"Wifey, Where have you been?" Jace spoke with a sleepy voice. He stared in his sleep and felt the other side of the bed empty. Almost immediately, the door opened and Eliana walked in. Jace's attention turned to her. Her phone in her hand and her face looked determined."I was making up my mind on what you asked of me last night." Eliana replied as she walked to Jace.Jace sat up on the bed. "Yes?" His face was hopeful of a positive answer from his wife.Eliana bit her lips nervously before saying, "I decided to take on the job -""Really!? That is wonderful news. I know you are going to do great." Jace said, holding her hand, excitedly.Eliana chuckled. "You didn't let me finish." She reasoned."Oh.. what else?" Jace asked."I will take the job on one condition." Eliana said, raising one finger up."Whatever you want, my love." Jace confirmed."I want Zia by my side in the kitchen." Eliana said. "She would act like the strength with authority there." She added."Done. Anything else?
**A day earlier, before the opening of the new hotel.**Maya came out of a spa, her phone on her ear with the support of her shoulder. When she exited the place, she then held the phone with her hand."I am on my way home now. I will be home in ten minutes -" Maya was speaking to Axel on the phone when she sighted Noah exiting his car. He then got into another car that was parked In Front of his car."Maya? Can you hear me?" Axel asked when Maya went silent while talking to him."Make that twenty. Twenty minutes. Something just came up." Maya quickly said and ended the call and got out of her car to hail a taxi."Go straight, " Maya ordered after getting into a taxi. They came in sight of the car in no time. She then told the taxi driver to follow the car but he should be careful not to be caught by the car In Front of them.They continued to follow the car low-key for another fifteen minutes. They arrived at a motel.maya was confused. "Stop here." She told the taxi driver before he w
**Eliana Pov**"Why are you late?.... Who do you expect to cook dinner or are you planning to starve us to death.... You wicked witch?!" My stepmother spat as she pulled on my hair.I am sorry.... I am so sorry please.. was all I kept saying but she never let go off my hair. She was still dragging me by pulling my hair to the kitchen."What more do you want from us you wicked witch?!.... I knew you always wanted to kill us, just as you have killed your mother and father, I will make sure I kill you first before you get the chance to hurt us." she kept on rambling and finally let go of my hair. but then started kicking me on the side. I fell on the floor, I couldn't plead with her again because of the pain I was feeling all over."Get up ....Get up." She sat on me bouncing. I couldn't move. How was I going to get up? She was sitting on me."Get up.... Get up.... Wake up..... Mummyyyy. Mummy! wake up!" my 5 years old was bouncing on me. "I want food" she cooed.I forced my eyes open, t
**Jace Pov**"Don't get me wrong Bratkowski, you are the best quarterback I have and the hope for this team, but the issue at hand. Your response to every little offense against you is becoming too harsh." My coach called me in after today's training. I just want to get out of here but he can't just stop talking. "I only respond to how it best fits in every situation" I raised my hand in surrender as I spoke."Oh really!" He scooted forward with his office chair. "Then tell me ... .how great could the offense of that innocent reporter be, that led you to almost kill him with a microphone? How does that justify your action?" He folded his arm while still sitting in his seat. I was comfortably seated on the other end of the table, my legs stretched and my arms relaxing on the arms of the chair."Don't forget what you did last week during an interview. You just walked out of the interviewers without responding to their questions. Neither did you give a good reason for your action lat
**Eliana Pov**I looked at him in anger and wanted to lash out for almost making me and my little girl fall to the ground. Then blamed me for something him and I were both at fault for. But then what my eyes met rendered me speechless. I hardly find men attractive, that is if I do at all. But this one is undeniably hot. He looked like he designed himself. The perfect face and a strong jawline. The black shirt he wore fit perfectly on him, it made his blue eyes pup. He made the shirt look good. I almost forgot I was supposed to be angry, instead, I was gawking over him like a hungry animal. I never knew a Teacher could be this godly hot. Speak Eliana... Speak. I reminded myself."Excuse me!?... We were both at fault here. If you were walking at a normal pace at least this might not happen. I have a very good reason for my action." I kept on talking but my voice came out softer than I intended. "We are late and now, you have made us even more..... Thanks a lot" I said with sarcasm.H
**Jace Pov**It's been a week, and I couldn't stop thinking about the woman with the beautiful voice. What is wrong with me?!Something like this has never happened to me. Why now? Why here?She is not even the type I used to be with.When I first saw Eliana at a school, I thought she was a married woman. Because she was with a little girl. The girl looked so much like her, but then, the same day I came to this restaurant and I saw her again. That was when I noticed she had no wedding ring on. Then I kept coming every night. This is where I have dinner every single day of my stay in this town. Just so I could see her. I made sure she never caught me gazing at her. I already know when her shift starts and when she is off.Lucky for me, the way the restaurant is arranged was in my favor. There is a table at the far end where you can sit and see everyone and everything happening in the restaurant. I made sure to sit there most times. Except when they are occupied before I get here.The
**Eliana Pov**Jace seems like a nice guy but I was not letting any man in my life again. I was broken to the level of impossible to fix.Jace came into the restaurant again today. He had his meal just an hour before we closed. I was about to leave when he approached me, those beautiful eyes looking all nervous. I was confused."Jace.... Is something bothering you?" I was wondering why he approached me again today. I already directed him to the supermarket yesterday. Did he not find it?."I wanted to thank you for yesterday," he said while we were walking towards the bus station."It's no problem at all," I said looking at him. Still waiting for him to talk."I was wondering if we could have coffee or drinks sometime.... Together?" Why does it sound like he has never asked a girl out before? That cannot be possible. He is too hot to have never done it before or maybe the women were the ones throwing themselves at him."Are you asking me out.... Jace?!" I said in disbelief. Why would h
**Jace Pov**I have never felt the way I do around Eliana. With everyone else, I had to maintain my arrogant self to gain the respect I felt I deserve. But with Eliana, it was different. She makes me feel safe as I am. I settled to be friends with her so that I can get closer and find a way to get her to like me better.I received an invite from the school where I first met Eliana and her daughter. They were having a junior football match this weekend and they would like for me to attend. I couldn't risk Eliana finding out my true Identity. Instead, I agreed to show up in one of the kids training sections.Luke and I talked last night. He let me know that some paparazzi have been sent to get some of my photos while I was with the children. I have been indoors all day today. I don't have any plans for the day but I intend to go for a run later.This is my cheat month when I could consume all the carbs I want. Then after that, I go back to exercising like crazy to get my body back in s