Chapter 66
Tucked away in the picturesque Northwood Ski Resort, a blanket of snow enveloped the world outside the window. Snapping a selfie, she unwittingly captured the other patrons. in the frame, with Curtis perfectly centered in the shot.
He was decked out in a crisp white ski suit, the casual sporty attire accentuating his towering and superior build. Strands of his hair lazily fell across his brow, giving off a
nonchalant vibe.
It looked like he was mid-conversation with someone beside him, a half-smoked cigarette pinned between his fingers, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
He seemed to be in a good mood.
Leanne drifted her eyes to Suzan’s caption beneath the photo.
‘First time hitting the slopes. So happy! Big thanks to my coach, the patient heir.
It was obvious that she was talking about Curtis.
Leanne gazed at Suzan’s beaming face in the photo, feeling a pang of loss.
Curtis hadn’t broken his promise but fulfilled it for someone else.
As was customary with dinner parties, alcohol was flowing freely. Inevitably, someone brought up Leanne’s recent divorce.
Her beauty was renowned throughout the hospital. With recognition came the spread of her personal saga.
“Dr. Castillo is so gorgeous and competent with such a great personality. Her ex must be blind to cheat on her. Was that mistress even close to angelic beauty?”
“Let me tell you, men are scoundrels. No matter how good they have it at home, they’re never satisfied. Remember our anesthesiology chief who ran off with a nurse? She’s not even as pretty as I am.”
“I heard he was stepping out too. His wife’s so elegant and her father’s a big shot at the district attorney’s office. They’re loaded.”
The female colleagues’ indignation grew with each word, leaving many male colleagues. visibly uncomfortable. Someone cleared their throat to change the subject.
“Dr. Castillo has nothing to worry about post-divorce, so let’s not fret over her.”
One of the male colleagues, already flushed from a few drinks, joked, his face the color of liverwurst, “Dr. Castillo, why not consider one of our own? How about me?”
He was immediately shot down by a blunt female colleague, “You? Dream on!”
Chapter 66
The table erupted into laughter at the quip, leaving the guy even more embarrassed, hist face flushing.
They were all colleagues and superiors from the same hospital. When the drinks were pushed her way, Leanne couldn’t just snub the gesture. By the end of the night, she was tipsy.
Politely declining a male colleague’s offer to drive her home, she hailed a cab instead.
Feeling slightly dizzy, she leaned back in the seat to rest. When the driver announced they had arrived, she stepped out, only to find herself not at Crystal Cove Villas, but at Northwood Mansion.
She must have been more inebriated than she thought and gave the wrong address.
Leanne was sentimental, which was why she had asked for this particular mansion when Curtis gave her a chance to make demands during their split. Its value was one thing, but more importantly, it held profound significance for her.
Unfortunately, Curtis was too stingy to agree.
Since she was already there, Leanne decided to climb the front steps and enter the house. Over the past two years, she’d visited this place alone numerous times, especially right after Curtis had left for Starlake.
Eventually, she managed to move on and stopped coming by.
Despite being uninhabited, the property manager would routinely check and clean the house. The underfloor heating was turned on every winter, so it was always ready for occupancy.
course, the hefty property management fees were justified. Curtis was right. Her salary ouldn’t cover them.
Without turning on the lights, Leanne settled onto the living room sofa.
The alcohol from dinner made her slightly tipsy, and her body lazily curled into the couch, the familiar surroundings stirring up memories.
During that initial half-year, Curtis had treated her incredibly well with a tenderness that was addictive like honey, so much so that she failed to notice the poison it concealed.
Suddenly, the lights flickered on, momentarily blinding Leanne. Instinctively, she raised an arm to shield her eyes.
When her vision adjusted, she sat up from the sofa.
She blinked at the sight of Curtis descending the stairs in a silken robe, unsure if she was hallucinating from the alcohol.
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His voice was a drawl, heavy with the remnants of sleep, “Creeping around in the dead of night, I thought we had a burglar on our hands!
“I wasn’t creeping,” Leanne retorted, her tone defensive. “You…”
She was about to ask what he was doing there when it suddenly hit her. They’d gone skiing today.
The ski resort was just a stone’s throw away. They must have decided to stay nearby after hitting the slopes.
