My Irresistible Neighbour: Lies & Love

POV: Harmony Winters

Even as I walked faster, attempting to avoid the approaching doom I sensed lurking around him, his footsteps grew louder and clearer.

I knew he was bad news from the first time we met, and even though I tried to ignore the darkness within him that he didn't try to disguise, I couldn't help myself any longer. I had no choice but to flee as far as I could from him. He was trouble, and after everything I'd been through, I didn't need any more troubles.

It was a dark night, the weather was chilly, and the wind blew ferociously, blowing grit and grime, some of which went into my eyes as I hurried my steps, frightened he'd catch up with me.

Owing to the night's blindness and the fact that I wasn't looking at where I was going, I mistakenly dashed my foot against a stone.

"Ouch!", I winced in pain. I shouldn't have said anything, so as not to lure him towards the alley which I now stood in, with tears welling in my eyes, and blood gushing out of my foot.

It was now harder to walk, and I limped, seeing the motel that wasn't far from the alley anymore. It gave me hope, and an assurance that I could be far away from the devil that I had once thought I couldn't live without.

Suddenly, someone appeared before me. My heart began to race faster as I looked up to see his hardened face, laced with a crooked smile. I couldn't tell how he had gotten in front of me, and I didn’t have the time to stand there and ask him questions.

I made to run as fast as I could, but his firm hand grabbed mine and pulled me back, with eyes that told me that I was done for.

I was hyperventilating, as his cold dark eyes met mine, and I began to tremble in fear, with quivering lips.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," He said.

A drop of tear, which I had been holding back, fell from my eyes, and rolled down my cheeks. I hadn't wanted him to see me cry, and believe that he still had power over me.

"I warned you, didn't I?" He asked, pulling me to face him.

I shuddered, still hyperventilating.

"Answer me!" He yelled, shattering my heart into many different pieces and putting fear in my mind.

"You...You did," I stuttered.

"Yes, and now, you'll have to pay for being a disobedient wench," He said, and without warning, he forced his lips on mine, pulling my hair with his hand, drawing me close to him, so that my breasts were pressed against his chest.

My emotions betrayed me, and I closed my eyes, wrapping my arms around his neck, as I dived my tongue into his mouth, twirling my tongue around his, tasting the milk he had drank before coming to hunt me down, and savouring its sweetness.

I didn't care that we were in an alley. After all, no one apart from both of us were present. He pushed me to the wall, and nibbled on my neck with his teeth, after which he found his way to my breasts, which he groped firmly, before peeling my dress off my skin.

While his hand caressed the left breast, massaging it and playing with its nipple, he sucked diligently on the right one, making me feel pleasantly aroused, and provoking a desperation I never knew existed within me.

A moan escaped from my throat and my stomach sunk inside, with a tingling sensation. I had missed this. I really had.

Still with his hands caressing my breasts, he bent down with a gasp and desire, and began to fondle with the area around my clit. I gasped, telling him that I wanted more.

He tore away my panties and began to lick my clit, thrusting a finger into my pussy hole. I cried out loud. “Do it again,” I managed to say, amidst the intense adrenaline sensation that made me electrified.

He drove his tongue into my pussy hole, while his index finger was still in it, sending me off screaming with another shattering moan. He continued to thrust his finger in, still licking my clit, until a warm familiar liquid burst out, making my legs vibrate, with a loud moan which erupted from deep within.

“I’ve missed you,” He said, wearing a grin on his face, as he unhooked his belt, showing off his dangling manhood, which stood erect. He began a steady rhythm of sliding his dick into my wet pussy, and I couldn’t prevent my hips from rising to meet his thrusts. I hated him, but I wanted him more than anything else.

I kept on moaning loudly, screaming “harder".

“Shush. You’re going to wake up the whole neighbourhood,” He said, placing his strong hand over my mouth, which made my incessantly loud moans muffled.

I grabbed his hair, yanked it, and pulled him closer to me, making sounds of pleasure, which couldn’t be heard, exactly as he wanted it. My teeth were chattering, and I was shaking so violently, with tears streaming down my eyes in ecstasy.

My hands went down to his hips. I needed support, and with no bedsheets lying around, I could only get it by holding on to him tightly. He was still driving his dick into me, hitting my gspot, and I held unto his hips even more tighter, shaking in delight as I finally had an orgasm.

Maybe it was the tension in the atmosphere that caused it, but it was the best sex I had ever had in a long time as he made it seem like it was the first time, and I began to question if leaving him because he was a psychopath, who killed when he didn’t get what he wanted, was really worth it.

It wasn’t until I felt the tip of his pistol, that I realised how big of a mess I was getting into again. Recently, he had returned from prison, and if I tried to leave, he would kill me, especially since I had been the one to call the cops on him.

Inasmuch as I knew that no one could ever fuck me like he could, I knew then that this was my only chance to escape and be free from him. I wasn’t ready to drown into an unending slumber just yet, and my eightyearold brother still needed me around. I decided to make a decision, while he was still busy with tapping his cock against my pussy, and releasing his cum on its surface.

Before he could get a grasp of what was going to happen next, I grabbed the gun from his pocket and pulled the trigger, shooting him in the chest, without giving him a chance to beg for his life or to even say his last prayers. A dick like him deserved no such thing.

The look on his face was that of betrayal and disappointment, but I wasn’t sorry; I was sure all his previous victims had also looked at him in that same manner, but he didn’t bat an eye.

“Rot in hell,” I told him, as he collapsed heavily to the floor with a thud.

Taking his wristwatch and wallet so that it looked like he had been mugged, a satisfactory smile appeared on my face, as I fled into the darkness, pleased with myself that I had gotten the world rid of an unfortunate bastard; a shame to humanity.

POV: Harmony Winters

Run! Harmony, run!

My subconscious mind kept trying to push me to break free from his grip, and escape for my life, before he did something more dangerous than he had ever done in the past. He was out of his mind, and if I didn’t leave this minute, he was going to put an end to the gift of breath I had been given.

However, it was hard to get loose from his overpowering strength, as his hands held mine above my head, pinning me to the wall, with so much force and dexterity. He was going on about how much he couldn’t wait to keep my corpse in his basement, along with the other corpses he deemed to be trophies, which he had collected over the years.

“Please, let me go,” I pleaded, through clenched teeth.

He shook his head slowly, with a smirk embracing his mouth. “You aren’t going anywhere,” He snapped, glaring at me with a menacing look, that made cold shivers run down my spine.

“I promise... No! I swear on my life that I wouldn’t say what I saw,” I said, as my lips quivered, with my whole body trembling in fear.

