Getting Her Just Desires

Chapter 2 The Unrecognizable Beauty

"You got rid of Mom," His voice, clipped with anger, pierced the silence in the room. "Now you're exiling me?"

The words hit Livia like a thunderclap, freezing her in her tracks. Her mind whirled as she grappled with the newfound information. Her conscience pricked at her for eavesdropping on a private exchange, but the raw emotion in Haynes' voice fueled her curiosity. She inched closer, the sliver of space between the door and the frame barely large enough to peek through. Haynes sat facing away from the door, his back rigid with tension. Across from him, Harvey leaned back in his chair, a weary sigh escaping his lips as he massaged the bridge of his nose.

"We talked about this months ago," Harvey began, his voice strained. "This is your dream, remember? The Ivy League. Spending your senior year there would boost your chances significantly."

A humorless snort escaped Haynes.

"Convenient excuse, isn't it?" He pushed back from his chair with a grating sound.

“And it's your dream. Not mine.”

Livia darted back when Haynes turned toward the door, her heart thumping in her chest. She rushed back upstairs, her phone buzzing in her jeans pocket. Cathy's name flashed on the screen.

"Can I come over now?" Cathy's voice buzzed with excitement.

"Not a good time," Livia blurted, distracted by the overheard conversation. She barely registered the curtness in her own voice. "Call you later."

Livia barged into the master bedroom, startling Adrianne awake from her doze in the chaise lounge by the window. Her mother's eyes fluttered open, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face.

“Mom, please speak to Harvey,” Livia pleaded, rushing to her side.

“Please tell him he doesn't have to send Haynes away.”

Adrianne's lips thinned into a tight line.

"Honestly, Livia, that's the best news I've heard all day. This house has been a nightmare with him around."

Livia’s jaw dropped, her eyes blown wide by shock.

"But Mom, don't you think that's a bit too much? Getting rid of him just because of a little disagreement? You're being overly dramatic.”

Adrianne's body stiffened. "Dramatic? Have you forgotten how he humiliated me in front of the gardeners?”

"Mom, I can't blame him. We don't even know if the garden has a special meaning to him."

"Well, it's my home now," Adrianne countered.

"He needs to accept that."

Livia's voice rose. "But Mom, it was his home first! It still is! And… and perhaps he just needs time to adjust, just like we do. And about the garden, I think he just wants to preserve it for his mother's memory."

Adrianne's face hardened. "What's the point? The woman is dead, Livia! Goodness, can't we move on?"

Livia recoiled, shocked by her mother's callous words. A flicker of anger ignited within her.

"Have you no scruples, Mom?” She challenged, her voice clipped. “Maybe things could've been different for him if you chose to pursue another man.”

“Don't you dare question my choices, Livia! You have no idea how hard it has been for me to raise you on my own. Now you have a permanent roof over your head and you never have to worry about your tuition fees again. Is that so bad?”

Livia stood speechless as her mother swept past her, the bathroom door slamming shut behind her. A hollow emptiness settled in Livia's stomach as she retreated to her room. An inexplicable feeling she couldn’t quite identify as guilt or empathy. Haynes immediate departure should be a welcome reprieve from the suffocating tension, but instead of a great relief, she felt an absurd sense of loss, as if a piece of her had been ripped away, leaving a gaping void that seemed to be throbbing with a dull ache.

In the blink of an eye, the day of the departure arrived. Livia stood waiting by the foyer, twisting the strap of her backpack in her hands. Finally, Haynes descended, his face a mask of indifference. The wheels of his briefcase glided smoothly down the carpeted floor, the rhythmic sound the only noise in the tense silence. When he neared the front door, she forced the word past the lump in her throat,

"Wait,"

A flicker of surprise crossed Haynes' face before his expression hardened again. "What do you want?" He reached for the doorknob, his gaze flicking away from her.

Livia stammered, her voice barely a whisper, "I... I just want to say, have a safe flight."

Haynes’ hand on the door stilled. He turned, his gaze lingering on Livia for a beat longer than expected. Something about her, the vulnerability in her eyes perhaps, stirred a forgotten memory, a whisper of deja vu that sent a shiver down his spine. But surely that was impossible - they'd never met before.

Livia hesitated, her lower lip trembling slightly. It had taken every ounce of her courage to reach out. She dipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out a small, worn keychain. Attached to it was a four-leaf clover, its green leaves vibrant against the silver.

"This is for you," she offered timidly.

A frown creased Haynes' forehead, a flicker of something akin to surprise battling his usual stoicism. "What is that?"

