ReinaIt was late, too late for anyone to be out, especially Ethan. But there he was, slipping out of the house as quietly as a shadow. I stood by the window, barely able to believe my eyes. He thought I won't see him or what? I don't want to believe that that thought crossed his mind?Back to the most important thing that bothered me. Where could he be going at this hour? He did not say anything to me, neither did he drop a notice or a clue. He did not even look my way. It was very very unlike him.I know we have been fighting and not talking to each other but, it still didn't make sense to me that he left without telling me. My heart kept beating fast as I watched him walk briskly down the driveway and disappear into the night. Something didn’t feel right to me. Even after our constant argument, it was clear that he was hiding something from me and whenever I brought it up, he shrugged and said that he only hid it from me because he wanted to protect me. Now, watching him snea
Ethan The way everything drastically changed caught me off guard. I began to regret being out in the night with my wife sleeping in the hour, unaware of what was happening. I knew I should not have come here. I knew it the moment I stepped out of the house. The lies were piling up faster than I could manage, but what choice did I have? Keeping Reina safe meant keeping her in the dark. That's all I could do. As I made my way through the quiet streets, my mind was a blur of thoughts, every shadow I passed feeling like a threat. RiRi had called again, and this time her voice was more desperate than ever. She needed help, and I couldn’t ignore her, no matter how much I wanted to. She had just left here a few minutes ago. What then is happening? I parked my car and sat for a moment, gripping the steering wheel tightly. This wasn’t just about RiRi anymore. it had not been for a while. There were people after her, dangerous people. And now, I was tangled in their web. I was
ReinaAgain, I didn't get a reasonable answer. Can all these stop already? The scene in front of me was almost too much to take in. Ethan, the man I thought I knew, fell flat to the ground and lay on the ground. He was bruised and was barely able to breathe.The men who attacked him had long disappeared into the night. My heart was racing, and every nerve in my body was screaming for answers.I rushed to Ethan’s side, my hands shaking as I knelt beside him. "Ethan... Ethan, are you okay?"He groaned, his hand pressed against his side where I could see blood soaking through a part of his shirt. My chest tightened at the sight of blood. What had he gotten himself into? "I'm... fine," he managed to say through gritted teeth, but it was obvious he was not. He was hurt badly. Yes, he had tried to salvage the situation. Thank goodness that those wicked men were not able to shoot him.It would have been an entirely different story now. I could feel my pulse hammering in my ears as I co
Reina**Chapter 11: A Moment of Peace (Reina's POV)**I watched Ethan as he slept on the couch, his chest rising and falling in slow, steady breaths. The bandages on his side were clean now, though the memory of the blood and panic from earlier still made my heart race. It was strange how quickly things had shifted. One minute we were fine, living our lives, and the next, everything felt like it was spiraling out of control.But looking at him now, vulnerable and asleep, I realized something: I didn’t want to keep fighting. I didn’t want us to keep hurting each other with secrets. All I wanted was for things to go back to the way they were. I wanted to believe that we could still have that—just us, without all the danger and lies that had crept into our lives.My phone buzzed quietly on the coffee table, breaking the silence in the room. I quickly grabbed it before it woke Ethan and saw that it was a text from Sarah, my best friend. She’d been asking how things were going between Etha
Reina's pov The morning light streamed through the kitchen window, casting a golden ray across the table.I was with my chef when she was making breakfast for the family . It was a new day, and I wanted to make it a good one. Things have been going normal for some time now and I felt good. I hummed softly as I watched the way my chef flipped pancakes and poured orange juice. “Seems breakfast would be really delicious today,” I said to her and she smiled. As she cracked an egg into the bowl, my phone buzzed on the counter and I got distracted from her. I wiped my hands on a dish towel and picked it up, glancing at the screen. It was a message from one of my friends, Laura. “Hey! Want to come over today? I need a little distraction. Let’s have some girl time together.”I smiled and wasted a little time contemplating her invitation. After everything that had happened in the past week, I realized I needed a little break too. A good time with Laura would help me clear my head. I
Ethan I was sitting on the bed, patiently waiting for Reina to come in here. My face was filled with so much desperation that anyone who comes in now would be able to see it. “Reina, thank God you’re here,” I said with my voice partially strained. “We need to talk.” *** The silence in the house was suffocating every bit of me. I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at my phone, waiting for Reina to come home. Every second that passed felt like eternity. The worst part of it was that she was not responding to her messages. My hands trembled as I sat down there and waited for her. I had been trying my best to get things back on track. I had also been trying to fix everything between us. But every time I thought we were okay, something else came up and scattered all our plans. Reina had gone out to meet Laura, and that was fine. I didn't have any problem with that. In fact, I endorse every bit of it. I was not selfish. I wanted her to have a break and enjoy herself. But a