“Of course, you wouldn’t dare say what you have seen, because by then, you’d be long dead,” He said, guffawing like the psychopathic imbecile he was.

I shuddered, as a drop of tear fell from my right eye. I didn’t...I couldn’t die. Perhaps, I was living a worthless life, but for the sake of my younger brother, Mason, I couldn’t die yet.

He grabbed the pocket knife from the table, with a determined look on his face, unfeeling towards my incessant pleas for him to show mercy, and my cries that depicted the agony rooted deep within me.

Cackling like a wizard, he brandished the knife in front of me, and as he brought it closer, my heart began to beat ten times more than usual, with fear pricking me all over. I couldn’t even find the words to continue pleading with him to spare my life, as my teeth chattered and my body kept trembling, perceiving that he wasn’t joking around when he declared he’d be the one to put an end to my life.

“Before you die, I guess it’s proper that you know that you were quite good in bed. I’ll miss your cowgirl position,” He said, placing the sharp edge of the knife against my throat.

“Guess I should have been a horse rider in the country side, then. If I had, I’d have never met someone as pathetic and hopeless as you,” I said, deciding against wasting the short time I had left, trying to make an inconsiderate and abusive loser come to his senses.

My statement angered him all the more, and with all the strength he possessed, he intensified the pressure the knife had against my throat, and began to slit it slowly, with a look of triumph written all over his face.

Little drops of blood began to trickle down slowly, staining my white dress, and tears filled up my eyes, as I saw my life flash right in front of my eyes.

“Harmony. Miss Winters,” I heard someone call, as if trying to revive an already lost soul.

I began to struggle for my life, as my name kept on being repeated. I wanted to answer, but I was choking, as my life was getting snuffed out of me, without apology.

“Miss Winters!” The voice called, this time, firmer and stronger.

I jolted out of my imagination, with my hand around my neck, as I coughed out loudly.

“Are you okay?” The person asked.

I looked up, still trembling in fear, as my eyes met Kaitlyn's eyes, who looked at me, with worry being the only expression I could read on her face.

“I...I am okay,” I managed to say, heaving a deep sigh, that showed how relieved I was that what I had been experiencing hadn’t happened in reality.

“Mr Mateo called. He wants to know if you remember the date you have with his son,” She said.

“Shoot! I almost forgot. What’s the time?” I asked, packing my stuff into my bag, in a frenzied state.

“You need not worry. You still have twenty more minutes,” She said, with a smile plastered on her face.

“What the... How come you didn’t inform me earlier enough?” I asked, throwing the blame at her.

“I didn’t know I had to do that. I’m sorry,” She apologised.

“Save your apologies for later,” I said, standing up to my feet, picking up my bag, as I straightened my dress. “There’s no way I’m going to make it back home, and then, to the fancy restaurant he’s taking me to in time. I had hoped to go home in order to change into something better, but that won’t be possible anymore,” I said, placing my hands on my waist.

“This outfit you’re putting on seems a whole lot beautiful to be worn out on a date. I see no reason why you should go home,” Kaitlyn said.

“You think so?” I asked, staring down at the outfit, thinking about what she had said.

“I know so, although you might want to take off the jacket,” She replied, with confidence ringing in her tone of voice.

“I see,” I said, then, took off the jacket.

It was a red bodycon dress, which was sleeveless, and had a slit just by my left thigh. Black silhouette heels graced my feet, and my long ebony hair had been packed in a ponytail.

Kaitlyn was right. The dress was indeed fit for my first real date with Sean Mateo, my boyfriend of four months. Although we had met each other in person about six months ago, during his father’s birthday, we had agreed to be in a relationship during a video call.

He was the sweetest guy I had ever met. He took my number from his father, and when he returned to France, we started talking little by little, till we couldn’t stay without having a conversation with each other everyday. We had a long distance relationship, which was blissful, and now that he was in the same city as I was in the United States of America, I couldn’t help but smile at how much more blissful our relationship would be.

“Miss Winters,” Kaitlyn called.

Once again, I was drawn out of my thoughts. At least, what had gotten me lost this time around was a good imagination, and not one of a despicable maniac, who had died four years ago, and had no power to torment me like he used to in the past. I had put an end to that psychopath. He promised to kill me, but I woke up everyday, relishing at the fact that he could do me no harm, because I had made sure of that.

“You should also leave your hair down,” Kaitlyn suggested.

“Okay. Hold the mirror for me, would you?” I asked, giving her a small hand mirror from one of the drawers.

I let my straight ebony hair glide down my back, and combed it, so that it rested smoothly all the way to my waist. The right part of the hair was tucked in nicely at the back of my ear, while the left part hung down in front of my face, giving me a classy look.

Next, I applied powder and a red lipstick on my lips, with mascara on my long dark eyelashes, feeling thankful that I always carried around a mini makeup kit in my handbag.

“How many minutes do I have left?” I asked, smacking my lips, as I stared into the mirror, admiring how beautiful I looked.

“About twelve minutes left,” Kaitlyn responded.

“Oh wow. The drive to the restaurant should be ten minutes, if there isn’t any traffic, of course. I might not be late, or I might be a little late. Not bad. I am sure he wouldn’t mind waiting a little bit. Now, how do I look?” I asked.

“Splendid,” She uttered, with a smile on her face.

“I know,” I told her, with a wink, and began to walk out of the office, with a confident smile.

“Enjoy your date,” She called out loud.

“I certainly will. Please, send in my schedule for tomorrow via my email address,” l told her, opening the door.

“Will do,” She said.

I didn’t give a response to that, and just closed the door behind me, deciding to take the elevator, so as not to waste the time I didn’t even have.

No one else was getting into the elevator, and I began to feel skeptical about going into it. I wasn’t always claustrophobic, but ever since I was kept in a very dark room just waiting for the day I died, it became my greatest fear. It always felt like I was choking when I was in an elevator, and that a gun would be fired at me immediately the doors finally opened.

I never dared to step into one alone, and as my heart raced in fear, I decided to just take the stairs, in case I suffocated being all alone and trapped in a confined space.

As I turned around, I bumped into someone, someone I guessed was about stepping into the elevator, but whose footsteps I hadn’t heard since my mind had been clouded with other thoughts.

“Watch it, will you?” He asked.

I quickly staggered backwards, pulling away from him. “I’m sorry,” I apologised, sincerely.

Seeing the displeased look on his face, I decided to just go ahead with my plan of taking the stairs, thinking it unwise to stay in the same elevator with him. Yes! I bumped into him by mistake, but was that enough reason for him to be looking at me like I was a serial killer? He could go to hell for all I care; I didn’t need his company.

