AUTHOR'S POV SYDNEY COULD FEEL her heart in her mouth when the taxi pulled to a stop in front of Montana Hotel. The only time Gavin had gone to Montana Hotel was when he needed time alone with Sydney. She paid the driver and walked into the hotel. When the receptionist saw her approaching, he pretended like he was talking over the telephone. " Oh, Mr. Rodney... Uh... Yes." Sydney wasn't a fool. She could tell he was pretending. " Clinton, Mr. Rodney is over there." She said and gestured towards Rodney who talking with some men in tuxedos. He chuckled nervously and dropped the telephone. Like he knew what Sydney came for, he said, " Mr. Reed is in room... 15 VVIP. " Her face became paler. She thanked Clinton and headed for the stairs giving herself enough time to pull herself together. Gavin was certainly with someone since he booked an erotic suite. When she reached the VVIP floor. Her head ached from the vermilion-lighted hallway. She stopped by the 15th door and slipped
AUTHORS POV SYDNEY STARED AT Gabriel in a daze. She tried to check from his facial expression whether he was kidding but he looked dead serious. " You are kidding aren't you?" She asked incredulously. He responded in a rigid tone. " No, Sydney, I'm not joking. You want to be in Arizona today, I'll fly you there." She was more confused. He was a lumberjack, not a pilot. If he wasn't a pilot, it meant he had a private plane, but how could he? He's not an elite. The elevator opened with people waiting outside impatiently. Sydney was still staring at Gabriel in confusion so, he grabbed her hand and walked out of the elevator. As they walked out of the hotel, his hand firmly holding hers, she asked. " Where are we going, Gabriel?" " I have a friend who owns a private jet. He lets me use it often. He wouldn't mind this time. I can fly a plane so I'll take you to Arizona." He explained, coherently.o " But, I can't let you go with me to Arizona. What about your job?" They stopped
AUTHOR'S POVSydney and Gabriel landed in Arizona before midnight. They hailed a taxi to the Morgans. Thirty minutes later, Sydney stood by the front door of the home she'd spent her treacherous childhood in with a man who wasn't her husband by her side. Her stomach was suddenly grumbling. She hoped Caleb was miles away from Arizona on a business trip.Releasing a breath, she turned to Gabriel and looked at him with grateful eyes. "You've done enough for me, Gabriel.""I could do more," he replied.She stretched out a hand to silence him. "It's been a long day. You need to rest." She reached into her purse. "I'll pay for you to sleep in a hotel tonight."He watched her as she searched her purse. He understood she didn't like being helped or assisted with something, but he knew that wasn't the reason she wanted him away. He was just some strange man she'd met in the worst circumstances. He wasn't her husband. He wasn't the man who made her heart skip a beat.Sydney raised a bundle of d
AUTHOR'S POV Caleb pushed Sydney away aggressively causing her to hit her forehead on the wooden bed frame. Ashley stared at her daughter helplessly, she couldn't raise a muscle without feeling immense pain. Guilt washed over Amaya's features. She had called Sydney earlier to inform her that her mother had cancer and needed urgent treatment but Caleb caught her trying to call Sydney. He hit her until she confessed to him. He couldn't care less about Ashley's alignment after all; he had been with her far more than he bargained. His business statistics have been descending ever since Sydney's supposed scandal and if nothing was done quickly, he'd be back to square one. So, he asked Amaya to call Sydney again, and he used Ashley as a tool to get Sydney to Arizona. Sydney sulked, blood was oozing from the top of her left eyebrow. She looked at Ashley, “ Why didn't you tell me this earlier?” “ I…was scared Sydney. I'm tired, I want to rest. “ Ashley choked out a response. Cale
Instinctively, Sydney's hand slid off Gabriel's after hearing his demand. She had a little faith he was an honest man. Why would he offer to fly her to Arizona if he wouldn't benefit from it? No wonder he wanted her to go into the house first. It had been his plan all along."Have you lost your mind!" Caleb barked. Over the past few weeks, he had lost a lot of money and incurred loads of debts. He barely had 50 million left, and this man wanted to rip him off. Gabriel seemed nonchalant. "Send me fifteen million, and I'll delete the video and leave you to do as you please with these women." Sydney couldn't hold it in anymore. She grabbed Gabriel's arm and forced him to look at her. "You are a disgusting man! How can you let someone die because of money? If you'd told me from the start money was your goddamn problem, I would have given it to you."Caleb jumped in. "Don't you dare emotionally blackmail him?" He turned to Gabriel and said, "Fine, I'll give you the money, but first
AUTHORS POV " You'll be fine, some people survive cancer." Sydney recited continuously as she sat next to Ashley, who was asleep. Ashley's test results revealed she had stage two cancer, which weakened her bones. The doctor advised Ashley to undergo palliative chemotherapy in the meantime and said there was an eighty percent chance she'd get paralyzed." It's just a phase you'll get out of it."Amaya walked into the ward, her eyes swollen from crying while Gabriel stopped by the door. They'd been in the hospital for almost three hours and no one had slept. " You need to rest, ma'am; you look ashen," Amaya advised in concern. " No, I'll stay here till my mother wakes up," Sydney said stubbornly. The bags under her eyes were very clear now. Gabriel wondered if she had even had anything to eat throughout the day." She is right; you need to rest, Sydney," Gabriel commented.Sydney looked at him with eagle eyes. " I'm not leaving here till she wakes up." Gabriel frowned at her. "
AUTHOR'S POV" Let me go! You are a crazy man!" The woman cuffed to the bed screamed at her husband standing before her.He sat next to her and shoved the red hair over her face away. " This is the only way I can protect you." His voice was barely above a whisper.The woman had returned from work, just to be ceased by he husband and handcuffed to the bed." Let me go. I don't want to be with you; I don't love you anymore; let me go!" She screamed but the man sitting next to her was beyond reasoning." It won't take long for him to turn his back on you."" He would never, he loves me. Not every man is like your mother's lover; grow up, Gabriel! This marriage can never work, let me go!"Gabriel ground his teeth angrily and got up from the bed. His eyes were blazing with intensity, and he looked at her. " I love you and I'm trying to protect you. The sooner you realize that, the sooner, I'd let you go."____________A week had gone by since Sydney arrived in Arizona. Ashley looked a lo
