Anika’s P.O.V My face lit up with happiness, surprise, and curiosity as I attempted to stand. "What are you guys doing here?" I managed to utter, my voice cracking from inactivity. "Anika…" Kelvin said, his voice filled with emotion as he looked at me, tears welling up in his eyes. He rushed forward to hug me, and I couldn't help but cry in response. My eyes then met Andrea, who stood at the entrance with sadness in her eyes. I knew she wanted to hug me but was unsure how. "How did you guys find me?" I asked as Kelvin and I disengaged from the hug. "We'll discuss that later, but now, we have to get out of here before whoever did this to you returns," Kelvin said, helping me stand. I wobbled because I hadn't stood in a long time, and just as I was about to fall due to weak legs, Kelvin steadied me, his hands on my waist, guiding me toward the door. "I swear to god, whoever did this to you is going to pay, I promise," he muttered with anger in his voice as he led me down the sta
Her life had been going exceptionally well, surpassing even her expectations, and she couldn't be more thankful. The current chapter of her life had spread out just as she had hoped, bringing her happiness that had been elusive for a long time. She found herself in a state of peace with no drama surrounding her, and she couldn’t be more grateful to the man above. As she reflected on these thoughts, her phone rang, and a smile lit up her face as she saw her sister's name on the screen. Answering the call, she was greeted by the melodious, high-pitched voice of her sister on the other end. "Hey, Anni," Andrea's voice conveyed happiness over the phone, and at that moment, she sensed that something significant had happened. Andrea wasn't always in such a jubilant mood. "Spill the tea. What's got you so excited?" Anika inquired. "How did you know I was about to share something interesting?" Andrea responded. "Because I'm your sister, and I can sense when exciting things happen to you
Anika let out a sigh as she exited the office room after a recent meeting. The board members of her late father's company had informed her that she was to take over the company shortly, leaving her unsure of what steps to take next. Reflecting on the words of a highly-ranked member of the company, she felt trapped. Throughout her life, Anika had always felt like a solitary figure, lost in a daunting world and her father's passing had intensified that feeling. She struggled to find a sense of purpose, a reason to keep moving forward. However, she found solace and support in her boyfriend, Richard. From the moment they met, Richard had a way of comforting and uplifting her. His words were like a warm embrace, providing a welcome respite from the cold and indifferent world around her. Feeling uncertain about herself and her abilities, Anika decided to turn to Richard for guidance, hoping that he would offer some direction. She picked up her phone and called him, but after a long sile
Anika’s P.O.V I was awakened by the jarring sound of my phone, which woke me up from my sleep. Groaning, I reached out to switch it off, but then realization hit me like a ton of bricks—it was my first day at my father’s company and I was already running late. Hastily, I got up, clutching the sheet to cover my naked body as I gathered my scattered clothes from the floor. The stranger lying in bed, whose name I still didn't know, stirred awake and sat upright, completely exposed, as I hurriedly dressed. "Hey," he muttered in his unappealing morning voice. It wasn't as alluring as I had initially thought. Ignoring him, I continued to dress but he was unfazed by my disinterest in conversation and kept talking. "Where are you going?" He asked. "I'm getting ready for work," I snapped. A chuckle broke the silence, causing me to turn around. He stood up and approached me then he wrapped his arms around my waist. "Come on, don't leave just yet. Let's stay here a while longer," he
Kelvin’s P.O.V I let out a groan as the blaring sound of my alarm pulled me out of my peaceful sleep. Rubbing my eyes, I fumbled to find my phone and stop the endless noise. But as soon as my eyes landed on the time, they widened with panic. Shit. I was running late for my interview. Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I sprung out of bed, racing to the bathroom. I quickly showered, dressed, and gathered all the necessary items in my office bag. With one last glance at the mirror to make sure my appearance was presentable I rushed out of my bedroom and into the living room. "What the fuck!" The exclamation burst from my lips as I clutched my chest in shock. Someone stood in my living room, catching me completely off guard. "Well, good morning to you too, son. You're finally awake," my mom greeted cheerfully, going about stocking up my fridge with fresh groceries while disposing of the old ones. "Mom, you scared the crap out of me. How did you get in here?" I asked once I
Kelvin's P.O.V. Exhausted from the events of the day, I slumped lazily onto my couch, carelessly tossing my bag onto the floor. Sleep was all I yearned for at that moment. Closing my eyes, my mind drifted back to the interview earlier. I had done my best to answer the questions professionally, but deep down, I knew I wouldn't get the job. The CEO had thrown non-related questions at me, seemingly trying to corner me and get back at me for what I had said to her. I blamed myself for babbling about someone I hadn't even seen to a stranger, not realizing they could be the one. Sighing, I stood up from the couch and headed towards my bedroom to change. On my way, I noticed a note on the kitchen island. It was from my mom, informing me that she had left some food for me in the freezer. A smile crept onto my face as I finished reading the letter. I loved my mom, especially her cooking. After showering and changing, I made myself comfortable in my room, taking out my laptop to browse
