LOGINYVONNE'S P.O.V“Is this good?” I asked, holding up the dress for Sasha to inspect, or rather approve over FaceTime.She squinted her eyes at the screen for a few seconds before pointing dramatically. “Yvonne Young, tell me that isn't the exact shade of Clayton Voss's eyes.”I glanced down at the dress in my hands, that particular feeling I've had all night intensified “Maybeee?”“Oh my God.” Sasha threw her head back, a kind laugh slipping out from her “You color matched your man's eyeballs, that's so cute Yvie”My heart jumped immediately at that. “He's not my man.” I found myself protesting immediately. Over the phone, I could see her adjusting on her bed while her pet cat rubbed his fur all over her cheeks. “Mmhmm. Then explain why you spent twenty minutes texting me, trying to decide which between the midnight blue and the ultramarine blue dress?” She gave me a look “I know what you were doing Yvie, even though you don't. You were deliberately looking for something with the same
CLAYTON'S P.O.VThe door to my private suite clicked shut behind me.I had barely wrapped up the weekend when an impromptu meeting downstairs was interrupted by Uncle Sway, who insisted that he and Anthony needed to see me immediately.Again.Apparently discussing my father's will over the phone wasn't enough anymore. They wanted to do it in person, as though hearing the same tight conditions face-to-face would somehow change them, but it wouldn't I knew every clause of that document by heart, I knew every sentence, the deadline was staring right in front of my face. I knew that tooI loosened my tie as I crossed my personal suite, glancing at the time on my watch. In a few hours, I was supposed to pick Yvonne up, the thought eased the tightness inside me instantly.A small smile tugged at the corner of my mouth before I could stop it, all of a sudden, the burden I'd been carrying on my shoulders all day didn't seem so heavy anymore I could feel that small smile stretch into somethi
YVONNE'S P.O.VMy heart stopped the pumping thing it was supposed to doActually...No.It kept beating, only now it was pounding so violently against my ribs that I feared Mr Voss would hear it before he saw me.”Who's there?” His deep voice echoed through the corridor.Every muscle in my body locked, freezing me over. I couldn't move or breathe or think I pressed myself harder against the marble pillar as if I could merge myself into it. Please...Please don't come this way. Please don't see meThe sharp click of his shoes echoed as Mr Voss walked towards me. One...two... three, Each sound sounded louder than the last.He was walking toward me. Oh God. Oh God. Mr Voss was going to catch me, and I won't be able to explain what I was doing here and why I'm hiding from him. Then since I can't tell him the truth, he would have to bring our... relationship to an endMy eyes stung and the first drop of tears slid out. God, it hurt. Just the thought of upsetting Mr Voss and ruining this se
YVONNE'S P.O.V“Breathe” I urged myself for the seventh time. My one hand was braced against the marble wall, and the other gripped the edge of the sink so tightly my knuckles had turned white.Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Again and Again After leaving Prince Emir's suite, I had rushed into the nearest bathrooms down the corridor, locked myself inside one, and spent the last five minutes dry heaving over the sink. Nothing came up because there was nothing in my stomach to throw up, only bone-chilling fear. It was cold and suffocating and it still refused to loosen its grip around my chest.I cupped another handful of icy water and splashed it over my face. Droplets of it slid down my cheeks and dripped from my chin into the clean white basin.My chest squeezed again. That didn't help, nothing helped. I had partically ran out of Prince Emir's suite but my heartbeat refused to slow down, it was still pounding and pounding hardMaybe I will have that cardiac arrest before I get home
YVONNE'S P.O.VMy heart skipped a dangerous beat. The question landed so brutally, that it slammed into my thoughts and scattered themMy lips parted, closed shut, and parted again. My palms turned clammy and I instinctively rubbed them over the length of my dressFor a second, I genuinely hoped that I had heard him wrong. There was no way Prince Emir would know that I was.... involved with Mr Voss. In fact, no one knew. We were careful, we always made sure we were careful So how did...oh my God, my heart was pounding so hard behind my chest I feared it would burst right out of me“Excuse me?” My voice was the scrape of a whisper, I was sure my fear was evident in my face Prince Emir didn't repeat himself immediately, He simply watched me with deeply observant eyes that I wanted to remove myself fromHe poured us both some tea with unnerving patience, he continued watching me as he brought his cup to his lips, studying my every reaction. From the hitch in my breath, to the way my f
YVONNE'S P.O.VHow old was I?I had stayed up all night, been restless all day to arrive at this ‘meeting’ to be asked how old I wasOf all the questions in the world Prince Emir wanted answers to, that was the one he chose first?What's so important about my age anyway? He didn't ask who I was, why, or how I came to work for SilverThorn, or any other thing that would clue me in on his purpose about all thisBut my ageThe silence stretched, Prince Emir didn't rush me. He didn't repeat the question either. The doors beside us opened slowly and two maids entered carrying silver trays. One set down a teapot and cups while the other arranged fresh fruit, and small pastries that looked more like decorations than actual food to be eatenNeither of us spoke.The women moved about the suite like robots, their footsteps barely making a sound against the thick carpet. Within moments, everything had been arranged perfectly on the low table between us. Then they were goneThen we were two again







