Chapter 3

Ezra's Pov

Dinner was hell.

I couldn't swallow anything I ate because a certain someone won't stop glaring at me.

“Does it taste good, Eggwash?” He whispered across the table.

My food went down the wrong pipe and I coughed.

“Oh my gosh,” Mom passed me a glass of water and I gulped every sip greedily.

When I was done, I kept it beside me and glared back at him as if to say : ‘Don’t you dare call me that.’

He smirked as if to say : ‘Try me’

Okay. That's it.

I pushed back my seat and forced a smile. “I'm full. Thanks for the dinner, Mr. Benson.”

“Please, call me Conrad.” He smiled.

“Thank you, Conrad.” I returned his smile and practically ran out of the dining room.

When I arrived two hours ago, the maids were kind enough to show me my new room. It was so much better than that cubicle I used to sleep in. Now, I have a room twice the size of our former apartment, a massive bed that'll fit three people, a walk-in-closet, an ensuite, a fireplace… Heaven knows I'm in love with the place.

I collapsed on my bed with a soft sigh and groaned. “This is the life.”

“Yeah. One you stole for yourself.” A male voice hissed behind me.

I whipped around sharply and my curls slapped me in the face.

I pushed them away and sat up. “Don't you know how to knock?”

“Why should I? This house and everything in it is mine.” Jake made his point clear for the second time that day.

I scoffed. He's a rich brat. It's ironic that this ill-bred troll used to be my best friend when we were little.

“Everything in this house belongs to your father. It will when he passes it on to you. It's basic knowledge, kiddo. Oh, I forgot you're too dumb to know that.” I grin but my smile doesn't last for long because his fingers curled around my throat.

“You're beginning to annoy me, Eggwash.” His face was so close to mine I could smell the steak on his breath.

“Don’t call me Eggwash if you don't want me to tell your dad that you bully me in school.” I retorted.

That didn't faze him at all. In fact, it made him smile like a twisted psycho.

“Do that and I'll tell them you kissed me,” he smiled. “Everyone at school saw it.”

My heart sank.

“That's… not true. I was forced to do that. It was all Lisa.” I tried defending myself but it was no use. Lisa practically worshiped him and if he tells her to do anything, she would without wasting a second.

Jake leaned closer till our faces were inches apart. “You stole my first kiss, Eggwash.”

I gasped. “What?”

“Surprised?” He grinned.

“Yeah!” I answered immediately. “I mean… a player like you should have at least kissed a thousand girls by now.”

He grimaced. “What do you take me for? A whore?”

“Who knows?” I whispered.

He tightened his grip. “Say that again.”

“Kids, can you come down for a second?” Conrad called from downstairs.

Jake smiled. “You're lucky, Eggwash.”

“Get off me.” I hissed, placing my hand on his chest to push him away.

He leaned forward and did the unthinkable.

He kissed me.

Jake Benson is kissing me for real and the crazy thing is : I let him.

My lungs burned and I desperately needed to breathe but I needed this. I needed him more. What was wrong with me?

Jake pulled away from me, his lips tipped upward in a smirk. At that moment, I could feel nothing but the hot ache between my legs.

How did this happen?

He gripped my jaw, still smirking. “You stole my first kiss… but I'll steal all your first’s.

”‘That was my first kiss too,’ I wanted to scream at him and what did he mean by he'll steal all my first’s? Don't tell me…

“Kids, we're waiting!” Mom called out this time.

Jake let go of me and called back. “Coming!”

I watched him leave the room and dropped my face in my hand. “What just happened?”

****

After making sure I looked less suspicious (facemask to conceal my swollen lips), I went downstairs to meet them.

Judging from the tension in the atmosphere, I knew this was a serious business.

I found a couch a jagillion miles away from Jake and sat down. “What's up?”

Conrad began, looking between me and Jake. “So… your mom and I have something important to tell you both. We just couldn't wait any longer.”

“Okay?” Jake said as if replying for both of us. “What is it?”

Mom fiddled with her fingers. She only does that when she's nervous and the last time I'd seen her like that was when I asked her about my father, to which she didn't give a substantial answer.

“Well, you see… Jake's dad and I are…” she looked at Conrad, her eyes pleading with him to finish that sentence.

“You and dad are what?” Jake asked impatiently.

Conrad stole mom's hand and linked his fingers with hers. I didn't need any further explanation to understand what he meant.

Mom was dating Jake's dad.

Jake jerked from the couch as if it was on fire. “You've gotta be kidding me. Dad, how could you?!”

“I wanted to tell you, son. I was just too afraid.” Conrad sighed.

“How long?!” Jake growled and I nearly ran for the hills. I'd never seen him so angry before.

“2 years.” Mom answered quietly.

It was my turn to get off the couch. “You’ve been dating for 2 years and you didn't even tell me?”

Conrad pulled mom to his chest and held her close. “I was the one that told her not to. Don't blame your mother, Ezra.”

I scoffed. Now, it all made sense. The unusual presents she'd bring home every Thanksgiving, the so-called girlfriends she was hanging out with on the weekends, the fact that a person she hasn't seen in 7 years agreed to help her without asking for something in return. I knew that was bullshit but didn't put my mind on it.

But wait a second… does this mean that if mom and Conrad get married, that means Jake and I will be… No way!

“I'm sorry but both of you have to break up!” Both Jake and I said at the same time.

“No!” Conrad rose to his feet, taking mom with him. “I love Julianna and I'm not leaving her whether you both approve or not.”

“What about mom?! Did you love her too?” Jake clenched and unclenched his fists.

“Your mom left on her own.” Conrad sighed.

“You could've stopped her!” Jake growled again.

“She left us for another man!” Conrad yelled back. After catching his breath for a few seconds, he continued. “Maria couldn't handle being a poor man like me so she left us for someone richer. What could I have done then?”

I took a step back, not wanting to be part of this conversation.

“Ezra…” Mom reached for me but I took another step back.

Conrad's face hardened and he looked at us. “I want to marry Julliana and I need both of you to stand with me on this.”

“I won't!” Jake hissed, then he turned to mom. “You can play any role in my life, Ms. Jules, but being my mother isn't one of them.”

Then he brushed past me and I could read the glare in his eyes :

“I'll make your life a living hell, Ezra.”