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
The ache in Celine’s stomach felt like a drill was at work in there. She was aware of the reason behind that. Pure dread. Fear.The metal spoons slipped from her sweaty palms and clattered on the table. She sat up straight, and hoped beyond anything that the panic she was feeling was absent from her face.“what are you talking about?”The question sounded wrong even to her own ears. Williams’ face, that strikingly handsome face, was as calm as ever. As if he had just told her about the weather, and not about the beginning of the end of her life.He speared a piece of chicken with his fork and with as much casualness, drew it into his mouth. He even thought it best to take another sip from his mug before fixing those golden eyes on her as he spoke.“Celine Winston didn’t exist until a year ago.” His face hardened. “Who are you?”A mighty blow struck her chest. It was over. He knew everything. Every terrible thing from her life before.He was the wealthiest man in the world. He had all