After what felt like an eternity of deafening silence, the echo of footsteps gradually grew louder, signaling the approach towards my cell. My heart pounded in my chest as I sprang to my feet, anticipation coursing through my veins. The door creaked open to reveal a stern-faced female officer. Her words, “You have a visitor,” sent a jolt of hope through me. A smile slowly spread across my face, brightening the gloom of my cell. I knew it had to be Robin and Heather. Their presence always brought a ray of sunshine into my life, and I found myself silently praying that they were the bearers of good news this time.The harsh reality of my surroundings was becoming unbearable. The constant threat from volatile inmates, their minds clouded by substances, was a nightmare that haunted me day and night. They targeted me for reasons unknown, their hostility unprovoked and relentless.Before I knew it, I found myself walking down the cold, dimly lit corridor of the police station. Each step ech
Eden POVI stood there, in the solitude of my office, my fists clenched at my sides. The glass window before me offered a panoramic view of the city, but I barely noticed. My mind was a whirlwind of frustration and anger, each thought more infuriating than the last.The harsh glare of the afternoon sun reflected off the skyscrapers, mirroring the heat of my temper. I could feel the tension in my shoulders, a physical manifestation of the storm brewing within me. My heart pounded in my chest like a drum, each beat echoing my mounting fury.I stared out at the bustling city below, its vibrancy a stark contrast to the turmoil I was experiencing. The people down there seemed so small, their problems insignificant compared to mine. I felt a surge of envy for their ignorance, their blissful unawareness of my situation.My reflection in the glass was a stranger’s. The man looking back at me was not the calm, composed individual I was familiar with. Instead, his eyes were hard and cold, his e
With a sense of urgency in his voice, Declan cleared his throat and asked, “Is anyone willing to shed light on the current situation?”I whirled around, my eyes flashing with disbelief, “Declan, are you truly unaware of their clandestine actions? They make decisions without my knowledge, as if I’m a stranger.”“Mr. Eden, we assure you that no decisions were made behind your back. We are your faithful employees,” Mr. Kennedy defended, his voice trembling slightly.“And why was the scholarship program, a beacon of hope for many, terminated without my consent?”“You instructed us to cut down on company expenses. We thought this was a viable solution,” he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.“I advised you all to reduce company expenses by refraining from company-funded trips, not by compromising our values,” I retorted, my voice echoing in the silent room.Mr. Kennedy hung his head low, guilt etched on his face. He was unable to meet my gaze. Declan intervened, trying to defuse the
Stassie POVAfter slipping into my clothes, I made my way back to Heather’s room, only to discover it was empty. They had relocated to the terrace upstairs. The sound of their footsteps echoed above me, a clear indication of their whereabouts. Wanting to avoid any further drama with Biddy, I decided to join them upstairs without her noticing.As I tiptoed up the staircase, the evening sun was beginning its descent. The setting sun bathed everything in a warm, golden glow, casting long shadows that danced around me.Upon reaching the terrace, my eyes were immediately drawn to Heather and Robin. They were comfortably seated under the patio, engrossed in a conversation. As I moved closer, they spotted me and warmly invited me to join them, “Come on Stassie! Have a seat here!”Intrigued by their unexpected location, I asked them, “What brings you guys to the terrace?” Robin was quick to answer, “Heather’s mother is quite noisy and we wanted some privacy. We thought it would be best to tal
" All you had was her first name. Imagine, in a city as vast as New York, how many souls might bear the name Stassie?” Declan’s words echoed in the confined space of the car as he slammed his foot down on the accelerator.“Stop the car!” My voice cut through the tension like a knife. In response, Declan’s foot hit the brakes with such force that the car screeched to a halt, right there in the middle of the bustling street. I hastily unbuckled my seatbelt and leapt out of the car, my sudden exit triggering a symphony of honks from the irate drivers behind us.Declan, taken aback, also stepped out of the car and looked at me with a puzzled expression, “What happened?”I didn’t utter a word. Instead, I pointed towards a billboard that had caught my eye. There they were - my designs for the new summer collection, displayed for all to see.Declan’s gaze followed the direction of my finger, finally resting on the billboard. His complexion paled as he absorbed the sight of the purloined desi
I decided to take an alternative route. I stealthily navigated through the back entrance, the creaky fence door offering a secret passage. As I tiptoed into the shadows of the house, the living room came into view. It was a whirlwind of activity - laughter echoed off the walls, conversations filled the air, and the music was a deafening roar that threatened to shake the very foundations of the house. My annoyance ignited into a blazing fury - this was not the peaceful home I had envisioned when I agreed to share a house with Benny.A plan began to take shape in my mind, a plot of sweet revenge. If Benny wanted a party, then a party he would get - but it would be one he’d remember for all the wrong reasons. With careful steps, I descended into the basement, my heart pounding like a war drum in my chest. The fuse box loomed in the dim light, an unassuming harbinger of chaos.With a swift, decisive motion, I pulled out the main light fuse. The house was instantly swallowed by darkness, t
