MARIANNE Troy's car pulled up in front of Ray Industries. From across the passenger seat, I gave him a small smile before glancing back. The two police vans that had escorted us stopped behind our car. Twelve armed officers emerged, standing ready and waiting for my command. I smiled in satisfaction. Inspector Astrid, the officer assigned to me by the commissioner, had proven to be highly efficient. I had only spoken with him this morning, explaining what I needed, and he acted swiftly, providing the officers and assuring me he would be available whenever I required. Troy and I walked into the building with our heads held high, the twelve officers trailing behind. Our presence caused an immediate stir. Employees stared at us in silence, their faces pale with unease, while the security guards stood aside, respectful of the armed officers’ authority. I ignored them all. These faces were familiar, but they meant nothing to me now. I had one target: the chairman’s office—the off
MARIANNE I glanced up and was struck by how much Tony had changed. The man standing before me bore little resemblance to the one I had struck with a gun just days ago. His well-trimmed beard gave him a polished look, but I wasn’t fooled. He might deceive the world, but not me. He strode toward the table, arrogance radiating from him. "Marianne was my best friend," he declared smugly. "And I know for a fact she had no sister." I scoffed. "Her best friend? Funny, she never mentioned you to me—not once. If you were so close, why would she keep your existence from me?" I leaned forward, locking eyes with him. "Besides, what gives you the right to challenge my relationship with my sister? Were you involved with her in a way that grants you any legal right to question me?" His expression faltered, and I saw the crack in his composure. He couldn’t bring up the name of Marianne’s husband—after all, Tony was supposed to be dead. "No matter what you say, I don’t believe your lies,"
MARIANNE "What?" Tony charged toward me, his eyes shooting daggers. "How dare you? Who the hell do you think you are?" Before he could reach me, the officers stepped in, restraining him. He was quickly cuffed, his anger powerless against them. I chuckled at the priceless look on his face. "Don’t be too upset, Frank. What other fate would a thief deserve?" Scanning the room, I gauged the reactions of everyone. When my eyes landed on Mildred, I raised my brows in realization. Her eyes were shimmering with unshed tears, her gaze locked on Tony, who was pinned to the ground by the police. Her fists were clenched so tightly I could almost feel the tension from across the room. She would’ve killed the officers holding him down if she had the chance. Of course. Mildred was in love with Tony. Everything suddenly made sense. She must have been having an affair with him while I was still married. No wonder she betrayed me so easily, without a shred of guilt. Did Britney know abou
MARIANNE I left Ray Industries with Troy by my side, other plans in mind. "Where are we heading now?" he asked, taking charge of the wheel. "Considering how you urged me to leave earlier, I thought you already had it figured out," I replied. "If I knew, I wouldn’t be asking, would I?" I nodded, conceding the point. "Fair enough. We're visiting someone." "And who might that be?" he pressed. "Family," I said simply. He furrowed his brow. "Congrats, you’ve managed to confuse me even more." I chuckled. "Don’t worry. This time, I won't be using you as part of the plan." "Not that I’m complaining," he muttered under his breath. I gave him the address, and after a short drive, we pulled up to a modest house. "This looks like it belongs to someone living a very average life," Troy observed as we got out of the car. "Yeah," I nodded. "They sold their real house and have been hiding here to dodge creditors." Realization dawned on his face. "Paula?" I smiled. "You’re quicker than
MARIANNE A sharp yelp escaped Paula's mother's lips, and the knife in her hand clattered to the ground as she staggered backward, collapsing onto the floor. I gulped, realizing Troy had thrown his phone at her, striking her by the side of her head. Unfortunately, his phone hadn’t fared any better. It landed with a crash, the screen shattering, while Troy stepped forward and swiftly picked up the knife. Paula’s mother remained on the floor, sobbing in pain and hurling insults at me as the police rushed into the house, alerted by the commotion. "Mrs. Stanford, are you okay?" the sergeant asked, entering with another officer. I shook my head. "No. This woman tried to kill me. If my husband hadn’t intervened when he did, I would be dead." "Will you be pressing charges?" the sergeant asked, his tone steady. "Absolutely," I replied firmly. "Arrest her for attempted murder." After Paula’s mother was handcuffed and taken away, Troy turned to me. "We should head to the hospit
MARIANNE I turned my face away from Troy, avoiding his gaze, and said, "I need to go back home now." His eyes lit up with excitement. "To fulfill my needs?" he teased. I scoffed, shaking my head. "Hell no! I'm exhausted, Troy. I need to eat something and take a nap. I’ve still got one more place to go later." He rolled his eyes dramatically. "Way to ruin my happiness, Aislinn." I couldn’t help but smile at his playful frustration. "Don't worry, we’ll order food and eat at home. After that, I can take a quick nap before tackling the rest of my day." He shot me a glance. "No need," he said confidently, taking the wheel with a grin. "I'll make lunch." Surprised, I raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't that be too much for you? You must be hungry and exhausted already," I said, strapping on my seatbelt. "I'm not complaining," he replied smoothly, already focused on driving. Once we arrived home, Troy immediately headed to the kitchen to cook while I made a beeline for my room, thr
