More than friends
The room door busted open all of a sudden, revealing Jessica, whose eyes had instantly gone incredibly wide.
Shit!
From where both Daniella and Liam sat on the bed, they could comprehend the horrible look on Jessica's face and for the first time, Daniella was scared too look at her mother's face.
Lowering her head and grasping the bedclothes so tight that the veins on her knuckles became exposed- Damn it!
"What's going on here?" Jessica scowled, scuttling wholly into the room and reaching out her hands and cupped her daughter's face.
By this time, Liam had rose from the bed and stood at one side. He couldn't help but put up a hand to rub his forehead, shielding his eyes.
He felt more embarrassed now than having sex with his own daughter.
What now? Jessica would disclose their dirty affair to the world and then have him arrested?
"Why are you having breakfast in bed, Ella? Are you sick? Do you wanna go to the hospital?" Jessica asked a series of question in one breath, staring at Daniella's face nervously.
Huh?
Daniella glanced at her father out of the corner of her eyes. For real, they were both stunned.
So, Jessica hadn't caught them earlier. Whoa! Little by little, a thrilled smile emanated from Liam's lips, but he soon discarded it and then cleared his throat.
"It's nothing to worry about, Jessica. She just needs a lot of rest," he voiced out behind Jessica.
Jessica then shifted her gaze to her husband's breathtaking face and asked in a low voice, "Why does she need a lot of rest? Tell me, Liam. Is she sick?"
"C'mon now, Mom. I'm not sick. I just had a fun yet tiring exercise last night which got me exhausted,"
Daniella explained and immediately put her lower lip inside her mouth to stop herself from showing her smile.
However, Jessica didn't seem to understand the kind of exercise her daughter was talking about, as she just stared on for a long moment.
"Jessica?" Liam's voice brought her back to reality.
Smiling perkily, she sighed sharply while standing properly and went to hold her husband closely.
"I'm glad she's alright," "Let's go out, Liam," she pouted, resting a hand against Liam's cheek and then uses the other hand to remove some strands from his forehead.
Seeing her mother holding her father intimately, a squeezing pain shot through Daniella's chest as she frowned coldly at her father, who immediately got the message.
Chuckling awkwardly and moving away from Jessica's hold, Liam scratched his forehead, "We aren't leaving Daniella behind, right?" he asked in an expectant voice.
"Of course, Liam. Actually, the plan is that the whole family are going to the shopping mall today and will be leaving for California tomorrow," Jessica clarified excitedly.
"California?"
"California?" Liam and Daniella chorused.
Jessica looked over at her daughter and moved to her on the bed once again, "Yes, baby. It's been a long while since we've gone for vacay."
Daniella scoffed and shook her head in disbelief, "How can you be informing us just now without a prior notice, Mom? I'm sorry, I'm not interested," she said bluntly, her nose flaring.
To think that her mother would be spending two days or probably three with her and her father was really making her upset as she thought that what was her mother trying to do?
Trying to come between her and her father? Now that everything was beginning to move smoothly?
No! She would never go on this vacation with her mother, and the same applicable to her father as well.
"Ella, why not? I want us to have some nice time together as a family. I miss us, sweetheart," Jessica's voice quavered and she looked particularly pitiful.
She was doing this for her daughter. She barely had time to take care of her as a mother.
Liam, who had kept quiet for some time inhaled a strained breath before speaking up.
"Do you remember what happened the last time, Jessica?"
Jessica then raised her head toward her husband and glared at him. "I do remember it, Liam, but now is not the time to remind me. Are you not also interested?"
She sighed loudly and then put her hands up, "Fine. I promise not to attend to any business related calls while we are on the vacation," she assured, determination latched into her eyes.
"You said the same thing the last time, Mom, but in the end we had barely unpacked our luggage when you got an important call from China,"
Daniella shot at her mother.
Sincerely, she would have left the bed if she weren't utterly naked. She really didn't like to continue this conversation.
