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
The room was eerily silent at evening, and the soft sounds of birds chirping and whistling could be heard from the room, as well as the rhythmic beeps of the life support machines that were planted beside the bed, while monitoring the rise and fall of Zoe's heartbeat. She had been lying there for what felt like an eternity, her chest rising and falling with shallow breaths that seemed barely strong enough to keep going. And by her side was Malcolm, whose hand was wrapped gently around hers in the same way it had been for hours, his eyes fixated and never leaving her. He was hoping desperately in his heart that she would wake up, since it had been the tenth day already without any hope of her waking. Just as he was about to adjust the covers that her fragile body was wrapped in between, his heart skipped a beat, upon noticing what he thought he had hallucinated about. Her fingers twitched at the slightest movement, but it was enough to send a jolt through him as he turned instantly
Marcel sat on the balcony of his apartment with a weary expression etched on his face, the more he tried to call the same phone number he had been trying incessantly for days now, which kept giving the same response. As if that was not enough frustration, his mind could not drift back to the memory that he wished he could bloat out of his head, because he hated that it bothered him so much more than he cared to admit.‘What had he done wrong? He was pretty sure he hadn't done or said anything. So why?’ Were the questions that kept seeping back into his thoughts as much as he tried dismissing them. He dropped his phone angrily on the table that was before him, as he picked up the glass of champagne he had been drinking from initially, the fruity flavor he usually liked in the sparkling white wine, suddenly tasting sour because he couldn't stop thinking of Audrey. It had been days since they unexpectedly met in the restaurant where he had agreed to meet someone, and he moved on as us
ZOELVA’s luxurious structure, erected tall, reflected the shining bright lights of the afternoon sun from the east, with its luxurious designs radiating across the core and surroundings far and beyond the huge city. Inside, shoppers went from floor to floor, wandering wide corridors that were lined with top-tier brands, with staff moving around to guide and direct everyone in the most orderly manner. Groups of families made their way to food stands, their laughter and shouts mingling with the savory scents of sizzling burgers, crispy pizza, and sweet, sticky treats. On another side, fashion enthusiasts, elites, and socialites were gathered around numerous designer boutiques, their eyes fixed longingly on the glossy displays of haute couture, while others anticipated getting their hands on the most sophisticated top-notch tech devices. Amid the crowd’s awe and excitement and the hubbub of purchasing endlessly and engaging so many sections in the mall, a moment of stillness fell int
The small studio apartment Ivy sat in was dimly lit, because she left the lights off, with only a small table lamp to illuminate the room. The air of the surroundings was heavy and filled with the staleness of days-old dishes in the sink as well as the faint scent of spilled wine on the threadbare carpet. Every surface of the apartment bore the weight of her gloom with stacks of unopened bills, piles of dirty laundry, and empty bottles left lying on the floor which portrayed too many lonely nights. For weeks, she had lived this way. Isolated, enraged, shrouded in bitterness, and sinking in despair, ever since the incident with Isla that made her get on Malcolm's bad side, and Andre's sudden return which she never expected in her life to see coming. And even if she had been so joyful to see her brother who was back from his supposed death, after they had mourned him for years, she could not believe her mother would quickly replace her with Isla, who she had condemned just a few w
“You are around,” the gloomy and almost fading voice mumbled with a heavy heart, as soon as he heard the phone click on the receiver of his call, just a few minutes after dialing. It was at the most unexpected moment when he had tried the same line he had been trying again and again in futility for the past months, that it went through and the owner of the phone answered. It took him willpower to hide his shock. “Yes,” Zoe's voice came out placidly, devoid of any overt emotion as she answered curtly. Malcolm's eyebrows arched so high in astonishment because he had expected a sarcastic reply from her or a brutal hangup, as his brain ran out of the right words to articulate as a response to the answer she gave him. His voice crackled through the line of sullenness, laced with an uncharacteristic mix of vulnerability and hesitation as he said the most random thing that came to mind, “Your things are still in the room as you left them,” he informed her as if she didn't remember. “You
