After drinking from the glass Diego gave her, Alva felt her stomach twist, but she tried to ignore it. She turned to leave, eager to get away from him. But Diego’s voice stopped her. "Hold on. Aren’t you going to stay and listen to me make the call? Sit down and wait. I promised I’d call your mom." Alva shook her head. "It’s okay. I trust you’ll do it." Diego’s eyes darkened. "If you walk out of that door, I’ll change my mind." Her heart sank. She had no choice. With a reluctant nod, she returned to the chair, her hands gripping the edge of the table. Diego, meanwhile, took his sweet time operating his phone, smirking every now and then as if enjoying her discomfort. "Um, anytime now," Alva muttered impatiently. "I need to get back to my Granny at the hospital." Diego pretended to act surprised. "Oh, right, my bad. Let me call your mom now." He dialed the number and put the phone on speaker, glancing at Alva as her head dipped slightly. She blinked hard, feeling dizzier
MARIANNE I stepped on my brake pedal and gave myself a minute to catch my breath. My hands were shivering and I felt chilled to the bone. I still could not believe what I had just seen. I opened my phone and watched for the umpteenth time, the pornographic video that had been sent to me anonymously. My husband of almost two years was in bed, having sex with a woman that wasn't me. His face was revealed in the video, while hers was concealed. The only thing I could make of the woman was her slender wrist and the gold bracelet around it. It seemed oddly familiar but I could not remember where I had seen it. For two years, I believed my marriage was the best in the world because my husband, Tony adored me and worshipped the ground I walked on. I was the richest woman in the city and my company, RAY INDUSTRIES was the number one in the country, yet, my happiest moments were the ones spent with my husband. That was how much I loved him. How could he betray my trust? Hands still
MARIANNE At the police station, I was cuffed and kept in a dimly lit room with four chairs, one table, and a window. I was exhausted and my eyes were puffy from crying. Even though Tony cheated on me, he was the love of my life and I could not believe he was no more. In a flash, I had become a widow; the youngest I knew because I had just turned twenty, a month ago. The three policemen sat in front of me, questioning me as though I were a common criminal. "Don't you know who I am?" I asked. "I own foundations, charity organizations, and free hospitals. I help people, not hurt them. No matter what, I could never murder a man I loved with my life." "Stop beating around the bush and answer the damn question!" One of the policemen yelled at me, slapping his palms on the table. I didn't have to be a police officer or a lawyer to know that what the men were doing was not standard procedure. They were biased toward me and I had no idea why. "I won't speak any more until my lawy
MARIANNE I sighed in relief as I thanked Britney repeatedly. "There's no need to thank me," she expressed. "You are my best friend and I will do anything for you." The next morning, just as my lawyer had promised, I was arraigned before a judge. I had been restless throughout the night as it was my first time being in a cell. I tried not to cry because I knew it wouldn't help my situation. I convinced myself that I was just unfortunate. I never should have married Tony. After the judge questioned me, I took a plea of not guilty. My attorney didn't seem pleased by that but I didn't care. No one was going to make me admit to something I never did. Since it was my first appearance, I expected that I would be granted bail and allowed to show up in court from the comfort of my home during the preliminary hearings. I planned to get the best lawyer for myself once I was released on bail and got access to my phone. However, nothing like that happened. The judge allowed a ten minutes re
MARIANNE Everything felt like a dream. Just like that, I had been condemned for something I never did. My only crime was being too kind and trusting the wrong people. As I was being transported by ship along with a few other prisoners, the judge's words echoed in my ears, "This court finds the accused; Mrs. Tony, guilty of first-degree murder and sentences her to life imprisonment with hard labor in the Norwegian Island Prison. I recalled the triumphant look on Britney's face as I was being taken away and could not understand what I ever did wrong to her. When I met her so many years ago, I had just finished high school. Being the daughter of the richest man in the city, I lived in affluence as opposed to her who was struggling to get by. I saw her working as a waiter at a party and took her side when a guest treated her disrespectfully. We got close from that night and I got to find out that she had no family. She was an orphan who had to work from a very young age just to
MARIANNE If it weren't for the date and time stamp on the video, I would have thought Paula was lying to me. As I watched the video, everything began to piece together in my head. I recalled when Tony had first approached me for a relationship. I had refused his advances, especially since I had just clocked eighteen, but Britney kept encouraging me to give him a chance, claiming we were perfect for each other and would be together forever. Back then, I was amazed at how Tony and I had the same tastes, interests, and even fashion sense. I believed he was truly destined for me. Only after Paula's revelation did I realize that Britney had planted him in my life and told him about my likes and dislikes. No wonder he seemed so perfect in my eyes and I ended up falling in love with him. They deceived me for so long and plotted my downfall. The false testimonies from my secretary and Tony's sister finally made more sense to me. I felt so much anger surge within me and a deep year
