Share

The Calm Before Action

Author: Moonbunnie
last update Last Updated: 2024-09-26 16:18:54

CHARLOTTE

The next morning started with us taking a jog around the house. The guards looked puzzled when we set off at dawn, but soon they realized what was happening and relaxed. By the end of the jog, I was breathless but insisted on continuing. A few minutes later, I got the hang of it and went for a second round.

Sonia suggested that the training at the gun range would happen later, and I readily agreed. A guard followed me to the apartment to ensure I got in safely, and there was nothing to worry about. It made me a bit uneasy to think that someone had been in here without my consent, but that was the emotion I was trying to overcome.

I picked up the bags we had left on the table the previous night and took them to the kitchen. Spending the next few hours cleaning up the apartment myself felt refreshing. There was barely anything to toss away as the house had been cleaned after they ensured there were no bugs. I opened the fridge and saw that they had gotten groceries and added b
Locked Chapter
Continue Reading on GoodNovel
Scan code to download App

Related chapters

  • A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love   The Unseen War

    CHARLOTTE“I’m sorry for bringing you all the way here, Ms. Higgins,” I said as she walked to the seat. Sonia walked away to address the guards who had just arrived, and we had a moment to talk alone.“Oh, it’s nothing. I understand how sensitive this case is,” she replied and sat down. “I hope you’re feeling a lot better?”“I am,” I answered, exhaling slowly. “I’ve been doing other things to keep my mind from dwelling on it too much,” I added, and she smiled.I turned my gaze to the park and watched people as they walked past, speaking in hushed tones. The kids in the playground were jumping around with toys or fussing about getting on the swings, while their parents tried to hush them or pacify them with sweets. My eyes lingered on the confectionaries, and I started craving something sweet. We hadn’t eaten yet, and I was eager to get a cup of coffee to wake up my body and clear out the drowsiness I was feeling.“I think I’ve got news that can put your mind at ease,” she said. I turn

    Last Updated : 2024-09-26
  • A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love   In The Crosshairs

    CHARLOTTE“Can I take this with me?” I asked. She nodded. I looked away and noticed that Sonia was making her way toward us.“Of course, I made a copy for you; I have the other copies locked away in a safe house. I’ll send you the address soon,” she said, picking up her bag.“Thank you for everything,” I replied as she stood up. “I’ll look through this and reach out to your firm about our next meeting,” I added.“I’ll be expecting your call. We’ll need to meet the evening before the hearing, though. Let me know when a location has been decided,” she finished, starting to walk away. She paused, turned around, and looked at me. “Stay safe, Ms. Edwards. You are a very important piece of this case.”“I will,” I answered, looking away as Sonia approached the bench.“The guards will take her back to the firm. Would you like to eat now?” she asked, shoving her hands into the pockets of her blue trousers.When I looked at her, I noticed the bulge of her gun tucked away in the corner of her ja

    Last Updated : 2024-09-27
  • A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love   CHARLOTTE

    CHARLOTTE“What do you mean they’re after Thiago too?” I asked, glancing at her. She shook her head.“If he didn’t tell you, it’s not my place to,” she replied, and I scoffed. I thought we were past this. I guess opening up to her about certain things hasn’t brought us as close as I thought.“You can do better than that. He said something about us fighting the same enemy. Those weren’t his exact words, but you get it...” I started, but she looked out the window.“We’ve found a connection between the incident at The Hilton and the Narhzy family,” she began. I listened intently as she explained the silent rivalry between the Mooze and Narhzy families.Both families were business partners at one point, a formidable force in the corporate world, expanding their ventures far and wide. But someone from the Narhzy family decided they wanted more—a higher stake in the shares than what the founding fathers had previously agreed on. His family backed his decision. This angered the Mooze family,

    Last Updated : 2024-09-28
  • A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love   Unspoken Motives

