Chapter 1
THE MATCH
1
Marian was beaming so proudly in her wedding attire. In one of the opulent hotels in Los Angeles, her sister stood beside her, ogling her reflection in the mirror. Whispering, "You are a lovely bride Sissy," Suzzy leaned in closer to her sister. Marian hugged her and felt an assuring peace envelope over her. Alexander, along with his groomsmen Ben and Silas, stood at the alter, waiting for his bride. He was quite eager for this day to finally arrive, and it was a lovely day for their wedding. As Marian walked through the church aisle, Alexander felt a surge of dopamine rushed within him , he had chills over. He was anticipating the arrival of his bride. When Alexander and Marian first started dating a year ago, all spinsters and bachelors were envious. Two attractive individuals in a relationship who, to top it off, all came from well-known families. Indeed, it was a match made in heaven. Doing everything for her, Alexander had persuaded himself that he was genuinely in love with her. Despite having many women who would kill for him, this man could not be defeated. Marian was the one woman who effortlessly broke through his tough exterior and won his heart. What drew him to her was her cold nature. Despite her icy exterior, Marian was a good person at heart. She exuded such confidence that everyone turned to watch her wherever she went or walked.
2
It is said that men did not like women or
discovered a fascination with needy women; they were drawn to those who exuded a cold tone and apathy. Such women are desirable for men to tame and elevate to positions of dominance. Isn't it a weird way to be attracted to a woman?
The bride finally appeared, and the ceremony proceeded. These two love birds were now officially husband and wife. The couple invited a few friends and close relatives because they did not want to have an ostentatious refreshment. In all, it was very glorious even though the guest list was quite unimpressive. The ambience of the setting for the refreshments was something to boast about.The families of the bride and groom were overjoyed with their offspring and continued to extend their congratulations, well wishes, and every other blessing one could hope for a newlywed couple.Alexander and Marian got everything done quickly the following morning and headed out to catch their flight.Greece was the first destination that Alexander and Marian discussed during their wedding preparations when it came to their dream honeymoon destination. While it was just a dream in Marian's mind at the time, it is now a dream that is on the verge of realization. Greece is a rich cultural nation in South Eastern Europe that was home to one of the world's first civilizations. No wonder Marian wanted to visit.She cherished the opportunity to travel, socialize, and exchange ideas with like-minded individuals. She vanished from your presence if she felt no kind of positive connection with you. She was very passionate about this side of her. What do you expect from a reader? When she was a little girl, she inculcated the habit of reading books. She was there to read anything that caught her attention, be it a magazine, newspaper, autobiography, memoir, or novel. Since then, it became part of her. The one place they chose to have their honeymoon in Greece was Satorini.
3
Santorini is the epitome of a romantic Greek destination, and the couple was currently facing stress from their engagements the day before and from spending 14 hours and 30 minutes on the plane. They were extremely worn out from their arduous and stressful peregrination. They took a little nap after settling into their VIP hotel room. Right now, they needed to unwind, so that is exactly what they did. This couple's honeymoon proved to be a success as they made the most of every part of Greece, from visiting prehistoric Thera to sandy beaches, and indulging in nearly every Greek delicacy. It was magical. They traveled to Los Angeles with their bag and belongings after spending two weeks in Greece and experiencing many exciting things both inside and outside. So far, married life has been an exciting ride, but they still had their professional lives to consider. Alexander was a licensed ophthalmologist who had a strong commitment to his profession. He was deeply concerned for his patients' welfare. In contrast, Marian worked as a fashion model. She participated in fashion shows for major labels like Cartier, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, and others. She embodied style. She maintained a low profile in the fashion industry despite her widespread popularity. She disliked receiving uninvited attention from her fans. She kept herself focused on her work and handled family issues in a calm and collected manner. She also deeply believed in the importance of educating girls, and she was a philanthropist in this regard. If she made her philanthropic status known, nobody would take her word for it. Most people called her a haughty narcissist because of her exterior coldness when it came to business and her refusal to let many people into her life, but in reality, she was the complete opposite.
4
When Alexander was pursuing her, she was very indifferent towards him. But what changed? He never backed down from his pursuit. He would buy her coffee, deliver flowers to her modeling agency, and transcribe calming phrases onto sticky notes to affix to books he gave her. Until they met at her cousin's birthday celebration one day and introductions were made, these were all anonymous. He told her the truth about the gifts from strangers and expressed his regret when they grew a bit closer. He also made her aware of his true intentions. Raised from modest beginnings, Alexander was quite the gentleman. He loved his mother dearly and regarded all women as a queen deserving of respect and veneration. His charming demeanor followed suit wherever he went. In the medical community, he was a heartthrob, and practically all women were infatuated with him. including the hospital janitor, patients, nurses, and doctors who are female. He was not an obnoxious or conceited man. In order to make your day more manageable, Alexander will either smile back at you if you compliment him or, even better, compliment you first and say something kind to you. Marian had always been drawn to him due to his humble and calm nature. They were ideal for one another because they had completely different approaches to interpersonal relationships. Despite being incredibly good at hiding it, Marian had fallen deeply in love with Alexander. She wasn't going to be all over him because they had begun dating. This woman was lovey-dovey when she wanted to be, but she will not go overboard. She had boundaries.
CHAPTER 2
BONDING
5
Kalyn Brooks received a call from an unknown number while staying in her Cairo hotel room. She answered the call but couldn't identify whom she was speaking to. The voice she was hearing sounded familiar but she could not bring herself to recall.The person on the other end of the phone began reciting a poem from their middle school days. "Is that you, Marian?" inquired Kalyn.Marian answered, "Yeah, it is me, longtime friend." Kalyn could not contain her excitement when she recognized the voice behind the calming poem. These two girls had been friends since elementary school and continued into middle school. They practically grew up together and they were the best of friends until kalyn and her family relocated to London. They did not have phones when they were kids, so they used their parents' phones to communicate with one another. As they aged, their ability to communicate consistently deteriorated. Their bond wasn't as strong as before, it faded momentarily in pursuit of their dreams. This was an involuntary decision; it was never mutual. Their work required a lot of time and energy, and they had lost contact before they realized it. Kalyn brooks was one of the most influential journalist in the news world. She was based in London, but she was currently in Cairo for a summit.Her presence in Egypt was not a coincidence. She hosted one of the largest trade summits, and her absence will jeopardize the event. This trade summit mainly revolved around agriculture which gathered experts and leaders in the agriculture sector to share ideas and have a conversation on a very specific topic or issue. Her job had opened a lot of doors for her and she was proud of her achievements so far. It has not been an easy journey, but she made it.
6
Marian apologized for not telling Kalyn that she had been married for the previous two months. One's thoughts are scattered when preparing for a wedding, so Marian's failure to inform her of this was not her fault. It slipped her mind and she didn't even have Kalyn's number prior to her wedding. It was not until she met Kalyn's cousin at the grocery store two weeks ago that she was able to obtain it. During their coffee date, she seized the opportunity to get her phone number. Thank God she bumped into Wesley at the grocery store. When they were younger, Wesley had a crush on Marian, but he now refers to it as "little kids hormones." After giggling at the joke, they bid each other farewell.Marian's childhood memories surged back, and she was overjoyed to see Wesley after all these years.It was a pleasant memory to behold.After the summit, Kalyn actually intended to spend a few months in Los Angeles. Destiny was at work in their lives because although she had decided to go look for Marian when she arrived, Marian got in touch with her first. The summit was a three days event which Kalyn didn't take for granted. She got to know many prosperous, intelligent, and well-connected individuals who had ascended to the top of the corporate ladder and were involved in a wide range of international businesses. Her eyes captured the attention of everyone who encountered her. She was pulchritudinous, and she attracted more powerful people to herself due to her charisma.Despite having the most admired figure, her talent is what made her unique.Her light brown skin tone, long black curly hair, and delicate facial features made her an attractive woman to men. Kalyn never understood why the man she loved so much never acknowledged her, even though she knew she was the best when it came to her personal and professional conduct. She dismissed that idea and went to her hotel suite to recuperate and get ready for the farewell dinner that was planned to conclude the summit.
