TROY"My Aislinn, I'm sorry that I was too busy and neglected you. If I had loved you as you deserved, I would have known about everything wrong my family did to you." I regretted everything and wished I could turn back the hands of time. Inside my bathroom, as I closed my eyes, I let the water from the shower, drain off the anger I felt. The thought that my Aislinn may have been assaulted by Daniel when she was alive, made me extremely upset. But I knew I had to control my anger, she wouldn't want me to become a murderer for her sake. The Aislinn in my bedroom was just like my late Aislinn. She was unique and special, and I had to find a way to keep my distance from her to avoid regrets later. I had only just met her, and despite knowing she wasn't the real deal, once she stood in front of me, I got all mushy and muddle-headed. The desire to hold her close, caress her, and kiss all her fears away was growing more than I wanted to admit. I was still lost in thought when t
MARIANNE In the morning, when I opened my eyes, my husband's face was the first thing I saw. I didn't know when I fell asleep last night but opening my eyes to see him staring at me had to be one of the best things in the world. "Good morning, Princess," he beamed. "Good morning, Prince," I replied and we both smiled. We stared at each other silently, and I recalled last night, when he had walked away from me despite how difficult it was for him. The fact that he put my well-being ahead of his sexual desires made me feel very safe with him. I moved closer and hugged him, placing my head on his chest as I asked, "Have I told you that you are extremely handsome?" He laughed, "You've always thought so. However, my looks are nothing compared to yours. For me, you are the most beautiful girl in the world." "Sweet like honey" was the exact phrase to describe all his words to me. How could a man be so perfect for me? I continued hugging him, enjoying how pleasantly he smelled and r
TROY I had just gotten off the phone when I heard a scream. It wasn’t Aislinn’s voice, but I knew it had something to do with her. My family was causing trouble again. I ran inside, and Chelsea, who had just walked out, turned and rushed back in as well. What I saw wasn’t what I expected, but at first, I was relieved. Aislinn stood at the top of the stairs, unharmed. I could breathe again, for just a second. But then I saw her face. Something wasn’t right. She looked lost, confused, like she was in some kind of pain that had nothing to do with her body. I waited, thinking she would come down the stairs on her own, but she didn’t move. Then my mom’s scream broke through the silence. Sydney was bleeding. She was losing the baby. I scoffed. This was typical Sydney. Desperate, manipulative. Girls like her would do anything to get what they wanted, even sacrifice the innocent. There was no maternal love in her—just selfish greed. I glanced away from Aislinn for only a second
MARIANNE The water felt heavy, like the weight of the world pressing me deeper into the abyss. My limbs thrashed, desperate to reach the surface, but the more I struggled, the farther away it seemed. Then, like a sinister veil being lifted, the water turned crimson, the deep red staining everything around me. My arms became numb, the pain gnawing through my body. I gasped, the choking sensation of water filling my lungs, blurring the line between life and death. And then, stillness. My body stopped fighting, and I felt myself sinking, the darkness swallowing me whole. I closed my eyes, accepting what seemed inevitable. This was the end of the road for me. But suddenly, my eyes shot open, and I sat upright. My heart raced, a wild, erratic drumbeat in my chest. "It was just a nightmare, Anne," I whispered to myself, trying to calm the frantic pounding of my heart. But even as I said it, I knew better. It wasn't a nightmare—it was a memory. One I wished I could forget, but
MARIANNEAs I walked out of the hospital, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had left something behind—something crucial. It was an odd sensation, like a tiny voice whispering in my ear, urging me to stop, but I couldn’t quite grasp why. Still, I kept moving forward, determined not to let the nagging feeling pull me back. Once outside, I paused. The cool air greeted me as I looked right, then left. A wave of confusion washed over me—I was lost. I had been to Oslo a few times for business, but the streets felt like a maze. I knew some landmarks but had no idea which road led where. I stood there, frozen, weighing my options, before finally trusting my gut. I turned left and began walking, hoping it would lead me somewhere familiar. It was exhausting. With every step, frustration built inside me. My legs grew heavy, and the unfamiliar streets stretched on endlessly. After what felt like hours, I started to question whether I was even moving in the right direction. But with no money
MARIANNEJohnson Vincent paused, his eyes lingering on me, searching for something familiar. His voice was skeptical, almost wounded. "How can I believe you’re my little princess when you look nothing like her?" My heart pounded, but I kept moving toward him, my hands raised in surrender. "Do you remember when I was thirteen?" I asked gently, hoping the memories would connect us again. I took another step closer, speaking softly. "Dad brought me to you for a three-month holiday. You said I was too weak, too delicate. You wanted me to be stronger, to learn how to shoot, how to defend myself. But Dad... he couldn’t bear the thought of me getting hurt. He said I didn’t need to shoot a gun because my bodyguards would always be there." Johnson's eyes softened, the tension in his face easing as he listened. "I remember you were upset," I continued. "You said you didn’t want me to grow up helpless. I couldn’t stand the two of you fighting, so I lied. I told Dad that I wanted to learn
MARIANNE I approached the door, and typed in the passcode, my fingers moving quickly, more out of habit than anything else. "Invalid passcode!" The words flashed brightly on the screen, and a cold wave of realization washed over me. Tony had changed the passcode. I wasn’t surprised though. He was the only other person who knew how to alter the code, and this confirmed everything. He was living here, in 'my' house, with 'her'. Taking a steadying breath, I reset the passcode. Since the system was still tied to my fingerprint, that was something Tony couldn’t change without me. The door unlocked with a soft click. I cracked it open just enough to peek inside. The living room was eerily silent, empty. But the stillness was misleading. The CCTV camera was positioned perfectly to capture my entrance—just as I had designed it when I lived here. I cursed under my breath, regretting the meticulousness I once prided myself on. The camera was a problem, but so were the changes. The li
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?