SOPHIE POV It was Thursday evening, and I sat with my knees drawn up on my bed, thinking soberly about my encounter with Adam last Saturday once again.I needed peace and quiet today, so I literally forced Owen and his siblings to go order pizza and have some fun in the yard instead of staying back inside with me. I just needed enough space to think.For the last three days, I've been trying to use work as an excuse to forget the emotional turmoil that was brewing in my mind, but unlike other cases, my plan to use work as a cover-up has proven hopelessly abortive.I could hardly concentrate on anything. Because in this particular scenario, my adorable kids, who represent the very essence of my life, were at stake this time.I couldn't bring myself to imagine them having a man like Adam as their father. As bad as I thought my own father was, Adam was far worse. Though they were almost the same, Adam was still a notch lower.Adam was a man with little willpower, a man who knew so littl
GENERAL POVOwen and his siblings returned to their room after the shocking announcement made by their mom. They closed the door and locked it up from within to have some privacy.Owen turned to his siblings at once, lowering his voice."Did you guys hear that? Mum is getting married; that doesn't sound right; I think she's hiding something from us."Isabella folded her arms and spoke next, with downcast eyes."Yes, I thought so too; she sounded so strange that I wanted to say something back there, but Nathan kept pinching me to stop."Nathan took a step forward, bowing his head slightly."Sorry, I had to do that; I just felt it wasn't the right time. I think she's trying to protect us from something. Didn't you guys notice her eyes? She looked like she was crying before we came in. Isn't she supposed to be happy getting married?"Owen hummed thoughtfully before he said,"You're right, Nate; she looked really sad.But what could she be protecting us from?" Owen questioned him further
GENERAL POVThe kids stood at their mother's doorpost as she lay sprawled and unconscious on her expansive bed.They could tell that the alcohol she had consumed was going to take her on another long, drowsy ride, probably longer than yesterday's siesta."It's going to take some time before she wakes up," Owen announced calmly, with tightened lips and folded arms."Yeah." Isabella concurred weakly."I guess this is our second chance."Nathan whispered, taking out his phone and gently locking up her room again.They returned to their room before Nathan dialed Joseph's number."Hello, sir, we're in luck; our coast is clear again."Can you please come pick us up?”"Hello, my boy. Oh yes, I'm available. Do you guys have the target this time?" Joseph inquired like he were an FBI agent, the way he had stressed the word target. Nathan struggled with a smile; the man seemed to be taking this mission of theirs more seriously than even them."Yes, sir, we have identified our target, and the pers
SOPHIE'S POVOn Saturday morning, I sat on my bed with a dead stare. My eyes were crimson red, and my phone was ringing beside me. The person calling was Carter, my so-called husband-to-be; this should be the eighth time he has called this morning. Our wedding was supposed to be in a few hours.I pushed my phone farther aside harshly, disgusted even by the sight of just his name on my screen.I inhaled with a bitter expression as I reflected on yesterday evening. Moments after I had woken up from the long alcohol-induced sleep I had fallen into, I tried checking through my phone randomly for some updates, only to come across a message I had received from an anonymous sender hours before then.When I clicked, I saw to my horror that it was an audio recording of Carter's voice, and he was telling whoever he was speaking with that he was marrying me just for sex and that he planned to divorce me a week after our wedding.The brokenness after listening to that was indescribable. It was a
SOPHIE’S POVI stood motionless, staring back at him with my mouth dumbstruck after his confession.He quickly glanced behind to see if the kids were listening, but they appeared to be so carried away by the game they were playing before I came in. They were always like that whenever he was around.Lucas tugged at my arm gently as he led me away from the sitting room, stopping at the narrow passage next to my bedroom."Sophie, let's be honest here; you know I'm the only one who can actually protect you and these kids.I've loved you since high school, and even now, after many years have gone by, what I feel for you has not changed. It is genuine love, Sophie. You know I cannot watch you lose those precious ones back there when I know I can help. Especially when it's something I've always wanted. Sophie, let's just embrace this.”I bowed my head slightly and meekly when he was done speaking. I would be lying to myself if I claimed not to notice Luca's affection for me right from the v
GENERAL POVAfter Lucas left the house, the kids decided to give an interval of 20 minutes max before calling Olivia; it had been almost an hour now since their mom left. When it was exactly 20 minutes, they proceeded to their room to make the call. They dialed Olivia's number and handed the phone to Isabella."Hi Auntie, we are all dressed up now and about to come; you will still be available to take us there, right?""About coming? Sure Yes, please start coming now; I'm available." She replied, sounding so excited on the phone."We will be right with you soon, Auntie," Isabella assured me before hanging up.After that conversation, the next person they called was Joseph.He replied that he would be with them shortly, and he even added that he had been expecting their call.It amused them the way Joseph had taken on this new job of his. With the new stuffy, straight-to-the-point tone he always assumed with them whenever the call was related to their mission, it appeared as if he had
