MERCY HOSPITALFred walked past Avery's ward, intending only to peek in, but the sight stopped him cold. Avery sat on the hospital bed, her body rigid, her gaze locked on the wall with an eerie blankness. Something was wrong.Without thinking, he stepped into the room, letting the door swing shut behind him. "Avery," he began cautiously. "What's wrong?"She didn’t flinch, didn’t blink—just kept staring at the wall as though it might reveal some dark truth.Fred tried again, this time louder. “Avery! Avery!” His voice broke through her trance, and she jolted slightly, her eyes blinking rapidly.“What?” she snapped, scratching the side of her head. “What do you want?”Fred hesitated, taken aback by her tone. “I, uh… I just saw you sitting here. Thought something might be wrong.” He stepped closer but kept his distance, hands shoved awkwardly in his pockets.Avery groaned, clearly irritated. “What do you want, Fred? I’m really not in the mood for company.”Fred cleared his throat, his vo
Natalie creased her brows in confusion and screamed, “What are you saying? She was kidnapped!”She couldn't believe what she was hearing. This was the man who had once been too scared to threaten his ex-wife, the same man who flared up at her for merely meeting his ex-wife. And now? Now he didn’t care about her safety? It was baffling. Strange, even.“Are you done?” Fred asked nonchalantly, his voice icy as he turned on his heels to leave.“Hey! They’re asking for ten million dollars!” Natalie yelled, grabbing his arm with desperation. “You need to give them the money!”Fred flinched at her touch, yanking his arm away as though her fingers had burned him. He turned and shouted, “How do you know I even have that kind of money? Did you plan this, Natalie? Are you working with them?”Staring at him, her jaw dropping in shock. “For Christ’s sake, I’m your lawyer! It goes against my ethics to do something like that!”Letting out a sarcastic chuckle he rolled his eyes. “Oh, sure. Like you e
AN HOUR EARLIERBethany was still tied up on the cold floor, her hands sore from the tight ropes. No one had come to her aid. She kept hoping Fred would set their differences aside and help her. But hope was fleeting.Suddenly, footsteps echoed against the concrete. The door creaked open, and a man stepped in with a smug grin plastered across his face. He ripped the nylon bag off Bethany’s head.She jerked back, gasping for air, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Squinting against the light, she demanded, “Who are you?”“Shut up and listen,” the man barked. He pulled a tablet from behind his back and held it in front of her.Bethany frowned, still catching her breath. “What’s that?”The man smirked. “It’s a toy, idiot. Now pay attention.”The screen flickered to life. Bethany’s heart stopped when she saw the face staring back at her. Her lips curled in disgust.“You son of a bitch!” she yelled. “How dare you kidnap me?”The person on the screen—someone she knew all too well—tilted
Bethany stood frozen, her chest tightening as she watched Fred slide the ring onto Chantel’s finger. Chantel’s cheeks flushed a rosy pink as she squealed in delight, practically glowing under Fred’s adoring gaze. The scene felt surreal, like a joke meant to humiliate her.“What the hell is going on?” Bethany’s voice broke through the moment, sharp and incredulous. Her suitcase fell to the ground with a loud thud. Her eyes darted around the place searching for Natalie, but her so-called friend had conveniently vanished into thin air. Typical. Bethany’s gut twisted with betrayal.Fred, oblivious to her turmoil, turned back to Chantel and repeated, “Will you marry me?” His voice was smooth, practiced, as if he’d rehearsed it a hundred times.Rage bubbled beneath her skin, barely contained. Her fists clenched at her sides, the veins in her arms prominent as she tried to steady herself. It was so obvious that even Dean, standing quietly beside her, placed a steadying arm on her should
Natalie tossed the bullets up and down in her hand, a sly smirk playing on her lips.She stepped forward, her voice low but taunting. “Do you need this, Avery? Why don’t you come and run for it?”Avery screamed in frustration, lunging for her. But Natalie was faster. With a calculated flick, she threw the bullets out of the building.“No! You bitch!” Avery shrieked, darting toward the edge, desperate to see where they landed. But it was too late. They were gone.That was the last straw. Avery turned on Natalie, her fury palpable. She lunged again, hands outstretched to strangle her.But Natalie stood her ground, unfazed. Just as Avery was inches away, Natalie raised a finger, stopping her in her tracks.“One step closer, one scratch on my body, and I’ll have you dead by tomorrow. I signed a contract with your brother, and guess what? It doesn’t go against family.” Natalie’s smile was cold and cutting.Avery staggered backward, her hands trembling with rage. She screamed and stormed to
