LOGIN梶原茉衣 28歳 × 浅野一樹 25歳 最悪の失恋をしたその夜、茉衣を救ってくれたのは、3歳年下の同僚、その端正な容姿で、会社一の人気を誇る浅野一樹だった。 「抱きしめてもいいですか。今それしか、梶原さんを慰める方法が見つからない」 「行くところがなくて困ってるんなら家にきます? 避難所だと思ってくれればいいですよ」 成り行きで彼のマンションにやっかいになることになった茉衣。 徐々に傷ついた心を優しく慰めてくれる彼に惹かれてゆき…… 超イケメンの年下同僚に甘く翻弄されるヒロイン。 一緒にドキドキしていただければ、嬉しいです❤️
View MoreAll her mother wanted her to be was a woman with value, who would be pursued by men and not the other way around. But when Sidd stole her heart, Nadia voided her mother's advice and was sure to give her all to Sidd no matter the cause.
Then Sidd left her world completely after a night with him. Nadia was confirmed pregnant and the shock killed her mother.A few years later, Nadia decided to stop waiting for Sidd and move on, caring for her child only. But their path crossed again. This time, Sidd was engaged to his co-actor, Ria. She will do anything to keep Sidd to herself and nothing can ever get in her way of doing that even if it requires murdering.Nadia couldn't help but fall for Sidd over again, but unfortunately for her, Sidd will never love her. He rejected her right in front of Ria, offering to pay Nadia off. Insulted and broken, Nadia promised never to forgive him.But when she gets into the same industry as him, more complications occur. Will she be able to forgive him? Or will the hatred she feels for him overpower her not to? How will she tackle Ria when all she does is make life more miserable for her? When it worsens, who will she choose? Her career and son or Sidd?***Nadia's POVTurning my head to Amanda, she closed her eyes. She must have been forcing her eyes open for me to finish my story. She dozed off. Even Zeehan, who joined us earlier has slept off again. But sleep was far from my eyes. Being persuaded to remember the past has initiated the hurting of old wounds. Sidd did not only leave me with a soul to care for, but he also took a soul from me. My mom. Tears trickled down my cheeks, recalling how my careless act killed my mom.***A few weeks after Sidd left, I fell ill. I was with my mom after the semester exams. I couldn’t stand up from the bed. She entered my room in the morning with a cup of tea.“What is wrong with you, Nadia?” she asked softly, sitting on the edge of the bed. I forced myself to sit up, hugging the bedsheet tighter to my body.“Good morning, Mother,” I greeted with a broken voice. My body was hot but I was cold from within. I was shivering and heating up. My mom drew closer, palpating my neck. She pulled her hand away instantly.“You have a high fever, Nadia. Come on, drink this and dress up. Let’s go to the hospital,” she stated, stretching forward the cup of tea to me.“I don’t want to drink, Mother. I will be fine, don’t worry,” I said, laying back on the bed. I couldn’t hold myself up. She put the cup down on the nightstand and pulled the bedclothes from my body.“Stand up, we are going to the hospital,” she insisted, holding me up.“I don’t want to, Mother,” I cried in pain.“You want me to watch you remain like this? You have been unwell for two days now. You claim to be fine and it’s getting worse each passing day,” she made me stand up. My legs wobbled and suddenly I felt like puking. I covered my mouth and rushed into the bathroom to puke. Puking out my guts, I splashed water on my face. What is wrong with me? I don’t remember the last time I fell sick like this. Also, puking? Stepping out of the bathroom, my mom stood at the door with arms akimbo, staring indifferently at me. I walked passed her and sat on the bed.