Sitting at the extended terrace of her room in her villa was Zoe, who had just ended a video call with an acquaintance, her mind pondering back on what Audrey had told her before she left hours ago, right after she returned from her short meeting with Martin. She had promised to help her fly Aaron out of the country without anyone finding out, which would not require the legal stamp of her husband or the Meyers, which had always been a prerequisite in case the child had to ever travel by public plane. It was how they had kept her in check for years so that they would not lose sight of the child if she tried to sneak him. However, Zoe was staring with confusion and disbelief, her eyes fixed on the picture that she had before her, which she had been curious about after her brief talk with Audrey. The man she was looking at in the picture stared back at her with a striking resemblance which she was certain that she had seen recently, even though she couldn’t place where. The problem w
Sitting at a cozy fine restaurant that same evening on the outskirts of the city was Ivy, whose eyes nervously darted to the entrance of the fine dining countless number of times, as she anticipated the arrival of the man she had given every reason to come earlier that day. Lost in her random thoughts and worries while she sat impatiently, she wondered how she would act if he appeared, what she would say to him at first, and how she would explain what she wanted to tell him. Every minute felt like forever as she waited for him, hoping that he would not ditch her for some last-minute prior engagement if he changed his mind about coming, because there was no way she would be able to summon the courage to meet him anymore. Momentarily, every nerve in her became stiff with the whiff of his familiar cologne that wafted through her senses, her breath sucking into her throat as soon as she raised her eyes instinctively to see him approaching where she was sitting. Nothing about him had c
Zoe's sleek car cruised down the quiet road before her, as her hand gripped the steering wheel of her car tightly, her mind swirling with anxiety as she approached the agreed-upon spot. The rate of her heartbeat quickened for a few seconds, as she sighted a black SUV with tinted windows that came into view right before her while droving slowly. She pulled up just right by the car and rolled down her window just enough to receive the parcel that was being passed through, and the exchange that occurred momentarily was swift and silent, with no exchange of words As soon as she received the package, she drove away instantly, her chest tightening with unease as she tossed the box to the backseat, resisting the urge to open it right there, and instead, drove straight to her villa. Finally, as Zoe reached the gates of the secluded villa, she pulled into the garage and halted the car, as she sat in silence for a moment, and turned to stare at the parcel that had been resting on the ba
A scream threatened to tear through Zoe's throat at the moment, but only a strangled sob escaped her, unable to process the excruciating pain that she had been plunged into, as she gasped for breath, her body convulsing with the overwhelming surge of pain and despair. Her legs gave out beneath her, and she crumpled unceremoniously to the cold floor as the marriage certificate slipped from her trembling fingers, fluttering carefully to the floor in the way her dreams had been shattered. Instinctively, her hands gripped the floor and her clothes for support, the more the reality of the memories came flooding while she fought for air, the world spinning around her and the betrayal of her mind suffocating her.The first memory that she had partially seen as soon as she woke up from her near-death experience at the hospital, was herself in a wedding dress and with a man, whose face she didn't see properly. It scared her so much because it was the first time she had seen it that clearly.
Ivy stared blankly out of her window, a champagne flute perfectly arched between her fingers, her mind lost in disturbing thoughts that refused to stop badgering her head. Her encounter with Marcel played over and over in her head like a broken record stuck on repeat, as she tried to understand why his demeanor changed instantly upon seeing a glance at Audrey’s picture who had called her at the moment. He remained unfazed when she told him of Isla's plans. He had seemed so calm, so collected up until that point, and it was as if the name and the contact photo on her screen had flipped a switch on him, releasing emotions that had been buried in him. He left shortly after without saying much after she told him she was a wife to her brother, and did not even give her a reasonable answer when she asked if he knew her, causing her more confusion than ever. And even if she didn't want to bother about it, her chest couldn't help but tighten with the speculations that occurred to her, h
Standing in front of the dresser was a breathtaking figure of masculine grace and charm who was busy adjusting the lapels of his impeccably tailored suit, his eyes barely noticing the usual perfectness he usually wanted in place regarding his appearance. As he fastened the last button of his crisp white shirt and clasped his watch around his wrist, Malcolm's eyes darted to an almost perfect reflection of himself that also stared at him, betraying his elegance with the deep sadness that was deeply engraved in his eyes. His mind could not help but wander back to Zoe, and he could not help but wonder where she had been since the last time they saw, and what she had been up to. He had tried to bury his emotions under endless work, meetings, and exhausting deadlines, telling himself that it was best that he tried hard to respect her decisions, but no matter how hard he tried, thoughts of her always found a way to sneak into his head. She had that effect on him, like a rippling water ef
The entrance to the beautiful mansion of the Meyers was nothing short of grand, totally different from what it usually portrayed during the daytime, as guests pulled into the sprawling driveway with their luxurious cars and stepped into the limelight of being seen by others. The exclusive event was flooded with A-list elite guests dressed in their finest attire which exuded an air of regality, and they all made their way into the fine outdoor garden where the birthday party was in full swing already, with every step graceful, and each conversation filled with concealed power and influence. Dressed in crisp white and black uniforms were waiters and waitresses, who glided between the guests with silver trays carrying delicate hors d'oeuvres and crystal flutes that contained vintage champagne. At the far end of the garden, beneath an ornate gazebo, a live string quartet played gentle, classical music that floated across the space, their notes blending perfectly with the laughter that
Sauntering into the grand event which he had no business with and was totally uninterested in was Marcel, whose heart pounded beneath the layers of his tailored suit, his eyes scanning the opulence of the occasion and guests that were around. Though he loathed events like that and had little or no interest in them, he couldn't help but want to be there. He was there for just one reason.Meeting with Ivy days ago when she desperately asked to see him was something he would not have done on a normal day even if she said it was urgent, considering that it was the tactics most of his ex-girlfriends used whenever they wanted to see him again. However, he had a change of mind when she mentioned the jewelry company he was making investments in, and he knew that, regardless of what bait she might have planned with that after so long of stopping to contact one another, it wouldn't hurt to hear what she had to say. However, never would he have expected that Audrey, who he had been hoping to