Aaliyah's POV

"Agnes, don't forget the sandwiches. They're in the basket on the counter." I yelled packing the rest of the things into Jace's car. I'd finally told my daughter about my relationship and surprisingly she'd taken it well.

"Okay mom!" She yelled back from inside the house. Thank God the neighbors were at church else I'd get an earful about societal etiquette from Mrs. Chang.

We were late for church. I could practically see the look Cece would give me in my head. "Would you relax? You act like Cece's gonna have your head." Jace said.

I frowned at him. "That's because she is. She'll kill me for being late. You know how sentimental she is about these things."

"Yes, yes I know. Don't worry I'll defend you."

"Oh please! Who are you kidding here? One look from her is enough to make you shit your pants."

Before he could reply, Agnes came running down, basket in hand. "Slow down sweetie. You might hurt yourself." I scolded.

"Sorry mama."

"All right. Let's go." Have said after we were seated."

It took us ten minutes to drive to the Catholic Church. When we got there people were already milling out of the building and headed to the park for the Easter picnic.

"We missed the service mom. Nana Cece isn't going to be happy about this." My daughter pointed out.

"No time to sulk about it. Let's grab the food and head to park, okay muppet?" Jace said to Agnes. She nodded excitedly.

We grabbed the stuff and headed to the park. The sun was shining brightly. The bright green leaves and the cool wind gave a pleasant feeling. All over the park people sat talking, eating and laughing.

It was beautiful and serene. I spotted Cece and Millie under an orange tree. We headed over to them.
Ten minutes in and the whole thing was a disaster. Everyone was arguing. There was so much pent up frustration.

At a point I sent Agnes away, told her to go play with her friends. Everyone kept looking at us, pointing fingers, whispering.

"Okay..can we all just enjoy a decent meal together without fighting?" Damien said, raising his voice. That seemed to shut everyone up. We all resumed eating in silence until-

"It's a wonder you can still eat after what you did. If you had a soul, the guilt wouldn't let you eat." Millie said before sipping her juice as if she hadn't just added fuel to the otherwise tame fire.

"I didn't have a choice Mami. If you would just let me explain-"

"I don't want your fucking explanation you bastard! Just give me back what you took from me!" She screamed at him, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Mille, now is not the time. Solve whatever issues you have with Damien in private." Alec sad, his food now forgotten.

"I think it's funny how you can butt into others business but you can't utter a single word to me especially after I fucking saved your-"

"Now hold up. You don't get to bitch about getting ignored when you abandoned us for eight fucking years." I yelled cutting Jessa off. Jace put his arms around me trying to calm me down.

"For fuck's sake, Aaliyah let it go. If I could go back in time I wouldn't have done that. But newsflash I can't fucking do that.

So I'm here trying to make up for it. I do not need to deal with all this bullshit when you've made it a hundred times more difficult than it needs to be."

"Wow, you got some nerve talking to me like that. Need it remind you, you brought this on yourself. What did you think was going to happen when you came back, huh?

You thought we'd welcome your sorry ass back with open arms? Bitch this ain't a bible story. The prodigal son don't happen in real life."

I watched the anger on her face change to confusion and then hurt. She looked like a puppy that got kicked. I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt me to see her like that.

"!Dios mio, basta ! I just wanted to spend time with all of you.
{ Oh my God, enough!}

But no, you all want to act like jodiendo bebés. Well, estar mi initado."
{But no, you all want to act like fucking childish babies. We'll be my guest.}

Cece got up and started walking out of the park. In the heat of the argument we'd all forgotten about Cece. That sort of signaled the end of the picnic. In silence we packed up and eventually went out separate ways.

The ride back home was silent apart from Agnes's animated chatter as she narrated her day to Jace. After putting the things away, I headed to my room. Jace sat on the bed busily tapping away on his phone.

I needed a distraction from all that has happened. I needed him. I walked up to him and grabbed his phone. Sitting on his lap, I put the phone on the bedside table and stared at the man in front of me.

* MILD MATURE CONTENT *
When he didn't respond, I put my lips on his, reveling in the tingling sensations spreading all over my body. "Liya-"
I kissed my way down his throat, loving the way he whispered my name, like a prayer. My hands went to unbutton his shirt as his arms slid around my waist, resting on my derrière.

I ground myself into him and he squeezed me hard. "You want me baby girl?" He whispered, biting my earlobe.

"Yes...yes.."

