad. There was no way we could go on like this, neither of us even feeling the weight of the best we did despite our vows.I paused, looking over at him. Our eyes met and he was just still lying ther
~MELISSA~"We need to talk!" I folded my arms before Desmond who was standing at the French door with his phone to his ear.With one glance at me, he stretched a finger before returning to his call. He then wrapped it up with a 'we'll chat later' then pushed his phone into his pocket before stretching a hand to the outside.I unfolded my arms and walked through the door like an obedient child, and he followed till we both came out on the balcony."Wanted to know where you were but you didn't answer my calls," He mumbled. "That's because I was at your mum's while you were snoring at first." I snapped. "And we came here because I wanted to talk, not because you wanted to patronize me over your unanswered calls."Desmond raised both of his arms in mock surrender and I sighed. "Lemme guess. Whatever it was you two talked about had to do with Raymond!"Why else would I be blowing out hot this much?"Raymond has proposed the partnership deal to her and she called me to ask for acceptance!
~MELISSA~I watched Patricia's face break into several cracks, her lip dropping low. I had never seen that number of wrinkles appear in her face all in one time ever before."What... did you say?" She finally found her voice, drawing a little bit away from us.I let out a sigh and flew my chin up. "I do not want my company to partner with Raymond's."There was a short stiff silence that followed, then I heard Raymond sniffle out a low polite chuckle. "Please, it's not a proble–"But Patricia raised a hand and he swallowed his words like a dog. She finished filling her glass and pulled it off the stool before walking back towards the center without looking up."YOUR company?" She asked, giving her drink a slow swirling shake. She sighed as if she suddenly held back what she had wanted to say for some reason."And might I ask what reasons there are for you to not want to accept this offer?""Partnership deals aren't what I need for my scheme currently. Even if I should consider it,
~MELISSA~“Is Desmond here to save you now?” he growled as I struggled to free myself from him. But the more I struggled, the tighter he squeezed my arm, making it harder to get him off.“Let go of me, asshole!”“Hm… I’ve never imagined a view of you from this angle. " He tilted his head to the side. “ It’s priceless!”“Ugh!” I threw my hand toward him, but he caught my wrist only a few inches away from his cheek.I regretted it immediately. I howled as he nailed the only free hand I had left to the wall, having me completely stiffened.“I swear to God, Richard, I’m going to—”“You still can’t watch your mouth, can you?” he snapped. “I’ve ignored and endured a lot of your nuisance for a long time, Melissa, and it’s only because somehow, you’ve caught my eye…” His breath fanned my cheek, and I turned my face away from him, my frown growing angrier, my chest beating faster with fright.“Your blind eyes!” I insisted, and he scoffed in response.“Of course I knew you'd come with a good co
~MELISSA~“Mummy, when’s Dad gonna be back?”“I don’t know,” I murmured without looking away from the laptop, my fingers sliding continuously over the keys.“Why don’t you know?”I looked down at him, unsure what to tell him -apart from 'leave me the hell alone', which I obviously couldn’t say.I began to wonder if this is what it felt like for those women, when their husbands start sleeping around and they're left to feed out excuses to their children.I shook my head and started typing.Just then, I thought I heard Desmond’s voice, and seconds later he came pushing through the dining room curtains.“Dad!” Caleb screamed and rushed to him while I returned my attention to my screen, deliberately nonchalant.“I got you a little fish pet,” Desmond said. “Wanna go see it downstairs?”“Of course!” Caleb’s excitement almost deafened me before he ran off."Don't you think he's too small to handle a fish pet?" I asked without looking off my computer."That's why he got a nanny!"My hand rema







