As Nathan drove, the tension from our earlier conversation began to dissipate, replaced by an unexpected sense of anticipation. He had insisted we go somewhere, even though I had protested, feeling exhausted from the emotional rollercoaster of the day. The city lights blurred past us, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of uncertainty about where he was taking me.After a short drive, Nathan finally pulled into a small, partially completed building tucked away on a quiet street. I raised an eyebrow as we parked, turning to him. “Where are we?” I asked, scepticism lacing my voice.“You’ll see,” he replied, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Trust me.”I sighed but followed him out of the car, curiosity piqued. We entered the building, and I was greeted by the faint scent of incense and the sound of soft music playing in the background. A sense of calm washed over me, but I still felt a flicker of apprehension.As we walked further inside, I spotted a tall figure stretching in a brightly lit
I could hear it in the way he spoke, the loneliness, the sadness that had settled into his bones like a heavy fog. He sounded tired, broken, and the alcohol only made it worse, amplifying the despair he always tried to hide.“Dad…” I whispered, my heart tightening. I knew he was spiraling again, sinking into the emptiness he couldn’t seem to escape since Mom passed. There was a silence that stretched between us, thick and painful, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure what to say.“I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “I just… I miss you. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore, kid. I feel so alone.”"Dad, you do not need to be sorry for anything, I will be there," I said, trying to calm him down."I
Nathan's eyes narrowed as he looked at Katrina sitting confidently, the keycard held up like a victory flag. I could feel the tension in the room rise, even as he tried to stay calm."Katrina, what are you doing here?" Nathan asked again. His voice was low but controlled, the calm before a storm. He turned around and started putting on some clothes, his movements deliberate, clearly trying to maintain his composure.Katrina gave him a smug smile, waving the keycard. “Still had the keys, remember?” she said lightly, though her eyes held something sharper. “I came by because I needed to discuss something important.”Nathan’s jaw clenched as he reached for the keycard and snatched it from her hand. “You shouldn’t have these anymore.&rdq
Katrina paused by the door, turning back to face me with a sly, knowing smile that made my stomach tighten. She narrowed her eyes and let out a soft, mocking laugh. “I see you're finally using your brain. Smart girl,” she sneered.Nathan, suddenly cut in, his face a storm of controlled anger. His eyes were on me, a mix of confusion and frustration showing behind them. “Why did you ask her not to leave?” he demanded, his voice low and tense. I could see how much this whole situation was getting to him, and it tore at me.I turned to him, gently placing my hand on his arm. “Nathan, can we talk for a moment, privately?” I glanced over at Katrina, whose sly smile deepened, clearly enjoying the tension she had caused.Nathan hesitated for
Nathan paced the room, his frustration growing more evident with each passing second. I could see the anger etched on his face, his body and muscles were stiffened with vexation, and the way his jaw tightened every time he looked at Katrina.I did not want to blame him for his reaction as I was also fed up with Katrina and her antics. Nathan had been patient, more patient than anyone in his position might have been, but it was clear that Katrina had pushed him to the edge. His patience was wearing thin, and her games were only making things worse.He stopped, turning toward me with a look that was both exasperated and accusing. “You asked me to give her a chance,” he said, his voice low but filled with tension. “You said we should hear her out. Well, I’ve done that. But this?” He gestured toward Ka
As the door clicked shut behind Katrina, Nathan stood there, staring at the door, his jaw still clenched and his eyes filled with a storm of emotions. After what felt like an eternity of silence, he finally turned to me, a mixture of frustration and disbelief on his face.“Katrina is going to go to court,” Nathan said, his voice sharp but edged with exhaustion. There was bitterness in the way he said it, like he was stating a fact that had already been inevitable in his mind.I crossed my arms, meeting his gaze without hesitation. “Good,” I said simply, my tone firm but calm.Nathan blinked, stunned by my response. His brows furrowed as he stared at me, clearly not expecting that reaction. “Good?” he repeated, incredulous. “You think
Nathan stood by the window, hands on his hips, taking a deep breath. His sharp features, usually so composed, showed signs of fatigue. I could tell he was worn out, not just from dealing with Katrina, but from the endless battles he seemed to be fighting from every angle.He turned toward me, his eyes softening as they met mine. “Let’s get out of here,” he said, his voice lower and more gentle now that we were alone. “You need to get dressed. We should go see your father like we planned.”I hesitated for a moment. The emotional rollercoaster of the day had taken its toll on me too, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to face another difficult situation. My father had been in a bad state the last time I’d spoken to him, drunk and barely coherent. The idea of seeing him like that, knowing how far
After the visit to my father, we drove in silence, the weight of everything that had happened pressing down on us both. I was lost in thought, still picturing my father’s face, his weary eyes and his broken spirit. The rehabilitation centre felt like the only option, but it didn’t make the pain any lighter.Nathan broke the silence with a tone that was firm, though not harsh, as he tried to get me ready for our next mission..“Switch on your deadly business face,” he said, his words cutting through the quiet like a sharp knife.I looked over at him, confusion knitting my brows. “What?”“We’re going to visit the Stones.”My heart skipped a beat. The Stones. Why would we do that? Why visit the enemy at the enemy’s camp? The name alone carried a heavy weight, a dangerous energy. My mind raced to the images of my father and the threat of the Stones colliding in a pool of uncertainty.“Nathan,” I started, hesitating, unsure of how to phrase my concern. “I’m not sure this is the right idea.