Stassie POVI sat on the cold, hard floor of my bedroom, the only sound being the rustling of newspapers that surrounded me like a fortress. The dim light from the solitary bulb hanging from the ceiling cast long shadows on the room, making the headlines on the newspapers seem even more daunting.Every inch of the floor was covered with newspapers, their black and white pages spread out like a monochrome mosaic. The classifieds section was my focus, each job advertisement scrutinized with desperate hope. My fingers traced over the words, feeling the rough texture of the paper as I read each line.My heart pounded in my chest as I flipped through page after page, my eyes scanning for any opportunity. The silence of the room was punctuated by the occasional sigh escaping my lips. Each rejection letter I had received seemed to weigh heavily on me, their words echoing in my mind.I could feel the desperation creeping in, wrapping its cold fingers around my heart. But I pushed it away, for
The hours seemed to stretch on endlessly as I moved through the crowd, serving drinks and making small talk. The loud music was a constant presence, a pulsating rhythm that echoed in my ears and vibrated through the soles of my feet. I could feel a headache starting to form, a dull throb at the base of my skull that grew with each passing minute.“Hey, you okay?” one of the customers asked, his voice barely audible over the din.I forced a smile, “Yeah, just a bit tired.”He nodded sympathetically, “First time working in a club?”I nodded, grateful for the brief respite from the noise. “Yeah, it’s a bit overwhelming.”He laughed, “You’ll get used to it. Just take it one step at a time.”His words were kind, but they did little to ease the pounding in my head. Deciding to take a break, I made my way back to the bar area.The bartender was a whirlwind of activity, his hands moving with practiced ease as he mixed drinks and served customers. I watched him for a moment, marveling at his e
I spun around, presenting the USB drive to Heather. Her eyes sparkled with relief and excitement. "Thank heavens, we've located it just in time. The runway show has already started," she exclaimed. "What? The show has begun? We need to get this USB drive to Alan Soros before the show ends," I responded, a sense of urgency creeping into my voice. "You're absolutely right. Hand me the USB drive. I'll rush it over to Alan. Meanwhile, you should go and locate Declan and Robin," Heather instructed, extending her hand towards me. Without a second thought, I placed the USB drive in her outstretched hand. Heather curled her fingers around the USB drive, a smirk playing on her lips. It was an expression I hadn't seen on her face before, "Heather, what's going on?" I asked her. In a split second, Heather's demeanor changed. The friendly, supportive Heather I knew seemed to vanish, replaced by a stranger. She looked at me, her eyes cold and distant. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice devoid
The Next DayWe all three got ready at robin house and took her Robin puff: The magic wagon. We left earlier because we don't want to be stuck in the traffic jam forever.Currently, we are waiting for Declan, outside of a hotel where the collection launch will happen. " Should we call him, Stassie?” Heather’s voice cut through the silence, her silhouette outlined against the dashboard lights of the wagon.“No, he’ll be here any moment now. He told us to wait,” I replied, my gaze fixed on the hotel entrance. As if on cue, Declan emerged from the hotel, his eyes scanning the area. Robin, quick to react, slid the back door open and waved to catch his attention. Her efforts were rewarded as Declan spotted us, crossed the road, and hopped into the back of the wagon.In his hand, he held our golden tickets to the event - the invitation letters for the fashion runway show. “Everyone got their invites?” he asked, his eyes meeting each of ours in turn.“Yeah, I guess so…” I responded, my fing
I looked up and found a dark silhouette in n the window of the of the second floor which was obvious to my eyes was heather's. She didn't do anything to help me. She just stands there and looking at my mesirable life.I turned around and walked back to my former home and took my suitcase from the porch and stopped a cab. "Take me to a budget hotel," I told the cab driver, my voice barely above a whisper. The city lights blurred past as he nodded and steered the cab towards the less glamorous part of town.Before long, we pulled up in front of a rundown building, its neon sign flickering intermittently. "Here we are, miss," the driver announced, his eyes meeting mine in the rearview mirror.I paid the fare and stepped out, my suitcase in tow. The hotel lobby was dimly lit, and a sense of unease washed over me. I approached the front desk, where a disinterested receptionist handed me a key."Room 204, second floor," he mumbled, not bothering to look up from his newspaper.As I unlocked