I apologised again, and began walking away, when his strong firm hand grabbed my wrist, making me halt at once, feeling as confused as I could possibly be.

It was impossible to free myself from his grip, and my heart began to race as I looked up to meet his stonecold impenetrable gaze. He wasn’t smiling, and I could smell trouble looming, and the time ticking. My date was waiting, but I was stuck here, with a sinister and grimlooking individual that couldn’t accept apologies, and surely had to work on his anger issues.

POV: Rhys Anderson

She looked at me as though she was scared of me. I usually had that impression on people the first time we laid eyes on each other, and I enjoyed being afraid of. It was a beautiful feeling to see people’s hearts thump loudly just because of your presence, and to perceive fear emitting through their system.

“What’s wrong with you?” She asked, after a few seconds of sizing me up with her eyes.

“Take a wild guess,” I retorted, gesturing with my neck.

“Please, let me go. I really need to be somewhere right now,” She said.

Seeing a few people walk past, I decided to give in to her request before someone saw me and thought that I was molesting her. These days, women were good at twisting stories just to suit themselves, and that didn’t bode well for me or my career.

I freed my grip from her hand, and she immediately rubbed her wrist, giving me the “if looks could kill" look, but I was less concerned about that.

“Thanks for letting me go. I was starting to think that you are mentally deranged,” She said, and made a move as though she wanted to leave.

I scoffed. “I’m sorry, Miss whatever's your name, but you aren’t leaving this place till you do something about my shirt. You would stay back and do something to fix my shirt if you want either of us to leave this place today,” I declared, giving her a cold hard gaze.

She appeared dumbfounded, then rolled her eyes. “I already apologised for bumping into you, Mr anger issues. I don’t think I have to do anything about your shirt, simply because I might have roughened it unintentionally,” She said, still not getting the point.

“Roughened? You believe this is because you ruined my perfectly good ironed shirt?” I retorted.

“Of course, I believe so. If you must know, however, you are simply overreacting. What do you expect me to do about your shirt? Get you a new one? Ask a drycleaner to iron it for you?” She asked, then suppressed a laugh as she looked at me as though I was a ridiculous piece of shit.

“You can let it out, you know. Laugh if you must, but I am damn serious about this whole situation,” I said, looking at her with disdain.

A look of realisation suddenly washed her face. “Sorry, do you suffer from OCD? You don’t like being touched or not being neat? Is that it?” She asked.

I couldn’t help but chuckle mildly. The girl was obviously insane and she was really good at pretending not to know why I was presently pissed off. She acted like she was innocent, but having met a lot of criminals in my short lifetime on earth, I knew she was not that innocent.

When she saw I didn’t reply to her absurd question, she joined in my chuckling, and stopped when I stopped, giving her a strange look.

“That’s it, right? You suffer from OCD. I’m sorry about that but I didn’t know. I respect all people – those with illnesses and those without illnesses. It’s okay to not be okay, and since you’ve explained yourself to me now, I get why you’re so pissed off because I touched your body by mistake. I’ll talk to my personal assistant and she’ll get you a new shirt in no time. Hold on, please,” She said, bringing out her phone from her bag.

Immediately the phone was in her hand, I snatched it away from her.

“What the...”

“I don’t suffer from OCD, you nutcase. Can’t you see the damage you’ve done to my shirt?” I asked, spreading my arms out wide.

Her mouth suddenly opened wide in surprise, as she finally understood what the fuss had been about. If I didn’t see the actual shock in her eyes, I would have thought that she was just playing dumb with me, and knew exactly why I was upset that she had bumped into me.

“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to stain your shirt with my lipstick. It was an accident,” She apologised.

“Yes, I know it was an accident, but what are you going to do about it?” I inquired.

“Um...” She said, searching her bag frantically for something; something useful hopefully.

After what seemed like ages, she brought out a piece of tissue paper from her bag, then she attempted to use it to clean off the “kiss" stain her bright red lipstick had done to my newly bought white shirt.

I quickly moved back, staring her with utmost disgust. “Are you insane or what?” I asked, almost at the top of my voice.

“What? You’re the one who asked me to do something about it,” She accused, pointing her index finger at me.

“Yes, I did, but did I also ask you to make it worse than it already is? Don’t you know that using a tissue paper on it is only going to ruin the shirt more? Are you a kid? Nah. Even kids are smarter than you. You’re a lunatic, that’s exactly what you are,” I said, with a sneer.

She seemed wholly frustrated, and looked like she could manage a great deal of alcohol to pull her out of her frustration. “What exactly would you have me do then? You don’t want my apology or my help with getting rid of the stain. What exactly do you want?” She demanded, without mincing words.

I was surprised that she would even ask such a question. “Aren’t you rich?’ I questioned.

“And what does that have to do with anything?” She retorted.

“It has to do with everything. You are rich, and you should do what other rich people would do in this case,” I said, winking at her.

It was then that it dawned on her exactly what I had wanted all along, and she shook her head pitiably at me. “Aren’t you ashamed of requesting for money from me?” She asked.

I shook my head, giving her a negative response. “No, I am not. I am definitely not ashamed of requesting for money from you, not even in the slightest bit,” I said.

She clicked her tongue. “Tch. A grownup man like you asking for money from a lady like me? It’s terrible. I can only imagine how miserable your life must be,” She said, opening the designer purse she had taken out of her bag.

I stretched my neck a little bit to see how much she was counting. “It’s very miserable, milady. That’s why people like myself pray the rich offends us, so that we can get more money to support ourselves and family,” I told her.

She brought out some money, and was startled upon seeing my neck, now stretched very close to her purse. “Are you fine?” She inquired.

“Not at all, but I’ll be fine when you finally give me that money we discussed about,” I said, running my fingers through my hair.

“Remind me again why I’m giving you this money instead of paying a drycleaner to get rid of that stain on your shirt,” She said, throwing me a suspicious look.

“Obviously because I don’t have time to waste doing laundry. I have to get a new shirt and be on my way to see my fiancé’s family, and I certainly can’t go there in a wet shirt or with a shirt that has a woman’s lipstick stain on it,” I explained.

“Oh my goodness. I also have to see my boyfriend. You know what? This is five hundred dollars. Use it to get yourself a new shirt and keep the change,” She said hurriedly, not even having the time to flash another one of her glares at me.

A smile lit up my face as I was quite impressed with the amount she had handed over to me. “You may go now,” I said, as I pocketed the money and began to walk into the elevator.

Immediately, she ran after me in her black heels and waited for the elevator doors to swing open beside me.

