TROYThe moment Aislinn said she was back, my expression shifted into one of pure irritation. I knew it wasn’t fair—I owed it to her to at least listen to her side of the story. But my emotions got the best of me. Nevertheless, I replied, “Wrong number!” and hung up. Marianne was staring at me intently, her eyes studying my face, and I knew she could tell my mood had been completely ruined by the call. The pain in my arm, which I had momentarily stopped feeling thanks to being so immersed in our conversation, suddenly resurfaced and began to sting, only adding to my frustration. “Where were we?” I asked, trying to mask the anger and physical discomfort that gnawed at me. She held my gaze for a few moments before offering a small, knowing smile. “Well, we were talking about Tony. He’s currently having sex with Mildred, and you mentioned that he is enjoying himself." Her voice grew colder, more calculated. “In reality, this is just part of the disaster I’m about to throw him
MARIANNE I opened my eyes in the morning and rolled off my bed, stretching as I took in the light filtering through the curtains. It had been a while since I slept so soundly. Perhaps it was because I had gone to bed earlier than usual, or maybe it was the sense of purpose I felt knowing what I had planned for the day. After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I stepped out of my room in search of Troy. It was strange how much I now craved the attention he used to give me, the playful teasing that once felt intrusive had become something I unconsciously longed for. I had been the one who insisted he stop flirting and saying things that made me blush. I told him to keep it professional, to focus on the mission. Yet now, as he respected my wishes, I realized how much I had enjoyed his seduction. Without even realizing it, I had grown fond of the way he looked at me, the sly comments that would make me smirk despite myself. Yesterday, I had even asked an unbelievable question—
MARIANNE With a sigh, I dropped my bag on the floor and changed into more comfortable clothes. I then checked online and bought the exact same outfit I had worn on the night I attacked Britney and Tony, down to the specific brand of cologne I had used. I also purchased the correct size for Mildred, making sure every detail was perfect for what I had in mind. Afterward, I contacted Bob—a reliable guy who had been handling errands for me for quite some time. We had never met in person. I communicated with him exclusively through a burner phone and paid him in Bitcoin. This way, he could never trace me, although I knew every detail about him, right down to where he ate his lunch. Once the purchase was complete, I forwarded the receipt to Bob and instructed him to collect the clothes, spray them with the cologne, and wrap them up neatly. “Who should I deliver this to?” Bob asked once he had finished packing the items. “Before you make the delivery, there’s something else I need
MARIANNE I clutched my stomach as it grumbled more loudly. "I'm so hungry," I whispered to myself, feeling the emptiness gnaw at me. Suddenly, a thought lit up in my mind. "Wait... we have a refrigerator in the living room too." Hope surged within me, and I scrambled to my feet, rushing toward it with newfound energy. As I opened the fridge, I was astonished to find three neatly packed meals, all beautifully arranged. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the note attached to one of the containers. It read, "I figured you'd be hungry and it would be risky to order breakfast. That's why I made this for you. Microwave and eat as much as you want, whenever you feel hungry—Your husband, Troy." Tears filled my eyes as I read the note. How could a man be so thoughtful, so attentive, and so irresistibly attractive all at once? I couldn't help but smile. The fridge in the kitchen only held fresh ingredients, nothing ready to eat. Troy must have anticipated that I wouldn’t want to step into t
SHARONTWENTY-FOUR HOURS EARLIERI woke up to the soft glow of morning light filtering through the curtains and stretched my arms, letting out a small yawn. My eyes wandered to Britney, and to my surprise, I saw tears streaming down her face. She was crying—quietly, yet intensely. I sat by her bedside, staring at her. Her eyes were red and puffy, swollen from what seemed like hours of weeping. A sense of unease crept into me as I watched her, but I pushed it aside.I didn’t understand why her tears stirred something complicated inside me. Perhaps it was a reminder of the fragility of life, or maybe it was the quiet suffering reflected in her sobs. Still, I couldn’t afford to dwell on that now. No matter how her pain tugged at my conscience, I had been hired to do a job, and I was determined to see it through to the end. Compassion would not serve me here.“Take it from someone who has been through a lot in life,” I said coldly, my voice devoid of the empathy she sought. “Crying solve
SHARON I made my way to the bed and threw myself onto it, the weight of my thoughts pressing down like an invisible burden. Closing my eyes, I tried to imagine what my life would be like once I was done with my mission. Freedom. Money. No more going hungry. I was going to walk away with more money than I'd ever dreamed of, more than all the money I had made while being an escort combined. My brother, the only family I had left, was still in high school, and he was never going to want for anything again. I would give him the very best—the education, the life, the opportunities I never had. I would ensure he didn’t have to struggle like I did, didn’t have to fight for survival every single day the way I had since I was his age. I didn’t know how long I slept, but when I opened my eyes, the warm glow of the evening sun filtered through the curtains. Britney was still in her wheelchair, exactly where I'd left her. Of course, where else could she go? I yawned, stretching lazily a
