Amelia "Don't just stand there staring," I said, nodding at Charlie. "Come over here," I ordered, beckoning with a curl of my fingers. As always he gave me a dashing smile. He sauntered over, his smile still plastered on his face. "Hi, Amelia." He greeted gazing around my stall. "I've never been to a town fair before. This looks interesting, will you be selling all these pies today?" "You can see the line, we'll sell out in no time.""Wow!" He let out, impressed."Misty, come say hello to Charlie," I instructed.Misty obliged. "Hi, Charlie!" She said, cheerfully. He crouched down to her level, his face lighting up with a warm smile. "Hello, Misty." He said, taking her tiny hand in his. "What a beautiful name you have. I see you're helping your mom today, huh?"She nodded. "Yes, I'm helping Mom."He smiled. "Well, you're doing a fantastic job. I'm sure your mom couldn't do all these without you."She giggled, and Charlie stood up, his eyes meeting mine.Ella waited patiently until
Alexander "Charlie, can you hear me?" I asked, waiting for a response.I waited patiently, but the line remained quiet."Come on, Charlie, answer me!" I muttered under my breath, frustration creeping in."Urg.. fucking Christ Charlie. Do you seriously not hear me or are you intentionally keeping quiet?" I added, growing impatient.I stood there, phone pressed to my ear, listening to the deafening silence. My eyes narrowed, annoyance creeping up my spine.Where was Charlie? Why wasn't he responding? I glanced around, ensuring I wasn't in a dead zone.I was In my sitting room, and the signal strength was fine.I checked the call duration – still connected.I let out a sigh and was on the verge of ending the call when suddenly, a voice called out and I froze when I heard the name."Amelia, what are you doing outside?" That was Charlie's voice. My mind began to wander.Was Amelia the one who picked up my call?It could have been a mistake. "I'll be there in a bit."I heard her voice a
SeleneI stepped into the sitting room, my eyes locked onto Henry's smug face. I couldn't help but feel a surge of annoyance."You know, with your constant visits here, one could assume that you're in love with Alex," I said, my voice laced with sarcasm, as I stopped in front of him.His expression didn't falter. Instead, he let out a low chuckle, his eyes glinting with amusement."Wouldn't be such a bad thing," he replied, his voice smooth. "Well, seeing as Alex and I are going to be brothers-in-law soon, there's nothing wrong with bonding with him."My eyes narrowed. "You and Sarah got engaged?" I asked, trying to keep the shock from my voice.His smile widened. "Not just that, we'll be getting married in a few months. Something you couldn't achieve."His words stung, but I refused to let him see my frustration. "You can fool everyone with this charming and kind personality, but you can't fool me." I shot back.I watched as his brows furrowed, his expression twisting into a scowl. C
AmeliaI sat on the couch, engrossed in a game of blocks with Misty, my giggling daughter. Her bright eyes sparkled as she carefully stacked the colourful cubes, only to knock them down.Just as I was about to rebuild the tower, the door swung open. Misty's head jerked up, her face shining with excitement."Aunty Hayley!" she shrieked, dropping the blocks and launching herself off the couch.I smiled, watching Hayley stride into the room, a warm smile on her face. Her eyes locked onto Misty, and she opened her arms wide."Hey, munchkin!" She exclaimed, sweeping Misty into a tight hug.I rose from the couch, exchanging a warm greeting with her. "Hey, girl! Come on in."Misty wriggled free from Hayley's grasp, tugging on her hand. "Aunty Hayley, play with me!"She laughed, letting Misty pull her toward the scattered blocks. "No, no baby. Not today."I watched as Misty bounced around Hayley, and I gently intervened. "Darling, let your Aunt Hayley settle down first, okay?" I said, smiling
Amelia "Hey Amelia," Charlie said, walking up to me with a warm smile. "I didn't expect to run into you here." "Just hanging out with Hayley and her fiancé," I added, gesturing toward Hayley, who stood beside me.His gaze shifted to Hayley, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Your fiancé is my interior designer?" he asked.She nodded affirmatively still taking in his features.He glanced back at me. "So, what do you think of my new spot?" he asked, his eyes crinkling at the corners."Not bad. It's really good." I said."I'm thinking of setting Amelia up, would you like to participate?" Hayley said cutting into our conversation.He turned to Hayley, raising an eyebrow. "Set her up? You mean blind dates?" "Yeah." She confirmed.He shifted his gaze back to me. "If I had known you were in the market, I would have taken you off the market myself." I scoffed, shaking my head. "Hayley is just being silly." "Don't listen to her. You two would make a beautiful couple.""God Hayley, can you plea
