Debbie, Mimi's conniving step sister always had a way of making things difficult. She smiled sweetly, but there was something cruel underneath. This time, she had gone too far.
She had invited Simon and three other men to a meeting. I had no idea who they were at first, but when I arrived, I could tell something was wrong. The air was heavy with tension, and the men sat across from us, their faces full of anger.
I barely had time to take my seat before one of them spoke.
"You ruined my family," the man on the left said, his voice sharp and full of blame.
"You played with our lives," another man added, shaking his head.
"You act innocent now, but we know the truth," the third man spat bitterly.
I stiffened, gripping the edge of the table. My heart pounded. They thought I was Mimi. They thought I was the one who had done something terrible to them.
I took a deep breath, keeping my voice steady. "You're all blaming Mimi," I said, choosing my words carefully. "But weren't you the ones who let things happen? No one forced you to betray your families. You made your own choices."
The men exchanged uneasy glances. Their expressions flickered between anger and guilt.
Before they could respond, a new voice cut through the air.
"You think you can just talk your way out of this?"
A woman stood in the doorway. Her face twisted with fury, her hands clenched into fists. I could tell from the way she glared at me that she was one of the wives.
I barely had time to react before she lunged.
Her hand shot out, reaching for my hair, her nails sharp. I stumbled back, my heart pounding, but she was fast.
Before she could strike, Simon stepped between us.
"That's enough," he said firmly, his voice calm but strong.
The woman hesitated, her hands shaking with anger.
Simon's body was tense, protective. He didn't move away from me. "If you have a problem, take it up with your husbands," he told her. "Mimi isn't the only one responsible for their choices."
The woman let out a sharp breath but didn't argue. The room fell silent.
Simon turned to me. "Let's go," he said softly.
I nodded, and together, we left.
*******************
The next morning, Simon and I met with his family again.
As we walked through the hallways, Simon kept glancing at me. His eyes studied me closely, as if he were searching for something.
"You've changed," he murmured suddenly.
I froze. "What do you mean?"
"You don't act like Mimi anymore," he said, his voice thoughtful. "You remind me of someone else."
I forced a smile. "People change."
He didn't respond, but I could tell he was thinking.
That evening, I made a decision.
I went to see Mr. Larkin—Mimi's father. He sat in his office, looking up as I entered.
"What is it?" he asked.
I took a deep breath. "I want to talk about Simon."
He raised an eyebrow. "What about him?"
"He's a good man," I said firmly. "He shouldn't get involved with Kelvin. If you go through with this deal, it will only lead to trouble."
Mr. Larkin studied me for a long moment. Then, slowly, he nodded.
"I'll think about it," he said.
The next day, Kelvin got a call.
I wasn't there when it happened, but I could imagine his reaction when Mr. Larkin informed him that neither he nor Simon would be working with him.
Later that evening, Kelvin came to see me.
He stood in front of me, his jaw tight, his eyes filled with anger.
"I know you had something to do with this," he said, his voice low.
I kept my expression blank. "I don't know what you're talking about."
He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Listen to me, Mimi. If you don't help me fix this, I'll tell Simon everything. I'll tell him you've been stealing from his family."
My heart pounded, but I forced myself to stay calm. "Do whatever you want, Kelvin. I don't care."
He narrowed his eyes. "You'll regret this."
I watched as he stormed away, knowing this wasn't over.
A few days later, Simon met with Mimi's parents.
He stood in front of them, looking serious. "I'm ready to marry your daughter," he said.
The room was silent for a moment before Mr. Larkin nodded in approval.
But Debbie, of course, couldn't let things be.
"Are you sure about this?" she asked, her voice laced with doubt. "Mimi wasn't exactly a good person before. Have you forgotten that?"
Simon's expression remained calm. "People change," he said simply. "And I don't see the point in bringing up the past."
I stared at him, surprised. He was defending me—or at least, the person he thought was Mimi.
Then, unexpectedly, Simon began to speak about his own past.
"My real parents died a long time ago," he said, his voice quieter now. "I was just a child, and life wasn't easy. But there were people who believed in me, who helped me get to where I am today."
For the first time, I saw something deeper in his eyes. Pain. Strength. A past that had shaped him into the man he was now.
Something inside me softened.
Later that evening, as we walked outside, I couldn't stop thinking about his words.
Without warning, I turned to him, my heart racing.
And before I could second-guess myself, I leaned in and pressed my lips to Simon's.
He tensed for a moment, his body frozen in surprise, and then, slowly, he began to kiss me back.
His lips were soft and gentle, but they held a hunger, a longing that matched my own.
As we kissed, his hands rested on my waist, his fingers wrapping around me like a warm embrace.
He pulled me closer, our bodies swaying together like two dancers moving to the same rhythm. I felt his chest against mine, his heart beating in time with my own.
As we deepened the kiss, I felt my senses come alive. The world around us melted away, leaving only the two of us, lost in the moment. I felt the softness of his lips, the warmth of his breath, the gentle pressure of his hands on my skin.
When we finally pulled away, I looked into his eyes, searching for answers.
But all I found was the same confusion and longing that I felt inside me.