Michael's POV"Just keep her away from my son. Is that too hard to ask?" The old lady ordered through the phone. If I was being honest, she was starting to get on my nerves, from the way she looked at me like she was repulsed to the feeling of superiority she carried around with her. "I'll handle it." I said calmly, I couldn't let one nasty old wrench ruin my moment of victory. "You better, I didn't put so much effort into this just for you to screw up your end of the deal." Mrs. Montgomery said and hung up. I had only called her to happily inform her that Hanna had come to me, almost like she predicted, but now I was feeling like the old hag deserved to be put in the ground. I shoved my phone into my pocket and paced around the empty room. The feeling was ecstatic when a risky plan fell perfectly into place and worked in your favor.I thought burning Hanna's bar was the only thing needed to make her come running to me, but apparently not. I had been so aggravated when I found ou
Hanna’s POV “Sorry, we can’t grant your request, ma'am." The lady on the phone said.“Why not?” I asked “To get a loan like that, you need collateral, and quite frankly, you don’t have anything.” I hung up and flung my phone to the couch and sighed in frustration—another dead end. Banks were so freaking useless when you needed them the most.It had been three days since I last saw Michael, and every second I spent at his apartment was like a reminder to get my butt out of here. There was the constant eerie feeling that made me feel like I wasn’t alone, and then the helplessness that filled me whenever I opened my eyes, hoping this was a dream, only to be met with the harsh reality of my life.The bank wouldn’t give me a loan because I had nothing to prove that I would pay it back; I didn’t even have a job anymore. The restaurant was too far away from Michael’s place, so I had to quit, which left me homeless, jobless, and generally helpless. As much as I hated to admit it to myself
Hanna's POV "Just stop talking!" I orderedI already had to deal with the voice of paranoia in my head, and Michael's rambling wasn't making it easy for me to think. He went silent; maybe my voice had come out too harshly. "You're lying to me." I said His story didn't add up, Maureen? A philanthropist of some kind? I was more likely to believe I was an alien than believe that. There was no way Maureen had just so happened to coincidentally encounter my ex, and she got so acquainted with him that she decided to invite him to her party."I think you need to calm down." Micheal said What I needed was an explanation, and he didn't seem very willing to give. "I'm calm; now tell me the truth." I demanded "What truth?" He said "What's your relationship with Maureen Montgomery?" I asked "I already told you." He said Was I really just overthinking the whole situation? But I had this weird feeling he was hiding something. "Where did you meet her?" I asked "I don't remember." He said
Michael's POVHer unconscious body fell to the floor with a thud. I had managed to stop the blood running down my nose, but damn, she was one hell of a fighter. I squatted down to see her face, eyes beautiful closed and peaceful, just like she should be. Fighting wasn't like her, at least fighting me. She was mine; it made no sense to fight one's owner. "Hanna, are you there?" The question came from her phone, which had also accompanied her fall. Why did she have to involve an outsider in our business? It wouldn't matter soon; all she needed was time to adjust, and we had all the time in the world; I wasn't letting her out of my sight this time. I glanced at the caller ID, Faith. I remembered who that was.Months ago, when I had first seen Hanna's picture in the newspaper beside that rich guy, I tracked her down and found where she was staying, with Aaron's secretary, Faith. "Hello?" she said. I was planning on calling her later; it wasn't meant to be now, but I guess the univer
Aaron’s POV“Sir, your secretary is on the line.” The butler beside me said she was holding my phone out for me. “I’ll attend to it later.” I said and went back to enjoying the surreal view in front of me. “He said…” The butler’s voice trailed off as he walked away.I already told Faith I didn’t want to be called for work-related matters; I used a business trip as an excuse to go on a well-deserved vacation. Everything happening around me was enough to drive a man to the edge. I wanted me time, so I gave myself time off.About ten minutes later, the butler came back.“She says it’s urgent, sir.” He said It was always urgent.I stretched out a hand and collected the phone; somebody had better be dead or somebody was going to be interrupting my vacation.“What is it, Faith?” I asked disinterested "Sir, you have an emergency.” She said With the way she sounded, you would think the world was about to end. What was getting her so worked up?“What emergency?” I asked “Um, you need to
Hanna’s POV“What ransom?” I asked I was still trying to process the bomb he had just dropped on me, and now he was talking about collecting ransom from Aaron of all people, the man who currently hated my guts.“The bracelet.” He said Bracelet? Maureen’s bracelet, the same bracelet that he framed me for stealing, or according to him, he helped Maureen frame me.“You can’t be serious.” I said I was left defenseless in the hands of a madman who clearly had no idea what he was doing.“I am.” He said “And you think he’ll give it to you? Just hand it over to you in exchange for me.” I asked He clearly hadn’t done his research; there was no way Aaron would trade his mother’s belovedbracelet, the same bracelet he thinks I tried to steal, for me.“I’m confident he will.” Micheal answered Aaron would probably think it was a hoax to get the bracelet; that had to be the dumbest idea he could have thought of. But if Aaron didn’t comply with his demands, what would happen to me?“Then what?
