I felt something tracing my face lightly and it made me stirred up in my sleep. I slowly opened my eyes and immediately closed them as the brightness was too much for me. Someone quickly held my hand.

"Are you okay?" I immediately recognized whose voice it was. I again slowly opened my eyes and blinked a few times to accommodate my eyes to the bright lights around the room. I tried to sit up and Orson instantly wrapped his arms around my shoulder to help me, his familiar chocolate scented cologne engulfed me.

He made me leaned against the headboard and I coughed lightly while looking around. I was in a hospital. Orson offered me some water and I reluctantly took it then gulped down the water in one go as my throat was as dry as Sahara desert. I cleared my throat and looked up at him, finding those brown eyes already staring back at me. He looked like he had cried quite a lot, considering his red puffed eyes.

"How are you feeling right now? Are you still having problems with breathing? Do you want me to call the doctor?" He started rumbling out of concern while continuing to hold me tight unconsciously. I rolled my eyes at him and gestured for him to move away. He awkwardly had let go of me.

I stretched my arms then groaned as my headache was getting the best of me while replying to him sarcastically, "If feeling like someone hammering your head with a hammer is okay, then I am for sure feeling ecstatic."

I pressed my head tightly from the sides with my palms to ease the pain and he chuckled then looked at me with a grin, showing his adorable dimples on both sides of his cheeks. I sucked in a breath, it was the first time I was looking at him properly.

He had changed so much. His brown hair had become curlier and his body was more muscular now. He had grown a beard now and got a few tattoos around the neck. His those arm sleeve tattoos still looked intimidating and hot af.

"You and your sarcasm never fail to amaze me, L," he said in amusement and offered me some medicine. I rolled my eyes and gulped down the medicine with some water.

I looked up at him suspiciously while inquiring incredulously, "What do you want, Orson, and how did you find me?"

He looked into my eyes with an intense gaze while proclaiming with certainty lacing with every single word of his, "You, I want you, L."

He paused, "Shit!! It sounded more cringey than I thought it would be."

He suddenly started laughing and I sighed, closing my eyes for a moment. Then I was about to say something when Clavicus entered the room and offered a small smile.

"How are you feeling now, Lilith?" He asked worryingly and I smiled sarcastically at him.

"I must be glowing in sheer beauty right now and that's why everyone is having a hard time understanding that my head is about to blast in pain," I retorted and Clavicus just chuckled lightly.

"You don't know how much scared I got last night, in fact, everyone after seeing your panic attack. We had immediately rushed you to the hospital. Thankfully Orson gave you a few pumps of the inhaler. Don't scare me again like that or else the next thing you know, I am having a heart attack," he ruffled my hair playfully and I chuckled with an eye roll, looks like my panic attack had made him less of an ass.

"Oh stop being so dramatic Clavicus, we all know you are just afraid to lose an amazing architect like me," I snorted and he just shook his head with a smile. I glanced at Orson and, man, if looks could kill, I think Clavicus would have been 6ft under by now. Orson kept glaring at him as he sat beside me but quickly changed his expression when Clavicus had acknowledged him with a polite nod which Orson deliberately ignored, staring at his watch. Clavicus frowned in confusion but decided to shrug it off.

"The doctor has discharged you but you still need rest, so you get to have a day off today. Let's go home now" Clavicus exclaimed softly with a smile and I was about to say yes when someone decided to interrupt me with their shenanigans.

"Wait! You guys stay together?" Orson questioned with a bewildered expression plastered on his face and I shrugged.

"Well last month Lilith's landlord told her to leave the apartment on short notice, so I had offered her to stay in my penthouse till she finds another apartment," Clavicus replied to him, still looking confused at his sudden changed behaviour. Orson gazed at me with a stoic expression and I raised an eyebrow at him. He rolled his eyes at me and smiled satirically at Clavicus

"Such a generous boss you are or should I say lover?" Orson sneered at Clavicus before leaving the room and closing the door with a loud thud, leaving him and me in awkward silence.

Clavicus thought deeply about something for a few minutes then suddenly his head snapped at me while he exclaimed in shock, "Are you the 'L' who Orson used kept rambling about in our university days? He even said yesterday that you guys are high school friends and insisted on staying the night in here for you."

My breath hitched in my throat for a second as he figured it out but I decided to act cool and I cleared my throat.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Clavicus. We were just high school friends and that's it." I shrugged it off and Clavicus still looked unconvinced but just nodded his head. I sighed and tried to get up when Clavicus offered to help me.

