RYANIt's been five days, and I haven't heard from Lexi. I wondered what that wench was up to. I have stared at my phone screen tirelessly, hoping that her message or caller ID would pop up, but it never did. Where is she? What is she doing with baby Isabelle?I knew she would come back. She had no place to go. The drama she performed just because I asked her to give Jasmine one of her kidneys was just to threaten me. It was very foolish of her to think that I would fall for her act.When she left five days ago, I gave her an ultimatum of two days, saying that she would come back begging after two days. It has been five days, and I haven't received even a flash from her. Has she really moved on? Did she really leave?" I gave myself a stern pat on the forehead and hissed, "Don't be so stupid, Ryan. She will come back. I am very certain that she would come back. She's just trying to act stubborn. She has nowhere to go, and she has been surviving on your money. She will definitely come
RYAN"There's nothing wrong with you, Mr. Ryan. You are just worried about the person you love. It's not a symptom of a terminal disease, and you are not dying." The doctor's words kept ringing in my head as I drove to work after leaving the hospital. "You are worried about the person you love. You are worried about the person you love," that statement rang repeatedly.Sighing, I chuckled, "That was so funny. The person I love? I wasn't even thinking about Jasmine. If it was Jasmine, then it would be understandable because she was the only woman I love, but I was fucking thinking about Lexi, that leech. How is she the person I love? And worry? I don't fucking give a damn about her." "This doctor is spewing nonsense. I'm not sure he learned his job well," I muttered, driving into my company's park. After making sure I had parked appropriately, I stepped out and walked into the company.Stepping out of the elevator, my secretary came to meet me and greeted me with a smile, "Good mornin
LEXIFour Years Later.I stepped out of the car, holding a textbook in my hand. I was just coming back from a lecture, and I don't have a car. Don't misunderstand the situation. My father has opted to get me a car countless times, and I kept rejecting the offer anytime he asked. I mean, I just didn't want to start living a flashy lifestyle. Only a few people knew that I am an Alexandra, and I wished to keep it that way so that I could live a normal life without having to go everywhere with guards around me. "How much is the ride?" I questioned, lowering my head so that I could see the driver's face.A smile spread on the driver's face, and he shook his head. "I'm not a taxi driver," he revealed.My eyes widened and almost left their socket in disbelief when I heard his statement. Did I really board a stranger's car without suspecting? What if he was a kidnapper? I've got to be careful next time."Oh my God! I am so sorry. I thought you were a taxi driver. That was why I entered withou
ENGLANDRYANDescending from my car, I strolled into the house. Emily hurriedly sprang up from the couch she was seated on before I stepped in and rushed towards me."Brother, welcome home. I...," She tried to talk, but I tossed the bag I was holding, flinging it over an empty couch, and I quickly dashed over the stairs into Lexi's room.My face fell with disappointment when I found the room empty again. What was I even expecting? Have I really gone mad? Do I expect a woman I mistreated and chased out of my house to be sleeping in her room? I knew that was a crazy thing to ask, but I really wished it happened that way. Every day for the past four years, I have been coming into Lexi's old room, hoping that I would meet her here. It took me six months to accept that I was really worried about her, and it took me a year to accept that I was actually in love with her. Why did it take me so long before I realized? Why does it have to be when I have deserted her and chased her away?Ever s
ITALYLEXI"Thank you for the patronage. Please, do come around next time." The cashier said, handing over the things we picked at the mall to us. I collected it from her and returned a wide smile. With Isabelle's hand intertwined with mine, we trekked home since the mall we visited was just down the street. It was Isabelle who suddenly requested chocolates and creamy yogurt who made us step out of the house at that time of the night.Just as we were about to step into the house, I sighted a bouquet of flowers by the entrance, wrapped with a blue wrapper. A part of my brows creased as I looked outside, trying to see if the owner was around, but I couldn't find anyone."Mum, is that yours?" Isabelle asked, letting my hands go.With creased brows, I shook my head negatively. "No, darling. It's not mine. I don't know who owns it," I responded.Isabelle rushed to where the bouquet was kept, picked it up, and removed the letter from it. Before I could reprimand her for picking up what doe
LEXI"Ladies and gentlemen, we have begun our descent into England. Please turn off all portable electronic devices and stow them until we have arrived at the gate. In preparation for landing in England, be certain your seat back is straightened and your seat belt is fastened." The announcer's voice wafted into my ears, and I obliged, doing what he asked me to do for myself and Isabelle, who was sitting beside me.After what seemed like forever, our plane landed, and we trudged out after clearing our bags and taking them.I shut my eyes and opened them back as I inhaled the fresh air of England, the same country that held most of my memories. I wouldn't say that I had the plans of returning now, but my father's situation forced me to come back. Yesterday, when mom called me again, she told me that his condition is now stable, but the little girl in me wouldn't want to stay back in Italy knowing that her father is in a critical condition, which was the reason I booked the next flight
