AdaI drive sound the city for many hours before I realize that I didn’t even bring my phone with me and that someone might be calling. I mean my mother, because nobody else does apart from her and Damson. It’s nearly five. I figure she’s probably home already which means I won’t be alone with a potential stalker there. I’ll have to tell her about this. Someone is following me around and leaving me these cryptic notes, and I have to find out who it is. I thought it was Wes. If not him, then who? Who could be following me around and leaving these poetic words?I park my car right behind my mother’s, and step out. I look around—and yes, I’m aware that u look paranoid—before I head toward the door. However, I stop in my tracks when I see Harry seated right outside the door, smoking a cigarette. He eyes me somewhat coldly as he sucks on the other end of it, and his eyes are searching as they land on my face. “Your mother was worried. You didn’t even call.”“I left my phone,”“I figur
Ada It takes me a couple more days until I can feel somewhat normal. I don't know what it was about what Harry said to me, but I feel way better. I know that the situation was out of my control. I keep telling myself that maybe if I'd told him about it before Wes got involved, maybe he would've understood. Maybe, he would've forgiven me. But now I know that's not true. I don't think that would've happened because Max would've never understood my motives. Never. It's just something that wasn't meant to be. It was beautiful. By God, it was. I'll never forget the time I spent in his arms. But it's over now, and there's nothing I can do about it. I go shopping. I actually get ready to go and don't just step out in PJs. A heartbreak can really destroy you, I know that now. I need to be more careful of who I hand my heart to from here on out. It still hurts. I avoid the news. I have unsubscribed from all the gossip sites. I have no reason to even hear Max's name anymore. Maybe Harry
AdaGrayson Piovani makes eye contact with me as soon as I step into the café. It’s pretty crowded, especially for this time of night, and that helps me feel safe. I approach his table and sit down, my eyes intently on his face. I might still regret doing this—it seems I’m the queen of making bad decisions—but for now, I’m curious to know what he wants. “Thank you for coming,” he says as soon as I sit down. “What’s the matter about?” I ask, getting straight to the point. “Coffee?”“No thanks.”His mouth quirks. “You don’t have to be so defensive. I didn’t ask you to come here to threaten you.”“I wouldn’t blame if you wanted to, especially because of the bomb thing.”“What made you say my name?”I inhale deeply and shrug. “I don’t know. It was a stupid thing to do.”“But you knew there would be a bomb?”“No, I didn’t.”He seems confused but quickly changes the subject. “The reason why I asked to meet with you is because I have some information that I think will help extremely valu
Maximilian “Oh, Max!” Kelly moans as I thrust into her. Her fingernails are digging into my back and her heels are digging into the back of my legs. “Faster. Oh, yeah. That’s so good. Faster. Yes!”I’m close, and whenever this happens, I shut my eyes and all I can think about is Ada. Just her. It’s her face I see as I spill inside Kelly, my heart thundering in my chest. Fuck. I roll onto my back, lying next to her. Those few minutes right before I climax are the fucking best, and when it’s over, it all comes crashing down. I’m filled with this self-loathing that spoils my mood. “That was amazing,” Kelly says as she grabs by arm before making closer to me. We’re both breathing heavily and our bodies are covered in sweat. I hold her close, feeling terrible for thinking about someone who isn’t her while I’m inside her. Is it always going to be this way? Am I always going to be haunted by Ada Fucking Turner? Will she ever leave my thoughts alone?I must be a masochist because it does
Ada“Where were you?” is the first thing Damson asks me when I get back. I close the door slowly while trying to think about what I’ll say to him. I then settle with, “I just went to meet a friend.”His eyebrows raise. “A friend? Ada, you don’t have any friends.”“You don’t know that.”“I do,” he insists. “Is everything alright?”“Just fine,” I claim as I head toward the kitchen. I need to make myself some chamomile tea. It’ll help calm me and clear my mind. Damson follows me. I know how stubborn he can be, so I know he’ll continue questioning me until he’s satisfied with the answer. The tricky part is that I can’t tell him what happened with Grayson Piovani. I know what he’ll say, and I don’t want to hear it. Until I figure out what I’m going to do, I’m keeping this to myself.“I’m supposed to believe that?” he asks angrily. “Really?”I sigh. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Damson.”“Tell me the truth. Jesus, when did you start hiding things from me?”His question makes me w
AdaDamson steps away from me, finally releasing me. “He did, didn’t he?”I fold my arms. “Don’t blame him, Damson. He was just trying to help me understand why you were ignoring me the whole time.”He chuckles darkly, anger flashing in his eyes. “I see.”“It really hurt me, you know?” I mention after a stretch of silence. “I wish you’d talk to me. I don’t understand why you didn’t just tell me outright. I’d never judge you. Not ever.”His gaze meets mine and I realize that his eyes are red. He looks like he wants to cry. That, or he just looks plain furious. For some reason, I can’t tell the difference. “Right,” he then says. “Because that would be super ideal to you, wouldn’t it?”“What are you talking about?”“Nothing,” he says viciously before brushing past me to grab his coat. “Damson,” I say softly. “Damson, come on. Damson!”He ignores me outright and heads toward the door. Before he reaches it, it opens and my mother and Harry walk in, carrying takeout bags. I guess she did
