I had told him he wasn't supposed to talk to strangers like that man, Franco. But he insisted that Franco was a good man and that he felt he had a daddy when he was with him. I felt a pang of hurt and worry, and I couldn't help but wonder who this Franco was."Mommy, why can't I see Uncle Franco?"Connor asked, his little face scrunched up in confusion."Because, baby, we don't him well. He's a stranger," I said, trying to keep my voice calm."But he's nice to me. He buys me ice cream and plays with me,"Connor protested."I know, baby, but he's a stranger, and you should never talk to strangers," I said, trying to reason with him."But Mommy, I like him,"Connor said, his voice filled with sadness.I hugged him tightly. "I know, baby, but I'm just trying to protect you. I don't want anything bad to happen to you.""But I want to see Uncle Franco,"Connor said, his voice muffled against my shoulder."I know, baby, but you can't. I won't let him hurt you,"I said, my voice firm."Please lis
FRANCO'S POVThe days blurred into weeks. Athena and I become strangers in our house, two figures inhabiting the same space, bound by a thread of mutual resentment. “Franco?” Her voice, strained with a forced cheerfulness, sliced through the morning quiet. I pretended not to hear. The newspaper, a shield held up against her, muffled the world. “Franco, are you listening?” I kept my eyes fixed on the headlines, a dull ache throbbing in my temple. I couldn’t bear to look at her, couldn’t bear the accusing glint in her eyes. She was right, I knew.We had argued for weeks just because of Martha. I want to apologize to Martha and really worried for Connor but i cannot contact her anymore after i dropped the call. I really felt guilty at what I did just because of Athena. “Franco, the plumber’s coming today. You need to let him in.” The newspaper crinkled, a sigh escaping my lips. “I said, Franco,” her voice had hardened, “the plumber’s coming. You need to let him in.” I finall
CELINE’S POVThe air crackled with anticipation, a symphony of camera flashes and buzzing microphones. A sea of faces, eagerly waiting, their eyes reflecting the bright lights that illuminated the stage. This was it. The culmination of years of tireless work, sleepless nights, and countless cups of coffee. Today, CLN, my company, was unveiling its latest innovation to the world. I took a deep breath, feeling the familiar flutter of nervous excitement in my stomach.But a wave of warmth washed over me – the warmth of knowing I wasn't alone in this moment. Irene, my best friend and business partner, was there in the front row, a reassuring smile playing on her lips. She was my rock, my confidante, my partner in crime. I couldn't have achieved any of this without her. "Good morning, everyone," I began, my voice resonating through the hall.A collective hum of acknowledgment filled the space. "Welcome to the official launch of our newest product, the Rejuvenating Explosion. As the CEO o
FRANCO'S POVHarvey's words cut through me like a knife, their weight bearing down on my aching soul. He was right; I had no right to interfere in Celine's life. I had willingly given her up, and she had gracefully moved on, leaving me behind in the shadows of our shattered past.“Hey, are you still there, man?” he asked.A wave of fury surged through me, mingling with a bitter realization that I had no place in her world anymore. My chest grew heavy with the weight of my regret, my heart pounding in a tumultuous rhythm of longing and remorse.In my desperation to calm the storm within me, I dropped the call and sank into the depths of my thoughts.“You are stupid, Franco. Stupid!” I scolded myself. I opened my social media account, my fingers trembling as I searched for her name.What I saw filled me with a bittersweet blend of pride and despair. Celine had blossomed into a successful CEO, her accomplishments shining brightly in the digital realm. She was widely respected in her fie
CELINE'S POV"Is that Franco?!"Irene asked, her voice filled with surprise."Yes,"I replied, my voice barely above a whisper."Let's go!" Irene exclaimed, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the building entrance.What the fuck is he doing here? I thought to myself."Celine, calm down,"Irene whispered, sensing my distress. "Maybe it's just a coincidence.""I don't know, Irene," I confessed, my voice trembling slightly. "You know I thought I was over him, but..."Irene leaned in closer, her eyes filled with a mixture of sympathy and curiosity."But what, Celine? Are you still not over him? Are you still in love with that bastard?"A surge of anger coursed through me at her suggestion. "Of course not!"I exclaimed, my voice rising despite my efforts to control it."I could never forgive him for what he did. I hate him more than anything in this world."Irene raised an eyebrow, her expression a mixture of amusement and skepticism. "Oh, come on, Celine," she teased. 'You can't tell me
FRANCO'S POV “We raised Athena with love and care” her father yelled, his face contorted with pain. “You, you destroyed her life. You made her feel like a failure, and now, now she’s lost our grandchild!” “We will never forgive you for this, Franco,” her mother spat. “You have broken our daughter, and we will never forget that.” They stormed out of the room, leaving Athena and me alone. She lay in the hospital bed, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and anger. I wanted to hold her, to comfort her, but she turned away, her silence speaking volumes. I don't know what to think. "Am I a bad husband?" Days passed by, my life with Athena turning into a living nightmare. The morning light streamed through the window, casting a pale glow across the room. I stretched, wincing as a sharp pain lanced through my lower back. Another sleepless night. Another night spent tossing and turning, reliving the horror of the past few days. "Where do you think you're going?" Athena's voice
