There was silence in the household of the Tucsons. There at the dining, a worried Mr. Tucson trudged around the table with gritted teeth. His hands were folded behind him as he walked with a face painted with worry. The rest of the family were seated on the dining table. Their eyes all seemed to be staring into blank space, except for Meeky who couldn't stop looking every now and then into his phone like he was expecting something.Suddenly, Mr. Tucson stopped walking and stared at his wife. "Has there been any news yet concerning the new heir to the Drogonuv empire?" He asked as seriously as he could.A hiss escaped Mrs. Tucson's lips. "What? You still have your mind on that? Why are you letting it bother you so much?" She casted a gaze on him as he put his hands on her chair. "What are you saying, hunny?" Mr. Tucson's eyes were widened. Bewildered at his wife's words. "Do you know what it would mean for us and our business if the new heir to the Drogonuv empire falls into a carele
Justin woke up with the sun in his eyes as rays from the fiery orange ball shot through the window. A wide glass window. It was especially worse that he was now living in a penthouse so he was at the topmost part of a building, overlooking the city. The sun was sure to be the brightest on that level.He felt uncomfortable as he combed his hair with his fingers. He could not exactly tell why he felt so; perhaps it was the sun blazing on his face, or the fact that his life had changed so rapidly it was hard to keep up. He could not decide which of them. The only thing he could tell was that he was uncomfortable. In his head, a little voice kept telling him that there was something he was forgetting, but remembering this thing in particular, proved harder than waking up.He pulled himself out of bed and walked across the room to his bathroom where he picked up a toothbrush and began brushing his teeth. Above his head, on the wall was a wall clock. His view made contact with it and he im
Lilly and Bruce were shopping that morning. They both had smiles on their faces, even with the present turn of events, although Lilly still had some doubts in her mind mostly concerning Justin as she kept seeing his face pop up in her mind's eye every time. She managed to mask it all up within a pretty face, holding hands with Bruce who elegantly and arrogantly walked through the boutique, showing her off like a trophy.Every now and then, her eyes would wander across the boutique. There was a sound that caught her attention and came across as similar to the voice of someone she knew. She searched the place to and fro with her eyes, almost ignoring Bruce words as he cracked jokes to make her laugh. Soon he noticed that there was something not quite right with his girlfriend."Am I being a bore to you, Lilly?" He asked immediately, drawing her attention back to himself."Huh? What do you mean by that?" She asked, looking up at him with her pretty face and eyes."You seem kind of dis
Justin really had himself caught in a sticky situation. He was used to the name calling by his former boss, Bruce, but seeing Lilly throw harsh words his way was another form of nightmare. One that he found that he could not simply wake up from.He stood there and listened to all of them insult him. One after the other. He wished to speak sometimes but even if he could say anything, he would merely just be talked over. It was his fault to have ever forgotten his premium card. "What are you thinking now, huh? Do you think that by mere standing there you would be able to wish yourself out of this situation? Huh? Answer me, you poser!" Bruce continued to chastise him. "Mr. Justin or whatever you may wish to call yourself, please pay up," the cashier coerced. "You are keeping a lot of customers waiting. Are you not tired of standing there? Please I barely have time for any of this, pay up, or the security guards will come over here and toss you out.""Can you freaking do what she asks y
Standing there, taking in insults from all directions; left, right, front and back, was really beginning to have its toll on Justin. He was not even given the chance to speak and defend his case. More pitifully, Lilly and her new husband were being more annoying than they had ever been."I am tired of all of this," his words tore out of his mouth. "Why on earth do you people not want to give me a chance to speak? I promise you that I am not a scam artist. I am also sure, telling you that I can get the money just right away if you let it be.”Bruce and Lilly once again burst into laughter once more. Both seemed like maniacs on the loose with the way they laughed mockingly at him."Oh why can't you just forget this charade, Justin? The jinx is up. We know what you are already. You don't need to hide it or run away from it. As long as we exist, you cannot deceive any unsuspecting person, you rat." Justin looked at Bruce squarely who had just finished speaking. "I have no words to spare
Once Bruce heard Justin's threats, he burst into another fit of laughter. His voice was heard by the staff. They all turned to look at him. Lilly joined as well."What on earth do you really think you are, Justin? Answer me. It seems you might really not be alright up there." Bruce slandered him, making Lilly laugh harder than she had been laughing.Justin turned to him again. "I have told you, Bruce. Get lost. You do not know me or know what I am capable of. Let me be. I don't have business with you. I have business with the cashier. You must not seek to make a joke out of everything every damn time.”"Bruce can say whatever he wants to say," Lilly cut in sharply. "As long as it stops you from deceiving more innocent people like the good people who work here. You do not have the right to tell him what and what not to say, you poser.""I have never seen a man as broke as you are, threaten to fire the staff," the Cashier started. "It just shows how much of an insane human being you ar