ReinaPeace. Is that too much to ask for? After everything that had happened , I just wanted peace. At least for a while before something else happened. I thought maybe, just maybe, we could live a normal life, enjoy each other’s company, and focus on Andrew.But things rarely go the way you plan them.It was a hot afternoon and I sat at my desk with a chilled juice beside me as I went through my emails.There was something unexpected that caught my eye. An unfamiliar name popped up in my inbox: “Andrea Louis R. Attorney-at-Law.”I leaned forward to look at it clearly. It was unusual for me to receive any emails of this nature, let alone from a lawyer. I hesitated before clicking on it to read . The subject line was short and straight to the point and it read:“Urgent: Concerning Your Husband’s Involvement.”My stomach dropped. Concerning my husband's involvement in what exactly?I opened the email and I could not stop my heart from racing. The message was also very concise. I
ReinaI barely slept after a long night of arguing with Ethan.Ethan had promised to fix things and it echoed in my head till now, but they all felt empty. I had heard it all before. They were not new. The next morning, I decided to push aside everything I was thinking and go about the day as if nothing had happened. Andrew was already at the breakfast table, having breakfast. This time he was unaware of whatever quarrel his parents were having. I gave him a quick kiss on the head and poured myself a cup of coffee to make myself feel better. But no matter how hard I tried to do that, I was still down. The lawyer’s warning wasn’t just some minor inconvenience; it could turn our lives upside down. I had built a lot of wealth single handedly before and after I even met Ethan and I don't want anything that will cause my effort to be in vain. I could not trust Ethan to fix things. Things that happened before had taught me otherwise. I didn’t have much time to dwell on it, though,
EthanI could not sit still. Not after everything that has been happening.My fingers drummed against the edge of the hotel desk as my eyes looked towards the door for the hundredth time. I had double-checked the lock, slid the chain in place, and even propped a chair under the handle. But it was not enough. Not when I knew someone was following me.All these things felt like deja vu because something like this has happened to me before I moved to the country my family is in. Why was all these messing up with my life? “They have been watching us. There are cameras in the house.” I remembered Reina's words. And now this being tailed by a black car, the creeping feeling that every step I took was being tracked. I ran my hands through my hair and each strand was damp with sweat. I felt trapped and powerless, and it was eating me alive.My phone buzzed on the desk. I snatched it up, my heart pounding, hoping it was Reina. It was not.It was Carl. He never backed down even when I told
Reina I was scared to death, unaware of what to do. Ethan had been yelling at me that I should call the cops. “Call the cops now! Reina!” I wish I could. My hands were shaking and I could not dial the number correctly. When I was able to call the cops, the line operator answered and I heard a faint knock at the back door. My breath caught in my throat.“Reina?” Ethan’s voice came in again. I knew he heard the noise. “They are at the back door,” I whispered with tears streaming down my face. I could not believe that I would be crying this minute. See what we have gotten ourselves into. “Get out of there,” he said. “Now.”“I can’t. It's not that easy,” I said, my voice barely audible.“Then hide,” he said. “Go somewhere safe and stay there until the police arrive. I’m on my way, Reina. I promise.”On your way? Oh, Ethan. I know that you haven't booked a flight yet even though you pleaded with me that you will book the next available flight. I hung up and bolted toward the pantr
ReinaThe house has always been this quiet in the past few days. The kind of quiet that made every creak of the floorboards and every faint rustle outside feel like something heavy. I sat at the kitchen table, staring at the unknown number on my phone screen. My hands were trembling as I read the message again.“You’re in over your head, Mrs. Reina. Tell your husband to back off and leave Japan or you will both regret it.I had seen my fair share of threats in my career. The angry competitors, disgruntled clients, jealous rivals but this was different and more dangerous. I knew Ethan was in danger. I knew I was in danger. But what chilled me to the bone was the realization that whoever sent this message didn’t just know about us, they were watching us. They had their eyes on us. I felt like I was suffocating, the walls of the house closing in around me. I needed air. I needed to breathe. I ran outside so that I wouldn't faint and the cool night breeze kept on hitting my face as I