She frowned and denied it. “What money are you talking about, Franco?”“The ten million,” I spat out, the word tasting like bile on my tongue.“From my ATM. The one you withdrew.”I watched as a silent wave of fury rolled over her face, her eyes narrowing like a predator's. “You have no right to accuse me like that,”she said, her voice laced with icy disdain.“I am your wife, Franco. I have a right to your money.”My fists clenched, the air in the room suddenly thick with tension. “You have a right to the money we’ve built together, Athena, not to steal from me.”She scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “You think I stole from you? You dare accuse me of such a thing? You made your promise to love and take care of me,"“My promise is not a blank check for you to spend frivolously,”I roared, my voice shaking with anger.Her eyes blazed with fury. “Frivolously? What are you talking about? I need that money for the new jewelry line. Don't you understand, Franco? I need to keep up
Her hand shot out before I could even blink, landing a stinging slap across my face. The force of the blow reverberated through my body, sending waves of pain rippling through my jaw.Athena stared at me with an icy glare. I could see the hurt and anger etched upon her face, and I knew that my words is too much."How could you say that?" she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "How could you hurt me like this?"I opened my mouth to respond, but the words seemed to catch in my throat. I had never intended to hurt her, but in my anger, I had let my tongue get the better of me.“I'm sorry,” I said, trying to reach out for her. “I didn't mean it. I'm just so tired of you taking advantage of me, of taking my money and never giving anything back.”Her eyes flashed with fury. "Taking advantage of you? I'm the one who has been struggling to keep our marriage work!""Oh really? You don't even care about me," I continued, my voice rising in frustration. "You only look after yourself an
Connor burst into the room, his laughter infectious. “Mom! Can we have a picnic in the backyard later?”Celine smiled, her heart swelling at his enthusiasm. “Absolutely! We’ll make it special.”Franco appeared in the doorway, a soft smile on his face. “I can help with the picnic,” he said, stepping into the kitchen. The warmth between them had been growing, and she could feel the connection rekindling after all they had endured.As they prepared for their little picnic, Celine felt a flutter of anticipation. She caught Franco glancing at her, his eyes filled with admiration. The memories of their past—the hurt, the struggles—began to fade, replaced by a shared understanding and a desire to move forward together.Once they were outside, they spread out a blanket beneath the shade of a large oak tree. The afternoon was bright, and the world felt vibrant around them. Celine watched as Connor played,
The sun peeked through the curtains of Celine's small living room, casting a warm glow over the room. It had been a week since they had escaped the warehouse, and the world felt a little brighter. The shadows of Harvey and his men still loomed large, but justice had been served. Harvey was behind bars, facing serious charges, and Celine felt a weight lift from her shoulders.As she watched Connor play with his toys, Celine couldn’t help but smile. He was starting to heal, laughter returning to his voice. Franco had been a steady presence since their ordeal, never leaving their side, supporting them both as they adjusted to a new sense of normalcy.“Can I help you with anything?” Franco asked, entering the room with a freshly brewed cup of coffee for Celine. His gaze was steady and sincere, filled with the determination to mend the fractures in their relationship.“Just keeping an eye on him,” Celine replied, motioning to Connor, who
The adrenaline from their escape quickly faded as Celine, Franco, and Connor found themselves stumbling through the dark woods. Each crunch of leaves beneath their feet felt like a reminder of the danger still lurking behind them. They needed to find safety, but every shadow seemed to whisper of Harvey’s reach.“Are we far enough?” Connor’s small voice broke the tense silence, his eyes wide with fear.Celine glanced back, her heart heavy. “We need to keep moving, sweetheart,” she said, her voice steadier than she felt. “We can’t stop until we’re sure we’re safe.”Franco led the way, his expression grim. “We should find a place to hide,” he suggested, scanning their surroundings. “If Harvey’s men are still after us, we need to stay off the main paths.”Just as they pushed deeper into the trees, a chilling sound echoed through the night—a distant shout that
Celine's world spun as she fought against the hands gripping her arms, but she was outnumbered. The chaos of the struggle turned into a blur, voices merging into a cacophony of shouts and grunts. Connor’s terrified face was imprinted in her mind as she was dragged away from him, but there was no time to think; they were all in danger.“Franco!” she cried, her voice strained as she was pulled further away. Despair flooded her as she caught a glimpse of him grappling with one of Harvey's men. The chaos twisted in her gut as she was shoved into a waiting van, the cold metal biting into her skin.Franco’s eyes met hers for just a moment, a fierce determination in his gaze. “Celine! Connor!” he shouted, but another man lunged at him, blocking his way. The last thing she saw was his struggle as the van doors slammed shut.The van jostled as it sped away, the sound of tires crunching on gravel filling the air. Celine sat in the darkn
Celine’s heart raced as she and Connor dashed deeper into the woods, the shadows closing in around them. Each step felt like a lifeline, but the distant shouts of Harvey’s men echoed through the trees, a haunting reminder of the danger that lurked behind them.“Mom, I’m so tired!” Connor panted, his little legs struggling to keep up.“I know, sweetheart. Just a little further,” she urged, fighting to keep her own panic at bay. They needed to find a safe place to hide. Her mind raced through options, each one fraught with uncertainty.As they rounded a thick cluster of trees, Celine suddenly spotted an old hollowed-out log. “There!” she whispered, pointing it out to Connor. “Get inside!”He climbed in quickly, and she crouched beside him, holding her breath as she listened for the sounds of their pursuers. The shouts grew louder, closer, and she felt the weight of dread settle over her.
The sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple as Celine, Franco, and Connor settled into their makeshift hideout. Laughter and lighthearted chatter filled the air, pushing aside the worries that had weighed on them for so long. Celine felt a warmth in her chest, a sense of belonging that had been missing for too long.But as the shadows grew longer, a heavy tension settled over the clearing. Celine’s instincts kicked in, her earlier happiness slipping away. She glanced at Franco, who seemed to feel it too; his smile faded as he scanned the woods around them.“Let’s head back,” he suggested, his voice low. “It’s getting dark, and we don’t want to be out here when we can’t see.”“Can we play for a little longer?” Connor pleaded, his eyes bright with excitement.“Just for a few minutes,” Celine said, hoping to ease her son’s disappoin
The sun peeked through the gaps in the wooden slats of the cabin, casting warm stripes of light across the room. Celine stirred awake, the comforting weight of Connor’s small body pressed against her side. Franco was still asleep in the chair nearby, his face softened in repose. For a moment, Celine simply watched them, her heart swelling with a mix of gratitude and uncertainty. The memories of their past—the pain, the distance—haunted her, but the warmth of the present was undeniable. They were together, fighting for their family. As she shifted, Connor stirred, blinking sleepily up at her. “Morning, Mom,” he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. “Morning, sweetheart. Did you sleep well?” He nodded, stretching like a cat. “Can we play again today?”Celine smiled, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. “Of course. Maybe we can explore the area a bit. There’s a whole forest out there.”“Can we find a secret fort?” he asked, eyes bright with excitement.“Definitely,” she replied, her hea
The car bumped along the rough dirt road, the trees closing in around them like a protective barrier against the world. Celine glanced at Franco, who sat in the front passenger seat, his jaw set and eyes alert. She felt an unspoken connection between them growing stronger amidst the chaos, a tether forged in the fire of their shared struggle.“Are we almost there?” Connor asked from the backseat, his voice a mix of exhaustion and anxiety.“Just a few more minutes, buddy,” Franco replied, turning slightly to give their son a reassuring smile. Celine noted the warmth in Franco's eyes, a glimmer of hope amid the darkness.“Can we play a game when we get there?” Connor asked, attempting to lift the mood.Celine couldn’t help but smile, her heart swelling with affection. “Absolutely. What do you want to play?”“I want to play hide and seek!” Connor exclaimed, a bright spark lighting up his face.Franco chuckled softly, glancing back at Celine with a hint of pride. “I think we can manage th
The truck rumbled down the uneven logging road, its headlights cutting through the darkness like a beacon of hope. Celine sat beside Connor, her heart still racing as the trees blurred past. The sound of the engine filled the silence, but her mind was a whirlpool of anxiety.“Are we almost there?” Connor asked, his voice small and tired.“Just a little longer,” Celine replied, forcing a smile. She glanced at Franco, who was focused on the road, brow furrowed with concentration. “Keep an eye out for any signs,” Elias said, scanning the sides of the road. “We need to find a place to lay low.”They drove in tense silence, the weight of their situation pressing heavily on all of them. Celine felt the pulse of fear in her veins, a constant reminder that they were being hunted. Suddenly, Franco slowed the truck as they approached a clearing. “There’s the town,” he said, pointing to a cluster of dim lights in the distance. “We should park a little ways out and approach on foot.”“Good idea