AUTHOR'S POV " Are you going to tell me what's wrong, or are you going to continue acting like a b**ch?" Aaron asked Avery who was putting on her earrings in front of the dresser. Minutes ago they were on the bed devouring each other. When Aaron hovered above her and was about to thrust into her, she pushed him away and got off the bed. " It's none of your business so stop asking." She said savagely and put on her flats. Aaron shot out of the bed and grabbed her before she could leave. Avery tried to disengage her arm from his grip but to no avail. " Let go of me, Aaron!" " Since when has your business not been mine? For goodness sake, I'm your boyfriend!" Her jaw clenched and she moved her face very close to his. He swallowed hard and his grip on her loosened. " If you want to hear it, fine. I don't love you, you are a pathetic man. I used you and I'm done now. So, I'm ending this stupid relationship." She pushed him away aggressively, and he fell to the ground. " I
ETHAN'S POV It's been five years since I've last seen Dad. Since we'd left California, he had been non-existent from the world. From us. From me. Old classmates tell me his posters have been ripped from the walls; his business has been wiped out from the physical and virtual world. A Mafia man has taken his place in his company. His name is no longer talked about on likable lips. He had disappeared into oblivion. Mum kept crying about it, and I told her she shouldn't cry over the dead. She said dad is not dead; she said he's living; she said someone had seen him in New Orleans. She is lying because I only know that he's dead. Mum is talking over the phone; she is mentioning Dad's name. I can hear his voice over the loud call, but I know it is not his since the dead do not talk. Dad is dead. Someone called my name. Mum is looking at me. She says something. I think she says Dad wants to talk to me. I make no effort to move because I know my father is not living. " Ethan."
GIL'S HEART POUNDED in his chest at Sofia's silence.It was approximately twenty seconds since he proposed the question.21. 22. 23.Gil was sweating in the cold.He detested rejection more than anything else. He was a mess after his ex left him. He nearly jumped into the ocean when his family disowned him.He told himself he'd end his life if she said no."Baby..." Gil gave a crazy drawl. "I understand that it is early, but—"Gil was caught off guard when Sofia wrapped her arm around his neck and gave him a big wet kiss.She put her forehead on his and drew her lips away. She was smiling, blushing, crying."What if I said no?" She teased."Next week would be the date of my funeral."Sofia laughed and kissed him again. "I love you, and yes, there is nothing I'd want more than for you to be my groom.""Oh, boy." Gil sighed and pulled away.With trepidation, he removed a ring and placed it on her ring finger."Perfect fit." He laughed and pulled her into a short kiss before pulling awa
Sofia was just about to head to the coffee shop to begin her business task for the day. She insisted on doing the task that day even though Alfred informed her it could be done any day of the week.After thinking what Sydney said through, she called Alfred and told him she wanted to postpone the task.Alfred was also in the light about Gil's plan and cleverly replied to her, careful not to create any suspicion.Up in her room, Sofia put on a crimson button-up dress that was slim-fitting, put on a little makeup, tucked her hair in a tidy bun, and left for Gil's apartment.By the time she'd reached his front door, her heart was in her mouth. She was a bundle of nerves."You can do this." She let out a breath and reached for his doorbell, only to discover the door was open.She thought it'd be fun catching him off guard, so she slowly opened the door further and entered into the house that was almost completely dark.She could see nothing but the sun's rays that filtered through the heav
SYDNEY GRABBED EMILY'S bag off the dining table and ran to the front door where Gavin stood. He'd stopped by every morning to pick up the kids and drop them off at school. Sydney hardly spent time with them anymore, since they spent most of the day in school and with their daddy. It was only at night Gavin would drop them off, and at times, they'd sleep over at his place. As much as Sydney missed them, she knew their relationship with Gavin had dampened over the months, and spending quality time with him will strengthen their bond once again. She'd been happy to see Ethan smile genuinely again. Although he stopped playing hockey after being disqualified from the championship game, he played hockey with his daddy at the public hockey field. "Emily has been complaining of tooth pain." Gavin said as he collected the bag from her. Leaning against the doorframe, Sydney scratched her brows. "You give her too much candy." Sydney accused. She complains that you give her too many apple
" When I was a kid I had this unquenchable desire for things. My father gave me everything I wanted on a silver plate, it was always a yes as an answer and never a no." He rested his hand on the vanity and exhaled. " Because of that, I grew up with the expectation of getting everything I wanted. One day I came home from school and saw... " He paused and shut his eyes. " I saw my mum on bed having s!x with a man that used to be my father's co-worker. I don't know why, but I knew at that moment I wanted him dead; I wanted to squeeze him with my bare hands and rip him into pieces." " And I did, it felt so good seeing him cry and beg for mercy... Mother explained that she loved him. She said he was the right man for her." Gabriel scoffed. " I saw them once, he cuffed her to the walls and hit her like she was his play doll. Again and again, he did; he kept on saying I love you; it's just the pain that comes with being in love, you piece of shit." Gabriel's knuckles were white with rage.