Anika’s P.O.V “You’re home already?” my mom asked as I stepped into the house. “Yeah,” I replied and ran into her arms. I missed her so much. “How was your day at the office?” she asked. “Stressful,” I groaned, letting out a yawn. “I figured. Your father also always complained about work every single day but he never skipped a day from the office except when I forced him to take a break,” my mom said, her eyes twinkling at the mention of my dad. “I know right,” I said and we both chuckled. “I miss him so much,” I admitted. “Same here, I wish he was here with us right now,” my mom sighed. “Me too but I know he is looking after us,” I said to her and she nodded. A voice whispered in my head, 'He would still be alive if you hadn’t made that one decision, you killed him.' I muttered the words of my former therapist in my head and tried to calm myself down. 'I didn’t kill him, it was an accident. Accidents happen.' I didn't want Mom to see me in this state. Thankfully, my mom'
Anika’s P.O.V Three months had passed since my introduction ceremony, and everything in my life had been going well except for my relationship with my sister. I reflected on the conversation we had on Saturday, the day after my congregation when we visited her at her boarding school. *** Andrea reluctantly entered the car and slammed the door. She plopped onto the backseat, her eyes glued to her phone. It was surprising she agreed to come with us in the first place, as she normally wouldn’t. I considered it an improvement and hoped it would last. I drove us to the best restaurant in the area, not far from her school. No one said a word during the drive, which made it awkward. It was strange to see how we were acting like strangers even though we were family, but there was nothing I could do about it. Once inside the restaurant, we were led to the table I had reserved earlier. We sat down, and almost immediately, a waiter came to take our order. I asked for a simple meal, and
Her life had been going exceptionally well, surpassing even her expectations, and she couldn't be more thankful. The current chapter of her life had spread out just as she had hoped, bringing her happiness that had been elusive for a long time. She found herself in a state of peace with no drama surrounding her, and she couldn’t be more grateful to the man above. As she reflected on these thoughts, her phone rang, and a smile lit up her face as she saw her sister's name on the screen. Answering the call, she was greeted by the melodious, high-pitched voice of her sister on the other end. "Hey, Anni," Andrea's voice conveyed happiness over the phone, and at that moment, she sensed that something significant had happened. Andrea wasn't always in such a jubilant mood. "Spill the tea. What's got you so excited?" Anika inquired. "How did you know I was about to share something interesting?" Andrea responded. "Because I'm your sister, and I can sense when exciting things happen to you
Anika’s P.O.V My face lit up with happiness, surprise, and curiosity as I attempted to stand. "What are you guys doing here?" I managed to utter, my voice cracking from inactivity. "Anika…" Kelvin said, his voice filled with emotion as he looked at me, tears welling up in his eyes. He rushed forward to hug me, and I couldn't help but cry in response. My eyes then met Andrea, who stood at the entrance with sadness in her eyes. I knew she wanted to hug me but was unsure how. "How did you guys find me?" I asked as Kelvin and I disengaged from the hug. "We'll discuss that later, but now, we have to get out of here before whoever did this to you returns," Kelvin said, helping me stand. I wobbled because I hadn't stood in a long time, and just as I was about to fall due to weak legs, Kelvin steadied me, his hands on my waist, guiding me toward the door. "I swear to god, whoever did this to you is going to pay, I promise," he muttered with anger in his voice as he led me down the sta
Anika’s P.O.V My eyes fluttered open, and I realized I was on the floor. I sat upright, only to be hit with a pounding headache that made me squirm in pain. I cradled my head, attempting to numb the ache until it subsided, which it eventually did. After calming myself, I surveyed my surroundings, furrowing my brows in confusion. I didn't recognize where I was. As I tried to piece together how I ended up in the room, memories flooded back—from being chased to the moment I was drugged, leading to my blackout. Panic set in, and I glanced around the dimly lit, small room. The only light filtered in from a tiny window far from me. I stood up and walked to the door, banging on it desperately. "Help!" I yelled, close to tears, terrified by the unknown kidnapper. "Somebody, please help me! If you're hearing this, help!" I continued, relentlessly pounding on the door, trying to open it in vain. Despite minutes passing with me still banging, I refused to give up. I hit the door with all my