“What is with the look, Mother?” I asked as her stare intensified. It seemed she was scanning my body to reach my mind and read it.“We are going to the hospital in the next 10 minutes,” she declared and went out. I was confused. Why the change of tone?Two hours later, we were back home from the hospital. My mom hasn’t been in a good mood throughout our trip to the hospital. What runs through her mind? I entered my room. I took the drugs the doctor prescribed for me and relaxed on the bed. I was about to close my eyes to sleep when my mom entered, startling me. She wore an expressionless look, moving to me.“What is wrong, Mother?” I asked, sitting up. She sighed and sat opposite me on a chair.“I want to ask you a critical question, Nadia. I want you to tell me the whole truth?” she said. Though I was confused as to why she was acting weird I nodded. “When was the last time you saw your period?” she asked. My eyes popped out. Butterflies filled my stomach. What was she driving at? Taking a pregnancy test doesn’t mean I am pregnant.“Uh, I… that should be… um, a month ago,” I stuttered.“You haven’t seen your period this month?” she queried, peering her eyes on my face. I shook my head. “Are you pregnant?” she added and a lump formed in my throat. Fear etched on my face. How can I be pregnant?“No…” I voiced out as if yelling for it not to be true. “I mean no, I am not pregnant, Mother. How can you even think that far? I am sure it’s just a fever,” I defended. But deep down, I was scared. “Let’s just wait for the doctor’s results, okay?” I added. She sighed.“We should wait for the doctor’s results,” she repeated as if making sure the words were correct. “Let it not be what I am thinking, Nadia. If it is… your mother will become your nightmare,” she warned and stood up. I was dripping with sweat. She left my room. Mother has never talked to me like this before. I just pray I am not pregnant. How can I? Sidd is my first. Am I pregnant for Sidd? The thought thumbs up my heart. At first, I didn’t deem the test necessary but now I highly anticipate the results. It should not be what I am thinking. Dear God, save me.A couple of days later, I returned home from Amanda’s place and met my mom walking across the living room with a white paper in her hand. She halted upon seeing me. From the look on her face, nothing was all right. I slowly dropped my bag on the couch.“What is the matter, Mother?” I queried. My question earned me a glare. She stretched forward the paper to me.“Tell me what the contents mean?” she demanded. My heart fluttered as I peered my eyes around the write-up in the paper. I gasped, quickly covering my mouth with my hand. Pregnant? Lifting my eyes to my mom, I met red eyes, glowing with infuriation.“Mo… mother?” I stuttered, not quite sure what to say.“Who is he?” she asked calmly. My mother was advised severely not to get hot-tempered to avoid the increase in her BP. “Who is responsible for your pregnancy?” she added, taking two steps toward me. I moved back to the door.“He… he is… I don’t…” I stuttered. How can I tell my furious mom that I was pregnant by a man from another country because of my lack of self-control?