7
She was stunning in her crimson evening gown. The magnificent chandeliers cast a radiant glow on her, and everyone was delighted to have their lovely hostess enhancing the event. When it came to her job, Kalyn was an extrovert, but when she was engrossed in her work in her office, she was an introvert who loved to be by herself virtually all the time. Despite her friendly demeanor and willingness to smile, she would decline a coworker's request to go out to dinner. Such duality set her apart from all the workers in the journalism company. She gets coffee for the staff and genuinely smiles at everyone, so you can not call her rude. Neither can you call her aggressive toward her coworkers when she spends her entire office quietly taking care of herself. Her experience of heartbreak during her time at university four years prior had helped her become more self-aware. She wished to avoid encountering such a distressing circumstance in the future.It nearly affected her academic performance but her resilience to push through regardless made her a strong woman. Dinner turned out beautifully and went well. With big smiles on their faces, everyone in attendance headed back to their homes. It was evident that the summit had a significant impact and would live on in memory for years to come. Upon reaching her hotel room, Kalyn decided to go to sleep since she was cold and exhausted.
8
The morning sun was so radiant as it illuminated the corners of the curtains into her hotel room. Kalyn was an early bird who never used the alarm.She discovered that, hilariously, she always woke up before the alarm could beep, regardless of the time she set.She was sick to her stomach from eating so early in the morning, so brunch was her preference over breakfast. She switched to eating during brunch hours because feeling queasy was not a pleasant feeling.She slept for an additional hour since her flight was scheduled to depart at precisely 2:30 pm. She woke at exactly 10:30 am, packed her stuff, had brunch and headed to the airport.She needed to take care of some unfinished business, so she could not head straight to Los Angeles. When Kalyn arrived at the journalism agency the following Monday, many employees praised her for her excellent work in Cairo.Up until that time, Pinkvalley Journalism and Advertising Agency was among the best in London; however, the mother agency in Los Angeles was far superior, boasting extraordinary facilities, an impeccable reputation, and amazing benefits for employees. A promotion to this level of grace was everyone's dream. With just two years of experience, Kalyn has outperformed nearly every employee at Pinkvalley. She was not infamous or conceited. She simply complied with the agency's rules. Her two years there had not been easy, but she persevered through it by working hard and being determined. Even though she only worked as brilliant C.E.O. Jade Winston's personal assistant for two years, it was not in vain.Through their travels together, she learned a lot and saw several things in him, most notably his unwavering confidence and his adept use of time. She worked as an editor, a hostess, and an advertising planner at this point. She possessed outstanding proficiency in all three areas of skill. Jade Winston had emailed about her involvement in a
meeting with Jade Winston and the directors. That was the unfinished business she had to attend to and that made her a little bit anxious.Although Kalyn did not look good when she was anxious, it was understandable given that she was only human.
9
There were smiles on everyone's faces as Kalyn entered the conference room. When Jade Winston's eyes met Kalyn's, he smiled, something he never seemed to do.The meeting started after Kalyn took a seat in one of the executive chairs. After setting out the company files on the table, Lucy, the current personal assistant, brought bottles of water. Following a thorough discussion about work, Kalyn was particularly anxious about the meeting's finale. Jade winston gave a standing ovation and begun applauding her name. Everyone present joined in to support Jade. When Kalyn's promotion was finally announced, she was ecstatic and could not contain it. She received a promotion to the LA mother company. She expressed her gratitude by saying a few words while standing and accepting the applause. The directors gathered around her, congratulating her on her advancement. Following numerous expressions of goodwill, the meeting was adjourned. Her talent was being sought after by numerous journalism companies, including the mother company. Even though she had a lot of options, she decided on Los Angeles. To wish her luck on her new endeavors, her coworkers threw a small office celebration. Her day was made much happier by the staff's actions, which she had not anticipated.
She is free to head home and get ready for her trip to Los Angeles, thanks to Jade She expressed her gratitude to him, packed up her office supplies, and departed the premises.
In a patriarchal world, women's success has not always been guaranteed. It would be the desire of powerful men for you to have sex before you could advance in life.It took a man who understood and valued women to see past their exploitation and assist them in making informed decisions. She applied to several journalism companies after graduation, but was turned down by each one. Before she ran into Jade Winston at a bookstore, she had gone through a period in her life when she was humiliated and mistreated by numerous employers. When she struck the right note, he was no longer apathetic toward her because of her charisma. He was the definition of inquisitiveness. That was it; he handed her his business card. He proposed work to her, and they scheduled a meeting for the following three days at a coffee shop. Kalyn was the ideal candidate for the personal assistant role he was currently looking for. Gradually, doors opened for her as the company started to recognize her talent. She never regretted that decision.
Kalyn prepared everything and left for the airport on Wednesday. She had purchased a two-bedroom apartment in Los Angeleseles prior to the promotion. Employees who made significant contributions to the company were given apartments by the parent company as part of their benefits package. Such an offer was made to Kalyn, but she turned it down. She pursued her goal of being self-sufficient in obtaining housing, and she succeeded in doing so.When she finally made it to her apartment, she was exhausted.Rest has not been a priority for her in the last few days, so now was the right time for her to take a few days off before going back to work. Better yet, she needed to be active and healthy to avoid breaking down. She loved how her apartment was fully furnished in pastel and nude colors. She fell asleep, curled up on her fluffy white couch. It was almost six of the clock in the evening when she woke up. In an effort to avoid showing any symptoms of vertigo, she stretched her body, went to the restroom, and cleaned her face. Returning to the hallway, she carried her possessions into the bedroom.She entered her closet, hung some of her clothes, arranged her shoes, and folded her clothes into the designated spots. Laughing, she realized that her presence had brought life to her apartment.
10
Chapter 3
De ja vu
She got in touch with Marian on her second day in LA. Their conversation on the phone was very lively and they could feel the intense nostalgia. The next day was a Friday and she had plans to step out to the grocery store. For someone who loved to cook, groceries were essential. Although she did not particularly enjoy takeout, she ordered the healthier version of her usual meals because she was relaxing. For something she hardly ever did, she was a little let down by herself for placing an order two days in a row. It was not a routine. She needed to resume her habit of eating meals prepared at home.She smiled at the beautiful weather on Friday, especially the coopery blue clouds. She went to the grocery store wearing loose-fitting pants and a black tank top. The root vegetable, carrot, was Kalyn's favorite among the veggies. She smiled at the color, crunch, and sweetness of carrots. At this point, one could say Kalyn liked to smile and giggle whenever she had the opportunity, and she appreciated everything life had given her. Even something as small as a carrot could make her happy, indicating that she had mastered the art of self-love. She returned to her apartment after buying everything she needed at the grocery store. That evening, she cooked white rice and ate it with curry, followed by raspberry gelato for dessert. Her phone lit up, and she saw a message notification on her screen, alerting her to a new message. She unlocks her phone, and the message appears. Marian had sent a text message.
