《Unfaithful: Web Of Betrayal》


 Death Of A Man

    Blood ¡­ blood everywhere ¡­ it puddled on the floor and seeped through the grout between the white marble tiles. Moving slowly towards the rug. Sttered on the wall from the two gunshots through the back of his head.


    She was standing by the stairs when it happened. It happened so fast. She tiptoed closer. He was face down, the thick red liquid dripping from his brain gushes out of the bullet wounds on his head, and the smell ¡­ she looked away. She couldn¡¯t bear toe any closer.


    She gasped, covering her mouth with both hands. There was no way he was still alive. She saw his head explode, and his body fell to the floor like a dead log. Even in the dark, it was clear that the two shots went straight through his skull from a close range.


    It felt like a terrible dream she couldn¡¯t wake up from. She was numbed in shock. Her mind was ying the scene in slow motion, what could she have done differently to stop it? He was dead. She pressed the back of her hand against her mped lips, but it was useless. She let out a cry, and once it was out, it was like she had opened the gates of hell. A long agonizing howl belched out from the bottom of her gut. This can¡¯t be real.


    ¡°You killed him!¡± she turned to the man who had done this.


    She stood with whatever strength was left in her. She shoved him with both hands, ¡°You killed him!¡±


    The gun was still clutched in his trembling hand, he clenched his teeth. If he could turn back time, he would do it again. ¡°There¡¯s no other way,¡± his voice cracked.


    Her scream exploded. There were no words to say. Just a long high pitch noise came out of her mouth, and he had to drop the gun and cover her mouth with his hand.


    ¡°Calm down ¡­ he gave me no choice.¡±


    His lips were shaking, his face drained of colors, his eyes ¡­ fearful.


    ¡°We can do this ¡­ you and me ¡­ we¡¯ll clean this up, get rid of the body, and no one will know.¡± He nodded profusely as if to get her to agree with him. ¡°I did this for us ¡­ don¡¯t you see? He gave me no choice ¡­ I love you, Olivia, this is the only way we can be together peacefully ¡­ he won¡¯t leave us alone ¡­ he¡¯ll never leave us alone.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She pushed his hand off her mouth, ¡°You¡¯re crazy ¡­ you¡¯ll never get away with this.¡± Her breaths were heavy from the immense pressure of his crime. ¡°You killed a man.¡±


    ¡°You did too ¡­ you think you¡¯ll be free of this? I didn¡¯t kill him ¡­ we did.¡±


    The realization of what he said left her stunned. She felt something pushing up from her stomach. He was right. Even though she didn¡¯t hold the gun to his head, she was a part of it too.


    She shook her head, ¡°I can¡¯t do this.¡±


    She had one hand on her head and the other holding her abdomen. She looked around the murder scene and what was left of the man she once loved, and maybe ¡­ she still does.


    ¡°We can¡¯t get away with this ¡­ you! You can¡¯t get away with this ¡­ I didn¡¯t kill him, I never wanted him to die ¡­ you did this.¡±


    He held her by the arms and shook her, ¡°We did this, Olivia, you know that¡¯s true ¡­ they will look at our rtionship, they¡¯ll find we have every motive to do this, and they¡¯ll put us in jail ¡­ and for what? For wanting to be free from him? He¡¯d kill us if we didn¡¯t do this.¡±


    He always had a way of rationalizing everything, even murder, justifying his every action, but she was not convinced. ¡°We don¡¯t know that ¡­ he¡¯s not a murderer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a murderer! And look at what you made me do?¡±


    The sudden spike in his voice startled her. ¡°I did this for you ¡­ you did this to me ¡­ to him ¡­ now we have blood in our hands, but we can get through this together ¡­ because that¡¯s all I ever wanted, Olivia ¡­ I just want to be with you.¡±


    His eyes softened, tears were pushing through their corners, ¡°I can¡¯t lose you, baby, you¡¯re the best thing that ever happened to me ¡­ I¡¯d do anything for you ¡­ you know that ¡­¡±


    His grip loosened, and he embraced her; his whole body was shaking. He¡¯s not a murderer. The fact that he had just killed another human being had just materialized in him. He was hyperventting. He cried.


    She stood still. Her brain froze. Her eyes stared into nothing. How did it alle down to this? How will they ever get through something like this?


    She slipped her arms around his waist. The warmth of his body, the familiarity of it soothed her. Is it love? Can she ever love a person who hadmitted murder? Let alone murder someone dear to her heart; no matter how bad it was, they were once deeply in love.


    But this man loves her too, so much that he will risk everything for her. She pressed her face on his shoulder and breathed his scent. This man would do anything for her, and he had proven it.


    She sped her hands behind his back and felt the diamond ring on her finger. She sobbed. The ring was still on her finger; it had to mean something. She pulled back from him. She looked deep into his eyes, trying to find something to convince herself of what she had to do next.


    He was half the man he used to be, lost in the chaos of what he had done. He needed her.


    She had to decide what she would do, and she had to do it fast.

 Three Years Earlier

    It¡¯s been a while since shest went on a solo trip. She used to love doing it back in college. To travel to strange ces she had never been, learn the cultures and food, meet new faces that she probably will never see again, and be anonymous where no one recognizes her or knows who she was.


    She finds it easier to connect with people without them knowing personal details about her. People are much friendlier, less judgmental, and not interested in prying on her private life when the encounter is brief. The conversations are on a need-to-know basis. No need for false pretenses. No drama. They will go about their day with a smile and a feeling of delight after meeting a friendly stranger.


    But this was the first time she had ever been on a cruise ship. She booked an ultra-premium cruise line for a trip to Bhorma, where she will spend 3 nights on the boat, 2 nights docking on the ind, and another 3 nights toe back. She wanted to experience the luxury of a smaller cruise ship where she could enjoy her privacy and well-deserved upscale pampering services.


    It¡¯s a much-needed trip from having been so busy setting up her new uing business. She will be opening her own home decor studio once she¡¯s back from the trip, and who knows when she can travel on her own again. This trip was a gift to herself for working hard and going through all the hardships in her adult life.


    The sun was warm on her face. She had found a nice spot on the cruise, and although she had yet to thoroughly explore the whole ship, she wanted toy on one of the sunbeds by the swimming pool and read the guidebook provided in her cabin.


    She had put on her blue bikini that matches the color of most of the interiors around the pool, she wore her favorite blue and white floppy hat and Bottega sunsses and smeared sunscreen all over her body before finally stretching her legs to rx under the afternoon sun.


    Soon after, a waiter came by with a ss of champagne. She asked him to leave two sses on the table next to her. Pre-dinner drinks seemed like a good idea.


    She opened the pamphlet of the cruise¡¯s itinerary. LUDUS OCEANIA ¡°Where Your Dreams Be Reality¡±


    She smiled, thinking of how amazing her days would be for the next 9 days and of course, the days to follow when she would finally get her business up and running.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Thevish grand staircase at the atrium, the luxurious dining area, the private cinema, casino, spa, library, fitness center with sauna, and a squash court are among the activities she can choose to do onboard. She had also made arrangements for shore excursions once they arrived in Bhorma. Everything was all set and nned.


    She leaned her head back and let out a satisfied sigh. She was looking straight at the upper deck across from her when something caught her eye from the left side. A woman was looking down at the pool site. She was in her bikini, leaning against the railing. Her straight long hair was blown by the wind.


    Even from where she was sitting, the woman¡¯s silhouette looked perfect. She was young, probably in her early 20¡¯s. The sight took Olivia back to her younger years when she used to look like that, not that she looks terrible now; she was a beauty queen once. A title that any woman could only hold for so long. Afterward, it was just ¡®Ex-beauty queen¡¯ as they get older, and then they just wish they never had been one so they don¡¯t have to live up to people¡¯s expectations for being one in the first ce.


    The years pass slowly but surely. She was 22 years old when she got the title. It surprised her when she tried to remember how 16 years hade and gone without her realizing it.


    She¡¯ll never get that skin again, no matter how hard she tries. Although she was still in better shape than most 25-year-olds could ever hope for, her bosom and backside had sumbed to the 38 years of gravity. Soon the skin on her face would follow, and she started seeing wrinkles around her eyes and her smile lines.


    She may not be young anymore, but she wouldn¡¯t trade her wisdom for her youth because she finally understood what she wanted for herself. Something she could only learn through aging, to find herself in a way a 20-year-old could never do.


    She picked up her champagne, took a sip, and was about to go back to her pamphlet to n her next day when a man came up behind the young woman at the upper deck balcony. His unbuttoned long-sleeve shirt was rolled up to the forearms, he was wearing beige cargo pants and holding a ss in one hand. He was probably the same age as the girl.


    He kissed the back of the woman¡¯s shoulder, and she turned around to kiss him. A sweet passionate kiss of young lovers in the dusk. He put his hand on the small of her back, and she leaned closer to him. Their skin brushed against each other, she lifted one leg up, and a wide smile bloomed across her face. Theyughed at something he whispered in her ear.


    Olivia smiled. Young love was the only thing she missed from her younger years.


    They look like a handsome couple. Fresh out of college probably, or slightly older, but for them to be able to afford that trip, they must¡¯vee from a wealthy family, she thought.


    After that kiss, the girl entered the ship and left her boyfriend alone on the deck. One swift second passed when the guy turned his head, and their eyes met. She looked away, a bit embarrassed for getting caught watching them from afar. But she felt his eyes on the side of her face; he was still looking at her. She nced at him to make sure, and their eyes met again.


    He smiled at her this time. She held her breath. As much as she hated to admit it, that guy had caught her attention. She curved her lips slightly to return his smile. The guy raised his ss to her, and she did the same. They sipped their drinks as if they just made a toast with each other. He tilted his head to one side, rested his chin on the palm of one hand, and leaned his elbows on the railings, his eyes still pinned on her.


    It was the strangest feeling she hadn¡¯t had in a long time. That guy was flirting with her.

 Dinner For One

    A ssy, elegant semi-formal Chanel dress was the one she chose for her first dinner on the cruise. She recently purchased it for the sole purpose of her trip. She bought a few items for the vacation, and the tags were still attached.


    Blue is her favorite color, deep dark blue matching her skin tone and dark brown hair. She didn¡¯t want to be overdressed for the asion, but she didn¡¯t want to be underdressed. Ludus Oceania was a plush establishment, everyone must look like they belong on that ship. She always tries to dress the part.


    She grew up in a middle-ss family, became a beauty queen, and appearance was everything. Everything she owned or put on her body was nothing less than posh. Olivia enjoys the finer things in life; it¡¯s what she has been ustomed to for some time. She had a particr nature about her, the way she carried herself; one could tell she came from money.


    ¡°Adele Leighton,¡± she said to the maitre¡¯d.


    Adele Leighton is her alter ego. The name she uses to hide in in sight. She had used it since college to do all sorts of things that she didn¡¯t want to associate with Olivia Harmon. Sometimes she gets confused about which of the two identities was her authentic self because she seemed to enjoy both of the lives she led under the two names.


    The Maitre¡¯D looks at his guest list and finds her name. He smiled politely and gave her a half nod.


    ¡°Ms. Adele Leighton ¡­ dinner for one, right this way, Madam,¡± he stepped out of the podium and gestured his hand for Olivia to follow him.


    She fixed her Sapphire earring on her right ear and walked behind him into the dining area. A colossal hall almost the size of a five-star hotel ballroom with an extravagant round crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the room.


    Some guests had upied the round tables in suits and dresses simr to her style, but none drew more attention than her. She¡¯s used to people turning their heads whenever she enters a room, and that dining area was no different. Olivia hung her head up high, her eyes looking straight at the maitre¡¯d in front of her; she never pays attention to people, especially when their attention was focused on her.


    The Maitre¡¯D pulled up the chair on a table for two right next to therge window. She had paid an extra $100 per night for the special seat with the ocean view, another luxury she would not deny to herself. On the right corner of the room was a grand piano, and someone was ying a soft jazzy tune as their dinner music.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Your seat for the night, Ms. Leighton, should you not be pleased with the setting, please let me know, and we can move you to another area,¡± he said.


    She adjusted her seat with a smile, ¡°This is fine, thank you,¡± her eyes gazed at the ocean. She could hardly see anything, only the ship¡¯s balcony illuminated by the lights on deck.


    ¡°The view is much nicer in the morning, perhaps you would like to reserve the same seat for breakfast?¡±


    She was a little disappointed at her $100 worth for that seat, but the thought of looking out that window in the morning was enticing, ¡°Yes, please.¡±


    He nodded politely, ¡°Very well ¡­ we have your menu card for the night. Do you wish to change your order or add another item to your list?¡±


    She thought about it for a moment, ¡°No, I¡¯d like to stick with the list, please, and champagne,¡± she clinked on the empty ss next to her.


    ¡°Of course, Madam.¡± The Maitre¡¯D signaled one of the waiters to bring the champagne to her table. ¡°Would you like us to leave the bottle on your table, Madam?¡±


    She curved her lips, ¡°Yes ¡­ leave it with me, thanks.¡±


    ¡°Very well, your entree will be served very soon, will there be anything else?¡±


    ¡°No, thank you.¡±


    Before he bowed and left, he showed her an electronic button under her table to call for assistance.


    Finally, she was alone again with her champagne. She took a sip as she nced at the piano yer looking in her direction. He blushed for getting caught admiring her beauty. She smiled and lifted her ss.


    Her eyes then traveled to the entrance when a man entered the room. It was the young man she had seen earlier at the pool. He was dressed in a tuxedo, and a woman¡¯s arm looped around his, a different woman.


    She looked away. She kept her eyes on her table. ¡°Don¡¯t look around.¡± She reminded herself. Looking around a room when she was sitting all alone doesn¡¯t end well with her. Someone was bound to assume that she was looking forpany, they woulde uninvited, and she would have to make all kinds of excuses for them to leave her alone. Her beauty was her gift and her curse. She hated to be in that kind of situation; it was an obstacle for her to travel alone.


    The music was lovely. The lighting was not too bright or dim for a dinner setting. Although, she would be okay if they were a bit shaded where she sat. Dark blue carpet with arge pattern in beige lined the floor, such an exquisite blend that fused with the whole interior of the room.


    The food was first-ss fine dining; she didn¡¯t mind it asionally. With the best champagne in the house, she enjoyed everyst bite of it. She was a little tipsy after her fourth ss, and her mind was already wandering to the hot tub in her suite. Her 1500 square feet suite is 5 times the size of the standard cabin size.


    A huge mirror on one side of the room gave a false sense of space that the room was more spacious than it already was. It was framed with morous carvings painted gold; the mirror also faced the bar. As she admired the details of the carving, something caught her eye. Someone was looking back at her through the mirror. It¡¯s him.


    She casually turned her gaze another way as she sipped on her drink. She was already done with her dinner, so she should consider going back to her room before she had too much to drink.


    Before she could leave her seat, she felt a presenceing from behind her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt,¡± a thick husky voice greeted her.


    She looked over her shoulder; the young man she had seen that day stood towering over her. He was more handsome up close. She thought he was wearing a ck suit, but as it turned out, it was a slim-fit navy blue suit paired with leather brown shoes. He was clean-shaven, whichplements his sharp jawline. His clear blue eyes were not shy looking straight at her.


    She was stunned for a brief moment. She was surprised at the attractive young man standing behind her.


    He smiled, a dimple curved on his left cheek. ¡°I¡¯m sorry ¡­ you don¡¯t know me ¡­ I just thought ¡­¡± he looked down at the floor and pressed his lips together as if to find the right words. He, too, seemed to be stupefied by how stunning the woman in front of him looked.


    His hands were inside his pockets. He quickly gained back hisposure and stared into her eyes. ¡°I just want to tell you ¡­ you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen,¡± he smiled again. There was a twinkle in the corner of his eye. ¡°I¡¯m sure you get that a lot ¡­ ¡± he scoffed. ¡°But I can¡¯t let the night go by without telling you that.¡±


    She didn¡¯t react immediately. All her radars were sending her mixed signals. She appreciated a nice honestpliment, but that question always lurks behind it. Is this guy for real?


    She curved her lips slightly, ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you.¡±


    She stood up; she knew she had to leave it at that. She wasn¡¯t there to flirt. She wasn¡¯t there for a hook-up, especially not with a man who easily looked like he was at least 10 years younger than her.


    ¡°I was just about to leave,¡± she widened her smile. ¡°Thank you ¡­ I hope you¡¯ll excuse me; I don¡¯t mean to be rude.¡±


    He stepped out of her way, half bending his back, ¡°Not at all ¡­ have a nice evening.¡±


    She gracefully walked away from him without ncing back. With her every step, eyes were immediately drawn to her, including the young man whose chest was throbbing after that brief encounter with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and the woman who would surely break his heart to pieces.

 The Introduction

    In her younger days, she would¡¯ve stayed for a few more minutes to see what his game was. Too many of them had nothing to offer personality-wise, and she was experienced enough to see that within the first 15 minutes of conversations.


    She¡¯s tired of first impressions that lead to nowhere, unimpressive sex at best, and weeks sometimes months, of trying to get rid of them because they seem to like her more than she likes them.


    More than that, she has Den now. The love of her life, whom she married when she was 25 years old. The end of her search for the perfect man every girl wanted to spend the rest of their life with. Den was hers.


    Her husband was the man who convinced her that she didn¡¯t want any other man in her life. He fulfilled her romantically, physically, intellectually, and financially as no one has ever done. He¡¯s the one who paid for hervish lifestyle because he wanted to spoil her with luxury. He had no problem giving her everything she wanted and needed and more. After all, money was not a problem for Den Hunt; his family and businesses could provide well over a few generations.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    But, like most marriages, they grew apart. What was once so heated, always hot and heavy with each other, gradually turned cold. Den¡¯s sessful business took up more and more of his time; the fact that they couldn¡¯t get pregnant for so long was an added factor that theirmitment was mere to each other.


    She checked on her phone. It was a little after 2 AM. There was nothing from Den. She wondered if he even remembered she had left for a 9-day solo vacation. She put it back on the side of the bathtub. She wasn¡¯t eager to know what he was doing either. He is probably working in his study at their home like he usually does until 3 or 4 in the morning.


    She got out of the tub and put on thevender silk robe. She finished herst ss of champagne as she checked herself in the mirror. She liked what she saw. Even if her husband doesn¡¯t appreciate it anymore, at least a strange man does. She smiled.


    **********


    The morning sun felt warm against her cheeks. The Maitre¡¯D had told her that if she wanted to glimpse the pod of dolphins jumping in and out of the water, she had to catch them early.


    She was used to waking up early; she was already out on the guardrail of the side deck before 10 AM. Breakfast was quick because she wasn¡¯t very hungry after a four-course meal the night before, and the endless supply of alcohol on the cruise was not helping her appetite.


    She looked through her binocrs to look for sightings of her favorite sea creature, but all she could see was wave after wave of blue sshing against the breeze. The hard wind blew her hat away, and when she turned around to get it back, itnded on the chest of the same young man who hadplimented her the night before.


    He held a camera in one hand and her hat in the other. He smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s hazardous to be out here alone, you know?¡±


    She let out a silent sigh, she wasn¡¯t looking forpany, but these things always happened to her without her even trying.


    ¡°I can look out for myself ¡­ I hope you¡¯re not here trying to protect me or anything,¡± she scoffed, extending her arm to get her hat.


    He curled his lips and looked down before he looked at her again, ¡°No ¡­ I was ¡­ looking for dolphins, actually,¡± he lifted his camera to prove his point, ¡°I¡¯m a photographer.¡±


    Sheughed lightly, half-embarrassed for assuming and half relieved that he wasn¡¯t stalking her. ¡°Sorry ¡­ I thought you were ¡­¡± she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it.


    ¡°Following you?¡± he tilted his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re on the same boat, and it looks like we have a few things inmon ¡­ I think we¡¯ll be seeing a lot of each other.¡±


    She took her hat from his hand, ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true though, it¡¯s very dangerous to be out here on your own ¡­ do you know there are at least 20 people who fall overboard on a cruise ship yearly?¡± he walked closer to the railing.


    ¡°Is that an urate statistic? They¡¯re probably drunk ¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be standing here after a few drinks ¡­ not alone anyways.¡±


    The man was standing next to her, looking out at the vast body of water with the wind against his hair. His eyes were clear blue. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be alone in any case.¡±


    She furrowed her eyebrows; she felt his words were a bit flirtatious.


    ¡°I¡¯m Roman,¡± he offered her a handshake.


    She hesitantly shook his hand, ¡°Adele.¡±


    He narrowed his eyes; there was a certain spark in them, ¡°Adele ¡­ ¡± he clicked his tongue, ¡°I¡¯d never guessed it ¡­ it doesn¡¯t suit you.¡±


    He was flirting with her, she thought. But the day was much too beautiful to leave that deck without seeing the dolphins. ¡°Really? What name would suit me then?¡±


    He turned towards her with his elbow resting on the railing, ¡°Something much more morous ¡­ I don¡¯t know ¡­ something that feels soft on the tongue ¡­ between the lips and let out a gentle air from the vowels.¡±


    She stared at him suspiciously for a moment, wondering if she might have known him from somewhere. Or does he know her? But there was nothing familiar about him; he was just flirting, she convinced herself. ¡°Well ¡­ don¡¯t want to disappoint you, but that¡¯s my name.¡±


    He was an alluring gentleman. In that short interaction, she could sense he was a lot more mature than his age, or maybe he looked a lot younger than his age. It was yet to be revealed. But she found herself ncing a few times at him because he was really easy on the eyes.


    He turned to face the sea again, ¡°You didn¡¯t disappoint me, Adele ¡­ I just have a very active imagination.¡±


    She thought it was awkward for a stranger to admit that he had fantasies about her, but his presence didn¡¯t feel threatening in any way; in fact, he was a nice distraction from her aloneness.


    ¡°So ¡­ what brings you to this ship? If you don¡¯t mind me asking? I¡¯m here to do some work for the cruisepany ¡­ They hired me to make a newpany profile and do their marketing n.¡±


    She breathed in the morning air until it filled her lungs, ¡°I¡¯m here to enjoy myself ¡­ is that not obvious?¡±


    ¡°Of course ¡­ they have great services here, top of its ss ¡­ and Ludus is quite popr for its singles party, but I haven¡¯t seen you there ¡­ yet ¡­¡±


    It struck her; she never heard of it before, ¡°Singles party?¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ at the Ludus Club, they held it every night where single people gather just to have fun ¡­ dancing, drinking, talking, nothing sexual or anything, just single people enjoying themselves with other single people.¡±


    She raised her brows and curved her lips, ¡°Hmm ¡­ this is the first I¡¯ve heard of it. Did they put it in the brochures?¡±


    Heughed lightly, ¡°No, but they will ¡­ that¡¯s why I¡¯m here,¡± he raised his camera again. ¡°I was therest night ¡­ I was actually hoping you¡¯d be there.¡±


    It was a subtle invitation, a partial announcement that he was single even though she saw him with at least two different girls on the ship. She was intrigued by the idea of enjoying her trip to the fullest, but the title ¡°Singles Party¡± was putting it off for her.


    She wasn¡¯t single. But nobody needed to know that; her mind was circling the idea. She let go of the railing; the conversation had developed, so she wasn¡¯tfortable continuing. She wasn¡¯t willing to share any personal information with a stranger, especially when traveling under a fake name.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ parties are not my scene ¡­ not anymore,¡± she said.


    ¡°Would you at least try it one time? It would be nice to take pictures of you there ¡­ you¡¯d be perfect for the model.


    Sheughed, ¡°Oh no ¡­ please ¡­ no pictures, I have to go now ¡­ it¡¯s nice talking to you, Roman.¡± She stepped down from the guardrail tform.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± he wasn¡¯t ready to let her go yet.


    ¡°Do some stuff.¡±


    ¡°Will I see you at the Club tonight?¡±


    She tilted her head to one side, ¡°Don¡¯t wait for me,¡± she waved one hand at him and walked away. She didn¡¯t want to have to exin anything further.


    Roman hid a smile, then he took one shot of her from the back. He scrolled back his camera and looked at all the tens of pictures he had taken of her already.

 The Ludus Club

    Roman was telling the truth when he said he was on that cruise for a job. He was 26 years old, single, and prefers women who are older than him. When he spotted Olivia by the side of the pool, his mind was fixed on her. She¡¯s beautiful. He couldn¡¯t get her off his head.


    When he said he wasn¡¯t following her, he was lying. The first thing he did after the initial sighting from the upper deck was to find out who the beautiful woman in blue whose eyes had met him and sent shivers down his spine.


    Adele Leighton, suite 401, staying alone, and nothing more. He had to conjure up his own theory based on that limited information. Suite 401 confirmed that she was ady of leisure; only those from a certain social ss can afford that cabin if it can be called a cabin. It resembles a Presidential Suite in a fancy New York apartment.


    She was alone, which ignited many spections in him. But he was too intrigued to make his own assumption, so he took the courage to approach her at dinner that night. She wasn¡¯t interested, which made it even more challenging for him; she was not a lonely rich woman looking for a boy toy. Now he had to pursue her.


    The following day he was out with his camera knowing she would be having breakfast and continuing her day to look for dolphins. With his wits and charms, he found out her itinerary for that morning through the front desk, iming he needed to interview her for thepany profile.


    He took candid pictures of her at the dining table, enjoying her fruit sd, a piece of toast and smoked salmon with cheese, and a good cup of hot coffee. He zoomed in on her lips as she devoured her meal. The tip of her tongue slowly caught the red ripe strawberry from her fingers. The sunlight reflected from the window onto her face. Her longshes blinked solemnly, sheltering the gentle sadness in her eyes. She was gorgeous.


    Her hair was blowing in the wind on the deck, along with her sheer white cover over her bathing suit. It was a breathtaking view from where Roman stood; he felt something warm in his lower belly. He took some pictures before her hat flew off his chest.


    Adele Leighton ¡­ the more he talks to her, the more he wants to know. As if his whole existence on that boat was to find her. Like a hunter to his prey, only the target has gotten under his skin and crawled into his vein, and he¡¯s yet to find out if she is toxic or venomous.


    **********


    He took snaps of his surroundings at the Club that night. It was different from the usual nightclub scene like the ones they have onnd. Onboard Ludus, the Club was lit with dim yellow lights. The room resembles a small wedding hall with tables on the sides filled with Hors D¡¯oeuvre, cocktail drinks, chips, peanuts, and what have you.


    People are standing around talking to each other in friendly manners dressed in beautiful clothes. The middle part of the room was cleared for them to danceter in the evening. There¡¯s a stage where a band ys soft music, and an MC directs everyone how the event will go. It was more like a cocktail party.


    Roman checked his camera every once in a while to see if he got good shots of the beautiful people in that room. Flirtatious eyes look back at him from the girls he¡¯s been in contact with since he took the job for Ludus.


    He was a frencer, and some of those girls were employees at Ludus¡¯s office. They volunteered to be the models for thepany profile; other than the free luxurious trip on the cruise, they were doing it to be close to the handsome photographer that would be on board with them for 9 days.


    Girls are fun but also clingy. They¡¯re whiny and entitled because they don¡¯t know what they really want. Conversely, women are moreposed, well-bnced, and well-rounded. With older women, rtionships are less dramatic because they are emotionally more stable and don¡¯t give a shit about silly things men do that girls find annoying.


    He finds himself moreparable with women who are older than him. They have so much more to offer because of their life experiences; they don¡¯t look for men to care for them because they know what they want. And in Adele¡¯s case, he hoped that what she wanted was him.


    His heart fluttered when Adele finally stepped into the Club wearing a casual designer outfit. He felt his stomach turn, then realized how infatuated he was with the brte who looked even better without make-up. He held his breath for a second and gathered hisposure before approaching her. Before anyone else tried to talk to her, he had to snatch her away from the get-go.


    ¡°Look who finally shows up,¡± he spoke softly near her shoulder from the back.


    She was startled, ¡°Oh ¡­ God ¡­ I didn¡¯t see you there,¡± she burst outughing, not realizing she was slowly driving him insane with every little thing she did. She put one hand on her chest to steady her heartbeat.


    His eyes fell softly on hers, and he smiled, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, didn¡¯t mean to startle you ¡­ d you can make it.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow and tilted one side of her lips, ¡°I don¡¯t really have anything better to do.¡± She looked around, ¡°This is definitely not what I expected; I thought there would be loud music andser beam attraction or something.¡±


    He chuckled, ¡°Not at all; I told you it¡¯s more fun this way; people can actually talk to each other.¡±


    She nodded, and she tucked her hands in her jeans pockets.


    He could tell she was hiding her nervousness, too, which was a good sign. He¡¯s not the only one who was anxious. He stole a shot of her timid expression.


    She raised her palm, ¡°Oh no, please ¡­ no pictures.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I couldn¡¯t help it ¡­ it¡¯s my job, and you look ¡­ stunning.¡±


    She looked at him for a moment. The way he said it was honest; he wasn¡¯t saying it to be polite; he said it because he felt something from looking at her. She smiled, ¡°Thanks.¡± She wanted to reciprocate but didn¡¯t want him to misconstrue it for flirting. She knew she had to be very careful with this man and not let him think there could be more than what they were doing, socializing.


    Roman was tip-toeing around her; he didn¡¯t want toe off as aggressive. He could sense her reluctance from the beginning, but his desire for her grew too strong to ignore. He showed her around the room and introduced her to every dish served on the tables. He tried to impress her with his knowledge about every detail of artworks hanging on the walls and the artists behind them.


    He made sure he was the only person she would know well enough on the ship toe to for everything she needed. They ended up at the bar to enjoy some drinks. Another gentleman was there, his head turning to look at the beautiful woman beside him. He soon turned away when Roman gave him a sharp look, a gentleman¡¯s code for their territorial marking.


    ¡°For new friendships,¡± Roman proposes a toast.


    They clinked their sses together.


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind somepany; I know you¡¯re here to enjoy yourself,¡± he took a sip of his drink. ¡°Only independent and courageous women would take on a solo trip for nine days; I really admire you for that.¡±


    She smiled, ¡°Thank you ¡­ I used to go on solo trips when I was younger.¡±


    He raised his brow, ¡°That can¡¯t be long ago.¡±


    Sheughed softly, immune to men trying to seduce her with sweet words, but with Roman, she let her guard down a bit. ¡°I haven¡¯t done this for a long time ¡­ I kinda miss it.¡±


    ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t? Solo trips are the best; you can go wherever you want and do the things you like without consulting a traveling partner or ¡­ debate about where you want to eat, and most importantly ¡­ you can meet new people.¡±


    There was a sparkle in his eyes whenever he looked at her that made her nervous.


    ¡°True ¡­ but ¡­ I¡¯m not looking for anyone ¡­ I¡¯m just here to loosen up.¡±


    He pursed his lips, she was warning him to stay back, and he found it amusing.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been working day and night for months setting up my new business; I thought it would be nice to take a break before it opens next month,¡± she sipped her drink.


    ¡°That¡¯s fantastic ¡­ What business are you running?¡±


    ¡°An interior design studio ¡­ I do home decor and renovation.¡±


    He nodded, ¡°What is it called?¡±


    She shrugged, ¡°I¡¯d rather not say.¡±


    ¡°Why? Is it a secret?¡±


    She struggled to find the right words to say; she didn¡¯t want him to know who she was. ¡°No ¡­ I prefer not to share it; I hope you understand.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    He thought about it for a moment. She was harder to pursue than he thought. ¡°Of course, in any case ¡­ I wish you all the sess for your business. I¡¯m sure you deserve it.¡±


    They clinked their sses again.


    ¡°Since you are here to loosen up,¡± he extended his hand, ¡°Would you like to share a dance with me?¡±


    She blushed away, ¡°Oh ¡­ no ¡­ I¡¯m not ¡­ I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Come on ¡­ this will make you less tense from all your hard work and the humongous tasks that are waiting for you back home ¡­ I¡¯ll try not to step on your toes.¡±


    She hesitated. She really didn¡¯t want to dance with a stranger. But his eyes ¡­ his smile ¡­ he was breaking into a cute dance move just to get her to step down from her stool and let go for a little while. He made herugh.


    ¡°I promise, I won¡¯t try anything stupid,e on ¡­ Adele ¡­ just enjoy yourself with a dance, it¡¯s not like you can dance on your own ¡­ it¡¯s just two strangers traveling alone trying to have fun with each other.¡± He reached out to her again and waited for her to take his hand.


    She looked at him. Deep down inside, she knew it was a terrible idea. He has a face she couldn¡¯t quite look away from. He was a charmer; if she took his hand, more of it woulde in the next few days. She wasn¡¯t sure how well she could handle the situation. On top of that, he was young. Much too young to be hanging out with her.


    Roman was spinning around in front of her and moving with the music, ¡°I hope you¡¯re not nning to sit there all night and drink the bar dry,¡± heughed. ¡°I would have to carry you back to your room, and that would be worse than dancing with me, don¡¯t you think?¡± He tried again for the third time.


    She took a deep breath and finally took his hand. She pressed her lips together, ¡°Fine ¡­ just this once.¡±


    His face bloomed with joy, and he nodded. Although, she could see he was hiding a condescending smile because he knew it would not be the only time.


    He twirled her around and let hernd between his arms. He carefully ced his hands on the small of her back. There are no words to describe how thrilled he was to be that close to her.


    ¡°You know ¡­ one of the miracles in life is to find the perfect person when you¡¯re not even looking,¡± he said to her with a yful smile.


    She shied away from his gaze. He was doing the very thing he promised he wouldn¡¯t do.


    ¡°You know I¡¯m talking about me, right?¡± he added.


    Sheughed lightly and covered his mouth, ¡°Shut up.¡±

 Returning Early

    One dance led to another. One drink led to another. She called it a night after less than two hours she was there. He was getting too familiar, and she enjoyed hispany more than she should.


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    The two words that ended the night and Roman thought he was losing his Cindere just before midnight. He would smack his own head if he wasn¡¯t in public. They were chain drinking; he might have stood too close to her than she would¡¯ve liked. His hands must¡¯ve wandered to ces that made her ufortable.


    ¡°Stupid.¡±


    They murmured to themselves when they went their separate ways.


    Olivia went back to her room in a hurry. She didn¡¯t even exin to him why the night had to be cut short abruptly. She walked away as fast as she could and left him stupefied on the dance floor without a chance to redeem himself.


    She sighed a breath of relief when she got to her room. She locked the door and closed her eyes for a moment to wash away the hysteria still in her.


    He wasn¡¯t touching her inappropriately. He wasn¡¯ting on to her. But he wanted to, and she could feel it. And that alone was a sign she should be the one to make the call, so she did.


    Her phone beeps.


    Den: Hey, sweetheart ¡­ How¡¯s your vacation going? I hope you¡¯re enjoying your time better than I do.


    ¡®What a timing,¡¯ she thought.


    Olivia: Hi, I just got back to my room, opening a bottle of champagne.


    She was about to do that, she¡¯s not lying.


    Den: Sounds delightful ¡­ Do you like the room? I specifically asked for the balcony; they only have two of those rooms onboard. It¡¯s not that easy to get.


    She threw her purse on the sofa and proceeded to the corner bar to get her champagne.


    Olivia: I love it, it¡¯s lovely ¡­ thank you ¡­ are you keeping yourself busy?


    Den: Oh yeah ¡­ been busy with the new campaign, exciting work stuff (eyes rolling emoji) ¡­ binge-watching the new season of The Case Files on Netflix ¡­ really, really exciting stuff.


    She smiled; she knew he was joking.


    Olivia: We should go together next time; the suite is gorgeous, and the view in the morning ¡­ so stunning.


    Den: Hmm ¡­ not as stunning as you, I bet¡­ I miss you.


    She stared at the glowing screen for a moment before she typed.


    Olivia: I miss you too. I¡¯m going to take a warm bath now.


    Den: Urrgh ¡­ you¡¯re teasing me ¡­ can I join?


    She was already taking off her shoes and undressing.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Olivia: Do you want to do a video call?


    It was something they usually do when they¡¯re away, calling via video so they can see each other through the small screen. Most of the time, when Olivia is bathing or showering. Den loves to watch her do that. But it has been a while since they¡¯ve done that.


    He waited to reply. He wasn¡¯t typing either.


    Den: You should enjoy your alone time ¡­ I won¡¯t bother you ¡­ but I will take a raincheck on that when you¡¯re back.


    Olivia: Sure ¡­ thanks for doing this ¡­ the room is perfect, the bath is exquisite, I love everything about it.


    Den: You deserve it; I hope you¡¯ll enjoy all the other stuff too, top-notch only; I made sure of that personally.


    Olivia: They¡¯re all excellent; I¡¯ll send you picturester.


    Den: I¡¯ll be waiting ¡­ have a nice bath, babe ¡­ I¡¯ll talk to youter. I love you.


    Olivia: Love you too.


    If anyone knew how much she appreciates her alone time, it would be Den. That was one of his strongest suitspared to any other man she had ever had. Den knew how and when to respect her privacy.


    She poured a ss of champagne while taking the rest of her clothes off. The warm water ran in the bath; she took her silkvender robe into the bathroom and closed the door. She poured bath salt and bath oil into the water; all the fancy toiletries werepliments from the cruise.


    She slipped into the tub with champagne in her hand and felt the warm water hugging her whole body when submerged in it. She left the water running so it would fill all the way up to her chest. She leaned her head back and admired the crystal chandelier hanging above her head. All that euphoria from earlier had dissipated; her husband¡¯s short texts might have had something to do with it.


    Everything was OK. Nothing happened. She didn¡¯t have to tell her husband about it because there was nothing to disclose.


    As she gently rubbed her skin with body foam, her mind would only allow her to rey that yful smile when he said, ¡°You know ¡­ one of the miracles in life is to find the perfect person when you¡¯re not even looking.¡±

 Day Three

    She was giggling while looking through her binocrs. Finally, she found the site she¡¯d been wanting to see. A pod of dolphins swimming near the ship. They enjoyed jumping in and out of the water near the rumbling engines.


    Dolphins are one of her favorite creatures. They¡¯re mammals that live in the sea, they are technically fish with the intelligence of a chimp, and they behave like dogs, they even have facial expressions, and they¡¯re always smiling. At least, that¡¯s how she sees it.


    Watching them in their natural habitat was a different experience. They are in their element because they swim so freely in the vast body of water. They spun their bodies up in the air, racing against the boat while putting on a show, cutting through the water. Their tail wagged as if to say ¡®hi,¡¯ their excitement was contagious, and she was grinning from ear to ear.


    A fluttering sound of a camera shutter came from her back. It was a moment worth eternalizing. It¡¯s very rare for that many wild dolphins to be seen anywhere jumping out and spinning like they were in the circus. It was a sight any professional photographer wouldn¡¯t want to miss.


    ¡°Magnificent,¡± Roman said.


    ¡°Amazing ¡­ aren¡¯t they?¡± Olivia still held the binocrstched on her eyes.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­¡± he nodded while not letting a second of that view escape the lens of his camera. ¡°I¡¯m sorry aboutst night ¡­ I hope I didn¡¯t creep you out; I had quite a few drinks ¡­ not that it¡¯s an excuse to be a creep,¡± he chuckled.


    She took her time to find the right words to say, ¡°That wasn¡¯t it ¡­ like I said ¡­ I¡¯m not looking for someone; I don¡¯t want you to get the wrong idea.¡±


    There were two possible reasons in his mind. One, she wasn¡¯t interested in him, and two ¡­ she was married. He may be young, but he was experienced enough to know when someone was interested in or repulsed by him, and she was definitely not thetter. That left him with the second possibility. It was a consequence of being attracted to an older woman; he would steer clear of married women under normal circumstances.


    But with Adele, thest thing that woulde out of his mouth was the question he didn¡¯t want to know the answer to. For the first time in his life, he didn¡¯t care whether this woman was married; he had to have her. All his intuition told him this was the woman that was meant to be for him, and if he let her slip away, it would be the one thing he would regret for the rest of his life.


    ¡°My impression was ¡­ you enjoyed your timest night, and that was the whole idea of the event; maybe you haven¡¯t been out like that in a while; it made you nervous.¡±


    She shrugged, ¡°Maybe ¡­ you¡¯re right, I had funst night ¡­ but we should leave it at that.¡±


    They looked into each other¡¯s eyes. They both knewst night was exceptional. It wasn¡¯t just two strangers having harmless fun. There was a strange pull between them even from the first time theyid eyes on each other by the pool. They were two adults who didn¡¯t need to beat around the bushes; she told it straight to him, and it could not go any further.


    ¡°Why?¡± his heart raced. It may not be the question he should be asking, but the result could go either way. She coulde clean to him, or she could lie. Either way, it wouldn¡¯t make any difference because he had set his heart on this woman before him. He wants her.


    She chuckled nervously, ¡°Because ¡­ I¡¯m ¡­ I ¡­¡± It was killing her not to be able to say it. She had betrayed herself for not blurting it out and shouting into the wind that she was married; she had a husband waiting for her at home. ¡°I¡¯m not looking for a rtionship ¡­ I¡¯m not the kind of person who fools around, so if that¡¯s what you¡¯re looking for ¡­ you¡¯ve got the wrong woman.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to fool around either; I hope that¡¯s not the vibe you¡¯re catching from me.¡±


    ¡°No? So why were you with those girls before?¡±


    He raised his brows, ¡°Girls? That was before I met you.¡± He was ttered to know she paid attention to who he was with.


    ¡°Right,¡± she said condescendingly and looked away to the ocean. The dolphins were starting to drift further away.


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me? It¡¯s true, you know, when I said you were the most beautiful woman I¡¯ve ever seen, and I¡¯m not here to fool around ¡­ I was struck dead. I think my whole life has brought me here to find you.¡±


    She looked at him in disbelief; at her age, everything that came out of that man¡¯s mouth was bound to be re-examined. But his face was telling her something else; he was genuine, he wasn¡¯t sweet-talking her out of her insecurity.


    ¡°How old are you?¡± she surprised herself with that nagging question in the back of her mind.


    He burst outughing, ¡°What? What does that have to do with anything?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s just odd to see a young, vivacious man and a very good-looking one, I might add to be hanging around with an older woman who¡¯s minding her own business on a cruise ship when there are so many other interesting people on board you can have fun with, right?¡±


    He leaned his forearms on the railing and exhaled, ¡°Okay ¡­ fair enough. Would you like to hear my side of the story? I understand why you see it that way, but for me ¡­ you don¡¯t look that much older than me. There may be an age difference, but what does it matter?¡± heughed lightly and threw a dismissive hand. ¡°All I see is a confident, attractive woman that I want to get to know better ¡­ who happens to be all alone on a cruise, andst night I found out how fun she was to be around, and I want more of that.¡±N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    He snapped his camera at her with a yful smile, ¡°And she is hot as hell ¡­ and funny, and smart, and it¡¯s gonna take a lot more than that to get rid of me, Adele Leighton ¡­ So what¡¯s your story? The more mysterious you are, the more I want to know about you.¡±


    She shook her head, ¡°You don¡¯t wanna know.¡± It took everything she had not to say it. She was hoping he would get the hint and leave her alone, but with the looks of it, he wasn¡¯t going anywhere.


    ¡°You¡¯re right; I don¡¯t want to know ¡­ ¡± his expression turned serious.


    For a moment, they both knew what they were not saying. They were silent. The thing that couldn¡¯t be said was the only thing in their way. The attraction can¡¯t be denied; neither had ever felt that way for another person.


    He was calm and collected. He moved one step forward to get closer to her.


    She watched as his face grew nearer. Her heart was about to jump out of her rib cage; she couldn¡¯t let him get any closer. Although he wasn¡¯t making any move, their closeness made her nervous. She had never done anything like this before, it¡¯s wrong.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do this,¡± she walked away.


    He held her arm in reflex, ¡°Wait ¡­ don¡¯t go ¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t be here ¡­ I can¡¯t do this ¡­ I hope you understand.¡± She wriggled her arm away from his grip.


    He didn¡¯t want to force her; he let her go ¡­ again.

 Day Four

    It didn¡¯t surprise him when she didn¡¯t show up at the Club that night. In fact, she was nowhere to be seen. He spent hours going around the ship with his camera pretending to be doing some work when he was really searching for her.


    She was isting herself in her room, he thought. 401. He knew where it was, but he wasn¡¯t going there. He had to give her some space, or she would shut herselfpletely, and he didn¡¯t want that.


    What was his n? When he thought about it, he really didn¡¯t have any. He only knew that he had met the woman he had always imagined would be his soulmate, and now he was pursuing her no matter the obstacle. Isn¡¯t that what people do?


    She¡¯s married. That much he was sure of. Does she have any kids? How long has she been married? The more he thought about it, the more restless he got. He was already jealous of the man who was living his dream. It¡¯s not toote, he thought. There must be something wrong with her marriage, but then again, there¡¯s always something wrong with a marriage, and that will be his leeway into her heart.


    **********


    She put on her jumpsuit sundress, one of the collections from her line. It was broken white bohemian-style shorts with floral patterns on the edges of the wide sleeves. With a low-cut neckline, she wore a bikini underneath, just in case. She wore her sunhat, favorite Bottega sunsses, goliath-style leather sandals, and a designer sling bag to match her outfit.


    She skipped breakfast, hoping to sneak out of the ship without being spotted by Roman. Although, there was a funny feeling inside her from not seeing him for a whole day. She got onto the small boat to the ind with several other passengers. There was a person in charge giving them directions of where to go and ensuring everyone remembered the meeting point to return to the ship before sundown. He gave them his phone number.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Five thirty is thetest ¡­ter than that, you will have to find another way to go back to the ship, or you will have to stay on the ind until tomorrow,¡± the man said.


    Everyone nodded in understanding and then went their separate ways.


    5. 30? They say the Bhorma sunset is the best view in the world; it would be nice if she could stay to watch the sun go down from another location other than the cruise. She shrugged it off; this is the reason why she always opts to travel alone.


    The first ce she went to was a cozy breakfast cafe she had searched in her traveling app. While enjoying her healthy vegan meal and a cup of thick ck coffee, she looked for other ces nearby to enjoy the authentic ind experience by herself.


    Handicraft shops and boutiques are her top destination, besides the beach club, where she can enjoy her afternoon drinks before the sunset. She had booked a rental car to take her around the ind, stopping at famous tourist spots that had gotten rave reviews from other visitors.


    Olivia Harmon is not your regr shopper, and she needs to think about the things she wants to buy. She visualizes the things she sees and is able tobine them with the things she already has in her head. It was a trait that enabled her to mix, match, re-design, or create a new look for everything.


    When she goes into a shop, her eyes can scan the room for items that would go perfectly in her room, house, office, store, or even closet. She doesn¡¯t overthink about buying an item, and the price is never too high for excellence.


    When Olivia Harmon stepped into a store that she liked, it would be a great day for the sales clerk because she would point to every single piece that she wanted and ask them to wrap them up and ship it to her address. Yes, ship it. When she travels, she alwayses home empty-handed with a container packed with stuff to arrive at her doorstep the following days or weeks.


    She swiped her titanium credit card courtesy of Den Hunt at every store she did her shopping spree in. A gesture that will haunt herter without her realizing it.


    Den didn¡¯t mind it; he encouraged it. He provided his wife with 5 different credit cards from 5 different banks, and she was free to use them all to their limits that, ifbined, could buy her a lovely big house in Bhorma if she wished. He spoils her with luxury. The only way he knows how to keep his lovely wife happy is in a childless marriage.


    It was a long day of shopping. Her feet were sore. Her energy drained from all that hard work of choosing the things that would look good for her home makeover. A nice afternoon drink was in order, nothing a cocktail at the beach club couldn¡¯t fix.


    She checked her phone, but nothing from Den. He¡¯ll probably contact her when he receives the notification from the bank of how much she spent on her first day on the ind. She smiled at the waiter, who handed her a nice ssic Mojito that would quench her thirst. She told him to bring another one even before she sipped on her first.


    She stretched her legs and leaned back on the sunbed facing the ocean. An extra $20 an hour for that seat at the Cul De Sac on-peak hours. One of the ind¡¯s most famous beach clubs. She hadn¡¯t had an ind getaway for over 13 years since the day she married Den. He was more of a European trip guy, ssic Renaissance ambiance in Autumn or Wintertime. ssy, which she also likes.


    After her third drink, she looked at the horizon, the sky turning orange. One more drink, and she won¡¯t care about the time limit the tour guide had set. Who in their right mind would get up and go when the sun set so beautifully? She felt serene; she was exactly where she was supposed to be.


    ¡°Compliment from the gentleman at the bar.¡±


    A waiter came by her table and served her another drink.


    ¡°Our house¡¯s special ¡­ The yful Lover ¡­¡± he added.


    She turned to look at the said ¡®gentleman¡¯ the waiter had pointed to. He was leaning his elbow at the bar counter with the same drink in his hand. He was scruffier than thest time they¡¯d seen each other. A wide smile bloomed across his face as he bit the straw of his drink and raised his ss at her.


    Olivia curved her lips; she didn¡¯t realize how much she wanted to see his face again.

 A Night To Remember

    ¡°Looks like someone¡¯s gonna miss the boat,¡± he said as he sat on the sunbed beside her.


    ¡°And I won¡¯t be alone,¡± she raised her ss at him before she sipped the special drink.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He shrugged, ¡°Well ¡­ I¡¯m supposed to stay on the ind for two nights as part of my job.¡± He smiled; his clear blue eyes were looking straight into hers.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ What a nice coincidence.¡±


    ¡°I hope they know you won¡¯t be going back to the ship, you might want to tell someone about it, or they¡¯ll call the police.¡±


    She almost choked on her drink, ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right? They would do that?¡±


    He raised his brows and nodded, ¡°Technically, they¡¯re responsible for your well-being as their passenger.¡±


    She grimaced and leaned back on the sunbed, ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. I don¡¯t have to do that.¡±


    Romanughed lightly, ¡°You really don¡¯t abide by rules, do you? Let me make it easier for you ¡­¡± he reached into his pocket and got his phone. ¡°I¡¯ll call them for you.¡±


    She wanted to stop him from doing it, but he was too fast.


    ¡°It¡¯s not safe to be on a strange ind by yourself; you have to notify someone and keep them updated on your whereabouts,¡± he told her while waiting for the line to connect.


    ¡°But ¡­ you know where I am.¡±


    He smiled, ¡°Thanks for the trust, but I thought you were avoiding me.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t avoiding you,¡± she quickly replied. Somehow it made her feel bad to hear thating from him.


    She wasn¡¯t sure what she was doing exactly. A part of her wanted to steer clear from her charming pursuer, but he seemed to always appear at the right time. And then he did something that surprised her; he held her hand.


    He did it so casually while talking to someone at the other end that he wasn¡¯t even looking at her.


    ¡°Hi, it¡¯s me ¡­ I want to make a report. A passenger here decided to stay on the ind for the night ¡­ Adele Leighton ¡­ she¡¯s with me right now.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t listening to him; her mind was frantically trying to figure out why he was holding her hand and why she wasn¡¯t pulling it back. Then he turned to look at her.


    ¡°Do you know where you¡¯ll be staying tonight?¡±


    She pulled her hand, ¡°Uhm ¡­ no ¡­¡±


    He turned away again, ¡°She hasn¡¯t decided, but I¡¯ll tell her to make a report as soon as she knows ¡­ okay ¡­ thanks ¡­ bye.¡±


    He raised his shoulders and threw his hands in the air, ¡°Done ¡­ you¡¯re free to roam the ind for the night.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she was still not over the fact he had held her hand for no reason.


    ¡°You know what?¡± Roman took the ss off her hand, ¡°We should enjoy the full ind experience somewhere less ¡­¡± he looked around their surroundings. ¡°Pretentious.¡±


    She burst outughing; although she enjoyed the beach club and all its glory, it wasn¡¯t exactly the ce that defined the true meaning of an ind experience.


    ¡°I know a ce where you can really let loose anything holding you back ¡­ just let go, it¡¯s not far, and the party will not start until 9 ¡­ you¡¯ll love it.¡±


    ¡®Let loose.¡¯ Did she seem uptight to him? Why did he keep saying those words to her? ¡®Let go of what¡¯s holding you back.¡¯ Holding her back from what?


    He retook her hand, this time to help her up. She had no choice now, but she didn¡¯t mind it either.


    ¡°Sure, seafood dinner?¡±


    ¡°The whole lot ¡­ seafood dinner by the beach, a seaside bar, ind music, drunk strangers ¡­ and you.¡±


    His dimple carved on his cheek, his eyes sharply looking at her.


    ¡°Sounds like a n. Let me call my driver.¡±


    He pulled her close and shook his head, ¡°Ditch the car ¡­ I rented a motorbike, full ind experience, remember?¡±


    Sheughed, she never rode on a motorbike before, but she always wanted to try. For a moment, she decided to do something she hadn¡¯t done in a long time. It felt like she was going on an adventure; she was excited. ¡°Okay.¡±


    They left the club as the day was turning dark. She put on a helmet, and for the first time, she rode on the back of a motorbike. She hid a smile, amused by the whole experience. She looped her arms around his waist, his scent was getting familiar, and the feel of his body against hers didn¡¯t feel awkward anymore.


    They arrived at their destination in just 15 minutes. Roman was right, even from the entrance of The Beer Garden, the ce radiates a moreid-back atmosphere. They could hear the music ying from the inside. Everyone was drinking beer and eating seafood by the beach, and those who wanted to start the night early gathered around the bar and the stage where the house band was ying.


    When Roman went to order some drinks, she sat alone at one of the tables at the beach. Her phone beeped.


    Den: Hey sweetie ¡­ just got an email from the bank ¡­ you¡¯ve been having a good time?


    Her heart pounded faster.


    Olivia: Hi ¡­ yes, I made quite some purchases today for the guest room, and I want to redecorate your study a little.


    Den: Of course, you know what¡¯s best, make sure the delivery is not until after you get home.


    Olivia: Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve put the date for next week¡¯s departure; I still have some things I want to buy tomorrow (tongue-out emoji).


    Den: Wow, are you sure we have enough space for another container load at the house? ughing emoji)


    Olivia: We can donate the old stuff; I can rearrange the storage and move some furniture to my store; I need them.


    Den: Of course, honey, I was just kidding ¡­ So what are you up to tonight?


    That question stopped her for a moment.


    Olivia: Nothing ¡­ I¡¯m pretty tired from all the shopping. What are you doing tonight?


    Den: You¡¯re not out drinking? I¡¯m still in the office; I¡¯ll be workingte tonight.


    She stared at the screen of her phone; something inside her sunk. Workingte at the office could only mean one thing. She bit her lower lip.


    Olivia: Cool ¡­ I¡¯ll check in with youter.


    Den: Oh, you don¡¯t have to. Just rest. You have a whole shopping spree to do tomorrow, right? (Smiling emoji)


    Her intuition was correct. Den didn¡¯t want to be bothered, and he let her spend as much as she wanted. He was with another woman.


    Olivia: Okay ¡­ have a good night then, my phone will be off.


    Den: Sure, call me in the morning. Good night.


    She turned off her phone and snuck it into her purse. The texts had left mixed feelings inside her. Den was a good husband, there was no doubt in her mind that he loved her, but Den was not perfect. He had been unfaithful to her. They¡¯d been together so long that she could sense his deceptions even before he tried to lie to her. Workingte in the office was one of his old tricks. Especially when she¡¯s away.


    Roman returned with a big seafood tter and a waiter bringing the rest of their orders. She looked up to see his smiling face, eager to be in her presence. She hated that Den thought he could lie to her like a child. As if she had never been suspicious of histe nights at the office when he was sleeping with his mistress.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a toast ¡­ for a night out in Bhorma ¡­ let¡¯s make it a night to remember,¡± Roman lifts his ss toward her.


    She put up her ss with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll toast to that.¡±


    Den is not the only one who can lie about what he¡¯s doing tonight.

 When?

    When did it all start?


    Was it when his cheek brushed against hers when they danced? His voice whispered in her ear, telling her what a wonderful time he was having with her, how beautiful she looked under the dim lights of the seaside bar?


    Was it when he took her hand and swirled her around tond in his embrace over and over again? Until his embrace no longer felt out of ce but was expected, she wanted to end up that close to him. He felt new to her, exciting.


    Or did it start when they firstid eyes on each other? Is there such a thing as an instant attraction? It felt like it. She tried to avoid it, didn¡¯t she?


    Or maybe, it started even further back before they even met. Her world crumbled when she found out her husband had slept with another woman for reasons she had not understood. He loved her, adored her, and told her she was everything to him. Yet it didn¡¯t stop him from sleeping with another woman and tarnished their once wless marriage for all eternity, at least for her.


    Was that why this exotic young man had turned her inside out with his immacte charm? Or was it because he was just too irresistible that he had ignited something in her that she never knew was there.


    With a little help from alcohol, bad memories, and a suspicious text from her husband, it was all just a blurry excuse to justify what she was letting happen. Roman was lusting over her. It was obvious. She looked around her and saw no one cared about what she was doing with this man.


    Of course, nobody knew who they were; her phone was off, the night could go any which way and no one would ever know about it except the two of them. While all this was happening inside her head, she wondered what Roman was thinking. He couldn¡¯t keep his hands off her all night, his face on her face, but he was free to do that while she was not.