“Two days, Nadia. I give you two days to present the father of that thing you are comforting in your womb to me, else…” she declared and turned to go to her room. I dropped on the couch. I understand my mom’s point. It seemed history was repeating itself. My mom got pregnant in her early adulthood with a man who denied the pregnancy and abandoned her. I was born. She knew I needed a father in my life. She remarried a married man who turned his back on her after a few years of their marriage. Giving up on men, my second stepdad stepped into the picture. He promised to give my mom the world if she allowed him to be my father. After a long persuasion, my mom agreed and they began dating. During their courtship, his attitude changed. He would get drunk and beat my mom up at the slightest provocation. She bore all his torture, but the day he unleashed his drunk beating ability on me, my mom left him for good. Since then, we have been living together with no relatives but each other. My mom gave me a reason never to love a man with all my heart. She wanted me to graduate, build my career, and become an independent woman. She taught me to add value to my life before expecting a man to value me. But everything changed when I fell for Sidd. All my mom’s advice fell on deaf ears.I rushed into my room and shut the door. I wiped my tears and sat on the bed, holding up my phone. Sidd has neither replied to my messages nor called me as he promised. I texted him severally, hoping he would reply to them this time. I called him on I*******m, but nothing worked.“Oh God! Answer the damn call, Sidd. Reply to my messages for heaven’s sake,” I cried. I dump my phone on the bed and face down, crying bitterly.I woke up the following day, picking up my phone and checking if Sidd replied to any of my messages. Nothing. What should I do? Mother will kill me. Who do I present as my baby’s father? I dropped back on the bed, tearing up again. Throughout the day, Mother avoided me like a plague. She would snub me whenever I wished to talk to her. I tried begging her and the only words she said was “two days.” What should I do? Sidd has abandoned me. How do I tell my mom that the father of my unborn child has abandoned me? I continued, nothing changed. The pain of abandonment left a lump in my throat.“Where is he?” my mom queried in the living room after two days.“He is… he couldn’t come, Mother,” I lied.“Why? Doesn’t he know he is an upcoming father? Who is going to take care of the child and save him? Where does he live?” she questioned. Though through a calm voice, I could still feel the venom of anger laced in her tone. I dropped to my knees with tears trickling down my cheeks.“Please, Mother. You have to calm down, okay? I know I made a big mistake. Forgive me, please,” I sobbed.“You don’t know him? You were sleeping around, Nadia?” she groaned. I shook my head at her words.“No, Mother. He was my first, I didn’t sleep around, I’m sorry.”“I will forgive you on one condition. He is going to come and seek your hand in marriage in three days. But before then, I would like to talk to him, call him,” she demanded and sat on the couch. I looked around me, confused. Who do I call?“I can’t, Mother. I can’t call him. He left me,” I blurted in sorrow and Mother jerked up.“He did what, Nadia? How could you? How could you be so careless to sleep with a man who is not your husband?” her voice broke into tears. “I told you my history with men. I trained you not to take my path but to create yours in a way that men will value you and yearn to be with you. I wanted you to be a woman of virtue, a focused lady who knows what she wants in life. Where did I go wrong? You graduated with pregnancy, Nadia. Your father abandoned me with you in my womb. He chose to go with another woman, leaving me to suffer. You are just like your father, Nadia. You don’t care about what I feel or what I deserve, you go about doing what pleases you. I thought I gave birth to a woman, I never knew I gave birth to a whore. I regret giving birth to you, Nadia! I won’t ever…”“Mother!” I shouted, cutting her off from her words. “Please,” I whimpered.