So then… Did he bring Suzan here?
Leanne’s heart clenched tight, as if someone had yanked the oxygen from her lungs, leaving her gasping for air.
Was Curtis really that desperate? Couldn’t he at least wait until the divorce papers were signed? Was that too much to request?
Descending the staircase, Curtis caught her eye, and Leanne noticed a suspicious red
mark on his neck.
Despite the room’s cozy temperature, a chill cascaded down her spine, leaving a trail of
cold in its wake.
She clenched her fists, turned, and strode away.
Behind her, the sound of rummaging followed, then Curtis’ voice: “Where’s the first-aid
kit?”
Leanne’s voice was tight, strained, “Second drawer on your right.”
Curtis pulled open the drawer and retrieved the kit. Just as Leanne was about to step away, he asked, “Which one’s for allergies?”
Leanne didn’t want to deal with him, “Look it up yourself.”
Curtis snorted, “Dr. Castillo, such an angel in white. Your cat gives me allergies, and you shirk responsibility? Where are professional ethics you’ve got?”
Then, he casually threatened, “If you don’t want to take responsibility, that’s fine by me. But don’t blame me when I chuck those cats into the snow.”
Cats
its were subordinate to the master.
Leanne stood still for two seconds, then, teeth gritted, she turned back.
“Give me the kit.”
Curtis glanced at her before handing it over.
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The house had been uninhabited for a while. Many of the medicines were expired. Leanne found only one ointment that was still good.
“Apply once or twice daily. We’re out of loratadine, so make sure you take some when you get back,” she instructed.
Curtis didn’t take it, instead, he slumped onto the couch and yanked open his collar, “Help
me.”
Leanne didn’t move, “You can have the person upstairs help you.”
Curtis lifted a lazy eyelid, “Upstairs? Who? Is this place haunted or something?”
Suzan wasn’t here?
Leanne watched him for a moment, searching his face for lies. When she found none, she reluctantly approached to apply the ointment.
A large patch of an allergic rash marred the right side of Curtis’ neck. The earlier spot wasn’t a love bite, likely scratched by his own doing.
His seated position cast shadows, so Leanne had to bend down to see better, her forefinger spreading the ointment over the rash, massaging it in.
She was thorough, but Curtis suddenly made a noise of discomfort, dodging his head to the side, “Doing that on purpose?”
“Did I hurt you?” Leanne was unimpressed by his sensitivity, “I wasn’t pressing hard.”
“I mean, stop breathing on my neck.”
Leanne was speechless, “Even a barnacle needs to breathe.”
Curtis’ brown eyes fixed on her and he drawled, “You’re making me erect.”
Leanne’s face flared crimson in an instant, her cheeks burning, “That’s your problem, perv.” She straightened up, intending to walk away, but Curtis caught her wrist, a deft pull landing her on his lap.
“Let go!”
Trying to stand, Leanne found herself restrained by his broad, strong hands gripping her legs, not only holding her in place but pulling her closer.
His body’s response was unmistakably conveyed through the fabric to Leanne. His body was heated with the dick erect.
The familiar surroundings and the extremely intimate position quickly revived memories of times spent on that very couch.
Her blush deepened, spreading down her neck. The alcohol from earlier seemed to boil in
“Calling me
leaning siinse to the lips to sniff (ban
Chapter 68
He was way too close for comfort, invading her personal space as if he were about to steal a kiss. Leanne turned her head to avoid him, “None of your business!”
After a couple of drinks, there was a certain tipsy charm about her. Her brows knitted in annoyance, an adorable pout that Curtis couldn’t help but find endearing. He knew he was twisted for thinking so.
“You smell like alcohol. How much did you drink?”
Was it that obvious? Leanne fell for the bait, covering her mouth, “Just a few drinks.”
“Don’t believe you,” Curtis challenged, “Let’s have a little check, shall we?”
Leanne was about to ask how he intended to check. Was he going to draw blood for an alcohol test right there?
But before she could utter a word, Curtis had grasped her delicate chin, pulling her face back towards him. Before she knew it, his lips were on hers.
His cool kiss sent a shiver down her spine, her breath trembling.
Kissing was something Curtis had taught her.
Those past intense and inseparable kisses as well as memories seeped into her very bones.