    Only one thing was in his mind; she could see it in how he looked at her. Everything was in her hands when he caressed her cheek and came in for a kiss. She could still stop him, even when she tasted his cold lips from the ice of his drink, she had the chance to push him away, but she didn¡¯t.


    When did Den be irrelevant to all this? Was it when she felt Roman¡¯s tongue inside her mouth? When he buried his face in her corbone and ran his lips up her neck to her ear?


    He was intoxicating. The way he brushed himself against her. The way his teeth gently grazed upon her jawline, then he kissed her again, and again, and again. Was it so bad that she liked the way he kissed her?Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    She flushed away her doubts with drinks. Until then, she knew what would happen at the night¡¯s end. Whether it was a one-time thing or not, it can be dealt with in the morning. The morning seemed like a whole other life for her that night. She was living in the moment, ¡®let go,¡¯ the moment that defined the rest of her life.


    Her 13 years of marriage had vanished entirely from her mind when she raised her arms and let him undress her in a three-star hotel room he was staying in for two nights. It was just her, this man, and the fire burning inside them for days. This was the only way to diffuse it. It was inevitable, and they both knew it from the start.


    He pinned her hard against the wall. She was not drunk enough to forget she was doing the wrong thing. She was drunk enough not to care. She had him between her legs; he was strong, hungry, and naked.


    She closed her eyes and felt his breath on her skin, his mouth on her breast. He was so eager he didn¡¯t even bother toy her on the bed. He groaned hard when he entered her. She forced open her eyes and looked at him. His clear blue eyes studied her face, his firm hands squeezing and pressing her tightly against him. He felt so good she squirmed.


    ¡°Do you like that?¡± his voice softly teasing her ear.


    It was a question that didn¡¯t need an audible answer; she dug her fingers into his hair and moved her hips to match his rhythm.


    ¡°God ¡­ Adele ¡­ you¡¯re so beautiful,¡± he said.


    She hadn¡¯t felt that good in a long time. Roman was a teaser and a pleaser. He pulled himself out when she was high in his pleasure.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop,¡± she begged.


    He mmed her on the bed and stood over her, magnificently erect, before he charged her again; she gasped. His mouth on hers stole half of her breath as their body entwined and moved the bed with every thrust. He lifts her legs, spreading her apart to make way for him.


    She sighed in his ear. She gripped his arms. They were hard, another reminder this was not the man she was used to being with. She pressed on. Faster, she thought. She wanted it to be over; maybe she would feel less guilty in the morning. But he yed her body like a fiddle; he knew when to pull back and slowed her down. How the hell did he do that?


    ¡°Roman,¡± she cried.


    What is he doing to her? Her head was light, she needed it to be over, but her body screamed for him tost her as long as she could.


    ¡°Wait ¡­ I want to taste you.¡±


    ¡°Now?¡± she was hot and ready; she was almost there.


    He didn¡¯t answer her, the next thing she knew, his tongue was inside her. Her knees were bent as he pushed her legs up. She sighed in pleasure. She didn¡¯t know what he was doing to her; she knew she was dizzy as she burst into a million pieces and grabbed his hair.


    ¡°Roman ¡­ I¡¯ming ¡­¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he said.


    He kept going, and she was moaning. Before it was over, he was back on top of her and back inside her, slower this time. The hair on her body stood up. He leaned his face close to her and whispered, ¡°Now I¡¯ll make use together.¡±

 The Morning After

    She woke up still tangled in the sheets, which was evidence of the night¡¯s rumpus. Staring at the picture on the wall, she didn¡¯t even notice it was therest night. It wasn¡¯t a dream, she didn¡¯t imagine it, as far as her memory allowed her to remember, she enjoyed it very much.


    What happened to guilt? Why hasn¡¯t it knocked on her door? It was the weirdest feeling ever. She looked at the man who had given her one of the best nights of her life and saw his peacefully sleeping face under the sunlight. It stirred her inside.


    Did Den feel the same way when he woke up next to that woman in the morning?


    She wondered if his affair had driven her to that bed. She didn¡¯t have an answer to it. Whatever it was, it doesn¡¯t justify what she did.


    Had the man not been Roman, would she have done the same? For that, she has a firm answer, ¡®No.¡¯ There was something about Roman that she just couldn¡¯t resist.


    He slowly opened his sleepy eyes, bright blue against the ray of sunshine; his longshes glistened as he let out a soft moan.


    She could see his dimple as she watched him awake from the side; he was smiling. What a sight it was. He rolled to his back, the sheets were off, and that was not in her imagination; the size of it was not all in her head.


    She saw his hands reaching out to her thighs so casually. His calloused hands now feel familiar. Her body had never been touched by any other man in 13 years. Her heart raced. It¡¯s different now that she¡¯s sober; her conscience was screaming for her to get the hell out of there.


    She trembled. She had slept with a man who didn¡¯t even know who she was. She has a husband back home who had no idea she was in bed with another man. And his hands were on her thighs, slowlying up near her center, andst night ¡­ he was inside her, and he wanted it again.


    ¡°Hey ¡­¡± he got up and looked at her. His face was ridden with worry.


    His hands no longer made their way to her middle. Instead, he put one hand on her cheek, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    She was shaking violently; her body was reacting to her lies. She put one hand over her face trying to control herself, but she was helpless.


    Her hands were cold. Roman held it and put it on his face. He ran his fingers through her hair, ¡°You¡¯re okay.¡± He kissed the palm of her mmy hand, ¡°You¡¯ll be alright.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t make a word out of her mouth, her teeth started to rattle, and she was breathing irregrly.


    Heid her on the bed and took the pillow from under her head. ¡°Try to rx,¡± he said calmly, wiping the strand of hair off her face. Her lips were pale, shivering. ¡°Are you afraid of me?¡±


    She looked at him, furrowed her brows, and shook her head. That¡¯s not why.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    His expression loosened. ¡°Adele ¡­ I¡¯ve been looking for you all my life ¡­ I will never hurt you,¡± he talked softly in her ear. He kissed her shoulder and held her in his embrace.


    His skin on her skin. He rubbed the side of her arm and hung his leg over her. ¡°Let¡¯s stay like this until it goes away ¡­ I¡¯ll make it go away ¡­ I promise,¡± he kissed her face. He acted like he knew what she was going through, did he?


    She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. What he did makes her feel better. She tried to take control of her body, but first, her mind must be eased. Roman whispering sweet nothing to her ear made her smile.


    ¡°Is it too early to say I¡¯m in love with you? Because I do ¡­ or was it just the best sex I¡¯ve ever had?¡±


    That made herugh. She was thinking the same thing.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s thetter,¡± her trembles subsided, and she could finally speak.


    He rubbed his nose on her cheek and kissed the side of her face, ¡°Let¡¯s do it again then. I¡¯ll make youe again ¡­ as many times as you want.¡±


    She pulled away slightly, ¡°You know we can¡¯t make a habit out of this, right?¡± She turned to look at him.


    His expression turned serious, ¡°No ¡­ I don¡¯t know that ¡­ can we at least do it again today?¡±


    She blushed away, as much as she wanted to, she was still recovering from the anxiety attack or whatever it was that she just came out of. Her breasts were uncovered; she pulled the sheets to hide them.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never done anything like this before,¡± she said.


    He looked at her in silence for a moment; he tried to decipher what she meant by ¡®this,¡¯ ¡°You mean sex?¡± heughed lightly. He didn¡¯t want the ¡®M¡¯ word mentioned, they¡¯d managed toe so far to be together, and he didn¡¯t want anything to ruin it.


    ¡°No, being stranded on an ind and having wild sex with a stranger,¡± she tilted her head back inughter.


    A sense of relief surged from his system; he watched her face light up beside him as sheughed. He slipped his hand under the sheet and touched her breast, ¡°We¡¯re not strangers anymore.¡± His fingers yfully go around her nipple.


    ¡°Yes, we are ¡­ we don¡¯t know anything about each other,¡± she replied.


    ¡°What do you want to know about me? I¡¯ll tell you anything you want to know,¡± he challenged her with a look.


    She fell silent.


    ¡°Will you do the same? Will you tell me everything about you?¡± he continued.


    ¡°Would you like to know? Isn¡¯t this just a fling for you? Out on a job on an exotic ind ¡­ where nobody knows who we are and have hot and heavy sex all night?¡± she giggled.


    It sounded more like her view of their rtionship; he was slightly offended.


    ¡°I was nning to marry you ¡­ but we have to start somewhere,¡± he tried to take it lightly.


    Theyughed.


    ¡°I do want to know you ¡­ everything about you, if you let me ¡­¡± he stared into her eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you want too?¡±


    She curved her lips and traced her thumb on his chin. What wishful thinking to be with him like young lovers. ¡°I told you ¡­ I¡¯m not looking for a rtionship.¡±


    He grimaced and made a stabbing gesture to his heart, ¡°Ouch! That hurts.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t want to disappoint youter; we have to talk about these things up front ¡­ whatever we¡¯re doing ¡­ this will not go beyond this vacation.¡±


    It¡¯s a bit toote for Roman, he was hooked on her, and the sex was just the icing on the cake that made her even more addictive. He rolled over her, pulled the sheet off, and stretched her arms on the bed. He had a yful smile as he spread her legs open with his knee, ¡°Let me change your mind.¡±


    Sheughed in amusement.


    He rose above her, looking down on her. He was a sight for sore eyes. ¡°Look at you,¡± he said. ¡°How can I get off that ship and not think of you again for the rest of my life?¡±

 Day Five

    She never thought that holding hands would be a thing for her again. Being married for so long, Den barely ever had her hand anymore. asionally she would loop her arm around her husband¡¯s arm at formal events. A peck on her cheek to show his friends that he loves his wife, and of course, all the jewelry on her body that he bought for her, or rather custom-made for her from one of his jewelry stores.


    But never that warm grip between her fingers pulling her everywhere he walks, a nice wet smack on her forehead, the top of her head, or small cute kisses around her neck the way Roman did to her. He really made her feel like a teenager again.


    He took her walking by the beach and had breakfast at one of the beachside cafes. He was acting like a love-crazed teenager, teasing her, seducing her,ughing; he looked happy. Something she hadn¡¯t seen in Den in years when they were together, nor had she seen it in herself.


    Her eyes always scanned their surroundings, worried she might bump into someone she knew from Lancaster. Although, the ces where Roman took her on the ind are ces where all her friends and acquaintances would never go to. Fun ces, nothing fancy but easy-going, where people don¡¯t have to dress to impress. The kind of ces she went to before she met Den. But in her mind, there¡¯s a nagging thought, ¡®What if someone sees her holding hands with this mysterious man?¡¯


    She had forgotten to turn her phone back on since the night before; her heart sank when she realized this. She excused herself to the restroom to turn it on. It took some time for her phone to get signals; she was relieved when there was no message from Den.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    She thought about sending him a text to tell him how bad the reception on the ind was and turning her phone off again. But she remembered how it was when Den did the same thing a few years back; he kept turning off his phone with all kinds of excuses. It was too obvious, she thought. So she put it on silent mode instead.


    ¡®Hey, just checking in to let you know I¡¯m on my second day of shore excursion ¡­ will be doing some shopping again today (tongue out emoji).¡¯


    After she left the message, she didn¡¯t expect him to call her the whole day. He will reply to her text at best. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, fixed her hair, and took a deep breath before returning to have her afternoon drinks with Roman.


    ¡°Are you going back to the ship tonight?¡± Roman struck her with the question when she came back.


    She hadn¡¯t thought about it, she took her seat in front of him and looked him in the eyes, ¡°Maybe ¡­ we¡¯ll see ¡­¡±


    He pouted, ¡°Would you stay again tonight if I ask you? I don¡¯t want you to go.¡± His eyes softened, almost begging her like a puppy.


    She smiled, ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ I still can¡¯t believe we¡¯re doing this ¡­ it¡¯s surreal.¡± It¡¯s an honest answer without being truthful about the reason.


    ¡°Is that a good thing ¡­ or a bad thing?¡± he asked with a cheeky smile.


    Their eyes locked; she didn¡¯t have an answer to it.


    He took her hand without waiting for a reply, ¡°I think you should stay. We¡¯ll have more fun thanst night ¡­ I promise,¡± heughed lightly.


    Her head was heavy with thoughts she couldn¡¯t express; she squinted her eyes; she hadn¡¯t even answered her own question about whether she wanted to do this again or not. While her head was telling her no, her heart was starving for someone to connect the way it¡¯s been connecting with Roman. And the sex ¡­ there are no words to describe how she felt about the sex.


    ¡°If I stay for the night, will you promise me we won¡¯t be doing this on the ship?¡±


    Roman tilted his head back as heughed, ¡°No ¡­ why would I make promises I can¡¯t keep?¡±


    He could see she was still struggling with what they were doing, although for him, it was a very exciting stage of a romantic pursuit of a rtionship. He knew it was something else entirely for her. He has his own struggle with it, he has to ept that what¡¯s been making him happy will notst, and he is not ready to ept that yet.


    ¡°Adele ¡­ I like you very much, and I meant what I said ¡­ I think I¡¯ve fallen in love with you if you ask me what I want to do ¡­ I¡¯d say I want to do this even after we¡¯re off the boat, I want to see you again, I want to be with you ¡­ how can I convince you to do that?¡± He expected to get a good answer this time.


    She looked away from his gazing eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t, Roman; if we do this, it will only stay on this ind.¡±


    He could sense her frustration; he didn¡¯t want to push her any further. He had to pull back a bit and not scare her away. ¡°Okay ¡­ it stays on the ind. Does that mean you¡¯ll stay?¡± His only salvation was that she wasn¡¯t rejecting him; she just couldn¡¯t be with him because she¡¯s most likelymitted to someone else.


    Her face tendered with a smile, ¡°Okay,¡± she said.


    Even her soft voice could boil him from the inside. The boy was happy.

 Day Six

    ¡°Adele ¡­ Adele ¡­¡±


    He kept calling that name when they made love. It made her feel like a fraud. He was saying things that made her heart swell. Intimately. He devoured every drop of her, and still, he wanted more. More of Adele.


    They barely slept that night, knowing it would be theirst night together ¡­ naked. Theyy on each other all night, not just inside each other.


    He ran his fingers through the length of her hair, ¡°I love your hair.¡±


    She didn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°I love the way it smells ¡­ long and soft,¡± he gathered all her hair in his hand and clenched it into a fist, ¡°It feels nice to pull them when you bend ¡­ and I like the way they feel on my face when you¡¯re on top of me.¡±


    She covered her face with one hand andughed, ¡°No one¡¯s ever said that to me about my hair.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± heid her hair over her shoulder down to her breast. ¡°I bet you¡¯d look even hotter if you keep them long down to your waist,¡± he traced his finger down to her pelvis.


    She smiled.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m crazy about you, Adele; I¡¯ve never been like this with anyone ¡­ it¡¯s scary.¡±


    ¡°And I bet you say that to every girl you¡¯ve ever been with,¡± she said.


    He tilted his head back and rubbed his face with one hand, ¡°I know how it sounds ¡­ I didn¡¯t want to say it, but I just want you to know that this is very real to me ¡­ you know, thest time I had a girlfriend, I was ¡­¡±


    She put her hand to his mouth, ¡°Stop ¡­ no personal details, we agreed.¡±


    He let out a frustrating breath, he wanted so much to tell her everything, hoping she would open up to him in return, but she wasn¡¯t letting anything out.


    ¡°Right ¡­ I forgot. Can I at least have your phone number?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He fell silent. She didn¡¯t know how disappointed it made him feel.


    ¡°Fine ¡­ but can I ask you something?¡±


    She nodded slightly.


    ¡°Does it make you as happy as it makes me?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t deny it; she¡¯s never been happier in a long time; she nodded again.


    He charged her with a deep, intense kiss that sucked the breath out of her. He didn¡¯t have to convince her of his feelings for her; it was in his kiss.


    ¡°Then be with me, Adele, please ¡­ I¡¯m too deep to let this be a stupid fling. I want to be with you.¡± He cupped his hands on her cheeks and pressed his forehead against hers.


    ¡°Sometimes ¡­ the best things in life are short-lived,¡± she says.


    He could almost hear his heart breaking. He was on his way over a cliff at full speed and didn¡¯t know how to slow down.


    ¡°We can be happy with memories of this ¡­ we don¡¯t have to prolong it and turn it into something less memorable,¡± she added.


    ¡°That is the worst excuse anyone had ever said to me for not wanting to be with me,¡± his voice low.


    ¡°Ssshh ¡­ I don¡¯t want to talk about it anymore ¡­ you promised,¡± she was calm.


    She got up and kneeled in front of him on the bed; she pulled all her hair to one side, ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking, okay? I want you to do whatever you want with me before the sunes up,¡± she smiled seductively. ¡°Last chance,¡± she bit her lower lip.


    Heartache or no heartache, how could he say no to that?


    They were silent on the boat ride back to Ludus. The sun was setting; it would be thest Bhorma sunset for the both of them. The ship will be sailing back to Lancaster after dinner time. They will arrive in three days, and then everything will be over. That was the only thing on their mind on that boat.


    ¡°Miss Leighton, wee back onboard. I hope you had a pleasant time on the ind,¡± the Shore Excursions Manager weed her. ¡°Do you have any luggage to bring to your room?¡± he signaled one of his staff to assist her with her things.


    She straightened her dress, ¡°No ¡­ it¡¯s all been taken care of, thank you.¡±


    He gave her a half nod; he then turned to Roman with a suspicious look in his eyes, ¡°Mr. Roman, I see you have been apanying Miss Leighton offshore ¡­ I trust that everything is in order?¡±


    Roman didn¡¯t understand what the question meant, but he didn¡¯t like the look on the manager¡¯s face when he said it. ¡°I was working ¡­ if that¡¯s what you¡¯re referring to?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he pressed his lips into a grin and turned back to Olivia, ¡°I¡¯m d you are both safely onboard, I was told that they have made up your room, and everything is ready for you upstairs ¡­ dinner will be ready in half an hour if you have any request, our staff is always avable for you, Ms. Leighton.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she smiled politely.


    When the manager walked away, Roman was left with a sour expression rolling his eyes. Adele was obviously a more important guest than most others, especially thepany¡¯s frence photographer, who seemed to be tagging along with the beautiful, wealthydy who¡¯s been missing from the ship for two nights. Even when they stepped on that ship, people were already specting behind their backs, and they didn¡¯t even know these people.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll be retiring to my room now,¡± Olivia said.


    ¡°You mean your suite?¡± he exhaled deeply, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll be on my bunk bed in my super tiny cabin ¡­ thinking of you.¡±


    Sheughed lightly, ¡°You¡¯re not sleeping on a bunk bed?¡± she didn¡¯t believe him.


    He tucked his hands in his pockets and raised his shoulders, ¡°You¡¯ll have toe see it for yourself.¡±


    She put her hand on his shoulder, ¡°Nice try ¡­ I¡¯m going to my room now; maybe I¡¯ll see you at dinner?¡±


    He nodded and half-heartedly let her go.

 An Afterthought

    He hits the shower in his room, washing away all the sea breeze from his hair. shes of memories from the night before ran through his mind. They were showering together with her back against the wall; he hovered over her, kissing her under the trickling water. Her breath in his ear sighs in pleasure when he lifts her up and pushes through her.


    He scrubs his hair with shampoo. Adelle had be the only thing upying his mind for thest few days; it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration when he told her it scared him. It has always been his weakness; when he fell, he fell hard and he never fell this hard for someone he barely knew.


    His male ego wanted to pursue it; he had to have her. He wanted more. What was he to her? A nicey for a few days while enjoying her luxury cruise? He saw how people noticed them as soon as they got back on the ship, an odd couple, not because of their age. He knew her concern about his age, but what was more concerning was their social status, she was filthy rich, and people would mistake him for a gold digger at best, a gigolo if they assumed the worst.


    But who cares? He wasn¡¯t either of those things; if she gave him a chance, he would prove it. He could make her happy, happier than whatever miserable bastard she¡¯s married to. The thought of it burns him. The only thing that consoled him, if she loved her husband, she wouldn¡¯t be with another man. The way she trembled under him, she was risking everything to be with him. And that¡¯s his chance.


    He turned off the faucet, grabbed his towel, and rubbed his face. He looked in the mirror and asked himself in silence. What is he willing to do to get his girl?


    *****This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She poured a ss of her favorite pink champagne. Back in her huge extravagant suite once again. The $3000 a-night suite was vacant for two nights, worth every Den Hunt¡¯s penny.


    She filled the tub with hot water, a luxury she hadn¡¯t enjoyed for the past two days. She scrolled through her phone, picking out pictures she wanted to send to her husband, who still had yet to reply to her message. She was careful; as much as she wanted to, she didn¡¯t take a single snapshot of those beautiful blue eyes that kept staring as if they were hypnotized by her.


    Her robe dropped to the bathroom floor; she put one leg at a time into the tub that was now half full. Sipping on her champagne, she ran her hand on her inner thigh with a smile; he said it was his favorite spot on her body where he could make her writhe in delight. Sheughed lightly. If anything, it was his magic tongue and the ces he was willing to go with it.


    She let out a long, frustrating breath and tilted her head back on the tub; why do people meet the right person at the wrong time? It wasn¡¯t just the sex but how he made her feel about herself. She liked herself when she was with him. It made her want to keep him, but how selfish would that be? She has no intention of breaking up her marriage; it¡¯s been going on for 13 years; she was supposed to stay married for the rest of her life, wasn¡¯t she? She had made that decision a long time ago and made it again even after Den¡¯s affair with that woman.


    That woman had changed the course of their lives whether they wanted to admit it or not. He said it didn¡¯t mean anything, their 2 years on and off rtionship. Sure, it didn¡¯t. Otherwise, he would¡¯ve divorced her and run away with that bitch instead. But it meant everything to Olivia; she could never look at her husband the same way again. Even after she forgave him, after all the chaos had subsided, she could never find it in her to love him the same way again, ever.


    Did he feel for that woman the way she felt for Roman? Can she begin to understand what Den had gone through when he decided to betray her? But his action was unprovoked. He did it after 7 years of marriage after they tried so hard to have a baby and failed miserably. He did it when he knew she was at the lowest point in her life, and he didn¡¯t care how it would affect her. And he did all that when he said he loved her; what would he do if he had fallen out of love? What then?


    Three more days with Roman, that¡¯s all she had left. Is it so wrong to try and be happy again? Even if it means she has to do it with another person? What was she to do when the person she was supposed to be happy with had no interest in being happy together?


    She had been staring at her phone for some time, then decided to make the call. The line was connecting to Den¡¯s private office number.


    ¡°Den Hunt¡¯s private office. How may I help you?¡± a woman¡¯s voice answered after it rang 8 times.


    Her tongue was tied for a moment, ¡°Hi ¡­ is Den there?¡± her voice was t.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry he can¡¯t get to the phone right now; he¡¯s in an emergency meeting. Is there something I can assist you with?¡± the woman replied.


    Emergency meeting, my ass. He¡¯s probably fucking her from behind, she thought.


    ¡°It¡¯s Olivia ¡­ just let my husband know I called; I will be sleeping early tonight, so if anything, just text me.¡±


    ¡°Sure, Mrs. Hunt ¡­ I will let him know as soon as he¡¯s unupied.¡±


    She paused, imagining what her husband must be doing with this woman at the end of the line; she hung up without saying another word.


    She put her phone back on the side table, her heart was pounding, she stared into nothing for a few seconds, ¡°Fuck it.¡± Then she submerged into the tub up to her head and blew air bubbles from beneath the water.

 Day Seven

    He woke up on the king-size bed of the Ludus Oceania special suite, looking up at the mirror on the ceiling. She was fast asleep by his side, stark naked; they didn¡¯t even bother to put on a robe after crazy passionate lovemaking the night before. He thought their sex couldn¡¯t improve after two nights on the ind; he was wrong.


    What¡¯s gotten into her? He didn¡¯t ask. She tied him on an invisible leash and dragged him into her suite after dinner. Undressing him even before the door closed, she stuck her tongue in his throat. She was on fire, and he was the fuel that lit her up in mes.


    His muscles were sore. He stretched his arms and reached down to his morning glory, ready for her again. ¡®Jeez,¡¯ he muttered to himself. He couldn¡¯t control his body anymore; this woman was igniting every cell in him down to his very core.


    He stood up and walked around the suite looking at pieces of artwork that were on disy. Each of them costs 10 times the price of the room for one night. ¡°Who is she?¡± he thought. ¡°Who is she married to?¡±


    Roman knew the price of things; he was not alien to the luxurious life. He came from money too. His father was a business mogul who founded one of the country¡¯s biggest advertising agencies. He was the youngest of 4 children, the odd one out.


    Never got along with his family. Always the scapegoat. He left home before reaching 18 and dropped out of college soon after. He always loved art and photography, so he followed his passion and made his living from there. A reasonably decent living, but only after he had to starve in the first few years of surviving on his own.


    He never mentioned his family to anyone; he avoided special treatment. But in return, he gets to see how people treat him very differently than if they knew who his father was. What is it with money? People measure the value of life with how much money they can spend.


    ¡°You¡¯re up early?¡± her hoarse voice interrupted his thoughts.


    He turned to look at her, ¡°Good morning, beautiful,¡± he leaned on the credenza across the bed.


    Her heart sank; he called her beautiful when she could easily mistake him for an actual size antique statue from a museum. Standing there naked, lean yet chiseled in all the right ces, tanned, his messy hair and bedroom eyes indicated he, too, had just woken up. He looked like a work of art.


    She rolled to her stomach, resting her head on one hand. His ¡®thing¡¯ was so distracting that it drew her attention. ¡°How long have you been up?¡±


    He watched where her eyes were looking, ¡°You mean this?¡± he pointed to his penis.


    Sheughed and threw a pillow at him, ¡°No, ¡­ I mean, what time did you wake up?¡±


    Heughed and walked over to the bed,  ¡°Well, you were looking at it; I thought that¡¯s what you meant ¡­ not long, I was just admiring your suite ¡­ this room is somethin¡¯ else,¡± he tilted his head to one side.


    She raised her brows, not interested inmenting about the room. ¡°Are you hungry? We barely atest night.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always hungry,¡± he climbed on the bed and hovered over her, ¡°Can we have breakfast now?¡± He kissed her stomach and ran his mouth up to her breast.


    She sighed; her skin woke up at the touch of his tongue, ¡°Are you seriously going to go at me again?¡±


    He nodded, ¡°Like an all-day buffet.¡± He reached her mouth and kissed her.


    She couldn¡¯t speak; her body was warming up to him. Then she felt his fingers inside her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you hot and ready,¡± he said between his kisses.


    She felt herself getting wet; it was amazing how fast he could make her want him again.


    The room was quiet. They could only hear their breaths and the rustling sheets underneath her wriggling body. She moaned softly as he touched her spot.


    And then the sound of a vibrating phone reverberated from the bedside table; it stopped her cold. He pushed her back and continued what he was doing.


    She couldn¡¯t go on; her phone was preventing her from continuing. ¡°I have to get that.¡± Her mind was on alert; it must be Den.


    He wasn¡¯t listening; he was on his way to get a full hard-on and ready to go.


    The phone was banging on the side of the bed. She pushed him to the side as hard as she could and jumped to her phone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have to get this,¡± she ran to the bathroom with her cellphone screaming in her hand. ¡®Den¡¯ was blinking on its screen.


    She mmed the door shut; her heart was pushing out of her rib cage; she steadied her breathing and pressed ¡®ept.¡¯


    Den: Hey honey ¡­ sorry to call you so early. Did I wake you?


    Olivia: (Took a moment to speak) Hey ¡­ no, I¡¯m in the bathroom.


    Den: Oh, should I call you backter?


    Olivia: (Rubbed her forehead) No, it¡¯s okay ¡­ I was just getting ready for breakfast.


    Den: I¡¯m just organizing the car to pick you up on Sunday ¡­ Do you know when you¡¯ll arrive at the port?


    Olivia: (Her mind was racing, she couldn¡¯t remember what day it was) Sunday? Uhm ¡­ yeah, the schedule said 11 AM. Are youing to pick me up?


    Den: No, that¡¯s why I have to arrange for one of the cars to pick you up; I have a business lunch on Sunday ¡­ we¡¯re still working on that project with Electra, you know, the one I told you about?


    Olivia: (She knew, but at that moment, her mind went nk) Oh yeah, Electra ¡­ of course, you can send Travis to pick me up at 11.


    Den: Okay, I¡¯ll do that. You have his number? Call him when you arrive; I¡¯ll make sure he gets there an hour early.


    Olivia: (Breathing normally, thinking of what Roman was doing in the bedroom) Great ¡­ Sunday, I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s almost time to go home.


    Den: Can¡¯t wait to see you soon honey ¡­ okay then, I¡¯ll leave you to it; I love the pictures you sent me, by the way, we should go together next time.


    Olivia: Yes, absolutely ¡­ Are you going to the office again?


    Den: No, I¡¯ll be working at home tonight. The meeting went on ¡¯till 2 AMst night, can you believe it? They could¡¯ve just done a conference call, I had to skip dinner, the projects are all half done, we¡¯re falling behind schedule, and all they do is just have meetings after meetings ¡­ what a mess ¡­


    Olivia: (Her mind was elsewhere) Hmm ¡­ same ol¡¯ ¡­ same ol¡¯ ¡­


    Den: Yeah, I don¡¯t want to bore you with work. We¡¯ll talk about it after you get back ¡­ I¡¯m gonna let you go now, have fun, honey ¡­ I¡¯ll see you soon ¡­


    Olivia: Thanks ¡­ you too ¡­


    Den: Okay, love you, bye-byeN?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    She leaned her back on the door and let out a sigh of relief. She calmed herself down and washed her face on the faucet. It was real. She was officially having an affair, and it was the weirdest feeling. Now she had to face her lover, who must be wondering what the hell happened.


    She closed her eyes and braced herself for reality. She opened the bathroom door with her phone still clutched in her hand.


    His clear blue eyes met hers. He was standing across the bathroom door, all dressed in the clothes he wore the night before. He folded his arms in front of his chest with a stern expression.


    ¡°You¡¯re all dressed up?¡± she swallowed hard; she didn¡¯t know how to exin her behavior and found herself hiding her marriage from this man.


    He didn¡¯t respond; his brows were furrowed, and he had thoughts running through his mind. ¡°Yeah,¡± he sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at breakfast,¡± he turned and walked to the door. He exited without looking back at her.


    She held her phone to her chest, her naked body pressed against the bathroom door. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes; what the hell just happened? ¡°Shit,¡± she muttered.

 Choices

    It was the husband. He knew it. The guy whose wife he¡¯s been fucking for three nights. What does that make him? When she pushed him back and leaped off the bed with her phone. What does that make him?


    Is she just ying with him? Of course, she was, she¡¯d said it from the beginning, she wasn¡¯t looking for a rtionship, but he was too foolish and stubborn to let it be what it was. He was in love like a lovesick puppy who expected he could snatch someone else¡¯s wife in a few days. A rich man¡¯s wife nheless.


    It wasn¡¯t her fault. He got himself into that mess, and now he¡¯s trapped. Because no matter what he does, he can¡¯t get her off his mind; he wants nothing else, just her. Knowing she belonged to someone else was like having a knife stuck in his stomach.


    The worst part is he didn¡¯t have any right to express his frustration. He stared into the ocean from the deck and skipped breakfast altogether because the incident that morning just sucked all his appetite away.


    He took this job because the pay was good to fund the small project he was starting. He was hopeful and full of energy when he got on that ship. Now he felt depleted, all because he turned his head and saw her by the side of the pool that fateful afternoon. Funny how life can change in a blink of an eye.


    ¡°Hi,¡± a voice came from behind him.


    He didn¡¯t have to look to know who it was. He put his head down; he wasn¡¯t ready to face her yet.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see you at the dining hall,¡± she stood beside him and leaned on the railing.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t hungry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I thought you were always hungry,¡± she chuckled, then fell silent, knowing he didn¡¯t find it funny. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about before,¡± she felt the need to apologize, although it was the only thing she could offer.


    He turned slowly; if he pressed it down any longer, he would explode. ¡°What happened? Did you kiss and make up?¡±


    His question was a blow to her face; she didn¡¯t expect him to be so blunt, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid, Adele, you have a husband ¡­ isn¡¯t that what you tried so hard not to tell me?¡±


    She was lost for words, just like anyone caught in a lie.


    ¡°So what¡¯s the story? Are you getting a divorce? Are you separating?¡±


    She hugged herself from the chill of facing reality. She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not like that ¡­ I can¡¯t ¡­¡± she let out a breath. ¡°I told you, I can¡¯t do this.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you told me that ¡­ but here we are, we¡¯ve been doing this, haven¡¯t we? And now what? I know it¡¯s not my ce to ask you this ¡­ hey, we¡¯ve only been fucking for three days, right?¡±


    She put her hand on her face, realizing what a big mistake she had made, leading him on like that, ¡°I¡¯m sorry ¡­ this was a mistake.¡±


    Her words felt like a blow to his gut. It triggered what he¡¯s been holding in for days, ¡°It sure didn¡¯t feel like a mistake to me ¡­ you said it, you were happy ¡­ obviously you weren¡¯t happy before?¡±


    He refused to be told that he was a mistake. He was making her happy, even if only for a few days or a fraction of a second; she was happy because of him.


    She scoffed, ¡°You don¡¯t know me.¡± His insinuation offended her.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t ¡­ but I want to, so why don¡¯t you tell me what it¡¯s all about? I know you felt it. There¡¯s a chemistry between us, don¡¯t deny it ¡­ we don¡¯t get pulled to someone like this if you feel absolutely nothing for me,¡± he squeezed her hand.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m a married woman, Roman¡­ there I said it ¡­ it¡¯s real now ¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter how I feel about you or vice versa, I¡¯mmitted to someone else ¡­ and this,¡± she swayed the hand that he was holding, ¡°Is a fantasy that we can¡¯t turn into a reality ¡­ you should know ¡­ I¡¯ve never done something like this before, I¡¯ve never betrayed anyone in my life because that¡¯s not who I am, but I did this with you.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it matters how we feel. We love who we love, Adele, and sometimes we don¡¯t get to meet that person until it¡¯s toote ¡­ but it doesn¡¯t mean that¡¯s the end of it; we always have a choice.¡±


    She definitely felt something for him, but to call it love seemed too absurd, ¡°You¡¯re not making sense, Roman,¡± she put her hand on his chest, ¡°We all have our weaknesses, we fell for it ¡­ and it was wonderful, look at you,¡± her eyes fell on his face, ¡°You¡¯re young, and you have all the choices in the world, you¡¯ll find someone that suits you better than me ¡­ you¡¯ll be alright, trust me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit, and you know it,¡± he blurted. ¡°How many times do we get to feel like this for someone? This could be the only time for me ¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure of it ¡­ and you want me to pretend it¡¯s nothing? Will it be like that for you? Just go back to your husband like nothing happened?¡±


    She covered her face with both hands, ¡°What do you want me to do? Leave my husband? After three days of sleeping with a guy I barely know? You¡¯re delusional, Roman. This is a euphoria ¡­ because the sex was so great? We don¡¯t even know each other ¡­ whatever you think you feel will go away in a matter of days ¡­ weeks maybe, when you meet a nice beautiful girl who¡¯s avable, and I¡¯m sure you will ¡­ you¡¯ll forget this ever happens.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t patronize me ¡­ I¡¯m in love with you, Adele, as hard to believe as it is, but that¡¯s how I feel, and I don¡¯t take my feelings lightly. This is not just something that happens to me all the time ¡­ and this ¡­ whatever this is ¡­ it¡¯s messing me up right now, so don¡¯t lecture me about meeting some girl and move on, or whatever bullshit you just said ¡­ because I don¡¯t think I can live with myself knowing you leave this ship and go back to your husband and leave me no chance to ever be with you again.¡±


    She was taken aback by what he said. It never urred to her how much damage she had done to this other person she thought was simply fooling around with her. What was worse, he was still calling her Adele. How could she tell him that it was not even her name?


    She touched his shoulder gently, trying to calm him down, ¡°I¡¯m sorry ¡­ I didn¡¯t mean it like that; I thought I made myself clear ¡­ I never intended this to be a rtionship ¡­¡±


    She wasn¡¯t quite finished when he turned and grabbed her by the neck and kissed her. It was filled with anger and frustration, he was struggling with himself, and he took it out on her with his kiss.


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell me that and rip my clothes off the next minute; you can¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t want this and let me fuck you over and over again ¡­ no, you did not make yourself clear, and I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    She backed away from him, ¡°Roman ¡­ please ¡­¡± She didn¡¯t know what else to say to him; how could she exin theplexity of her situation?


    ¡°Fine ¡­ I¡¯ll take what I can get ¡­ let me spend two more days with you, don¡¯t give me that crap about this being a mistake ¡­ you know that¡¯s not true.¡±


    She saw the fire in his eyes; for a moment, it scared her. But he was right; it was a mistake that didn¡¯t feel like one. And she was overwhelmed by it. Two more days with him was what she wanted; deep down inside, she wanted it to be more, but the price was too great. He wouldn¡¯t understand it; she didn¡¯t have any choice.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said quietly.


    His face loosened as soon as she said it; his eyes were gentle again as if a huge burden had been lifted from him. He pulled her close to him and hugged her. They just stood in each other¡¯s embrace for a few minutes without saying a word.

 The Poet

    Did he cause her pain? Did she regret marrying him? What was the reason for the sadness in her smile when they first met? All these things were in his mind, but he kept from mentioning ¡®the other guy.¡¯This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He didn¡¯t want to ruin hisst two days with her. He¡¯ll take what he can get. Whatever she¡¯s having with another person is irrelevant to what she¡¯s having with him. He refused to acknowledge it. She was his and his alone on that cruise.


    He wouldn¡¯t let go of her hands. His arms looped around her every second she was near. At the deck, by the pool. His lips on her cheek, her temple, her forehead, he was madly in love with her, ignoring all the gazing eyes from the crews who knew who he was and probably wondered what he was doing with one of their VIP guests.


    ¡°I¡¯m yours ¡­ don¡¯t give myself back to me,¡± he whispered in her ear as he wrapped his arms around her from underneath the dim light at the upper deck.


    ¡°What?¡± she was amused.


    ¡°Rumi ¡­ the poet ¡­ have you ever heard of him?¡± he pressed the side of his face on her temple; the night wind blew against their hair, and he inhaled her scent deep into his lungs.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ the Persian poet, I¡¯m familiar with his poetry, but I never heard that one before,¡± she leaned her head on his chest; he felt more and more like a lover to her as the hours passed.


    ¡°He¡¯s my favorite; everything he said touched me to my core ¡­ it¡¯s amazing how someone has so much wisdom that many can rte to ¡­ I will be waiting here ¡­ for your silence to break, for your soul to shake, for your love to wake.¡±


    His voice soothed her ear, and his words made the hairs on her arms stand up.


    She smiled, ¡°Is that another quote of his?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, do you want to hear some more? I¡¯ve memorized so many of them.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to seduce me with poetry?¡± sheughed lightly.


    He chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m romanticizing you because you deserve to hear beautiful things, and Rumi has taken all the right words out of me ¡­ I think I¡¯m a few hundred years toote to be a poet.¡±


    It made herugh.


    ¡°Gamble everything for love if you¡¯re a true human being,¡± he quoted.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t say that?¡±


    ¡°He did ¡­ reason is powerless in the expression of love,¡± he continued.


    She was still grinning; his arms were tighter around her keeping her warm from the chill.


    ¡°These pains you feel are messengers ¡­ listen to them.¡±


    Her smile started to fade. Roman wasn¡¯t just quoting them randomly; she felt those words were meant for her.


    ¡°Lovees with a knife, not some shy question, and not with fears of its reputation.¡±


    ¡°A thousand half-loves must be forsaken to take one whole heart home.¡±


    She was utterly silent.


    ¡°Do you believe in soulmates?¡± he asked.


    She found herself immobile; her throat had a lump, and her eye nds were full. She pressed her lips together.


    ¡°I do ¡­ and I believe you are my soulmate, deep down in my heart, I know ¡­ my search ends with you.¡±


    She covered her face; tears ran down despite trying hard to hold them. This can¡¯t be real. This guy tries to seduce her with words, and she falls for it. No one could fall in love like that in a matter of days. But she did; she felt it too; she was just too confused to admit it.


    He felt her pain. When he saw her crying, he knew she felt the same way. It gave himfort and relief that he didn¡¯t imagine it. He turned her around, took her hands away, and looked into her eyes. They were telling him what she couldn¡¯t put into words. He pulled her in and kissed the top of her head.


    What do you do when you find the right person but she is with another love? You pry her heart open and look for yourself there. If you find it, you know the fight isn¡¯t over yet. It¡¯s the unfairest thing in the world, but love is worth every drop that bleeds from you to get it.


    That was what he tried to do. He did well. He found himself in her tears; she opened the gates for him to follow through. So he waited for the next chance to get closer; he knew he couldn¡¯t rush it, although time was wearing thin.


    Later that night, he kissed her andid her on the bed. No more talking. Just two souls reuniting in new bodies. He believed it. From the very first love story he ever heard, he was looking for her, and now he found her. The universe had conspired to bring them both on that ship, and their fate had unfolded. There was no turning back for him.

 Last Night Onboard Of Ludus

    ¡°Look,¡± he said at the theatre.


    He was pointing to something behind her back. She looked over her shoulder. There was nothing.


    ¡°What?¡± she was confused.


    He had a piece of paper between his fingers, and he held it close to her face.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± she creased her brows.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    He smiled and tucked the paper in her shirt pocket.


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    She took it out and opened the folded paper, it was his name, ¡®ROMAN¡¯, followed by a set of numbers. Her heart sank, another reminder their time together would soon be over.


    ¡°I know you probably won¡¯t call it ¡­ but at least keep it? Just in case you change your mind?¡± he tried to sound casual.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know yourst name,¡± she put the paper back in her pocket.


    Heughed, ¡°Let¡¯s not get into what we know about each other ¡­ there¡¯s close to nothing ¡­ it¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    Yet how they felt for each other didn¡¯t feel ridiculous at all. She fell silent and rested her head on his chest. He was right; she probably will never call that number; there was no way she could pursue this any further once they were back onnd. The past 9 days felt like a dream.


    ¡°Can we sleep in your room tonight?¡± she asked.


    ¡°My super standard cabin?¡±


    She¡¯d been in his room; they had never spent the night there. It wasn¡¯t as tiny as he described it to be; it was a regr size hotel room which was quite massive for a cruise ship. Thepany gave him the room on the upper deck, where she had seen him for the first timeing out on the balcony. The girl he was with was another story. One of the models for the catalog wanted to stay in his room which he said he declined.


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ it¡¯s nice for a change, right?¡±


    He scoffed, ¡°If you say so ¡­ I don¡¯t care ¡­¡± he kissed her forehead.


    He had no idea she had packed all her luggage in her room. She had arranged with the manager to take them all down first thing in the morning so her luggage would be the first thing they unloaded as soon as they arrived at the port. She had no intention of having a sad farewell with Roman. There will be no tears, no drama; thest thing he will remember about her would be that night they spent in his room, passionately making love to her onest time.


    It wasn¡¯t the nicest way to part from someone she had spent literally every waking hour for the past few days, but it was the only way she knew how to deal with the situation. She didn¡¯t want him to know she was being picked up by a driver in one of her husband¡¯s cars. Didn¡¯t want Travis to see a young man walking her to the car. She couldn¡¯t risk anyone onnd to see her holding hands with a man who was not her husband. She thought everything that was done on that cruise would stay there for the rest of her life.


    People make mistakes all the time. She wasn¡¯t immune to it. Her husband did it. The person she always thought would never do something like that to her, he did it. She never thought she would either, but it was done. It was over the minute she set foot on the ground. There¡¯s no turning back. It was beautiful, even magical. But it was wrong.


    She tipped the porter generously. Her Bottega sits nicely on her face shadowing any trace of sadness in her eyes. She gave a brave smile to everyone who greeted her way off the ship. Roman was fast asleep when she snuck out of his room before sunrise. She was almost at the gates to exit the harbor; the car would be waiting for her at the pick-up point. She quickened her pace and held the scarf over her head from blowing away by the wind. Clutched her sling bag tightly, she was on her toes trying to get to the car faster; her heart was throbbing.


    She kept her vision straight forward, didn¡¯t want to risk looking over her shoulder, and found him running after her. She had to leave, and fast. Because once she was in the car, all that would be over ¡­ for good. The car was the first thing she saw when she emerged through the gate running. Travis was standing by the back passenger door waiting for her; he opened it as soon as he saw her. She leaped inside.


    Once the door was closed, she tilted her head back, gasping for air. A wave of emotions took over her. She put her hand over her mouth, trying to control her breathing, but it was chaotic. The car smells like home. She was back to her life, her real life, not the fantasy fairy tale she had just got out from. The Ludus was visible from where the car was. Travis mmed the trunk and came into the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Will that be all, Mrs. Hunt?¡±


    ¡®Mrs. Hunt¡¯ that¡¯s her. To all her employees, her husband¡¯s employees, her husband¡¯s colleagues, and their wives, she was Mrs. Hunt. Although Den had let her keep her maiden name, Harmon, everyone called her Mrs. Hunt.


    It was hard to breathe properly, ¡°Yes ¡­ take me home, please.¡±


    ¡°Right away, Ma¡¯am.¡±


    As soon as the car moved, her breathing was back to normal. She stared out the window and felt nothing. Life was going back to the way it was. Roman had be the past, an incident that happened while she was on her solo travel. A figure in her memory that will disappear in time. A face she didn¡¯t capture on her phone but embedded in her mind.


    Maybe in another life. The only message she left him on his bathroom mirror.


    He woke up to an empty bed. His room wasn¡¯t big enough not to be able to find another person if she was somewhere in there.


    ¡°Adele?¡± he called her anyway. Nothing.


    He got off the bed and walked to the bathroom, the only ce she could¡¯ve been. Then he saw the words written with her lipstick. She even left the lipstick on the counter.


    ¡®Maybe in another life.¡¯


    He stared at those words and knew she was gone. There wasn¡¯t enough time to convince her otherwise. His chest hurts.


    The message sounds so permanent. That was the end of it. Another life. How could he ever settle for that?


    Adele Leighton. He whispered to himself. ¡°I¡¯ll find you again.¡±

 Home Sweet Home

    It was azy Sunday in Lancaster; traffic was easy. She arrived within 20 minutes at her brownstone house in the elite urban area of the busy city. They bought the house a few years after marriage and thought they would start a family there.


    It was close to themercial area where Den goes to work every day. It was family friendly because schools and grocery stores were a few blocks away and a hospital within 5 minutes¡¯ distance.


    She climbed up thedder to the front door; it was opened from the inside.


    ¡°Alma ¡­ you¡¯re here?¡±


    She was surprised her cleaningdy was working on a Sunday.


    ¡°Wee home; Mr. Hunt asked me toe in and prepare for your return.¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course, I¡¯m sorry to disturb your Sunday ¡­ I¡¯m alright, really, I can manage.¡±


    Travis was unloading the trunk on the pavement.


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble; let me help you with your luggage; where do you want them?¡±


    ¡°My bedroom, please, just put them there. I¡¯ll unpack them myself ¡­ thank you, Alma.¡±


    ¡°Would you like me to draw you a bath, Ma¡¯am? Lunch is ready if you want to eat first.¡± The olddy was a gift; she¡¯s beening to her house every day since they moved in. And she¡¯s been nothing but a blessing.


    ¡°Yes, I think I¡¯d like to bathe first ¡­ do you know when my husband will return?¡±


    They were inside the house; Travis had taken all her luggage out of the trunk and started taking them upstairs to her bedroom on the third floor.


    ¡°He will be home for dinner, that¡¯s what he told me ¡­ but he will call you as soon as he¡¯s free from the luncheon,¡± Alma smiled.


    Arge bouquet of white Lilies was on the round table. ¡®Wee home,¡¯ the card says. It was from Den, his secretary probably arranged it, but it was a lovely gesture nheless. She looked around at the ce she had been calling home for over 10 years. She was back atst.


    She took heavy steps up to her bedroom. All her luggage was on the floor. She started opening them to take out all herundry before her husband came home, the suitcases would be back on the shelves of her closet, and there will be no trace left of the trip.


    ¡°Alma ¡­ can you arrange for someone to pick up myundry? I need them taken as soon as possible,¡± she said in her room. ¡°I don¡¯t want Den to find the mess when he gets home.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Ma¡¯am, I will call them now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    As soon as Alma left the room, she removed all her clothes from her suitcases. They smelled like Roman, or at least his scent was still heavy in her senses. All of them have to be washed, including the clothes she was wearing, and even the clean ones. She put them all inundry bags and left them outside her bedroom door.


    She locked the door and got into the tub. She gently rubbed her skin with bath scrub and poured a generous amount of shampoo to wash her hair, cleaning all evidence of him, eliminating him one scrub at a time.


    Then she fell to pieces. She turned on the water to hide her sobs. She hugged her knees and buried her head between them. Realizing no matter how hard she scrubbed, she could never get him out of her mind or her heart.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    A clog in her chest was pushing out in her cry. A kind of despair that maybe she will die from it. She¡¯d lost something she could never have, something she never suppose to get a taste of. Her life was already set in stone, it was her fault to want something else, and now she has to live without it.


    She felt the room was closing in on her. The pain inside was crushing her. She would do anything not to feel like that. It wasn¡¯t real. She had to convince herself that it was all a delusion. That¡¯s the only way she will survive it.


    ¡ª


    Everyone had gone home. Alma left dinner on the dining table to be heated when Olivia felt like eating. The house was quiet like it always was. She spends hours and hours in that house alone for years. She was used to it.


    She ys soft music in the background and getsfortable on the sofa. Reading some of the projects she needed to go back toe Monday. She rarely watches TV and is more of a book person, but she barely has time to read with her new business.


    The front door was being opened. The jingling of Den¡¯s keys can be heard once he is inside, followed by his footstepsing up the stairs. She braced herself.


    ¡°Hey honey ¡­ you¡¯re home,¡± his tall figure emerged from the stairway; he smiled and walked into the living room.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she responded casually from the sofa.


    ¡°How¡¯s the cruise?¡± he gave her a peck on the lips and sat beside her.


    ¡°It was wonderful ¡­ how¡¯s the luncheon?¡± she put down her report on the coffee table.


    Den rested his head on the sofa and let out a long sigh, ¡°I¡¯m just d it¡¯s over,¡± he chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m so tired of all those gatherings, but the project is pushing through ¡­ so it¡¯s not so bad.¡±


    He looked tired. She started to think that he was really working for the past week while she was at sea. Which made her feel even more terrible.


    ¡°I¡¯m d it all worked out.¡±


    ¡°I need a vacation,¡± he sighed. He rubbed his face with his hands, ¡°I can¡¯t afford to do that now, there¡¯s so many things to do.¡±


    She didn¡¯t respond. Den would always say that when he¡¯s swamped with work. Then he will forget about it after the work is done and go out to business functions with all his friends to find more work. She had learned not to respond to his utterances but gave him a pat on the back for assurance that he was doing a good job.


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Famished. Did Alma prepare something for dinner?¡±


    She nodded, ¡°Do you want to eat now? I¡¯ll heat them up for you.¡±


    He put his hand on hers and patted it, ¡°Sure honey, that¡¯ll be great ¡­ I¡¯m gonna hit the shower first. Wait until I tell you what happened to Larry O¡¯Connor.¡±


    Larry O¡¯Connor was one of the members of his board of directors. A troublemaker. It can¡¯t be good, she thought. She smiled.


    The day was returning to normal by the hour, and there wasn¡¯t a hint of suspicion in her husband¡¯s eyes whatsoever; why would there be? She had never given him a reason to be suspicious of her. She had always been a good wife and will remain that way.

 Declan

    He first saw his future wife when she set foot on the beauty pageant hispany had sponsored. Olivia Harmon was 22 years old; she was a model, freshly graduated from University, where she studied Interior Design.


    Her confidence radiated through her wide smile; she was intelligent and witty in how she answered the questions directed to her. Even from a very young age, she had a distinct elegance about her, the way she carried herself was very graceful, and it caught his attention.


    He was one of the most eligible bachelors in Lancaster then, and his face was frequently posted in Lifestyle magazines as one of the most influential people under 30 in the business industry. His family owns one of the biggest diamondpanies, and he was appointed to lead one of their affiliatepanies at the age of 28.


    It didn¡¯t take long for him to get smitten by the stunning beauty. She was funny, they werepatible intellectually, and she wasn¡¯t intimidated by his reputation; more than that, even though she was younger than him, she was bringing a lot to their rtionship and helped him grow as a person. She was exactly what he needed to be his life partner.


    After she won the contest, she was involved in many of Den¡¯spany¡¯s businesses and humanitarian projects. Sheter joined hispany professionally and made a career for herself there too.


    They courted for three years. He proposed to her on his 30th birthday and got married on her 25th birthday. They were full of hope, passion, and potential. His mom wasn¡¯t Olivia¡¯s biggest fan, though; she had always wanted Den to marry up into another old-money family. But her son had chosen his equal.


    Having Olivia as his romantic partner wasn¡¯t the easiest. There were always men on the sidelines waiting for their rtionship to fall apart so they could swoop in and take her away. But Den didn¡¯t worry about it very much, mostly because of his social status; he wasn¡¯t a bad-looking guy himself. Women were lining up to be with him too. They were what they call a power couple.


    After they got married, things took another turn. Her role in thepany was gradually reduced because Den thought she didn¡¯t need to be working anymore. They could very well provide for a family without her having to generate any ie; she can enjoy the high society lifestyle and start concentrating on bing a mother to their children.


    They didn¡¯t start trying until 2 years into their marriage; they bought a brownstone house in the elite urban area where their children couldmute easily to the best private school in the neighborhood. They tried to get pregnant for 5 years and failed many times.


    Those were the times when their sex life changed and became a chore that they had to do to start a real family. The pressure was higher as the years went by. Getting her period became another frustrating failure they had to ovee month after month. They¡¯ve lost count of how many times they went to the doctor¡¯s office and tested their fertility to find out whose reproduction system was not functioning normally. They tried every trick in the book on how to get pregnant, and none of them worked.


    Olivia became sensitive to the news that someone they knew was pregnant. It felt like everyone else was having kids while they couldn¡¯t even get one seed to grow inside her. Everyone made it look so easy while they were at their wit¡¯s end, failing at their every attempt. They had fights about it. One harmlessment from a rtive could turn into a huge outburst on their part. It was unfathomable; there was nothing wrong with them; they just couldn¡¯t get pregnant.


    Their rtionship is strained as a result. They were at their weakest point, and that¡¯s when another person came in. Den was 38 years old, the same age as his wife now. He couldn¡¯t quite exin in detail how it all began. As far as his mind let him recall, it all ¡®just happened.¡¯


    He felt like he was failing his wife. He came home every day to find her frowning all alone in the house they bought to be a family. They weren¡¯t enjoying their sex anymore because of thepulsion to conceive a baby at the end of every session. She was losing herself, not knowing how to be because she was so ready to be a mother, but no baby was happening in 5 years.


    Then a woman came along; she understood exactly what he was going through because she once went through the same thing. She and her husband couldn¡¯t have a child either, and life went on. Den foundfort in her advice. Not having children was not the end of the world. But Olivia was still struggling to ept it; she wanted to try again.


    He was looking at his wife in a different light. He saw her as a person who was now against him, ming him for his shorings. He felt like he had done everything he could, but it wasn¡¯t enough. She was unhappy, and he was a fool.


    He will never forget the day she found out about his affair. He saw the light on her face disappear. The disbelief, disgust, and devastation that he could never repair. He wanted her to take out all her anger and dump it on him, he was to me, and he will live to regret it.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    It took them three years to fix the damage. Every phone call or text message would prick her ears. Her eyes were looking at him like he was hiding something from him. He had lied to her again and again in the course of two years of his affair; there was a permanent mark on his forehead, a big fat liar. Her lips told him she forgave him, but she was never the same after that.


    The past year had been a peaceful period in their marriage. They have finally survived the adversity. A child was still not in the picture, but Olivia had requested that she do something with her life; she wanted to revive her interior design career. Something she had always been passionate about and had only been using her skills for personal use ever since she stopped working. It was a good sign, he thought.


    She was looking for alternatives, looking ahead to life without offspring. Her business can be ¡®her baby.¡¯ He had given her everything she asked for since his screw-up; whatever she needed to be happy, he would dly give it to her.


    He supported her decisions personally and professionally. He saw how determined she was to open her own interior design firm, putting up all her talents and education to use. She hadn¡¯t had solo travel ever since they got married; he knew how much she enjoyed it and how it may be helpful for her wholesome healing. So when she said she wanted to take a break, he paid for the best of what his money could buy.