*MATURE CONTENT OVER *

Jessa's POV
It's been over a week since the disastrous picnic. May had stared out nicely. I'd even developed a new routine: clean the house, work, patch Alec up, repeat. So simple yet fulfilling.

In case you're wondering..

Yes! I am being sarcastic!

The car ride back home from the picnics had been worse than the picnics itself. Alec and I argued our way from the car to the house. He threw things, I threw things, he yelled, I yelled.

He's come home injured twice this week. This time I don't ask questions. I patch him up and leave him alone. All day I drown myself in work using baking as my release.

A way for me to disappear from everything  going on around me. But even at work there's trouble. I work with the green haired girl in the kitchen, Jade. She calls me frog face.

No, it's not one of those cute nickname thingies. She hates my guts and I don't even know her. She picks on me and makes working so much harder. She keeps sabotaging me and I have no idea why.

Lucy doesn't suspect a thing. She clearly adores Jade. I wonder how anyone can love that cold heartless backstabbing bitch.

"Are you done with that batch?" Jade asked as she sashayed her way into the kitchen like she owned the place.

Speak of the devil.

"Not yet." I said through gritted teeth, squeezing the dough in my hand, wishing it was her neck.

"You've gotta work faster froggy . We don't tolerate tardiness here."

"I'm working as fast as I can as my name is Jessa."

"Maybe I'd you'd stop daydreaming all the time, you'd get your work done on time. Don't think I haven't been watching you frog face."

I turned to face her. She'd rested her body against the counter, a glass in her hand. "What's your problem? You've had it out for me ever since I got here. What's your deal?"

"My deal is you don't deserve the job. You're not qualified enough."

"Well last I checked Lucy is that boss so if she gave me the job then I'm sure I'm qualified."

"No, Lucy owes your grandmother. That's why she gave you the job." I retorted, the venom in my voice audible.

"My abuela? What does my abuela have to do with any of this?"

"Ask your mother." She said before strutting her way out. My abuela was dead. She'd been dead for years now so what did she have to do with me getting a job here?

The day ended without any more incidents with Jade. I tidied the kitchen up before leaving the bakery. I sat on a cold bench on the street as I waited for Thomas. The night sky was empty of stars. Not even the moon was out.

The drive home was chatty despite how exhausted I was. I filled Thomas in on what had happened today. Thomas was basically my girlfriend who shared a similar dislike for Jade.

"Bye Thomas. See you tomorrow."

"Goodnight Miss Jessa."

I walked up the stairs and headed inside the mansion. By now I was used to the haunting silence. I was tired. All I wanted was a hot bath and a good night's sleep. I was halfway up the stairs when a crash downstairs caught my attention.

I headed back down and winced at the sight before me. Remember when I said Alec has come home injured twice this week?

Make it three.

He had blood all over, his shirt was torn and he had an a deep cut on his lower torso. He could barely stand.

"Jessa, I need help." Every fiber of my being wanted me to go to hin, to patch him up as I had before, to take care of him, make sure he was going to be okay.
But enough was enough. No more!

"So go to a hospital." I said, crossing my arms as I rested my hip on the banister. He groaned as he limped towards me, leaving blood trails in his wake.

"I don't have the energy to deal with your fucking attitude. Now be a good girl and patch me up." He'd straggled himself to a couch by now.

I walked to him and seated myself in the couch in front of him. On the outside I tried to put up a facade, a cool collected front but on the inside, I was jelly.

"No."

"I'm not asking. I'm ordering. You owe me."

"Actually I don't."

"I let you live in my house."

"And I pay for that by cooking and cleaning."

"Where's your humanity?"

"It died two bullets ago."

"What do you want?"

"What I want is for you to tell me why you keep coming home like this."

"It's none of your business."

"Bullshit! It's my business if I'm the one taking care of you."

"Fine then I'll find someone else."

"Why can't you just tell me?"

"Why do you need to know?"

"Because I care."

He froze after I said that. I saw a flicker of emotion in his eyes but it was gone before I could determine what it was.

"You lost the right to care the day you walked out of my life."

"I'm sorry. I'm trying to make things right Alec. Why won't you let me?"

"You can't fix anything."

"Give me a chance at least."

"Why? Why are you back here? Why are you doing all this?" He yelled at me, his anger resurfacing.

"Because I love you." I yelled tears streaming down my face.

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I've been a bitch. I know🥲
Sorry for putting the book on hold. I don't even know what I was thinking. Imma get y'all as many chapters as I can before school just be patient.
Plus...🤗this is where all the drama starts so y'all should get ready.

Please vote, share and comment.

-Daisy