Trey POV
I observed Stephanie from the moment she entered Club Seven, her lively dance moves drawing the attention of the man who had sidled up behind her. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy; her dance should have been reserved for me, a thought that my inner self mockingly echoed. Stephanie exuded an irresistible allure that night.
Bracing myself, I made my way towards her, noting the guy attempting to encircle her waist. As our eyes locked, an undeniable magnetic pull drew me closer to her. Despite the realization that she had recently emerged from a painful breakup and needed time to heal, my desire for her to be mine intensified. I grappled with the uncertainty of how to convey my feelings.
Stephanie gracefully disentangled herself from the man, favoring me with a warm embrace as we danced, a silent understanding passing between us. Each step on the dance floor felt as if a weight had been lifted from me. She seized my hands and led me to the bar, swiftly ordering four shots and downing them in one swift motion.
"Don't take this personally, Trey," she began, her voice tinged with longing, "but I wish I could find a man like you, someone to love and build a future with. I can't fathom why I keep ending up with..." Her words trailed off, abruptly interrupted by Sasha, who leaned in to whisper something in her ear. Stephanie nodded, and Sasha departed with a man she had been conversing with at the bar.
"It looks like you'll be the one taking care of me tonight," Stephanie said, her eyes holding a captivating allure that left me breathless. Damn.
Ms. Campbell POV
Stephanie, my eldest, still hasn't reached out to me. I'm well aware she's spending time with her father's family. Kevin, her father, and I met one night at a karaoke bar with his friends. He was quite the spender back then. I had hoped that bringing his child into the world would make him take care of me, but that was never the case. No matter how hard I tried to prevent him from seeing her, it never seemed to make any difference. He'd buy what she needed instead of sending money, and I despised the fact that I thought she'd be my ticket to security. I even warned her relationship with Miller wouldn't work out. "Good for her ,hope she learned I am always right".
Stephanie's POV
I woke up with the sun blinding me, and my head pounding. It felt like I'd been hit with a sledgehammer. How many drinks did I have last night, I wondered as I squinted at the brightness? I glanced over at the nightstand and noticed Panadol, Andrews, and a glass of water. I also realized I was wearing a huge white shirt. How on earth did I end up in this? I tried to piece together the events from last night.
"Stephanie, I know you won't remember any of this," Trey had said.
"Yes, I will," I had replied.
"I've loved you since we were kids, and I'm the one for you. I just don't know how to make you see that," he had confessed.
Trey loves me? Why me? I thought, panic rising within me. Oh Lord, help me navigate this mess.
Three notifications arrived in quick succession, each one exacerbating the annoyance already brewing within me, thanks to my pounding hangover. I reluctantly shifted my attention from the discomfort in my head to my smartphone, where the source of my irritation revealed itself as a message from the bank . It was an email notification detailing a $98 charge on my credit card from Shein, followed by an $80 purchase from Temu.
With growing concern, I promptly reached out to my bank, while simultaneously scanning my immediate surroundings for my purse, which safely harbored the credit card I had intended to reserve solely for emergencies. Frustration mounting, I found myself muttering "What the fuck" I muttered under my breath as I grappled with the unfolding situation.
Just as I was about to uncover some clarity amidst this financial turmoil, another notification popped up, this time indicating a recent purchase at Starbucks. Exasperation washed over me as I couldn't help but think, "Why can't I catch a break?"
Shellyann POV
As I navigated the virtual aisles of the online store, a persistent thought echoed in my mind: "Miller is my meal ticket out of my current situation." With every click, I carefully selected the items that caught my eye, savoring the enjoyable experience of shopping from the comfort of my own space.
Once I had filled my digital cart to satisfaction, I decided to treat myself to a visit to Starbucks. With an air of self-assuredness, I slipped into a white spaghetti dress, complemented by my white Bridgette sandals. My dark brown hair was elegantly pulled back into a sleek ponytail, and I adorned my ears with loop earrings that added a touch of sophistication to my ensemble.
Before stepping out, I pampered my brown skin with the soothing embrace of cocoa butter lotion and enveloped myself in the delightful fragrance of Bath and Body Works' cherry blossom spray. As I gazed at my reflection, a surge of optimism coursed through me, and I couldn't help but think, "Life is going to be great."
Stephanie POV
After a lengthy and, frankly, exasperating conversation with a bank agent, we managed to halt the unauthorized transactions on my card, temporarily, as they initiated their investigation. Just before we sealed the deal on shutting down the card, a particularly audacious attempt to make a $10,000 payment at Fontana had surfaced. In my moment of desperation, I reached out to Trey, reluctantly, and requested his assistance, which he graciously provided.
In the car, the frustration that had been bubbling within me threatened to spill over. I couldn't shake the memory of Trey's revelation about his feelings for me, a disclosure he probably assumed I would forget, attributing it to my inebriation. However, I held my tongue on that matter as we pulled into Fontana mall. What I encountered there was beyond belief.
As I sat in the car, my sister emerged from the mall, Starbucks in hand, an act of defiance that left me seething. I couldn't fathom the audacity. Despite Trey's apparent desire to address the situation, I saw a woman approach my sister, clad in black leggings and a blue t-shirt, her hair cropped short. When she turned around, revealing her face, my heart sank; it was my mother.
A wave of anger, fueled by my mother's earlier text and my sister's apparent betrayal, surged within me. Without a second thought, I stepped out of the vehicle, instructing Trey to stay put, determined to confront them both.
Approaching my mother, her warm brown skin and imposing 5ft 7-inch stature contrasted with the coldness in her eyes. As I drew nearer, Shellyann nudged her, and their gazes locked onto me. "Good morning, Mother, and sister," I greeted with a heavy layer of disdain.
Her response was as expected, laced with indifference, "What do you want?"
I couldn't help but chuckle, the irony of the situation wasn't lost on me. "You see, I received a notification that my card was being used here. So, I contacted the bank and a friend who informed me that he had a picture of the person who picked up the Starbucks order. I was merely surprised to see you both here, so I thought I'd stop by before I dealt with the matter."
Shellyann's face contorted with guilt, but I continued, "They seemed quite keen on ordering things online and picking them up without realizing the consequences ."
My mother's face now blazed with anger, and I couldn't help but suppress a laugh. "Stephanie, how can you have access to all this money and not want to share it with us, especially considering the hard times we're facing?" She said audaciously.
"Mother, from as far back as I can remember, you've always favored Shelly and Steven. I don't know what I've done to deserve your hatred. You've subjected me to physical and emotional abuse, and I'm simply exhausted," I replied, my voice filled with the weight of years of neglect and mistreatment.
With that, I turned and walked into Starbucks, Trey friend was waiting with an envelope containing a picture of Shelly collecting her order, complete with a timestamp and signature.
Throughout my childhood, my mother's disdain for me had been palpable. As I approached Trey's Audi, my mother followed me into the parking lot. I had sensed her presence in my peripheral vision, but what happened next took me by surprise. Without warning, she attempted to push me, and I hadn't even registered her swinging her bag to strike my head when I felt Trey intervene, blocking her assault.
Author Note
I am trying to give you an update tomorrow as well but starting this week updates are on Saturdays. Remember to let me know your thoughts in the comment section. And by voting thank you.