Text message:
Hello babes, I was wondering if you could join me, my husband, and his coworkers for his birthday dinner tomorrow evening.
She smiled at the message and replied, "Yes." Kalyn had not seen Marian's husband yet, and she was eager to meet him. She did not even know his name. She did not want to pry, so she let everything fall into place naturally rather than forcing it.Kalyn to herself: "Every birthday deserves a gift." She decided to get a birthday gift tomorrow after deciding on the perfect gift for Marian's husband. The following morning, a Saturday, she decided to buy a watch as a birthday present. She ordered a beautiful men's cartier watch as a gift, and she thought it was appropriate for the occasion. She also purchased an expensive wine and some cookies. She was not present at Mariam's wedding, so purchasing the expensive wine was a form of congratulations she was unable to express. She had her hair done into fluffy curls and wore very light makeup. She was not particularly fond of makeup. She wore a glittering peach sequin body-on-mini party dress with a matching bag and rose gold high heels. She looked in the mirror and was pleased with what she saw.
11
Marian had texted her the venue for the birthday dinner. She drove to her destination and stepped out of her car. It was a luxurious hotel complete with its own restaurant. When she presented the online birthday invitation card to one of the hotel concierges, he directed her to the table reservation. He scanned it and smiled at her. Her package was taken from her and placed in a wooden basket near their designated table. She went to the ladies room for her finishing touches, and when she returned, almost everyone had taken their seats. When her heels made small noises on the hotel's marble floor, everyone turned to look in her direction. Her face met Alexandre's, and she was instantly terrified, causing her to stop dead in her tracks. When Marian saw it was Kalyn, she moved to embrace her, hold her hands, and introduce her to everyone in attendance. She regained her composure and smiled, though she was still in shock. She was shown to the last available seat by the waiter. Alexandre remained standing until the birthday cake was presented to him. Everyone who was present sang a happy birthday song. One could tell he was genuinely loved by a lot of people. Kalyn realized that Alexandre was Marian's husband. She never imagined meeting him in such a dramatic setting, but she had to be the woman she was: mindful, thoughtful, and demure. She joined in the singing, and Alexandre cast glances at her, but she ignored them. Even though she was reminiscing about past events, it was a lovely birthday to celebrate. He cut the cake, and the waiters came and sliced it into small pieces, which were distributed to everyone. Champagne was toasted in celebration of long life and prosperity. Meals came next, followed by desserts.
12
The birthday dinner was a huge success, and coworkers, friends, and family placed their gifts in the gift basket. Marian told Kalyn to wait a while after everyone else had left. Kalyn wanted to leave right away, but she waited out of respect for their friendship and the fact that they had not seen each other in a long time. The de ja vu itself was unpleasant to witness. Marian clasped her husband's hands and called out Kalyn's name. "Kalyn, this is my husband Alexandre Davidson, an ophthalmologist," Marian explained. Kalyn extended her hands for a shake, and the moment their hands touched, Alexandre refused to let go. There was tension between them, and it felt like they were the only ones in the room despite Marian standing right there.Kalyn quickly but calmly released her hands from his and said, "I am so sorry, Mr. Davidson, it is my pleasure to meet you, and congratulations on your wedding; I was not able to witness such a wonderful union between Marian and you." She had to feign ignorance of not knowing who he was. She bid farewell to Marian and Alexandre and gave him the gift she had brought for him. She hurried to get into her car, drove around a park to a safe spot, and then started crying. She sobbed for a while, and her makeup had lost much of its beauty. Using face wipes, she removed her makeup before heading to her apartment. That was a hell of a night for Kalyn. For her, a birthday party ended up being an emotional breakdown.
13
Marian and Alexandre were the last people to leave the hotel grounds. He was still holding onto Kalyn's birthday package rather than placing it in the gift box. The waiter and waitresses assisted them in packing everything into their car, and they drove home. They refreshed themselves by taking a shower together. They made love in the room, which had been decorated with romantic bliss. When it was time to sleep, Marian inquired, "How do you see Kalyn?" Is she not the most attractive? Alexandre was not expecting such a question from his wife, so he pondered how he would respond to such a question without being biased, with complete honesty, and without raising suspicions.He responded, "Oh, your....friend Ka... K-a-_lyn, she is quite adorable, but she does not come close to you." Marian seemed pleased with his response. Women are complex creatures, and he knew what she wanted to hear when he gave her the best response possible. Marian is undeniably beautiful, but Kalyn embodied beauty, eccentricity, and elegance. Marian was aware of her friend's physical attractiveness, but she was more interested in hearing what her husband would say because she noticed how her husband stared at her friend when they shook hands. The weekend went by quickly, and the following week began on a Monday. Kalyn's rest days were finally over, and work began. By 8:30 a.m. on Monday, she was already in her office, responding to all of her emails and deleting detected spam.Individuals and corporations had scheduled advertisements with the company. She was in charge of accepting and declining because she was the advertising planner. When considering trends and changes in technological advancements and science, she knew which products would pique the audience's interest as well as which products would be most likely to be purchased. She had a secretary now which made her smile because it all came rushing back to her when she was Jade Winston's personal assistant. She recognized herself in her secretary. "Small beginnings compounded into greater results," she told herself.
14
The company provided lunch for employees, but it was not required that they eat from the company's free food service. She went downstairs to eat lunch by herself from the free food service. Most people felt incompetent when they looked at her from a distance. She was unaware that most of them were too timid to approach her. Evidently, she believed that they were attempting to be courteous and go about their business. They were being somewhat respectful by avoiding her, and it was also to be expected - hostility was a common occurrence in any establishment, and this was her first day on the job. She was in no way bothered by it. In her line of work, she worked with numerous modeling agencies, particularly when the advertisement featured clothing, skincare products, or makeover items. Planning, organizing, and coordinating her designs, color schemes, and advertisements was something she excelled at. She had an appointment in her office tomorrow with a client regarding an advertising project involving a new line of perfumes called "OASIS."
As work ended at 4:00 p.m., she departed her office at approximately 5:30 p.m. She was always determined to complete her day's work without jeopardizing her 8-hour sleep. Staying hydrated, being active by moving one's body, and getting enough sleep are all ways to avoid breaking down. She was not someone who got sick frequently, so she takes these habits very seriously. She arrived at her apartment, took a quick shower, and then went to the kitchen to cook herself dinner. While eating, she had a flashback to the weekend's birthday party and simply shook her head. She chuckled and whispered to herself, "the man who never loved me, married to my best friend, intriguing." She had moved on and was doing well in life, but she was still human. She was aware of her own emotional pain.
15
She went to bed at 9:00 p.m. and woke up at five a.m. the next day. She moved her body by working out and made herself breakfast. Even though she knew she preferred brunch, she ate a heavy breakfast to avoid eating lunch at the company's free food service. She arrived at work early, as usual, and continued from where she left off. Kalyn was expecting her client to arrive today for the client meeting. They needed to have a brief discussion about the product before proceeding with the planning team. She was clearly the driving force behind the planning, but she had subordinates who executed it. She never wanted to come across as arrogant, so she listened humbly to everyone's opinions and suggestions. Aside from the meeting this morning, she had received an invitation to an opera this weekend. Miss World was approaching, and they contacted her about the hostess role. Being a Miss World hostess was no joke. She expressed her gratitude to whoever had suggested her and was tou.ched by the honor bestowed upon her. Although Kalyn was a great hostess, there were other candidates, so being chosen as a hostess was an honor and a favor from above. When ten of the clock rolled around, the client was standing in front of her secretary's cubicle. Patricia, the secretary, led Mrs. Parker to Kalyn's workspace. She was well-prepared and eager to meet the client. She got up and greeted her as she entered her office. She asked Patricia to go get two cups of coffee with cream and two sugars when she called in.