"Here, let me help you." I glanced at his hand and then at him with a raised eyebrow while holding his hand for getting up.

"Aren't you being too nice and generous today, Mr. Mercer?" I inquired mockingly and he chuckled, pulling up and I started to wear my shoe. He placed my hand on his shoulder to help me balance myself.

"Well, I have let you stay in my penthouse. If that ain't generous and nice, then I don't know what else is," he smirked and I just rolled my eyes while chuckling and looked up to reply to him when I found him gazing at me intensely. I suddenly became aware of our closeness and gulped nervously. He slowly wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me in a tight hug. I reluctantly hugged him back and heard him sigh.

"I know I might be acting cool but Lilith, I really was fucking scared and worried for you last night. It was the first time I saw you so vulnerable and it broke my heart. I am just glad you are safe and healthy now," he whispered affectionately and I didn't know why but for the first I smiled at Clavicus warmly, rather than sarcastically and it seemed to surprise him too.

"Don't worry, it was just a panic attack. I am okay now, well, if we ignore the headache. But can we please go back to the jerk Clavicus? The nice one is boring!" I exclaimed with an eye roll and he laughed, nodding his head. I pulled away from him and grabbed my bag which was laying on the chair. Clavicus's phone started to ring and I suddenly remembered about checking my phone.

He gestured to me to wait a minute and went out of the room. I sighed and took out my phone. I was welcomed with almost 30 messages from Alva and Jerome. So I decided to give her a call. She immediately answered it.

"Where the fuck were you bitch?!" Alva shouted and I groaned, calling this screaming hyena while having a headache was probably my worst decision.

"I am a grown-up adult, so you don't need to be my guardian now. Just tell me what happened."

She sighed in exasperation and started to ramble out to me, "By now I am pretty sure he told you that we had hooked up and ever since then he has been trying to talk to me but I couldn't bring myself to face the awkwardness of the situation."

I rolled my eyes at her dramatic behaviour.

"Yeah right, two adults with hormones fucking each other is the most awkward situation ever." I scoffed and went to the bathroom to wash my face. I kept the phone on speaker and left it over the side of the sink then looked into the mirror. I looked like shit at the moment. My hair was messy and my face looked dehydrated. I sighed and turned on the tap then started to splash water on my face.

"Well, those adults happen to be best friends since university years. I know you're a straightforward and practical person but, kitty, not everyone is as confident as you," she groaned and I almost wanted to laugh at her statement, confidence? More like too dead from inside to give a fuck for this teenager's shit.

"Well, you didn't seem to be insecure or less confidence while changing your clothes in front of us and showing off your naked ass," I remarked and turned off the tap then dried my face with my napkin. I started to run fingers through my hair to fix it when I heard her sigh.

"Just come over to my house, he is coming to my house soon and I don't wanna face this situation alone. I need you here... please," she pleaded and had cut off the phone. By her tone, I knew she really needed me there and though I was least interested in their shenanigans, I still had to go.

I heard the door opened and I got out from the bathroom thinking it was Clavicus, only to be blessed with Orson's glorious presence.

"Anything you want, Mr. Sullivan?" I scowled at him and he sighed, keeping some stuff on the bed. He walked towards me and stand in front of me while I leaned against the wall with crossed arms, raising my eyebrows at him.

"I didn't leave that time. Last night your inhaler had finished up. So I went to buy it and don't worry, I brought the same one," he mumbled quietly, looking down at his shoes like it was the most interesting thing in the world. Honestly, he was looking adorable like a kiddo right now and I had to hold back a smile, he was still childish like before.

I hummed to him and went near the bed. I picked the inhaler Orson had bought for me and kept it in my bag. I turned around and smirked at him

"And did you murder Clavicus on your way here? Because he seemed to be gone forever now."

He rolled his eyes at me and ran his fingers through his hair frustratingly.

"As much as I was tempted to do that, I still am not fond of killing humans. Also, I met Clavicus on my way here and he said he has to go for some family emergency. So he told me to drive you home," he scoffed and I sighed, Clavicus will never learn to inform me anything. I walked towards the door while exclaiming to him.

"Well don't worry, I am going to my best friend's house. So I can get a cab. You don't need to drive me anywhere." I was about to leave the room when Orson called out, "L, let me drive you to there. You are still kinda weak. You can get a cab on your way back."

