Laura's POVI quickly dialed my emergency contact, Nicholas, whom I had added just a few days ago."What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice filled with confusion."Shouldn't you be with your girlfriend?" Mark looked at me with a wicked grin. "It seems you haven't quite figured out what's going on here.""Well, why don't you enlighten me?" I demanded. "Tell me why you're in my room. Are you planning to rape me? Just know that I'll scream before you can do anything." I glared at him with anger, shifting from shock to frustration when I realized Mark was playing a prank on me. He ignored my words, walked straight to the door, and locked it."What are you doing, Mark? Get out of here this instant!" I snapped. He retrieved a shiny object from his back pocket—a knife. My body immediately froze in fear."If you even raise your voice or attempt to cause a scene, I will ensure you experience a painful death. Do you understand?" Mark's words sent shivers down my spine.That's when it hit me
Sonia sneezed, and her eyes shot open. Startled, she quickly sat up from the bed."Laura, it's Mark. Mark is the serial killer," she said, panic evident in her voice."I know, Sonia. We caught him," I reassured her. She studied me carefully, scanning my body before embracing me tightly."I'm relieved you're safe. So relieved," she said, holding back a sob. "He threatened to kill you. I begged him not to, but he silenced me when I tried to make a scene." She was in a state of panic. "I... I did everything I could to get your attention. I thought you were in the next room. Did you hear? Is that how you escaped?""No, I was downstairs. When I went up, he was already in my room, wielding a knife, attempting to kill me," Nicholas interjected, his anger palpable. He mumbled some words, likely discussing his plans to confront Mark.Sonia struggled to catch her breath, her voice shaky. "I should have known. How could I not have realized he was the serial killer?" She looked at me, seemingly s
"Oh i never left, Wilson and I had a lot to discuss", he looked carefully at me from head to toe, "besides, after what happened, i couldn't bear letting you stay alone in a place as open as this"."I am not alone, you have two body guards stationed at the door, Sonia is here too"He scoofed,"That is not enough protection, none of them can protect you the way i can", he said, making something stir inside me. He had always been good with words. It was impossible to be smitten by his charms."How are you feeling now?", he asked."A whole lot better", i replied trying to sit up."Good, let's get you home then". I stood up from the bed not requiring assistance at all. The pain from the cut had completely disappeared. I felt reenergized. We stepped outside the ward, Whispers seemed to follow us, like a gentle breeze carrying snippets of curiosity and speculation. People, mostly ladies glanced in our direction, their eyes lingering on Nicholas, undoubtedly captivated by his charm and magnet
I rushed out of Sonia's room and quickly made my way upstairs to Nicholas's room. I knocked on the door with urgency, hoping he would be able to help."Nicholas! Nicholas!" I called out. He opened the door, shirtless, and I couldn't help but feel a bit flustered."What's the matter, Laura?" he asked, a confused expression on his face."I... I can't find Sonia. She's not in her room," I stuttered, my voice filled with worry."What do you mean?" he questioned."She's missing," I cried."How is that possible? We saw her go upstairs, and she never came back down. Hold on, I'm coming," Nicholas responded. He went back inside his room and quickly put on a shirt. With determined strides, he headed downstairs, and I followed closely behind. He opened Sonia's room and searched every corner, just as I had done earlier, but she was nowhere to be found. He stepped out of the room and entered mine. And there she was, lying on the bed. A sigh of relief escaped me."You mean you didn't bother to che
"If Mark confesses and tells you all you need to know," she stared at me, waiting for my reaction, "can you please forgive him and grant him a place in your gang?" Her words caught me off guard. I had anticipated her request to be different, but what she asked for was far more challenging.Taking a glass of water, I paused to gather my thoughts before replying, "I can't make any promises, Sonia. Let's see how things unfold first." She nodded in understanding. Without knowing which Mafia organization I was dealing with, I couldn't grant her request right away. I needed to identify the group Mark was involved with in order to determine the best course of action.After finishing my meal, I left the secret hideout accompanied by my driver and two guards. Carlos and some of my men were already waiting for me in the basement where Mark was being held.******A few minutes later, I arrived at the basement. Memories of the events that had transpired there a few weeks ago flooded my mind. It h
