12 months ago.
Third person
Maids hurried around the kitchen to prepare the morning breakfast. Their every movement was stiff, well aware that today master of this place will dine as well. He has finally arrived from business after two weeks. The air inside the mansion was tensed. The atmosphere reeked of wretchedness. The commotion on late Christine Romero's birthday was still fresh in everybody's mind. The outburst of Valerie was difficult to brush away. Since that day, the teen has refused to leave her room and gave a cold shoulder to Crystal. Maya’s virulent words were enough to fuel the deep hatred sown under Valerie's skin. Even Crystal failed to bring herself to look in everyone's eyes after that. She did join others on the table but kept the communication to a minimum. Lola was
12 months agoItalyHell.A place regarded in various religions as a spiritual realm of evil and suffering, often traditionally depicted as a place of perpetual fire beneath the earth where the wicked are punished after death.Well, that's how our holy scriptures describe it anyway. And if it's true in every sense, then Romero mansion could be one of the kernels of that sinful fire. Lola shuddered at her thoughts, gripping the rosemary hard between her bony fingers. With bloodshot eyes, she stared at the giant chandelier unblinking. Not once her moistened eyes dried. She tried her best to block the en
12 months agoThird PersonLow timid hiccups rang in the silence of the room along with sniffing. The pain was immense but the sense of fear surpassed it. She shivered with each stroke he laid gently on her spine. Her eyes were closed now, drowned in a dreamless slumber. The exhaustion of days has finally gripped her bones hard. But there wasn’t an ounce of tiredness in his eyes. He got more provoked when she breathed irregularly. Every muscle in his body protested to be let loose. He was a heartless man, he knew. But never would he fill the life of his children with such darkness. He won’t bring them up with so much fear. He wants to see them mature in the same environment as his mother weaved years ago. Peaceful and warm. Looking down at her, he pursed his lips before kissing h
12 months agoThird PersonGhostly silence lingered in the car as the driver focused on road towards the Romero mansion. Nobody dared to question the Capo, aware of the fact of how important Volkov still was. His mere disappearance or sudden death could have caused an uproar in the silent lands of the underworld. They had a chance, but still, they couldn’t kill him. The wicked man has managed to obtain many allies in the past forty years. Killing him will be inviting hungry wolves for dinner. Being the biggest exporter of weapons across the globe, he has got more men at his side. Nobody in their right mind will think of betraying him. He is the godfather of the time. Stressed out, Valentine reached for the pack of cigarettes
12 months agoThird PersonSun shined brightly in the clear blue sky, lifting the fog of dawn. The cold winds that once ruffled the trees and dying leaves now carried a warm essence to it. The crispy March was coming to an end marking the beginning of a new season. The field was ready to be ripened once again. The buds which were closed all this time started blooming, spreading their feathery petals. The activity of birds heightened again as the breeding season has arrived, bringing new hopes and homes. Their loud and excited chirruping filled the silent sky with music welcoming the spring. Spring- a season of hope and a new beginning. Its warm hands awoke the sleeping na
PresentValentineTo have her is like to have stars. Truly. All this time, I thought I was protecting her and proffering my support. But it is a lie. Now when she is not here, I feel hollow, stripped, and weak. Being with her made me feel complete. It feels like someone has just ripped my heart from the chest and cursed me to breathe underwater for the rest of my life. How can a person give you so much strength and still be your only weakness at the same time? I feel like I am losing myself. Does she feel the same as I think about her?It has been 5 days and 6 nights since she left the mansion. She ran away from me. For some reason, I don&rsqu
PresentThe atmosphere inside cafe was warm compared to the chilly wind sweeping the streets outside. Dana’s place gave a homely vibe with the rich fragrance of bacon and coffee. As usual, the place was packed with customers. Waiters ran around wearing their sweetest smile as confidence, successfully earning good tips. The clatter of cutlery against the plate resonates along with whispers and heated discussions. Like always, Dana secured her place behind a fat register, counting her cash and ordering other workers to be swift and sharp. There was no space for sloppiness in the hour of business. Through her thick glasses, she roamed her alert eyes all around. In the midst, whenever her warm brown eyes met cold silver ones at the corner table, a ti
9 months agoCrystalMr. Sharman looked conflicted, whether to expose this information to me or not. But one look from my side made him gulp, and he started speaking fluently. “The Russians asked for a disk I developed a few months ago, which contains every information and detail about our empire. From the portfolio of every employee, list of allies across the globe to the financial stats and account records. It has everything. They asked me to steal it and deliver it before the evening in exchange for my daughter and wife. Do you know where the disk is?” He asks and I nodded. Who the hell in their right mind would collect such complex and delicate information in one place? Only Valentine can think that way. This was a
9 months agoCrystal“What have you done, Crystal?” His booming voice resonated like a killing siren in office, almost giving me a cardiac arrest. I jumped and stumbled back when his eyes shot the first strike of hurt in my direction. The words were spoken with such ferocity that I almost came to tears, but I calmed myself by taking a deep breath and looked back in his eyes, holding the confidence.
