VISHA’S POV About halfway through scaling the fence and reaching the top of the pole with my hands, I strained to boost myself up when I heard behind me the crunch of gravel footsteps. That sudden noise sent a bolt of dread surging through me, and I froze, fretting beneath the pumped rush of my heart. It left my mind blank with a complete psychological paralysis that made it difficult for me to think or even move. "I arrest you," he declared, his voice reverberating through the night, sounding almost like a funeral bell. This revitalized my stupor like splashes of cold water. Officer's words put in the air the formality of that situation. "Come down," they commanded him, sounding strenuous and authoritative in tone. There was that swell of reluctance, the unwillingness of my body to listen, but I knew I had no choice. I began easing myself down and letting the hands slip from the fence as I fell to the ground. Every footfall driving into the ground became deafeningly loud like som
MR ISAH’S POV The officer was swift in his movements as he quickly went to handcuff himself and brought out the cold, cruel metal that condemned even the eye of authority under fluorescent light. He moved with practiced ease as he snapped the iron restraints for the inevitable fate into place around Visha's wrists, the cliched sound like that of a prison door shutting. A clang like that of metal sounded ominously echoed around the cell. "No, ooooo," she screamed, her voice raising up in a desperate crescendo, trying to free herself from the steel cage. With her contorted body, she twisted and thrashed to no avail, digging deep the cruel bite of the cuffs into her skin. That metal sparkled like it was catching the light with a sinister radiance, almost seeming to taunt her with the cold, unyielding grip of reality. Her wrists seemed to have strained against the bindings, tendons standing out clearly as she struggled. As she fought against the handcuffs and began gasping more and mor
My sheer, white veil covered my face, the fabric trailing down to my knees. My bridal gown stretched far behind me as I took slow, calculated steps toward the devil standing a short distance away.Everyone’s faces were filled with smiles, their happy expressions bringing tears to my eyes—tears I couldn’t let fall.They were all so pleased to see their king, the most handsome and powerful man in Russia’s entertainment industry, finally getting married.Everyone seemed happy.But I wasn’t.Here I was, walking slowly into an unavoidable hell ruled by the devil I was about to marry.This devil, whom fate brought me to through an accidental one-night encounter—six years ago.With each step, I reassured myself that it was only for a year.Just one year.It was a contract marriage.It would end soon.But even as I held on to this hope, I found myself getting tangled in his piercing gaze. His cold eyes seemed to whisper something dangerous to me as if they were telling me…I was in.In for a
Kam's POVAs I stood, listening to the Reverend recite the vows, I stared into his face—my soon-to-be husband's face—as he looked at me with undivided attention."I do," he said, and his words were followed by thunderous applause from the crowd, all dressed in white, as per the wedding’s dress code.The Reverend repeated the vows, and it was my turn to respond.I could feel the intense gaze of everyone on me, waiting expectantly for my reply. But I couldn’t open my mouth. I couldn’t say a thing.My heart clenched as I tried to force the words out.Why was it so hard to say? They were just two simple words. So why was I hesitating?My gaze drifted from him to the expectant crowd. Through the veil, I scanned their faces and saw my manager, Jemima, nudging me to respond.The Reverend echoed the vows again, but still, I couldn’t answer.Then I saw my darling Dawn’s sad face. She looked like she might break down if I refused.Dawn… wait, why wasn’t I answering? Did I really want to lose my
I was dolled up like this… that day… that awful day six years ago when my scandal broke.I could still picture my younger self, stepping forward to accept my award as the world’s best model.It was the awards night; everyone had received their trophies, and I was the last one called to the stage. I could see myself reaching for the award—just as the recording started playing.The recording played, and I heard my sister’s voice, pleading for help, saying people were going to hurt her.But the shock came when I heard my supposed reply on the recording.“Some things are more important than family… I’ve got an award to win!”That was my reply. Or so they claimed.The irony? I never received any such message, and I never replied. My voice had been forged—someone had gone to great lengths to ruin me just as I reached the peak of my career.I’d run off the stage as insults, fruit, and drinks were hurled at me.The truth? My sister had gone missing, and despite all my efforts to find her, she
His words hit me like hot liquid pouring into my ears, the rough edge to his tone making my already racing heart beat even faster. The look in his eyes left no doubt—he meant every word.Wifely duties...Wifely duties...F***. Every wife knew what that meant, and there was no way I could pretend otherwise.My throat felt dry as I tried to respond, but, honestly, I was grateful for the excuse. I had no idea what to say.The close intimate position we were in made my legs wobbly and weak and the soft brushes of his clothed groin on my V area , left my breath hooking at the peak of it's relaxation, coming out in a disorderly fashion.Pl… please…” my voice barely came out as a whisper, and I felt him rise slightly from my body.“You’re my wife. You may be here by contract, but you belong to me. And understand this—I don’t share what’s mine. Don’t even think I’d take advantage of you. I’m not that cruel,” he said before finally standing up and leaving the room.As soon as he was gone, I to