Mrs. Parker was a woman in her mid-30s, and Kalyn was fascinated by her. Patricia returned in ten minutes with two cups of coffee and placed them on the table in front of them. The client provided Kalyn with all of the information she needed to begin working on the advertising project.
16
Mrs. Parker requested to leave after the discussion had concluded. Kalyn smiled because she reviewed everything she did with the client, Mrs. Parker, and thought her ideas were brilliant. She made sure everyone was settled in after lunch break to avoid nausea.Her timer went off after 15 minutes, so she called her secretary on the office phone.Patricia dashed in, clutching some files Kalyn had instructed her to bring earlier. She had forgotten before lunch, but she remembered it right after. Kalyn did not actually scold her, but rather said, "Partricia, please be attentive alright." She replied yes and placed the files on Kalyn's office table. Kalyn then told her to schedule a meeting in the conference room within the next 10 minutes and notify the planning team. She was pleased with Partricia and complimented her on her good work. The meeting began with everyone on the planning team taking their seats. Kalyn shared the information that the client had discussed with her earlier in the day. Now it was up to the planning team to have an in-depth discussion about the oasis perfume line.Since it was only a discussion, there was a lot of brainstorming, and everyone's ideas were accepted and thoroughly discussed.There were no design projections or presentations; instead, ideas were shared.At this point, everyone was listening, taking notes, and nodding in agreement. Kalyn enjoyed teamwork because she could listen to different points of view and recognize people's critical thinking abilities in all situations. She is sapiosexual, so if someone is thinking skills were exceptional, she simply admired them.
17
CHAPTER 4
PRANK
Alexander could not stop thinking about the woman he met at his birthday dinner in his prestigious office at Bonne Volonte' Hospital.
It had been 5 years since he told her the most hurtful things and broke her heart into a thousand pieces, and now he was married to her best friend. Kalyn was in her third year of university, while Alexander had already earned a bachelor's degree in opthalmology and four years of medical school. He met Kalyn during his fourth year of opthalmology residency. They were introduced by Kalyn's distant cousin, who lives in London. She was not interested in him at first, but when he pursued her, she fell even harder. There was a lot of miscommunication in their relationship, particularly on Alexander's end. Although he was undoubtedly gorgeous, he had trouble emotionally connecting in a romantic relationship.
He never had the guts to pop the question to Kalyn, so their relationship was a situationship. Despite Kalyn's knowledge of this, she never spoke to him.
Even though he was very fond of Kalyn, she could not figure him out. After completing his studies and becoming a board-certified ophthalmologist, Kalyn did not hear from him for a while. He would text her once in a blue moon and then disappear for an extended period of time. This cycle continued for two years before she decided to move on and stop waiting for him.
Robert, Kalyn's distant cousin, was in town for business and invited her to a brunch date. Ironically, Alexander had contacted Robert a few days prior and persuaded him to arrange a meeting with Kalyn because he wanted to see her. Kalyn had no idea she would be meeting not only her cousin, but also Alexander. Kalyn never wanted to see him again, and seeing him at his birthday dinner, as well as discovering he was married to her closest friend, broke her heart. She felt overwhelmed and creepy on his birthday, and she never wanted to go through it again.
18
The brunch was set to Friday around 11 of the clock in the morning. It was her day off so she got time to meet up. She wore a purple pinkish dress and left her hair down.This time, it was wavy and full of volume. The dress was a good fit for her body type, and she was ready to go with lip balm, lip gloss, mascara, and her favorite Ariana Grande Cloud perfume.
She drove to the location to meet with her cousin. After a 10-minute heartfelt conversation with Robert, he purposefully excused himself under the guise of having a business call and went outside to speak. After a few minutes of waiting for Robert, she ordered a chocolate milkshake and savored every taste of it while scrolling through her phone. Alexander entered and sat down in Robert's seat. Kalyn sensed a presence, but she did not realize it was not Robert until she looked up and saw Alexander sitting directly in front her. He smiled gracefully at her, and she blushed unconsciously. She wanted to leave the restaurant immediately because her heart was racing, but she decided it was not necessary and that she might start a commotion. She actually thought she was daydreaming until he touched her arms. She was suddenly unable to speak. Her words were muffled in her throat. She breathed in and out as their eyes met, and she calmly asked, "What is going on here, and what are you doing here?" Where is Robert?
Robert left the restaurant as soon as Alexander arrived. Robert knew Kalyn would never forgive him for this prank and would nag him for the rest of his life. Pulling his hand away from her arm, Alexander said, "Kalyn, please calm down." I realize it was an odd way to see you, and I should never have pulled this prank on you, but I was powerless to stop myself. "Why do you want to see me?" she asked. Marian might be upset if she sees me with you, and I do not want any miscommunications. Alexander was able to sense her tension and her love for her friend, and he made sure to let her know that she needed to listen to him because he was aware of how he had wounded her. Indeed, Alexander had his own explanations for his inconsistent communication with her, and he hoped Kalyn would accept and forgive him. At ease, Kalyn asked him to continue his explanation after all these years. She needed to know because she was deeply depressed and frequently blamed herself for losing him while she was healing.
19
Alexander was involved in a car accident a few years ago after becoming an opthalmologist, and it took him a year to recover completely. He had a difficult time recovering. He also lost his grandfather two months into recovery and that
was very frustrating and depressing. He was so damaged by this experience that he needed to spend an additional four months in therapy. He even struggled with his mental health. At the time, he was not frequently checking in on Kalyn. He would occasionally check in on her but never engage in meaningful conversation. This cycle continues for two years, and he is unable to contact Kalyn. He was no longer seeing her social media posts, and it appeared she had changed her phone number. He was deeply affected by his grandfather's passing because they shared a close bond. He eventually distanced himself from his family and turned to solitude for comfort. He mastered the art of aloneness . The majority of his summer vacations during his high school years were spent with his grandfather in the most simple yet beautiful cottage he had ever laid eyes on. His grandfather was so drawn to nature that he moved into the woods and built a cottage a short distance from the city, where he mainly got groceries. He had a garden where he grew some fruits and vegetables. He obviously could not get all of his supplies from the garden, so he went grocery shopping with Alexander once every two weeks during summer vacations to stock his fridge. In his younger years, he worked as a chef at a small restaurant. Even though he was not wealthy, he was always content with the little things he had, particularly the gift of life.
Alexander, as someone from humble beginnings, had to be resilient and work hard to achieve his goals. Thirty minutes into him explaining things to Kalyn, her eyes welled up and she almost cried. She had always suspected Alexander to be a mysterious and perplexing character, and he was now confirming her suspicions. How could one keep such information hidden for so long and refuse to share it with others? Alexander received a full scholarship, which enabled him to pay for his tuition. This man was extremely smart in everything he did. He also had wealthy uncles on his father's side who encouraged and assisted him in choosing a wise career and connecting him with renowned and successful doctors. He felt fortunate to have such uncles in his life. Without it, he would not have made it. Alexander's father married into a new family when he was ten years old. This man, too, had to grow up without a father figure in his life other than his grandfather. His father was not fully invested in Alexander's life, so he harbored resentment toward him.
