31 NO FRIEND ZONE ARIEL’S POVWhen Luke and I arrived at the hospital, we didn’t utter a single word to each other while we were on the road. And look at me, thinking of a way to convince him to marry me. This was going to be a tough one.As I wanted to burst out of the car, Luke seized my hands. I turned to him right away. I wanted to yell at him, but for some reason, I didn’t. His manly hand was simply nice on mine, along with his flawless grip. I didn’t want this, but I couldn’t tell him to let go of me.“Can I ask you a question?” Luke came out with a calm face. I couldn’t help but admire his looks; he was so cute with this innocent cast of his. But drawing my mind back to the dark looks and hateful words he threw at me only caused me to terminate this admiration that was going on at the moment.I needed to kill the pride in me and cease the anger for the moment if I wanted this plan to work. As much as I hated Mason and his silly ideas, I also kind of liked the fact that we both wanted one thing: revenge.I wanted revenge for all the things Luke had done to me when we were still married. And as for Mason, I had no idea what Luke did to him; he kept on refusing to tell me for some reason, and I couldn’t even imagine what it was.“Hey, what are you thinking?” He snapped his fingers at my face, taking me away from my deep thoughts.“Oh sorry.” I shook my head. “What were you saying?”“I wanted to ask you a question.”“Okay then, go ahead, sir.”“On a scale of one to ten, how much do you hate me?”“Hmm, let’s see, I uttered, gently rubbing my chin. “Why are you asking me this?” “My grandfather told me something yesterday, and the words keep on revolving in my head.”“What’s that?”“It’s none of your business.” His tone was kind of anti–septic.“Okay, keep your thoughts to yourself then. It wasn’t like I was that curious anyway.” I shrugged.“You haven’t given me an answer to my question.”“You don’t need an answer,” I vocalized inaudibly. “Just know that I hate you. I hate you so much.”Luke gazed at me for seconds with a disapproving look, and I didn’t care anyway. He burst out of the car, making a serious face. I left as well.We entered the hospital and made our way to the reception desk. I approached the nurse, trying to maintain a composed demeanor. “Excuse me, could you please tell us where we can find Sir Reynold?” I asked politely.“Sir Reynold?” The nurse gave me a confused expression. And I too was confused that she gave me a confused face. Like, wasn’t this the hospital where his grandfather was admitted?“You don’t have to ask where he is; I know the room goofball,” Luke told me.I quickly turned around to look at him. “Who’re you calling a goofball?”“There is no time for childish things. We can’t spend our entire day in the hospital.” He walked away with an annoyed expression. But he wasn’t the only one who was annoyed here.“Sorry,” I said, giving the nurse a fake smile before following Luke.MOFRIEND ZONEI was walking behind Luke, and believe me when I say this, he was too fast. I couldn’t even catch up with him. It was as if we hadn’t come into the hospital together.“Can you please slow down? You’re walking too fast!” I bawled a little, still following Luke’slead.“Nope, I’m at my normal pace. You’re the one who’s slow.” An arctic tone right there, no glances directed at me. His hands were in his pockets. “I thought your grandfather wanted to speak with me.”Luke didn’t give me a reply. He just ignored me, acting like he didn’t even hear what I said. I decided to shut it down for now.After waking for quite some time, Luke halted, so I had to do the same. He glanced back at me.“Get in,” was what he told me, and it sounded more like a command. I couldn’t believe this guy. It was as if I were begging to be with him or something.We both gazed at each other; the look of anger right within us showed no seriousness, and the looks were quite mutual. I couldn’t help but think that someone was forcing him to do all these things.Luke budged backwards, making way for me to enter the room. I took a deep breath and ploddingly stepped inside. Sir Reynold was lying on the hospital bed. He looked so enervated, which made me feel kind of sorry for him.I moved forward to Sir Reynold, still having that sorrowful feeling for him. At the time, I was still married to Luke; he was the only one in the Reynolds who seemed to care for me. The rest were all mean and heartless toward me.When I was adjacent to him, I held his warm hand. His eyes were closed, but he opened them the moment he felt my touch.“Ariel, is that you?” He spoke in a soft tone, his eyes partly tone, his eyes partlypened, and his gaze was directedupwards.RT NOTIPEND ZO“Yes.” I spoke softly as well, closing my eyes and letting out little tears. But I swiftly wiped them away.“I’m so glad you are here. You don’t know how I’ve missed you so much.” His words prompted me to laugh. “Where is Luke?” he asked.I turned around immediately, but Luke wasn’t in the room. He must probably be outside. “I think he’s outside; should I go and call him?”“No, there’s no need.” Sir Reynold let out a long sigh. “Ariel, I wanted to speak with you about something. This is really important.” He coughed.“What is that, sir?” I asked in a calm and gentle manner.He coughed again. “Five years ago, you and Luke were separated; is that not correct?”“Yes, we divorced.”“Look, I know he did a lot of terrible things to you. But did you really hate him?”I sighed after some time. “I did; I hated him.”“No, you didn’t.” Sir Reynold disagreed, and I looked at him forthwith. “You were only allowing your anger to overshadow you.”“Is that what you think?”“That is what I know. Look, Ariel, do you know that Luke changed a little when you were absent in the past five years?”I had a look of both surprise and confusion. “I don’t understand.”“After you left him, he changed some of his ways. He doesn’t smoke again; you don’t see him partying in the club all night. He missed you, but he didn’t realize it, and he still hasn’t. But I know that the three years spent with you had an impact on his life.”Yeah, I did remember telling Luke to stop smoking. But he would just ignore me and blow smoke on my face, which was literally annoying. I’m quite surprised to find out that he had put an end to his smoking habits.”“Ariel, you don’t know how important you are to me, Luke, and to the rest of the people who have actually spent a lot of time with you.”Yeah, I could believe that, but me being important to Luke? That was so not true.“Sir Reynold continued, “You’re so kind and lovely. Beautiful and wonderful. Anyone would be so lucky to have you in their lives. That’s why I want you to marry Luke.”Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!
Category: The Love From Vengeance ( Ariel )
An enthralling and mesmerizing tale of Luke and Ariel, where vengeance and hatred materializes, but love unfolds, overshadowing both. Ariel, after divorcing Luke, returns five years later, transformed and more resilient than ever, fueled by her desire for vengeance. And things turn against her when she is threatened by her accomplice, who says she must marry Luke. Ariel decides to follow through with that, becoming Luke’s wife once again, with the intention of ruining his life for good. How will things turn out in this riveting story?
