A stinging slap cracked through the air.Olive’s head snapped to the side, pain exploding across her cheek. Her vision blurred, her ears ringing from the force of the blow. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, the metallic taste sharp against her tongue. The room swayed, her mind sluggish as she struggled to process what was happening.A soft chuckle, dark and laced with venom, slithered through the dimly lit space."Pathetic," Sophia’s voice—no, something about it was off—dripped with mockery.Olive’s breaths came in short gasps. Her head throbbed, and when she finally forced herself to look up, the woman standing before her was smirking. The same face Olive had come to despise—Sophia’s face. Yet, there was something… different. A flicker of something familiar.A shiver crawled down her spine."You don’t even recognize me, do you?" The woman tilted her head, amusement flashing in her dark eyes.Olive’s brows knitted together, confusion clouding her mind. The voice, the way sh
The gunshot exploded through the room.Olive’s breath caught in her throat. The sharp crack of the gun was deafening, the scent of burned gunpowder stinging her nose. Her body braced for pain, for the punch of the bullet, but it never came.The gun clattered to the ground, spinning across the floor. Ezra stood in front of her, his chest rising and falling, his arm still outstretched from where he’d knocked the weapon from Delilah’s grip. The air between them pulsed with raw energy.Delilah took a deep, shaky breath, her shoulders rising as her hands curled into fists. Her face twisted into something ugly. “You should be dead,” she hissed.Olive couldn't speak. Her body had locked up the moment Delilah pulled the trigger, and now she was stuck in the aftermath, her limbs useless, her mind blank.Ezra’s voice sliced through the silence. “Do you even understand what you just did?” His usual calm was gone, his words sharp and cutting. His hands curled into his jacket as if he were stoppin
"That's enough, Ezra," Ethan called out. He stood in the room, watching Olive like he was seeing something that wasn’t supposed to be there. His chest tightened, but he forced himself to stay still.Ezra stood beside him, leaning against the wall with an impatient look. He was checking his phone, barely paying attention. Ethan licked his lips, hesitating for just a second before speaking."Doesn’t she look like Mom?"Ezra barely reacted. He let out a short, dry chuckle without looking up. "Are you serious?" His tone was flat, dismissive.Ethan’s fingers curled into his palms. His throat felt dry. "Look at her properly."Ezra finally lifted his gaze, scanning Olive for barely a second before shaking his head. "You’re overthinking."Ethan swallowed. His pulse was steady, but his thoughts weren’t. "No. I know what I’m saying."Ezra rolled his eyes and turned away. "We buried her, Ethan. Our sister is dead."Ethan’s stomach twisted. He glanced at Olive again. The resemblance wasn’t just i
"We will check to see how long," Ethan responded.Ezra sighed lazily as he crossed his arms against his chest, his eyes fixed on Olive, who sat oblivious to their presence. Olive was now so weak that she couldn’t even sense how many people were in the room. She was almost slipping into a coma.Ezra shifted uneasily. “So, what’s your plan?”Ethan didn’t answer right away. His gaze remained locked on Olive, his expression unreadable. Finally, he said, “Let’s watch first. But Mia must not hurt her.”Ezra scoffed, dropping his arms from his chest. “And if she does?”“You have to stop her. This wasn’t the plan, but I don’t care anymore. All I need to find out is if she’s truly our sister. If she is, this mission has to be aborted.”Ezra exhaled sharply, his skepticism evident. Ethan had always been the strategist, the one who thought five steps ahead. That trait had been the reason for their issues with Raymond, but now, him giving it up meant he was truly invested in uncovering what had
Delilah leaned against the cold brick wall, one leg bent as she twirled a lock of hair between her fingers. The phone was pressed to her ear, her lips curling into a knowing smirk as the line connected.“Hello, Frank.”There was silence which was long enough for her to picture the way his jaw would tighten.Then, his voice came through as he said “What do you want, Delilah?” in a sharp and impatient tone.Her smirk deepened. Oh, how she loved getting under his skin. “Oh, come on, don’t be so grumpy. I have good news.”Frank’s scoff was immediate. “Good news?” He sounded incredulous, his anger barely restrained. “After all the losses I’ve taken because of you?”Delilah rolled her eyes, tapping her nails against the phone. “Oh, don’t start. I’m fixing everything.”“Fixing it?” Frank snapped. “Because of you I lost properties, money and even trust from my families”She sighed, cutting him off before he could launch into one of his never-ending rants. “Olive is here.”For a brief seconds
Raymond paced back and forth on the dock, his shoes echoing loudly in the empty space. The wind howled, creating a mournful sound as it swept through the old metal beams. Despite the sun shining brightly, a cold sensation churned in his stomach.He couldn’t stop thinking about what was happening. His team stood a few feet away, staring at their phones with worried expressions. They were all thinking the same thing: What’s going on?Raymond stopped pacing and gazed out at the water. He checked his watch for what felt like the hundredth time.He started walking again, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios. What if something had happened to Olive?He wasn’t sure he could forgive himself if it had.“History can’t repeat itself,” he whispered under his breath. “The woman I love has to live. She can’t die. Not again.”His team glanced at him, their eyes filled with unspoken questions. But Raymond had no answers. All he could do was wait and hope that everything was okay.The wind kept b
