Medications, consultations, tests, needles, tubes, transvaginal ultrasounds. She covered her eyes with both hands, she can smell the doctor's office in her mind as she read the procedures she had to go through for an In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment. While Declan only had to jerk off his semen the morning of the egg retrieval. She spent her whole working day researching the topic, looking at other couple's success stories, failed attempts, pros, and cons. She let out a long sigh. Her day's work is stacked on one side of her desk, and more is coming for the next day. She won't be done with them if she stayed up all night in her office until morning comes, and she still hasn't got the answer to her question. Does she want to do the procedure? Once she's on that train, she will have to succeed. Otherwise, it will only be a lot of money, time, effort, and energy she didn't want to waste. It's not a sure thing, the treatment can fail, and then it will have to be repeated, and again

Coming in and out of Ludus was not an awkward thing to do anymore. She didn't need to ask permission to go up to his studio or even his apartment. She followed the sound of music that led her to the painting room. She pushed the door gently and peeked to see him fully immersed in his work.  He had his back against her, shirtless, and barefooted. The sight of him made her feel at ease. He was a place she could go to whenever she needed comfort. The way Declan insisted on doing the IVF struck a nerve with her, she thought she had made up her mind about it, but the phone call she just had said otherwise. Everything seemed more complicated when it comes to Declan, but with Roman ... it was simple. He was just there, and he made her feel good. She leaned her head on the doorway admiring him from the back. She realized she didn't have much opportunity to do that. She didn't want him to have the upper hand if he knew just how much she was smitten by him. She cleared he

Her vision was a bit blurry when she heard Declan's keys jingling and the front door being locked. She straightened her nightgown and unbend her legs on the sofa. She poured more wine into her empty glass. He said he was coming back by 5 PM, naturally, he arrived at almost 10 PM when she was already half drunk. "Hey, sweetie ... enjoying your wine?" he greeted by the stairs. She forced a smile and tilted her head back on the sofa, "Hey ... yup... since 5 PM," she sipped on her glass. "I'm sorry, I had to stop by at the office to sign some papers, I don't want to do it tomorrow ... you know how it is," he put down his briefcase and walked over to kiss her. He could taste the wine on her lips, and her breath was thick with its smell. "Hmm ... I think I will join you ... is there any left?" She scoffed, "Of course ... you have to open another one, this one's almost finished," she picked up the almost empty bottle on the coffee table. Decl

"I absolutely love what you did with my bedroom ... it's a marvelous job, darling," Kelly gave her a cheek-to-cheek with a wine glass in one hand. It was a long overdue lunch meeting. Kelly invited Olivia to the Ritz Carlton, where she stayed for a few weeks while waiting for her house to finish. The hotel was not far from Pioneer Crest, so it was convenient for Olivia to take the short trip for a long lunch. "I'm glad you like it. I tried to translate what you described as best I can ... I hope you like the emerald green Roman chosen for the artwork?" Kelly put both hands to her chest, "Oh ... like them? I adore them ... they're perfect, you translate it perfectly, and Roman ... it's hard to believe that you've only started working together, what you both did to my house ... it's like a fairytale marriage I never had," she laughed out loud. Olivia laughed lightly. She put a napkin on her lap. It's not the first time her client compliments her work wi

"Where is everybody?" Olivia asked after they'd been seated for a while in the dining room. Declan cleared his throat and adjusted his tie, "It's just us." She looked at him for a moment. He was avoiding her gaze. "Just us? I thought everyone was going to be here?" "Nope ... just you and me ... and Mom." Olivia looked hollow at the table, "Great," she exhaled and signaled the waiter to pour her a drink. Mimi loves to be fashionably late, even in her own home. She likes to make people wait for her entrance, even if it's her own son and daughter-in-law. The house that Declan's dad left for her was her palace, she was the Queen of her empty kingdom, and she relish every moment of it. Olivia stretched back in her chair and took a big gulp of her drink. "Let's hope she doesn't fall asleep and left us here drinking all her wine ... you know she takes longer when I'm here, right?" Declan shrugged, "She does that to everyone."