Anika’s P.O.V "I'll be heading to YOLE's for the partnership meeting now, ma'am," Greg informed me as we walked out of the boardroom after we met with the executives. He was about to represent us at another company for a meeting I wouldn't be available for. "Alright then, when will it end?" I asked him. "In four to five hours, I'm not sure, but I'll let you know once I'm done and about the outcome of the meeting. So, adios," he said with a salute as he left, making me chuckle. He was a funny man. As I entered the elevator, about to go to my floor, someone stuck his hand to stop the elevator from closing. It was Kelvin. "Hey," he flashed me a grin as he entered inside and stood next to me. The elevator closed and began to head up. "Sup, I can see you are smiling from ear to ear, and I can assume that your little date last night went well," I raised an eyebrow at him. "You are certainly right, it went well. Vivian is a great person, and I'm happy I went on that date with her becau
Anika’s P.O.V I was thrilled to be back in the city after months away on a business trip. returning I was back early and I decided to surprise Kelvin at work since he had been expressing how much he missed me. I couldn't deny missing him too so I would see him and also check on the company's progress. As I entered the office, I received warm greetings from colleagues. I reciprocated the greetings and could hear the murmurs spreading about the news of my arrival. I rode the elevator to Kelvin’s floor alone without my assistant Greg since I kept my return a secret from him too. I approached Kelvin's secretary after stepping out of the elevator. "Welcome back, ma'am," she greeted and I replied with a smile and asked about Kelvin, hoping he was in his office. "Yes, he is, but—" "Alright, thanks," I interjected and proceeded to Kelvin’s office. Upon entering, my intention to shout 'Surprise' shifted dramatically when I discovered a girl lying on top of him on his office couch. My
Kelvin’s P.O.V "What should we do with the document for the TOPAX project?" my assistant asked. "Just delete it. They're not a reliable company to work with. We don't work with people we can't trust or who won't agree to our terms," I told him. "Okay, I'll let them know we're not interested," he said. I nodded before sending him off. As he closed the door, I sighed. I was tired from the day's work but I was used to it since it had become my routine for a long time. With a good salary, I couldn't complain. I found myself in a new role at the company—I had become the manager, a position previously held by Hart before he was fired and sued by Anika for betraying her by aligning with Richard. Despite his years of service before Anika became the CEO. It serves as a reminder to be cautious about whom to trust; not everyone is truly a friend. Taking on this new responsibility was challenging, even though I had been in the position for nearly two years. However, I still felt drained afte
Anika’s P.O.V "The court thoroughly reviewed the evidence M.s Downs submitted about Mr. Hale's deceptive acquisition of ADOWNS. After careful consideration, it's clear Mr Hales manipulated M.s Downs into signing ownership transfer documents under false pretenses. He presented these documents to her as approval forms for a donation to an orphanage, and she signed them. Later, M.s Downs discovered that she unwillingly gave him ownership and control of her company." "The court examined the evidence, including witness testimonies. Ms. Downs, you brought forward Francis Addams, who was coerced into acting as M. Downs's assistant. She provided information about ADOWNS Limited through illegal means in exchange for money, which she used to pay for her mother's hospital bills. This has been proven through a recording of the conversation between both parties submitted to the court." "This confirms Ms. Downs' claims of deceit and manipulation. Additionally, Ms. Downs presented a witness who wo
Anika’s P.O.V "The current trending news revolves around the lawsuit filed by Anika Rebecca Downs, the former owner and ex-heiress of ADOWNS, against the new owner, her ex-boyfriend of over four years, Richard Hale. This topic is making waves across various media platforms, with social media users actively sharing and discussing the information, creating a buzz in the country. We managed to obtain the court date, scheduled for next month, and many are eagerly anticipating the outcome to see if the case will be messy or not and-" Fed up with the continuous coverage, I turned off my television, choosing not to listen any further, and casually tossed the remote behind me. I still couldn't believe I filed a lawsuit against Richard that morning. It required a lot of courage, but I finally took the step. Once the media caught wind of it, they kept the story alive and spread the news far and wide. Since that morning, they had been bombarding my lawyers with calls, eager for more informa
Kelvin’s P.O.V There she was – the lady we'd been searching for emerged from the mart, wearing a cap to conceal her identity. She swiftly exited the store but before she could get away from our sight, Anika tugged at me, and we discreetly trailed her from a distance so we could remain unnoticed by her. “This wasn't my plan; we were supposed to approach her and talk,” I remarked as we followed Anika. “And do you really think she'd willingly talk? She'd bolt the moment she saw me, considering the way she wronged me. Plus, with the news of Richard's takeover of my company, there's no chance she'd agree to a conversation. We need to corner her – who knows if she's still connected to Richard. He might be buying her silence or threatening her. Either way, we have to follow her to her hideout rather than attempting to talk, as you suggested,” Anika explained, making a convincing case as we continued tailing the girl. "That's clever," I complimented. "I know," she replied with a slight