Aaron’s POV“You have got to be kidding me.” I scoffed The bracelet—she was telling me Hanna’s kidnapper wanted the same bracelet she was caught trying to steal, and I was meant to believe that was some kind of coincidence. “Mr. Montgomery, I’m not making this up.” She said “How desperate is she for money?” I asked “Huh.” Faith said There was no way they both thought I was stupid enough to believe a lie like this.“Hanna, how much money does she need for her to put you up to this?” I asked. I couldn’t believe Hanna had gone this far to lie about being kidnapped.“You don’t believe me, do you?” She said she sounded heartbroken and sad. “You have to admit that you two didn’t exactly come up with the most believable lie.” I said She got out her phone and started scrolling.“What are you doing?” I asked “Proving to you that I’m not lying.” She said “How?” I asked I was starting to worry that she was actually telling the truth and Hanna was in real danger. She scrolled for a whi
Aaron’s POV“Aaron wait!” My mommom said and rushed towards me,“I can handle it; don’t put yourself at risk.” She added“You had your chance. I already have this,this, so just stay out of the way.” I said and held up the bracelet I had taken from her room a few minutes ago.“If you hadn’t done it in the first place,place, I wouldn’t need to put myself in danger.” I said, She had herself to blame for all this.“I was thinking about our family;; I did this for you as well,,” she said.said. “I didn’t ask you to.” I said “You didn’t have to;; I’m your mother;; it’s my responsibility to take care of you.” She said Her idea of responsibility was incredibly messed up.“That wasn’t your choice. You nearly ruined my life.” I said if I was too late to save Hanna, then she would have completely ruined my life. I’d never forgive her then.“She wasn’t good for you.” She said “That wasn’t your decision to make.” I said and walked towards my car.car.“Are you really going to do this?” She asked
Aaron’s POVThe low hum of the city filtered in through the windows as I sat in my office, staring at the paperwork spread out in front of me. The numbers blurred together, and I realized, for the first time in a long while, I was finding it impossible to concentrate.I leaned back in my chair, running a hand over my face. I’d been doing everything I could to keep things running smoothly at Spears Real Estate, especially after the chaos of Hanna’s kidnapping and the media storm that followed. But no matter how hard I tried to keep my head in the game, my thoughts always drifted back to her.Hanna.She’d been staying at my place ever since the hospital released her, and though she was physically healing, I could tell she was still struggling emotionally. The trauma from what Michael put her through was something that wasn’t going to fade overnight. But that wasn’t the only thing on her mind. I knew she was trying to figure out where she fit in my life—if she even had a place there. And
Hanna’s POVI had thought that once I was back on my feet, things would start feeling normal again. But standing here in Aaron’s penthouse, watching the city lights blink outside the window, it was clear that "normal" was nowhere in sight. Not after everything that happened with Michael.It had been a few weeks since I’d been released from the hospital, and while my body was healing, my mind was far from it. I still woke up in the middle of the night, heart pounding in my chest, haunted by the sound of Michael’s voice and the feel of cold steel against my skin. But even worse were the thoughts that followed—thoughts about Aaron, about what we’d become after all of this.Aaron had been nothing but supportive, always there when I needed him. He had gone from cold and distant to someone I could rely on, someone who made me feel safe in a way I hadn’t felt in a long time. But that safety came with complications. The more time I spent around him, the harder it was to ignore the growing ten
Aaron’s POVThe elevator doors slid shut behind me with a soft click, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I stared at my reflection in the polished metal, the dark circles under my eyes and the tightness in my jaw a testament to how much weight I’d been carrying lately. I looked like hell, but that didn’t matter right now. Not when Hanna was upstairs, resting, still healing from the trauma she had just gone through.And now, as if dealing with Michael hadn’t been enough, Maureen had reappeared, dragging her own shadow over everything. She had come to my home—Hanna’s temporary refuge—to check on her. Or so she said. But I knew better. Maureen was never one to act out of kindness or concern. There was always an agenda.I could still hear her voice, calm and composed, as she had stood in the hallway only moments ago, trying to justify her involvement with Michael. "It was never part of the plan for her to get hurt," she had said, as if that made everything better.I clenched my fists, a
Hanna’s POV The soft murmur of voices outside the bedroom filtered through the door, but I couldn’t bring myself to move. Every inch of my body ached, bruises blooming across my skin, a cruel reminder of how close I had come to losing everything. I shifted slightly in the bed, wincing as a sharp pain shot through my ribs. The bedroom was dim, the only light coming from a small bedside lamp casting a soft glow over the plush surroundings. Aaron’s apartment—no, his sanctuary—was a far cry from the cold, sterile hospital room I had woken up in earlier. He had insisted on bringing me here the moment the doctors cleared me for release, refusing to let me spend another night under harsh fluorescent lights and beeping monitors. I was grateful, but I couldn’t shake the heavyness in my chest. I hadn’t just escaped Michael’s grasp; I’d barely clawed my way out, and the cost was starting to weigh on me. Everything felt surreal. I was safe now—at least, physically—but my mind kept replaying
