Scotland
The final rays of the afternoon sun spilled through a massive arched window onto the dark oak floor. An old man with gray hair and wrinkles on his face looked out at the green scenery. His mind was preoccupied, engrossed with a mission that few knew about. An antique phone on a massive oak desk rang in the manner of phones decades ago. The old person sitting in the darkness of his study reached over to answer, awoken from his musings.
"Have you started yet? Boy?" His tone was forceful and forthright.
"Yes, sir, everything is as you requested, sir." The person on the other end of the call spoke in thick English.
Still, on the edge of his seat, Shawn asked Eddie to drive past. The ambush earlier was a surprise and he was thankful that he listened to his grandfather and purchased a bulletproof SUV for his everyday use. It was late morning now, and still, he hadn't bought Catherine's exotic jackfruits. "We have to go now, Eddie." "How about the wife's craving, sir?" "I will find a way. But if what you say is true, Elizabeth could be the one behind this." "It was obvious, sir. The bitch wanted you, and she is insane. I was just exploiting her, and I think now she knew that I was never on her side, or not." "Thanks, Eddie, I know I can count on you. But I want you to work with her. I want more of her plan. I think you know what I mean. Right?" Shawn asked. Grateful
Three days later, Shawn still had not returned, and though he called her at night, the anticipation and the waiting almost suffocated her. She was stressed and anxious.A minute later, one of the guards offered to bring her milk from the kitchen, which she had prepared earlier, as Catherine uttered her thanks. After her warm milk and vitamins were taken, she went to the veranda and sunbathed and fell asleep.Unbeknownst to her, a dark figure behind her smiled. Shawn's wife had taken the milk that was mixed with drugs. The man left and waited until she was fully asleep.Catherine sighed and open
"Surprise, Catherine?" Elizabeth asked as she slapped her in the face, making Catherine turn her head sideways and groan in pain. "Bitch! Take that." Another slap,"... you, of all people, took my Shawn away. I am going to enjoy killing you slowly, you know." Elizabeth sneered and pushed Catherine's head. The pain, the concern for her baby — it was all Catherine could think of. The distress takes over a portion of her brain, as if dealing with it was energy-consuming enough without the effort of new thoughts. It stole the part of her and she knew her lips were bleeding, her ears were still ringing from the never-ending slap, and she realized Elizabeth wouldn't let her live. She wanted her dead, but all she could ever think of was the baby on her tummy... Oh God, no! Please let her leave. A silent prayer was the only thing she could do now. She was at her mercy. But knowing Shawn had abandoned her, the pain was palpable: disappointment and sadness mingled, the kind of pain that burns as
Two weeks ago, Shawn stared out at the empty wall frame of the recently erected high-rise building in his late wife's name. The lower floors had already received walls, but this one – at the top level – had yet to be protected from the elements. He looked at his new building, yet everything now felt empty, dull, and boring without his wife. Catherine, how could he leave her there? left her alone and pregnant? She wanted to come, yet he was too stupid and selfish to leave her instead. Now, burdened by feelings of guilt, regret, and even dismay, he was drowning in his grief. How could everything change from the color rainbow and sunshine to a massive dark and sad downpour of unforgiving rain?One minute, he had arranged a surprise dinner for them after his grandfather's funeral; the next, he received a call that his vacation
Present timeCatherine couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She knew she needed to think this through twice before choosing something she would later regret. The room still hasn't come into total focus. Her mind was groggy, numbed by something. Was it lack of sleep or something more disturbing? She shook her head to try to clear her mind. The scene cleared, and with that clarity, a terrible feeling crept into her stomach.The man who called himself Javier was now standing at the cell door as a burning, acrid cigarette scent filled the enclosure air and seeped into his nostrils, causing him to wrinkle his nose. "Damn it! I hate these guys."Catherine stood, liquid pooling
One year later, Scotland. Once Catherine awakened and sat up, the rays of sun streaming in through the windows immediately blinded her. Her vision was blurry and her hair was a mess as she yawned and tried to get her thoughts together. She instantly noticed that there was a space on the mattress where Dave should be. She blinked twice, she was alone in the apartment. It was too silent, too steady and cold. The empty space was even more apparent now that she was alone. Dave and she have no furniture, no food, and barely any money. And neither of them has a job. It would take months to get the place back to its former classy glory. Maybe, coming to him was a mistake. She probably made too many mistakes. Yes, just a week ago, Catherine was able to escape Javier's men. It was no easy feat. It was carefully planned. She managed to befriend one of her trainers and gave the poor man a knockout, then flew under a different name, with a fake passport. With her hair very short, contact lens
