“Wow!” I exclaimed, placing my hand on her heavily pregnant tummy. “You’re pregnant!”
“Yes, Hazel.” She grinned, her sky blue eyes were filled with intense joy.
I pulled her into a hug, not tight enough to squish her tummy, but a tight one.
“Hazel, is this really what has been making you so secretive recently? Because she’s coming back?” Tristan was clearly very pissed off for some reasons I didn’t understand. “So why did you suddenly return, Indy?”
“What do you mean?” I turned to him.
“Why the heck are you back?” He was almost yelling at her.
“I… uhm… I don’t—”
“Tristan, why are you being so mean?” I frowned at him.
“He’s clearly still the same.” She
Her words felt like a hammer struck my heart. âAre you crazy?â I couldnât believe I was saying that to her.âThis is not about being crazy. Itâs whatâs needed. Iâve thought about it long and hard, and the only conclusion is that itâll be selfish of me to stay with you, knowing whatâs to come.â Tears started streaming down her face.âWeâll face it together. Thatâs the point of marriage. Together, in good and bad times. Our marriage vows were not for the sake of showoff.ââThatâs clichĂŠ.â She sniffled. âTristan, please, weâre not characters in a movie or a book. This is not a matter of whether we can fight this together. Itâs reality, and we need to face it. Iâm heading for destruction, thatâs for sure, but Iâm not pulling you down with me.â She held my hands. âI love you so much, and this is the best choice.â The pang in my heart was starting to feel like a burning sensation, irritated that she could think of such.I yanked my hands from her grip, rising to my feet. âStop with this âIâ
~ TRISTAN ~ âY-yes. Indy pushed me!â Her eyes widened.Kye held her hands, his face turning red. âWhat do you mean? How did that happen? She was in our home?ââYes, Kye.ââHow?â I wondered, a frown forming on my face.âI⌠I had seen her at the mall a week before she pushed me: she was on the phone and looked so mad, then I got curious and followed her.ââWhy would you do that?â I scolded.âIâm sorry. I--I was curiousâŚ. She was acting very suspicious. I just wanted to know what was wrong with someone that used to be a friend!â she cried. âI found myself following her to a building where she met a man and he yelled at her for killing someone! She admitted it and just claimed the person was bothering her.ââIndy killed someone?â my voice was low, almost a whisper. I knew Indy was crazy, but had she gotten that bad?âYes. I was equally shocked. When I decided to run, she saw me and tried to chase me. I ran away and she lost me. I assumed she didnât see my face and wouldnât know it was me
I watched his brows fuse together as a tight line formed on his forehead. âWhat is that supposed to mean?â His hands fell from mine. Oh no, he was judging me. Yet, a strong urge to let it all out overwhelmed me. I would rather he knew the truth and hated me, than continue to lie to his face all because I was being greedy for his love. âAfter my dad left me at this manâs hands, the man maltreatment and abused me. One day, I had tried to escape, and accidentally shot his dearest bodyguard. Due to that, he--he tied me to a chair and had set a ring of fire around me.â The memory struck me again. I shut my eyes tightly, shaking my head. No, I had to tell him everything. I had to let go of the trauma. âI wasâŚâ my words got caught up in my throat. ââŚburning. I watched the fire grow closer to me and I couldnât do anything about it. It hurt so badly. It felt like hell. Every day, I feel the heat. It choked me; I suffocated. And watched my life flash before my eyes.âRight after that, he p
Heavily thrusting my fists against the door, I muttered cuss words, also convincing myself that I wasnât here because I was scared; I was here to give them a piece of my mind and get this over with immediately.The moment a click vibrated from the other end of the door, my heart began throbbing harshly and my breath became unstable. The door flung open and Aunt Mandyâs unpleasant figure stood there, a cigarette dangling from her lips.She scanned me from head to toe, a smirk on her lips. âI knew youâd show up.â She chortled. Nodding her head inwards, she pulled the door open wider.I walked in, feigning a confident look despite my heart racing as wild as ever. On the living room couch, Giovanni sat there, gulping down a beer. The living room was filled with nasty trash and the smell made my eyebrows scrunch up.âLook whoâs here,â Giovanni smirked, rising to his feet.He towered over me; he had very bulky muscles that made him too intimidating despite his old age. I had to lift my head
~ HAZEL ~ âHazel,â Tristan called, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind and placed a kiss on the crook of my neck. His action made my giggle, a blush quickly forming on my face. âI thought you already left for work.â I beamed. âNo. I was at the home office. I havenât since you today and itâs been making me feel so incomplete. I also thought you had gone to the restaurant. I canât believe youâre still here.â He planted another kiss on my cheek. âI missed your presence.â âMe too.â I turned to him. âHowever, I have to go to the restaurant.â âCanât that wait till tomorrow? Itâs past noon already.â âNo, it canât.â I wiggled out of his grip, grabbed my bag from the chair and kept my recipe book in it. âWhy not?â âI didnât intend to go today, but Iâm meeting up with a new business woman for the hotel. She said she spoke to you first?â âOh. Mrs. Shine? So, itâs today? Dang it.â he moaned in complaint, standing behind me again. âIâll miss you.â His tone was low, expre
~ TRISTAN ~âSir, your sister wouldnât stop calling you.â Rob whispered to me. She knows I have a meeting. Why would Nikita think itâs sensible to demand for something at such a time? She could be unreasonable sometimes. âIgnore it.â I continued with the meeting, the endless buzzing of my phone with Rob pissed me off. What the heck was her problem?It wasnât my turn to speak, so I wanted to end the call and place the phone on airplane mode when I accidentally answered it. âTristan!â Her voice immediately set an alarm in me. âWhat's wrong?â I asked. âItâs Hazel. I don't know what's wrong with her, but it seems like sheâs⌠dead.â âDead?!â I jumped to my feet. âShe had an attack and now she has pierced herself with broken glasses.ââWhat on Earth?! Why are you calling me? Call the ambulance! I'll meet you both at the hospital.ââMr. Hendrix, this interruption is very rude.â I ignored Mr. Rajeed and dashed out of the meeting room. I wanted to use the elevator but it didnât respond.