ReinaThe sun was just beginning to set when I heard the sharp knock on the door. It was unusual. I wasn’t expecting anyone.I froze, my mind immediately flashing back to Leonard’s warnings and Detective Daniels’ advice to stay vigilant. For a moment, I considered not answering, but the knock came again, louder this time.“Reina, it’s me,” a familiar voice called out.Leonard.My stomach churned as I tiptoed to the peephole. Sure enough, there he was, standing in a crisp black suit, his expression unreadable.I opened the door just enough to see him. “What are you doing here?” I asked sharply.“We need to talk,” Leonard said, his voice calm but urgent.“We have nothing to talk about,” I replied, starting to close the door.He pushed it open slightly, his hand on the frame. “Please, Reina. This is important. It’s about Ethan.”That made me pause. I didn’t trust Leonard as far as I could throw him, but the mention of Ethan pulled at my resolve. Reluctantly, I stepped aside and let him i
EthanI stood by the window in my hotel room, staring at the city lights shining brightly against the night sky.The streets below were alive with honking cars and I could hear laughter, and the distant thrum of music right here in my room. Yet inside this room, the silence I felt indifferent. I felt something that I could not quite shake off. The events of the last two days replayed in my mind like a broken record. The redhead, the alcohol, the shame. And Carl, my so-called friend who had managed to vanish when I needed him most.I clenched my fists, anger bubbling under the surface. “You are an idiot, Ethan,” I muttered to myself. “An absolute idiot.”My phone buzzed on the bedside table, snapping me out of my thoughts. I reached for it, half-expecting Reina’s name to light up the screen. But it wasn’t her.It was Carl. “Come on dude. Let me be.”I hated the way I was dwelling on all of these. I had work to do and I haven't been able to do anything yet. For a moment, I conside
ReinaThe dinner with Leonard didn't go as expected. As usual, he was cutting through corners. If he knew that I had submitted his name to the cops, maybe he would have given me more information. I was left to rack my brain over this. This was something that was meant to be the detectives work but I have not gotten any report from them. I wanted to call them to ask if they are making any progress but I guess I should just wait for some time. I sat at my desk, staring at my computer screen. The article I had been reading earlier blurred before my eyes. Leonard's words from the night before were still looping in my head. How would I get him to tell me all I need to know?Ethan was in Japan and some unknown people see plotting to kill him. Getting anything from Leonard seemed impossible especially when I knew that he was more interested in my body. But, I can't give in him or anyone. I was w married woman and I had a child. "They see Ethan as a threat,” I repeated as I thought alou
EthanThe cold shower did little to wash away the guilt clinging to my skin. I stood there, water pouring over me, hoping the icy sting would calm the storm in my chest. But it didn’t.I was haunted by memories and all I could see and hear and feel were The redhead’s laughter, her touch, the softness of her lips. it all kept on haunting leaving a relentless echo in my mind.“You are a fool, Ethan,” I muttered, slamming my fist against the tiled wall. “A bloody fool. How could you do such a thing?”I turned off the shower and stepped out, grabbing a towel. My reflection in the fogged-up mirror stared back at me. I looked like a total stranger. A stranger with bloodshot eyes and a fucked up face. This was not me. This was not the man I promised Reina I would be.Reina. My sweet wife. Her face swam before my eyes and I could still see her bright smile, the way her eyes sparkled when she laughed. What would she think of me now? Would she even look at me the same way if she knew what
ReinaThe clock on my desk kept ticking loudly and I wondered if it was because I was paying attention to even the little things that I was able to hear it. On a normal day, I would care less about a clock. The sound of the clock was made louder by the silence that engulfed the house. At first, I was sketching a few designs that I was going to put up for sale in the online market but my attention became divided when I remembered that there was something I had to do quickly. tapped my pen against the edge of my notebook, staring at the half-written page in front of me. Research on Leonard had consumed my thoughts for the past two days, but the deeper I dug, the murkier things became.Something about him didn’t sit right with me.I sighed, pushing the notebook aside and reaching for my phone. My messages with Ethan stared back at me, our recent exchange still fresh.“Hey. Busy morning. I will call you tonight. Miss you.”His words these days had been reassuring, but something felt of
EthanI woke up to the sound of a door closing softly, followed by the faint click of heels on the floor. My head throbbed, pounding restlessly that made even the dim morning light coming through the curtains feel unbearable. Letting out a soft groan I tried to sit up, but the heaviness in my limbs kept me pinned to the bed.And then it hit me. I was naked. In her. By this time. I blinked, looking down to see the rumpled sheets tangled around my naked body. My stomach twisted as I began to remember what happened last night. The memories kept flooding back and I could not move. Her red hair glowed under the blue lights. Her laughter. Her hands. Her lips.Oh, my God! What have I done?The door clicked shut, and I turned just in time to catch a glimpse of her fiery hair as she disappeared down the hallway. She didn’t say goodbye. She didn’t even look back.I sat up quickly, clutching the sheets as if they could shield and protect me from the shame threatening to consume me. My cl