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Zoe drove down the sloppy, lonely road, through the beautiful sea that seemed to bring some kind of happiness that she couldn't quite describe. The beautiful sight of the water made it feel like she could breathe without being under the scrutiny of anyone she knew at that moment, as she moved along the road leading into the small countryside town where she was led to by what was mentioned on the news Martin showed her. She stepped out of the car, her eyes scanning the old, quaint houses that were around, nestled between rolling hills and vast fields of wildflowers. Cobblestone streets meandered through the town, flanked by charming cottages with ivy-clad walls and neatly trimmed gardens arranged in vibrant blooms.The town seemed eerily quiet with quite a few shops along the main street, barely with any customers, the smell of newly baked bread waffling from the small bakery which stood in an open space, while the local café which was a few feet away, seemed to have a few people seat
Tired of spacing out and getting roped into more confusion, Zoe made her way back to the large oak tree that had stood at the entrance of the town, and parked her car a few miles away from it. She slumped against its sturdy trunk that had been made into a fine chair, and stared at the patchwork of fields and meadows that were around where she sat, as the scent of wildflowers and fresh hay filled the air, mingling with the distant, earthy aroma of tilled soil. As she gazed out at the peaceful landscape, trying to enjoy the sight that she was looking at, the silence around felt so heavy upon her, reminding her that she might have been plunged into an illusion that had been created in her head just because of some cheesy news. Zoe struggled to focus on the beauty of what she could see and not the pain that had settled in her heart, as she brought out one of the breads she had purchased a few hours ago, and began to eat the cold dough. Sighing wearily and heavily the more she thoug
Malcolm had been unable to come to terms with the fact that Zoe had asked to stay separately, and it had been eating him up in sadness even if he didn't show it. It was so unexpected that it was the first thing she requested after she returned home, which to him was a way of severing the smallest tie they had with one another. He thought of how cold and lifeless his room would be once again without her, even if he had loved his space in the past without any disruptions in the order of things. But now, he loved sharing his space with her more than not doing that. His mind had been trying to piece together the puzzle of her sudden coldness and distancing, which had him wondering where she had gone to, and what she had gone to do. The thought of saying yes to her gnawed at him as a persistent and painful thought, and saying ‘No’ to her wasn't even a choice, because he was now learning to respect her decisions and wants, regardless of how inconvenient it was. ‘What could she be up to
It had been a few days since Zoe returned to work and started coming home, and things had slightly changed as preferred by her. She had a new room across Malcolm's perfectly decorated and set up to her taste, and the only maid that was permitted to come to their lounge area was Erin, and the newest one, Hailey, which made others oblivious of the room split between the two. However, Malcolm made it a routine to go and visit Zoe at her office after work, even though she ended up giving him a few excuses regarding work as to why she couldn't spend more than a few minutes with him. And as for Martin, they had been unable to meet since the last time, because he had been busy shooting his restaurant promotional commercial. Retrieving the card and other documents which she had taken a picture of inside Irina's safe had been her utmost goal in the house again, but it was almost impossible because getting into Irina's room without her being there was more difficult than before, and it seemed
The gleaming marble floors of the high-end shopping mall echoed with the clicking of designer heels of different sophisticated and alluring wealthy ladies, who moved from one luxurious store to another searching for the perfection they all sought. The air was permeated with the whiff of different expensive and luxurious cologne, and the huge neon-lighted banner was intricately designed to highlight the exclusivity of each boutique they entered. Amid the opulence of the mall, a lady was seen trudging behind her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, her arms laden with countless shopping bags as she struggled to keep up with them. “Hold these properly for goodness’ sake! Is it so difficult to do?!” Irina snapped in anger as soon as she turned behind her to see Audrey slacking off, her voice laced with disdain, “And do not drag your feet like a filthy maid!” She spat. “Tsk,” Ivy rolled her eyes spitefully, her rosy red lips curving to a sneer, “Such a dummy!” She hissed and began to wa
Audrey's days at the Meyers mansion had become harder than they had ever been in her entire life, and she soon realized the pain of having to be treated like a piece of trash by the family. She had to get up from her bed as early as 4:00 AM to begin to cook three-course dishes for everyone, and she had to complete each variety before 7:30 AM, when everyone would come out to eat breakfast. She worked tirelessly every morning, the clock ticking mercilessly forward. It became worse because it was hard to keep up with the unnecessary meals that would end up wasted that she had to cook, and Isla, who had been away from home for about two weeks, suddenly returned, making her work more hectic. Every time in the dining hall where she stood to confirm if everyone was satisfied with what they got, she would watch Zoe walk into the dining room, take her seat, and barely eat much from whatever was served for the day without complaints before turning to leave. And, she never met her eyes no