“I thought you were taking the stairs,” I remarked.

“I changed my mind,” She retorted.

I heaved a deep sigh. “Did you change your mind because you want to kill me in the elevator for taking five hundred dollars from you?” I asked, wondering what could be her motive.

The elevator doors opened and we both stepped inside, before she could open her mouth and give me a response to my question.

She seemed pretty uncomfortable and I could see her fingers quake a bit. I leaned close to her, now understanding that she was afraid of being in elevators, and I saw her breathe in relief as she also stayed close to me.

The elevator doors swung open and we stepped out to the first floor. She didn’t even pause to tell me thanks and began to walk away immediately.

“Hey,” I called.

She stopped right in her tracks and turned around. “If this is about the question you asked earlier, then, no. I had no intention of killing you. I can’t kill a miserable person; death would be an easy way out for you. It’s best if you stay alive and have only the miseries of your life as comfort,” She said.

I was quite taken aback. “You didn’t have to be so mean. I was just surprised that you were walking away without so much as a goodbye,” I said.

“After unjustly extorting five hundred dollars from me, I should be mean to you. Goodbye, golddigger,” She said, and began to storm off.

I wanted to pull her back and talk some sense into her. However, my phone began to ring and seeing the name on the Caller ID, I knew it was a call I could never ignore.

“Goodbye, lipstick girl,” I called after her.

The ringtone from my phone kept on ringing out loud, and my fingers quaked as I made to answer the call. I always felt this way whenever he called because he usually wanted one thing or another from me.

Despite the fact that I had tried to free myself from him countless times, he kept bouncing back like a bad coin. I wanted that chapter to close, but the story wasn’t over yet.

POV: Harmony Winters

I pulled the car over at the parking lot and almost yelled in frustration after seeing the time on my phone. I was thirty minutes late to my very first real date with Sean Mateo, my boss' son and the owner of my modelling agency, thanks to the guy with anger issues that I had met at the elevator.

How was I to face him now? He was such a sweet guy, and perhaps, he’d understand why I had come late, but I still felt pretty awful about coming so late, thereby wasting the time of a very busy man. First impressions matter, and being late was not the kind of impression I was hoping to make on our first date.

My phone began to ring, and when I checked, it was he who was dialling my line. I bit my lower lip, as thoughts flooded my head considering what I was to do presently.

Deciding to brace myself up, I just ended the call since I was going to enter inside soon enough, seeing as I didn’t have any other choice. I unhooked my seatbelt, then stepped out of the car with my bag in one hand, then shut the door of the car before catwalking into the restaurant.

After a brief moment, I saw him at the table which he had reserved for both of us for dinner that evening. He was busy with his phone, and heaving a sigh, I approached his table.

Immediately I got there, he noticed my presence, then looked up immediately wearing a broad smile on his face.

“You finally decided to bestow me with the honour of seeing you, Miss Winters,” He said, with the smile still plastered on his face.

“Hi. I am so sorry that I came late,” I apologised.

He waved his hand, brushing aside the apology. “Oh, it’s okay. It’s my fault for coming too early, you didn’t do anything wrong,” He said, then gestured with his hand for me to sit.

I drew the chair out, then sat on it, placing my bag by my side. “You’re so sweet,” I noted.

“What would I gain by not being sweet to a sweet lady like yourself?” He asked, still smiling.

I chuckled, now relaxed and relieved that all my worries and concerns had just been for nothing. Sean Mateo was a good and considerate person, and he had no issues whatsoever. At least, none that I had noticed yet apart from his deep love of business, since I was still studying him.

He called the waiter, stating that we were ready to order what we wanted to eat. On his table was a glass of water, which he had bought to pass time while he waited for me, and with the rumbling in my stomach, I couldn’t wait to have something to eat.

The waiter came to our table to take our order, with a notepad and a pen in his hand.

I looked at the menu we had been presented with, and weighed my options out of the many dishes that they had to offer.

“What do you think?” He asked.

“There are so many options to choose from, and I can’t decide,” I said, with a chuckle.

“You can order all if that’s what you want,” He said.

“Oh, no. I’m not a glutton,” I said, laughing gently.

He smiled at me, then looked up at the waiter. “While the lady still ponders over what to eat, I have already made my decision. I’ll have Cajun shrimps and Chicken Pasta,” He said.

“I guess I’ll just have the same thing, then,” I said, with a shrug of my shoulders, as I handed over the menu back to the waiter.

“You wouldn’t mind a bottle of red wine, would you?” He asked.

“You know red wine’s my favourite,” I said, smiling at him.

“Okay then. You heard the lady,” He said to the waiter, who promised to bring in our order as soon as possible before leaving.

“So, how is work?” He asked, setting aside his phone.

I shrugged my shoulders. “Stressful as usual,” I said.

“I bet it isn’t as stressful as mine. All you have to do is take pictures and bargain your price, am I wrong?” He asked, in his usual condescending manner, but I knew he meant no harm.

“Sean, it is more than just taking pictures,” I said, with a small laugh.

“You say that all the time, but I don’t get it. All you do is take pictures for various brands, so how come that is stressful?” He asked.

“Well, have you ever considered the fact that I don’t want to smile on some days and advertise someone else’s products? Also, it is tiring that I...”

“The food is here,” He said, cutting me off as the waiter stopped by our table with two trays, containing the food we had ordered for.

“They are quite fast,” I said, brushing aside the little pinch of annoyance that had embraced me with him suddenly interrupting what I was saying.

“Yes, they are. I have an eye for good restaurants,” He said, then began to dig into his food.

“As I was saying...”

“Did you read the newspapers today? The stock exchange market’s shares are on the increase, and it’s not a good time to purchase shares, which I was actually thinking of doing before I changed my mind,” He said, as he poured the wine in his wine glass, leaving mine empty.

Oh wow! That came in as a very big shock, but it was another one of those red flags that I was willing to overlook. He was intelligent, smart, businessoriented, sweet, calm, and most importantly, he was wealthy and I had his father to thank for pulling me out of poverty.

I didn’t say anything, and began to munch my food slowly.

“I changed my mind because the best time to buy is when the shares are slipping and everyone’s withdrawing theirs. What people don’t get is the fact that the stock exchange market will always be there, and just as it has risen again, no matter how low it crumbles, it will always rise. When next the market falls, I’ll purchase a lot of shares so that my profit will be tremendously high when it increases again. What do you think?” He asked, sipping wine from his glass.

“I think that it is a great idea,” I said, absentmindedly.

