Stevenson’s POV I slowly opened my eyes and found myself in lying on the ground in complete darkness. No light. No sound. Nothing. The last thing I could remember was the accident, and losing consciousness, so how did I get here? I scanned the room, or at least what felt like a room. There was some sort of an overwhelming emptiness in this space, my breaths being the only thing I could hear. I lifted my hand, unable to see my fingers in the dark room.“Hello?” I called out, my voice echoing back to me, but no one answered. I shouted louder, but all I got was my voice echoing back to me. I began to panic as I didn’t know where I was or how long I had been here. It felt suffocating.As the darkness pressed in, my fingers trembled and I began to take deep breaths, trying to stay calm. I'd never thought of myself as being claustrophobic, but now, I think I was. Suddenly, a faint light flickered from the corner of the room. It looked like a candlelight.I felt a flicker of hope and with
Stevenson's POVWhen I woke up for the second time, I felt so groggy and tired. This time, I heard voices... familiar voices.I blinked my eyes open and saw her. Fiona. She was standing by my bed, speaking to the doctor in a low, distant voice.The doctor also stood beside my bed, checking the machines and scribbling something on his chart. I could barely keep up with his words, but gradually, his once distant voice became louder as he spoke to Fiona."Mrs. Grayson, as I mentioned earlier over the phone, your husband's condition is quite delicate. His throat was severely injured during the accident, which explains why he’s still struggling to speak. His ribs and chest also took a lot of damage. That’s why he’s in so much pain when he tries to move."I watched Fiona nod, concern plastered across her face as she spoke with the doctor."Will he recover?" Fiona’s voice trembled slightly. "Will he be able to talk again? He just got discharged recently. I'm still confused about how he sudde
Stevenson's POV These two serpents! They came to ruin my life. Caspian continued. “You heard me right. I tampered with your brakes. And the truck driver? I paid him to make sure you didn’t survive. It was quite easy for me to find a random old dying man who wanted to earn a large sum of money to sustain his family after he’s gone. But here you are. Still alive. Funny how things work out.” His tone turned cruel. “You’re better off like this. Karma really dealt with you and took your legs. Not that you really needed them anyways.” I grabbed the bed’s railing as hard as I could, my fingers curling around the cold metal. Anger was burning inside me, but I couldn’t even express myself. My knuckles turned white, and my whole body tensed. I wanted to scream, to shout at him, to throw a punch at his face, but I couldn’t. I felt stuck, trapped in my own body, helpless. And then there was Fiona. She stood there, watching me with a smug smile, like she was enjoying the whole thing. “Don’t
Fiona’s POVI sat on the chair in the living room, staring at the glass of water in my hands, trying to muffle the sobs that were about to escape my lips again.It had been three days since Stevenson’s death, and I believed it was time to address the matter at hand.Beside me, Caspian reached out, placing a comforting hand on my back. "Fiona," he said softly, leaning closer, "you need to stay strong. I know it's quite difficult for you to accept reality, but you can’t fall apart now."Across the room, Phoebe sat quietly, her hands clasped tightly on her lap, eyes downcast. She hadn’t said much since Stevenson passed, and I knew she was struggling with her own emotions. Behind her, Antonio stood, his presence calm and steady as he offered her silent support.As for me, I was gradually getting tired of pretending to mourn and cry for him.To be fair, I had no intention of getting rid of Stevenson. But he left me with no choice. When Caspian had learned that I had signed off my shares to
Phoebe’s POVI couldn’t believe what I had just heard.No properties. No assets. Nothing.The words rang in my head like a bell, loud and clear, but somehow, I couldn’t make sense of them. For a moment, I just sat there, frozen in disbelief, staring at the lawyer as if he had spoken in a different language. Dad… had nothing?I’d been very sad since his death, mourning the man who, despite all his flaws, had still been my father. Even with all the fights and coldness between us recently, I couldn’t ignore the fact that he’d raised me.He’d always shown up at the hospital when I was sick, held my hand when I was scared, and promised I would be okay. He had always loved and adored me for years, and I believed that if I hadn't provoked Andrew Walker, which led to Dad getting bankrupt, he wouldn't have given me to Antonio as his wife.But to hear that all of his hard work, everything he built… was gone? It sounded odd and unbelievable.The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Every
Fiona's POVI couldn’t breathe. Everything was slipping through my fingers—everything I had worked for, sacrificed for. Gone. Just like that.I stared blankly at the lawyer as he spoke. He was speaking plainly as if he was discussing the weather, but this was about my life. My house. My security."The bank will be coming soon to claim the property," he said calmly. "I warned Stevenson about taking the loan. I told him this was a bad move, especially using the house as collateral to back it up, but he wouldn’t listen."My heart pounded in my chest. The fear and disbelief I felt quickly turned into anger and bitterness. How could Stevenson be so reckless?He’d gambled everything away, and for what? I thought I had control, that I could trust him to keep things intact. But now, it seemed I had trusted a fool. A dead fool, at that.I started pacing the room, my mind racing. No, this isn’t happening. I clenched my fists, unable to accept the reality crashing down around me."Well, if that'
