Chapter 57&58
“Are you sure Neo is not here?” Beatrix asked, a hint of skepticism in her voice, as she glanced around the room.
Phoenix shook her head in response. “No, he’s not here,” she confirmed.
“Okay, cool,” Beatrix said, visibly relieved.
“You want to see him?” Phoenix asked, a playful smile tugging at her lips.
“No, no,” Beatrix replied quickly, waving off the suggestion.
“Hmm,” Phoenix murmured, still smiling, enjoying the light-hearted banter with her sister.
“Dear lord, I’m famished,” Beatrix announced suddenly, shifting the conversation to a more pressing matter.
“There is food,” Phoenix reassured her, rising from her seat. Beatrix followed suit, and they both made their way to the kitchen.
“One day we will live in this kind of mansion,” Beatrix remarked wistfully, gazing around the opulent surroundings with a hint of longing.
Phoenix smiled at her sister’s dream, sharing the same aspiration herself.
Beatrix busied herself with dishing out the food, placing the plates on the countertop before settling onto a stool, ready to enjoy the meal.
“You ever told Fiona that I and Neo dated?” Beatrix asked, turning her attention to her sister as she settled at the kitchen counter.
“Uhm… I don’t think so,” Phoenix replied, dishing herself some food before joining Beatrix at the counter.
“Hmm,” Beatrix murmured, a flicker of disappointment crossing her features. She had hoped that her sister would have confided in Fiona about her past relationship with Neo.
“How is he doing?” Beatrix inquired, nodding towards Phoenix’s bump, her gaze lingering on the visible swell.
“Playful all the time,” Phoenix replied with a fond smile, her hand instinctively drifting to her stomach. She chuckled softly before taking a seat beside Beatrix.
“Does it hurt anytime he kicks?” Beatrix asked, her gaze still fixed on Phoenix’s bump.
“Yeah, it does… but it’s worth it though. It’s so fun seeing that he likes playing most of the time,” Phoenix answered, her smile widening as she gave her bump a light caress.
Beatrix couldn’t help but smile at her sister’s genuine joy. She remembered when their father had told her that Phoenix wasn’t initially happy about having a baby sister. Now, seeing Phoenix so content carrying a child was heartwarming.
“Does it hurt?” Beatrix asked suddenly, her tone serious as she met Phoenix’s gaze.
“What?” Phoenix frowned, caught off guard by the question.
“Like… you won’t be part of this child’s life at all,” Beatrix clarified, her concern evident in her eyes.
Phoenix felt a pang of sadness at Beatrix’s words. It was just a contract, but she had grown so attached to the child growing inside her.
Most of the time, she found herself wishing that he was truly hers. She knew that one day she would have to leave and never see the child again, a thought that weighed heavily on her heart.
“Uhm…kind of, but… it’s okay now,” Phoenix reassured her sister, offering a small smile in return.
“Sorry,” Beatrix murmured, her expression filled with genuine concern. Phoenix appreciated her sister’s understanding.
Suddenly, Phoenix realized that she hadn’t yet told Beatrix about her encounter with their mother.
“I saw Mom,” Phoenix revealed, catching Beatrix’s full attention.
“Wait! What?!” Beatrix exclaimed, clearly taken aback by the unexpected revelation.
“Yeah, twice. First at the party I followed Rome to, and then the second time was the day I caught you and Neo together,” Phoenix explained.
“She came to apologize to me,” Phoenix added, recalling the tense encounters vividly.
“Did you forgive her?” Beatrix asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.
“Nope,” Phoenix replied firmly, knowing that even if she did forgive their mother, Beatrix would never be able to forgive her. Beatrix had been closest to their mother, and her sudden departure had left a deep wound in Beatrix’s heart.
“Better,” Beatrix remarked with a nod, taking a sip from her juice.
“Hey, girls,” Romeo greeted as he entered the room, flashing a warm smile at both Beatrix and Phoenix.
Beatrix looked at him in shock. Why would Rome greet her and Phoenix like that? She had always known Rome to be so serious most of the time.
“Uhm… Did Rome hit his head?” Beatrix whispered to Phoenix, her confusion evident.
“That’s not Rome,” Phoenix whispered back, stifling a laugh.
Turning to Romeo, Phoenix introduced, “This is my sister, Beatrix. And Beatrix, this is Romeo, Rome’s twin.”
“I didn’t know,” Beatrix mouthed to Phoenix, her surprise evident.
“d@mn, Phoenix, you didn’t tell me you have a hot sister,” Romeo exclaimed with a grin, extending his hand to shake Beatrix’s.
“Well, she’s 18 and off-limits,” Phoenix teased, earning a laugh from both Beatrix and Romeo.
“Nice to meet you too, Romeo,” Beatrix replied, smiling warmly at him.
“Hi,” a voice suddenly interrupted their conversation, causing them all to turn around to see Neo standing at the doorstep of the kitchen.