THE MATCH
1
Marian was beaming so proudly in her wedding attire. In one of the opulent hotels in Los Angeles, her sister stood beside her, ogling her reflection in the mirror. Whispering, "You are a lovely bride Sissy," Suzzy leaned in closer to her sister. Marian hugged her and felt an assuring peace envelope over her. Alexander, along with his groomsmen Ben and Silas, stood at the alter, waiting for his bride. He was quite eager for this day to finally arrive, and it was a lovely day for their wedding. As Marian walked through the church aisle, Alexander felt a surge of dopamine rushed within him , he had chills over. He was anticipating the arrival of his bride. When Alexander and Marian first started dating a year ago, all spinsters and bachelors were envious. Two attractive individuals in a relationship who, to top it off, all came from well-known families. Indeed, it was a match made in heaven. Doing everything for her, Alexander had persuaded himself that he was genuinely in love with her. Despite having many women who would kill for him, this man could not be defeated. Marian was the one woman who effortlessly broke through his tough exterior and won his heart. What drew him to her was her cold nature. Despite her icy exterior, Marian was a good person at heart. She exuded such confidence that everyone turned to watch her wherever she went or walked.
2
It is said that men did not like women or
discovered a fascination with needy women; they were drawn to those who exuded a cold tone and apathy. Such women are desirable for men to tame and elevate to positions of dominance. Isn't it a weird way to be attracted to a woman?
The bride finally appeared, and the ceremony proceeded. These two love birds were now officially husband and wife. The couple invited a few friends and close relatives because they did not want to have an ostentatious refreshment. In all, it was very glorious even though the guest list was quite unimpressive. The ambience of the setting for the refreshments was something to boast about.The families of the bride and groom were overjoyed with their offspring and continued to extend their congratulations, well wishes, and every other blessing one could hope for a newlywed couple.Alexander and Marian got everything done quickly the following morning and headed out to catch their flight.Greece was the first destination that Alexander and Marian discussed during their wedding preparations when it came to their dream honeymoon destination. While it was just a dream in Marian's mind at the time, it is now a dream that is on the verge of realization. Greece is a rich cultural nation in South Eastern Europe that was home to one of the world's first civilizations. No wonder Marian wanted to visit.She cherished the opportunity to travel, socialize, and exchange ideas with like-minded individuals. She vanished from your presence if she felt no kind of positive connection with you. She was very passionate about this side of her. What do you expect from a reader? When she was a little girl, she inculcated the habit of reading books. She was there to read anything that caught her attention, be it a magazine, newspaper, autobiography, memoir, or novel. Since then, it became part of her. The one place they chose to have their honeymoon in Greece was Satorini.
3
Santorini is the epitome of a romantic Greek destination, and the couple was currently facing stress from their engagements the day before and from spending 14 hours and 30 minutes on the plane. They were extremely worn out from their arduous and stressful peregrination. They took a little nap after settling into their VIP hotel room. Right now, they needed to unwind, so that is exactly what they did. This couple's honeymoon proved to be a success as they made the most of every part of Greece, from visiting prehistoric Thera to sandy beaches, and indulging in nearly every Greek delicacy. It was magical. They traveled to Los Angeles with their bag and belongings after spending two weeks in Greece and experiencing many exciting things both inside and outside. So far, married life has been an exciting ride, but they still had their professional lives to consider. Alexander was a licensed ophthalmologist who had a strong commitment to his profession. He was deeply concerned for his patients' welfare. In contrast, Marian worked as a fashion model. She participated in fashion shows for major labels like Cartier, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, and others. She embodied style. She maintained a low profile in the fashion industry despite her widespread popularity. She disliked receiving uninvited attention from her fans. She kept herself focused on her work and handled family issues in a calm and collected manner. She also deeply believed in the importance of educating girls, and she was a philanthropist in this regard. If she made her philanthropic status known, nobody would take her word for it. Most people called her a haughty narcissist because of her exterior coldness when it came to business and her refusal to let many people into her life, but in reality, she was the complete opposite.
4
When Alexander was pursuing her, she was very indifferent towards him. But what changed? He never backed down from his pursuit. He would buy her coffee, deliver flowers to her modeling agency, and transcribe calming phrases onto sticky notes to affix to books he gave her. Until they met at her cousin's birthday celebration one day and introductions were made, these were all anonymous. He told her the truth about the gifts from strangers and expressed his regret when they grew a bit closer. He also made her aware of his true intentions. Raised from modest beginnings, Alexander was quite the gentleman. He loved his mother dearly and regarded all women as a queen deserving of respect and veneration. His charming demeanor followed suit wherever he went. In the medical community, he was a heartthrob, and practically all women were infatuated with him. including the hospital janitor, patients, nurses, and doctors who are female. He was not an obnoxious or conceited man. In order to make your day more manageable, Alexander will either smile back at you if you compliment him or, even better, compliment you first and say something kind to you. Marian had always been drawn to him due to his humble and calm nature. They were ideal for one another because they had completely different approaches to interpersonal relationships. Despite being incredibly good at hiding it, Marian had fallen deeply in love with Alexander. She wasn't going to be all over him because they had begun dating. This woman was lovey-dovey when she wanted to be, but she will not go overboard. She had boundaries.
CHAPTER 2
BONDING
5
Kalyn Brooks received a call from an unknown number while staying in her Cairo hotel room. She answered the call but couldn't identify whom she was speaking to. The voice she was hearing sounded familiar but she could not bring herself to recall.The person on the other end of the phone began reciting a poem from their middle school days. "Is that you, Marian?" inquired Kalyn.Marian answered, "Yeah, it is me, longtime friend." Kalyn could not contain her excitement when she recognized the voice behind the calming poem. These two girls had been friends since elementary school and continued into middle school. They practically grew up together and they were the best of friends until kalyn and her family relocated to London. They did not have phones when they were kids, so they used their parents' phones to communicate with one another. As they aged, their ability to communicate consistently deteriorated. Their bond wasn't as strong as before, it faded momentarily in pursuit of their dreams. This was an involuntary decision; it was never mutual. Their work required a lot of time and energy, and they had lost contact before they realized it. Kalyn brooks was one of the most influential journalist in the news world. She was based in London, but she was currently in Cairo for a summit.Her presence in Egypt was not a coincidence. She hosted one of the largest trade summits, and her absence will jeopardize the event. This trade summit mainly revolved around agriculture which gathered experts and leaders in the agriculture sector to share ideas and have a conversation on a very specific topic or issue. Her job had opened a lot of doors for her and she was proud of her achievements so far. It has not been an easy journey, but she made it.
6
Marian apologized for not telling Kalyn that she had been married for the previous two months. One's thoughts are scattered when preparing for a wedding, so Marian's failure to inform her of this was not her fault. It slipped her mind and she didn't even have Kalyn's number prior to her wedding. It was not until she met Kalyn's cousin at the grocery store two weeks ago that she was able to obtain it. During their coffee date, she seized the opportunity to get her phone number. Thank God she bumped into Wesley at the grocery store. When they were younger, Wesley had a crush on Marian, but he now refers to it as "little kids hormones." After giggling at the joke, they bid each other farewell.Marian's childhood memories surged back, and she was overjoyed to see Wesley after all these years.It was a pleasant memory to behold.After the summit, Kalyn actually intended to spend a few months in Los Angeles. Destiny was at work in their lives because although she had decided to go look for Marian when she arrived, Marian got in touch with her first. The summit was a three days event which Kalyn didn't take for granted. She got to know many prosperous, intelligent, and well-connected individuals who had ascended to the top of the corporate ladder and were involved in a wide range of international businesses. Her eyes captured the attention of everyone who encountered her. She was pulchritudinous, and she attracted more powerful people to herself due to her charisma.Despite having the most admired figure, her talent is what made her unique.Her light brown skin tone, long black curly hair, and delicate facial features made her an attractive woman to men. Kalyn never understood why the man she loved so much never acknowledged her, even though she knew she was the best when it came to her personal and professional conduct. She dismissed that idea and went to her hotel suite to recuperate and get ready for the farewell dinner that was planned to conclude the summit.
