MasukElodieThe sound of my name echoes loud into my ear, making me turn fast, almost losing my balance. “Yes...”I answer in surprise as I find Mrs. Albernathy standing behind me.“We have to leave now.” she says dismissively and looks past me to where Vivian stands.“Get inside the car,” she adds, checking her wristwatch. “I’m running late, and I don't want to miss my flight.” The precision in her tone makes Vivian to scoff.“What?” Her voice comes very faintly behind me.I glance at her, fingers curling instinctively. She looks somehow confused, and hurt at the same time.“Please we'll have this discussion done another time.” I whisper quietly to her, shoving down the thousands of things I wanted to say. I'm sure this is not the right place to settle our misunderstanding. Especially now that Mrs. Albernathy is watching.So I turn back and slip into the car, I don't want to keep her waiting too.We roll away quietly, while Vivian still stands fixed, watching us leave until we are comp
ElodieA gentle tap on my legs pull me from my thick comfort of sleep. For a second, I can’t tell if I'm fully awake or not.My eyelids still feels heavy, like I had been dragged out of a dream I wasn’t ready to leave.“Yes…” I murmur, with a groggy voice, barely audible. Then I turn towards the other side of the wall as if hiding will make whoever it is to stop intruding.“Ma’am, wake up.” The voice echoes again persistent. “It’s time for breakfast.”I inhale slowly, finally forcing my eyes to open, and then I see Zarah my personal assistant, standing beside my bed, hands folding politely.Her expression is. patient but looks amused. That kind of look people give when they know you overslept.“Everyone is waiting for you downstairs,” she mutters gently.I blink rapidly, taking in her word. I now sit up very fast, head tilted lightly.“Okay… tell them I’ll be down soon.”She bow and slip out immediately, closing the door behind her.I reach under my pillow, fingers searching for my p
TravisSettling issues with my mother is not usually easy. It will always leave you feeling like you just walked across broken glasses.Now after parting ways with Nathan outside, I return back, bracing myself for another clash.But instead, I find Mum already asleep on the couch.The sight alone stops me. It shifts something in my heart. Immediately, I feel bad for ignoring all her calls since morning.Maybe I went too extreme, I shouldn't have.Looking at her, she seems to have fallen asleep while waiting for me. One arm draped over her forehead, her phone resting on her chest. Now she looks gentle as I stare at the woman who walked into my house days ago forcing opinion.I move closer, lowering myself into the armchair opposite her and at once, the cushion creaks.Her eyes flutter open immediately.Of course. Mum never truly sleeps deeply in a bothering situation.For a few seconds, she just stares at me before sitting up, grimacing like she had been caught doing something wrong.
TravisMy voice doesn’t just rise with a crack, disbelief clusters all over me.“So it was you?” My chest heaves repeatedly. “You had the nerve to spy on me? In my own house?”The words hang in the air like a breeze, yet thundering loud.I don’t wait for an answer to land before I close the distance between Sonia and I, my chest still rising and falling like I’ve just come out of a fight.“Speak,” I growl bitterly. “Before I force you to.”She shrinks, and staggers back instantly, her fingers curling into her fabrics, trembling as if it might save her. Quickly she raises her glance at me, then to my mother, silently pleading for mercy.But still, she remains speechless, sobbing regretfully, although I don't buy it.Then my mother exhales, the kind of breath meant to steady herself.“Don’t label it,” she says calmly. “She hasn’t done anything wrong.”Surprise overthrow me as her words stings even more.I’m totally stunned. And for a moment, I actually wonder if I heard her wrong.“Are
Travis After I manage to put Elodie in check and coax her into staying, I help her arrange back her clothes into the wardrobe.“Stay here while I go check on my mother, okay,” I mumble softly to her. “I'll be back soon.”She nods her head.“And you champ,” I cooed at Liam. “Tell mum stories to keep her busy.” “About school?” He ask.I titter lightly because I just remembered that except for questions, all his stories now revolve only around his school friends.“Well, anyone is good but this time, it mustn't be about Josh.” I warn.Everyone in the house has probably heard about Josh a million times and can even recognise him at first sight despite not knowing him yet.“But he's my best friend.” He squints.“I know, but right now,” I adjust my clothes, already standing. “Your mum wants to hear a different story.”He chuckles quickly and glances at his mother, a finger crossing the center of his lips. “Okay, I will get my story book then.”With this, he dashes out to his room with spee
Travis“She stays,” I say again, my words hanging irreversibly in the air.A sharp scoffs sound leaves my mother's lips. She nods slowly, almost pityingly, then throws a fixed glance at Elodie and steps forward.“I said it,” she snaps. “Your little tricks are working perfectly on him. But I won’t let it.”She lowers herself carefully on the executive couch and places her handbag beside her. “Such desperation,” she continues, eyes raking over Elodie from head to toe. “As if I cannot see right through it.”I bite my lower lip. I don’t understand why she’s protesting this hard and who is misinforming her.Just minutes ago, she dodged Liam’s small, eager arms when he ran to hug her and that caused him to fall, yet she showed no remorse at all.Not even a fake flinch.And here she is again, redirecting her fury toward Elodie.I inhale deeply, and signal Talia to take Liam upstairs. She nods quickly, lifting him into her arms as she hurries away.The cautiousness etched on everyone's face







