As Liana spun around to face her attacker, her heart skipped a beat as she recognized Tony's dark, brooding features. She quickly pulled away from him, apologizing profusely, but before she could escape, he grasped her hand. "You know if you leave now, you can't leave forever. Our marriage is in a month," he said, his voice low and ominous. Liana's jaw dropped. "Marriage? I thought you said we were..." she began, her voice trailing off in confusion. "My parents want us to get married” he said. Tony's revelation left Liana reeling. "But...my mother..." she began, her thoughts scattering in a million different directions. Tony shrugged, his expression cold and indifferent. "Your mother isn't my concern. My parents want this wedding, and you'll do as I say." Liana's anger surged, her voice rising with each word. "You can't just force me into this! I'm not some toy you can manipulate as you please. I'm a human being, with my own feelings and desires. Tony, his voice d
As it was evening, Liana began to collect her belongings, preparing to leave for the day. Her heart thudded heavily in her chest, for she knew Tony had been ordered by Ms. Black to escort her home.Before Liana could make her escape, Tony, frustrated and impatient, seized her by the arm, his fingers digging into her skin like the claws of a beast. He yanked her towards the car."My mother told me to take you home. Get in." he spat.With Liana in his grasp, Tony shoved her into the backseat of the car, her body landing in an ungainly heap. As she lay crumpled on the leather seats, she clutched at her throbbing arm, wincing in pain.He slammed the door behind her with a deafening thud, his cold eyes raking over her as if she were nothing more than a piece of dirt.Liana sat frozen in the car, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps. Her mind raced, desperate for a way out of this situation. But Tony's threats rang clear in her head, a reminder of the danger that awaited her if she tr
Liana's eyes fluttered open, her groggy mind taking a moment to catch up with the morning light streaming through the window. As she slowly pushed herself off the bed, her sister, Sarah, bounced into the room, her excitement palpable."Hey, sis! I need some money for my project," Sarah exclaimed, her eyes lit up with enthusiasm."Sarah, I'll transfer the money to you as soon as I receive my salary," Liana replied, her voice still laced with sleep.Sarah's smile faltered slightly, her youthful exuberance dampened by Liana's response. "But sis, that's two weeks away. I need the money now," she insisted, the pleading tone in her voice undeniable."I know, Sarah, but I don't have the money right now. I'll try to figure something out." Liana sighed, her shoulders sagging. "Okay, sis. I just really need this for my project. It's important" shemurmured, her disappointment evident in her voice.Liana's heart twisted in her chest, her love for her sister warring with her financial limitation
Liana froze at the sight of Tony, her heart racing as she lowered her gaze in a show of respect. She took a step forward, only to be met with a cold dismissal from Tony."I'm sorry, I was..." she began, her voice trembling with nerves."Don't bother. Get out of my sight." he cut her off with a sharp command. Without another word, he turned and began to walk away.Rina, witnessing the interaction, bristled with anger, ready to defend her friend. But Liana, with a quiet but determined voice, held Rina back. "Please, just go. I'll handle this." she said.Rina, reluctant but trusting her, stepped away, leaving her alone to face Tony. Liana watched Tony's retreating form for a moment, her expression unreadable, before turning and entering the hotel.Her mind reeled, her heart still pounding, as she made her way inside the kitchen.Liana, trying to regain her composure, entered the bustling kitchen, where her coworkers were busy cooking and serving the customers. She made her way to her s
As it was night. Liana exited her workplace and waited outside, wary of alerting her coworkers to her fake relationship with Tony, the very man she couldn't stand. After a twenty-minute wait, he emerged, his eyes sharp with hostility, her own gaze returning his glares. Unlocking the car, he helped her in and they sped off to his parents' mansion.Upon arrival, they entered the opulent house, finding Mr. and Mrs. Black seated at the dining table. "Mom, Dad," Tony greeted, planting a kiss on his mother's cheek, who responded with a cold glare.A palpable tension permeated the air as they took their seats, the clinking of cutlery the only sound to break the uncomfortable silence. Mrs. Black, with a stern expression, turned to Liana, still standing by the door. "Liana, join us," she commanded, her tone leaving no room for disagreement.Liana’s heart racing, nodded obediently and approached the table, where Tony pulled out a chair for her. They sat in a strained silence, the weight of th
The morning sun gently coaxed Liana from her slumber, the chill of the floorboards jarring her fully awake. She stole a glance at Tony, still fast asleep, before carefully beginning to undress in preparation for her morning shower. With quiet, calculated movements, she gathered her clothes and slipped into the bathroom. Stepping under the shower, Liana’s mind drifted to the upcoming wedding, a wedding that would happen without her mother and sister's knowledge.Liana's thoughts swirled around the upcoming wedding.“I need to tell Mom and Sarah about the wedding,” she pondered.“But what about the contract you signed with Tony?” her subconsciousness whispered.“No, I can't let them find out. If they did, Mom would be heartbroken, blaming herself” she mumbled.Liana emerged from the bathroom, she wrapped a towel snugly around her body. With a nervous swallow, she stepped into the bedroom, only to freeze at the sight of Tony, already awake and sitting on the bed. Instinctively, she turn
