Eureka sat with Raymond in the backseat of her car. He had just been released from prison, and she had gone to pick him up. The car was parked along the street; the driver had excused them. But since the driver left, they only stole glances at each other. The next five minutes passed in silence, the air growing tense. It was Kaiden’s call that finally made Eureka speak up.When the call ended, she looked at Raymond. “What are you going to do now?” she asked.“Where do you want me to start?” he retorted, their eyes locking. “I have nothing left, Eureka. You’ve taken everything.”Eureka puckered her lips. “That’s so sad,” she said, her voice filled with mockery. “But guess what? I still have your credit card.” She took the card from her purse and handed it to him.“There’s literally no money on this card. Where are the others?” he demanded.“Oops, they got burnt.” She feigned a pitiful face. “Also, your accounts have been frozen, so I guess you may need to visit the bank. You can sort y
A large room, lit up by a dim blue light. A mini table in the middle with a bottle of whisky and two glasses. Across the table sat Mr. Mathews and a masked woman, her eyes barely visible, though she pierced them into him. The room was filled with tension, one concealed by a deafening silence, yet the world seemed to revolve around that table. The woman grabbed her glass of whisky and gulped it down, tossing the glass against the wall, a shattering echo filling the room.“Fuck, boss!” she groaned. “You promised me. You said you were going to destroy her for me. What the hell are you saying now?”“Don’t ever raise your voice at me, Lucy!” Mr. Mathews said, his voice dangerously low. “I’m still your boss, and I have the final say. You will go back to Sinaloa and live as quietly as you can. I don’t care what you two had, that must stop!”“Never,” Lucy defied. “I won’t ever stop until I see her six feet under. She took my happiness away, and I must strip her of everything, her life include
“Kaiden, hold on, Kaiden, please,” Raymond called out as Kaiden headed upstairs. Kaiden reluctantly stopped, leaning against the handrail and scrolling through his phone. “I want us to talk. Can I get a minute, please?” Raymond asked as he neared him.“Your time starts now,” Kaiden said.“Look, I know you never liked me, and you’re trying to adjust to the fact that I’m your dad, but can you give me a chance to make up for lost days? I’m a better man now. I want to prove how much I love you and your sister. You guys are all I’ve got now, and I promise to always be here, please,” Raymond stated.Kaiden glanced at him. “Are you done?” he asked.“Yes,” Raymond affirmed, and Kaiden turned to leave.“Come on, Kaiden.”He ignored him, answering Lawrence’s video call. “No, don’t even start,” Kaiden told Lawrence.“Bro, look at your hair. You look totally different this time. Tell me, did she make it for you again?” Lawrence exclaimed from the other end in his room.“You don’t think I’ll keep
Stetson was seated on the couch, his eyes fixed on the TV as he watched his favorite weekend series. It was the season finale, and he didn’t want to miss a single dialogue. “Come on, dude. Don’t make me panic, just tell her already. If she leaves this time, that will definitely be the end,” Stetson spoke to the screen as though the characters could hear him. He moved forward, putting his popcorn on the table. “Just say it!” he encouraged. “Wait a minute. Why does the advice seem directed at me? Damn it, do I really have the courage to tell her? Will she be disappointed? Gosh, that would be embarrassing.” Melissa descended the stairs, her slippers patting softly against the marble floor. She had gone shopping with Stetson earlier, and she had to go change into casual, knee-length navy blue pants and a white tank top. “Holy moley! What in the world just happened?” he exclaimed as the movie ended without the main lead and the female lead getting back together like he had expected.