I was too tired to argue with him. So I simply just nodded my head and gestured to him to lead the way.

Orson and I were sitting in awkward silence while he drove his car. I mindlessly kept playing with the strings of my bag while looking out at the window. Today was a gloomy day. The sky was dark and the wind was blowing rapidly. It wasn't raining yet. I always loved the weather during the rainy season. Dark and gloomy with cold breeze and thunders, it was just too peaceful. On days like this, I just felt like sitting by the window and read a book while sipping through a heavenly cup of coffee.

I was pulled out of my trails of thought by the one and only Orson Sullivan once the light turned red, well that was nothing new? Was it? He cleared his throat and glanced at me.

"So is it Alva whose house you are going?" he inquired and I nodded my head with a sigh.

The light turned green and he started driving while I retorted, "I am not even surprised to see you still remembered her name. You always remember even the slightest details and stuff. Your head is a hoarder for information."

And it was true. He always used to remember every stupid dates and days. Whenever he used to meet someone new, he would remember in detail where they met, what they were wearing, what they were talking about, what was the day and date, even the time too. I used to find it hella creepy and adorable... ahem.

"I wish it wasn't such a hoarder for information and memories of people who never acknowledged me enough to say goodbye to me," he replied with a hint of sadness in his tone.

I sighed, knowing what and who he was referring to. I gestured him to stop the car and exclaimed coldly with a nonchalant expression, "I am gonna say it for once and all. Don't expect any kind of explanation from me nor act like anything is like before. Now you are just my client. I appreciate the help for yesterday but from now onwards, I would really like you to keep everything professional."

After saying that, I had left his car without waiting for his reply.

Even though I felt a pang of pain and a single tear rolling down my cheek, I knew I had to keep my indifferent facade on around him for the sake of my and his own sanity. I couldn't let history repeat itself again, I couldn't bear to hurt him again because he deserved none of it neither before nor now. Letting out a deep sigh, I made my way to Alva's apartment.

I knocked on her door and was immediately welcomed with Alva strangling the life out of me by her infamous hug.

"Bitch, let go of me or I will call 911," I shouted and she giggled sheepishly before pulling away. I looked at her from head to toe with a grimace.

"Did you die yesterday and reincarnate as shit? Cuz you smell and look like one," I remarked. Her hair was pulled up in a greasy bun, dark circles under her eyes, cheeks had tear stains, how dramatic and pathetic can someone be over just a HOOKUP?!

"Well sorry if I feel like shit for riding my best friend's dick," she grumbled and I rolled my eyes at her, getting inside her apartment. Her apartment was messy af like expected. The hallway was filled with her clothes and shoes here there. I walked into the living room, founding empty pizza boxes, beer bottles, and even vibrators scattered all around the room. Usually, her apartment was always like a garage can but this was now on Donald trump level trash.

I turned around and scowled at her while sneering at her in a Kourtney Kardashian tone, "Ms. Kim 2.o, there's people that are dying."

She scoffed and showed me her middle finger before leaving for the shower.

My head was still throbbing in pain and now my feet had joined to accompany my head in pain as I have been standing for the last 30 minutes. I didn't dare to sit on any chair or sofa, God only knows what type of stuff had been in contact with it. Just as Alva came out of the bathroom naked to be precise, her main door opened abruptly at the same time, revealing drum rolls please to welcome the one and only Jerome.

They both gasped loudly and stared at each other for a good one minute. I got bored seeing their staring competition and yawned loudly which seemed to bring them into the real world and out from their Lala land. Alva quickly ran to her room while Jerome looked completely flustered like a teen boy who saw boobs for the first time in his life.

"Will stop acting like you haven't literally spent 6 years of your life seeing her boobs?" I scoffed at him and he just sighed, rubbing his face against his palms. After some time Alva came out wearing clothes, looking like a shy ass bitch, when did I become friends with a bunch of hormonal teenagers?

"Alva umm... hi?" Jerome murmured awkwardly and I snorted, earning a glare from him, even Twilight was better than their shenanigans. I sighed exasperatedly and stood in between them like a referee.

"Listen, I don't have time for both of your teenagers shit. I have stuff to do which are way important than this. So let's cut the crap and get to the point. You both were drunk and horny. You guys are accidentally hot, so you both couldn't resist each other and just fucked on the spur of moment. So stop acting like a bunch of sensitive balls and face the situation like a fucking adult." I panted lightly after lecturing them and saw both of them looking down on their feet, what was up with people looking at their feet today?