ELLIOT’S POVI sat alone near the fireplace in my villa, sipping a cold glass of juice, allowing my mind to roam through the events of the day before.My mansion was the most secluded part of my estate; it was designed just the way I liked it—a spotless white mansion with grand doors and wood tones of beige and green. The furnishing was meek and arranged for cozy chats—very posh but not extravagant.I inhaled an abundant dosage of the fresh air that featured the cool afternoon as I let my mind settle finally on the event that happened at my parent's estate yesterday.I had gone to see my father after receiving a call from him, stating that he needed me around urgently, only to arrive there to meet a rude surprise waiting for me. Sitting with her legs crossed on one of the sofas in my parent's living room was nobody else but Olivia. My father was also seated on the opposite couch.After the initial bewilderment, my eyes glowed afresh with anger.“What the hell are you doing here?” I be
GENERAL POVIt was Sunday morning, and the kids were busy holding a low-toned discussion in their room. They had not anticipated the intensity with which Lucas had sent those hidden secrets flying about yesterday. He must have assumed they already knew all the many things he was revealing during his outrage; however, they were glad that his carelessness had been greatly helpful in filling up the many loopholes they had found difficult to unravel at the start of their mission. "I think it is now very safe to say that our so-called Auntie Olivia knows more than we were thinking she did; she could be holding the key to this whole thing." Nathan posited, half swinging his legs on the bed."I think so too. I'm just wondering what her motive was. I mean, why did she go through all that trouble to set Mom up? Collecting her man from her, only to be doing everything to reunite us with that same man again, doesn't make sense. Or could it be that she is a changed person now?" Isabella reason
I am filled with immense gratitude as I write this message, appreciating every one of you who has joined me on this journey. Whether you have been following from the start or have recently become a part of this story, your presence has truly enhanced the storytelling experience in immeasurable ways.I am thankful for allowing my characters to be a part of your lives, for investing your time and emotions in their successes and challenges, and for sharing in their joys and sorrows. Your support, feedback, and motivation have been the driving force behind every word written, inspiring me to explore their world further and create narratives that resonate with you.As we come to the end of this story, I'm thrilled to announce that a new story awaits. In the meantime, I would like to hear your thoughts about the story, please don't hesitate to share your feedback.Once again, I extend my heartfelt thanks for being a part of this remarkable journey. Your support ignites my passion.With dee
SOPHIE'S POVI shifted the thick, opaque curtains that fell over the window in my room to one side as I observed the gate of our house through the transparent glass upstairs.The Tesla had just driven out through the open gate, and one of the uninformed security guards had begun to close it up.Elliot, who had been raising fire and brimstone some moments ago, had finally resigned to the strong will of his daughter. He has finally yielded to her persuasion as well as that of her older twin, Amelia. I let out a small smile. Was it not funny that despite his so-called anger about the recent developments, he still insisted on dropping them off at the park, even when Amelia kept insisting that the park was not that far? Sometimes, I find myself debating again who actually pampered Isabella more between her father and grandfather. I let out a wider smile this time.I drew the curtains closed again and returned to my bed to sit quietly."Just like yesterday," I whispered.It was so hard to
GENERAL POVOwen was sitting stiffly inside Michael's larger-than-life office space. While Michael reclined at the other end of the desk, his manner was a little more relaxed since the last time they met at his school. They were having a conversation about Isabella."Have you called my sister yet?" Owen asked calmly."No, not yet," Michael answered, almost blushing at the sound of Isabella's name.Owen shrugged weakly and said,"But why her? I mean, what drew you to her? She literally dresses like a guy. Though I know my sister is beautiful, if you're not close to her like us, you might never know."Michael let out an indulgent smile, readjusting his seat and leaning forward before he spoke again.Actually, I've seen Isabella several times without her usual regalia. Erm, you know, her usual regalia." He let out a gentle laugh.Then, a little more quietly, he added:"She is so kind and beautiful."Owen laughed too, in a way that said, "I thought as much,"Then Michael went on to tap h
