****Alec****What I said to the girls last night wasn’t a lie, and Rachel had been right on the money. Life in the UK had gotten a bit repetitive and therefore boring. I went, I saw, I conquered, and did it so many times over the last fifteen years that I’d gotten bored.The irony of my return is not lost on me. I initially left home and decided to settle elsewhere because I felt there was nothing here for me. My brothers were already out there in the world, doing shit, conquering life in their own way. I couldn’t go anywhere without seeming like I was following my brothers around like a lost puppy. I couldn’t go anywhere or do anything without being harassed by my brothers’ shadows. Everyone only ever saw me as an extension of them, I hated it. So, I decided immediately after college that I’d put as much distance between us as possible, a whole ocean’s worth, and make a name for myself that wouldn’t be tainted with my brothers’ legacies. But at this point, I’ve built enough. I have
“And why wouldn’t they? I picked based on which firm would be best able to execute my vision, I wasn’t going to disqualify Brokk just because you have a problem with their CEO.” I say, my tone final.“You don’t have a problem with how she abandoned and hurt your nephew on their wedding day?” Adeline started to get louder.“How SHE hurt Cam?” A dry laugh comes out of RoryAt this point the whole table was silent, watching the conversation unfold. Camden just kept his head down.“I think what Adeline is trying to say is that Dariana has shown, through her character, that she’s incapable of bearing any kind of responsibility.” Lachlan says calmly and places his hand on Adeline’s in an effort to try and calm the conversation.“Are you serious?” Rory exclaims. “You’re seriously just going to sit there and let them shit talk Dari’s?” Stares daggers at Cam.“It’s just their opinion.” Cam mumbles without looking up at any of us, electing to focus on his plate.“You know your perfect son isn’t
****Dariana****Tonight marks the first time in three years that I’m not at one of Adeline’s monthly dinners. This is nailed in by the fact that I’m sitting at home alone having takeout with a coconut mask in my hair that’s keeps leaking out of my shower cap and on to my forehead.One of the things I’ll never forgive Cam for is depriving me of his mothers cooking. Adeline was an amazing cook. When Barret, her youngest, was school age she opened a restaurant right in the heart of the city. Her specialty was Italian and French cuisine, but every so often she’d incorporate flavours and cooking styles from all over the world in her dishes.Truly that woman has a gift. One that I will never get to experience as I can never set foot in her restaurant again; seeing as she probably views me as the flakey bitch who broke her little boys heart.Just as I’m about to finish up my food, there comes a knock at my door. Curious, I dust my hands off on my robe and I go to answer it.Standing on the o
Walking into this Monday morning, I feel refreshed. I feel like I’m slowly starting to adjust to everything. Having George popping in and out of my apartment this weekend helped to make everything feel a lot less lonely. Not to mention, we had finally managed to figure out how to place those large rollers on my head; so now I have the extra benefit of a perfect hair day to kick off the week.As usual, Liliana was ready to greet me at my door with my schedule for today. This week, however, she did not hold back.Today was supposed to be my first official day back; so there was a lot that I needed to attend to.After giving me the rundown for the week, Liliana left my office. Only to, like last week, return with a bouquet. “Another one came for you this morning. Still no card; and this time it’s just the flowers, so no package.” She said.“Oh, okay. Just put them on the coffee table.” I point to the flowers from last week that had begun to wilt. “You can throw those out.” I say.“You
“I was just making an observation on the nature of our relationship and how it will change going forward. I guess I have to get used to calling you ‘Miss Caldwell’ myself.” He says, grabbing a sugar packet and mixing it into his cappuccino.I barely have time to decipher what he said before my phone starts buzzing. I pull it out of my pocket to see Rachel was trying to call me.“Just give me a second.” I say to Alec. I get up from the table and move to take my call outside. “Where are you?” Rachel immediately says, forsaking greetings and formalities.“You mean Liliana didn’t snitch on me?” I joke, remembering the slightly less than dignified way I was dragged out of the office. “I need you to be serious for a minute, Dar. We have a lot to talk about. So where are you?” She repeats.“Uh, I’m at a bistro close by if you need me to rush back to the office?” I asked, pensively. I couldn’t properly gage her tone through the phone so I was confused as to whether the things we needed to ‘
I made my way back to the office alone, feeling more optimistic than I have in over a month. I tried to ignore it, but the last few weeks had me in a sort of state of emotional limbo. The experience of having a part of my life plan ripped away and significant aspects of my world view altered had truly emotionally and mentally exhausted me. The only time I wasn’t at an emotional flat line, I was riding the very deep dips. But not right now. Right now I find myself on an upward trend. I allow myself to revel in the hope that my life didn’t go to complete shit a month ago. Maybe everything didn’t go as planned; I may not get the full package where I’d return to the ranch style home, family, and doting husband after a long days work in a fulfilling career. But I can still have the fulfilling career.And goddammit, does it feel fulfilling right now.I make a beeline for Rachel’s office. As I walk past her assistant, Micheal, he gives me a nod to indicate that she is available. I do not wa
The past few days have been a rollercoaster of emotions for me; caught between feeling excited for the new business opportunity and sad about some of the things that came with it.Not talking to Rachel for the past few days has been a relatively easy task to accomplish. It was hard, emotionally, having our last conversation play in my head over and over like broken record; not allowing me to escape all feelings of that day. But both of us were genuinely busy during this past week, so there was no ducking or diving around the office to avoid each other. Neither of us just made the effort to reach out to the other, and that seems to have worked out best. We both needed the space.However, that comes to an end today.Today we were supposed to be meeting with the team from HephaesTech to discuss the specifics of the contract and for them to give us an actual project brief.I was in the main boardroom, going through a final round of checks to make sure everything was in order before every
I am woken up close to noon on Saturday morning by the sound of someone knocking at my door. I try my best to ignore it, choosing to cower under my sheets where its warm rather than going out there and facing the world that is becoming increasingly colder and colder. It may be mid-autumn; but the weather, especially in the mornings, was a biting prelude to winter.Besides, I am exhausted. This last, very busy, week had taken a lot out of me. Outside of the physical toll, everything that had happened had also emotionally exhausted me. Old feelings and very confusing new ones had my head in a spin by the time Friday rolled around. So much so that I couldn’t even make it to Melody Line.I wasn’t in the right headspace to be interacting with everyone, especially Rachel.I still very much needed that space that I asked her for, and I didn’t think it would be fair to subject Emma and Rory to the awkwardness that undoubtedly still exists between us.I just wasn’t in the mood for celebratio