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You did what?" Hayley gasped in disbelief as she processed the news. Leonardo had just confessed that he relinquished his chase for the fortune to be with her, a revelation that left Hayley utterly astonished.Her brow furrowed in confusion as she gazed at him, struggling to comprehend his decision. Sensing her shock, Leonardo responded with concern. "I had to, baby. I'm sorry, but I couldn’t allow anything to jeopardize our relationship. I'd do anything to have you back." He lowered his eyes, gently taking her hand in his. When he lifted his gaze to meet hers again, he saw the bewilderment still etched on her face.Ignoring her surprise, he continued, his voice laden with emotion. "I love you, Hayley." He emphasized. "I love you so deeply that I'm willing to do anything for you, to even give up the fortune...""I didn't ask you to do that," Hayley interrupted sharply, her eyes flicking between his. Leonardo spoke softly, a warm smile gracing his features. "I know, baby. As strange
Anna checked her wristwatch for the umpteenth time, irritation written on her face as her patience began to fray. Where the fuck was she? The thought raced through her mind, fueling her annoyance as she glanced at the empty entrance of their room.With just two hours remaining before her scheduled departure from the retreat, Hayley had yet to return after heading to Rosalie's office nearly two hours ago. Anna couldn't comprehend what was going on or taking Hayley's time.She had been anxiously awaiting Hayley’s return, fully aware that she could not leave without completing her final task. She had made a promise to Wendy, and failing to deliver would disappoint her greatly. She couldn't see to that. Wendy had supported her in countless ways, and Anna couldn't bear the thought of letting her down.Anxiety and impatience coursing through her, Anna rose to her feet and paced the room about for a few minutes, still awaiting Hayley. She was the only one in the room at that moment as Kimber
Emily was indoors with Daisy that evening when Freya showed up at the door, bearing gifts for the toddler. "Freya!" The toddler innocently scampered to hug her babysitter, Freya Williams. Emily also regarded Freya with warmth as she stepped aside for her to enter the house. "Welcome, Freya. How are you doing?" Emily asked with concern as she closed the door behind them after they had entered. "I'm great, thank you," Freya replied politely. She then turned to Daisy, who was settled in her arms and she gave her the bar of chocolate she brought for her. "Thank you, Freya," Daisy genuinely accepted the chocolate bar. The three of them settled on the couch, and Emily exhaled heavily, reaching for the remote control on the table. She switched through the channels, searching for an entertaining show for her guest and a show also suitable for the toddler. Meanwhile, Freya chatted with Daisy just like old times and even patted her hair as Daisy told her about her day. She stared at t
As soon as Freya Williams covered a few steps away from Hayley's home with Daisy still by her side, she pulled out her phone and made a call after glancing around to ensure no one was watching her."Hey, Wendy," She spoke uneasily, her breath hitching as Wendy answered the phone. "Do you have her?" Wendy's curt response flowed into her ears.Freya exhaled heavily, stealing a glance at the innocent toddler who awaited her patiently.Nodding eagerly, Freya redirected her gaze, glancing around as she replied. "Yes. Yes, I do have her right here with me." She answered."Alright. Go straight to the plaza across the street, that's the place we're going to make the exchange. We'll be right there shortly.""Hope you have my money ready, Wendy?" Freya's voice was almost in a whisper. "I don't want any excuses, alright?""Trust me and walk. I'll see you soon, Freya Williams. Bye for now." With that, Wendy ended the call, leaving Freya hanging.Annoyance coursed through Freya and her brows furr
"How can I trust that the two of you won’t harm her?" Freya arched an eyebrow at Wendy after handing Daisy over to them. Wendy scoffed incredulously before replying. "We’re not monsters, Miss Williams. The girl is merely serving as leverage in the meantime. Nothing more. I assure you—" "Leverage to what?" Freya interjected sharply, cutting off Wendy's sentence. Wendy shot Freya a brief glare, irritation bubbling beneath the surface at her relentless questioning. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled heavily and took a few steps closer to Freya, who stood her ground as she observed Wendy intently. With her face inches away from Freya's, Wendy stated, "You’ve been compensated for the job, Miss Williams. I would appreciate it if you refrained from probing into my motives any further. I despise being questioned, but what I detest even more are those who meddle in others' affairs. Do you understand?" Her tone turned serious as she continued, "So, why don’t you be sensible, take the money, a
Emily felt a great surge of anxiety as she processed Hayley's request. A bead of sweat formed on her temples and her heart raced with apprehension, unsure of how to respond. She had anticipated this moment, acutely aware Hayley would inquire about her daughter. What the heck was she supposed to say? This was bad. If Hayley sensed that something was amiss, it would distract her from the competition coming up the next day, and Emily couldn’t afford that, especially considering Freya might arrive later with Daisy. Although she remained uncertain about that thought, she tried to reassure herself. Freya didn't pose any threats and Hayley had deemed her as family, so there was nothing to worry about, right? But deep down, a part of Emily knew there was everything to worry about. The thought of Daisy being in danger stirred deep anguish within her. Emily longed to believe that Daisy was safe with Freya. She tried to compose herself by reassuring herself of this."Hello, Em... I’m waiting,"
Hayley returned to the retreat the following, infused by a new sense of determination and joy bubbling within her. It was finally the long-awaited Day of the competition, a pivotal moment that would determine her future. Though she wasn't all that concerned about winning as now she had more than she could ever ask for, she remained determined to put in her best effort and aim for the prize. She had already crafted her first masterpiece for the competition. Having already completed her first masterpiece, she was now set to dedicate the next four hours to creating her second as two pieces were required for the competition. After dropping her off in the parking lot, Leonardo wished her good luck. He had wanted to accompany her inside, but she declined, wanting to avoid the scrutiny of the gossipers in the retreat. Before reluctantly leaving, Leonardo assured her that he would always be there for her if she needed him. With a grateful smile, she exited the car. As she walked to her room
Emily wasn't one to bawl her eyes out when things weren't going her way. She was a counterpoint of Hayley in terms of handling situations like a mature lady, but this time around, it was different. Her eyes bore the marks of a long night filled with tears, and a dull ache throbbed in her head as she rubbed her weary eyes.Upon lowering her hand from her eyes, a wave of loneliness flooded her as reality began to sink in once again that morning. A splitting ache slammed her head as she recalled the search for Daisy had been futile the previous night. Just as said before, Emily scoured the neighborhood for them when she couldn't find them at the first ten restaurants/ice cream shops she visited. All were to no avail as she was always met with negative responses. The neighbors around didn't tell her much as they claimed they hadn't seen anything. To compound Emily's frustration, Freya wasn't still taking any of her calls. Emily didn't know where she lived, so she hadn't gone there the