LUCAS POV I sat at my desk, the sunlight pouring in through the windows and warming my skin. My thoughts were consumed by the financial reports in front of me, but my mind kept drifting back to last night. Elena had been captivating, her intelligence and wit shining through in every conversation. I found myself replaying our interactions in my mind, a small smile forming on my lips.As much as I wanted to focus on work, I couldn't shake the thought of her. I knew she was dealing with a difficult situation with Adrian, but I couldn't deny the connection I felt. Just as I reached for the phone to call her, my assistant's voice buzzed through the intercom."Mr. Lucas, there's someone here to see you."My heart skipped a beat at the thought that it might be Elena, but I quickly composed myself. "Send them in," I replied, setting down the phone and turning my attention to the door.Alicia burst into the room, her energy palpable as she rushed towards me. I braced myself as she wrappe
ELENA'S POV I woke up early, the morning sunlight filtering through my curtains. I stretched and sat up in bed, preparing myself for another day at work. After getting ready, I grabbed my bag and headed out the door, making my way towards the office.I had walked away angrily from Adrian's presence last night and surprisingly he let me go.Why would he have me followed? It's enough he's ruining my life with the contract marriage!As I approached the entrance, I noticed Karen and her minions standing there, a smirk on their faces. I knew they were up to no good, and sure enough, they intentionally blocked my way, trying to make me late and lose a point."Excuse me," I said, trying to keep my tone polite as I attempted to squeeze past them.Karen stepped in front of me, her eyes glinting with malice. "Oh Elena, we didn't see you there," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You should watch where you're going. You wouldn't want to be late, would you?"I gritted my teeth, know
ELENA'S POV Just then, the lights in the office flickered and went out, plunging me into darkness. I felt a cold breeze blow past me, and a shiver ran down my spine.Suddenly, I heard footsteps approaching from behind me. I turned, my heart racing, but I couldn't see anything in the pitch blackness."Who's there?" I called out, my voice echoing off the walls.There was no response, just the sound of footsteps growing closer and closer. Fear gripped me as I realized I was not alone in the office.I took a step back, feeling for the door behind me. But as my hand closed around the knob, I felt something cold and metallic against my neck."Don't move," a voice whispered in my ear. "Or you'll regret it!"" P.pplease let me go," I stammered,trying to get the stranger to reason with me.I felt something cold press on my back, and I froze in shock and fear ran down my spine.' He was pressing a gun on my back! Fuck he has a gun!' I thought thinking of a way out for myself. " Please what
LUCAS POV I drove as fast as I could to Elena's office, my heart pounding with worry. As I pulled into the parking lot, I saw Adrian's car parked haphazardly near the entrance. A sense of dread washed over me as I rushed out of my car and towards the building.As I approached, I saw Adrian coming out of the office, Elena in his arms. She looked unconscious, her head lolling against his chest. Anger and fear coursed through me at the sight.Adrian looked up and noticed me, a smug smirk crossing his face. It was as if he was proud of what he had done, showing off his conquest like a trophy."What have you done to her?" I demanded, my hands balled into fists at my sides.Adrian chuckled, shaking his head. "Just a little sleeping aid, nothing to worry about. I'm taking her home with me."I took a step forward, ready to take Elena from his arms, but Adrian stepped back, out of my reach."Don't even think about it, Lucas," he warned, his voice hard. "You've had your chance with her, now
LUCAS POV Alicia frowned. "Who's Elena?"I stared at her in disbelief. "You don't know who Elena is? She's my...she's a friend of mine."Alicia shook her head. "No, I've never heard of her."I narrowed my eyes, my suspicions growing. "Are you sure? You didn't pick up my phone earlier because you knew Elena was in trouble?"Alicia looked at me incredulously." So what if I did? How dare you cheat on me with some lowlife!" She accused, and I stared at her in confusion. " What!" "Lucas, are you cheating on me?" Alicia asked, her voice trembling with hurt.I stared at her in disbelief. "Alicia, we're not in a relationship. You know that."She shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "No, Lucas. I know you have feelings for me. I can see it in the way you look at me."I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Alicia, I'm sorry if I've given you the wrong impression. But I don't feel the same way about you. You're my friend, and I care about you, but that's all."Alicia's face
My head throbbed as I slowly opened my eyes, wincing at the light streaming in through the windows. I tried to sit up, but the room spun around me, forcing me to lie back down. As my vision cleared, I realized I was in an unfamiliar bedroom, and panic began to rise in my chest.Just then, a familiar voice spoke. "Easy there, Elena. You're safe now."I turned to see Adrian sitting by my bedside, his eyes filled with concern. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. "Adrian, why are you in my room?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.He gave me a gentle smile. "I was worried you might have nightmares after what happened, so I stayed up to keep an eye on you."I blinked, trying to process his words. "What happened?"Adrian's brow furrowed. "You slept in my arms last night, I brought you here to take care of you."I felt a wave of relief wash over me, grateful for Adrian's presence. Despite the strange circumstances, I felt safe with him. I inhaled deeply, I couldn't help but
