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80. Strategy
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Dark Obsession 81. Execution
~ SIERRA ~“Dinner is served!” Rosie chimed in excitement and gestured to the table full of food. They had everything from Caesar's salad to roasted chicken, grilled salmon, sliced steak, and all different kinds of pasta. If they didn’t know any better, people would’ve thought that this was a thanksgiving dinner.“Wow, are we feeding a small army?” Raphael chuckled as he took a seat at the head of the table.It was about 8 PM and Raphael had just come back from the office. Rosie and Sierra spent the last few hours cooking and baking away. Seeing as they had to use a ‘special’ ingredient, they couldn’t let the maids help at all. But still, everything turned out marvelously.“Sorry, I went overboard because I’m just too excited,” Rosie said as she sat down to the right of Raphael.“Did you hear? Rosie and Ethan are pregnant,” Sierra added, sitting on his left.“Yes, I heard,” Raphael said as he turned to Rosie. “Congratulations, again,”“Thank you,”“Is your husband going to join us for
Dark Obsession 82. Peaceful
~ SIERRA ~“Welcome back to Paris, Mr. Rhodes, Ms. Ascott,” Pierre smiled as he greeted Colton and Sierra. He took their bags from Colton’s hand and Colton helped Sierra walk down the steps of the private jet.“Thank you, Pierre. It’s good to be back,” Colton said as he turned to Sierra, lending out a smile.Sierra breathed the fresh Parisian air and felt a tingle in her body. She remembered the first time they came here last year on Spring break. So many things had happened since then, and yet, every time she stepped back into place, everything seemed to be preserved the way things were. It was a really good feeling to know that some things never change. Some places always welcome you the same way.Colton helped Sierra into the black SUV as Pierre was putting their bags into the trunk. Right before he closed Sierra’s door, Colton said, “Wait here one second, I just have to give the pilot some instruction,” Sierra nodded her head and Colton raced back to the jet. Sitting next to the
Dark Obsession 83. Nursery
~ SIERRA ~- - - - - TWO WEEKS LATER - - - - -Surprisingly enough, things were peaceful and normal for the next few weeks for Sierra and Colton. She was worried her dad would go crazy like he did last time, telling the media that Colton had kidnapped her and everything. But this time around, they didn’t hear anything. Not even a tweet. Sierra could only wonder what happened to Raphael the morning when he woke up and saw Sierra wasn’t there. He was being weirdly quiet about everything. Colton even said it was odd. Knowing Raphael, he should be throwing fits and tantrums.All this to say, things went on rather peacefully for now, but they still had to be careful. If Raphael and Henri were quiet, it must only mean that they were up to something. Not wanting to care too much about what they might be conspiring to do, Sierra focused her energy on growing the baby inside her. She was six months pregnant now, entering her last trimester. She was over the moon about making it through the f
Dark Obsession 84. Priceless
~ COLTON ~Sunlight streamed through the window as Colton was sipping his morning coffee. It was a slow start to a beautiful Spring day. Sierra was still fast asleep, but Colton was eager to start the morning. His cousins were coming over today after a week of being abroad, finishing up some work. Carrying his mug of coffee, he waited for them in his study. It was only 7 AM, but Colton was as ready as ever. A brown envelope lay in front of him on the desk.“Well, you’re up early,” Levi commented as he stepped into the office. Jackson was following closely behind.“Dude, she found out about the nursery already!” Jackson laughed. “You don’t have to sneak around anymore,”“I’m not sneaking around because of the nursery,” Colton replied.“Then why are you up at… 7.12 AM?”Colton let out a smile. He gestured for his cousins to sit down and they did. Very casually, Colton sat up straighter and picked up the envelope in his hand.“Believe it or not, I’m now in correspondence with Sierra’s da
Dark Obsession 85. Diamond