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Pinterest30 CONCLUSIONSLUKE’S POVI couldn’t take my eyes off the video. The guy with the blonde hair was kissing Harriet passionately, rubbing her buttocks. And she was moving her hands all over his body, even down to his crotch. She even dipped her hands through his towel, coming into contact with his. Oh sh*t! This was all bullshit!Why would Harriet do something so disgusting for the second time? I thought we were already strong in our promises. So why the hell would she do that? I didn’t want to believe this, but this video was not fake.The person who sent me the video began to call me again, so I answered the phone call.“Have you seen it?” He asked.“Yes, yes, I have,” I answered, flooded with pain.“Good. I’m just showing you the kind of woman you call your own. And just so you know, this isn’t the first time she’s done this. Neither is it the second, nor is it the third. The choice is now yours to make. Goodbye.” He put an end to the phone call.I was boiling with anger after hearing all that, and the nonsense I saw in the video was still playing in my head. This was the same lady who made a promise that she would never cheat on me and would do anything to make sure our relationship wouldn’t fall apart.I was ready to go against my grandfather, even seeing him in that condition, but not anymore. As of now, my relationship with Harriet is over. From now on, I had nothing to do with her. She could go to hell for all I care, and she could sleep with any man she liked; that was none of my business anymore.This was the end of Luke and Harriet. I didn’t want to even hear her apologies, and if she wanted to end her own life, she was good to go. No one would be stopping her, especially not me. She broke my trust once again, and this video clearly showed everything. This was what she consistently did behind my back. How shameful of her.And a big thanks to whoever got them on video. I had no idea why this person decided to2 CONCLUSIONSdisplay this to me, but I was glad, and I would be grateful for the rest of my life.I put my phone in my pocket and walked inside the room. My grandfather, still lying on the bed, had his eyes closed. I walked to him.“Are you done with your phone call?” He asked softly.“Yes, yes, I’m done,” I answered in hushed tones, thinking about the betrayal that Harriet had to carry out. I didn’t even know what to do when I saw her. If I should ignore her, or if I should strangle her to death,. I held my grandfather’s hands. “So about that wish of yours, I’m going to fulfill it. I’m going to get married to Ariel,” I told him without thinking twice.It was a decision I had decided to make. Harriet messed up big time, so I didn’t want anything to do with her anymore. And since my grandfather wanted me to get married to anyone he wanted, which happened to be Ariel, I shouldn’t go against his wishes. All the thinking had finally been over; the problem was now solved.“Are you for real, Luke?” His tone was soft, low, and kind of broken. But there was happiness right there. And that made me happy.“Yes, grandpa, I’m going to get married to Ariel, and we’ll do that as soon as possible. Just what you want.” My grandfather smiled at me, invoking me to beam back at him. It was a great moment. Now, how was I going to convince Ariel to marry me? After what happened between the both of us in the past, I could tell that she would never want to spend her life with me. She was going to refuse no matter what, even if an angel from heaven told her to. But I’d have to try my very best. I would have to.ARIEL’S POVOh, it was another beautiful day, and I was at the mall, looking for the perfect gift to get for Andre. Tomorrow was his birthday, and I recently remembered that. Now I was searching for the perfect dress for him, walking past so many wonderful and stunning suits. All would suit him perfectly, and it was quite hard to make a choice. Maybe I could just buy the whole store.After quite some time of walking around, I finally picked a suit for him. It was black in color and absolutely stunning. I was just picturing Andre wearing it at the moment, and I have to say, he was really dreamy in this head of mine.I also picked out T–shirts for him; most of them were blue because that was Andre’s favorite color.After I was done buying the clothes, I left the building, and then I saw Jack, Luke’s assistant. And he seemed to be heading in my direction. I halted the moment he got closer.“Good afternoon, Mrs. Reynold,” Jack greeted.I cleared my throat, and he corrected himself immediately. “Sorry, good afternoon, Miss Clinton.”“Afternoon,” I greeted him as well. “How may I help you?”“Mr. Reynold wants to speak with you,” Jack informed me.“Who? Luke?” I asked Jack, and he nodded. “Where is he now?”“He’s at his car, right over there.” Jack gestured towards a black car, and just as he had said, it belonged to Luke.“Do you have any idea why he want to talk to me?”“No, miss. Can we get going now?”I nodded, and he led the way until we both got in close proximity to Luke’s car. Jack opened the door for me. I stood for a moment, wondering what was going on and if this was a dream or not. But I entered the car anyway. Jack closed the door forthwith.Luke, looking dashing in the suit, was sitting down, fixing his eyes on nothing–no one elsebut me. “You came; I thought you were going to refuse,” Luke said, taking his eyes off me.“I’m glad you know where we stand,” I uttered, turning my gaze in another direction as well.” So, can you please tell me why you’ve called me here?” “Isn’t it obvious? I miss you,” he answered with a blank look on his face. How was I even going to believe what he was saying?“You miss me?” I gave him a skeptical look.“Of course, I guess. But your response makes it seem like I’m lying.”“Isn’t that what you’re doing around here?” I quizzed him, raising my eyebrows.He looked at me with a cold face, but he quickly softened his expression, exhaling deeply. “Of course, I know you hate me for all the wrong I did to you. And I too have nothing to say right now; that’s why I want you to follow me.”“Follow you to where, exactly?”“My grandfather wants to speak to you,” he uttered, averting his eyes.“Your grandfather? Who, Sir Reynold?”“How many grandfathers do I have?” He asked, his tone sort of cold.“As a matter of fact and according to the principles of life, you’re supposed to have two.”“How many do youfrown on my face.know?” He asked directly. I refused to answer his question. And I had a“He’s at a hospital. So, are you coming with me?“.I was silent for a few seconds. I didn’t even want to follow him, but then I saw Mason’s text on my phone, and that reminded me of his dark plans.30 CONCLUSIONS“Are you coming with me?” Luke asked again.I let out a deep sigh. “Yes, let’s go.”
