Chapter 51&52
Her heels echoed as she walked down the empty road, the rhythmic sound punctuating the silence until she reached the sleek black car.
She rapped the signature knock on the window, and the car door smoothly swung open, allowing her to slide inside.
She glanced at the man seated in the back before shifting her gaze to the driver.
“Move,” the man in the back seat commanded, and the driver obediently started the engine, propelling the car forward into the night.
—
“What is your negotiation?” he inquired, his posture relaxed against the seat.
“The same as always: ki|| the child,” she replied coolly.
“And what about her?” he whispered, his voice barely audible.
“Any chance you get with her, ki|| her too,” she murmured, her tone devoid of emotion as she outlined her ruthless intentions.
🖤PHOENIX 🖤
What the hell was he doing? Kissing me? I was so bewildered by Rome’s sudden and unexpected actions.
Reacting on instinct, I pushed him away with all my strength, my hands inadvertently landing on his cheeks as I delivered a scorching slap. What was going on with Rome these days?
“Why the hell would he be kissing me?” I demanded, wiping my lips with the back of my hand in disgust.
“Um, I-I’m sorry. It was a mistake,” Rome stammered before hastily retreating from the room, leaving me standing there in disbelief.
I watched him go until he disappeared from view, still trying to make sense of what had just happened. Why would he kiss me out of the blue like that?
Romeo sauntered in, a grin plastered across his face as he observed the aftermath.
“d@mn, that was hot,” he remarked, his amusement evident in his tone.
“He definitely likes you,” Romeo added, his smirk widening as he teased me.
“It was just a mistake,” I retorted, feeling flustered and irritated by the whole situation.
“Rome don’t just kiss anybody. He kisses who he likes, and that moron hardly likes anybody,” Romeo remarked, his tone tinged with amusement.
“It was just a coincidence,” I insisted, trying to brush off the incident as mere happenstance.
Romeo chuckled at my response before sauntering off, leaving me to ponder the bizarre encounter on my own.
I knew I needed to talk to Camilla and Fiona about this. Something strange was definitely going on, and I needed to get to the bottom of it.
~~
“And she slapped me because I foolishly kissed her,” Rome admitted to Neo before taking a swig of his beer.
“Bro,” Neo responded, empathizing with Rome’s predicament as he took a sip from his own beer.
“We both messed up,” Rome acknowledged, shaking his head at their collective missteps.
“And the two sisters don’t even like us anymore,” Neo observed, a hint of regret in his voice.
“Phoenix never even liked me. Camilla really deceived me, though,” Rome lamented, recalling how Camilla had misled him into thinking that Phoenix had feelings for him, leading to their awkward encounter.
“I think you could still get that young girl,” Rome suggested optimistically.
“Seriously?” Neo asked, his eyes lighting up with newfound hope.
“How?” he inquired, eager for advice.
“Tell Phoenix to talk to her and stop being a Ďïčk most of the time,” Rome advised, offering a practical solution.
“Well, I know if you were in my shoes, you would have beaten that guy up,” Neo remarked, acknowledging Rome’s more aggressive tendencies.
“But she really slapped you?” Neo asked, unable to contain his amusement.
“It’s not funny,” Rome replied, touching his cheeks in remembrance of the sting.
“It really hurt, though, and I was darn embarrassed,” he confessed, his pride still wounded from the encounter.
“d@mn, I wish I was there to watch,” Neo chuckled, finding humor in Rome’s misfortune.
“I wonder how you are my best friend,” Rome teased, eliciting even more laughter from Neo.
~~~
“Girl, why would you do that?” Camilla questioned, her eyes fixed on Phoenix.
“I was stunned, shocked, and heavily pregnant,” Phoenix explained, her hand instinctively resting on her stomach.
“You don’t like him?” Camilla probed further.
“No…” Phoenix admitted before letting out a deep sigh.
“What’s not to like there?” Camilla pressed, her expression reflecting disbelief.
“Well, he is handsome, but… handsome guys get away with everything. He could play with anybody’s heart,” Phoenix reasoned, her hand drifting back to her baby bump. She was becoming increasingly preoccupied with her growing belly.
“You know he likes you, right?” Camilla interjected, prompting Phoenix to roll her eyes in response.
“The same Rome I know?” Phoenix questioned, still struggling to comprehend the idea.
“Of course, why would he kiss you?” Camilla countered.
Phoenix looked at her friend in shock, her mind swirling with uncertainty. How true was this revelation?
~~
Phoenix glanced at Beatrix before rolling her eyes.
“Come here, hug me,” Phoenix said, and Beatrix smiled, wrapping her arms around her sister.
“Wow, your belly is getting big,” Beatrix remarked with a grin as she hugged Phoenix, eliciting a smile from her.
“I’m still annoyed,” Phoenix retorted, gently pushing Beatrix’s hands away from her stomach.
They both settled on the couch, exchanging looks. The other day, Neo had visited Phoenix and confided in her about his issues with Beatrix.
Despite the difficulty in accepting that her younger sister and Neo were dating, Phoenix could empathize with his pain.
“Neo is actually a really nice guy,” Phoenix mumbled, glancing at Beatrix.
“Yeah, he is,” Beatrix agreed, then clicked her tongue thoughtfully.
“So… what’s bothering you?” Phoenix inquired, turning her attention to Beatrix.
Beatrix hesitated for a moment, her expression shifting before she finally spoke. “It’s just… Neo.”
Phoenix nodded, understanding the weight of the situation. “I know it’s not easy, Bea. But you have to do what’s best for you.”
Beatrix sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I just don’t know anymore. One moment, I think everything’s fine, and the next… it’s like I’m back to square one.”
Phoenix reached out, placing a reassuring hand on Beatrix’s shoulder. “You’re not alone in this, Bea. We’ll figure it out together.”
Beatrix managed a weak smile, grateful for her sister’s support. “Thanks, Phoe. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Phoenix returned the smile, squeezing Beatrix’s shoulder gently. “Anytime, sis. Anytime.”
~~
🖤 PHOENIX 🖤
A sigh of relief escaped me as I finally reached home. Stepping into the house, the first thing that greeted me was the sound of laughter emanating from the living room.
Romeo had a visitor, clearly not Rome.
Entering the living room, the first person I laid eyes on was Jess, followed by Rome.
They were chatting and laughing together.
What on earth?! Why were they together?? And laughing.
I stared at both of them, feeling a surge of heat rising within me.
What was going on?
Was it because I didn’t like her, or was
What?..
To be continued…