Late into the night after preparing dinner and taking care of her usual work around the house, Audrey walked to the front of her mirror after she had dressed in a red, sequin, backless dress shortly after she took her bath. It had been so long since she had taken the time to dress up to feel beautiful, the same way she usually did when she was not yet tied to her loveless marriage.She smoothed down the sleek fabric of her dress that accentuated her figure, and fastened a pair of earrings to her ears, as well as a bracelet to her wrist, while gazing at herself even more. Carefully, she sat in front of her dresser and began to apply makeup on her face as she perfected the foundation, concealer, blush, and blood-red lipstick that ran across her heart-shaped lips, baking her face into a perfect radiance. With a deep breath, she picked up her brush and hair straightener, as she began to work on her hair, carefully styling it into loose waves until it framed her face perfectly. And as
Marcel insisted on settling both their tabs when they were about to leave, and allowed her to walk before him as they strutted out of the bar together almost at the same pace, looking like stunning couples that had come in together to have the best time of their lives. The city lights twinkled around them as they strolled down the street, their hands brushing occasionally, with Audrey's heart almost exploding out on the spot, as a flutter of excitement that she hadn't experienced in a long time began to build in her heart. She felt a connection with Marcel that she hadn't felt in years, and she was eager to see where it would lead. It had been so long since she felt that way after her high school sweetheart, before she was married to Andre, and everything about her pleasure as a woman ended. They reached a quiet corner where a sleek, black Bentley was packed, and Marcel suddenly turned to her, his orbs boring deep into her like an enchantment, “I had a great time tonight, Audrey. D
Zoe's eyelids suddenly fluttered open and her head, which was dangling slightly, throbbed with a dull ache, as she raised it up to full length, her eyes, which were blurred, suddenly became more sharp and attentive. She tried to move instantly with the aim of scratching the itch she felt on her face, still disoriented a bit, only to find out that her limbs were restrained, and that her wrists and ankles were bound tightly to a cold, metal chair. Panic surged through her veins, and she struggled against the bonds which only tightened with every wiggle and struggle, her memories taking her back to the last thing she remembered from the previous night. ‘Yes! That was it! Someone had covered her mouth and knocked her into unconsciousness,’ she suddenly realized, as she gasped for sure in shock of the reality that just hit her. She looked around instantly to see if there was anyone, but soon figured out that she seemed to be left alone in the vast amount of space that felt like an aban
The faint light of dawn filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room as Audrey suddenly stirred awake, her eyes flickering open in an instant. She felt body soreness as she tried to stretch, while trying to be fully conscious of her environment. For a few seconds, she remained fixated on that spot, her eyes gazing at the ceiling of the room, as the memories of the previous night flooded her memories. How she met Marcel, the guy from the elevator, how they started talking and enjoyed each other's company, and how she followed him home in the end. Her heart skipped a beat the more she remembered how things had played between them after their ferocious kiss at the door, her cheeks turning red at the mere thought of it. She pinched her lower lip with her teeth the more she remembered it. How he planted spine-curling kisses on every part of her body, leaving no area unturned, tingled and stimulated her sensitive mounds and folds with his tongues, lips, and hot brea
“So you are trying to say you are going to kill me, right?” Zoe questioned further, her gaze still unwavering, even if she was terrified now, “What do you get out of it?” She wanted to know. “And how is that any of your business?” The man standing before her retorted sharply, causing her heart to quiver instantly. “How much were you paid? And if you are going to kill me, at least you can tell me the name of the person that sent you. So that I can come back as a ghost and haunt them,” Her eyes scanned around briefly to see if there were agents that could be used to carry out her killing process. “Now, that, young miss, is private information,” he answered, still musing that she was not begging for her life just when he talked about killing her. “Can I at least get a hint about the amount? Know if it is worth the price of killing someone like me?” Zoe proved further, hoping that she might at least be able to buy them out because that seemed like the only way. There was definitely
Several days had passed and things had been quiet around the Meyers mansion more than usual, except for the extravagant plans that had been put in place and were being set up for Irina's birthday, which was coming up soon. Amid the endless preparations that had begun in the early hours of the morning, going on in every part of the mansion, Ivy walked through the grand halls of the mansion, her heels clicking softly against the polished marble floors. Her eyes watched as servants moved briskly through the mansion, arranging lavish floral displays, and hanging intricate large-tier chandeliers to change every interior in the mansion, hanging golden fondant and edible pearls. She sauntered carefully through the hallway and made her way to Isla's room instantly, the bothersome issue in her heart, engulfing her into restlessness in ways that she was unable to hold her curiosity any longer. Pushing the door open gently, Ivy stepped inside Isla's room, her eyes taking notice of the
Malcolm stood at the edge of the bed in the large deluxe room, his heart heavy with an unbearable weight as he watched her lying there, unconscious and pale against the white sheets, with different kinds of tubes connected to her from the life machines that beeped slowly beside the bed. His eyes traced the contours of Zoe's facial features with so much pain in her heart, and he felt a pang of longing mixed with an overwhelming sense of guilt. His eyes were clouded with an unbearable sadness, and he couldn't bear the cold silence that permeated the ambiance of the room while she laid there. He moved closer to her, and gently brushed a strand of hair from her face, his fingers trembling as they touched her ashen skin. Her face was marred by the deep bruises and cuts that had yet to heal from the beatings, as well as the ones that were around her wrists and ankles caused by the bounds. The swelling around her eyes seemed to have lessened in size, but still had the light black-purple d