29 PAINS AND SHOCKARIEL’S POV“What are these children doing in my house?” Mason snarled, stepping closer to me.“This is my house.” I raised an eyebrow. “Last time I checked, Andre and I were the ones living here before you came along.”“But he is my brother, and you’re just a stranger!” Mason focused his gaze on the little children, giving all of them a death stare. “Now all of you should get the hell out of here!”“What did you just say?” I threw him an unfriendly look.“Don’t pretend like you didn’t hear me.”“Oh, I did.” I crossed my arms. “But I just wanted you to repeat that nonsense.”Mason chuckled. “You’re talking as if you can do something about it.”“We’ll see about that.” I generated a fake smile.“What are you going to do? Beat me up.” He mocked. “Come on, Ariel, you know I have the upper hand. You don’t want to mess with me.” He curled his lips into a sardonic smile.I fell silent, glaring at him. I knew exactly what he meant. He kept threatening me with my children. I felt an urge to choke him to death right now. To strangle him, stab him with a knife, or blow his brains out. There were so many ways to end his miserable life, but he was lucky that I wasn’t as heartless as he was.“Look, why do you have to be so cruel? I already agreed to your plan, right? Why are you being so mean to these children? They have no parents, nowhere to call home.”冠“Does this place look like an orphanage to you?” He gestured around the living room. “So, Ithink it’s best you get these filthy thing out of the house!”tits words filled me with anger. “How dare you call them filthy? That’s so rudo!” I snarled.“But it’s the truth.” Mason quickly grabbed Josh’s arm. “Take a look at this kid, Can’t you see how dirty he is? And he stinks, by the way.”“St, please let go of me. You’re hurting my arm,” Josh pleaded.“Shut up!” Mason barked at me. “You think you can just come into our house and get free food? You’re mistaken.”Mason dragged Josh to the door, and as he opened it, he pushed the little kid outside. I continued to glare at him. He locked the door immediately and turned around. “Which one of you is next?”“Miss, is he the owner of the house?” Chloe asked me, looking at Mason. Everyone in the living room was staring at him, and I could tell that no one liked him one bit.I would have answered, but Mason’s gaze spoke volumes, conveying things only I could understand. Going against him might unleash his malevolent nature,“And you, little girl.” Mason’s eyes narrowed down on Chloe. “Why are you asking her that?”“I don’t know, but I can tell you’re also just freeloading here.”“You little brat!” He marched toward Chloe and slapped her immediately. “Get the hell out of here!” He dragged her and threw her out of the house.He swung the door wide open for the rest to leave, and with anger on their faces, they all exited the house, just as he wanted. I felt sorry for them, but I was glad they had finished theirineal.I started walking towards the door, intending to discuss it with the children and come back later, probably when Mason was not around. But the scumbag seized my hand.JO PAINS AND SHOCK“And where do you think you’re going?” He leisurely asked. I turned around, my glare intensifying. My rage had only grown. “Are you happy now?” I questioned him, then I forcefully dragged my hands out of his. “I just need to let you know that I’m not your slave, okay? Stop acting like I am!”“If you dare raise your voice at me, you’re going to regret it.” Mason warned.“You’re going to kill my kids, right?” I looked him dead in the eyes; he didn’t give me an answer, though.The angry look on his countenance was intense, but it wasn’t compared to the one on my face right now. He was taking things too far, making it seem like I was his slave or something.“I can kill you as well. I can kill all of you.” Π“If that’s the case, they kill me then!”He gave me a hard slap immediately, causing me to look in a different direction. And when I fixed my gaze on him again after some moments, he slapped me for the second time. It was painful, but not painful enough for me to cry or start acting like an idiot.He grabbed my neck and began to choke me so hard. My face was all red, and I could barely breathe. I tried to tug his hands off my neck, but his grip was too tight.He elbowed my stomach in a vigorous manner, inflicting severe pain on me. And when I felt like I was about to depart from the earth, he let go of me.With sweat all over my face, I was breathing heavily, and then he pushed me away. I landed onthe couch.“I was just showing you a preview of what I can do. You try to act smart with me next time; you’re going to get it.” Mason marched upstairs while I was still trying to catch my breath.He should have just killed me; I think I would be free from all this stress and trouble.LUKE’S POV“Please, Luke, this is a favor 1’m asking from you,” my grandfather said as he coughed.Both of my eyes were closed as I was still mulling over these words. I didn’t know how I was going to act. If I should do as he said, or if I should follow my heart and keep my relationship with Harriet, This moment was really painful; it was so sad. And it was still tough because I was stressing my brain while trying to make a decision. On one hand, it was about being devoted to family. On the other hand, there was devotion to the lady I loved.“I don’t know grandpa; this is a tough one. Harriet and I made promises; we made them.My grandfather’s cough interrupted me. Okay, this one was fake.“My death is near, and it might come anytime. But won’t you fulfill this wish? It could be my last.”“Grandpa, I can’t actually promise…”I was interrupted once again, but this time, it was my phone ringing. The number was unknown.“Please excuse me,” I whispered, and I went outside the room to answer the phone call.“Luke Reynold, right?” The caller asked.“Yes,” I answered, curious to know who was calling me. “Can I please know who’s talking?”“You don’t have to worry about that. What you should be worrying about right now is your girlfriend, who happens to be cheating on you.”“Harriet?” I blurted it out instantly.“Yes, I’m standing outside this guy’s house right now, and she’s having a wonderful moment with him.”20 PAINS AND SHOCK“What do you mean by that?”“Hold on,” he said, ending the call. And I received a video immediately.When I opened it, I was shocked to see my Harriet kissing this man.
Still at the hospital, I slowly walked into the room where my grandfather was. And seeing him in this state brought so much sadness to my heart. I felt guilty.The doctor had informed me that my grandfather was seriously sick. I couldn’t recall the name of the disease, but the way the doctor explained the whole thing to me, it sounded really. seriousI noticed how my grandfather slowly opened his eyes. “Luke,” he uttered softly, and I didn’t hesitate to move closer to him.“Grandpa,” I said, sitting on my heels, holding his hands. “I’m… I’m sorry.”“Why are you saying sorry, my grandson?” He spoke inaudibly. “It’s not your fault.” “Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you tell me you were sick? I would have taken you to one of the best hospitals.”“Oh, please, Luke, I’m already an old man. If death comes to take me, so be it. I feel like I’ll be leaving this world at any moment.”“Don’t say that, grandpa. We’ll get surgery done right away.”“Do I have to remind you that I’m an old man?” He looked at me, exhaled deeply, and closed his eyes. “I don’t want you taking me anywhere for treatment. I just want you to do me a favor and fulfill my wish.”“And what is that?” I asked slowly.He leisurely held my arm. “Get married to Ariel.”