SHARON Britney once again became agitated and began struggling to speak. I chuckled lightly, "Relax! Can't you take a joke? Why are you getting so worked up over a man who is making plans with his mistress to get you out of his life? You must love him so much. That’s the only logical explanation. I bet his ex-wife, Marianne, loved him just as much, while you enjoyed his attention as his mistress, just like Mildred is doing right now. Do you feel hurt by your husband's actions? How dare a hypocrite like you harbor such feelings?" The sound of the door opening told me that Tony was back. I quickly left the room and went to the kitchen, returning the plate I had used and pouring myself a glass of juice. Afterward, I left the kitchen and headed to the living room. I looked around, but there was no sign of Tony. "I guess he has gone to bed," I thought, heading back to check on Britney. I took Britney to the bathroom, brushed her teeth, bathed her, and dressed her in her pajama
SHARON Mildred must have been so upset that she completely forgot Tony was supposed to be called Frank, in the presence of outsiders like me. He pulled out of me and quickly reached for his briefs, slipping them on as his face twisted in a mix of anger and annoyance. "What the hell are you doing here? How did you even get in here?" he snapped, his voice sharp. She scoffed, her eyes flashing with fury. "Are you seriously asking me that, Tony, when I just caught you buried inside this whore? How could you betray me like this after everything we've been through?" "Answer my question, damn it!" Tony yelled, taking a step toward her, fists clenched at his sides. "I used the passcode, of course!" she fired back, raising her voice to match his. "How else could I have gotten in here, genius?" At this point, I scrambled off the bed. I grabbed the sheets and quickly wrapped them around my body. Tony’s temper flared as he took menacing steps toward her, his tone venomous. "How the hell di
After Pete left her alone in the room, Alva struggled against the ropes binding her hands, twisting and pulling with all her strength. The coarse material bit into her skin, leaving red marks, but she couldn’t free herself. Tears welled up in her eyes, frustration and anger bubbling inside her. The door creaked open, and Pete entered, accompanied by a group of maids. Alva’s heart sank as she watched him approach with an infuriatingly smug expression. He walked over and untied her hands. “Here you go,” he said, gesturing to the maids. “These are the women who will be at your beck and call.” Alva glanced at the group of over twelve maids and rolled her eyes. "As if I need all this fuss," she thought bitterly. “And,” Pete continued, “there are also ten bodyguards assigned to you. They’ll keep an eye on you, so don’t try anything funny. You wouldn’t want to get hurt, would you?” He turned to one of the maids and ordered, “Make sure she eats. She looks too pale—it’s making me lose my
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Alva remained at home, crying harder than she ever had in her entire life. Her Granny had been her entire world—the only person she truly considered family, the only one who had ever shown her unconditional love. Her mother and brother? They couldn’t have cared less about her, and she knew it deep in her soul. While Alva grieved, her best friend Freya was out shopping, spending the money from Jonas’s card. Freya bought everything her heart desired—clothes, furniture, and even a house. Each time Freya spent the money, Jonas received an alert. Every time his phone buzzed, he shook his head, muttering to himself. "I’ll wait and see what she does when the money runs out." Freya purchased a new house for her parents and even bought herself a smaller, beautiful home. Despite her spending spree, Freya made time to check on Alva. She called, visited, and tried to comfort her grieving friend. But Freya never told Alva the truth about the card.
After hiding the card, Freya returned to the room and knocked softly on the door. Alva, who had just finished drying herself and putting on the dress Freya had brought, opened the door. Her eyes were still red and swollen from crying. Freya stepped inside, trying to keep her expression calm. "What happened?" Alva asked, her voice shaky. "Did you return the card?" Freya nodded quickly, forcing a reassuring smile. "Yes, I gave it to the staff at the counter. They said they’ll contact him immediately." "Good," Alva muttered, her fists clenching at her sides. "He can take his dirty money and go to hell." Freya reached out and touched her arm gently. "Come on, let’s get out of here." Just as they turned toward the door, it suddenly burst open, and Diego stormed in, his face twisted with anger. "Well, well, well. Look who we have here," Diego sneered, his eyes narrowing at Alva. "You call me names, act like you’re chaste, and then run straight into another man’s bed. You’re no
Alva reached for Jonas once again, her hands going around his neck as she tried to kiss him. Pushing her hands away, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her toward the bed. "Enough with the act," he said sharply. "I’m not falling for it." When she fell on the bed, Alva rubbed her hands around her body seductively, as she felt the heat course through her body. She could not recognize the man standing in front of her, and at this point, it didn't matter to her. Diego had slipped a potent Aphrodisiac pill into the wine she drank, knowing she would lose control of herself. He had believed she would willingly give herself to him once the drug took effect, but unfortunately for him, he could not go into Jonas' room as he feared that the latter could get upset and destroy him. He had seen Jonas take Alva into his room and shut his door, and at this time, he stood outside Jonas' room, his fists balled as anger and frustration bubbled inside him. Knowing how much wealth and
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