NATALIE'S HOMEThe little snowflakes fell onher eyelids, making her squint as she turned over on the chair. Instinctively, she sat up and rubbed her eyes."Ugh... What happened?" Bethany muttered, her voice hoarse. She pressed her fingers to her temples, trying to soothe the pounding headache that refused to relent.The pain was sharp, almost debilitating, and for a fleeting moment, she considered staying home. But no—she couldn't afford to sit her ass down. Not now. Not when she had a son to fight for. She shook her head, dismissing the idea.Her gaze swept across the place, landing on the mess of beer bottle that scattered on the floor. She groaned, the memories rushing back in little pieces. Natalie had forced alcohol on her the night before, and she'd stupidly joined, drinking herself into a stupor. No wonder her head felt like it was splitting in two.Carefully stepping over the shards of broken glass, she noticed a note taped to the door. She picked it up and read aloud, her l
As Bethany twisted the doorknob, it didn’t budge. Her eyes landed on a small passcode lock securing the door.She raised an eyebrow in confusion, but Jason, standing behind her, piped up. “You need a passcode. It’s...”Before he could finish, Fred walked in, gently pushing Jason aside.“You talk too much,” Fred said with a crooked smile, turning to Bethany.Jason shook his head and looked at Fred, his tone incredulous. “No, I was just telling her it’s—”Fred cut him off, covering his mouth with one hand and giving him a gentle shove toward the door. “Go meet Chantel. She needs you.”Bethany watched as Jason disappeared down the stairs, her curiosity piqued. What was behind that door that Fred had to send him away?“What’s behind there?” she asked, crossing her arms.Fred walked forward, hands shoved into his pockets. “We’re not married... so I don’t think you should be asking me that.”“Really?” Bethany raised an eyebrow.“Yeah.”She rolled her eyes and stared at the door again. “Inst
NATALIE'S HOMEBethany and Fred rushed to Natalie’s house, fear gripping them—mostly Bethany.“Natalie... I’m coming!” she yelled, breathless.But as they reached the entrance, they saw Natalie sitting on the floor, casually smoking a cigarette.Relief washed over Bethany, but confusion quickly followed. Wasn’t this the same Natalie who had screamed on the phone just moments ago, saying, “I need you now! Get here fast or I might die!”Bethany wore an exhausted frown and slowly walked toward her. “I thought you said you were going to die?”Natalie didn’t respond, her gaze fixed on the cigarette between her fingers.“Nat!” Bethany’s voice was sharp now, frustration creeping in.With a groan, Natalie flicked the cigarette to the ground and threw her hands up. “Okay, okay! I might have overreacted on the phone.” She stood up and moved toward the porch, a sheepish grin on her face.“Might have?” Bethany threw her hands up in disbelief. “You made me scared out of my mind!”Fred followed the
Bethany clung tightly to Fred’s waist as the bike rode down the empty road. The night air rushed past them, cool against her skin, but she wasn’t sure if the shiver running down her spine was from the cold or the man in front of her.They had been riding for over an hour when Fred finally pulled over near a secluded bridge. The road was abandoned and dirty while the sound of calm rushing water echoed below.Bethany got down, helmet still secured on her head, while Fred did the same.With a heavy sigh, he raised his hands in the sky.. “What a view,” he murmured, lips slightly parted in admiration."I can’t see a thing!" she snapped, frustrated.Bethany sighed, still wearing her helmet. “Okay, kidnapper. Mind telling me why we’re in the middle of nowhere?”Fred chuckled as he took off his helmet, shaking out his messy hair. “You seriously don’t remember this place?”“Should I?” Bethany frowned.Then, he stepped closer, eyes twinkling with mischief. Without warning, he reached for her h
NEXT MORNINGBethany woke up at 7 am, her body automatically rising at the same time every day. She rubbed her temples, trying to alleviate the throbbing pain. Memories of the previous day flooded her mind.She got out of bed and began getting ready for work. The hotel had reopened, and she was eager to start her day. As she opened the wardrobe, she was surprised to see a collection of clothes in her size."Huh…." She stared at the clothes in disbelief.She selected a suit jacket and trousers and placed them on the bed. After taking a shower, she came out wearing a towel wrapped around her body.Suddenly, she heard a voice behind her. "You look hot!!" Dean's voice sent shivers down her spine.Bethany shrieked in fear and turned around to see Dean peeking out from the door. "Oh my God! What are you doing here?" She yelled, tightening the towel around her body.Dean's eyes roamed over her, his gaze making her uncomfortable. "What happened, sweetie? I can't come in!" He asked softly.
