Mag-log inElona's POV
I was relieved by the time that I got home yesterday. I couldn't believe that Mr Crane had said all of those things. As I sat in my classroom with Crislynn in the next row, daydreaming as she waited for the lesson to start. I can't help but think that she is putting up a happy front because that essay was something new for her to allow someone else to see. Mr Crane hid it well too when he read her essay.
"Good morning class, please settle down!" Miss Johnson said. She was a beautiful teacher, with light blonde hair and light blue eyes. She had a sweet personality but she had a stern side to her too. We loved her. Sometimes the guys can be a bit too much but Miss Johnson is always there to keep them in check.
Once the class had settled down, we sat eagerly waiting for the day to begin. I was nervous about my essay because I wrote it out of my crush and desire for someone that is forbidden. "As you all know, the essay that you have written has to be submitted today. If you haven't completed that essay yet, you have plenty of time in class. This essay is part of the competition and it counts towards your grade. When you win the competition, it will be in a local magazine in a column that is catered for creative writing essays and that will also help you into getting into selected colleges." she announced.
I sucked in a breath as I had hoped that my essay would be good and now I felt as if it wouldn't be. "Now is the time to work on your essays, edit and make them better," She smiled and walked over to her desk, "Please hand it to me after class," she called out over her shoulder and then she took a seat behind her desk.
I grabbed my backpack that was on the floor beside my desk. I took all of my books out, looking for my creative writing book where my essay had been written. "Sh^t," I said under my breath. I couldn't have left it at home because I didn't take anything out of my backpack when I got home yesterday, which means...it can only be at Crislynn's house. Sh^t.
I looked at Crislynn who was watching me and mouthed, "What is it?" I just shook my head and faced the front again.
Once the class was dismissed and I kept myself busy with other creative writing, which sucked because I was worried about that essay. I was relieved. I stood up and packed all of my books which I had left on my desk when I looked for my essay. "Is everything okay? You seem panicked," Crislynn asked as she stood beside me as I zipped my backpack closed.
I turned to face her as the other students left the classroom. "I might have forgotten my essay at your house and I'm panicking because it has to be in today," I let out a breath.
"Why don't you speak to Miss Johnson? Hopefully, she will give you until tomorrow." she smiled at me apologetically. I nodded.
"I will do that, thanks," I smiled, but deep down I was still worried.
"I have to go to SNT. I'm so excited yet nervous and this is the start of my career next year," she beamed excitedly. "I won't be able to walk back home with you."
"It's okay, I will be fine," I smiled "Good luck, I'm dying to hear all about it."
"I will call you once I get back home," she smiled.
"Sure. Let me talk to Miss Johnson, see you later," I said as I moved past her. SNT is where Crislynn had always wanted to do journalism. The full name is Starlight News Tribune.
I stopped in front of Miss Johnson's desk and she looked up at me with a smile with the stack of essays in her hand. But before I could say anything, Crislynn handed in her essay and then she left.
"I forgot my essay at home, and I wanted to know if I can hand it in tomorrow, please?" I asked.
"Of course, you can. The essays will be assessed tomorrow, so you have until tomorrow to hand it in," she replied.
I let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much, Miss Johnson, enjoy your day," I smiled.
She returned the smile, "You too, Enola," I was so relieved that I had time, but now the only issue that I have is that Crislynn isn't at home for me to get it.
When I finally got home, I searched my bedroom one last time in case it was in my house. I searched the entire place. I heard the front door open, "Hey kiddo. How was your day?" My dad asked as I was searching in the lounge. I was kneeling on the floor and stood up as my father approached me. He was wearing his black suit with a white shirt, his black tie was loosened at the top. His one light brown curl hung over his forehead. His laptop bag in his hand.
He placed a kiss on my forehead and walked towards the kitchen. "It was okay," I replied, as I continued to look around in the lounge.
"What are you looking for?" he asked.
"My essay, but I think I left that book at Crislynn's. I will call her," I said.
"I need to get a few emails out and then we can have some takeaway," I stopped by the kitchen as he smiled at me.
"Sure," I replied with a smile and then I ran up the stairs to my bedroom. I grabbed my phone and I typed a message for Crislynn.
