Eureka burst into her room, tossing her handbag to the floor and dropping onto the bed in tears. She had just returned from the place where she was told she could find a clue about her daughter’s whereabouts. Unfortunately, the woman she was supposed to meet had died some months ago.“Someone should tell me my child is okay, please,” she sobbed, burying her face in her palms.Kaiden walked in, standing by the door and watching his mother for a few minutes before approaching her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, and she jolted slightly, lifting her teary eyes to him. He sat beside her.“What did she say?” he asked.“The woman is dead, Kaiden. I can’t find Kelsey,” she cried.“You need to calm down, Mom. We’ll keep looking, and I’m sure we’ll find her soon. Stop crying,” he consoled her.“Why did they have to take my child away from me?” she continued crying. “I gave birth to her in that damn hospital. They didn’t even allow me to see her. They didn’t let me h
“Have a nice day, gentlemen,” Eureka said, standing up and picking up her handbag. She had just concluded a meeting with some of her new investors. “Same to you, Miss Bennett,” two of the investors responded, except for the third, who requested to speak with her privately. Mr. David Mathews was a tall, athletic, and lanky CEO of a multinational textile company. Throughout the meeting, Eureka couldn’t help but notice the piercing glances he sent her way. He was also the first to support her proposal and had promised to provide immense support for her upcoming campaign. “What’s this meeting about, Mr. Mathews?” Eureka asked, trying to sound polite, though she disliked being pulled aside like this. “I’ll get straight to the point, Miss Bennett. This isn’t another business discussion,” he said, his piercing eyes locking onto hers. Eureka was forced to look away. “I’m stating the obvious. You’re enchanting, and it takes everything in a man not to fall for you at first sight. I’d love to
Eureka went grocery shopping because Kaiden insisted she prepare his dinner herself. “What exactly are we shopping for, son? What do you want me to cook?” Eureka asked, turning to face Kaiden, who was following behind her, filming them. She disliked cooking these days, unlike when she was still married to Raymond. But whenever Kaiden insisted, she never said no. He paused the video. “Macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, and cornbread,” he listed, caring little about his mother’s annoyed expression. “You know something, Kaiden,” she said, turning back to the produce shelf. “I can only make macaroni and cheese for you. Mildred will do the rest.” “Why, Mom?” Kaiden frowned. “Since we got to this city, you haven’t made a single meal for me. You have to cook everything, or I won’t eat tonight.” “I guess you enjoy starving,” she teased, picking a vegetable from the shelf. “Mom!” “Just kidding. But this will be the first and last time I cook for you this year. Deal?” “That’s so mean,”
Kaiden, on the other hand, found Kailani’s textbook in the car. It had slipped from her hand while he was kissing her. “Clumsy girl,” Kaiden smiled to himself. “Let’s go back, driver. She’ll need the book over the weekend,” he said. The driver didn’t object and took the nearest U-turn.Kaiden was allowed inside after introducing himself as Kailani’s friend and Eureka’s son. As he entered the house, he stumbled back as Kailani bumped into him at the door. She couldn’t bear the torture anymore—she had to run.“Kayla?” Kaiden called out in shock, holding her in place. She was drenched in sweat, blood trickling down her broken temple. The back of her shirt was stained from the hot iron Delilah had used on her.“Where’s that slut?!” Delilah groaned, running out of the kitchen and halting abruptly at the sight of Kaiden. Kailani flitted behind him, hiding from her tormentor.“What the hell is this?” Kaiden was too stunned to even shout. His voice was barely audible, his heartbeat drumming i
Raymond entered the house, holding a shopping bag for Kailani. He had promised to get her new clothes on his way back. “Kay!” he called out, closing the door behind him.“Hey, honey,” Delilah said, walking out of the kitchen with a broad smile. She wrapped her arms around him in a hug. “How was work today?” she asked.“It was fine.” He pulled away from her. “Where’s Kailani? I got her a present.”Delilah’s eyes dropped to the shopping bag he was holding, and she sneered. Looking back at Raymond, she forced a smile. “She hasn’t returned from school,” she lied. “I called her, but she didn’t answer, so I thought you went to pick her up.”Raymond checked his wristwatch. It was past 10 PM. “She’s not back at this time?” His forehead creased in confusion. “Okay, take this to her room. I’ll try calling the principal,” he said, handing her the bag. She reluctantly took it and headed upstairs.Raymond didn’t call the principal. Instead, he entered the kitchen, expecting to find the cook.“Welc
