"Hey, Ma,” Jax said on the phone.
“Hi baby, how’s school?” Xara inquired. She was currently on a trip with Penny. Alianna and Val were both caught up with ‘something important’ so they couldn’t make it to Bora Bora with them; they were simply missing out on Xara and Penny's tropical paradise. Despite their absence, they couldn't resist the impulse to call their friends and live vicariously through their wonderful trip.
“School’s fine; I'm just missing you. Are you good? Eating well and sleeping well?” He asked, genuinely concerned.
“ I’m fine, Jaxon, and yes, I am eating well and living well. Currently in Bora Bora with Penny sipping cocktails on a yacht,”
“ Oh, okay. I’m glad you’re fine, Mama.”
“ How are things between you and Giada? Are you good?” she asked out of the blue.
“ Yes, yes. She was here last week to visit me," he smiled. He was glad he had been able to restore the broken relationship he had with his sister.
"Surprise, surprise," one of the bartenders said as Aly entered the bar. She hadn't seen him much since he left on his journey.
Aly rolled her eyes and sat down in her favorite position. "I don't always grace this place just because of—"
Right on cue, her phone rang, and it was Bazyli on the other end.
"What a coincidence," she remarked as she answered his call. "Do you know what? I'm in the bar, and Clinton is claiming that I only show up when you're there." She gave the smirking Clinton a mocking stare.
"Technically, he might have a point," hinted Bazyli.
Aly was having none of it. "Oh, no, not you too."
Bazyli laughed. "Anyway, Greece is being kind to me, and I'm making progress." I'll return this weekend."
"It's great to hear that Greece is treating you well," Aly replied, her favorite drink mysteriously appearing in front of her, courtesy of Clinton. "I can't wait for you to come back," she said, taking a sip. I hate to admit it, but I've missed you."
"I've missed you even more, and I'm counting the days until I see you," Bazyli responded.
‘ I've missed you even more, and I'm counting the days until I see you,’ Clinton mimicked, making Aly chuckle on the phone, choking on her drink in the process.
“Oh shit! Here’s some water.” He quickly handed her the glass of water, and she took in a big gulp.
“ Are you okay?” Bazyli asked, worried.
“ I am fine, except for the fact that Clinton almost killed me here." She glared at him with her blood-red eyes.
‘ I am sorry,’ he mouthed.
“ Are you better now?” Bazyli inquired.
“ Aside from the fact that my throat is on fire at the moment, I’m okay.”
“ How’s Kimora, by the way? It’s been a while since I last heard from her,” she inquired, changing the topic.
“ She’s doing well, except for the fact that she’s having a hard time finding love. The person she loves went through a tragic loss, so he’s not reciprocating the love she has for him."
“ She doesn’t need to beg for love from anybody. She’s beautiful and has a very good and kind heart. She should learn to love herself before anyone else. I need to have a tête-à-tête with her," she added, determined.
“ No doubt, but not everyone’s like you, Alyona. You’re strong-headed, know what you want, and will not let anyone walk over you. Kim, on the other hand, has always sought approval from everyone else, except herself. She wants to be loved despite the circumstances,” he explained.
~
Yara spoke to Jax on the phone while lying in bed, her voice frustrated. "Why can't I just give her a piece of my mind?" She moaned.
Jax said calmly and reassuringly, "Because I don't want you hurting yourself or getting into trouble, and besides, she's not worth it."
"Alright, I won't do it, for your sake," Yara said unwillingly. But I can't promise it won't come up again."
Jax tried to hear her words as she mumbled the last bit. "Yara, promise me you're not going to fight her. "Please," he begged.
"Why are you begging me not to fight her when it's clear that's what she's asking for?" Yara asked, suddenly sitting up with vigor.
Jaxon gently stated, "Because she's not worth it."
Yara was amazed by Jaxon's intensity of feeling. "And you still care about her?"
"Not in the way you think," he clarified. Yara was someone I adored. She was my first, but she was the one who broke me. That relationship's fallout eventually brought me to you, my love, my everything. Brynn may be everything you claim she is, but it isn't worth destroying your reputation. Trust me.
~
~~“ Why can’t you like him back?” Ximena said over the phone while walking to her apartment after lectures.
“ I don’t know; maybe it’s because of what happened years ago,” Giada added.
