Eureka burst into the house, her bag slipping from her hand at the sight of her servants gathered in the living room, trying to revive Aveline, who was slumped on the couch.“What happened to her?” Eureka rasped, dropping down and cradling Aveline’s head in her lap. Hearing her mother’s voice, Aveline opened her eyes, her chest heaving, heat coursing through her body.“Mom?” she muttered, trying to steady her breathing.“I’m here, sweetheart. What happened to you?” Tears rolled down Eureka’s cheeks, fear coursing through her veins.Aveline sat up with Eureka’s support, her hand clawing at her chest. “She… she tried to…” She pointed a shaky finger at Kailani, who stood with a worried expression, rubbing her clammy hands on her skirt.“She poisoned… my food,” Aveline gasped. Kailani staggered back, her eyes widening in shock. “She wanted to kill me, Mom.”“Kailani?” Eureka’s voice was barely audible as she looked at Kailani, who was already trembling. “What… wh
Eureka returned home, dragging her feet against the floor as if they were in shackles. Her heart was heavy. She had never regretted anything in her life as much as she regretted sending Kailani away. Kailani’s face loomed over hers, her teary eyes pleading for her to listen. The memory haunted her, making her heart skip beats. Tears brimmed at the edge of her eyes, and she fought to keep them from falling.“Mom?” Aveline called, meeting Eureka on the staircase. “Did he refuse to come along?” she asked.“I want to be left alone,” Eureka muttered, walking away. She could barely contain her emotions. Her conscience stabbed at her like a dagger to the heart. Aveline watched as Eureka trudged upstairs, burdened as if the weight of the world had been dropped on her shoulders.As she entered her room and closed the door, she let herself collapse into her own little world. Her emotions shattered her. Her bag slipped from her hands, and she dropped onto the stool, allowing the relentless tears
“Everything feels so wrong now, Dad,” Aveline whined, holding her phone to her ear. “I’ve spent over a month in this house, yet nothing has changed. I can’t go to the office, I can’t get close to Kaiden, and worst of all, nobody even knows I’m her daughter. What’s the point of all this if everything is working against me?”“I understand how you feel, dear. You’ll be out of there soon. Just give me more time,” her father said.“What time, Dad? I want to come home tomorrow. They’re driving me crazy in this house! Besides, it’s my birthday. What am I supposed to tell my friends? What will you say happened to me?” she grumbled, stamping her foot.“You didn’t inform me before getting involved with that witch, so why do you need my help now? I’m sick of living a lie. I can’t pretend anymore. If you don’t do something by tomorrow, you’ll wake up and find me right at the door,” she snapped and hung up. Turning around, she gasped, stumbling back as she saw Eureka standing behind her.“M…Mom?”
Eureka recoiled as the woman staggered to her feet, dropping her cigarette butt to the floor."Eu... Eureka?" the woman stuttered, her voice barely above a whisper. A chill of fear trailed down her spine as she curled against the wall, feeling overwhelmed and lost.Eureka’s eyes shifted from the woman to the framed picture on the wall. There was something about the man in the image that drew her in. Her heart skipped a beat, a wave of nostalgia washing over her. Disjointed memories and streams of disconnected words flooded her mind, making her head throb painfully. Her bag slipped from her hand, landing on the floor with a soft thud. Her body trembled, her heart pounding as she fought to compose herself. But she couldn’t. She wailed, clutching her head as if trying to keep it from exploding.“What’s wrong?” Mara asked, trying to hold Eureka, who sank to the floor, unable to support herself any longer.“Get... get her out of my house!” the woman snarled. “I don’t want to see her,” she
“Where are you taking me?” the woman cried, struggling against Eureka’s men as they dragged her toward the car. “You have no right, Eureka! Tell them to let me go!”The men shoved her into the car, trapping her between them. Eureka stood by the door, her gaze cold and piercing. The woman had caused her too much pain. “You deserve a more comfortable home, stepmother,” Eureka smirked, then the door slammed shut. She watched the car drive away before stepping into her own and speeding off.“To everyone who hurt and abandoned me, be prepared. To those who died before tasting their own medicine, I hope you rot in hell,” Eureka whispered under her breath, her eyes filling with tears. “These will be the last tears I shed because of you all. And to my dearest mom, even though you changed at the last minute, I still love you. Rest in perfect peace, Mom,” she sobbed as tears rolled down her cheeks, blurring her vision.Suddenly, a car swerved into her path. She slammed the brakes, jerking forwa
Raymond sat on the couch in the living room, his laptop resting on his lap as his fingers moved effortlessly over the keyboard, his eyes fixed on the screen. The doorbell rang, pulling his attention to the door. One of his servants went to answer it. “Who is it?” Raymond asked in a deep tone. Then, Eureka entered, walking with such grace that it captivated him. His heart skipped a beat as she stood by the entrance, her eyes piercing his with an indifference he couldn’t read. “Eureka?” he called in disbelief. She hadn’t visited him since she arrived in the States. “Hi, Raymond,” she waved like a princess in a fairytale. As she moved closer, an inexplicable feeling settled within him. Her tone was different, unlike what he had gotten used to. She sounded friendlier, more familiar than Miss Bennett. “How have you been?” she asked, sitting beside him. “I wasn’t expecting you,” he said, closing his laptop. “You love surprising me with visits, so I decided to return the favor to