Andrew's POVI pushed open the front door and walked into the living room, expecting to hear Sheila call out or at least acknowledge my presence.Instead, there she was, sitting on the couch, her legs tucked under her, staring blankly at the TV. It was her favorite show, and she seemed utterly absorbed in it, not sparing me a glance as I stood in the doorway.I deliberately stomped my foot as I set my briefcase down, hoping to get her attention. Nothing. She didn’t even flinch. Just a quick glance my way, then she returned her focus to the screen.I sighed, frustrated. Why was she acting this way again? How long would she continue treating me like air?Enough of this. I walked over to her and stood directly in front of the TV, blocking her view. Sheila’s eyes flicked up to meet mine, a cold, distant expression clouding her face. Without a word, she shifted slightly to the side, continuing to watch her show as if I wasn’t even there. This silent treatment had gone on long enough.I sn
Sheila’s POV I promised myself I wouldn’t cry. I promised I wouldn’t feel this hurt again. But here I was, sitting on the cold floor of the study, fighting back the tears that were trying to escape. How did I end up like this? How did Andrew manage to break me so completely, even after I convinced myself over and over that we were just strangers living under the same roof?I clenched my fists, feeling my heart race with frustration. How dare he call me selfish and self-centered after everything? After lying to me, after keeping secrets, after... abandoning me. My chest tightened as unwanted memories rushed in—the day he ran to Evelyn, leaving me behind like I didn’t matter. Like I was just an afterthought.I had told myself so many times that Andrew didn’t love me. He made it clear. But that didn’t stop the sting, the ache that twisted inside me every time I thought about it. No matter how much I told myself I shouldn’t care, it still hurts.I pulled my knees to my chest, burying m
Phoebe’s POVThe men’s taunts and shoves suddenly stopped, replaced by an angry shout. "Turn off those damn bright lights!" one of them yelled.The harsh, blinding beam of a car’s headlights cut through the alley like a spotlight, and I had to squint against the glare. The three men cursed, stumbling back, clearly irritated."Hey, you! Get out of here with that light!" one of them yelled. I didn’t waste a second. With all the desperation I felt in my chest, I screamed, "Help! Please, help me!"The car’s headlights were so bright, I couldn’t see the driver at all—just the silhouette of someone sitting behind the wheel. The men looked at each other, muttering curses before taking a few steps back, clearly annoyed but not ready to give up.I could barely breathe in the tense silence, but I was just so relieved that they were backing off. It was a small victory, but it was enough to make me feel a flicker of hope. I had to get away—get to safety before they changed their minds.Then the c
Phoebe’s POV Carla’s face burned with rage as she stormed toward Rachel, grabbing her by the hair and yanking hard. “You think I wouldn’t find out? You’ve been sneaking around with my husband!” Rachel yelped, struggling to free herself. “You’re crazy! Let go of me, Carla! What the hell is wrong with you?!” The chaos erupted as other staff members tried to intervene. One of them, Lily, Rachael's best friend, stepped forward and slapped Carla hard across the face. “Enough, Carla! Stop acting like this is Rachel’s fault! Your husband doesn’t even love you—he’s only sticking around for the kids!” Carla froze for a moment, her face contorting with fury. “How dare you say that to me? He told you that crap? So, you've also been sleeping with my husband?!” she hissed before lunging at Lily. The room descended into utter chaos as Carla clawed at Rachel and then turned on Lily, who shoved her back. “Get off me, you fat pig!” Rachel shouted, pushing Carla away. The staff scrambled t
Phoebe’s POVI had barely taken a few steps when I slipped on the spilled water on the floor, losing my balance and crashing to the ground. The crash of the glass milkshake I was holding hitting the floor echoed like thunder. I stood frozen, staring at the mess. The thick, sticky liquid spread across the floor, and I could feel my heart sink.Who the hell had spilled water here?!“Phoebe!” My boss’s sharp voice cut through the air like a knife. He was fuming, his face red with frustration. “What the hell is wrong with you? How many times do I have to tell you to be careful?”I opened my mouth to apologize, but he was already shaking his head in disgust.“Get the mop and clean this up, now! I don't want to hear any of your silly excuses,” He ordered. His tone was harsher than usual, and I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks.These past weeks had been nothing short of a nightmare. It felt like trouble followed me wherever I went. Just last week, I was blamed for serving a customer t