FLASHBACK: 2 YEARS AGODEMAY SUPERMARKET Dean crouched behind a car, his gaze fixed on Bethany as she loaded bags of items into her car. He took a look at a photo of her on his phone and caressed the screen. "Don't worry, love... We'll be together soon!" he whispered, his voice filled with longing. Soon, he called a number and said. "She's trying to pack her things in the car. Be a stranger now and help her!" He hung up the call, and immediately, the man he hired had already arrived there and was helping her. "Until you're under my roof, I'll always be your watchman!" He said with a grin across his face.Just then, Natalie startled him, and he turned around to see her glaring at him with her hands on her hips. "You're doing this again. Stalking that innocent woman?" She said, concern laced in her words.Dean rolled his eyes and bit his lip as his gaze landed on Bethany's curvy body. "Nah, bro. If she was that innocent, she wouldn't have lured me in!" Natalie's expression twi
5 MINUTES LATERDean entered the sitting room with a smile on his face. He raised his gaze to see Bethany and Natalie staring out the window, watching the horses."Well... I'm back! You can leave!" Dean said in a low tone.Natalie nodded and was about to leave when he held her hand and whispered in her ear, "Tell her anything, and they will be dead!"She flinched, pulling her hand away from his, and kissed her teeth before walking out."So... you like the horses?" he asked, watching them together.She replied weakly, "Yeah.""You know... I could stare at your beauty all night long. If you listen to my demands now, there's a possibility I would reopen the hotel!"She raised her gaze and replied impatiently, "Really? Can you do that now? I hope you aren’t pulling my leg!""I can never, Bethany. Trust me, the hotel will be back in my hands. This is my way of showing loyalty and honesty!"Her gaze softened, and she asked, "So... what's the offer?"*****7 PMHer day was spent in Dean's ma
Fred tilted his head to see Dean standing before him with a grin on his face that was annoying to the core."I see you're already sulking in your loss. How did the raid of the hotel go?" Dean taunted.Fred clenched his hand into a fist and stood up to face him.But then Dean chuckled and put a finger on his chin, "Oh, I'm sorry. You couldn't be at the office because you'll be angry at your elimination!""Shut your fucking mouth. Who the hell let you in here?" Fred questioned, his face contorted with anger.Dean clicked his tongue and didn’t answer until his gaze met Bethany, whose innocent eyes were piercing into his.He said softly and started to take a few steps towards her, "Beth... You shouldn't be here!"Fred blocked his path and sneered, "Get back. If you go near her, I swear I'll kill you."He licked his lips and averted his gaze to Fred, "Haven't you hurt her enough? Does she need to be dragged into every one of our messes? You don't deserve her...""Hey..." Before Fred could
Suddenly, the last button was pressed and automatically he had been eliminated from the group.Fred was dumbfounded, his mind racing as he tried to process Natalie’s sudden change of heart. He couldn’t believe his step-sister could do something like this to him.Though she came from a family known for backstabbing and betrayal, Natalie had always been different—even more so than her twin brother, Dean.Could this be connected to what she said earlier in the hospital? Should he believe her?Dean snapped him out of his thoughts, jabbing his finger into Fred’s shoulder. “Finally… the little rat ate a bad snack and now has come crawling to me!”Fred felt disgust rise in him at Dean’s words, but he didn’t for a second take his eyes off Natalie, who had already removed her gaze from his.“Natalie… Why did you press that button?” His voice cracked as he took a step toward her, desperate for answers. But before he could get close, Dean shoved him back.“Stay away from my sister! You’ve brain
NEXT MORNING9 PMBethany was still shaken by what had happened yesterday. It was a hard choice to go to the office, but it wasn't up to her. She had to keep moving forward, even if it felt like the world was collapsing around her.She stepped out of her house and then noticed Ariel standing by her car, checking the trunk across the road.Confused, Bethany approached her a few steps forward and called out, “Do you need any help?”Ariel didn't respond. She continued inspecting her trunk with a focused look.Bethany muttered under her breath, “Your loss,” and turned to walk back to her car. But just as she was about to open the door, she saw Jason jump out of the car, dressed for school. He walked toward Ariel and appeared to be rubbing his stomach, almost as if he were hungry. He spoke to her, but Bethany couldn’t make out the words. Then, she saw Ariel yelling at him and he entered back into the car.Furious, Bethany stormed over and cleared her throat, placing her hand on her hip.
They glanced at each other for a moment, tension thick between them, before returning to their problems.Bethany bent to pick up her phone, her shaky hands fumbling as she clutched it tightly against her chest. Fred dialed a number with swift precision, his jaw tight as he spoke into the phone.Fred exhaled sharply, breaking the silence. “I know I said 48 hours,” he barked, his voice low and urgent, “but I need to get out of here. Now.” His words resounded in the small space, leaving Bethany frozen in her corner, her wide eyes darting toward him.Suddenly, the elevator doors parted with a soft chime. Standing in the doorway was Natalie, her blonde hair perfectly styled, an apple in her hand. She took a slow bite, her lips curling into a smirk.“You two didn’t even last an hour..amateurs,” Natalie said, her voice dripping with mockery. Her sharp heels clicked as she stepped aside, gesturing for them to exit. Fred shot her a glare as he brushed past, not bothering to respond.“A than
FRED'S HOMEChantel paced around the living room, waiting impatiently for Fred to return so they could discuss everything she had planned for their wedding.She had tried calling Kate multiple times, but her calls went unanswered. Avery was unavailable too—off to meet her husband.Where was the whole family when there was a wedding to plan?Frustrated, she took her phone and dialed his number again, but he still wasn’t picking up.In a fit of rage, she threw her phone to the floor and screamed, “That bastard! How dare he not come home?”A sudden thought struck her, and she gasped. “Oh my God! What if he’s with that slut? Oh no! If I don’t get pregnant, she won’t either!”“ It can't happen! It will never happen! " Determined, she rushed out to her car, intent on heading to his office.*****THE ELEVATORBethany had been trapped in the elevator for almost 20 minutes, and her mind was racing.She banged on the elevator walls, yelling, “Help! Somebody, get me out of here! Get me out!”Fr