Chapter 1

Hazel

I was finally home.

After three long years abroad, I was finally home.

Would they be proud of me now?

Would Mum and Dad look at me the same way they look at her?

Would they celebrate with me the same way they celebrate with her?

Would they pull me into a warm hug and tell me how much they miss me even though they never called to check up on me as though they were relieved I was out of their lives?

Ugh….what am I thinking?

What the hell am I allowing myself to think of?

They are my parent of course they’ll miss me, of course they’ll fill me with warm hugs and cook me some homemade dish, of course they will celebrate when they find out about my success in Paris.

I brushed off the sad thoughts that clouded my mind.

The jasmine hit me first, the sweet heavy scent from the front garden was exactly as I remembered.

“Ms Hazel?” The old guard at the gate called out to me, awe and excitement flowing through his face and words as he made his way towards me, I surged towards me, pulling him into a tight hug.

“Mark!” I cheered.

After all these years, he was still here.

“We missed you, Ms Hazel, it’s been so long.” She muffled, his eyes filled with tears.

I giggled, “I miss you too, Mark, I brought some things for you, but let me check on my parents first okay?” I pulled away, walking to the door.

As I stepped in, the sound came in, the thrum of a party, laughter and music and clinking of glasses, clacking of cutlery against plates.

Did they?

Did they throw me a party?

Of course they did.

They knew I was coming home today so they must have thrown me a welcome home party.

“I am so excited!” I giggled as I slipped through the side door, my suitcase bumping quietly against my leg.

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR PROMOTION YVONNE!

Ah…so it wasn’t a party to welcome me home?

It was a party for her…to celebrate her promotion.

It was all for her…My older sister Yvonne, the apple of their eye, their pride and joy.

I stood at the entrance, my eyes dragging through everything in sight. The table was lined up with all her favorite foods, her favorite drinks, and her favorite cakes.

And there she stood, elegant as ever in her blue sparking short dress, her hair let down, long enough to dance through her waist, her grey eyes, her full lashes, her heart shaped lips with that sparking red shade resting on her lips matching her tone perfectly, her legs so smooth and perfect, her curves so defined, almost as though it was sculpted, her boobs, not too big, not to small but perfect to make every head turn.

She is beautiful, a very beautiful woman.

By her side were my mother and father, “I am so proud of you, my angel, you have never failed me.” My mother said with so much joy.

“Of course, she takes after me!” My father's voice did justice to how proud he was of her, his eyes sparkling.

He had never looked at me that way before.

AH…I am so pathetic…what am I doing?

Why am I hiding away like some criminal?

Yvonne had been gunning for this position for as long as I know…I am happy she got it …I should be out there, celebrating with her, not sulking.

I took a deep breath, “Congratulations, Yvonne!” I yelled, waving at her as I walked in.

All eyes turned to me, shock plastered all over their faces. They were all doing a horrible job at hiding their surprises. They weren’t expecting me.

They didn’t know I was coming home.

They never read the messages, that means they don’t even know how successful I am in Paris..Ah…this sulks…I feel so stupid.

“Hazel?” Yvonne was the first to speak, dropping her flutes and she walked up to me. “Why are you home?” She rasped.

Why …why am I home?

You haven’t seen your sister in three years and the first question is Why am I home?

Swallow it…Hazel….smile…just smile.

“I came because I missed all of you…Am I not allowed to visit my family? Oh, and I am back for good this time.” I added, smiling.

Is now a good time to tell them that my company is expanding and that I am overseeing my new branch here in Mexico?

Would they think I am trying to steal her spotlight?

“You should have called instead of crashing and ruining the party.” My mother’s voice didn’t display her irritation but her face gave her away.

I did call…I texted but no one responded.

“Anyway, good to see you,” Yvonne muttered and turned away, returning to our parents who continued to dote on her and I was left at the door, feeling like a stranger.

I should go to my room and take a shower and get some rest…I am so fucking jetlagged.

As I turned to leave, I halted, realizing two people were missing from the party.

Nikolai, my sister’s husband, and Navira, their daughter.

Why are they both not here?

My eyes scanned the party a little more but they were nowhere in sight.

I should head to my room.

My phone chimed as I walked through the hallway leading to my room.

DASTON: Hey boss, how was it?

DASTON: Did your parent throw you a party?

With my face glued to my phone, I walked down the dark hallway, for some reason the light was off and my vision was blurry. As if it wasn’t bad enough that I have to wear glasses, now I have to squint my eyes to walk through this dark hallway.

My leg hit something, hard, painful and I tripped.

Fuck.

I rounded a corner and slammed into a solid wall of warm, cashmere-clad muscle. The impact knocked the air from my lungs. But rather than crashing on the hard marble floor, I felt a wide warm palm around my waist, holding me steady, landing me on a firm chest.

Shit.

Who is it?

I jerked my head up to apologize and then it happened.

Our lips collided.

Hard.

Soft.

Gentle.

Familiar.

I know that lips.

I know that smell.

I know that feel.

The light flicked on, harsh and sudden and we sprang apart.

It’s Niko.

Nikolai…My sister’s husband.

“Aevia?”

Shit.