" It's King's loss." He decided to go along with his dumb sister's idea anyhow. But have you ever considered whether he liked you? Maybe you misread the signs." Ximena attempted to reason with her.
" You have a point, but I'd like to get to know Kye a little better." He's 6'5, attractive, with a chiseled jaw, expressive hazel eyes, and a messy, textured cut with a scruffy beard," she described as Ximena listened on the phone.
“ Seems like you have a tiny winy crush on this guy."
“ I do not,” she blushed.
“ Fine, whatever helps you sleep at night." Ximena retorted.
“ Hahaha,”
“ How’s school by the way?” Giada asked her friend
“ Apart from the stress involved in being a freshman, school is fine."
“ Ugh, tell me about it. I can’t wait to be done with university. I can’t believe we were so happy and psyched about it.”
“ But it’s not always stressful; there’s the fun part, like you meeting Kye," she teased.
“ You’re not wrong,” they both laughed on the phone.
“ Hey, how’s your mom doing, by the way?”
“ She’s great; last time I heard, she was on vacation in Bora Bora. I’m glad she’s traveling more. It will help her not to overthink and also not miss Dad so much as compared to if she stayed at home. There’d be no one to keep her company. We’re in university, Elon’s married and taking over Dad’s empire, and Aly’s career is at its peak.”
“ I’m proud of her, though. She’s a strong, confident woman."
"Alyona, hi. I wasn't expecting you at all. Come in." Kimora ushered her into the house. " I came bearing gifts," she said, handing her a bouquet and the latest YVL bag in a box. " Oh, my gosh! Thank you so much. Care for some wine?" Kimora asked, putting her gifts away. " Yes, yes, a bottle of Moscatto will do, please." Alyona smiled at her. She was impressed by the interior decor of Kimora's home. There was no doubt that she had great taste. " Have you heard from Bazyli? " Kimora asked, pouring a glass of wine for Aly and herself. " Yeah, he said he would be coming back this weekend," she smiled. She couldn't wait to see him. This had been the most boring and slowest three weeks ever. " Awesome" " Enough of Bazyli. Is there anyone you're seeing at the moment?" Alyona's question caught Kim off guard, making her hesitate before answering her. " Not at the moment, but there's someone I like; unfortunately, he doesn't feel the same way." She tried to mask her pain. “ Can I know
As he approached Giada, Kye's heart hammered. He'd been preparing for this moment for weeks, and it was finally here. "Giada, wait up!" His voice caught in his throat as he called out. Giada returned his smile. "Hey, Kye." "How's it going?" "I was wondering if you'd be free tonight," he explained, taking a long breath. "I'd love to take you to the movies." Giada's mouth sprang open in amazement. "Really?" Kye simply nodded. "Yeah. I've wanted to ask you out for a long time but was too nervous." “ The Kye Smith, nervous?" She teased, making Kye blush. Giada grinned once more. "I'd love to go with you." Kye's heart was racing. He had never been this excited. "Wonderful!" he exclaimed. "I'll pick you up at 7:00." Giada agreed with a nod. "Sounds good." "Wait?" she called as he turned to leave. "What movie will we be watching?” she inquired. "It's a surprise, Giada; I’ll see you at 7 p.m." ~"Calvin stood in front of the house that once brought him joy. It had been over 2 yea
Alyona moved her fingers across the face of her muse, blending and arranging her colors with the skill of an experienced artist. She was unaware of the passing of time, concentrating solely on capturing the beauty of the subject. She was about to launch her newest product, a makeup line that was set to revolutionize the beauty industry. The anticipation was intense, yet Alyona persevered, her creativity thriving amid chaos. Kim had been scheduled to be the muse for the session; however, an unexpected event caused her to cancel, and Alyona, recognizing the urgency of the situation, quickly found a new muse. "Someone's extra busy today," the voice teased, its playful tone hinting at a familiar presence. Alyona turned to see who was speaking, her heart skipping a beat as she recognized the familiar face.It had been three weeks and some days since she had seen him—three weeks and some days of missing his company, his presence, and his all-too-familiar cologne. He was the last person s
Ida was 39 weeks into her pregnancy, with just a few days left for her to give birth. She was excited to meet her baby, but this pregnancy was more difficult than her first.It was tough on Elon as well, taking care of Kayden, work, and Ida as well. Though they had help, it was still tough. Ida suggested they get a nanny for Kayden, but Elon was being too skeptical.“Babe, we need to consider getting a nanny for Kayden. With another baby coming anytime from now, we need any extra help we can get. And there’s work, too. Your weekly checkups, too, are by the side," she tried to reason with him.“ I think we do; I was skeptical at first. Wait a minute; I can have my mom help with Kayden. She can move in to help since she’s the only one at home at the moment.”"Xara coming here is not a bad idea, but we still need a nanny to help her. Kayden is a handful, and she will also be helping me with the newborn.” She added.“ Anything for your comfort, babe," he said, squeezing her hand gently.