MARIANNE Troy and I walked into the club, hand in hand. The moment we stepped inside, the vibrant energy of the place hit me like a wave. The music throbbed through the walls, reverberating in my chest, while neon lights flickered in time with the beat, casting wild shadows across the crowd. I glanced down at my outfit and quickly realized I was overdressed. My elegance felt out of place among the club goers in their casual, carefree attire, and I attracted more attention than I intended. A few heads turned my way, eyes lingering too long, making me shift uncomfortably. I had never liked being the center of attention when I didn’t control the narrative. Nevertheless, I made my way to the bar, leaning casually against the counter as Troy disappeared into the crowd, no doubt scanning for possible threats or hazards. I admired his carefulness, even though I sometimes found it overbearing. He was always on guard, protecting me in ways I didn’t think I needed. "Can I buy you a
MARIANNE "Let's go back home," I said to Troy after the police finally left. My mood was perfect—elated, even—because I had successfully carried out everything I had planned to accomplish for the day. The satisfaction was almost intoxicating. I could almost see the finish line, a gleaming future where every piece of my strategy had fallen into place. It was only a matter of time. When we arrived home, I threw myself onto the couch, sinking into the soft cushions and leaning my head back with a contented smile playing on my lips. The weight of the day’s victories wrapped around me like a warm blanket. I guess it was safe to call it a day, but first, I needed to confirm one last thing—that Tony had been released and the information I needed had been acquired. Troy, leaning casually against the doorframe, watched me with an appreciative smile. "Today was a success," he said, his eyes reflecting my own satisfaction. I got to my feet, feeling a surge of energy from the adrenaline sti
MARIANNE HOURS EARLIER My dream lingered as I woke, the soft voice of a little girl calling me "Mommy" fading into the morning haze. My chest felt tight, as though her voice had reached into the very core of my being and left an imprint I couldn’t erase. I washed my face, staring at my reflection, trying to shake the dream off. The face staring back at me seemed foreign—cold, calculated, and so far removed from the woman I used to be. I had to make a decision. I couldn’t delay anymore. Dr. Raymond was waiting for my answer, and I knew I needed to face him today. But as I dried my face with the towel, a nagging thought struck me. There was something I had ignored earlier—a file I hadn’t bothered to open. Curious, I grabbed my phone and opened it. My brows furrowed as I noticed it was an audio file from Sharon. I pressed play. The voices that came through made me lift my brows. Aislinn. Sharon. I listened intently as Aislinn spoke with venom, her words sharp and deliberat
MARIANNE When I arrived at my old apartment, I paused outside, scanning my surroundings with a cautious eye. The air felt heavy, as if it carried an unspoken warning. It was still my house though. With a deep breath, I approached the keypad, and entered the code. As the door clicked open, I stepped into silence. The house was eerily still, void of the warmth and familiarity it once held. “Sharon?” I called out, my voice echoing in the empty space. No answer. I fished out my phone and dialed her number, only to be met with a dead line. The same number that had called me earlier was suddenly unreachable. I didn't need a soothsayer to tell me that something terrible was about to happen, but not to me. Determined to figure out what was going on, I began searching the house. My steps were quick and purposeful, the creak of the wooden floors beneath me the only sound. As I ascended the stairs two at a time, a faint noise stopped me in my tracks. It was coming from the CCTV room. I
MARIANNE “What!” Doctor Raymond exclaimed, his voice a mix of shock and concern. “What are you saying, Marianne? I know you wanted to be a mother before and…” “No,” I interrupted, my voice firm but my heart unsteady. “I am not ready to be a mother. Not right now.” He hesitated, studying my expression before speaking. “I need to tell you something. There’s a high chance you’ll never conceive again.” The words hit me like a punch to the gut, but I kept my composure. I nodded slowly, swallowing the lump forming in my throat. “Okay, I can live with that. There are so many motherless children out there who need someone to look after them. When I’m ready to be a mother, I’ll fill that gap. I’ll adopt a few children and love them as my own.” “Are you sure?” he asked, his voice softer now, almost hesitant. “Yes,” I replied, but the resolve in my voice didn’t match the storm brewing inside me. He sighed deeply, almost as if he could sense my inner turmoil. “Alright, if you’ve mad
