TROYI stood by the window watching the young girl whom I had made to believe that she was my wife. My eyes widened in surprise when my half-sister, Chelsea, walked up to her and slapped her.I knew my family didn't like Aislinn but I never realized it was so bad. My mum had many times referred to her as a gold digger but I thought that was it.I had my suspicions about their involvement in her death because they were all with her on the night she drowned. Her body was never recovered and she was declared to have been lost forever at sea.All the money I paid and the extensive search I carried out for her did not yield any results. Since I couldn't find her, I had to at least find proof of who killed her. I owed her that much for not being at her birthday party that was supposedly thrown by my family on the night she needed me the most. I was not going to spare the culprit, even if it turned out to be my overbearing mom.As I stared at the shock on my wife's face, I recalled what th
TROY "Would you believe others against your own husband?" I asked Aislinn. "Do you not trust me anymore?" She scoffed, "Would a woman lie about the father of her pregnancy? Such things can't be hidden and Sydney must know that. First off, if you did not have sex with her, there wouldn't be the issue of you getting her pregnant. Secondly, if your Mom is vehemently supporting her, then she must be pregnant for you...." "I can assure you that she is not," I maintained as I cupped her face. "Don't believe their words, Cherie. Everyone knows that you are my life. I love you more than anything else in the world. Sydney has always stuck around my Mom, hoping that I would get married to her. Some months ago, when I thought you were dead, I got so depressed that I had too much to drink and became a little intoxicated. Sydney saw an opportunity and snuck into my room. She tried to seduce me but I rejected her advances and kicked her out of my room. I had no idea where she spent the
MARIANNE "Why do I feel so uncomfortable?" I asked myself. Sitting on the bed, I looked around the room and found it strange. Even though I had lost my memory, I had thought the room would feel familiar but it didn't. But what troubled me was the nagging feeling that I had forgotten something extremely important. I wished I could just remember that one thing. Minutes after Troy left, I decided to take a shower. I was able to stand after sitting for a while and saw all the stuff I believed was mine, in the closet. I freshened up quickly and changed into a casual pink dress I found in the wardrobe. It turned out to be too tight for me, proving that I had indeed gained a lot of weight. I had to start working out to keep my weight in check. I wore back the dress Troy had given me at the hospital and laid on the bed. I tried so much to jog my memory but nothing came back to me, not even a flash. I could not wait to remember everything and leave Troy's family home as it was obvious
MARIANNE I kept staring at my husband as he walked closer to me, his eyes not leaving mine, even as he placed the bags in his hand on the floor."You must be tired from standing for so long," his eyes softened and he cupped my face as he spoke. I was taken by surprise as I'd thought he doubted me as well. He led me to the bed, helping me to sit on it while everyone else watched in surprise.The moment I sat down, he turned and charged at Daniel who was about to exit the room. His fist connected with Daniel's cheek as he punched him, forcing four of his teeth and a mouthful of blood out of his mouth."Troy!" Troy's mother, Stella cried as his action was unexpected. As Daniel landed on the ground, Troy picked him up by the collar of his shirt and raged, "How dare you?"I had thought wrong. Troy trusted me so much that he didn't even need me to speak before believing my innocence.Stella ran to him, holding his hand as she cried, "What has come over you? Daniel is your cousin and that
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
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