Me: May I come over?
Crane: Forgot something?
Sh^t. I sent the text to Mr Crane by accident. I saved Mr Crane as Crane in my contacts. Of course, I would press the wrong contact as Crislynn is below him.
Me: Yes. Sorry, Mr Crane, but I thought that I had texted Crislynn.
Crane: I have your essay with me. If that is what you are looking for, I would like to hear your explanation of what you wrote.
Sh^t. sh^t. sh^t. My heart was about to leap out of my chest, this was not happening. I paced my bedroom as I replied.
Me: My Creative writing essay? It's for a competition.
Crane: The part where you wrote about me exploring your body, how you do not imagine me with another woman in bed.
Crane: The part that you would like to find out...I didn't expect that from you, Enola.
Sh^t! Think about something, make up something, Enola.
Me: Mr Crane, I am not talking about you, I am talking about someone else.
Crane: Who is someone else? Last time I checked, I have a letter C tattooed on my arm. That was in your essay.
F^ck! I am screwed.
Me: Mr Crane, I can explain...It's not what you think.
Crane: Oh, it is exactly what I think it is. I am coming over to you so that you can explain to me. I will let you know how I explore, because my ways of exploring are more than what you can ever imagine.
Me: Mr Crane, my dad is home. I wasn't serious about it!
Crane: That didn't stop you from writing inappropriate things about me. You wouldn't want Crislynn to find out either.
Me: My dad is home. I'm sorry.
There was no reply from him and I paced as I bit my thumb nail out of nervousness.
My phone chimed and I opened the chat. He sent me a selfie of himself, he was so f^cking hot. I could see that he was in a suit. It was as if he was looking at my soul through the selfie.
Crane: Consider it tutoring of the body then. I am walking out of my house now.
Me: There is no need to come over.
Crane: You don't seem so innocent and sweet in your essay compared to in person.
Me: Please, Mr Crane.
Crane: I love the way that you are begging me. Perhaps you need something in that filthy little mouth of yours.
Did he really just say that? Oh my gosh!
Me: Its only an essay. My dad is home, so I cannot allow you to come over.
Crane: As I have said, consider it as tutoring. I will give you my knowledge of how I do things. Hopefully, it will help you win the competition.
I clutched the phone against my chest. He will be here any minute because he lives down the street.
Crane: Open the door. I'm outside.
I stood frozen in place. A second later, my phone rings in my hand and his picture pops up. I placed my phone on my bed as if it burned me. As the ringing stopped, the doorbell rang.
"Sh^t," I muttered under my breath as I hurried out of my bedroom and as I walked down the stairs my dad was already by the front door.
There stood Mr Crane, he looked over my dad's shoulder at me and he smirked.
"Here she is," my dad turned to look at me as he heard me.
"Hi, Elona."
Elona's POVI didn’t think leaving would feel like this.I stood in the hallway in my VFS uniform which was black leggings clinging to my legs, the cropped top tight across my ribs, it felt like I was wearing the wrong skin. My body ached in places I didn’t know could ache except for my Endo, but it was nothing compared to the hollow pressure sitting behind my breastbone.Tristan lifted one of my bags from the floor, and then another. His movements were controlled and too precise, like if he slowed down, something inside him would split open. I watched him when he wasn’t looking. Dark circles bruised the skin beneath his eyes. His jaw was tense, the strength in his shoulders weighed down by something invisible and heavy. He looked older this morning, not by years but by loss.“It’s okay,” he said quietly, as if reading my thoughts. He turned toward
Tristan's POVThe house was too quiet after Rowan left. The kind of quiet that didn’t settle but scraped along your nerves, like the silence itself was mocking you, yet the tension was still in the air. Camille was still sitting at my table with a wine glass balanced in her hand, a smirk carved into her lips like it was permanent. I didn’t bother hiding my irritation. I leaned against the wall as I crossed my arms, and let my eyes cut through her.“You’re a pain in my ass, Camille.”Her smirk widened. She swirled the wine in her glass, the liquid catching the light. “At least I live up to my last name.”I pinched the bridge of my nose, exhaling hard through my teeth. She had always been like this, quick, sharp, infuriating. But now, with her suddenly shoved into my house under Rowan’s so-called authority and the amended Will, the air fe