“Of course, it is. Out of all four of my father’s son, I’m the smartest and most strategic when it comes to business,” He said.

“I can see that,” I noted, now pouring myself some wine.

“So, how does it feel to be turning twenty five soon?” He asked, finally focusing back on his date.

I chuckled. “Why do you say soon? My birthday’s not till another one month and six days,” I reminded him.

“I’m aware, but as you can see, the year is running really fast. Before you know it, July will be here and you’ll be twenty five,” He said, laying emphasis on the age.

I shrugged. “When that time comes, I know I will be ready,” I said, with a small smile.

“I hope you will be. I have planned a surprise for you that day,” He said to me.

“I don’t really like celebrating my birthdays. Worst still, I hate surprises,” I told him, the smile slowly disappearing from my face.

“Well, it is not as if I demanded for your opinion on this subject. It’s my girlfriend’s birthday, and I am going to make it very special for her, whether she likes it or not,” He said, then returned his attention back to his food.

I could see that his intentions were genuine, although I would have preferred it a hundred times more if he could just respect my decisions for once and let my birthday be uneventful.

With every year that got added to my years spent living on this earth, a year also got added to the day I had cleansed the world of a pathetic soul, who was better off without soiling the earth and contaminating it more than it already was.

“Don’t you like the food?” Sean asked.

“I...I do,” I replied, looking up from my meal.

“Then, stop picking on your food, or I would assist you in eating it,” He said, jokingly.

I laughed out heartily, thanking my stars for the day I had met Sean Mateo.

He was a great guy, who could do much better by letting me speak, paying attention to me and laughing at my jokes, instead of coming up with absurd conspiracy theories, cutting me off without even realising it, and bothering me with his many business stuff that I really didn’t care about.

However, with him, I knew that my safety was guaranteed. Not only would I never suffer again, I was also not going to be treated like trash or hurt by any man. People say that everyone has their flaws, and even though being with someone who referred to me as “Miss Winters" and was always so serious about life could be exhausting at times, it was way better than being stuck with a psychopath, who could kill you because of the slightest mistake.

A memory of him flashed through my mind, and I found myself twisting the fork in my hands, as I tried to act and remain normal. It was almost four years now, and as the anniversary of what I had done drew closer, my heartbeat raced faster with the fear that things may not just pass by smoothly like it had done in the last four years.

This year, there was this gut feeling that nudged at the back of my mind that as much as I had preferred things to remain quiet, a lot of drama was going to unfold.

POV: Rhys Anderson

The estate was beautiful and was surrounded by trees and flowers, letting a gentle breeze into people’s homes. There was never a doubt about Nathan’s taste in houses, although his dress sense could always be questioned.

“What do you think, man?” He asked, standing in front of one of the luxurious mansions in the estate, which was going to be my home for the next few months...maybe weeks, depending on how fast I was in getting done with my mission.

I removed the dark sunglasses covering my eyes, nodding my head, impressed with his choice.

“It’s worth the millions of dollars you spent on it,” I said, then put back on my sunglasses.

He chuckled. “I knew you’d have my head if I didn’t spend your money wisely,” Nathan said.

“You know me well,” I said.

“We’ve been friends for as long as I can remember. Why wouldn’t I know you?” He asked in a rhetorical manner, with a smile plastered on his face.

“You’re very right. I hope everywhere has been tidied up,” I said, looking around the house.

“Yeah. I made sure it was cleaned thoroughly,” He said to me.

“Good, because I intend on moving in today. My suitcases are already in the trunk of my car and I can’t wait to rest, hopefully, sleep peacefully on the bed in my bedroom. Before I get my hopes up, there’s a bed in my bedroom, right?” I asked.

He rolled his eyes. “No, you’re meant to sleep on the tiles. Of course, there’s a bed in your bedroom,” Nathan said.

“Perfect. All that’s left is a good and warm bath. I’ll just have my bath and sleep. Please, have mac and cheese prepared by the time I wake up. I know that’s what you cook best,” I said to him.

“Sure,” He said, as the smile gradually dried up from his face.

“I’ll be inside,” I told him, and began to stroll causally into the mansion.

“Rhys,” He called, his voice laced with annoyance that he seemed to be desperately trying to hide.

I turned back around, putting my hands in my pockets. “Yeah?”

“Who are you leaving your suitcases for?” He asked, arching his brows with suspicion directed towards me.

I shrugged my shoulders. “You, obviously,” I replied, with a nonchalant expression.

“Hello? You said you were coming to Texas. I left what I was doing at San Francisco, met with several house realtors just to get somewhere comfortable that matched your taste, and prepared virtually everything for your coming. What do I get in return? No thank you, no nothing. All you do is order me around forgetting that I am not your servant,” He said, slightly taking me aback.

“I never said you were my servant,” I objected, surprised at his outburst.

“Then, why do you ask me to do practically everything for you?” He questioned, sighing in exasperation.

“That’s easy. I do that because you’re the only person I can trust,” I told him.

He seemed to have cooled off a little bit, and I smiled inwardly. “Still, you should be a little more appreciative when I do stuff for you,” He said.

I nodded my head, agreeing with him. “I will try. Now, can you stop being upset with me?” I inquired, extending my arms for a hug.

He walked right into my embrace and I snuggled him closely. “I’m not upset,” He said.

“Good. You wouldn’t mind bringing in my suitcases, right?” I questioned, and he immediately withdrew from my embrace.

On his forehead were lines of clearly visible anger, and I tried so hard to not laugh out loud, lest he got any more upset than he already was.

“I knew you were going to ask me to do stuff for you again,” He said, adjusting his glasses.

“And I know you’re just going to do it anyway since you want me to put in a word for you as regards to that receptionist you came across in the hotel I just checked out of,” I told him, with a wink from my left eye.

This act only infuriated him the more, and he seemed more upset. “Why did you have to bring her into this discussion?” He asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t know, but I thought that reminding you that you could only smash that lady with my help, was quite necessary at a time like this. Thanks in advance for bringing in my luggage. I’ll see you inside,” I told him, with a smirk playing around my lips.

“Rhys!” He exclaimed, throwing tantrums like a little child.

“Nathan!” I retorted, using the same tone of voice he had used. With a cheeky smile, I then turned around and began to walk away.

“I hope you remember that you blackmailed a friend someday, and be filled with regrets,” He called after me, in a loud voice.

“You’re the bestest friend ever,” I retorted, opening the door.

“There’s no word like that,” He called back.

“English can kiss my ass for all I care,” I retorted, then slammed the door, but not before I heard him grunt out loud in frustration.