“No, I don’t want that,” Eureka said as Raymond held out a dress for her. They had gone shopping together over the weekend.“But it’s red. It’ll suit you perfectly,” he argued, pressing the dress against her body. “Isn’t this lovely?”“You clearly don’t know my size. I’d barely be able to breathe if I wore that,” she said, walking away.“Is that so?” He returned the dress to the shelf and followed her. “You seem to be getting even more…”“Are you saying I’m gaining weight?” She spun to face him. “What the hell, Raymond? I go to the gym once a week, sometimes diet, and—”“You’re getting me wrong, babe,” Raymond cut her off, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her closer. “That’s not what I meant.” He pressed his lips to hers briefly. “You’re just perfect. I was only referring to your…” He trailed off, squeezing her ass cheek. She gasped.“You’re so naughty,” she pulled away from him. “What if someone sees you doing that?” Her eyes scanned their surroundings.“Do I care?” He s
Eureka sat opposite Mr. David Mathews in a hotel room, sipping from a glass of red wine, their eyes locked onto each other.“I’ll do anything just to get what I’m seeing,” Mr. Mathews spoke first, putting down his glass. “What do you want, Miss Bennett?”“What can you offer, Mr. Mathews?” she retorted.“Anything a woman deserves: money, influence, and fame. Which do you need?” he asked, and a soft smile appeared on Eureka's face.“I have all,” she said. “Tell me something interesting.”“What more does a classy woman like you need?” he asked, his eyes narrowing on her.“Hmm… revenge?” she suggested.“Tell me it’s on another woman, and I’ll support you.”“Do you hate women?”“No man in their right mind would wrong a woman like you, so I don’t believe your revenge can be on a man; it definitely has to be on a woman,” he said.“You’re interesting, Mr. Mathews,” she smirked. “There are lots of men in this world who would do many things to hurt women like me, so your belief is unconventiona
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
“Have you lost your mind, Kaiden? How could you tell Stetson such a thing?” Kailani scolded as she pulled him up to her room. “What do you expect him to think? Oh my God! I can’t believe this!” “Let me ask you a question, were you going to accept his stupid proposal?” he snapped. “What if I was? What if that’s the only way for us not to think we belong with each other? What if we need others to come between us? What if that’s the solution?” she asked, disappointment laced in her tone. “There’s no solution, Kayla. I love you means I love you. You can’t be with that smiling boy. What were you even thinking? I would sit and watch you accept him, spend more time with him, go out alone with him. God forbid. That’s never going to happen. Over my dead body,” he groaned. “Kaiden!” “Don’t Kaiden me! I don’t fucking care what society thinks anymore. You’re my sister and the same girl I love. If you think I’d watch you be with anyone else, think again.” “It’
“Let me go, Kaiden, please,” Kailani begged. “I don’t want to do this. You’re my brother.” Kaiden was jolted out of sleep by the noise. He sat up abruptly to find Kailani struggling and crying in her sleep. “Kayla? Wake up!” he shook her. “Kaiden!” she shouted, jerking up on the bed, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She cowered upon seeing him, her hand clawing at her chest. “Relax, it was a dream,” he soothed. “Stay… stay back!” she snapped, retreating to the edge of the bed. “You’re going to fall if you keep moving back,” he warned. “Were you fighting with me in your dream?” he asked casually. “Can you tell me about it? Why were we fighting?” She scanned the room, slowly calming down. “Was it… really a dream?” she asked, her lips trembling. “What do you think?” he replied. “Tell me about it. Did I hurt you?” She nodded. “You were… you were… gosh,” she stammered. “I was what, Kayla? It was just a dream. Why can’t you say it?” “Kaiden,” she called, adjusting
Kaiden moved back and forth in his room, his phone clutched in his hands, his expression dark and unreadable. He paused for a minute, stamping his foot on the floor. “That bitch won’t ever stop until you give her what she wants,” he pondered. “You can do this, Kaiden. Don’t let this get out of hand.” He sighed and held up his phone. He dialed Lucy’s number. “Wowee! You’re the last caller on my mind,” she laughed. Kaiden could already picture an irritating smile on her face. “What’s up, baby boy?” “I’m ready,” he said. “Where are we meeting?” “Come again. What did you just say?” “The last time I checked, you aren’t deaf. You heard me right. Let’s get this done once and for all. I’ll come see whatever you want me to see, and you won’t tell anyone about my feelings for my sister. But it’s going to be only one visit,” he stated firmly. “It’s a deal, boy. Just make sure you come alone. I’ll text you the address,” she spoke cheerfully. “I can’t drive,” he declared. “Then take
Eureka sat in front of the vanity table, applying her night cream. She returned home late from the office because of some new investors she had.“Come in,” she told the knocker at the door, and Raymond entered. He turned the key in the doorknob before moving closer to her. He leaned against the table, staring at her. “I thought you wouldn’t return,” she said, focused on her routine.“And I thought you wouldn’t call me a thousand times,” he retorted. “Talk to me, Eureka. Are you as confused as I was some years ago? Are you stuck between forgiving me and moving on without me?”She glanced up at him. “I don’t understand that,” she said.“Will you ever forgive me?”“I’ve forgiven you, have I not?” she replied.“Do you still love me?” he asked.“Are you worth loving twice?” she spat.“Do you love the other man?”“Is that any of your business?” She stood, trying to go get her ringing phone from the desk when he grabbed her hand and hauled her towar
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