Encouraged by his response, Livia pressed on, "It's a good luck charm. For safe travels." Something like hope, fragile yet unwavering, shimmered in her hazel eyes.

Haynes looked down at the peace offering in her hand as an unexpected warmth crept into him. He might hate her mother for what she did, but Livia had nothing to do with it. She was an innocent bystander, caught in the crossfire. But then, another thought struck him, sharp and unforgiving. Maybe it wasn't her fault, maybe none of it was, but one thing remained a bitter truth. Her arrival had coincided with the fracturing of his family, the eviction from his childhood home. The house that now echoed with his mother's absence, a constant reminder of what he'd lost. Anger, a shield against the deeper hurt, hardened his jaw as he pushed past her without another glance. The keychain, a silent plea for understanding, clattered to the floor as he stormed out the door.

Livia had never seen Haynes again in the next two years. Life had settled into a new rhythm for her - balancing schoolwork, managing the track team, and navigating the complexities of teenage friendships. Haynes, on the other hand, had thrived academically, securing admission into the prestigious Princeton University. He spent his entire freshman year on the East Coast, only returning home for Christmas. However, Adrianne, ever in control, had meticulously arranged their schedules so that by the time he arrived, the three of them would be halfway across the Atlantic on a two-week European vacation, ensuring they wouldn't have to see him.

During the trip, nestled amongst the ancient ruins of Rome, a pang of guilt twisted in Livia's gut whenever she overheard Harvey make his daily phone calls to his son. Hearing Haynes' distant voice, muffled by miles of ocean and phone lines, sent a shiver down her spine. A bittersweet cocktail of emotions churned within her – a flicker of pride at his achievements, a pang of empathy for his isolated existence, and a nagging sense of unresolved tension that hung heavy in the air.

2017

The faint echo of footsteps and the smooth glide of briefcase wheels on polished marble resonated through the quiet hallway as Haynes walked through the house. He dismissed the maid who offered to help with his luggage,

Harvey had informed him that he and Adrianne would be away on vacation. Not at all surprising, since last holiday he'd come home to an empty house without early notice. A memorable Christmas prank, he thought with a sardonic smile. He'd spent his two-weeks holiday alone with the unobtrusive staff, a strange combination of freedom and isolation.

And now, why agree to return to a home that no longer existed? To a family that is no longer his?

Perhaps part of him still yearned for a chance to reconnect with this place, to salvage some semblance of the life he'd lost. Perhaps deep down inside, he still harbored a foolish hope to find a sliver of his safe haven once again.

He paused in the middle of the living room, his gaze raking across the garden through the high ceiling windows. The serene garden that once stood as a reminder of his mother now screamed with Adrianne's unmistakable flair. The woman had impressed her stamp into every corner of the house, completely eliminating the trace of the former occupants. Now, standing alone in the heart of his very home, Haynes had never felt more estranged, from his father, and from everything he'd ever known.

His gaze unconsciously drifted across the mantel. New pictures, beaming faces of his father with Adrianne and Livia, now resided in the spot where the old pictures of his family in happier times once stood. A bitter snort escaped his lips. The witch and her daughter had waltzed into his life and claimed everything in it, making him a stranger in his own home. Memories from his childhood, once vivid and safe within these walls, had been trashed piece by piece. He closed his eyes, the scent of freshly cut grass and blooming roses filling his senses - a phantom echo of a summer afternoon spent building forts in the shade of the old oak tree with his mother. The memory, bittersweet and tinged with loss, intensified the hollowness within him.

Wracked by a fresh wave of anger, he retreated to his bedroom upstairs, the only place in the house that remained the same to this very day. The familiar layout, the worn armchair where he used to curl up with a guitar, offered a fleeting sense of comfort. After setting his briefcase down with a thud and tossing his phone to the nightstand, he sauntered to the window, his gaze roamed absentmindedly over the shimmering expanse of the turquoise pool below.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the water, sending a ripple of movement across the surface. Haynes leaned closer to the window, curiosity arresting his gaze. A woman, he recognized, her features momentarily obscured by the distance and sunlight glinting off the water, stood with her back to him, sending a spray of droplets sparkling in the air before turning and heading towards the edge of the pool. He froze when a jolt of recognition slammed into him.

It was Livia, his stepsister. Years had melted away the childish awkwardness, leaving behind a young woman he barely recognized. His memory of her in her baggy clothes momentarily resurfaced, a stark contrast to the skimpy navy blue bikini that clung to her body in a way that sent a jolt through him. Shame flared hot, quickly doused by a wave of the familiar heat of desire. His gaze, initially hesitant, traced the lines of her exposed skin, lingering on the way the water cascaded down her trim body.

