Alexander "Dude, you won't believe what's all over the news right now?" Charlie's voice blared through the phone, jolting my eardrum.I pulled the phone away from my ear, wincing at the loudness. I held the phone from an arm's length. "What going on?" I asked, my curiosity piqued by the urgency in his tone. "What's happening that's got you yelling at the top of your lungs?" I added."Where is Amelia? Is she there with you?" He asked.I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "No, she isn't. I don't know where she is. Probably with her friend." I replied.His tone shifted, his voice taking on a serious note. "You should turn on the TV, man." He said."Just tell me what it is on the news that you want me to see.""No, you should see it for yourself.""Fine" I muttered reluctantly and snatched the remote control, my thumb hovering over the power button before pressing it. The TV turned on and I began to ask, "What exactly am I supposed to be looking at?" But my words died on my lips as my
Amelia I packed my things, trying to hold back tears, but they fell anyway. Our life together was ending, and I couldn't bear it. I heard Alexander enter the room. My heart sank as I saw the papers in his hand. He approached me, his eyes filled with a sadness that mirrored mine. There was also rage in his eyes. I wanted to scream, to beg him not to do this, but my voice was trapped in my throat. He handed me the papers, his hand trembling, and I took them, feeling like I was signing away my soul.As I scanned the pages, the words blurred together, but one thing stood out - our marriage was over. I knew it was a fake marriage but it felt real to me.I felt a sob rise, but I pushed it down, trying to be strong."You've already made your decision, haven't you?" I said, my eyes locked on his, but he refused to meet my gaze. "You're so eager to be rid of me that you've already signed the papers. That's how much you want me gone. You won't even look me in the eye."He shifted uncomfortab
Alexander I stood there, frozen in regret, as the reality of the situation sunk in. She was really gone, and I had let her walk away. Why didn't I stop her? Why didn't I confront her further? The questions swirled in my mind like a vortex, pulling me down into a sea of self-doubt and uncertainty.I thought of all the things I could have said, all the demands for truth I could have uttered. But I had said nothing, done nothing, and now she was gone.I was a fucking coward!"I picked my inheritance over her," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper as I around the room. "I mean, it was the right thing to do, right?" I asked myself.The silence that followed was oppressive, punctuated only by the sound of my own ragged breathing. I felt like I was drowning in my own emotions, unable to escape the weight of my own regret.And then, like a whisper in the darkness, I remembered her parting words and the pain I saw in her eyes. She must really hate me.God, why was I feeling this way?
Amelia I was tossing and turning in bed, my eyes squeezed shut in a futile attempt to sleep but I couldn't.Alexander's face kept popping into my mind, and I couldn't shake the feeling of unease. Fucking Alexander!Why was I losing sleep over this? I was certain Alexander had slept just fine, and probably already moved on to Selene. I'm sure she slept right next to him.I was trapped in my own thoughts, reliving the club event and worrying about what could've been.I buried my face in the pillow, trying to block out the thoughts that swirled in my mind. I inhaled deeply, holding back my tears. Why did Alexander have to be so...Alexander? Why did he have to invade my thoughts?I lay there, pillow still clutched to my face."Aaaaahhh!" I let out a muffled scream into the pillow. Screaming hadn't solved anything.Knock!The sudden knock at the door startled me, breaking the silence. I got out of bed and made my way to the door to see who it was.I stood frozen in the doorway, my eyes
Amelia "Sarah!" I blurted out, my eyes flying open in surprise. I quickly scanned the area to see if she had come alone."How did she find me?" I wondered, still trying to process her sudden arrival."Amelia," she said, brushing past me into the room without waiting for an invitation. She enveloped me in a warm hug, her arms wrapping tightly around me."I was in LA when I saw the news, and I didn't hesitate - I quickly flew back to New York City. But when I arrived at the mansion, I was told you no longer lived there." Her words tumbled out in a rush.I was still trying to wrap my head around her sudden appearance. 'Yeah...' I trailed off, eyeing her warily. 'How did you know I was here?' I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.""I managed to make Alexander tell me where to find you. He was reluctant at first but in the end, I got it out of him." She said.Alexander! He knew where I was?Did he pay someone to keep an eye on me?I shut the door quickly. "Are you okay?" Sarah asked,
Amelia I couldn't wrap my head around it, behind all the strong macho facade I had genuinely believed Alexander was a kind and compassionate person at heart. But now, as I grappled to make sense of the situation, I found myself questioning everything. He was at my mom's house, the very same house he had purchased for her, and a nagging doubt crept in - would he evict them?I mean, he wouldn't throw them out, would he? Maybe he was there for a different reason. It could be he had visited my mom to check up on her. Who was I kidding? He was there to throw my mom and sister out. Why else would he be there?My mind was in chaos, running over a hundred miles per hour. It was a lot to process, what was I going to say to my mum? How would she take it? Would she be disappointed in me? God, please...I tried to pull myself together, standing frozen on the front porch, my hand hovering over the doorframe as I hesitated to knock. He was still inside, and the thought of facing him made my s
