MasukYULIA“Mmmm…” The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the smell of food. Savory and delicious. My stomach growled before my eyes even opened.I stretched beneath the soft sheets, letting out a sleepy yawn as I slowly blinked myself awake.The room was still dim, the curtains only partially open, allowing streaks of California sunshine to spill across the floor.I turned my head. Kendrick stood near the windows with his phone pressed to his ear.He was already dressed. His hair was slightly tousled, and one hand rested casually in his trousers’ pockets as he listened to whoever was on the other end of the call.I stretched again, pulling the covers closer around me. That was when his eyes found mine.His entire expression changed with a smile spreading across his face. “Let me call you back.”He ended the call and slipped his phone into his pocket.“Who was that?” I asked sleepily.“My project manager.” He strutted toward the bed. “He needed confirmation from me about some changes
KENDRICK“I’m so exhausted. I feel jet-lagged.” Yulia groaned, collapsing onto the bed in our suite.I chuckled. “Me too.”Eating and talking with Marcel had taken a little over an hour. We had spent most of the time catching up on our lives, work, and everything that had happened since college.Marcel was a hard guy to get close to. He usually kept to himself, but once you earned his trust, he was surprisingly easy to talk to.I looked at Yulia, who was lying across the bed with her arms covering her eyes.My baby was exhausted.I walked over and stood in front of her. “Get up, babe. Let’s take a quick shower.”“Noooo…” she whined, turning her face away. “I’m feeling drained, Kendrick.”I shook my head, smiling at her cuteness. I bent down and scooped her into my arms.“Kendrick!” she shrieked, wrapping her arms around my neck.I laughed. “Let me take care of you, Peaches. You’ll thank me later.”She rested her head against my shoulder, too tired to argue anymore. “You better make it
YULIANo sooner than our car turned into Heathrow’s private terminal, I knew Kendrick had not been exaggerating. Still, nothing prepared me for the sight waiting beyond the glass doors.A sleek private jet sat on the tarmac, its polished exterior gleaming beneath the morning sun. The engines were already running, and a few staff members stood nearby, dressed in immaculate uniforms.I stared through the window, then glanced at me. “You weren’t kidding when you said you had a jet.”Kendrick laughed beside me. “I don't know why you keep underestimating me.”The car came to a stop. The driver stepped out first and opened Kendrick's door. He climbed out before walking around to my side. He opened my door and held out his hand. “Come on, Peaches.”I placed my hand in his, tugging at the strap of my purse over my shoulder. “This is insane.”“Good insane?”I bobbed my head. “Very good insane.”He smirked, walking us toward the stairs leading into the aircraft. The closer we got, the more sur
KENDRICKI stood on the edge of the golf course at the Fernsby estate, adjusting the cuff of my polo shirt as I watched Victor and Damon approach me on the field.Both were dressed for the game, golf bags already waiting beside the carts.Victor was wearing a navy polo, white trousers, and the same smug expression he seemed to wake up with every morning.Damon looked better after being away from London for almost three weeks. The exhaustion that had followed Sophie's betrayal had finally begun to disappear from his face.I checked him out. “Looking good, bro.”“Yeah….” He picked up his club. “Ready to move on.”I hummed in agreement. “That’s what I like to hear.”Victor clapped Damon on the shoulder. “Finally! We were starting to think we'd have to drag you onto this course ourselves.”Damon chortled. “I would've come eventually.”“You?” Victor scoffed. “Of course.” He smirked proudly. “I’m the life of the party. You two will be bored without me in your lives!”I laughed as we walked
YULIAThe first thing I noticed when the gates opened was the security. Two men stood on either side of the entrance, dressed in dark suits and earpieces. Another was stationed near the main house, speaking quietly into a phone.This wasn't just a wealthy family home. It felt guarded and protected.The black armored Escalade carrying me rolled through the enormous iron gates and continued up a long, winding driveway lined with perfectly trimmed hedges. Tall trees stood on either side, their branches moving gently in the afternoon breeze.Then the house came into view as I stared through the window. It was beautiful. Massive, elegant, and unmistakably expensive.The architecture had a European grandeur to it, with pale stone walls, tall arched windows, dark roofing, and elaborate columns framing the entrance. A large circular fountain stood in the centre of the driveway, water cascading from a sculpted marble centerpiece.The gardens stretched farther than I could see. For a moment, I
YULIA“So… are you ready to call her?” Adeline asked, watching me like I might change my mind.I’d told her everything. It had been two days since my mother’s surprise visit, and I’d finally made up my mind to see her tomorrow.“Yeah,” I breathed, rubbing my hands over my thighs. “I just… I’m nervous.”“Girl, relax.” She tipped her head, giving me an encouraging look. “I’m sure she’s probably just as nervous, waiting for you to call.”She tipped her head, gesturing to my phone. “Go on. Call her.”With the card in my left hand, I picked up my phone with my other hand, my fingers hovering over the screen.Adeline watched silently. “You're not backing out now,” she warned.I took a breath and typed the number. Then I pressed call. I put the phone on speaker and placed it on the desk between us. The phone rang for a while, then her voice came through.“Hello?”I gulped. “Uhh… hi.” My voice sounded embarrassingly small. “It’s me, Yulia.”My mother’s entire tone changed. “Yulia!” Excitemen
YULIA“This is it?” I asked, glancing around the parking lot filled with cars. “Yes.” Kendrick parked his car and turned to me. “Ever been to a street race?”I shook my head wildly, speechless all of a sudden. His expression barely changed, but his eyes said otherwise . “Then prepare yourself. Yo
KENDRICK“What were they thinking, letting her live with you?” Victor asked, leaning back lazily in the chair across from my desk like he owned the space.“Safety.” I shrugged, flipping through the folder in front of me without bothering to look up. “Apparently, her father thinks London will collap
YULIA“We’re almost there, baby girl.” My father watched me as I angled towards the side window, lost in my thoughts.“I still can’t believe you eloped and got married.” I glanced at him, and he was smiling.“Well… I can’t be single forever. I’m ready to settle down and spend the rest of my life wi
YULIA“So you’re telling me that you’re living with the Kendrick Fernsby?” Adeline asked dramatically, raising both hands to make quotation marks in the air. I laughed, taking another sip of my pineapple smoothie. I had decided to meet her at The Good Life Eatery because their smoothies were ridic