“You are a disgrace, Nadia. Henceforth…” she paused. “Ow!” she cried. Lifting my eyes to her, I saw her holding her chest, staggering back. I jerked up to hold her. She fell on the couch.“Mother? What is wrong?” I cried. She wheezed.“Never let… a man treat… you… like trash,” that was my mom's last statement and she gasped her last breath.“Mother? Wake up, Mother!” I shook her vigorously. “Somebody help me! Mother! Don’t do this to me, please. I said I’m sorry. Stay with me, I’m begging you. Mother!” I sobbed. My head heavies with pain. Tears streamed uncontrollably down my cheeks and fear made me shudder nonstop. I fumbled around her. I checked her pulse, she was indeed not breathing. Is my mother truly dead? No, I refuse to accept that. “Mother? Argh!” I wailed.***She was my backbone, my friend, and my counselor. She was my only family and I lost her just like that. I lost her because of Sidd. If I hadn’t gotten pregnant, my mother wouldn’t have been enraged and her BP wouldn’t have risen the way it did and took her away from me. My mother’s death caused me a lot. I had to start a life without a family. I was alone, broken, and shattered. Though Amanda kept visiting me, it still couldn’t take away the pain of loneliness that I felt. The thought that my mom was angry with me before dying killed me from within. I was depressed and traumatized. It took me a whole month to accept the truth that I would never see my mother again. And I learned to bear the pain when I heard the cry of Zeehan. But in all of these, I still couldn’t bring myself to hate Sidd. I just kept my distance, I stopped watching his movies and made sure not to see him on social media. I tried to forget everything about him and I am still trying. Not seeing him, not hearing from him, nothing took the love I have for him away. I still love Sidd and Zeehan reminds me of that love each passing day. I closed my eyes, hoping sleep would take me on a ride to forget my past and move on.******Have you ever been on a journey of love where you love someone dearly, but all you get from them is rejection and ridicule?If you have reached this point, you are the best soul ever. Welcome to another adventure of mine. This book promises to take you into a world of drama with twists and turns that will leave you guessing throughout. Don't stop, keep going and feed your curious minds as you join Nadia on her journey to loving Sidd and hating him to the last point.Don't forget to share your thoughts on the book in the comment section; critics are welcome and your awesome words will highly be appreciated. I love you all, my beautiful readers!そして……わたしの母は一樹の紹介で、皇室方や政治家なども利用する、日本有数の大病院へ転院することができた。「冴木の祖母も心臓が悪くてね。そのとき、お世話になった先生。心臓病のスペシャリストだよ」数時間に及ぶ手術も成功し、今、母は退院して、父とともに、わたしたちと同じマンションで暮らしている。それからさらに1年後の6月。わたしたちは東京で挙式を終え、ハネムーンでオーストラリアに来ていた。 「茉衣、こっち向いて」夕暮れの海岸で、一樹はカメラを構えている。思えば、ふたりを結びつけてくれたのはカメラだった。 あの夜、一樹が永代橋に写真を撮りに来なければ、今、わたしたちはこうしていなかったかも知れないと思うと、とても不思議な気持ちになる。その場でしばらく待っていたけれど、結局一樹はシャッターを押さず、わたしの方に駆け寄ってきた。 「どうしたの?」「やっぱり撮るのやめた」「どうして?」 一樹は笑みを浮かべて、わたしを抱き寄せた。「こんなに綺麗な茉衣を見るのは俺だけでいい。他の誰にも見せたくない」「一樹……」斜めに傾けた一樹の顔が近づき、わたしは目を閉じる。重なり合った唇から、一樹が好きだと思う気持ちが溢れ出す。「好き」耳元でそう囁くと、手が頭の後ろに回ってきて、彼はより一層甘く激しくわたしの唇を喰んだ。 辺りが暗くなってゆく。夕日はもう水平線の彼方に消えたのだろう。それでもわたしたちは、まだ寄り添って海を眺めていた。 「まるでこの世に二人きりしかいないみたい」寄せては返す波音がまるでわたしたちを祝福してくれているようで……「茉衣、好きだよ」そして、そう囁く一樹の言葉が波音とともに、わたしを覆い尽くし、わたしのすべてを……満たした。 (了)