“Did you ever hate me?” Melissa murmured, moving dangerously closer. “Did you regret meeting me?”“Lisa,” he called, his hand sliding around her waist, causing her to gasp. “Stop asking silly questions. Our son must be watching. You can handle this, okay?” he told her, a soft smile appearing on his face.“You feel it?” she asked, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “Is it that obvious?” she still lingered in her leaned-in position, inhaling his intoxicating fragrance.“You’re always vulnerable, Lisa,” he teased. “This was the same expression you gave me on our first night; I can’t ever forget.”“I’m doing it again. Will you do the right thing?” she whispered, her hand caressing the nape of his neck. “I know I’m being a spoiled brat again. I won’t regret this one.”“Lisa, careful. You need to stop,” he tried pulling away. She was reluctant, her lips nearly brushing his. Their breath mingled with each other, eyes locked. Before she could press her lips to his, his phone rang, start
Kaiden was heading back home with his driver at the wheel. He was focused on his phone, replying to some comments on his latest video. His photographer had done a perfect job, and his fans loved it, showing the world how well he trained and all that. Suddenly, the car jerked as the driver pressed the brakes instantly, causing Kaiden to wobble on his seat. A car had just swerved into their path, prompting the abrupt stop. “What the heck?” he grumbled. “You’re lucky nothing happened to my phone.” “We have a problem, Kaiden,” his driver said as Lucy, her face masked as usual, stepped out of her car in a black leather jacket and pants. She leaned against the trunk, folding her arms tightly across her chest. “That’s your problem. You go take care of that,” Kaiden said casually. His driver stepped down, and in less than two minutes, he came back inside. “She wants to speak with you,” he announced. “And who the hell is she?” “A fan of yours, I believe,” the driver replied. “F
Raymond straightened himself as Eureka elegantly approached him, dressed in a fabulous short red gown, her hair packed in a ponytail. Her steps were firm against the floor, her eyes meeting his briefly. Raymond’s heart skipped a beat, his eyes raking over her gorgeous stature. He loved her in red dresses. He swallowed, wishing he could grab her and kiss her to oblivion. When he realized he couldn’t anymore, he smiled disappointedly. He opened the door for her and entered. She watched him stride around the car before taking a seat behind the wheel.He looked at her through the rearview mirror, their eyes meeting again. “You look breathtakingly gorgeous, Miss Bennett,” he complimented her.“Thank you, Mr. Blackwood,” she said.“To the office or an appointment?” he asked, starting the car. She didn’t answer as her phone rang.“Hi, hon,” she picked up the call. Raymond felt his stomach twist as he glanced at her one more time. “Really? Aren’t you tired? You were all over
Raymond didn’t show up at the house as Eureka thought he would. She waited all through the night, constantly looking out the window, hoping to see him come in, but he didn’t. She tried his line countless times. He didn’t pick up.Kailani was the first to wake up, going over to her mother’s room and knocking several times. Eureka was jolted awake, scrambling from the bed as the knock persisted.“Hold on a sec,” she said, rubbing her eyes and staggering to the door.“Mom,” Kailani entered. “Good morning, Mom. Did you send my dad away? He’s not in his room. He didn’t come home last night. He didn’t kiss me goodnight. Where did he go?” she asked, her eyes brimming with tears.“I... I didn’t send your dad away. Why would you think that?”“Did he travel? He would have told me,” she sobbed.“Stop crying, honey,” Eureka pulled her closer. “Your dad is fine. The thing is… he was with me in the office when I received a call from a client in Texas to come get a package.
"Slow down, goddamn it!" Kaiden yelled, his grip on the handle tightening as Raymond sped through the street. "I thought you enjoy speedy rides like this." Raymond smirked, not yielding to his request. "Says who?" "Says your passion, Jackie Chan," Raymond teased, a smug smile appearing on his face as he slowed down slightly, then pulled up in front of a mini bungalow. Kaiden stepped down, leaning against the car, catching his breath. "You see why I'll never like you?" Kaiden groaned, relaxing. "I only thought of treating my son to what he likes. Sorry if I made you fear," Raymond apologized, locking the car door. "Fear? You wish," Kaiden scoffed. "Where is this place?" he demanded. "Kaiden..." Raymond walked to Kaiden's side, meeting his serious eyes. "We're here to rescue your sister, that's if we haven't missed our chances yet. My candid advice is for you to follow my steps when we step into that house. They might be bad guys and I don't want to answer to your mom if y
Kaiden jumped back abruptly, landing on the hard floor with a thud as a black car swept past the spot he had stood just seconds earlier. Blood seeped from his elbow, which had been bruised by the rough marble floor. His head spun for a moment, his vision blurring. Hayley rushed forward, crouching beside him. “Kaiden, are you okay?” she asked, checking his arm. Kaiden regained himself, leaped to his feet, and pulled his hand away from her just as his driver ran over. "Don't touch me!” he snapped, startling Hayley, who trembled a bit. "Go inside!” "What did I do? Why are you mad at me?” Hayley asked, her voice shaking. "I said go inside! Don’t you listen?” he yelled, and she quickly rushed inside, locking the gate. “Are you fine?" Kaiden's driver asked. “Isn’t it obvious?" Kaiden retorted, walking back to the road. “Did you get the plate number? What car was it?" he asked as they crossed the road, this time looking carefully. “It’s a black Chevrolet, but I couldn’t get t
Kaiden stood along the street, leaning against his car, waiting. He stamped his foot on the ground, his attention shifting from his phone to the house before him. His driver stood nearby, patiently waiting on Kaiden. They had been there for over an hour, yet nothing. Kaiden said nothing, just staring at a certain house, while his driver, choiceless, didn't utter a word either.Kaiden straightened from the car, relief washing over him as Hayley stepped out of the gate across the street. She looked left and right before crossing over to him. "Hi, Kaiden,” she greeted, a broad smile plastered on her face. "It took you ages to come out,” he hissed, opening the car door for her. "I'm not entering. Do you want to kidnap me?” He hesitated. "There are better people to kidnap out there. What would someone do with you?” he sneered. “Are you entering or not?” "I wish I could punch you… so hard!" she groaned, entering th
