ETHAN. “What do you mean by she ran mad?” I asked Grandma who nodded. She was standing behind me and I was looking out the window. Chloe ran mad? Wow, she was smart. Chloe knew that if she did that, the case would be adjourned and she wouldn't be judged yet which gave her some time. However, no matter how much time she is given, I would make sure she faces the law. She would die just like she killed Emil and my mother. I would make sure of it. “That bitch is pretending!” I slam my hand on the table. How could anyone believe she was for real? She had planned all of this. She did it on purpose. That bitch! “Ethan, maybe we are judging too fast. Maybe it is not Chloe who did it. Chloe might not be proud and arrogant but I don't think she is cruel.” “Yet she killed my mother,” I growled. “Sir Ethan, she did not kill your mother physically. I am sure she doesn't even know what she did. The way she was brought up was different from ours. I think that we should give her a benefit of do
CHLOE. I have done a lot of things in my life. A lot. I had gone on crazy adventures. I had been dared to spend one million dollars in a day yet I had never thought that I would do something as crazy as this. I pretended to be mad. At first, my heart was pounding crazily in my chest because I thought that no one would believe me. I didn't even believe that I could make them believe that I was mad but I did it I convinced them and they believed me. The court quickly issued my discharge and allowed me to be taken to the mental hospital. I was scared that I would be detected in the hospital by the doctor. Fortunately, I knew the doctor and vice versa. Her name was Linda and she worked in our house prior. She was an A-plus student who helped me back then with my homework which made me fall in love with her. Mom took an interest in her knowing I hardly fell in love with people. Then she found out how smart and intelligent she was. She took it upon herself and sent her to school. Lind
ETHAN P.O.V. I decided to go back out since I didn't find the pen Chloe had said. It meant that someone had entered the room and taken it. Grandma was the person who had access to this room and I was certain that she was the one who cleaned up the room after Emily was taken to the morgue. Yet, I did not want to draw any conclusions. I needed to confirm who had come into the room first before coming to a conclusion. I sighed and shut my eyes. What the hell was all this? It was getting too much and my head was piling up. How did I end up between enemies? Grandma warned me to let Chloe go, perhaps I should have listened to her. The frustration, I needed to let it out. The wall opposite me was the only available way to let it out, the anger. The worry. The frustration. Punching the wall seemed like the best way. Hence I did that, throwing my fist on the side. The wall was rock hard, and it hurt but I like the hurt. It was better than the heaviness I felt in my heart. I continued to pu
KATHERINE. Pushing the door back, I saw Ethan and some guards behind him. The smile on my face faded after seeing the deep frown on his face, they were deadly. If his eyes could kill, I would be six feet down the grave. Why was he looking at me like that? What happened? Did I do anything wrong? I wondered. The guards moved from behind him and came for me. They held me and pulled me toward them. I screamed for them to let me go but they wouldn't. “What is happening? What did I do? Let me go!” I shouted. Ethan watched them. He did not say anything, he didn't stop them. The guys took me to the dungeon and threw me to the cold floor without mercy. I crawled back, fear building in me. What had I done? “Ethan, what did I do?” I looked at him with fear written on my face. I did not know what I had done. Ethan walked closer to me, his steps slow and daunting. His facial expression looked angry and dangerous. The air that exuded from him was so bitter, I could almost taste it. He was a
CHLOE. Linda came to my ward with a tray of food and some drugs. She placed them on the table next to where I my bed was. By this time I was lost in thought. Would I remain like this for the rest of my life? Pretending to me mad so that I wouldn't be killed. This couldn't be my life forever; something had to happen! Yet, I didn't have any hope. Ethan hated me. He thinks I killed his younger sister. I sighed while Linda took out the plate where the food was in. “Here,” she said and placed it on my lap. “Eat.” She added. I wasn't starving. I hadn't been hungry since I had been here. Nothing had cheered me up. Nothing. I looked at the marshes potatoes, chips and chicken she had got me yet I did not feel like eating nothing. I carried it and placed it back on the bed side table. Lilian’s eyes followed me, while she sat on the chair next to my bed. She had her eyes on me. “You are not going to eat again?” She asked, a little laugh escaped her lips. “I don't want to eat,” I said,
CHLOE. Ethan hadn't been out of his room for a while now. It has been a few days since I got back from the hospital. Grandma and I have gotten so much closer and she trusts me more more. I am only pained that this was caused by the death of Emily. I hated it so much. I wished that a miracle could happen and then Emily would be alive. After cooking for the house, I went and sat in the lobby. I crossed my legs in front of me; staring into the space. All I could think about was him and how he was fairing. That was the only thing that ran through my mind no matter how much I tried skipping the thought. I didn't want to think to myself that I cared about him when in reality I did not. Not after all that he did to me. I couldn't care about someone who almost had me killed. But then I understood that It was because of Emily, his sister. She was his only hope after all. The reason he keeps up with living. After the death of his mother, he blacked out. He didn't want to live anymore. Emil