7
She was stunning in her crimson evening gown. The magnificent chandeliers cast a radiant glow on her, and everyone was delighted to have their lovely hostess enhancing the event. When it came to her job, Kalyn was an extrovert, but when she was engrossed in her work in her office, she was an introvert who loved to be by herself virtually all the time. Despite her friendly demeanor and willingness to smile, she would decline a coworker's request to go out to dinner. Such duality set her apart from all the workers in the journalism company. She gets coffee for the staff and genuinely smiles at everyone, so you can not call her rude. Neither can you call her aggressive toward her coworkers when she spends her entire office quietly taking care of herself. Her experience of heartbreak during her time at university four years prior had helped her become more self-aware. She wished to avoid encountering such a distressing circumstance in the future.It nearly affected her academic performance but her resilience to push through regardless made her a strong woman. Dinner turned out beautifully and went well. With big smiles on their faces, everyone in attendance headed back to their homes. It was evident that the summit had a significant impact and would live on in memory for years to come. Upon reaching her hotel room, Kalyn decided to go to sleep since she was cold and exhausted.
8
The morning sun was so radiant as it illuminated the corners of the curtains into her hotel room. Kalyn was an early bird who never used the alarm.She discovered that, hilariously, she always woke up before the alarm could beep, regardless of the time she set.She was sick to her stomach from eating so early in the morning, so brunch was her preference over breakfast. She switched to eating during brunch hours because feeling queasy was not a pleasant feeling.She slept for an additional hour since her flight was scheduled to depart at precisely 2:30 pm. She woke at exactly 10:30 am, packed her stuff, had brunch and headed to the airport.She needed to take care of some unfinished business, so she could not head straight to Los Angeles. When Kalyn arrived at the journalism agency the following Monday, many employees praised her for her excellent work in Cairo.Up until that time, Pinkvalley Journalism and Advertising Agency was among the best in London; however, the mother agency in Los Angeles was far superior, boasting extraordinary facilities, an impeccable reputation, and amazing benefits for employees. A promotion to this level of grace was everyone's dream. With just two years of experience, Kalyn has outperformed nearly every employee at Pinkvalley. She was not infamous or conceited. She simply complied with the agency's rules. Her two years there had not been easy, but she persevered through it by working hard and being determined. Even though she only worked as brilliant C.E.O. Jade Winston's personal assistant for two years, it was not in vain.Through their travels together, she learned a lot and saw several things in him, most notably his unwavering confidence and his adept use of time. She worked as an editor, a hostess, and an advertising planner at this point. She possessed outstanding proficiency in all three areas of skill. Jade Winston had emailed about her involvement in a
meeting with Jade Winston and the directors. That was the unfinished business she had to attend to and that made her a little bit anxious.Although Kalyn did not look good when she was anxious, it was understandable given that she was only human.
9
There were smiles on everyone's faces as Kalyn entered the conference room. When Jade Winston's eyes met Kalyn's, he smiled, something he never seemed to do.The meeting started after Kalyn took a seat in one of the executive chairs. After setting out the company files on the table, Lucy, the current personal assistant, brought bottles of water. Following a thorough discussion about work, Kalyn was particularly anxious about the meeting's finale. Jade winston gave a standing ovation and begun applauding her name. Everyone present joined in to support Jade. When Kalyn's promotion was finally announced, she was ecstatic and could not contain it. She received a promotion to the LA mother company. She expressed her gratitude by saying a few words while standing and accepting the applause. The directors gathered around her, congratulating her on her advancement. Following numerous expressions of goodwill, the meeting was adjourned. Her talent was being sought after by numerous journalism companies, including the mother company. Even though she had a lot of options, she decided on Los Angeles. To wish her luck on her new endeavors, her coworkers threw a small office celebration. Her day was made much happier by the staff's actions, which she had not anticipated.
She is free to head home and get ready for her trip to Los Angeles, thanks to Jade She expressed her gratitude to him, packed up her office supplies, and departed the premises.
In a patriarchal world, women's success has not always been guaranteed. It would be the desire of powerful men for you to have sex before you could advance in life.It took a man who understood and valued women to see past their exploitation and assist them in making informed decisions. She applied to several journalism companies after graduation, but was turned down by each one. Before she ran into Jade Winston at a bookstore, she had gone through a period in her life when she was humiliated and mistreated by numerous employers. When she struck the right note, he was no longer apathetic toward her because of her charisma. He was the definition of inquisitiveness. That was it; he handed her his business card. He proposed work to her, and they scheduled a meeting for the following three days at a coffee shop. Kalyn was the ideal candidate for the personal assistant role he was currently looking for. Gradually, doors opened for her as the company started to recognize her talent. She never regretted that decision.
Kalyn prepared everything and left for the airport on Wednesday. She had purchased a two-bedroom apartment in Los Angeleseles prior to the promotion. Employees who made significant contributions to the company were given apartments by the parent company as part of their benefits package. Such an offer was made to Kalyn, but she turned it down. She pursued her goal of being self-sufficient in obtaining housing, and she succeeded in doing so.When she finally made it to her apartment, she was exhausted.Rest has not been a priority for her in the last few days, so now was the right time for her to take a few days off before going back to work. Better yet, she needed to be active and healthy to avoid breaking down. She loved how her apartment was fully furnished in pastel and nude colors. She fell asleep, curled up on her fluffy white couch. It was almost six of the clock in the evening when she woke up. In an effort to avoid showing any symptoms of vertigo, she stretched her body, went to the restroom, and cleaned her face. Returning to the hallway, she carried her possessions into the bedroom.She entered her closet, hung some of her clothes, arranged her shoes, and folded her clothes into the designated spots. Laughing, she realized that her presence had brought life to her apartment.
10
Chapter 3
De ja vu
She got in touch with Marian on her second day in LA. Their conversation on the phone was very lively and they could feel the intense nostalgia. The next day was a Friday and she had plans to step out to the grocery store. For someone who loved to cook, groceries were essential. Although she did not particularly enjoy takeout, she ordered the healthier version of her usual meals because she was relaxing. For something she hardly ever did, she was a little let down by herself for placing an order two days in a row. It was not a routine. She needed to resume her habit of eating meals prepared at home.She smiled at the beautiful weather on Friday, especially the coopery blue clouds. She went to the grocery store wearing loose-fitting pants and a black tank top. The root vegetable, carrot, was Kalyn's favorite among the veggies. She smiled at the color, crunch, and sweetness of carrots. At this point, one could say Kalyn liked to smile and giggle whenever she had the opportunity, and she appreciated everything life had given her. Even something as small as a carrot could make her happy, indicating that she had mastered the art of self-love. She returned to her apartment after buying everything she needed at the grocery store. That evening, she cooked white rice and ate it with curry, followed by raspberry gelato for dessert. Her phone lit up, and she saw a message notification on her screen, alerting her to a new message. She unlocks her phone, and the message appears. Marian had sent a text message.