Mr. Logan arrived at Raymond’s penthouse, clutching a leather-bound folder containing every copy of the Golden Island estate documents.Raymond stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his silhouette framed against the city’s shimmering skyline. He didn’t turn when Logan approached, but the tension in his shoulders was a dead giveaway. He already knew why Logan was there.“Here it is,” Logan said quietly, placing the folder on the glass coffee table. “Every copy… as you asked.”Raymond inhaled deeply, letting the weight of the moment settle over him. For years, Golden Island had been more than an estate; it was the heart of his empire—his blood, his sweat, his identity. Trading it away felt like carving out a piece of his soul. His hands trembled slightly as he opened the folder.His eyes skimmed over the documents, but the words blurred into a haze. His chest tightened. He blinked rapidly, willing away the sting of emotion. There was no time for weakness. Not now.A flicker of memory s
Raymond parked his SUV outside Wilston Warehouse. The rain had slowed to a gentle drizzle, but the sky remained dark.He gripped the steering wheel tightly. His heart pounded hard. He glanced in the mirror. There was no car or any trace of people coming. It was just him here.Something felt wrong.With a deep breath, he grabbed the document and stepped out. The rain kissed his skin with little droplets. It felt cold as ice, but that didn't matter right now.His thoughts kept drifting back to how Olive would be right now, and silently he hoped that after submitting this document, there wouldn't be any more requests.Raymond pushed the big door open. It creaked loudly, the sound echoing in the empty warehouse.Boxes and crates were stacked high, covered in dust. Rusty tools hung from the walls. The place smelled like metal and old wood.His footsteps echoed with every step. The warehouse felt empty."Olive?" he called. His voice bounced off the walls, but no one answered.Drip. Drip. Dr
The nurse turned and looked at Ezra, her expression unreadable. “Sorry, sir,” she said flatly, then turned away.It was as if the moment never happened. The nurses resumed their tasks in silence, their quiet efficiency louder than any words. Ezra stood there, ears ringing from the weight of what he’d just heard. That silence… it wasn’t what he wanted. It wasn’t what he needed. He didn’t want calm or polite shrugs—he wanted answers. He wanted someone to tell him that what he heard was wrong.With panic rising in his chest, Ezra spun on his heel and ran down the corridor. He remembered the ward Olive had been in, where Raymond's assistant had guarded the door like his life depended on it.His heart pounded in his ears, his shoes squeaking across the tiles. When he reached the room, he yanked the door open.Empty.The bed was stripped. Machines unplugged. Everything was so neat, it was like she’d never been there.“No. No, no, no—” he whispered, stumbling back a step.A nurse was inside,
Olive lost her childEthan felt like the ground had shifted beneath him. His eyes were fixed on nothing, yet everything around him swirled in chaos. His chest rose and fell sharply as the weight of Ezra’s words settled in.“She… she lost the baby?” His voice cracked, almost too soft to hear.Ezra nodded, his face drawn. “Yeah. The doctor said the trauma and stress were too much.”A silence fell between them.Ethan turned his face away, ashamed. “This is my fault,” he said bitterly. “All of it. If I hadn’t given in to Mia’s manipulations—if I hadn’t allowed my hatred for Raymond to blind me—Olive wouldn’t have been hurt.”Ezra didn’t respond at first. He just sat down beside Ethan’s hospital bed, leaning forward with his hands clasped. His posture was stiff. They had both walked the same path, driven by envy and resentment, thinking they were justified. But now, the consequences stared them down in the most brutal way.“You’re not alone in this,” Ezra finally said. “I let my emotions t
As soon as Ezra bent to pick up the object, Frank had already realized what it was. With desperation fueling his bruised and battered body, he lunged forward, ignoring the searing pain in his ribs, and snatched the phone off the ground before Ezra’s fingers could graze it.Ezra stood up slowly, straightening his jacket with the composure of a man who had not just been in a fight minutes ago. He smirked coldly. “We have to end this here. I have better things to do than stand here breathing the same air as you… unless, of course, you’re asking to die.”Frank chuckled despite the blood dribbling from the side of his mouth. His eyes, though nearly swollen shut, gleamed with something more dangerous than fury—conviction. “Ezra, you really do think highly of yourself.”He lifted the phone, his thumb dangerously close to the screen. “You see this? You’re not getting it back. This time, I’ll make sure it gets to the authorities. You won’t be able to lie your way out of this.”Ezra’s expressio