    CHARLOTTEI spent the next few hours alone, and I detested it. It was nice to be back in the apartment, but I felt so annoyed, I couldn’t appreciate being in my own space again. Well, I wasn’t technically alone, given that I walked past the guards who were sharing a beer at the door on my way in, and I knew one would be here soon to hand me my things.But it still felt lonely. I chalked it up to spending the night elsewhere and trying to settle into feeling comfortable here, and I took the bags in my hand to the kitchen. I had left the file on the sitting room table with the intention of reading it before I ate, but my cravings overwhelmed my sense of curiosity, and I was happy to ignore it for a bit.“It’s not going anywhere anyway,” I said and ignored it for a little longer.As I moved around the house, I pondered the exchange with Sonia. She had never lost her cool around me, and as much as I was annoyed that she wouldn’t tell me everything she knew, I understood her frustration wi

    Last Updated : 2024-09-28
  • A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love   Shadows at the Gate

    CHARLOTTE“Hello, Maria,” I said into the receiver and waited for her response. It had been two hours since the training session with Sonia. I was aching in different parts of my body, but I had learned a thing or two about handling a gun and the perfect stance to take before shooting.Deep down, I hoped I’d never have to use the gun. I considered learning how to use it a necessity, but if push came to shove, I hoped I’d never have to put this new skill to use. I knew the people I was up against had zero compunction about taking a life if it meant achieving their goal, but I had never killed anyone. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to sleep well at night if I did, and chalking it up to self-defense wouldn’t help the situation, either.“Hello, Signora,” came the reply.Her voice was so calm it unnerved me. “Are you alright?” I inquired. “You sound… different.”“I’m okay, just exhausted. I’ve had a lot to do today at the estate,” she replied, but deep down, it felt like she wasn’t telling the

    Last Updated : 2024-10-01
  • A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love   The Rose and the Truth

    CHARLOTTEI dropped the phone on the bed and started pacing around the room, thinking about the possibility that Thiago would’ve gone to Milan, but that didn’t make any sense. Why would he go there? How did he find his way to the estate, and what did he want? I had so many questions, and none of the answers I could come up with made any sense. I heard my phone ring, stopped walking, and picked it up.“Signora? Are you alright?” Maria said, and I let out a short laugh.“I’m not sure. I’m sorry I hung up so quickly. I’m confused...” I started to say and paused as my thoughts darted to and fro in my head.“Nothing to be sorry about. I assumed it’s ‘cause you were shocked after figuring out who it was,” she replied. I pulled the phone away from my ear and put it on speaker.“Yes... about that. I’ve been thinking, it makes no sense that it’d be the person I think it is,” I answered, folding my arms. “Makes absolutely no sense. How did he find the estate?” I added, frowning, trying to remem

    Last Updated : 2024-10-03
  • A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love   Restless Dawn

    CHARLOTTEI spent most of the night awake, thinking about the best way to talk to Thiago about visiting the estate. That wasn’t the only question I had on my mind, but it was one of the most pressing ones. A few hours before dawn, I started to fall asleep, but it was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell.When it rang the first time, I thought I was hearing things, and my mind was playing tricks on me. By the second ring, I was convinced it was coming from inside the apartment and got out of bed. I made my way to the front door and opened it to meet Sonia, who was staring at me curiously.“You look like you saw a ghost,” she said as I stepped aside to let her in.“It feels like I heard one, and that’s relatively worse,” I answered and shut the door.“You haven’t slept a wink, have you?” she asked, walking towards one of the couches to sit down.“Barely. I was about to before the bell went off. When did we get a bell? Why didn’t you tell me? I was so shocked to hear it ring,” I repl

    Last Updated : 2024-10-03
  • A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love   CHARLOTTE