~ COLTON ~- - - - - TWO WEEKS LATER - - - - -The dawn was breaking and the sun was still low on the horizon. Colton’s eyes slowly opened and he saw Sierra’s face right in front of him. A smile curved up his lips instinctively. Waking up next to her, seeing her face first thing in the morning, these were the little pleasures in life that Colton wouldn’t take for granted. He was staring at her for the longest time, noting her beautiful features and how lucky he was to have her. Colton’s finger slowly reached up and he began caressing her face. Meanwhile, Sierra was still fast asleep. It was about six in the morning and she was exhausted. Being eight months pregnant was no easy thing. Sierra was tired all the time, sometimes getting heartburn and feeling difficulty breathing. But still, even at eight months pregnant, Sierra was still the most beautiful girl in the world for Colton. Her skin was glowing, her nose was as cute as a button, and her lips were just begging to be kissed. Co
Dark Obsession 86. Shelter
~ SIERRA ~Sierra couldn’t believe her eyes and ears. She thought this must be a dream. Something like this could only come out of a movie. But no matter how many times she blinked, Colton was still there in front of her, holding out a ring.“Colton…”“Yeah?”A smile curved up Sierra’s lips and her eyes turned glassy. This was really real. Colton had turned every fantasy, every dream she ever had about love and turned it into reality. Their story wasn’t perfect by any means, but it was real and it was the most beautiful thing in the world. “What do you say, princess?” Colton asked again, holding onto her gaze.“Of course, I’ll marry you…” Sierra said through the tears. Her voice came out in a whisper and her heart was racing. “A hundred million times yes!”The biggest smile formed on Colton’s face as he put the ring on her finger and stood up straighter, pulling her into a kiss. At the same time, she was also pulling him towards her. Their lips crashed onto each other like waves to t
Dark Obsession 87. Madness
~ SIERRA ~* BANG! BANG! BANG! *The knocking on the door went louder. Colton immediately got up and reached for his shirt. Sierra sat up too and Colton picked up her dress from the floor, throwing it at her.“Yo, Colton!” a voice was heard yelling from the outside. “I think you have something of mine and I’m gonna need it back!”Colton and Sierra shared a knowing look. That was Raphael!“Shit!” Colton muttered and haphazardly put his pants back on. Sierra was also rushing to put her dress on. Her heart was racing like a train and a pit was forming in her stomach.* BANG! BANG! BANG! *“Come out, the two of you!”Raphael’s voice was heard again and the hair in Sierra’s neck stood up. Her trauma triggers were on high alert. Just when everything was going so perfectly, Raphael always found a way to torture her.Sierra froze up in fear while Colton went to get his phone. He opened the app to show him the house’s CCTV footage and he saw Raphael’s face in front of the door. Luckily, the do
Dark Obsession 88. Closure
~ SIERRA ~Everyone’s eyes were now turned to Henri. He was walking while pointing his cane towards Raphael. His eyes were burning with rage.“Henri?” Raphael gaped.“Dad…?” Sierra was shocked too.“What are you doing here?” Raphael asked.“What you said back in my office didn’t sit right with me. So I followed you,” Henri answered. Standing in front of Raphael, he pointed a finger to his chest. “You’re not going to blow up my daughter, I can tell you that!”Raphael staggered back and clenched his jaw shut. Henri turned his face towards the plane and started walking closer. He locked eyes with Sierra who was sitting in the cockpit. His eyes turned sad and tender.“Sierra, sweetheart, please…” he pleaded. “Just come out. Come home with me…”Sierra stared at her dad for a long time. Tears were brimming in her eyes. Colton turned to her and she reached for his hand, gripping it tightly. With her other hand, she pressed the radio button.“Dad, I’m only going with Colton or I’m not going a
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Dark Obsession 97. Home
~ SIERRA ~- - - - - THREE YEARS LATER - - - - -The grand hall of Columbia University buzzed with excitement and anticipation as the graduating class of 2020 gathered in a sea of caps and gowns. Sierra found herself among them, surrounded by the familiar faces of friends and classmates. The air was charged with a mix of emotions, and Sierra can't help but feel a surge of sentimentality as she reflected on the journey that brought her to this moment.Wow. I can’t believe I’m really here, she thinks to herself.The journey has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. Sierra thought back to the late-night study sessions, the sacrifices made to balance parenthood and academia, and the unwavering support of her amazing husband. As she sat, waiting for the commencement ceremony to begin, her mind replayed the moments that defined the past few years.It’s nothing short of a miracle, really. From the first time she met Colton at her birthday party, to the time he took her on “magic carpet ride
