When the car pulled into underground VVIP parking lot of the hundred floor Diamond Corps tower of steel, chrome and cheer architectural miracle, Celine got down on shaky legs.She was feeling nervous for an obvious reason. It wasn’t everyday that she got to enter such a place, one where the very air she breathed smelled too expensive, the floor beneath her feet glistened like glass and with cars that each cost more than a fortune gracing the lot.William didn’t even bother to glance at her before setting a brisk pace towards the entryway. He was certainly used to all the glamor, what with being born and bred in such a life.Celine took in a deep breath that did nothing to calm her before hurrying to keep up with him.He presented her with his briefcase as she fell into step beside him, her pace quicker to compensate for her relatively shorter legs.She raised an eyebrow. “What?”Williams came to an abrupt stop, forcing her to do the same. There was a cold set to his face that ignited
Chapter One.Celine stood completely still, holding her breath so as not to make even the slightest sound.Her heart rammed against her chest in fast, heavy beats. Cold sweat rolled down her back, crawling over the fine skin there like needle pricks.Maybe he’ll assume She was not home and go away.Almost the same second, her front door vibrated with another loud pounding.“I know you’re in there.” The scratchy voice of her landlord boomed. “I can see you through the window blinds. Open the door this second or so help me, I will rough you up the first chance I get.”Celine didn’t see any way around it. She’d forgotten about closing the curtains. Now it was going to cost her.She dropped the whisking spoon on the countertop of the tiny cubicle of a kitchen. Breakfast would have to wait. After Vaughn had had his fill of shouting at her she might not even have enough time to eat anything before going to work.She smoothed the front of her white dress and hurried towards the door. She had
Chapter 2Williams watched her go, too stunned to even rush after her.It was her!All angelic five foot nine beauty of her. He would never forget that long golden hair…those emerald green eyes that were always filled with a spark. That serene face that always held a smile.Natasha…His first crush, the first and only woman who ever fully captured his heart.But of course, it couldn’t be her. This woman was far younger and slimmer around the edges.And Williams had watched Natasha die. She’d breathed her last while he cuddled her to his aching chest and cried.But the resemblance was uncanny. Too real and potent to simply ignore. That was why he’d let the street car driver pick her up in the first place. Williams had found out long ago that an hour in here, just driving around the city did a lot of mind calming. He was able to think clearly, to get even the barest of minutes where he felt at peace.So he’d taken over the city’s shuttle company, and commandeered one of the street cars
Chapter 3.Celine looked up when the great glass front doors of the Carmollete pulled open again.This time it was her boss, Earl Carlson. This was about five hours since she got to work, and two hours left in her shift.He was a slim tall man in his late forties, with a sweet tongue and legs that couldn’t stay in one place for long.She tried to get his attention as he strolled by but he was deep into a conversation on his phone. Earl was always talking.Celine knew she had only a couple of minutes to get to him before he had to leave for somewhere else. Probably to meet one or two of his numerous lady friends—all of them blonde and curvy.But it was a busy evening in the restaurant. An insurance firm was celebrating the anniversary of one of its chairmen, so the place was packed. And rowdy, which wasn’t what anyone would’ve expected from such a reserved bunch.“Two bottles of bourbon to table six. Table six!” called the chief waitress as she hurried over to the bar stand. Despite th
“Where are you taking me to?” Her persistent voice bored through his ears again. Williams grinded his teeth but remained silent. He punched an icon on the electronic dashboard of the Tesla and it accelerated. He was going at 200 mph now. She clutched at the sides of the seat as the increased speed sent her back into it. “Please slow down. You’re going too fast.” He heard her fumbling about before clicking her seat belt in place. But he couldn’t look at her. Wouldn’t dare to. She was just too much to take in at the moment. He had to concentrate on the near empty road and the ache in his chest. Williams’ head pounded like a tolling church bell and his knuckles still throbbed from the fight. He simply needed a few seconds of silence… “I asked you a question! You can’t just pick me up and drive off without telling me what your intended destination is!” “Did I force you to get into the car?” He asked calmly, not even sparing her a glance. Something burned in his chest and he gasped, s
Chapter 5)(The Snow Times; News Flash of the Morning.Head news anchor of the paramount news network in the country, Dalia Barrows, adjusted her round glasses and stared straight at the viewers as she began to read again.“And now, the breaking news of today. CEO of Diamond Empire and also one of the wealthiest men in the world, Williams Herringbone, has at this time been declared missing. His custom made Tesla car was found in the early hours of the morning, parked haphazardly on Avenue bridge in the heart of Frostone. There are no signs of struggle or crash. It was found by college athlete, Fred Lindon during his usual morning jog around the blocks, and he immediately called the city police to take care of the situation. Friends and family members have been contacted, his office called up, but no one has seen or heard from him since 8 p.m. last night.”A brief pause here.“ Williams Herringbone is an extremely private person, and very little is known about his life outside the worl