    CHARLOTTE“Did anything happen there? You seem worried,” Sonia said as soon as I stepped into the vehicle.“I… I don’t know, I feel weird. Like something’s going to happen, and I can’t do anything to stop it,” I replied.“What’s that supposed to mean?” she mumbled, frowning.“How many more questions do we have to go through until we get back to the part where I don’t know?” I asked sarcastically, and she rolled her eyes.“Don’t be snarky,” she retorted and turned to look out the window.“Can’t help it, that’s the point,” I answered as the driver started the ignition, and the car pulled out of the lot. “Everything is so complicated. I don’t understand it sometimes.”“Sometimes?” she echoed, and I chuckled. We spent the rest of the drive in silence; I was really tired of this cycle. I sounded like a broken record at this point, but the entire thing felt like it was taking more from me than I wanted to give.It seemed like life just brought numerous obstacles my way, and I was sick of go

    Last Updated : 2024-10-11

Latest chapter

  • A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love   Sonia

    CHARLOTTEI sent Sonia a message telling her to give me a few minutes to wrap things up before stepping out of the office. My hands trembled as I typed each word, but I knew it had to be done or she would waltz into the building looking for me and eventually find me here.I didn’t want anyone, especially not someone who reports directly to Thiago, to know what I had stumbled upon. I stared at the device for a second, then placed it into the box. I shook my head and placed the other files on the box, but left out the one I wanted to read earlier.The conversation I listened to left me feeling very confused. I knew there had to be a reason why Thiago had been helping me, but discovering that he was part of the reason I had a terrible life growing up left me in a constant state of bewilderment.I reached for the file left on the floor and skimmed through it. Each page left me feeling numb as it contained documents giving periodic reports of my activities from when my parents died up unti

  • A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love   A Sound of Betrayal

    CHARLOTTERealizing that I had gone through life feeling alone and struggling through everything on my own wasn’t because I was alone in the world.Nor was it because I didn’t have a family that cared for me. It was because a group of people had decided to serve injustice on a platter and make my life a living hell to serve whatever purpose they considered proper.I stared at the file sitting in my lap as tears formed at the corners of my eyes, and memories of the life I had led flashed through my mind.Everything would’ve been easier, or at least there would have been a smidge of hope lurking in the corner, if someone from either side of my parents’ family had found me and taken care of me.I started to think about the possible reasons they would have to do something so treacherous, but I couldn’t wrap my head around it. Were they scared that I would come back seeking revenge if I had lived with a family member?Why didn’t they make my death a reality then? That would’ve been so much

  • A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love   The file

    CHARLOTTEThis wasn’t the time to cry. It was the time to find out why Thiago was linked to my parents’ death and why this information had never been made public.I kept reading and discovered that he had been a teenager when the accident occurred. While he had been willing to testify, his family had bought off the detective in charge of the case and silenced anyone who attempted to investigate further.I pressed my palm over my mouth to stifle a scream, glancing around the room in a panic. I couldn’t afford to draw attention to myself. My curiosity had led me to this place, and now it felt like I had stumbled into a torture chamber, each revelation cutting deeper than the last.I didn’t know how to process this avalanche of information, but I couldn’t stop now.This was just one folder. The rest of the files still lay scattered on the floor, and the shelves were lined with others. As I looked around, my stomach churned at the thought of what else I might uncover. Would I even be able

  • A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love   Thiago

    CHARLOTTE“What… How did this get here?” I muttered, picking up the picture and staring at it intently. My eyes scanned the room as waves of confusion and curiosity coursed through me.My thoughts were a jumbled mess. Where was I, and why was there a picture of my family in the company vault?One question after another sprang to mind, and as my gaze fell back onto the stack of folders scattered on the floor, I knew there was only one way to get answers.I had to go through the files in this room, every single one of them if that’s what it would take.Ignoring the dust, I sank to the floor and reached for the folder from which I assumed the picture had fallen. Its name tag bore only one word: Edwards. My family name. My voice barely above a whisper, I repeated, “Edwards,” and opened the folder.I tried to calm my nerves as I began reading, but with each sentence, my heart pounded faster. The first page contained details about my parents and their real professions, information similar t

