It was nice seeing a most familiar face coming towards our table. Alice Rivera was smiling gracefully at Diana. When she got to the table, they exchanged pleasant hugs.I didn't expect her to come and embrace me too cause she doesn't know Tiffany. She doesn't know me. She shook hands with Ryan and Nicole before smacking Cooper in the head."Good to see you after so long, bedbug" She teased him. That has always been her nickname for him. Alice had nicknames for everyone in the house except Mrs Neveah of course. Speaking of Neveah....I watched as she moved across the room carrying so much aura with her. Her gown was silk gold with sparkling diamond stones. Everyone turned to stare at her. She's Royalty. I watched as the woman who locked me in prison for murdering her son, smiled at the crowd.Everyone on our table got up as she joined us. A sign of respect for the elderly. The sixty eight years old woman to
As the night went on, the diamond on my neck seemed to weigh heavier and heavier. I'd had to listen to Jacob talk about how he bought a hotel from Irish men."Are you here with the Riveras?" Jacob suddenly asked me. I pushed my glass of wine away."What?""I see you sat with them...you must be close to them" Jacob half grinned and I didn't want to take that as a sign for anything."My husband, Lucas is quite familiar with them" I said.Jacob chuckled. "So your Grayson's wife" he clapped his hands together. "No wonder he hasn't taken his eyes of you"I turned toward the curtain to where Lucas sat. He held a glass of red wine and his head was tilted toward the bar."You can say so" I smiled. "About your earlier questions about the Riveras" I moved in my seat so I was closer to him. That way, I can whisper if I have to. "How do you know them?"
It's been four days and I haven't seen Lucas. I know he's sometimes around the house somewhere. But it's just so darn big to even look for him anywhere. four days ago, he hired a cook. She's in her fifties and pretty decent. She also seem to know Lucas from before. She has a daughter Anna.Her name is Lara. She's been a great company to me since she arrived yesterday. We shared jokes and also she even taught me some recipes. She's a great cook.As for Lucas, I wonder if he even has dinner. He leaves the house very early and comes back very late. Though Lara says he eats dinner. I think he's avoiding me.I saw him in the gazebo yesterday but he looked so busy and he was with a man so I didn't approach him. After then, he disappeared. Just like he'd been doing for two days.I spotted Autumn in the garden some few times. She found herself a new bug and she's building him a home in the trees. I usually w
The sound of a huge crash against the wall jerked me up immediately and I was in full panic. I searched the bedside for the lamp. When my hand found it, I clicked it on and then sat on my bed wondering what to do next.If I get out of bed and check through the windows, I might frighten myself but yet again, I'm curious. I reach for my phone by my bed side and turned on the flashlight. As I was about to get out of bed, the door to my room creaked opened and I shrinked in my movements.Too scared to ask who it was, I just got back under the blanket. The besides lamp was low enough for anyone to not see me under the covers. There was movement in my room and then I got a whiff of that familiar honey scent hit my nostrils.'Elaine" Lucas called out and I jerked up again and ran into his arms."There was a noise" I ramble on but his hands stroke my hair."I heard so I came to check up on you fir
The warm morning breeze hit against my face as I stepped out into my balcony. The days seemed to get hotter and hotter and I was just about so close to using the pool. When would summer be over?Few men were littered around the back trying to fix the fallen wall from last night. My body cringed when I remembered the awful noise of a car hitting against something and the way I felt someone was watching me. Who does that anyway. What a creep! I hope they find him soon.I went back into my room to put on my robe and brush my teeth before walking down the stairs. Lucas was there with Lara. He was relaxing against the kitchen counter while she was chopping vegetables."Good morning Lara" I said when she spotted me. Lucas turned to me before smiling."Look who had a goodnight rest" he grinned."Only because you were there" I smiled and then frowned when I thought about what I just said.
