For Better or Buisness의 모든 챕터: 챕터 91 - 챕터 100

“What happened to your face?” I watched him from my position at the vanity and dropped the under eye cream I was applying unceremoniously so that it was the only sound in the room. I could sense that he was going to shut down before he even did. “Nothing.” He shrugged. My eyes followed him as he pulled off his shirt which looked rough, another indication that he was in a fight or squabble. “Who hit you?” I asked instead. Obviously the black eye and bursted lip was an indication that someone did. “Someone disgruntled I know from the past.” He avoided my gaze as he spoke, and chose instead to begin to undress before going straight into the bathroom. I know that I should leave it but somehow the unnecessary secrecy only served to make me even more worried. I swallowed my next words and completed my night routine. It was usually simple; wear my hair in a silk scarf, because it was better for hair health, cleanse my face after brushing my teeth, and then apply my under

Nik“Eva.” The name rolled off my tongue with so much disgust and I hope she could tell how much it was that I hated her, that I still hate her. It’s a present continuous forever tense. She smiled, her bloody red lips parting to reveal pearly white teeth that could have been fangs for all I care. Because she might look the same as years ago, barely aging on the surface but she was a blood sucking demon underneath. I took great care to school my expression into a mask so that she couldn’t tell how much she affected me. “It’s been ages.” She drawled. “You have less than a minute to say what it is you want to say. Once the Valet gets here and my car is outside, best believe I’m done with this conversation.” She sighed and dropped the mask and for a split second, I could see the woman I loved underneath the Botox and layers of makeup. The woman I gave my heart to for the first time. “Nik, I’m sorry.” Her eyes watered and I’m not sure if it was to trap me again. “Me too.” I whispe

ELAINE. He was avoiding me again. It was clear as day. There was this established pattern of him going on trips, staying off longer at work, coming home late, all just to avoid conversations. It was his usual pattern that I wasn’t even surprised that he had come home late tonight. “Are you going to go on a long trip that’s going to last weeks just to avoid this?” I added, my hand found its way to my chest, rubbing at it, as if it would make the knot in there dissolve and go away. We had children now. Kids that cry every time they wanted their dada that, it wasn’t just me he was ignoring or avoiding anymore. He sighed loudly and turned on his side to face me, so that I could see the brown of his eyes. “Can we just go to sleep, I’ve had a long day.” I could tell that he was telling the truth about that, but it didn’t matter. “I wish. But the reason your children are in bed with us right now, is because your daughter was crying for you all night, and this was the only way

I made a mistake, Serena” I was grateful for the sauna we were in because the heat could explain why my eyes were misty.Serena was beside me the next minute and I lay my head on her shoulder, instantly grateful for the ability to be able to be vulnerable here. Just like that I was telling her all that happened at dinner that night and my confession. “Oh my love.” She ran her hand through my damp curls and I was grateful she couldn’t see my face. I wonder if she knew about the contract and how falling in love with Nik wasn’t part of it. “You shouldn’t be sorry that you fell in love with him” I got up angrily at this point and paced the tiny hot room. “But I shouldn’t have!” I flung my hand in the air, “I had kept it for so long, I opened my big mouth and ruined everything!” Serena got up in her bikini and came to my side, “Love isn’t something you should feel but be unable to profess” her words were so true that I sank into the curved wooden slab. I was so grateful that we were

Nik. My eyes roved lazily at the woman who was dressing up in front of me in appreciation. It is still a wonder to me how almost 18 months married and the attraction was almost instant. Especially seeing her perform mundane tasks and after birthing our babies. “I am not coming back into that bed with you, so you better forget about it.” Elaine rolled up her skin coloured fleece tights up her thighs and my eyes were fixated on the motion. I folded my hand under my head so I could watch her better. “How are you preparing for the re-opening?” Her face creased in frown and I chuckled, “it’s not easy to run a business" she sounded so exasperated that it was cute. “Tell me about it.” Running one restaurant was driving her crazy. I had tons of establishments across two major industries. Her eyes lit up in excitement, something that happened whenever she was emotional about what it was that she wanted to say. “Do you know how insane it is managing workers? Do you know how difficult it