Ada The day I have to meet with Grayson Piovani arrives, and I’m not ready. I stare at my reflection in the mirror, take a deep breath, and then put the last earring on. He mentioned he wanted me well-dressed? Well, this is it. I smooth my dress down with my hands, making sure to get all the wrinkles out. There aren’t any, I just don’t know what to do with my hands. I’ve opted for one of the only dresses I have that is presentable and I can take to an event that’s formal. It’s an emerald green with a sequined top. It belonged to my mother, but she said it no longer fit her after her gave birth to me, so I’ve had it ever since. It was meant to be worn for a special occasion, but the time never came and now, it’s useful to me. I’m nervous. I don’t know what to expect, and have no idea where he’ll be taking me. I just want to know what this big secret of his is. Why would he go through the trouble of contacting me if it wasn’t something serious that would benefit me? At this point,
Maximilian As I fix my tie and stare at my reflection, a thought, unwanted and intrusive, occurs to me. What the fuck am I doing?I shut it down as soon as it springs to mind, but the fact remains that I've asked myself this question more often than I've convinced myself that I'm doing the right thing. And sure, that's a problem. It's not supposed to be, but it is. I can't even say that I haven't been warned. My father is showing up to the engagement party just because of the family image we need to portray. He’s made it very clear that he isn’t happy with my decision. Although I hate to disappoint him, I’m doing this to preserve my sanity. I didn’t think that getting over Ada would be this hard. She has become Ada now, completely. Utterly. I’ve forgotten all about Naomi Johnson. I pinch the bridge of my nose before taking a few moments to inhale. The more I think about it, the less I like it. But what can be done? A knock at the door interrupts my train of thought. The door o
Ada"Nothing much," Max claims. "It's just that, well, I feared that you'd insist on speaking to your mother. You know. About the whole thing."I chew my bottom lip. "Why did you think that?""I don't know. I guess I just assumed you would.""I don't think I would," I admit. "Actually, I didn't think about it. I don't know what I could say to her. Maybe at a later date. But I'm reluctant to leave the cabin. I don't want Damson to get anywhere near us."Max sounds relieved when he says, "Yeah, that's what I had in mind.""I'm shocked by her arrest," I claim. To imagine my mother behind bars isn't something I've done before. It doesn't make me feel particularly glad—I think I've gotten to the point of not caring anymore. She's getting what she deserves. Fine. But of course, the questions I've always wanted to ask her do still exist in my mind. I want to know why she as a mother always put me down and prioritized Damson and Harry. Thinking of it now, that was exactly what she did. In
AdaWe’ve been working closely with the court to make sure that Abby gets everything she needs. It seems that he had a fake birth certificate of hers, one he forged just to get her registered in certain places, like in school. Even hospital visits. Her name is Abigail Patricia Port, and it infuriates me that she’ll have to carry that woman’s name her whole life. We do have the chance to change everything about her name, so we changed her middle name to Marie instead, and of course, her surname is Loxley now. It’s just the right thing to do. We didn’t explain these changes of her but in due time, she’ll become aware of them, and I’m really hoping that the psychologist is going to help us get through to her. It’s been a few days now and she’s still locked in that room. She refuses to come downstairs and of course, we don’t push her. The psychologist claimed that we shouldn’t force ourselves on her. Everything should be done naturally and we’re meant to wait on her guidance. “The t
Maximilian “Sure. Let’s talk.”“First of all,” he begins coarsely, “I want you to know that I’m someone who holds grudges, and I didn’t like how you abandoned my sister for seven fucking years when she needed you most, alright?”The words hit me right where it hurts. I nod, swallowing. “I understand that.”“I had to talk her through the whole thing,” he adds angrily, taking another step toward me. “I was there and you weren’t. Why is that? Why did you abandon her?”“It’s complicated. I wanted to…I wanted to prove to her that I wasn’t a total fuck-up and that I’d find our daughter. I kept waiting. Day after day. I never stopped looking for that son-of-a-bitch. And time just kept flying. Before I knew it, too much time had passed and I didn’t know how to approach her anymore. I know that might not sound like the truth but it is.”Silence falls upon us. He looks to the side, breathes deeply, then looks back at me. “And now you’re back in her life. Is this something permanent, or will yo