When I stepped into the house, I didn’t even make it to the bedroom before collapsing on the sofa, tired and exhausted from not doing pretty much anything.

“Shoes,” Nathan said, coming in a few seconds later, as he kicked my feet off the sofa.

“You’re my friend, not my mum,” I said, putting my legs back on the sofa.

He attacked me with a pair of scissors, and I immediately removed my legs from the sofa. “You’re such a killjoy,” I commented.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” He said to me, wheeling the suitcases away.

“Do you go about carrying a pair of scissors around now?” I inquired in a loud voice.

“Only when I know a child in a man’s body is coming around,” He retorted.

Heaving a sigh, I smiled broadly.

Nathan was my best friends. We had met at church when our mothers both dumped us at the children section. While I was always talking and asking irrelevant questions, he was rather reserved and calm. I liked to pinch him on the arm and disturb him a lot, but he wouldn’t say anything...not to me or even report me to the Sunday school teacher or his mother.

We were just two years old back then, but as time progressed, we became good friends. I couldn’t wait to speak to him about a whole lot of things on Sunday since I was an only child and had no one to talk to at home, and he was a good listener. He would listen attentively and he soon became a talkative like myself, but not as bad as myself.

Nathan was the best friend anyone could ask for, and even after all these years, despite our separate lives and distance, we still found ways to connect to each other. He was the only true friend I had ever known, and he was the only person that ever got me.

“What are you thinking of?” I heard him ask, jolting me from my thoughts.

“You,” I replied, with a chuckle.

“Stop lying for no reason,” He said, with a sneer.

“I am not lying,” I said, in all honesty, but of course, Nathan did not believe me.

“You’re thinking about the lipstick girl from yesterday, not so?” He asked, looking directly into my eyes.

“Are you insane? Why would I think of someone like that?” I retorted, giving him a glare that made him dart his eyes away from mine.

He shrugged his shoulders. “What’s wrong with thinking about her? You refused to wash the shirt she stained with her lipstick and you were smiling in your thoughts. So far, that’s the only woman you’ve mentioned since you and I reunited and I bet she caught your attention with the way you described her to me yesterday,” Nathan said.

I coughed out loud, acting like I was about to puke because of the disgusting words he had just spilled. “Jeez, Nathan! Why would you think that I would spare someone that I hated on our first meeting, even the slightest amount of thought?” I asked him.

“Maybe because you had the same smile on your face like the one you had on when you were telling me about her,” He said.

I sat up on the sofa immediately, staring at him with distaste. “This just became so gross. If I spend any more time with you, I sure as hell will vomit my lungs out,” I stated, then stood up immediately and began to walk in the direction of the passage.

“Where are you off to?” Nathan demanded.

“I want to have my bath and sleep in the bedroom, of course. If I stay here and listen to any more of your nonsense, it will take a toll on my health,” I said to him.

He chuckled softly, then as I made to go in, we heard a knock on the door.

“Are you expecting anyone?” I asked.

“No. Are you expecting someone?” Nathan asked.

“I don’t even know my way around the estate yet, nor do I know anyone in Texas, and you believe I could be expecting someone?” I retorted.

“No need to be so rude about it,” He said, then gestured for me to open the door.

I made signs that I wasn’t interested as I was already on my way inside, then he pointed at himself to show me that he couldn’t be the one to open it since he was clad in only his underwear.

I rolled my eyes in frustration, and he pleaded with a whisper.

Angrily, I stormed off to the door, and without bothering to check the peephole first to see who was standing at the door, I opened the door just to know who it was, so that the person could be done with his business and leave immediately.

My precious sleep was waiting and I needed it badly, but sleep vanished from my eyes the very moment I saw who was standing by my door in just shorts and a pink tank top.

My dark blue eyes met with her doelike hazel eyes, and upon recognising each other, our mouths flew agape; more in shock than in surprise.

POV: Harmony Winters

My twelveyearold brother, Mason, had showed up in my bedroom where I was rehearsing my lines for the next commercial advertisement I was to star in. He was wearing a sullen expression, and I could tell already that he needed something from me.

“Yes, Mason? What do you want this time?” I asked, bored of his usual demands.

“Why do you always assume that I want something from you?” He retorted, avoiding my gaze.

I shrugged. “Maybe it’s because you always want something from me,” I replied, wearing a small smile on my face.

He sneered.

“Now, don’t be shy. Just tell your big sister what it is that you want and she’ll consider granting your wishes,” I said, staring at him with a warm expression written on my face.

“My ball...”

“You want another ball? Did something happen to the one I got you two weeks ago?” I asked, without waiting for him to complete his statement.

“It’s not like that,” He said, fiddling with his fingers.

I rolled my eyes, as I folded my arms underneath my breasts. “How is it like then?” I asked.

“I was just bouncing it all over the place while returning from the basketball court, and it got into the neighbour’s garden. As a punishment, he seized it from me,” Mason explained.

“And why did he do that? Did you hit him with the ball by chance?” I asked.

He shook his head, giving me a negative response.

“So, why did he have to do that? It was just a simple mistake, not so?” I asked, and stood up, without even bothering to listen to his opinion on the matter.

“Where are you going to?” He asked, looking up at me.

“I’m going to get your ball,” I said, slipping on my feathery flipflops.

“Harm, but the man is scary,” He objected.

“He might be scary, but I’m sure he is not as scary as your big sister,” I told him with a wink, stepping out of the bedroom.

A broad smile, exposing his dental braces, appeared on his face, as he followed me out to the living room.

“I’ll be right back, okay? Just stay here and wait for me,” I said, then went outside as soon as he had nodded his head, signalling that he was going to do as I had asked.

Stepping outside, I headed straight away to my nearest neighbour’s apartment. I hadn’t noticed any strange or scarylooking man like the one that I had seen the day before, and I had been seeing him for the very first time.

He had put on a flowing white robe and had also worn jean trousers underneath it. On his feet were white canvases and his eyes embraced very thick glasses, which made him look like an alien who had lost his way in this world. He also had bushy heavy beards that were really long and an eyesore.

I didn’t even pay him so much attention or care about how he looked. However, if he thought he could just come suddenly out of the blue to oppress my brother, he was in for a big fight. No one harassed my little brother and got away with it. No one.

There were low whispers coming from inside the house and I couldn’t quite make out the conversation that was going on. I tapped thrice on the door, then looked slightly around, waiting for the child oppressor to come out so that I could give him a piece of my mind.

When the doors opened however, the words I had been aching to say once I met with the man one on one, were nowhere to be found. It was as though someone had cut off my tongue, because for the very first time, my sharp tongue seemed to be paralysed.

