Melinda sat motionless, her hands pressed against her blistering skin, eyes wide with disbelief. “You… You slapped me?” she whispered, her voice trembling as she spoke.“And I’ll slap you again if you push me!” Amelia sneered, her face twisted in rage. With her hands clenched by her sides, she stepped closer, dominating over Melinda.“You truly believe he loves you?! Girl… he feels sorry for you. You really think someone like…you, would be taken seriously by him? A billionaire and CEO of the biggest bank in this country?!”Every single word Amelia spat out pierced Melinda’s soul as tears kept flowing down her cheeks, her gaze locked on Amelia.Amelia wasn't finished, she drew closer to Melinda, and with her voice leaking with contempt, she spat,“Ask him for the picture of his late wife, Jessica. Sis…you don't come close! He has a type and you're at the very bottom! Once he’s done with you, he’ll spit you out like the trash you are!”Amelia adjusted herself, her eyes scanning Melinda
“I-I needed the money!” Karen blurted out, breaking the heavy silence that descended the hall. Everybody's gaze was fixated on her, all filled with cold, accusatory glares.“W-who wouldn't! I was in dire need of money so I took a little…That doesn't automatically mean I have anything to do with it!” She stuttered as her tone increased with every word. “It felt like a miracle, and I was desperate so I took it.” She continued, her words spilling out in a rush, filled with defensiveness.The atmosphere in the room felt tense as everyone’s haze remained locked on her, judging her. To them, her statements sounded like someone who was mentally deranged.Ethan was the first to break the silence. “Mr. Collins, you heard her right? This woman knows about the child trafficking and money laundering cartel. Nobody in their right senses takes money that doesn't belong to them!” Ethan uttered as he leaned in, tapping the table with intention, his gaze firmly fixed on Collins.“We are only just a
Melinda paused, her gaze still on Ryan as she tried to understand what he meant. “What do you mean by he is dangerous?” She muttered, her tone careful.Ryan let out a dark laugh. “Melinda, you have no idea who you're dealing with and honestly I feel sorry for you.” He said as he leaned back a bit, his voice heavy with scorn.“Your husband has been in prison for days and it is now you come to see him,” he continued.“You’re the one to talk! When I was in the hospital due to your constant humiliation, did you come to see me?” Melinda fired back, her time sharp and unexpected.Ryan was taken aback, staring at her momentarily before smirking. “Wow… you're talking back at me now? He must be fucking you good… giving you the audacity to talk back at your husband.” He spoke, his words soaked in sarcasm.Melinda readjusted herself, her grip on the phone tightening. “I’m not sleeping with my boss, Ryan. I Don't know where this is coming from but just stop,” she mumbled.Ryan’s eyes didn't leave
Ryan quickly pulled away, his expression showing some sort of relief to escape her even though he was still consumed with desire. “Hello? Yes…. That's good to hear”, he said stepping out of the bedroom, his backside swaying as he left. Melinda fell onto the bed, her body still deeply aroused but frustrated. As she watched him leave the room, an unsettling feeling wobbled in her mind. Something wasn't right. She remembered Ryan making similar late-night calls for weeks up until his arrest, and now again? Who was the one calling her husband at odd hours of the night? She pondered. Determined to find out who, she got out of bed, and headed for the room door. As she stepped out of the room, Ryan was already returning to the room. “Oh, baby, y-you are back already” she stammered with a subtle chuckle. “Yes,” Ryan responded as he headed for his pajama pants on the bed. “Who was that?” Melinda asked, her face twisted in curiosity. “It was my colleague at the care center, he
“I’ve waited all week to do this! I’m a psycho right?! I’ll show you what a psycho looks like!” He roared, his eyes blazing with fury that overwhelmed him. Leaning forward, he grabbed Melinda by the hand from the floor and gripped her neck. Melinda felt her life slipping away, her breath stuck in her throat as her hands scratched his, digging into his arms as she kicked and fought in an attempt to free herself, but he was too strong. “R-Ryan… Y-you’re hurting me… Please R-Ryan” she pleaded as she struggled to mutter the words. His eyes burned with raw rage as he tightened his grip. Her lungs burned for oxygen, and gradually her vision became blurred as she fought to stay conscious. For a moment, the only sound in the room was her weak desperate gasps as her body drained of oxygen. Then just as he grabbed her, he let her go. She crashed to the floor, gasping for air, coughing desperately, her hands on her throat as she crawled away from him. Ryan towered over her fragile lit
“W-what?! Amelia, can you stop this?!” Ethan stuttered, his hands paused mid-air, his expression filled with confusion on whether to say he loved her or not.Before he could react further, Amelia turned and stormed towards the door, her movements sharp and determined.Ethan’s instinct kicked in and he quickly stepped in her way, blocking her from moving forward.“Alright! I love you Amelia!” he exclaimed. “You do?…” Amelia whispered, her tone filled with a mixture of doubt and hope as her eyes widened. For a brief moment, the tension in the room seemed to ease. She stared deep into Ethan’s eyes as if searching for some sincerity in what he said.“Y-yes I do…” Ethan said, his voice shaky and firm at the same time. “Just don't move from here, let me deal with whoever is at the door.” He quickly turned and walked towards the door.As he opened the door, just enough to glance through, there stood Jane, his assistant, holding onto a stack of files.“Sir, here are the files you asked for,”