Dark room. Low whimpers. Stench of blood. Thumping heartbeat. Fear, pain, and loneliness lingered in the ominous air. The moon, as if it noticed the helplessness of the life in the small room, peeked its warm, dim light through the small opening of the window.Kailani, slumped on a chair, her head lolled to the side, her ruffled hair cascaded around her, soaked in sweat and tears. Her body trembled slightly, her hand clawed at her clothes against her chest as if protecting the remains of her innocence. Being locked up in the damn room for days had taken a toll on her. Her eyelids heavy against her eyes, she could barely see. Fear crept under her skin like a thief breaking into a house.Hard patting of shoes jolted her, her frail body coming back to life as she forced herself to sit up, scared of what came next. Her ears narrowed as if trailing the sound of the footsteps. Suddenly, something clicked against the wall, causing white light to flood her face, blinding her. Her head dropped
Kaiden entered the car beside Kailani. She had her phone in hand, scrolling through social media as usual. People do change, he knew, but not this fast. Not a sister he knew so well transforming into a nightmare in the blink of an eye. Whenever he stared at her, something gnawed at him, a feeling he couldn’t quite comprehend. The excitement, the unstoppable feelings, the joy he felt at seeing her were no longer there. He could no longer hear his heart thump loudly in his chest like it would explode if he stopped seeing her. He could feel the distance, the void, the silence between them even when they talked often. Something was missing, though he couldn’t place his hands on it at first, but Hayley’s video sparked a lot of imagination. Constantly, his mind twirled back to that day at school, when everything changed. He knew he felt it then. The sickness meant something. He hardly fell sick, but everything changed when he met her, when he connected with her, and her absence always cos
Kaiden was seated by Kailani’s side on the couch, staring as she scrolled through her phone, chuckling. Since the incident two days ago, he was just seeing her. She looked so calm and collected even when the internet was buzzing with her name. She didn’t seem to care about the fact that she was trending and not for a good cause. “What’s the problem, Kayla?” Kaiden asked, his voice barely audible. “Oh my God!” she exclaimed, laughing out loud as though she didn’t hear what he said. “Kayla.” “Don’t be a killjoy, Kaiden. What do you want?” she retorted, not sparing him a glance. “You know you can always talk to me, right? What has changed? You act so differently now. Did eighteen years affect you this much?” he stated. Kailani sighed in frustration, turning to face him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Can you leave me alone? I need to focus.” “Mom is hurting. She lost her biggest contract because of what you did. You aren’t even remorseful or ashamed. My fans are t
“Stop this madness, Kayla!” Kaiden snapped, pushing her back. “What has gotten into you? What did they give you at that party?” he jumped up. She grabbed his hand, pulling him back down on the couch. “Why are you so mean? I want you, can’t you see that?” she muttered. “Listen. Stop it and listen!” he gripped both her hands. “What did those friends of yours give you at the party?” he demanded, his grip instinctively tightening. “Ouch, you’re hurting me!” she cried, twisting her wrists in his tight hold. He quickly let go of her hands. “It’s just a kiss, Kaiden. Why are you hurting me because of that?” she cried, tears filling her eyes. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” he apologized. “Kiss me first, then I’ll accept your apology later.” “I can’t do that,” he declared. “Should I go meet someone else to do it?” “Geez! You can’t do that either.” “Then what? I’m feeling randy, isn’t that obvious?” she stated, her fingers entangling in he
The tension in the house grew as the family paced back and forth, their phones in hand, dialing Kailani and her driver’s number a million times. “I think you should call the police, Mom,” Kaiden suggested. “Did the driver kidnap her? What the hell is this?” he whined, sinking into the couch behind him as he felt dizzy. “Be careful, son. Mr. Thompson can’t do such a thing. He was recommended by the best agents in Beverly. Moreover, the cops will do nothing until it’s been twenty-four hours. I don’t think she’s missing,” Eureka stated. “Then, where did she go?” Eureka’s phone rang, the driver calling. She quickly picked up. “What’s this all about, Mr. Thompson? Where’s my daughter?” she demanded. “What do you mean, ma’am? I left her at school,” he responded. “Well, she’s not at school, so where is she?” “I wouldn’t know. I had to go see my wife at the hospital. I left the phone in the car, that’s why I missed your calls. Have you contacted the school, ma’am? I drove her in
Kaiden fidgeted in his seat, checking his wristwatch even though it had only been ten minutes since Kailani left. He stamped his foot against the floor, his eyes shifting between the door and his wristwatch. Stetson entered the class, spotting Kaiden tapping his finger on the desk as if counting the minutes. “Are you okay, Kaiden?” Stetson asked, moving closer to his side. “Did you see my sister?” Kaiden asked abruptly. “Not really. She was with you when I left. What happened to her?” Stetson replied. “She was summoned by the principal,” Kaiden stated, jerking up. “Watch over my backpack. I need to go get her.” “Relax, dude. If she’s in the principal’s office, I don’t see why you should go there. She’ll be back,” he assured him. “Get off my path,” Kaiden uttered, his tone tight. Just then, Kailani entered the class, a broad smile tugging at her lips. “I told you,” Stetson commented, going over to his desk. “What’s up? Were you missing me already?” she asked. Kaiden n