 Olivia

    He first saw his future wife when she set foot on the beauty pageant hispany had sponsored. Olivia Harmon was 22 years old; she was a model, freshly graduated from University, where she studied Interior Design.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Her confidence radiated through her wide smile; she was intelligent and witty in answering the questions. Even from a very young age, she had a distinct elegance about her, the way she carried herself was very graceful, and it caught his attention.


    He was one of the most eligible bachelors in Lancaster then, and his face was frequently posted in Lifestyle magazines as one of the most influential people under 30 in the business industry. His family owns one of the biggest diamondpanies, and he was appointed to lead one of their affiliatepanies at 28.


    The stunning beauty didn¡¯t take long for him to get smitten. She was funny, they werepatible intellectually, and she wasn¡¯t intimidated by his reputation; more than that, even though she was younger than him, she was bringing a lot to their rtionship and helped him grow as a person. She was exactly what he needed to be his life partner.


    After she won the contest, she was involved in many of Den¡¯spany¡¯s businesses and humanitarian projects. Sheter joined hispany professionally and made a career for herself there too.


    They courted for three years. He proposed to her on his 30th birthday and got married on her 25th birthday. They were full of hope, passion, and potential. However, his mom wasn¡¯t Olivia¡¯s biggest fan; she had always wanted Den to marry into another old-money family. But her son had chosen his equal.


    Having Olivia as his romantic partner wasn¡¯t the easiest. There were always men on the sidelines waiting for their rtionship to fall apart so they could swoop in and take her away. But Den didn¡¯t worry about it very much, mostly because of his social status; he wasn¡¯t a bad-looking guy himself. Women were lining up to be with him too. They were what they call a power couple.


    After they got married, things took another turn. Her role in thepany was gradually reduced because Den thought she didn¡¯t need to be working anymore. They could very well provide for a family without her having to generate any ie; she can enjoy the high society lifestyle and start concentrating on bing a mother to their children.


    They started trying 2 years into their marriage; they bought a brownstone house in the elite urban area where their children couldmute easily to the best private school in the neighborhood. They tried to get pregnant for 5 years and failed many times.


    Those were the times when their sex life changed and became a chore that they had to do to start a real family. The pressure was higher as the years went by. Getting her period became another frustrating failure they had to ovee month after month. They¡¯ve lost count of how many times they went to the doctor¡¯s office and tested their fertility to find out whose reproduction system was not functioning normally. They tried every trick in the book on how to get pregnant, and none of them worked.


    Olivia became sensitive to the news that someone they knew was pregnant. It felt like everyone else was having kids while they couldn¡¯t even get one seed to grow inside her. Everyone made it look so easy while they were at their wit¡¯s end, failing at their every attempt. They had fights about it. One harmlessment from a rtive could turn into a huge outburst on their part. It was unfathomable; there was nothing wrong with them; they just couldn¡¯t get pregnant.


    Their rtionship is strained as a result. They were at their weakest point, and another person came in. Den was 38 years old, the same age as his wife now. He couldn¡¯t quite exin in detail how it all began. As far as his mind let him recall, it all ¡®just happened.¡¯


    He felt like he was failing his wife. He came home every day to find her frowning all alone in the house they bought to be a family. They weren¡¯t enjoying their sex anymore because of thepulsion to conceive a baby at the end of every session. She was losing herself, not knowing how to be because she was so ready to be a mother, but no baby was happening in 5 years.


    Then a woman came along; she understood exactly what he was going through because she once went through the same thing. She and her husband couldn¡¯t have a child either, and life went on. Den foundfort in her advice. Not having children was not the end of the world. But Olivia still struggled to ept it; she wanted to try again.


    He was looking at his wife in a different light. He saw her as a person who was now against him, ming him for his shorings. He felt like he had done everything he could, but it wasn¡¯t enough. She was unhappy, and he was a fool.


    He will never forget the day she found out about his affair. He saw the light on her face disappear. The disbelief, disgust, and devastation that he could never repair. He wanted her to take out all her anger and dump it on him, he was to me, and he will live to regret it.


    It took them three years to fix the damage. Every phone call or text message would prick her ears. Her eyes were looking at him like he was hiding something from him. He had lied to her again and again in the course of two years of his affair; there was a permanent mark on his forehead, a big fat liar. Her lips told him she forgave him, but she was never the same after that.


    The past year had been a peaceful period in their marriage. They have finally survived the adversity. A child was still not in the picture, but Olivia had requested that she do something with her life; she wanted to revive her interior design career. Something she had always been passionate about and had only been using her skills for personal use ever since she stopped working. It was a good sign, he thought.


    She was looking for alternatives, looking ahead to life without offspring. Her business can be ¡®her baby.¡¯ He had given her everything she asked for since his screw-up; whatever she needed to be happy, he would dly give it to her.


    He supported her decisions personally and professionally. He saw how determined she was to open her own interior design firm, putting up all her talents and education to use. She hadn¡¯t had solo travel ever since they got married; he knew how much she enjoyed it and how it may be helpful for her wholesome healing. So when she said she wanted to take a break, he paid for the best of what his money could buy.

 Two Years Later

    She woke up to the warmth of his breath on her neck. He nibbled in her ear, and his hand was rubbing her belly from behind.


    ¡°Wake up, birthday girl ¡­ it¡¯s your big day today,¡± Den whispered in her ear.


    She smiled with her eyes still closed, ¡°Oh God ¡­ it¡¯s today?¡±


    Heughed softly; she¡¯s been dreading her 40th birthday for months. The big 4-O was like an official number for women, putting them in a different category.


    ¡°How are you feeling? It¡¯s gonna be a big day; I was too excited to sleepst night,¡± he had prepared something extraordinary for his wife. Her birthday was their wedding anniversary, so they will also be celebrating their 15th year of marriage.


    She sighed deeply, ¡°I feel old,¡± sheughed.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°Honey ¡­ whenever you feel that way, remember that I will always be 6 years ahead of you,¡± he kissed her neck and slowly slid down her panty from under the nket.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start the day with something nice,¡± he turned her face to kiss him.


    His hand was under her nightgown, caressing her breast. She felt him rubbing against her now bare bottom, and he was gaining momentum. It was his favorite position. It was quick and easy but pleasurable just the same.


    Sex with Den was practical; they were not experimental as a couple. Sometimes she thinks their sex life could use a slight change to spice things up, but they¡¯ve been together too long to start something new. They just go with what works.


    It works just fine. She still gasped as he entered her gently. Den knew what his wife liked and what didn¡¯t work for her; he tried to please her to the best of his ability. Although sometimes he was toozy to make sure she had the same amount of pleasure he was having, that morning, he was doing it all the right way. She wriggled in his embrace as he moved her; she heightened as he picked up his pace and moaned at the peak of her climax. And they were done.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to go to the office and finish things up over there ¡­ reservation¡¯s at 8, I¡¯ll be home before 6, and we¡¯ll go together,¡± he kissed her from behind.


    She stretchedzily as her climax petered out of her body, ¡°Okay ¡­ I gotta go to the studio too, just a quick run with everyone. I¡¯ll see you here at 6?¡±


    Den was already halfway pulling up his pants, ¡°Don¡¯t bete, my mom¡¯s gonna be there ¡­ you know how she is. Brian Murphy is also going to be there with his new wife.¡±


    She rolled to her back, ¡°Right ¡­ is she going to join the new wives club?¡± she giggled.


    ¡°She¡¯s 24 ¡­ can you imagine? His kids are older than her,¡± Den chuckled, he was putting on his tie. ¡°It¡¯s been the talk in the office, but this new deal is so important; I told everyone to keep their mouth shut about the new wife ¡­ the old geezer is going to put her in charge of one of the projects, so I don¡¯t know how that¡¯s gonna go ¡­¡±


    Olivia rubbed her eyes, she was the least interested in office gossip, but Den was never short of gossip. He would tell her all about the weird things his rich business partners do, and they wouldugh about it over wine. He would fill her in with thetest news before any event so she knew what was happening before meeting them at parties. ¡°I was that age when I worked for yourpany; maybe it won¡¯t be so bad.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true ¡­ I doubt she would be as smart as you, though,¡± he winked at her. ¡°Can you tie this for me, honey? I can¡¯t seem to get it right,¡± he kneeled beside the bed.


    She fixed his tie without getting up from the bed, ¡°You¡¯re inviting business partners to my birthday party. This better be one hell of a deal you¡¯re making ¡­ and please, whatever you do, don¡¯t make me mingle with his new wife.¡±


    Theyughed.


    ¡°Of course not, but ¡­ I would do anything to make sure this deal gets through, even if it means we have to let his new wife get the corner office, you know what I mean?¡±


    It was a question that didn¡¯t need an answer. Den knew how to sway his business partners to get the deals he wanted. That was part of why he sessfully carried his family¡¯s legacy.


    ¡°You have your dress, right?¡± he asked.


    She nodded.


    ¡°Good ¡­ I have a surprise for youter, it goes really well with the dress,¡± his eyes twinkled as he said it.


    She bit her lower lip, ¡°Really? What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a surprise if I tell you now, wouldn¡¯t it? This deal with Brian Murphy is going to be huge, we can buy a summer house in London like you wanted, and we can go house hunting thereafter it¡¯s all settled ¡­ maybe we can stay there for a month and bid on the houses you like?¡±


    She smiled; she had mentioned how nice it would be to have a summer home in London. Although she didn¡¯t mean for him to buy one, that happened after the affair. He always took her words seriously; he wanted her to have everything. ¡°That sounds nice,¡± she said.


    ¡°Okay ¡­ I have to go, or I¡¯m gonna bete,¡± he kissed her lips, ¡°Happy birthday.¡±


    They look at each other smiling.


    ¡°I love you,¡± he said.


    ¡°I love you,¡± she replied.


    ¡ª


    She looked in the mirror for the first time on the first day of being 40. She didn¡¯t look any different from the day before. Obviously, she looked closer. She didn¡¯t look much different from two years prior, either. These changes didn¡¯t happen overnight, but the concern was heavy in her mind.


    The talk about Brian Murphy¡¯s new wife got to her. Brian was 68 years old and was recently married to a 24-year-old model. She couldn¡¯t help but think, what if the same thing happened to Den? It wasn¡¯t impossible. He had proven that he was not the man she thought he was. These things can happen to anyone.


    She put on a day cream she¡¯d been using for years to postpone any wrinkles from showing up on her face. She looked again. She¡¯ll be fine. She took her phone, opened her browser, and searched for Marion Cotird. Her favorite French actress who was 45 years old at the time. People mentioned she resembled the actress; it was the bestpliment she ever received. She thought that if she could look like Marion in 5 years, she would be all good.


    She smiled at the rows of pictures showing up in her search engine. Marion was such an elegant beauty, something sweet and vulnerable about her yet sensual and captivating. She considered borrowing one of Marion¡¯s looks for the night party. The soft makeup and the elegant yet light and easy look would work well for her.


    A lot of people will be there. Many of them are the so-called ¡®friends¡¯ she had collected since she married into Den¡¯s family and life. People who will say the nicest things in front of her but talk about her behind her back. These are the people she and Den call friends. Most of them are Den¡¯s business colleagues and their wives.


    She must look her best. She heard some wives make rudements about other wives who got divorced. They me the wives for not caring enough for their looks to keep their rich husbands interested. She wondered what they talked about years ago when they knew about Den¡¯s affair. Did they me her too? As if it¡¯s not enough to be cheated on, she had to take the me too. If these are the people she calls ¡®friends¡¯, then she doesn¡¯t really have one. But she has to dress up anyway.

 The Birthday Party

    ¡°Do I look alright? How¡¯s my tie?¡± Den asked in the car before stepping out in front of the venue.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°You look fine here ¡­¡± She fixed his tuxedo cor, and they were set to go.


    They walked into the venue with her arms looped around his. Some of the guests were already there. Den had booked The King¡¯s Table to entertain close to 60 guests for the night. It was an upscale restaurant in themercial district of Lancaster.


    He had arranged for the ce to be closed to the public almost two months before. The King¡¯s Table was a challenging ce to get into, and only those who are well connected and with excellent credentials can make such a booking.


    Den has an impable taste for everything. It was a lifestyle he was ustomed to since he was born in it. His preference for luxury rubbed on her when she started dating him. The dress she was wearing was one of the results.


    She was wearing a long sleeve mermaid tail dress with a Sabrina neckline, off-white with dark blue intricate embroidery around the tail and neckline. She had to go through a clean eating diet for two months to look good in it. She really nailed the Marion Cotird look she aimed for. Her hairdresser did an updo on her hair because she had grown them long, she wore a natural look make-up with soft pink lipstick, she was the star of the night.


    ¡°Olivia, happy birthday, darling; you look absolutely amazing,¡± Regina Chapman walked over to the couple with a ss of champagne and gave them a peck on the cheeks.


    The room was lit with hanging lights, chandeliers with a soft golden glow, and candle lights on each table for six. Olivia was the one who truly illuminated the whole floor with her radiant beauty that turned heads.


    ¡°Regina, I¡¯m d you can make it. Where¡¯s Walter?¡± Den asked.


    She waved her hand over her shoulder and rolled her eyes, ¡°He¡¯s somewhere chatting near the snack table, I would guess,¡± sheughed, ¡°Oh ¡­ look at you ¡­¡± She held Olivia¡¯s hand, her eyes ran from top to bottom looking at her. ¡°What is your secret youngdy? I mean ¡­ I did not look like this when I was 40; maybe it¡¯s not toote to do some of your routines before 50,¡± herugh exploded and drew attention from around the room.


    ¡°Well, maybe you should be married to me; that¡¯s her secret,¡± Den leaned into the conversation and kissed Olivia¡¯s temple.


    Olivia smiled in amusement.


    ¡°Aah, that could be it; you should share that with Walter ¡­ tell him what you did so your wife can look this good.¡±


    Before Olivia could respond, Den¡¯s mom came into the mix.


    ¡°Darling, I¡¯ve been here for half an hour. I thought you¡¯d nevere,¡± Mimi kissed her son on the cheeks and then moved to her daughter-inw. ¡°You look lovely, dear. Happy birthday.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Olivia replied with a smile.


    ¡°She does, doesn¡¯t she? I was just asking for her secret to keep this figure,¡± Regina said.


    ¡°Oh, you want to know the secret to keep your figure?¡± Mimi¡¯s expression turned serious, ¡°Don¡¯t have kids,¡± sheughed.


    Mimi always managed to make sourments and masked it as a joke. She was the number one person who always highlighted that she couldn¡¯t produce an heir for her beloved son. She wasn¡¯t bitter about it; Mimi just thought her son could do better with someone else.


    ¡°Okay, time to mingle, Mom,¡± Den took his mom by the arm and pulled her away. He knew his mom was not a good mix with his wife even from the first hello.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about it, Livy; I wouldn¡¯t mind not having kids after the three I had,¡± she rolled her eyes again. ¡°I¡¯d trade them for a figure like yours,¡± she chuckled.


    Olivia sighed and forced a smile; people always try to make it sound better when all they do is sounding worse. ¡°I hope you enjoy the ce; the food is excellent here.¡±


    ¡°Come sit with me ¡­ we have much catching up to do, so how¡¯s your business? I heard only good things from Helena; she had her house done with your firm, right?¡± Regina hooked her arm around Olivia¡¯s and dragged her to the nearest table.


    ¡ª


    Dinner went smoothly. Den had arranged for Brian Murphy and his new wife, Abigail, to be seated at their table to discuss their business further. Regina and Walter Chapman joined them at the same table because Walter was also one of the leading partners in the project.


    Olivia was a good hostess; she always tried to make her guestsfortable. She noticed how Abigail tried to hide her nervousness. She knew she didn¡¯t belong there, being so young and new to the crowd. With Regina constantly raising her brows with every awkward gesture Abbey made, Olivia would swoop in to cut the tension.


    She remembered how it was when she was that age and mingled with Den¡¯s associates at business functions and other formal events. Coming from a different background could be very intimidating because they notice every little thing you do wrong. But for Abbey, it could be twice as hard; her husband could pass as her grandfather; that alone had already given her a reputation that she probably won¡¯t be able to shake off for the rest of her life.


    The sound of tapping of ss interrupted her thought. Den stood up and drew everyone¡¯s attention to him.


    ¡°Good evening, everybody ¡­ I see that everyone¡¯s finished their dinner; I hope everything is as expected?¡±


    There was a murmur among the guests; they agreed to the restaurant¡¯s quality of food and service.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to personally thank Chef Paul Reniere for the exquisite dinner; give a round of apuse for the Chef, please,¡± Den raised his ss to the Chef.


    The Chef bows to the crowd with a proud smile.


    ¡°Thank you,, everyone,, foring; as you all know, today is my beautiful wife¡¯s 40th birthday,¡± he nced at Olivia, who was still sitting next to him, ¡°Although she still looks the same to me as the day we met ¡­ Today also marked our 15th wedding anniversary.¡±


    The guests apuded that as well.


    ¡°So I would like to make a toast for this wonderfuldy that has stood by me for 15 years. God knows what a challenge that could sometimes be,¡± he chuckled, ¡°But with grace and elegance, she never withered in hardships ¡­ and I¡¯m forever grateful for this woman whom I owe my marriage, my sanity, and my happiness.¡±


    He took her hand to stand up while the guests apuded again.


    ¡°Olivia ¡­¡± Den took something out of his pocket, a velvet box that could only contain one thing. ¡°I would like to renew my vow to you, although it¡¯s nothing formal ¡­ but I want everyone here to be the witness ¡­ and that is an official acknowledgment in itself,¡± he smiled and looked into her eyes. He opened the box. A blue diamond ring was inside it. He took it out.


    She could hear the guests gasping at the size of that ring. She was bbergasted by the sparkling blue gemstones in front of her too.


    ¡°With this ring ¡­ I pledge the rest of my life to be the best husband that you deserve ¡­ you are the woman I have chosen to spend the rest of my life with 15 years ago, and I have chosen that every day ever since,¡± he slipped the ring into her finger. ¡°I love you, Olivia Harmon, always have and always will.¡±


    They looked into each other¡¯s eyes. She felt the love that night. Den was not the romantic type; when he said he had a surprise, it really surprised her. She was touched by the gesture and felt a little mushy inside. She kissed her husband¡¯s lips and showed everyone the ring as she did it.


    ¡°I love you,¡± she said and post for a photograph to the cameraman that approached their table.


    People were cheering and congratting them. Den¡¯s face beamed after he delivered his speech; his arm was around Olivia¡¯s waist, a wide smile across their faces as the camera shed to capture the moment.


    Then Olivia felt her heart dropped to the floor when he saw the face behind the camera. Clear blue eyes pierced through her. His hair was longer. She wouldn¡¯t recognize him from afar with medium-length hair. She literally stopped breathing and felt as if time had frozen in that room.


    He lowered his camera and showed his face. The dimple on his cheek curved when he smiled. He put his hand on Brian Murphy¡¯s shoulder, but his eyes were pinned on her.


    ¡°Congrattions,¡± he paused.


    ¡°That was an excellent speech, Mr. Hunt,¡± he added.


    ¡°Roman!¡± Brian eximed. ¡°You¡¯re here! Den ¡­ this is my son, Roman.¡±

 Ghost From The Past

    Her blood curled when she heard it. She was unable to process the situation. The conversation around her sounded like a murmur.


    Roman stretched his arm to shake her husband¡¯s hand.


    ¡°What a fine young man, I would never have guessed ¡­ you surely got your mother¡¯s gene,¡± Den said to tease Brian.


    ¡°Nice to finally meet you, Mr. Hunt,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Likewise, please, call me Den ¡­ and this is my wife, Olivia.¡±


    Her pulse increased rapidly; her mind was foggy as she reached to shake his hand. She noticed he had an earring on his left earlobe, which wasn¡¯t there when they first met. He looked different but the same. It was surreal. But one thing for sure, he didn¡¯t look surprised to see her.


    ¡°Delighted to meet you, Mrs. Hunt ¡­ happy birthday, by the way, and congrattions on your wedding anniversary,¡± he said without taking his eyes off her.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she pulled her hand back. Did he know this was going to happen? Did he know who she was before that night?


    ¡°Roman hase back from a long journey ¡­ he¡¯s a photographer and has a passion for the arts; he came homest year and told me he was going to open his first gallery,¡± Brian said. ¡°He would like to invite us all to the opening on Monday ¡­ it¡¯s on Pioneer Crest,¡± he added.


    She felt a knot in her stomach.


    ¡°Pioneer Crest? That¡¯s where Olivia¡¯s studio is,¡± Den responded before she could even say a thing. ¡°What is it called? I don¡¯t remember seeing a gallery in that area.¡±


    ¡°Ludus ¡­ ¡± his eyes lurked at her, ¡°It¡¯s not opened yet. We¡¯ve been renovating and decorating for the past few months, the sign is still covered ¡­ I believe it¡¯s right across from ¡­¡±


    ¡°Urban Aesthetic?¡± Denughed, ¡°What a fantastic coincidence ¡­ honey, it¡¯s right across from your studio.¡±


    Olivia forced a smile even though she felt like she was going to be sick; suddenly, she remembered seeing a newly renovated building across her studio with the sign still covered, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful.¡±


    ¡°We will definitely be there. Olivia loves artwork ¡­ maybe we might even find something that couldpliment our home,¡± Den pulled his wife¡¯s hand and kissed it. ¡°Olivia is running her own interior design studio; she could even put you on the list for her clients ¡­ they love the artwork, right sweetheart?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a brilliant idea,¡± Brian joined in, ¡°I think we should develop it further.¡±


    Olivia smiled and nodded, even though she was messed up inside. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not; it¡¯s always good to have wider selections.¡± Her head felt light. She turned to Den and leaned close to his ear, ¡°I think I need to go to the restroom.¡±


    Den saw her face was a shade lighter, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine ¡­ I just need to use the bathroom,¡± she wanted to run and hide; the restroom was the only ce she could think of.


    Den nodded, ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡±


    She nced at her guests briefly, ¡°Excuse me,¡± she couldn¡¯t look Roman in the eyes.


    She walked away straight to the bathroom at the back of the restaurant. She locked herself in one of the rooms and let out a breath of relief. Her heart throbbed underneath her dress; she had to put one hand on her chest to steady its beating.


    What just happened? What is going on? She was having a hard time processing everything. Was it a coincidence? Right across her studio? Why is he doing this? It¡¯s been two years ¡­ she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. No one can know about this. She stared at the wall for a few seconds; she had to get it together if she was going to sit there and pretend they don¡¯t know each other.


    Her hands were shaking. Her breathing was gradually slowing down. She can do this, at least for tonight. She unlocked the door and walked over to the washstand. Her reflection in the mirror didn¡¯t show themotion inside her. She took another deep breath. Steady her hands to loosen the nerves, then walked out of the bathroom.


    Roman was walking towards her.


    ¡®Shit,¡¯ she thought. Why is he not at the table with all the others?


    His eyes seemed to be able to find her wherever she was. He was walking toward the exit door, but he had to pass her by on the way. There was no way she could escape this. She was numbed, not ready to say anything to him in private. As he was getting closer, he tilted his head with a smile and stopped in front of her.


    ¡°It¡¯s really good to see you ¡­ Olivia,¡± his raspy voice was soothing as she remembered it.


    There was a heavy feeling in her stomach, something she never sawing; there was a lump in her throat and a crash in her chest. She forced a smile, ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too.¡±


    ¡°Pleasee to the opening on Monday; I would love to have you there ¡­ with your husband, of course,¡± he said with a gentle smile.


    She couldn¡¯t look him in the face; the pressure from behind her eyes was too strong; if this went on for longer, she might need to go back to the bathroom, ¡°Of course ¡­ we¡¯ll be there.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Fantastic ¡­ I¡¯ll see you then ¡­ take care,¡± he said, walking away.


    She walked back to her table to continue the night. It was a relief that she didn¡¯t have to do it with Roman sitting across from her while her husband was on her side on their wedding anniversary. She rubbed the ring Den gave her, looking at the astonishing detail. Den was discussing business with everyone. She would smile and nod asionally, agreeing with what they were saying, but her mind was elsewhere. Her mind was back to Ludus.

 Collaboration

    ¡°Brian is so excited about his son¡¯s gallery opening,¡± Den said at the breakfast table. ¡°The prodigal son had returned,¡± he chuckled.


    Olivia sipped her hot coffee, ¡°How do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He left home before he was 18 to do his own thing ¡­ well, obviously, art and photography is not the kind of thing Brian Murphy would encourage his sons to pursue ¡­ he has too manypanies for them to run, but then again ¡­ not everyone wants to runpanies like a workhorse.¡±


    She bites on her croissant, ¡°And now he¡¯s back to work for his dad?¡±


    Den creased her brows, ¡°No, he came back to prove his dad wrong; I guess he¡¯s opening his own gallery; he¡¯s made a name for himself abroad ¡­ he¡¯s been a working artist these past few years, and Brian is actually very proud of him ¡­ he put quite an investment on his gallery and artwork which his son insists on paying him back,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Which reminds me, I think it¡¯s a great idea to coborate with him for your studio as well ¡­ I mean, this is an unexpected opportunity for us if your studio can coborate with a Murphy, and my deal with him goes well,¡± he raised both hands in the air, ¡°Two birds with one stone.¡±


    She nodded lightly while retaking her coffee, ¡°I guess you can see it that way.¡±


    ¡°Oh, absolutely; why? You don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea? Hey, I don¡¯t want to impose or anything, but Brian was very excited with the idea that his son can work with you; that¡¯s a good sign that this deal is going to go through ¡­ I need hiswork and facilities for my export-import, this is the biggest thing I¡¯ve ever worked on.¡±


    If only he knew, she thought. The fire in his eyes when he talks about his business was inextinguishable. He didn¡¯t want to impose, but in so many words, he was pleading for her to say ¡®yes.¡¯


    She shrugged, ¡°I think it¡¯s a great idea ¡­ yeah, I can take a look at his work, and we¡¯ll take it from there.¡±


    ¡°Great ¡­ that¡¯s absolutely great, we¡¯ll do it tonight at his gallery. You can discuss work with him while I talk some more with Brian about logistics and stuff ¡­ I¡¯ll slip in a little hint that you¡¯ll be coborating with Roman, so he¡¯ll be more excited,¡± Den was grinning from ear to ear.


    ¡°How old is his son, anyway?¡± the question she never gets an answer from Roman.


    Den thought about it for a moment, ¡°I don¡¯t know if he ever mentions it ¡­ oh, 28 ¡­ yeah, I remember he said Roman¡¯s going to turn 28 soon¡­ that¡¯s a good age, isn¡¯t it? That¡¯s when I first met you,¡± he reached out his hand to touch hers.


    She smiled, but inside, she was gasping; Roman was only 26 when they met.


    ¡ª


    She watched as the sign was revealed from behind the ss door of her studio.


    ¡°LUDUS¡±


    Why did he choose that name? It was written in a ssical font in gold with a dark blue background, exactly the way it was printed on the invitation.


    There was no sign of him. It¡¯s been three days since her birthday,e Monday morning, and all she worried about was what if she identally bumped into him? They were neighbors now. How often does he go to his gallery? What time? And finally, why is she even thinking about it?


    She turned to find her assistant standing right behind her. ¡°Gaby ¡­ I didn¡¯t see you there.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a nice sign, don¡¯t you think? I bet the interior looks awesome,¡± her freshly graduated assistantmented.


    Olivia shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ll be attending the opening tonight. I¡¯ll give you inside information,¡± sheughed lightly.


    ¡°Do you know that Ludus means umitted love? I searched it on Google,¡± Gaby was still looking out the ss door.


    She paused before answering, ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t know that ¡­ I wondered what it meant; that¡¯s a funny name to name an art gallery.¡±


    Gaby shrugged, ¡°Artists ¡­ they probably named it after something that really stuck with them, or ¡­ maybe he just enjoys umitted loves,¡± sheughed.


    She forced a smile, ¡°Maybe ¡­ well, I¡¯ll be in my office sorting out our work for this week. If you need me, can you take all my calls? I don¡¯t want to be bothered today ¡­ there¡¯s so much to do ¡­ oh, by the way, we¡¯ll be adding Ludus¡¯s catalog to our portfolio, so make sure it all goes in our marketing tools for the clients.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Have you met the owner?¡±


    ¡°Yes, actually ¡­ he was at my birthday party; Den and his dad are doing business together, so ¡­ the catalog is definitely going in our portfolio,¡± she said.


    ¡°Is he as handsome as he seemed?¡±


    It took Olivia by surprise; she grimaced, ¡°What makes you say that?¡±N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°Oh, everyone¡¯s talking about him ¡­ they¡¯d seen him smoking on the terrace at night, without his shirt on most of the time,¡± sheughed, ¡°You¡¯ve gone home, obviously, ¡­ we think he lives there on the fourth floor.¡±


    That exins why she had never seen hime and go; it also made the hair on her arms stand up, he¡¯d been living across from her for months, and she didn¡¯t even know it. ¡°Wow, words sure travel fast around here,¡± she chuckled. ¡°He is a looker ¡­ bright blue eyes and all that jazz,¡± she tried to sound as casual as possible.


    ¡°Oh, I knew it ¡­ do you think he has a girlfriend?¡±


    Oliviaughed, amused by her young assistant who had a crush on Roman, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know that, Gaby; it didn¡¯te up in our brief introduction.¡±


    Gaby blushed, ¡°Sorry ¡­ I guess you get to see if he has a girlfriend tonight? The guys said they sometimes see a girl on the fourth floor ¡­ but never the same girl twice ¡­ hence, Ludus.¡±


    Olivia raised her brows, ¡°Hmm ¡­ I guess we¡¯ll see.¡±

 Opening Night

    The gallery opens to a foyer blocked by a white wall. The first piece that weed the visitors was a ss case; inside it was a row of blue mes fueled by gas. It burned softly and steadily; the bottom part was opened because the gas pipe was hidden inside the white disy table.


    A woman greeted them by the reception desk on the left; she handed everyone a pamphlet containing the list of items exhibited that night. The interior was a typical art gallery with wide spaces, paintings hanging on the walls, and ss disys in the centers of each part of the rooms divided by thin walls.


    Many of the pieces there were artworks from various artists, The Blue me was Roman¡¯s, and when they walk further inside, they find other of his works. Some are paintings, others are objects exined by the Head of Sales to the potential buyers.


    She raised the scarf around her neck when an air conditioner breeze blew past her shoulders. There was a waiter serving champagne; she immediately took one while listening to thedy¡¯s exnation of a piece of painting she was looking at.


    ¡°I see Brian over there. I think I¡¯m gonna go say hi,¡± Den whispered in her ear.


    She nodded, she scanned the room briefly, but Roman was nowhere in sight. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to look around for a while,¡± she wasn¡¯t interested in Den¡¯s business talk.


    She was looking for objects that had his name on them, curious about the kind of art he was making. She only knew he was a photographer, but no photograph was on disy. While everyone was still crowding around thedy in the front part of the exhibition, she went further to the middle.


    There was a small room that seemed detached from the rest of its surroundings. The room was dark, with a hint of red light inside. It was ced precisely in the middle of the building if she paid close attention. Next to the doorway, there was a gold que with a carving that said ¡°The Heart.¡± Underneath was his name, Roman.


    She carefully approached the room, she checked the pamphlet in her hand. The Heart was included as one of the objects for the exhibition, but it was not for sale. There was arge TV screen hung in the pitch-ck room; in front of it was an object, and it was disyed in a ss case.


    She walked closer to see what the object was; it wasn¡¯t easy to see, with only two dim red lights illuminating the room from two of the corners. It was a dark blue ceramic heart and striking gold veins decorated it. As she looked at it, the TV screen behind it showed a video of a beating heart.


    The sound of a heartbeat suddenly red in surround sound. The image on the screen was hypnotizing; the virtual heart was beating, and it got bigger and bigger and bigger until it exploded in a horrifying sound. But the pieces slowly swirled around and came back together into their original form with soothing background music.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    A voice came from behind.


    ¡°It¡¯s not for sale, but if you want ¡­ I¡¯d dly give it to you,¡± he said as he leaned on the doorway. ¡°That¡¯s my heart,¡± he added with a half smile.


    ¡°You startled me. I¡¯m still trying to figure out what it means ¡­ I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re an artist,¡± she had one hand on her chest.


    ¡°You never asked,¡± he walked over to her. He put his hands on the small of her back and pulled her back, ¡°You have to stand back a little bit and watch it from here.¡±


    The video on the screen started again; she watched intently this time. Her heart was pulsing almost as loud as the sound in the room. She watched how the heart broke into pieces and came back together in the form of the ceramic heart inside the ss.


    ¡°I used the Kinstugi technique to mend the ceramic heart; it took me almost two years to finish this piece,¡± he said with a low voice.


    She knew what Kinstugi was, a Japanese art form to mend broken things by joining the cracks with gold. The philosophy behind it was to repair something that is broken, enhance the breaks, and turn it into a more valuable object.


    She fell silent. Hisst sentence alone exined the whole meaning of the piece, at least for her. She looked at him; he was staring at her. His face was gentle, just as she remembered it. There was so many things she wanted to ask him, but no words coulde out of her mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s a lovely piece,¡± she finally said.


    ¡°It¡¯s a broken heart,¡± heughed lightly.


    She looked away. How does she respond to that? They haven¡¯t seen each other in two years. Whatever happened, they have indeed moved on from it, haven¡¯t they?


    ¡°Olivia ¡­¡± he said. ¡°Now that ¡­ is a name that suits you well.¡±


    She smiled, the one small detail she kept hidden from him during their affair. It¡¯s not a secret anymore, but she wasn¡¯t ready to look him in the eyes and apologize for it.


    ¡°And you are Brian Murphy¡¯s son ¡­ ¡±


    If she had known of it before, the affair might never happen in the first ce. She turned to him; he was looking down on the floor. His hair was tucked behind his ear where his earring was. She¡¯d never imagined that his hair was wavy with big curls when they were short.


    His jawline, neck, and lean muscly form were visible through the white body-fit sweater he was wearing. He had his hands inside his pocket, a dimple curved on his cheek when he smiled. Everything about him sends shivers down her spine as the memory of their time together sips through her mind.


    ¡°Oh, there she is ¡­ I was looking for you ¡­ hello, Roman,¡± Den¡¯s voice echoed from the gallery. ¡°Has my wife wondered on her own? Apologize for that ¡­ she couldn¡¯t help herself in art galleries; if there¡¯s a ce where I can lose her, it¡¯s in an art gallery,¡± he chuckled.


    Den extended his arm to reach his wife; Olivia took it as she walked past Roman.


    ¡°These are wonderful pieces, Roman, not that I¡¯m an art expert¡­ but I¡¯m sure Livy can interpret them better than me.¡±


    Roman looked up at them, ¡°She sure knows her art. I hope it¡¯s of your liking ¡­ I have a lot of pieces I can show you upstairs if you like ¡­ but maybe not tonight. I have to tend to the guests in a while.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no rush; I can ask your curator for the catalog,¡± Olivia said.


    ¡°Or I can give you a private tour before the signing ¡­ when you have time.¡±


    Both Roman and Den looked at Olivia for her response.


    ¡°Sure ¡­ let me see my schedule; I¡¯m sure we can find a time for that.¡±


    ¡°Great, that¡¯s all settled ¡­ I am interested in that piece at the entrance, though, the blue me ¡­ if you can take me through it,¡± Den said.


    Roman raised his eyebrows, ¡°Oh ¡­ well ¡­ that is our signature piece for the gallery, actually, we can make a replica for sale if you¡¯re interested ¡­ but the one at the entrance is to stay here for the season.¡±


    ¡°My wife¡¯s favorite color is blue ¡­ I thought it would look wonderful at our house, maybe a smaller version of it,¡± Denmented as a non-artistic person.


    ¡°A blue me represents many things to many people. It represents illuminations and enlightenment, it could mean destruction and renewal, spirituality and also damnation ¡­ it depends on which aspect you can rte to,¡± Roman exined while walking together towards the object of discussion.


    ¡°While blue is a color that presents coolness ¡­ blue fire is the hottest me, it signifiespletebustion, it burns almost without leaving anything behind.¡±


    They arrived in front of The Blue me and watched as it burned in steady motion, only to imagine how hot it was while it radiated its cool color. They were amazed by the gentleness of the fire and the meaning behind it.


    ¡°Or ¡­ as the great American movie said it best ¡­ blue me special means young, dumb, and full of cum,¡± Romanughed and made Denugh too.


    It was an amusingment, but Olivia knew the piece was another object that symbolized what they had together for a very brief moment.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

 Adele Leighton

    It didn¡¯t take him long to realize that Adele Leighton was not her real name. He searched for it on Google and every social media tform imaginable. He even searched for it in the Lancaster city directory. Adele Leighton was not the woman he was with on that ship.


    It broke his heart to even smaller pieces. How could she have lied to him like that? Leave him without a trail to find her again?


    He was a traveling artist. He worked frence here and there, which took him on an interesting journey for years. But Ludus had changed him profoundly. He went to Japan afterward, where he learned the Kintsugi technique. The idea of The Heart, of course, came from his personal experience that left a permanent scar.


    Roman likes to think that the piece he made depicts his struggle to repair his broken heart. Mending the ceramic with gold took him two years to perfect; mending his own heart was a different story.


    While creating his masterpiece, he took on other adventures that led him back to Bhorma at some point. A ce where all his memories of the affair came surging back like wildfire. He remembered every nook and cranny he went with her and visited them to torture himself. The sorrow was proven effective in helping him create better art.


    Then he went to the store where Adele had made her purchases and took the liberty of charming the sales person into sharing the personal details of a particr customer that splurged her husband¡¯s credit card a few months prior. That¡¯s when he learned the name Den Hunt, his address, and his beautiful wife, Olivia.


    It changed his ns in an instant. He was nning to open his first gallery in Barcelona and decided to return to his hometown Lancaster after finding Olivia Harmon¡¯s studio. He had saved enough money to start something small, but to open a gallery on Pioneer Crest needed a boost in the investment, so he went home to dear ol¡¯ Dad. He¡¯d do anything to be close to the woman of his dream at this point.


    He gathered items from other simr artists like himself to join in his gallery and recruited a team to help him realize his dream; all the while, he was drawn to the woman whose sad smile had haunted his sleepless nights. He had to be satisfied to watch her from afar until his ns had materializedpletely.


    The first time he saw her husband, there was a fire in the pit of his stomach. The man she came home to. A tall, good-looking, mature, sessful businessman, not to mention an heir to one of thergest diamondpanies in the country. No wonder he didn¡¯t stand a chance. This is the kind of man no woman in their right mind would leave. Unless he has a w, a dark secret that he buried deep under his money, they usually have at least one.


    He tried to be with other women. He wasn¡¯t crazy and chose a life of celibacy in pursuing someone else¡¯s wife. But there was something about Olivia that he didn¡¯t find in anyone else. She touched him in a deeper level as if he¡¯d known her forever. When they were together, she made him feel like he didn¡¯t have to be anywhere else, making him want to be with her all the time.


    Roman would watch her in the daytime from behind the ss window of his room on the fourth floor of his gallery. He watched her through his lens and captured images of her without her knowing it. At night, sometimes he would watch her husband, where he went after work, who he met, where they met. At the end of the day, Den woulde home to their brownstone house and m the door to leave the rest of what¡¯s going on inside to Roman¡¯s wild imagination.


    In the course of his observation, he was sure that Olivia wasn¡¯t seeing anyone else. What happened between them was an isted case. It gave him a sense of relief. But she was back in her husband¡¯s arms. There¡¯s no trace of him left in her mind, is there? They have no children, yet they make things work to stay together. He often thought he had two choices: leave the couple alone and ept his misery of losing the one he loved, or rescue her. Thest thing he could see on her face was the happiness she deserved; she wasn¡¯t getting it from him, and Roman was intrigued to find out why.


    The husband¡¯s speech on her birthday was fascinating; he even apuded afterward from the corner of the restaurant. He¡¯s been staring at her in the dark since he arrived, admiring her stunning beauty. She looked the same as the day they first met, but then again, they¡¯d only met 2 years prior to that day. He let out a long exhale before he stepped into the light with his camera and finally showed his face to her. The look in her eyes when she recognized him was magical. He wasn¡¯t gone from her mind.


    And when he walked past her as she came out of the bathroom, he saw her sadness, her trembling hands; he still had that effect on her. If only she knew everything he had done since the day she left him on that ship was all about finding her. His heart was set in stone; he would have her again, one way or another.


    She stood before his mended heart; his journey hade full circle. It was exactly like he had imagined it. The person who broke his heart into a million pieces was there to witness what came out of it. She was his love, his muse, his executioner, his savior, and all the universe had conspired to bring him back to the one that would be the gold that fills the cracks of his broken heart.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

 The Wives Club

    ¡°Let me see it ¡­ let me see it,¡± Gloria Hanson extended her hands to Olivia.


    Everyone wanted to see her ring again, even though they¡¯d seen it at her birthday party. It was an astonishing piece of jewelry; Den had gone to lengths to custom made it months prior to their anniversary.


    ¡°My God ¡­ look at that,¡± Gloria turned Olivia¡¯s hand to the left and right. The stones flickered against the light at the cafe.


    It was the unofficial wives club. They gathered every once a week or two weeks at the same cafe near Olivia¡¯s studio. Since she opened her business on Pioneer Crest, it was harder for her to get away from the brunch meeting with the wives. Talking about other people was not her favorite thing to do, and they never seemed to run out of gossip.


    ¡°What did you do to him to get this giant of a stone,¡± Helena Nordstrom was there too. ¡°Look at the intricate detail. How much do you reckon?¡± she asked Regina.


    Regina rolled her eyes, ¡°That is easily an 8-carat blue diamond, depending on the cut and the rarity of the stone ¡­ I can tell you,dies, the amount is not something our husbands are willing to pay for,¡± sheughed.


    ¡°How does it feel to wear it?¡± Gloria¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°I¡¯ve never worn more than 5 carats ¡­ I¡¯d bang my husband through the wall if I had to if he¡¯d give me something like that.¡±


    Olivia pulled her hand back and looked at her ring, ¡°It feels like ¡­ a ring.¡±


    Everyoneughed.


    ¡°Den¡¯s really making it up to you, hasn¡¯t he? You¡¯re lucky, Livy; I think he¡¯s one of those guys who really felt bad about their affairs ¡­ most women are not that lucky; did you hear about Greyson Thomas? He and Kelly are going through a divorce; she just found out about his mistress ¡­ 4 years together.¡± Natalie was always the blunt one. She didn¡¯t have any filter when she spoke.


    Olivia smiled awkwardly, ¡°Lucky ¡­ I guess so.¡±


    Regina nudged Natalie¡¯s elbow, ¡°Tsk ¡­ that was over a long time ago; it¡¯s their wedding anniversary; it¡¯s got nothing to do with his stupid bimbo.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a secret that everyone knew about Den¡¯s affair. The wives discussed it openly when it happened; they even advised her on what to do about it. These women were wives of rich and powerful men just like her; in that sense, they were a tribe and supported each other. It doesn¡¯t mean they don¡¯t discuss each other behind their backs.


    ¡°Although, I wouldn¡¯t me you if you hook up with other men just so Den would get a taste of his own poison,¡± Regina said. ¡°I mean ¡­ look at you, men are drooling over you; what he did to you was unforgivable in my opinion ¡­ but I guess Natalie¡¯s right, he¡¯s making it up to you ever since, and that¡¯s not so bad, right?¡±N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Regina was the most supportive one, but she was also the one who liked to fish more details about everything because she liked to discuss it with other people too.


    Those were the questions she¡¯d been suppressing for years. All she wanted was for her marriage to be the way it was before, but it was impossible. She forgave him. They moved on. But has she really moved on? What happened with Roman was something she would never do if Den¡¯s affair never urred, wasn¡¯t it? Or did she just make it as an excuse to justify her falling for someone else while she was already married?


    ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± Olivia said. ¡°It¡¯s been good for some time now.¡±


    Regina touched her hand, ¡°That¡¯s good, darling; most people couldn¡¯t escape the mess you went through; you deserve better.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, it was really foolish of Den; I mean, what did he see in that woman? She wasn¡¯t even younger than you ¡­ I mean, they all go for the younger ones, right? Hell, I¡¯d do a younger guy myself if I can find one,¡± Natalieughed.


    Olivia raised her brows and forced a smile; the conversation seemed to go in a more ufortable direction for her.


    ¡°Talking about younger guys, look who just walked in?¡± Gloria interrupted.


    Olivia was sitting with her back facing the entrance; she looked over her shoulder, and her heart sank.


    ¡°That¡¯s Brian Murphy¡¯s son. He was at your partyst week ¡­ didn¡¯t you girls see him?¡± Regina lowered herself to the table.


    ¡°I saw him,¡± Gloria said with a look in her eyes, ¡°That is one hot guy I won¡¯t think twice about fucking.¡±


    The girls giggled. Olivia faked augh; she didn¡¯t want to be the odd one out.


    They turned to look at him, ordering something at the counter, except for Olivia.


    ¡°Jeez, do you remember when our husbands were that age? Fucking you through the roof?¡±


    ¡°Now all they want is just sleep early ¡­ not touching you before bed makes you wonder if they have someone else on the side, but then again ¡­ they barelysted 10 minutes, so I don¡¯t have to worry about it,¡± Reginaughed.


    ¡°I bet he¡¯s probably fucking his stepmother,¡± Natalie said, ¡°She¡¯s younger than him; can you imagine having to fuck Brian Murphy when his son looks like that?¡±


    She wanted to bolt out of that ce. She¡¯s used to listening to her friends thirsting over younger men but never over Roman. She was the youngest among the wives, probably in line with their husbands being much older than Den. Back in the day, Den was considered one of the youngest sessful businessman.


    ¡°Ooh ¡­ he¡¯s looking at us,¡± Gloria said.


    ¡°He¡¯sing this way,¡± Natalie responded.


    Olivia knew she was spotted. She braced herself for the encounter.


    ¡°Olivia ¡­ I didn¡¯t see you there¡­dies?¡± Roman greeted them.


    Everyone pretended they were casually greeting him back.


    ¡°Hi ¡­ I was having brunch with the girls,¡± she looked up at him.


    ¡°I see ¡­ do youe here often? I always buy my coffee here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, wee here every week; you should join us some time¡­ how¡¯s your mom?¡± Natalie was the queen of small talk.


    ¡°Yeah, how¡¯s Elizabeth? We haven¡¯t seen her since your dad remarried¡­ I hope she¡¯s doing well,¡± Regina said.


    ¡°Oh, yeah ¡­ she¡¯s very well, actually; she¡¯s in the Bahamas now with her new boyfriend.¡±


    Gloria gasped, ¡°Really? Wow ¡­ that¡¯s great. Anyone we know?¡±


    Roman shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t think so ¡­ it¡¯s her personal trainer, they¡¯ve only been together for a few months, but I¡¯ll tell her you said hi ¡­ she calls me almost every day.¡±


    ¡°Olivia, do you think you can take the tour today?¡± Roman put his hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°Uhm ¡­ not today, no, I have to check with Gaby, my assistant. I have a meeting today.¡±


    He looked into her eyes; he wasn¡¯t buying it. She had been postponing the tour for days.


    ¡°Okay ¡­ let me know when you¡¯re avable ¡¯cause new items areing next week; I¡¯d like to put the ones we have on your list before adding the new ones.¡±


    Olivia curved her lips, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Great ¡­ I¡¯ll be in touch ¡­dies ¡­ enjoy your brunch. It was nice seeing you,¡± he excused himself.


    ¡°Nice to see you too,¡± Regina replied.


    They were giggling like teenagers when Roman walked out of the cafe.


    ¡°Gosh, I wish I had a business. I could work with him,¡± one of the girls said.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing it¡¯s Olivia he¡¯s working with ¡­ she wouldn¡¯t know the difference between a hot guy and a hot pancake,¡± theyughed.


    One skill she developed as part of the high society was tough at something that she didn¡¯t find funny.

 The Tour

    She¡¯d been dreading the tour ever since she agreed to do it. A private tour means more time alone with him. She wasn¡¯t ready to talk about it yet. Is he going to bring it up? But she needed to know if he had told anyone about them now that they were working and living in close proximity. Now that they have mutual friends. They¡¯re not strangers anymore.


    It was silent in the gallery. The only sound she could hear was the humming from the air conditioner and her footsteps walking into the spacious building. It was a little after 7 PM, the gallery was closed to the public, and all the employees had gone home. A soft floral scent soothed her sense of smell. The dim lights made the ce feel more homey. Then she remembered that Roman actually lived there, and she was entering his home.


    She took a deep breath and hugged herself from the chill. She should¡¯ve asked him to do the tour in the daytime when there were people around. The whole setting felt too private; she was getting cold feet. As she turned around to cancel the tour, he was standing right behind her.


    ¡°Are you cold?¡±


    He looked like he just got out of the shower, his hair was wet, and he smelled like fresh soap. He was wearing id baggy pants and a casual T-shirt with a thick scarf around his neck like he was ready for his TV dinner and going to bed.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit chilly here; I forgot that everyone¡¯s already gone home,¡± she rubbed the side of her arms.


    He removed his scarf and put it around her, ¡°I¡¯ll turn down the temperature.¡± He walked over to the AC control panel and pressed some buttons.


    His scarf smelled like him, the new him. Roman Murphy. Their time together was brief. They knew almost nothing about each other, but whenever she was with him, he was familiar.


    ¡°That should take care of it,¡± hemented about the AC. ¡°Now, shall we take the tour? Have you had dinner yet?¡±


    She shook her head, ¡°I just got off work and came here.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to have dinner with me? I make one hell of an instant noodle.¡±


    Theyughed.


    ¡°No, thank you, I promised Den I¡¯ll have dinner with him tonight,¡± she was raising her shield.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    He raised a brow and gave a half smile, ¡°Maybe next time ¡­ okay, all the items down here are already ounted for. Let¡¯s go see the ones upstairs.¡±


    He led her to the stairs at the back of the building.


    ¡°So ¡­ you live upstairs?¡± she asked while going up.


    ¡°Yeah, fourth floor; I can¡¯t afford to rent another ce ¡­ and God forbid if I have to live with my dad and his new wife,¡± he chuckled.


    The second floor was more dense. There was corridor after corridor like a maze. The objects consisted of photographs and paintings; most of them were his work. They walked through the narrow hallway that opened up to a vast space in the middle of the room, with objects disyed in ss casings. Arge photograph on the center wall, a twirling dolphin, and a sheer fabric flew against the wind. She recognized it; it was hers. The picture was taken when she was watching the dolphins on Ludus.


    She stood frozen in front of it, not knowing what to say. The que underneath the picture says, ¡°For Adele.¡± She turned to him. His eyes were watching her.


    ¡°Is this included in the catalog?¡±


    He shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s private property ¡­ I thought it looked good in this room ¡­ it reminded me when I saw you standing on that deck facing the blue ocean all alone.¡± He walked to her side. They looked at the picture together, and it almost felt like they were back on that ship. The name Adele was appropriate since it was Adele who stood there that day. Even after discovering her real name, he put ¡°For Adele¡± on purpose.


    ¡°Do you want to see the items, Olivia?¡±


    She smiled, ¡°Sure ¡­ my friends call me Livy.¡±


    He looked away, ¡°I¡¯m not your friend.¡± His voice shifted the atmosphere.


    She pretended to ignore hisment and took out her notebook to list the objects.


    ¡°You know I can just give you the list ¡­ you don¡¯t have to write them down?¡±


    She nced at him, ¡°Then why am I here?¡±


    He had his hands in his pocket, and he tilted his shoulders, ¡°I just thought you might want to look at them first ¡­ and I want to see you ¡­ just you.¡±


    They looked at each other in silence. It¡¯s finally happening. The conversation she wanted to avoid.


    ¡°Was this all just a coincidence?¡± she braved herself to ask the question.


    He pursed his lips, he wanted to lie, but he found himself helpless when it came to her, ¡°Of course not.¡±


    Her heart dropped to her stomach, ¡°Why?¡± she looked at him bewildered, ¡°Do you want closure? Is that it?¡±


    He grimaced slowly, shaking his head; there was a pause, ¡°Because you said ¡®yes''¡±


    ¡°I never said that ¡­¡±


    ¡°Not with your mouth ¡­¡± he challenged her with a look. He was so sure of what he just said.


    She shook her head, ¡°I told you ¡­ you have to find someone else,¡± her hands were getting cold. ¡°I¡¯m married.¡±


    ¡°That does not make me want you any less,¡± he was calm.


    She covered her face with both hands, ¡°You need to stop this, Roman, this is madness ¡­ it¡¯s been two years ¡­ we have to move on from that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been two years, and there isn¡¯t a day I don¡¯t think about it ¡­ I can¡¯t move on from it¡­ can you?¡±


    She turned away and shook her head again, ¡°I can¡¯t do this ¡­ we¡¯re supposed to work together ¡­ this can¡¯t be happening,¡± she was trembling.


    ¡°Nothing is going to happen ¡­ unless you let it ¡­ I¡¯m just telling you how it is for me,¡± he cocked his head to one side, ¡°And I¡¯ve been wondering how it is for you.¡±


    Her stomach tightened; how could he still have that effect on her? He wasn¡¯t forcing himself on her; he was giving her the choice. Her body reacted to her fear because she still felt everything she felt for him two years ago. ¡°I have to go.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t run from your own feelings; why don¡¯t you stay and talk about it?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about ¡­ it¡¯s over ¡­ please, Roman,¡± she was shivering, ¡°I¡¯m scared ¡­ did you tell anyone about us?¡±


    He was silent for a moment. He wanted to hold her close and kiss her, but all she could think about was whether their secret had been told to someone else.


    ¡°No,¡± he said quietly. He walked over and wrapped his arms around her, ¡°I miss you so much.¡±


    She buried her face in his chest; being inside his embrace felt like home. His warm hands rubbed her back. It calmed her down. Her breathing was getting steadier.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she broke away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for lying to you about my name ¡­ I¡¯m sorry for leaving like that ¡­ and I¡¯m sorry that you have to go through all that trouble to find me again ¡­ but I can¡¯t be with you, Roman ¡­ I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.¡±


    It took everything she had not to shed a tear. She couldn¡¯t hold it any longer; she didn¡¯t even wait for his reply. She ran as fast as she could because she knew if she stayed, things could turn in another direction. What she felt for him was wrong; she was not a cheater, and she was not the kind of person who could go behind her husband¡¯s back to be with another man. No matter how much she wanted to.


    ¡ª


    His words echoed in her mind on the car ride home. She wanted to believe that it was all a coincidence, but he was looking for her all these years. She lied to herself by believing it was just a fling. It was a mistake. She was over it. When the truth is she was running away from something real, too difficult to deal with, she had found someone. It made her feel like an asshole.


    She wiped every trace of tears from her face. Den would want to know how the tour went. She was about to open her door when her phone rang.


    Den: Hey, sweetie, how did the tour go?


    Olivia: Hey, it was fine ¡­ I¡¯m at the door. Are you inside?


    Den: Oh ¡­ sorry honey, I should¡¯ve called earlier, but I didn¡¯t want to bother your tour ¡­ I¡¯m stuck at work ¡­ I can¡¯t make it for dinner ¡­ do you mind having dinner without me? Just leave something for me to heat upter ¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be home before midnight.


    Olivia: Oh ¡­


    Den: Yeah, it¡¯s that shipment that¡¯s being stalled in Costa Rica ¡­ it¡¯s disrupting all our logistics dates; I have to make overseas phone calls, and they have different times¡­


    Olivia: (Opening the front door) Of course ¡­ don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯m inside. I¡¯m gonna lock the door and leave thetch unhooked.


    Den: Sure¡­ don¡¯t wait up ¡­ I¡¯ll have a raincheck on dinner ¡­ we¡¯ll go to Sebastian¡¯s on the weekend, okay?


    Olivia: Sure ¡­ see youter ¡­

 Alone

    She took off her ring and put it on the counter beside the sink. She washed the te she had just used to have her meal. Alma had cooked a lovely chicken dinner for two with sd on the side. She left Den¡¯s half on the dining table.


    The music was on, it¡¯s always on when she¡¯s home alone. It felt different listening to her favorite music alone. When Den is around, he usually talks over it; he isn¡¯t into music like hers. She kept her champagne ss full, trying to wash down what was said in that gallery.


    She put her legs up on the sofa armrest, her mind wandering to that big bright blue eyes, the dark lines around it, and the ck dot in their centers. His eyes were hypnotizing, and they always looked at her in a way that made her feel ¡­ adored.


    ¡°I miss you so much,¡± his words reyed in her head.


    She closed her eyes. Those simple words had thrust deep into her because she felt it too. She gulped down her champagne and poured some more. She drew herself a warm bath and thought of him again in the bathroom. She remembered how his hands felt on her skin, and she hugged her knees. She couldn¡¯t stop her mind from recalling all the memories buried inside it, some of the best ones too.


    Even the drinks couldn¡¯t quiet them down. Shey on her bed in the dark, unable to fall asleep.


    Den was home; she heard footsteps, the doors opening and closing. He was in the kitchen, then he went to the bathroom. She heard the shower. Not long after, she felt the bed beside her heavy with his weight. He smelled fresh out of the shower, and he let out a long exhale.