Dark Obsession 96. Moon
~ COLTON ~Colton had already decided that one of the best things about being married to Sierra was watching her walk around in just her underwear.It was early evening on the last day of their honeymoon. They had spent most of the day at the beach and, after they had both showered, they had set about starting to pack their suitcases ready for the journey home. Colton was lying on the bed, having sorted and packed most of his clothes. Sierra had showered after him but had only partially dressed. She was padding around their bedroom ferrying clothes back and forth to the suitcase wearing only a rather cute set of matching light pink bra and panties.With that job done, Sierra went to put on a dress ready for dinner."Damn,” Colton muttered.“What?” she asked.“You’re just so gorgeous, princess," Colton said, shaking his head from side to side. “Oh, stop,” Sierra blushed and rolled her eyes."I’m telling you, all the guys in the restaurant -- when you wore that dress the other day, the
Dark Obsession 95. Honey
~ SIERRA ~The wedding was one crazy blur of a moment. It was something like a movie. Or a dream. Sierra felt like she was being whisked away from one place to the next. There was no time to stop, the momentum just kept going. Right after the ceremony was over, Colton had a helicopter prepared on the rooftop of the Plaza Hotel. Still wearing her wedding dress, Sierra got into the helicopter and they flew to the bright, blue sky.“It’s only for the weekend,” Colton said to her. “Just you and me,”Sierra had no idea where they were going, and she didn’t bother asking. Maybe it was the champagne in her veins or just the complete reckless abandon she felt whenever she was with Colton, but she was down for any kind of surprise with him.The next thing she remembered, Sierra woke up, unclear at first about where she was. But then she remembered...the huge bed, the smart room, it felt like a holiday resort, and it must be... The Hamptons. Yes. She was the brand new Mrs. Rhodes on her honeym
Dark Obsession 94. Willow
~ SIERRA ~- - - - - THREE MONTHS LATER - - - - -Summer was coming to an end and the weather was getting cooler in New York City. Sierra walked out of the Columbia campus library with her two friends, Anna and Jess, from the American Lit class. They had books piled up in their hands, making it hard for them to walk down the steps.“Thank God it’s finally Friday! I’m so done with writing for now,” Anna said.“I know. I can’t wait to put these down and go to McSorley's for drinks,” Jess replied.“Are you coming with us, Sierra?” Anna asked.“Oh, I’d love to, but I gotta go check on my baby,” Sierra flashed them a sorry smile. “Dang,” Jess muttered. “She’s the best writer in our class and she’s a mom. What can’t she do?”Sierra let out a laugh and shook her head.“I’ll join the next one. Enjoy your night, you guys,”Sierra waved one hand goodbye while using the other hand to keep all her books together. The school session was in full swing and work was starting to pile up. Luckily for
Dark Obsession 93. Sunshine
~ COLTON ~Colton was smiling from ear to ear. How could he not? He was looking at his beautiful fiancee and the healthy baby boy they have. Sierra was holding baby Seb in her arms, rocking him back and forth to get him to calm down. Baby Seb had stopped crying and he was now giggling at the funny faces Sierra was making. Colton couldn’t drop his smile as he leaned his head against the doorway to the nursery. Nothing in the world could bring him this much joy and feelings. He was the luckiest man in the world, and he never wanted to take this moment for granted.“I think he’s bored, he just wants to play,” Sierra commented, studying the look on her baby’s face.Colton could stand here and watch her play with baby Seb all day. Sierra made such a great mother. She had that motherly instinct. She knew exactly just what the baby wanted by looking at it. “Maybe we can take him to the beach?” Colton suggested.“That sounds fun,” Sierra nodded her head eagerly. “Wouldn’t that be fun, Seb?”