CHLOE. Grandma was the one who came to wake me up. I didn't realize that I had slept off while sobbing because of the compassion I felt for Ethan. How did I let myself sleep off like that? I got to my feet, grandma watching me. “Did you sleep here all night?” She asked but I did not respond to her. “Sir Ethan is still in there?” I asked. Grandma nodded. “Yes, I even brought this for him to be able to drink something. I am not sure he ate the food that was brought to him last night.” She explained, shrugging. Her eyes glistened with pain. The pain of a mother who watched her son lose himself. She walked to the door and then knocked on it. “I don't want to see anyone!” His voice rang from the room. It had more vigor than the last time I was in his room. This meant that all I said to him yesterday worked. He didn't remain in the same position.I should do more. I looked at Grandma and then grabbed the tray in her hand. Then I placed it on the floor in front of the door. “Let
ETHAN.I almost couldn't believe it, my sister had been talking to her even after all that she had done to us. Even after harming our mother. How could Emily trust her blindly? “Why didn't you tell anyone?” I was angry but then I had to calm my nerves. The way she stared back into my eyes, the glimmer in them sort of made me want to trust that she was telling the truth. She knew that Emily was once deaf, I had never told her that to anyone. She used hearing aids for some time before she was finally able to hear again without them. I had to learn sign language because of her. Chloe Hathway was brilliant, her parents cooked her up for the world. They trained her in many ways. They made sure she was fluent in so many languages, leading up to the sign languages. This was the reason many men wanted her as a wife. Anyone who wants to have someone like her as his woman. She was perfect but then filled with so much pride. She stared back at me with confidence as if I were to believe every
Shira walked out of the house in pain. She just couldn't face that at the moment.The cold air whipped harshly around her face as she made her way towards the club for an evening shift.A tear dropped on her cheek and she wiped it off swiftly.'Oh Shira, you have to be strong, you can't serve customers with leaky eyes.' She berated herself.She got to Da Smith Club with 5 minutes to spare. She paused a bit at the entrance and breathe in and out. 'It'll be over before you know it' She thought to herself as she walked through the double doors.The club was dimly lit and rock music played in the background. One of the reasons she loved working there was the noise and chaos of it all.It was a good distraction from her thoughts. From seeing her brother suffer, from seeing her mother weep..."Hey Shira! You're right on time today!" Shira's friend Damien greeted her from the bar counter. He was drying some glasses with a napkin. "Good day, I guess." She shouted back with a smile and a sma
ETHAN.The call with the agent was longer than expected. I kept thinking about what he had said. He made me see reasons why it was better for us to do it that way for effective results. I didn't concur with most of the terms. After some while I dropped the call and told him to go on with whatever he had to do. It didn't sit right with me but it seemed I didn't have much choice at this point. I busied myself with the auditing I was supposed to attend to earlier before Lizzie came in. It hadn't been easy working two businesses as the boss. My company was easier since I was used to the system. Not Grandpa’s company. It had been so hard for me to settle and even find a secretary that wouldn't want to fuck me. I had to settle for a lesbian, Dane. Right now, we are more like brothers and sisters. She also has a girlfriend and she was the acting male in her relationship. It hasn't been easy with her too and she knows I couldn't fire her. She knew all about my secretary's problem hence she
CHLOE. I did not expect Ethan to be the man my father was talking about. The good man who had brought him out of prison. The one who had bought this house for him to live in. I did not expect it to be Ethan. I knew Ethan was not nice especially because he hated my gut. Why did he suddenly do nice things for my father? Helped him get out of prison? I couldn't help but wonder as I watched him tell me the details. I had avoided this man only for him to appear in front of me like this with this sort of explanation. His words cut deep, sharper than any blade ever could. “So you didn’t finish the contract but ran away,” he began, his voice cold yet calculated, the same tone I had once known all too well. “You thought you could escape me, but no matter where you run, I’ll always find you.”I couldn’t help but scoff at his arrogance. “Helping my father was your way of achieving your aim, wasn’t it?” he continued. “I’ll go to any length to see my plans through.”I tilted my chin up, forc