    She slowly turned to him, ¡°You didn¡¯t eat your dinner?¡± She didn¡¯t hear the microwave beeping.


    ¡°No ¡­ I¡¯m too tired to eat ¡­ it¡¯s been a long day,¡± he rubbed his face.


    ¡°What time is it?¡±


    He looked over the bedside table, ¡°A quarter after two ¡­ did I wake you?¡±


    She shook her head and slid closer to him, her hand caressing his bare thigh. She kissed his cheek and nibbled his ear. She could feel him smiling.


    ¡°I saw an empty bottle on the counter ¡­ I thought you¡¯d be asleep by now.¡±


    She didn¡¯t reply; she needed him to quench her other thirst. She kissed his neck. She felt his hand on the side of her thigh, and she moved her hand to his center. He was getting hard. She stroked him gently.


    ¡°Mmm ¡­ I like it when you¡¯re a little drunk.¡± He let her hand move him for a while, then he pulled her on top of him and lifted her gown to her waist. He touched her, she was already wet, and it got him ready in an instant. ¡°Have you been warming up without me?¡±


    She rose up and looked down on him. Her vision was a bit blurry, especially in the darkened room. She slid off the top of her gown, and he rose to meet her. They kissed. He pulled her closer until he could feel her dampened above his crotch. He took the pleasure of stuffing his mouth with her breast. She dug her fingers into his hair, letting him please himself on her chest. That¡¯s when he entered her. They moaned.


    Slowly her hips moved, which escted him. She felt his teeth around her nipple; he was sighing. His hands cupped her and squeezed her gently as his mouth found its way up to kiss her.


    Then he steadied her waist as he picked up his pace. He was getting high in pleasure, and so was she. It¡¯s been a long time since he enjoyed his wife in that way. He even forgot that their sex life used to be so pleasurable.


    His arms tightened around her, and he pressed his face against her. She knew he was close; she stroked his hair and matched his pace. He groaned loudly; she bit her bottom lip and let hime inside her as they moved together. She wanted to say, ¡°Keep going. I¡¯m not there yet.¡±


    He was lost in the surge of his climax. He kissed her mouth. She was close, too; she was nearly there. But Den was done; he pulled out before she could reach her peak. He threw himself back on the bed, steadying his breath. His eyes were closed; she looked at him and knew it was over. She was not getting high that night like so many other nights.


    She rolled over and felt the throb between her legs. Den¡¯s breathing was getting quieter. In just a few minutes, he had fallen asleep. She closed her eyes and hugged herself under the nket.


    ¡°I miss you so much.¡± Those words and the warmth of Roman¡¯s embrace lulled her to sleep.


    ¡ª


    She woke up to the sound of pouring rain. She looked to her side; Den was still fast asleep. He didn¡¯t even move an inch sincest night.


    The gloomy morning light lit up their bedroom. Her eyes were immediately distracted by the ck and white scarf she forgot to return when she ran out of the gallery. She jolted out of bed.


    She grabbed the scarf and shoved it into one of her drawers. ¡®Shit,¡¯ she had to return it.


    ¡°Hey ¡­ what time is it?¡± Den stretched on the bed.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ still early, I think,¡± she looked out the window. The rain gave a false sense of time. It was actually close to 10 AM.


    ¡°Oh God ¡­ I¡¯mte,¡± Den grumbled. ¡°I have a meeting at 11.¡± He sat up, held his head from the rush, then got up to the closet.


    She stared out the window. She loves the morning rain. It made her feel like staying home and not going to work.


    In less than 10 minutes, Den emerged from the closet, all dressed in suits and ties. ¡°Are you going to the studioter?¡± he interrupted her thoughts.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I don¡¯t know ¡­ a hot coffee would be nice. Do you have time for one?¡±


    ¡°No, sorry honey, I¡¯m alreadyte ¡­ it¡¯s a brunch meeting at The Q.¡±


    She turned to him, ¡°Okay ¡­ what time will you be back?¡±


    He sighed while putting on his socks, ¡°Late ¡­ likest night, probably, don¡¯t wait up ¡­ or wait up ¡­¡± he chuckled, remembering their excellent timest night. He stood up and gave her a peck on the cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter, have fun today,¡± he kissed her hair.


    He walked out of the room and ran down the stairs. She heard the door close. The house was quiet again.


    She was left with the sound of her footsteps going into the bathroom. She took a quick shower and washed what was left of Den on her body. She wore her casual smart working outfit, pulled the scarf from her drawer, and went to work.

 Do You Want To Come Over?

    Olivia ¡­


    When he found out her real name, where she lived, who her husband was, and where her new studio was, it snowballed from there. He wanted to know more about her life and what she tried to hide from him.


    It was easy to find information about the couple since Den was quite well-known in the business industry. There were articles about him, his family, and the diamondpany they own. There were articles about how he married the beauty queen from one of the pageants hispany funded. There were pictures of 22-year-old Olivia as a beauty queen, 25-year-old Olivia on her wedding day, and not much else after that. As if she had retreated to the background, and the only news he could find was about Den¡¯s achievements and hispany¡¯s major deals.


    He wasn¡¯t satisfied with that. So he hired a private investigator to dig further. That¡¯s when he found out about Sienna. The woman Den was having an affair with. Then he dug in deeper about her too. She was 36 years old at the time of the affair, Olivia was 33. There was nothing special about the other woman; she was married with no children, worked at Den¡¯spany as a Senior Manager in one of his departments, and was not a beauty queen in any sense.


    Comparing Sienna to Olivia would be likeparing Cami Parker Bowles to Diana Spencer. But men seek what they seek, and it¡¯s not always about beauty and appearances. What happened there? Roman was intrigued.


    He was more intrigued with Olivia, of course. He found out about her miscarriages and her medical history when she was trying to get pregnant. She stopped going for treatment after a while and followed by the affair. How did she find out about the affair? What did she do after that? How has she coped with the truth and moved on with her marriage? Is she still hurting? Was that why she let down her guard and let him slip into her life? The more these questions urred, the more answers he wanted to know.


    At first nce, her smile looked sad. After Roman learned more, he started to look at it differently. Her smile was subtle, yet it showed the strength of how far she hade out of the devastation she had endured. Her walls were high, guarding whatever was left of her heart. And he tore it down. For a brief moment, he broke through that wall and saw what a wonderful thing they could have together, and he didn¡¯t want to let go of that. Learning about Den¡¯s infidelity assured him that he had to be the one to save her. A foolish male ego who didn¡¯t understand how marriage really works. He was a stubborn young man who could¡¯ve gotten out of that mess to find someone else and notplicate his life.


    Instead, he told her to keep the scarf he had put around her that night. He didn¡¯t need it; he had plenty of those. Knowing she was wearing something of his gave him a sense offort. He asked her if she would like to have a cup of coffee with him sometime, to which she declined politely with the sweetest smile. Then he did the next probable thing he could do to keep himself in the picture. He waited for her where she always bought her morning coffee and walked her back to her studio so he could talk to her.


    ¡°What are you doing tonight?¡± he asked in front of her studio.


    Sheughed at his persistence and shook her head in disbelief, ¡°Probably working, sketching for remodeling a client¡¯s bedroom.¡±


    ¡°I can help you with that,¡± he sipped on his coffee.


    ¡°That¡¯s very thoughtful of you ¡­ but no, thanks; I might need to get you to look at the ce, though, she was interested in one of your pieces, but she wanted it custom-made.¡±


    He curved his lips, ¡°Cool ¡­ when?¡±


    ¡°In a few days, I¡¯ll let you know once the sketch is ready,¡± she tucked one hand in her pocket.


    It was hard not to look at him. He was too good of sight not to look at.


    It didn¡¯t go unnoticed; he could see it in her eyes; it was how she said ¡®yes¡¯ to him. He smiled.


    ¡°My doors are always open for you ¡­ we can look at the sketch together.¡±


    She giggled, ¡°Nice try ¡­ look, we can go together to the client¡¯s house. I¡¯m gonna go now,¡± she pointed to the door.


    ¡°Okay ¡­ I¡¯ll see youter.¡±


    He only needed that ¡®yes¡¯ from her every once in a while. Through her eyes and smile, she was screaming for him to break down her walls again. He will make it through if he is persistent enough to keep going. So he waited patiently.


    He spent his day in the gallery exining some artworks to visitors whenever he was not working upstairs. His painting studio was on the third floor, as well as his photo studio. It¡¯s a lonely life to be an artist; he works by himself most of the time, alone with the thoughts he expresses through his work. Part of what makes him productive is actually the pain; sometimes, he thinks maybe he¡¯s addicted to the pain because he always seems to be chasing something he couldn¡¯t have.


    When the nightes, he often spends his time outside for a drink, meeting other people, taking home a girl, and having a bit of fun. But his favorite thing to do was to watch Olivia from the end of his lens, especially when she was workingte. He decided to stay in that night, smoking his cigarette on his balcony and trying his luck yet again.


    He took his phone out and called her office. He could see her at her desk from where he stood. She was alone. She picked up the phone.


    Olivia: Good evening, Urban Aesthetic. How may we help you?


    Roman: Hi ¡­


    Olivia: (Recognizes his voice, pauses for a moment) Hi ¡­


    Roman: Busy?


    Olivia: (Leaned back on her chair and tilted her head to see if she could see him on his terrace) I thought I finish this week¡¯s work so I could go out on surveys for the rest of the week


    Roman: (Took a drag of his cigarette) Do you want to take a break and have dinner?


    Olivia: (Laughed lightly) Are you asking me out to dinner? (She saw him and walked over to her window)


    Roman: I¡¯m still allowed to do that, aren¡¯t I?


    Olivia: Since when did you smoke?


    Roman: (Looked in Olivia¡¯s direction) Since two years ago.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Olivia: (Folded her arms) Where do you want to have dinner?


    Roman: What are you in the mood for?


    Olivia: (Rubber her face, she couldn¡¯t believe she was considering it, but she was feeling quite hungry) I don¡¯t know ¡­ anything, really.


    Roman: Do you want toe over? We¡¯ll just order takeout¡­ you can take a look at some of my other works you haven¡¯t seen.


    Olivia: (Curved her lips, looked at Roman)


    Roman: I promise to behave.


    Olivia: (Laughed, leaned on her window sill, still looking at him) You have to put on a shirt, though.


    Roman: (Realized he wasn¡¯t wearing a shirt) Of course ¡­ if that¡¯s all it takes ¡­ I¡¯ll put on an overcoat if I have to.


    Olivia: You know what I mean ¡­ do you promise to be nice?


    Roman: (Raised his arm after he made a cross sign in his chest) Cross my heart and hope to die ¡­ I¡¯ll be good.


    Olivia: (Laughed) Okay ¡­ I¡¯ll finish up in here and I¡¯lle over.

 Take-Out Dinner

    It¡¯s been two weeks since she ran out of that door in a hurry. ¡°You can¡¯t run away from your own feelings.¡± She remembers him saying. It¡¯s true. It was stupid. She was afraid of her own feelings and fled as if he was the one who scared her away.


    Roman had been nothing but friendly to her. However, he insisted that he wasn¡¯t her friend. They were business partners now, and things have been going fine. He¡¯d been trying to get her to spend more personal time with him, but she declined every time.


    But that night, she felt ready. She was tired from working all day and hungry. The thought of having to go home and eat by herself felt stale. Den will be homete as he has been for weeks. The raincheck to have dinner at Sebastian¡¯s was gone and forgotten.


    She walked into Ludus. The ce was different at night, more private, personal, and felt like home. She loved it for that, and the smell of the floral diffuser was delightful.


    She got to The Heart and looked at the room from the doorway, listening to the sound of the beating when someone knocked on the ss door. She turned to look. A delivery man raised two bags in each of his hands.


    She heard footstepsing down the stairs. Roman fresh out of the shower running to get the food delivery he had ordered.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here ¡­ great ¡­ food is here; I hope you like Sebastian¡¯s,¡± he said as he passed her by.


    She raised her brows and curved her lips, Sebastian¡¯s a little fancy for takeout, but it¡¯s one of her favorite restaurants. Eating it from the box at a bachelor pad was something she never imagined she would be doing.


    But there she was, sitting in one of his dining chairs, a small table for two by the pantry, looking at his living room with a huge t TV in front of a leather sofa. The whole floor was a huge t without any walls separating the rooms. His messy king-size bed was further behind the sofa on a higher level; there were three small steps to get to the bed.


    The windows and the door to the balcony were facing her studio; she was looking straight at it from where she was sitting. She ate in silence as she scanned the whole floor; the bed was a distraction and also a reminder that it was not a good idea to be spending time there alone with him.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to have someone to eat with once in a while,¡± he broke the silence.


    She couldn¡¯t agree more, ¡°You don¡¯t go out?¡±


    ¡°I do ¡­ sometimes ¡­ but mostly I eat my dinner here ¡­ by myself.¡±


    She looked at her watch, ¡°It¡¯s almost 9. Do you usually eat dinner at this time?¡±


    He chuckled, ¡°No ¡­ I already ate dinner at 7, but I saw you across the street working and figured you hadn¡¯t eaten.¡±


    She paused, ¡°Where do you usually go at night? Do you hang out with your friends?¡±


    He shrugged, ¡°Around ¡­ sometimes with friends, I don¡¯t have many friends left here ¡­ I left Lancaster 10 years ago, most of my old friends have moved away, married, I meet new people at bars and clubs, but ¡­¡± he lifted his shoulder, ¡°I do have artists friends, and they¡¯re all busy working and being ¡­ strange.¡±


    Sheughed, ¡°Are artists really like that? Strange?¡±


    ¡°Most of them are ¡­ not strange, they just function differently ¡­ more of a loner, not very mainstream, you know what I mean?¡±


    She nodded, ¡°I know ¡­ I¡¯m like that too sometimes.¡±


    He smiled, ¡°Me too ¡­ what about you? Where do you go at night?¡±


    ¡°Home ¡­ mostly ¡­ out drinking with friends, rarely. Den likes toe with me when I go out drinking because my friends are his colleague¡¯s wives, so ¡­¡±


    He looked at her, ¡°A woman like you shouldn¡¯t be left alone very often,¡± he smirked.


    She didn¡¯t reply; she was finished and walked over to the pantry to clean up after herself.


    ¡°Just leave it there. I¡¯ll clean it upter ¡­ I wanted to show you something on the third floor,¡± he said.


    ¡°New items?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ ¡± he stood up and put his empty box on the counter, ¡°Something I thought you might appreciate.¡±


    Before she could answer, his hand was holding hers as he led her the way to the stairs to go down. His hand was warm, calloused, yet familiar because it once held her for days without wanting to let her go.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡®PRIVATE: Do Not Enter¡¯ is the sign on the door. He unlocked it with his key. The door opens to a dark room. When he turned the light switch, the studio was extended to her left and right. The white walls were covered with pictures of all shapes and sizes. Pictures that tell his journey from all over the world. ces and objects that had a special ce in his heart.


    Pictures of her that he took without her even knowing it. There were a series of photographs of her on the ship, the ones she knew he took, even the ones in the bedroom where she was only covered in sheets. Others were when she was eating, the ones she was watching the dolphins. The ones on the ind where they rendezvous together for two nights.


    There were thousands of them. Olivia was stunned by what she was seeing. She walked closer to the smaller ones. On her birthday. In her office. Walking down the streets. They were taken candidly but also artistically. She turned to look at him; she was speechless.


    ¡°Do you like them? I know I¡¯ve taken them in secret; I guess it¡¯s my habit as a photographer ¡­ I take snapshots of the beautiful things I find every day.¡±


    It was his defense. He was a photographer; he didn¡¯t always ask permission for what he wanted to capture with his camera.


    She turned to look at them again. The pictures showed a different light of her; she rarely saw that side of her in a photograph, and she couldn¡¯t figure out why. Maybe it was the angle, the lightning, or the distance he was taking them from. ¡°I look different in these pictures.¡±


    He walked closer, ¡°Really? That¡¯s exactly how I see you.¡±


    He touched one of the pictures of her face and rubbed it with his thumb. His muse. His lover. Olivia had no idea that, in his mind, she was his girlfriend. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen.


    ¡°I wish you hadn¡¯t kept that one, though,¡± Olivia pointed to the one where she was wrapped in sheets without anything else underneath. She wasughing wide on the bed where they had made love just minutes before. It was a beautiful picture, but if it ever got out of that room, she would be in big trouble.


    He tilted one side of his lips, ¡°That¡¯s my absolute favorite ¡­ look how happy you are in it.¡±


    They fell silent. She took a better look at it. He was right. She looked very happy, and it made her feel terrible now that she was seeing it on paper. How could she be so happy doing something so wrong?


    Her phone rang. Den. Her heart pulsated quickly.


    Den: Hi, sweetheart ¡­ are you still at the studio?


    Olivia: Mmm ¡­ yeah, why? What¡¯s the matter?


    Den: Nothing, I just got off work, I thought I swing by there and pick you up.


    Olivia: Oh ¡­ are you close?


    Den: I called the house, and you weren¡¯t picking up; I¡¯m close to home ¡­ I¡¯m turning right now; I¡¯ll be there in 10 minutes?


    Olivia: Oh ¡­ okay ¡­ I¡¯ll finish up ¡­ let me know when you¡¯re close.


    Den: Sure, text youter, bye.


    Roman was folding his arms in front of him and leaning against the wall. ¡°He¡¯s picking you up?¡±


    She pursed her lips, ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s on his way ¡­ I guess I¡¯ll be leaving.¡±


    He nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s a remarkable room,¡± she chuckled. She didn¡¯t know how else to describe it. ¡°It¡¯s just that ¡­¡± The room seemed to expose her; she wasn¡¯tfortable with it.


    ¡°This room is locked at all times ¡­ I¡¯m the only one who has the key ¡­ you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡±


    She let out a silent sigh, ¡°I have to go now ¡­ I¡¯ll see you tomorrow? We¡¯re going to a client¡¯s house at 11.¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for dinner ¡­ I can see myself out,¡± she smiled and walked past him out the door.


    She took small steps out of Ludus to cross the street back to her studio. Den will arrive soon, and she didn¡¯t want him to see hering out of the gallery. As she crossed the street, a camera flickered, following her footsteps. It came from a car that was parked a few doors away from her studio. She had no idea; Roman¡¯s lens was not the only one that tried to capture her every move.

 Client Visit

    Kelly Thomas had just divorced her husband of 21 years, Greyson Thomas. She found out he had been living a double life with a mistress for the past four years; to top it off, it wasn¡¯t his first mistress. She decided to leave the house she had been living with Greyson and bought a new one as part of her divorce settlement, and she had been working with Olivia to do the interior of her new home.


    She wanted to go big with the house¡¯s decoration, and since Greyson was obliged to pay for everything, she wanted artwork around the house. That¡¯s where Romanes in.


    ¡°It¡¯s not even enough to pay back what I¡¯ve lost for 21 years,¡± Kelly snarled. ¡°That bastard had the audacity to bring his tramp to our house and used all my stuff ¡­ they even slept on our bed, can you believe that?¡± she scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s how I found out, you know? I had no idea ¡­ I guess if he weren¡¯t that stupid to bring that bitch to our house, I wouldn¡¯t have found out ¡¯tilter.¡±


    Olivia swallowed hard; she remembered when she found out Den had brought back his mistress to their home. The brownstone house he had bought for them to start a life together. He didn¡¯t go as far as using their bed, but she was there in her home, using all the stuff she used daily as if it were her own. She left her tissue with lipstick in the trash, used her perfume, and left it on the wrong side of her vanity.


    ¡°So I told him he could take the house ¡­ she can take all my used stuff, including him ¡­ but he has to buy me new ones,¡± sheughed sarcastically. ¡°What a way to waste the good years of your life ¡­ huh ¡­ it¡¯s a good thing Cole had moved out; he didn¡¯t have to witness all the ugly bickering and cursing; I think I smashed at least half of our China; busted Greyson¡¯s new BMW which he bought to impress his girlfriend.¡± Cole was their only son who was abroad to study.


    Divorce was hard. Betrayal was even more brutal. To be going through both hand in hand was hell. Kelly obviously hasn¡¯t been able to cope; it would take years toe out of that ck hole and mend herself back together. Some people never really got out of it. From the moment she arrived, Kelly couldn¡¯t stop talking about what Greyson had done to their marriage. Although she said the bimbo was the loser for getting the bastard and all her used things, she knew deep down she had lost 21 years of her life.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry ¡­ I¡¯m babbling nonsense at you ¡­ you, too, had your share of betrayal, haven¡¯t you? But Den is one who knows how to redeem himself, isn¡¯t he? I mean ¡­ look at that ring ¡­¡±


    Olivia raised a brow as if a ring was something that could pay for the hurt she had to go through all those years and probably still going through it without acknowledging it.


    ¡°They¡¯ll all betray us ¡­ everyst one of those sons of bitches,¡± Kellyughed, ¡°Some would feel sorry about it and try to make it up to you ¡­ like Den, but they all betray us one way or another.¡±


    Olivia smiled; she didn¡¯t know how to respond to it. ¡®They all betray¡¯ Does that include her? Because she had done it too.


    ¡°By the way ¡­ that¡¯s Brian Murphy¡¯s son, right?¡± Kelly pointed to Roman, who was surveying the living room.


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ he¡¯s an artist, and he owns a gallery right across my studio; his catalog is the one I showed you ¡­ I think some of them really go well with the theme you want for the house.¡±


    Kelly pursed her lips and swayed her hip to one side, ¡°Hmm ¡­ he looks gorgeous, doesn¡¯t he? Is he married?¡±


    Oliviaughed lightly. All her friends seem to thirst over Roman, ¡°Not that I know of.¡±


    Kelly waved a dismissive hand, ¡°You know, one of the things that really suck being single at my age ¡­ you have too high of an expectation when ites to men ¡­ men that don¡¯t exist ¡­ might as well just get the young ones on your sack and be on your way.¡±


    They giggled.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t have that problem, right, Livy? I¡¯d give anything to be 40 again ¡­ it¡¯s the best age for women, if you ask me, you¡¯re at the prime of yourself ¡­ physically, mentally, and sexually ¡­¡± She squeezed Olivia¡¯s arm as they leaned on the kitchen counter.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know ¡­ it¡¯s my first time being 40,¡± she joked. She always thought being 40 was old, but she will get older by the day when she really thinks about it. Being at her age was the youngest she would ever be again. Kelly was much older than her, 52, like most of Den¡¯s colleagues¡¯ wives.


    ¡°He¡¯s the youngest one, right? Roman?¡± Kelly furrowed her brows.


    It took Olivia some time to answer, ¡°Yeah ¡­ he is. Why?¡±


    ¡°I was surprised when I heard he was back. You know about how he left, don¡¯t you? There was a big talk among the wives when Brian Murphy¡¯s son left home because he was involved in a scandal.¡±


    ¡°A scandal? What do you mean?¡± she was never interested in gossip, but the mention of Roman¡¯s name intrigued her.


    ¡°Hey,dies ¡­ I¡¯m done with the survey; I took pictures of every room and the furniture you wanted me to look at ¡­ is there anything else?¡± Roman walked in on them in the kitchen.


    ¡°Oh ¡­ have you gone to the master bedroom?¡± Kelly sipped on her drink with a funny look in her eyes. She was definitely checking Roman out.


    ¡°Yeup, the second door on the left upstairs, right? I took photos of the walk-in closet ¡­ that¡¯s where you want the sculpture? And the wall on the back of the bed ¡­ for the painting?¡±


    ¡°Wow ¡­ that¡¯s impressive ¡­ you remember everything,¡± Kelly chuckled. She put down her ss on the counter, ¡°I guess that¡¯s everything ¡­ 52 items in total, right? Like my age,¡± sheughed with a high-pitched voice. ¡°Bill him 20% above your regr price ¡­ give yourselves a treat, will ya¡¯?¡± she said to the both of them.


    Roman nced at Olivia; it was an odd request.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Olivia asked.


    Kelly poured more whiskey into her ss, ¡°Oh yeah ¡­ I¡¯m sure.¡± She took a big gulp. ¡°Let him pay for everything ¡­ if there¡¯s anything I can take away from that God-awful man ¡­ it¡¯s his money.¡± She put the ss down on the counter, almost mming it.


    Kelly was half drunk by the end of their visit. Olivia kinda felt sorry for her. But at the same time, she can¡¯t help but think if that¡¯s what her future holds. Divorced, alone, and bitter. At least Kelly has a son, her flesh and blood, whom she can call family for the rest of her life.


    ¡°Hey ¡­ I think we should have a cup of coffee sometime ¡­ and continue our chat about ¡­¡± Kelly winked an eye and nudged her elbow at Olivia.


    Roman pretended not to notice the gesture.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Olivia smiled, ¡°Why don¡¯t you give me a call sometime ¡­ maybe we can have lunch around my studio.¡±


    ¡°Perfect! I don¡¯t have anything better to do nowadays anyway ¡­ I¡¯ll be in touch. Thank you foring out here, darling,¡± Kelly gave a peck on Olivia¡¯s cheek. ¡°You too, handsome ¡­ don¡¯t mind if you pay a visit if you need to look at the houseter,¡± she kissed Roman on the cheeks too.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Olivia pressed her lips to hold her amusement; she looked away and pretended she didn¡¯t see it.

 Scandalous

    He remembered the look on Olivia¡¯s face when she found out what he had been hiding from her. That moment of realization that the past several years of her life, he ¡­ her husband ¡­ the man she had vowed to spend the rest of her life with ¡­ had been with another woman. He never thought he could hurt someone so deeply in a matter of minutes. He watched as her world shattered in front of him, falling into the abyss of his betrayal, and there was nothing he could do to undo it; he had caused it; he opened the gates of hell.


    What do you say when you¡¯re caught red-handed in a lie? She noticed that things had been different even though he tried as hard as he could to make it look like everything was the way it¡¯s always been. He goes to work, adds a few extra hours after work twice or three times a week. He came home, showered, had dinner, and locked himself in his study to do more work. The only difference was he did only half the work that he usually does; the other half he spent with Sienna in every way he could.


    He hid his phone very well. All the text, secret phone calls, pictures, he made sure Olivia would never see them. She never saw them, but she knew they were there. That was something Den had no control of. His wife¡¯s intuition, wits, and smarts were why he had married her.


    They were colleagues. They work together daily. His infatuation with her might have led him to speak so fondly of her too often for his wife¡¯s liking. It didn¡¯t stop there. He was out on business trips more frequently as the affair deepened. Even then, Olivia still had faith that he would never do the unthinkable because he was a good man and husband. They¡¯ve been trying to get pregnant for years, and it took its toll on the both of them; he was focusing on work to take a break from the pressure; that was the initial idea.


    He felt something for Sienna. Of course, he did; he wouldn¡¯t be in that much trouble if he hadn¡¯t. But for most married people who fell for another, it was the way Sienna made him feel that really got to him. She made him feel special ¡­ again. The way Olivia had made him feel when they were first together. She made him feel important, wanted, even needed ¡­ she made him feel admired. He held on to that feeling with enough conviction that Olivia became a shadow in the background with the illusion that he didn¡¯t need her anymore.


    He was madly in love because Sienna was madly in love with him too. They were doing everything a couple should be doing in a great rtionship behind their spouse¡¯s back because they didn¡¯t have the time and energy to go through all that trouble to leave their marriages. They wanted it right there and then, fast, no fuss. They were both still attached to their partners, but they also knew they were attached to each other in a deeper meaningful way. Or so it seems.


    As their rtionship grew and became more casual than secret, they got clumsy. Sienna left her lipstick marks on his shirt and his trousers, she could smell her perfume on the car seat, and she even left her eyeliner on the dashboard on more than one asion. All of which didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Olivia.


    He denied it, of course, all of it. Olivia would never find out unless he admitted it. He didn¡¯t realize he was driving his wife insane with all the obvious lies he was constantly feeding her. Because as the affair went on, the lies got bigger until they enveloped everyone in it in one giant bubble of lies. And that bubble burst open when Olivia presented him with a panty she found in the backseat of his car and a picture of them kissing at a resort he went to for a business conference.


    Suddenly he found himself not in love with Sienna anymore. Funny how that works. The spell she had on him instantly disappeared as the reality of losing Olivia became more real than just a possibility. He never wanted to lose her; she was always the one that he loved. And the hurt in Olivia¡¯s eyes, reducing him from being the man that she adored into a worthless liar who had destroyed everything they had built for the past seven years, had turned his love affair into the biggest regret he would have to live with for the rest of his life.


    ¡°Give me the chance to make it up to you.¡± That was his promise to her. The one she granted but didn¡¯t expect him toe through. He watched the agony she endured the days after he was found out. She slept for days and could barely get out of bed. She was crying alone in the bathroom and didn¡¯t answer his calls. She fought it alone. He became more insignificant to her. And at the end of her long struggle, he saw a different version of himself in her eyes. The man she doesn¡¯t really need. But she stayed as if the Gods were still in his favor; she stayed with him.


    He paid the ultimate price. He lost her trust and respect, and although she still told him she loved him, he knew he had also lost that.


    He clutched the brown envelope in his hand. It was the fourth time he had received the package in his office. No sender¡¯s information. His name and office address was printed on the envelope. It came exactly on the 24th of every month since July, the mark of the day he was caught in his lies.


    Den didn¡¯t tell anyone about the package he¡¯s been receiving. He kept it to himself. He was good at keeping secrets, but he wasn¡¯t sure if this time he could survive it. Inside the envelopes were pictures of Sienna. Who had taken them? And why were they sent to him? He had no idea. Their intention can¡¯t be good; that¡¯s all he knows for sure.


    Sienna had moved out from Lancaster soon after they ended the affair. He took the first necessary step to save his marriage by dismissing her from her position in the office and forcing her to resign. That was another cmity he had to go through. He had done quite some damage on Sienna too, but she was partly to me; they both knew they were ying with fire. They just didn¡¯t anticipate what they would do if they got caught.


    That was eight years ago. Sienna and her husband moved back to Chestnut, where they originated from. The pictures in the envelopes showed Sienna in her running appareling out of the grocery store, in her working outfit, having coffee, and driving her car in the streets of Chestnut. He wondered what would be in the envelope he was holding, more pictures of her; she was sitting on a park bench by herself in Lancaster just a couple of weeks ago, followed by pictures of her sitting on a park bench in Lancaster ¡­ with him.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Den closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Someone out there knows. The only person he wanted to protect was Olivia. He can¡¯t risk breaking her into a million pieces the way he did eight years ago. Who is doing this? He was expecting this person to call him, and he would pay anything to keep this information hidden from his wife. Anything.

 Lunch Date

    ¡°Please ¡­ please ¡­ please¡­¡± Roman whined by the Urban Aesthetic entrance.


    Olivia was worried her employees might see him, so she walked in the direction of the restaurant where she would have lunch.


    ¡°It¡¯s just lunch, Olivia, I needpany, and we have work to discuss ¡­ right?¡± he was following her like a lovesick puppy.


    ¡°God, Roman, you¡¯re such a child ¡­¡± she sighed.


    ¡°Oh, look, who¡¯s talking? You¡¯ve been refusing my lunch invitation for months ¡­ it¡¯s not like we¡¯re doing anything, just eating together. What¡¯s the harm in that?¡±


    She stopped at her feet to roll her eyes at him, ¡°I didn¡¯t refuse dinner and breakfast, did I?¡± She let out a long exhale, ¡°You can¡¯t keep doing this, Roman; people might think we¡¯re ¡­¡± she made a waving gesture with her hands.


    ¡°Working together?¡±


    His blue eyes were bright under the sunlight. He had a point, they¡¯re just eating together, and they¡¯re work partners. There¡¯s no reason for anyone to be suspecting anything. Olivia started walking again.


    ¡°You¡¯re rejecting me because of our history together,¡± he walked beside her.


    ¡°Sssshhhh ¡­.¡± she pushed him and covered his mouth. ¡°Why did you have to say that?¡± her eyes widened.


    Heughed, taking her hand off his mouth, ¡°Sorry ¡­ but it¡¯s true, right? I told you ¡­ I won¡¯t touch you ¡­ unless you want me to.¡±


    ¡°Oh God,¡± she grunted; she was used to his flirtatiousment even though he didn¡¯t admit he was doing any of it. ¡°Fine, we¡¯re almost there anyway, might as well have lunch together ¡­ you¡¯re paying,¡± she patted his chest.


    They walked into Olivia¡¯s favorite Chinese restaurant a few blocks away from their buildings. The ce was packed. She took the seat in the back corner where the owner had reserved a seat for their favorite customer.


    Roman raised his brows, ¡°Wow ¡­ a reserved spot at Chow Mien at lunch hour? Pretty important customer.¡±


    Sheughed lightly. The waitress came to their table with a small notebook and a pen in her hands.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Miss Leighton. What can I get for you today?¡± she greeted her and smiled at Roman.


    Roman¡¯s eyes widened at Olivia.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± she threw a napkin at him before he could say anything.


    He pressed his lips and held them until the waitress had done taking their orders. ¡°I take it you always pay cash here?¡±


    Sheughed. She always used Adele Leighton as her name for the things she wanted to enjoy alone. It was the first time she ever eats there with someone else. ¡°Now you know all my secrets.¡±


    ¡°Oh, do I?¡± he gave her a sharp look.


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ and you¡¯ve invaded my favorite spot in Lancaster for lunch; I don¡¯te here with anyone.¡±


    ¡°Not with your fancy girlfriends?¡± he teased her.


    ¡°No ¡­ they only dine at fancy ces ¡­ it¡¯s so boring,¡± she smiled.


    ¡°This could be our secret ce, then.¡±


    ¡°Pfft ¡­ no, ¡­ so ¡­ what do you want to talk about work?¡±


    He put his elbow on the table and rested his face on his hand, ¡°Absolutely nothing ¡­¡± heughed, ¡°I just said that to get you to have lunch with me, admiring your beauty from across the table ¡­¡±


    ¡°Urgh ¡­ I knew it,¡± she pped his arm, ¡°And I fell for it ¡­ again ¡­¡±


    He smiled, his eyes gently falling on her face, ¡°I want to spend as much time as I can with you.¡±


    She looked away, ¡°You can¡¯t do that ¡­ you know that ¡­¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because ¡­¡± She didn¡¯t have to answer it.


    ¡°You being married is really not my problem,¡± he challenged her.


    She scoffed, ¡°It should.¡±


    ¡°You never gave me any other reason than that ¡­ and I say ¡­ I don¡¯t care,¡± he reached out to touch her hand on the table.


    She pulled her hand and hugged herself; he was right; she never gave him any other reason because she didn¡¯t have one. She sat back and looked at him in silence. For a moment, their eyes locked.


    ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    She shook her head lightly, ¡°Nothing.¡± She was lying. She was thinking about how persistent this guy was and how long will she be able to hold him back if he kept doing what he was doing.


    ¡°Do you know what I¡¯m thinking about?¡±


    Sheughed. It¡¯s incredible how he could turn every sentence into a chance to flirt. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to know.¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ I¡¯m serious ¡­ why are youughing?¡± he wasughing too.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably something dirty I don¡¯t wanna know about.¡±


    He gasped and put his hands on his chest, ¡°I¡¯m hurt ¡­ that¡¯s not entirely true ¡­¡±


    They burst out in augh.


    ¡°I do have dirty thoughts ¡­ and you don¡¯t wanna know what they are ¡­¡±


    Theirughs subsided.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not what I was going to say.¡±


    She waited for the rest of his sentence.


    ¡°When I look at you ¡­ I think of how strong you are.¡±


    She raised a brow.


    ¡°How strong you are holding onto your marriage ¡­ even though it goes against everything you want and how you feel ¡­ anyone should be so lucky to have you as their wife ¡­ especially Den.¡±


    She didn¡¯t respond. Her smile faded. She didn¡¯t know where he was going with that statement, but she felt like it wasn¡¯t an appropriate thing to discuss.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t so strong when I met you,¡± she said in a solemn voice.


    Their food came and interrupted the conversation. Olivia didn¡¯t want to discuss it, so she changed the subject to food instead. One thing was sure. She always has a goodugh whenever she¡¯s with Roman. He was funny and a teaser without being annoying. They have a lot inmon, especially when ites to food, and they would make great friends. The only problem was neither of them wanted to be friends.


    She thought about what he said again when they were walking back to their workce. She was disturbed by how he saw through her sometimes. She wanted to defend herself and tell him he was wrong; holding on to her marriage did not go against what she wanted. But her feelings for him made her think otherwise; maybe he was right. He knew that, and he was there waiting for her to make up her mind.


    ¡°So ¡­ what are you doing tonight?¡± Roman interrupted her thoughts.


    ¡°Oh ¡­ stop it,¡± she pushed him when they arrived in front of her studio, ¡°Go back to where you belong,¡± she said lightly.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m serious ¡­ we can go out drinking ¡­ it¡¯s Friday, you should enjoy yourself, have fun, go dancing,¡± he tucked his hands in his pockets and waited for her response.


    ¡°I¡¯m going home and drink at home like older people do,¡± she chuckled.


    ¡°Oh ¡­e on, that¡¯s so boring.¡±


    She raised her brows, ¡°It IS boring to be older ¡­ anyways, my husband will be waiting for me at home.¡±


    Itpletely wiped out his grin, ¡°Is he?¡±


    She nodded, ¡°It¡¯s our night at home together,¡± she looked at him straight in the eyes.


    He looked away, he thought about something for a moment, ¡°Well ¡­ if he¡¯s not home ¡­ we can have a drink somewhere.¡±


    She waved at him and pushed the entrance door of her studio; she didn¡¯t need to reply to his cheekyment. She walked into her office and saw him lit up a cigarette before turning his back and walking across the street to his gallery.

 And So It Begins

    ¡°Is that today?¡± Den sounded oblivious to Olivia¡¯s question.


    She shut her eyes. He always forgets. It seems like he can say one thing and sound like he really means it; he would eveny out the details about his n on what they would be doing on the weekend and right on the day ¡­ he just forgets.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can make it, honey; I¡¯m so sorry.¡± His apology didn¡¯t even sound sincere.


    She nodded, her phone still pressed against her ear. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Although it¡¯s not.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°We¡¯ll do it next week,¡± Den was quick with his promises.


    ¡°Sure,¡± she was quick to answer.


    She has an extra bottle of wine to herself, she thought. For a brief second, she wished she had said ¡®yes¡¯ to Roman¡¯s invitation earlier, but it was a crazy idea.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see youter, sweetie ¡­ if you¡¯re still up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just gonna watch something on Netflix ¡­ see youter.¡±


    She hung up without even saying goodbye. It annoys her when he does that. It made her regret ever believing that he would actually do what he promised when 90% of the time, he just forgets.


    She had her phone clutched in her hand while she poured wine into her ss. At least she could start earlier than expected. She put on some music in the background and sat beside the window of her living room, looking at her phone for a moment before she started texting.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Waiting for you,¡± Roman replied.


    She knew it wasn¡¯t true, but she smiled anyway.


    ¡ª


    He was about to go out for a drink in town when her text came in. He was all dressed up; his friends were already at the bar. The text stalled him. Something must be wrong in paradise.


    He sat back on his sofa and replied, ¡®Waiting for you.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t aplete lie; he was always waiting for her.


    Olivia: As it turned out ¡­ I got canceled.


    Roman: Wanna go out and have a drink with me?


    He wasn¡¯t thinking; he just said what he meant to say.


    Olivia: I wish I could.


    Roman: I can pick you up, and we¡¯ll go somewhere.


    It took her some time to reply.


    Olivia: That¡¯s a nice idea, but I can¡¯t.


    She needed a lot of convincing; he knew that. He was too eager to be patient. He would drive to her house and cancel his friends if it was up to him. He pressed the video call button instead.


    It rang and rang; she didn¡¯t pick up.


    Olivia: Can¡¯t we just chat?


    Roman: I want to see you.


    Olivia: You can see me tomorrow.


    Roman: Promise?


    Olivia: I was hoping you could look at something for Kelly¡¯s house ¡­ around noon. Is that okay?


    Roman: Of course, you can swing by anytime.


    Olivia: Alright ¡­ I¡¯ll see you tomorrow then.


    Roman: Already? I thought we could chat for a while.


    She didn¡¯t reply immediately.


    Olivia: I have to go ¡­ I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.


    Roman: (Frowning emoji) ¡­ if you need anything, call me.


    Olivia: Sure ¡­ thanks.


    He stared into nothing after that conversation. Suddenly he didn¡¯t feel like going out with his friends. He wanted to get into his car and drive to her house where she was all alone, abandoned by her husband like so many times before. But she would freak out; she couldn¡¯t even chat with him for more than a few sentences. He let out a long, frustrating sigh and dug his fingers through his hair.


    Text: Hey bro ¡­ where you at?


    He pressed his lips together, tapping his foot on the floor. Should he cancel?


    Text: Your date is here ¡­ are you gonna be long?


    He covered his eyes with one hand. Selma¡­ almost forgot about her. He stood up, grabbed his jacket, and walked down the stairs.


    Roman: I¡¯ll be right there.

 Just Say The Words

    David Bowie was ying. She could hear it stepping up the stairs to the second floor. The gallery manager told her Roman was working in his painting room. He never lets anyone up there unless it¡¯s very urgent. But he told the manager to let Oliviae up when she arrived.


    The door was slightly ajar. ¡°Fame¡± was ying rather loud from the inside. She hesitated for a moment before she pushed the door with her fingers. It slowly opened up to the painting room she never entered before.


    The whole room was lined with grid windows, bright with sunlight. She clutched the folder against her chest as she stepped on the hard wooden floor into the vast interior.


    Roman was sitting in front of a canvas by one of the windows at the end of the room. A lot of canvases were stacked and leaned against the wall on the floor. Some of them were on easels, some were painted, some were nk.


    He was shirtless, with his jeans hanging just above his pelvis. His tanned skin was smeared with paint here and there. He is sitting on a stool with his back against the direct sunlight and a big brush between his teeth. His waves fell over his eyes. Even with the loud music, he knew someone was entering the room.


    His face glowed with a wide smile, and his eyes always found her with a little spark that sent shivers down her spine. He raised his finger as a sign for her to wait; he was almost done with it.


    She curved her lips. She knew better than to interrupt an artist at work with a small talk or even a simple hello. She took a stroll around the room and looked at the paintings. She imagined how much time he spent in that room to do all the work he¡¯d done, to stroke colors one brush at a time, trying to express what he felt or what he thought on the canvas. Then she came to a painting that looked familiar, a woman in blue by the beach lifting up her dress while trying to test the water with her foot. How long did he spend creating that piece? How long did he let that woman in the painting stay inside his head until he finished it?


    ¡°That¡¯s you,¡± his voice fell softly in her ear.


    A woman in blue. Of course. She turned to look; he was standing behind her while wiping his hands with a small towel. He was so close she could smell the paint thinnering from the towel.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember dipping my foot in the water at the beach, though,¡± shemented.


    He  smiled, ¡°Not literally.¡±


    Their eyes locked. The painting says more than words can describe it. He saw something as they stared into each other¡¯s eyes. She looked away. He walked towards the door without saying anything, and her heart throbs. He shut the door and turned the key, then he walked over to his stereo and turned off the music. She felt her stomach tightened.


    ¡°Okay ¡­ talk to me,¡± he said from across the room.


    ¡°I need you to look at my sketch for Kelly¡¯s living room.¡±


    ¡°Not about that ¡­ talk to me ¡­¡± he insisted.


    She fidgeted on her feet, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean ¡­ I told you I wasing to discuss Kelly¡¯s house.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    He walked over to her and leaned his rear end on a wooden cab beside her, ¡°I know ¡­ but I¡¯m more interested in talking about why you¡¯ve been crying.¡±


    Her heart fell to the floor; she couldn¡¯t hide anything from him. She shrugged, ¡°Oh, I just didn¡¯t get enough sleepst night ¡­ is it that obvious?¡± she tried to deny it.


    He tilted his head to one side, pressed his lips together, and tucked her hair behind her ear, ¡°I know whatck of sleep looks like ¡­ and that¡¯s not it.¡±


    They fell silent for a moment. Olivia was not there to tell him how bad she felt the night before, being alone in her house waiting or not waiting for her husband toe home. Waiting or not waiting for something remarkable to happen in her life, even though the thing she wanted the most seemed to drift further away from her.


    ¡°I wonder how long will you let this go on,¡± he continued. ¡°Why are you doing this to yourself? I don¡¯t want you to do this to yourself ¡­ if that counts for anything.¡± His finger traced down her cheek.


    She turned to avoid any further gesture from his hand, ¡°I don¡¯t like talking about personal stuff with my business partner.¡±


    Heughed, folding his arms before him, ¡°So now you¡¯re putting me in that spot? Business partner? After you tried to friendzone me and failed?¡±


    She didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°You know that¡¯s just you trying to deny the truth ¡­ who am I to you, Olivia? Really? Don¡¯t try to create a ce for me so that I can fit into your reality ¡­ who am I to you? Truthfully.¡±


    She shot him a look. She was faced with two choices, to tell the truth or lie. She wasn¡¯t choosing either of them. She looked away again.


    ¡°Just say the words, Olivia ¡­. just say it ¡­ and put us both out of our miseries,¡± he added.


    ¡°Every marriage has its problems; it¡¯s nothing special ¡­ every rtionship has its challenges ¡­ mine included,¡± she said with a low voice.


    ¡°But not everyone can fix it ¡­ and not everyone is worth the effort ¡­ do you think he¡¯s worth it?¡±


    She sighed, ¡°My marriage is worth it ¡­ the years I¡¯ve invested in it is worth it.¡±


    ¡°You mean the years you¡¯ve wasted on him? And the years you will be wasting on him even further? This brought me to my question, is he worth it?¡± he stepped closer to her to look straight into her eyes.


    His blunt words took her aback; the only thing that stirred her inside was the truth in his questions.


    ¡°Come on¡­ are you seriously going to spend the years of your life waiting for him toe home wondering if he¡¯s still lying to you?¡±


    He saw the shock on her face; he¡¯d been waiting for the right moment to tell her, ¡°I know about Sienna.¡±


    ¡°Urgh ¡­¡± she walked away. The sound of her name disgusted her, ¡°It¡¯s not about that anymore.¡±


    ¡°Really? You mean you¡¯ve forgiven and forgotten? Are you saying that when you let me kiss you ¡­ made love to you ¡­ Sienna had nothing to do with it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± she pointed a finger at him, ¡°Don¡¯t reduce what we had into that ¡­ I wasn¡¯t taking revenge or anything like that ¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. I¡¯m simply saying you¡¯re on a sinking ship ¡­ your husband and Sienna put the hole in it, and you¡¯re the only one shoveling the water out ¡­ you see a lifeboat; you have a chance to get out ¡­ are you going to take it?¡±


    He was wrong about that. Her hands were shaking; she didn¡¯t realize talking about it with Roman would cause her so much distress. ¡°But you are not a lifeboat.¡±


    He looked at her intently. She didn¡¯t want to finish her sentence. She¡¯s still trying to understand it herself; what if Roman was the harbor? What if he¡¯s the one she was supposed to be with, and all the adversity she had to go through was the path to find him?


    ¡°Say the words, Olivia,¡± he said, his bright blue eyes piercing through her.


    How could she deny how she feels inside when they look at each other like that? How could she abandon her ship without hurting anyone, including herself? She felt her tears pushing from the back of her eyelids. Her lips trembled.


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she barely had a voice to say it. She touched his face and walked away.

 Shady

    There are parts of the city that people from high society never go to. Olivia knows that Den knows that Olivia knows that. And for that exact reason, he chose those ces to meet with people he didn¡¯t want Olivia ever knowing that he met them.


    Downtown Lancaster, where they have pubs and bars for after-office hour hangouts, is one of those ces. It¡¯s where he took his mistress for drinks and alone time without worrying he would meet anyone that might recognize him or know his wife. But that was a long time ago, and it didn¡¯t help him either; he still got caught.


    He goes to the same area in the central business district near his office building to meet up with a mysterious man every now and then. Roman learned about this from the private investigator he hired to look for Olivia. After a while, he decided to see it for himself.


    It¡¯s the same man every time. Light-colored hair, medium built, much shorter than Den because Den was quite tall. The man looked like someone who works with muscles rather than a white-cor employee. Judging by his outfit and mannerism, he didn¡¯t look like someone from Den¡¯s social status. They usually talk at the bar, sometimes in one of the booths at the back of the pub. Sometimes the conversation looked tense, sometimes loose. They would have a few drinks, no more than a couple of hours at a time, and then go their separate ways.


    The man was definitely not one of his colleagues nor his personal friend. Why would a diamondpany owner invite his friend to a cheap bar downtown? Whoever he is, Olivia is oblivious to his existence in her husband¡¯s life. And Den felt it was necessary to hide him from his wife. Why?Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Roman paid his PI to do more digging to find out the mysterious man¡¯s identity. It was then he found out about Sienna. The man was her husband, and he¡¯d been seeing Den almost regrly since he and his wife moved out of Lancaster, since Den fired Sienna and practically sent them back to their hometown.


    He stopped paying his PI after he found out about Sienna. He didn¡¯t want to get too deep into Olivia¡¯s private life. If she knew he was doing it, it would made her feel vited. He did it out of curiosity and annoyance at why her husband still lied to her. But he never stopped following Den to those bars; it was his insurance to prove that he was still a liar and not worth the dedication Olivia so freely gave him.


    Whenever Olivia said she was going home to be with Den, Roman questioned her because he knew her husband would be somewhere else. He didn¡¯t have the heart to tell her. How could he? She would freak out to know he was following Den even before they met again in Lancaster. But he felt relieved to be able to tell her that he knew about Sienna.


    The gaping wound was finally uncovered. She didn¡¯t have to hide it from him anymore, and maybe in time ¡­ when the time was right, he could finally tell her where her husband was after office hours and with whom.


    It¡¯s killing him, though, to keep what he knew about Den from her. How could someone keep anything from the one they love? And to do it over and over again without the burden of guilt? Den was so used to doing it when he was with his mistress the fact that he was seeing her husband in secret didn¡¯t seem to bother him at all. Leaving Olivia with his empty promises waiting for him toe home.


    It wasn¡¯t an act of revenge. He believed it. It¡¯s the only thing she let him hold on to. What happened two years ago was real. But she still wouldn¡¯t say it. He understood the courage it takes to say she¡¯d fallen in love with him when she had been married to someone else for 15 years.

 Party

    ¡°Ready?¡± Den asked before opening the car door.


    She responded with a simple smile. She wasn¡¯t really ready, not mentally anyway. They were invited to a party at Brian Murphy¡¯s house which came as a surprise because Roman never mentioned it to her. It was his 28th birthday. But then again, thest time she saw him was at his studio that morning; she didn¡¯t give him a chance to say anything else after she walked away.


    That was a few days ago, and they didn¡¯t have any contact since then. Not even about work. She thought it was better to let it cool off before they saw each other again, never expecting that the next time they would meet was at his birthday party.


    Brian wanted to celebrate it because it¡¯s been ten years since he held a party for his youngest son. It was more of weing him back to the family rather than celebrating his birthday.


    ¡°Is Elizabeth going to be there?¡± Olivia asked of Brian¡¯s ex-wife, Roman¡¯s mother.


    Den scoffed, ¡°Pfft ¡­ I highly doubt it ¡­ that would be awkward with Abbey being the hostess, but I hear Roman¡¯s girlfriend is going to be there ¡­ Brian had been fussing about him not having a girlfriend for so long ¡­ not a steady one, anyway.¡±


    She raised her brows, ¡°Oh ¡­ ¡±


    ¡°A good-looking guy like him, he probably has dozens of girls lining up around him ¡­ why have just one?¡± he chuckled.


    She nced at him; for a moment there, it felt like he was expressing his own feelings about the matter.


    ¡°I mean ¡­ he¡¯s an artist, to say the least, they¡¯re very promiscuous, and ¡­ 28 is just a kid. What did we know when we were that age? Compare to now? About rtionship and marriage most of all,¡± he straightened his tie as they approached Brian Murphy¡¯s mansion.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ it depends on the person, I guess; some people are very mature for their age,¡± shemented. ¡°Some people think 30 is old ¡­ which makes us ancient,¡± sheughed lightly.


    Den held her hand, ¡°That would make Brian Murphy a mummy ¡­ and he still has no clue about marriage.¡± Theyughed.


    A girlfriend. Maybe that¡¯s why Roman never mentioned this party. Why hadn¡¯t she thought about that? Of course, he has a girlfriend, and as Den nicely put it, he probably has more than just one.


    Gaby said she saw him with a girl on his apartment balcony, a different one every time. When they first met, Olivia had seen him with at least two other girls on the boat. She pinched the bridge of her nose; maybe Roman was not so truthful about his feelings for her after all. She let out a silent sigh before stepping out of the car, put on a wide smile as she looped her arm around Den¡¯s, and walked into Brian¡¯s house, which looked more like a pce.


    ¡°Wee ¡­ wee to my humble home,¡± Brian greeted them with open arms and his shiny new white teeth. He looked like he had done something with his face, too, a Botox, probably.


    Abbey smiled more confidently than thest time they saw each other; she seemed to be getting used to being Brian¡¯s better half, standing beside him with the poise and elegance of a billionaire¡¯s wife. All dressed in designer clothes, jewelry from head to toe, perfect hair, and make-up, embodying what a woman of her stature should look like. She reminded Olivia of herself when she transformed into Den Hunt¡¯s wife, symbolizing her husband¡¯s sess.


    ¡°You look stunning as always,¡± Abbey said to her with a weing embrace and a cheek-to-cheek. ¡°Please ¡­e in. Everything is ready; almost everyone is here.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, you look amazing yourself,¡± Olivia returned thepliment. They walked side by side as they separated from their husbands, who had already walked in front of them.


    Their house resembled Den¡¯s parents¡¯ home, an old money mansion where every detail was measured with precision, decorated with only the finest things from all over the world. To think that Roman had grown up in that house and left it when he was a teenager brought her back to what Kelly had said to her about the scandal. They never found the time to go over that.


    Her mouth was replying to Abbey¡¯s small talk, her mind was thinking about how much she didn¡¯t know about Roman, and her eyes were scanning the ce for that bright blue eyes, charming smile, dark brown wavy hair, and the girl he was bringing home to his parents. Her heart beats faster.


    ¡°Olivia, darling ¡­ how is everything going with my son?¡± Brian interrupted her thoughts.


    She was taken aback for a moment. Then she realized he was asking about their work together, ¡°Oh ¡­ everything¡¯s fine ¡­ we have a few projects together at the moment actually ¡­ things are pretty busy, we¡¯re actually doing the interior for his uing exhibition.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful ¡­ sounds like an expansion already. You know Den is such a lucky man,¡± he nudged Den¡¯s arm with his elbow. ¡°How often can you find a wife who¡¯s not only a dazzling beauty but a brilliant businesswoman as well,¡± heughed, leaving Abbey looking sour at her husband¡¯s insinuation.


    Den gleamed with pride like he always does when somebodyplimented his wife, ¡°She might have gotten that from me, you know? It rubs on you when you¡¯re married for 15 years,¡± he was grinning, ¡°But no ¡­ really ¡­ she is a multi-talented woman, you can¡¯t be more right ¡­ I¡¯m very lucky indeed.¡± Den nced at his wife, to which she responded with a smile.


    ¡°You know what they say when you¡¯re a power couple like that ¡­ you should have a lot of kids,¡± Brian cackled in a sharp voice.


    Olivia always feels like the topic of children is distasteful, especially after Den¡¯s affair. But she kept a friendly face; it was something they couldn¡¯t avoid in a social setting.


    ¡°You know, I was your age when we had Roman ¡­ I don¡¯t know why people fuss about being toote to have kids, hell ¡­ Abbey is pregnant right now,¡± he rubbed his wife¡¯s t tummy, ¡°You can¡¯t see it now ¡­ but it will show, not too bad for an old timer, huh?¡± he winked an eye at Den.


    Everyone in that circle felt a bit awkward except for Brian, who was practically bragging about how he could impregnate his young wife at his age. Olivia tightened her clutch around Den¡¯s arm; she didn¡¯t realize she was doing it. Hearing the news of someone getting pregnant still gives her anxiety, especially a newlywed like Brian and Abbey.


    ¡°Wow, congrattions, that¡¯s wonderful news, ¡­ we have been taking a break from trying for some time now, although I am considering trying again with In Vitro,¡± Den replied.


    Olivia¡¯s eyes widened; it was the first time she heard of his n, ¡°What?¡± she half whispered in Den¡¯s ear.


    ¡°You mean you¡¯ve never tried In Vitro all these years?¡± Brian was surprised.


    ¡°No, Olivia thought it was a pretty invasive procedure, and we were worried that we may get twins or triplets ¡­ you know,¡± he chuckled nervously, ¡°But I think it¡¯s worth considering now ¡­ it would be nice to have triplets and not have to worry about getting pregnant ever again,¡± Den patted his wife¡¯s hand.