LEXIStepping out of the airport, we luckily found an empty cab and hopped into it after tucking our luggage into the trunk. The drive began, and a deafening silence fell in the car. It felt peaceful and surreal. I loved every bit of the atmosphere. "Isabelle, I hope you didn't do anything when I left you at the reception." I asked, breaking the silence. I didn't know why I felt like Isabelle shouldn't be trusted. Maybe because she was too quiet and behaved when I returned from the bathroom. That wasn't who Isabelle was. She lifted her head, glanced at my face, and gave me a knowing look. "What do you mean, Mum? Do you think I have committed a crime?" She questioned. I swallowed hard, piercing into her gaze. As I had suspected, the glimmers in her eyes were filled with eagerness, which meant she was hiding something from me."What is it, Isabelle? Say the truth right now. You know very well that I didn't train you to be a liar." I held her hands, looking into her eyes as I muttered
RYANI searched the crooks and crannies of the airport for Lexi and Isabelle but never found them. It was as though they appeared for a second and vanished into the thin air afterward."Maybe they had gone this way," I told myself, hopping into my car."Drive!" I ordered, and my chauffeur started driving. However, I never caught a glimpse of her. My heart twitched. It was as if thousands of hands were squeezing it. "Where are you, Lexi? Where did you go?" I mumbled, sweats shrouding my body like a cloak. My breathing was unstable.After an hour of driving aimlessly on the streets of England, I commanded, "Pull over!" My chauffeur glanced behind me briefly, "Huh?""Can't you hear me, or are you just dumb? I just asked you to pull over. Stop the car, you fool," I yelled, exasperated. And immediately, he swerved his hands to the side and stepped on the brake. The car made a screeching sound before it stopped.I jumped out of the car and scrutinized the vicinity with my eyes. Hopefully,
GENERALFLASHBACK TO 12 HOURS AGORyan sat in his car, resting his arm on the steering wheel and staring at the mansion in front of him. He was contemplating whether to enter or not. He was there to check on Lexi, but he was scared to step in because he didn't know the reaction he would meet. The memory of the humiliation he received at the hospital was still vivid in his head, and he wouldn't want to suffer the same thing again. "You just need to go. Isabelle isn't her daughter alone. She is also yours," he mentally told himself. Shutting his eyes for a few seconds, he sighed and opened them back. Just as he unlocked the door and was about to step out, he sighted Lexi running out of the house with an oversized gown that she clutched to avoid stepping on as she walked. His brows crinkled. Why was she running? Where was she going? She looked like she was in a haste, yet she didn't take a car with her. He suspected something and decided to discreetly follow her to find out what was ha
GENERALSilence overwhelmed the atmosphere at the sound of the gunshot. Ryan glared at Jasmine, shocked and afraid. What was that sound? Where did it come from? "Mommy!" Isabelle cried out, her voice lingering in the air with a lot of worry mixed with it. Her voice jerked Ryan out of his reverie, and he looked behind him. That was when he realized what was happening. It turned out that the gunshot that reverberated in the room was real and Lexi had been shot instead. Blood gushed out of her side as she clutched it tightly with her hands. Her body shook. "Argh!" Lexi winced as her body hurriedly wallowed in the pool of pain. An excruciating pang of pain coursed through her like fire on dried leaves. Ryan blinked with his mouth widened, his eyes darkened, and tears rushed to his lids. What! Jasmine really did that...? "How dare you, Jasmine?" He growled. His voice resounded like thunder, sending fears down the spines of Jasmine and her men, but they were smart enough to conceal th
GENERALLexi flinched in fear as she felt a liquid substance splashing over her. Unlocking her eyes swiftly in fear, she was shocked to find Jasmine, standing over her and pouring water over her and her daughter. The craziest part of it was it wasn't clean water, and it was already emitting a stench odor. She almost puked as the horrible smell drifted into her nose. Thankfully, she had shielded Isabelle, which protected her from the water. "What are you doing, Jasmine? What water is this?" She yelled at her, hovering over her daughter. Her voice was shaky and pathetic. None of her words wafted into Jasmine's ears. She didn't stop pouring the water until she finished the one in the bucket. Then, she flung the bucket away. "What do you think I am doing? I am trying to wake you up. Is that a bad thing to do?" She responded to her with an indifferent expression. She was totally not bothered and nonchalant about her actions. "And you think waking me up this way is the best way? How