"I'm sorry, baby," Jessica apologized, moving closer and holding one of her hands. "Let's go on this vacation, please,"
-
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The moment Mandy drove out of her house, a honk resounded behind her, and she directly peered in the rearview mirror to see Michael coming out from his black SUV.
A small crease formed on her forehead as she quickly unfastened her seatbelt and got down, walking toward him.
"What are you doing here, Michael?" Her voice wasn't harsh, but Michael wouldn't say it was friendly either.
Michael rubbed the space between his eyebrows with his finger and smiled meekly, "I-I came to see you, Mandy,"
"I know I should have called, really, but I was so scared, and I wanted to see you,"
Mandy's face crumpled in an instant, "What are you scared of?" she asked.
Michael opened his mouth but failed to say a single word as he continued to scratch the back of his neck clumsily.
Mandy then recalled what had occurred the last time he called.
*The next time I see you calling or hanging around her, then I'm gonna body slam you. So, you better watch out,*
Remembering Daniella's hostile words to him, a small smile displayed on Mandy's lips, and she couldn't help but find the man standing in front of her attractive.
She gawked at him from bottom to up. He was clad in a pair of jeans and a maroon V-neck.
"Don't tell me you're afraid of my friend," she was still smiling.
Michael laughed out quietly, "I've once witnessed her wrath before, Mandy."
"Really?" Mandy was surprised. "When was that?"
"Some weeks ago. She dealt with Nathan really well on your behalf, and I've been extremely wary of her since then,"
As Michael spoke, the scene of that night repeated in his head like a flash.
"Daniella is a great friend, Mandy. I'm envious of you," his eyes glistened amusingly as he expressed.
Mandy beamed and nodded in agreement. "So, where are you off to?" Michael asked.
Mandy sighed softly and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Planned to go out with Ella before, but she is hanging out with her family right now. So, I intended to just chill out with myself. I'm bored,"
Hearing this, Michael allowed his lips to stretch into a breathtaking smile, brightening everything around Mandy. "I'm bored too. Can we go out together?" he grinned with his dazzling white teeth in her face. Mandy pursued her lips and watched his face carefully for a long moment, and in the end, she nodded her head. "I'll just drive my car back inside," she announced and headed toward her car at once. Michael was inexplicably excited that he took all the strength in him to hold himself back from jumping around. Half an hour later, the car rolled to a stop in right in front of a restaurant. Michael had come down first and veered around to open the passenger's door. Mandy was a bit surprised to realize that Michael had brought her to a restaurant, but she didn't say anything. "We can go somewhere else if you don't like it here," Michael pronounced as soon as he noted the disappointed expression on Mandy's face. However, before the words could come out of his mouth completely, his stomach growled widely, and he quickly covered it with his hands. "Don't tell me you skipped your breakfast," Mandy said with an arch of her well-trimmed eyebrows. "I never knew I would wait that long," Michael grumbled, looking downward as he was too embarrassed to meet her eyes. Mandy's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait, how long did you wait?" she asked while turning properly to face him. Michael had no words. "And what if I had not come out?" Mandy pressed on. "Then I'll come back tomorrow," Michael responded this time, lifting his head to meet her gaze. Mandy wasn't fazed by his words. She just averted his stare and rested her eyes on something else. "You're right with your thinking, Mandy. I want us to be more than just friends," Michael expressed, his tone soft with emotions as his eyes watched over her face tenderly. Slowly, he reached out his hand and took Mandy's tiny hand in his. Mandy then switched her gaze back to his cute face, heart racing. "I know my friend has hurt you in the past and for that, you wouldn't like to be with any guy for now," "But I want you, Mandy. I can't deny my feelings for you any longer and believe me; I won't make any promises to you but just grant me a chance to prove myself," Mandy remained silent and simply looked at him as he expressed his feelings. She did not know what kind of mood she was having at that moment but one thing she knew for sure was that, she has always felt like this toward this man since the first day she'd met him.