In just a few days of Zoe having her hands so busy with signing deals and contracts after the launching of ZOELVA, it was already becoming the busiest, most-talked-about destination in town.Shockingly, some of the most iconic foreign brands began to set up their flagship stores with massive storefronts and bold displays, their designs extravagant yet tasteful there, as if they had all been waiting all along. Top-tier local designers and retailers held their own space also, blending a cosmopolitan elegance with a touch of local charm. From the management to the customer service desk that began work in just two days, every employee worked with an intensity that matched the mall’s electric energy, and quickly adapted to the pace, which was astonishingly fast given how new everything was.With their unique uniforms and all of their movements conveying confidence, they smoothly guided people, answered questions, and handled endless transactions with ease. Media houses, and top magazines
Isla bolted out of her room almost at the speed of light as soon as her eyes caught the most shocking news of her life while surfing the internet, and getting prepared to leave the house. Her face instantly flashed with an overwhelming shock and a mix of disbelief after she had checked more than ten media outlets to confirm the news, and scrolled endlessly while watching videos from the launching event from the previous night. Her lungs dropped to her heart and her stomach sank with fury and a profound shock that stole her entire breath away, as she charged down the hallway of her room toward her mother’s room while holding her phone tightly in the grasp of her hand as if she was going to crush it. Her thoughts tumbled over each other, each one more impossible than the last, as she tried to process the news that had shattered her world and left her almost insane with hatred. As soon as Isla abruptly parted the grand doors to her mother's room open and left them swinging with a ter
“I am sorry to inform you, but the blood test results of persons A and B did not match. They are not biologically related.” Zoe stepped into her house after the launching party had ended, and somehow the excitement she had in her all night after her grand launch became the talk of the town, died instantly. As she stepped inside her new home, an unexplainable heaviness washed over her.Her phone vibrated just as she sauntered in and slouched upon her favorite chair in her living room, and as she glanced at the screen and picked up, she heard the most confusing words she couldn't even grasp almost immediately. “What did you say?” she pressed the phone closer to her ear to be sure she heard right, her eyes twitching uncontrollably. For a moment, she didn’t breathe.“I am sorry to announce to you that the two people in the results that have been forwarded to your email are not biologically related. Therefore, the bone marrow transplant cannot proceed.” A few weeks ago, when Zoe finally
The golden air at the moment, which held an air ambiance that opened the world of grand luxury and sophistication, filled the nooks and crannies of the new mall where its launching event was being held, whose name had just been announced a few hours ago. ZOELVATop elites began to saunter into ZOELVA mall, where every inch was polished with fine marble, and was designed with mind-blowing architectural expertise that exuded grandeur, designed to leave them thoroughly marveling and awed by the sight that stole breath from their lips. The glass walls had clear panes that were interspersed with opalescent beams that captured and reflected light in all directions, and giant tiers of diamond chandeliers hung in the main atrium, each crystal strand swaying subtly with a familiar melody, while casting the most artistic light pattern on the marble floor below. The huge ballroom for the event was alive with whispers, laughter, and small talk from the elites that were in attendance, ranging fr
It was impossible to miss. The newest, grandest mall which stood in gleaming glass and steel splendor of great luxury and opulence, with its gigantic structure, stretched so wide, and covered an almost unimaginable number of square meters. The intricate details in its architecture whispered of wealth and exclusivity, and every floor was rumored to be filled with unique boutiques, lavish dining experiences, an indoor oasis lined with lush greenery and trickling water fountains, an entertainment area with a cinema of virtual reality lounges, and a rooftop garden overlooking the city below. The construction of the mall had been shrouded in secrecy for months after the redevelopment of the area was instantly announced, and now its opening and launching event was the talk of the town, flooding every news outlet and social media platform. Everywhere, people wondered what conglomerate owned the huge work of art. #Mall of century #Biggest in the city #Magnificent Mall #Top entrepreneu
The grand front door of the Meyer swung open with force and rattled against the wall as Isla stormed into the grand lobby, and then the stairway, her heels striking the marble floors with a force that echoed through the long hallway, revealing the intensity of her anger. Her face was scrunched up in anger and despair, and her voice was loud and quivering with frustration, as it dissipated into the air before anyone had even noticed her arrival, knowing she would definitely find them there. “She is back!” she cried out in frustration, as her fists clenched her sides, and her body quivered with anger, as she strode into the living room where her mother and brother sat, “Zoe is back, mother!” Ever since Andre returned home and the family ended up dividing, the only person who was not shocked by the announcement or new arrangement was Isla. It was as if she had known what had been going on behind the scenes before the plan finally became public, and couldn't help being bothered like