MaximilianFor the past few days, nothing remarkable happened. Damson didn't show up from out of nowhere to torment us. However, Ada's mother was caught and imprisoned. So at least one good thing happened. She was allegedly buying a plane ticket to leave the country and that's when they captured her. I was beyond pleased with the news and wished it had been Damson instead. I'm not complaining, though. The fucker is still hiding and though I'm not actively looking for him, I'll have more help starting today. Theo, Ada's brother, is arriving from Argentina today. The extra help will be much appreciated. I only hope that the coward didn't leave the county yet. If so, then we're fucked, at least for now because he'll definitely be back when we least expect it. We can't live like this. With the fear of his return hanging over our heads. With luck, Patricia will reveal exactly where he is. I'm not sure what the procedure is but she assisted in a kidnapping and so had to be imprison
Ada “Hi, Theo.”“That text you sent me,” he begins, “is it true? You found her?”“Yes,” I reply, biting my lip. “She’s here with us. But Damson is still on the loose. Max can’t even meet us where we are because he’s afraid Damson will follow him and come torment us here. It’s a never ending nightmare with him. I just wish he’d die.”“Jesus,” he exhales. “She’s been found? I can’t believe this. How was it? Your reunion?”I rest my forehead against the window in the living room. Rebecca is upstairs so I’m all alone down here. The sight of the dark forest all around us is reassuring to me, because the one thing I can think about is how Damson will never be able to reach us here, not on his own. This is the one place where I know we’re safe. “She doesn’t know us,” I say to Theo. “She won’t even look at me and I’ve tried to tell her I’m her mother. I guess this is expected.”“What did she think Damson was? Her father?”“Yes. And there’s more.”“Fuck. What?”“Patricia,” I say, refusing
MaximilianSome hours later, I leave the station. But that doesn’t mean our problems have magically come to an end. Apparently, we could face some charges, and Rebecca could be charged with kidnapping, as ironic as that sounds. But the lawyer assured me that the jury could show sympathy to our case since it’s been cold for years. And I mean years. Seven, to be precise. We saw our chance. We took it. Why involve law enforcement when they’ve sat on their asses for years?I’m supposed to be heading to where they are. I’m so anxious to see everyone and actually hold Ada now that we’ve found our daughter, but we have a serious matter in our hands. Damson. He’s still on the loose and I’m pretty sure he could be watching me. So, why the hell would I drive there when there’s a chance he’ll follow? No, I refuse to do that. I won’t risk Victoria’s life again. Not ever again. And I’m not going to them until Damson is found. Enough of living in this hell. I know he’ll come for me eventua
Ada “I don’t understand it, Rebecca,” I say, sniffling. We’re downstairs now, seated at the marble counter on high stools. I have a glass of water in front of me and we’re both crying. Our hands are clasped. “I just don’t get it.”I spent about twenty minutes in that room, trying to get Victoria—no, Abby—to talk to me. But she kept covering her face and crying. She seemed scared. When I returned to my senses, I realized that she had every right to be terrified. She doesn’t know us. We’re all strangers to her. “We had a plan,” she admits. “Me and Max.”“You’re talking now?” Did he mention it? If so, I can’t remember for some reason. Then again, my head is so full, and so much has happened in the last twenty-four hours. “Yes,” she reveals. “It all happened very recently. I approached him because someone recommended this private investigator to me, and vowed that he was good. So, I assigned him to this case. He used to work with the military before. Some ultra shady shit. Moving on,
Ada I’m numb. The whole car ride, I’m numb. When Rebecca’s driver came to me and told me I had to leave with him, I thought it was some kind of trick. I was so suspicious. Then, she called me and explained to me as carefully as she could that it was all over and that I didn’t have to worry about a thing. That the driver was going to take me to her and the place where Victoria was. Victoria. I couldn’t believe it and still can’t. I have this feeling like maybe I’m dreaming this whole thing up or it’s all a figment of my shattered imagination, something my mind is coming up with to cope with all the loss. Because when Damson hung up after telling me that I’d never see my daughter again, I believed him. That broke me entirely and I think there are still fragments of me on the sidewalk, where I knelt for the longest time before the porter came and helped me inside. He wanted to call the police or an ambulance but I told him I was fine and just received bad news. Like ten minutes l
Maximilian But something happens. A miracle. Rebecca arrives, and I see her parking right across the street from where I’m on my knees on the ground, head spinning so fast that I have the urge to vomit. Right before I pass out, I see her race after Ada’s mother and Victoria, and I only allow the darkness to take over when I see Rebecca grab a hold of her and carry her to the car. Yes.Fucking yes. I pass out right on the road, and when I wake up, I’m being nudged. Someone’s tapping at my arm repeatedly too, and when I open my eyes, blinking rapidly until my vision clears, I see that someone’s tapping me with their foot. Slowly, I look up, and see that it’s an officer who’s tapping me with his foot. His face is a blur but slowly starts to clear up. However, my attention is pulled away from him when I remember Rebecca and Victoria. Ada’s mother. Panic seizes me. How long have I been out?Rebecca’s car isn’t parked across the street like it was before I fainted. Could it mean she