RIEL’S POVI opened the door, only to see a group of little children. They looked like they had not eaten for days, with messy hair and pale faces. They were even wearing torn clothes, and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for them. They seemed to have no one to take care of them.“Good afternoon, miss,” one of the children greeted, her tone low and soft. She was the one standing close to the door, while the others stood behind her.“Afternoon, sweetheart.” I squatted with a huge smile. “What is your name?” I gently touched the little girl’s cheek.“Chloe,” she answered.“Okay, Chloe. It’s nice to meet you.” I took my hands off her face, still smiling at her. “May I please know why you all have come to my house?”“We’re really hungry, miss,” she answered softly. “We have no food to eat, so we thought if we came to you, you might find us something to eat. You don’t have to give us that much. Even if it’s just one piece of a cookie, we would appreciate it so much.”“One piece of a cookie? How is that going to satisfy each and every one of you?” I asked in wonder.“We’ll share it among ourselves, miss.”“Wow,” I whispered to myself, absolutely surprised. “Do you guys have parents?”“No, we don’t. We’re all orphans wandering around the streets,” Chloe responded.I felt so sad for them; it was really touching. I couldn’t let these children starve; I just couldn’t. I wasn’t even going to scold them or whatever. I’d make sure they eat until they are full. And I could also let them live in this house. Andre wouldn’t get angry with this; he was a kind-hearted person, so I knew we were on the same page.“Okay then.” I got to my feet. “All of you, come inside.” 1 opened the door wide for them.“Really, miss?” One of the children brought out so much happiness in his tone. “You want all of us to come inside your house?”“Of course,” I answered promptly. “Is that a bad idea?” I raised an eyebrow at him..“No, no,” he replied.“If so, then come in, all of you!” I stepped back. With a clamorous shout of glee, they all rushed inside the house.I closed the door, unable to stop smiling at them. I adored little children since I ery much. So was given the opportunity to take good care of them, why should I reject it?LUKE’S POV“What did you just say?” My grandfather quizzed me, and trust me, that tone didn’t sound nice. “Are you still pursuing that lady?” “Yes, grandpa, I love her so much, and she loves me too. If I’m going to get married to someone, it’s definitely her.”“Over my dead body!” He shouted right away. “You shall not marry that woman!”“But why, grandpa? What wrong did she do to you?”“Enough!” He snapped. “That girl will never be welcomed into the Reynold family as long as I’m still alive!” He continued shouting, and he gasped all of a sudden, placing his hand on hisheart.“Grandpa?” I exclaimed. “What’s wrong?”My grandfather collapsed on the ground, and I rushed down to hold him, as did Tim. It was as if he was being choked to death. He blacked out immediately. “I think he had a heart attack,” Tim told me, placing his hands around my grandfather’s chest. “But he’s not dead. We need to take him to the hospital as soon as possible.”“Come on, let’s go.”Both of us carried him to my car, and we drove off. When we arrived at the hospital, the nurses assisted us in taking him to a room. Tim and I stood outside, worry creeping all over my face.This was all because of Ariel. If he hadn’t brought up this discussion, I was pretty sure none of this would have happened. I didn’t know what he saw in her, but his blindness for her had translated into his hatred for Harriet, which I was not happy about.“Do you think he’s going to be okay?” I asked Tim.“I don’t know, Luke. But if I were you, I’d do what he says if he recovers from this. I’ll see you later,” Tim left.His words were still revolving around in my head. He was advising me to sacrifice my happiness all because of my grandfather. If I decide to follow my grandfather, I’ll only end up breaking Harriet’s heart. And if I decide not to leave Harriet, I’ll only be going against my grandfather and breaking him. Just take a look at what happened today; who knew what would. happen next?ARIEL’S POVI stood, watching these little children enjoy their dish, all seated on the couch. There were nine of them, actually.The smile on my face was just too much as I continued to watch them relish every bit of the buffalo wings I had prepared for them. Of course, I was a great cook, all thanks to Elizabeth. But don’t get me wrong; she only took my cooking skills to the next level.“so, how’s the food?” I asked with a beam, even though I knew they were loving it.“It’s delicious,” one of them replied. She was wearing glasses, “This has to be the best thing I’ve ever tasted,” she added.“I wish I could just stay with you forever, so I can continue to enjoy these delicious meals,” a boy said, and I couldn’t help but laugh.“Exactly, she’s obviously the best cook in the world!”“Okay, okay. There’s no need to praise me too much,” I gently interrupted their highly–rated comments. “There are thousands of people who are way better than me.”“That’s a lie!” one of them exclaimed and continued with his food.1 clapped my hands. “Okay, can I please know the names of each and every one of you here?”“Sure, why not?” The little girl in glasses spoke. “My name’s Emily.”“Peter!” one of them shricked.“Kelvin!” another yelled. That was how they all started telling me their names, like students presenting things to their teachers.So their names were like this: Chloe, Emily, Peter, Kelvin, Daniel, Mandy, Piper, Josh, Kendall, and Mark. Yes, these were all of them, and they were all so cute and adorable. I just needed to give them a nice bath and put on some good clothes. We’d work on that later.“What the hell is going on here?” Mason exclaimed loudly the moment he entered the house.LUKE’S POV
26 HARD CONDITIONSARIEL’S POVMason stepped foot inside the hospital room, his hands deep in his pockets. He was wearing a leather jacket, and the smile he gave me was clearly fake.What the hell was he doing here anyway? He was the last person I expected to see.“You’re still alive!” Mason smirked. “That’s nice. I don’t know how this plan is going to work out without you.”“I literally went through hell earlier today. Can you please give me a break?” He laughed. “Breaks are for babies.”I shook my head and let out a weary sigh. “I’m being serious here.”“And do I look like I’m joking?” He raised an eyebrow, and I turned my face away. “How was your elevator experience?”I gave him a quizzical look. “Why are you asking me that?”“I just want to know if you and Luke did–you know, the whole relationship stuff.”I stared at him for a few seconds, then replied, “No, we didn’t.”“Are you sure about that?”“Why would I lie to you?”Mason chuckled softly. “You have thousands of reasons to lie to me.” He moved closer to the bed. “I know you hate me and that you don’t want to follow this plan of mine. But what canyou do?” He shrugged. “You have no choice.”“You are the most heartless person I’ve ever seen,” I told Mason, my tone cold.“Oh really? He laughed again. “What about your ex–husband? Oh, sorry, your husband–to- be?” He had a mocking grin. “I mean, he did a lot of terrible things to you, right?”“Yes, but at least he’s better than you. He tried to save my life today.”“He did?” Mason’s eyes widened.I remained silent, choosing not to tell him anything about what happened between me and Luke in the elevator.He nodded slowly. “I can see the chemistry developing. Just what I wanted. But we still need to act fast. I want to see Luke completely ruined as soon as possible.”“In what way did he offend you that you’re going through all these measures?” I inquired.“You’ll find out as time goes by. But for now, just do as I say without any questions. You have three days to get Luke to marry you.”“Three days?” I exclaimed. I couldn’t believe what he was telling me.“You’re right, three days is too much. Two days.” “No, no, no,” I said, getting up from the bed. “How do you expect me to get Luke to marry me within three days?”“Two days, to be precise,” Mason whispered.“Even ten days is too little. Do you even have any idea what we’re talking about here? That man hates me so much. There’s no way he’s ever going to marry me.”“And yet he tried to save your life in the elevator.”DEMANTOLI couldn’t help but sigh. “Oh, please, he could have done that to anyone else.”“That is none of my business. Just do as I say, alright? You don’t want to lose these two little adorable children of yours.Great, he had to bring my kids into this conversation again. I was really annoyed by this. But what could I do? Absolutely nothing. If I tried to act smart, he might just kill my little babies, and trust me, I didn’t want to sign up for that.