TROY After two years, I was back in the Scandinavia, the place that took everything from me. I had rented the whole beach for the evening because I wanted to be alone. I stood by my once favorite beach in Oslo and closed my eyes as memories from the past flooded my mind; Her beautiful smile, and the warmth of her body, pressed against mine as we stared at the stars together. Aislinn was everything to me until she was snatched away so cruelly. I opened my eyes and stared at the water, hoping its calmness would soothe my turbulent heart. All of a sudden, something caught my attention. Floating and approaching from a distance, I tried to make out what it was. I took a few steps closer, dipping my legs into the water. I gasped when I realized it was a person; a woman, and judging by the way she looked, I knew she was dead. I turned and wanted to leave but a question struck my mind; what if she wasn't dead? What if Aislinn was in a similar situation and needed help? Would I hav
MARIANNE I stared at the man in front of me and could not help but admire him. How could a man be so beautiful? He was staring at me as though he was seeing me for the first time but the emotions in his eyes....was it love? It seemed he had feelings for me but that would mean he knew who I was. Why did he ask me my name then?" "Doctor Mendez!" He unexpectedly broke the ice as he called out the doctor's name. He stood up from the bed and moved away as he suddenly seemed troubled. The doctor; a tall and well built man, walked in just as his name was called, "Is everything alright?" "Why can't she remember her name?" The beautiful man asked. The doctor came closer to me and asked, "Is there anything you remember? You can share it with me." I shook my head, "I don't remember anything." He smiled at me, "It's okay, don't be afraid. Everything is going to be fine." Turning to the beautiful man, he said, "I'm afraid we have to run some tests on her and also call in a spe
After drinking from the glass Diego gave her, Alva felt her stomach twist, but she tried to ignore it. She turned to leave, eager to get away from him. But Diego’s voice stopped her. "Hold on. Aren’t you going to stay and listen to me make the call? Sit down and wait. I promised I’d call your mom." Alva shook her head. "It’s okay. I trust you’ll do it." Diego’s eyes darkened. "If you walk out of that door, I’ll change my mind." Her heart sank. She had no choice. With a reluctant nod, she returned to the chair, her hands gripping the edge of the table. Diego, meanwhile, took his sweet time operating his phone, smirking every now and then as if enjoying her discomfort. "Um, anytime now," Alva muttered impatiently. "I need to get back to my Granny at the hospital." Diego pretended to act surprised. "Oh, right, my bad. Let me call your mom now." He dialed the number and put the phone on speaker, glancing at Alva as her head dipped slightly. She blinked hard, feeling dizzier
"Alright, fine! Just leave her here for now. The day isn’t over yet. I’ll get the money before the day ends, I promise!" Alva pleaded, her voice trembling with desperation. The nurse shook her head firmly. "I’m sorry, but we can’t keep her here. We have to move her to the public ward. The bill from last night hasn’t been paid, and today’s charges were due this morning. Once you pay everything and show us the receipt, we’ll bring her back to the private ward." Alva’s heart sank. "How much could it possibly be? Isn’t it just a few dollars?" The nurse gave a bitter laugh. "A few dollars? No, your grandmother owes almost a hundred thousand dollars." Alva froze, her voice rising in disbelief. "That’s impossible! That’s a lie!" The nurse’s expression remained calm, almost pitying. "You can check with the accounts department if you don’t believe me." "But how did the bill get so high? How can it cost that much?" The nurse sighed. "Her surgery was never paid for. Your mom, or wh
EARLIER IN THE DAY After saying goodbye to her friend Freya, Alva returned home. As she walked through the door, she immediately noticed her mom waiting in the living room. Her brother, Spear, was nowhere in sight, but there was someone else sitting on the worn-out couch—a man whose presence made her stomach churn. Alva froze for a moment. She recognized him. His name was Diego, a notorious figure in the city. He was involved in shady businesses and also managed several bars. Just seeing him in her house sent a wave of unease through her. “Mom, what’s going on?” Alva asked cautiously, walking to her mother’s side. Her mom smiled, her expression unsettlingly warm. “Sit down, my dear.” Alva hesitated. That smile wasn’t normal—it was too forced, too sweet. She knew her mom didn’t really like her. Ever since Alva could remember, she had been treated like an outsider. Being adopted only made things worse. The only people who had ever truly loved her were her father and grandmothe