The security guards backed off for a moment, certainly surprised and wary of Justin's claims, being that he seemed so confident, without a shred of bluff in his tone and words, that he would certainly get them to lose their jobs. Such threats to a person who valued his job, were never to be taken lightly. The security guards were careful, hesitating to make any action in the long run. Avoiding to be rash in their dealings. It was obvious to the rest of the staff, as well as Lilly and Bruce, that the security guards were afraid of touching Justin."You cowards," the Cashier cried out, her hair on edge, and a face painted with anger. "What are you all waiting for?" Justin at this time had a smirk drawn over his face. His arms were folded, waiting for the security guards to come take him away if they weren't so afraid for their jobs."Okay, so be it." Bruce declared, shoving his hand into his pockets, and digging up a phone. "I am tired of being here and watching this poser make a foo
The security guards had no qualms this time around on tossing Justin out. As long as it had already been established that he had no ties to the manager of any sort. They were angry, pissed that he played them for fools, threatening by all he could, when he couldn't possibly do anything, that they would lose their jobs. Both men seized Justin by both arms. He did not struggle, although it showed on his face that he detested being carried around like they were doing to him."You oaf," one of the security guards cursed."You're lucky we were not instructed to beat you up," the other one snarled menacingly with a frown and a glare from the side of his eyes. "You're lucky that the manager is not a bad person. I would have given you the beating you deserve. After talking all that shit about getting us fired. You really deserve to get beaten, you piece of scum.”Justin was not concerned about their words and whatever they had to say. He glared only at the manager. "You will regret this," h
Justin sat on the worn out couch in the living room one night, his head in his hands. Bills were scattered across the coffee table, each one was a reminder of the dwindling finances in his marriage. The hum of the old ceiling fan filled the silence, but it did not do anything much to ease the tension in the room.Lilly walked in with a hesitant look on her face as she glanced at the stack of envelopes on the table. Moving closer to him, she gently opened her mouth to talk.“Any luck today?” She asked Justin softly as she placed a hand on his shoulder.Justin shook his head and sighed. “I went to three interviews, and they all said the same thing. They are all looking for someone with more experience.” His voice was tight and edged with frustration.“I am trying my best Lilly. I really am.”“I know you are baby,” she replied him as she sat down beside him. She hesitated for a moment before continuing, as if weighing her words carefully. “But Justin, maybe it is time we consider anothe
“You mean everything to me too babe,” she would always reply to him whenever she sees such with her eyes glistening with tears.This continued till weeks and months passes by and Justin finally landed a temporary position at a small logistics company. Though the pay was not that much, it gave him a new beacon of hope. He started the job and have it all he have, determined to prove his worth and climb the ladder. However, the long hours and demanding tasks often left him drained.On the other hand, Lilly's own frustrations had started to show. “I feel like we are just surviving,” she admitted one night after work. “I know we said we would get through this together, but sometimes I wonder if we are in over our heads.”Justin took her hand in his with a firm grip but also gentle touch.“We are not in over our heads babe. We are just at the starting line. Things will get better for us, we just have to keep pushing.”She sighed in frustration and resignation.But as time went in and on, t
The sun rose on the tiny apartment Justin and Lilly called their home. It was their first morning as husband and wife, and though the place was small, it felt like their own piece of heaven. Justin woke to the smell of coffee brewing from the kitchen and saw his newly wedded wife, Lilly, humming softly in the kitchen, her smile now brighter than the morning light.“Good morning, My darling wife,” Justin said as he wrapped his arms around her from behind in the kitchen.She laughed as she turned around to face him. “Good morning, my lovely husband. How does it feel to wake up as a married man?”“It feels perfect,” he said in response, with his voice warm with conviction. “No matter what happens, we will make this work.”Lilly nodded with her eyes sparkling with hope. “We will baby. Together.”He leaned in to kiss her softly, she also responded in equal measure as they both share a passionate morning kiss.The first few weeks of their marriage were filled optimism. They had little mone