Audrey has been the most distressed about Zoe's sudden absence from the mansion for the past days, and had been endlessly worried with guilt gnawing into her heart, that she was the reason Zoe suddenly left without telling anyone. Tears welled in her eyes with profound sadness suffocating her so much, the more she remembered that she had lost everything and the one person that she could always count on.Without shame, she had sent several messages to Zoe and begged for forgiveness, even if she knew that she could not be forgiven for all that she had done. She knew that she had risked the only fruitful relationship that she could ever have in her life, by sticking to the bidding of the Meyers who cared less about her. She had endured their cruelty for weeks and spent crying alone in her room, even if that was less compared to the psychological abuse she had ensured for the past years of being married to their family. ‘And now, she was free. Free from their control, their venomous wo
“How did it feel to see her?” Malcolm, whose eyes were already shutting in weariness brightened at the mention of Zoe, saying she met her mother. “To be honest, I was so glad. I was exhilarated because it felt so surreal to know I still have a family,” a small smile graced her lips as she spoke of it, “She doesn't know yet, but I like seeing her every time. She is a gorgeous woman. Full of dreams, and beautiful. Fun fact, we have similar eyes,” she was so excited to talk about Jasmine to someone. Turning to look at her, Malcolm stared into her eyes with a smile, “Really?”“Yes. She is stunning,” her lips widened in a deeper grin. His heart, suddenly hurting at the thought of his mother again, Malcolm was curious, “You don't resent all the times you spent away from her? Or her?”“If I say I don't, I lie,” a soft sigh escaped Zoe, as she looked up at the beautiful chandelier that was sitting up on the ceiling of the living room, while staring at it dreamily like a new kind of attra
Ding dong! The shrill chime of the doorbell outside the door instantly cut through Jasmine's thoughts and her back to the present from her room. For a moment, she couldn’t move. Her body remained frozen as if her brain had paused, and her heart, hammered. It was when her phone which was by her side sounded with a loud notification, that she fully kicked out of the reset mode her mind had gone into. She grabbed the phone so languidly as if something was sucking life out of her. A message notification from Justine flashed through her face when she swiped the screen up, and it read, ‘I’m outside. Please come get me.’ Turning on the lights in the room, Jasmine rose to her feet and hurried out of her room with light steps, careful not to wake Raine up. When she opened the front door of the house, a silent gasp escaped her as soon as she saw her. Justine was looking like life had chewed her up and spit her out. Her eyes were red with weariness and swollen with tears, and her sho
The bedroom showed no sign of life because the lights there were off, but someone was sitting by the window side, staring out into her uninteresting compound, while lost in thoughts. She sat at the edge of her armchair with her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes fixed on nothing in particular. The air around her felt so thick with tension, and it felt too heavy to pull into her lungs, because it was constricted with pain. It had been almost two hours since Zoe left, but Jasmine’s heart had not known rest because of what she said. The most shocking part of her life was all exposed in just one evening, and she was still trying so hard to process it. Her truths were wrapped in so much pain.She had been trying to keep up with the chaos inside her head, but it was as if Zoe's pain now lived in her lungs.‘She was married?’ Jasmine could not get her mind off that part, because that piece of information was not included in her public biography. There was no news about it. ‘If she was
Zoe adjusted the face cap she was wearing and bent her head, her eyes boring deep into the floor as she entered into the elevator with Malcolm. It was when they entered and the doors shut, that she thought to herself that it would have been better if he had gone up first. ‘What could be worse than the tip-off of where she was staying the night? Meeting up with Malcolm Meyer in his private penthouse? It would look too good on paper. The speculations would be terrifying and suffocating!’“You can remove the cap now,” Malcolm told her as soon as they reached the penthouse of the forty-five floored building, and stepped out of the elevator. “Okay,” she muttered, even if she didn't pull it off immediately. She was still a little bothered that someone might see them. The penthouse was quiet when Zoe stepped in after Malcolm opened the door, and it was the kind of stifling silence that made her heartbeat echo in her own ears. And maybe somehow, because she had seen what his house looked
“Those two must have been planning it since! They must have!” Irina’s flare cut through his thoughts, as she gritted her teeth hard, “I have never even thought of her ever coming back. Mill assured her everything was over, and that she would never have reasons to return anymore!” Her heart continued to beat fast, as a raging headache began to rise within her head. She had been having that for days now, and it had just worsened. “This was his silent comeback?” A bitter scowl escaped her, as she sucked in a shaky breath of fury before taking her seat as she shut her eyes tight because of the terrible headache. “No wonder that bastard wasn't saying anything and just watched us run things behind him. He was planning to bring his mother back to the company,” Irina groaned. “Then we should tell the board. This might change their minds,” Andre blurted out without even thinking. “You stupid fool!” Irina cursed under her trembling breath, “What has that got to do with the shareholders?