Curtis seemed to hesitate, breaking away after a brief moment. His fingers caressed her chin while he studied her soft and rosy lips, lost in thought..
Leanne was too familiar with his scent, her muscle memory hadn’t been forgotten, even if her mind had.
Her head was spinning from the alcohol, not giving her a chance to think as she instinctively tilted her head up and kissed him back.
Curtis stiffened, his deep gaze falling on her face, inscrutable.
Leanne’s haziness passed in a flash, her clarity returning sharply. Almost immediately, she pushed Curtis away with force.
He stumbled back. As Leanne moved off his lap, she turned to leave.
“Leanne.” His voice followed her from behind, casual yet enigmatic as he leaned against the couch. “Why’d you kiss me?”
Leanne pursed her lips, “You kissed me first.”
“I barely touched you a second at most. But you gave me a french kiss for five seconds. You got a bargain.”
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Five seconds? Impossible!
Her mind was a mess, cursing alcohol for being such a treacherous thing, while his unpredictable hot-and-cold attitude kept her hanging.
Already frazzled, his accusation only fanned her irritation. He was the one who’d started
“So what now? What do you want?” she asked.
No reply came, just the sound of his footsteps closing in behind her.
Suddenly, Curtis wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into his embrace. Caught off guard, she found herself held tight.
“I want my kiss back.” With those words, he dipped his head down for another kiss.
His cool lips were assertive, brooking no argument or resistance.
Leanne, taken by surprise, found herself immobilized by his firm grasp around her waist, his ease in prying open her mouth, his tongue invading.
She tried to push against his chest to no avail. Her breath and air were seemingly stolen.
Curtis’ tongue conquered her mouth, skillfully entwining with hers, knowing just how to touch and tease.
He was a masterful kisser, familiar with all her sensitive spots, leaving Leanne powerless. She quickly melted into his embrace, her breathing growing ragged.
She felt like she was drowning in lukewarm waters with the alcohol heightening her senses, weakening her resolve until she was thoroughly intoxicated by his kiss. Her struggles faded to nothing.
Curtis hel
ope
hey collapsed onto the couch. Just as Leanne’s dazed eyes fluttered
of her.
d when her clothes had been undone.
traced patterns that made her gasp. As she instinctively tried to curl her legs. and grasped her knee..
was breathy, whispering against her ear, “Anne, my good girl, part your legs just a and let me in…”
e room, neglected for so long, was heating up by the second, both of them lost in at naze of desire.
And just then, the doorbell rang. Leanne barely coherent, murmured, “Someone’s at the door…”
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Curtis didn’t care a whit. His hand gave her a playful pinch, a subtle punishment for her distraction. “Mind your own business.”
The doorbell kept ringing. Then, Suzan’s voice from outside called, “Curtis, are you home? I brought some food back.”
It was like being snapped out of a vivid daydream.
Suzan’s voice was the whip that yanked Leanne back to reality.
The heat that had coursed through her veins vanished in an instant, leaving her feeling as
na
if she’d been thrown naked into a vast snowy wilderness, submerged in bone-chilling cold
and shame.
Curtis actually brought Suzan here.
Leanne sobered up in a flash, fully aware of her surroundings.
“What’s this supposed to mean?” Her tone was devoid of any confusion, icy enough to cut. “Curtis, can’t you ever keep it in your pants?”
His heat extinguished like ice water had been dumped over him. He withdrew his hand from inside her clothes, his handsome face growing colder as he sneered, “Is being touched by me really such an insult to you?”
Leanne turned mocking. “I’d rather not catch something.”
Her words struck a nerve. Curtis darkened his face as he stared at her with a mocking augh. “Leanne, have I spoiled you rotten, putting up with your attitude every day? Who
se would dare talk to me this way?”
“I’m hardly worthy of such attention from you to even be looking at me,” Leanne quipped.
She sat up, buttoning up her blouse that he had undone. Every movement was quiet and composed, yet somehow conveying the impression of being wronged.
A nameless anger rose in Curtis. He stood up from the couch with a grim face, walked
to the table, and pulled a cigarette from the pack.
over
The lighter clattered on the table as he took a drag, his back to Leanne, his voice irritated and cold, “Get out.”
“I’m going.”
Leanne straightened herself up without looking back at him and left.