Sinking at the edge of her bed, her hand trembling with the phone she held in her hand, tears streamed down Audrey's cheeks, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she buried her face downward. It was two days after she had accompanied Irina and Ivy to the spa, and nothing had gotten better ever since that time. The transfer of aggression multiplied and got worse, which had the clueless maids gossiping about what was going on. Audrey had never felt so alone, and utterly desperate in her life as she sat in the melancholic darkness of her room, sobbing endlessly and uncontrollably. Her son had asked her what happened and why she was suddenly being treated in such a poor manner by his grandmother, but she was unable to give him answers. Every moment, she could hear the gossip of her flying around the mansion, as she had now become a laughingstock among them. She decided to make up her mind. ‘She would rather become a slave to someone else.’ Audrey stared at the screen of her phone
The silence in the room was heavy, almost suffocating as Audrey waited, her heart pounding with each passing second as her eyes continued to dart to the doors nonstop, while awaiting Zoe's arrival. She had practiced in her head over and over how she would act if Zoe came in, and the words she would put together to show how sorry she was for being so mean, and avoiding her like a plague for the past weeks. When the doors to the room finally opened, having waited for a long time, her breath hitched in trepidation, as her eyes caught a wind of Zoe stepping into the room so elegantly. Instantly, she sank to her knees, the pain of having to put up with so much hatred and pain in the Meyers home, driving her even more, “I am so sorry, Zoe,” she choked out, her voice trembling with emotion. Tears had begun to trickle down her cheeks as her vision blurred while looking at Zoe, who was still startled by her sudden breakdown, “I am sorry for everything I have ever done to you Zoe. Everythin
It was late in the night already, and Dylan was just driving Zoe back home. She sat in the back seat and slouched her back comfortably against the leather chair, with her neck hanging sideways against the closed window in the most elegant way ever. Somehow, she was trying not to think of it earlier. She was trying not to think of having to sit before Andre in her office, and talk so casually. It reminded her of Audrey. It reminded her of the woman whose dreams were stolen, and a woman whom somehow no one seemed to remember. It made her heart ache that even her husband seemed to have no ounce of sadness for her death. His expression turned even colder at the mention of her name. As much as Zoe tried to push the thoughts and triggering insinuations that kept creeping into her mind because of the silent investigations she had been doing, she couldn't help but remember what Audrey told her. That someone had threatened her after her encounter with Marcel, and sent an anonymous message
Despite the seeping feeling of cold air into the atmosphere in the office of the CEO of the RINASHONE art gallery, it did nothing to ease the storm that was brewing in Isla's heart, who sat slouched against her chair.Her eyes which had been narrowed by a disdainful glare stared again at the chart that was before her, and she could not help but scrunch up her face the more she read those numbers before her. ‘Ridiculous!’ She almost scoffed, ‘The gallery’s earnings for the month were barely enough. Barely enough!’ her eyes glanced through the pile of invoices again, and then glared at the final figure. “This is not good. Not nearly enough,” she muttered spitefully, the more she thought of her debts which loomed over her like a noose. The ones that had given her sleepless nights because somehow there was nowhere she could have pulled the funds from. Isla leaned back in her chair and gritted her teeth angrily, thinking of how the numbers were still low with the exhibition they held an
The bright lights of the city shone against the tinted windows of the car that drove through the highways of the city, but it didn't do anything to catch the attention of the man who sat back in the backseat of his luxurious car, while rubbing his temples absently with one another.As he remained mute without uttering anything all through the journey back home which was unlike his usual self, his mind momentarily flashed back to the event that happened earlier that day, as he steamed with the remnant of his frustration.It was the second time he had a face-to-face conversation with her. He had stormed into her mall straight from work with his pulse hammering with frustration without even thinking too much about it, the moment he realized that yet again, there was no reply. He was so pissed. For days, she had ignored his email. And when he was told that she asked him to be let inside at once, he was quite taken. He had expected that she would prove so difficult so that he would be ab