As the door opened, Ethan stepped out, with Amelia closely behind him. Melinda stepped back in surprise, caught unprepared. “G-Good day, boss,” she stammered nervously.“Good day, Melinda…” Ethan responded, his voice equally unsteady as his eyes widened slightly, surprised to see her. Behind him, Amelia’s expression changed to a mean look as she stared at Melinda with contempt.The three of them walked into the hallway, the tension thickening as they stood. Ethan let out a subtle sigh of relief, thankful that Melinda didn't appear a few minutes earlier.His thoughts raced as guilt engulfed him but he maintained his composure, his professional demeanor firmly placed. For a moment, there was silence, and then Melinda spoke. “I came to update you on the progress I have made concerning tracking where the money that was deposited in Mrs Karen’s account, came from,” she said, her tone direct and professional.She avoided Ethan’s gaze, and her eyes blinked briefly at Amelia before landing
Ryan’s lips widened with a smile, his composure calm and collected, and with a tiny trace of satisfaction, he smiled, almost like he wanted the moment to happen. Then he gestured casually between the two women. “Melinda, meet Iris, my friend. Iris, meet Melinda, my flatmate.” With a soft click of her heels on the floor, Iris walked towards Melinda, a wide grin on her face as she held out her hand, “Hello Melinda, it's a pleasure to meet you.” Melinda remained still, her heart racing as Iris's perfume scent became stronger with each step she took, the very same scent she perceived weeks ago in her matrimonial room. With her hands clenched to her sides, her fingers digging into her palms, she gave Iris a long stare, ignoring her stretched-out hands, and then her gaze shifted to Ryan. Her voice was low and loaded with suppressed anger as she spoke. “So this is the whore you've been sleeping with on our matrimonial bed right?” Silence filled the room, and Iris gave her a ster
Melinda gasped as Ethan’s intense eyes locked on her, the undeniable chemistry between them electric. Their lips met again, filled with longing and speed. Ethan’s hands explored her thighs, then moved to her back, unzipping her dress when suddenly, the door swung open.Lila stormed in, her voice sharp and demanding, “Ethan, why aren't you picking up your calls?! The entire board members and shareholders are waiting for you in the conference hall.”Her gaze was all over the place, and then it landed on the two of them, her expression hardening as she saw them. “So this is what you're doing? In the office, really Ethan?! And your investors are waiting for you downstairs!”Ethan simply rolled his eyes, unbothered, while Melinda hopped down from the office desk, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. Lila gave Melinda a venomous stare, her words soaked in cruelty,“This is the work you came here to do right? Being a whore!”“That’s enough Lila,” Ethan cut in immediately, his voice low and
“Hi, Ryan,” Melinda replied, her voice was flat and filled with scorn. She walked into the office, her eyes focused on the woman sitting at the office desk. “Hello, please I’m here to see Ryan. Can I borrow him for a minute?”“And you are?” The woman asked as she raised her eyebrow, curiosity written all over her face. A brief silence filled the air and then Ryan and Melinda blurted out almost at the same time,“He lives with me,”“She’s my ex-wife,”They both gave themselves a hard, cold stare before returning to the woman who was looking at them with so much confusion. Finally, the woman waved her hand dismissively, “Whatever… I’m done with him anyway.”Without saying a word, Ryan and Melinda walked out of the office, the tension between them thick. They walked down the staircase in silence, only the soft thug of their footsteps making a sound.Melinda paused at the bottom of the staircase and looked at the chair in the waiting room, contemplating whether they sat there or not but
Silence fell on the room, dense and stifling. Deborah stared at the open space as her thoughts raced, and Amelia’s gaze stayed fixed on her, waiting and trying to figure out what her mother would say.Deborah’s fingers unconsciously traced the shape of her jawline, her face hardening with uncertainty. “You're right,” she said calmly with conviction. “Let's just see how this goes…. If Ethan keeps being a stubborn goat, we will have no choice. She needs to be taken out of the picture.”Amelia’s lips widened with a sinister grin, her eyes sparkling with malice. “Yes!” she spat, her tone filled with spite. “I can't wait to take that bitch out… permanently!”Her voice was cold, devoid of any regret. She gradually shifted her gaze to the mirror in front of her, her thoughts already scheming. The two women sat in silence, their shared grudge choking the room as they stared ahead, united in their evil plans.——The door creaked as it opened and Melinda entered her parlor. On entering, a fou