Hanna’s POVThe night air hit me like a cold slap, jolting me back to reality as my lungs burned with every gasping breath. My legs ached, but I kept running. I didn’t have a destination in mind—just the desperate urge to get away from Michael. The knife was still clutched tightly in my hand, and I could feel its weight grounding me, a reminder that I had finally fought back. But as I rounded the corner of the building, a crushing thought stopped me in my tracks. Aaron. I had left Aaron behind.What was freedom without him?My feet skidded to a halt, and I leaned against the brick wall, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst. How could I have run? I had left Aaron alone in that room with Michael, with a man who was out of his mind. Michael wouldn’t stop at anything. He was dangerous, and now Aaron was at his mercy.I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to calm the panic that was rising inside me, but the fear wouldn’t let up. Images of Aaron—bleeding, hurt, or worse—floode
HANNA As I emerged from behind the dumpster, Aaron's eyes locked onto mine, filled with relief and concern. His face, etched with worry, softened as he took in my disheveled appearance. I collapsed into his arms, tears streaming down my face, as the weight of our ordeal finally began to lift."Thank God you're safe," he whispered, holding me tightly. His warm breath against my ear sent shivers down my spine, but this time it was a comforting sensation. I felt protected, sheltered from the horrors we'd faced. The sirens and chaos surrounding us faded into the background as I buried my face in his chest, letting the steady beat of his heart calm my own racing pulse.We stood there for what felt like an eternity, the only sound being our ragged breathing. Aaron's hands cradled my face, his thumbs wiping away my tears as he searched my eyes for any sign of hurt. I knew he was looking for more than physical wounds; he was searching for the emotional scars that Michael had inflicted. I tri
Hanna’s POVMy heart raced in my chest as I felt the weight of the knife in my hand. The cold steel was both a comfort and a curse. I had finally found a way to fight back, but I wasn’t sure how far I was willing to go to protect myself. Michael’s eyes widened in shock as he took a step back, his hand pressed against the wound. “Are you insane?” he hissed, a mix of disbelief and anger in his voice. The blood seeped through his fingers, staining the fabric of his shirt. “Let me go, Michael,” I said, my voice steady despite the chaos swirling inside me. “This is over.”He took another cautious step back, assessing the situation, but I could see the anger boiling in his eyes. “You think you can just stab me and walk out of here?” he spat, a cruel smile creeping across his face. “You don’t understand who you’re dealing with.”“I understand perfectly,” I shot back, my grip tightening on the knife. “I know you’re a coward who thinks he can control everything with fear. But not anymore.”M
Hanna’s POV“Are you done?” Micheal askedMy eyes were on the keys he had hooked to his belt buckle, the keys to the door.I nodded and pushed the plate of half-eaten steak towards him.I held my breath and watched his face for a reaction as he picked up the plate and left the room nothing. He hadn’t noticed anything, great. I slid the knife out ofmy pocket and held the sharp edge to the wires binding my arms. It was extremely uncomfortable having to hold the handle with my fingertips while trying to cut through the wires.Fortunately, it was slowly making a dent, but it was torture seeing how slow it was. I was starting to lose hope in using the knife when I heard footsteps approaching, and I hurriedly slid the knife underneath my buttocks and sat on it. Michael returned back, this time with my phone to his ear. He was talking to someone, and there was a satisfied grin on his face. Had Faith managed to get him what he wanted? I felt bad for her; she was dragged into all this simply
Aaron’s POV“Aaron wait!” My mommom said and rushed towards me,“I can handle it; don’t put yourself at risk.” She added“You had your chance. I already have this,this, so just stay out of the way.” I said and held up the bracelet I had taken from her room a few minutes ago.“If you hadn’t done it in the first place,place, I wouldn’t need to put myself in danger.” I said, She had herself to blame for all this.“I was thinking about our family;; I did this for you as well,,” she said.said. “I didn’t ask you to.” I said “You didn’t have to;; I’m your mother;; it’s my responsibility to take care of you.” She said Her idea of responsibility was incredibly messed up.“That wasn’t your choice. You nearly ruined my life.” I said if I was too late to save Hanna, then she would have completely ruined my life. I’d never forgive her then.“She wasn’t good for you.” She said “That wasn’t your decision to make.” I said and walked towards my car.car.“Are you really going to do this?” She asked