Her shortcomings. That had been her concern all afternoon. Not the great news Hepzy went back and forth about. Rather than the joy and excitement that usually came with it, she just felt relieved. Relieved that she was doing well. She wasn't happy about it. There was nothing to be joyful about. As she sat at her desk surrounded by neatly stacked reports and a laptop screen glowing with financial projections before her, the numbers stared back at her. Poor and unproductive in her dictionary. As much as it looked impossible, she had always aimed for every venture she had mapped out in the mall. It wasn't just a mall. It was an empire. The one that billions had been finished off on, and it would end up swallowing more if poured into it. Pulling off something that huge had taken so much willpower and mental strength even if every social psychology quotient of hers was always fluctuating. The ice skating rink and the luxury car exhibition space were doing the lowest. 8% returns was all
The faint aroma of herbal tea lingered in the air of the office, where Zoe sat uprightly behind her table, with her poised demeanor betraying no sign of the turmoil that had lingered over her for the past few days even till the night before.Across from her, Zara, who was holding a notepad clutched to her chest, continued to stare at her so overtly, while wondering what kind of woman she was. “You have been watching me like a hawk,” Zoe, whose gaze was fixated on what she was looking at on the tablet that was before her, “Spill it.”Zara hesitated before speaking, as she stared at her, with a concerned expression, “I don't want you to say I bother too much, but I really cannot help but be so worried. I mean you suddenly made me book a flight after the launching, and then left. You came back and told no one. You came in looking so sick and pale, and now you are doing so much work already. You are asking if things you've never……..”“Can you catch your breath, Zara?” Zoe cut her off ins
It was so dark in the night already, and barely anything could be heard around the estate anymore except the branches of trees moving in the movement of the wind, and the sound of crickets that buzzed amidst the gardens that were around. Malcolm was seen returning to Zoe's house after he had left many minutes ago, with big bags in his hands as he made his way to the front of her mansion. Slipping in through the front door now that he knew its password, he stepped in casually and locked the door behind it. Since he left the other inner door that led to the living room open without closing it when he left earlier, it was easier to just enter on tiptoe without disrupting her. Catching a sight of her still sleeping on the couch in her living room, he dropped the bag he was carrying on the cold, marbled floor, and walked over to her side to feel her temperature. He noticed that she was still burning with a fever. Carefully, Malcolm carried her the same way he had done the previous day,
Malcolm had stood by the window of his mansion all evening after returning from work, with his fingers tapping idly at the corners of it which he had never noticed before, but was as sparkly as ever because the cleaning services that usually cleaned his house were perfect at their job. His eyes had fixed on the road outside as he waited restlessly, with his thoughts sinking into a tangled mess of concern and yearning for the woman he had been bothered about more than ever all day because of the articles that were published. And just at the moment when his eyes caught the sight of a car which rolled into view and drove past his mansion, his heart skipped in relief, before he instantly turned away from the window and hurried out. ‘She was back.’He walked fast, and even almost ran, hoping that he would be able to still meet her outside before she entered her house. In the opposite direction, her car drove past him as he walked, and he didn't even mind anything apart from her. His ey
“Please can you listen to me first?” Zoe instantly stood up from her seat and stepped forward in desperation, as her fingers curled slightly the moment she stretched her hand in an attempt to reach her, but dared not touch. Upon hearing her voice laced with desperation and a hint of something she couldn't make out, Jasmine halted on her steps, before she turned her face sharply. A sharp, bitter laugh escaped her lips, as she stared at Zoe's face, with a surfeit amount of emotions rushing through her at once, causing her to almost stumble on words, “If you are here to ask me about us, then I have nothing to say,” her voice trembled, “Did she say anything about me? Did she ask you to meet me? Her eyes burned with so much pain.With a heavy heart, Zoe spoke, unable to meet her eyes, “I am more interested in your side of the story, not Emily's,” she clarified.“What?” Jasmine's brow jumped in a high arch of astonishment, as she tried to make out the meaning of what she was saying, “Wha
An unease settled in Malcolm Meyer’s chest as he leaned back in his office chair, with his left fingers idly tapping against the polished wood of his desk, while his right hand incessantly tugged at the collar of his shirt that continued to feel clammy against his skin. He had barely slept the night before because sleep evaded him, and as a result of anxiety which clung to the darkest corners of his mind that were entangled in the thoughts of her.When he arrived home the day before earlier than he usually did because he was bothered, and hoped that Zoe would be home by then already, he noticed that the lights to her mansion had been off. It was not the usual ‘one’ light on, and the rest ‘off’ he usually noticed whenever he was home before he even knew she lived there. This time, it was completely off. There was darkness everywhere around her mansion, and it was unlike her. ‘Had she even come home at all?’ He wondered endlessly in his heart, seriously bothered that he didn't see h