Livia, completely oblivious to the obscene scrutiny, climbed out of the pool and stepped under the outdoor shower for a quick rinse off. Eyes closed, she tilted her head under the downpour, lifting her hands to wash her hair. The unconscious movement sent a startling jolt of desire through Haynes as the flimsy fabric of her bikini top strained against her breasts, the peaks firm and inviting beneath the thin material. An involuntary shudder ran through his breath, a physical manifestation of the desire brewing within him. The unexpected, lush femininity he found in her had ignited something darker, more primal inside him. He knew he should look away, break the inappropriate spell. But his body seemed welded to the spot, mesmerized by the sight of her. He was a voyeur, stealing a glimpse into a world he shouldn't be privy to, yet he couldn't seem to stop himself.

His transfixed gaze followed her as she stepped out of the shower and paused to wring out the excess water from her hair. It continued to devour the delicious curve of her breasts as

she bent for a towel on the lounge chair. Just as quickly, the captivating view was obscured as she wrapped the towel around herself and reached for her phone on the round side table. A smile bloomed on her lips as she checked her phone, and he was struck breathless by her beauty. The awkward little duckling he once knew had blossomed into a graceful swan.

Livia’s gaze remained glued on the screen as she turned to leave the place, her slender figure disappearing into the house. Only then Haynes’ conscience rushed back with a vengeance. His head snapped away, the wall met his shaken gaze with a mocking silence. Shame washed over him in a cold wave, a bitter counterpoint to the heat rising in his core, yet the flames refused to be extinguished. He spent the rest of the day in his bedroom, deliberately avoiding any possible encounter with Livia, hoping for the stubborn heat to dissipate. But as hours bled into night, the image of her, sweet and alluring, lingered in his mind, a forbidden fruit, plump and ripe, dangling so near yet out of reach, taunting him with its impossible promise.

******

Having been plagued by relentless, obscene imaginings for hours, Haynes sought refuge, not solace, in the flickering neon glow of the Red Lion pub. The sudden blast of music and boisterous laughter assaulted his senses as he pushed through the pub doors. Strobe lights sent the room into a dizzying dance of light and shadow, momentarily blurring the lines between reality and his own heated fantasies. He retreated to a shadowy corner at the bar, the comforting anonymity a flimsy shield against the inferno raging within. He nursed his drink, the bitter taste a poor substitute for the sweetness that he craved. Minutes bled into hours, the pounding music a counterpoint to the relentless drumbeat of his desires. Then, a flicker of movement in the crowd caught his eye. A flash of long, dark hair, a familiar smile among the kaleidoscope of gyrating figures…

His heart lurched to a stop when his gaze found Livia, a stunning vision in a cropped tank top and tight mini skirt. Her body swayed to the beat, undulating sensually against the man behind her. Haynes blinked, convinced his recent obsession was playing tricks on him. But no, the face remained the same. It was Livia, her hand reaching up to cradle the man's blonde head as he leaned in to whisper in her ear. Something the man said made Livia smile, and an unfamiliar feeling twisted in his gut. Then, Livia turned towards the man, and their lips met in a brief, passionate kiss. Haynes' grip tightened around his glass, the cheap material threatening to splinter under the pressure. An absurd, primal urge roared through him, a possessive need to yank her away, to claim her for himself in some hidden corner. His heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the cacophony of the pub. As he struggled to tamp down the raging inferno, one thing captured his notice. Livia seemed to lose her inhibitions, her movements fueled by a mixture of euphoria and uncharacteristic confidence. Clearly she'd been drinking, probably a bit too much.

As the night wore on, the air in the cramped pub grew thick with a sizzling tension. Couples on the dance floor blurred into a sea of bodies, their passionate embraces a cruel taunt of what Haynes craved but could never have. Lost in the beat, Livia allowed the blonde man to shower kisses across her face, his lips trailing down her neck. His hands, previously resting on her waist, crept upwards to cup her breasts. A jolt of unfamiliar heat ripped through Haynes, a potent cocktail of jealousy and possessive fury that threatened to consume him. Livia, seemingly startled by the bold advances, brushed the man's hands away, but a playful giggle wracked her body. A grin crossed the man's face as he released Livia, only to pull her away to the exit.

Haynes surged from his seat, slamming a crumpled hundred-dollar bill on the counter. He ignored the bartender's startled shout about the forgotten change, his eyes locked on the retreating forms of Livia and her companion as he followed them out.

To be continued