6 months later“Fuck, I am so nervous,” Valentine mumbled earning a stink eye from women crowding the waiting room. Crystal chuckled softly and kissed his cheek. “Relax, you will be fine. It’s the first step, Valentine. Don’t be a loser.” She whispered in his ear and he looked at her helplessly. He immediately held her hand and kissed her knuckles, then brought it close to his wildly beating heart. Crystal rubbed his arm comfortingly and leaned her head on his shoulder. “We will be fine, Valentine. Just imagine our future, it will calm you down.” He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. A smile formed on his f
PresentRussiaWhen we look at stars on a clear night sky, we are, in a way, looking back in time. It’s a direct window to the past. The Big Bang theory attempts to explain to us the origin of the universe. It talks of a singular huge explosion unimaginable in physical terms. The universe expanded and hence, the temperature came down. Hydrogen and helium formed sometimes later. The gases condensed under gravitation and formed the galaxies of the present-day universe. Over the years, science has brought great changes in the universe. It has explained to us the phases of nature and changing seasons. Our mind has accepted it in one way or another and somehow limited the scope of superstition. We have learned how air is important and helps us
PresentThird PersonAlberto was left worried when he received such orders from Victor. But without asking questions, he obliged and immediately settled Lola and Valerie at the backseat of his car and drove straight to an unknown location. He was confused at first that why Victor didn’t ask Harman to do such a job because he was family. Alberto was just another employee. Valerie and Lola agreed to do so after receiving one call from Valentine. They sneaked out, hiding from all eyes and immediately took Alberto’s lead. The moment these three left the mansion through back door, Victor pulled out at the front. Jumping out of his car, he took long strides towards Valentine’s offi
9 months agoValentineSweat dripped from my burning skin as I ran around the mansion panting heavily. “Did you get her?” Harman yelled from the terrace catching my attention and I shook my head. My mind was in a constant race. How the fuck she ran away in such a delicate condition? I licked my lips in anticipation and clutched my hairs in distress. Before dinner, when I went to check on her, she was unconscious. But at midnight, after a meeting when I decided to retire to bed, she was already gone. My heart was beating wildly thinking of various possibilities. Victor came from inside the mansion jogging with a few men. “She isn’t in the mansion for sure
9 months agoCrystalI remember first learning that you can cry from any emotion, that emotions are chemical levels in your brain, trying to maintain an equilibrium. So, if one emotion skyrockets, that chemical becomes flagged and signals the tear duct to open as an exit, to release that emotion packaged neatly in tear. Everything made sense after learning that. That sudden stab
9 months agoCrystalIt is tragic to discover the monsters that took pleasure in serving you pain, have returned once again to hunt you down. It is tragic when they come back with more opacity caged in their hearts. It’s heartbreaking to discover that the person in whom you kept your faith was just a mask, hiding a ruthless and frightful demon behind. It’s a curse to conclude that the person you considered one of the best parts of your life was never there in the first place. What if it turns out to be an illusion fabricated by some trickster? When this illusion breaks and you come face to face with one person that scares you to death
9 months agoCrystal“What have you done, Crystal?” His booming voice resonated like a killing siren in office, almost giving me a cardiac arrest. I jumped and stumbled back when his eyes shot the first strike of hurt in my direction. The words were spoken with such ferocity that I almost came to tears, but I calmed myself by taking a deep breath and looked back in his eyes, holding the confidence.
9 months agoCrystalMr. Sharman looked conflicted, whether to expose this information to me or not. But one look from my side made him gulp, and he started speaking fluently. “The Russians asked for a disk I developed a few months ago, which contains every information and detail about our empire. From the portfolio of every employee, list of allies across the globe to the financial stats and account records. It has everything. They asked me to steal it and deliver it before the evening in exchange for my daughter and wife. Do you know where the disk is?” He asks and I nodded. Who the hell in their right mind would collect such complex and delicate information in one place? Only Valentine can think that way. This was a
PresentThe atmosphere inside cafe was warm compared to the chilly wind sweeping the streets outside. Dana’s place gave a homely vibe with the rich fragrance of bacon and coffee. As usual, the place was packed with customers. Waiters ran around wearing their sweetest smile as confidence, successfully earning good tips. The clatter of cutlery against the plate resonates along with whispers and heated discussions. Like always, Dana secured her place behind a fat register, counting her cash and ordering other workers to be swift and sharp. There was no space for sloppiness in the hour of business. Through her thick glasses, she roamed her alert eyes all around. In the midst, whenever her warm brown eyes met cold silver ones at the corner table, a ti