"Ellie would like to go on a little excercise sometimes. At least an hour per day. You seem to have a good amount of land and lawn, so Mrs Grayson can give her some walks. Then she won't be any trouble" Will said.I looked over at Ellie who was trying to get a mouthful of my dress into her mouth. I didn't try to stop her, just enjoyed watching her.Ryan chose the perfect moment to drive into the yard and we could see him through the glass doors as he carried a crate from the back of the Jeep."As long as she has all her supplies, she'll be good" Will handed Lucas a paper. I'm not sure what's on it but Lucas looked thoughtful before signing it.I watched as Harry and Larry helped carry Ellie's supply into the house. The supplies constituted of 3, 40 pounds of dog food, mesh bag of toys and of course, her bedding.Ryan came in next with a Durapet stainless steel dog bowl and placed it in fro
I held Ellie's leash so she doesn't go all wild on him. After all, we don't know why he's here. Maybe he's visiting a friend or family. He looks nicely dressed and not in a black leather with mask covering his face."Oh hi Jacob"He smiled showing off his teeth. More like grin."Didn't think I'd see you so soon but it's just my luck" He smiled."I'm flattered." Ellie was still growling but she doesn't have a look on her face or stance that promises death. "What are you doing here anyway?""I own a house here" he said with raised brow and a smile. Then that's a good thing then."That's nice. This region is known for having the best houses" I smiled."Yeah, sadly, it's not as nice as yours" he grinned and I flinched. How does he know where I live? I fiddled around with my feet.No need to make assumptions Elaine. He's probably just
My alarm went off and I shoved my blonde hair away from my face. I slept off with a terrible headache last night. After going through those papers and sticker notes Lucas sent to me, I tried to find possibilities and facts that Jacob killed Ethan. I just couldn't find any.I rolled out of bed finally and slowly so I don't trigger whatever pain there is left in my head. Ellie sat upright and stuck her tongue out. She insisted on laying on my bed last night and I didn't have the strength to fight with her.My phone chimed with a message and I reached by my bedside to get it.Lucas: Good morning :)I don't know Lucas to use smiley faces. He looks like a big buff guy who'd use emojis with caps and leather jacket. If there were any. Morning. :)He didn't waste any time to reply.What do you have planned today?
TWO WEEKS LATERELAINE’S POVMy fingers trace the delicate patterns etched into the stone, the cool texture of Ethan’s name grounding me as the breeze stirs the wildflowers planted near the edges of his grave. The faint scent of earth and blooms fills the air, mingling with the rustle of the surrounding trees. Autumn walks ahead of me, her small figure illuminated by the soft sunlight breaking through the clouds.She kneels beside the stone, her little hands carefully placing a pair of daisies at its base. Her chestnut hair is pulled back into a neat bun, accentuating her delicate features. Even now, with her bright eyes and curious demeanor, the weight of loss lingers in the curve of her shoulders. My heart tightens, and I reach for her hand, squeezing it gently. A silent gesture of solidarity.We step back together, standing in quiet reverence. Five years. It’s been five long, tumultuous years since Ethan left us. Since my life was torn apart, my freedom stolen, and my daughter take
Autumn pulled back just enough to look at me, her bright eyes searching mine. “You’re my mom. You’ve always been my mom. And I’m so happy you’re okay.”I couldn’t stop the tears that welled up and spilled down my cheeks. I wanted to hold her tighter, to tell her how much I loved her, but my body felt like it had been weighed down with lead.Diana touched my arm gently. “You’ve been out for three days. The doctors said you needed time to recover. You gave us quite a scare.”Three days. The words echoed in my mind as I tried to process them. Flashes of memory came back—the warehouse, the flames, Neveah’s twisted smile, and Lucas... Lucas fighting to save me.“Lucas...” I murmured, my heart clenching. “Is he—?”“He’s fine,” Diana reassured me quickly. “A little banged up, but he’s tougher than he looks.” She smiled faintly, though the worry still lingered in her eyes. “Now, let me call the nurse to check on you.”She stepped toward the door and pressed a button on the wall, summoning the
The pain in my arm blurs my vision, but I push through it. I can’t stop now. Not when Elaine’s life is hanging by a thread. I stagger to my feet, using my uninjured arm to steady myself, but Dogue’s already there, looming like a shadow. He charges at me again, his fists like wrecking balls, but I’m ready this time.I sidestep him at the last second, using his momentum against him. With a grunt, I slam him into the wall with enough force to rattle the concrete. My head spins, but I force myself to focus, ignoring the blood pouring from my wound. I can’t afford to lose now. Not when I’m this close.But Dogue’s no amateur. He recovers quickly, spinning around to face me, eyes wild with fury. This time, when he lunges, I’m too slow to dodge. His fist connects with my gut, knocking the wind out of me. The impact is so sharp, so sudden, I stumble back, my knees threatening to buckle.Before I can regain my footing, he’s on me again, grabbing me by the collar and slamming me into the floor.