"He's heartbroken, Stassie, You have broken up his trust and he will never forgive you for it" he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Why did you do this to him?"I do not think I responded immediately, for it took me a moment or two to fully digest these words I felt a lump in my throat, my heart aching at his words. "I... I never wanted to," I managed to say, my voice trembling. "Believe me, Declan, hurting Eden was the last thing I wanted." "I didn't even know I was talking to Eden Wylon," I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper. "He never told me who he was. The first time I met him in person, I wanted to tell him the truth, but he didn't even look at me."I paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "He was smitten by Heather's beauty. That's why he proposed to her."Declan looked at me, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Eden didn't propose to Heather," he said, his voice firm. "Who told you that?"Robin and I exchanged a glance, a realization dawning
Three days later...It's been three days since I last saw Eden. And since then I have cried so much that no tears left in me to shed.My head aches, my eyes burn, my arms and legs have given up, and my face in the mirror has a grayish cast. The bed, across the room, calls in its unmistakable lover's croon, Come to me, come, only I can make you truly happy, oh, how happy I'll make you, don't resist to cry.I blame myself for everything that occurred in my life and I wanted to fix it but Eden didn't give me chance to speak. I've been calling him continuously form past three days but didn't attend single call and I guess he didn't want to do anything with me. And I totally got it why? but my heart doesn't want to understand. All of a sudden, I heard a knock on the door and Robin emerged from the door and I have been staying with Robin for the past three days because she insisted me."Get ready, we're going out," Robin announced, her voice breaking through my thoughts.I looked at her, p
" Do you want me to be honest with you?” he finally spoke up and asked me. I nodded because of course, I wanted him to be honest with me so I could be honest with him too. My heart was racing so fast that it felt like it was about to burst out of my chest.He looked at me, his gaze intense and unwavering. "I've been grappling with these feelings for a while now," he confessed, "It's like I've been caught in a storm, and you're the only shelter I seek."He paused, his hand gently squeezing mine. "When you're not around, it feels like the colors are less vibrant, the world less interesting. It's like I'm seeing everything in grayscale. But when you're here, it's like the world comes alive. You bring color to my world, you make everything seem brighter, more beautiful."He moved closer, his eyes never leaving mine. "Your passion, your creativity, your spirit... they've enchanted me. You've become more than just a friend or a colleague. You've become my muse, my inspiration. And somewhere
A Week laterIt's been a week since I have last talked to Eden. Robin was so mad at me for not telling Eden the truth when I had the opportunity to come clean but how can I tell him when he telling me that he don't want me to leave his life. I can't act so cruel and break his heart. Robin don't understand me and nobody understands me. Everything thinks I am so selfish and just thinking about myself but it was nowhere near truth... I sigh heavily and the doorbell rings of our house and billy was busy in his room, working on his music and I was designing the wedding dress for Greta since I promised her that I will make her wedding ceremony dress.As I opened the door, I found Amy standing there, her arms filled with fabrics and beads for the wedding dress. I remembered asking her to bring them over. "Amy, come in," I said, stepping aside to let her into the house.I led her into the living room, which was in a state of creative chaos. Pieces of fabric were strewn across the floor, a tes
Robin’s face hardened as I mentioned Paul’s name, her usually calm demeanor replaced by a storm of anger. “That… that traitor!” she spat out, her hands clenching into fists. “I can’t believe he would do something like this!” She got up from her chair and started pacing the balcony, her steps quick and agitated. “He had no right to give Victoria that recording,” she fumed, her voice rising with each word. “That was our private conversation!” She stopped pacing and turned to face me, her eyes blazing with fury. “And to think we trusted him!” she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in frustration. “He’s nothing but a backstabbing, manipulative liar!” Robin vent her frustration, but I wasn't worried about Paul. I was more about, what should I do? Should I tell Eden Victoria being the traitor or should I just keep my mouth shut. "I... I'm a bad person, Robin," I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper. "I lied to Eden, I made so many mistakes... I don't even know if it's fixable an
The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. Paul, the one I had trusted, had betrayed me. The shadow I saw at the bakery last night was indeed him. He had overheard our conversation and relayed it to Victoria. Robin was right about him all along. He was a manipulator, exploiting my vulnerabilities for his own gain.Victoria broke into my thoughts, her voice laced with triumph. "What are you thinking, Stassie? Still thinking about telling Eden the truth? If yes, then you should listen to this first," she said, a smug smile playing on her lips. She pulled out her phone from her pocket and hit play. The familiar voices filled the room - our voices from last night's conversation. I felt my heart drop into my stomach. I was in utter shock.The room spun around me as the reality of the situation sunk in. I had been played, and the consequences were unimaginable. The feeling of betrayal was overwhelming, and the shock was paralyzing. Victoria's threat hung in the air, a chilling ultimatum.