Dark Obsession 92. Summer
~ SIERRA ~- - - - - ONE MONTH LATER - - - - -“Attention everyone!” Colton said as he clinked his champagne glass with the knife. He was standing in the middle of the long table and Sierra was seated next to him. All around them were beautiful flower arrangements, candles, and a gorgeous feast. They were enjoying a wonderful birthday lunch for Sierra in Colton’s summer home in the Hamptons. All of their closest friends and family were in attendance, including Henri, baby Sebastian, Rosie, Ethan, Levi, Jackson, and of course, Winnie.“I just wanna raise a toast to my beautiful fiancee on her birthday today,” Colton said as he turned to Sierra. Everyone’s eyes were on them and they were ooh-ing and aah-ing. “Baby girl, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I don’t know if any of you know this, but Sierra and I first met on her birthday two years ago. Thank you for falling out of that window and letting me catch you,” Sierra let out a laugh and everyone else did too. “I lo
Dark Obsession 91. Homecoming
~ SIERRA ~- - - - - TWO WEEKS LATER - - - - -“Breaking news! Last night, in a surprising turn of events, members of the Rothschild family, Raphael Rothschild and his father, Nathanael Rothschild, one of the wealthiest and most prominent families in New York City, were arrested by the CIA in relation to a shooting incident in France…”Sierra was sitting on the couch in Colton’s penthouse apartment when she saw the news on the TV. Baby Sebastian was asleep in her arms and she was rocking him back and forth slowly. She reached for the remote and raised the volume up, but not too much because she didn’t want to wake the baby up.“The CIA was first tipped off by the French National Police when a shooting occurred in the outskirts of Paris several weeks ago. In the shooting, Raphael Rothschild, the youngest son of the Rothschild family was injured, along with twenty other men of Russian origin. At first, the French police arrested Henri Ascott, another prominent man of New York City’s eli
Dark Obsession 90. Venerable
~ SIERRA ~Dark. There was nothing but darkness for miles. Sierra couldn’t see anything in front of her. The last thing she remembered was seeing Raphael holding a gun to Colton's back and she jumped as fast as she could. The loud piercing sound of the gun cut through the air and that was it. Everything turned dark after that. Sierra didn’t know how long she was out for. Sometimes she’d see flashes of light. She could also see the faces of people leaning in front of her. First, it was Colton, but then there were people that she didn’t know. Seeing that they were wearing masks and uniforms, maybe they were nurses or doctors. They were also speaking in French. She didn't know what they were saying, but they looked worried, so she got worried too."Colton..." she kept calling for him. "The baby..."Colton and the baby were the only things in her mind. Sierra didn't even care that she was bleeding out, lying on an operating table. She kept calling for his name over and over, until the nu
Dark Obsession 89. Wake
~ COLTON ~The police siren rang loudly in the background as Colton speeded away. Sitting in the passenger seat, Sierra was groaning and writhing in pain, and blood kept dripping from the side of her stomach. Damon glanced at her every chance he could, and every time he saw the blood pooling on the seat and dripping to the floor, he felt sick to his stomach.“Col…” Sierra tried to speak, but she was too weak.“Yes, princess, I’m right here,” he shakily put a hand on her, while still trying to focus on the road. “Co…”“Ssh, don’t speak, it’s okay,” he cooed. “You’ll be alright, I promise,”Colton’s eyes were welling up with tears. His voice cracked as he spoke. He couldn’t bear looking at her like this, writhing in blood and pain. And not just that, he didn’t even want to think about the baby. If something happened to her or to the baby, he wouldn’t know how to live with himself.Luckily for Colton, after a short drive down the hill, he saw a small hospital with an ER sign. Using all