Behind her, Curtis kicked the coffee table, sending it tumbling over.
Leanne opened the door to find Suzan standing there, clutching a takeout bag from a
Chapter 69
fancy restaurant, her face a picture of astonishment.
“Leanne? What are you doing here?”
She glanced past the open door at the overturned coffee table, Curtis’ mood visibly stormy.
Leanne had no intention of wasting words with her, but she paused at the question.
“Why am I here?” she echoed, her beautiful eyes looking at Suzan with a detached mockery, a flicker of Curtis’ disdain passing through her gaze.
Leanne said, “When you become Mrs. Richardson, then you might have the right to ask me that.”
Suzan’s face turned pale.
Leanne added, her voice cold, “For now, I am Mrs. Richardson and I haven’t asked why you’re here, which is more courtesy than you deserve.”
Her sharp words made Suzan struggle to maintain her composure, her smile strained. “Leanne, could there be some misunderstanding?”
Leanne gave a wry smile. “Misunderstanding is always your best shield, isn’t it?”
With that, she breezed past Suzan.
At the moment they passed each other, Suzan didn’t miss the lush and glistening color on Leanne’s lips. It was as if Leanne had just beer fiercely kissed.
Suzan tightened her grip on the bag as she watched Leanne walk away.
It was said that looks and grace were partly crafted by environment and largely by birth. Leanne was one of those naturally blessed. Blessed with a face that would make a
sculptor weep with
the Richardson
cool arroga
he good fortune to be adopted by a family as prestigious as
ht believe she’s some sort of heiress, exuding an air of
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Suzan bit her lower lip hard and took a few deep breaths to compose herself. Then, with a determined grip, she carried her bag through the front door.
The living room was in total disarray. She couldn’t fathom what had transpired to ignite Curtis’
to such an extent.
“What in the world happened here… Did you and Leanne have another blowout?” she asked, her voice laced with concern.
Curtis was in a foul mood, a dark aura practically emanating from him. He was far from polite in his response.
“What’s it to you?”
Even when angry, Curtis’ upbringing dictated he would cloak his ire with a smile, rarely allowing his temper to flare like this, especially not toward Suzan.
“You left the ski resort early, and Devin said you’d come here. There’s no food in the house. I was worried you hadn’t eaten anything for dinner.”
One by one, Suzan retrieved the takeout containers from her bag. “I brought your something from your favorite diner.”
The food was still warm, a fact Curtis couldn’t care less about as he didn’t spare it a glance.
“I’d have enjoyed a good ‘meal’ without you.”
Suzan briefly wandered to Leanne’s disheveled hair and the lingering redness in her eves as she had left. It took a few seconds before she grasped the implication behind his words.
Her lips pres
After a
a mi
fi
er
ether, nearly snapping the fork in her hand.
aged a strained smile. “Your relationship with Leanne is always Jr. She seemed quite upset when she left. Did you have another
of Leanne, Curtis soured his mood even further. The cigarette in his hand. ong. In a fit of irritation, he flicked it into the fireplace.
iled you with that temper?”
hadn’t expected to see Suzan at the hospital.
r finishing up with her afternoon patients, she was making her way down to the lobby en someone called out, “Leanne.”
Amy
had invited Leanne to check out the new trendy restaurant in town. They were
Chapter 70
chatting and laughing until Leanne turned to see Suzan, her greeting far from warm.
“What do you want?”
“I was here for a friend’s prenatal checkup and saw you. Just wanted to say
hi.”
Suzan approached her, “I owe you an apology. I didn’t mean anything by my comment the other day. I was just surprised you missed skiing.”
Leanne was cool and detached, “No need.”
It seemed trivial, hardly a matter requiring an apology.
But Suzan had more on her mind.
She said, “Leanne, I know you’ve noticed, and I don’t want to hide it any longer. I still have feelings for Curtis. Our breakup was impulsive I was young and stubborn, waiting for him to come around. At that time, my grandmother was seriously ill…”
She glanced at Leanne, “By the time I found out, you two were married.”