Charlie "Is she in trouble?" "Big trouble." She replied.I let out a low chuckle. "She was just looking out for you. Her words were, don't take her to just any restaurant, you have to take her to the best place in the city. She deserves the best." "She just wanted you to impress me."I smiled, taken by her directness. "Or she just wanted you to be treated like a queen," I added.A blush rose to her cheeks but she quickly looked away. "Alright alright. You don't have to go through the stress of flirting with me. I won't appreciate it, you can save it for... You know, those other girls that are smitten when you flirt with them." She giggled. "But I just saw you blush." I pointed out, my voice low and teasing."When you say something and I blush, it doesn't mean that I am smitten by you.""I know Amelia. I know my charms don't work on you. It intrigues me. I have not met any woman who is not smitten when I look at them. Even those whose hearts belong elsewhere." Her smile faltered
Amelia I lay on my bed, lost in thought when my phone pierced the silence. An unknown number flashed on the screen. My curiosity piqued, and I hesitated for a moment before answering.I waited for the caller to speak first.There was a brief pause before a familiar voice spoke."Amelia?"I recognized the warm, deep tone."Charlie?" I replied, a smile spreading across my face.His chuckle sent a flutter through my chest. "Hey."I settled into the pillows, cradling the phone against my ear. "What's up?""Today's been stressful," He replied, his deep voice weaving through the phone lines. "I needed to hear your voice. How are you doing? And how's Misty?""I'm doing fine and Misty's good too. She's been asking about you nonstop." I paused, recalling her bright smile. "I told her you'd be back soon.""She misses me, huh? That's good. What about her mom? Does she miss me too?"I laughed softly, the sound barely above a whisper. "Sorry, Charlie. You're not exactly on her radar. She's been t
Selene I stood outside Alex's room, my hand gripping the door handle tightly. I peeked inside, hoping to catch his attention. "Alex," I called out softly, my voice barely above a whisper. He didn't respond. "Alex," I called again. This time, he stopped mid-stride, his head cocked in my direction. "What is it, Selene?" he asked, his tone impatient. I took a deep breath. I opened the door wide and stepped into the room. The door creaked shut behind me. "I..." I began, but he cut me off. "I don't have time for whatever it is you're here for," he said brusquely. I felt a surge of frustration mixed with desperation. As I walked towards Alex, I felt a surge of emotion. "Can you at least not talk to me that way?" I asked, my voice trembling. He stood still, his eyes fixed on mine with an unreadable expression. I couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance. Why did he have to be so impassive? I reached out, my hand settling on his shoulder. And my fingers trailed dow
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
Amelia Ella gestured toward the security guards stationed inside the house, her frustration written all over her face. “When do you think this will end?” she asked, her tone heavy with exasperation.I shook my head. “I don’t know.”“God, I just want this to be over,” she groaned. “I’m so sick of them following me everywhere. I even had to skip a party because I didn’t want to feel embarrassed.”I raised an eyebrow. “I thought having bodyguards was supposed to make you look cool.”She let out a sharp laugh, the kind that carried more annoyance than amusement. “Cool? Are you serious? It’s a party, not a red carpet event. The guards would just scare everyone off, keep them from even getting close to me. How am I supposed to meet anyone like that? How am I supposed to find the perfect guy? I just want to get laid, for God’s sake.”“I’m sorry, Ella. Alexander just wants us to be safe. Henry is still out there and—”She cut me off, throwing her hands up. “I know, I know! But I don’t think
Henry I glanced up from the stack of papers on my workbench when the sound of footsteps reached my ears. There he was, my father, strolling into my sanctuary like he owned the place. He pulled out a wooden chair and sat down, making himself comfortable.My relationship with my father was… complicated. He and I didn't always see eye to eye on a lot of things but I still loved him. He was the only family I had left. And family is important. At least that’s what people always said, right?“So, this is where you’ve been hiding. In your man cave,” he said, his tone as casual as ever.“Dad, what are you doing here?” I asked. “Didn’t I tell you to leave the country?”His jaw tightened. “Why should I leave for him? He’s the one who should be running, not me. I’m not afraid of him.”I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I never said you were, Dad. But Alex is probably out there looking for me right now. You shouldn’t have come. You might’ve led him here without realizing it.”I crossed
Alexander “Have you found him?” I snapped into the phone, pacing the room as my PI droned on.“No, but I’m doing everything—”“Fuck!” I cut him off sharply, the word tearing out of me before I could stop it. “Don’t call me again unless you’ve found him. Do you understand?”“Yes, sir,” he muttered and the line went dead.I stared at the phone in my hand, my frustration boiling over. “How hard is it to find one damn person?” I growled, hurling the phone against the wall. I couldn’t believe that bastard was still out there. After the disaster at the wedding, I’d insisted that Sarah and my mom stay at my mansion. There was no way I was leaving them alone, not with the risk hanging over all of us.The door to my study swung open suddenly, breaking my train of thought. My head snapped up. “Amelia,” I breathed out.“Are you okay?” she asked as she stepped into the room, her eyes scanning me. “I heard you yelling.”“Yeah. The PI I hired still hasn’t found Henry. I was yelling at him.” I mu