Eureka stood near her mighty gate, her arms folded firmly across her chest as she held Raymond’s gaze. “How may I help you, Mr. Blackwood?” she asked, her tone firm.Raymond swallowed. He had no right to demand Kailani, but he needed to be sure she was okay. “I’m sorry for coming over so early. Can I see your son, please?” he asked calmly.“Why do you want to see him?”“Please, Eureka. I know your son knows the whereabouts of Kailani. I really need to see her. She’s under my care,” he said.Eureka scoffed. “You have no right to come to my house and demand anyone. And who the hell is Kailani, by the way? What business does my son have with her?”“He was at my home last night, and he left with her. Let me speak with your son, please,” he begged.Eureka was almost moved by his plea, but she knew Kaiden would get mad at her for letting Raymond in, so her resolve didn’t falter.“My son knows nothing about Kailani. And don’t ever come looking for my son again. I’ll be forced to call the cop
Kaiden sat on his bed, his back reclined against the headboard as he scrolled through his Instagram page. It had been a week since he last checked his account because of Kailani’s illness, and he had spent over two hours replying to messages.“Get some rest now," Eureka said, walking in without him noticing. He glanced at her while typing a reply. “You've been on this since morning." She sat beside him.“Just a minute," he gestured with a finger. When he was done, he put down his phone and turned to his mother. “I've replied to all my messages."Eureka ran her fingers through his hair. "You're stressed out,” she said. "I know this isn't the best time to say this, but the company needs you. We're advertising our new collection, so we need you for a shoot on Monday evening.”"It's not a big deal," Kaiden said, his voice firm. “As long as you pay me," he added, and Eureka smiled.“Also, Mildred has prepared a guest room for Kailani. She'll be staying there from now on," she said.“Is tha
Kaiden stormed into his room, slamming the door shut. He dashed to the bedside table, grabbed his phone, and dropped onto the bed, dialing his manager’s number. “Cancel the interview. I’m not attending,” Kaiden said firmly.“What? Why? We already made arrangements. The press will be at the office this evening,” the manager explained.“I don’t care. And I suggest you hire another model. I quit!” he declared and hung up. The manager called several times, but Kaiden rejected every call.“Kaiden?” Kailani called, entering.“Lock the door, and let’s continue,” he said, picking up the textbook from the couch. “Where were we?” he asked.Kailani sat beside him, studying his expression as he opened the book. She hesitantly cupped his face, turning it to hers. “I’m sorry, okay?” she muttered. “She honestly didn’t mean to hit you.”Kaiden removed her hand from his face. “I think we stopped here: electrolysis.”“Kaiden,” Kailani called again. She knew he was hurting, just pretending to be fine. “
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.
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
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
“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
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.
“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
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
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
Kaiden sat at his desk, his journal open before him, his hand moving effortlessly across the page. The more he wrote, the heavier the tension in the room became. He couldn’t remember the last time he had jotted anything in his journal, but now felt like the right time—he could no longer contain his emotions.No matter how hard he tried to distract himself, the scene kept replaying in his mind. He didn’t want to believe she found joy in the presence of another boy. It hurt to the core, but he didn’t want to confront her anymore. Fate had decided this—it was nobody’s fault.Many might think it was just infatuation, but he believed in true love. Age had no say in what the heart felt. Even a baby understood what it meant to love someone deeply and wish they could stay by their side forever.Just as a baby cries for its mother’s presence, so does the heart yearn for the one it beats for. As the saying goes, the strongest love is the one that makes sacrifices, not the one that holds on tigh