"C-Catherine! You are alive!" Shawn stood at the door, shocked and just staring at her in utter disbelief. Shawn knew he was gaping at her. He had received information from one of his men that he had seen someone like Catherine at Dave's apartment. He even sent a picture. Yes, the picture was not as clear as it should be because it was taken far away, but it definitely looked like his wife, so he arranged a quick flight to his private jet immediately. And no, he wasn't disappointed. There, she was standing at the kitchen door, his wife, Catherine, with very short hair, well-defined feminine muscles that weren't there before, her tummy flat, her eyes cold, raw, and lifeless."Catherine?" He whispered under his breath. The only word he could muster. He was at a loss for words because he was not sure how a soul as pure as hers had surviv
"Shawn, I lost my baby. The bitch killed my unborn child. I will hunt her down myself, I will...kill her." Catherine's nostrils flared and shook her head in disgust. The hatred, the longing to destroy Elizabeth was the reason she survived."Stop… Catherine, let me take care of it, please. I will take care of
Another rising moan. Chelsea chanted his name. Soft. A whimper. She threw her head back again, her soft hair sliding over his arms, her face flushed with arousal. Dave loved her like that. That perfect moment before her body clamped down like a vise on his, drawing out his hot release. Her unknowing song, her heat. The look on her face. It all combined to give him a fierce, primitive satisfaction and added to the wicked pleasure swamping his own body. The first wave hit her hard, consuming her. He drove deep, his shaft stretching her tight channel. A ripple went through her, from her womb to her belly and up to her breasts. He actually felt it. Another loud moan and her entire body locked around him, a vise that clamped down so hard for a moment that he couldn’t separate pain from pleasure. She shuddered again as another wave built. He felt the contraction move through her, through him, swelling like the tide, a shock wave jolting outward from her feminine sheath, surrounding him, vib
Over the next few weeks, I take Jane and Catherine’s advice and try to turn off my brain. Dave and I started going out together as a couple. Nothing explicit is said. We don’t wear little badges, but our interactions make it obvious. Jane and I were planning to finish the design of her gown, and I started going out with them. While Dave had started his own business, Christie and her son occupied our old apartment while I went to Dave's apartment in the city.When we’re out, Dave always touches me, but not in a way that makes me feel like he’s trying to mark his territory or show off. He’s just super physical. If I’m near him, his hand is somewhere on my body. Usually his palm is glued to the top of my ass, but sometimes he brushes my hair back or dangles his fingers over my shoulder. He kisses my temples and cheeks. Not once do I feel like he’s holding me back.The most important thing is that we’re happy—way happier than I’ve felt in a long time. Which is fucking mind-boggling. If so
40The trailer is damp and dark. Two solemn-looking officers sat on a table piled high with walkie-talkies, badges, and cold cups of coffee, facing a giant monitor. The fan in the corner does little to cool things down, and the whole place is wired shut like a prison cell, with no windows and thus no connection to the outside world. It's much smaller than I expected from the outside, and I find myself frozen in place for a few moments after entering."Chelsea," Christie says behind me, placing an arm around my shoulders. "Everything will be okay, sweetheart. The orphanage will not suffer, and Dave will be alright." She appears nervous but still manages to calm me down. That is my sister, brave as ever."They’re in!" shouts one of the agents. Christie and I shuffled our way around the table. We stare earnestly at the big screen, focusing on each movement while holding our breath. Inside the building, the two actors pretending to be investors are dressed to look the part perfectly. Thei
Dave encourages me not to worry on the way back to the flat, but it is difficult. No matter how many times he assures me that we will stop Sebastian, I have my doubts. I knew Sebastian was a horrible person, but I never dreamed he was capable of such atrocities, especially after Dave showed him the photographs of the community and the orphans. What will become of my darling children?! I push back the tears that threaten to spill from my eyes. As we carefully ascend the stairs to the apartment, my fingers begin to tremble.Dave walks quietly beside me and grips my hand tightly, silently reassuring me that everything will be okay."Chelsea," he whispers as we stand face-to-face at my door. "Chelsea, look at me..." He slips a finger under my chin and lifts my head to gaze into his eyes. I finally let the tears flow, the gravity of the situation too strong to overcome.Chelsea, we're going to fight this. Trust me..." I sniffle and gaze into his piercing blue eyes that offer some comfort.