AmeliaI woke up feeling tired but relieved. Today was the day we'd be selling my mom's house. I'd been working on it for weeks now, it had been marathon showings and negotiation but it was finally happening.I stretched, arching my back and extending my arms above my head, before getting out of bed.I took a deep breath and started getting ready for the day. I had to sign some papers and say goodbye to New York City.I headed downstairs, I could hear Ella in the kitchen already making breakfast. The savoury aroma of cooking eggs enveloped me, making my stomach growl. "Hey, what are you making?" I asked, moving closer to her.She didn't turn around, her focus fixed on the sizzling pan in front of her. "Scrambled eggs." She replied.I leaned against the counter, my eyes fixed on the pan. "Mmmm.""It smells delicious, doesn't it?" she asked, eyeing me with a knowing glint. I nodded in agreement. "Want some?" she offered. I hesitated, my stomach growling with hunger. "I'm starving,
Alexander James walked into my office with a serious expression on his face. "Sir, I need to bring something to your attention," he said, prompting me to look up from my laptop. "What is it?" I asked brusquely. He hesitated for a moment before delivering the news: "Amelia's house has been sold."I scowled, my annoyance evident. "She sold the house?" I asked, my tone laced with disbelief. "Yes, sir. She did." He confirmed.I offered her money and she rejected it. But surprisingly, she didn't hesitate to sell the house I bought for her family.Why should I care?"I don't give a fuck, James," I said dismissively.He nodded and left without a word.I struggled to concentrate on my work as my mind repeatedly wandered back to James' revelation. I recalled the day her family moved into that house, the look of gratitude in her hazel eyes. I had done it to help her, to make her life easier. Was she trying to provoke me by selling the house? I reached for my phone to track her location,
Amelia I stood in front of the full-length mirror, barely recognizing the woman staring back at me. The delicate lace of my wedding dress hugged my shoulders, trailing down in soft waves. My heart raced, not from nerves, but from an overwhelming sense of joy. Six months ago, I thought I might lose Alexander forever. But today, he was waiting for me at the end of the aisle, alive, strong, and still mine.“Amelia, you look breathtaking.” My mother’s voice broke through my thoughts as she stepped into the room. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.“Do you think he’ll like it?” I asked, my voice trembling with a mix of excitement and nervousness.She laughed softly. “Sweetheart, Alexander would be speechless if you showed up in a potato sack. But in this… you’ll take his breath away.”I smiled, blinking away my tears. “Thank you, Mom. For everything. For being here.”She took my hands in hers. “It’s my honour, Amelia. You’ve been through so much but look at you now. Today is about lov
Alexander Two days ago“If my assets are what they want, they can have them,” I said, my voice heavy with frustration. “I won’t be able to live with myself if anything happens to Misty.”“What if they don’t release her after you give them everything?” Sarah asked, her arms crossed as she leaned against the wall.“She’s right,” Charlie added. “What if they… traffic her?”“They won’t. If I give them what they want, she’ll be fine.”“Let’s just call the cops,” Amelia said.“No cops!” I snapped. “I don’t want to upset them.”“Alex, this isn’t a movie. We can’t just keep this to ourselves and hope they don’t harm her.” Charlie added.I dragged my hands through my hair, the pressure in my chest was becoming unbearable. “Fuck!” The word exploded out of me. “I need to think.”I stormed into my study and slammed the door shut behind me. My vision blurred with anger as I stared at the cluttered desk. In a blind fury, I swept everything off it with one angry motion, sending papers, pens, and a
Henry “It’s really working,” I said, unable to hide the hint of disbelief in my voice. My dad smirked. “Of course, it’s working. It’s my plan, Henry. It’s supposed to work. I trust all your doubts have been cleared now?” Selene chimed in, lounging against the wall with a smug grin. “I told you your dad was right. There are three people Alexander loves more than anything: his sister, Amelia, and their daughter.” My dad turned his cold gaze toward her. “I don’t know why you’re still here. Don’t you have something better to do?” Selene straightened. “Henry said it was okay for me to stay.” “Leave her alone, Dad,” I interjected. “She’s helped us. We’re all on the same side here.” “She helped you, not me.” He shot her a disdainful look. “This will all be over soon. What are you planning to do with Amelia?” “The same thing we plan on doing to her daughter.” Selene’s eyes widened slightly. “You’re going to kill both of them?” “Do you have a problem with that?” my dad asked sharply