Tristan's POVThe moment I stepped through the front door, I smelled something cooking besides the aroma of coffee. Camille’s perfume mixed with garlic and rosemary. My jaw locked. And then I saw him. Rowan was sitting at my dinner table. He was holding a mug of coffee.His suit jacket hung neatly on the back of his chair, his tie loosened, his sleeves rolled up like he was settling in for a comfortable evening. Camille was in the kitchen, back to us, humming as if this was some domestic, happy family scene. Elona stood beside me, her hand brushing my arm, as if she could already sense the fury coiling inside me. I didn’t bother to hide it.“You didn’t show up at the Crane Industries board meeting this morning,” I said, my voice low and edged like glass. “And now I find you here.”Rowan glanced up at me without an ounce of guilt. “Somet
Elona's POVThe studio was colder than I expected. Not just from the air-conditioning, but from the way the room looked at me as I stepped inside, white walls, camera lights, a glossy backdrop, and too many pairs of eyes that didn’t blink. The stylist shoved a hanger into my hands, the satin brushing my skin like a whisper I didn’t want to hear. Black lace, sheer panels, the kind of lingerie meant for someone who wanted to be looked at, not someone who wanted to be seen.“Change in there,” she pointed to a narrow booth with a curtain that barely reached the floor.After stepping into the changing room, my fingers trembled as I slipped out of my leggings, the chill biting into my bare legs. I could hear the photographer adjusting his camera outside, his voice low but impatient. The satin stuck slightly as I pulled it up, clinging where my skin was warm, exposing more of me
Tristan's POVThe knock on my office door was soft, but it might as well have been a thunderclap in the quiet. I knew it was her. I have been glancing at the clock every few minutes since Donovan told me she was on her way up. A strange mixture of anticipation and dread had been twisting in my gut for the past half hour, anticipation because I had missed her, dread because I wasn’t sure what version of her I would be facing today. That is besides all the emotions I'm facing with the case.“Come in,” I said, my voice was lower than I intended.The door opened, and there she was... Cris. My daughter. My only child. She stepped inside with her hurried grace, though there was a guardedness in her posture I didn’t like. Her hair was tucked behind her ears, her eyes sharp but unreadable. She was dressed in casual layers, a sweater, jeans, and boots, but she might as well have been weari
Tristan's POVElona was combing her hair in front of the mirror as I sat on the edge of the bed, shirt halfway buttoned, staring at my own reflection in the mirror. My eyes were ringed with fatigue, the weight of the past few days carved into every line on my face. The anxiety clung to my chest like smoke I couldn’t clear. Today was the board meeting, the one where I would have to explain the pending investigation. The one where I would be stared at like a liability.“Tristan,” her voice broke through. I turned to look at her. She was standing by the bedroom door now, her eyes scanning me. I didn't realize that she had walked away from the mirror. “Are you okay?”I nodded slowly. “As okay as I can be.” I stood up, tucking my shirt into my slacks, forcing my body to move even if my brain wasn’t ready. “You always look stunning,” even when she was in her VFS uniform, the leggings and cropped top. She held her gym bag in one hand, waiting for me as I now pulled on my jacket.She smiled,
Tristan's POVI was enjoying to be in Elona's presence, her confidence that is back just makes me admire her even more. But my mind drifts back to the industry. What person is out there that is trustworthy? Do I know anyone with whom I have interacted with be
Elona's POVThunder made me jump as I scrolled through my phone, looking through the website of VFS. I was sitting comfortably on the sofa. Rain began to pour, and I just wanted to get into bed with this kind of weather. My heart wasn't on Tristan this evenin
Elona's POVSpooky had texted me if I was at the apartment and I told him that he was more than welcome to come around. I tidied up the
Tristan's POVI arrived last night back at home. I was still hopeful about Elona and getting her back. I really hope she takes me back this time. I was still off from work and I took my phone from the bedside table and went to Eric's contact.







