MAYAmidst the swirling currents of laughter, music, and clinking glasses, I felt his presence before he even reached me.“Hey,” Edmond, closed the distance between us with a smile that radiated a warmth so genuine it was contagious. I couldn't help but mirror that smile as he wrapped his arms around me in a hug that felt like home. “Did you miss me?”His embrace was a sanctuary, a place where the outside world faded away, and all that remained was the two of us, entwined in this moment. The scent of his cologne enveloped me, and I took it in like it was life itself. “Do not flatter yourself, I had champagne.”“I am better than wine.”I could not quite place what it was. But Edmond seemed happy. I did not expect him to be in such a mood after crossing paths with his father. While it was tempting to ask, I had to be slippery about it."Did you win the lottery or something?" I teased, pulling back slightly to peer into his eyes. The joy that danced within those dark depths was infectiou
EDMONDSarah, my personal assistant of over five years, knew me well enough to understand the dynamics of my family. Even though she had never directly witnessed our interactions, she could gauge my emotions when it came to them. The look she gave me as she approached spoke volumes, confirming my suspicions. So, it was no surprise to see my father standing in the hallway that led inside the venue. His path was obstructed by security personnel, and the intensity of his gaze indicated his frustration. My mother stood beside him, her presence likely preventing him from unleashing his wrath upon the security team. He might have been on the brink of asserting his influence as a prominent figure in the corporate world, warning them of potential consequences, but something seemed to be holding him back, even if it painted his cheeks a tomato-red hue. It was clear that my mother's presence was acting as a buffer.As I observed the scene, a question lingered in my mind: why were they here?I d
MAYI had no reason to worry, after all. Edmond cared about me deeply. While it might have been a natural inclination to feel a hint of jealousy or territorial instinct, it simply wasn't worth allowing those emotions to chip away at my mental well-being.After giving them a moment, I walked over to them. The flicker of jealousy that had momentarily ignited inside me had faded away completely when Edmond's gaze met mine – a gaze that made me feel like the sole focus of his attention in the entire room."Excuse me," he told Lucille before stepping away and approaching me."Hey," he said, his tone carrying a new kind of warmth. This moment felt different, almost like a knot I hadn't even realized I had been carrying all day had suddenly come undone.I glanced at Lucille, who stood there with an awkward smile. "You two seemed to be having a conversation. I hope I'm not interrupting anything." I said.Edmond's eyes met mine again, a small smile playing on his lips. "Are you feeling a bit j
MAYI was washing out the tear stains off my face when the bathroom door opened, and someone walked in. I did not need to look in the mirror to know it was Lucille. Her perfume had a certain signature that couldn’t be missed.It hurt my pride a little bit that she got to see me like this. I could not help but feel she would relish this. I could not even hate her for it. So I just made up my mind to ignore her presence while I took time to get my act together so I could leave.Considering the remnants of my makeup were already ruined, I decided the best thing to do was wash it all off. I looked at the mirror, my attention fixated on my reflection, even if I could see Lucille Hall fixing up her lipstick. I hoped she would pretend she did not see me at my worst. The raw emotions still consumed me even if I had stopped crying. So I really hoped she would take the hint and let it be. She could laugh behind my back for all I cared. Not just here.But apparently, Lucille was not the kind of
EDMONDI fucked up, and I had Snuggle to blame. The stupid task Snuggle handed me, to patch things up with Lucille had distracted me for a minute. I took a step forward to chase after May. But she was long gone.I looked back to see April Wolfe. She had a champagne glass in her hands and a confused look on her face. Like, she didn’t get it. It was hard not to make a scene. Because every bone in my body wanted to smack that fucking glass of her hands and yell into her face. The more I pondered about it, the more it made sense. My grip tightened over my phone.“Are you not going to go after her?” Lucille asked.It was almost as if Snuggle was listening. My phone beeped again, and I dared to look. Just as I suspected, it was a message from Snuggle. “Time is of the essence,” It read. “Ivy Estates can still be used to instill cooperation.”The last bit did just what they wanted it to do. Panic flooded my system. The Ivy Estates was finally out. Another seizure would be catastrophic. I did
MAYI was not the brightest, and Edmond Walters was not the easiest to read. But since he returned from his bathroom break, I realized that something was up with him. I could see it when he joined Tyrone Davidson to cut the ribbon to commemorate the opening of the Ivy Estates. I could see that worry in his eyes while pictures of us were being taken. I believed it must have been a daunting task that Snuggle had sent his way. But there was something else. Something that made that thought shrivel up and die. He kept moving me around. Like he was afraid to bump into someone.It had to be the woman who started it all. Lucille. I had seen her during the photo shoot. She was holding hands with Tyrone Davidson, the co-owner of the Estates. I had not been the only one whose eyes had wandered. She did not notice me. Scratch that, she did notice me, but she did not care enough to give me the time of day. There were, however, stolen moments when she and Edmond made eye contact. Those brief second