GENERAL "She is not picking up," Lexi's mother informed with concern in her voice, bringing her phone from her ear and staring at the screen, which was displaying her daughter's name.Mr. Alexandra's eyes skimmed over the clock that was glued at the top of the entrance. It was already 8 pm, and she hadn't gotten back since she left home. She didn't dress extra when she left in the afternoon, so they didn't think where she was going was far. They wondered if she was still with Donald, as she had said before she left the house.Mr. Alexandra picked up his phone and put a call across to Donald, who picked up on the second ring. "Hello, President Alexandra," Donald greeted on the other side of the phone the moment he picked up. For some reason, he found the call surprising, and he was curious. Did something happen to Lexi? It had been days since he last saw her because he had been busy at the office. Since the CEO wasn't around, he had to take over so that there wouldn't be any flop i
GENERAL Lexi's heart almost jumped out of her mouth when she heard Jasmine's statement. She didn't want anything but her life. But why? All she has ever done for her was in her favor. She didn't let her enjoy her marriage, yet she never argued with her. She walked out of the marriage for her. Her eyes blinked, and tears flowed out. "Why? Why does it have to be my life?" She asked in a croaky voice, swirling her tongue over her lips. Her eyes were reddened and teary. Jasmine chuckled, "It doesn't have to be you. It can be your adorable daughter," she stated, acting like she was about to pull the trigger. Lexi pushed her baby behind her and shrouded her with her body. "Don't do this, Jasmine. Leave my baby out of our mess. She has nothing to do with what happened between us," she said. "What!" Jasmine's brows crinkled. Then she smirked slyly, "She has a lot to do with what happened between us and the horrible incident that happened to me. She was a mistake. She wasn't supposed to
GENERALThe boss they had been clamoring all about turned out to be Jasmine. She walked in majestically, radiating a dangerous aura. On her lips was etched a sinister smile that sent fear down the men's spines. They forced out smiles to ease the tension rising in their bodies, and they bowed their heads curtly at every step she walked closer to my kids and me.My brows creased in shock the moment my eyes landed on Jasmine. To be sincere, I was shocked. I knew she was a desperate bastard, but I didn't know it was this much. I didn't know she was capable of kidnapping a child. A child void of sins and crimes. A child who didn't harbor any grudges against her.My eyes blinked in disbelief. My lips were clasped as I gulped hard. "Jasmine. How dare you!" I spat fearlessly, tears rushing to my eyelids and brimming in them. "Surprise! Surprise!!" She let out, stretching out her hands and turning with a wide grin. My stomach stirred with irritation as I looked at the smile on her face. Tha
LEXIMy body felt numb as though it was devoid of blood and water. Subconsciously, I struggled with an inexplicable force that was trying to overpower me and pin me down. With my eyes closed, my lashes blinked incessantly as I fought with the force that was struggling to win over me. After what seemed like a lost battle, I successfully escaped from the indescribable grasp.A gasp escaped my mouth as my eyes dilated in trepidation. My chest heaved up and down heavily and loudly. An excruciating pain coursed through my head like it was being sliced with a double-edged sword the moment my eyes pried open. Another gasp crept out of my mouth as I shut my eyes back. I waited for a few seconds and gradually unlocked my eyes as the pain slowly subsided. My eyes were opened fully when they had absorbed the sunlight and atmosphere. Tilting my head, I scrutinized my environment and found it unfamiliar. It was a large, void room with only one door and a tiny window. The last thing I remembered w
LEXII swayed my gaze over my parents for a few seconds. Having made up my mind, I blinked and shook my head. "No, mum! Nothing happened. It wasn't the kidnappers," I fibbed, avoiding their eyes. "It... It's... It's Donald. Yeah! I just finished speaking with Donald and he asked me to come and meet him at the nearest restaurant," I added concealing the guilt in my eyes with a smile. This must be the first time I smiled since the incident had occurred and it gladdened my parents' hearts. "Lexi! Did you just smile?" My mum asked, sitting beside me and holding my arm. At the same time, my phone beeped and vibrated, indicating a new notification. I didn't need to open it. I knew it was from the kidnappers. They must have sent the address. My mum glanced at me with scrutiny, especially when my phone beeped in the middle of her question. "What....," She wanted to ask me a question. And of course, I knew what that was. However, before she could do that, I cut her short with my chuckles.
LEXIMy whole world came crashing in front of me, yet I couldn't do anything to hold it or prevent it from shattering. I was helpless. My baby has been taken away from me, yet I have no idea what to do, where she was, or how to get her back.It had been five days since her kidnap, and no call had come in. I mean, they were kidnappers, weren't they? And the only thing kidnappers are after is money. I have been expecting them to call in to ask for the ransom, but no call came in. In fact, I had withdrawn some money from my account so that it would be easy to take it to them the same day they called. "Are you listening, Miss Lexi?" The voice of one of the cops in our house pulled me out of my train of thought. Blinking, I shook my head. Emotions surged within me, and tears gathered in my eyelids, threatening to fall from a blink. "I don't know. I don't know anything. Don't ask me anything. I just want to see my baby. Please, find my girl," I mumbled, holding the cops' hands and glan