I couldn't comprehend what Laura could have done to provoke a man as powerful as Juarez. I waited patiently as Mark gathered enough strength to speak."It's not Laura's fault. She has to pay the price for her father's sins." I was utterly confused."Pay the price for her father's sins?" I asked."Yes, her father wronged my boss.""What could Laura's late father have done to make someone like Juarez demand his daughter pay with her life?"Mark weakly looked up at me, a look of confusion on his face."Sorry, did you say 'late father'?" he asked. Of course, I said "late father." Laura had mentioned that she lost her dad a long time ago and only had her mother, who currently lives in a small town. Which town was that? Oh, I can't remember. So why was Mark asking me if I had indeed said "late father"?I stared at him and replied, "Yes, that's what I said.""Laura's father is not dead," he coughed again, and blood followed."That's it. Get the cars ready. We need to leave for the hospital i
Laura's POVWhat had he just said? Did I hear him correctly?"Pl... Please come again," I stuttered.He looked at me, concern etched on his face."Your father is not dead, Laura," he replied. I couldn't believe it."A joke can only go so far. This is not the kind of matter to joke about, Nicholas," I said sternly."I wish it were a joke too, Laura. But Mark didn't have any reason to lie to me. I saw honesty in his eyes," he calmly responded."How is Mark? Where is Mark?" Sonia, who had been silent, spoke up.Nicholas heaved a sigh. I knew whatever he was about to say wasn't going to be good. It must not have been easy extracting information from Mark, even though the information was as absurd as what I had just heard."Mark is at the hospital. He sustained some injuries, but he will be fine," Sonia heaved a sigh of relief. Hearing that Mark would be fine was all she needed to calm down. I'm pretty sure she also understood the consequences of what Mark did and how impossible it would b
Nicholas's POVWhile sitting at the lounge with Sonia and Laura, discussing our next course of action, my phone rang. I noticed it was Wilson calling. I had instructed him to contact me if there were any new developments. I answered the call."Hello, Wilson. What's up?" I asked. His words took me by surprise."Nicholas, Mark might not make it. He isn't responding well to treatment," I glanced at Sonia, who seemed lost in her own thoughts. Then I looked at Laura, who was staring at me intently. I stood up and moved away from them slightly. I didn't want Laura to hear what was being said or see how shocked I was."What's wrong?" I asked Wilson."I'll tell you when you come. Mark asked to see Sonia before undergoing surgery," I clenched my hands tightly around the phone. Surgery? I thought, was the beating that severe? I knew I had hit him in anger a few times, but I didn't expect it to be that bad."Are you still there, Nicholas?" he asked. I must have been silent for too long."Yes, I
Laura's POVHe beamed at the crowd, enthusiastically waving to them. For some inexplicable reason, our eyes locked from a considerable distance. At first, I assumed he hadn't noticed me.However, as I sensed his gaze lingering on my location for an extended moment, I decided to depart. My heart raced as I rose from my spot and maneuvered through the crowd, steering myself toward the exit.How could he possibly be here? Was this merely an eerie coincidence? I pondered intensely about how this situation had unfolded. I had just reached the exterior where the car I arrived in was parked when his haunting voice reverberated behind me."Laura, we need to talk."I found myself frozen, incapable of movement."There's nothing to talk about, Fernando," I snapped irritably. I wasn't pleased with how everything had unraveled. It wasn't entirely his fault; I shared the blame. If I hadn't succumbed to his advances, that heated moment at the club might never have occurred.Who knows, maybe Nicholas
Nicholas' POVThis just can't be happening again. Why has Laura decided to treat me this way? Why has she decided to betray me again? I had a security detail watching her every move. I just couldn't trust her again after what she did. I found out she had gone to a club with Sonia, where she met up with Fernando and engaged in sexual activities with him in a lounge.I was so irritated and furious. I picked up my phone and dialed her number, it rang and she didn't answer. "Damn it! Pick up your call, for God's sake!" I muttered underneath my breath.She didn't pick up. That infuriated me even more. I stood from my chair and rammed my fist into the wall in anger. Laura, how could you do this?I called Carlos, and he picked up almost immediately."We are leaving first thing tomorrow morning.""But boss, the meeting is in two days, we...""I said we are leaving tomorrow morning!""Okay, boss." He knew better than to keep bothering me when I was angry. I left my study and went to my room, k
Laura's POVI rose abruptly from my chair, determined to put an end to this ordeal once and for all. His persistence was becoming infuriating, even after I had left him. Considering how closely he seemed to be monitoring my life, he likely knew by now that I was married to Nicholas. I made my way towards the hallway, where the private lounges were located. These spaces were reserved for the wealthy and influential patrons who preferred seclusion, away from the ordinary crowd in the bar, seeking their comfort in the company of women.I continued past the first lounge and then the second. The door to the second lounge was slightly ajar, revealing a group of men and women inside. Each lounge had its own set of bodyguards stationed outside, presumably for the protection of those within. One of the men from the second lounge noticed me and began to approach."What's a beautiful woman like you doing out here all alone?" he inquired, attempting to grab my arm. Swiftly, I evaded his grasp."