Alexander Sarah’s voice was thick with confusion as she stood beside Henry. “Alexander, Charlie. What’s going on?” she asked, her eyes darting between the two of us.Henry shot me a glare, his annoyance practically radiating off him.I didn’t give a damn. That bastard needed to feel my anger.I turned to the man standing beside them—his priestly robes suddenly irritating me more than they should. “Get out of here, priest,” I said, gesturing sharply toward the door.Without waiting to see if he obeyed, I turned to the rest of the room. “You can all leave now. Apologies for the inconvenience, and thank you for coming.” My voice was tight, barely polite.Sarah’s eyes flared with anger. “What the hell, Alexander? What are you doing?”I met her furious gaze without flinching. “Trust me, Sarah. You don’t want them here for this.”Her expression hardened, and her voice rose in defiance. “Maybe you’re the one who shouldn’t be here,” she snapped. “You kept everyone waiting, and now you show u
Amelia "Does Alexander plan on missing his sister's wedding?" Victoria whispered in my ear, her voice tight with concern.I shook my head quickly. "No, he said he would be here."Her brow furrowed as she glanced at the door, then back at me. "Then where is he? The ceremony has already started. He's supposed to walk Sarah down the aisle. Have you called him?"I felt a pang of unease in my chest. No, I hadn’t called him. But I should have."I forgot my phone in the car," I muttered."Please, find a way to reach him. If he doesn’t get here soon, his grandfather will have to take his place. We can’t keep waiting for him.""Alright." "Alright," I replied, though a knot tightened in my stomach.Alexander was never late. He should’ve been here by now. What if something had happened to him?I pushed the thought aside, trying to shake off the rising unease. With a shaky breath, I pulled my key from my pocket to unlock the car but froze when I saw a strange man in black jeans and a leather
AlexanderI burst into the room, my heart racing. "Fuck man, we have to get out of here now!" I exclaimed.Charlie looked up at me, his eyes filled with concern. "What happened?" he asked, struggling against the restraints that bound him to the chair.I scanned the room frantically, searching for an alternate escape route. "Is there another way out of this house? A back door, maybe?"Charlie shook his head. "Dude, I've been tied up for days. I don't even know where we are.""Fuck, fuck." I muttered a string of curses under my breath, pacing back and forth across the room. We had to get out, and fast."Your 'get- me- out-of- here' plan not working, huh?" he quipped, a small smile played on his face.I halted my frantic pacing, my eyes locking onto Charlie's grinning face. Irritation simmered beneath my surface."Wipe that fucking grin off your face, Charlie," I growled. "This isn't a joke. There's a man at the door, and I think he's here to take you out. If we don't get out of here no
Alexander I let out a sigh of relief as Sarah finally answered my call. "Hello, my handsome brother," her voice slurred through the line.I rolled my eyes. I'd been waiting for what felt like an eternity for her to pick up, and now I was met with her drunk chatter."I've called more than a hundred times, Sarah.""Really? Why, Alexander? Do you want to join my party?" Sarah's voice was laced with a playful giggle. "We are short of strippers. I mean, I have no interest in seeing your body... eww... but my friends seem to think that you're hot and sexy."I placed my hand on my forehead, shaking it in dismay. How was I supposed to have a serious conversation with my drunk sister? "No, I don't want to strip or be a stripper in your party. I called you for something more important.""You want to be among my bridesmaids?" she asked.I tried to steer the conversation back on track, but Sarah's drunken haze seemed to warp her understanding. I sighed inwardly. "No, Sarah. Do you remember wh
Alexander I steered my car out of the driveway, my phone pressed to my ear. "Hey, James, I need Mr. Thompson's address," I said, my voice clear and urgent.There was a brief pause before James responded, "Henry Thompson?""No, James. I don't mean Henry. I want the home address of Mr Thompson. Henry's father." I clarified."Oh, I don't have it but I could make a few calls." "Hurry up with the calls, I'm driving without a destination," I said navigating through the quiet street."Alright. Hold on." James instructed softly, placing me on hold.I drummed my fingers impatiently on the steering wheel, waiting for James to return with the information.I wasn't ashamed to admit that I was paranoid. I had to make sure my unsettling thoughts were at ease.My thoughts shifted to Amelia and a smile spread across my face. The look on her face when she asked If I was going to lock someone up. I couldn't tell her where I was going. She would have reminded me of how paranoid I was."Sir?" James' vo