“Why did you give that young girl your card?” Henrik, Jonas' friend asked Jonas as he wheeled a trolley filled with expensive items toward him. “I was watching you from the other side, you know. It’s not like you to act like this.” Jonas smiled faintly, his hands in his pockets. “I don’t know, Henrik. Something about her stirred something in me. When she bumped into me, the way she looked at me—it was kind of cute. She seemed so innocent, almost childlike in her awe. She must be around twenty, maybe younger. And honestly, I could tell she was crushing on me. I couldn’t help it. You know me; I like to help.” Henrik raised an eyebrow. “You? Like to help? That’s a laugh. You never go out of your way to help anyone, and suddenly you see a pretty girl, and you’re in charity mode? Come on, Jonas. Have you already forgotten about my sister? Emilie is your fiancée, for crying out loud.” Jonas’s smile vanished. His tone turned sharp. “Oh. Then where is she? Hmm? Where has she been for the
TWENTY SIX YEARS LATER Alva Berg and her best friend, Freya Strand, stood outside the shiny supermarket, staring at the sleek building. Its glass doors opened and closed as people walked in and out, each dressed in expensive clothes and holding car keys to luxury vehicles. "Come on, let’s go in," Alva said with excitement, tugging on Freya’s hand. Freya shook her head quickly. "No, Alva. I don’t think that’s a good idea. Look at the kind of people going in there. They all have fancy cars, expensive clothes... I don’t want to embarrass myself." Alva rolled her eyes and gave her a playful nudge. "Freya, that’s exactly why we should go in. Let’s not let them intimidate us. Come on, trust me." Freya hesitated. "What are you even hoping to gain from this?" she asked, crossing her arms. Alva grinned mischievously. "You’ll find out when we’re inside." With some reluctance, Freya let herself be dragged along. As they stepped inside, the cold air conditioning hit them, and the scent of
TROY I kissed Marianne on her forehead and cupped her face, my eyes drilling into hers as I asked excitedly, "Really? Are you really pregnant?" She nodded, her face crumbling as tears spilled down her cheeks. "Yes," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I almost got rid of it, Troy. I almost got rid of our child. I wasn’t thinking straight. I just…" Her voice broke, and she couldn’t continue. "Shh, it’s okay. It’s okay," I said softly, pulling her into my arms again. I held her tightly, feeling her trembling against me. "But you didn’t, Marianne. You didn’t go through with it, and that’s what matters now." She sniffled, her tears soaking into my shirt. "Yeah," she murmured. "Thanks to my doctor. He made me think things through. He… he saved our baby." Holding her face gently in my hands, I gave her a small, reassuring smile. "Remind me to thank him someday," I said, trying to lighten the mood. My hand moved to her belly, resting there as if I could already feel the life gro
TROY The days without Marianne felt like an eternity, harder than I ever imagined. Every moment away from her was a sharp reminder of the emptiness she left behind. Despite my anger at her, I was desperate—desperate to have her back in my life, in my arms. It was as though my heart couldn’t beat properly without her. I realized, perhaps too late, how deeply I loved her. That desperate love made me agree to something I would have never considered before—working with Sharon. “What exactly is your plan?” I asked, trying to sound calm, though my chest felt tight. Sharon had promised to reunite me with Marianne, and though I didn’t trust her, I was willing to take the risk. The old me would never have given Sharon the time of day. After all, she’d tried to throw herself at me in the past—a clear red flag. But now, even knowing I shouldn’t trust someone like her, I clung to the sliver of hope she offered. She smiled slyly and leaned closer. “Can I have your number?” I raised an
MARIANNE Troy opened the door and helped me out, his grip still firm on my hand. Sharon stepped out as well, her eyes briefly meeting mine. “I need to speak with her,” Sharon said, addressing Troy as she handed him his keys. He sighed in irritation. “No, you can’t.” “Please. It’s important,” she insisted, her voice steady but firm. I pulled my hand away from Troy’s grip, my expression stern. “I’m not a child,” I said firmly. "I can decide for myself." Troy folded his arms, his sharp gaze fixed on me as though he was trying to unravel my thoughts. He didn’t argue, just stood there, waiting. Sharon stepped forward, her face pale but determined, and motioned for me to follow her. “What do you want to say?” I asked, folding my arms, after we'd moved away from Troy. Sharon hesitated, biting her lip before speaking. “The video you saw earlier at your house… I’m the one who left it in the CCTV room for you to watch. I didn’t know how else to tell you… that I tried to seduce
MARIANNE The sharp crack of the gunshot shattered the tense silence, the bullet tearing through the glass bottle and embedding itself in the wall behind it. Aislinn's blood-curdling screams filled the room, echoing like a symphony of anguish as chaos erupted. The four bodyguards who had flanked her bolted in a panicked frenzy, their loyalty dissolving in the face of danger. Aislinn collapsed to her knees, her trembling hands clawing at her face, now marred by the searing acid. Angry red burns crept across her skin, and her scorched clothes hung in tatters, exposing her charred arms. Her guttural cries reverberated around us. Suddenly, the muffled sound of a scuffle filtered in from outside. My grip tightened on the gun as I instinctively aimed it at the door, my pulse thrumming like a war drum. The commotion ebbed, replaced by an eerie stillness that stretched taut. Sharon stepped closer, the glint of her knife catching the dim light. Her knuckles whitened around the hilt as