“So, don’t act stupid. And think about it: this is a chance for you to avenge Luke for the things he did to you. I’m just going to be helping you.”“If you’re going to help me, then you won’t be threatening to murder my children.” “Sorry, miss, but you can’t tell me what to do. I’m the one who calls the shots around here. And once I make a decision, it’s final. You have no choice but to follow it if you don’t want to face the consequences.” Mason walked to the door and turned around with a plastic smile. “Have a nice day, and remember, you have two days.” He left after that.I sat down on the bed, covering my face, thinking about how I was going to handle this one. He told me to get married to Luke, and I should do that in two days. Like, how in the world is that even possible? How am I going to convince Luke to marry me?This one was really tough, and I knew Mason pretty well. He wasn’t going to change his words. at all. It was my fault anyway. If I hadn’t made those plans with him in the first place, none of this would have happened. I thirsted for vengeance, and now look at what it had brought uponme.LUKE’S POVI arrived home, only to be welcomed by my grandfather. He was standing outside, having a chat with one of his friends. They seemed to be having a great time.“Luke!” My grandfather exclaimed the moment he saw me. “You’re finally home.”I approached the two of them, wondering why they were at my house. This wasn’t a normal visit; it had a specific purpose because my grandfather barely paid me a visit.“Tim, meet my grandson Luke,” he introduced me to his friend, gesturing his hand towardsme.I promptly shook hands with Tim, a smile on my face. “It’s nice meeting you, sir.”“It’s nice meeting youtoo.” Tim smiled back. He turned to my grandfather. “I don’t know, but I just love this grandson of yours.”“That’s right,” I chimed in. “Everybody loves me.” I joked, and the three of us burst into laughter.“Yes, everybody loves him,” my grandfather continued the mirth as we kept laughing.“So, Luke, we came here to see you for a reason,” my grandfather said.Exactly! Just as I thought.“And what’s that?” I asked.“Luke, don’t you think it’s high time you got yourself a wife?” My grandfather placed his hand on my shoulder.“A wife?” I blurted out.“Yes, a wife. Don’t you want to get married?” “Yes, I…” I paused for a moment, thinking about Harriet. “I do want to get married.”“So what are you waiting for? Haven’t you found the perfect woman yet?” Tim asked.I just laughed at his words. There was no way I was going to tell them that Harriet was the one I planned on spending the rest of my life with My grandfather was definitely not going to accept that relationship. I really wanted him to change his mind, but I was afraid that he would be filled with nothing but rage if I told him that Harriet and I were still a couple.“Look, Lake,” my grandfather said softly before coughing. “I’ve grown so old, and I know my last day in this world is getting closer.”“Don’t say that, grandpa.”“Please, Luke, let’s just face the truth.” He coughed for the second time. “Death can come and take me anytime. But before that happens, I want to seemy grandson start a family. Yes, Luke, I want to see you with a wife. That would make me really, really happy.Should I tell him about Harriet? I didn’t think so.He continued, “Ariel was a perfect option back then, but you two had to separate. But it seems like destiny has brought her back.”I gave him a skeptical look. “Hold on a minute, what are you trying to say?”He coughed again. “I would be really happy if the two of you got back together.”
25 ELEVATOR KISSARIEL’S POV1 stood up, barely able to see anything, and I could feel my heart racing. The darkness and unexpected stop had me on edge. This was not something I had signed up for. “Oh my goodness, don’t tell me the elevator is broken.” I panicked. “I don’t want to die yet.”“We are not going to die, okay?” Luke assured me, stepping closer. “It might just be a temporary glitch. The lights will probably come back at any moment now.”“And how can you be sure about that?”“You just need to calm down. I’m pretty sure they’re trying to fix the issue right now,” Luke told me,devoid of terror in his tone. He wasn’t afraid. Well, good for him. But for me, it was quite the opposite.”I brought my phone out of my purse to see if I could make a phone call so someone could at least get us out of here. But, to my surprise, there was no signal. I couldn’t reach anybody, and this was definitely not good.“Damn it!” I forcefully threw my phone to the ground and ran my hands through my hair. ” We’re doomed.” “Just shutup, will you?” Luke snapped at me as if I were a little kid.“Hey, don’t tell me to shut up.“Oh, so you’re trying to act tough now, huh?” Luke taunted.I rolled my eyes, but right now, I wasn’t in the mood to get into an argument or fight with somebody.ON ELEVATOR KILOI closed my eyes, taking deep breaths in and out. It was something one of my friends had introduced to me back in high school. When she was scared to death, she would breathe in and out, and it surprisingly worked for her. Well, I didn’t know,“What are you doing?” Luke asked slowly.“Please don’t distract me right now,” I told him, and I resumed my breathing exercise.“You think that’s going to change anything?”I didn’t give him a reply; my eyes were still closed as I continued to breathe in and out. And to my surprise, it was actually soothing to me. My fear was diminishing until the elevator quivered for the second time. I fell down, and the trepidation rose once again, intensifying.I slowly got up, and so did Luke, but then the elevator shook for the third time, repeating the same action. We both landed on the floor.Luke got to his feet, but as for me, I just sat down. I was too tired to stand up, overwhelmed with fear.The elevator moved downward with intense force, and I couldn’t help but scream. Luke swiftly moved to me and held me tightly until the elevator came to a halt.My hair was kind of messy, I was breathing heavily, and my heart was beating really fast. I just hoped this wasn’t the end, but seriously, this was really freaking me out.I could still feel Luke’s arms all around me, and that calmed me down a little bit. But the terror was still inside me, and I simply hoped this would come to an end as soon as possible.“Don’t worry, everything’s going to be alright, okay? Everything’s going to be alright,” Luke comforted me. His face was close to mine, and I could feel his breath. But I was brimming withfear.My phone started ringing, and I pointed at it. I was suffocating to the point that I couldn’t even utter a word. I had claustrophobia, and it seemed like things were about to get deadly around here.Luke directed his eyes to my phone and quickly went to pick it up. I barely managed to get to my feet as I began to wheeze.“Ariel?” Luke moved closer. “Ariel, what’s wrong?” I tried to talk, but I couldn’t. My wheezing intensified, and I felt like I was going to pass out any minute from now on.LUKE’S POVAriel continued to wheeze, and with that, I became really worried about her. I didn’t even know what to do. This elevator issue was taking quite some time to be resolved, and I used to think this company was one of the greatest. But take a look at the problem that is going on at the moment.Her eyes were closing, and it seemed like she was going to black out any moment. I didn’t even know what I was going to do to put an end to this.When she gasped, I grabbed her, pulling her closer to me, and then I gently pressed my lips against hers. The kiss lasted for almost a minute as I wrapped my hands around her waist, hoping it could actually ease the situation.Once I broke the kiss, Ariel looked at me for a few seconds before losing consciousness. I held her as she was about to fall down, gently brushing a strand of her hair away from her face.Her visage was so beautiful that I couldn’t take my eyes off her. My gaze remained fixed on her lovely face. She was indeed beautiful, and any man would be lucky to have her in their life. But for me, the feeling wasn’t there, and I didn’t even want it to be there. Ariel and I were never going to work out. We weren’t meant to be with each other, and I didn’t think we would ever be.