「俺、兄に頼まれていたんですよ。婚約者である岡路さんの会社での様子を教えてくれって。なので、あなたのこれまでの行状、兄にくわしく報告しておきましたので。近いうちに正式に連絡がいくと思いますよ」留奈はへなへなとその場に座り込んだ。「そんなぁ……せっかくお父様がセッティングしてくれた、最高の玉の輿だったのに」 留奈にちやほやしていた男性社員たちも、さすがに呆れたらしく、全員一斉に、留奈に冷ややかな視線を向けた。一樹は改めてわたしに向き直ると、もう一度抱きしめてきた。「ねえ一樹、もう離して」ともがくわたしを逃さないように腕に力をこめ、耳元でしれっと囁く。 「だって、こうするしか茉衣を慰める手立てが思いつかないからさ」と。見えてはいないけれど、きっと、ちょっと悪い微笑みを浮かべているに違いない。これからも、こうして翻弄されつづけるんだろうな、この年下の恋人に。わたしも彼の腕のなかで笑みをこぼした。 ***それから……宣人は主任昇格を取り消され、さらに1カ月の停職と減俸処分を受けたけれど、会社は辞めさせられずに一樹と同じチームで仕事を続けている。解雇して、結果、ライバル社に行かれでもしたら余計にまずいことになる、と上層部が考えた結果らしい。一介の平社員に逆戻りしたプライドの高い宣人を、一樹は実にうまく使っており、社内での彼の評価は上がる一方だ。 一方、留奈はみんなの前で婚約解消を暴露された翌日から、会社に来なくなった。常務から部長に「娘は辞める」と一言あったらしい。 留奈にとって、ちやほやされない職場には用がないということだろう。 突然の辞職だったけれど、重要な仕事を任せられていなかったので、いなくても、業務上まったく支障はなかった。冴木の御曹司との破談は、ネットニュースでも面白おかしく取り上げられたので、おそらく、もう彼女が望む“玉の輿”は不可能だろう。まあそれは、わたしのあずかり知らぬことだけれど。
「えっ、何? どういうこと?」ずっと固唾を飲んで、二人のやりとりを見守っていた浅野推しの子たちがにわかに騒ぎだす。そんな騒ぎには素知らぬ顔をして、一樹はわたしのそばに歩み寄ってきた。「茉衣、大丈夫? 倒れそうな顔してるけど」わたしは頷きを返した。「あまりにも驚きすぎて、もう脳がパンク状態だよ。だって浅野家って……」「黙っててごめん。でも、茉衣には浅野家のフィルターを通して俺を見て欲しくなかったんだ」一樹の言葉が途中からくぐもって聞こえた。視界も遮られている。なぜかといえば、わたしは一樹に抱きしめられていたから。しかも「よしよし」と頭を撫でられながら。 えっとー。み、みんなの前なんだけど。「か、かずき……ち、ちょっと、だめだよ」そう抗議しても、一樹は一向にわたしを離す気配がない。 ようやくショックから立ち直ったのか、一樹推し女子たちの悲鳴が上がった。「えー、なんで、そんなことになってるんですか? 梶原さんは伊川さんの彼女だったじゃない!」 そして、そのそばにいた留奈はさらに大声を上げた。 「もう、どうしていい男はみんな梶原さんが持ってっちゃうのよ。わたしのほうが若いし、ぜーったい可愛いのに」伊川さんだって、わたしの方が可愛いよって言ってくれてたのに、と歯噛みして悔しがっている。一樹は一瞬、わたしを離すと、留奈に冷たい一瞥をくれ、それから言った。「岡路さん。SAEKIの専務の兄から伝言。『婚約はなかったことにしてほしい』って」「えっ?」留奈はきょとんとした顔で一樹を見上げた。
一樹は正美を見て、ちょっと困った顔で頭をかいた。「えーと、そうです。はい。でも、それを知られるとさらにやりにくいっていうか」と一樹は少し困った声で答えた。でもすぐに、きっぱりと言いそえた。「誰の子どもであろうと、俺は俺なので。今までと変わらずに接していただけるとありがたいです」総合商社の浅野商事は日本で五指に入る大企業だ。驚きすぎたからか、わたしはめまいがして、その場に座り込みそうになった。たしかに、あのタワマンを所有している時点で相当の資産家とは思ったけれど。でもまさか、浅野商事の御曹司だなんて。正美が肘でつついてきた。「知ってたの?」と口が動いている。「知る訳ないでしょう。寝耳に水」とわたしは小声で答えた。そのとき、オフィスのドアが開き、宣人が入ってきた。「おい」とか「あ」とか声にならない声がそこここであがり、それからしんと静まった。 憮然とした顔で自席に着いた宣人のもとに、一樹が歩み寄った。「伊川さん」宣人は横目で一樹を見て、自嘲気味に笑う。「お前、どうせ、いい気味だと思ってるんだろうな。ご丁寧にあざ笑いにきたのか」「ああ、大馬鹿ですよ、あなたは」 一樹はチッと舌打ちする宣人の肩をつかんだ。そして椅子を回転させ、自分の方に向けると宣人を真正面から見据えた。 「もう、いいかげん、その狭い了見、捨ててくれませんか。男の沽券とかプライドとか、そんなのどうでもいいじゃないですか。俺は入社以来ずっと、あなたの背中を追いかけてきた。今もそれは変わりません。今回のプロジェクトだって、あなたなしでは成り立たない。お願いします。俺と一緒にプロジェクトを成功させてください」それだけ言うと、一樹は深く頭を下げた。一樹の言葉に、宣人は苦い表情を浮かべた。そこにいた誰もが、ふたりの器の違いを、そしてどっちがリーダーにふさわしいか痛感した。 さすがの宣人も一言も言い返せなかった。完敗だった。 「頭、上げろよ」 宣人はそう一言だけ残し、そのまま戸口に向かった。 一樹はその背中に声をかけた。「でも、梶原さんは絶対渡しませんから」 宣人は一樹に顔だけ向け、苦笑交じりに言った。「お前なぁ、その一言、余計」
ゆっくり目を開けると、浅野くんが切なげに眉を寄せていた。「俺じゃだめ?」わたしは大きく首を振った。「そうじゃない。本当にわたしなんかでいいの? あなたにまったくふさわしくないのに。3歳も年上だし。浅はかだし。打算で宣人と付き合ってた。あの人の彼女だという優越感を捨てられなくて、それにしがみついて……」 彼は指を立て、わたしの唇に触れた。「もう、何も言わなくていい」手がわたしの肩を優しく引き寄せる。「愛してる」「浅野……くん」その言葉ごと飲み込むように、彼は唇を重ねてきた。軽いキスを何度も繰り返しているうちに、わたしの身体から力が抜けていった。「ずっと欲しかった、あなた
キャスターをがたがた言わせながら門前仲町のマンションから茫然と歩きつづけ、気づいたときには永代橋まで来ていた。勝ち組の象徴のようなタワマンの明かりが暗い川面を彩っている。 嫌になるほど、ここから見る夜景は美しい。落ち着いて考えれば、わたしが飛び出す必要はまったくなかった。23時近いので、人通りは少ない。たまに通りかかる人も、不審げに視線を向けるだけで声をかけてはこない。当たり前だ。夜更けに橋の上で泣いている女なんて地雷以外の何ものでもない。そのまましばらくそこにたたずんで、走り去る車を見るともなしに眺めていた。でも、今は2月。それも深夜だ。今年は暖冬で、昼間は異常なほど暖かい
どういうこと……いつの間にあの二人……わたしはあの日の留奈の視線を思い出し、ハッとした。横取りを狙ってたってこと?頭に血が上るって、こういうことを言うのか。 「うわっ!」 「キャーッ! やだ、な、何!」驚いてこっちを見た宣人は、ベッドの横で仁王立ちになっているわたしを見て目をむいた。 「茉衣。おまえ、帰るの明日じゃ……」手に持っていた鍋を放り出すと、テーブルに当たって派手な音を立てた。その勢いのまま、わたしは宣人の頬を平手で思いきり打った。 手のひらがじんとするほど強く。「最低!」そう言い捨てたところまではしっかり記憶に残っている。でも、それからあとのことはよ
東京に到着したのは土曜日の午後10時ごろ。 列車に乗ったとき、宣人に連絡を入れたけれど、まだ既読はついていない。この時間だから、もうとっくに食事は終えているだろうと思い、自分も駅で適当に済ませてから、帰宅の途についた。 部屋についたとたん、目に入ってきたのは、見覚えのあるレースをあしらったベビーピンクのパンプスだった。そして…… 寝室のドアの隙間から漏れているのは、光だけではなかった。 女の甘ったるい声も耳に飛び込んできた。「あ、宣人さん、ねぇ……そんなことしたらだめだって……あァんっ!」 「だめなんて思ってないくせに、ほら……もっと脚、開けよ」 「やん、エッチぃ」会話