Chapter 1

Jules Pov

"It's incredibly cold!" I inhale through my icy hands.

After much anticipation, I arrived in New Zealand to see my college best friend Amanda, who had recently given birth to a son with the man she married, Luke. I had never experienced such an emotional roller coaster on a plane before, so my journey from Namibia had not been enjoyable.

All of my paintings that was scheduled to be mailed to paying customers by the end of the month was destroyed when my two-year partner split up with me, left me in credit card debt, and caused flooding in my flat.

This was almost entirely last night.

After I apologized and gave them their money back, I was emotionally spent and wondered how the hell I was going to mend the situation. I cast a weary and stressed glance at the pavement.

"I have a terrible curse, I'm sure of it." To myself, I muttered. I'm awaiting the delivery of my automobile from the dealership. All of my possessions are with me while I sit on my bags.

What had been planned as a weekend getaway resulted in my becoming homeless and putting me in a difficult situation.

Since our first year of college, Amanda has been my best friend. I haven't spoken to her since I graduated.

Ever since she met her current husband, Lucas. This would be my first time visiting her and meeting her husband, and I'm eager to see her after all these years. She relocated all the way to New Zealand, in the middle of nowhere, and is living in an exquisite gated community, or so she informed me.

Given everything that was going on in my chaotic life in London, I sold everything I could, packed up, and moved here a day early, so of course I couldn't say no when she asked me to come meet her newborn boy. Despite everything, the timing was ideal. I killed my shameful ex because I was anxious to get away from the terrible situation that has now He was the reason that my financial situation was devastated.

Amanda was unaware of what had occurred. We kept in touch with one other and spoke almost every week. She used to compliment me on "having my shit together," but I'm far from having it together, so I can't just let my pride get in the way.

The man began rambling, "Excuse me, miss. The vehicle you needed had been abandoned and there are no accessible ones til next month."

How on earth could they lose a car that has already been reserved and paid for?

"What? That can't be true; I already paid for it." I make an effort not to appear angry when I'm frustrated. "You don't have any available?"

"What? That can't be true; I already paid for it." I make an effort not to appear angry when I'm frustrated. "You don't have any available?"

"I apologize deeply." He stated. He gave me a faint grin and appeared truly apologetic. "Maybe we could get a cab to come get you?" He queried.

I shrugged my head, wondering if he was fooling me because a taxi ride here would set me back a hefty sum.

My luck seems to be improving constantly.

"No, it's okay." I muttered something and bid the man farewell. After gathering my belongings, I cross the street to the closest café.

I hate my life.

Holding my phone up to my ear & pressing it apprehensively on the sidewalk, I wait for the phone call to go through. She has never liked Chris, therefore she is going to go crazy.

Juliles? Hi there! Why is that? I was about to send you a text. Her careless laughs were audible.

She's going to go crazy and make a huge issue out of it.

"Ha." Aha. Aha. Now hear this: I'm in New Zealand.

"What?" Right now! I winced back at her cry.

I let out a deep breath and stroke my hair. utterly devoid of emotion. "I really need a ride. Do you think you could provide one?" This is extremely embarrassing, I murmur, that I wish the Earth would swallow me whole.

At moments like these, her voice is anxious. "Oh my God, what took place? Come here, Luke. Luke is on his way to collect you. Her voice, so lovely in fright, bursts forth.

I can't help but smile at her compassion for me; when was the last time I felt like this about someone? Chris has never, ever behaved this way with me.

I tell her the name of a sidewalk and café I'm at, a little uneasy about her attitude toward my showing up here unexpectedly a day early not any explanation. But Amanda always senses when something is off, and I'm really fortunate for having her in my entire existence. Without her, I don't know what I might do.

Although I've never met Luke, I can tell that he brings her great joy.

I was always emailed pictures of them together on various occasions. I was unable to take time off from my creative work for birthdays or a wedding that I was unable to attend. Luke was there to make her happy, and she is happy, so I know where I went wrong as her closest friend. It's almost as if they were meant to be together.

After meeting Luke during on their summer getaway and being married to him a month later, they are still happily wedded and have a son together.

I'm glad for her; she truly deserves all of the joy she has experienced.

I sat outside and am startled by the sound of a trunk honking. I look up and see a man getting out of a large red truck. I know right away that the man is Luke because Amanda emailed me his pictures.

He's really quite muscular.

This is Luke, and I must admit that I'm a little anxious. Clearly, he was exercising by lifting trucks or doing something similar. People were seated all around me in the café I'm at right now, staring at this ripped guy in amazement and whispering to themselves when he approaches and smiles in front of me.

With a bashful but amusing smile on his lips, he asks, "Jules?"

I agree, but before I can say anything more, he pulls me into a jaw-dropping hug.

"uhhhmm." I'm having trouble breathing.

"Oh, I apologize, but it's great to finally meet the well-known Jules! Amanda talks about you and your college days nonstop. He lets go of me and smiles at my bags. "You have a lot of stuff packed for the weekend." His brows arch upward.

Oh.

I tremble with a cough and try not to look at him. B*tch.

It's very uncomfortable.

"Well, it's a long story," I murmur, attempting to keep my feelings under control around these folks.

Goddamn I refuse to cry in front of him.

Even though I was extremely exhausted, the last shred of pride I still had would not give up on someone I don't even know, much less Amanda's husband.

He looks at me with a worried expression on his face, but I cut him off before he can say anything.

"Nice to meet you as well." I giggle and force a smile. "This place is really lovely and serene!" I make an effort not to sound apprehensive. His appearance and physique make him incredibly threatening. What is 6.4 about a freaking trees stump of an a human being?

