"Did you offend Aurora?" Chole said as soon as they were out of the room. She reached in her pocket and pulled out a gum packet, she extended her hand to Arabella to pick. Arabella went in and gladly picked one. She has been given a hard assignment on her first day here. She had so many doubts about coming here and this woman was adding to it. "No, I have not" Arabella replied before popping the gum in her mouth. "I guess she does not like you but she usually likes everyone. Normally she would have reviewed it alongside you but seeing that she did not then something must be wrong" Chole said again. Arabella felt it was because she knew Kieran. Yes, these were the things she tried to avoid and she was going to explain in plain terms to him. They even barely spoke to each other it would be unfair of him to make her work life hard. She had regrets but she did not want to run away from it. She would then seem foolish and that she should have listened to her family at first instead of

The rest of the work day everyone silently went through their work with occasional bathroom breaks and gossip at the lunch break and coffee room. Kieran came out in a bid to run off before he is forced to attend the dinner that would serve as a welcome for Arabella. He was used to avoiding these work dinners as much as he could. "Where do you think you are going?" Ryder asked standing at the frame of his door as he saw Kieran try to slip away quietly. All eyes on the office floor turn to face Ryder's door and all gazes follow his eyes until it lands on Kieran who was just about to leave. "I said everybody must attend and you dare to think to run away? Do you think I can not cut your pay?" Ryder asked walking towards his friend. Ryder had been married and divorced and he had told his friend that the reason he was yet to find love was because of his cold-hearted nature. "I was just going to drop this bag in my car" Kieran lied. He knew that if Ryder caught him trying to escape th

The dinner ended with everyone drunk except Arabella who was sober and Kieran who was tipsy. She has no idea what to do. She did not know their house address so she could call cabs for them. Taking the courage she shook Kieran who was still half awake. "Kieran" she called his name gently. He opened his and stared into hers. His gaze was deep and piercing and the color of his eyes shone deeply. "How do we get everyone home?" She asked ignoring his deep eyes as they stared at her. "Home?" He asked his voice slurry. "Yes how can they all get home?" she asked again. He smiled a little before he began to have hiccups. That was the first time she had seen him smile ever since she knew him. He always put on a serious expression which made no one come close to him. "Kieran can you hear me?" she shook him lightly again. He yawned and closed his eyes. She looked to the table and her eyes caught the glass of water. They were welcoming her why did they all drink so much? Were they mourning

Everly was worried. It was only Arabella's first day here and she was not back by this ungodly hour she took in the balcony watching for them. She was not afraid because she knew though Kieran had a stone-cold expression he would take care of her out of necessity. He did not need to like her to take care of her. She watched as the car pulled up into the front of the house and how the door of the back and driver's seat opened after a few seconds. She watched the stranger ginger-haired red boy come down from the car too. She watched as Arabella spoke and gave him some cash and how he said a few words before proceeding to leave the house jogging down the path. She watched as Arabella put her head back into the driver's seat for a few moments before popping her head back out and signing. "Did that boy get drunk again?" Everly said loudly. Her son rarely got drunk but when he did it was a show he always put on. She hurried down the stairs and came to him. "Why are you back so late?" Ev

For the first time in a few years, Everly felt a warm feeling in her chest. Have a daughter they said. Maybe a daughter would truly prove to be better than a son to her. "I would love to," Everly said. She felt like crying but she decided she was not going to do so in front of Arabella. "It's a date then," Arabella said before turning to leave. Everly sat back down and she felt hot tears down her cheeks. Arabella had only been there for up to twenty-four hours plus but she was already making her feel comfortable and warm. Everly sat in silence. She has never envied her friend. She has a nice house and her husband was still alive. Her son got to go to an Ivy League school but for the first time, Everly felt a jealous pang for Ava. Ava may not have had it all but she had such a considerate kind and beautiful daughter. Her son and husband thought that the only thing she would appreciate would be money. She barely got any interaction with people anymore and was slowly slipping into