"You’re the worst, Niveah," I say, my voice trembling with fury as tears stream down my face. "The worst wife, the worst mother, the worst mother-in-law. You’re a monster."Her lips twitch, her brows arching as if she’s amused by my outburst. "No, Elaine," she murmurs, her voice cold and venomous. "It’s not me—it’s the world that made me this way. The people around me shaped this. My father, my mother—they were never happy. They forced their failures onto me. I never had a husband who loved me. All I had was my title."My hands clench against the ropes binding me to the chair, my nails digging into my palms. "Your husband may not have loved you, but he gave you children who did," I spit out, my voice rising despite the fear pressing down on my chest. "Ethan adored you, Niveah! He adored you so much that every fight we had was about how to please you. To make you proud."Her mask cracks for a fleeting moment, but she forces it back into place, her icy demeanor hardening."And what abou
I don’t wait to see what Neveah will do next. My legs move on their own, propelling me out of her room and down the hallway. My pulse pounds in my ears as I rush toward Autumn’s room. I fling the door open without knocking, startling her where she sits by the window, bathed in the faint glow of the evening."Mrs Grayson?" she says, turning her wide eyes to me. Her voice is soft, almost fragile."Autumn, listen to me." I kneel in front of her, gripping her hands. They’re warm, a stark contrast to the icy dread spreading through me. "I need you to stay in your room. Lock the door, don’t open it for anyone—no matter what. Do you understand?"Her brow furrows. "What’s going on? You’re scaring me.""I’ll explain later," I say, forcing a calmness I don’t feel into my voice. "But right now, I need to know that you’ll stay here. Please, Autumn."She hesitates, her gaze searching mine. Finally, she nods. "Okay. I’ll stay."I squeeze her hands in gratitude, my heart aching at the worry etched a
"Neveah," I choked, forcing her name past the tightness in my throat. My voice sounded steady, but inside I was spiraling. Had she seen what I was doing? How long had she been standing there, watching?She stepped forward, her feet barely making a sound on the wooden floor. The soft click of the door closing behind her felt like the echo of a prison gate slamming shut."I always wondered if curiosity would get the better of you," she said, her tone light, almost conversational, but her gaze stayed sharp, unwavering. She called me by my name. She recognized me but since when? I try to act like I hadn't heard her call me Elaine. Maybe it was my mind playing tricks on me.I swallowed, feeling the pen pressing into the skin of my forearm where I’d hidden it. "I—" My voice faltered, the words tangling in my throat. "I didn’t mean to intrude. The door wasn’t closed, and I..."Her lips twitched—whether it was an attempt at a smile or a sign of displeasure, I couldn’t tell. "The door wasn’t c
As I move down the hallway toward Nicole and Cooper’s room, a flicker of movement catches my attention. My steps falter, and I glance to my left. Neveah’s door is ajar—unlocked for the first time since I’ve known her. The crack in the door reveals a sliver of warm light spilling into the hallway.I hesitate, my curiosity gnawing at me like a persistent itch. Neveah is nothing if not meticulous. Her room is usually a fortress, sealed off from the rest of the house like a shrine to her carefully curated life. But now, it stands slightly open, an invitation I can’t ignore.Glancing behind me to ensure no one’s watching, I nudge the door further with the tips of my fingers, slipping inside without a sound.The room feels like stepping into another era. It’s vintage to its very core, with heavy, dark wooden furniture that gleams under the soft amber glow of an oil lamp on the bedside table. The air carries a faint hint of lavender, mingled with the musk of aged wood. A sprawling four-poste
The moment I step through the door, I call Lucas. My fingers tremble as I press his name on the screen, and he picks up on the first ring, his voice steady and laced with concern.“Tiff, are you alright?”“Yeah,” I reply, my tone subdued, though my racing thoughts make it sound hollow.There’s a pause, followed by the faint sounds of movement on his end. I can hear him rustling papers, the soft scrape of what I imagine are his keys being picked up. He’s getting ready to leave, to come straight to me. I close my eyes, the tension in my chest easing slightly, and add quickly, “I’m fine, really.”The sounds stop abruptly. He’s listening intently now. “What’s wrong?”I swallow hard, forcing the words out even though they taste bitter on my tongue. “It’s just... the culprit for the Simpsons murder—it was actually the wife.”My voice falters at the end, cracking with unspoken fears. The admission feels like a confession, as though I’m baring something about myself I’d rather keep hidden. Th
Diana, Jacob, Ryan, Lucas, Mrs Niveah. Those where the people present at the house that night. An information I already knew but only confirmed with the. help of the cctv. I;d say the only thing i gained from witching the clips was seeing Ethan again.I play the clips all over. in my head again as I jog along the lake road, Ellie at my heels, her tongue dangling out and excited to be outdoors again. The clip; Ethan comes home, I know what happens next because i was there. He handed me a single rose like he did most days he got back from work and a letter of approval for Autumn to get in an all girls boarding school the next year.I disagreeed because i felt she was too young, to be away from me, from her father and the home she was most comfortable in. Mrs Niveah wanted it so bad, said all her kids where sent away at a young age to a princeton high college for better education. But not my baby. Not Autumn. I wanted things different for her. A normal life where she could come home to h