Alexander “It’s been two days,” Amelia said softly, her voice strained with worry. “The kidnapper hasn’t called. Let’s just go to the cops.”“No, we can’t. If we involve the police, they’ll kill her. We need to play it safe. I’ve already spoken to my lawyer—everything’s ready. We’ll give them what they want and get her back.”Amelia sank onto the edge of the bed. “I just… I wonder how Misty is doing.”“She’s fine,” I said, more to convince myself than her. “And as long as we play by their rules and do exactly what they say, she’ll stay fine.”Amelia looked down. “I hope so. She must hate us right now.”I frowned. “She wouldn’t hate us.”“Really? She said she wanted to come home, and we haven’t brought her home. Of course, she would hate us.”I sighed. “I bet she’s giving them a hard time. You know how stubborn she can be.”We both chuckled. Then Amelia sniffled, almost breaking into tears.“Hey,” I said softly, shaking my head. “Don’t.”Her eyes glistened with fresh tears. “What if i
Alexander My heart clenched as I glanced at Sarah, then at Charlie, who stood stiffly by the window. Amelia was curled up in the armchair, her hands twisting the hem of her sweater, and her tear-streaked face buried in her knees.I was barely holding it together. My fists clenched at my sides as the police officer in the room delivered his report. “Henry is no longer a suspect,” he muttered. “What?” We said in unison, shock etched on our faces.“He came down to the station voluntarily this morning. We questioned him, and his alibi checked out. So we had to let him go.” The room fell into stunned silence. My pulse pounded in my ears, drowning out whatever he said next. “You let him go?” I snapped.The officer straightened slightly, his eyes narrowing as I took a step toward him. “You’re telling me that you just let him walk out? Are you serious?”“Mr. Smith,” the officer began. “There was no evidence—”“I don’t give a damn about the evidence!” I shouted. “Henry did this! He took
Henry I watched as Selene walked in, her sharp eyes darting around, taking in the space. “Is this where you live now, Henry?” she asked, as she glanced at the cluttered shelves and dim lighting. I sighed, already regretting my decision to bring her here. “Don’t make me regret this.” She shrugged. “Fine, fine. I was just admiring your… man cave.” Her gaze swept the room again before landing on me. “So, where are the bugs?” I pointed to the small workstation set up near the wall. “Over here. I’ve got enough.” She walked over, and the moment her eyes landed on the equipment, she let out a low whistle. “Holy shit. This feels like one of those mafia movies.” “Mafias don’t use bugs, Selene,” I said, shaking my head. “Yeah? Well, maybe we’re like the FBI then. Or the CIA.” She grinned, clearly enjoying herself. I levelled her with a look. “We’re just regular people, okay? Let’s not get carried away.” Her attention shifted to the table where a few guns were laid out. She pointed to
Amelia “We shouldn’t be out here, Hay,” I muttered.“Come on,” Hayley said, brushing off my concern. “Misty wanted to come here. Besides, you guys have been cooped up inside for days now.”“I told Alexander we’d stay at your house,” I said, glancing around nervously.“It’s only going to be a couple of minutes. Let Misty enjoy a little freedom. Look at her.” Hayley gestured toward Misty, who was laughing and playing with the other kids. “She’s so happy. We’ll be out of here soon.”I followed her gaze and saw Misty chasing a ball with a wide grin on her face. My heart softened just a little. “I guess you’re right,” I admitted.“Amelia,” Hayley whispered, nudging me.“What?” I asked, looking at her.“Look at that hot dad over there,” her voice was barely audible.“Hayley, stop it. You have Daniel,” I said, rolling my eyes.“That doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a hot, sexy man when I see one,” she replied with a sly smile.I chuckled, shaking my head, and turned away. My eyes scanned the
Alexander“Hey,” her voice cut softly through the haze of my sleep.My eyes fluttered open to find her sitting on the edge of the bed, her hair tousled and a playful smirk tugging at her lips. “Good morning, darling,” I murmured, leaning forward to place a kiss on her lips. My fingers brushed her cheek as I pulled back. “How was your night?”She raised a brow. “You mean after you kept me awake for hours working on my body?”A chuckle rumbled from my chest as I propped myself up on my elbow. “I call that productive use of time.”“Productive?” she repeated, rolling her eyes dramatically. “You’ve got quite the definition of productivity, Alexander.”I reached out, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her back down onto the bed. She squealed in protest, but her laughter betrayed her enjoyment.“You didn’t seem to mind last night,” I teased, my lips brushing against her ear.Her cheeks flushed. “You’re impossible, you know that?”“And yet, here you are,” I said, smirking as I tigh
Selene “Hey, girl,” I said, standing up and rushing to hug Sarah as soon as she walked in. I wrapped my arms tightly around her. “I’m so sorry for what happened.”“It’s okay, Selene. It wasn’t your fault. You saw the signs and tried to warn me. I just wasn’t paying attention.”I pulled back slightly, holding her by the shoulders. “I knew that son of a bitch was up to something,” I muttered.She sighed and moved past me to sit on the couch. “I wish I wasn’t so blinded by love.”“Has he been found?” I asked, walking over to sit beside her. “Do they know where he is?”Sarah shook her head. “I don’t know. Alexander has people looking for him.”“So, they don’t know where he is,” I said flatly.“Yeah,” she confirmed. “All I know is that he’s out there somewhere, and I just hope Alexander’s people find him.”“What…” I hesitated for a moment, then asked. “what will Alex do to him when he finds him?”“I don’t know. But you know how Alexander is. Whatever he has planned for Henry won’t be good