I could feel Andrei's body restless, fidgeting and turning. His sleep was fitful, and his mumbles were filled with confusion. Among the garbled words, one name stood out clearly — Anna. I turned towards him. I gently placed my hand on his arm, attempting to soothe him in his slumber, but the intensity of his body heat startled me and I pulled my hand back. He seemed to be displaying symptoms of fever. I dropped off the mattress, a silent battle raging within me. Should I call his doctor? But was she even helping him? I just wasn't sure. Once again, I softly called his name. His brown eyes, fluttered open, darker and heavier than normal. His breathing was rapid and shallow. My heart was going a mile a minute, and Before I could catch my breath, the door swung and then, in comes Eva, “I'm here to give Andrei his medication,” she stated matter-of-factly. “In the future, have the decency to knock before barging into someone's bedroom.” I snapped. The nerve of her acting li
“Jamie's been spotted, huh?” Eva scoffed, her eyes dancing with a mocking light. “You guys are starting to sound like a bunch of ghost hunters, honestly.”Edna glared at her, her lips thinning into a defiant line. “Don't you dare brush this off like I'm seeing things.”Paul stood stoically beside Andrei as he directed the course of action. ”I need the CCTV footage ensure that's on my desk within 24 hours. And while you're at it, ramp up security around the property. We can't have any more surprises." Paul nods silently, then exited the living room where we all gathered. “I'm telling you, I saw her.” Edna's certainty was almost… tangible, “It was Jamie. That champagne blonde hair and those piercing gray eyes—I'd know her anywhere.”The image of that blonde, gray-eyed woman from the hospital flashed through my mind. Could she be Jamie?“I believe you, Edna,” Helen stated, “Andrei needs to get a handle on this Jamie situation. One maniac is more than enough to deal with; we don't need
Brielle “You’re my wife,” he insisted, his words tinged with a sense of ownership that made me shudder. “You signed the contract, remember? It’s binding.” I tried to protest, but every denial was met with the same adamant response: “You’re my wife now.”***Three Months Earlier…I groaned, struggling to wake up as my mom called my name for the tenth time, shouting it like there was no end to her chorus of “Brielle! Brielle!”Christ, Mom. Gimme a break.And before I could even open my eyes, she'd already yanked the covers off my bed, leaving me shivering and cursing in the chilly air. I groaned again, rubbing my eyes to clear the sleep away. “Seriously, Mom? Can’t a girl get some rest on a Saturday morning?”With a resigned sigh, I forced myself out of bed, brushed my teeth, and took a shower. After that, I joined Mom and Dad downstairs for breakfast.As Mom slid a plate of fluffy omelette in front of me, and she pinned me with a maternal gaze. “Hunny, did you write down that list I
Graduation day had come and gone. Mom, Dad and I had celebrated, done the whole 'picture with the diploma' bit, and now I was ready to party.Ivy and I had hit up the local bar, and were letting loose, celebrating our newfound freedom from school. Mom, bless her heart, was unaware of this particular part of the celebration, also the fact that her goody two shoes daughter was pounding down the drinks like there was no tomorrow.“Hey, bartender, what's that drink called again? You know, the one with the little umbrella?” I slurred my words, barely holding it together.The bartender, a patient-looking woman in her forties, smiled kindly at me. “You mean Mai Tai, hon?”“That’s the one,” I said, giving her a thumbs-up. “I'll have another one of those,” I was having the time of my life. Ariana Grande’s 'Thank U, Next' blasted through the speakers, my head swaying from side to side, nodding to the beat.For the first time in my life, I was in a bar, getting tipsy_Am I?I thought, pouting m
”Oh my goodness, she's absolutely stunning!”I opened my eyes, and the first thing that struck me was the enormous size of the room bathed in natural light.The Floor-to-ceiling windows revealed a breathtaking view of the city. The walls seemed to stretch on forever, adorned with exquisite artwork and sleek mirrors. The bed beneath me was… impossibly soft.“Drey’s picked a beauty this time,” a voice drawled from a distance “He’s got good taste, that one. I just hope she’s not as trigger-happy as the last one.”“Shhh, Edna. We don’t want to wake her. Let her rest. She’ll need all her strength.”“It’s her wedding day, Helen. If she doesn’t wake up in time, she’ll keep Drey and the priest waiting. You know we can’t have that.”Wedding day? Drey? I felt as if I were in some twisted dream, nothing making sense. But the fear coursing through my veins told me that this was all too real.I blinked my eyes wide open, hoping to clear the haze that clouded my mind, and found myself staring into
The wedding was simple—a few documents to sign, the priest to preside, and a lawyer as a witness. Andrey insisted on taking photos, his enthusiasm for capturing the moment clear.And the wedding was over. I was now married to a man I barely knew. Three years, Mr. Carter had said, and I could walk away.It was a strange arrangement, but I couldn’t help feeling a sense of empathy for this mysterious man. His mask, his accident, his desire to protect his image…it all tugged at my heartstrings, and I found myself wanting to help him, despite my own confusion and uncertainty.After the ceremony, Edna served me a plate of cookies, claiming they were “special,” though I didn’t quite understand what she meant. But the cookies were delicious, and I savored each bite, letting the sweetness calm my nerves.As the bedroom door swung open, my head snapped up. I wasn’t expecting anyone to enter, but there stood Andrei, still wearing the mask and still sitting in his wheelchair.His Dark brown hair
“You need to take him to the hospital, Ivy. What the hell were you thinking? What if he’s hurt? You can’t just leave him like that!”“I know, I know. But I can’t go to the hospital. They’ll think I did this on purpose. He’s…he’s got connections, Brielle. What if he’s dead? Or seriously hurt? They’re going to want an explanation."I glanced over my shoulder and saw Andrei deep in conversation with another well-dressed man—his lawyer or right-hand man, perhaps. After a moment, the two of them left the room together. Taking a deep breath, I rushed to the wardrobe, searching for something to wear over my simple shirt and jeans. I found a coat and threw it on, quickly checking the room for my shoes. “Ivy, you need to check his heartbeat,” I said, my voice urgent as I spoke into the phone once again. “Is he still breathing?”“I’m so scared, Brielle… I… I can’t even go near him right now. I’m scared I might’ve killed him.”Frustration welled up inside me. “Pull yourself together, Ivy. I ca
“Now,” Andrei confirmed. “Why the rush to leave so quickly, my dear? We've just begun our journey as husband and wife. Shouldn't we savor this time together?" I swallowed hard, my throat constricting as my anxiety intensified. With a slight shake of my hand, I attempted to grasp the handle of Andrei's wheelchair, but before I could, he swiftly placed his hand over mine, gently guiding it away from the wheelchair. “I’ve got this, Brielle.” He then pressed the controls on the armrest of his wheelchair, and I adjusted my pace to match his. But my mind was still spinning from the chaos Brielle unleashed. Knocking someone out cold with a bottle? Sure, I knew my bestie can be a bit crazy sometimes. But to hit someone with a damn bottle? On top of everything else, we didn’t know if Liam had any ties to Andrei. No. Please, God. Drey is already neck-deep in problems. He's been through a great deal such that I feel empathy for him. And then, out of the blue, Ivy decides to un