" I'm not up to anything Elena, i just want to smooth things out between us but you're acting difficult!" He replied and I scoffed." Don't act like you don't know how we got together! You and your father forced me into this marriage and now I'm the one acting difficult! Who took pleasure in humiliating me? Who embarrassed my mother at the slightest chance?Who made the employees spread rumours about me?Who made it possible for Karen to act like your fiancée?Who made it possible for Karen to have power over everyone even when she isn't in a high position?If you hadn't been irresponsible from the beginning, Karen wouldn't have used her fake image to command everyone to gather thier works for me to do it overnight!And even after you found out about it, which I'm sure you did earlier. You didn't act on it, instead you mocked me and left me alone in the building making it possible for a stranger to assault me!You have no right to complain about my attitude to you because you deser
ELENA'S POV " Get out of the car, Elena!" He ordered, and I gulped down saliva. " No!" I replied, folding my hands akimbo and refusing to budge." I had told you to drop me a few distance away, but you refused, now you Want me to come out of your car and make me the topic of the week!" I continued, frowning my face angrily.He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, " What am I to do with you, Elena!" He mumbled, and I hissed." You could sell me to the next man willing to take my hand in a contract marriage since that is what your dad is good at!" I mocked, and I could see him gritting his teeth angrily. ' Good!' I thought to myself with a smirk." Drive the car to the underground car park," he ordered through gritted teeth, and I giggled, sitting back properly. I didn't bother turning to look at him and kept my entire focus staring through the window. The car soon pulled up at the underground car park, and I smiled happily. Pulling out my nose mask from my bag, I was quick
ELENA'S POV‘Hate is a strong word to say’, my mother always said each time I ranted on and on about a certain person that wronged me that day. I have never been the forgiving type and usually, it always took me longer than normal to snap out of my overflowing kindness and patience towards anyone. But as I watched him disappear farther and farther into the distance away from me, into the cold we were no longer strangers to, Hate only seemed to downplay the raging emotions I felt towards him. It was a line he'd been crossing more frequently than often in the past few days. How dare he use her to back up his threats? A cold frost of air huffed through my nostrils followed by the incessant ringing of my phone. “Hello”, I said, knotting my eyebrows close together in a defensive manner. “Elena”, a voice I could recognize even in my afterlife, coursing the rage within me a hundred times faster. Too angry to give any reply, I hung up immediately storming off into the house and heading s
LUCAS' POV My fingers trembled with joy holding her bags while strolling behind her, watching as she went into the house with a straight face. She will get used to it soon. This was her home and I hoped she learnt to love it soon. As we stepped into the living room, Elena and I suddenly stopped halfway turning our heads around with a deep frown forming on my face. Just as my lips began to purse tightly refraining from cursing out loud, Sofia descended downstairs wearing a bright smile on her face, making my hands itched to tear it off. “What is this?”, I asked, barely getting a grip on myself. Her eyes brightened even more as she turned in the direction of Elena with a polite nod. “Relax Lucas, I somehow managed to hear we were going to have a guest for a while and even though it was short notice, I still had to put all this together for her”, she replied, a hint of amusement in her voice like I was the stupid one. Seconds ticked by without a response from me so she walked up to
ELENA'S POVThe loud sounds of wailing filled my ward, almost making me believe I had died and was being grieved over. Nathan, Lucas and I simultaneously stared at each other then shifting our gazes back to Eloise who wept like a baby with her head on my laps. “I should have never left you alone. I'm so sorry. I can't forgive myself for what happened to you, Elena”, she sobbed heartbreakingly, her tears soaking through the hospital gown on me while my hands laid helplessly beside me, not knowing what to do with them.“It…it's okay. I, I'm fine now Eloise”, I muttered hesitantly, a deep frown covering my eyebrows in deep contemplation on how to console her. During the past few days she had spent at Nathan's place as I advised, mostly insisted, her features now looked brighter along with a certain glow I couldn't quite place. Except the tears streaming down her face and smudging her makeup all over the place. “Eloise, Eloise, I'm fine. You don't have to—”“No you're not”, she counter