"Surprise!" exclaimed Xara as Elon and his pregnant wife entered the house. While Elon appreciated the company Xara had arranged, he knew some adjustments were in order.Ida greeted Xara with a side hug, saying, "You look gorgeous as always.""Thank you, you're glowing too," Xara replied, assisting her daughter-in-law to sit. "Do you both want anything?""Ma, some orange juice would be perfect," Elon requested, and Rita went off to fetch it.As they settled, Elon inquired about Xara's travels. "I've had a great time exploring the world," she shared, smiling. Rita returned with a jug of orange juice and three glasses before excusing herself.Elon then broached a serious topic. "We need a favor from you, actually. With Kayden's nanny not being sufficient, and the new baby on the way, we could use your help. We thought you might stay with us for a while."Curious, Xara asked, "What kind of favor? Do you need my help with something?"Ida, sipping her juice, replied, "Yes. We need your help
"Spill, Giada!" Ximena exclaimed, her curiosity piqued as she and Ayanda settled into Giada's cozy apartment. The trio had just wrapped up their exams and decided to surprise Giada at her place for a couple of days before heading back home. Giada, caught off guard by their sudden appearance, quickly regained her composure. "Sorry, girls! Can I get you something to drink?" she offered, her hospitality shining through. "Yes, please," Ayanda replied, her eyes wandering around the tastefully decorated apartment. "And you're going to tell us every single detail about your date with Kye," she added with a playful grin. Giada chuckled, her cheeks flushing a hint of pink. "Alright, alright," she conceded, heading towards the kitchen. "I've got Mac & Cheese, shrimp fried rice, and Chinese food. What are your cravings?" "Shrimp fried rice sounds perfect," Ximena decided for the group. "Great choice," Giada responded, just as a knock echoed through the apartment. "That was quick!" Ayanda r
Calvin stood on the balcony of his new home. The view was beautiful, serene, peaceful, and quiet, just as he wanted it to be for now. There were times he wished he had someone to talk to, but he decided against it. He called Kimora one time, and when she answered the call, he quickly ended it. She called several times, but he didn’t answer. He just wanted to hear her voice, and once he did, he was fine. ~~~ "Hey, gorgeous,” Alyona said as she entered Ida’s ward with Khloe, Davina, and Zeke. “ Hi guys,” she responded, happy. She was already bored in the hospital. She had spent three days in the hospital and was leaving that day. Elon had gone to drop Kayden off at school and was on his way back to pick up his wife and daughter from the hospital. “ Where’s my little angel?” Khloe asked, walking to the baby’s cot. “How are you feeling, by the way?” Davin asked her cousin. “ I’m exhausted, and I miss my bed so much.” Ida pouted like a child as Khloe carried her baby. She took her m
Shit! What time is it?" Alyona suddenly sat up from Bazyli's lap. They had been so engrossed in chatting and having fun that they hadn't realized how late it had gotten after dinner. They enjoyed each other's company and shared lots of laughs. "It's 11pm," Bazyli replied. "I have to go home, Baz. It's really late," Alyona said, starting to pack her things. He didn't want her to leave, but he knew she wouldn't be comfortable staying at his place. "Let me grab my keys. I'll be right down," he told her as he went upstairs. Aly couldn't help but smile as she watched him go. As she touched her lips, Alyona couldn't help but remember the sweet kiss she shared with Bazyli a few hours ago. It made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. He had been so gentle and tender. "Ready?" he asked, surprising her as he came down the stairs with his bike key in hand. "Yeah," she replied. He walked over to where she was standing and pulled her into a hug. Her hair smelled like bubblegum