“Is there anybody there? Anybody?!” I let out a thunderous scream, but unfortunately, no one came. I decided to sit down and wait for something to happen. So that was what I did. I settled down on the floor, cradling Ariel’s head on my lap as I gently brushed her hair. Eventually, I fell asleep.After a considerable amount of time, I opened my eyes, hearing a faint sound coming fromabove. It was a voice calling out to us. “Hello? Is anyone there?”I quickly wiped my eyes and stood up. “Yes, we’re right here! Down here!” I hollered, waving my hands to make ourselves easily noticeable.The light from several torches was directed towards us. I saw some men who threw a long rope down to us. They carefully made their way downward with the help of the горе.“I’m glad you guys finally came,” I said to one of the men.He nodded and looked at Ariel. “She’s still alive, right?”“Yes,she’s just unconscious at the moment.”Some of the men walked over to Ariel, and one of them carried her on his back. They held onto therope and slowly ascended. I had to wait patiently until it was finally my turn. That was how we escaped that terrifying situation.ARIEL’S POVI opened my eyes only to find myself in a hospital bed. Flowers were beside me, and there was Luke. I was quite surprised to see him here. Was he actually the one who brought me to the hospital? The last thing I remembered was that we were both stuck in the elevator. I was freaking out and wheezing continuously until everything went dark. And now I find myself in a hospital. bed. I really needed to know what happened. How did we get out of that horrendous situation? Who brought me here? Hold on a minute; Luke kissed me. He literally kissed me.Luke wasn’t looking in my direction, so when he turned around, I closed my eyes, pretending to still be unconscious.I could hear his footsteps getting a little farther from me, then I heard the sound of the door opening and closing. I opened my eyes after that, and Luke was no longer in the room.Just as I sat up on the bed, the door immediately opened.
24 LIGHTS OUTLUKE’S POVHarriet knelt on the bed, her ravishing hair cascading down her back, while I stood behind her, admiring her beautiful body. “You look so sexy, babe,” I whispered into her ear, running my hands through her back.It had been three days since she left the hospital, and let’s just say things were kind of back to the way they were. I had taken her out for dinner with the promise that this night was going to be filled with so much fun and pleasure.She let out a soft moan, and I could feel her body tingling with excitement. “I can’t wait any longer, baby,” she uttered, turning to me with a mischievous grin.I chuckled and pulled her closer, which resulted in our naked bodies pressing against each other. “Let’s not waste any more time then.” I lifted her up and placed her on the bed.She giggled as she lay back, her legs spread wide open for me. I positioned myself in between her legs, then leaned down to kiss her passionately, our tongues intertwining as our bodies moved together in perfect rhythm.The moment I entered her, she let out a loud moan, her hands gripping the sheets tightly. “Oh Luke!” Harriet cried out loudly; her voice was echoing all around the room.My thrusts became more powerful, and her moans only grew louder. The sounds of our bodies. colliding filled the room. I groaned as I pounded her mercilessly..Her back arched off the bed, with her fingers digging into my back as she rode the waves of pleasure. “Don’t stop, baby; please don’t stop!” she pleaded as her moans grew louder and more urgent.“I’m not going to stop, baby,” I whispered, my breath hot against her ear. “I’m going to make. you feel good.”The force of the slams intensified; I could feel myself getting closer to the edge, but I didn’tward this moment to end anytime soonMastered the pace, with the thrests becoming more intense, and my moans were mixing with hers. We were moving together in perfect harmony, and I could say we were lost in our own world of delectation.The pleasure continued for what felt like an eternity, our bodies becoming slick with sweat as we rode the waves of ecstasy. I could feel her muscles tightening around me, signaling that she was close to her climax.I reached down and started to rub her sensitive spot, causing her to moan even louder. Her hands gripped the sheets tighter as she came undone beneath me, her body shaking with pleasure.Feeling her release only pushed me closer to my own, and with a few more powerful thrusts, 1 reached my peak, letting out a loud groan as I released inside of her.We collapsed onto the bed, both of us trying to catch our breath. There was no doubt that we were energized from all those moments.Harriet stirred closer, leaned her head on my chest, and started moving her finger slowly in that area. “I love you,” she whispered, her lips drawing closer to mine.“I love you too.” I smiled at her and smacked her lips. That was how we cuddled afterwards, enjoying the feeling of being together.The next morning, I woke up early, took my bath, got dressed, and was fully prepared to head. for work. Harriet was still sleeping while I did all this. Yeah, she was really exhausted after last night, and I didn’t want to ruin her sleep.I took a look at myself in the mirror, which showed me how dashing and outstanding I looked in the suit I was wearing. Today, I was going to a business meeting with representatives from different companies. As the owner of my company, I would be representing The Reynolds, along with Jack and some of my workers. This meeting was going to be remarkable. After a while on the road, I arrived at the company where the meeting would be taking place. The name was Dorgina, and apart from The Reynolds, the company was also one of the largestin New Haven.I was waiting for Jack and the others, but they had not arrived yet. Well, it was a great thing westill had time on our side.1 looked around and saw different people heading towards the building. The place was a little crowded, as there were people from different companies all stepping out of their cars and engaging in conversations.And then this man stepped out of his car–the man whom I caught having sex at my place of work with that useless worker of mine. Speaking of the idiot, she burst out of his car as well. I could see that they were now a couple.I spotted Andre close to those two morons, and the three of them started having a little chat as they walked towards the building. Don’t tell me she is now working for The Vitality Group. I couldn’t jump to conclusions yet, but if that was the case, then this was absolutely unbelievable.Finally, Jack and the others arrived. He stepped out of his car, looking good in his suit. There were three of my workers standing behind him, two men both wearing shades, and a lady looking quite stunning in a black dress. They were simply looking perfect, making it seem like they were going to an award show.“Mr. Reynold.” Someone touched my back, and I turned around to see Andre, with those two idiots beside him.“Mr. Jones.” I shook hands with him, smiling. “How have you been doing?”“I’ve been doing great.” Andre returned the smile. “Did you come all by yourself?”“Oh no,” I replied without delay. “My people will be here any minute.”“That’s nice. We’ll be entering the building now. See you at the meeting.” Andre patted me on the shoulder and stepped into the building. Those two followed him without glancing at me. It was obvious they were still ashamed of themselves.I went to settle down in my car while people kept making their way inside the building, including my workers. I didn’t want to walk in the midst of the crowd, so I patiently waited until everyone had gotten inside.WIt took me quite some time, and when I noticed no one else was coming, I left my car. But then a car stopped, and you could just guess who came out: Ariel.She was looking absolutely beautiful in a green dress, with slight makeup on her face. Her looks were so captivating; I couldn’t take my eyes off her.She glanced at me with a smile and walked majestically towards the building. I followed suit.The two of us stepped inside the sleek elevator, and I could hear soft music playing through the concealed speakers. I couldn’t take my eyes off Arlel, but she didn’t even give me a glance. She just stood still, quiet, with her hands together.The door closed smoothly, and I heard a gentle voice say, “Going up.” After that, the elevator ascended.I could hear Ariel humming gently, and I looked at her once again. She looked at me, so I quickly turned my face away. I heard her laughing silently.“You know you can talk to me,” she grinned at me.“Thanks, but I’m good,” Lreplied, inaudible to a certain degree.We both became quiet once again, patiently waiting until we arrived at our destination. But all of a sudden, the lights went out, and the elevator stopped moving. It convulsed, causing both of us to fall down.“What’s going on?” Ariel asked immediately, her tone revealing that she was really terrified.
