The Mask She Wears

Tania||My mind froze as I stared at the paper, the pain within me too strong for me to comprehend what I was holding."Sign it like a good girl and get out of our lives, Tania," Nicholas hissed.The moment he opened his mouth to speak, I felt my senses return but so did my tears. Nicholas has always been a gold-digger, but I thought he loved me enough to forget that side of him. But I was wrong. Everything has been a sham.Anger suddenly filled me, and I squeezed the paper hard in my hand.“I won’t let you do this, Nicholas. Not to me and not my sister—”“Oh please, Tania. Worry about you. I want Nicholas. I love him. I have loved him long before you came to the picture.”“He's using you, Eloise!” I cried out, my heart shattering at her childish words. “Nicholas doesn't love you; he only wants control of your finances!”Eloise's face twisted in anger. “You're just jealous, Tania! You stole him from me, and now that you're dying, you can't bear the thought of me having him back!”Shoc

Ivan||My eyes widened in shock as the woman in front of my car disappeared from my vision. It could only mean that I had hit her.The rain was pouring so heavily, that I was already struggling with visibility when she had just appeared from nowhere. Where the hell was, she going under this heavy torrent?“Holy Shit!” I hissed as I rushed out of the car.As my eyes landed on her body, my heart froze. It wasn’t the blood or the bashed state of her face, it was the fact that I recognized her. She was the strange, enchanting woman at the bar!My legs instantly lowered to the ground as panic and fear seeped through me. I have spent days searching for her, only for the universe to bring her to me in this state.“Please don’t die,” I murmured as I searched for her pulse.When I finally felt it, hope washed down into my rain-soaked and bloodied clothes. I quickly picked her off the road and gently placed in her my car. I reversed my car and drove right back to the hospital.I couldn’t lose h

Tania||"How are you doing today honey?" The old woman who was Ivan's grandmother cooed to me like I was a baby as she stroked my forehead gently.My confused eyes moved from her face, to Ivan's and back to hers and then Ivan again. His eyes were full of panic and what looked like shame."When did she wake up?" I watched as Ivan's grandmother asked him. "Erm..." I watched Ivan stutter as he rubbed his beautiful forehead with his thumb and forefinger.He looked so tense and he was intentionally refusing to meet my eyes. I really wanted him to look at me. I needed answers to what was going on."About an hour ago I think." Ivan finally answered. "Oh, honey! How do you feel?" The old woman's attention was back on me.I looked at her and my eyes were met with beautiful blue eyes that were so identical to the ones Ivan had. Hers were just wiser and full of motherly love and I wanted to drown in their gentleness.This time when she spoke, she looked like she warranted an answer from me but

Ivan||"You really don't have to do much honestly. Just enough to keep my grandma's suspicion at bay," I said to Tania who was reclining in the passenger seat next to me in my black Brabus.It was the same car I had hit her with a couple of weeks ago. I wondered what it felt like sitting in the same car that had almost killed you and next to the man who had almost killed you.It had been two days since we had made our plan to help each other's deceitful plans and even though I had intended to let her stay in the hospital for a couple more days for further observation, my grandma had insisted that she be discharged.I could not help but admire the beauty that was sitting next to me. I would consider my work on her face to be my best reconstruction.I had indeed taken my time to ensure she did not have any scars or imperfections mostly out of guilt for having destroyed the masterpiece that had originally been her face. However, I had ensured I kept some features of her old face. Tania

Tania||As her question sank through my head, the pasta passed into my windpipe, choking me out of my thoughts.I coughed out the food and Ivan got up immediately to help me.He patted my back while I continued coughing with one hand and with the other hand, he held a napkin to my mouth."Nan see what you have caused!" Ivan chastised her."What did I do?" She whined, oblivious to the murder she almost committed."I told you to stop saying things like that, Nana!" Ivan hissed and she pursed her lips sadly.When I recovered, Ivan went back to his seat and grandmother cleared her throat."I'm sorry honey. I didn't mean to rile you up...""It's okay Nana." I replied forcing a smile. "I was not expecting such a question, that's all.""But you should." She insisted and from the corner of my eyes, I saw Liam roll his eyes in exasperation."You both are obviously in love so there is no re