  • A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love   Discover

    CHARLOTTEThe next day started off well. I got out of bed early, took a bath, grabbed breakfast, and asked Sonia to book a reservation at a restaurant close to school where I would have lunch before attending the classes I had planned for the day.I intended to move around the different departments in the office, familiarize myself with the staff, their supervisors, and learn what each person contributed to the overall outcome of the company.Having a plan made me feel like I was on the right path. I moved around the apartment with a spring in my step and a sense of determination building in my heart as I prepared for the day ahead.I decided to focus on what I had in front of me and use it to my advantage rather than dwelling on what was going wrong. That seemed to be the best decision I had made in a while.I felt lighter, as though things were beginning to fall into place. When I arrived at the office, I asked for the files related to the company’s early days and the financial repo

  • A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love   Excitement

    Charlotte“Well… it might be because you’ve been with the club since its inception. You’re familiar with the system you created for it,” Sonia suggested, turning her gaze back to the road. “If you feel out of place at the firm, why not take some time to learn what makes the company tick?”I mulled over her suggestion for a moment, then chuckled lightly.“That’s a great idea, but I already have so much on my plate. I can’t imagine adding anything more to the pile…” My words trailed off as a spark of inspiration lit up in my mind.“What is it?” she asked, glancing at me briefly before refocusing on the road.I sighed, a small smile forming. “I think you’ve just given me a brilliant idea.”She looked over, her expression confused, before returning her attention forward. “I don’t know what you’re planning, but whatever it is, keep thinking about it. You already look better just talking about it,” she said with a chuckle as the car came to a smooth stop in front of the house.I reached for

  • A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love   Work

    CharlotteI took Thiago’s advice and decided to make the best of the situation. Surprisingly, things began to take a turn for the better.The meeting with the board exceeded my expectations; they understood the reasons behind the drop in sales and were eager to suggest solutions, even refining the ideas I’d presented.Their willingness to collaborate reignited a sense of purpose in me.After wrapping up at the firm, I headed to the university to pick up my schedule for the semester and familiarize myself with the campus.It felt strange to be surrounded by so many young people leading lives so different from mine. There was an energy here - a mix of excitement and uncertainty - but I decided to embrace it.I wasn’t ready to dive into any of the pre-formed cliques, nor was I eager to make friends right away. I resolved to take it slow and let things unfold naturally.The other classes I’d been taking to prepare myself for the semester were voluntary, but now it was time for the real de

  • A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love   Firm

    CHARLOTTEIt had been a week since I started working at Thiago’s firm while also doubling as the manager at the club. Combining both activities had been nothing short of hectic.Every morning, I dropped by the office to review the previous day’s reports, stayed for an hour or two, and then rushed off to school for my classes, which had just begun.At night, I stopped by the club to supervise activities. I’d given up bartending for a while - it was clear that taking on that role too would be overextending myself.I also stopped spending the night at the club like I used to, knowing I needed at least a little sleep to function the next day.After a week of this chaotic schedule, I felt like I needed to drop something and focus on one thing. That morning at the office, I resolved to decide what worked best for me.Abandoning school was out of the question; I’d only just started, and giving up on something I so desperately wanted wasn’t an option.That left me choosing between the club an

  • A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love   Her image

    ROGERIO“Elena, I assure you, I didn’t mean to hurt you or play any games. If I didn’t want to go through with the wedding, I would’ve let you know. I—”“You know, that’s what I thought for a moment,” she interrupted, pacing. “If you didn’t want to go through with it, all you had to do was call me. Did you even consider that, or was it fun for you to let me walk into the church and get embarrassed in front of everyone?”“Elena, let me explain… I wasn’t… I didn’t…” I stammered, but she stopped pacing and stepped toward me.“Since when do you stammer? Since when do you not know how to articulate yourself? Rogerio, you better say something that makes sense right now, or I swear to—” She stopped short as I raised my hands in defeat.“I was anxious!” I blurted out before I could think. I had been trying to come up with the perfect excuse, but nothing seemed adequate under the weight of her anger. The words tumbled out, unfiltered.“What?” she asked, her expression shifting to one of confus

Scan code to read on App
DMCA.com Protection Status