SONG: Sleep It Off- Niki and Gabi

I love it♡

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Before he could gulp down the contents of the glass, his phone began to ring.

He checked the caller ID and it read;

'Dad'.

Why had his father been calling at one am? And had he been prepared to talk to his father after receiving the shocking revelation about him?

He had been cheating on his mother.

He answered the call.

"Hello," Jayden answered, his voice slightly raspy from the alcohol.

"Jayden, h- how are you?" Mr. Benson stammered.

His dad never stammered.

Jayden replied, "Alive."

"You don't sound good," Mr. Benson noticed, "Are you okay? Did something happen?"

"Things happen all the time," the raspiness in his voice wasn't leaving anytime soon.

His father was silent for about ten seconds, before inquiring,

"How's Lara?"

"Great," his flat expression highly contradicting his remark.

Jayden added when his father was silent, "She holds you in very high esteem, you must be happy."

"Is everything alright? You don't sound good, son, are you drunk?"

"Nope," he tried to sound enthusiastic despite his voice's hoarseness, "Why did you call? It's one am. Lara and I are trying to have a good time," sarcasm dripped from his lips into his phone.

Mr. Benson cleared his throat and went straight to the point, "Have you received any message from any strange number?"

"Why?" Jayden questioned.

How had his father been aware of it?

"If you do receive any message from an unknown number, IGNORE IT. Someone's trying to ruin my family and my marriage with false accusations."

FALSE?

"Who?"

"I don't know yet, but I've got a pretty good lead. I'll sort everything out. Just, trust me and don't believe a word. Okay, son?"

Apparently, dad, I am not permitted to be mad at you for cheating on my mother because I've done worse in the book of sins.

Jayden decided to remain silent.

"Take care. When are you coming, though?" Mr. Benson asked.

"Lara will come today," he simply stated.

"Are you sure you're okay?" his father wanted to know, "Don't get sick. Your birthday is only a month away."

And Lara's is next week.

"I'll try not to. Goodbye."

"Good night, Jayden."

Jayden strongly gripped his phone after hanging up, tears of anger begging to be released from his heart. However, he shut his gates harder and after downing the contents of the glass, he threw it across the kitchen, the fragile item shattering into several pieces over the sink and floor.

He wearily rubbed his face and passed his fingers through his dark tresses, an instant memory of Lara twisting her fingers through them flashing through his mind.

He abandoned the wine, placing her needs before him once again as he had to be sober enough to drive her to her mother's house.

The next morning, Lara descended the wooden stairs of the lakehouse dressed in a blue spaghetti-strapped mini floral dress, a pair of black slippers with her hair pulled back in a neat ponytail and a black handbag at her side.

The minute she lifted her head from her feet, she spotted Jayden relaxed on a sofa with his right side facing her. He was in a white short-sleeved shirt which accentuated his toned chest and arms, with khaki pants and Adidas sneakers.

He had been waiting for her to get down.

His dark hair had oddly been combed back neatly, his enticing stubble running across the length of his sharp jaw as his muscled arm had been stretched on the arm of the sofa.

According to their initial plan, they were supposed to have stayed in bed together for the early part of the morning, have brunch at a place he had promised she would adore, then go to a boutique so she could pick whatever she would want. Then they would come back with groceries for a special dinner he would prepare, go for a long swim in the gorgeous lake in front of the house, have that dinner and go see a movie, before spending the rest of the night dreading the unfortunate reality that awaited them at home.

But by the turn of events of the previous night, their plans had suddenly become non-existent, as well as their happiness.

Mrs. Benson's hospitalization had momentarily blocked their plans for the day, but during their games, he had convinced himself that his father would have everything under control.

And then came the anonymous message, which led to the messy argument and the shocking split, completely ruining every plan they had.

Jayden turned his head towards her when he had felt her presence and for a bold minute, their gazes locked.

Lara could read the questions in Jayden's strong gaze;

This is what you really want? This is what you want for us?

Please, don't make this any harder for me, Jayden interpreted from her gaze.

He then rose to his feet, finally accepting the turn of events. Was he stupid for hoping that the morning would bear a reconciliatory conversation? Or he was just hopelessly in love with the girl who clearly wanted to be rid of his presence?

Lara turned away from him, the urge to jump on his perfectly sculpted body and bury her head in his neck with muffled apologies stabbing her directly in the gut. Her murderous pride was resilient and it caused her pain. It made her justify all her actions during the previous night. She hadn't meant to lash out at him or judge him for his past which they had discussed as a couple.