LUCAS' POV Twice. Twice now, I thought I'd lost her. It was like fate enjoyed making my stomach churn in regret, paying me back for the one time I broke our promise. To always be with each other. The reoccurring scene of Sofia kissing me out of the blue didn't also help matters. As I stared solemnly at Elena's pale and lifeless body, her bitter laced words and fireballs in her eyes were far more bearable than being without her. I could take all her hate just as long as she didn't disappear on me. How would she ever know my life without her in it had no meaning? “What the fuck was that?”, I raged, pushing Sofia off only to see an empty space right where Elena stood earlier. “Shit! shit! What had I just done?”, I muttered, pulling my hair forcefully. Sofia on the other hand, smirked cunningly with her back leaned comfortably against the sofa as she popped open the bottle on the table. “Relax Lucas. She's going to come around real soon. Trust me, I'm a woman”, she assured, a lazy an
ELENA'S POV It felt like four years ago when everything was back to normal again with an air of merriness and hopeful hearts. I walked around the house with surprise filling my gaze and uncertain steps. “Sweetheart”, my eyes snapped up in the direction of the voice I'd almost forgotten, freezing in place as I stared at my mother. “Mom? Is, is that you?”, I asked, my feet flying towards her and gripping her tight to my self while bursting into tears. “O my baby girl”, she said, sniffling in between and stroking my hair. “I missed you so much. How could you leave me like that?”, I sobbed in her arms, feeling like a little girl all over again as she had been my safe space since my childhood. She apologized over and over, our tears soaking each other's shoulders until we ran out of breath, finally disentangling from the hug and flashing bright smiles towards ourselves. So it was all a bad dream afterall. My mother wasn't really gone. She was right here with me. “Where's Dad by the w
ELENA'S POV The air in the bar tonight was more lively than usual, but my mood still remained dampened as I continued to stare into space, mixing shots robitically. “Elena, how come you're still moody? I already apologized”, Betty said, sliding her hand around my waist like she usually did in a playful manner. The clothes we were required to wear during our shifts were very uncomfortable for me as I've always held myself in an high sense of elegance since childhood. My closet was filled with monotonous clothes which were also, pants most of the time. As for the bright colorful clothes I owned, they were only a few I wore during high school and only on special outings with Lucas. So my night shifts here were always done in a grumpy mood, majorly because of the lust filled eyes fixed on me throughout the night and the number of times I'd been helpless even when disrespected. This job was my, no our only hope until I found another place to take on, which wasn't seeming so sure at t
LUCAS' POVBreakfast had never been my thing, at least until Elena was around as she also wasn't also one. Early in our friendship, or so she probably thought, we easily clicked because of our similarities. We could both be focused when we wanted to, had dreams bigger than the world put together and weren't vulnerable with anyone other than ourselves. Perhaps it was why our separation killed me everytime. Even though it was only metres apart. ***Flashback ***My heart continued to pound as we drove through the gates of the big mansion, I'd now come to know as the Everhart Mansion. I face palmed the windows of the car taking in every sight, trying hard not to recall the scenes of the horror movies I'd watched a lot. Rolling my eyes to the strange woman quietly sitting beside me, I couldn't help but start to believe I was stupid. What if she was wrong? What if she was a damn good liar who had only deceived me to get me here? I softly squeezed the gun I'd stolen from the stud
ELENA'S POV The night no longer went as bad as I expected mostly because of the comforting company of Dave as I opted to address him and the tons of compliments I got on my new look. Being a busy night as always, Dave and I didn't get to talk much as I was the only one taking care of everyone's orders but more importantly, our conversation as brief as it lasted was enough to lift my mood from its previous state. At some point when it was past midnight, there was no sight of him anymore like he'd chosen to retire early for the night which I envied now the luxury no longer existed - only a mere wish. And by the close of the night, I headed home feeling a lot lighter in my spirits and just when I was a few metres away from the familiar doorstep, the door slowly opened, revealing no one else but…Was that not Eloise's father? What was he doing out of prison already? And in the house! Oh my goodness! Eloise, please be alive. Please stay alive. The old bastard snuck a peek to his left
LUCAS' POV “Lucas, the clients were really pissed when you didn't show up yesterday and I'm really scared they wouldn't want to do business with us anymore”, Henry reported, his voice laced in concern and distress. My eyes remained shut with my back turned against him without moving an inch like I'd heard none of the words he said. Honestly, my plans for my arrival had crashed completely since that night with Elena. I had secluded myself in the safe corners of my room for days now without a single word to anyone.Most times, it felt like the walls were closing in on me and crushing me into pieces completely. I hadn't only lost her but myself as well. Why wouldn't she hear me out? The dead, empty gaze in my eyes as she spat those words angrily. Had my arrival for her in the first place been in vain? Blames on me for making the first mistake, walking out of everything we had without a word. And now, we both weren't the same people anymore as I seemed to have kept hurting her even whe