    Olivia red at him. By this time, she felt left out of his borate n of having a triplet without even consulting the matter with her; on top of that, he was discussing it with his business partner rather than talking about it with her beforehand.


    ¡°That¡¯s practicality ¡­ exactly what I like about you, Den; let¡¯s cheers to that ¡­ for triplets!¡± Brian raised his ss and nk it with Den¡¯s.


    Before Olivia could say anything.


    ¡°Who¡¯s having triplets?¡±


    Roman¡¯s voice came from behind them. He had a girl clung to his arm, a beautiful, voluptuous brte who was looking at him with admiring eyes.


    ¡°Roman ¡­ my boy ¡­ Den was just telling us about his n to have triplets ¡­ can¡¯t say the same for us,¡± Brian wrapped his arm around Abbey¡¯s waist, ¡°Abbey and I are expecting. You won¡¯t be the youngest in the family soon,¡± he sipped on his drink.


    The look on Roman¡¯s face says it all; he pauses for a moment, ¡°Wow ¡­ that¡¯s a lot of news to take in ¡­ congrattions,¡± he meant to say it to his dad, but his eyes were pinned on Olivia.


    ¡°Thank you ¡­ now when do we get to receive news from you, son? Who¡¯s the lovely youngdy? Would you care to introduce us?¡± Brian said.


    Roman cleared his throat, ¡°Yes, absolutely,¡± he looked at the girl who was blushing in his arm, ¡°Everyone ¡­ this is my date, Selma Curtis.¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

 Balcony

    Whenever she goes to a party at a house like the Murphy Mansion, she always finds the time to separate herself from Den¡¯s crowd. The ce is so big that she is bound to find an area where no one goes.


    That night, it was the second-floor balcony facing the vast garden at the back. She could see the reflection of the glittering moonlight on the pond. The stillness of the night somehow settled the turbulence in her mind.


    The sound of peopleughing at Brian¡¯s jokes was faintly heard from where she stood with a ss of champagne in her hand. She¡¯d been taking a ss from every corner of the house where they serve it, chugging it down her throat, trying to forget what Den said about having a triplet, and ¡­ Selma Curtis.


    She felt the hair on her back and stood up; the low-cut dress couldn¡¯t protect her from the chill breeze. She rubbed her arms and sighed. She didn¡¯t want to go back inside now that the news about the triplet had be the party¡¯s main discussion or more like the party¡¯s amusement. She pressed her fingers on her brow, she would¡¯ve rubbed her face, but she didn¡¯t want to ruin her make-up.


    ¡°Always the star of the show,¡± Roman¡¯s voice startled her.


    She turned to look. He was walking towards her with a ss of champagne in each hand. He was alone.


    ¡°You mean your dad?¡± she chuckled, turned her back on him, and straightened the front of her dress.


    ¡°You ¡­ of course, I kept hearing them talking about how beautiful you look tonight ¡­ I couldn¡¯t agree more,¡± he stood beside her and leaned on the railing. ¡°I would¡¯veplimented you before ¡­ but I think you always look beautiful.¡±


    She tilted one side of her lips, ¡°Hmm ¡­¡± She¡¯d lost the will to respond to his sweet talk. ¡°You have a nice girlfriend,¡± she reminded him.


    He scoffed and sipped his champagne, ¡°She¡¯s my date ¡­ not a girlfriend.¡± He nced at her to see her reaction.


    ¡°You must have a lot of those ¡­ or so I¡¯ve heard ¡­ where is she, anyway?¡±


    Her cynical tone made him smile. He raised his shoulders, ¡°No idea ¡­ lost among the crowd somewhere, or mingling with your husband, perhaps, ¡­ who knows? Who cares?¡±


    She shot him a look, ¡°Is that how you treat all your dates?¡±


    He moved closer and looked straight into her eyes, ¡°No ¡­ just the one I hired so my dad would stop asking me to bring home a girlfriend,¡± he whispered in her ear.


    Her eyes widened, ¡°What?¡±


    Romanughed and sipped his drink again, ¡°Mm ¡­ hmm ¡­ why? Are you jealous?¡± he moved a strand of her hair away from her face with his finger.


    ¡°Why would I be? ¡­ you¡¯re a free man ¡­ you can be with whoever you want,¡± she chugged down the rest of her champagne.


    Her answer didn¡¯t convince him. He took the empty ss from her hand and exchanged it with the full one. ¡°I¡¯m not free to be with you ¡­ and you¡¯re the only one I want.¡±


    She grunted, ¡°Oh ¡­ please ¡­ don¡¯t do that ¡­¡±


    ¡°Do what? Tell you the truth?¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t say things like that and pressure me ¡­ as if I¡¯m preventing you from having something you want ¡­ as if it¡¯s my fault that you can¡¯t get what you want ¡­ haven¡¯t you heard? My husband is going to have triplets.¡±


    He fell silent for a moment. She wasshing out at him for something her husband said and put her in distress.


    ¡°With you?¡± he was half joking.


    She red at him.


    ¡°Hey ¡­ okay ¡­ okay ¡­ it was a joke,¡± he put his palms up. ¡°Was this not discussed before?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ this is the first time I heard of it; I didn¡¯t even know he still wants children.¡±


    ¡°Do you?¡± he sipped on his drink. ¡°Want children?¡±


    She looked at his face. His eyes stared back at her, anticipating the next thinging out of her mouth. She thought for a moment; how could she be talking about this with him? But he was listening; he wanted to know the answer.


    She looked away, ¡°I do,¡± she couldn¡¯t lie. ¡°It¡¯s the one thing I¡¯ve always wanted.¡±


    He felt a hard knot in his stomach; he didn¡¯t expect to feel that blow to hear her honest response. He let out a long sigh, ¡°With him?¡± he tried.


    She scoffed, ¡°Do I have a choice? Isn¡¯t that the most logical thing to do? To have a child with my husband?¡±


    It burns. It stings. It¡¯s a pinch harder than a punch. Roman was faced with the reality that the woman he was so in love with wanted to have a child with her husband, and that notion alone had shattered any hope he had to be with her.


    ¡°Do you love him?¡± he had to ask.


    She felt a lump in her throat; she never found it so hard to answer that simple question. ¡°Does it matter?¡±


    Roman shook his head andughed lightly, ¡°Olivia ¡­ my darling, Olivia ¡­ that is the most messed up thing I¡¯ve ever heard.¡±


    She knew that. She was not ignorant. She was just caught up in her desire to have a child that she¡¯d been dreaming of for so long, and now that the chance was resurfacing, she found herself wanting to blindly free falling into the opportunity.


    Even though she had convinced herself for years that she was done trying because of what Den did, the desire was so strong that one small conversation had turned her world upside down in an instant.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s so convenient for him if you¡¯re pregnant with triplets right now? Right at the moment your business is taking off ¡­ when you can finally stand up for yourself financially and break away from him?¡±


    It silenced her. She was too eager for the idea of having a child; she knew she was running out of time to do it and to consider this possibility was a chance she didn¡¯t want to take. ¡°Maybe he just wants me to be happy?¡±


    ¡°Of course, he does ¡­ that way you will stay with him forever ¡­ all he had to do is to throw the idea on the table, he knew you¡¯re going to devour it, have his triplets, give up your business to take care of them ¡­ lose yourself in motherhood and live happily ever after ¡­ he¡¯s a smart, maniptive bastard, isn¡¯t he?¡± Roman couldn¡¯t hide the annoyance in his voice.


    ¡°A practical man ¡­ he can achieve all that with just an idea to have an In Vitro because he wants his amazing wife to be happy ¡­¡± he chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, there¡¯s nothing wrong with that ¡­ the only thing that¡¯s not sitting right with me is ¡­ is that what you want?¡±


    Is there truth to what he¡¯s saying? Or is he just saying that because he was jealous of Den? He isn¡¯t free from his own selfish desires. How can she be sure? Was he telling the truth when he said Selma was just a hired date? Was he manipting her too?


    She shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about this ¡­ we shouldn¡¯t be talking about this ¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry, you¡¯re obviously in distress because of this, and I want to help you, I don¡¯t mind ¡­ I don¡¯t want you to fall into that trap again ¡­ it¡¯s a simple question, and the answer to that will be the solution to your problem ¡­ is that what you want?¡±


    ¡°I do ¡­ I want to have a child ¡­ someone thates from my womb that I can give all my love and affection to ¡­ that I can nurture, cherish, share my years together with it, someone who calls me mom,¡± she was holding back tears as she said it. It was a longing that she¡¯d been holding back for so long.


    Roman nodded; he understood now that he¡¯d seen it. This was how badly she wanted to have a child, and Den must¡¯ve known that too. ¡°With Den?¡± he repeated his question.


    She closed her eyes; this question seemed more painful for her. ¡°You don¡¯t understand how it feels ¡­ it¡¯s not that simple.¡±


    ¡°It is that simple ¡­ do you want to have children with the man who had lied to you? He¡¯s a liar, Olivia. Why are you allowing him to trap you in his lies again?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t talk about this ¡­ you¡¯re not the right person for me to be talking about this.¡±


    He raised his brows, ¡°Why? Because I¡¯m too young? I don¡¯t understand. I¡¯m not too stupid to understand that you can¡¯t force yourself to have a life you want with someone you don¡¯t love anymore ¡­ Olivia ¡­ is that urate enough for you?¡±


    They looked into each others¡¯ eyes for a moment and took it all in. They were arguing like lovers, and they didn¡¯t even realize it. He could see her on a level she never thought was possible for someone who had known her for a short time. She felt naked. He had stripped her from all her guards, trying to conceal what was really the trouble in her marriage. She had lost her love for her husband, and it was such a big shame for her.


    ¡°I have to go ¡­ he¡¯s probably looking for me,¡± and like so many times before, she would instead run away than face the truth.


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s why you have to go?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t be seen like this, Roman; people could hear us,¡± she said quietly.


    He rested his hands on his waist, he didn¡¯t give a damn about what people thought, but he also knew he couldn¡¯t make her stay.


    ¡°It¡¯s a great party; I¡¯ll see you at work,¡± she didn¡¯t wait for him to reply.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

 Family

    He noticed his wife had been quiet throughout the party. She went missing for a while, even though it¡¯s not new. She has a habit of staying away from the crowd to recharge. She never liked the social setting, not with ¡®his people¡¯ anyways. She feels like she has to transform into someone else when she is among them, and it¡¯s tiring.


    He slipped his hand to reach hers in the backseat of their car. She pulled away. That¡¯s how he knew her quietness was caused by something he did.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You haven¡¯t said a word since we left the party.¡±


    She was looking out the window with one hand on her chin. She shook her head and made a gesture that she didn¡¯t want Travis to listen to their conversation.


    Den pressed a button, and the divider slowly rolled up. But she kept silent.


    ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ do you? You seemed so sure about your n to have triplets you didn¡¯t even bother to let me in on that n.¡±


    ¡°Oh ¡­ that?¡± heughed lightly, ¡°It was just an idea that seemed appropriate to bring up in the conversation ¡­ although ¡­ I have been thinking about it.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t think you should¡¯ve discussed it with me before throwing it out in the middle of a party? How could youugh about it when Brian kept using it as a party joke? It¡¯s a bit off-putting.¡±


    ¡°I think we can both agree that Brian can be a bit irritating sometimes, right?¡±


    ¡°A bit?¡± she red at him.


    ¡°Okay, a lot ¡­ but you know how it is ¡­ half of the people there didn¡¯t think he was funny at all, but we allughed at his effort, that¡¯s what we do ¡­ he¡¯s the host, the multibillionaire host that every person in that room has something to gain from ¡­ it has nothing to do with what I said about the In Vitro treatment.¡±


    She sighed deeply, ¡°I just ¡­ why didn¡¯t you say something about it before? It caught me off guard ¡­ you know how sensitive I am around that topic.¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry,¡± he grabbed her hand. ¡°I just thought it fit in the conversation when he said that we have to have children ¡­ and he¡¯s right, you know? Maybe it¡¯s time for us to consider starting a family again.¡±


    She looked at him; he was being serious. He kissed her hand, ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you want? This family is notplete without little Olivia or little Den running around the house driving you crazy ¡­ for once, it¡¯s not me doing that anymore,¡± he smiled.


    She pulled her hand and turned to look outside the window again. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Den ¡­ you know how hard it was for us back then ¡­ do you think you can go through that again?¡±


    He fell silent. He knew what she meant. His affair was the result of their five agonizing years of failed efforts. The car stopped, and he didn¡¯t have the chance to respond when she leaped out of the car and ran into the house. He let out a frustrating exhale, he had stirred the peace, and he would have to calm his wife down.


    He dismissed Travis and waited for him to settle the car. He slowly walked into the house, locked the door, and climbed the stairs. Thinking about what he must do to convince Olivia that he meant well. When he arrived in their bedroom, Olivia was taking off her jewelry. He heard sniffles.


    He leaned on the doorway and felt the hostility from her movement around the room. The silence didn¡¯t do much either. She was crying. He walked over to her, caressed her hair from behind, and ran his hands along her arms.


    ¡°If I could take back what happened ¡­ I would,¡± he pressed his forehead against the back of her head.


    She didn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She clenched her teeth to hold back her cry. She had cried too much for the same reason; she¡¯d promised never to do it again.


    He turned her to face him and wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks. She wasn¡¯t sobbing, her expression was stern as a rock, but her cheeks were wet. Even the strongest weep.


    ¡°I just thought ¡­ if you give me a chance to give you back your happiness ¡­ you¡¯d love me again ¡­ the way you used to.¡±


    She broke down. She yielded to the grief that she no longer allowed to resurface. But it¡¯s there, it will always be there, and sometimes it made its way out. And she was helpless to it.


    Den held her in his embrace, let her bury her face in his chest because that¡¯s where she belongs, in his heart. He has to make this better; he has to.


    ¡°If we could turn this house into a home ¡­ fill it with cries of babies ¡­ watch them grow into the extension of our wretched selves ¡­¡±


    Her shoulders twitched from a spontaneous chuckle.


    He smiled. ¡°Maybe you won¡¯t find me so repulsive anymore ¡­¡±


    It made her smile even though she was still crying. He touched her chin,  ¡°I love you, Livy¡­ we can still do this if you want to.¡±


    She looked into his eyes, and her crying stopped. A soft kissnded on her lips, and she let it linger for a while. She let herself dissolve in the moment, let Den ease her sadness, and turned it into a sweet reconciliation.


    She felt his hands rubbing her back and slowly made their way to unzipped her dress. She let him slide the dress off of her while her mind went back and forth, knowing what would happen next.


    Den didn¡¯t give her the chance to change her mind. He undressed himself without breaking away from the kiss. His wife¡¯s naked body was in his arms; it was his, all his. She let him run his mouth along her neck and taste her skin. She was giving in to him.


    Heid her on the bed and engulfed her in his kiss. ¡°Let¡¯s try again, baby. Do you want to try again?¡±


    She nodded. He lulled her with a promise of a future she had always dreamed of, and she wascent. Not just from his words but the way he made her body feel at that moment. He was warming up to her, and she felt him everywhere.


    ¡°Let mee inside you ¡­ maybe we¡¯ll get lucky this time,¡± he smiled, and she smiled back at him.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

 In Vitro

    Medications, consultations, tests, needles, tubes, transvaginal ultrasounds. She covered her eyes with both hands. She could 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 Den 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 couples¡¯ sess 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 ising for the next day. She won¡¯t be done with them if she stayed up all night in her office until morninges, 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 seed. 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, and again until they seed. At least, that¡¯s her goal. It¡¯s now or never, all or nothing.


    Last night was magical. It happens sometimes. A moment of connection when she pictured herself in a future with children and Den, his sincere apology, his loving touch, the dream they shared since they were married. A picture-perfect family in her mind when he lulled her to their bed and made love to her like a husband who¡¯s crazy about his wife. The momentsted until they both fell asleep.


    They woke up in the morning, and the moment felt like a dream. The talk about IVF was only mentioned as an afterthought before Den announced that he had to leave for a few days for a business trip with Brian. What seemed so special the night before is not as important anymore in the morning.


    She threw herself back on the chair and stared at the ceiling with both hands sped on her stomach. She remembered her first miscarriage. She couldn¡¯t articte the disappointment she felt back then, they waited months before they tried again, and she didn¡¯t get pregnant until almost a year after the miscarriage.


    The hope, the fear, the worry of her second pregnancy put a lot of pressure on her. During the second miscarriage, she fell deeper into frustration. Why? What happened? What¡¯s wrong with me? It left her a bit traumatized to try again. They waited longer.


    The third miscarriage was the point where she had a breakdown. She had post-natal depression. Unlike most mothers, she had to endure it without a baby. She lost hope of ever getting it right. She couldn¡¯t understand why. In terms of fertility, they both didn¡¯t have a serious problem. That¡¯s why the doctor proposed the idea of an IVF treatment. He said their chances of a sessful pregnancy were high.


    But she was done with promises. She was done being hopeful. She was tired. She wasn¡¯t goodpany and wasn¡¯t very pleasant to be around. She had nothing else to look forward to except waiting for Den toe homete to pick a fight with him. And that¡¯s when they drifted apart, and Den found his way to deal with his frustration. The idea of an IVF treatment faded into the background as Den fell in love with another woman, and Olivia grew more distant.


    Their marriage should¡¯ve ended there, or at least when she learned about the affair. The only thing that stopped it was that he got caught. No matter how sorry he said he was, the fact remains. He would still be with that woman if she hadn¡¯t caught him on his lies. And now this ¡­


    Roman¡¯s argument started to make sense. She was defensive the night before because she was caught up in the ideal. When reality started to sink in, she was back where she started. One thing is sure. She wants a baby. It¡¯s the father she wasn¡¯t sure about.


    The ring of her phone startled her.


    Olivia: Urban Aesthetic ¡­ good evening, how may I help you?


    Roman: Can Ie over? You look like you need somepany.


    The sound of his voice made her smile. She tilted her head back to peek through her window. He was on his balcony looking her way. He waved a hand. She turned back to hide her expression. The tension in their conversation the night before seemed to have disappeared without a trace. The call came at the right time.


    Olivia: Have you had dinner?


    Roman: (Laughed lightly) I¡¯d have it again with you ¡­ do you want to go out?


    Olivia: (Paused) No ¡­ I¡¯ll finish here and go to your ce. Is that okay?N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Roman: You can do it right now if you want.


    Olivia: Do you have champagne?


    Roman: No, mydy ¡­ I should stock on your favorite champagne, right? I have Hendricks ¡­ and tonic?


    Olivia: Sounds wonderful ¡­ I¡¯ll be there in a jiff.


    ¡ª


    She wasn¡¯t so intimidated by his king-size bed anymore. After dinner, hey on the bed with both arms folded on the back of his head while she sat on his sofa across the room. They each have a drink in their hands, talking casually. They¡¯ve been discussing work over dinner and how much she fell behind on her deadline with new projects pouring in. Something she didn¡¯t discuss with Den because they hardly have time to discuss anything at home, and with the bit of time they had, Den was usually the one that did the talking because his work was more important, his projects were bigger, and the money he generated was huge.


    ¡°So ¡­ how did it gost night?¡± he looked at her flirtatiously.


    She took a big gulp of her drink, ¡°You don¡¯t wanna know ¡­¡±


    He crossed his feet on the bed and let out a long sigh. He¡¯d imagined they would be fighting over what Den said at the party. But her answer made it sound like it went another way. It made him ufortable.


    ¡°What about you? How did it gost night?¡± she returned the question.


    He shrugged, ¡°It was fine ¡­ I took her home, we kissed, then I went back here.¡± His eyes sharply waited for her reaction.


    A twitch was in one corner of her eye, a curl on her nose, and a creased on her forehead. It was quick, he barely captured it, but he saw it. He smiled in amusement.


    ¡°How long are you going to pretend you have a girlfriend? That poor girl ¡­ she seemed like she really likes you.¡±


    He sat up, ¡°She¡¯s wellpensated ¡­ as long as it keeps my dad out of my personal business, I guess.¡± He stood and walked to the dining table to pour more gin into his ss.


    ¡°But ¡­ how does it work ¡­ exactly? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Heughed lightly, walked over to where she sat, and kneeled before her. ¡°Are you jealous? What¡¯s with the 50 questions?¡±


    She pouted, almost blushing, ¡°No ¡­ I¡¯m not jealous ¡­ I¡¯m just curious ¡­ I¡¯ve never known anyone who hired a date. I wonder how that works.¡± His face was right in front of her. His bright blue eyes looked at her. He smiled, a dimple curved on his left cheek. She quivered inside at the sight.


    ¡°I took her home and kissed her. You went home and kissed him when all I wanted was to kiss you ¡­ and all you wanted was to kiss me,¡± he tucked her hair behind her ear. ¡°That¡¯s how it works ¡­ at least until you say the words ¡­ then it doesn¡¯t have to be that way anymore.¡±


    She shook her head and looked away, ¡°You¡¯re so bad ¡­¡± sheughed.


    ¡°Actually ¡­ I¡¯m being a very ¡­ very good boy ¡­ or otherwise you won¡¯t be sitting here ¡­¡±


    She turned to him again, their eyes locked. She can¡¯t deny that she likes it when he¡¯s flirting.


    ¡°You¡¯d be on that bed right now ¡­ and get this edge off of me ¡­ I¡¯d take your clothes off, do all the things you like me to do ¡­ and make you feel good.¡±


    All that talk made him imagine things he shouldn¡¯t. He rubbed his nose against hers. ¡°Kiss me,¡± he said. Their lips were almost touching.


    She wanted to. She was thinking about it. After knowing that he kissed that girlst night. After all that pressure of researching for her self-torture of IVF. After remembering how it felt to be so broken and betrayed. She wanted his lips to engulf her and remind her how heated their feelings were. But it¡¯s a path of no return.


    She looked down, ¡°I think it¡¯s time for me to go.¡±


    He sighed deeply. He cocked his head to search her eyes, ¡°Why? Do you have something urgent to do at home?¡±


    She sat back on the sofa and took a long breath, ¡°No, actually ¡­ Den¡¯s away on a business trip.¡±


    He raised his brows in glee, ¡°Wow ¡­ that was fast ¡­ from nning an In Vitro to leaving you alone to do your research,¡± he chuckled.


    She cushioned his face, ¡°Don¡¯t mock me ¡­ I don¡¯t wanna talk about it.¡±


    Heid his head on herp, ¡°I don¡¯t wanna talk about it either. Your husband is a very dull topic ¡­ the only reason I want to talk about it is to point out how dull he is.¡±


    She put her hands on his head and naturally brushed his hair with her fingers. Their closeness was helping her to see things more clearly. She felt more at home there with him than in the emptiness of her house.


    ¡°Stay then ¡­ we can talk about other things ¡­ anything ¡­¡± he pleaded.


    She paused for a moment, ¡°Just talk?¡±


    Heughed and raised his head to meet her gaze, ¡°Hey ¡­ I¡¯m game for anything ¡­ whatever you want to do is fine with me.¡±


    ¡°Tsk ¡­ that¡¯s not what I meant ¡­¡± she put her palm to his face, ¡°No ¡­¡± she pushed him slightly away, ¡°I have to go.¡± She realized that things would go too far if she stayed longer and was not ready for anything to happen between them again.


    He had a disappointed look on his face as he watched her gather her things to get ready to leave.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow ¡­ can youe to my office and look at some sketches for the exhibition? It would be helpful if you can look at it and make any adjustment you want in my office ¡­ saves me some time.¡±


    ¡°Or we can do it right now so you can do your projects tomorrow ¡­ saves you even more time,¡± he stretched his arms upzily as he walked over to her.


    ¡°Nice try,¡± she curved her lips. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±


    Then she did something unexpected. She kissed his cheek before she walked out the door.


    Even though he knew her husband wasn¡¯t home, it still made him feel like she had left him to be with Den. Their closeness had grown in him. He wanted more. He waited for an hour before he called her, and they talked for hours on the phone.

 Partners

    Even though he was determined that they¡¯re not friends, nor will they ever be, they make the best ofpanions. They have the same interest, work in rted fields, have a lot of things inmon, and are interested in each other enough to listen to what the other has to say.


    Roman likes to make herugh, and she loves tough. The days following Den¡¯s departure for his business trip, Olivia spends with Roman. Working, primarily, but being with each other became afortable regrity. He walked her to her building every morning after buying coffee, they have lunch together every day, and they go out for client surveys together. And it didn¡¯t go unnoticed by their employees how their professional partnership had blossomed into the closest of friendships.


    But there¡¯s a deep amorous desire lurking underneath it. The restraint from taking their rtionship further was because Olivia managed to withstand her urges more than Roman tried. She ignores his flirtatiousments and cheeky advances even though she enjoys every bit of it. She looked away every time he undressed her with his eyes. She never rejected his calls, his messages never go un-replied, she stopped refusing his invitations, and so it goes.


    She wanted to keep him close without giving him what he wanted, an assurance that what they were having was real. Although she never let him touch her, it didn¡¯t mean that she didn¡¯t want him to. It was her way of denying it. She wasn¡¯t having an affair because it was tonic when the truth is they¡¯ve been doing everything that is considered to be an affair. They just haven¡¯t physically done it yet.


    ¡°Olivia ¡­ sorry to disturb you,¡± Gaby voice through the inte.


    ¡°What is it, Gaby?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Hunt is on line 2,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Oh, thanks,¡± she put down her pen and picked up the phone.


    Olivia: Hey ¡­ how are you?


    Den: Hey, still working hard, I see. How¡¯s everything going?


    Olivia: (Sit back on her chair) It¡¯s going great, actually, just not sure I can do everything all at once. How¡¯s your trip? Brian¡¯s keeping you entertained?


    Den: (Laughed sarcastically) He can be a nuisance ¡­ I can tell you that much, but we¡¯re getting closer to closing the deal ¡­ and I¡¯m calling to tell you that you will get that summer home we¡¯ve talked about.


    Olivia: (Smiling) That¡¯s fantastic news.


    Den: The contracts are being drafted by the acquisitionswyers. In a few weeks¡¯ time, they¡¯ll be signed and sealed, and we can book that flight to London for house hunting.


    Olivia: (Giggling) I¡¯m so happy for you.


    Den: For me? For us! This is our victory ¡­ how about that doctor¡¯s appointment? Have you done it yet?


    Olivia: (Hesitated) No ¡­ I haven¡¯t


    Den: Oh ¡­ why not? Have you looked into it again? Doctor Tomlin rmended us to that clinic in Gastonbury, we don¡¯t need to look for another one. He¡¯d handled us for years. He knows what we need.


    Olivia: (Rubbed her forehead in distress) I don¡¯t know, Den, it¡¯s a pretty intensive procedure. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m up for it.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t the only reason she had doubts.


    Den: But ¡­ I thought we¡¯ve talked about this? We were going to our first appointment after I get back from this trip ¡­


    Olivia: Yeah ¡­ but ¡­Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Den: The sooner, the better, Livy, it¡¯ll take weeks to do the first cycle, and we have to anticipate the possibility that we may need more than one cycle


    Olivia: (Sighed deeply) Exactly ¡­ that¡¯s why I don¡¯t think I can do it.


    Den: (Silent)


    Olivia: It¡¯s too much ¡­ I can still smell the hospital whenever I think about it ¡­


    Den: Don¡¯t be a child, Livy, we have to do what we have to do ¡­ it¡¯s not gonna be easy, it¡¯s never been easy for us ¡­ you know that ¡­


    Olivia: Exactly¡­ it¡¯s easy for you to say, you just threw me an idea and leave me doing everything by myself¡­ and I¡¯m the one who has to do all that horrible procedures, and all you have to do is sit and wait


    Den fell silent for a moment. He was surprised by the tone of his wife¡¯s voice.


    Den: Okay ¡­ you¡¯re obviously in a mood.


    Olivia: (red in disbelief) What? No, I¡¯m not in a mood ¡­ I¡¯m saying you came up with this idea out of the blue. You told me to do the research, book an appointment, and then leave for a business trip the very next day ¡­ is that what you¡¯re gonna do once we¡¯re expecting triplets?


    Den: (Pressed his fingers on his forehead) Okay ¡­ no need to shout. I was making a n for us. You know this trip is to seal the deal with Brian¡¯spany, and we¡¯re going to buy that house in London so maybe we can have the baby there ¡­ or at least that¡¯s the idea ¡­


    Olivia: No, Den ¡­ don¡¯t make ns like that, we¡¯re not even sure if we will do the procedure yet.


    Den: Of course we are ¡­ we have to do the IVF ¡­ we don¡¯t have much time ¡­ I know we both want this.


    Olivia: I¡¯m not so sure ¡­ I don¡¯t think I want it anymore.


    Den: (Sighed) Look ¡­ I¡¯ll be home in a few days. We can talk about this when I get back, okay? In the meantime, cool down a bit and think about it, Livy. This is precisely what we need to do right now.


    Olivia: (Didn¡¯t reply)


    Den: I have to go now ¡­ I¡¯ll call youter?


    Olivia: Fine.


    She hung up the phone without saying goodbye. Roman was right, she was starting to get used to her new routine, and her business was expanding rapidly. The idea of having children was a deliberate interruption to her new life. She couldn¡¯t help but think that Den must¡¯ve done it on purpose, the way he persuaded her to stop working when they first tried to get pregnant. Her career was taking off at that time too.


    Her mind was back to Roman again. Knowing he was in his gallery across her building, painting or developing pictures. He¡¯d wee her, that¡¯s for sure. Den wasing home in a few days. He¡¯s going to persuade her to do the treatment. The baby she wants, but the father she wasn¡¯t so sure about. All it took was that one phone call for her to cross the street and changed everything.

 The Kiss

    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 ce she could go to whenever she neededfort. The way Den 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 moreplicated when ites to Den, 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 her throat.


    He looked over her shoulder. A brush hung between his teeth, he let go of it and it fell to his hand. ¡°Hey ¡­ beautiful ¡­ you came early?¡±


    Even the way he greeted her made her all fuzzy inside. She smiled. ¡°Yeah ¡­ I¡¯m done for the day ¡­ I thought I¡¯de here ¡­ go on, don¡¯t mind me.¡±


    He didn¡¯t reply. He continued his painting. She walked over to a chair by the window and sat in silence. What Den said still conflicting in her mind, she looked out the window and watched cars go by. Knowing that Roman was in that room with her somehow made everything better.


    He sensed her unusual quietness. He let it linger for a while as he did his final strokes on the painting he¡¯d been working on for months. Something was troubling her, and it couldn¡¯t be far from the source of all her troubles.


    ¡°What did he do now?¡± it took a lot for him to ask, Den was not his favorite topic. If it were up to him, he¡¯d never want to talk about that guy ever, but he wanted to ease her mind. The only way he can make her feel better was to let her talk about ¡®him¡¯.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± she was taken away from her thoughts. ¡°He called ¡­ he¡¯sing home in a few days.¡±


    Roman raised a browzily, ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°He wants me to make that appointment at the clinic ¡­ counseling for IVF.¡±


    He stopped his strokes for a second, ¡°Did you agree to it?¡±


    She sighed, ¡°No ¡­ I told him I didn¡¯t want to go through with it ¡­ but he said ¡­ we have to.¡±


    His expression turned bleak, he didn¡¯t say anything, he kept painting.


    ¡°You know ¡­ I remember going to the gynecologist and saw those pregnant women in the waiting room ¡­ I thought ¡­ one day, it¡¯s gonna be my turn,¡± she sighed with a sad smile, ¡°That day hadn¡¯te yet ¡­ at this point, I¡¯m not so sure it will evere for me.¡± She nced at Roman, he didn¡¯t react, he kept his eyes on his painting, but she knew he was listening. ¡°Do you want children?¡±


    The question struck him. He stopped what he was doing and looked at Olivia. ¡°I do ¡­ someday.¡±


    Olivia sped his hands together and squeezed, she shrugged nervously. ¡°Well ¡­ you should make sure to be with someone who can give you that ¡­¡±


    Roman put down his painting tools and walked over to her. He sat to face her and rested his head on one hand, ¡°You asked the wrong question.¡± He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, ¡°You should¡¯ve asked me if I wanted to be with you even if children are not in our future.¡±


    She looked at him intrigued by what he had to say next.


    ¡°I want you ¡­ in my future ¡­ whateveres with it, I¡¯ll take it ¡­ the absence of children will not reduce the kind of life I want to share with you.¡±


    She devoured his words and let them sink in. They stared at each other in silence. She wanted to believe him so much, her feelings for him were growing and it didn¡¯t feel like it was going to go away.


    ¡°But if you go home and start making ns with your husband ¡­ it¡¯s all over for me ¡­ I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what you want either, is it?¡±


    It was the first time she was faced with the possibility of losing him. She wanted to scream ¡®No¡¯, he can¡¯t leave her, he was the reason why her days were more exciting, the reason why she looked forward to going to work every day. He was her happy ce. To be a mother was everything she always wanted, but to n a family with Den became something she was willing to give up for the chance to be with this man.


    She leaned over and kissed him. Her lips gently touched his. She felt the hairs on her arms stand up, she had forgotten how he felt on her lips and as it all wasing back to her, it remind her of how much he felt at home. It didn¡¯t feel strange to kiss ¡®another man¡¯ because he wasn¡¯t ¡®another man¡¯, he was Roman.


    He responded to the kiss, he¡¯d been waiting for it forever. He didn¡¯t want it to be over, he kept chasing her lips as she broke away and so they kept going ¡­ and going ¡­ and going ¡­ until sheughed at his effort and put her hands on his chest to stop him. It was official, she thought. If they were both single, this would make the start of a rtionship. Given her status ¡­ this was the start of their affair.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    She had to say something, she thought. She had to exin what they were doing. He was silent. There was nothinging out of his mouth, he just wanted to kiss her again.


    ¡°Roman ¡­ if we¡¯re going to do this ¡­ you have to understand ¡­ no one can know about this.¡±


    He raised his brows, ¡°IF? What are you talking about? We¡¯ve been doing this for a while ¡­ you just never acknowledge it.¡± He took her hand, ¡°Are we doing this?¡±


    She hesitated, ¡°I think you know by now ¡­ I fell in love with you and I don¡¯t know what to do ¡­¡±


    She said it. The words he¡¯d been wanting to hear. He pulled her close and kissed her forehead, ¡°That¡¯s enough for me right now.¡± He pressed his forehead against her, ¡°That¡¯s so brave of you to say ¡­ I know it scares you ¡­ it scares me too ¡­ but I love you,¡± he kissed her hand, ¡°I¡¯d do anything to be with you.¡±


    Her heart was throbbing underneath her rib cage. It was the scariest thing she had ever said to anyone. She always thought she was a strong woman who knows what she was doing all the time. But that moment was an exception. Between the love she had for this man who had just entered her life and the future she had built with her husband of 15 years, Olivia had no clue where her life was leading to.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave ¡­ please stay ¡­ I want to celebrate this ¡­ it¡¯s an important day for me,¡± Roman pleaded and wrapped his arms around her.


    She let go of herself in his embrace, she didn¡¯t want to leave either. ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    They looked at each other. He knew she wasn¡¯t ready for what he had in mind, and he smiled. ¡°Whatever you want,¡± he said. ¡°Just don¡¯t go.¡± He wanted to be with her as a couple, even if it was only for a short while.


    She tightened his arms around her and leaned her head to his chin. She felt his warmth and his wet kiss on her cheek. She smiled.

 Couples

    ¡°No one can know about this.¡±


    He was willing to ept that ¡­ for now. To be her secret. Something she craved in silence, she thinks about more than anything or anyone else, someone she look forward to seeing every minute of the day. He was someone she called, texted, and talked to about everything. He was her listener, advisor, working partner, best friend,panion, boyfriend, and soon-to-be lover. At least, he hoped that¡¯s what their rtionship is developing into before she was his to im.


    For now ¡­ he¡¯s happy with her eyes finding him from across the room. She hid a smile and blushed away from his stares. Whispering sweet nothing only when they were alone. Basically, doing anything remotely romantic when there¡¯s just the two of them, pretending their rtionship was strictly professional in front of everyone else. She jerked away her hand when he held her in public. It always slipped his mind somehow. But it was always followed by a whisper, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    All good things are worth the wait, and patience, he thought. What he had with Olivia was not conventional. He knew that it was not going to be easy for the both of them. But it was love nheless, no matter what people say about those kinds of rtionships. It felt the same as any other rtionship he ever had, and better because Olivia is the one.


    When she¡¯s with him, she makes him feel loved. That¡¯s all he needed from her. She loves him. She¡¯s willing to risk it all for him. They don¡¯t talk about ¡®him¡¯, not if they can help it. ¡®He¡¯ was irrelevant. ¡®He¡¯ was the only thing getting in the way of their love. Olivia just needs some time to figure herself out, and then they will be home-free.


    Everything was fine until she told him Den wasing home. Reality came crashing down. She¡¯s not his. She has a life of her own, and he is not in it. He became irrelevant. He was a shadow in the background when ites to her marriage. He will always be second to Den because he is a secret, and Den is the one in the spotlight.


    ¡°I won¡¯t being to work tomorrow,¡± she added.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    She shrugged. She had told him Den wasing home. She didn¡¯t have to exin why she couldn¡¯te to work the next day.


    He paced back and forth in his apartment. He thought he could handle it. ¡°Are you going to that clinic?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ we haven¡¯t even talked about it ¡­ I always stay home for a day or two after hees back from his trips.¡±


    He stopped cold, his eyes widened, almost devouring her with resentment, ¡°Doing what?¡±


    She felt shivers down her spine when he shot her that look. It was almost scary. ¡°Talking ¡­ I want to tell him that I won¡¯t be doing the IVF ¡­ I¡¯m done trying.¡± Her expression was solemn, she was letting go of her deepest desire to be with him.


    He rested his hands on his waist, ¡°Just talking? Do you think you can convince him? He¡¯s a very persistent man. I doubt he will take it without a fight.¡±


    She understood how he must¡¯ve felt. She walked over to him and put her arms around him. ¡°He can¡¯t make me do what I don¡¯t want to do.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± he was skeptical. ¡°So you¡¯re not going to sleep with him again?¡±


    She looked at him, ¡°Please don¡¯t do this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a genuine question. He¡¯s your husband, he¡¯d been gone for over a week, and he¡¯sing back ¡­ are you going to sleep with him?¡±


    She covered her face with both hands, ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ we don¡¯t exactly n these things in advance ¡­ we rarely sleep together anymore because ¡­ ¡±


    ¡°So you do sleep with him?¡±


    ¡°Oh my God ¡­ are we seriously talking about this? Roman ¡­ he¡¯s my husband ¡­ if we¡¯re doing this, you have to know what you¡¯re dealing with.¡±


    He was jealous. Raging jealousy. He threw himself on the sofa and held his head with both hands because it felt like it was going to explode. ¡°You¡¯re right ¡­ I¡¯m sorry ¡­¡± he was a shadow. He had to ept that. He can¡¯t push her. It¡¯s too soon. If he tries, he was afraid he might push her away. But his heart was pounding like a loud canon. He had to let her go back to ¡®him.¡¯


    She sat beside him, caressed his hair, and kissed his cheek. ¡°I love you,¡± always calms him down.


    He turned to her, ¡°Then prove it.¡± He looked at her in the eyes, he needed this the most. ¡°Make love to me ¡­ show me that this is not just a stupid game where I¡¯ll lose.¡±


    She saw the desperation in his eyes, his fear, she saw someone who felt used, and it reflected on her. She didn¡¯t like what she was seeing. She was not a bad person even though she was doing this to both him and Den. She wanted to be asmitted as she can to Roman, on the other hand, her hands were tied. She touched his face, ¡°Will that make you feel better?¡±


    He nodded, ¡°I need to know you love me more than you love him.¡±


    She loved him differently than she loved Den. But it might be something he wouldn¡¯t understand. She wanted to give him what he needed, so she leaned over to kiss his beautiful lips. And with that kiss, she felt him melting like butter, then he firmly grabbed her waist and lifted her up to his bed. A man needs to know that he has his womanpletely. It was something she couldn¡¯t give him, but if it could ease some of his pain, she let him slide her clothes off,y her naked body on his bed, and let him take whatever he needed from her.


    He felt different that day. He was every bit of the lover he once was to her, but she felt the anger in his thrusts, the frustration in his touches, the hunger in his kiss. He was the definition of good sex, no matter what state he was in. He showed her what her body could do when she gave in to him. Her body never reacted that way with anyone else, she quivered underneath him, and he kept asking, ¡°I want to hear you say it. Tell me you love me.¡±


    And she did, she told him over and over again in a trembling voice as he took her higher in ecstasy, driving her to the peak of her pleasure. His sighs echoed in her ear as he filled her up until she overflowed and moaned the most harrowing moan she ever cried in her life. Their hands tangled together on the bed, holding each other tightly as they sealed their bond in the pinnacle of their lovemaking. The best they had yet.


    She curled up in his embrace. He was happy. For a moment he was content. But the moment was over, then he had to let her go back home ¡­ to her husband. And all that he thought he needed to feel better about their love had actually made him feel even worse.


    The same was true for her too. She had done everything she could to make him feel worthy. To show him that he was essential to her. This thing they have was not a shady fling of lust. It¡¯s an actual rtionship that she needs to hide from the other person, that will be utterly devastated if he ever finds out. The person who had worked his hardest to make up for his own mistakes to keep their marriage alive.


    She drew a warm bath the soonest she got home. She had to wash away any trace of Roman as if she was washing away the sins of her body. Den will be home soon. She had no idea what would happen when he did, but they will be sharing their bed that night, that¡¯s for sure. And she can¡¯t figure out who she is betraying up to this point. Maybe she was fooling herself that what she was doing made her happy. Her tears felt warm on her cheeks. Before she knew it, she sobbed gently in the tub.

 Survival

    Her vision was a bit blurry when she heard Den¡¯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 ss. He said he wasing 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 ss.


    ¡°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.


    Den raised a brow, ¡°That¡¯s what I meant ¡­ sure, I¡¯ll just go get another one,¡± he stood up to get another bottle and an empty ss in the pantry. ¡°So ¡­ have you thought about it again?¡±


    She sighed quietly, ¡°Yeah ¡­ as a matter of fact I have.¡±


    He didn¡¯t like the sound of her answer, he asked anyway, ¡°And?¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided that I don¡¯t want to do it.¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer. The sound of ss clinking and the wine bottle being opened echoed in the silent room. He poured a good amount into his ss and took big gulps. ¡°Do you need more time to think about it?¡±


    She turned to look at him. His expression was serious, slightly annoyed. ¡°No ¡­ I had plenty of time to think about it when you were gone, I don¡¯t think I can get through it again ¡­ I can¡¯t handle any more failures, it¡¯s too much.¡±


    He looked at the inside of his ss and swirled it, ¡°That¡¯s precisely the point, we¡¯re not going to fail this time ¡­ we¡¯re doing this to seed.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve always been doing it to seed ¡­ but we never did ¡­ and the procedures I have to go through ¡­ I read so many failed attempts, I don¡¯t think I can go through that again.¡±


    Den finished his ss and immediately poured some more, he sighed deeply, ¡°Well ¡­ we¡¯re gonna have to.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± she was baffled by his determination, he didn¡¯t really want to know how she felt about it, he was asking her whether she had changed her mind.


    ¡°This is ourst chance to do it, Livy, there will be no other chance for us in the future, don¡¯t you think?¡± he stared at her from where he was standing.


    She was stunned. She turned her back on him and drank her wine without replying.


    ¡°This marriage needs a family,¡± he added.


    She chuckled, ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s what it needs?¡±


    He creased his brows, ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± he walked over to her. ¡°Of course it is ¡­ Ie home every night and find you drowning yourself with wine and champagne all the time, frowning in the gloom ¡­ how long do you think that willst you? This is the one thing you¡¯ve always wanted ¡­ I don¡¯t understand why you dismiss the idea altogether all of the sudden.¡±


    Her jaw dropped, ¡°What do you expect me to do every night? Put on an apron and bake a cake? Put on a smile every time you forgot our date night which we haven¡¯t had in months because you¡¯re always workingte?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m working on this deal with Brian Murphy, you know how important that is, which by the way ¡­ it¡¯s a done deal now, we¡¯ll be going to London next month to look for that house I told you about ¡­ that¡¯s why I want to do this before we go, take a few days off to see the doctor and get the n moving ¡­ so what¡¯s the holdup?¡±


    He was looking at her like she had utterly disrupted his n. His eyes were wide, he held a ss in one hand, and the other rested on his waist.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that ¡­ this is not a business n you need to execute in due course ¡­ this is our marriage we¡¯re talking about, this is our lives ¡­ and I¡¯m saying I don¡¯t want to do that to myself again, you know how long I had to recover from the loss? ¡­ the constant failures? ¡­ oh wait ¡­¡± she drank her wine, ¡°You probably don¡¯t remember ¡¯cause you¡¯re too busy fucking your whore.¡±


    ¡°For Christ¡¯s sake ¡­ really? Are we going back to that?¡± he put down his ss and started to loosen his tie. He realized he hadn¡¯t even changed and they were already arguing.


    ¡°Surely you can understand why I¡¯m so reluctant to try again, Den? If you hadn¡¯t done that to me ¡­ to us ¡­ to this marriage ¡­ this IVF thing may not even be a thing to consider, I would¡¯ve dly done it years ago.¡±


    ¡°I thought we¡¯ve passed that? Haven¡¯t I done my part to prove how sorry I am? I did all I could to save this marriage ¡­ at times ¡­ I felt like I¡¯m doing it by myself ¡­ and I get that, I fucked up ¡­ but I owned up to it ¡­ everything I did ¡­ EVERYTHING ¡­ was to get us past that trying time so we can start again ¡­ am I not forgiven yet?¡±


    She covered her face with both hands, ¡°You are forgiven ¡­ I¡¯ve done that years ago ¡­ but it¡¯s not that simple ¡­ what you did change everything, we can¡¯t pretend it never happened, you showed me what you could do ¡­ and I believed you, and it hurt so bad ¡­ I will never let myself be that vulnerable again ¡­ not after what you did.¡±


    His stomach turned, and he clenched his jaw, ¡°Vulnerable? How are you vulnerable by having our children? This is exactly what we need to strengthen our bond ¡­ to finally turn the page and move on with our lives if we haven¡¯t already? It¡¯s been 8 years, Livy, how much longer do you need?¡±


    She looked up at him, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you just said that ¡­ do you think it¡¯s easy to live with your fuck up all these years?¡± She stood up, ¡°Oh, I was having a nervous breakdown when my husband decided to fuck around with another woman, but ¡­ hey ¡­ I¡¯m okay ¡­ it¡¯s nothing ¡­ I forgive him, he didn¡¯t mean it, and all is well again?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, Livy, how many times do I have to admit it? How many times do I have to say I¡¯m sorry ¡­ I fucked up, it¡¯s over, you have to own up to your part of the deal and move past it if this marriage is ever going to have a chance of surviving.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t know how to! Maybe I can¡¯t see it because you¡¯re not here most of the time ¡­ I have to do everything by myself too, haven¡¯t you thought about that? While you work day and night and day and night ¡­ I¡¯m here alone ¡­ surviving this marriage ¡­ where were you?¡± she shot him a look.


    ¡°Well I know how to ¡­ this is exactly how we¡¯re going to do it, we try again, we¡¯ll fight our way through this ¡­ we will seal it shut once and for all, once a baby is in the picture ¡­ just imagine how wonderful our lives will be, Livy? You, me, and our baby ¡­ he or she will end this feud once and for all ¡­ isn¡¯t that what we both want? To put this nightmare behind us?¡±


    They stared at each other in silence for a moment. There were two ways she was looking at him. One was the man who cheated on her and she will neverpletely healed of his betrayal, a man who seemed smallpared to the man she was falling in love with because Roman would never do something like that to her. Two was the man who had done everything in his power to show her how much she meant to him and was constantly nning a better future with her, even in his absence, he was actually doing things for their lives together.


    ¡°We¡¯re having dinner with my mom next week ¡­ and we are telling her that we¡¯re doing this, Olivia, because we are ¡­ please ¡­ get yourself together and realize how much you really want this, put aside your ego and pride ¡­ let bygones be bygones, you will regret not doing this in the long run ¡­ I know how much you want this.¡±


    Of course, he knew. He was the one person who knew her best.

 Declan鈥檚 Secret

    He was the Captain of that boat. He knew it was sinking slowly but surely. The main factor had always been the absence of a child in their marriage, followed by his moment of weakness. As Captain, he did everything he could to repair the damage he¡¯d done. He even let Olivia start her own business which he began to feel like it wasn¡¯t the right decision. She¡¯s drifting further away from him, and now she doesn¡¯t even want to have children anymore. The boat was sinking faster. He knew he had to put his foot down on this, or otherwise, they might as well just kiss their marriage goodbye. They are going to try again, whether Olivia likes it or not.


    She said he couldn¡¯t possibly imagine how it felt like to have to live with what he did for the past 8 years. In his defense, she doesn¡¯t have the faintest idea of how it feels like to have to live with the guilt of what he¡¯d done. It haunts him from time to time. The memories lingered long after the affair was over. He could still remember how she cried and cried after theirst miscarriage. She was bitter, angry, and so far down in the dark because she could not bring a child into this world. He felt helpless. There was nothing he could do to make her feel better.


    She was either picking a fight or pushing him away. He was frustrated. She wasn¡¯t the only one who had lost hope. He wanted children too. So when he turned to Sienna, it was a whole different life. She was always smiling, weing, and loving. All the things he couldn¡¯t find at home. In a twisted logic, Sienna had saved their marriage too. He couldn¡¯t have survived Olivia¡¯s depression if it weren¡¯t for Sienna. And that¡¯s the guilt he had to live with every day. He couldn¡¯t exin that to his wife, to tell her that the worst thing that had happened to her was actually a blessing in disguise.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    His mother had recently been in contact with him. She told him about her n to draft herst will and testament. Olivia has never been her favorite daughter-inw, mainly because she couldn¡¯t give her son an heir. Mimi had four children and Den was the only one who does not have offspring. She told Den that she had to consider the fact in her will, she didn¡¯t want to leave a good portion of her wealth knowing that Olivia might end up with it without anymitment in the family, or in other words if Olivia couldn¡¯t produce a child for Den, she should not be entitled to the family¡¯s fortune.


    Olivia wouldn¡¯t care about that, Den thought. He never felt like she married him for his money. But he cared about it. He wanted to give Olivia everything she deserved, especially after what he did to her. She¡¯d been a good wife to him, she had stood by him through thick and thin and helped him grow as a person. He realized the value she had put into his life even though there were no children between them. Most of all, Olivia stayed loyal to him when she could¡¯ve been unfaithful at any given moment. He was a very lucky man. That¡¯s why he feels that it¡¯s absolutely necessary to try again with the IVF treatment.


    He ripped the brown envelope he retrieved from his quick visit to the office before he went home. Another one. A new set of pictures of Sienna taking her son to school. He could feel his heartbeat in his ears. There was no note, no phone calls, nothing. Just picture after picture of Sienna living her life with her family and the asional meet-up they had. He mmed the envelope on his study desk and threw himself back on his chair. Someone is trying to drive him out of his mind.

 Lunch With Kelly

    ¡°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 ss 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 d you like it. I tried to trante what you described as best I could¡­ 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 trante 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,¡± sheughed out loud.


    Oliviaughed lightly. She put a napkin on herp. It¡¯s not the first time her clientplimented her work with Roman, they¡¯ve been doing quite some projects together, and everyone was beyond satisfied with the result. Roman knew her style like it was his own. He couldbine his artwork with her color palette in his mind. She had never worked with anyone quite like that before.


    ¡°He¡¯s a very talented artist,¡± Olivia didn¡¯t take any credit for that.


    Kelly raised her brows and sipped her wine, ¡°So I see ¡­ and a delicious looking one, too,¡± sheughed cheekily. ¡°Must be refreshing to work with someone like him,¡± she touched her arm and continuedughing.


    Herment made Olivia ufortable, but she tried to y along to avoid any suspicion. Kelly signaled a waiter toe to their table.


    ¡°I¡¯m kidding ¡­ but you know what I mean ¡­ I¡¯ve been married for so long and suddenly find myself so avable everywhere I look ¡­ these men just seem to get prettier and prettier every day¡­ so how are you and Den? Everything good in that department? You wouldn¡¯t worry about men getting prettier around you, right?¡± she giggled.


    It seems like Kelly was a little tipsy. She probably had been drinking since she woke up. They ordered their lunch and a bottle of wine before Olivia could tell her about Den¡¯s n for an IVF treatment.


    ¡°Oh wow ¡­ congrattions! I mean ¡­ it¡¯s a big step to try again regardless of the oue ¡­ although I¡¯m sure it will be sessful this time, or at least Den will make sure that it is,¡± Kelly finished her ss.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Olivia curved her lips, ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ there are things that even Den couldn¡¯t do ¡­ I think,¡± sheughed lightly.


    Kelly tucked away strands of Olivia¡¯s hair from her cheek, ¡°It¡¯s not easy, isn¡¯t it?  I mean ¡­ look at you. You are the embodiment of what most women want their life to be,¡± she chuckled, ¡°Still ¡­ men ¡­ I don¡¯t understand them ¡­ they always find a way to fuck things up, I won¡¯t me you if you¡¯re having second thoughts about having any children with him, but if you ask me ¡­ it would strengthen your position in his family¡¯s legacy if you can give them little ¡®Hunts''¡±


    Olivia stared at her in bewilderment, surely it never crossed her mind.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t get me wrong, the men we married are not exactly pursued for their chivalrous behavior ¡­ they¡¯re chick mas because of how rich they are, the only advantage we have over those other women who are willing to spread their legs for them are the bloodline that bound us with their family ¡­ it wouldn¡¯t hurt to have his kids to secure your ce in the family.¡±


    Olivia listened intently as she ate her soup.


    ¡°And these women who pursued them ¡­ they know exactly what they¡¯re doing, so be careful ¡­ you¡¯re not on the safe side yet, and Den wanting to try again with an IVF is actually a good sign. He really adores you, doesn¡¯t he? I wouldn¡¯t be getting anything out of my miserable marriage if it weren¡¯t for the kids ¡­ Greyson would make sure I get nothing except the agony of having to put up with all his shit for 21 years,¡± she chuckled.


    ¡°Well ¡­ that¡¯s one way to look at it, I guess,¡± Olivia said.


    ¡°Of course, honey, these families are vicious ¡­ they¡¯re very protective of their fortune, but ¡­ tsk,¡± Kelly brushed Olivia¡¯s forearm, ¡°I¡¯m sorry ¡­ I don¡¯t mean to put things in your head, it¡¯s just that ¡­ I¡¯m going through this God awful divorce, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to go through the same thing, ¡­ Den is by far still much better than the rest of our husbands ¡­ he still loves you, and that¡¯s the most important thing.¡±


    Olivia forced a smile. She didn¡¯t know how to respond to that.


    ¡°On a side note ¡­ though ¡­¡± Kelly sipped on her wine again, almost blushing, ¡°Do you think you can hook me up with that business partner of yours?¡± she giggled.


    Olivia¡¯s eyes widened. She almost choked on her soup. ¡°Kelly?¡±


    Kellyughed out loud, ¡°Not in that way ¡­ I was thinking ¡­ I want to make a portrait of myself ¡­ naked ¡­ do you know if he¡¯d done anything like that?¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ have no idea ¡­ I can ask.¡±


    Kelly squeezed her arm, ¡°Will you? You¡¯re such a doll ¡­ yeah ¡­ I¡¯d like to have one for my bedroom as a souvenir for being single again after so long ¡­ and who knows ¡­ I might get lucky,¡± she winked at Olivia.


    Olivia looked at her in confusion.


    ¡°You remember that scandal involving Roman, don¡¯t you?¡±


    She could barely close her mouth, ¡°I can¡¯t say I do ¡­ you didn¡¯t finish your story thest time.¡±


    ¡°Aaah ¡­ of course ¡­ well,¡± she leaned closer to Olivia¡¯s ear, ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t know this already. It was quite the news back then when Roman left his home ¡­ he was involved with a married woman, his professor.¡±


    Olivia was stunned. She couldn¡¯t believe her ears.


    ¡°He was smitten by her, ¡­ she was 32 or something at the time, and he was barely legal ¡­¡± she chuckled, ¡°Brian and Elizabeth obviously opposed to the rtionship especially because she was a married woman, and his Professor at the University ¡­ so Roman ran away from home to be with this woman.¡±


    Kelly let out a long exhale and drank her wine, ¡°Poor boy ¡­ the woman dumped him afterward, that¡¯s what I heard, she patched things up with her husband, and Roman dropped out of college, and no one¡¯s heard of him again until he was back here ¡­ and worked with you,¡± she nced at her with a twinkle in her eyes. It almost felt like Kelly suspected something about the two of them.


