“Is the greatest of all, the strongest mafia leader the world has to offer, afraid of flight?” My voice is teasing, eyes twinkling with newly found interest. Elliot scoffs at my face, not admitting it. He plays cool by picking up a glass of liquor. But I can see his discomfort. It's written all over his face. It makes me wonder if he has always been like this. I can't even imagine it. He has to fly all the time for his business. It must be a hassle to always feel uncomfortable and slightly scared while flying, that too so frequently. It's not my first time flying. But it's definitely my first time flying in a private jet. Who would have thought that the girl who was fighting poverty, working overtime to get meals 3 times a day, would have the luxury to ride on a jet like this? Definitely not me. I'm still awestruck by that fact. However, my joy of being in such a majestic vehicle doesn't last long. The reason? Elliot fucking Ivanov. You are wrong if you think I'm saying this because
“Are you serious?” My hands are on my hip like a classic mom who is angry at something. “What?” He feigns innocence, looking at me with puppy eyes. “You want me to believe that you could manage only one room?” He nods his head. “Isn't that what the receptionist said? If you don't believe me, go ahead and listen to him again.” He shrugs his shoulders, walking ahead of me. “You are a billionaire for God's sake!” I say behind him, walking behind him. “So?” He halts which causes me to collide with his chest. “You want me to waste my money just because I'm a billionaire?” He asks, bending down a little and touching the bridge of my nose with his finger.“Yes. I do.” I swat his hand away, “How are we supposed to share a room here as well? If you have forgotten, let me remind you, we aren't married.” He looks bored of my speech. “Not yet.” He corrects me, “Besides, weren't you too bold, too eager earlier?” He whispers in my ear. I push him away and walk towards the room. It's not lik
“Are you sure she will be alright?” I can hear an angry tone even when I think I'm deep into sleep. The angry tone itself tells me that it's none other than Elliot. Is he talking about me? “Elli, I'm not a doctor but I have ears, fully functioning ears. And those ears heard what the doctor said.” A new voice emerges, sounding sarcastic. My consciousness can't pick up the voice but I feel like I heard it before. I know who talks with this kind of sarcasm. I try to open my eyes and see who it is, but I just feel so tired. My eyelids feel too heavy to move. “Leo, don't be mean. Elliot is just worried about his wife. Be good!”A female voice chides him. Leo? What's he doing here? If the guy is Leo then the girl must be Lailah. What are they doing here all of sudden? I want to know, I want to open my eyes. “I'm sorry.” But he doesn't sound sorry at all. Typical Leo. “I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, Mr.Ivanov. And yeah, your wife will be alright. That's what the doctor said. So, now
No. She is definitely joking. It can't possibly be true. I heard the conversation between Elliot and Leo in the car. He has the reputation of being a playboy. The fact that he is a virgin contradicts all other allegations. “Stop joking around.” Lailah’s facial expression says that she didn't expect that reply from me. “You are talking about things which are exactly opposite. He is a well- known playboy. How can you say that he is a virgin? It's like the joke of the year.’ I scoff. My strong reaction shocks them momentarily. I sound so jealous that it shocks me as well. I realise how far I've fallen. Elliot has turned me into a lovesick girl. I don't remember ever being jealous over anything or anyone. But now, there's a bitter taste in my tongue, in my mind. In fact, jealousy is written all over my face. Lailah doesn't say anything. She looks back at Leo who gives her a “told you so” look. “Leo?” He looks at me, responding to my call.“Yeah?”“Now that you know I'm Amber, you mus
Willow Rae Johnson*****I stare back at the enthusiastic pair of green eyes with overflowing emotions pumping into my veins. Hundreds of different feelings crowd my mind as I keep staring at her, gripping the DNA test result a little too tightly. "Willow! It's so nice to finally see you in person." Amber chirps in, standing up from the chair and advancing towards me.My tongue betrays me, refusing to cooperate with me and produce any sentence. I just nod my head at her, eyes beaming with freshly produced tears. It feels like I'm looking into a mirror but the only difference is that I'm not. I observe my twin sister who is standing in front of me. I've lived 23 long years but until a few days ago, I didn't know I had a sister. We have the same skin tone, same facial structure but we can be easily differentiated. She looks sophisticated, polished and her attire makes her look like she came straight out of a fashion magazine while I can't even dream about looking like that. It sends a
Willow Rae Johnson****My heart feels overwhelmed as tears pool at the corner of my eyes upon seeing the wholesome incident unfolding in front of my eyes. A little girl is hugging her mother while the hairdresser is cutting her hair, leaving her totally bald. To give moral support to the little girl who is seemingly fighting cancer, some ladies who accompanied the mother and daughter are sacrificing their own hair. Hair is a precious part to anyone who values their beauty or anyone who wants to look good to their own eyes but they are so freely sacrificing it just to encourage the little girl, just to make her realize they are with her no matter what. It fills my heart with warmth. I dare to take my eyes off the scene and avert them towards my sister who is unaware of every emotion the whole salon is radiating right now. She is busy on her phone, eyes glued to the screen since we stepped inside the salon. "Amber." I call out to get her attention but she is too concentrated on her
I take a deep breath, inhaling the fresh morning breeze. It makes me feel alive somehow. The last few days were rather distressing. It feels like eternity since I last took a walk outside. Being cooped up in Amber's apartment made me realise I took my old town for granted. I miss the freshness, the freedom it offered."We are finally out. You happy, my boy?" I ask Milo, nudging my nose on the crook of his neck. He meows in contentment, being excited for the walk outside. My Milo is a hyperactive cat which is very usual. Maybe he wants to bring a balance in our lives as I'm always gloomy and dull. This very thought sounds absurd in my mind but sometimes I come to believe it. I put Milo on the ground, letting him run while I held his leash. Taking a mask and a pair of sunglasses out of my hoodie pocket, I wear them to hide my identity. Amber has strictly forbidden me from stepping out of the house in fear that someone might recognize me and it can lead to a greater disaster. I would c
My breath quickens as soon as Elliott's hands find mine and he helps me to get back on my feet. His warm hands set my body on fire with just a simple touch, sending waves of shiver. I'm not used to getting touched by strangers. Precisely, by strangers as gorgeous as Elliot Ivanov. "Are you alright, miss?" The raw concern in his voice forces me to see him in a new light. I dare to look up only to find him scanning my body worriedly to look for any visible injuries. My hands shake in anxiety. The way he is looking at me, it feels like I'm only seconds away from being recognized by him. Deep down I know his act of being a gentleman will fly through a window if he learns that it's me and not a random lady he bumped into. I nod my head slowly, letting him know that I'm fine. I dare not say anything. Elliot Ivanov may be an asshole but I believe he is extremely smart given the fact that he built his empire on his own. While my voice isn't distinctive, it can still give away my identity.