TROY "Marianne..." So that was her name. The moment it escaped my lips, I felt a deep emptiness spread through my chest, like a part of me had suddenly vanished. Watching her walk away left me hollow, and with each step she took, I felt as though my purpose was fading. Before I knew it, I found myself following her. I trailed her quietly, careful not to draw attention. After all, she had already said goodbye. I doubted she’d appreciate knowing I was still there, lurking in the background like a shadow she couldn’t shake. She walked slowly, almost painfully so. I could tell she hadn’t fully recovered, her steps heavy with fatigue. Concerned, I hurried back to the hospital and grabbed my car, using it to discreetly follow her. Time seemed to stretch endlessly as I watched her struggle forward, weak but determined. She eventually entered a mall, and I couldn’t help but wonder what she was doing. She had no money on her—what was she after? My curiosity piqued. Who was this woman?
TROY As I drove away, the silence between us thickened, heavy with unspoken thoughts. Marianne sat rigid in the passenger seat, her eyes glued to the road ahead, refusing to acknowledge my presence. Her expression was an unreadable mask, but I knew her mind was far from still. I finally brought the car to a stop as we reached the outskirts of the city, just a few streets away from her apartment. Killing the engine, I exhaled slowly, trying to gather my thoughts. "Why did you follow me?" Her voice cut through the quiet, sharp and direct, yet she didn’t turn to look at me. I sighed, the weight of her question settling in my chest. "I had to." "That's not an answer, Troy." Her gaze finally flicked towards me, eyes narrowing slightly. "I told you I would find you when everything was over. Why wasn't that enough for you?" Her words were laced with frustration, but I could hear the mistrust beneath them. "It couldn't be enough," I said softly, the term of endearment slippi
TROY The minutes dragged on like hours as we sat in the car, our hands intertwined. Her fingers trembled slightly in mine before she finally pulled away, turning her face to the window. There was something about that gesture—a quiet surrender—that tugged at my chest. I cleared my throat, breaking the silence. "So… what now?" She didn’t respond, her eyes fixed on something distant, lost in a world of thoughts that I wasn’t privy to. Her silence felt like an unspoken wall between us, one that had been slowly growing since the day she regained her memories. "What’s in the teddy?" I asked, the question slipping out as I realized she wouldn’t have risked so much for something with just sentimental value. Her response was as cold as ever. "It’s none of your business." Her gaze remained distant, walls still firmly in place. "Can you take me home? I'm pretty sure that since you followed me to my old house and even brought me here, you already know where I live now." I nodded, tryin
MARIANNE “What’s your plan for Britney?” Troy asked, his voice tinged with curiosity and something else I couldn’t quite place. I sighed softly. “We’ll both find out tomorrow, I suppose.” He rolled his eyes, the hint of a smile on his lips. “You’re too secretive for your own good, Aislinn.” A silence fell between us, thick with unsaid words. After a few moments, I excused myself and retreated to my room. I needed to make a phone call, one I’d been dreading yet longing to make. My godfather answered after a few rings, and I asked for something I desperately needed. When the call ended, I stepped back into the living room, where Troy was lounging in my chair, his head resting casually on the armrest. He looked so at ease, as if he belonged there. “You should leave,” I said, my voice harder than I intended. He lifted his head and studied me for a long moment, eyes narrowing slightly before he shook his head. “I’m afraid that’s not happening. I’ll leave when I’m convinced y
MARIANNE For some reason, Troy's action, stirred something in me. It was a fleeting warmth, one I quickly suppressed. I had no time for such feelings. Once inside the bank, I was led to the vault—a cold, sterile space filled with rows of metal safe deposit boxes. I stared at the key in my hand, running my fingers over the engraved numbers before matching it to its box. The metallic sound of the lock turning echoed in the stillness. I opened it, revealing the documents I needed. I carefully retrieved the papers and a flash drive, taking a moment to register the weight of what I was holding. This was my legacy—my father’s legacy—secured away from the hands of those who had betrayed me. Without delay, I left the bank and drove to the courier company. My godfather’s parcel had arrived, and I was desperate to get it. But as fate would have it, the company had already closed for the day. The frustration clawed at me, yet there was nothing I could do. I had no choice but to head home,