What was more was the fact that the guy standing at the door also seemed to be very shocked upon seeing my face. A pregnant silence fell upon us as we both held each other’s eyes, with our mouths opened wide in astonishment.

“YOU!” We said in unison after several moments had passed, with our index fingers pointing at each other.

“What are you doing here?” He asked, eyeing me with doubts expressed on his face.

“I live in this estate. What are you doing here?” I retorted.

“I live in this estate,” He responded, shocking me all the more.

“What? You liar!” I accused, unable to believe both my eyes and my ears.

He scoffed. “Funny how you have the audacity to call me a liar when you are no more than a stalker,” He said, embracing the look of disdain as he eyed me all the more.

I glared at him, with anger making my blood boil. “Stalker? Why would you say that?” I inquired, as I clenched my fists.

“You followed me all the way here, didn’t you?” He retorted.

I gave a broken laughter, surprised by his level of stupidity. “And why, Mr golddigger, would I follow you all the way here in a pair of shorts and a tank top?” I fired at him.

He shrugged. “Maybe because, Lipstick girl, you just wanted me to believe that you weren’t stalking me. Pervert,” He stated.

“That’s enough. I have heard more than enough from that rotten hole you call a mouth,” I declared, getting angrier with each passing second.

“They say the truth is bitter, and that’s why you’ve had more than enough because you can’t handle hearing the truth,” He said to me, with a smirk playing around his lips.

My fists clenched tighter and I felt like throwing a punch in his eyes, as anger surged through my veins. “You think all this is funny, but it isn’t. I am not going to stand here and trade words with you about whether or not I actually live in this apartment, since it is quite clear that you are never going to accept my explanation being the dumbass that you are,” I said, deciding not to let my anger get the best of me.

“Sorry?”

I ignored his question asking for repetition, and decided to just go straight to the point. Clearing my throat, I spoke up. “Anyways, I am here to see your boss,” I said, eyeing him mischievously.

“My boss?” He asked, looking confused.

“Yes, your boss. Since you’re all in for honesty, please, don’t lie that you are the Lord of this mansion. I know your type very well and I can say for sure that you work for whoever pays the rent of this house,” I said, wearing a knowing smile on my face.

He began to laugh awkwardly. “And why do you think that I am working for anyone?” He asked.

“Isn’t that quite clear, Mr golddigger? You extorting five hundred dollars from me is enough reason to believe that you work for people. In fact, I am hundred percent sure that you can’t afford this luxury. If you could, you wouldn’t have acted so pathetically yesterday,” I said.

“What exactly are you arguing over with the visitor?” A stout figure asked, coming into view.

“Finally. Are you the boss here?” I asked, looking away from the annoying human who couldn’t seem to stay the hell out of my life.

“Boss?” The stout guy asked, looking even more confused than the golddigger.

I rolled my eyes, already running out of the energy I had had while coming to the apartment. “I guess both of you work for the same man. I’m in search of a man with heavy beards,” I explained.

“Who the hell is that?” The golddigger asked, looking at his supposed colleague.

“Oh. That must be the realtor,” The stout guy said, realising who I wanted to see.

“I see. Um... do you know if he took a ball from a little kid?” I inquired, worried that I had probably made a mistake.

“I don’t think he has the time for that. Why do you ask?” The stout guy asked.

“It appears that your realtor took my brother’s basketball. If you don’t mind, can you search the place and give it back to me?” I asked.

“Now, that’s just absurd. Why would he take a ball from someone he doesn’t even know? Go back and ask your brother who really took his goddamn cheap ball which I don’t get why you’re making a fuss over,” The golddigger said, all in one breath.

I scoffed. “Are you freaking kidding me? I know my brother doesn’t lie and you have to go in there and get back that ball this very minute, or...”

“Or what? You’ll get the police to come with a search warrant and search for a ball which they sell anywhere and everywhere?” He cut in, staring at me like I was some sort of crazy person.

“If that’s what it will take to prove that you are a thief and a child oppressor, I might very well do just that,” I said.

I had barely completed my statement when I heard Mason call my name. “Harm!” He said, and when I looked, he was waving at me with the ball in his hands.

“Is that yours?” I asked, trying to confirm from him.

“Yeah. Mr Martyrs stopped by and returned it to me,” He said.

I looked back at my new neighbours, then pushed a strand of my hair at the back of my hair, filled with so much shame and embarrassment. Dammit, Mason!

“Don’t you owe us an apology?” The golddigger asked, with his arms crossed.

“I clearly misunderstood you. I’m sorry,” I managed to mutter, and before shame and embarrassment could swallow me whole, I turned around and began walking away with my brother.

I felt like sinking into the ground hearing his mocking laughter as I walked off hastily. Even after committing a capital offence that could have me thrown into jail for a lifetime, I hadn’t felt this much shame.

Why did he have to make me feel so pathetic and miserable? No one had the right to make me feel that way, especially not a golddigger who was obviously squatting with a friend. No one!

POV: Rhys Anderson

The annoying lipstick girl had barely left when Nathan suddenly pulled me inside the apartment, taking me by surprise, then he slammed the door behind us and began to pace around the living room with his hands placed thoughtfully around his neck.

“What’s wrong?” I inquired.

“Rhys, do you know who that girl is?” He asked, still pacing around as I stared at him in a state of confusion.

I shrugged. “She’s the girl I told you about yesterday,” I told him.

His eyes opened wide in surprise. “What?”

“You heard me,” I said.

He walked close to where I stood, then stopped about a few feet away from me still looking stunned. “She’s lipstick girl?” He asked again.

I nodded my head in the affirmative. “Exactly. She is lipstick girl,” I affirmed.

“Fuck! No!” He exclaimed, then immediately raced away from the living room and went to his own bedroom.

I stood still watching him from a distance, wondering what was going on with him. He was mostly weird, but when it seemed like he was panicking, it was usually for a good cause.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, calling after him in a deep tone.

“Just a moment,” He said.

I walked gently and sat on the couch, waiting for him to come back and tell me exactly what it was that was bothering him.

A few seconds later, he came back to the living room with his laptop in his hands.

He sat on the couch beside me and drew the centre table close to where we sat.

“What’s all this fuss about?” I inquired, still somewhat confused.

“All this fuss is about lipstick girl, who I feel is a very important person that you just treated like trash,” He said.

“Trash? I treated her like trash? For crying out loud, I haven’t done anything to this girl. First, she stained my white shirt...”

“...which was an accident,” Nathan interrupted.