MARIANNE After Aislinn left, I got into my car and sat there, the echo of her words swirling in my mind, tightening the knot of anger in my chest. My hands trembled slightly as I gripped the steering wheel."I can't let Troy stay in my house anymore," I muttered, the words barely audible over the roar of my emotions. "He's out. Tonight."I started the car and drove towards my apartment on the outskirts of town, my jaw clenched and my heart pounding against my ribs. Every mile I covered only amplified my frustration. When I finally pulled into the driveway, his car wasn’t there.The silence when I stepped inside was deafening, but his presence lingered. His cologne still clung to the air, an irritating reminder of him. I sighed heavily and sank into the living room couch, my mind spiraling back to Aislinn’s threats."Interesting, Aislinn," I murmured with a bitter smile. "Don’t you just love to talk? Let’s see how much you’ll love it when you can’t hear or speak anymore."The thought
SHARON As I watched everything unfold before me, I felt a profound sense of satisfaction. Every detail had fallen into place, every move executed flawlessly. For the first time in a long while, I allowed myself to exhale deeply. My job was done, and it had gone exactly as planned. Yet, as the euphoria faded, unease crept in, wrapping around me like an unwelcome shadow. The discovery hit me like a lightning bolt: the woman I had loyally called Aislinn, my enigmatic boss, was none other than Marianne. The very same Marianne she had claimed was her late sister. At first, I dismissed the similarities as coincidence. But then, little things began to stand out—the way she spoke about her “sister,” often slipping into first person as if she were Marianne, the way her eyes gleamed with a depth of knowledge only someone who had lived through such betrayal could possess. And now, looking at her partially obscured face, there was no denying the truth. Marianne had survived. She had retur
MARIANNE “This court finds the accused, Mr. Tony Vane, guilty of four counts of complicity in perjury, unlawful imprisonment leading to death, attempted murder, and embezzlement of company funds, and sentences him to life imprisonment with hard labor in the Norwegian island prison.” “The court also finds the accused, Mrs. Britney Vane, guilty of five counts of kidnapping, bestickning and hot, bribery, Perjury, and unlawful imprisonment leading to death, and sentences her to life imprisonment with hard labor in the Norwegian island prison.” As I listened to the judge’s final verdict, I exhaled slowly, a quiet sigh of relief escaping my lips. It was over. Tony, Britney, and Mildred had been brought to justice. Mildred received eight years in prison for perjury and complicity in embezzlement, which I believed was adequate punishment. Yet, as the gavel struck, signaling the conclusion, an unexpected emptiness welled up inside me. This was everything I had fought for—justice for my
TROY The sharp sting of Marianne’s slap echoed through the courtroom and reverberated deep in my chest. My hand instinctively flew to my cheek, as if trying to confirm what had just happened. I stared at her in stunned silence, my breath caught somewhere between shock and disbelief. “How dare you touch me!” she spat, her voice laced with anger and an emotion I couldn’t quite place. “What happened to you?” I managed, my voice barely above a whisper. She met my gaze, her eyes like ice, sharp and unyielding. “Listen to me, and listen carefully. Stay away from me and anything that has to do with me.” Her words hit harder than the slap. There was a cold finality to her tone that made my stomach twist. “Initially, I thought of sending you the divorce papers,” she continued, her voice steady but trembling at the edges, “but then it occurred to me that I married you as Aislinn. Everything—the identity I used—was a fake one. Hence, there’s no need for a divorce. You can go be with your A
TROY As the days dragged on painfully, I remained rooted at Marianne's apartment, unwilling to leave, despite her absence. I kept hoping she would return, but day after day passed—one, two, three days, then four—and still, there was no sign of her. The empty silence grew louder with each passing moment, filling me with a gnawing emptiness. My mind was clouded with fear, frustration, and an ache that wouldn’t let me rest. I searched for her tirelessly, refusing to give up. I went to her company every morning, visited the police station, and scoured every place I thought she might be. I was haunted by her absence, by the need to see her, to know she was safe. And with each fruitless attempt, the weight of despair only grew heavier, crushing my resolve bit by bit. Still, there was no sign of her. My phone chimed occasionally, and each time, my heart would leap with a flicker of hope—only to realize it was another call or message from Aislinn, whose persistence grated on my last ner
TROY I felt a tremor of shock ripple through me at what unfolded before my eyes. The turn of events was staggering, like a tidal wave crashing over my heart. When I first heard a female voice call out to me while I was still in the kitchen, I knew something was wrong. The person certainly didn't sound like Marianne. It was clear now—Aislinn was doing everything possible to provoke Marianne, to disrupt the fragile peace I’d worked so hard to establish. I just wished, more than anything, that Marianne would calm down, take a breath, and allow me a chance to speak. But she was stubborn, fiercely so, and that stubbornness was as much a part of her as the pulse in her veins. I loved her for it, yet sometimes, it drove a wedge between us. I tried to explain, tried to reach her through the wall she’d put up, but it was like trying to catch the wind. Watching her walk away felt like watching my world shatter, as if each step she took was ripping something vital from me. It was like a