Back at the Meyers mansion, the moment of peace shattered the moment the front doors burst open, and Irina stormed into the mansion like a hurricane still pompously dressed in her extravagant ball dress.Her hair was still perfectly curled, but her face, which was shining so beautifully, was scrunched up in anger that made the maids scatter as soon as they saw her coming. They hadn't expected to see her so early and had rejoiced endlessly since the plan was to be gone for five days on a nice trip. It made them so disappointed.“Where is my son?!” she barked, tossing her coat and purse aside as she turned to the terrified ones that remained. One of the maids that worked directly with her hurried forward, as she looked to the floor instantly, “Ma’am, Master Andre is in the….”Irina didn’t wait to hear the rest as she stormed past the lady, only for her heels to hit the huge vase along where she passed, causing her to stumble. However, she was fast enough to catch herself against a gil
Driving away from Jasmine’s beautiful and peaceful neighborhood, Zoe struggled to breathe behind the steering wheel of her car. Her entire body was trembling and she was so tensed up, because of the heated encounter she had with her minutes ago, and she had not yet regained herself even after the short discussion she had with Raine. She didn't even understand why she had ranted uncontrollably and talked about her entire life in just a few minutes. She had screamed about her past, pain, and everything she had buried under fine clothing, and business smiles to no one else but her mother. Of course, in the most bitter way ever. ‘Goodness!’ Zoe screamed in her head, mortified that even if she wanted her to see the good side of her, she had failed. Her hands struggled to steady behind the steering wheel as she drove and gripped it so tightly as if it would help her calm herself down, her breath coming in shallow draws. She was confused. ‘Should she call Jasmine back and apologize for
A bitter smile curved Zoe’s lips, “I am sorry I have made you uncomfortable all this while. To be honest, I just really want somewhere to feel at home,” she shrugged slightly as if it was nothing, even if she was crumbling within her. “Growing up with my granny, I had a very rough life. Was bullied endlessly because I had no Mum, and was dirt poor. I worked my ass trying to get an education, but it didn't pay off because I had too many debts. Then an old man my granny knew agreed to take away my debt if I got married, so I did, hoping to escape my lowly, but it was way worse. I suffered a lot,” Zoe began to recount everything that she had been wanting to let out, at least to the very woman she desperately wanted to tell the truth to. She wanted her to know that even if Emily had been her biological Mum, she had a trashy life in the past either way. She had never truly had a family. “You.. you've been married?” Jasmine's incoherent words stumbled out of her trembling lips, as she st
“What do you mean?” Jasmine, who had been pretending not to listen to their conversation almost asked, her eyes widening in shock at what Zoe had just revealed.But Raine took the words right out of her lips before she could say it. “What? Really?” Her eyes sparked up in curiosity.Zoe shrugged lightly, as if trying to make the conversation as natural as possible, “She told me she is not my Mum.”“How?” Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, “You were adopted?!” Her voice rose in speculation. “No,” Zoe laughed.More confusion crossed Raine's features, making her more puzzled than the last, “Then how? She picked you up?” “Maybe because she has lost her mind or something. She rambles on these days. That was when she told me,” she mumbled. “Lost her mind?” Raine's voice lowered in pity. “Yeah. She did pretty bad things, and I guess maybe that is her reward. She doesn't even recognize me,” Zoe laughed like it was some bad joke. Genuinely, Raine's eyes lowered in worry, as she questione