I've been incredibly angered since the events in Paris transpired. How could she? How could she terminate our unborn child? Did she ever truly love me? If she did, she wouldn't have made that choice, considering what we shared.It was deeply disheartening and agonizing to realize that I married someone capable of such an act. Some may argue it's not murder, as the baby wasn't fully formed, but I view it differently. Taking the life of your own child, even in the early stages, feels like a form of murder to me.Every aspect of her actions disgusts me, yet I acknowledge that deep down, I still have feelings for her. Right now, I need time to release my anger fully and eventually find a place in my heart to forgive her.It's a fact that people sometimes make regrettable choices. I had forgiven her for running away with Fernando, and I believe I'll eventually forgive her for terminating my pregnancy, but it will require time—oh, quite a bit of time.Suddenly, there was a knock on my door.
Laura's POVI was dumbfounded, rendered speechless by the abrupt turn of events. He took his briefcase and stormed out, leaving me behind in disbelief. This morning had taken an unexpected and hurtful turn. Instead of the passionate moments I had hoped for, we were now drifting further apart.As tears trickled down my face, I fell to my knees. I listened to the fading sound of cars as they left the house until it was replaced by an eerie silence. Nicholas had left for London, and I felt utterly shattered. My heart was broken into tiny pieces.Crying wouldn't solve the problem. I stood up, wiped my tears, and left his room, closing the door behind me. On my way downstairs, I met Sonia, who was just leaving her room.Upon seeing me, she called out, "Laura!" I walked sluggishly towards her, and she immediately sensed that something was amiss from my gloomy demeanor."What's wrong, Laura?" she asked, her tone filled with concern.I sighed heavily. "He just left for London on a business tr
Laura's POVI paid rapt attention, eager to hear the advice Sonia had to offer. I was desperate for guidance, something that could help mend my fractured relationship with Nicholas.Our current situation was unbearable. We were a married couple, yet we were sleeping in separate bedrooms. This couldn't continue, and I hoped Sonia had a solution to offer.She cleared her throat and began, "Laura, you bruised his ego by your actions. If you had truly loved him at that time, you wouldn't have gone through with the abortion."Her words hit me hard, as they weren't the advice I had hoped for, and her assumption was entirely wrong. I did love Nicholas then; I just believed our relationship was irreparably damaged."What you need to do now is offer a heartfelt apology," she continued, gripping my hand firmly.I pulled my hand away and got up from the chair. "You think I haven't already tried that?" I responded. "I've apologized to him, Sonia. He brushed it off with a simple 'It's fine' and th
Laura's POVThe message left me completely baffled. I had blocked Fernando's number, determined to sever all ties with him after uncovering his hidden secrets. Now, he was texting me from an unfamiliar number? At a time when I was still grappling with the consequences of my actions because of him? I swiftly deleted the message from my phone and tossed it aside.When we arrived at the house, I remained in the car, expecting Nicholas to come around and open the door for me, as he always did. However, this time, he didn't. Instead, he instructed the butler to bring our luggage up and proceeded straight ahead, leaving me to exit the car on my own.Observing the situation, the butler quickly opened the door for me. "Thank you," I muttered as I got out of the car, feeling the ache in my legs from wearing heels. I made my way into the house, and there I saw Nicholas heading upstairs. Abraham stood by the door, wearing a curious expression."What's going on?" Abraham asked, gesturing towards
Laura's POVHis expression appeared bleak, and I could sense his simmering anger. This couldn't be happening to me now. I didn't regret sharing what had happened, but I did regret waiting so long to tell him.What if I had just been honest when I returned? Would things be different? Would he be more receptive to it now than he is?I observed him, sitting on the couch, lost in his thoughts. He tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling.The desire to go to him, console him, and express my apologies consumed me. I stood up and walked over, taking a seat beside him on the couch.He remained unmoved, staying where he was. I considered it a positive sign; if he were angrier, he would have distanced himself further on the chair to convey his anger.I placed my hand on his, and he ran his fingers through his hair. "Oh, okay.""I am so sorry, Nicholas, for what happened. If I could turn back the hands of time, I would definitely do things differently," I sobbed.He looked at me for the firs
Nicholas' POV I had anticipated tears and declarations of her love for her son, expressing her desire not to be separated from him. Had she done that, I would have released her, as I had no intention of separating a mother from her child.Her response was quite the opposite. She readily agreed, solely to save herself, and declared that she wanted nothing to do with the child. She went on to describe him as a burden she had been dealing with for over two years. In fact, I later learned that she had only seen him once or twice a month. She had rented an apartment and left him there under the care of a nanny who took excellent care of him.It was disheartening that my son had to endure such an arrangement at the hands of his mother. I provided her with financial support, and she departed after taking an oath never to appear before me again.Laura and I were determined to raise him with all the love and care he truly deserved.After a memorable wedding day and with everyone settling into