"Yes but not tonight, maybe tomorrow," Dave said, shifting in his heels.The thought of him leaving without any intimate contact is driving Chelsea crazy. And I may just find myself running after him. I wait with bated breath for him to continue."Actually. I booked a room for a few days at a nearby hotel. I'd really like to see you tomorrow, Chelsea. Is that’s okay? I want to talk more about us." I stare at him like a young child opening presents on Christmas morning."Sure, I would like that," I say, releasing the smile I can no longer contain. "There's a great place just down the street where we can go for lunch." He grins. "Sounds great. I'll pick you up around 11? ""Sounds good.""Okay, well, have a good night's sleep, Chelsea.""Goodnight, Dave." I closed the door behind him and leaned back against it. My heart is giddy and my hands are shaky. He wants to talk about us? As in our relationship? Now that I am face-to-face with the reality of how much I want and miss him, it scar
Christie welcomes us to the living room. As we sit on the sofa, Dave takes another long breath before speaking. "I feel like we left a lot of things unanswered the last time we saw each other. I don't think anything was cleared up in the midst of all the yelling and screaming. But first and foremost, Christie, I need to apologise for Sebastian's harsh tone toward you. I can't claim to know what he was thinking at the time, but he had no right to speak to you in that manner.""He is an asshole, Dave, and the way he treated Christie is the same way he will treat those workers in Kenya." The animosity in my voice is clear. "Listen, Chelsea, I know you’re angry." He turns away from Christie and looks back at me. "But I need you to understand that I still care about you deeply and that everything we had was real. The truth is I know all about my partner’s activities in Kenya. But I'm not as involved in it as you think. I take care of the paperwork. But it doesn’t have much to do with me.
The space is considerably more apparent now that I am alone. Christie and I don't have any furniture, food, or money. And neither of us is employed. It will take months to restore this property to its previous glitzy splendour. I have no idea how to get us back on our feet, and I am quite frightened about starting the process. Christie, I'm sure, is as well. In that case, where are they?I get up from the floor mattress and walk to the bathroom. I let the water run over my fair skin and blond hair.Despite the heat, I find the water really calming.As it rushes over my body, the water represents my freedom. It envelops me, drop by drop, freeing my confined senses and conflicting emotions. It reminds me that I have returned home and am no longer burdened by the dreadful life I had at the mansion.I hurriedly exit the shower and grab my towel. I walk on tiptoe across the white tiles, around the empty flat, to my bag in the corner. I pull on a pair of jeans, a plain white t-shirt, and my
"Chelsea, don’t do this. You don’t know what you’re saying." I feel Dave’s strong hands around my right arm tighten. I glare up into his blue eyes. Our eyes interlock, and for a brief second, I am contained by lust. But the moment ends swiftly, and I pull my hand away, pushing him violently against the wall."Don’t you touch me!" I hurl at him. I take a large step away from him and turn back to Christie. "Come on, sister. Let’s get out of here!""I can’t, Chelsea, Sebastian is my fiancée.""So you’re choosing a man over your own sister?" I stared at her in shock."Chelsea, please don’t do this," Christie cries, her tears running wild down her face.Now is the time for me to make a quick exit. My suitcases thud on each step as I hurl them down the stairs. My sister trails behind me, upset as ever."Chelsea, wait! Please do not leave! "Just as I reach the large white double doors, I drop my suitcases and turn to face her again."Why don’t you just ask Sebastian Christie? Ask him if he’
I do not recognise my voice. It is thick with animosity. My hands are shaky and tears are threatening to spill from my eyes. Appearing to realise the seriousness of the situation, Dave turns to his colleagues. "Gentleman, please excuse me for a moment?"He gets up and strides over to me, gripping my forearm as he gently pulls me out of the room. We walk down a short corridor and into an empty office. Dave shuts the door and glares at me, anger fueling his eyes. "What the hell was that, Chelsea?!" he states, his tone biting."Explain this to me!" I half-shout, flinging the documents into his hands. "You lied about what the company is doing in Kenya. You have plans to use children? and exploit the people in an area that is too damn close to the orphanage I volunteered at. And you plan to pay the workers practically nothing!"He begins to scan the papers, his eyes darting back and forth hastily."How did you get this?!" he asks, puzzled yet still furious."What does it matter? It’s out i