Sheila's POVI was in my room with Mom, carefully organizing the clothes Granny had recently bought for me. There were so many that I wondered when I would have the chance to wear them all. I kept telling her I had enough, but my sweet Granny wouldn't hear of it. "Sheila," Mom began, her voice gentle yet curious, "I've noticed Andrew dropping you off quite often lately. Are you two back together?" A warm blush immediately crept up my cheeks. I paused, folding a shirt, and then replied, "We're just taking things slowly, Mom. One step at a time." She looked at me with a knowing smile, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "I see," she said, her tone teasing. "Well, if you're really sure about giving Andrew another chance, then I give you my blessings." I felt a surge of happiness and gratitude. I walked over to her, enveloping her in a tight hug. "Thank you, Mom. You've always stood by me, and I can't express how much that means to me." She pulled back slightly, holding my hands i
Andrew's POVA few weeks had passed since the chaos surrounding Therese and everything else had settled. Alfred was back to work after being suspended for weeks without pay, and things with Sheila had been going progressively smoothly. I had been buried in work, the weight of the business constantly hanging over my head. As I sat in my office, typing away on my laptop, a sharp knock on the door interrupted my concentration. Before I could respond, the door swung open, and my parents entered. My secretary rushed in after them, looking flustered. It was obvious she had tried to stop them, but they were having none of it. "Andrew," my father called out, his tone already tinged with annoyance. My mother followed behind him, her expression unreadable but no less intense. My secretary stepped into my office and began to explain. "I... I apologize, Mr. Walker. They insisted on seeing you immediately," she said nervously. "They refused to wait for me to inform you before they barged i
Sheila's POVAs the plane touched down in the city, I felt a sense of relief mixed with anxiety. We were finally back, but the weight of everything that had happened still loomed over me. As soon as the plane’s door opened, the cold rush of air hit us, and I could see the flashing lights of police cars waiting on the tarmac. They were already here, prepared for whatever would unfold next. As we began to step off the plane, the sound of raised voices reached us. Turning around, I saw Andrew's guards holding Anna back, their grip firm as she struggled against them. "Please, I just need to talk to her!" Anna cried out desperately, her voice trembling. "I promise I don't mean any harm!"Andrew’s expression darkened as he stepped forward. “Take her away,” he ordered, his tone cold and unyielding. “I don’t want to see her again.” “No! Please, Mistress, just a moment! I need to say something to you,” Anna pleaded, her voice growing louder. Her tear-filled eyes met mine, and the despe
Sheila's POVI didn’t know where Andrew was taking me, but I could see how furious and upset he was. His mood was dark, and I could feel the weight of his emotions without him saying a word to me. I didn’t even ask. There was something about him that made me want to follow quietly, unsure how I was going to calm him down, and not wanting to make his mood worse. He led me to a secluded part of the plane, a small, well-decorated room that looked almost like a personal cabin. Before I could ask any questions, Andrew shut the door behind us. His eyes, filled with a storm of emotions, met mine for a brief moment before he suddenly pulled me into his arms. I froze, caught off guard by the suddenness of his embrace. He pressed his head against my shoulder, holding me tightly as though trying to find some comfort. We stood there for a few seconds, both unsure of what to do. Hesitantly, I began to pat his back, uncertain of how to respond. “They turned against me! I trusted them so muc
Andrew’s POV I was trying so hard to understand what I had just heard. Anna, the woman who had served me so faithfully all these years, had been hiding something this massive from me. How could Therese be Anna's daughter? I stared at her, disbelief flooding my veins. I hadn’t known Anna had a child, let alone one who was working in my mansion under false pretenses. “What’s going on, Anna?” I asked, my voice thick with anger and confusion. “How is it possible that your daughter has been working here without my knowledge?” Anna’s face twisted with a mix of guilt and fear, tears welling up in her eyes. She had never been one to break down easily, but this time, it was different. “She’s not really my daughter, Master,” Anna explained shakily, her voice quivering. “She’s my late twin sister’s child… I raised her as my own after my sister passed away. I’ve done everything I could to give her a good life, everything. I sent money whenever I could, supported her when she needed it. I
Andrew's POV“Double-check everything,” I instructed the housekeeper over the phone. “The villa needs to be ready when we arrive, and I want the staff there briefed. No room for error.” “Yes, Sir. Everything is confirmed,” the voice on the other end said. “Good,” I replied with a nod before hanging up. It had taken a lot of effort to organize this, but I knew it would definitely be worth it. I turned to Alfred. “Are the movement schedules finalized? And the cars we'll be using once we land?” He nodded. “Yes, Master. Everything has been arranged as per your instructions. Everything has been confirmed.” “Excellent,” I replied, leaning slightly against the window frame. I allowed myself a small smile, one of satisfaction. The truth was, I knew Sheila wouldn’t have come willingly if I had asked her outright. She would’ve found an excuse, some way to evade me. That’s why I had to take matters into my own hands. It wasn’t ideal, but it was necessary. Alfred tilted his head, ob