ALVA   I hoped he understood my plight. Probably not. But a part of me still believed he would come to an agreement with me. I was trusting a man I knew I should not be trusting with the life of my son and ensuring no legal case happened that would cause Samuel to wrenched from me. His pause on the line made me feel like I was fighting a losing battle. My mind would not stop making up scenarios that made my head split open. Had he figured something out? After all, I had cracked so easily when he suggested I reach a compromise if I didn't want him to fight for custody. He was a businessman. He was known to make gambles and oftentimes, they weren't wrong. "Mr. Sica?" I said, flagging down a taxi by the hospital road. "Are you still on the line?" "Of course." He retorted, breaking the static white noise that had almost become familiar. "I understand your perspective. Samuel is going through so much. I

ALVA    The ride to his place was an awkward one. In fact, if there was a word to describe the way I felt, I was pretty sure the term would worse than awkward. The feelings that rushed through me ranged from fear; the fear that Nikolas would figure everything out to disgust; repulsion at myself and the man who drove us. I wanted nothing more but to end this. I just wished I knew how. I hated that I needed him. I hated that I could not figure out a solution that did not have Nikolas Sica in the picture. I pressed my hands on the necklace that graced my neck. The gold necklace was one of the few things I could remember my sister, Charis by. She would have had an idea if she was still around. Why wouldn't she? After all, if there was anyone who hated Nikolas Sica more than I did, it had to be Charis.   “So,” Nikolas finally spoke as he continued to drive into the unknown. “Is this how the tension is going

NIKOLASToday was a great day. Mom had called to apologize for how cold and insensitive she had been. She was sure to mention that she wanted to see her grandson. I told myself it had something to do with the results I had gotten concerning Samuel's paternity but I still suspected she was only calling dinner to involve Alva. It was why I had suggested the brunch. It was a cover. I was sure Alva would dress like a nun because I had to face it, she still didn't feel comfortable around me. I had seen how she held her breath when my eyes went her way and what my touch did to her. Telling her we were going shopping would be suicide. If she did dress like a prude which I was certain she would, I was sure it would be easy to convince her to shop. I needed tonight's dinner to go well.I dropped Samuel at the backseat, swiped a seatbelt to keep him in place, and proceeded to the front seat. When I started the engine, I felt Samuel'

NIKOLAS "What would mother like?" I pondered as I scanned the pieces of jewelry adorning the necks of perfect mannequins scattered across the store. "...what would Alva want?" It had been strange of Alva not to resist me when I brought the idea of managing her. I suspected she was only being considerate considering I had the power to take Samuel away from her. I picked up a necklace that caught my fancy.  The necklace was a simple silver chain with an Amber stone as big as a grape dangling at the end. It would match Alva's hair perfectly. "I'll be taking this," I told my guide, dropping it into his delicate hands before setting off to another circuit of the accessory store. Minutes went by as I scavenged for something my perfectionist of a mother would be appreciative of. It was usually easier than this, I had to admit. I glimpsed at a gold-plated watch that reflected my worried demeanor. I picked it up because it s

  ALVA   It was dark by the time we arrived. As we highlighted the Mercedes, I looked up at the house that looked old yet timeless and said with the baddest bone in my body, "Actually, now some things about you are starting to make sense."    The mansion in the distance was vast, probably very old but it had been renovated times too many to even be considered a classical house. Much like Nikolas Sica; an enigma that seemed more like a cancer. He was a man of many talents. A mix of trouble and danger. I heaved in just thinking about what his mother would be like. Nikolas seemed very demanding when he insisted that his mother had to like me. I had gave it a long thought. Initially, I believed it was all Nikolas's doing but the more I gave it rationale, the less it seemed to make sense. This had everything to do with Mrs. Sica. I never believed I could hate anyone more than I despised Nikolas Sica but his mother was slowly cla