    ¡°Wow ¡­ we¡¯ve never discussed anything other than work ¡­ I had no idea,¡± she kept her cool.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It was what the wives talked about for months ¡­ Brian was furious, he almost got the Professor fired from the University, Roman threatened to kill himself if he¡¯d made her lose her job¡­ that boy was a love-sick puppy, he¡¯d do anything to defend his love for another man¡¯s wife ¡­ ¡®stupid¡¯ was the word Elizabeth used for her son, her favorite son might I add ¡­ but love is stupid ¡­ I guess ¡­ and only to be dumpedter to go back to her husband was tragic.¡±


    Olivia had stopped eating at this point. She put her spoon down and wiped her lips with a napkin. She didn¡¯t know if she was feeling sorry for Roman or uneasy knowing he¡¯d been with a married woman before. ¡°Oh my God ¡­ and he was so young.¡±


    Kelly nodded, ¡°Rtionships like that change people. Especially when you¡¯re that young ¡­ thinking it was true love when he was probably just a nice distraction from a dysfunctional marriage.¡±


    Was he a nice distraction from her dysfunctional marriage? Olivia was rendered speechless.


    ¡°Do you know if he has a girlfriend? Probably a lot of them with that kind of experience such early on in his adolescent life?¡±


    ¡°He has a girlfriend actually ¡­ he introduced her on his birthday, a nice girl too,¡± Olivia gulped her wine. Though she knew the truth, it doesn¡¯t mean she has to tell Kelly about it.


    ¡°Well ¡­ good for him, but still ¡­ ask him if he would do a portrait of me anyway,¡± Kelly giggled, ¡°If there¡¯s anyone I¡¯d like to post naked for ¡­ it might as well be him.¡±


    Olivia forced a smile, ¡°Sure.¡±

 It Is What It Is

    ¡°Where were you?¡± Roman peeked from behind his canvas. He didn¡¯t look too happy.


    ¡°I was having lunch with Kelly,¡± she closed the studio door and walked to him.


    His prying eyes looked at her suspiciously, ¡°Why was your phone turned off?¡±


    She tilted her head to one side and curved her lips, she couldn¡¯t believe he was asking her that. ¡°Because you were calling me non-stop, I had to turn it to vibrating mode and eventually turned it off when it practically shook the whole Ritz Carlton¡¯s floor.¡±


    He didn¡¯t react. He went back to his painting.


    She put her purse down on the floor and walked over to him. She touched his shoulders and squeezed them gently. She looped her arms around his neck from behind and kissed his cheek. ¡°I was with Kelly, I promise.¡±


    Lunch time was supposed to be his time. If she was with Den, it would be a time stolen from him.


    He put down his brush and palette, turned his face to her, and grabbed her with a kiss. She closed her eyes when his mouth found hers, his warm and smooth tongue taking her breath away. His teeth grazed her lips gently, she could feel it in his kiss just how much he wants her, and it send shivers down her spine.


    His hands got under her shirt and pulled her close. He was breathing heavily, and the kiss just escted by the second. She smiled, ¡°Stop it.¡± Pushed him lightly. She had to be the one to remind him what they were doing was still a secret. Even when there are just the two of them, it feels like there were eyes watching them.


    They broke away, his eyes were hazy, and they were staring at her in a way any woman would like to be stared at. He smiled. He felt it in her kiss, too, she was very much his, and his worry was gone.


    ¡°Kelly had a special request ¡­ by the way,¡± she sat on hisp. ¡°She asked me to ask you whether you¡¯d be interested in painting a nude portrait of her ¡­ to put up in her bedroom.¡±


    Heughed lightly, ¡°Seriously?¡±


    She nodded, ¡°Seriously ¡­ we spent half of our lunch discussing that ¡­ she really wants to have her nude portrait made, and she wanted you to do it.¡±


    He kissed her neck and bit on her earlobe, ¡°If I do a nude portrait ¡­ I¡¯d do yours.¡±


    She smiled, ¡°Well, I¡¯m not doing that ¡­ Kelly is ¡­ and you need to give me an answer ¡¯cause she¡¯ll be expecting one very soon.¡±


    He put his chin on her shoulder and thought about it, ¡°I don¡¯t do nude portraits ¡­ I¡¯d get too distracted ¡­ but I know someone who does, if she wants, I can introduce her to him.¡±


    ¡°A guy?¡± she looked at him.


    He nodded, ¡°Yeah ¡­ he¡¯s specialized in portraits, so he¡¯ll give her a better result than me.¡±


    ¡°Is he young?¡±


    Roman creased his brows, ¡°Does he have to be?¡±


    Oliviaughed, ¡°No ¡­ but Kelly¡¯s newly divorced, and she has an eye for younger guys, it seems ¡­ I think she¡¯s lonely. She wants somepany ¡­ you know?¡±


    ¡°And you suggested her to do a portrait with me?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ no ¡­¡± sheughed, ¡°It was her idea. She insisted that I ask you ¡­ I can¡¯t tell her ¡®no¡¯ without asking you first.¡±


    He turned her to face him, ¡°Why not? You could¡¯ve said I don¡¯t do portraits ¡­ because I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that ¡­ but I will tell her now that I know,¡± she couldn¡¯t resist kissing him, being so close to him like that.


    Every time they kissed, it always take them to another ce. The line was thin and easily crossed. But she had something in her mind that she wanted to ask him, she pulled away, leaving him wanting more and helpless. He let out a long exhale.


    ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± she said.


    ¡°Anything.¡±


    ¡°I heard something about you today ¡­ and it made me realize how little I know about you.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, am I in trouble?¡±


    ¡°It depends ¡­ what happened between you and your Professor at University? Is that something you¡¯d like to share with me?¡±


    His demeanor changed drastically. It¡¯s like she had opened a bolted door to the past and forced him to revisit it. She couldn¡¯t tell if it was because the memories were too unpleasant to retell or he was ufortable telling it to her. He stood up and let go of his embrace.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to ¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it ¡­ I just ¡­¡± he took a deep breath and let go in one deep exhale. ¡°I left that ce a long time ago ¡­ it¡¯s the kind of thing I wake up every day and thinking it never really happened ¡­ or never thinking about it at all ever again ¡­ you know what I mean?¡±


    She nodded, ¡°I know what you mean ¡­ it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to tell me. I was just asking because ¡­¡±


    ¡°You heard it from Kelly?¡± he raised a brow, ¡°I guess my mom¡¯s friends all knew about it,¡± he put both hands in his pockets, ¡°What do you want to know?¡±


    She could see it has disturbed his peace. She took his hand, ¡°Nothing ¡­ I don¡¯t want to know about something that never happened,¡± she smiled.


    Her maturity was exactly what he needed. It actuallypelled him to confide in her. Her calmness made him feel secure to open up without fearing she would be angry at him for not telling her these things about himself. She wasn¡¯t looking for a conflict. She wanted to know him without judging. She wanted to hear him.


    ¡°I loved her ¡­ she was the first woman I ever fell in love with ¡­ it was intense, to say the least ¡­ it was very ¡­ sexual.¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    She sat down and folded her arms. She was ready for the whole story.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know any better. I thought it was love in its purest form ¡­ I¡¯d defend it with my life,¡± he chuckled, ¡°Stupid ¡­ I know ¡­ I was so young, and she was ¡­ lonely ¡­ I wanted it tost forever, she never had that intention.¡±


    He looked down. The kind of love made him lose a little bit of himself.


    ¡°I left home when my parents were furious with me, they threatened me with everything they could think of, but I stood by what I believed ¡­ I loved her more than anything, I wanted to be with her no matter what the cost ¡­ and then ¡­¡± he exhaled deeply, ¡°When I told her that I left home to be with her ¡­ she freaked out.¡±


    ¡°Oh Roman ¡­ I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she felt his pain, even from how he said it.


    He scoffed, ¡°Ironically, me being avable to her made her realize that it was her husband that she wanted all along.¡±


    He shot her a look that pierced through her heart. ¡°I¡¯ve never been so broken before in my life ¡­ then I met you ¡­ and you left me on that boat feeling the same way I felt when she left me ¡­ maybe worse ¡­¡± he took a few steps toward her and pressed his forehead against hers, ¡°Because this time I know it¡¯s really love.¡±


    His words made her stomach flutter, she loved him too, but her position was fragile. She wanted to proim her love to him as boldly as he did. How could she? When she¡¯s stillmitted to another man nning to have a family with her. A man that had been her lifepanion for 15 years. What does she say to Roman?


    He closed his eyes as if taking all the pain inside him, ¡°Please tell me you won¡¯t leave me again ¡­ it will kill me ¡­ I know that for sure.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t going to leave him. But does that mean she was going to leave Den? She realized she never even thought about it. Olivia touched his cheek and put her lips on his, an instant assurance he needed immediately. ¡°I¡¯m here with you now ¡­ but I¡¯m not gonna lie to you ¡­  I have to be hometer and be with him.¡±


    He opened his eyes. The clearest blue prated her soul. They were judging her. He was hurt even though he knew the consequences of being with her.


    How long can thisst? She thought. How long can she juggle her husband and her lover without hurting everyone involved, including herself? It¡¯s not what he wanted or what she wanted, but it is what it is. They sealed it with a kiss, hoping it would blur the reality that they are together but not together. And after his revtion about what happened to him years ago, she didn¡¯t have the heart to tell him that Den insisted on doing the IVF ¡­ no matter what.

 Dinner At Mom鈥檚

    ¡°Where is everybody?¡± Olivia asked after they¡¯d been seated for a while in the dining room.


    Den 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 fashionablyte, even in her own home. She likes to make people wait for her entrance, even if it¡¯s her own son and daughter-inw. The house that Den¡¯s dad left for her was her pce, 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?¡±


    Den shrugged, ¡°She does that to everyone.¡±


    ¡°Especially me,¡± she finished her ss and asked the waiter to pour more wine.


    The double door to the dining room opened, and the man who opened it let Mimi walk through her grand entrance in what seemed to be a very morous nightgown. She wore jewelry like she was going out to a Hollywood opening night. She always wears them at home.


    She didn¡¯t want to waste perfectly good essories and leave them kept under a lid when she could use her body as a disy of what herte husband and her family worked so hard for. Those were her words.


    Mimi was a royalty in her own right. Den and Olivia stood up to greet her. Anyone would do the same. Gave her a cheek-to-cheek like the Queen Mother that she is.


    ¡°Darling ¡­ I hope I didn¡¯t keep you waiting.¡±


    She always says that too.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Well ¡­ Olivia ¡­ that didn¡¯t take you long enough to start binging on the good stuff,¡± she said with a smile while her eyes sharply looked at her almost empty ss.


    ¡°Actually ¡­ I waited half an hour before I started,¡± she smiled, ¡°Usually, I ordered at the entrance knowing how long I¡¯d be waiting in here.¡±


    The scathing word exchange had already begun.


    ¡°Tsk ¡­ it¡¯s not so bad to wait around in here ¡­ just look at it as a plush bar on happy hour,¡± Mimi turned to walk towards her chair.


    Den held Olivia¡¯s hand before she return the remark. He knew she wanted to, but that was not the time for a catfight.


    The waiter pulled up a chair for Mimi at the end of the long table, ¡°Get me a ss of the same one, please.¡± She put both elbows on the table and sped her hands together, ¡°So ¡­ Den ¡­ what do you want to talk about?¡±


    ¡°Well ¡­ apart from the deal with Brian Murphy was signed and sealed ¡­ so ourpany has expanded to a new venture in the property industry ¡­ we are also happy to announce that we are trying again this year,¡± Den said with a wide grin.


    Mimi raised her brows, ¡°Brian Murphy? Really? That¡¯s wonderful news, Den. I knew you could do it ¡­ your brothers have tried for years with that man and couldn¡¯t get so much of a second meeting with him.¡±


    Den nodded, ¡°He¡¯s a hard man to get through, but once you¡¯re in there ¡­ I¡¯m pretty confident to say that our business rtionship is secure, especially with this new deal, and his son is also partnering up with Olivia with her interior business.¡± Den reached Olivia¡¯s hand, ¡°Our rtions with the Murphy are on good terms. I¡¯m sure more business wille between us ¡­ that¡¯s why we¡¯ve decided to start a family again since business is running really well.¡±


    Mimi had a million-dor smile on her face, ¡°That is cause for a celebration,¡± she lift up her ss and asked the waiter to pour some for Den. ¡°Although if you are nning to start again, I don¡¯t think you should be drinking so much alcohol, Olivia,¡± she tilted her head to one side.


    Olivia forced a smile, raised her ss, and drank up everything in it. ¡°I can still toast to that, can I? I thought we were celebrating?¡±


    It was another thing that she didn¡¯t like about Den¡¯s family, other than the snobbish way they treat her from time to time, although unintentionally. She understood that they are filthy rich and treated the family as a business.


    Her uterus had been in the family debate for years. She knew that perfectly well even though she was often not in the room while they discuss how her vacant womb is not producing a Hunt bloodline to inherit all their wealth and their ¡®good name.¡¯ It was repulsive if she really thinks about it.


    Her existence was reduced to her ability to bring children into their family just because she was the woman their firstborn son chose to be his wife. She was insignificant, what she wanted for her life was irrelevant, she has no say in most of anything, and she should feel fortunate to be part of their dynasty.


    ¡°Well ¡­¡± Mimi let out a short exhale, ¡°That brings us to the topic that I would like to address you earlier ¡­ about my will and testament.¡±


    Olivia took a quick nce at Den. It was the first time she heard about it.


    ¡°You know how delicate these things are in a family like ours ¡­ I don¡¯t want you and your brothers to have any disputeter when I ¡­¡± It was hard for her to spill it out, ¡°In the case of my ¡­ death ¡­ however long that still is,¡± she smiled.


    The room was silent.


    ¡°It would be easy just to leave some fortune to my favorite charities, some to my most loyal staff, and spilled the rest between my children ¡­ but that wouldn¡¯t be fair, now would it? Your brothers, they have families ¡­ they have children to care for their future,¡± Mimi took a sip of her wine.


    Den sighed deeply, ¡°You can¡¯t be serious? How is that ¡­ I earned most of the fortune you own, Mom, ¡­ thepanies you¡¯ll leave behind ¡­ I practically build them on my own. In fact, I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t handed it over to me at this point, and you don¡¯t see meining?¡±


    Mimi patted her son¡¯s forearm, ¡°I know ¡­ I know, sweetheart, but you know how it is ¡­ your father would agree with me ¡­¡±


    ¡°He would probably not ¡­ he¡¯s a businessman, he knows what¡¯s fair ¡­ I mean, what have they done for thepanies that are more significant than what I¡¯ve put on the table? While they sitfortably in their nice offices ¡­ I¡¯m the one who makes all the deals and bring money to their ounts,¡± Den¡¯s voice was increasingly high.


    ¡°Okay ¡­ I¡¯m not going to be part of this ¡­ I¡¯m sorry, please excuse me,¡± Olivia interrupted. She didn¡¯t wait for approval to stand up and leave the room as quietly as possible.


    She knew she was an outsider when ites to Den¡¯s family fortune discussion. That was the reality of being married to such a powerful family. No matter how long they¡¯ve been married, without children, her position was close to meaningless. It was the point that Kelly made to her at their lunch.


    Olivia grabbed the wine bottle from the waiter¡¯s hand on her way out of the dining room, leaving Den to talk to his mother about what she now know the meeting was all about. Why Den insisted on the IVF and why her life must change drastically in the near future. It was all about money.


    She also knew that as soon as she shut the door behind her, the waiter would follow because the discussion was only meant for mother and son, and that her uterus would also be their debate¡¯s main topic. And she was right.


    ¡°You know what I mean, Den? It¡¯s not about what you bring to thepanies ¡­ it¡¯s about your poor decision in your own personal life,¡± Mimi said.


    ¡°For God¡¯s sake!¡± he mmed his palm to the table. ¡°Does no one know how to forget about one stupid mistake I made and start recognizing all the right things I¡¯ve done? It was a long time ago ¡­ it¡¯s over!¡±


    ¡°But it was fatal, Den, you never signed a prenup ¡­ what if she asked for a divorce? Or worse ¡­ your mistress demanding responsibility from your part ¡­ and why ¡­ why on earth would you pick a woman who was married to a truck driver?¡± Mimi shook her head.


    Den held his head with both hands. He tried to control his breath to calm himself down.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why a man of your stature would lower yourself like that. I mean ¡­ a beauty pageant queen was bad enough ¡­ but another man¡¯s wife? Did you not think that you were putting yourself a risk of being ckmailed?¡± she shot him a look. ¡°What then? Everything you do is tied to this family ¡­ everything ¡­ if you¡¯re clumsy enough to put yourself in that position, you are also putting this family at risk.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is still an issue ¡­ I slipped ¡­ it¡¯s not like dad had great taste in women himself, mom, no offense ¡­ we all knew his side chicks were not royalties,¡± he chuckled. ¡°He had them for fun ¡­ you should admit at least I¡¯m better than that.¡±


    ¡°Hah! And look, what happened to that? One of his whores dared to threaten me with a fake pregnancy test ¡­ I showed her who¡¯s in charge is what I did ¡­¡± She took a big gulp of her drink. ¡°Your father is dead ¡­ God bless his soul, he wasn¡¯t perfect, he was stupid ¡­ it seems you inherited that trait ¡­ I¡¯ve always been the one to make the right decisions, that¡¯s why I¡¯m doing the same with you.¡±


    She put her hand on her son¡¯s forearm and looked him in the eyes, ¡°Is it really over with the truck driver¡¯s wife?¡±


    Den grimaced, ¡°Of course, it is ¡­ what are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Good ¡­ then all you have to do is make your wife happy, get her pregnant, then get your well-deserved inheritance from me ¡­ under the child¡¯s name ¡­ that is my term.¡±

 Mimi鈥檚 Term

    When she realized the n to do the IVF treatment wasn¡¯t purely because Den wanted to start a family again, she was furious. She had to keep her cool at her mother-inw¡¯s house but her insides were burning.


    She drank her wine like water. A bad habit she can¡¯t seem to put away because it calms her down. Being married to Den¡¯s entire family never crossed her mind when she said ¡®yes¡¯ to his proposal. But in reality, she was married to all of them.


    What they think, their ns, their fake ¡®togetherness¡¯, all for one and one for all bullshit. Their incessant meddling in her domestic and even personal affairs was intolerable. It was one of the reasons why she insisted to get out of Mimi¡¯s house if Den wanted to have children.


    She used to live under Her Majesty¡¯s roof when they first got married because Mimi didn¡¯t want to live by herself in that enormous home, and Den was her favorite son. It was depressing to say the least, even in a house where they can get lost inside it, Olivia couldn¡¯t stand to be consistently bullied and pushed by Mimi and not to mention all the other members of the family who thought she was going to kiss her mother inw¡¯s ass to get the biggest portion of her inheritance.


    It was a nightmare even from the very beginning. Followed by the miscarriages, and Den¡¯s affair, it was an endless torture, and now this. Just when she thought she had finally got her life back on track.


    ¡°Forget it ¡­ I¡¯m not gonna let some doctors screw around with my uterus for the sake of your inheritance! If your mom and your whole conceited family think you are not worthy of your own rights in the family ¡­ maybe you should hire awyer and sue them!¡± she couldn¡¯t hold it back when they got home.


    ¡°You know, I would¡¯ve done that a long time ago if I thought that would work ¡­ what can we possibly gain from that? If anything, we¡¯d be screwed by thewyers ¡­ and whose money do you think my family would be spending on theirwyers?¡± Den was at the end of his wits.


    ¡°We? You mean you? You know very well I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with your family¡¯s money ¡­ I know they think I do, and I¡¯m not gonna give them the pleasure to be right,¡± she took off her shoes and threw them to the corner of their bedroom. ¡°Why do you have to care about it anyway? You make enough money as it is ¡­ you don¡¯t really need her inheritance.¡±


    ¡°No, but I deserve it, don¡¯t you think? I worked my ass off for everyone! They¡¯re living off of what I make in thepanies ¡­ they should be asking me for their money, not the other way around,¡± his voice was raised.


    ¡°Then why are you insisting it on me? Why can¡¯t you tell their faces what you just told me? Why do I have to be the one to work things out for you?¡± she shot him a look.


    Den looked at her in confusion, how does she not understand? ¡°Why? Because you¡¯re my wife! We¡¯re talking about OUR rights not just mine! And we do want to have kids ¡­ it¡¯s what we want ¡­ it¡¯s just not happening for us yet, that¡¯s why I think this is the right time to try again.¡±


    ¡°For an inheritance? Is that how you want to start this family? To have a child because you want to be entitled to your mom¡¯s inheritance? Which is not supposed to be an inheritance in the first ce? Because it¡¯s actually YOUR money? What the hell, Den? You want me to go through hell because of that?¡± she raised her hand.


    ¡°I want to start a family because it¡¯s what we want, Livy, ¡­ it¡¯s what we¡¯ve always wanted ¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Not anymore,¡± her lips trembled when she said it.


    Den¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want it anymore, my life is fine without it,¡± her stomach turned, her teeth clenched.


    Den furrowed his brows, ¡°What are you talking about? You¡¯ve always wanted children ¡­ what ¡­ what made you say that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want them anymore ¡­ not with you,¡± her heart throbbing fast, she didn¡¯t know what to expect from him after she said it.


    ¡°What?¡± he grimaced. He was silent for a moment. He looked down at the floor and put his hands on his waist.


    She could hear his heavy breaths. She had surprised herself with what she said, and she couldn¡¯t take it back.


    ¡°What the hell is that supposed to mean?¡± he looked at her in fury.


    She stepped back when he came at her.


    ¡°What the hell did you mean by that Olivia?¡± he held both her arms and shook her.


    The fire in his eyes scared her. She couldn¡¯t say a word.


    ¡°Is there someone else you want to have children with? Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡±


    She froze. She didn¡¯t realize he would take it that way. ¡°No ¡­ ¡± her voice was almost inaudible.


    ¡°Then what did you mean? What made you say such a thing?¡± he shouted.


    ¡°I ¡­ I don¡¯t know ¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course you do! No one would say something like that without a reason ¡­ tell me, God damn it! Say it again! You don¡¯t want to have kids with me? With me?¡±N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    He was shaking her so hard she recoiled from him.


    ¡°Stop it!¡±


    ¡°What the hell, Livy? After all that we¡¯ve been through ¡­ how could you say something like that?¡±


    She pressed her lips together, something ached in her when he said that. If only he knew what she had done.


    ¡°Please ¡­ Den ¡­ don¡¯t make me do it ¡­ this is not how I want to start a family ¡­ not like this ¡­ I can¡¯t ¡­¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t?¡± he screamed, ¡°You won¡¯t! You just said it ¡­ why? Because of what I did?¡± his was torn. ¡°Have I not made up for that somehow?¡±


    She turned away, she couldn¡¯t look at him or she would burst out crying. She was not the innocent party anymore, and she didn¡¯t want to feel that guilt looking at him.


    He let out a long exhale and rubbed his face with both hands. He wanted to scream at her for turning this into an impossible problem to solve. But he held it in. It was his fault, he thought. No matter how hard he had tried, he couldn¡¯t really fix it.


    ¡°I need to clear my head,¡± he took his jacket from the floor, ¡°Don¡¯t wait up.¡±


    She heard his footsteps walking away from her, out the door, and down the stairs. She finally let out her breath. The knot in her stomach loosened. She broke down on the bed. It was the hardest thing she ever said to him because it was the truth. It¡¯s been buried inside her all these years, she tried to pretend it wasn¡¯t even there.


    There was a huge weight taken off of her, but at the same time, she was carrying a new burden. She was hurting Den ¡­ more than he could imagine.

 Nothing

    Marriage ¡­ does anyone really know how to do it properly? The lust they once felt for each other turned into something else entirely. Something constant, and boring, subtle but stronger than they realized.


    She was angry at him, but she forgave him. The hurt never really goes away. But she was still there. Once in a while, she would hurt him for what he had done, and he would take it because he knew he deserved it. Then she would feel guilty for hurting him and makeup with him in passionate lovemaking as if it was the first time they were making love.


    He had fallen in love with another woman a long time ago. She had proimed her love to another man just a few days ago. But this ¡­ this is what married people do. They fight, they say mean things to each other, they argue, they hate each other¡¯s guts sometimes, and they fuck ¡­ to make each other feel better.


    His body, her body, their bodies together. To think there was ever anyone else between them was like an illusion. The way he looks at her when she was on top of him, his smile, the delight in his eyes, the love was still very much there. It justy dormant most of the time.


    He came, she came, and theyughed. How could they have forgotten how good they are together? And now the thing they fought about felt so silly. For a brief moment when sheid her head on his chest, she felt peace. The peace onlysted for so long because when she was back at her working desk the next day, her reality was calling her on the phone from across the street.


    Before she knew it, she wasying her head on another man¡¯s chest while her mind was in chaos trying to figure out what she was really doing. Her heart ached and her head was all over the ce.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± he sensed it as he stroke her hair. ¡°Your silence is deafening.¡±


    How could she talk about her marriage with her boyfriend? How does that even work?


    ¡°Nothing,¡± was the only answer she could find to his question.


    He let out a long exhale, ¡°Hmm ¡­ ¡®nothing¡¯ sounds so heavy in your head ¡­ can we do something about it?¡± He turned her face to look at him.


    She forced a smile, ¡°It¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t handle.¡±


    It¡¯s Den. Her marriage. His family. Something to do with all that. Roman knew in an instant, and it was potentially damaging what he¡¯s already established with her. Being the side guy is not to his advantage, not for him. While most people would enjoy a nonmitment rtionship, with no responsibility, he wanted her for himself. He wanted themitment, he wanted to be the only one.


    ¡°Okay ¡­ ¡°he sat up. ¡°Obviously it¡¯s nothing ¡­ you know I¡¯m here for you ¡­ whatever it is ¡­ you can tell me.¡±


    She nced at him for a second, it was their friendship that bound them together, followed by the hot sex. They didn¡¯t want sex to be the center of their rtionship like most affairs do. But if he knew what happened between her and Denst night, it would surely enrage him.


    ¡°Come on ¡­ tell me ¡­ I can take it,¡± he brushed her cheek with the back of his hand.


    She looked away and put her head back on his chest, ¡°I can¡¯t ¡­ I¡¯m fine ¡­ really.¡±


    He chuckled, ¡°You can¡¯t say something like that and expect me not to wonder ¡­ it¡¯s Den ¡­ right? What else could it be? Just tell me, Olivia, what is it this time?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t really take it. But he had to, he took that risk when he pursued her. He knew the consequences.


    She covered her face with both hands, his willingness to listen made her want to let go of all the burden in her heart. But that would be cruel to him. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to do this,¡± she sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do this,¡± she added.


    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to do this.¡±


    His answer surprised her.


    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to leave him ¡­ and be with me,¡± he continued.


    She was silent. The thought of ending her marriage had never been as real as at that moment. But is it really what needs to happen? Is her marriage not worth another try? And what happened the night before, would Roman still say that if he knew she had fought and made up with Den?


    The thought of having to go through IVF treatment and have children with Den to prove themselves worthy of Hunt¡¯s legacy was weighing on her mind. Is that the life she wants for herself? But to give it all up to start again with someone new was daunting.


    His calloused hand rubbed the back of her neck, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be here with me if that never crossed your mind ¡­ you¡¯re not that person ¡­ and that¡¯s the reason why I¡¯m not letting you go, I know that¡¯s what you want ¡­ you just have to be brave enough to do it.¡±


    She looked at him. She was amazed at how his words could alwaysfort her, how she finds her truth in them, how he guides her through the maze of her own mind.


    ¡°Staying with him is easy, Olivia, you just have to settle with what you already have ¡­ but isn¡¯t that the real problem? You don¡¯t want to settle for it ¡­ you want out ¡­ that¡¯s the hard part ¡­ you have to let go so you can have what you really want.¡±N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    She looked at him deep and hard. Really ¡­ really looked at him. Had he nevere into her life, would she ever felt so torn or convinced at the same time that what he was saying was all true? It wasn¡¯t him that she really wanted, it was ending her marriage with Den, that was what she wanted. And meeting him was just the trigger she needed to realize it. Her cheeks started to feel the warmth of her own tears. Justst night she thought she could deny it, but with Roman, she was herself again and not Den Hunt¡¯s wife, the person she was too used to that she has mistaken her for herself.


    He pulled her into his embrace and kissed the top of her head. ¡°Let me stay with you in the hardest time of your life ¡­ because I want to be there in your happiest ¡­ ¡±


    She held him as tight as she could. No one would understand thefort Roman had given her. It was the hardest time of her life, and Roman was there every step of the way until she can finally tell Den what she needed to tell him.


    They were careful. At least that¡¯s what they think. They were wise not to add to the chaos by giving in to their burning desires. But even so, their intimacy was caught on camera. When he kissed her forehead before letting her go back to her husband, his grip on her hand and how hard it was for him to let her go every time. The look in their eyes as they look at each other before saying goodbye. It was all captured in a series of photos that can tell their stories without them knowing it.

 Sienna

    She stormed into Den¡¯s private office with a piece of letter in her hand.


    With one look on her face, Den knew she had received the news. He was in a middle of a discussion with his junior manager, but all eyes were on Sienna whopletely shifted the mood in the room.


    ¡°What is this?¡± her eyes were bulging, her face pale with shock and anger.


    ¡°Could you excuse us for a moment?¡± Den calmly asked his junior manager to leave the room.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me, Den!¡± she threw the letter on his desk as Den closed the door and locked it.


    He closed his eyes for a brief moment before he turned to face her. He was prepared. ¡°I have to.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡±


    His office was not soundproof, not when she screamed so loudly. Everyone in the office knew about their rtionship, no one dared to say anything.


    ¡°You¡¯re the CEO of this whole goddamn chain of your family¡¯s ownpany! You don¡¯t have to do this!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I have to do this, Sienna,¡± he let out a long exhale and threw himself on the chair. ¡°My whole family knows about this ¡­ and my wife,¡± he pressed the bridge of his nose.


    He hadn¡¯t slept much from fighting with Olivia, begging her forgiveness, calming her down, and promising her a better husband, a changed man. He had to take the necessary measure and eliminate the core of the problem, he sent an official letter to demand Sienna¡¯s resignation from thepany.


    ¡°You coward! What am I supposed to do? Where should I go? You used me ¡­ and now you¡¯re getting rid of me like this? Like I don¡¯t mean anything to you?¡±


    ¡°I will rmend you to apany in Chestnut ¡­ the CEO is a good friend of mine, not that you need any rmendation because your portfolio speaks for itself ¡­ but I can give it to you for the sry consideration.¡±


    ¡°Chestnut? You¡¯re kicking me back to my hometown?¡± she was horrified. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± she was on the verge of crying.


    Den couldn¡¯t look at her in the face, ¡°I have to Sienna, believe me, ¡­ this is for the best ¡­ for everybody.¡±N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    She covered her mouth with one hand, the other was holding her head. She had to sit down to take it all in. Her life was about to change drastically overnight because of this one person. The person she thought she had fallen in love with for the past two years, whom she thought had loved her just the same.


    ¡°I thought you were unhappy with her ¡­ I thought I made you happy ¡­ but you choose her over me ¡­ how could you betray me like this when I would give up everything for you?¡± her eyes were red and wet, her head was spinning, her heart burning.


    Den walked over and kneeled in front of her. He was the most hated person in the lives of the two women he loves. ¡°I never nned to fall in love with you, but I did ¡­ this is hard for me as it is for you ¡­ but we are in the wrong here ¡­ we have to make this right.¡±


    ¡°By getting rid of the other woman?¡± she chuckled between her sobs, her tears dripping off her face from her swollen eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be so righteous with me ¡­ I know you, Den, you wouldn¡¯t do this if she hadn¡¯t found out about us ¡­ but I thought you¡¯d finally choose to leave her when she does ¡­ I guess the joke¡¯s on me.¡±


    He shook his head. Whatever he says would never make any difference, everyone hates him. ¡°I screwed up ¡­ I just want to get something right.¡±


    ¡°Right by her? What about me?¡± she cried. ¡°What about me? What about what I¡¯ve done for you? What we had together? You¡¯re not doing anything right if you¡¯re making the person who loves you feel like trash! Trash that you discard as soon as you get caught by your wife!¡± she wailed.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, you know that ¡­ I¡¯ll take care of you ¡­ I will rmend you to a goodpany with a better sry, I¡¯ll take care of all the expenses, whatever you need to get you to settle back in Chestnut ¡­ I¡¯m not discarding you, Sienna, but I¡¯m not a free man ¡­ you knew that when you came here ¡­ I never promised you anything.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t stop her crying, partly because what Den said was true. He never promised her anything. They both got into the rtionship fully knowing they are both unavable. Den never had the intention of leaving his wife, but he never nned to fall in love either.


    She shook her head. She couldn¡¯t ept it even when she knew from the start he was never going to leave his wife, she was hoping she could change his mind. She thought she could make him love her more than he loved his wife and he will choose her.


    There was one thing that would change everything. Although she didn¡¯t want it to be the reason for him to finally choose her, she had to try. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡±


    She remembers the horrified look on his face. He recoiled from her and looked at her like she was an alien. At first, he didn¡¯t believe her and then he was furious. He was angry because a child was the one thing he always wanted ¡­ with Olivia. Instead, he got his mistress pregnant. He hit his desk with the palm of his hand and screamed, ¡°No!¡±


    He held his head with both hands like it was going to explode. He was breathing heavily, it was the most devastating news he had ever received although the absence of a child was what started the affair in the first ce. He shook his head, ¡°No.¡±


    Den Hunt was a very sessful man by any standard. He was not just an heir of a diamond-owner family who had taken over his father¡¯s business and taken it to the next level. He was his mother¡¯s favorite son for a reason. He was a well-known business man, a respected CEO. But he was not a good husband to the woman he loves and it crushed him to know he didn¡¯t just fail her because of his infidelity, he was going to damage her for life by impregnating his mistress.

 Fatherhood

    Being a father was everything he ever wanted. To learn the news through a secret telephone call in his office, Den shed a tear. Will he ever see his son? Will he ever know that he was his father? And will he ever forgive him for what he had done to his mother? He couldn¡¯te home that night and told Olivia he was working reallyte. He couldn¡¯t face her. He locked himself in his office, sobbing in the dark.


    Gil Isaac knew it. He took a vasectomy a few years before his wife had an affair with her boss. He did it because he slept with all kinds of women when he was working delivering goods from one city to another. He didn¡¯t want to impregnate another woman when his very sessful wife couldn¡¯t. It was a p in the face when he heard the news.


    They were high school sweethearts and madly in love with each other. They married young and enjoyed their lives together as long as itsted until they were finally forced to face reality. Their marriage was by no means a perfect one. Sienna had been unhappy for a long time. As soon as her career took off, he knew it was a matter of time before she was going to leave him. But she didn¡¯t want to seem like the bad guy by divorcing her husband because he was making less than her, in a way, she owed her career to Gil because he had paid for her tuition by working as a truck driver.


    When the passion died, all they were left with was financial problems and me. When Gil found out his wife was having an affair with one of the wealthiest men in Lancaster, he took it as an opportunity to keep him afloat. He would keep his mouth shut as long as Den pays for all the expenses needed. He may not be highly educated, but he knew how important it was for a man like Den to keep his illegitimate child a secret.


    ¡°I have never missed a payment for the past 8 years ¡­ I paid more than needed ¡­ is it not enough?¡± Den confronted Gil at one of theirte-night meetings.


    Gil looked at him with a nk stare.


    Den threw the envelope he¡¯s been receiving on the table. ¡°You could just tell it to my face if you want more money, Gil, what is this?¡±


    Gil nced at the envelope. He reached slowly and opened it. He scoffed when he looked at the pictures, ¡°Someone obviously wants some money from you ¡­ it¡¯s not me.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± he mmed at the table and stood up. ¡°You¡¯re trying to drive me crazy, is that it? I¡¯ll pay you, Gil, I¡¯ll pay you! You don¡¯t have to taunt me by doing this.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Gil pointed his finger at him, he was at his wits end with everything too. ¡°Calm down! Sit down, Den, or I swear ¡­¡± his breath was getting heavy. They were in a middle of a shady bar, and they were attracting attention.


    Den realized he was about to lose it, he sat down.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s easy to be in my position? I am a man whose wife is in love with another man ¡­ a much better man than me by any measure ¡­¡± he scoffed, ¡°And here I am every other monthing to see you for money I didn¡¯t earn? To pay for the son I raised like my own when all I see in him is your face!¡± He tried to hold it together and steady his breath.


    Den was quiet.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be in this ce as much as you do, Den, but here we are ¡­ because we screwed up! We screwed up so bad, and we¡¯re trying to fix this unfixable problem ¡­ there¡¯s really not much difference between you and me ¡­ just the fact that you¡¯re so damn rich and I¡¯m not ¡­ we¡¯re just two screw ups ¡­ fucking failures¡­¡± he dug his fingers into his hair and rested his elbows on the table.


    Den took a big gulp of his drink, he didn¡¯t argue with that.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how long I can hold on to my marriage ¡­ it¡¯s a nightmare for the both of us ¡­ I tried ¡­ I tried to be that boy¡¯s father, but I am not ¡­ Sienna hates my guts, I hate her guts, I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m still here,¡± he shook his head. He tapped the envelope on the table, ¡°This is not me ¡­ I¡¯m actually here to tell you, I¡¯m tired of ying this game ¡­ I want out, I¡¯m not gonna lie to that boy anymore ¡­ he¡¯s a good kid.¡± His eyes were watery, ¡°He needs his father ¡­ I can¡¯t love him the way he needs to be loved, and I can¡¯t bare to think that one day I have to break his heart by telling him the truth ¡­ that¡¯s on you.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying, Gil?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying ¡­ I¡¯m letting this go, Den, I¡¯m done feeling like a failure by trying to hold on to a lie ¡­ she¡¯s never gonna love me the way she used to, she¡¯s living her life like a zombie ¡­ dreaming of another life she could¡¯ve had with you, and it kills me to see that every single day ¡­ it kills me to see the way she looks at me like I¡¯m not supposed to be there.¡±


    Den was numbed in his seat staring at his empty ss.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving her and Damien ¡­ they¡¯re yours, I¡¯m done being your caretaker, a man should know when to let go.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that,¡± Den shook his head. It hits him that he actually needs Gil more than he realized.


    ¡°Yes, I can ¡­ I was never part of the deal ¡­ don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not gonna rant you out, you have your shit to deal with ¡­ I¡¯m not gonna stick around to make it easier for you, you have to own up to your mistakes eventually ¡­ this is the time to do it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you ¡­ how much do you need?¡±


    Gil red at him, he chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s that easy for you isn¡¯t it? Rich people ¡­ you all think everything can be dealt with money ¡­ sure, I need money, how much are you willing to pay? It¡¯s still not gonna solve your problem ¡­ I¡¯m still leaving.¡± He sipped on his drink.


    ¡°How¡¯s your wife anyway? Still in love with you?¡± Gil asked. ¡°Is she better than my wife? Is that why you¡¯re holding on to her? I guess in a way Sienna knows how it feels to be me ¡­ to be in love with someone who thinks she¡¯s not good enough for him ¡­ what goes aroundes around.¡±


    Den pressed his fingers on his eyelids, ¡°Can you wait a little longer? At least until I talk to Sienna. I¡¯m going to see her next week ¡­ we¡¯ll discuss this and work out ways to do this ¡­ money is not an object, okay? I¡¯ll pay whatever you need to do this ¡­ please ¡­ just hold on for a little while longer.¡±


    Gil looked at him in the eyes, ¡°It¡¯s been 8 years ¡­ Den ¡­ we¡¯re all here just waiting for you to tell the truth ¡­ that¡¯s the only way to take care of this problem.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple ¡­¡±


    ¡°It is that simple ¡­ you just don¡¯t want to deal with the repercussion, how long do you think this guy ¡­¡± he pointed to the envelope again, ¡°Is going to wait before he sends this to your wife? Or your family?¡±


    The question didn¡¯t need an answer.


    ¡°Fine ¡­ I¡¯ll stick around ¡¯til next week ¡­ he¡¯s almost 8 ¡­ it¡¯s not toote to start being his dad ¡­ maybe you can do us all a favor and teach him not to be a screw-up.¡±


    Gil stood up and walked away without waiting for a response. Leaving Den with his empty ss, empty stare, and a head full of scenarios of what his future holds.

 Younger Men

    She always thought of herself as someone who can only be attracted to men older than her. Never had she imagined something like this could happen.


    When she¡¯s alone with Roman, their age difference never seems to matter. But when she¡¯s with other people, the one thing she often thinks about was their age gap.


    She was having brunch with the wives. The fact that they are Roman¡¯s mother¡¯s friends didn¡¯t escape her, she could¡¯ve been his mother¡¯s friend too if they had known each other before.


    The way those women talked about him was degrading by any measure, to themselves, to Roman, to reduce a person by their age and their looks and basing it on sexual attraction. It made her re-evaluate her own attraction to Roman, was it just physical?


    ¡°His abs.¡± ¡°His tanned skin.¡± ¡°The bulge on his pants.¡± ¡°How long do you think he¡¯dst?¡± ¡°Hard.¡± ¡°Long.¡± ¡°A boyish smile.¡±


    Yikes, she thought.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    She forced a smile once in a while pretending that it was amusing to listen to them thirsting on younger men, their personal trainer, their gardener, their son¡¯s teacher, even the pool boy. She cringed.


    Roman was different, he has a certain depth about him, an old soul that understood her. There was a force that pulled them together in a way she never felt with anyone, but no one would listen to that. Not the women on that table anyways. They would never be able to see it as something other than physical attraction. Is that what it looks like from the outside?


    ¡°Big celebrationing up at the Murphy¡¯s next week?¡± Helena said.


    ¡°Umm ¡­ I hear everyone¡¯s invited,¡± Gloria replied.


    ¡°Finally ¡­ the big merge, Hunt and Murphy, can¡¯t imagine what that will bring to your household in the near future,¡± Regina nudged Olivia¡¯s elbow.


    She wasn¡¯t paying attention, ¡°Hmm? Oh ¡­ the party ¡­ yeah, Den¡¯s leaving town for a few days that¡¯s why the party is next week.¡±


    ¡°I heard he¡¯s nning to invest a lot of money on Brian¡¯s properties in the UK and soon they¡¯re expanding to the oil business,¡± Gloria said.


    Everyone was looking at Olivia for the juice, they expect her to know the details of her husband¡¯s business, although she doesn¡¯t. She finds Den¡¯s business boring, it was all about money, how to make more money to expand to other fields to make even more money. She smiled, ¡°He¡¯s nning to buy a summer home in London.¡±


    Regina scoffed, ¡°Understandably so, you might even be residing there when the new investment push through ¡­ urgh, what I¡¯d do to live in London every other month in a year,¡± she sipped on her drink.


    Of course. More work, more business, why would Den buy something extravagant if it wasn¡¯t in line with his business? Just like when he bought the brownstone to get away from Mimi¡¯s house when he could¡¯ve bought a nice home in the suburbs where Olivia would prefer it, but he talked her into buying a home in the middle of the business central because he needed it to be close to work.


    It was fine though, she didn¡¯t mind it, but there¡¯s always something that profits him more than he was buying it for her. Except for the ring, maybe, the birthday gift was solely for her benefit. She twisted the ring on her finger, she hadn¡¯t taken it off since the day he put it on her finger. He wouldn¡¯t let her take it off, whenever he saw the ring on her dresser, he would put it back on her finger.


    ¡°He¡¯s moving really fast up on that list, Livy, maybe even second to Brian Murphy soon,¡± one of the wives said.


    ¡°What list?¡± she wasn¡¯t aware of a list.


    Helena¡¯s jaw dropped, it was what all their husbands had been talking about since Den¡¯s business deal, ¡°The richest man in the world list ¡­ what other list is there?¡±


    They allughed. Out of amusement, out of envy, who knows which one. She knew she didn¡¯t really have any friends, not among them, otherwise, she would be able to tell at least one of them how much she was torn about her marriage to Den. None of them would understand why would she even think about a divorce when her husband was about to be the next mega-billionaire.


    ¡°To the next on the list ¡­ next on the throne,¡± Reginaughed, ¡°And his beautiful Queen,¡± she lifted her ss for the toast.


    Everyone cheered. Olivia half-heartedly drank to that too. Next on the throne. They must¡¯ve meant the Hunt family dynasty. If only they knew she will have to produce a child for that to happen. None of them knew what her smile holds either.

 Lies And A Gun

    His life was about to change. He hoped that it would be for the better, if not the best because he finally get to that ce he¡¯d worked so hard for. There¡¯s just a tiny problem. Someone is trying to taunt him by sending pictures of his ex-lover and illegitimate child.


    After Gil denied it, he didn¡¯t wholly cross his name from the list of people that has the potential to ckmail him. It was quite a long list. He didn¡¯t get to where he is without stepping on other people¡¯s toes, even if he had done it smoothly. Most people envy sess rather than embrace it when it happens to others.


    He couldn¡¯t trust anyone, not even his mother. Mimi and his brothers were all on his list. He had at least five business rivals who pitched on the same deal he made with Brian Murphy. They were considered on his list too. Even Brian Murphy was not free from suspicion because he, too, would have something to gain from holding on to Den¡¯s deepest darkest secret.


    They know his home address. Thest envelope he received was sent to his house. He was lucky Olivia wasn¡¯t the one who epted it. They¡¯re getting closer to home. Soon the threat will escte. He had to be prepared. So Den bought a gun. He kept it locked in his drawer in the study where Olivia couldn¡¯t see it. She would freak out if she knew a gun was in the house.


    Den was used to minor setbacks. He had it all the time at work. But this involves his personal life. His marriage was at stake. And that is the one thing he wasn¡¯t willing to sacrifice because Olivia was the love of his life. Even though he realized it toote, he is sure now she¡¯s the woman he should hold on to for the rest of his life.


    ¡°I¡¯m meeting Gregory in Chestnut ¡­ he said he needed my opinion on something he¡¯s working on for hispany,¡± Den wasn¡¯t entirely lying. He was going to do all that in Chestnut, but he made that n after he decided he needed to see Sienna there. To have another activity in the ce where he¡¯s going was the safest way to lie to his wife and not lie at the same time.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few days, just in time for that party at Brian¡¯s ¡­ are you buying a new dress?¡± he smiled and looked at her.


    ¡°Should I?¡± Olivia was reading on the couch.


    ¡°It won¡¯t hurt to dazzle everyone like you always do ¡­ it¡¯s a big thing to celebrate, go treat yourself with a nice dress ¡­ something blue, something sexy, or elegant and sexy,¡± heughed lightly. ¡°Oh ¡­ and easy to slip out of ¡­ not with too many hooks andces ¡­ they¡¯re so hard to undo,¡± he requested since he was the one who¡¯d be taking it off of her.


    She smiled, ¡°Sure ¡­ I¡¯ll look for something ¡­ where will you be staying?¡±


    ¡°The Four Season, as usual ¡­ you know where to call me, my phone will probably be off most of the time ¡­ it¡¯s a big meeting with Gregory¡¯s board of Directors.¡±


    She stared at him suspiciously but shrugged it off, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°What will you be doing while I¡¯m gone?¡±


    ¡°Work ¡­ new clients, survey, sketching, designing, and looking for that dress,¡± that wasn¡¯t entirely a lie either. She will do all that, have dinner with Roman every night at his ce, and have sex. They¡¯ve made ns.


    ¡°Did you ask Alma toe to stay here with you for a few days?¡± he asked Olivia because he was starting to worry about the anonymous sender.


    ¡°No ¡­ I don¡¯t want to bother her. She has a family ¡­ I can manage on my own.¡±


    He walked over to her and kneeled beside the couch, ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m worried about ¡­ I just don¡¯t want you to be alone ¡­ at least ask her, maybe she¡¯s avable ¡­ or I can ask her.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she touched his hand before he pulled out his phone to call Alma. ¡°I¡¯m okay ¡­ really ¡­ I¡¯m used to it.¡±


    They looked into each other¡¯s eyes. Somehow her answer made him feel guilty for leaving her alone too frequently.


    ¡°Can I tell you something? But promise me you won¡¯t freak out,¡± Den asked.


    She raised her brows, ¡°Okay ¡­¡±


    ¡°I kept a gun in my study ¡­ it¡¯s locked in my drawer.¡±


    Her eyes widened, ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°Just in case ¡­ you never know when you need it, and you¡¯re home alone most of the time so I thought ¡­ just to be safe.¡±


    She was silent for a moment, ¡°We¡¯ve never had any security problems before ¡­ do you think it¡¯s not safe here anymore?¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    He looked down and sighed, ¡°Yeah ¡­ I think it¡¯s not so safe here anymore,¡± he lied. ¡°Just so you know that we have protection just in case we need it ¡­ it¡¯s locked and safe, you know where the keys are, right?¡±


    She tried to remember where it was, and wondered if Den hadn¡¯t moved it since thest time she used it to spy on him. ¡°Is it in the ¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still there ¡­ I didn¡¯t move it,¡± he curved his lips, he wanted her to know he didn¡¯t have anything to hide from her anymore. Although he did, he kept the envelopes in his safe where no one knows thebination except himself.


    ¡°Okay ¡­ I don¡¯t know, Den, do we really need to have a gun in the house?¡±


    He touched her cheek and smiled, ¡°It¡¯s just for protection, sweetie, we want to be safe ¡­ do you know how to use it? The bullets are in that drawer too.¡±


    ¡°See ¡­ how can it protect me when I don¡¯t even know how to use it?¡±


    ¡°I can teach you when I get back, we probably won¡¯t need it ever ¡­ hopefully, don¡¯t worry about it ¡­ okay?¡± he kissed her temple.


    She hesitated, ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you when I get there,¡± he brushed her hair with his hand and waited for the kiss she usually give him before he leaves, but she was reading. ¡°Don¡¯t I get a kiss?¡±


    She looked up at him almost like she¡¯d forgotten then she smiled and kissed him. He lingered, he didn¡¯t want it to be just a casual peck on the lips, he wanted to taste her in his mouth.


    He put his hands on the sides of her face and held her in, he could feel her pulling away but he kept going and sheplied. He misses her. Sometimes it happens, even when they¡¯ve been married for so long, even when they see each other every day, he misses her.


    He misses holding and kissing her passionately. He misses being so close to her that he could feel her breath, the smell of her hair, and he wanted her to know that with his kiss. He wanted her to know that whatever he had going on behind her back, it has nothing to do with her, because he loves her with all his heart and soul.


    ¡°Okay ¡­ I¡¯m gonna let you go now,¡± he softly said with a smile.


    She blushed, if he didn¡¯t have to leave, that kiss would¡¯ve led them to the bedroom. ¡°Safe trip.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll call you,¡± he kissed her forehead, ¡°Love you.¡± He walked away with his hand still holding on to hers like he wouldn¡¯t let go ¡­ not until the veryst second.

 The Boyfriend

    She sat on a stool in front of the canvas of a half-painted picture of her naked back. It was something Roman had been working on for weeks without a model. Just a very vivid memory of when they were together on the boat. A few passionate nights neither of them will ever forget.


    Roman stood behind her holding her hand and the brush in her grip. He moved their hands together and did strokes on the canvas. If only she knew how special it was to be the one holding the brush. In his entire career, he never let anyone hold his brush, it was sacred. He never even let anyone look at his work, not when he was still working on it.


    He pressed his face against her head, stealing kisses while his other arm was wrapped around her waist. He nibbled on her ear and tickled her with his prickly beard.


    She wriggled then he¡¯d brush his face on her bare shoulder. Sheughed. He kissed her neck. The painting was never going to be done. He was too in love with the person he tried to paint.


    ¡°Have you told him?¡±


    ¡°Told him what?¡±


    He looked at her sharply, he didn¡¯t want to ask, but he was growing impatient.


    She held his hand, ¡°No ¡­ it¡¯s not the right time.¡±


    He raised his brows, ¡°Is there a right time to tell him you want a divorce?¡±


    She tilted her head to one side, hoping he would be more understanding of her position. ¡°We¡¯re celebrating his deal with your dad next week ¡­ can we at least wait until after the party?¡±


    His eyes averted her stare for a split second. He¡¯d been waiting forever to find her. He can wait another week. But he didn¡¯t want her to think she could make him wait too long. He let out a long sigh.


    ¡°The party ¡­ that means we have to pretend we¡¯re not in love with each other in front of the people closest to us?¡± he rested his hand on his waist.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing Selma¡¯s going to be there too?¡±


    He rolled his eyes, ¡°I could go with you, but ¡­¡±


    She stood and looped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his warm broad chest where she could hear his heartbeat. ¡°Give me more time ¡­ please ¡­ I¡¯ll tell him next week after the party.¡±


    His lips touched the top of her head, ¡°Promise?¡±


    She nodded. She had to ease his mind, at least. Although she was torn inside, she wasn¡¯t sure about anything other than falling hard for this man she was embracing, but she had to give up everything she had to be with him. Everything.


    ¡°I love you,¡± he said quietly into her ear.


    She wanted to say it back, she really did. But this is not what love is to her, hiding him from the world because she was ashamed of what people might think, because she didn¡¯t want to have any problems with her husband and his family. It wasn¡¯t fair for everyone, and that¡¯s not what love suppose to do.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to say it now ¡­ but I do ¡­ I want to make ns with you. I want to be free to love you, and I can only hold on to this if you promise me that this will be over soon ¡­ I want to be free to make love to you. I want to roam the world with you, show you things you¡¯ve never seen before ¡­ I want you all to myself.¡±


    She tightened her embrace. She wanted the same things. It was easy with him. Everything flows effortlessly. But whenever she thinks about it, it brought tears to her eyes because of the life she had to leave behind, the other love she had that she can¡¯t just dismiss like it meant nothing to her. Because it meant a lot, it was her life for 15 years. She trembled.


    A knock on the door startled them. She lets go of him like a disease and stepped away. He stood calmly and watched as she did that, and she could see the hurt in his eyes.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Roman answered the knock from where he stood.


    ¡°Roman ¡­ your father is here to see you,¡± the manager¡¯s voice muffled through the door. There was a pause, ¡°And there¡¯s a customer downstairs that asked to see you.¡±


    ¡°Tell them I¡¯ll be right down,¡± he said.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll let them know ¡­ it¡¯s the blue me ¡­ he wanted to ask you about it.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Olivia was still recovering from the knock. She covered her mouth with one hand, trying to steady her breathing. She was relieved that his manager didn¡¯t just burst through the door, more relieved that his dad didn¡¯t do that either.


    ¡°You realize she probably knows about us by now, right?¡± Roman asked with a wicked smile.


    She paused for a moment, ¡°No ¡­ does she?¡±


    Roman tilted his shoulder, he grabbed his shirt, and put it on, ¡°I can¡¯t think of another reason why she didn¡¯t just let my dade up here,¡± he had a point. ¡°I¡¯m going to see what he wants ¡­ will you still be here when I get back?¡±


    She nodded, still nervous thinking about what the manager knew and didn¡¯t know.


    He curved his lips, and his blue eyes twinkled. Gorgeous. ¡°Don¡¯t stray away,¡± he joked.


    **********


    ¡°Dad? What are you doing here?¡± he greeted Brian, who was looking at The Heart from the outside of the small room.


    ¡°Hey, Roman,¡± he tucked his hands in his pocket and shook his head a little. ¡°I could never understand art ¡­ though I try,¡± he chuckled, ¡°I was never artistic, not sensitive enough as your mother put it ¡­ this ¡­¡± he pointed around him, ¡°You¡¯ve got this from somewhere ¡­ not from me ¡­ or your mother ¡­ I don¡¯t think she can tell the difference between a picture and a painting either,¡± heughed.


    Roman tucked his hands in his pockets too. Who would¡¯ve thought that bodynguage was gic? He just smiled, his parents never understood what he does or will they ever be.


    ¡°I¡¯m just visiting ¡­ taking a tour to see what you¡¯re doing ¡­ how are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good, thanks for asking. You could¡¯ve called ¡­ we could have a drink somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Oh ¡­ no ¡­ I don¡¯t have that much time at the moment. I want to make sure you¡¯reing to the party next week ¡­ with your girlfriend,¡± Brian said, ¡°Is she here, by the way?¡±


    ¡°Selma? No ¡­ but yeah ¡­ I¡¯ll be there, she¡¯ll be there too ¡­ it¡¯s unusual for you toe all the way just to ask me that.¡±


    Brian stood facing him with a serious expression, ¡°Den is out of town.¡±


    Roman stared at him in confusion. He grimaced.


    His dad let out a long sigh, ¡°I hope you¡¯re not enjoying his wife¡¯spany too much ¡­ is she upstairs?¡±


    Silence.


    ¡°He¡¯s my business partner, Roman, a very important one ¡­ it would be frivolous to have his wife sleeping with my 28-year-old son.¡±


    Roman shook his head with a smirk, ¡°I¡¯m not sleeping with Olivia ¡­ we¡¯re business partners.¡± He lied.


    Brian wasn¡¯t convinced. He studied his son¡¯s expression, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to gain from another man¡¯s wife ¡­ remember that, that thing in that room,¡± he pointed to The Heart, ¡°That¡¯s the only thing you¡¯ll achieve from expecting the love of another man¡¯s woman.¡±


    Roman didn¡¯t respond. Denying it once was enough.