Irene paused, her eyes fixed on Melinda as she struggled to find the right words. Her voice trembled, stumbling over words until she finally found the right words to say. “I r-returned back b-because…” She paused and adjusted herself, holding Melinda’s hands tightly. Her grip was warm yet unsteady, betraying the calm she desperately tried to show.“I came back because I needed to be close to you. Yes, I assumed you were probably dead but this city… It’s where I last saw you. I had to come back… to feel close to you.”She took a deep breath, her eyes dropping briefly before returning to Melinda again. “Then Sarah… the bitch is bedridden. God has helped me to punish her for all her sins, she’s now too weak to even pursue me. When I found out about her condition, I knew it was time… I had to come back.”Melinda studied her mum’s face, her expression reading skepticism. There was something about Irene’s story that felt off. The words seemed rehearsed, and her emotions felt overly calcula
“Melinda… There’s nothing I’d say to you now that will make you feel better. Sometimes, I wish I could turn back the hands of time and make better decisions…” She paused, her eyes on Melinda, while Melinda’s gaze was still distant, her expression unreadable.“I and your father didn't just decide to leave you and run away… We did that because we were scared. His ex wanted to kill us all,” Irene continued.Melinda’s eyes shifted to Irene as she stared at her in disbelief. It felt like a bad joke.Irene continued, “His ex was my best friend, Sarah, who came from a powerful, wealthy family. She was obsessed with your father, but her family didn't approve of him… He wasn't “worthy,” they said, so she married another man. Unfortunately, her heart was still with him.” “Eventually we fell in love with each other and kept it a secret from Sarah for many years, hiding it like thieves. When you eventually came into the picture, your father got tired of hiding. He believed Sarah had moved on, so
“Yes Boss!” Liam’s voice echoed from the kitchen as he rushed out, his steps hurried and anxious.“Where were you when she was cooking this… this abomination?!” Ethan roared, his voice vibrating across the dining room into the parlor as his eyes were fiercely on Liam.“S-sir… I was preparing smoked salmon with poached eggs when she walked into the kitchen, demanding to make your meal for you. I tried to explain to her that it was my duty to make your meals but she insisted, Sir.” Liam stuttered, his hands twisted behind his back, as his head slightly bowed.“I'm very sorry for the inconvenience Sir.” He continued, his hand gripping the other tightly, and his head still lowered slightly in compliance.Etjan’s eyes shifted to Amelia as he stared down at her. She stood beside him, trembling as she sobbed.“B-baby… I’m so sorry, let me make something else for you please, don't be upset…” she stammered.“Make what?!...” Ethan snapped. “Do you even know how to prepare anything meal at all?
Ethan turned off the shower with a quick twist, water dripping down from his hair as he faced Amelia. “Amelia, what is it?” he growled, his voice echoing off the bathroom tiles, low and controlled as he tried to suppress his rising anger. Amelia stood there unbothered, her face broadened by a wide smile, stretching the bandage on her forehead. “Baby, which would you prefer? Pancakes, shrimp, or bacon? I'm thinking of making pancakes with scrambled eggs but I don't know… would you prefer pancakes with bacon or shrimp and grits with Andouille sausage?” She replied, her tone bright and cheerful as if she didn't barge in on him taking a shower. Her legs and hands moved dramatically as she spoke, her eagerness engulfing the entire space.Silence fell, only the sound of drops of water from the shower was disrupting the silence. Ethan stared at her, his jaw tightening as he processed the drama unfolding before him. Then, with a quiet sigh, he responded, “Go to the room, I'm coming…”Ame
Melinda turned, her heart almost racing out of her chest. She gasped as her eyes landed on the figure calling her. It was a woman… similar in height and physique, with the same dark black hair as hers, though shorter. The resemblance was striking, almost like staring at her reflection.“Mother…” The words escaped her lips like a shaky whisper. Her legs trembled under her. This was a woman she had mourned, a woman she thought was dead! The mother she hadn't seen since she was five years old. There she was, standing right in front of her. It felt like she had seen a ghost.For a brief moment, it felt like time had come to a halt. They just stared at each other, lips slightly opened but no words to describe the moment or say anything at all. Tears gathered in Irene’s eyes, glowing like delicate jewels as they dropped. She stared at her little girl, now a woman, alive and healthy. A wave of relief and guilt washed over her. This was a child she had to leave in the care of child protecti
Then Ethan broke the silence., his tone harsh and sharp, seeking clarification.“Excuse me?… Coming to stay with me because?…” His face twisted, revealing a blend of confusion and growing rage.“Because your carelessness put her in that condition! You owe her that much Ethan!… My daughter, my only daughter!… What if she didn't survive huh?!” Deborah replied instantly, her voice rising like thunder, her eyes burning with anger as she pointed an accusing finger on Ethan.Ethan’s eyebrows twisted as his patience began to run out. “Hold on… your daughter came to my place… on her own accord. I didn't invite her nor did I cause her to slip and fall. So how's this a result of my carelessness?”“Besides, I thought she left at the time I told her to leave. How was I supposed to know she'll go hide in my kitchen to attack my guest after I left!” Ethan snapped, his voice escalating with each statement as his irritation boiled over.“That’s not the issue here! My daughter can't go back to that bi