Are you okay, Angelie?” Jeff asked, his voice surprisingly calm as his eyes scanned over her, like he was trying to make sure she wasn’t injured.In her wildest thoughts, Angelie hadn’t expected to see him. Not here, not now, not when she had started believing that maybe, she had finally put him behind her.Before she could gather her words, Olivia appeared, walking up to Jeff and slipping her fingers through his like they belonged there.“Are you okay, my love?” Olivia asked, her voice sweet, almost musical."My love?" Angelie said inwardly. That phrase stung more than she expected. It echoed in her chest and pierced through it.Jeff turned slightly, giving Olivia a faint smile. “I’m good. I accidentally bumped into Ang… this lady here and just wanted to be sure she was alright.”This lady.Angelie blinked slowly. That’s all she was to him now? Just a lady?She bit the inside of her cheek and gave a polite nod. Her fingers gripped the handle of her suitcase as she stepped into the el
Olivia placed her hands gently on Jeff's. "So in essence, you want me to be your girlfriend again?" she asked, her voice soft, holding just a hint of a smile. "Did we even break up? I just left and cut off communication, but the truth is, I never stopped thinking about you, Jeff. I’ve waited so long for this moment."She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "This time, nothing will come in between, I am back, and will never leave your sight."Jeff stared down at their hands. He didn’t feel excited; he imagined the hands to be Angelie’s. He managed a faint smile. "Cheers to that," he said, raising his glass halfway before taking a sip.********************Two housekeepers struggled to drag three large suitcases out of Angelie and Andrew's room. The sound of wheels scraping faintly against the tiles made a soft noise.Tim stepped out of his room, rubbing his eyes, squinting at the scene. "If I weren’t aware of this summit, I’d have thought you two were relocating permanently. What’s wit
Andrew’s lips curled into a small laugh. “You got me on that one.”Elizabeta stood still, her fingers twisting the sleeve of the jacket he’d placed over her shoulders. She didn’t smile back at him. “I’m not joking, Andrew,” she said quietly. “I meant every single word, and even more. I don’t know how best to express myself, guess I came out too forward.”His smile faded.“It’s not obvious?” she added. “I love you.”Andrew’s face shifted. Not in shock, but discomfort.“We… can’t happen,” he said slowly, eyes avoiding hers. “You’re young. And to be very honest, I see you as a sister.”The words hit her like a silent slap. She had practiced for this moment. Told herself she’d handle it with grace if it didn’t go her way. But nothing prepared her for this; she didn’t expect words could hurt her like this.She tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but it wouldn’t go down. Her lips trembled, but she managed a smile, the kind that didn’t reach her eyes.“It’s fine, dear,” she said, her vo
The room wasn't so bright and quiet, except for the slow noise from the ceiling fan as Grandpa Lu stirred.His eyelids opened slowly. He blinked a few times and turned his head slightly.Morris, seated beside the bed, looked up and smiled faintly. “Finally, we’re awake.”He glanced at his wristwatch.“You’ve been out for six hours and four minutes. That’s a record, even for someone your age, but it is good for your health.”Grandpa tried to sit up. But when he moved his legs, they wouldn’t budge.He looked down and saw the thick cloth ties looped around his ankles, fastened tightly to the base of the bunk.“What is this?” he almost screamed. “Morris, aren’t you too old to be playing this kind of game?”Morris didn’t laugh. He simply pressed back and gestured with his hand.“Look around the room, Father. Remember it?”Grandpa Lu turned his head and scanned the four corners.His jaw twitched.“You remember now, don’t you? The room of self-reflection isn't what you call it?”He dragged t
“What are you saying, Sam?” Morris stared at his brother, his face losing colour. “Did you bring me all the way here for this kind of prank?”“I’m serious,” Samson said, “Jeff is my son.”Morris shook his head slowly. “Yes, I know Elena was pregnant before we got married. Same with Amaya. We were both forced. She told me she was in love with someone else… and truthfully, I was too. But neither of our parents would let us be with whom we wanted. So we agreed, marry for peace, divorce after two years. But things didn’t go as planned, it became complicated and she fell sick.”He took a deep breath, his hand moving to his forehead. “You’re telling me… You were her lover?”“I was,” Samson said. “We met in Paris. Fell hard. It wasn’t planned. We were just… drawn to each other.”Morris stepped back a little, waving one hand in front of his face like he was trying to fan away fire.“This… is too much,” he muttered. “If you both were in love, you could’ve spoken up. You could’ve told Father. Y
The living room was quiet, except for the soft sound of Lizzy’s sobs.She sat on the couch, wearing a plain black gown, her shoulders hunched, fingers twisting round her dress. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying all night.“I can’t believe Grandpa is gone…” she whispered. “Just like that. No warning, no goodbye. I won’t see him again. He left me all alone.”Samson sat beside her, one hand gently rubbing her back. His own eyes were dull with grief, but he held it in for her sake.“You’re not alone,” he said softly. “I’m here. I’m not your grandfather, I know that, but I’ll step into the role. For you… and for Jayden.”Lizzy looked up, her eyes all red.“You’ve carried enough on your shoulders, Lizzy. You’ve done more than most women your age would even try to do. It’s time to let someone else help. You need to be strong, but you don’t have to be strong alone.”She wiped her cheeks and nodded slowly, leaning into his shoulder. “Thank you, Samson.”They sat there for a long time, su