Beatrix’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of him.
“What’s up, man?” Romeo greeted, shaking Neo’s hand as they exchanged greetings.
“Hi, Phoenix,” Neo said, his gaze shifting to Phoenix.
“Hey,” Phoenix replied with a smile, her demeanor warm and friendly. Neo’s gaze then turned to Beatrix.
“Hi,” he said, breaking the silence between them.
“Hey,” Beatrix replied, feeling a wave of awkwardness wash over her. She wasn’t sure how to act around Neo after their recent encounter.
“Uhmm… Where’s Rome?” Phoenix inquired, trying to divert the conversation away from the tension.
“He followed Jess for an appointment,” Neo explained casually, his mention of Jess causing Phoenix to roll her eyes. Why was it always Jess? And why hadn’t Rome come to talk to her?
“Okay, great,” Phoenix said, forcing a fake smile as she tried to mask her disappointment.
The day came to an end, and Beatrix went home, leaving Phoenix alone in her room. Unable to sleep, Phoenix tossed and turned, her mind consumed by worries about Rome.
She couldn’t shake off the nagging feeling that he was still with Jess. By this time of night?
She slowly sat on the bed, her thoughts racing. Before she knew it, exhaustion took over, and she drifted off to sleep.
Phoenix was roused from her slumber by a gentle kiss on her forehead. Opening her eyes, she was startled to see Rome standing beside her bed, his expression surprised to find her awake.
He moved away from her, his gaze lingering on her.
Phoenix glanced at Rome briefly, her irritation evident. He was in her room, kissing her forehead, yet she remembered she was still angry with him.
Rolling her eyes, she turned away, facing the other side of the bed.
Rome looked at her, taken aback by her sudden change in demeanor. He called her name, but she remained silent, lying on the bed with her hand resting on her bump.
Was it because he had run off after they kissed?
Oh, $h|t.
“I’m sorry for running off like that,” he apologized, but still, she gave no response.
Oh, Lord. He really needed Neo right now. But it was 1 AM in the morning; that fool would probably be asleep by now.
He glanced at her before sitting on the bed. He knew wh@ťěver he did next, he was risking either getting slapped or something more.
“You don’t want to talk to me?” he asked, but still, she remained silent.
So he looked at her exposed neck and smiled before wetting his lips. Moving closer.
As Rome lay beside Phoenix on the bed, he sensed her withdrawal, her silence a palpable barrier between them. Determined to bridge the gap, he leaned in, his lips grazing softly against the delicate curve of her neck.
At first, Phoenix stiffened at the unexpected intimacy, her body tense with uncertainty. But Rome persisted, his kisses gentle yet insistent, a silent plea for her to let down her guard and open up to him.
With each tender caress, Rome felt the tension in Phoenix’s body begin to melt away, replaced by a hesitant surrender to the warmth of his touch. He could sense the weight of her unspoken words hanging heavy in the air, and yet, in this moment, words seemed unnecessary, for the language of touch spoke volumes.
As he continued to trace patterns along her neck, Rome felt a shift in Phoenix’s demeanor, a subtle relaxation that spoke of acceptance.
“You still don’t want to talk to me, huh?” Rome asked, his lips still lingering on her neck.
Phoenix’s breath hitched as she felt his lips against her skin, and she couldn’t suppress a soft Mõ@ɲ. Sensing her response, Rome’s hands moved to her sides, gently turning her to face him.
“Did I do anything wrong?” he inquired, his lips trailing kisses all over her face.
“Rome,” Phoenix protested, trying to stop him, though laughter bubbled up within her.
“Tell me, and I’ll stop,” Rome promised, his hands now resting on her waist.
“Stop, stop,” Phoenix managed between giggles as Rome continued to pepper her neck and face with kisses.
“Tell me,” Rome insisted, his voice laced with playful determination.
As Rome’s lips continued to dance across her skin, leaving a trail of tingling sensations in their wake, Phoenix found it increasingly difficult to focus on anything but the intoxicating touch of his affection. Despite her attempts to protest, laughter bubbled up from deep within her, mingling with the soft Mõ@ɲs escaping her lips.
“Rome,” she gasped, her voice a mixture of protest and pleasure as his kisses intensified, scattering her thoughts like leaves in the wind.
But Rome was undeterred, his playful determination evident in the way his lips continued to explore every inch of her face and neck, leaving her breathless and wanting more.
“Tell me,” he urged, his hands now resting firmly on her waist as he awaited her response.
With a reluctant sigh, Phoenix finally relented, unable to resist the magnetic pull of his affection any longer.
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper as she met his gaze with a mixture of amusement and adoration.
A triumphant grin spread across Rome’s face as he leaned in, capturing her lips in a tender kiss that spoke volumes of his love and devotion. And in that moment, as they melted into each other’s embrace, all doubts and worries faded away, leaving only the warmth of their shared connection to light the way forward.
TBC