The implication seemed to suggest Leanne had taken advantage of a vulnerable moment. “I’ve regretted it every day for three years. I know I shouldn’t still love him. It’s unfair to you. But Leanne, if you two were happy, he wouldn’t have moved to Starlake so soon after your wedding, living apart from you, right? I don’t mean anything by this. What Curtis and I have is honest and open, and I deeply respect you. Rest assured, I won’t cross any lines before you’re divorced.”
Honest and open?
Leanne had to marvel at how Suzan’s words made her, the lawful wife, feel like the other
woman.
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“I do love Curtis and cherish what we have,” Suzan said firmly, “I’ll wait until you two are officially divorced before I start a proper relationship with him.”
Amy y was stunned by the sheer audacity of the moment, her eyes darting back and forth between the two like a spectator at a tennis match.
Holy, what the nerve of some mistresses! She even marched right up to Leanne to declare their undying love.
Leanne had zero patience for Suzan’s sappy tale of romance with Curtis.
“Well spoken,” Leanne nodded with the enthusiasm of a customer service rep reading from a script. “I’ll take care of the paperwork as soon as I can. Please be patient.”
Without another word, Leanne spun on her heel and strode away, with Amy scurrying after her.
“Is your hubby named Curtis? Not the Curtis I’m thinking of, right?”
Good grief, could her unassuming colleague be married into some kind of dynasty?
It was only then that Leanne remembered Amy was still at her side. If this conversation leaked, she could kiss her job at the hospital goodbye.
Thankfully, Amy was one to keep secrets.
“I’ll buy you a coffee if you keep this under wraps, okay?”
“Dr. Castillo,” Amy said with mock indignation, Do you think I can be bought with just a coffee? Throw in a couple packs of chocolates and we’ll talk.”
Leanne hadn’t expected Amy to be so easily persuaded, “Deal.”
They had reached the clinic’s entrance when someone called out from behind, “Anne!”
Leanne instinctively looked back.
A woman, her belly slightly swollen, had rushed up to Suzan’s side. “I’ve been looking for you, Anne.”
Frozen in place, Leanne asked Suzan, “She called you Anne?”
Suzan, momentarily distracted from her conversation, turned, “Yeah. Anne’s my nickname, short for Suzanne Wright. My granddad didn’t like it, so they changed it to Suzan, but my family still calls me Anne.”
Then, seemingly as an afterthought, Suzan added, “Your nickname’s Anne too, isn’t it? See, we have more in common than we thought.”
Leanne stood still unable to express the storm of emotions within her. For a long while
Chapter /1
her mind was like an empty cave, echoing only with deep anguish.
“Dr. Castillo?”
It took several calls from Amy to bring Leanne back to reality, “Let’s go.”
Leanne walked as if in a daze, almost bumping into the glass door before Amy’s quick reflexes saved her.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Once outside, Leanne said, “Amy, I’m not up for lunch.”
Her haunted demeanor made it clear she had lost her appetite for any trendy eateries. Amy quickly agreed, “We can always hit the restaurant another time. Are you sure you’re okay on I could drive you home.”
Town?
Leanne felt a tightness in her chest, an emptiness that seemed to be both suffocating and hollow. She waved her off and walked away aimlessly.
Amy watched her go, concern etched on her face.
The vibe at ElitePinnacle had been less than stellar since the holiday break, with a notably sour boss waiting for them.
Even the usually unflappable Caleb wasn’t spared a scolding. The reason, as secretary Flora overheard, was trivial at best.
When Caleb inquired if Mr. Richardson wanted a transaction completed immediately, the My response was a cold sneer, “Is Leanne rushing you? If not, don’t get overzealous.
the money in my account offend your delicate sensibilities? If you’re so eager to e funds around, why not transfer your entire savings to others for kicks, maybe do me good for society while you’re at it?”
Chapter 72
whistled in disbelief, “Catch heat for making a payment on time? Mr. Richardson is a tough cookie.”
Curtis’ sour mood carried over into the evening’s dinner party.
The big boss from Blue Beacon Collective, Albert, was throwing a grand dinner in his honor, laying it on thick with flattery, but Curtis was barely present.
He complained that the hotel’s custom French perfume was too fragrant, dredging up some unpleasant memories.
He griped that the lobster was giving him the stink eye as if holding a grudge?
Albert suspected Curtis was nitpicking on purpose, a tit-for-tat for that time Albert tried to use his connections to cozy up to some big shot.