He was handsome.The stranger, none other than Williams Herringbone. The young business magnate known for his enormous wealth and extreme good looks. She had not had the chance to look at him properly before, what with all the excitement of last night.But now, with him just lying there breathing peacefully, Celine could take him in well. And she couldn’t take off her eyes, or stop the tingling sensation in her chest. He looked of a different breed from the men that revolved around her nowadays.She had seen him on social media news rooms and on bulletin boards. But never so up close and personal. Never within touching distance. And Celine had touched him a lot already. Her palms itched to run down his velvety forearm again. He was simply the most beautifully handsome man she’d ever come across.Though his jet black hair was a little ruffled at the moment, his equally dark lashes framed a chiselled face. A smooth, hairless, TV worthy face with high cheekbones and full lips that begged
“It could be worse.”Williams resisted the urge to sigh in frustration and looked up at her. Actually, well across the sitting room at her.Celine may look like Natasha, she may sound a little like Natasha, but she was different from Natasha in every other way. Like two sides of the same coin.Williams was relieved about this. Celine, despite her face, didn’t bring up memories of Natasha anymore. Not as she had on the street car. Not like when he had woken up this morning. For one moment there he thought he had died and gone to…wherever the other side was called. He thought he was going to be with Natasha again even though it was in the world of the dead. But no. It turned out to be just her talkative, annoying lookalike.They’d been in here for two hours since he woke up to the shock of his life. And Celine had not sat down since then. Or shut up. She had been talking nonstop for hours. To herself, to him, to the house.She saw him looking and went on as if that was encouragement en
When the car pulled into underground VVIP parking lot of the hundred floor Diamond Corps tower of steel, chrome and cheer architectural miracle, Celine got down on shaky legs.She was feeling nervous for an obvious reason. It wasn’t everyday that she got to enter such a place, one where the very air she breathed smelled too expensive, the floor beneath her feet glistened like glass and with cars that each cost more than a fortune gracing the lot.William didn’t even bother to glance at her before setting a brisk pace towards the entryway. He was certainly used to all the glamor, what with being born and bred in such a life.Celine took in a deep breath that did nothing to calm her before hurrying to keep up with him.He presented her with his briefcase as she fell into step beside him, her pace quicker to compensate for her relatively shorter legs.She raised an eyebrow. “What?”Williams came to an abrupt stop, forcing her to do the same. There was a cold set to his face that ignited
But Dr. Hammond said they have to watch you for another day.”“I’m totally fine. Seriously, the young man worries too much.” An airy voice argued fondly. “Even still, you can’t just discharge yourself. Williams won’t like it.”The airy voice chuckled. “He’s my son. Trust me, he can’t get angry with me. All I have to do is cajole him a little, add his favorite meal for good measure and he’ll be nodding at whatever I want.”“I heard that, mom.” Williams ambled into the hospital room, with Celine close behind.The room was easily bigger than her apartment and would’ve passed for the penthouse of a five star hotel if not for the medical equipment in the room.A woman, only a few inches taller than Celine, smiled in mischief before hurrying over to pull Williams into a hug, wrapping her slender arms around him.“I miss your baby stomach whenever I hug you.” She rubbed his midriff. “Everything is like a wall now. Do you even eat proper food?”Celine tried to stifle a laugh at the r
Cold shivers travelled down her shoulders, warming up her heart as his voice vibrated through her senses.“What?” She could only gasp. He was just too close, assaulting her with his mere presence, his velvety voice and…him. Her knees were weak, and it was only sheer willpower keeping her upright.His warm breath lingered over the nape of her neck for a torturous heartbeat before he pulled away.“You shouldn’t be late for work on your first day.” He said casually. “As the president of the company, I should be reprimanding you.”And before she could regain her composure to offered a befitting resort, he sauntered away, leaving her hurrying over her heels to keep up with his long stride.“Work?” She couldn’t make sense of that. “What do you mean by that?”“Did you expect to be freely accommodated?” His voice was bone dry, as if he couldn’t fathom how naïve she was.Her mouth opened but no words could find their way out through her blocked windpipe.“But…”Williams slipped into t
