The shock on Bella’s face knew no bounds, she just stood in the background watching the men free the mother and son duo. Yes, free!They were strapped together like a bag of barley and placed in a ceiling compartment. The plank of wood that fell was as a result of their struggling. There were no words to describe Bella’s reaction when she saw a tiny leg dangling from the wooden ceiling. Now here they were after a successful rescue. Both were seated in a sofa while the men undid the ropes strapped around their hands and body. The scene was somewhat heart wrenching. Watching the little boy cleave to his mother as though everyone before them were monsters but in actuality they weren’t here to throw a party, so...The woman in question looked healthy even though she was on the skinny side but the dark circles around her eyes seemed to give her away. The stress she’s been under was evidently visible. Indeed it wasn’t easy being a supportive wife but being a mother is much harder. The bo

Arya’s POV The sight staring me through the windshield was stunning, so many cars parked in the field with their flash lights blurring my vision. The shimmering rays illuminated the gloomy atmosphere. These days nights were longer than days and the moment my feet touched the rocky grounds I heard the clicking sound of guns. I couldn’t count how many men were aiming rifles at us. It was hard to see with the blinding lights but amidst the fog I noticed a figure sprinting towards me, it was getting closer by the second and faster than my brain could comprehend I was thrown into a bone crushing hug. My whole being tensed as a familiar scent wafted through my nostrils. Nicklaus had me crushed under his weights. For strange reasons my hands didn’t raise to reciprocate this gesture. I just stood as stiff as a mannequin letting him bury his head deep into my hair. That moment of silence was fleeting because next I heard the sound of a muffled voice. The hands of the clock started moving a

Arya’s POV A mother should know her daughter just as a daughter should know her mother. And I knew mine.‘Oh, she’s really mad. She only calls me young lady when she’s mad upset!’“Good morning Melissa” Bella tried to alleviate the weird tension but my mom was a master at keeping things rolling. She turned and smiled warmly at Bella, responding to her greeting and then fixed her gaze back on me with a stern look. I shot Bella a glance and she left then I went in, closely following behind like a prisoner headed for trial. “After my dinner I had a sleepover at Emily’s new apartment. We drank so I forgot to text. Sorry”As we walked I straight up stated the lies I had cooked and Melissa suddenly halted at the center of the living room. “Were you with Nicklaus or Lucious?”My mood took a bigger nosedive, I wasn’t expecting such a question so the shock on my face was noticeable. It seems we were gonna have that long awaited conversation now but I wasn’t mentally ready for that. I’m s

Night came quickly thanks to the problematic atmosphere. Klaus just sat in the parking lot. His hands on the wheels but he couldn’t find the strength to start the engines.If we’re being honest, it wasn’t that he lacked strength but that he had no destination. Home doesn’t feel like home anymore. In the past he never cared about intimacy, just work and partying. If he needed to function then he’d get a woman for the pleasures but everything’s changed now.After experiencing the joy of returning home from work and being in the arms of the woman he loves, how can he go back to living like it never happened? Now the saying ‘home is where your love ones are’ made absolute sense to him. All he wanted to do was drive to Bella’s apartment, scratch that. All he wanted to do was bring her back to his place!But it wasn’t about what he wanted because at the end of the day love can’t be forced. If she kept on rejecting him then he’ll have no choice but to accept the rejection. Klaus just sa

Arya’s POV He traced my steps back with his feet. Yeah, that right! Nicklaus was closing in on me like a Lion cautiously waiting for the perfect moment to strike. How did things get so sexual over a rejected gift? Nicklaus was really a pro, when he wanted someThe pressure I thought has subsided rose up in my heart. His reckless words stirred trouble in my depths and before I could speak he added.thing he knew how to maneuver his way around. And when he’s at it, even the purist of conversations become lustful just like his eyes now. His pupils were darker than normal, maybe it’s because they were housing a tank filled with unhinged and uncensored intentions. I placed a hand on his chest to stop him but that was my biggest mistake because he grabbed my hand and pulled me forward, the remaining gap between us faded into our bodies and I was now smeared in his embrace. “Nicklaus, what’re you doing?”My voice was edgy because his hands were already brazenly roaming my clothes like