Had it been due to the fact that his dislike for cheats had stemmed from his previous relationship? Had it been because it only meant that his ex-girlfriend had such an impact on him? Or she could relate to her reasoning on another level unmentioned?

She was as confused as he probably was.

Jayden opened the door and stepped aside for her. Lara avoided his searing gaze with her left hand gripping her right arm as she marched towards the door. But before she was able to disappear into the arms of the less heated outdoors, Jayden unexpectedly held her wrist, invoking disturbing yearnings in the depths of her essence.

She shot him a look, to find him staring down at their only connection. The only link that transpired between them, and probably their last time sharing one.

He reluctantly let go of her wrist and refused to watch as she hurriedly got away from him, from the house they had completed their one-month withdrawal, the house he had no idea would bear one of his worst experiences.

He unlocked his car when Lara had gotten closer to it as he sauntered behind, planning on where he would go to after dropping her off.

As if breaking up with him in the lakehouse hadn't been enough, Lara pushed forward the passenger seat and occupied the seat behind it. She pulled back the passenger seat and closed the door, then quietly waited for Jayden to reach his Ferrari.

Jayden opened the door and got in, closing the door after. He glanced at Lara in the rearview mirror who had her eyes fixed outside the window.

"Your seatbelt," he advised as he fixed his with just a pull.

Lara obliged and fixed hers, then shifted her gaze to her hands on her lap.

How interesting, he thought. From boyfriend to an ex-boyfriend in one night. Chauffeur in the morning. What was next? They might as well just switch roles so he'd be her maid.

He paused before starting the engine, contemplating whether he should voice out his thoughts or stay silent.

He decided to comment, "All of this just because I don't agree with my father's actions. At this point, I should probably be asking you if you had anything to do with my mother's hospital admission."

Lara withdrew her gaze from the window to search for his through the mirror as she met his stern gaze.

He was pissed and hurt and disappointed.

Lara's eyes widened, "What are you accusing me of?"

Jayden clenched his jaw as he tore his icy stare from her surprised one. He wasn't in the mood to have a second argument with her.

He muttered, "Just forget it."

Then he started the engine and began to drive away from the house that was supposed to have been memorable for what he had initially planned.

"Beta-blocker?" Mrs. Benson blinked at her husband who had spent the night by her side at the hospital, "I have never had one of those. How is this true? The doctor is as fake as the eyelashes I will bat at him when I'm out of here."

"The tests don't lie. Plus, you know Dr. Keet. If you haven't knowingly taken in the drug..." he trailed off.

Then he rose from his seat inaudibly muttering, "No, no, no, no..."

It can't be. She wouldn't, he thought. She wouldn't go that far.

"What is it, Jared?"

He turned to his wife. "I'm just... wondering how on earth you got it into your system."

"I want to see the test results," she demanded.

"Honey, I've gone through the results. Jayden has as well."

"Where's he? Is he here?" her eyes suddenly lit up.

Jared returned to his seat, "No, I told him to go."

"You prevented my son from caring about me?" her hazel eyes widened at her husband. "How could you?"

He held her hand with both of his, "I'm here with you. Jayden needed to get some stuff done."

"Stuff that is more important than his dying mother?" she dramatically exclaimed.

"Relax. No one's dying," he said. His wife didn't need to know about Jayden's romantic getaway with Lara.

"I want to see Dr. Keet," she sat upright in the hospital bed, clothed in a plain light blue dress.

She hadn't been to the hospital in months.

"He'll be here in a few minutes."

"And the maids? How's the house? Let them know that their temporary paradise will come to an end soon. They should enjoy it while it lasts. I will be back before they can spell sex."

She smirked at her husband's sigh.

She would be back.

***

Jayden knocked on the entrance door thrice and waited.

The ride with Lara had been so quiet that even a cemetery guard would have questioned their liveliness. He had dropped her at her mother's before stopping by his friend, Miranda's place.

He was just about to knock for the third time when suddenly the door flew open, his knock nearly landing on the girl's forehead but Ariana was a quick one as she ducked just in time.

***

are you ready to STIR THINGS UP IN THIS BIH?

The next CHAP is gonna give you so much INSIGHT into a lot of things from the VERY beginning. Stay tuned xx.