Text message:
Hello babes, I was wondering if you could join me, my husband, and his coworkers for his birthday dinner tomorrow evening.
She smiled at the message and replied, "Yes." Kalyn had not seen Marian's husband yet, and she was eager to meet him. She did not even know his name. She did not want to pry, so she let everything fall into place naturally rather than forcing it.Kalyn to herself: "Every birthday deserves a gift." She decided to get a birthday gift tomorrow after deciding on the perfect gift for Marian's husband. The following morning, a Saturday, she decided to buy a watch as a birthday present. She ordered a beautiful men's cartier watch as a gift, and she thought it was appropriate for the occasion. She also purchased an expensive wine and some cookies. She was not present at Mariam's wedding, so purchasing the expensive wine was a form of congratulations she was unable to express. She had her hair done into fluffy curls and wore very light makeup. She was not particularly fond of makeup. She wore a glittering peach sequin body-on-mini party dress with a matching bag and rose gold high heels. She looked in the mirror and was pleased with what she saw.
11
Marian had texted her the venue for the birthday dinner. She drove to her destination and stepped out of her car. It was a luxurious hotel complete with its own restaurant. When she presented the online birthday invitation card to one of the hotel concierges, he directed her to the table reservation. He scanned it and smiled at her. Her package was taken from her and placed in a wooden basket near their designated table. She went to the ladies room for her finishing touches, and when she returned, almost everyone had taken their seats. When her heels made small noises on the hotel's marble floor, everyone turned to look in her direction. Her face met Alexandre's, and she was instantly terrified, causing her to stop dead in her tracks. When Marian saw it was Kalyn, she moved to embrace her, hold her hands, and introduce her to everyone in attendance. She regained her composure and smiled, though she was still in shock. She was shown to the last available seat by the waiter. Alexandre remained standing until the birthday cake was presented to him. Everyone who was present sang a happy birthday song. One could tell he was genuinely loved by a lot of people. Kalyn realized that Alexandre was Marian's husband. She never imagined meeting him in such a dramatic setting, but she had to be the woman she was: mindful, thoughtful, and demure. She joined in the singing, and Alexandre cast glances at her, but she ignored them. Even though she was reminiscing about past events, it was a lovely birthday to celebrate. He cut the cake, and the waiters came and sliced it into small pieces, which were distributed to everyone. Champagne was toasted in celebration of long life and prosperity. Meals came next, followed by desserts.
12
The birthday dinner was a huge success, and coworkers, friends, and family placed their gifts in the gift basket. Marian told Kalyn to wait a while after everyone else had left. Kalyn wanted to leave right away, but she waited out of respect for their friendship and the fact that they had not seen each other in a long time. The de ja vu itself was unpleasant to witness. Marian clasped her husband's hands and called out Kalyn's name. "Kalyn, this is my husband Alexandre Davidson, an ophthalmologist," Marian explained. Kalyn extended her hands for a shake, and the moment their hands touched, Alexandre refused to let go. There was tension between them, and it felt like they were the only ones in the room despite Marian standing right there.Kalyn quickly but calmly released her hands from his and said, "I am so sorry, Mr. Davidson, it is my pleasure to meet you, and congratulations on your wedding; I was not able to witness such a wonderful union between Marian and you." She had to feign ignorance of not knowing who he was. She bid farewell to Marian and Alexandre and gave him the gift she had brought for him. She hurried to get into her car, drove around a park to a safe spot, and then started crying. She sobbed for a while, and her makeup had lost much of its beauty. Using face wipes, she removed her makeup before heading to her apartment. That was a hell of a night for Kalyn. For her, a birthday party ended up being an emotional breakdown.
13
Marian and Alexandre were the last people to leave the hotel grounds. He was still holding onto Kalyn's birthday package rather than placing it in the gift box. The waiter and waitresses assisted them in packing everything into their car, and they drove home. They refreshed themselves by taking a shower together. They made love in the room, which had been decorated with romantic bliss. When it was time to sleep, Marian inquired, "How do you see Kalyn?" Is she not the most attractive? Alexandre was not expecting such a question from his wife, so he pondered how he would respond to such a question without being biased, with complete honesty, and without raising suspicions.He responded, "Oh, your....friend Ka... K-a-_lyn, she is quite adorable, but she does not come close to you." Marian seemed pleased with his response. Women are complex creatures, and he knew what she wanted to hear when he gave her the best response possible. Marian is undeniably beautiful, but Kalyn embodied beauty, eccentricity, and elegance. Marian was aware of her friend's physical attractiveness, but she was more interested in hearing what her husband would say because she noticed how her husband stared at her friend when they shook hands. The weekend went by quickly, and the following week began on a Monday. Kalyn's rest days were finally over, and work began. By 8:30 a.m. on Monday, she was already in her office, responding to all of her emails and deleting detected spam.Individuals and corporations had scheduled advertisements with the company. She was in charge of accepting and declining because she was the advertising planner. When considering trends and changes in technological advancements and science, she knew which products would pique the audience's interest as well as which products would be most likely to be purchased. She had a secretary now which made her smile because it all came rushing back to her when she was Jade Winston's personal assistant. She recognized herself in her secretary. "Small beginnings compounded into greater results," she told herself.
14
The company provided lunch for employees, but it was not required that they eat from the company's free food service. She went downstairs to eat lunch by herself from the free food service. Most people felt incompetent when they looked at her from a distance. She was unaware that most of them were too timid to approach her. Evidently, she believed that they were attempting to be courteous and go about their business. They were being somewhat respectful by avoiding her, and it was also to be expected - hostility was a common occurrence in any establishment, and this was her first day on the job. She was in no way bothered by it. In her line of work, she worked with numerous modeling agencies, particularly when the advertisement featured clothing, skincare products, or makeover items. Planning, organizing, and coordinating her designs, color schemes, and advertisements was something she excelled at. She had an appointment in her office tomorrow with a client regarding an advertising project involving a new line of perfumes called "OASIS."
As work ended at 4:00 p.m., she departed her office at approximately 5:30 p.m. She was always determined to complete her day's work without jeopardizing her 8-hour sleep. Staying hydrated, being active by moving one's body, and getting enough sleep are all ways to avoid breaking down. She was not someone who got sick frequently, so she takes these habits very seriously. She arrived at her apartment, took a quick shower, and then went to the kitchen to cook herself dinner. While eating, she had a flashback to the weekend's birthday party and simply shook her head. She chuckled and whispered to herself, "the man who never loved me, married to my best friend, intriguing." She had moved on and was doing well in life, but she was still human. She was aware of her own emotional pain.
15
She went to bed at 9:00 p.m. and woke up at five a.m. the next day. She moved her body by working out and made herself breakfast. Even though she knew she preferred brunch, she ate a heavy breakfast to avoid eating lunch at the company's free food service. She arrived at work early, as usual, and continued from where she left off. Kalyn was expecting her client to arrive today for the client meeting. They needed to have a brief discussion about the product before proceeding with the planning team. She was clearly the driving force behind the planning, but she had subordinates who executed it. She never wanted to come across as arrogant, so she listened humbly to everyone's opinions and suggestions. Aside from the meeting this morning, she had received an invitation to an opera this weekend. Miss World was approaching, and they contacted her about the hostess role. Being a Miss World hostess was no joke. She expressed her gratitude to whoever had suggested her and was tou.ched by the honor bestowed upon her. Although Kalyn was a great hostess, there were other candidates, so being chosen as a hostess was an honor and a favor from above. When ten of the clock rolled around, the client was standing in front of her secretary's cubicle. Patricia, the secretary, led Mrs. Parker to Kalyn's workspace. She was well-prepared and eager to meet the client. She got up and greeted her as she entered her office. She asked Patricia to go get two cups of coffee with cream and two sugars when she called in.