“Mr. Richardson,” he said with a plastered-on smile, “Are you still holding a grudge about. our last little mishap? I admit I was shortsighted. But look at this partnership now. It’s smooth sailing and a win-win. Let’s let bygones be bygones, shall we?”
Curtis, legs crossed, leaned back in his chair with an air of nonchalance, lazily tapped the ash off his cigarette, “Me? Hold grudges? I wouldn’t dare.”
Albert was met with silence.
Sarcasm was thick in the air.
Someone at the table wanted to ease the atmosphere and asked curiously, “Why didn’t you bring your wife here today, Mr. Richardson?”
Taking a lazy puff from his cigarette, Curtis snorted, “She’s mad at me. I wouldn’t dare chat her u
Qui
the other person chuckled, “Never thought I’d see the day Mr. Curtis
in, “Being henpecked isn’t bad, you know. Haven’t you heard? The more a nis wife, the better his fortune. Listening to the wife leads to prosperity.”
just curled his lip, unresponsive.
hone rang just then.
tis answered with a languid, “What’s up? To what do I owe the pleasure?”
was Phillip on the line, concise as ever, “I’m at the bar and I’ve spotted Leanne. Where are you? Come pick her up.”
Curtis remained indifferent as he tapped his cigarette on the crystal ashtray’s edge.
Chapter /2
y are you
“She’s been to bars before, more worked up about it than I am?”
Phillip didn’t waste words and just gave Curtis the address with the authority, “Aken Bar. Get here now.”
After a pause, he added, “She doesn’t look right, sitting there crying all by herself.”
There was silence on the other end for a few seconds before the line went dead.
Phillip had been out with friends when he walked into the bar and saw Leanne, sitting alone, drowning her sorrows in drink.
Leanne was always a quiet one, even her way of drinking was subdued. Sitting there. silently, she clutched a bottle of beer, tilting her delicate, pale neck to drink.
“Isn’t that Curtis’ wife?” his friend remarked.
Phillip just grunted in acknowledgment.
His friend squinted at her for a moment before noting, “Why is she over there crying all alone? Looks pitiful. Did Curtis give her a hard time again?”
That was when Phillip noticed Leanne’s tears.
She was crying so quietly without making a sound, tears rolling down her cheeks as she tipped the bottle back.
A beautiful woman alone at a bar, drinking her pain away. It was bound to draw the attention of men.
A heartbroken woman was most vulnerable, an easy conquest, especially when she was alone without companions. Once she’s drunk enough, whisking her away would be easy.
Several
ma
yes were already sizing her up, some of them clearly itching to make a
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Leanne wasn’t much of a drinker. The only times she’d indulge were during inescapable office dinners or when she was out painting the town red with her best friend, Joy.
But today, her heart was a pressure cooker of pent-up emotions. It felt like nothing but the burn of alcohol could soothe the ache.
She had thought about calling Joy, but Joy was swamped, deep in the trenches of a project deadline, burning the candle at both ends until she’d crash at three or four in the morning.
Leanne had typed out a message, but then she second-guessed it, not wanting to burden. Joy with her troubles.
Leanne felt like a ghost of herself, so consumed by a heartache that threatened to drown her.
She had never known that Suzan, the other woman, had Anne as a nickname.
So those nights when Curtis held her close, whispering sweet nothings, had he been calling out for Leanne or Suzan?
Were those intimate moments just a façade, a means for him to express his feelings for Suzan while using her as a replacement?
When he kissed her, his eyes might have been on her, but was it Suzan’s name that danced in his mind?
The thought choked her, making it hard to breathe.
She had thought, at least once, Curtis had loved her, even if it was just for a fleeting
moment.
Being loved so passionately and then discarded so coldly left her unable to let
go
and
move on.
Leanne questioned herself over and over. Was it something about her that made him tire of her so quickly? Was she not good enough, not worthy of love?
She had struggled alone in a cold and loveless marriage for over two years before she could even begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. And now, she was told that the meager affection she had clung to was never meant for her.
Curtis had never loved her at all.
Her anguish, her plight, her desperate struggles were nothing but a cruel joke!
From the start to the finish, she had been nothing but an insignificant stand-in, even her name borrowed from another.
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She had never been loved.
And she knew, in this world, no one would love her.