Lilly turned to face him with her eyes full of curiosity. “What do you mean?”“I mean, we have always known that we wnated to be together, but now that we have graduated, I think it is time to take that next and necessary step,” he said as his heart pounded in his chest.“Lilly, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to build a future with you, no matter what it takes.”Lilly's eyes softened, her expression was that of warmth and love. “I have always known that for a long time, Justin. But hearing you say it….”Her voice trailed off as she reached for his hand, intertwining their fingers. “I want that too. I want to spend forever with you.”Justin smiled brightly as a wave of relief and happiness wash over him. He had spent so much of his life trying to fight for everything he had, but in this moment, everything felt right. They had built something beautiful together, a love, a partnership, and a future.“I am glad,” he said with sincerity in his voice. “Because I want t
The sound of applause echoed through the grand hall as Justin and Lilly stood side by side, caps and gowns in place, their hearts pounding with the weight of the moment. They had made it.After years of struggles, sacrifices, and relentless effort, they had finally reached the pinnacle of their academic journey. The Graduation Day.Justin's eyes met that of Lilly's in the crowded hall, her smile very bright against the sea of graduates. There was a quiet understanding between them , a shared sense of accomplishment that no words could truly capture.This was their moment, the culmination of everything they had fought for, everything they had built together in school. As the ceremony progressed, with speeches and ceremonial rituals, Justin could not help but reflect on the path that had brought him here.He thought about the days he had spent working multiple jobs, the nights he had spent studying while struggling to stay awake, and the moments when he had doubted whether it would all
They both sat in silence for a moment, both of them were lost in thought as they contemplate about the future they could create.They had always supported each other through everything, through the late nights studying, the financial struggles, the pressure from Lilly's family.But at the moment, as they both neared the end of their college journey, it felt like the foundation they had been building for the past few years was finally starting to take shape.“What do you see for us?” She finally asked quietly, her voice almost tentative.Justin looked at her, noticing the faint determination in her eyes. He could see that the she was becoming a woman, the woman she had always been, strong, capable, and dull of ambition. But he also saw the depth of love she had for him, the willingness to fight for those times and what they shared.“I can see us creating a life together,” he answered her slowly, thinking carefully about his words. “I see us working together, building something that is
The sun had barely risen as it casted a golden hue over the sprawling campus. Justin was sitting on the steps outside Lilly's apartment, his girlfriend, waiting for her to finish her morning routine. It was a rare moment of calm for him before the chaos of the day starts.His mind wandered back to the previous months, everything he and Lilly had gone through so far, everything they had overcome. It had not been easy but somehow, they both had managed to build something that felt solid, something that felt real and did not waver under the fears Lilly had.The door creaked open, and Lilly stepped outside, her hair ties backwards in a loose bun, a mug of coffee in her hand. She offered Justin a very tired smile, one that spoke volumes more than any words could.“Good morning,” Justin greeted her, his voice filled with affection as always.“Good morning to you too,” Lilly replied him as she sat down beside him, her body leaning against his in that comfortable way that had become second na
Justin's heart ached as he realized the depth of her internal struggle. He could see that it was not just about her family's disapproval, it was also about her fear of failing, her fear of choosing him and losing everything she had worked for.“Lilly, listen to me,” he said as he took her face in his hands. “I am not asking you to risk everything. I am asking you to take a chance on us. We have got dreams, we have got our ambition. We will figure it out, together. I promise you.”But even as he said those words, he knew it was not just her family that was a challenge. There were also the harsh realities of his financial struggles and hers as a student.Despite his part time job at the coffee shop and the small scholarships he had earned due to his academic brilliance since he got to college, money was always right. He saw the way Lilly pinched pennies too sometimes, the way she hesitated before spending on anything big or small atimes, like a coffee or a new textbook.The weight of th
The sound of raindrops tapping against the windows was the first thing Justin heard as he sat in the dimly lit living room of Lilly's small apartment. He had come to spend the evening with her after a long week of exams, but the atmosphere was not exactly the way he wanted it. There was evident tension in the air. Lilly had not been her usual self lately and it was easily noticeable. She seemed distant, her usual warmth had been replaced by an underlying sense of worry that she herself could not shake off.When she finally joined on the couch in the room, her expression was tired, her shoulders slumped in a way that spoke volumes. She had been quiet ever since she arrived, and Justin could feel the storm that seems to be brewing beneath the surface.He turned to her and asked gently. “Lilly,” he said as he took her hand in his softly. “Is anything the problem? What is going in?”She looked him, her eyes hoping to find some form of understanding in his face. She sighed before replyin