Nathan and I stepped into the sleek, high-rise office building of Cains Corporation, and the tension between us was evident. My heart pounded with a mix of dread and determination, while Nathan’s jaw was set in a hard line, his usual confidence tempered by the storm we were walking into. The elevator ride to the boardroom felt interminable, the silence between us punctuated only by the soft hum of the machinery.When we entered the room, the atmosphere was as icy as the air conditioning. Steve and Uncle Jesse, seated at the large conference table, looked up in unison. Their expressions shifted from surprise to defiance. Alex Sommer stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his back turned to us, gazing out over the city. He turned slowly, a sly grin spreading across his face as he took us in.“Well, well,” Alex drawled, his voice oozing mockery. “If it isn’t Nathan Cain and his... entourage. What a pleasant surprise.”Nathan’s lips tightened, but he ignored Alex’s taunt. “What’s going on
Nathan arrived the next morning, his face a mask of frustration and concern. He didn’t wait for me to invite him in; instead, he stepped into the room with an urgency that instantly unsettled me. I had been expecting him after our tense phone call, but the weight of his expression told me this wasn’t going to be a simple conversation. I gestured toward the couch, and we sat down in silence for a moment. Hoping that he would ask me about my meeting with Carlos because I had a lot running through my mind. The situation we have found ourselves in was because I chose to love him.He ran his hand through his hair, clearly grappling with how to begin. Finally, he exhaled deeply and broke the quiet.“Katrina’s not backing down,” he said, his voice low but resolute. “She’s made it clear that she’s going to push forward with this lawsuit. She’s demanding 50% of my worth, and she’s threatening to implicate you further. Mel, this isn’t just about me anymore, it’s about you too.”I felt a lump f
The air in the café shifted the moment Carlos walked in, his presence as commanding as it was unsettling. He strolled over to my table with an air of self-assured arrogance, a smirk playing on his lips. It was clear from the way he carried himself that he felt in control, and the glint in his eyes told me he was ready for a confrontation.“Well, well, well,” Carlos said, pulling out a chair and sitting down across from me without waiting for an invitation. “I got your little... plea bargain. That’s why I’m here.”I frowned, confused by his words. “Plea bargain? I don’t know what you’re talking about, Carlos.”His smirk widened. “Oh, come on, Mel. Let’s not play games. Pachi told me you wanted to talk, to negotiate, to plead for a truce. Isn’t that what this is?”I shook my head firmly. “No, Carlos. I’m not here to bargain or plead. I’m here to talk some sense into you, to figure out why you’re doing all of this.”Carlos leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. “Why?
