eth

when she was just about to savor the beautiful-luscious lips hanging atop her fac

ybe she was hearing things. On a whim, she decided t

e had been

own at her. She didn't know what to make of her mother's counte

e," Emily said, kissi

idn't feel comfortable with her mother's lips on her forehead, especially not when s

ughen between the crumpled bedspread. She had only sat up when she realized that she was wet in

ee you have a litt

han it was supposed to. But she wasn't about to start recounting that to her mother. She reckoned she coul

e that," Em

tedly. "Mom, I'm not a

ey. I just w

m. Aren't you

walked away from the bed

day off. I figured w

kled. "Is tha

he smiled. "Well, who cares? So l

bedspread, she dumped it into the laundry baske

said as she held the ot

ghter's request. She was up an

do next?"

urned to face her mother. "You're se

et me on i

here was a dead atmosphere between the moment Alethia said those words and the moment she waited for her mother to say somethi

didn't m

dear, it

sor

ed closer to Alethia a

ou all by yourself to take care of your father while he was at t

live with it now. I understand that. So, why don'

herself back from laughing.

e it," Alet

. There were so many chores left unattended to, so it meant a hectic day ahead for her and her mother.

s she walked across the li

ren't eatin

t the height of her voi

not that Ethan. She remembered she'd approved of her mother

inner to prepare for and a new face

*

She knew she had to meet him after all for her mother's sake, so there was nothing more to it. But there was s

ced on her face as she admitted that she looked pretty. She'd always known this, and well, she knew how to mak

felt a sudden wave of memory flushed from the inside. She looked ke

nd for some reason, she wouldn't mind having the experience with her mysterious man. But he remained a

eaction at the beach was just a dream. It had f

as her reality in

be going insane to be havin

h the living room, and Alethia could only hear it fain

e best part of preparing for such an event. Not that it meant much, but she wa

was supposed to be the other way around? The idea already gave him off as a leach. But there was nothing Alethia could do about it at the moment. She'd given the approval, and now she coul

e said, wishing th

le

ked up her purse and

ethia appeared from her room. Her slender figure fits wel

ok blindingly

ly as she headed down the stairs. Once she

y, honey." Emil

You look das

in." She turned around to f

would have his

be the one to have my jaws hangin

Alethia said and they

go, honey. We'r

ig

ned around to look fo

om

t on the couch as well. She was about to hea

y? Somethi

are in y

ha

make her mockery apparent. "

right!" She exhaled heavily. "I

d stay b

old Ethan we were coming. He m

gest we leav

agreement. "That

y out and Alet

senger seat of the car. The last time she remembered riding in that black

greed we're

She could still remember the feel of that day, save that i

a different

*

. The building was tall and grand, making Alethia wonder if she'd ever been there b

at made a whole wall and the beautiful lighting inside when

u comin

from the car and walked a

se be nice,"

bit away from her

, tha

we go

breathe deeply before entering the large space that was almost scanty. It was obvious that such a grand atmos

ed him. They were the same height, so Alethia couldn't see his face right away. But she could see that he

ere," Emily sa

d towards her,

han. Ethan, my daughter,

" he

raised her eyes and stared at the man who'd just made her insides crum

o be fucking