Umm…miss Celine?Celine rolled unto her back and yawned. Goodness, she wasn’t going to ever get over how soft and comfortable and appeasing the bed was. She would’ve probably drifted off to sleep again, maybe for another hour or two, if not for a gentle probing on her shoulder.“Miss Celine? You have to wake up now.”“What? Why?” She recognized Nessa’s voice immediately, but her eyes remained shut.“Sir Williams is waiting for you downstairs.”She snuggled into the duvet to hide her face under a pillow. “Why is he waiting for me? Doesn’t he has to go to work or something?”“Yes, that’s why he’s waiting for you. He said I should get you ready to come with him.”Celine’s eyes flew open the moment the meaning of Nessa’s words registered in her groggy head. Oh, right. Their unfinished conversation last night. Williams had not given her any opportunity to argue about it last night, and right now he was offering her no choices either.“Rich people and their arrogant authority comple
Chapter 22)Where could he be at this time of the night?Celine glanced at the antique grandfather clock beside the fireplace of the living room. It was a few minutes after eleven, and the estate was as quiet as could possibly be. It would’ve been dead silent if not for the hooting beetles and fireflies in the gardens outside.She wrapped her hands around her shoulders and snuggled deeper into the couch. Williams had not returned ever since he left abruptly in the afternoon, supposedly following after his brother. His equally handsome but creepy brother. Celine couldn’t get the strange look Kellan had given her out of her mind. It had spooked her beyond words. Even though she was yet to meet him and know him personally, she couldn’t say she liked him. She also didn’t like the way Williams had gone off after him. If her instincts were right, there was a great pool of bad blood between the two brothers.Goodness, she was so bored in here. Yes, there was a library full of books she
Wake up, sleepy head.Gary had the strangest sensation that he was at the bottom of a very deep pool. A murky pool that made it hard for him to swim out. He tried to move his arms but couldn’t. His legs were as hard as lead and equally numb.I’m not going to ask again. I have many ways to pull you out of sleep. You are not going to like any of them.It was that deep voice…the same voice he had heard before passing out. The voice was cold and emotionless, like the monotone of an AI robot.Gary cracked his eyes open and knives pierced through his head causing him to gasp in pain. His head throbbed. Everywhere throbbed as if he had been run over by a car.Through his blurry vision, he found out that he was sitting on a chair at the center of his apartment. His arms were tied painfully behind his back and his legs…he couldn’t feel them anymore because of lack of blood flow to them.The carpet had been rolled away to reveal the wood paneling of the floor. About four burning black can
That night, in a two story apartment building on a gloomy street in the more industrial part of the city, Cracked-teeth was on high alert.His real name was Gary Montez, and he had been friends with Vaughn since their childhood days on the streets of a tiny village in Spain. Together they’d done it all: from street fights, to petty theft, drift racing and the likes. When Vaughn had chosen Snowville as his next base, Gary had tagged along. Why not? Vaughn was the only family he knew.Gary clutched the grip of the shotgun tightly, fighting the urge to shed tears like a baby. Vaughn was dead. Gary didn’t want to believe it, but it was all over the news. It was all the bloody newscasters would talk about for days. The police had found his lifeless body in the alley….Gary couldn’t remember much about what had happened in the alley last night. Ok, backtrack to the restaurant. The puny pretty girl had made Vaughn angry. He had then suggested that they ambush her on her way back from work
Williams stared into Celine’s face. She looked both flushed and unnerved at the same time.“What is it?” He fisted his arms at his sides. This was all he could do to prevent himself from touching her. He had a strange urge to return the strands of hair in front of her face back to the nook behind her ear. He wanted to rub her shoulders gently as he did only a few hours ago when she had been asleep. The want-to-do list was too long for comfort.She didn’t reply. Rather she glanced at the balcony railing before looking away from his face, her cheeks going red again.Williams moved close to the railings and stared down. He knew what must’ve spooked her immediately. All he saw was the tail end of a white Lamborghini as it inched down the long driveway out of the compound, but it was enough.“Now I know why he looked a little familiar.” Celine joined him at the railings. “He is your brother.”“Kellan is my half brother.”Celine smiled wryly. “Sounds the same to me.” She sighed dramat
Celine yawned widely and snuggled deeper into the bed. She turned around to face the high canopy of the bed before opening her eyes.“Now, that’s what you call a nap.” She announced with a satisfied smile on her face.Other times, she normally woke up from sleep screaming because of the nightmares that plagued her. Almost every time she closed her eyes, the memories and recollections of horrible things came pouring into her mind like a broken dam releasing torrents of dirty water.The constant nightmares had started immediately after the accident. The dream was always the same one but with little changes sometimes. That was why Celine only allowed herself to sleep when tired. Naps were a no go area for her. The demons of her past allowed her no respite at all.She yawned again, and sat up to look outside. The evening sky was clear and cloudless, with the sun just lowering below the trees of the horizon. It would soon be dark. Her first night at Castle-lake estate was almost upon her.