EYES WIDE in shock, Sydney searched the counter for a knife or something she could use as a weapon of defense. Her gaze was still trained on Gabriel as his eyes searched the house before it eventually dropped on her.A plate fell to the ground and shattered.Sydney flinched from the sound and piece that made contact with her skin, but she didn't move, nor did Gabriel.Despite breaking a plate, Sydney still resumed her search for a knife." What are you doing here?" Gabriel was walking towards her now. He was dressed in blue tailored khaki pants, a grey shirt, and a blue polished brogue. He had a fresh new haircut and looked more like a wealthy specimen than a broke lumberjack." You are too careless." He looked at the cut on her leg, frowning." I thought I warned you to stay away."His eyes met hers. For the first time, she saw an indifferent, unsympathetic look in his eyes. Was he going to try to kidnap her and lock her up?Sydney finally felt a butcher knife on the counter and q
SCHOOL RESUMED PRETTY early, so, Sydney was left alone at Sofia's place with herself and thoughts. She decided to vacuum the house and do the laundry and other household chores to kill time. She had thrown out the laptop alongside all the things Gabriel had gotten for her. She refused to hold on to anything he gave her. It all poured down on her like lava when her mind was off Avery's death. The jet. His next to perfect personality. The yacht. The necklace. Clothes. Chains. The faint screams she'd heard in his penthouse, she thought it was her mind playing tricks on her. The truth was there all along, looking her in the face. No wonder he was friends with many rich people. Everything was all a facàde. He must have pretended to be poor to cover up his crimes! Sydney fell to the couch and shoved a hand through her hair. " The drawings oh my God! " It occurred to her he'd draw the people he'd tortured. He'd drawn the things he found appealing. Sydney shut her eyes a
A week went by, businesses were reopening. People returned from their holiday vacations, employees resumed work. Sofia returned to Beverly Hills just to receive news on what had happened.Sydney stayed in a motel with her kids before Sofia returned. She asked Sofia if she could crash at her place till they left the country. Sofia asked why she wasn't staying with Gabriel and Sydney told her all that occurred. Sydney felt like she ripped a hole through Sofia's heart after that because Sofia wouldn't stop crying afterward.Meanwhile, Auxanger was found hanging lifelessly from a rope on the ceiling after Avery's death. When he heard his daughter was dead, he called Caleb and blamed him for everything that happened. He threatened to report to the cops. Caleb showed up at his home uninvited, suffocated him to death with a pillow, and tied him to the ceiling so everyone would believe it was suicide.On the other hand, Gil tried reaching out to Sofia, but she wouldn't pick up his calls. He
TIME STOOD STILL and so did Sydney. A mortified gasp escaped her parted lips when she saw the permanent look of shock on Avery's face.Sydney stepped back as Avery began to stumble backward, mouth wide open and eyes the shape of a crystal ball.The bullet penetrated her upper chest, blood was flowing out, staining her shirt." No, no." Sydney felt suspended in the air. All she could hear were the echoes of silence.The front door opened.As Avery crumbled to the ground, Sydney's gaze was now fixated on Gabriel, who stood wide-eyed by the front door." J**sus Christ, what happened?!" Gabriel stormed into the house nearly tripping over his leg. He grabbed Sydney's shoulder firmly and pushed her back protectively as if Avery would wake up and try to attack her.Gabriel's eyes quickly scanned Sydney's pale face. " Did she try to hurt you? Shit, I shouldn't have left you alone. Did she touch you, huh? Sydney why aren't you saying... "His words caught in his throat when he desicried the p