I frowned as I saw her waving to a little boy who looked about two years older than Dawn. The boy wore a sad expression as he walked away.The woman turned, and her eyes widened when she saw me. In an instant, her expression shifted to one of disgust.I knew she looked familiar.I took slow steps toward the woman, who looked almost malnourished with her thin frame.Nyxia Russell.My cousin. She was the one who cheated with my ex. We broke up years ago, anyway.I had walked in on them celebrating her pregnancy with him. I guess that boy was the result."Nyxia Russell," I called out, smiling, though the smile I forced didn’t match what I felt inside."Well, look who’s back! The world’s best model," she sneered. "Finally back from your little ‘run.’ Thought you’d die out there; now that would’ve been a fun story. So, how’s life treating you? You must have some magic down there to lure men your way. Heard you got married yesterday. Who knows how many rounds you had to get him to marry you
KALMIA'S POV"Sleep with me, Mia," he said savagely, and my brain nearly exploded as different meanings of that sentence played in my mind.Sleep with me...Was he asking me to share the same bed with him simply?Or...Did he mean that—the kind of sleeping that involved me taking off my clothes and lying on the bed while he did things to my body?It could have been the first option, but the way his lethal gaze lingered on my chest, how he greedily grabbed my waist, and the way his lips hovered near mine told me otherwise.The closeness of our bodies, the raw heat of my skin against his, ignited something unplanned within me. His words sent a feral need coursing through me, and my breathing turned uneven. My heart raced uncontrollably."Arrow..." I called softly, but the look in his eyes suddenly shifted. Gone was the raw intensity, replaced by his usual cold, detached expression. No, it was colder—so cold that his mere gaze frosted my skin. I couldn’t understand what had changed so ab
MR ISAH’S POV The officer was swift in his movements as he quickly went to handcuff himself and brought out the cold, cruel metal that condemned even the eye of authority under fluorescent light. He moved with practiced ease as he snapped the iron restraints for the inevitable fate into place around Visha's wrists, the cliched sound like that of a prison door shutting. A clang like that of metal sounded ominously echoed around the cell. "No, ooooo," she screamed, her voice raising up in a desperate crescendo, trying to free herself from the steel cage. With her contorted body, she twisted and thrashed to no avail, digging deep the cruel bite of the cuffs into her skin. That metal sparkled like it was catching the light with a sinister radiance, almost seeming to taunt her with the cold, unyielding grip of reality. Her wrists seemed to have strained against the bindings, tendons standing out clearly as she struggled. As she fought against the handcuffs and began gasping more and mor
VISHA’S POV About halfway through scaling the fence and reaching the top of the pole with my hands, I strained to boost myself up when I heard behind me the crunch of gravel footsteps. That sudden noise sent a bolt of dread surging through me, and I froze, fretting beneath the pumped rush of my heart. It left my mind blank with a complete psychological paralysis that made it difficult for me to think or even move. "I arrest you," he declared, his voice reverberating through the night, sounding almost like a funeral bell. This revitalized my stupor like splashes of cold water. Officer's words put in the air the formality of that situation. "Come down," they commanded him, sounding strenuous and authoritative in tone. There was that swell of reluctance, the unwillingness of my body to listen, but I knew I had no choice. I began easing myself down and letting the hands slip from the fence as I fell to the ground. Every footfall driving into the ground became deafeningly loud like som
VISHA’S POV I was sitting in my office, lit only by the computer screen glimmering on my face as I awaited the emergence of this very message on my desktop. A rush of anxious happiness surged through me; my heart raced with expectancy. With a purpose that was near to mania, my fingers began to type as I opened the message that contained the address for the person we had chased for so long. I felt like an electrifying spark coursing through my body: it was time. Without hesitation, I activated working mode; execution took over—just like one hundred thousand times before. "Men!" I yelled to my team, sturdy and decisive, like a thunderclap in the office. My boys, all junior in rank to me, came flocking to my side in a state of excitement and anticipation. "Yes, sir! Yes, sir!" they said in chorus, almost kneeling before me. Expectation filled their eyes. I instructed them articulately and brief, my tone steady and calm. "Get the van ready, we need to arrest a suspect," I uttered. T