The ones who did were long gone, perished in that dilapidated factory on a snowy winter’s night. She should have died alongside them.
Her parents had fought against fate to snatch her life back from the jaws of death.
So there would be no more love for her, for she was never meant to be part of this world.
She was supposed to die that day.
Upstairs in the VIP lounge, Phillip was interrupted by a whisper from a server.
Checking his watch with a frown, he excused himself from his friends and made his way downstairs.
The ground floor was a cacophony of noise, the blaring music pounding against everyone’s eardrums. Leanne was slumped over her arms at a table littered with empty
bottles.
A man from a nearby booth, egged on by his buddies, sauntered over, reaching out to pull her up, “Hey, gorgeous, you okay?”
Before his hand could brush Leanne’s shoulder, whit
was intercepted.
for Michw
The bar owner, dressed in a black shirt with a floral pattern and smiling genially, gripped the man’s hand with surprising strength.
“I’d advise you not to touch her.”
man, more of a coward than he let on, retorted with false bravado, “Just making sure
esn’t pass out here, man. Who are you, her keeper?”
ar owner maintained his smile but spoke with an icy tone, “She’s not mine but initely not yours to touch. I’d suggest you back off unless you fancy a trip to the emergency room. The lady’s actual man is about to show up. Trust me, if he doesn’t like. your face, even gifting him my bar won’t save you.”
With a curse, the man retreated.
The bar owner stood by, observing Leanne lying motionless, tears quietly streaming down. her face.
At that moment, Phillip approached, and the owner’s demeanor shifted to one of unexpected deference, “Mr. Richardson, here to unwind today?”
Phillip nodded curtly, not one for small talk, “I’m here for Anne.”
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The bar owner hesitated for a moment but didn’t object. After all, it was someone from the Richardson family. It didn’t matter who took her home.
Phillip grasped Leanne’s arm to help her stand, but it was awkward. After a moment of thought, he scooped her up in a fireman’s lift.
As they were leaving, Leanne slowly opened her eyes a bit.
Her
eyes were swollen and rimmed with red. She was heavily intoxicated, barely making out the man’s profile through her haze and mistaking him for Curtis.
With a face flushed from too much alcohol, she looked up at him and wept.
“I regret it so much… I should never have married you…”
Phillip was taken aback, “Anne, you’ve got it wrong again. I’m Phillip.”
Leanne didn’t hear him, her sorrow rekindled by the sight of “Curtis.”
“Just like the rest, you pick on me for being an orphan, with no one to stand up for me…
Arguing with a drunk person was pointless, so Phillip gave up on correcting her and listened as she vented her grief, wondering what Curtis had done to her.
Leanne cried so hard her vision blurred and kept asking the man holding her if he ever loved her.
“Why don’t you love me?”
As Phillip carried her out of the bar, he looked up to see a car parked at the curb when Curtis stood beside it in a black trench coat, silently watching them.
Phillip walked over with Leanne in his arms. Curtis, hands buried in his pockets, glanced blankly at Leanne cradled against Phillip.
She gazed up at Phillip, crying desperately, asking over and over why he didn’t love her.
Curtis just watched impassively, showing no intention of taking her from Phillip.
“What are you waiting for?” Phillip demanded.
Curtis gave a careless chuckle, “You know, you should see it through to the end and take her all the way home.”
Phillip deepened his frown, “Is this how you play the husband? What have you done to Anne to make her cry like this?”
“Me, hurt her?” Curtis retorted, “As if it’s my turn.”
His casual demeanor was at odds with the family’s reputation which Phillip had heard all
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about.
Phillip, five years Curtis’ senior and usually indulgent with his younger brother, scolded. him unusually sternly, “Curtis, our family doesn’t condone this kind of irresponsibility. I don’t care what you do in your private life, but as long as Anne is your wife, you’re expected to fulfill your duties.”
Hearing Curtis’ name, Leanne, utterly intoxicated, cried even harder, cursing in a slurred voice, “Curtis, you bastard!”
Curtis scoffed lightly, “Even drunk, she doesn’t forget to curse me.”
Finally, he took his hands out of his pockets and took Leanne from Phillip’s arms.
Trying to set her on her feet, Leanne slipped down like a slippery eel.