My baggage are in the back of the vehicle when he says, "Oh!" and beams broadly at me. He sees me sitting in the truck, staring around the quiet, empty town.

"It's home, even though it's not much in comparison to the big city." He smiles as he steps on the gas and leaves on the opposite side of the roadway.

I sighed with relief because my phone was still beeping. Luke only nods and grins back at me as I glance up to him with an apologetic smile.

42 missed calls and 42 unanswered messages.

I turn off my phone by pressing the side button, and as soon as I feel a headache building on, I rub my forehead.

Why won't he just go away from me?

I first learned that he had used all of my savings, slept in our bed with a model I had painted, and had accused me of infidelity. and has the gall to ask me to extend forgiveness to him after he texts me and dumps me. He doesn't feel guilty about what he did to me or is doing to me. I should never have opened an account with him; I would have been insane to have thought that we would tie the knot and lead happy lives together.

My life is devastated by him.

"Friend problems?" As he makes a right turn and heads into the middle of nowhere, Luke asks from the driver's seat.

"Not at all now." It's a lengthy story, I sigh. I just say. I don't feel confident enough to open my deepest desires to a complete stranger.

"Ummm." He gives a nod. I'm done asking. He switches on the radio, and for what appears like an eternity, we sit in solitude while listening to gentle music.

He comes to a stop before of a massive metal gate that has the word "Deep" in the center of it. There are guards on either side; they have a physique akin to Luke's—all muscle, all rugged, all business. This is absurd for a community with gatescorrect? I'm not sure. I've lived in city apartments my entire life, so I've never encountered anything like this.

Luke gives a nod to each man, and as they let us pass, they both bowed their heads almost politely. I'm shocked by Luke's voice. "We enjoy our seclusion." He laughs. He provided an answer to my thoughts.

Well, that was strange and a little unsettling. Am I really so clear?

All I do is nod. I am aware of that. It's difficult to find privacy; they are fortunate to live in a community that values it.

"There are more than 4,000 people living here; it's a small community with few outside visitors unless they are family." But since you're family, you're welcome at any moment, he says. He gives me a smile before making a left turn onto a gravel road.

He doesn't sound fun. Who wouldn't let friends visit buddies unless they were related to them? Paranoid, to use a word. Alternatively, the proprietor can be one of those people who lives alone in their cabin.

Yes, I will make sure to remain far away from him while I'm here.

As I approached their house, I was really taken aback by how enormous and, in a word, stunning it was.

"She's been talking about meeting you for months; she's dying to see you." Without pausing for breath, the front door opens as he grinned and nodded toward the home. I'm smiling and laughing at Amanda's antics as she waves her hands wildly in the atmosphere like a crazy woman.

I've been terribly missing her.

"Go, the bags are with me." Luke smiles at me, and I hurriedly thank him before returning the smile and nodding while battling to get off his enormous truck.

Amanda felt like it was strange to be heading towards the house because she knew that if she cried, I would too. She hasn't seen me in years, and we both appear to be from the battle. She approaches me with a crash myself, within me We both start laughing and crying like fools as she puts her hands behind the back of my neck and tears into my hair. Too much time has passed since our last encounter.

"Oh my god, this is incredible, I can't believe you're here." Her voice trailed off into a quiet wail. "You look so skinny, and these legs." Making me giggle, she says.

The property is lovely, with oak wood flooring and a modern interior design, and we enter it laughing.

"I apologize; I had not anywhere else to go but my apartment and I needed you so much." I needed to try not to look her in the eye. "I apologize for surprising you with this, especially now that you've given birth."

She grabs my hand and gives it a small squeeze. "Hey, you're family, so you're always welcome here." Her grin is starting to calm me down.

Explain me what has transpired, and let's chat. She points to the rear entrance. It's lovely when the two of us sat together in the middle of the lake.

From every angle, the densely forested lake is visible for kilometers.

Her garden is so beautiful, with birds singing sweetly in the branches and the soothing sound of the lake's water soothing me. I was astounded to see so many flora I had never seen before.

"He took everything from me, Amanda; I have nothing left." I massage my face, utterly strained from the flight and tension, and whisper to avoid meeting her sorrowful eyes.

Luke scowls at me before focusing on Amanda, who merely gives me a dejected expression and shakes her head. When Luke sits next to Amanda and wraps his arms around her back, I can't help but wish I could do the same for myself.

"He has betrayed me and pilfered all of our joint accounts, including my paintings." My voice breaks as I cry, "The flood destroyed everything." Everything, even my work, is lost. I'm crying, and I'm not sure how to stop it.

There's an unspoken agreement between them as they each glare at each other and nod, reassuring each other that seeing her is too much.

"You will remain here." Luke put her stuff in the guest room, she says, grabbing my hand and squeezing it. Luke glances and nods.

"Jules, we are glad you visited us. You are like family to us. Don't worry about anything." He gives Amanda a warm grin and a peck on one of her cheeks before heading out the back door to get my bag from the boot.

"Jules, everything will work out fine." Amanda smiles, tears welling up in her watery eyes.

Although I understood that entering their lives would not be acceptable, a few days later... All I needed was that, and now I have to sort out the chaos that is my life.

Amanda gets up, gives a loud clap of her hands, and then dabs at her eyes. "Please welcome your nephew! He has the most adorable chubby cheeks! Grinning broadly, she pulls me inside.

I am optimistic having being here even if my life is in such disarray. I haven't experienced such warmth and acceptance—or even felt like it—in such a long time.

This place was silent. And for the moment, that was all I needed.