23 DRENCHED BY DOLORARIEL’S POVLuke and I stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, and I noticed a woman sitting close to him, deep in prayer. It wouldn’t be a bad idea if he joined her. He needed to pray too, so God could give him a sense of how to handle situations in his life.By the way, I wondered why he was at the hospital. The expression on his face wasn’t reassuring, and I must admit, this was the first time I had seen him like this. Or was it? I couldn’t recall.I continued to gaze at Luke, but he shifted his gaze away from me, and I followed suit without hesitation.“Ma’am, please have a seat. We’re already taking care of that little girl. She will be alright; there is no need to worry,” the nurse assured me. She was the one who directed me to this bench.“Could you find me another place to sit? I don’t think I’ll be too comfortable here,” I said to the nurse, though my eyes remained fixed on Luke. He also looked at me, aware of what I was referring to.“I’m afraid the other chairs are occupied. Please, ma’am, just sit here,” the nurse gestured towards the bench.“Thank you, but I’d rather stand,” I replied, crossing my arms.“Are you sure about that, ma’am?” the nurse inquired.“Yes, don’t worry. You can go now.” I smiled at her, and she returned the gesture before walking away.I turned to Luke once again, and he quickly averted his gaze. He didn’t want me to know he had been staring at me the whole time.. DRUNCHED BY LO“What brought you here, anyway?” I asked Luke, but he didn’t respond. Either he heard me and chose to ignore me, or his mind was elsewhere, “I asked you a question, mister.” I spoke up loudly, and he looked at me immediately.“Are you talking to me?” He asked, pointing at himself.“Who else does it look like I’m talking to?”“Oh, sorry, what were you saying?” He raised an eyebrow.“Nevermind,” I replied in a hushed tone.A man approached us, tears streaming down his face, and he kneeled down beside the woman who had been praying moments ago.“What’s wrong, Simon? Why are you crying?” the woman asked, resting her hand on his cheek.“He’s… he’s… he’s no more, Martha,” the man replied, his words barely coming out of his mouth. “Terry is gone; he’s dead.”Hearing the news, the woman burst into tears. They held each other’s hands and drowned in sorrow. I wanted to cry just watching them.LUKE’S POVAs these two shed tears, a surge of pain went through my heart. This was indeed a sad moment losing someone you loved so much. It reminded me of the time my parents died. Back then, I was completely broken. The people who loved and cherished me the most had left me, and at in sorrow, and felt like there was no need to live that moment, I was filled with pain, trapped in sorrow,anymore.My father was myrole model. He was one in a million, the best out of thousands, and the star that shone the brightest among all others. My mother, too, was the best–a lovely character as beautiful as her face. She was one of a kind, and the love she gave me has been unmatched since she died. She was my diamond and my angel.OPENCHED BY DOLORThe couple walked away in tears, leaving just me and Ariel at the scene. Ariel couldn’t take her eyes off them, and I knew she felt really sorry and could burst into tears any minute. She was still the soft Ariel I knew five years ago, although she was trying to act extremely vigorously. I did nothing but watch Ariel. Tears were about to come out of her eyes, but she held herself together and sat down, not close to me.We both stayed quiet for minutes, with no one talking to each other. I had no idea who she was waiting for, but it wasn’t someone she loved that much that I knew for sure.I let out a deep sigh, closed my eyes, and leaned the back of my head against the wall. It was time to go and check on Harriet. I had spent too much time in the hospital, don’t you think?I stood up and couldn’t help but notice how Ariel looked at me. But I walked away from her and made my way to the room where Harriet was. She had finally regained consciousness. I was really glad to see her eyes open once again.I slowly opened the door and walked inside the room in the same manner.“Luke?” Harriet uttered it softly. I could barely hear her, as she was really weakened by what had happened to her.I sat on the edge of the bed, our eyes locked, and I gently held her hands. “Why, Harriet? Why did you have to do such a thing? You almost gave me a heart attack.”She sighed, looking in her direction for a moment before turning to me. “You made it clear to me that it was over, so I felt like there was no need to live in this world anymore.”“Don’t say that.” I gently caressed her cheek. “Please don’t think like that. You have every reason to live, even if I’m not with you.”“I’m not so sure about that.” Harriet said it faintly, with a pained smile on her face. “I love you so much, Luke. But I’m sorry; I know I messed up big time. Please, I’m really, really sorry.”“No, no, it’s okay.” I held her hands tightly together, gently rubbing her forehead. “I’m the one who should be apologizing here. The whole thing was all my fault. If I were a better boyfriend and treated you nicely, you wouldn’t have done that. If I had given you love and affection, you wouldn’t have goahead and done such a thing.‘C“Who said you weren’t giving me love and affection?” Harriet kept her fragmented smile. You were treating me nicely; you’re one of the best boyfriends I’ve ever seen.”“Come on now, Harriet, don’t lie to yourself, and don’t lie to me as well. I knew I caused so much pain, both directly and indirectly. I threw our love into an ocean, but I’m ready to dive into that water and bring those feelings back.” I held her hand really tight, lost in at moment of both mirth and despondency.“So that means you want us to get back together?” Harriet asked softly.you“Of course. I’d really love it if things went back to the way they were. When I first met you, I felt the powerful connection we had back then. The lively spirit and heavenly conversations. I promise to always put a smile on your face.”“Thanks, Luke,” she uttered, and we both gazed at each other for quite a long time. “I love you,” was what she said to break the silence.“I love you too.” I kissed her forehead and slowly stood up. “I’ll be back, okay?”“Okay.” Harriet nodded, and then I left the room.I walked back to the bench where I was moments ago, but Ariel was not there anymore. I didn’t know why, but for some reason, I wanted her presence.