Curtis caught her with one arm, “Can’t even stand, huh? Where have your legs gone?”
The drunk Leanne couldn’t answer, limp as a boneless creature in his arms.
With no other choice, Curtis picked her up again.
Jake hurriedly opened the car door. As Curtis bent to place her inside, the unconscious Leanne, like a baby about to be laid down after being lulled to sleep, reflexively clung to
his neck.
Curtis tried to unclasp her hands, but she gripped tighter than iron shackles.
Caught in a bind, he was forced to maintain his bent posture, his right hand bracing against the seat. Looking at her senseless face, he was a mix of frustration and
amusement.
“Leanne, you’re really going to be the end of me.”
Curtis sat down on the seat with her in his lap.
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Leanne was usually prickly as a hedgehog, one touch and she’d stick you full of quills. But if you got a little alcohol in her, she’d turn into a lamb.
Her tolerance was pretty decent. She’d sit quietly, not causing any trouble, nothing like that whirlwind Joy.
But she was indeed a crybaby. Every few minutes, a new flood would start, soaking Curtis’ suit until dark stains marked where her sobs had fallen.
“Made of water, are you? Such a crybaby.”
No matter how irked Curtis was, her crying always disarmed him. I’d find myself handing over my handkerchief to wipe her face dry.
“Drinking alone like that, you could get snatched up and sold before you know it.”
Leanne would cry, then doze off. After a while, her tears would finally stop. She’d lean against Curtis, out like a light.
By the time Curtis pulled up to the Crystal Cove Villas, she was dead to the world, her cheeks flushed with sleep, though a little frown creased her brow, as if even in dreams she was troubled.
Her lips were parted just so, revealing the pearly white of her teeth.
Curtis found himself staring for a moment before reaching over to gently squeeze her lips together.
naware, she let Curtis continue his game without any protests. Curtis closed her mouth
opened it again. What a child’s play!
ake, seeing Curtis lost in antics, knew better than to interrupt. He quietly stepped out of the car, giving some privacy for Curtis and Leanne.
At Curtis’ touch, Leanne deepened her frown in her sleep. Her eyes fluttered. open to the sight of Curtis, pinching her cheeks, teasing, “Sleeping like a piglet.”
Back in those honeyed days, Curtis loved to toy with her as she slept, waking her up just to call her little piglet.
For a moment, it felt like those times were back, days Curtis hadn’t seen in far too long.
Half-asleep, Leanne couldn’t tell if she was caught in a dream or reality. She wrapped her arms around his neck, seeking comfort. Her voice was a tiny and choked whisper, “I’ve missed you so much…”
But Curtis’ smile faded slowly.
“Who are you missing?” he murmured.
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He didn’t hug her back but just sat there in silence, letting her cling to him, her sobs the only sound.
Curtis said nothing. After letting her cry it out for a bit, Curtis carried her inside, up bedroom, and laid her down on the bed.
Leanne was out again, her brow lightly furrowed, tears tracing down her face.
Curtis’ shirt was damp over his chest, soaked through with her tears.
to the
Standing by the bed, Curtis thought about lighting up a cigarette, but he put it back. The bedroom light was on. Leanne had been scared of the dark ever since she was a kid, so they always left a light on for her.
Curtis leaned against the dresser, watching her in the dim light, silent for a while.
When her crying finally quieted down, Curtis stood up straight, closed the door behind and left.
Leanne slept a deep and exhaustive sleep.
It was a long dream with people and places shifting around her, as if she were reliving her twenty-some years of lonely life all over again.
Looking back, she saw a sea of lights. Ahead, it was a misty haze.
All these years, she’d been alone.
No. Not entirely.
There were few in this world who loved her, but she had friends, so that number wasn’t
zero.
The next day, Leanne woke up late, nearly noon.
She’d new
so late, and because it was so late
she felt no rush.
y lost.
Indulging in laziness, and called Ruben to ask for the day off. Ruben surprised, “Your husband called in for you. Didn’t he tell you?”
ne was confused for a moment.
iben scolded her a bit more, told her to follow protocol next time, and reminded her that ot showing up without notice was bad form.
Leanne, knowing she was at fault, took the scolding quietly. She got out of bed, headed to the bathroom, and washed away the scents of the night before.