    ¡°Selma is a nice girl ¡­ maybe you should consider announcing your engagement with her at the party ¡­ and convince me that you¡¯re not back to your old habit again.¡±


    ¡°What? We¡¯re not getting engaged¡­¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter ¡­ you just need to announce it ¡­ and maybe learn to be with someone that¡¯s more suitable ¡­ age-wise¡­ and not taken?¡±


    ¡°Oh my God, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re actually here to tell me that.¡±


    ¡°I invested a lot for all this. I was hoping you¡¯d changed your ways in that department ¡­ do you remember the nightmare we all had to go through the first time?¡± he gripped his son¡¯s arm. ¡°He¡¯s a very important person for my business at this moment, Roman, don¡¯t ruin this for me.¡±


    He bit his lower lip. How he wanted to tell his dad the truth, but he had to bite his tongue. ¡°You got nothing to worry about, Dad. I¡¯m not sleeping with his wife.¡±


    Brian took it in for a moment then nodded. ¡°Good ¡­ make the announcement at the party ¡­ okay? Let it be a celebration for you, too ¡­ you like this girl, right?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t tell him that she was not even his actual girlfriend. He avoided his father¡¯s gaze and stayed silent.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time to start thinking about your own family anyway ¡­ she¡¯s a fine candidate, why not?¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t work that way,¡± heughed in disbelief.


    ¡°Well, it has to ¡­ okay, Roman? If it¡¯s the only way to keep her away from you ¡­ or you away from her ¡­¡± Brian¡¯s voice spiked.


    Roman was stunned. Why was his dad so determined that he was having an affair with Olivia? Did he know something?


    ¡°Do you know what would happen if people know about you and Olivia? How would it affect my business with Den? Do you even care?¡±


    ¡°I think you should leave, Dad,¡± he wasn¡¯t going to have that argument in his gallery when people were still around.


    ¡°I need you to take this seriously, Roman, ¡­ this is not a game ¡­ Den is a powerful man, well-respected family ¡­ if he finds out you¡¯re messing with his wife, this could go bad for all of us.¡±


    ¡°Please ¡­ Dad, I need you to leave,¡± he kept his mouth shut.


    Brian looked at his son for a moment, his stubborn and foolish son, ¡°Fine ¡­ we¡¯ll have this conversation another time ¡­ I was hoping you denied it, Roman, I was hoping youughed about it when I mention her name.¡±


    Brian shook his head. He was in shock by his son¡¯sck of denial. He was now convinced what he was afraid of was true.

 Declan And Sienna

    The anticipation ¡­ every time he wasing to meet her, anywhere, anytime, the anticipation still feels like it did years ago when she could tell herself that Den was hers.


    Her lover. The man she fell in love with identally but harder than anyone before him. There¡¯s no one after him. She found it impossible to love anyone else after what she had with Den.


    There¡¯s love for her too, somewhere in him, not as great as how he feels for Olivia, but it¡¯s there ¡­ lying silently, subtle and steady inside him that she was still able to see him time and time again. At least that¡¯s what she told herself.


    How ironic, the proudest thing she could ever im was Den Hunt is the father of her child, but it will never be validated by anyone, even if she would deny it if anyone would ask. The risk was too great. She loved Den more than she needed her eptance. As long as he was willing to admit it to her, and took care of the both of them, she was fine with it.


    She knew what it meant to be the other woman of a very wealthy man since the very beginning. She knew the odds were not in her favor. To be cast away, hidden from his reality was the price she had to be willing to pay and she did.


    She daydreamed of how wonderful life would be to be his wife and raise Damien together as she sat on the park bench on a sunny afternoon. Chestnut was a perfect little town to raise a family but hers was not ideal. The love of her life, the father of her child was married to another woman that has no idea how lucky she is to be loved by him.


    Damien was running around at the park, ying at the swing and going back and forth to the slide. He was a replica of his dad, thank God for that. His looks, hisugh, smart, and witty, a mini Den except for his curly hair, that one was hers to im. How could she ever separate herself from the life she didn¡¯t have when all her love and devotion to Damien was a direct reminder of it?


    ¡°Sienna.¡±


    His voice interrupted her thoughts. He was standing by the tree next to the bench. Tall and handsome, he was wearing a dark grey suit, the color he wore best, and took her breath away.


    ¡°Den,¡± a wide smile bloomed across her face.


    She stood up to greet him only to get a peck on the cheeks when what she wanted was to wrap her arms around him and press their lips together. He¡¯d told her about the pictures and worried someone was following him. He sat at the other end of the bench crossed leg with his arm leaned along the back of the bench.


    She¡¯d been waiting for this meeting for weeks, but the way he distanced himself was worrying her. He seemed to have a lot on his mind as he gaze far into the park.


    ¡°We can¡¯t do this anymore,¡± he began, ¡°At least for a while ¡­ until things are settled ¡­ I can¡¯t risk anyone seeing us together and ¡­ Damien.¡±


    She was right, there was something wrong with how he was that day. She looked at the side of his face, how she longed to be with him. If the world falls apart, she would be okay if Den would tell her that he loves her more than anyone else.


    ¡°How long?¡±


    He turned to look at her, ¡°I will be leaving for London next month for a couple of months ¡­ more or less.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°With Olivia?¡±


    He swallowed before answering, ¡°We¡¯re going to buy a summer home, I have business there in the near future and it¡¯s good to have a ce to stay for long periods.¡±


    She looked away. His staying married to Olivia was like a knife in her heart, but to hear that they were nning a future together was twisting it even deeper. She clenched her teeth, something was pushing from the back of her eyes. ¡°Gil is leaving,¡± her voice trembled.


    There was a pause, ¡°He told me,¡± Den said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care ¡­ I can take care of myself and Damien ¡­ it¡¯s finally over, it feels unreal ¡­ but he¡¯s really leaving ¡­ tomorrow ¡­¡± tears started to fall on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry ¡­ you¡¯re not alone, Sienna, you don¡¯t have to worry about the finances ¡­ I told you I¡¯ll take care of everything ¡­ you don¡¯t even have to work if you have to stay home and look after Damien.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying, Den ¡­ my life! My life ispletely changed ¡­ for what? I¡¯m getting a divorce, I have a son who doesn¡¯t know who his real father is, and I¡¯m going to be a single mother when I don¡¯t have to be ¡­ stay home and not work? Why? While you buy a summer home with your wife and keep me hidden here dealing with my own misery?¡±


    Den held her hand to calm her down, she was starting to scream and he didn¡¯t want her to attract unwanted attention. ¡°Sienna ¡­ please ¡­ I¡¯m trying ¡­ I¡¯m taking care of you and Damien, aren¡¯t I? Whatever you need ¡­ you know I¡¯ll provide it.¡±


    ¡°Damien needs a father ¡­ how about that? How long do you think you can keep this up? I¡¯m not gonna lie to him forever, he has to know who his father is ¡­ he deserves to know that ¡­ even if you don¡¯t want him to know, it¡¯s not your call Den ¡­ it¡¯s mine because I¡¯m his mother and I¡¯m not gonna deprived him of the truth.¡±


    He rubbed his face with both hands, ¡°I know ¡­ I know ¡­ but can we at least wait ¡­¡± he sighed deeply, ¡°We¡¯re going to do an IVF treatment soon ¡­ we¡¯re trying again.¡±


    Her jaw dropped open, no words coulde out. It wasn¡¯t the first time he made her feel like a leftover, him trying to have children with his wife made her feel like trash, especially when her own son had to wait for that to be acknowledged. She shook her head. Olivia was his queen, she could neverpete with that, but her son has topete with an unborn child ¡­ even worse, an unconceived child.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that to her, Sienna, at least not until we have our own child ¡­ it will kill her.¡±


    ¡°Stop! Do you expect me to feel sorry for her after what I¡¯ve been through? Really, Den? Have you nopassion for me at all?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not expecting you to understand ¡­ no ¡­ but this is our reality, okay? I¡¯m not leaving her ¡­ we¡¯re staying together and this is what we must do to stay together.¡±


    Sienna averted her gaze to the opposite side, it was way too hurtful for her to hear that. She cried. ¡°I hate you ¡­ I hate you for doing this to me ¡­ to us ¡­¡±


    ¡°I wish there was another way,¡± he tried to console her.


    ¡°There are other ways ¡­¡±


    ¡°The one where I stay with Olivia and makes you happy too? Or the one where I leave her and make myself miserable?¡±


    She shook her head. The other woman is always the one to sacrifice because she wasn¡¯t even supposed to be in the picture, it was all her fault. ¡°One day ¡­ he will grow up and figure all this out by himself,¡± she wiped her tears, ¡°He will knock on your door and tell your wife who he is ¡­ do you want to wait until that dayes before you tell her the truth? How do you think she will take it then? With or without your own children ¡­ how will she see you as a person? Abandoning your own son to keep your marriage intact?¡±


    He stood up. He can¡¯t listen to the things he already knows in his heart, he just hadn¡¯t figured out how to deal with it yet. ¡°I have to go.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t even going to meet with Damien, it was too risky, watching him from afar was all the luxury he could get.


    Sienna didn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be in touch,¡± he added. He didn¡¯t even wait for her response, he nced at Damien at the swing and waved at him before he turned and disappeared¡­ again.

 Celebration

    When Olivia Harmon entered a room, heads turned. Dressed in red nheless. Sometimes he wondered if she really meant it when she said she didn¡¯t like to be the center of attention.


    He watched from the corner of his father¡¯s house as she walked in with her arm looped around Den¡¯s. Her husband¡¯s adoring eyes look at her with a proud smile. Parading her around like she was his most prized possession. Maybe she was, there¡¯s nothing wrong with that. But it made his stomach turn.


    ¡°Hey ¡­ there you are,¡± Selma tugged his shirt from behind. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    He turned and sipped on his drink. He didn¡¯t want her to see he was watching Den Hunt¡¯s wife like a hawk from the moment she stepped into the dining hall. ¡°Nothing,¡± he lied.


    ¡°I was looking for you everywhere ¡­ you could¡¯ve at least pretended to care a little bit about your date?¡± she protested.


    He smiled, ¡°You¡¯re right ¡­ sorry ¡­ I was wandering and found the cocktail waiter,¡± he chuckled, ¡°Let¡¯s go find something to eat.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a great idea, I¡¯m famished ¡­ can we get some seafood on that table?¡±


    He looked to where Selma pointed, it was the table where Den and Olivia stood talking to other guests.


    ¡°The food outside is better, let¡¯s go to the back,¡± he took her hand and walked around the back to avoid meeting the guests of honor.


    He avoided the couple like the gue. At that point, he was unable to hide his true feelings toward them anymore. Seeing them together was like poison he had to swallow and pretend it didn¡¯t kill him. How Den kissed her hand now and again, wrapped his arm around her waist, telling everybody how beautiful his wife looked that night as if the world was blind.


    He could¡¯ve tried to enjoy the food but all he could think about was how Den would go home with her and took that blood-red dress off of her. He put his te down and took another ss of cocktail instead and another, and another. Until his dad called out for everyone to gather around for the main event.


    He leaned on the doorway facing the huge cake where his dad, his stepmom, Den and Olivia stood encircled by the guests. All the sounds were muffled in his ears. Selma was talking non-stop next to him, he seemed to find a way to block all the noise while his focus was solely on the woman in the red dress. He hadn¡¯t said a word to her since the party started, but she was never out of his sight.


    A great sess. Merge of giants. Bringing change to society. Making a difference in the world. The richest man on the Forbes list. Yadda yadda yadda. That much Roman could capture with his drunken ears. Then finally, Den announced that he will be taking a leave of absence for a few months because he was going to buy a house in London for his lovely wife.


    Roman grimaced. That was not what he wanted to hear. She never said anything about leaving for London for a few months. He saw Olivia nce at him for a split second and averted back to Den. She was all smiles and agreeing to his every word. She didn¡¯t act like someone who was going to tell her husband that she wanted a divorce, she was the exact opposite. He was buying a house for her, and she looked grateful. She was leaning to her husband like they were going on a second honeymoon and it nearly drove him mad.


    ¡°Wow ¡­ congrattions!¡± he said out loud and caught everyone¡¯s attention.


    He walked towards the couple with a drink still in his hand, and Selma in the other.


    ¡°Please ¡­ let me congratte everyone here for this wonderful sess, truly deserving a celebration,¡± he lifted his ss to face the crowd and everyone joined him.


    Olivia felt the tension, she had to y along.


    ¡°Why thank you, Roman, we haven¡¯t seen you all night ¡­ we totally appreciate it,¡± Den replied.


    Roman had a smile on his face that Olivia knew wasn¡¯t sincere, ¡°And to my business partner whom I have had the pleasure to work with for all these months ¡­ congrattions ¡­ this is also your achievement ¡­ and a house in London, I hope that doesn¡¯t mean our work here is done,¡± he chuckled. The crowd murmurs in lightughter.


    ¡°Thank you ¡­ of course not, it¡¯s a pleasure working with you too,¡± Olivia said.


    ¡°Well ¡­ not unless we finally get pregnant,¡± Den interrupted and held his wife¡¯s arm in a loving way that Olivia couldn¡¯t possibly reject him.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Roman raised his brows, ¡°Even more good news,¡± he raised his ss again to the crowd, ¡°Let¡¯s cheers to that shall we? The Hunts are going to wee a new heir to the throne,¡± he grinned widely.


    Brian was looking at his son¡¯s behavior and feared it might go somewhere unpleasant. ¡°What about you, Roman? You have something to announce too, don¡¯t you?¡±


    He looked at his dad for a brief second, ¡°Oh yes ¡­ I was too distracted by the series of good news, I too have something to celebrate ¡­ I¡¯m happy to announce that this lovelydy here,¡± he pulled Selma closer to him, ¡°We are getting engaged.¡±


    The crowd gasped in surprise. The most surprised was Selma, she couldn¡¯t close her mouth. For a brief moment, Roman and Olivia were staring at each other like the world didn¡¯t exist.


    ¡°Everyone here will be invited of course ¡­ the date is yet to be discussed,¡± Roman chuckled and looked at Selma who was grinning from ear to ear. ¡°I will leave all the details up to you, mydy ¡­ and if you don¡¯t mind let¡¯splete this announcement with a great big kiss,¡± he put his arm around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss.


    Right there in front of Den and Olivia, Roman kissed his future ¡®fiance¡¯ in a long passionate kiss like he was going to suck the life out of that poor girl. The smoochsted long enough to make everyone ufortable and was finally interrupted by Brian¡¯s voice, ¡°Here¡¯s to the happy couple!¡± he raised his ss to the guests and they all cheered.


    After the smooch, Roman¡¯s eyes went straight to Olivia although he was the one who looked more disappointed than her. With Selma still, in his arm, he smiled at Olivia and raised his ss.


    ¡°Congrattions,¡± Olivia said.


    ¡°Yes, congrattions, very happy news indeed,¡± Den added.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Roman simply said and pulled Selma away from the crowd as quickly as he entered it.

 What Was That All About?

    ¡°What was that all about?¡± Selma asked when they arrived at the balcony. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me we were going to pull that stunt in front of everybody?¡±


    Roman leaned on the railing and lit up a cigarette, ¡°I didn¡¯t think I had to do that until thest minute.¡±


    Selma took the cigarette box from his pocket and lit one for herself, she stood beside him and studied his face.


    ¡°It¡¯s her isn¡¯t it?¡± she cocked her head to one side as she blew a cloud of smoke. ¡°Den Hunt¡¯s wife? You¡¯re her lover?¡± she stroked the hair above his ear.


    He didn¡¯t respond, he just let out a long train of smoke into the cold night air.


    ¡°Oh, Roman ¡­ she¡¯s ying you, babe, why are you wasting your time with someone else¡¯s wife? Den Hunt¡¯s nheless,¡± she chuckled. ¡°I sometimes wonder why you needed to hire a fake date ¡­ I guess now I know the answer ¡­ how long do you think you can pretend to be engaged with me?¡±


    He turned to look at her, ¡°As long as it¡¯s needed.¡±


    She bit her lower lip before taking another drag of her cigarette, ¡°Why don¡¯t we just make it real? You can still be with her ¡­ and I get to be your wife,¡± she had a wicked smile on her face and rubbed herself against his arm.


    Roman had picked the right person to be his fake date. There¡¯s nothing Selma cared about more than money. As long as she can make money out of it, she¡¯d do just about anything.


    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works ¡­ we¡¯re in love ¡­ she¡¯s going to divorce him.¡±


    Selma burst intoughter, she wasughing so hard she could hardly speak. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly believe that? It¡¯s one thing to have a problematic marriage ¡­ divorcing someone like Den Hunt is just ¡­ stupid ¡­ she doesn¡¯t look stupid to me, no offense, Roman ¡­ that guy owns the world, he could give her everything you can¡¯t ¡­ except ¡­¡± she curved her lips into a half smile, ¡°Maybe you¡¯re just better in bed,¡± she whispered in his ear.


    ¡°She¡¯s not like that.¡±


    Sheughed again, ¡°No? Let me tell you something ¡­ women want security ¡­ the more secure the guy is the better, her husband ¡­ is the picture perfect of what security is ¡­ old money, sessful,petent, ¡­ mature ¡­ you don¡¯t stand a chance with a man like that, Roman, no offense, you¡¯re gorgeous and probably hot in bed ¡­ but think about it ¡­ she wouldn¡¯tst this long if she wasn¡¯t holding on to all that ¡­ it¡¯s so naive of you to think she would leave him for ¡­ love?¡±


    Roman shook his head, ¡°You don¡¯t know her as I do ¡­ she¡¯s not a faker, I know she loves me.¡±


    Selma rested her elbows on the railings and let out a deep exhale, she knew there was nothing more useless than trying to talk sense into a person who was blindly in love. ¡°Maybe so ¡­ I¡¯m just saying from my own experience ¡­ marriage is one hell of aplicated rtionship, she might be in love with you but that doesn¡¯t mean she doesn¡¯t love him ¡­ your chance of being with her is close to zero unless you¡¯d be willing to be her side boy for a very very long time.¡±N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°You were with a married man?¡±


    She nodded, ¡°The reason why I don¡¯t believe in love anymore ¡­ not really ¡­ marriage is not always about love, it¡¯s convenience, and how far you can tolerate the bullshit for convenience¡¯s sake,¡± she chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s amazing how much bullshit a person can tolerate to stay that long in a marriage ¡­ and we ¡­ the outsider ¡­ don¡¯t stand a chance whenpared to the craziness they¡¯ve been putting up with each other.¡±


    She rested her hand on his shoulder andughed. It hurt once, but now she was able tough it off. ¡°Get out while you still can, Roman, I¡¯m saying this as a friend ¡­ I hate to see you waste your time with a love like that ¡­ it¡¯s not worth it.¡±


    He scoffed, ¡°That¡¯s just it,¡± he dug his hands in his hair, ¡°I can¡¯t ¡­ I love her ¡­ even if I end this ¡­ I¡¯d still feel the same.¡± He emptied his ss.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t still have fun,¡± she hugged him sideways, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re being loyal to her?¡± sheughed lightly and nibbled in his ear. ¡°I wanna know where that kiss can lead to, Roman,e on ¡­ you have a spare room in this giant ce somewhere ¡­ might as well show her she¡¯s not the only one who can fuck around, you¡¯re too good to waste.¡± She slipped her hand near his crotch.


    He didn¡¯t budge, he finished his cigarette and pulled her hand away. It¡¯s so easy for him to sleep with other women if he wanted to, but he was too stupid to do that. He only wants Olivia and the things Selma had put into his head fueled him to look for her. He wants to make sure he wasn¡¯t being yed. ¡°I¡¯m gonna get some more drinks ¡­ stay here,¡± he said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too drunk ¡­ the party isn¡¯t over yet ¡­ you don¡¯t want to slip and say things you¡¯ll regret,¡± Selma said as he walked away.


    ¡ª


    He found the drink station and drank up two sses of champagne in one go. Just when he was going to get another one, he saw Olivia walking towards the bathroom in the quiet hallway. He looked around and saw no one was watching, he followed her.


    He forced himself in before Olivia realized she was being followed. He closed the door behind him and locked it.


    ¡°Roman ¡­ what are you doing here? People might see you,¡± she panicked and went for the door to let him out.


    He stood firmly with his back pressed against the door, his eyes filled with fire which she couldn¡¯t tell whether it was rage or lust. He charged at her with a kiss, his arms tight around her waist.


    She tried to break away but he was too strong and he reeked of alcohol, she was powerless as he slid the top of her dress exposing her breast. His mouth made its way to her chest and she felt shivers down her spine, he was out of control.


    She pushed him away andnded a hard p on his cheek, ¡°Stop it!¡± she was breathless. She fixed her dress as they locked eyes in front of the mirror. ¡°You¡¯re drunk ¡­ you should get out now.¡±


    His cheek was throbbing from the p, it sobered him up a little bit but not from the lust, ¡°Are you leaving for London? Are you going through with that treatment?¡± he asked what he came there for.


    ¡°No ¡­ I haven¡¯t told him ¡­ that¡¯s why he was announcing it, I didn¡¯t want to ruin his night ¡­ Roman ¡­ please leave ¡­ someone could be outside,¡± she was anxious.


    ¡°Are you lying to me?¡± he approached her again.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying ¡­ Roman ¡­ I can¡¯t think ¡­ what if someone sees youe in? Please ¡­¡± she pushed him gently.


    He grabbed her waist and kissed her again, anyone finding out about them was thest thing he cared about.


    She lifted her arm to strike him again but he caught it, he pinned her hard against the bathroom wall with his tongue deep in her throat. What took seconds felt like minutes, it was a disaster waiting to happen. She could feel it in her bones.


    He was dumping all his anger at her. He wanted to feel he was more than just her ¡®side boy¡¯ as Selma put it. No matter how many times she tried to convince him she felt the same way about him, she was still with Den. In that little room, for a brief moment, she was in his control.


    He didn¡¯t want it to be like that. When he came back to his senses, he lets her go. He saw her face ridden with fear. His heart sank. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said quietly.


    ¡°Get out, Roman ¡­ get out right now or I will scream,¡± she threatens.


    He closed his eyes, and his jaw tightened. He knew what he did was wrong, and now he has to grovel for her forgiveness. He covered his face with both hands, he was lost for words.


    ¡°You¡¯re drunk and you¡¯re not thinking straight ¡­ you¡¯re scaring me, Roman, please ¡­ get out,¡± she pointed to the door.


    He nodded, pinched his nose, ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said again without ncing at her. He turned and leave the bathroom without looking back.

 His Wife鈥檚 Lover

    The clues were all there. He just didn¡¯t notice it. He was ignorant, but because he thought Olivia would be thest person on earth that would ever betray him.


    LUDUS. The name of the Ocean Liner that Olivia went on a solo trip a couple of years ago. What are the odds of anyone would use the same name for their Art Gallery? The building was right across from his wife¡¯s studio and now they are business partners. That can¡¯t be a coincidence?


    Den was looking at the picture of the dolphins at Roman¡¯s second-floor gallery. The sheer white sheet is now familiar to him, it was Olivia¡¯s. The one she often use when she was rxing by the swimming pool to cover her bikini. He let out a long exhale to calm himself from the brewing heat inside him.


    They¡¯ve spent almost all their working hours together, who knows what they¡¯re really doing? His behavior at the party was odd, to say the least. For someone who works close with his wife, he didn¡¯t show his face until the announcement. But the nail to the coffin was when he saw Romane out of the bathroom where his wife was in.


    Den stood straight, looking at the picture although his mind was roaming elsewhere. Bits and pieces of other clues are connecting in his brain. He wanted to be wrong, but who was he fooling? His deepest fear hade into reality, somehow he had expected Olivia to be unfaithful ever since his own affair, what surprised him was the man she chose to have it with. He would never have guessed she would be with someone like Roman.


    ¡°Den? My manager said you were here ¡­ I thought I heard wrong ¡­ is everything alright? Olivia didn¡¯te to work today,¡± Roman¡¯s voice came from behind.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Den kept his calm still facing the picture, the center of that room, ¡°I know ¡­ everything¡¯s fine, actually, I¡¯m looking for you.¡±


    He turned to Roman, who was standing by the room separator. They looked into each other¡¯s eyes and somehow Roman knew what it was about.


    ¡°How can I help you?¡± he wiped the paint from his hands.


    Den swallowed hard. He was struggling to hold the roller coaster of emotions he was feeling as he looked into that young man¡¯s face. He curved his lips, ¡°Funny you should ask that.¡±


    Roman¡¯s expression turned serious, part of him was still guessing, but the other part was sure ¡­ he was being confronted by his lover¡¯s husband.


    ¡°I need you to stay away from my wife, Roman, I need you to help me with that.¡±


    He folded his arms in front of him and leaned his back on the wall. He looked at Den in silence, he has no answer to that.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re getting yourself into ¡­ she¡¯s confused, and hurt, ¡­ doubtful maybe ¡­ but she¡¯s not going anywhere ¡­ she¡¯s staying with me.¡±


    Roman tilted his head to one side and scoffed. He¡¯s not going to deny it. The way he left things with Olivia the other night might spook her but he was sure she was not changing her mind about divorcing Den, ¡°Maybe you¡¯re the one who doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s really going on with her ¡­ because you¡¯re too busy doing more important things.¡±


    Den looked down, he fixed his button to distract him from punching the insolent boy, ¡°We¡¯ve been married for more than half of your life ¡­ and we¡¯ve been in love for years before that ¡­ you don¡¯t know her ¡­ you might think that you do ¡­ but you don¡¯t ¡­ not like I do.¡±


    ¡°And you don¡¯t know her like I do ¡­ don¡¯t you see, Den? It¡¯s not how long you know them, it¡¯s whether or not you understand her the way she needs to be understood ¡­ it¡¯s a surpriseing from you ¡­ I thought you¡¯d be more experienced from your own rtionship with another woman ¡­ I bet she understands you more than your wife could ever do.¡±


    Den walked over with a finger pointed at him, he could barely hold it together, ¡°Listen to me, you punk ¡­ the only reason why I haven¡¯t bashed your head into this wall is because you¡¯re Brian Murphy¡¯s son ¡­ you think you know what¡¯s going on in my marriage? You have no clue about anything ¡­ I¡¯m giving you the chance to walk away right now and leave us alone ¡­ or I swear I will make your life a living hell.¡±


    Roman didn¡¯t flinch, he stared deep into Den¡¯s eyes with the calmness that irritated him even more, ¡°She hasn¡¯t told you? She¡¯s going to leave you, Den ¡­ she¡¯s done with your bullshit ¡­ and she doesn¡¯t even know that you¡¯re still seeing your mistress.¡±


    He gasped when Den¡¯s forearm was pressed against his neck.


    ¡°You! It¡¯s you who sent me those pictures? Why you son of a bitch ¡­ you think you can ckmail me? I¡¯m telling you ¡­ leave us alone, or I will call the police for ckmail, your dad is not gonna be happy with that.¡±


    Roman pushed him as hard as he might, he bent over to cough after his throat was released, ¡°What pictures? Do you think I have time to y that kind of game? I don¡¯t care what you do ¡­ I just want Olivia.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t y stupid with me ¡­ is it money you want? Is that why you¡¯re seducing my wife? How much? Name your price ¡­ how much do you want so you will leave my wife alone?¡±


    He rested his hands on his knees and turned to him, he paused for a moment then heughed. ¡°Oh my God ¡­ you and my dad are the same ¡­ no wonder you get along so well ¡­ you think everything is about money,¡± he stood up straight and rested his hands on his waist, ¡°Well ¡­ if that was the case it would be so much easier isn¡¯t it? We¡¯re in love, Den, it may be thest thing you want to hear ¡­ but we are ¡­ I could punch you for that shit you just pulled on me but I spare you ¡­ I know this will hurt more than my punch.¡± Roman tapped him on the shoulder.


    ¡°How much?!¡± Den screamed. He didn¡¯t believe a word Roman said. He knew it was him who had terrorized his nights by sending pictures of Sienna and Damien.


    ¡°If you are so secure with your marriage ¡­ I don¡¯t think you¡¯d be here ¡­ keep your money, you¡¯ll never bribe me out of this ¡­ I¡¯m not going anywhere unless she wants me to.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t believe the nerve in that guy, he shook his head, ¡°You¡¯re so young and stupid it¡¯s almost funny to hear you say that ¡­ you don¡¯t know the first thing about marriage ¡­ mine especially ¡­ you think you¡¯re so in love with each other but do you know how many times we fuck in the course of your rtionship?¡± He challenged him with a look, ¡°Huh? Justst night after I don¡¯t know what the hell you say to her in that bathroom ¡­ we came home and we fuck like we never fuck before ¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Denughed lightly and tilted his brows, ¡°Yeah ¡­ that¡¯s the reality pal ¡­ forget this ¡®love¡¯ or whatever the hell you think this is ¡­ we¡¯re going to fix this, Olivia and I, just like we fixed everything else before you or after you ¡­ you¡¯re wasting your time.¡±


    Roman was not one to back down, no matter how insecure he was with the rtionship. He looked at Den in the eyes, ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡±


    The young man¡¯s confidence irritates him, what could they possibly have with each other that made him so sure that his wife was going to choose this ¡®boy¡¯ over him? There was no use in bickering any further, if he stayed any longer, things could get physical. He walked past Roman and put his hand on his shoulder. He wanted so badly to punch him in the face for ever touching Olivia, but he squeezed his shoulder instead, almost like a fatherly pat. This may be thest time they ever see each other again.

 The Quarrel

    He wasn¡¯t lying when he said they had sexst night. When he saw Romane out of the bathroom, followed by Olivia not long after, he knew that was the confirmation. His heart fell to his stomach. He noticed her unusual quietness all the way home. He held her hand tightly, and she just sat by his side though her mind was somewhere else.


    He didn¡¯t confront her. He wanted to be absolutely sure of where he stood in all of it. Den never took his eyes off her after they arrived home. She didn¡¯t even notice. Something happened in that bathroom. They didn¡¯t have sex. They couldn¡¯t have. It was too brief. She was upset though she tried to hide it.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    He walked over to her. They stood facing each other, looking into each other¡¯s eyes. Secrets. Now they both had secrets from one another. But in their bedroom, secrets don¡¯t matter. It was them who kept their secrets from the world. What they did together on their bed had nothing to do with anybody else.


    He undressed her the way he had yed it in his mind before they went to that dreadful party. She let him. The tension on her face, she was definitely upset about something, and for once, it wasn¡¯t his doing. She unbuttoned his shirt. Slowly at first, and when he kissed her, it ignited something inside them that they moved in haste to bepletely naked and on top of each other.


    It was raw. She was beautiful. He parted her legs far and wide to make his way inside her. He wanted to punish her for what she¡¯d done. He wanted to give her something he had never given her before. The hardest fuck she had ever had. The hardest cum she had ever experienced. He pinned her down, and she was dazed in ecstasy. She screamed and moaned and begged like never before.


    ¡°God ¡­ Den ¡­ keep going ¡­¡± she pleaded. He couldn¡¯t tell when his jealousy subsided and lust took over. This woman he had married for 15 years never seized to arouse him on their bed. ¡°Baby ¡­ fuck me harder,¡± she said. He bit her breast around the nipple as she came long and hard, leaving his mark.


    He kept going steady and hard until he came inside her while she tried to catch her breath and wrapped her arms around him until he was done to hisst drop. He fell on his bed beside her. Their heavy panting was the only sound they could hear. Sometimes ¡­ it was how they fought.


    No words were exchanged. She picked herself up and walked into the bathroom. He heard the shower turned on. He sat on the edge of the bed, rubbed his face, and put on some pants. He walked downstairs to his study and locked the door.


    He couldn¡¯t sleep on the same bed with her after what he found out. He stared nkly at the window and wondered how the hell they got there. He won¡¯t confront her about it until he confronts his wife¡¯s lover.


    ¡ª


    The house was dead quiet when he came home after his meeting with Roman. She wasn¡¯t ying her music like she always did. He took heavy steps up the stairs to brace himself for the moment of truth. His footsteps echoed between the walls of the corridors. She would hear himing if she was awake.


    He saw her sitting on the couch with her back facing him. A wine ss in her hand. She didn¡¯t turn to look at him though he was sure she could hear him at the threshold. He leaned on his side against the wall and let out a long exhale.


    However spectacr the sex wasst night, it was done and gone. She was sitting a few feet away from him, but it felt like miles. He wasn¡¯t sure how it would turn out. One thing was certain; it was going to be a heartbreak warfare.

 Heartbreak Warfare

    He knew. She could see it in his eyes when they got home from the party. The way he was looking at her ¡­ reading her. He was furious, jealous, he was holding it back for some reason, but he knew. She felt it in his thrusts. He had never fucked her like that before. He was raping her in his mind. That was the closest description she could think of. She was being punished. She felt it. How messed up that she actually thought it was the best sex they had ever had throughout their entire marriage?


    She touched the bite mark on her left breast. The breast that Roman sucked in that bathroom just hours before. She put her hands on her face as the water washed over her. ¡®Fuck¡¯ she muttered to herself.


    Den was not in the bedroom when she stepped out of the shower. The greatest sex of their marriage didn¡¯t change anything. He didn¡¯te back to bed the whole night as shey awake until sunrise. He was nowhere in the house when she finally woke up at midday.


    She didn¡¯t contact Roman after the brief encounter in the bathroom. She wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about it. And now that she suspected Den had found out about the affair, she wasn¡¯t sure about anything. She decided to contemte it with a bottle of wine, and she curled up on the sofa and let her mind wander everywhere until she heard footsteps approaching.


    Her heart beat faster. He was quiet. He was standing behind her. She felt him. Then he let out a long exhale. She waited for him to say the first words.


    ¡°I want him out of our lives,¡± he finally said.


    She didn¡¯t respond.


    He walked over to the pantry and took out an unopened bottle of wine. ¡°This deal with Brian ¡­ it¡¯s National news ¡­ we can¡¯t afford to have any scandal around it, the risk is too great ¡­ you have to get rid of him,¡± he continued.


    He opened the bottle and poured himself a generous amount, then took big gulps while waiting for her answer.


    She thought about it andughed. Softly at first, then louder. He watched her in disbelief.


    ¡°Is that all you think about? Your business deal?¡± she asked calmly beneath herughter.


    It infuriated him.


    ¡°That is how I chose to see it! Because if I have to picture my wife¡¯s naked body and another man¡¯s cock ¡­ I swear to God, I will fucking kill him!¡± he screamed from the top of his lungs as he walked over to face her.


    She turned her head down and didn¡¯t dare to look at his fiery eyes, his hurt, his anger, she didn¡¯t want to face him.


    ¡°How could you do this to me? After what we¡¯ve been through? After everything I¡¯ve done to fix this marriage! ¡­ I did everything I could for us to be happy again, Livy! How could you do this to me?¡±


    She understood what it felt like to be at the other end of betrayal. She saw the look on his face and was reminded of it. She also knew nothing she could say or do would make him feel less like shit. It was done. It¡¯s just a matter of time for everything to be out in the open.


    ¡°How long have you been lying to me? How long has it been? Ludus?¡±


    She looked up at him when he mentioned the name. She shook her head.


    ¡°Did you fuck him on that trip? Which I paid for?¡± his anger built up with every sentence he produced. ¡°To think he¡¯s Brian Murphy¡¯s son ¡­ I¡¯ve been working on this deal for years! Do you know how stupid you make me feel?¡±


    All these questions didn¡¯t need her answers. However, her silence was driving him crazy.


    ¡°Well? Say something, God damn it!¡± he threw his ss over the sofa, and it crashed on the floor behind it.


    She kept her head down the whole time and her hand over her forehead. She jolted as the ss crashed behind her. ¡°What can I possibly say to make you feel any better?¡± she looked up at him. Her face was wet with tears.


    ¡°Help me understand, Livy, why? Is it his looks? Really? I never thought of you as someone who would fall for something so shallow ¡­ and for God¡¯s sake, Livy, he¡¯s a fucking boy!¡± he screamed at her.


    She kept shaking her head.


    Den walked back and forth. He was in a trance. ¡°It¡¯s like I don¡¯t know you at all!! What was it? Were you just curious? Were you drunk in that boat? And the sex was good?¡± he creased his brows, trying to make sense of things.


    ¡°And all these years ¡­ how did you manage to sneak out behind my back until he finally showed his face on our anniversary? The nerves!¡± he clenched his hand into a fist. These things he just figured out were fueling his anger even more.


    Olivia shook her head again. ¡°That¡¯s not how it was ¡­ I didn¡¯t see him for two years ¡­ until he came to our party.¡±


    Den grabbed her by the side of her arms. ¡°Then tell me the truth! I need to hear it from you!¡±


    The sudden realization that he¡¯d been lied to for years was agonizing. He couldn¡¯t decipher how she had lived another life he knew nothing about and wanted rity.


    ¡°The truth?¡± she repeated his words. Thest thing he needed to know was the truth. But everybody thought they could handle it and demanded it urgently. They look into each other¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I fell in love with him ¡­¡± she paused as she witnessed something die in Den¡¯s eyes. ¡°That¡¯s the truth.¡±


    He let go of her. He put his hands over his face. He shook his head.


    ¡°Just the way you fell in love with her ¡­ but I always tried to wrap my mind around other reasons why you did it because epting that you fell in love with someone else while I was ruined was something I didn¡¯t want to do.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you turn this around and make it about me! This is about you! And what YOU did! I buried my mistake a long time ago ¡­ I¡¯ve paid for it with tears and sweat for eight years! Eight fucking years. Livy! This is YOU!¡± he raised his index finger at her. His eyes reddened, and tears were building up inside them.


    ¡°I¡¯m not denying it ¡­ I fell in love, and I acted upon it ¡­ just as you did ¡­ that¡¯s all I¡¯m saying.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you want me to understand it? Is that it? Are you justifying it because it happened to me too?¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯m not justifying it! I hate this! It feels awful ¡­ no matter what I do ¡­ I¡¯m hurting everyone ¡­ what do you want me to say?¡±


    Den fell silent. His jaw tightened. He stared her straight in the eyes, ¡°Get rid of him,¡± his voice turned low. ¡°End it ¡­ I don¡¯t want him in our lives.¡±


    Olivia wiped the tears from her face and sobbed, ¡°And then what?¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    His expression was stern, ¡°And then we move on with our lives just as we did before.¡±


    A sarcasticugh escaped her, ¡°And pretend like this never happened? Are you even listening to yourself? Have we really moved on with our lives? Just because I don¡¯t talk about it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not haunted by what happened ¡­ can you really sweep this under the rug and not let it torture you for years toe?¡±


    His whole face was tensed, ¡°If that¡¯s what it takes to save this marriage ¡­ so be it! Because that¡¯s what we do ¡­ we make mistakes, we forgive, and we move on!¡±


    She shook her head and walked toward the pantry. ¡°You¡¯re in denial ¡­ you¡¯re not thinking straight.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not throwing our 15 years of marriage for your stupid monkey love with a fucking boy!¡± his voice went up again.


    ¡°It¡¯s not about that, Den!¡± she shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t you see?¡± she approached him. ¡°This marriage is OVER! It had been a long time ago! We just didn¡¯t want to admit it!¡±


    ¡°No!¡± He grabbed her. ¡°It¡¯s not over! I¡¯m not going to let you give up on us ¡­ what aboutst night? That was us ¡­ you and me ¡­ we can still do this ¡­ and the timing is perfect ¡­ we¡¯ll leave for London next month, just you and me ¡­ we¡¯ll buy that house, and it¡¯ll be our new start.¡±


    ¡ª


    Neither of them slept that night. Den was relentless. He wouldn¡¯t let the day end until he got what he wanted. He didn¡¯t get to be where he is in his career by giving in when faced with hardships. He could talk his way out or into anything, and by God, he was going to talk his way to convince Olivia what a terrible idea it was to quit their marriage.


    He loved her. That was his truth. And Roman was a lot lesser man than he was. The boy did not deserve to be with her. That was what he wanted Olivia to believe.


    Roman was trying to ruin their marriage. He was sure of that and tried to convince Olivia of the same thing. It was hard to believe, but Olivia couldn¡¯t dismiss it altogether after what happened in that bathroom. She saw another side of Roman he¡¯d never shown before. She realized how much she didn¡¯t know about ¡­ the boy.


    The boy who fell in love with his Professor. The boy was thirsted by all his mother¡¯s country club friends. The boy who lived on the fourth floor of his gallery. The boy whose every bit of him was not supporting a sustainable rtionship with a woman of her stature. The boy hired a girlfriend to deceive his father.


    Den would stop time if he could to talk some sense into the love of his life until she realized why choosing Roman would be the biggest mistake she would ever make in her life.


    Den Hunt had lived up to his reputation as one of the best businessmen in the world when he managed tond the most passionate kiss on his wife¡¯s lips before the Sun rose the next morning. And he saved up their make-up sex for the night after Olivia will finally end it with that fucking boy.

 That Fucking Boy

    She had lost sense of who she was. She wanted to evaporate and just vanished from the world than to face him. After a heart wrenching fight and the all night discussion with Den, she had nothing left in her to defend herself from Roman¡¯s wrath and anguish. Only tears that her tired eyes managed to squeeze from deep within her soul.


    He was yelling and shouting. It echoed inside his vast studio. She was sure his manager and employees could hear him from the ground floor. But she was numb. Never in her life had she imagined herself to be able to hurt someone so deeply, but there she was, killing him with her silence.


    ¡°I know you love me, Olivia ¡­ or are you denying that too?¡±


    She shook her head, of this, she was absolutely sure. ¡°I do ¡­ Roman ¡­ I love you ¡­ and I love you enough to know that I¡¯m not good enough for you.¡±


    His expression changed intoplete bewilderment.


    ¡°You¡¯re young ¡­ you have your whole life ahead of you and you said it yourself ¡­ you want children in your life.¡±


    ¡°What bullshit did he force feed on youst night? I told you, Olivia, I want you! I¡¯m not him! He demanded children from you and put you in a ce where you hate yourself for not being able to give him what he wants! I just want to be with you! That¡¯s all I want from you!¡±


    She sobbed into her hands, no one will understand how exhausted she was from going back and forth in her mind unable to find any solution that would best suit everyone. ¡°Please ¡­ Roman ¡­ I can¡¯t do this anymore ¡­ I¡¯m so ¡­ tired ¡­¡±


    He fidgeted on his feet, then he started pacing again. ¡°It¡¯s his money, isn¡¯t it? That¡¯s why you can¡¯t leave him?¡±


    She pressed her hand on her forehead, her head was about to explode. ¡°God, please ¡­ can we stop?¡±


    ¡°No! I won¡¯t stop! I¡¯m fighting for you! I know he said a thousand things to you since he came here yesterday ¡­ I know you wouldn¡¯t be like this if he hadn¡¯t force you with his lies.¡±


    She was losing her will to keep going, her mind felt broken.


    ¡°He¡¯s a liar, Olivia, is that how you picture your future? To live the rest of your life with him not knowing whether he¡¯s still keeping secrets from you? Is that worth all his family fortune?¡±


    She looked up at him, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    He sighed with a smirk on his face, ¡°Of course you don¡¯t know ¡­ why don¡¯t you ask him?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m asking you ¡­ what are you talking about?¡± she held his arm gently.


    ¡°Do you trust him? Whatever dirty secrets he¡¯s keeping from you ¡­ you will never hear it from me ¡­ he¡¯s a coward ¡­ I just want you to picture yourself in twenty years or thirty years from now ¡­ is he the man you want to be with for the rest of your life?¡±


    They looked into each other¡¯s eyes. Roman knew he was taking a big risk but he had to, ¡°If he is ¡­ then fine ¡­ you killed me once before ¡­ you¡¯re killing me again ¡­ but I¡¯d die knowing you have chosen the life you really want.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve spent almost 20 years of my life with him, Roman, this is not something I can say ¡®yes¡¯ or ¡®no¡¯ to in an instant ¡­ I need to process this ¡­ I just want to be able to clear my head and think about this.¡±


    ¡°How can you do that when you go back to him? With him constantly poisoning you with his lies? I¡¯m losing you with every minute you spend with him ¡­ I can¡¯t win!¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to say then? Because ¡­ I¡¯m spent! There¡¯s nothing left in me with this constant fighting and bickering ¡­ we can¡¯t solve this in a day!¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ve said enough,¡± he looked away. He rested his hands on his waist and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think time is what you need ¡­ I think you need to open your eyes and realize what you really want ¡­ and he is blinding you.¡±


    He hung his head down before he finally looked up at her again, ¡°I¡¯m not gonna be here waiting around like an idiot ¡­ we¡¯ve said everything we needed to say ¡­ if you want to go back to him ¡­ that¡¯s your choice.¡±


    Their eyes met. ¡°I haven¡¯t made any choices yet ¡­ I can¡¯t even think ¡­ my head feels like it¡¯s going to burst ¡­ I just want to rest for a while ¡­ everyone¡¯s fighting me and I¡¯m so tired.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going home to him ¡­ it¡¯s a clear choice for me,¡± his heart was breaking all over again but he stood there pretending it didn¡¯t hurt.


    She walked over to him. They were so close she could feel his warmth. He avoided her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said.


    It felt like a stab through his heart.


    ¡°I fell in love with you ¡­ I wish I hadn¡¯t,¡± she touched his hair. ¡°And now I can¡¯t stop ¡­ and it hurts because I want you in my life ¡­ I¡¯m selfish ¡­ and that makes me a bad person, but I¡¯m not a bad person ¡­¡± she started to cry again.


    He grabbed her by the waist and engulfed her in a kiss. For a moment, she melted in his arms. How she longed for that kiss after days of agony. Her response instantly mellowed him. He felt her true feelings in that kiss.


    ¡°I love you, Olivia, this thing we have is real ¡­¡±


    She pressed her finger to his lips. ¡°Please ¡­ I¡¯m sorry ¡­ I have to go ¡­¡± She wriggled away from his embrace. Leaving him with his heart on the floor and the hope that died in his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said again as she walked backward toward the door.


    The sunlight glistened on him and bounced on the waves of his hair when the door closed. That was how she left him.

 The Quiet

    She restrained herself from going to work for a few days after that. Avoided any contact with anyone. She barely spoke a word to Den, who had to be satisfied with the presence of her ghost. She spent almost all her time sitting quietly, looking out the window from the second floor of their home. Lost in her thoughts.


    She didn¡¯t want to go through with the IV treatment. She was firm with Den about it. ¡°No!¡± she spat at him when he had the nerve to mention it. He backed down.


    She was done hoping to be a mother. She hade to terms with it. She had to. Without children, she will have to make new ns for the rest of her life.


    She had to sift through every aspect of her life and mend her broken heart at the same time. Leaving Roman the way she did, she regretted it almost immediately. But she couldn¡¯t drag him along while she figured herself out. It wouldn¡¯t be fair for him. She felt like she had already lost him because he was never hers in the first ce.


    Sometimes the tears fell on her cheeks without her realizing it. Then Den came home. One look at him reminded her of what Roman said, ¡°Can you trust him?¡± Has he been totally honest with her? In the back of her mind, she often wondered if he was seeing someone else when he workedte. Was it really work stuff when he couldn¡¯t put his phone down or excuse himself to take an important call? Was he still seeing Sienna?


    No ¡­ she didn¡¯t trust him, and now he has every reason not to trust her either. What kind of marriage would that be? Is that how her life is going to be? And all that distrust ¡­ is that a good enough reason to end what they have built for 15 years?


    He put his hand gently on her shoulder. He didn¡¯t want to startle her. ¡°Can we talk?¡± he asked. She looked over her shoulder at him. It¡¯s been three days since their fight. She nodded softly.


    He sat by the window next to her. She averted her gaze back toward the streets.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been so quiet these past few days ¡­¡± he flipped her hair over her neck and ran the back of his hand on her cheek. ¡°I miss you.¡±


    She didn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask my secretary to book a flight to London for early next month ¡­ I thought I ¡®d check with you first,¡± he didn¡¯t take his eyes off her. He took her hand, ¡°We¡¯ll spend the whole month there ¡­ Christmas ¡­ and New Year ¡­ take a look at the house ¡­¡± he kissed her hand.


    She slowly turned to him, ¡°Sure,¡± her voice was low. ¡°I¡¯m going back to work tomorrow ¡­ I¡¯ll clear my schedule ¡­¡± she added.


    His stomach fluttered with excitement. She was agreeing with him. The worst was over.


    She stood up and kissed him on the forehead. She was more than grateful of how gentle he handled everything. She remembered how she was when she found out about Sienna. She was nowhere near of how calm Den was. She was surprised of how loving he had been for the past three days.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± he asked and not letting her hand slipped away from him as she was walking away.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to draw a warm bath,¡± she said.


    Their eyes locked.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Am I invited?¡±


    She didn¡¯t reply immediately, then tugged his hand and pulled him toward the bedroom.


    It was the first time after the fight to be naked with each other again. The bite mark on her left breast was still visible. She let him kiss it. Her heart was numb, but her body reacted to him. The hair on her arms stood up. It made him want more.


    He pulled her close and sat her on hisp, facing him in the tub. She had a ss of wine in her hand. She took small sips without saying a word. She let his hands explore every inch of her skin in silence.


    He was watching her face. He couldn¡¯t read her. The fact that she was letting him do what he wanted with her was enough. She rubbed herself against him. They were gaining momentum. He slid inside her, and she sighed. She moved her hip slowly as they watched the water sloshed around them. She took a big gulp to empty her ss and put it aside.


    Her face showed no emotions, but she was moving him and heightened his pleasure. ¡°Kiss me,¡± he said almost in a whisper. She pressed her lips on his and let his tongue make its way into her mouth. He felt her cold lips and tasted her wine, but he couldn¡¯t feel her. She was different.


    Soft moans escaped her as he pulled and pushed gently into her. She tugged his lower lip with her teeth. She was escting. He still couldn¡¯t find her. Her kiss was getting more aggressive. She was picking up her pace. If they¡¯re lucky, they wille together. But he couldn¡¯t resist.


    ¡°Do you still love me?¡± he asked.


    There was a little frown on her face, ¡°Please, Den ¡­ just fuck me ¡­ I¡¯m getting close ¡­¡± she managed a stuttering whisper.


    She came just before he did as he buried his face in her breasts with a loud groan. She wrapped one arm around his neck and clenched the brim of the tub with the other hand. Their climax was explosive, and then she stood and got out of the tub.


    Den was still catching his breath as he watched her walk away. Leaving him like an afterthought.

 Gone

    She was skimming through the files on her desk. Assessing her workload for the weeks toe. Calcting how much she could delegate and how much she had to bring to London. She made a list of the numbers she needed to contact and assigned them to the tasks.


    There was a stack of folders of her projects that needed Roman to look at. She stared at them from time to time as she let them sit while she figured out how to deal with them from that point on. She had to be professional about it. She had to separate her personal life from her work to seed in the only thing she was still passionate about doing. Urban Aesthetic was her ¡®baby.¡¯


    She pressed a button on the phone on her desk. ¡°Gabby ¡­ have you been in touch with Ludus about the impending files on my desk?¡±


    ¡°Oh ¡­ yes ¡­ actually ¡­¡± Gabby cleared her throat. ¡°I was going to ask you if you¡¯ve heard anything from Mr. Murphy ¡­ because I tried to contact him, but he was unavable.¡±


    She paused for a moment, ¡°What do you mean ¡®unavable¡¯?¡±


    ¡°The Manager said he left a few days ago, and his phone was disconnected ¡­ I thought he might¡¯ve said something to you or been in contact with you.¡±


    Her stomach formed a knot, ¡°Did the manager say where, or did he leave a message?¡±


    Gabby hesitated, ¡°No ¡­ that¡¯s why ¡­ I thought you might know something ¡­ or ¡­ well ¡­ obviously not ¡­ so I left all the files on your desk.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine ¡­ I¡¯ll drop byter and see what¡¯s up.¡±


    ¡°Okay ¡­ great,¡± Gabby replied.


    She checked her phone to see if there was anything she missed. Roman or someone from his gallery might send her a message and get buried beneath all other unread messages. Nothing.


    She opened Roman¡¯s old messages to see when was thest time he was online. The information was hidden. But from what Gabby said, his phone was disconnected. Even if it wasn¡¯t, she didn¡¯t have the courage to contact him yet.


    She crossed the streetter that day to see Sandra, his gallery manager. The atmosphere of the ce reminded her of many things. A certain emotion came over her from the first gush of wind blowing from behind her as she stepped into the gallery. The coolness of the room. The golden lighting. The aromatherapy diffuser spewed a flowery scent. She shivered and drew in a deep breath inhaling the memories that ce represented.


    She missed him. She pictured him weing her with a smile and warm embrace. But she wasn¡¯t there for that. It was all in the past now, and her chest tightened, knowing something beautiful and magical had ended. And now she was left to pick up the pieces of what she had badly broken.


    ¡°Olivia! I¡¯m d to see you ¡­ Gabby said you¡¯ve been unwell these past few days. I hope you¡¯re better now?¡± Sandra walked up to her from inside the corridors.


    ¡°Sandra ¡­ hi! Yes, thank you, it¡¯s good to be back ¡­ I¡¯m stopping by to see ¡­¡± She looked around and saw a few visitors had a tour. ¡°Gabby said ¡­ she was unable to reach Roman.¡±


    Sandra smiled and sped her hands together. ¡°Yes ¡­ if you don¡¯t mind ¡­ can we talk in private?¡±


    Sandra was one of the people who knew there was something going on between Olivia and Roman beyond their professional rtionship. But Sandra knew enough to be discreet. The day they had a fight, Sandra was the one doing damage control by closing the gallery early because Roman¡¯s screaming echoed through the stairs and was heard from the show gallery.


    She guided Olivia to the back of the ground floor, where her office was. She greeted the visitors and wished them a pleasant tour as they passed. They went into the corner office facing the main street and locked the door.


    Their eyes meet for a brief moment, and Olivia can see how Sandra braced herself for what she was about to tell her.


    ¡°Roman is not here ¡­ he left a few days ago and took his belongings with him.¡±


    Olivia was stunned. She couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°I don¡¯t understand ¡­ he moved out? Or?¡±


    Sandra tilted her head to one side and twisted her lips. ¡°Yes ¡­ but he didn¡¯t say where he was going, and it seemed like he left in a hurry ¡­ he packed up arge backpack and a duffle bag ¡­ he gave me his keys and told me not to worry and that everything is taken care of.¡±


    They stared at each other. Sandra was perplexed as she was.


    ¡°Did he leave a number where you can reach him?¡± Olivia had to try.


    Sandra shook her head, ¡°No ¡­ nothing of the sort ¡­ it¡¯s as if he just wanted to disappear ¡­ I did ask him for more details, but ¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t have to finish the sentence. It was clear he had left abruptly and then ¡­ absolutely.


    Her head felt light. She put her hand on her forehead. Taking the news and the reality that Roman had left her wasn¡¯t easy. He left everything without a word.


    ¡°I have gone through our impending projects with Urban Aesthetic, and I made some inquiries to our workshop ¡­ 80% of the items are already in our itinerary ¡­ the rest are paintings and pieces from other artists that are still in the works.¡±


    Olivia wasn¡¯t really listening. Her mind was somewhere else.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°So when you have time ¡­ maybe we can set up a meeting again with everyone involved to go through it,¡± Sandra continued.


    ¡°Oh ¡­ yeah ¡­ sure ¡­¡± she pulled herself back to reality. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Gabby to contact you about the time and ce.¡±


    They stood in silence.


    ¡°I guess that¡¯ll be all,¡± Olivia finally said.


    Sandra forced a smile and nodded.


    ¡°If you ¡­ uhm ¡­ hear anything from him ¡­¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, I will let you know,¡± Sandra said.


    Olivia walked out of Ludus feeling dazed, like she was in a dream. It was really over. Roman was gone.

 A New Start

    Knowing he was still in Ludus somehow gave her the strength to hold on for the past four days. Now that she couldn¡¯t imagine him anywhere in her life, her world crumbled beneath her feet.


    She went back to the onlypanion she knew would never disappoint her. She opened a bottle of wine as soon as she got home, hoping it could drown her sadness. But the only thing she could see in her head was Roman and how much she will miss him.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    She was half drunk when Den came home and found her in tears. He rubbed his face and sighed. He was not up for another battle, but he could feel it from thending on their second floor that she was ready for another fight.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone,¡± she said without turning to look at him.


    He raised his brow and knew immediately who she was referring to. ¡°Good,¡± he said. He loosened his tie and sat on the armchair by the window to take off his shoes.


    ¡°The Manager said he packed his bags and left without leaving a message.¡±


    He scoffed. He was thrilled but knew better not toment.


    She turned her back and shot him a look, ¡°Is this your doing?¡±


    He looked up at her and stayed silent.


    ¡°You did this, didn¡¯t you? Just like what you did with her?¡±


    He paused for a moment, ¡°Did you think he was immune to my money?¡± he asked calmly.


    She turned away in disgust. ¡°We have pending projects that still need to be finalized ¡­ I can¡¯t believe you did this without telling me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s convenient for you, isn¡¯t it? Strutting your way back to work and spending hours and hours with your boy toy ¡­ did you really think I was going to let that happen?¡± he raised his voice.