22 BLAME AND REGRETLUKE’S POVLooking through the door, I felt so sorry for Harriet. Her palè face was still and serene, with tubes and wires connecting her to machines. My eyes were almost filled with tears, but I wasn’t the crying type. When I lost my parents, I barely shed a tear.But now, it hurts so badly to see Harriet in this condition. And although she cheated, she did have a point back there. I started spending less time with her, getting angry at her easily. Always maintaining a serious expression, even when she tried to lighten my mood.Seriously, what had gotten into me? It didn’t start like this. The beginning of our relationship was a perfect combination of mirth and humor; every moment was electrifying. Butterflies of glee surrounded us, and tender kisses, heavenly moments, and intense happy occasions. But my recent attitude had ruined it all. What a scumbag I was.“Oh, sir, you’ve finally arrived,” Jack uttered, approaching me.“Just look at her right now, unconscious,” I said in a low and calm tone, fixing my eyes on Harriet. “This is all myfault.”“Your fault?”“Yes, Jack, if it weren’t for me, she wouldn’t be in this state.” I leaned my head against the door, closing both of my eyes. “I feel so disappointed in myself.”“You don’t have to worry, sir. Everything is going to be alright. It’s just a matter of time until she regains consciousness.”I breathed out deeply. “I hope so.”“I have to go, sir. Some people from the Alfatrium company want to speak with us about a project,” Jack stated.22 BLAME AND REGRET“You may go. I’ll stay here until Harriet wakes up. And if anyone asks for me, tell them to send me text messages. Or perhaps they can wait for their discussion to be held tomorrow. Today, it’s just going to be me and Harriet.”“Okay, sir.” Jack nodded and left.Oh, Harriet, I remembered the help you gave me when we were both kidnapped. We were still kids back then, with immature senses. That moment was supposed to be lovely and filled with fun. But it was simply terrifying because we were in the hands of kidnappers.All these thoughts still ran through my head as I continued to look at an unconscious Harriet.ARIEL’S POVI entered my car and was ready to head to work when suddenly Mason burst inside, holding a bowl of ice cream in his hands. I couldn’t help but glare at him as he settled down in the frontseat, near me.“Why are you in my car?” I asked slowly.“Don’t ask me that; just start driving, will you?” Mason smiled.“You need to leave first because there is no way I’m taking you along to work.”“Who said I was following you to work?” He asked promptly. “I just need to buy some groceries, so I want you to drive me to a nearby store.”“Take a taxi,” I suggested. “Didn’t you bring your car with you?”“If I did, do you think I’d be sitting here in this ridiculous car?” He mocked me, but I didn’t want to argue with him. “By the way, when are you going to start your relationship with Luke?T“I understand that you want this to happen quickly, but remember that I’m also abusinesswoman. I have things to do besides just being with Luke.”22 BLAME AND RECHT“I see.” Mason nodded slowly. “But if you try to act smart with me, I won’t spare you.”I sighed deeply. “Yeah, I’ve heard you.” “Want some ice cream?” He offered me his bowl.“No thanks, I’m good.” I made a serious face, avoiding eye contact. I couldn’t be sure if there was something wrong with it. I was just being cautious.“Okay, you can start driving now.” Mason fastened his seat belt.“Wait, are you serious about the grocery store?” I questioned him.“Do I look like I’m joking?” He took a spoonful of ice cream. “Now start driving if you don’t want to be late for your meeting.”I was extremely irritated by his attitude, but I was putting up with him. His parents must have raised him well, didn’t they?As I was about to drive, someone started calling me. It was Andre’s mother, but I knew my children wanted to talk to me.“Who’s calling?” Mason asked with more ice cream in his mouth.I gave him an eccentric look. “And why do you want to know?”“It could be mybrother.”“So what if it could be your brother?” I snapped, but as Mason gave me an unfriendly stare, I composed myself.I declined the call and put my phone in my bag. I wasn’t going to talk to my children in front of this guy, especially when he was threatening to kill them. He was a pain in the ass.ANDRET“Why didn’t you answer the call?” He asked, and I gave him another annoyed look. Like, how was this even his business?“It’s not important.” I gripped the steering wheel.“Who told you that?”“Nobody; I did.” I started the car and began to drive.Mason continued with his irritating talk, which made me even more annoyed. I just wanted to shout at him to shut up. I just wanted to stop the car and kick him out. But what would be the consequences if I followed through with any of those ideas?I was still driving, and my frustration with Mason was building up. I didn’t notice the little girl running into the road. I accidentally hit her, but not with much force as I hit the brakes. However, she keeled over, and I was not happy about this.“It looks like someone just committed murder.” Mason taunted.I gave him a dark look, not having any words for his useless behavior. This accident happened because of him.A few people gathered around us as I quickly got out of my car. I carried the little girl in my arms, and the onlookers started hurling negative comments at me. I ignored each and every one of them as I rushed to place the girl in the back seat of my car. I needed to take her to the hospital. Mason had already left, and I didn’t know when, but I was glad about that.LUKE’S POVStill at the hospital, I sat down on the bench along with two other people, a man and a woman. They looked really sad, and tears were coming out of the woman’s eyes as she prayed.“Is she your wife?” I asked the man who was close to me. He just stared at me before turning his face away. I know that question was not worth it.522 HAME AND RECREA nurse approached the three of us. “Sir, please come with me,” she told the man. He stood up immediately and followed the nurse.As for the woman, she kept on praying silently. Her hands clasped together, and her eyes tightly shut as tears continued to flow. I had no idea about their situation, but I felt really sorry for her. This was so sad.Just then, I saw Ariel being directed by a nurse to where I was sitting. The moment Ariel saw me, she halted.Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!