When I arrived at Café de Royal, the sun was settling down. Its warm golden glow filtered through the windows, casting soft shadows across the tables. My heart raced as I stepped inside, half hoping and half dreading the encounter I had orchestrated. The plan was simple: meet Carlos, try to reason with him, and perhaps take one step closer to untangling the mess that had become my life. But fate had other plans. Instead of Carlos, I found Lisa seated at a corner table, scrolling through her phone with a focused expression.The sight of her made my stomach twist with unease. I had hoped to avoid her tonight, at least until I spoke with Carlos, but now that hope was gone. Taking a deep breath, I approached her table. She looked up at the sound of my footsteps, her eyebrows raising in mild surprise.“Lisa,” I said, forcing a polite smile. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”“Mel,” she replied, her voice cool but not outright hostile. “What brings you here tonight?”I hesitated, unsure of
The phone felt heavy in my hand as I paced back and forth in the dim light of my father’s living room. The weight of Don Chappo’s call was still pressing down on me like a stone on my chest. With a deep breath, I pressed Nathan’s number, my fingers trembling as I waited for him to pick up.“Mel?” Nathan’s voice came through, low and calm, yet there was an edge of exhaustion in his tone.“Nathan,” I started, my voice faltering for a moment. “I just got off the phone with Don Chappo.”There was a pause on the line before Nathan responded. “What did he say?”I sighed, gripping the phone tightly. “It wasn’t what he said as much as how he said it. Nathan, he’s not happy. He knows about everything, Carlos, the warehouse, Alex Sommer. He’s worried that this mess is spiralling out of control.”Nathan let out a long, measured breath. I could hear the tension behind it, the way he was trying to keep himself calm. “And what did he want from you?”“To fix it,” I replied, my voice cracking slightl
After my conversation with Nathan, my instincts pushed me toward Lisa. If there was any chance to stop this madness before it spiralled even further out of control, I needed to address the situation head-on. Lisa had to understand the gravity of her actions and the potential consequences they were inviting. Yet, with the police on my trail, meeting her in person was risky. Still, I couldn’t let that stop me.We arranged to meet at a small, out-of-the-way café, one of those places that managed to stay under the radar. I arrived early, scanning the room nervously, hoping no one had followed me. Lisa walked in shortly after, her usual confident stride somewhat subdued as she spotted me. She gave a hesitant smile, clearly uncertain about the tone of the meeting.“Hey, Mel,” she said, sliding into the seat across from me. “You sounded... urgent on the phone. What’s going on?”I leaned in, lowering my voice. “Lisa, I’ll get straight to the point. This thing with Steve, it has to stop.”Her
It was a quiet evening when my phone buzzed, breaking the stillness of the room. I glanced at the screen, seeing Pachi's name flash across it. My heart sank slightly; calls from Pachi rarely carried good news, especially in the tangled web of complications we’d found ourselves in lately. I hesitated for a moment before answering, bracing myself for whatever storm was about to hit.“Pachi,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “What’s going on?”“Mel,” he began, his voice tinged with urgency and anger. “I don’t even know how to start this, but you need to hear it straight. Carlos, he’s gone too far this time.”A cold shiver ran down my spine. Carlos had always been unpredictable, his temper as volatile as a storm at sea, but there was something in Pachi's tone that told me this wasn’t just another one of Carlos’s outbursts.“What did he do?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.Pachi let out a long sigh, as though he was gathering the strength to deliver the news. “He saw Steve
I pushed back from his hold and sat down. Nathan stood there, his arms folded across his chest, the tension between us thick enough to cut with a knife. I got up and took a hesitant step closer, searching his eyes for a change of emotion, of vulnerability, anything to bridge the growing tension between us. I tilted my head up and leaned in, intending to kiss him, to remind him of what we had. But before our lips could meet, he turned his head away, leaving me hanging in an awkward limbo.The rejection hit me like a slap. I took a step back, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment and anger. “What’s going on with you, Nathan?” I demanded, my voice sharp. “Why are you pulling away from me?”He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as if trying to stave off a headache. “Mel, it’s not you. It’s... complicated.”“Complicated?” I repeated, incredulous. “What’s complicated about this? About us? You say you care about me, but you won’t even let me get close to you anymore. Who am I to you, N
Nathan arrived at my father’s house just after sunset, his presence commanding even in the dimly lit surroundings. I had been pacing the living room, a swirl of emotions gripping me, confusion, frustration, and a growing sense of unease. When he walked in, he gave me a soft smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.“You said it was urgent,” he said, shrugging off his coat and laying it across the back of the couch. “What’s going on?”I motioned for him to sit, but he remained standing, his posture rigid. I decided to get straight to the point. “I spoke to Alex today.”That got his attention. His brows furrowed, and his jaw tightened. “Alex?”“Yes,” I confirmed, crossing my arms. “He told me a lot of things, Nathan. About you, about him, about Katrina.”Nathan sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “What did he say this time?”I stepped closer, my voice steady but tinged with urgency. “He said you betrayed him. That you pushed him out of the business and took his shares, he said that’s