AmeliaI smiled, watching Emma, my cashier slip on her jacket and grab her purse. "You're not leaving now?" "Don't worry, go ahead. I'll take care of everything and lock up.""Are you sure you don't need me to wait? I can lock up." "No, no. It's fine. Have a wonderful night.""Thanks, Amelia. See you tomorrow," she replied, her voice cheerful as she pushed open the door and walked out.We'd sold out for the day and the display cases were empty. I turned off the ovens and switched off the lights. I moved through the bakery checking to make sure I wasn't missing anything. The bell above the door rang out. I called out, my voice ringing through the empty bakery, "Did you forget something?" I assumed it was Emma, returning for something she'd left behind.But the silence was palpable.I waited for a response, my ears straining to pick up the slightest sound. But there was nothing.My curiosity piqued, I turned my head, my eyes scanning the dimly lit doorway. Then I saw a figure stand
Selene I stood outside my father's house, fidgeting with frustration as I rang the doorbell multiple times.Why the fuck was he taking so long to answer the door? The minutes ticked by at a glacial pace.Finally, the door creaked open, revealing my father's stern expression."For fuck's sake, Dad! It took you hours to answer the door," I exclaimed, exasperation etched in my voice.His eyes narrowed. "Don't speak to me that way, Selene."I sighed inwardly.His gaze dropped to the luggage beside me, then snapped back to meet my eyes. "Whose bags are these?" he asked."Mine," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.His eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean yours?"I hesitated for a few seconds before answering. "Alex threw me out.""He threw you out!" He exclaimed, his voice laced with outrage. "And Martins let him do that?"I shook my head, feeling a mix of frustration and desperation. "Martins didn't know.""Why didn't you go to him?"I sighed, my exhaustion boiling over. "C
Amelia I sat beside Hayley at the park, watching Alexander laugh and play with Misty. Her words cut through the serene atmosphere."I still can't believe you just forgave him and let him back into your life," Hayley said, her tone laced with scepticism.I shifted uncomfortably, defending my decision. "I didn't just forgive him, Hay. We're friends now."Hayley raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, keep trying to convince yourself, Amelia. A man and a woman can't be friends."I bristled at her doubt. "Says who?""If you two had no history, maybe it would've been possible. But come on, Amelia, I thought you wanted to move on from him."Her words struck a chord, echoing my own uncertainties."I've come to realize that instead of trying to hate Alexander, maybe I should try forgiving him," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "That way, moving on would be easier."Hayley's eyes narrowed. "You could have told him to leave."I bit back a bitter laugh. As if Alexander would have listened. Besides I
Amelia "I once locked a man up for six months," Alexander revealed.My eyes widened, and I struggled to contain my shock. "Six months!" I exclaimed into the recorder. I moved closer, making sure my phone was close enough to Alexander.Alexander's gaze snapped to mine, his eyes flashing a warning. "Keep your voice down."I nodded, my voice dropping to a whisper. "Six months is a lot. What did he do to you?"Alexander's expression turned grim. "He worked for me. He poked his nose into something he shouldn't have."My curiosity piqued, I leaned in closer. "What was that?"Alexander glanced over his shoulders, his eyes darting around the room before focusing on me. He leaned in. "Tax evasion."My heart skipped a beat. "You don't pay taxes?" I asked in a hushed tone. "Do you know how much trouble that could put you in?""I do. I just underpay. I have my records falsified, hide most of my assets, and use offshore accounts. Sometimes I underreport my income."My eyes widened in shock. "That
Alexander "Thank you for dinner, Mrs Fray," I said to Amelia's mom. She responded with a warm smile. Amelia stood up to clear the plates."I'll help you with that." Charlie and I spoke in unison.I glanced at Charlie, slightly annoyed. Was he trying to one-up me?I turned back to Amelia, my expression softening. "Let me help."Amelia's eyes flickered between Charlie and me. "It's fine, guys. I'll take care of it."Charlie and I exchanged a brief, tense glance.How desperate can one person be? I thought, exasperated. Charlie seemed to have anticipated my every move, mirroring my offer to help Amelia. His eagerness to play the hero, to be the Prince Charming, was palpable."No." Charlie and I said again. Our responses overlapped in a ridiculous chorus.My irritation simmered, and I cleared my throat, forcing a strained smile onto my face. "I'll help you.""No, Alexander. You're a guest. We don't make our guests work." Amelia rebuffed gently.I could almost see Charlie's wide grin, h
Alexander The room was dimly lit, with only a sliver of sunlight peeking through the blinds. I wandered over to the bookshelf, my fingers trailing over the books.I pulled out a worn leather-bound copy of Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea". The pages yellowed, the words dog-eared.The door creaked open. "Alex."I turned to face Henry, his eyes scanning the room with a hint of unease."Hi," he said, his voice laced with surprise.I held up the book, my grip tightening around it. "Henry."He shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting around the room. "I didn't know you were coming. You didn't tell me."I shrugged, my tone curt. "Yeah, I just arrived."Henry's gaze lingered on me, his expression nervous. "My assistant just informed me. Have you been here long?""No, just got here," I replied, my eyes locked on his.Henry's brow furrowed. "I didn't know you were in New York. Is everything okay?"His concern seemed genuine, but I sensed an undercurrent of tension. I raised an eyebrow, int
Amelia Agreeing to hang out with the person I was about to incriminate wasn't a good idea. I walked to my closet and picked out a simple outfit. A white shirt and a tight Jean. Before leaving, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My eyes roamed over my reflection, admiring the way the jeans hugged my curves. I thought of Alexander not being able to take his eyes off me when he saw me. A warm blush spread across my cheeks. Stop blushing, Amelia. You're not aiming for that. He'll be out of your life soon. I told myself. I wondered what the surprise was. My phone rang out. It wasn't even up to an hour yet, why was he being so impatient? I grabbed my phone and answered it without looking at the screen, thinking it was Alexander. "Alexander, you should learn how to be patient. I'll be there soon," I said, expecting to hear his voice. Instead, a different voice responded. "Hmmm. I hope when you see him, you get what I asked for." My instincts prickled. That w
Amelia "Why is Paul calling you?" "Huh?" I was confused. I stared blankly at Alexander. Did he say, Paul?Alexander's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing. He held up my phone, the screen showing Paul's name in bold letters.I let out a slow breath. A wave of relief washed over me. He hadn't seen the recording. Thank God.Fucking Paul. I had explicitly told him not to call me.I moved closer, my fingers brushing against Alexander's as I gently took the phone from his hand."Paul and I are not strangers," I explained. "We've worked together in the past. He's probably calling about something related to his company. I helped them out, so maybe he wants to ask me about something..."But as the words spilt out, I realized I was rambling. Giving unnecessary explanations. I bit back the rest of my sentence.I forced a casual smile, hoping to deflect any further questions. "Anyway...""You work for Paul?" he asked cutting me off.I shook my head. "No, I don't. That was a long time ago."Alexa
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