"It wasn't only out of lust... I have been in love with Jerome since our university days," she smiled sadly and continued while I rolled my eyes, and I care, bitch, because?

"I have trying to impress him for so long. I deliberately used to change in front of him to make him attracted to my body but there was no lust in his eyes. That night when he grabbed my hips and asked me to kiss him in his drunken state, I just lost it and let it happen, even though I was still sober," she confessed while tears fell freely from her eyes and Jerome looked like he just had seen a ghost, would it be really inhumane of me if I laughed right now cuz damn... Jerome's expression was priceless right now.

"Cat caught your tongue, Jerome?" I smirked at him and he came out of his daze.

Then he looked at her with remorse, "I- I don't know what to say, Alva. I never saw you more than my best friend."

At this point, Alva had started to sob loudly and I felt kinda bad seeing her like that, so I made her sat down on the sofa and poured her a glass of water while Jerome continued with a sigh, "Remember I had gone to a wedding last month? Well, I had hooked up there with my ex from high school, and that night I got to know she is pregnant."

Alva choked on the water and spat out it out while I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing seeing her reaction. Jerome gasped slightly and reached out to help her but she jerked away from him while muttering in between her coughs "you continue."

Jerome sighed and ran his fingers through his hair while mumbling apologetically, "I freaked out and went to the bar to blow off some steam then I saw you and soon we drank too much. The next thing I know I was laying beside you and we both were naked."

Alva stood up, her coughs had been stopped. She glared at him while tears continued to fall from her eyes.

"You used me that night to get your mind off from the shit you had done! How could you?!" She snarled at him and I rolled my eyes at her, look who was talking about being used.

Jerome was about to say something when I had cut him off, "Alva, don't be such a hypocrite. You yourself admitted that you were half sober at that time but you just couldn't resist him and now you're accusing him of using you? For God's sake, get your own intention checked before doubting on others."

I snorted and she looked like she would have burst out of anger any time soon.

"BOTH OF YOU GET OUT OF MY APARTMENT THIS INSTANCE! I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY ONE OF YOUR FACES," she yelled at us and I hissed as it made my headache worse, God damn woman, how do even guys have sex with her without becoming deaf?

"Oh, I would love to, and contact us when your two-celled brain starts working again," I scoffed at her and dragged Jerome out. He looked at her regretfully one last time before walking along with me.

"Listen, I don't fucking give a fuck about whatever the shit happened there but I would just say that you don't need to feel guilty about anything nor does she. You both were vulnerable that time and shit happened. Stop making it an issue. By the congrats on being a daddy and from next time don't forget to use protection kiddo," I smirked at him and he rolled his eyes with a chuckle.

"Thanks for being here. I honestly didn't know what I had done without you there," he mumbled with a sigh. We both were standing side by side, leaning against a wall while I was calling an Uber.

"I wasn't here to support any of you. I just said what was right. Neither of you gets to play the saint here. Anyway, I should get going now. And you should go and face the whole baby situation head-on. That ex of yours right now is feeling more fucked up than you. So, don't you act like a fucking damsel in distress."

I sighed and he nodded while mumbling sincerely, "I will not let her suffer more than she already is. I lost her once 7 years ago but now I will fix my mistakes."

I rolled my eyes at his sappy speech and sneered at him. "Well guess what? I don't fucking care. Make a fucking hamburger out of that baby for all I care!"

He just chuckled and shook his head. I got inside the cab and saw him walking towards his car. I let out a sigh and leaned against my seat, looking out through the window. I knew I should have been more emotionally open for my best friends but honestly, I didn't feel anything for them. My sympathy and trust weren't something that could be earned so easily. They needed to understand that life was and always will be fucking unfair, I had to learn it the hard way. A shudder ran through my body as my mind had drifted to those nightmares. I took a long breath and kept looking out while the driver continued to drive

I got out of the car and paid the driver then. I went inside the elevator and soon I reached the penthouse. I noticed that the main door was opened and heard yellings. I curiously opened the door completely and the situation in front of me was the last thing I wanted to deal with right now.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Sooooooooo after almost two months, I have finally updated. This chapter word count is 4000😌😌 I hope you liked it and if you don't then like I always say, I don't give a fuck👼👼. I write this book for myself and just_confetti😂😂😂

Anyway love y'all 👼👼👼👼