MARIANNETroy seemed stunned for a moment, then shook his head with a wry smile. "You’re something else, you know that?" "I’ll take that as a compliment," I replied, focusing on the syringe in my hand. "But please, slow down a little." Troy eased off the gas but kept glancing my way as I prepared the injection. "Eyes on the road, Troy," I warned when another car nearly grazed ours. With a frustrated sigh, he pulled over to the side of the road. "Where did you learn how to do that? You part of some secret criminal organization?" I scoffed without sparing him a glance, "Seriously? If you are going to harbour such thoughts about me Troy, then it's best for you to stay away until I'm done with my revenge. I never asked for your help in the first place." "Is that why you’re being rude to me right now?" His tone was clipped, obviously offended. I stopped what I was doing and turned to face him. Seeing the look on his face, I sighed. "I didn’t mean to be rude, Troy. It's just
MARIANNE I quickly dashed toward the door, slipping my mask back over my face and tucking the syringe into Troy’s pocket. My pulse pounded in my ears, but I forced myself to stay calm. We moved in sync, walking out of the ward together. As we took a few steps away, I heard the faint sound of footsteps. The doctor was entering Britney’s room. Troy leaned close and whispered, "Run." Without hesitation, we bolted down the hallway. Adrenaline surged through my veins, pushing my legs faster. When we reached the room where I’d changed, I glanced at Troy. "Go," I urged, my voice steady. "Wait for me in the car. I’ll be out in a minute." He hesitated, his eyes searching mine for any sign of uncertainty. But he knew me too well by now. Reluctantly, he shrugged off the lab coat and mask, leaving them in a heap before disappearing down the hall. I took a moment to gather myself, stripping off the nurse uniform and replacing it with my own clothes. My fingers trembled as I let my hair
MARIANNE Troy smiled, his gaze sharp and playful. "And I'm supposed to buy that?" I shrugged, keeping my tone even. "It's up to you." I paused before adding, "I need to buy a car. Can you take me?" He raised a brow, curiosity edging into his voice. "Why? Is mine not comfortable enough for you anymore?" I exhaled slowly, not wanting to argue. "What if we have a lot to do and need to go our separate ways? Would you rather I chase after a cab?" Troy sighed, giving a slight nod. "I guess not." Thirty minutes later, I found myself behind the wheel of a sleek gray Acura MDX, the weight of the keys in my hand feeling like a small victory. Before I drove off, I placed a few calls—brands I was familiar with, orders I knew would arrive quickly. I arranged for everything to be delivered to the house within the hour, the efficiency of it soothing something restless in me. I hadn't eaten breakfast, but the thought of food made my stomach turn. Instead, we drove back to the house, Tro
Freya quickly made a phone call, and as she had promised, Alva was offered a job and asked to report for work the very next day. "I still can’t believe it—I actually got a job! Thank you so much, Freya," Alva said, her face lighting up with excitement. "You’re welcome," Freya replied, smiling. "And the good thing is, this place pays weekly, so you won’t have to wait too long to get your money." "That’s great, but it doesn’t matter much to me," Alva said. "I’m not planning to spend the money—I’ll save every bit of it." When Alva arrived at the supermarket, she was amazed at how luxurious it was. "Freya’s boyfriend must be incredibly wealthy," she thought. "If he can bring her to such a high-end place, he must have more money than I imagined." As she reported for her first day, Alva realized that a different manager was on seat and the latter stared at her with an air of disdain. Alva tried to brush off the unease she felt, smiling politely. She regretted not wearing one o
Freya smiled warmly at Alva and said, "Come on, have you forgotten how you’ve been cooped up at home all this time? Ever since you lost your Granny, you haven’t really been yourself. How could I have introduced you to him then?" Alva nodded slowly, her eyes thoughtful. "You’re right. But now, I really want to meet him, okay?" Freya grinned. "Okay. He’s really busy, but I’ll talk to him. Of course, he’ll make time to meet my best friend." As they sat in the cab heading back home, Freya turned to Alva, her face lighting up. "You know, Lance promised to buy me a car soon." Alva’s eyes widened in surprise. "Really? That’s amazing!" Freya nodded, clearly excited. "Yeah, he said it could be any day now. I can’t wait!" "You’re so lucky," Alva said, a hint of awe in her voice. Freya beamed. "I feel like all my dreams are finally coming true. Oh, and guess what? Lance also said he wants to send me to college. What do you think? We could go together—he’ll take care of everything
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