KAYLA'S POVI stared at Jeremiah and Trisha, and at that moment I knew that whatever Marcus and I had shared was a facade, we had been pretending and lying to ourselves right from the start. They were working on a writing project, smiling, hand in hand, and Trisha occasionally slapping his behind. He would chase her and they would flop onto the sofa, look at their laptops, create a few ideas and the cycle would start all over again. This was the real meaning of love. They had something in common, they shared a lot together. They were not far apart, even their silences seemed to be filled with words. I enjoyed looking at them, and it made me realize that I and Marcus Turner were never meant to be. It was probably a good thing that we had broken it off.Looking at Trisha and Jeremiah made me feel lonely, and that was why I was headed to the kitchen, determined to get rid of my loneliness. I had begun searching for jobs online, and although I knew that Trisha was going to be there for
CIARA'S POVI finished cleaning my shop, making sure that all the hair on the floor had been properly packed and dumped into the bin. I was tired. Not just physically, but mentally. I was tired of the guilt I was carrying, tired of looking over my shoulder because I was expecting Tristian to burst in at any moment and accuse me of betraying him, I was tired of everything. When I had agreed to Daniels and Julian’s plans, I hadn't expected that it was going to boil down to this. I had expected a smooth and clean operation, an operation that wasn't going to stress me in any way. But the reverse was the case now. It was not only stressing me out, I was afraid of what was going to happen next.“Ma, we've not been paid for last month.”It was Lucas, staring at me, his eyes asking questions. I never delayed their salaries, I always made sure I paid my workers. But this time, even though the money was there, I was afraid to use it, I was scared of using my own money because I didn't want Tr
TRISTIAN'S POVI had been in the station for over twelve hours, and so far, nobody had questioned me. It was beginning to get on my nerves, and I knew that it was only a matter of time before I took laws into my own hands and began to rattle the cell protector.I was worried about Ciara and how she was faring. I wondered if she had heard about my arrest, and I knew the first thing she was probably going to do was run to my father. I too, would've ran to my father if I was in her shoes. I stood, anxiety clouding my features when the fair skinned officer that had handled me brutally a few moments ago slipped a key into the cell protector, then gestured to me to follow him.I followed him, then waited while he clamped the handcuffs on my hands once again.Here I was, being treated like a criminal. For something that I had no idea of. If Mr Scarlet was behind everything, he was going to hear from my lawyers once I got out. Especially if I was eventually cleared of my financial misconduct
CIARA'S POV“I was arrested, CeeCee.”I played my part well, acting shocked and dumbfounded all at once. I wanted him to believe that I wasn't involved in his arrest,that I knew absolutely nothing about it. I wanted myself to believe it too.“How? What happened?”He sat on the customer's waiting chair, his face bearing the weight of the few hours he had spent in the cell. “Well, I shouldn't have gone to the loan company to start with. That is a mistake that I regret now, although it's too late. Mr Scarlet had been arrested on account of financial misconduct, and everytime I ask myself what that means.”I nodded, my heart thumping in my chest. I wanted it to end there, I wanted him to stop talking already, but I listened on, my hands by my side, trembling of its own accord.“Well, turns out I spent the whole night at the cell. Good thing was that I had no other inmates with me, so it was quite comfortable, to say the least.”He smiled and I joined him, wondering how easily he smiled d
TRISTAN'S POVI turned, giving Ciara my widest grin, trying to disarm her. She adjusted, wrapping the loose bathrobe around her body firmly. “What's wrong? You were on my phone. Is there anything the matter?”I was going to confront her head on, but not fully. I did so, standing up from the bed and walking towards her.“I heard you talking in the office a few minutes ago. I wondered if you were probably seeing another man. Are you seeing someone else, CeeCee?”When she burst into laughter, I knew immediately that my accusation was baseless. How could I even think about such in the first place? I didn't blame myself though, I was a jealous lover, and I felt it was healthy for our relationship, at least.“Come on, Tristian. Did you really think I was cheating on you? I told you, the light bill was something else. I called the man that pays for our line of shops to ask him why it was so expensive. That was why I was talking in the office.”She touched my arm lightly, and I dragged her t
CIARA'S POV“So, Ciara, what do you do for a living?”I smiled, trying to calm my nerves that seemed to be all over the place. I had expected the questions, but when they actually came, I felt too tired to answer them, too drained to even think normally.My mind was elsewhere, in a motel across town. According to Tristian, investigations were ongoing. That only meant that not only were Daniels and Julian in danger, I was in danger too. Everybody involved in the credit card scam was in danger, and I had barely slept for two days. The image of me dressed in an orange overall tormented me, and it seemed stuck in my mind as far as the case was still unsettled.“I'm a barber, sir. I own a shop just east of the Stamford area. CeeCee hair, the signpost is impossible to miss.”“Well, how splendid! I've never known a barber personally, and I think there's certainly a first time for everything. How is work then?”“Work is fine, sir. Although I struggle to cope with the expenses in ratio to the
Tristian's POVI left Ciara on the bed, my mind on the ruckus that was taking place in the sitting room. I descended the stairs, wondering inwardly what was wrong with Ciara. She had been alright until the end of her “success story”, and I couldn't stop telling myself that I had probably gone too far with my inviting her to dinner.She was already tired, and it seemed my dad had pushed her to the max with his endless questions. She probably needed some rest, and I hoped she was going to be okay by morning.I opened the door to the sitting room, smiling at the two strange faces. My father was seated next to them in his favourite couch, and I slipped in next to him, but not without shaking the men first.“Good evening, I'll take it that you're Tristian Ravenford.”I nodded, shaking hands with the bald headed man with a full beard. He was staring at me in a funny way that made me wonder if the results of their investigation was somehow coming back to haunt me.“Yes, I am. And you are?”“
CIARA'S POVI stood next to the door, eavesdropping, my ears alert to every sound that was going on in the sitting room. I knew that I was supposed to be in bed, but I couldn't resist the urge to do what I was doing.Since I saw the FCC officials, my mind had known no rest. And that was why I was where I was, trying to fill in my worrisome mind with the details I was gathering from the sitting room.When I heard the name “Daniels Rochester”, my heart seemed to stop it's blood pumping for a few seconds. There was no stopping it; the truth was going to reveal itself in a few days. My head felt bigger as goosebumps filled my flesh. My knees buckled and I held onto the doorpost for support.What was I going to do? There was one thing I was afraid of, and that was Tristian's reaction and decision. I was there when he had decided to cut ties with his friends, and till this day, he had maintained his stance. I was also there when he had decided to go independent, away from his parents afflue