    ¡°I have his catalog in my proposals ¡­ all my clients will be referring their inquiries with his pieces ¡­ I can¡¯t just tell them it¡¯s not part of the deal anymore ¡­ that¡¯s suicide for my business! You, of all people, should know this! God, Den, sometimes I think you just don¡¯t want me to seed in anything in my life!¡± she put her head between her hands.


    ¡°Are you seriously going to debate me on this? I paid for that business so you can have what you¡¯ve always wanted! And then you used it as a ce to fuck that guy behind my back!¡± he walked over to face her. ¡°I did what¡¯s necessary to save our marriage! I think that¡¯s more important than losing a few clients, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    She shook her head. It was hard to ept that Roman was gone. Knowing he had left because Den had paid him off was even harder. ¡°How much did you pay him?¡± she swallowed hard, bracing herself to find out how much she was worth for either man.


    There was a smirk on his face as he walked away to get himself a drink. He took his time pouring a full ss of wine and took a big gulp as she waited for his response in agony.


    ¡°I offered to pay his debt to his dad for the gallery so he can leave in a clean te and start over ¡­ he agreed ¡­¡± Den took another gulp of his wine. ¡°Ludus is going to be yours.¡±


    She dropped her head and cried into her hands.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone, Livy ¡­ and he¡¯s nevering back,¡± Den said as he watched his wife break apart in front of him. There are things to sacrifice to gain something bigger. He was willing to break her, mend her back together, and live the life meant for them.


    Minor setbacks. He was used to them. He alwayses back stronger. He kneeled in front of her and took her hand. ¡°We¡¯ll get through this, baby. We¡¯ll start over ¡­ I will do anything for you toe back to me.¡±


    She was unable to form a single word. She was sobbing.


    He kissed the top of her head. He understood she needed time to process everything. He left her to herself. Sometimes it was the best thing he could do for her. He went to his study, sat back on his chair, and thought. His business brain was spinning at high speed. The fact that Roman was gone had just opened up an opportunity that he swiftly took at the first chance he got.


    He picked up his phone and pressed the speed dial. It never crossed his mind to invest in an art gallery, but this investment will not only keep the vulture away, it will bring her wife back to him.


    The call was connecting, and then a voice answered. ¡°Brian!¡± Den greeted with a cheerful voice.

 It鈥檚 All Business

    They sat across from each other in Brian¡¯s office meeting room. Though the room could fit a 20-personnel staff meeting, it was just Brian and Den that afternoon. This particr meeting had nothing to do with the deal of a lifetime they had finalized in London. This was private.


    Brian¡¯s staff had prepared andid all the papers on the table. He exined the conditions and showed them the uses and how the contract will bind them in regard to Ludus. They both nodded to acknowledge that they understood. It was also a gesture to indicate that they wanted to be left alone. The staff excused himself politely and shut the door on his way out.


    Both men looked at each other in silence. The matter at hand was never discussed, but they both had a look of understanding. They both knew what it was really about.


    ¡°So ¡­ ¡± Brian broke the silence and stood up to look outside the window. ¡°I tried to track him down to no avail ¡­ it¡¯s been over seven days, and based on my agreement with him, I have the right to take over his gallery without his consent.¡± He let out a long sigh.


    Den never offered Roman anything. Thest time he saw him was when he almost choked him for sleeping with his wife. But his disappearance gave him an idea. A business proposal that will benefit everyone involved except Roman.


    ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t know what to say,¡± Brian continued. He was referring to the elephant in the room.


    Den sat back on his chair, ¡°Just say that it¡¯s a deal ¡­ we¡¯ll sign the papers, and I won¡¯t take up any more of your time.¡±


    Brian turned around to look at Den. He forced a smile, ¡°How¡¯s Olivia?¡±


    The question took him aback. ¡°She¡¯s fine ¡­ she will be even better once the gallery is hers ¡­ I will put her name in the agreement, and mywyer will take care of the rest.¡± He began to go through with the papers in front of him.


    Brian nodded, ¡°I admire you, Den. You are a true businessman.¡±


    Den smiled sourly without looking up. He started signing the papers on the spaces marked by Brian¡¯s staff. ¡°I do what¡¯s needed to be done ¡­ I¡¯m sure you would do the same if you were in my shoes.¡±


    ¡°I hope this doesn¡¯t affect our London agreement,¡± Brian looked at him.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± he shook his head lightly. He then pushed the papers to Brian, who had sat down across from him.


    Den took his phone and texted hiswyer to transfer the money once Brian had finished signing.


    ¡°This is not the first time he¡¯d done something like this,¡± Brian said. ¡°He left without a word for ten years,¡± he added.


    The room was silent.


    ¡°If he gets in touch with me ¡­ I will let him know about the takeover.¡± Brian put down his pen and looked up at Den, who was holding up as best as he could.


    Den nodded with his hands sped in front of him. ¡°Thank you.¡± He stood up to shake Brian¡¯s hand.


    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth ¡­ I hope everything works out with Olivia,¡± Brian said.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°It will,¡± he replied. He nced at Brian sharply with a nod and left the room.


    ¡ª


    Olivia knew about the signing. She was having a staff meeting at Urban Aesthetic that same afternoon. She was preparing everyone for changes since her business partner had gone AWOL, and her husband was on a mission to take over the business. She was also preparing them for her departure to London.


    The meeting was interrupted by an urgent call from Sandra. Gabby insisted that she needed to take the call.


    ¡°Sandra ¡­ I¡¯m in a middle of an important meeting ¡­ is there something I can do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Olivia, I think you need toe here ¡­¡± Sandra¡¯s tone was worrying. ¡°Your husband is here,¡± she said.


    Olivia paused for a moment, ¡°Of course ¡­ I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    When she arrived at Ludus less than ten minutester, she was greeted by Sandra¡¯s concerned face. The other employees were looking at her from different corners of the gallery and turned the other way when their eyes met with Olivia¡¯s.


    ¡°He¡¯s upstairs ¡­¡± Sandra said, taking Olivia¡¯s coat off. ¡°He asked for the keys to the studio and the private room on the second floor.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s eyes widened. She remembered what was in that room. She hurried up the stairs, and Sandra followed behind her. They could hear noisesing from that room. Olivia¡¯s head felt light. Her heart was pumping.


    Den was stripping everything from the wall when she stepped into that room. Every single picture of her and Roman. He took them off and looked at them with mad eyes. His face was fifty shades of red.


    Olivia looked at Sandra, ¡°Do you mind leaving us alone?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± she said and closed the door before going back downstairs.


    He rested his hand on his waist and hung his head down. His breathing was rapid and heavy. He looked like he was going to scream at the top of his lungs because he was holding one picture in his hand. The picture of Olivia¡¯s half-naked body on a bed smiling to the camera ¡­ smiling at Roman.


    She yanked the picture off his hand and threw it on the floor. Everything she did with Roman was never with the intention of hurting him. But she saw the wake of what she had done on his face, and it was gut-wrenching. She pressed her hand over her mouth to stop her from crying, but it was no use.


    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be in here,¡± her voice trembled.


    He shot her a look. His jaw clenched, and his lips shivered. ¡°I want them all burned,¡± his calm voice filled with rage.


    She nodded. Her face was wet with tears. She didn¡¯t dare to look around her. Every photograph told the story of what she had with Roman, and Den was taking them all in like a series of blows to his face.


    She hugged him. She needed him to hold her shaking body as the guilt oozed out of her. But he stood numbly.


    He stepped away from her, ¡°I want them all ¡­ burned ¡­¡± he said again. ¡°Can you do that for me?¡±


    She nodded. They looked at each other for a brief moment.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you at home,¡± he said, walking out of that room without looking back.


    ¡ª


    She came home that night to find Den sitting in the dark, looking out the same window she sat in front of almost every day. A bottle of whiskey in his hand. She turned on the main light. He winced as if it hurt him physically. She switched it back off and turned on the tablemp instead.


    In the brief light, she saw it clearly. She had broken him this time. He had been crying and drowned himself in the bottle he was holding to numb the pain. He rubbed his face without saying a word.


    She put down her purse on the sofa and her keys on the coffee table. It took her three hours to get rid of everyst trace of what was left of her and Roman. And all that time, she could only think of how much she had hurt Den.


    She walked over to him and touched his arm as gently as she could. She didn¡¯t know how he would react. He was still. She didn¡¯t have any words. Not one that can ease his pain. She kissed the top of his head. He closed his eyes.


    He took her hand that was holding his arm and pressed his lips against it. He stood up and walked away with his bottle. He disappeared downstairs into his study.

 Two Days Later

    Neither of them went to work for two days. Den was feverish and stayed in bed for a big portion of the two days. He went to his study to make phone calls and did some work when he could. He barely ate and lost some weight.


    Alma came in to clean and prepare meals. She noticed the gloom that loomed over the household but didn¡¯t say a thing. Olivia spent most of her time curled up on the sofa and read,pletely ignored by her broken hearted husband.


    They both tried to figure out how they were going to navigate through their lives after this. In the midst of chaos and the aftermath of her infidelity. They wondered if their marriage can survive a second affair. They had proven to each other that neither of them were immune to unfaithfulness. Was there still enough love between them to keep going?


    That was before another brown envelope was slipped under the front door. It was addressed to Den Hunt exactly on the 24th of November. He rushed to yank the envelope from Alma¡¯s hand when he saw it. Just in time for Olivia to see as she was walking down the stairs to go to the kitchen.


    Their eyes met. Den¡¯s face was intense.


    ¡°What is it?¡± she asked.


    He walked toward his study without answering. He was still giving her the silent treatment.


    ¡°I¡¯m done for the day, Mrs. Hunt ¡­ do you need me for anything else?¡± Alma was still standing by the door looking ready to leave.


    A smashing sound came from the study. Olivia was distracted, ¡°No ¡­ that¡¯ll be all ¡­ you can go, Alma, thank you,¡± she smiled.


    Crash!


    Den was having a fit by himself. Alma looked at Olivia concerned.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay ¡­ I¡¯ll see what¡¯s going on,¡± Olivia said.


    Alma seemed reluctant to go but Olivia convinced her to leave then locked the door.


    Den was sitting on the armchair in the corner of the study when she came in. His head was between his hands. Half of what was on his desk were scattered on the floor. Her eyes scanned the room, and the brown envelope was nowhere to be seen. She stared at the mess in confusion.


    ¡°Has he been in touch with you?¡± Den looked up at her with wild expression.


    ¡°Who?¡±


    When his eyes widened in anger, she realized he was asking about Roman.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me!¡± he shouted.


    She was taken aback with his unprovoked fury. ¡°I¡¯m not lying! What is going on, Den?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s trying to ckmail me! That fucking son of a bitch had been taunting me for months now! I didn¡¯t know who it was at first ¡­ but now I do, it¡¯s your fucking boyfriend!¡± he screamed pointing his finger at her.


    ¡°What are you talking about? ckmailing you for what?¡±


    They looked at each other. Den held back. ¡°Business stuff ¡­ with Brian ¡­ confidential business dealings that could damage ourpanies if it gets out,¡± his voice was less intense.


    ¡°What are you saying? Are you doing something illegal?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± he pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Yes,¡± he rubbed his face. ¡°It¡¯s business ¡­ there¡¯s always something to be dealt with to smooth things up ¡­ it¡¯s a huge deal ¡­ bigger than anything we¡¯ve ever done before.¡±


    ¡°Why would he ckmail you for something like that? You bought his gallery fair and square ¡­ he agreed to it, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    Den turned his back on her and rested his hands on his waist. ¡°Because he¡¯s a fucking asshole ¡­ don¡¯t you see him for who he is? He wants to destroy my business ¡­ my family ¡­ my life ¡­¡±


    She shook her head. It sounded nothing like the Roman she knew and loved. But she could never forget what he said to her about Den. He was keeping secrets from her. ¡°What exactly did he say to you?¡±


    ¡°He sent me stuff through the mail ¡­ he didn¡¯t even have the guts to say it to my face ¡­ he just taunts me through these envelopes he¡¯d been sending to the office ¡­ and now to the house.¡± He shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s terrorizing me ¡­ he wants me to know that he can show up here undetected anytime he wants ¡­ and he has you to open the door for him.¡± He turned to her again with angry eyes.


    Olivia was bbergasted by his usations. ¡°Are you suggesting that I have something to do with this? I don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re talking about. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s capable of something like this.¡±


    ¡°Are you defending him now?¡± he was fired up again. ¡°He¡¯s not what you think he is, Livy! He¡¯s been lying to you! This was not the first time he¡¯d done this. He¡¯s sick!¡±


    She furrowed her brows, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He has a fascination with women who are older than him ¡­ especially married women ¡­ you¡¯re not his first prey!¡±


    Her mouth gaped open, ¡°His prey?¡± She shook her head. She knew about his past rtionship with his professor, but she was sure it was nothing like what Den suggested. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to defend him, but it was not like that at all.¡±


    ¡°What did you think that room was all about? Huh? It was a shrine! Did you think it was a romantic gesture of a young artist? He created a shrine for you and left it there for me to see it! He wanted to put that image in my head ¡­ how you let him fuck you!¡± he grabbed her by the wrist and shook her.


    ¡°Stop it! You imagine things that are hurting you more than you need to, Den!¡±


    ¡°More than I need to? How much do I need to hurt? Seeing you in thousands of pictures he¡¯d taken of you ¡­ lying naked on his bed!¡± his lips trembled, ¡°And what¡¯s worse ¡­¡± he paused. ¡°What¡¯s worse was how happy you looked in those photos when you smiled at him ¡­ did he make you happy? Happier than you¡¯ve ever been with me?¡± his grip tightened.


    She pulled away from him, ¡°Stop it! Just ¡­ stop!¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Everything he wasn¡¯t saying since the day he went into that room was flooding out of him.


    ¡°We can¡¯t keep doing this, Den. Stop it! It¡¯s over with him ¡­ he¡¯s gone ¡­ everything I had with him is gone too.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not gone! He¡¯s ckmailing me¡­ he¡¯s not going to leave us alone until he crushes me! He can¡¯t have you in his life ¡­ he might as well destroy us.¡±


    ¡ª


    He was throwing usations here and there. Connecting one random thing to another. A whole scenario of a master n to ruin his life was finally clear in his mind. It was all carefully nned with cruel intentions by Roman.


    Den exined to Olivia how clever the n was and how Roman had disappeared without a trace so he could keep taunting him without anyone knowing.


    But Den was smarter than that. He mapped out everything that Roman had done to execute his devious scheme toward him and Olivia, except for one tiny yet very important detail. The fact that what¡¯s inside the brown envelope had nothing to do with the business he was doing with Brian. The fact that one thing he was haunted by was the existence of his illegitimate child with his ex-mistress.


    Roman was a viin. That was undeniable. Anyone who tried to steal his wife was a viin, and a ckmailer was a viin. It all fits in one category in Den¡¯s mind. He had convinced himself that Roman caused everything that was wrong with his life. The only salvation he found in it was that he was able to convince Olivia of the same belief.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± she touched his shoulder from behind.


    He shook his head, ¡°I can¡¯t think right now ¡­ my mother asked me toe by for another talk ¡­ she wants to finalize her will before we leave for London.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t it wait? Is she sick? I don¡¯t see why she has to rush you like that.¡±


    He let out a long exhale. ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s sick ¡­ I think she just wants me to do what she expected of me ¡­ and you ¡­¡± he turned to look at her.


    She looked away. She didn¡¯t want an IVF. She was sticking to her decision. If Mimi wanted it to be a requirement in her will, so be it, she didn¡¯t care anymore. The Hunts did not own her life.


    ¡°You know how I feel about it ¡­ I¡¯m not changing my mind,¡± she said.


    Den nodded, and kissed her forehead.

 Mother And Son

    Den sat in the dining room, waiting for his mom to enter in her fashionablyte manner. This time she brought some files with her. Her sumptuous smile subsided when she saw her favorite son looking scruffy and worn out, as if he hadn¡¯t showered or eaten in days.


    ¡°You look like you just crawled out of a cave ¡­ what happened?¡± she sneered.


    He stood up and kissed his mother¡¯s cheek, ¡°You look lovely as always, Mom. How are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m as well as I can be,¡± she sat on the chair next to him and put the files on the table. She turned to him with a concerned look on her face. She touched his arm, ¡°Is there something wrong with your business?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ business is good,¡± he said.


    She raised a brow and turned away, ¡°It¡¯s your home then ¡­ where is your pageant wife, anyway?¡± Mimi started to look through the papers in front of her.


    He rubbed his temple. He was not in the mood for his mother¡¯s cynical remarks. ¡°Why am I here, Mom?¡±


    Mimi let out a long sigh. ¡°You¡¯re here because I asked you toe ¡­ it seems all of my children don¡¯t seem to have the courtesy to pay a visit to their own mother if it¡¯s not about ¡­ money.¡±


    ¡°It says a lot about what kind of mother you are,¡± hemented.


    She ignored it. ¡°My will ¡­ I¡¯m finalizing it ¡­ have you started the IVF program? Am I getting a grandchild from you, Den?¡± she gave him the side eye.


    He hung his head low, ¡°Perhaps you will ¡­ but not through IVF.¡±


    She paused. ¡°I take it ¡­ you¡¯re still having sex?¡±


    Heughed lightly, ¡°That is none of your business, Mom.¡±


    ¡°Well, actually, it is ¡­ my family is my business ¡­ where my money goes is my business, so whether she likes it or not ¡­ her uterus is my business.¡±


    He shook his head, ¡°No ¡­ it¡¯s not ¡­ I think we should be clear with that ¡­ I know what I¡¯ve done for this family, and I deserve more than this kind of treatment.¡±


    She took a brown envelope from the stack of files and ced it in front of Den.


    His heart skipped a beat. Brown envelopes gave him anxiety. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Open it ¡­ it¡¯s your precious wife¡¯s extracurricr activities while she works in thatpany you bought for her,¡± Mimi stood up and walked over to pour them some drinks.


    Den somehow knew what was inside the envelope. He sighed and opened it anyway.


    Pictures. They were pictures of Olivia and Roman as they walked together on the sidewalk with coffee in their hands and wide smiles on their faces. A warm hug when they said goodbye. A kiss on the cheek. Roman clinging to her hand when she was about to leave. A kiss on the lips. Roman¡¯s adoring stare at his wife. He threw the pictures on the table. He¡¯s had enough of those images.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem surprised?¡± Mimi had two sses of bourbon in her hands.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°I took care of it,¡± he said.


    ¡°Did you?¡± she sat and gave him a ss. ¡°Do you know where he is now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s gone ¡­ I bought his gallery from Brian, and I put Olivia¡¯s name on it.¡±


    Mimi chuckled and sipped from her ss, ¡°This is exactly why I can¡¯t trust you with my will ¡­ Den ¡­ she cheated on you with a boy, and you put her name on the business you bought with your money?¡±


    He stood up abruptly, ¡°She¡¯s my wife! It was OUR money ¡­ OUR lives ¡­ I can¡¯t believe you had my wife followed for this? Is that really all you think about? Money?¡±


    ¡°Do you know how many lives are ruined because they¡¯re not careful with their money? With the people they choose to marry? People they choose to trust?¡± Mimi raised her voice. ¡°You are the smartest guy I know, Den, but God knows ¡­ when ites to HER ¡­ you¡¯ve always been an idiot!¡±


    He dug his fingers into his hair and walked around the dining table.


    ¡°Your dad and I worked our hardest to maintain our family¡¯s legacy ¡­ our family¡¯s fortune inherited to us to build an empire for our family and our generations toe ¡­ and I will not let it slip because I failed to protect you from your own stupidity of trusting a pageant girl to be your wife! She¡¯s a cheater, Den! She lied to you!¡±


    ¡°I lied to her! I cheated on her! Years ago ¡­ when she needed me most, and I betrayed her, but she stayed with me, Mom, she gave me another chance ¡­ don¡¯t you think she deserves the same?¡±


    ¡°Of course, she stayed with you, honey. Where else would she go? And now? What if she gets pregnant with another man¡¯s baby? Brian Murphy¡¯s grandchild, nheless, you can¡¯t possibly think of staying married to her ¡­ not after this?¡±


    He mmed his hands on the table. Mimi jolted in her seat.


    ¡°You don¡¯t get to tell me what I can and cannot do! I¡¯m not a child anymore, Mom! You talked shit about preserving this family¡¯s legacy ¡­ I¡¯m the only one doing all that! I make the money, I do the business, I do the work! I¡¯m the one who¡¯s preserving this family¡¯s legacy! And the one thing that messed up my marriage was your incessant meddling with my private life and your constant nagging about an offspring! Enough! I¡¯ve had enough of that!¡±


    Mimi fell silent. She watched her son¡¯s face as he calmed down after blurting out everything he wanted to say.


    ¡°So that¡¯s your final decision? You¡¯re staying married to the woman who cheated on you and not nning to have any children?¡± she kept herposure.


    Den rested one hand on his waist and rubbed his face with another. ¡°The deal I made with Brian will be thest thing I do for this family,¡± he said in a low voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving for London next week and starting a new life with Livy ¡­ I love her ¡­ she made me who I am ¡­ I don¡¯t care what you think of her ¡­ she¡¯s the best thing that ever happened to me, and it didn¡¯t require children in that equation ¡­ you can take me out of your will or whatever you want ¡­ I¡¯m done with this family ¡­ you can give it to my brother¡¯s children if you want ¡­ I can make my own living.¡±


    She sat back on her chair and let out a long sigh. She had never imagined that her favorite son would choose his wife over her, especially now that the wife had cheated. Mimi realized that Den¡¯s love for Olivia was more than just on the surface. She used to think it was only because of her youth and beauty.


    Mimi nodded slowly in silence. ¡°If that¡¯s what you have to say ¡­ then I wish you all the luck in the world ¡­ I¡¯m not taking any risk ¡­ I will reserve some money for you in my will, but not her ¡­ not even if she¡¯s pregnant now ¡­ I¡¯m sorry, honey, I don¡¯t trust her, not after this.¡±


    He took the drink from the table and engulfed it in one go. He put the empty ss next to his mom, ¡°I don¡¯t care ¡­ you should start telling your other sons to step up to the te, ¡¯cause I¡¯m leaving ¡­ I¡¯m going to run my own thing from now on ¡­ I wish you all the luck in the world,¡± he said thest sentence with a sarcastic tone.

 Husband And Wife

    He said it. It was done. He had severed the tie that bound him with his entire life, his family. But Livy was his family. She had been for more than 15 years. She was the family he chose for himself. He had done more to keep his rtionship with Olivia than anything he¡¯d ever done to be a Hunt. Was he an idiot, like his mom said? Maybe. Whatever Olivia did with Roman made him even hungrier to win her back. It was his nature. It was how he strived to be the best in business.


    It surprised him. The relief he felt after telling his mom. He was free now. No more judgment of who he chose to be his wife, why they had not yet had a child, or what he decided to do with his marriage. His life was finally his own. He couldn¡¯t believe he waited that long to do the one thing that could¡¯ve saved his marriage from the start.


    He walked into the silence of their home. It was the only thing that mattered from then on. To build back what had copsed beneath their feet. The woman he loved was in that house. The heart of everything. She was the most important part of his life that he had taken for granted.


    A vague sound of movement echoed between the walls of the corridor. She must be in his study. He walked toward the room and pushed the slightly opened door. She had been cleaning what he had messed up, a parable of their lives together, each of them cleaning up the other one¡¯s mess.


    He took his moment and watched her from the back. His beautiful wife. How could he let her slip away and let another man love her the way she needed to be loved?


    He entered the study and closed the door behind him. The click made her turn.


    ¡°You¡¯re home?¡± she said with a gentle smile. ¡°How was it?¡±


    It was bad. He thought. But he curved his lips, threw the car keys on the armchair, and walked over to her. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his forehead against her.


    ¡°If I tell you ¡­ you can go anywhere you want in the world ¡­ and do anything you want ¡­ where would you go?¡± he asked.


    She put her hands on his shoulder. Augh escaped her, ¡°What? What does that have to do with the meeting with your mom?¡±


    His eyes were nailed to her lips. ¡°I love how youugh ¡­ you know that, right? I love your giggle and how adorable you are when I kiss your neck.¡± He ran his lips on her neck.


    She burst intoughter, ¡°Den ¡­ what¡¯s gotten into you? Why are you like this?¡±


    He looked up straight at her. ¡°I don¡¯t care about my family anymore ¡­ they can go to hell as far as I¡¯m concerned. I don¡¯t want you to do anything you don¡¯t want to. We don¡¯t have to do anything we don¡¯t want to ¡­ it¡¯s that simple, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    They looked into each other¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I love you, Livy, it had always been you ¡­ tell me ¡­ what does it need to make youe back to me? I¡¯ll do it ¡­ anything you want,¡± he said.


    It touched something inside her. He could see it in her eyes as she put her hands on his face and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m here, aren¡¯t I?¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Hended a kiss on her lips. Deep and hard. ¡°I told my mom she could write me off her will if that¡¯s what it takes to leave us alone ¡­ I¡¯m done with her ¡­ I¡¯m done with my family.¡±


    She paused and stared at him for a brief moment. She ran her thumb across his lips. ¡°You did that ¡­ for me?¡±


    He nodded, ¡°I did it for us ¡­ I wish I realized it sooner that it was what we always needed ¡­ maybe it would save us all the pain and misery.¡±


    She didn¡¯t reply. Her eyes were looking down.


    ¡°I know you can¡¯t say this now ¡­ but all I want is for you to be able to tell me that you love me.¡±


    She leaned her face toward his and caught his lips with hers. ¡°Make love to me,¡± she whispered in his ear. ¡°The one you promised me thest time,¡± she added.


    He lifted her instantly and moved toward his desk.


    ¡°Not on your desk! I just finished cleaning that for two hours,¡± she giggled.


    He nced at her with a knowing look and moved toward the floor, right on the carpet in the middle of his study.


    It felt like the first time he touched her.


    When their eyes locked as shey underneath him. She watched as he pulled up his shirt and it made him nervous. Did she really mean what she said? Did she really want him to make love to her?


    He felt her cold finger tips on his stomach. Her palms were sweaty. He unbuttoned his pants but then she stopped him. For a moment he thought she¡¯d changed her mind but then she rose and did it for him. His heart was pounding when she took him in her mouth.


    It triggered him. He wanted her more than ever before. She knew exactly what she was doing. She was driving him out of his mind with lust. With every stroke, he got harder and more eager.


    He pushed her back to the floor. He rushed to pull down her panty while he kissed her hard. There was no time. He couldn¡¯t strip her fast enough. He ripped it off of her. She had a faint smile as she opened up to him and guided him in.


    They moaned. He pushed in deep. She held on to the back of his neck because his push was so strong. He felt her melting around him, dripping wet with every thrust. She synchronized with him. He was even deeper inside her. She hooked her arm around his neck and pulled him.


    Her moans in his ear. He was envious of how good she was having it.


    She sunk her teeth into his shoulder. Then he felt her clenching. She exploded beneath him. He took his time. He was still hard, and she was hottest when she was cumming.


    He knew her body like the back of his hand. He slowed down until she was ready for him again. He teased her as he rubbed gently against her throb and ran his tongue around her ear.


    ¡°I love you,¡± he whispered and slid himself inside her again.


    She sighed and then called out his name. The sound of it on her lips ignited him. He picked up his pace. He held her still and fucked her stupid until he burst into her. He filled her up until he overflowed. She fell on her back in glittering sweat, her mouth gaped open, and her eyes closed.


    He wanted to stay inside her for as long as he could, even after he was empty. He fell on top of her. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful,¡± he said between his breaths.


    She smiled while her eyes were still closed. He could hear her heartbeat as hey his head on her chest. This was how he wanted them to be. On top of one another. Depleted after sex. Trying to catch their breaths. No need for words. Nothing else mattered. Just two people merged into one. Mistakes were made, and after all the hurt they caused, this was how they found their way back to each other.

 Murderer

    She woke up in a daze by a beeping sound from theputer. It took a few seconds for her to recall that they had fallen asleep on the floor of his study. Den was sitting in front of hisputer. The look on his face sobered her up.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked as she gathered and put on her clothes.


    ¡°Sshh ¡­¡± he put his index finger to his lips. His eyes were nailed to the monitor as he clicked away with his mouse. ¡°Someone¡¯s in the house.¡±


    Her heart fell to her stomach. ¡°What? What do you mean?¡± she whispered and hurried to dress.


    Den stood abruptly from his chair and switched the light off.


    She looked at theputer monitor to see what he had been looking at from the CCTV, but it was turned off.


    ¡°He¡¯s upstairs ¡­ he¡¯s going to the bedroom,¡± he walked back to his desk and got a key from the drawer.


    She was numbed by fear. ¡°What are you doing?¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    He didn¡¯t reply, but she immediately knew he was going for his gun.


    ¡°I think we should call the police. What are you doing?¡±


    He kept silent as he got the gun out of the safe.


    She touched his arm, ¡°Please ¡­ stay here ¡­ we¡¯ll call the police.¡±


    He turned to her. His face was ridden with worry and anger. ¡°It¡¯s him.¡±


    It was as if she was struck by a thousand volts. It can¡¯t be. She wanted to turn theputer back on. She needed to see it for herself. She couldn¡¯t form a single word.


    ¡°He has a gun, and he¡¯s going to our room ¡­ there¡¯s no time to call the police ¡­ he¡¯ll look for us once he finds out we¡¯re not there.¡±


    His hands were cold.


    ¡°No ¡­ please ¡­ Den ¡­ we¡¯ll just hide ¡­ or ¡­ we can escape from the back ¡­ we¡¯ll sneak out ¡­¡±


    Den shook his head. He tightened his grip on her hand. ¡°I have to face him ¡­ he¡¯de this far ¡­ he won¡¯t stop here if we run away.¡±


    They look at each other in silence. She wasn¡¯t sure what to make of it. He pulled her in and kissed the top of her head. ¡°I love you ¡­ stay here.¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ I¡¯ming with you ¡­¡± she held on to him. ¡°Are you going to shoot him?¡±


    The look on her face said it all. He caught it. She was scared, but most of all, she was scared for Roman. She didn¡¯t want him to get hurt. Even after she knew he had a gun and was going up to their bedroom. She still didn¡¯t want Roman to get hurt.


    Den almost hated her for it.


    ¡°Not if I don¡¯t have to,¡± he said and cocked the gun. He let go of her hand and opened the door as carefully as he could. He gestured for her to stay back, so she fell a few steps behind him.


    They snuck out of the study, tiptoed along the corridor, and climbed the stairs.


    ¡ª


    The climb from the first step of the stairs to the second-floornding was lost in her. She was moving forward by instinct. It was too dark to see. They had spent the entire afternoon in the study and fell asleep. She realized she didn¡¯t even know what time it was.


    She heard a faint rustling in the living room upstairs, but her heart was beating louder in her ears. Den was further up the stairs. Her legs got heavier. She fell behind.


    She wanted to shout at him, tell him to stop, tells him to change his mind, and leave the house instead.


    Roman with a gun. Den with a gun. How will this encounter turn out? They were both not in a state of mind where they could face each other with guns between them. She didn¡¯t want either of them to get hurt. How did ite to this?


    There was no time to think. She had to be the one to stop the madness. She picked up her pace. She stumbled on one of the steps. It echoed. She stopped breathing. It was dead silence upstairs before a sudden movement was heard. She hurried to catch up with Den, and when she arrived at thending ¡­ Bang! Bang!


    She wasn¡¯t fast enough to stop it but was there in time to see him fall to the ground. Her mouth gaped open. She covered it with both her hands. It felt like her heart was going to escape her. Her mind went nk. He was shot ¡­ twice ¡­ and then he fell to the floor. There was no movement.

 The Scene

    She was in a haze. Everything was blurry. It was as if her mind was filled with fog, and tears were filling up her eyes. Den was talking. He held her by the side of her arms. She remembered screaming, and Den put his hand over her mouth. This was not really happening.


    The next thing she heard from Den was, as the fog was getting clear, ¡°We can do this ¡­ you and me ¡­ we¡¯ll clean this up, get rid of the body, and no one will know.¡± He nodded profusely as if to get her to agree with him. ¡°I did this for us ¡­ don¡¯t you see? He gave me no choice ¡­ I love you, Olivia, this is the only way we can be together peacefully ¡­ he won¡¯t leave us alone ¡­ he¡¯ll never leave us alone.¡±


    She pushed his hand off her mouth, ¡°You¡¯re crazy ¡­ you¡¯ll never get away with this.¡± Her breaths were heavy from the immense pressure of his crime. ¡°You killed him.¡±


    ¡°You did too ¡­ you think you¡¯ll be free of this? I didn¡¯t kill him ¡­ we did.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    The realization of what he said left her stunned. She felt something pushing up from her stomach. He was right. Even though she didn¡¯t hold the gun to his head, she was a part of it too.


    She shook her head, ¡°I can¡¯t do this.¡±


    She had one hand on her head and the other holding her abdomen. She looked around the murder scene and what was left of the man she once loved, and maybe ¡­ she still does.


    ¡°We can¡¯t get away with this ¡­ YOU! You can¡¯t get away with this ¡­ I didn¡¯t kill him, I never wanted him to die ¡­ you did this.¡±


    He shook her, ¡°We did this, Olivia, you know that¡¯s true ¡­ they will look at our rtionship, find we have every motive to do this, and put us in jail ¡­ and for what? For wanting to be free from him? He¡¯d kill us if we didn¡¯t do this.¡±


    He always had a way of rationalizing everything, even murder, justifying his every action, but she was not convinced. ¡°We don¡¯t know that ¡­ he¡¯s not a murderer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a murderer! And look at what you made me do?¡±


    The sudden spike in his voice startled her.


    ¡°I did this for you ¡­ you did this to me ¡­ to him ¡­ now we have blood in our hands, but we can get through this together ¡­ because that¡¯s all I ever wanted, Olivia ¡­ I just want to be with you.¡±


    His eyes softened, tears were pushing through their corners, ¡°I can¡¯t lose you, baby, you¡¯re the best thing that ever happened to me ¡­ I¡¯d do anything for you ¡­ you know that ¡­¡±


    His grip loosened, and he pulled her into his embrace. His whole body was shaking. He¡¯s not a murderer. The fact that he had just killed another human being had just materialized in him. He was hyperventting. He cried.


    She stood still. Her brain froze. Her eyes stared into nothing. How did it alle down to this? How will they ever get through something like this?


    She slipped her arms around his waist. The warmth of his body, the familiarity of it, soothed her. Is it love? Can she ever love a person who hadmitted murder? Let alone murder someone who was dear to her heart, no matter how bad it was, they were once deeply in love.


    But this man loves her too, so much that he is willing to risk everything for her. She pressed her face on his shoulder and breathed his scent. This man would do anything for her, and he had proven it.


    She sped her hands together behind his back and felt the diamond ring on her finger. She sobbed. The ring was still on her finger. It had to mean something. She pulled back from him. She looked deep into his eyes, trying to find something to convince herself of what she had to do next.


    He was half the man he used to be, lost in the chaos of what he had done. He needed her.


    Just hours before, they had made love as husband and wife like they hadn¡¯t been in a long time. Just hours before, he had chosen her over his own family. Something that she always deemed impossible. Den had made the impossible possible for her. She nced at the body on their living room floor. The hairs on her back stood up. This was his doing too.


    She saw the despair in his eyes. She was the only person in the world that could help him. After what she had done to their marriage. After what he had done for her. Their 20 years of togethernessy solely in her hands.


    His face was wet with tears. She put her hands on his cheeks and looked into his eyes. ¡°We have tarps and stics in the storage ¡­ you have to wrap the body ¡­ ¡¯cause I can¡¯t do it,¡± she sobbed. ¡°I¡¯ll clean the rest,¡± she added.


    There was instant hope projected in his eyes. He nodded. He held her hands and pressed his lips against hers. ¡°I love you ¡­ there¡¯s no one else in this world for me, Livy. You have to believe me.¡±


    ¡°We have to hurry. Turn on the lights, I¡¯ll get the tarps from the storage room.¡±


    She was about to take the step downstairs when the lights were switched on. Then she heard a gasp. She looked at Den. He was staring at the body on the floor. He had one hand covering his mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s not him ¡­¡±

 The Stranger

    ¡°What?¡± Olivia froze.


    Her relief was short-lived when she realized it wasn¡¯t Roman. Panic sets in almost immediately.


    ¡°Who the hell is that?¡± she was reluctant to look closer. The sight of blood on a dead body was not something she wanted to observe.


    Den was breathing heavily. He shook his head and stroked his hair.  ¡°Get the tarp, Livy ¡­ get some tapes and stic, whatever we have ¡­ hurry!¡±


    She ran down the stairs. She wasn¡¯t thinking anymore. She just did what Den told her.


    ¡°Oh ¡­ God!¡± Den muttered to himself. He rubbed his face with both hands. He was sure it was Roman when he first saw the dark images on the CCTV monitor.


    He checked the pockets of the dead man in front of him. He took everything he could find from the corpse. Gil was dead. Blood was still leaking out of his wounded head through the soaked cap. Den would¡¯ve seen a clearer image through the monitor if he hadn¡¯t worn that cap. Or not. His jealous mind had blinded him.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    What the hell was Gil doing in his house?


    A phone, a wallet, a pack of cigarettes, a lighter, and an envelope addressed to him. It was Sienna¡¯s handwriting. He folded it and tucked it inside his pocket. He hid Gil¡¯s belongings in the bottom drawer of the TV cab. He wasn¡¯t sure what he was doing, but he knew he had to keep Gil¡¯s identity a secret from Livy until he knew what was happening.


    There was a gun in Gil¡¯s hand. That much was true. Gil hade intending to harm them. But why? He said he was done and he was leaving. Why would he drive to Lancaster just to hurt them?


    Den¡¯s brain was spinning out of control. Before he could figure anything out, Olivia was back with the tools.


    ¡°Did you touch him? We¡¯re not supposed to be touching him, are we? ¡± She was still confused as to what they were about to do. She stood a few steps away from where the body was. She didn¡¯t have the courage toe any closer.


    ¡°Was he going to rob us? We can call the police and tell them it was self-defense¡­ right?¡±


    ¡°I shot him from the back ¡­ it¡¯s not self-defense¡­ whoever this guy was, I killed him ¡­¡± Den hung his head. ¡°I¡¯m not going to jail for this.¡±


    The room fell silent for a moment.


    ¡°What are we going to do? I mean ¡­ where will we dump the body?¡± she asked.


    Den looked at her, ¡°Somewhere far ¡­ I know a ce ¡­ a little further out of town ¡­ we¡¯ll take the shovel in the garage. We have to make sure the tarp is sealed shut. We don¡¯t want any blood in the trunk,¡± he said as he gets the tarp from Livy¡¯s hand.


    She was shivering. Den held her hand steady and looked into her eyes. ¡°Livy ¡­ we can do this ¡­ it¡¯s gonna be alright,¡± heforted her.


    It wasn¡¯t an assurance, but it was better than nothing. She nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll get some cleaning supplies.¡±


    They worked in silence. Each of them retreated into their own thoughts.


    Den wrapped the body in stic andyered it with a tarp. He rolled tape around his wrapping ¡­ a lot of tape and made sure everything was tight. He was sweating. Dead bodies weighed more than when they were alive.


    Olivia was covered in blood. She wore a mask to avoid the smell. She numbed herself from feeling any emotions about their situation. Everything must be cleaned. The walls, the rug, the floor, ssh on the sofa. How will they ever get it cleaned?


    ¡°We have to burn it,¡± Den¡¯s voice broke the silence.


    She looked at him with an empty stare.


    ¡°Our clothes ¡­ the rugs ¡­ everything that touched the blood must be burned,¡± he said.


    She nodded lightly.


    Carrying the body into the trunk of their car was a challenge. Olivia lost her grip twice. The sound that stomped on the floor will haunt her for the rest of her life. But Den was calm-theplete opposite of how he was moments after he shot and killed that poor man.


    He locked the trunk and went back inside.


    ¡°Take your clothes off,¡± he instructed as he did it himself.


    There was nothing sexual about stripping naked together at that moment. Den put all their clothes in a trash bag and the cleaning supplies in another. He told her to go into the shower with him. It was as if he had already nned this. He was doing everything in order.


    He didn¡¯t n this, of course. But Den was a leader. He had always been. He always knew what to do in a time of crisis. His mind was already thinking forward. All this mess was already sorted out in his head.


    As the warm water washed over them, Olivia was looking at her husband with hundreds of questions going through her thoughts. She covered her face with both hands and cried.


    Den wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry ¡­ I¡¯ll take care of it ¡­ I promise ¡­¡± he said in a whispery voice.


    Somehow, his calmness eased her. With Den, she knew everything was going to be alright. It always does.

 Silence

    The silence was deafening. The clock on the dashboard said 3. 30 AM. They had probably been cleaning since 12 AM. She could still smell the blood though she couldn¡¯t pinpoint where it originated. She scrubbed herself clean almost to the point where she scratched off the firstyer of her skin. But the scent remained.


    They drove for almost an hour when Den pulled to a construction site. She took a nce at the sign as they entered the area. It was one of hispany¡¯s ongoing projects. They were building a factory.


    Heavy equipment was parked all over the site. Thend was dug up in the middle. She started to get the idea of what Den was nning on doing.


    ¡°They¡¯re scheduled to dump the soil in the morning ¡­ they had done the inspection yesterday. I¡¯ll dig a shallow grave, and they¡¯ll cover it up with tons and tons of soil in the morning,¡± he sounded confident.


    She looked at him with an empty stare, still unsure about everything they were doing. He paused momentarily before kissing her lips as if he needed it for good luck.


    He told her to be on the lookout while he took care of the body. There was no one around. She stood behind the trunk and hugged herself. The chill didn¡¯t juste from the wind at theing of dawn. She kept looking at the time. God forbid if they had to be there still when the sun rises.


    She could hear the shovel digging and Den¡¯s heavy grunt asionally. He emerged from the giant hole a little over 5 AM. No words were exchanged, but they were moving as if they both knew what their next step would be.


    They got into the car and drove out of the site. They stopped in the middle of their journey home to burn their clothes and cleaning equipment in a remote area by the highway. They stared into the fire soullessly. They¡¯ve never been that tired before in their lives.


    The sun was up when they went back home. Birds were chirping. Early morning people were jogging on the sidewalk. They entered their home, which was now a crime scene. And life was moving like nothing had happened.


    She locked the door behind her to shut the world outside. The smell of bleach was still potent, even from the stairs. Den hit the shower again. She didn¡¯t join him this time. None of them will be able to sleep.


    She sat in her usual spot by the window. Her eyes couldn¡¯t stop ncing at where the body was only hours before. She tried to remember every detail. Did they miss anything? She yed every possible scenario in her head where this can go wrong.


    When Den was done showering, he took his time in the bedroom. She was observing his every move. How could he be so calm after all this? How could anybody be calm after knowing they have taken another person¡¯s life, especially aplete stranger? That man¡¯s family must be waiting for him toe home.


    Olivia watched Den as he finally walked out of the bedroom. He sat on the sofa. His head was down. He looked like an unexpected tragedy had hit him. She was baffled by his demeanor. But one thing was leading up to another, and she was figuring things out in her head.


    ¡°You knew that person ¡­ didn¡¯t you?¡± she asked.


    He didn¡¯t respond. He furrowed his brows. He was in pain.


    ¡°What have you got ourselves into, Den? Who was he? Why was he at our house?¡±


    He sped his head between his hands. He wanted to scream, but he held it inside.


    Den was always good with words. His silence worries her.


    She trembled, ¡°Den ¡­ what¡¯s going on? Who was that man?¡± her voice weakened.


    His eyes were bloodshot when he looked up. Teary and desperate, ¡°Olivia ¡­ I think you need to sit down.¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

 Confession

    Den ¡­ my love ¡­


    If you¡¯re reading this ¡­ that means I¡¯m gone ¡­


    I have been contemting this decision for the longest time.


    Ourst meeting convinced me there is no hope for me ever to be together with you again.


    I don¡¯t want to live without you, especially when you love someone else on this earth.


    God knows I tried to do that, and it¡¯s killing me inside. It might as well kill me forever.


    Damien is such a sweet boy. He doesn¡¯t deserve this. He doesn¡¯t deserve an unhappy mother who¡¯s always bitter and angry because she couldn¡¯t be with his father, who has no love for either of us.


    He doesn¡¯t deserve to be in a world where he is not loved and treated like he didn¡¯t matter. I couldn¡¯t give that to him because I can¡¯t convince you to be the father he deserves.


    So I¡¯m not leaving him behind. He is mine. He is my heart and soul.


    I promise this won¡¯t hurt. Not as much as knowing that you don¡¯t love me.


    I hope you find what you lost with her when you were with me. I hope she¡¯ll forgive you for loving me even for a brief moment, for not even a fraction of how much you love her.


    I hope she¡¯ll forgive you for this.


    For what it¡¯s worth, what we had was the most beautiful thing that ever happened in my life. That may be why it¡¯s hard for me to ept it¡¯s over.


    With all my love ¡­ Sienna ¡­


    He crumpled the letter in his hand after reading it in the bedroom. It was too much for him to take. Sienna¡¯s face stormed his head. Her smile. Herughter. Her words. Thest thing she said to him. The hurt he¡¯d cause her. Followed by Damien¡¯s.


    He felt a sharp pang when he remembered that boy¡¯s face. A face so much simr to his when he was a little boy. He stifled a sob, knowing Olivia was just outside the bedroom.


    There was a limit to what he can take. And that was it. When Olivia confronted him in the living room, he knew he had toe clean, whatever the consequences. He couldn¡¯t keep it to himself anymore. Not after he had convinced her to be involved in his mess.


    She sat across from him. He could tell that she knew something was wrong, and she knew she was already in on it. The one person he had done everything he could to protect from his own lies. And now he was about to unleash the full power of the truth.


    He didn¡¯t know where to start. He just gave her the letter and watched as her face turned white. She stood up with the letter in her trembling hand.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    She knew. She just wanted him to exin what she understood about the situation.


    ¡°The man I killed ¡­ was her husband ¡­¡± he replied.


    She let go of the paper to cover her mouth with both hands and walked over to the window. He couldn¡¯t see her face. She was dead quiet.


    ¡°I think he came here to kill me ¡­ for what I¡¯ve caused them ¡­¡± tears pouring out of his eyes. ¡°I have done a terrible ¡­ terrible thing.¡±


    For the first time in his life, Den was admitting defeat.


    ¡°You had a son ¡­¡± her voice was almost inaudible. Amid all the horror, it was the one thing that stand out. ¡°And now he¡¯s dead ¡­ because of what?¡± she muttered between her sobs. ¡°What is going on, Den? What is happening with us??¡±


    He came over to her and embraced her from behind. ¡°I love you ¡­ even if the world falls apart, that is the one thing I¡¯m sure of ¡­ I love you ¡­ please believe me.¡±


    She struggled to be free from him. She turned to look at him. ¡°We have killed an entire family! Do you understand that?¡± She hit his arm as hard as she could. ¡°And your own son?!¡±  Then she pushed him. She screamed.


    He pulled her in and hugged her as tight as he could. She was hysterical. All the years of lies and deceit hade down on her all at once.


    ¡°Why ¡­ Why, Den? Why did you do this to me?¡± she wailed.


    He shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t ¡­ I never wanted to hurt you. She was pregnant when I ended it, and I did my best to do my part ¡­ I provided for them ¡­ I couldn¡¯t tell you ¡­ how could I?¡±


    She fell on her knees to the ground. Her body gave in to the mental blows she was receiving.


    He went down with her and groveled. ¡°Livy ¡­ sweetheart ¡­¡± he stroked her hair and held her face. ¡°If I could do anything to take this all back ¡­ I would ¡­ there¡¯s no one on earth I hate more than myself right now.¡±


    He took his gun from under the coffee table. He had left it there after the shooting. He took her hand and let her hold the gun to his temple. ¡°Just kill me ¡­ if that¡¯s what you want ¡­ I don¡¯t deserve to live ¡­ I know that ¡­ just pull the trigger and end me, right here, right now.¡±


    They looked into each other¡¯s eyes. Their faces were wet with tears. She was sobbing. Hands were shaking.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°I screwed up, Olivia ¡­ I made your life a living hell ¡­ and I know you hate me for it, so this is your chance ¡­ you can pull the trigger and live the life you¡¯ve ever wanted without me.¡±


    He believed what he was saying, though his soul ached for wanting her to love him more than she wanted him dead. But if Olivia had stopped loving him because of what he did, he was done with the world too. He has nothing else to lose but a fragile hope that somewhere in her shattered heart, she still has some love for him.


    He held his breath as he waited for the gun to go off in his head. But her hand loosened. She let go of the gun while still sobbing uncontrobly. She opened her arms to him, and then he pulled her in.


    ¡°I can¡¯t ¡­¡± she said. ¡°Help me ¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do ¡­¡± she cried in his arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispered. ¡°Please forgive me ¡­¡± he cried. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you, baby, I swear it ¡­ I will make things better for you ¡­ anything you need ¡­ I will do anything for you, Livy, I love you so much ¡­¡±

 Departure

    Somewhere in Chestnut lies the body of a mother and son that had yet to be discovered.


    They had to go on knowing this and not do anything about it. They had to act as if everything was normal and they were leaving for London as scheduled. Their bags were packed for a month¡¯s stay, they left their instructions to their employees and gave their house staff a paid leave.


    Den leaned on the doorway while Olivia was already waiting in the car. He looked around onest time to see if they had everything they needed. His eyes fell on the Blue me. He had bought the piece from Roman early on when he didn¡¯t know what it truly meant for any of them.


    ¡°A blue me represents many things to many people. It represents illumination and enlightenment. It could mean destruction and renewal, spirituality and also damnation ¡­ it depends on which aspect you can rte to.¡±


    Roman¡¯s voice echoed in his mind.


    ¡°While blue is a color that presents coolness ¡­ blue fire is the hottest me. It signifiespletebustion and burns almost without leaving anything behind.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Den stepped into the house and closed the door. He carefully opened the sliding ss of the piece. The blue me was burning in steady motion camouging its true power. He took a stack of mail and ced them above the ss. The papers stuck out just enough to get slowly burned by the dancing fire.


    He waited to see if the heat will catch its prey. Once the paper started to burn. He walked out the door and locked it.


    ¡ª


    Olivia fell asleep in her seat in the first-ss cabin while Den couldn¡¯t shut his mind off.


    ¡°Did you not have any love for your own son?¡±


    Olivia¡¯s question lingered in his thoughts.


    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t have any love for that boy. It was what the boy represented. His betrayal. The time he strayed away from the love of his life. His mistakes. His error of judgment. A period where he was not himself.


    The boy was his. He even looked like a child version of himself. But he never allowed himself to love him because it would crush Olivia. She would tell him to be the father the boy needed, which would mean leaving her. She would never understand why he would choose her over his own son because Olivia would never choose someone else over her children ¨C if she had any.


    How did Sienna do it?


    The question haunted him for days. How did she kill herself? And Damien? He would call the Chestnut police to check on their house, but he didn¡¯t want to be implicated in the situation in any way possible.


    One of these days, they will find them, and he¡¯ll have the answer to that question. But it was driving him crazy in the wait.


    Gil must¡¯ve discovered them first and found the letter. Had he left them? Did hee back? Was it idental? Den would never know. But it was apparent that Gil was furious, and the first thing on his mind was to grab a gun and look for Den.


    Gil was dead and buried in the construction site. No one had seen what they¡¯d done. No one discovered the body. The site was already covered with cement. And now his house was burning. Any trace and evidence of that night will turn to ash thanks to Roman¡¯s mighty blue me. His insurancepany will investigate the fire. At worst, they will find that it was an ident due to contributory negligence which was covered by his premium.


    He figured things out. He always does. Give Den Hunt the needed time, and he will take care of everything.


    He looked over to his sleeping wife.


    All he need to do now was to make her the happiest woman alive. And that was something he is yet to figure out.

 London

    The moment they arrived in London, a call came in. The familywyer informed them that their brownstone house in Lancaster had burned. Thewyer would contact the insurancepany, and an investigation was underway.


    Den left the matter to hiswyer¡¯s hand. He told them they could not return because they had just arrived and Olivia was not feeling well. They will have to do all interviews andmunication through video calls.


    A few days after that, the news broke. Bodies were found in a family home in Chestnut. A mother and an 8-year-old boy they assume were her son were found in their car. It seemed like they had been dead for a few days.


    The police were looking for the husband. The scene indicated that the two deceased people had died from asphyxiation, an apparent murder-suicide inside the car. However, the car was already turned off when they found them. Someone was already there and failed to report the incident. Gil Isaac was now a wanted man.


    They turned the house upside down to get clues about what happened with the mother and son. It became quite the news.


    Den and Olivia watched as it unravels on the TV. They had nothing to say to each other. They only hoped nothing in that house would lead the police to Den. Things were about to get worst before they get better. At least, that¡¯s what they were hoping for.


    At the same time. The deal with Brian Murphy was still happening in London. Den was making his own news on the other side of the world.


    Champagne. Caviar. A feast that felt so inappropriate and in poor taste of what was happening in their lives. But they had to put on a happy face. It was a victory but not a celebration.


    After what they had done, all the money and the sess that Den had finally achieved became distasteful. How could they ever be happy with what they know they did?


    London was going to be their new home. That¡¯s what Den said. They will leave their lives in Lancaster behind, including his mother and brothers. Everything he was going to do would be for his marriage and Olivia. Whatever the cost, whatever the challenge, Den knew that his ce in the world would be with Olivia. The things he did, however cruel and evil, were all because he didn¡¯t want to lose the one thing that meant the world to him.


    Den bought a house in Warren Mews, London. An area that felt like the countryside in the heart of the city. A neighborhood that¡¯s simr to Lancaster, where they¡¯ve lived. A secluded area of cobbled streets and cute houses, precisely the kind that he knew Olivia would never have any problem calling a home.


    He pictured their lives there as he dreamed of before moving into their brownstone years ago. Everyone deserves a new start every now and then. And he was determined this time would be for the better. It will take some time for Olivia to return to being herself again, let the chaos and despair subside, and he will be there every step of the way.


    He¡¯ll arrange to have her business transferred to London. The sess of his deal with Brian had made all that possible. He¡¯ll make her forget about Roman and fall in love with him again.


    ¡ª


    OLIVIA


    The house was gorgeous. Den knew she would never refuse the kind of life that a house in that neighborhood offers. Luxury had always pleased herpared to mediocracy and a life of modesty. She was a queen even before she had be Den¡¯s. It was how she knew it would never work with Roman.


    She didn¡¯t deny that what she felt for Roman was love. Another kind of love. Something more romantic, which contains moments of sweetness and mncholy. Something that felt more like young love.


    But she loved Den in a way she couldn¡¯t love anyone else. A love that stays no matter how bad things get. It¡¯s the kind of love that knows how much they were made for each other and kept them together through better or worse.


    Despite the nightmare. They stayed together. Their marriage vow prevailed. Deep inside, she always knew that Den was the person she could depend on to protect her, to take care of her, and who loved her more than anyone.


    Six months after the ordeal, when the dust had settled, she was getting used to their new life in London. Den started his newpany. She was running her own business with Urban Aesthetic and Ludus with a new staff set while managing her headquarters in Lancaster.


    She loved London. She even picked up a Londoner morning routine though it¡¯s not much different than hers in Lancaster. She didn¡¯t touch her phone until she would arrive at work. She took a quick morning walk before her first coffee, prepared her breakfast to eatter at the studio, and thenmute there by whichever transportation was avable. Den dropped her by mostly, but she also enjoyed taking public transport because she needed that extra walk.


    It was a typical morning for her at the Urban Aesthetic. A row of new emails came into her inbox. She put her hydro sk on her desk and clicked on the first new email on the top.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    She jotted down noteworthy information from the emails she received. Forward them ordingly to relevant departments. She checked her list of things to do in her journal and added new items for tasks yet to be dealt with.


    One email was from the fertility clinic she visited with Den a few days prior. The results were in. She was pregnant. They didn¡¯t go through the IVF treatment, which they have long agreed not to. But they did make some effort with a more holistic approach. And there it was ¡­ positive.


    She couldn¡¯t hold herughter from escaping. She couldn¡¯t believe it. They were finally pregnant ¡­ again. Her first instinct was to pick up the phone and call Den. She put the phone down when she saw a familiar name on the list of senders in her email.


    Roman Murphy.


    Gaby once called her to tell her that Serena, his fake girlfriend, was asking for him at Ludus and then Urban Aesthetic in Lancaster. But no one knew where he went. The email reminded her that he was still alive and well somewhere in the world. Hiding, perhaps lurking. He was good at that. Being invisible and roamed the world on his own. She contemted whether to click the email or delete itpletely.


    Her heart pumped louder and faster. She sat back on her chair and tapped her finger on her desk. She took a deep breath before facing herputer again. She clicks on the check box next to the email. And click the trash bin.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!