Liana's phone began ringing during dinner, and she quickly checked the caller ID, revealing it was Sarah. As she prepared to answer, Tony tapped her under the table with his leg, signaling her to ignore the call. Mrs. Black noticed but remained silent, until Mr. Black spoke up."Liana, why don't you take your call?" he asked, his gaze penetrating."Sir... Sir..." Liana began, but was quickly interrupted by Tony."It was just a colleague from the hotel, Daddy," Tony lied smoothly, turning to Liana with a warning glance.As they finished their dinner, Liana and Tony stood to leave. Before they could depart, Mr. Black called out to Liana, who turned to face him with a hesitant smile.He approached her, taking her hand in his own and giving her a warm, reassuring smile. "Liana, you're always welcome here. This is your home, too."Liana felt a surge of emotion, but her eyes darted to Tony, who snorted derisively. She gave a brief nod in response.Mrs. Black cleared her throat as she appro
Liana's heart skipped a beat as she realized it was Tony who had pulled her aside, his expression cold and threatening."Tony... I mean Boss," she stammered, struggling to maintain her composure.Tony smirked, savoring the moment. "Surprised to see me, or disappointed? I thought you were anxious to get back to work," he said, his voice laced with malice.Liana shook her head, mustering her courage to respond. "Boss, we're at work, and I..."Before Liana could finish her sentence, Tony lunged forward, pinning her against the wall. His lips closed in on hers, forcing a kiss. Liana's eyes widened in shock and revulsion, her mind racing for a way to escape.With a surge of strength, Liana pushed him away with all her might, mustering the courage to slap him hard across the face.Liana stared wide at Tony as the gravity of what she had done dawned on her. The realization that she had slapped her boss sent a chill through her body."I'm... I'm sorry," she stammered, desperately.Tony paid
Liana sat outside her mother's ward, her heart heavy with guilt and sorrow. Tears streamed down her face as she blamed herself for not realizing her mother's medicine had run out. Sarah came and sat next to her, patting her back in a comforting gesture.Minutes later, Mrs Black arrived, noticing Liana's puffy eyes from all the crying. She sat down beside Liana and said reassuringly, "Liana, please don't worry. Your mom will be alright. Don't blame yourself.”As Liana looked up at Mrs Black, her voice trembled as she spoke, “But if I had been there for her, if I had noticed the medicine, maybe she wouldn’t have fallen ill.”Mrs Black gently held Liana's hand. “Liana, your mother is a strong woman. She doesn’t want you to worry about her, and that’s why she didn’t tell you about her medicine. She loves you, and wants you to focus on your life. You are not to blame for this.”Liana listened, her head bowed, and her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs. She knew Mrs Black was right, but she
Liana was stunned to see her sister with Mr. Black, she wheeled Tony's chair closer to them. In a hushed tone, she asked, "Sarah, what are you doing here?""Liana, mom collapsed after you left the house this morning,” Sarah explained in a shaky voice. “She has been admitted here."Liana’s eyes widened in shock. "What? How? I need to see her. Now!"Sarah continued, her voice breaking, "The medicines were finished. She didn’t want to trouble you and tried to hide it from you. But she has been coughing up blood, Liana.” Sarah's eyes welled up with tears, and she turned away to hide her tears.Mr. Black’s heart went out to the girls, his expression solemn. “Liana, let's ask the doctor if we can see her,” he suggested.Liana nodded as she followed Mr Black and Sarah to her mother’s ward, leaving Tony behind.Liana's heart thundered in her chest as she neared the door of her mother’s ward. Just as she reached for the door handle, a nurse appeared, stopping them in their tracks.“I’m sorry,
As the afternoon sun streamed through the hospital room window, Liana rested her head on her arm, dozing off in a chair beside Tony’s bed. Tony, however, was laying down, his fingers tapping away at his phone screen. The quiet peace of the room was broken by the sound of the door opening, and the cheerful voices of Mr. and Mrs. Black filling the air.Mrs. Black approached Tony, her gaze softening with concern, “Feeling any better, dear?”“Yes, mom… when will the doctor discharge me?” Tony asked, eager to return home.Mrs. Black smiled reassuringly, “Soon, my boy. But let’s not rush it. You need to get your strength back.” She then turned to Liana, gently shaking her awake.Liana groaned, her eyes fluttering open. “Oh! Mrs. Black, I didn’t realize you were here. I’m sorry for falling asleep,” she apologized, blushing slightly at her lack of awareness.Mrs. Black patted Liana’s shoulder, a warm smile on her face. “Don’t worry, my dear. Resting is important too. Now, both of you must be