Mrs. Parker was a woman in her mid-30s, and Kalyn was fascinated by her. Patricia returned in ten minutes with two cups of coffee and placed them on the table in front of them. The client provided Kalyn with all of the information she needed to begin working on the advertising project.
16
Mrs. Parker requested to leave after the discussion had concluded. Kalyn smiled because she reviewed everything she did with the client, Mrs. Parker, and thought her ideas were brilliant. She made sure everyone was settled in after lunch break to avoid nausea.Her timer went off after 15 minutes, so she called her secretary on the office phone.Patricia dashed in, clutching some files Kalyn had instructed her to bring earlier. She had forgotten before lunch, but she remembered it right after. Kalyn did not actually scold her, but rather said, "Partricia, please be attentive alright." She replied yes and placed the files on Kalyn's office table. Kalyn then told her to schedule a meeting in the conference room within the next 10 minutes and notify the planning team. She was pleased with Partricia and complimented her on her good work. The meeting began with everyone on the planning team taking their seats. Kalyn shared the information that the client had discussed with her earlier in the day. Now it was up to the planning team to have an in-depth discussion about the oasis perfume line.Since it was only a discussion, there was a lot of brainstorming, and everyone's ideas were accepted and thoroughly discussed.There were no design projections or presentations; instead, ideas were shared.At this point, everyone was listening, taking notes, and nodding in agreement. Kalyn enjoyed teamwork because she could listen to different points of view and recognize people's critical thinking abilities in all situations. She is sapiosexual, so if someone is thinking skills were exceptional, she simply admired them.
17
CHAPTER 4
PRANK
Alexander could not stop thinking about the woman he met at his birthday dinner in his prestigious office at Bonne Volonte' Hospital.
It had been 5 years since he told her the most hurtful things and broke her heart into a thousand pieces, and now he was married to her best friend. Kalyn was in her third year of university, while Alexander had already earned a bachelor's degree in opthalmology and four years of medical school. He met Kalyn during his fourth year of opthalmology residency. They were introduced by Kalyn's distant cousin, who lives in London. She was not interested in him at first, but when he pursued her, she fell even harder. There was a lot of miscommunication in their relationship, particularly on Alexander's end. Although he was undoubtedly gorgeous, he had trouble emotionally connecting in a romantic relationship.
He never had the guts to pop the question to Kalyn, so their relationship was a situationship. Despite Kalyn's knowledge of this, she never spoke to him.
Even though he was very fond of Kalyn, she could not figure him out. After completing his studies and becoming a board-certified ophthalmologist, Kalyn did not hear from him for a while. He would text her once in a blue moon and then disappear for an extended period of time. This cycle continued for two years before she decided to move on and stop waiting for him.
Robert, Kalyn's distant cousin, was in town for business and invited her to a brunch date. Ironically, Alexander had contacted Robert a few days prior and persuaded him to arrange a meeting with Kalyn because he wanted to see her. Kalyn had no idea she would be meeting not only her cousin, but also Alexander. Kalyn never wanted to see him again, and seeing him at his birthday dinner, as well as discovering he was married to her closest friend, broke her heart. She felt overwhelmed and creepy on his birthday, and she never wanted to go through it again.
18
The brunch was set to Friday around 11 of the clock in the morning. It was her day off so she got time to meet up. She wore a purple pinkish dress and left her hair down.This time, it was wavy and full of volume. The dress was a good fit for her body type, and she was ready to go with lip balm, lip gloss, mascara, and her favorite Ariana Grande Cloud perfume.
She drove to the location to meet with her cousin. After a 10-minute heartfelt conversation with Robert, he purposefully excused himself under the guise of having a business call and went outside to speak. After a few minutes of waiting for Robert, she ordered a chocolate milkshake and savored every taste of it while scrolling through her phone. Alexander entered and sat down in Robert's seat. Kalyn sensed a presence, but she did not realize it was not Robert until she looked up and saw Alexander sitting directly in front her. He smiled gracefully at her, and she blushed unconsciously. She wanted to leave the restaurant immediately because her heart was racing, but she decided it was not necessary and that she might start a commotion. She actually thought she was daydreaming until he touched her arms. She was suddenly unable to speak. Her words were muffled in her throat. She breathed in and out as their eyes met, and she calmly asked, "What is going on here, and what are you doing here?" Where is Robert?
Robert left the restaurant as soon as Alexander arrived. Robert knew Kalyn would never forgive him for this prank and would nag him for the rest of his life. Pulling his hand away from her arm, Alexander said, "Kalyn, please calm down." I realize it was an odd way to see you, and I should never have pulled this prank on you, but I was powerless to stop myself. "Why do you want to see me?" she asked. Marian might be upset if she sees me with you, and I do not want any miscommunications. Alexander was able to sense her tension and her love for her friend, and he made sure to let her know that she needed to listen to him because he was aware of how he had wounded her. Indeed, Alexander had his own explanations for his inconsistent communication with her, and he hoped Kalyn would accept and forgive him. At ease, Kalyn asked him to continue his explanation after all these years. She needed to know because she was deeply depressed and frequently blamed herself for losing him while she was healing.
19
Alexander was involved in a car accident a few years ago after becoming an opthalmologist, and it took him a year to recover completely. He had a difficult time recovering. He also lost his grandfather two months into recovery and that
was very frustrating and depressing. He was so damaged by this experience that he needed to spend an additional four months in therapy. He even struggled with his mental health. At the time, he was not frequently checking in on Kalyn. He would occasionally check in on her but never engage in meaningful conversation. This cycle continues for two years, and he is unable to contact Kalyn. He was no longer seeing her social media posts, and it appeared she had changed her phone number. He was deeply affected by his grandfather's passing because they shared a close bond. He eventually distanced himself from his family and turned to solitude for comfort. He mastered the art of aloneness . The majority of his summer vacations during his high school years were spent with his grandfather in the most simple yet beautiful cottage he had ever laid eyes on. His grandfather was so drawn to nature that he moved into the woods and built a cottage a short distance from the city, where he mainly got groceries. He had a garden where he grew some fruits and vegetables. He obviously could not get all of his supplies from the garden, so he went grocery shopping with Alexander once every two weeks during summer vacations to stock his fridge. In his younger years, he worked as a chef at a small restaurant. Even though he was not wealthy, he was always content with the little things he had, particularly the gift of life.
Alexander, as someone from humble beginnings, had to be resilient and work hard to achieve his goals. Thirty minutes into him explaining things to Kalyn, her eyes welled up and she almost cried. She had always suspected Alexander to be a mysterious and perplexing character, and he was now confirming her suspicions. How could one keep such information hidden for so long and refuse to share it with others? Alexander received a full scholarship, which enabled him to pay for his tuition. This man was extremely smart in everything he did. He also had wealthy uncles on his father's side who encouraged and assisted him in choosing a wise career and connecting him with renowned and successful doctors. He felt fortunate to have such uncles in his life. Without it, he would not have made it. Alexander's father married into a new family when he was ten years old. This man, too, had to grow up without a father figure in his life other than his grandfather. His father was not fully invested in Alexander's life, so he harbored resentment toward him.
Support Thea
