“You let her go!” Cassandra wailed, hitting Raymond with her balled fists as she sprang up. “What am I supposed to eat now? Is this what you call food?” she pointed at the eggs benedict with a sneer. “Calm down, babe,” Raymond said, cupping her face with one hand. “Why don’t you go make what you want for now? I’ll handle Eureka later. It’s too early for a fight.” “You’re taking her side!” Cassandra snapped, batting his hand away from her face. “Why are you suddenly on her side? You should’ve dragged her back, pushed her into the kitchen, and locked her there until she made what I want. Why didn’t you do that? Have you forgotten she locked us in the bathroom last night? If you hadn’t broken the door, we would’ve slept there,” she grumbled, disappointment lacing her tone. She had come to make Eureka pay for marrying her man, but if Raymond kept being lenient with her like this, her mission wouldn’t be accomplished. “Alright, you can have this,” he pushed the tray over to her. “I
Eureka sat opposite Raymond in a five-star restaurant, nestled in the bustling city of Paris. Her focus was fixed on the transparent glass, lost in thought. What if she had married the man who truly loved her? Would she have experienced the beauty of Paris to the fullest? Would she be among those who praise the remarkable city of romance? She sighed, overwhelmed by everything.“Eureka?” Raymond’s voice snapped her out of her reverie. She looked at him. “You seem lost. What would you like to eat?” he asked as the waiter waited on them.“Anything you’re eating,” she replied simply, returning her gaze to the glass. Raymond placed the order, and the waiter left.“Eureka,” Raymond called again, this time with frustration in his tone. “I thought you said we should act like a couple to avoid suspicion. Why are you lost in thought? Don’t you like it here?” he asked calmly.“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “The place is nice, I like it,” she added simply, keeping her attention on
“Let go of me!” Eureka yelled as Raymond dragged her into the house. She struggled to free her hand from his tight grip. He shoved her roughly onto the couch, making her cry out in pain.“What do you think you were doing with him?” Raymond snapped, his irritation boiling over. “How could you behave so shamelessly in public? You’re my wife!”His words ignited Eureka’s anger. She shot to her feet, shoving him back and causing him to stumble.“Don’t you dare try to manhandle me!” she fired back. “What gives you the right, Raymond? You flirt with Cassandra and then flare up when I talk to your cousin? What do you take me for? From now on, I’ll flirt with whoever I want, and you won’t do a thing about it. Watch me,” she declared, turning to walk away.Raymond grabbed her arm, forcing her to face him again.“You’re my wife!” he growled through gritted teeth. “I own you, and you will obey me. This is the last time I want to see you with Harvey. Do you understand?”“Pray you don’t find me in
From the day of the slap, Eureka avoided crossing paths with Cassandra and Raymond. She barely gave them a chance to complain, quickly fixing meals and cleaning the house. She had become a housekeeper on her own honeymoon. When she suggested staying in a hotel, her father-in-law insisted they use an apartment he had reserved for them. Now, here she was. On this particular day, she plugged in her headphones, listening to music while cleaning the living room, when her phone buzzed. It was Raymond’s father calling. She hesitated, her mind racing to conjure lies that could convince him the honeymoon was going perfectly well. “Good day, Uncle,” she answered, her tone filled with feigned excitement. “Good day, dear. How have you been? Sorry I haven’t called since the wedding. I hope everything is going well with you two,” Raymond’s father said, his voice full of concern. He had taken a liking to Eureka ever since the day she gave him a ride when his car broke down. He believed she wa
The ringing of Eureka’s phone pierced the room, jolting her awake. The soft glow of sunlight filtered through the light curtain, brightening her face. She yawned, sat up, and stretched, her body aching. She rubbed her eyes while feeling around the bed for her phone. A sharp soreness between her legs made her wince, and she realized she was naked, covered only by the duvet. Memories of last night flooded her mind, but as she scanned the room, she noticed Raymond was gone. He had left her. “Who the hell is it?” she groaned as her phone continued ringing nonstop in her handbag, still on the vanity table. She scrambled out of bed, wrapping the duvet tightly around herself. Taking out her phone, her eyes widened at over 50 missed calls from Harvey. She gasped, stumbling back as she remembered she was supposed to attend the Paris Fashion Week event with him. “Shit,” she cursed under her breath. As if on cue, Harvey’s call came through again. She didn’t know what excuse to give, but she a
"What the hell is going on, Eureka?" Harvey asked as she pulled him away from the house. “Who is in there?” Eureka didn’t answer until they were back in Harvey’s car. She tried to compose herself, searching for a believable lie, but her emotions betrayed her. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. “Talk to me, Eureka. What’s the problem?” Harvey’s voice was soft, almost comforting. She glanced at him. “It’s nothing… I’m fine,” she whispered, her heart pounding in her chest. Harvey reached out and held her hand, making her look at him. “You know you can always talk to me, right? What’s wrong? Who are the couple in the house, and where is Raymond?” His questions only deepened her despair, and she broke into sobs. The idea of having a husband who openly cheated on her was her greatest fear, and now it was her reality. “It’s okay,” Harvey said gently, wiping her tears. “Just remember, I’m here for you whenever you need someone to talk to.” She nodded. “Thank you,” she m
Eureka shut the door behind her as she walked into the hotel room with Harvey.“Why do I feel like you’re stalking me?” she asked, leaning against the wall and folding her arms across her chest. “You seem to be everywhere I go all of a sudden. Why is that?”“Are we fighting? Why are you talking like that?” Harvey asked nonchalantly, pulling a stool to sit on and crossing his legs. “Is it my fault we keep meeting by coincidence?”“It’s not by coincidence, Harvey. I just left Paris two days ago, and now you’re here. You didn’t even tell me you were leaving Paris.”“I didn’t because you weren’t taking my calls,” he said, leaning against the vanity table. “I think I need a drink. Can you place an order?”His casual demeanor irritated Eureka, but he didn’t seem to care. “Can you leave, please?” She pointed at the door, clearly upset with him.“What’s with this attitude?” he asked, confused. “I left Paris the same day we went out. I tr
Raymond entered the room behind Eureka, pulling her suitcase along. As he placed the bag in the closet, he noticed Eureka standing frozen, staring at the photo frame. “What’s that?” he asked, moving closer to her. “Who is this, Raymond?” she asked, turning to face him. “My great-grandmother,” Raymond said dismissively, taking the frame from her and placing it back. He turned to leave, but Eureka stepped in front of him. “I’m serious. Who is the boy in the photo?” she pressed. Realizing she wouldn’t give up until he answered, he sighed. “Me,” he replied simply. “You…you’re Ray Black?” she whispered, her voice trembling as she cupped his face with her hand. Raymond swatted her hand away. “What has come over you?” “Yes or no?” she persisted. “What kind of dumb question is that, Eureka?” he snapped, pushing past her to sit on the bed and take off his shoes. “What’s the difference between Raymond Blackwood and Ray Black?” Eureka sat beside him, her excitement bubbling. “
"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