I rolled my eyes at him, and continued with my statement. “Next, she clearly told me to my face that I had to be a servant in this house because she was so sure that I couldn’t afford to stay at a place like this...”

“...and why shouldn’t she have thought that a grownup man who collected five hundred dollars from her because of a small lipstick stain isn’t capable of affording luxury? You go about collecting even a change of fifty cents and expect people to think you’re welltodo? Funny,” Nathan said, cutting in again.

Sure, he did have a point, but I wasn’t ready to hear what he had to say. “Anyways, she laid a false accusation...”

“...which she apologised for, but you wouldn’t stop rubbing her mistake in her face,” Nathan said, opposing me again.

I threw him a glance, which showed how very much annoyed I was. “Are you seriously supporting that girl over your best friend?” I asked.

He made a gesture for me to look at the laptop on the table, without even bothering to answer the honest question I had asked.

What I saw on the laptop made me shocked to the bone and I couldn’t take my eyes off the laptop for several moments, being held spellbound by bewilderment and astonishment.

“She’s...she’s the target?” I asked out loud.

“Yes, she is, and this is something you should have known had you not been too preoccupied with other stuff instead of your main job,” Nathan said, banging his fist on the table.

“No. This has to be wrong,” I said, punching a few buttons on the keyboard of the laptop, which was staring right in my face.

“It is not wrong, Rhys. Clearly, the universe had already been giving you chances which you could have utilised properly, but you ended up throwing it all away in the air,” Nathan said.

I ran my hands through my hair at a loss for words. “Nathan, how the hell was I supposed to know that she was the reason I am even in Texas right now?” I managed to ask him, trying not to express my disappointment in my tone of voice.

“That is why you should learn to be nice to everyone. When she had bumped into you, you could have overlooked it and told her not to apologise for doing anything since it was clearly a mistake, and everyone makes mistakes. You should have told her she looked beautiful and held her hand when you noticed she was scared in the elevator...”

“I stayed by her side,” I interrupted, defending my actions.

“Whatever, Rhys. When she came here just this afternoon, you should have been nice to her instead of being unnecessarily rude and an annoying arse to her,” Nathan said.

I heaved an exasperated sigh. “Yes, I have made a mistake, but you are also clearly at fault here. I told you to get an apartment close to hers and I never told you to get one in the same estate as hers,” I said.

“And what is the difference?” He asked.

“The difference is that it would have been less suspicious if we weren’t neighbours. Even if we were neighbours, we could have still worked things out smoothly, but the problem is that you failed to tell me you rented an apartment in the same estate as hers...not only that, our apartments are close to each other. If you had told me that, I would have been nice to everyone I met in this estate,” I explained.

“Are you trying to pin the blame on me or what?” Nathan fired at me.

I shook my head in negativity. “Not at all. What I am trying to say is that we both made mistakes...”

“Not this time, Rhys,” He cut in.

“What?” I asked, perplexed.

“Don’t try to make me share the blame with you this time, Rhys. Today, all that happened is all on you. Even if I failed to tell you that I rented an apartment in the same estate as this lipstick girl, it was your job to have known that she is your target. You love procrastinating when to do things and that act has finally caught up with you. This deal may not work out because of your mistake...”

“Now, that’s where you’re wrong. When the lipstick girl finds out about the amount of money I have invested in her modelling agency, she is going to have a change of heart towards me,” I declared.

“Hopefully, she will, but what if she doesn’t? What are you going to tell the boss? He doesn’t take lightly to failures, so what exactly are you going to say to him? You already collected more than half payment for the job, not so? Are you going to return it to him?” Nathan asked.

A smirk played around my lips. “I won’t be returning anything, Nathan. Any money that comes into my hands never leaves, and as for the job, it’s going to be successful. Just trust me,” I told him.

Nathan looked like he was having a hard time with believing my words. “I don’t know, Rhys. First impression matters, and twice now, you’ve made a wrong impression on her,” He said.

“I know, but I have made greater messes in the past, all of which I ended up successfully cleaning up. Tell me, Nathan, have I ever left a job halfway or failed at any job?” I inquired.

“You’ve never,” He replied.

“Good,” I said, entwining my fingers together in deep and calculative thoughts.

“What are we going to do now?” He asked.

“For now, I’m going to sleep as we had planned earlier. I work better when I have rested well enough, and as for you, you’re going to prepare that mac and cheese we talked about,” I said, wearing a small smile.

My phone began to ring suddenly, and when I checked, it was the boss who was calling.

“He always has the ability to know when something is amiss,” Nathan noted.

“That is his business, not mine. I’m not going to pick any of his calls. In fact, I’m putting my phone on silent mode,” I declared, picking up my phone from the table.

“Then, he’d just call me instead,” Nathan said.

“Which is why you should either put your phone on silent mode or simply switch it off,” I said to him, rising to my feet.

“About what you said earlier on...”

“What exactly?” I asked.

“You said we were both at fault. I should have told you that lipstick girl is the main target when you were busy exchanging words with her, but I also wasn’t sure if she was truly the one. We all make mistakes, I guess, and I’m truly sorry about that,” Nathan apologised.

I bopped him on the arm in a playful manner. “You don’t need to apologise for a mistake that would be fixed soon. We all make mistakes, yes, but only few people like myself can turn things around for their own benefit. I haven’t even slept yet and I’m already optimistic. Wait till I finally feel refreshed after having a long time sleeping, you’d be amazed by the number of plans that I’ll come up with to turn things around in our favour,” I said to him, wearing a broad smile.

“I believe in you,” Nathan said, smiling back at me.

“That means so much. Thanks,” I said, and began to walk towards the bedroom, hoping that no one stopped me from sleeping again.

When I looked at my phone screen, I could see that the boss was still calling, good thing I couldn’t hear the sound of the ringtone. Normal people called you once or twice and stopped calling when you failed to pick their calls, but his case was different. He would ask one of his bodyguards to keep on dialling your line until you picked his calls.

Sooner or later, he was going to come to terms with the fact that I wasn’t picking up his calls today, and I’d probably be fast asleep and off to dreamland when that happens. Even when I returned his call later on when I woke up, there was no way I could tell him about what had happened, given the fact that I had made him believe that I already went through the girl’s pictures and even knew her name.

I had thought that I was going to be over with this issue in a matter of weeks, or mostly, one month. However, with the mistake I had made, I was probably going to be around for a year, which was three hundred and sixty five days. Yes, I had acted all optimistic with Nathan, but truth be told, I didn’t expect lipstick girl to come around soon because of my actions towards her.

Damn! I really needed to find a way around this new unwelcome development. Harmony Winters... I am coming for you.