"What?!" Liana exclaimed.After the call disconnected, she immediately dialed Ms. Black's number. The line rang once but Ms. Black didn’t pickup, she dialled the number again, and finally, Ms. Black picked up."Hello, ma'am," Liana said, trying to keep her voice steady."Liana? What's going on? It is past midnight, why are you calling?" Ms. Black said, as she yawned."Ma'am, it is Tony. I was called at the hospital that he got into an accident. We need to go to the hospital." Liana said, cutting straight to the point. She provided the name of the hospital, and Ms. Black hung up without another word.Liana, growing increasingly desperate, turned to her phone again, she opened the indrive app, searching for an uber. But there were no cars available. "How am I going to get there?" she muttered to herself, her heart racing. After several minutes of trying to find a solution, she realized there was nothing she could do in the middle of the night. Liana heaved a sigh as she resigned herse
That night, after spending time in the movie theater, Tony and the ladies left and headed to his car. Tony drove swiftly, eager to drop Liana off at her place, but he couldn’t help but think of Sophia, who was sitting beside him. He couldn’t wait to have her that night.When they arrived, Tony dropped Liana off on the street, which was already dark and deserted.As Tony drove away, Liana stood on the sidewalk, watching the taillights disappear into the night. She couldn’t help but feel a chill creep up her spine as the sounds of the city faded away, leaving her alone in the darkness.Liana stood on the sidewalk, anxiously waiting for a can, but not a single car showed up. She began to regret her decision, but she knew her family's well being depended on her. Hours passed, and just when she was about to give up hope, a cab finally appeared. Liana quickly flagged it down, and the cab came to a halt."Where are you headed, ma'am?" the driver asked.Liana gave him her destination, still
In the busy kitchen, the aroma of various dishes filled the air. Liana picked up a tray, ready to serve a customer, when one of her colleagues approached her and informed her that Lucas wanted to see her. Liana nodded and placed the tray down before heading to meet Lucas.She stepped outside, and noticed Lucas speaking with Thomas."You asked to see me," she said as she approached them."Mr. Tony requested your presence in his office," Lucas said, mentioning Tony's name.Liana's heart sank at the mention of Tony's name. She wanted to refuse but she knew she couldn't defy Tony’s command.She forced a smile as she nodded and said, "I understand. I'll go see him now."As she made her way to Tony's office, her mind raced with bitter thoughts. She didn't want to be around him, but she knew she had to put up a convincing front. After all, she didn't want Tony’s mother to suspect their fake relationship.Arriving in front of Tony’s office door, she gently knocked on the door, she heard a gru
The next morning, Liana was busy cooking in the restaurant's kitchen when Lucas called for her. He handed her a slip with an order and asked her to serve the couple in room 306. Liana took the paper and checked the dishes ordered.As Liana turned to head back to the kitchen, she heard a familiar voice. She feigned a smile as she saw Tony's mother approaching her."Liana, why are you in a waitress uniform?" Ms. Black asked.“Mom, I thought I should assist my future husband before we get married,” Liana stuttered, looking down.“You are thoughtful but do you…” Ms. Black began but Liana interrupted.“Mom, I only want to help him,” she said with a smile.“Okay, if that is what you want. It's fine," Ms. Black said. Just as she was about to leave, she stopped and turned back to Liana, taking her hand."Let's go to his office together," she suggested.Liana's eyes widened in surprise."Ms. Black, Liana needs to serve a customer," Lucas said, stepping in, and Ms. Black glared at him."How da
Mrs Victoria stared at Liana in shock, her mind racing to process the news."Darling," she began, her voice tinged with concern, "why the rush to get married? How long have you known this man?" she asked.Liana's face remained resolute as she replied, "Mom, there's nothing wrong with this marriage. I love him and I want to spend my life with him."Mrs Victoria sighed, her eyes searching her daughter's face for any sign of doubt. "I know, but I'm just worried about you," she said gently."Mom, please, I know what I'm doing," Liana pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation.Mrs Victoria's gaze softened as she saw the determination in her eyes. "Alright, I won't stand in your way," she said, sighing heavily.As her mother turned away, Liana couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. She knew her mother was worried for a reason, but there was more to this than she could tell her."I'm sorry, Mom. I had to do this for you," Liana thought to herself as a wave of emotion washed over her.Sh
Tony issued a command to Lucas, instructing him to call Liana from the hotel. They both would soon be leaving to check her wedding dress fitting. Minutes later, Liana exited the hotel, only to be greeted with the sight of Tony engrossed in conversation with a mysterious woman. She stood there, watching from the corner, as the woman leaned in and planted a soft kiss on Tony's cheek before disappearing into the distance.Liana's heart sank as she watched Tony's casual response to the intimate gesture. "Is he really the man I'm about to marry?" she thought, a wave of uncertainty washing over her.With a heavy sigh, she steeled herself and made her way towards Tony, mustering a brave face. He smiled smugly as he spotted her, opening the car door and sliding into the driver's seat. Liana followed suit, her mind still reeling from the unsettling sight she had just witnessed.Liana settled into the passenger seat, the cool leather providing little comfort for the tumultuous emotions swirlin