ARROW’S POV I dialed Mr. Isah's line, my fingers seemingly having a mission of their own, as I anticipated his pick-up. I had known Mr. Isah since I was a boy and now a cop; I could always count on him for something: a source of counsel and support. The ringing gave me a major sense of relief. I was calling someone who might help. "Is he on yet?" Kalmia asked me, curious and worried. I nodded and kept my eyes glued to that phone, waiting for Mr. Isah to pick up. "Yes, my love; do not worry," I tried reassuring her that everything would work out. When Mr. Isah finally picked up, I cheerfully said, "Good day, Mr. Isah." "Good day, Arrow; how have you been?" came the deep and authoritative reply from the other end. I smiled; it had been a comforting voice through time. "Very well, sir," I answered, almost overacting in my calmness and composure. "Ah, that's good to hear; what do you need from me today?" was his cordial tone. I inhaled deeply to compose myself and start the reason for
ARROW’S POV I leaned against her, my neck muscles relaxed as they reveled in relief. She would sit better or worse besides me, and I felt that gladness in having her there. The two of us stood for some time, just holding on to each other-the tension and chaos of the outside world momentarily forgotten. I knew as well that I was looking toward whatever was next with Kalmia; no matter what it was, we would get through it together. I felt thankful that it was there. I softly parted from her, grabbing Kalmia’s gaze. "I have to find out what this Visha has on me," I continued, resolutely now, the weight of my words pressing against her. "I don't know what lies between us, but I want to learn what she knows about my mother." Kalmia had that thinking pose painted all over her: eyes slightly narrowed as she measured me up. "I wonder if that's wise," she spoke. It had a rather content reluctance. "I don't care." Instead, the more resolved I grew, the steadier grew my voice. "I must have t
ARROW’S POV I entered my comforting home, the familiar setting enveloping me in a warm embrace. "I'll be fine. Thanks," I told Daniel as my voice trailed off into an almost inaudible whisper. The echo of that whisper was like a reminder of everything that had transpired a few hours ago. I hopped into my sedan while blaring some loud music to drown out the chaos in my head. The rhythmic beats from the speakers filled the hollow space for just a moment. Almost instantaneously, from the moment I pulled into the driveway, a profound sense of relief swept past me, finally arriving home. I went into the house and called my wife, "Baby!" My voice echoed throughout the hall, which then brought with it a gentle call that his wife answered promptly. "I'm over here," Kalmia would respond from bellow where the kitchen is with the warmth of an inviting voice. Following the source of her voice, I padded after her in the kitchen, where the smelly dinner floated tantalizingly through the air, almo
DANIEL’S POV "It's as if the person left in a hurry, and I was just hung there, feeling uncertain. The cursor kept blinking endlessly as if to remind me that the conversation wasn't finished yet; however, the silence was becoming unbearably loud. And finally, after ages of waiting, a text popped up on the screen," I can't tie this one to you. The words would extricate themselves, letter after letter, each one wielding well-laid calculation to enhance the torment behind such severe brevity. Down sank my heart as the phrase registered within, disillusionment and fury swelling up in response to it. Those very words were so final, so dismissive-I could not help but wonder what other secrets had been muzzled by just those few words. It's fine, I said, desperately trying to sound as though I meant it while trying to weigh for more. It was a complete lie; nothing was okay. But I was in no mood to stretch this conversation. Because of their absence, I was fully charged and restless
DANIEL’S POV What could Arrow have done to piss Visha off? Was it something personal, or just business? Whether it was something personal or business-the questioning Pollyanna's in my head like a vortex, taking me further into the miasma and making it harder with the passing moments to breathe. This was an avalanche being set to go down-Are Visha's motives ever so deep and multifaceted that it makes for a complex riddle? I was starting to process my thoughts when another message shot through on my phone, the noise sounding in the silence like a gunshot fired in the dark with jarring mention. "If Arrow doesn't go down, he will know my secret," read Visha's words, electrifying me like a tsunami, leaving me breathless and gormless. What could possibly be her secret? I wondered with a really piqued curiosity like that of a detective after a lead, racing through a thousand wild scenarios, each more tantalizing than the last. Something to ruin her reputation? Something evil? Each possibi
DANIEL’S POV With the passage of two weeks feeling like a grain of sand slipping through an hourglass, my days trickled by, counted with pain and agony toward the evocation of my so-called heavenly vacation. Caged with anticipation, a living, breathing entity all its own wrapped its sweet, loving arms around my soul and began to suffocate with every passing moment, until it finally came to be. Boarding the plane, I felt the soft whoosh of closing doors like a wishful adieu as Jamaica, with rays of sunshine and azure waters, beckoned to me as a siren would. The money that Visha had funneled to me was burning wild in my pocket like a wild inferno that could be subject to control only by my intentions. I resolved to spend it all and shift my focus from worry and inhibition toward blending with unchecked joy at being on vacation. The sound of reggae, wafting through the airport alongside the aromas of jerk chicken and spices, seemed to carry me off to a world where one could shove