ETHAN. Seeing Chloe at Grandpa’s birthday caught me completely off guard. When Grandpa mentioned inviting someone special to sing for him, I didn’t think much of it. He was insistent that no one else could perform but this person. He had said he loved her voice so much, it soothed him. When he said the artiste wouldn't come, I wanted to fight for him. To know who had refused my grandfather. We were weatlhy, there was no amount of money that we weren't willing to pay. Grandfather told me not to fight the artiste as thus could annoy her more and she might never come. Sighing, I gave in to him that day. I didn't know what was so special about the artiste that he didn't want another person to perform at his birthday party. Anyway, it was his birthday hence I respected his wish. Finally, the artiste came and it turned out to be Chloe. Chloe Hathaway was that artiste that my father was so hyped about. Honestly, I was shocked. At first, I thought that I was dreaming and it wasn't real. But
CHLOE. The next day, I was ready to perform at the old man’s house. David and Eli were ready. Eli was still teasing me, saying I wore the same color as David on purpose. It was a big lie. I felt like David wore the same color as me on purpose. “In case you don't know, David loves to copy me.” I teased in return. The car soon arrived and we all got into it. I felt a little anxious, going about the city that I once grew up in. Everything seemed different, it had been seven years since I came here, and the difference was expected. Soon, we arrived at the location. The moment I stepped out of the car, I couldn’t help but admire the grandeur of the mansion. It was breathtaking, the kind of home that made even someone from my background pause. As wealthy as my family once was, this house screamed power and riches on a whole different level. Old money. I could smell It even from the car. The kind of wealth that could never end. Even bankruptcy. Theft could never end the wealth on here. T
CHLOE. I stared at my father, shock and disbelief swirling in my chest. My breath trembled as I managed to speak, “What’s happening here? Did I somehow die or something?” I touched my body hoping that my hands would pass through it which would show that I had died. Probably there was an accident that claimed my life. He chuckled probably at how dramatic I was and then he shook his head. “No, my princess. I’m not dead and you are not dead. We are both well. Good. And I am alive!” “But then why did I get that information about your death?” I asked, my voice cracking. I felt like the ground had been ripped from under me. I saw the news. His picture was there, and it came from a legitimate source. “I’m sorry, Chloe. There’s a reason I had to do that, but I can’t explain it fully until one person is here,” he said, a heavy weight in his words. “One person?” I echoed, confusion furrowing my brow. “What does that have to do with our communication, Dad? I want to know everything right n
CHLOE. “Mom, we’re going to your home country, right?” My son, Eli, looked at me with his curious eyes, a hint of excitement in his voice. He had always been a bright boy, taking notes of things before I even spoke about them. “Yes, we are,” I replied, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips. But I could see the concern flicker across his face. Like I said, my son was smart—he always knew when something was off.“Is something wrong, Mom?” he asked, his brows furrowing slightly.I shook my head quickly. “No, everything’s fine.” I didn’t want him to worry. Not now. There were things. People back in my home country that I was trying to avoid. However, now I had to put them on hold because of my father. He looked down at the suitcase in front of him, already packing his clothes. “Should I bring everything I have? Just in case?”“No,” I said softly. “We’re only taking a few things. We’ll be back here.” I tried to sound reassuring, but my heart felt heavy. I was working on some
ETHAN.I had to settle for a lesbian, Dane. Right now, we are more like brothers and sisters. She also has a girlfriend and she was the acting male in her relationship. It hasn't been easy with her too and she knows I couldn't fire her. She knew all about my secretary's problem hence she usually gave me attitude. Too many attitudes. Finally, I found where the error had been coming from. The two billion dollars that was missing in the company fund. I found where it came from and this made me shake my head. The little five thousand dollars. One thousand dollars which could be easily overlooked amounted to two billion dollars. I traced it back to an account which belonged to my uncle’s son. He hid this so well, how smart of him. The next second, I sent for Dane.“What do you need sir? I am on lunch break and I am speaking to the love of my life!” She said, her tone mixed with pride. Oh, Lord! “Dana, you are well aware I am your boss?” “Do you wish to unboss me, sir?” I could feel her
ETHAN.The call with the agent was longer than expected. I kept thinking about what he had said. He made me see reasons why it was better for us to do it that way for effective results. I didn't concur with most of the terms. After some while I dropped the call and told him to go on with whatever he had to do. It didn't sit right with me but it seemed I didn't have much choice at this point. I busied myself with the auditing I was supposed to attend to earlier before Lizzie came in. It hadn't been easy working two businesses as the boss. My company was easier since I was used to the system. Not Grandpa’s company. It had been so hard for me to settle and even find a secretary that wouldn't want to fuck meOn the second day, I confronted my cousin who had nothing to add to the company other than fraud“You’d better explain to me why you think you won’t get sacked for this, and while you’re at it, tell me why I shouldn’t have you thrown in jail,” I said, my tone cold and gaze almost scar