“What truth are you talking about?” Ezra asked, his voice edged with curiosity as he lifted himself from the body of his car. His head was feeling dizzy because of the stress lately but it seems Frank has something to say about him.A smug smirk played on Frank's lips.“Oh... look who suddenly wants the truth,” he said with a lazy chuckle. “I thought you didn’t give a damn when I exposed you. Or were you too busy playing the villain in a suit to care?”Ezra clenched his jaw, as his fist clenched by his side trying to calm the anger already building up in him.“Speak if you want to speak, and if you don’t—get lost.” His tone was tight, words pushed through gritted teeth.Frank scoffed, walking forward more closer to Ezra this time.“You’re still playing hard when you’re about to be ruined?” His words dripped with taunt, his confidence unwavering.Ezra’s eyes darkened.“Do what suits you. I don’t care. Just don’t bring Olive into this. If you do, you’ll have yourself to blame.”He turne
“I think I know what to do,” Frank muttered under his breath, the tremble in his voice betraying the storm raging within him. His shoes echoed against the sleek hotel floor as he strode toward the hallway, each step fueled by desperation and unresolved regret.He didn’t get far.“Excuse me, sir,” a firm voice cut through the air, halting him mid-stride. Two security men stood in his path, their stance unwavering, their eyes alert.Frank blinked, startled. “What’s this?”“Passage card, sir,” one of the guards demanded.Frank’s hand instinctively darted to his pocket, looking for a card—though he clearly knew he had none.“Hmm… I don’t have any,” he said, trying to maintain composure. “But I think we can talk, man to man.”“No. We don’t do that here,” the guard replied sternly.“Gosh,” Frank muttered. “Why are the people here so strong-headed? First it was the receptionist, now it’s the guards.”He knew there were empty rooms, but the receptionist had refused to give him one.“Okay, how
The person that just came down was Frank.Ezra stood still, his hand resting lightly on the curtain. The streetlight outside wasn’t too bright, but it gave enough glow to make out the tall, dark figure leaning on the car. There was no mistaking that face. The jawline, the hair, the posture—it was undeniably Frank.Ezra’s brows tightened. “What the hell is this clown doing here?” he muttered under his breath.He just stared.Frank? After everything? After what happened at the warehouse? Ezra had pulled him out with his own hands. Dragged him out. And now he was here? Following?Ezra slowly released the curtain and stepped back from the window. He rubbed his forehead with both palms, exhaling quietly. The day had already been messy. Too messy. And now this?He wasn’t scared. Just... fed up. Tired.He turned away from the window, running a hand over his head. His muscles were tight, jaw clenched. He pushed his damp curls back, then rubbed the back of his neck as if that could ease the ti
"Don't look for my boss; this is not a warning, but the truth. With his state of mind right now, he might kill you, and he definitely does not care about the consequences,” Daniel coldly said.Ezra didn’t flinch. He didn’t acknowledge the threat, the coldness in Daniel’s voice, or the dangerous warning behind it. Instead, he simply kept walking, his footsteps echoing off the sterile hospital walls. He was numb, his mind a whirlwind of confusion, guilt, and frustration. His brain couldn’t even begin to process everything that had just happened, the gravity of what was unfolding around him.As he reached the parking lot, Ezra could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on him, a constant reminder of the mess he was now in. He opened the door to his car and slid inside, slamming it shut behind him with a soft thud. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as he started the engine, the low hum of the car grounding him for a moment.He drove off, not knowing where he was go
Ezra had caught a glimpse of Daniel, so he approached him with the hope of finding Raymond.“Hello,” Ezra greeted, his voice steady but cautious.Daniel didn’t acknowledge him right away, keeping his attention firmly fixed on Olive’s door, like it was the only thing worth focusing on at that moment. His stance was rigid, almost like a soldier guarding an important post. Every muscle in his body seemed wound tight—a simmering tension that Ezra could almost feel from where he stood.Nurses were moving about hurriedly, attending to one patient or another. But none of them dared approach Daniel. They respected the silent authority he carried—one that demanded you either obey or keep your distance.Ezra shifted his weight, clearing his throat. "I’m Ezra," he said again, though there was still no reaction. "Ethan's brother."Daniel barely spared him a glance. His jaw tightened, eyes never wavering from the door. Ezra hesitated, unsure whether he should press on or let the silence stretch.“
Ezra sat stiffly in the hospital chair close to Ethan's bed, his fingers clutching Ethan’s hand like it was a lifeline. His brother’s palm was clammy, lifeless, but warm—thank God, still warm.The fluorescent light overhead buzzed, flickering once. The machines beside the bed beeped in a slow, steady rhythm.Ezra hated the sound.He leaned forward, eyes glued to Ethan’s pale face, searching for any flicker of movement, any twitch of his brow—anything that said I’m still here, bro.But Ethan didn’t move.His chest rose and fell shallowly under the white blanket. His leg was heavily bandaged, elevated—the blood loss had almost taken him on arrival. The nurse had told Ezra as much: “He’s stable, for now. But we’re watching him closely.”Ezra couldn’t stop the shaking in his knees. His brother—the one who always acted like he didn’t care, always played the fool just to lighten the mood—was lying there like a damn ghost. It didn’t feel real. It couldn’t be real.And then, like a slow wave