ISABELLA’S POVI opened my eyes faintly the next morning after a long sleep the previous night, rolling over tiredly on the hospital's compact bed. Then suddenly, my body brushed against the rigid weight of someone sitting with his back turned against me on the bed. I sat up immediately, rubbing my palms over my face and eyes to brighten my vision. The person turned over at once, and to my relief, it was the face of Dr. James.My curious expression softened into a smile. He smiled too, and with a soothing voice, he asked,"How are you feeling?"His gaze switched to my neck and arms.I involuntarily touched the plastered areas on my hands before I said,"I'm quite fine; it was just a slight accident."A small silence ensued. He stared at me with deep care in his eyes, and for a second I had to bite my lip and look away shyly.Then he inhaled and brought out my phone from the pocket of his lab coat. Then he made a weak gesture with his hand before he said,"Your phone; I charged it for
Nathan arrived at the Epiloxx Club as directed by the address from Isabella's text message. As soon as he got out of the taxi, He walked towards the entrance and stopped for a moment to catch his breath before attempting to go in. He stopped again and flexed his wrist to see what the time was saying on his gold watch; it was exactly 11:30 am. He inhaled and exhaled to calm his nerves, trying to imagine the look Scarlett would have on her face the moment she eventually saw him, as well as the reaction of this so-called boyfriend of hers. Then he brashly waved his hand as if to say, "Whatever." Before proceeding finally into the building with slow but steady strides. While inside the club and standing awkwardly near the door with surveilling eyes, the first thing Nathan's eyes picked out from the crowded, noisy hall illuminated with dull multicolored lights was the sight of Scarlett kissing a guy at the back of the room, a man whom Nathan immediately identified as Kevin. He froze and
General POVIsabella's apartment was located less than 10 minutes away from her school, immediately outside the terminating bar gate.She was in the house, sitting in her cozy blue-painted bedroom with the warm, masculine-looking decor and walls pervaded by the many photographs of bikers and popular sportsmen around the world.She was wreathed in blue tops and shorts, which also marched with the color of her room, sporting a pair of expensive trainers, leaning over to untie and retie the shoelaces with a meticulous expression on her face and taut lips. She lifted her head quickly to check the vintage clocks hanging above the arc when she was done and mouthed the words:"Five minutes past six already?" looking surprised and taken aback."Oh my God." She whispered again, springing up to her feet hurriedly. The event she was about to attend was actually a racing exercise organized by her teammates back in school and was supposed to begin at exactly 6:30; she had just 25 minutes left to
GENERAL POVThe first and second basements of the round, well-ventilated university hall were filled up with mostly young people from different parts of the city; all of them were clothed in nice dresses while also bearing notebooks and pens on their palms, jotting down points as they kept their focus fixedly on the young prominent speaker standing on top of the podium and was about to round off his talk.The speaker's name was Michael Howard, a 25-year-old billionaire heir and owner of one of the largest corporations booming in New York City, just about second after the Harringtons. He was invited to the school’s graduation to deliver the first key note speech to the graduating students. During the speech, Michael went ahead to acknowledge the CEO of Harrington Inc., Elliot Harrigton, who was also present as one of his biggest inspirations.All the while, Nathan, sitting with brother Owen and dressed up in their graduating gowns, nodded attentively to everything Michael was saying at
15 YEARS LATERSOPHIE'S POVI was seated with Elliot in the sectioned corner of our sitting room, where the dining room was located. Breakfast was set, and we were already digging into it in silence when Nathan, who was all suited up and sitting next to his father and ready to accompany him to his office, disrupted the quietness with his slightly hoarse, passionate voice. This had become a usual routine for us every morning since Elliot started to allow him to accompany him to work about four years ago. Sometimes these dining table speculations and business advice would mostly start hours before breakfast; other times, they would start during the meal, and if we happened to be lucky, it would be after we were done eating. Sometimes I found myself counting to ten silently in anticipation of his voice, just like I had done today while dishing the meal, and as expected, the fresh economic expert we had for a son was not disappointed."I was actually following up on one of the brokerage
SOPHIE'S POVAs soon as we arrived at the house, Elliot took out the keys from the ignition point, let out a small groan, and came down from the car hurriedly. With double-quick yet uncoordinated steps, Elliot entered the house with his head bowed to the earth. It was obvious he was still feeling hurt; perhaps it was better to allow him some quiet time to absorb everything. I observed him through the windscreen for a moment before turning over to glance at Mrs. Harrington, his mother, who was still bent over in the back seat, sniffing and weeping bitterly since the moment she followed us to the family house. Even the kids were muttering, their hands resting on her shoulder."Stop crying, grandma," Isabella said, looking at her, and her brother's eyes were on her too, looking at her worriedly.She wrapped her hands around them to acknowledge their plea, but she still could not stop her crying."Darlings, could you please borrow me a few minutes alone with Grandma?"They looked at her o