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
TROYAislinn's eyes suddenly darted in my direction, and I quickly turned, quietly slipping out of the hall. I didn’t want to make any unnecessary contact.Back at my house, I found myself surrounded by reminders of her—photos, cards, small mementos—things I had once cherished, things I had gathered. They were relics of a life that no longer fit into my present.Without hesitation, I packed everything related to her and walked straight to the incinerator. I watched as the flames consumed each piece, reducing them to nothing but ash. The sight of it brought a strange kind of relief, as though I was burning away the parts of myself still tethered to the past.Although I had told Marianne I’d be away for forty-eight hours, I felt an urgency pulling me back much sooner. Being away from her didn’t sit right with me, and more than anything, I wanted to be by her side—to tell her that she was my world.I switched my phone back on, curious to see if she had responded to my message. As I scrol
TONYI had everything under control and suddenly, I didn’t. Even now, I could hardly believe that Mildred had been the culprit that night. It was surreal. I had trusted her completely, believing she truly loved me. Of course, I had no intention of ever marrying her but she never knew that. If she really loved me like she claimed, why did she attack me that night? If Britney was the object of her hatred and jealousy, why had she pointed her gun at me and belittled me that night? All this time, I thought it had something to do with that Aislinn who was proving more formidable than her so called sister. I had suspected she had something to do with Britney's condition since she appeared around the same time. But it turned out to be the person I least expected—Mildred. And it was my fault. I had let my guard down around her after using and playing with her for so long. She had grown bold. Thanks to her, Britney had found out about my affairs with Maya and her. I could see her ang
TROYI arrived at Astrid's chateau, my heart pounding as I stared at the imposing black gate from my car. The sleek, iron bars gleamed under the faint light, standing between me and whatever truth lay inside. I reached for my gun, the cold metal grounding me as I tucked it into the back of my pants. The silence around me was unnerving, no sign of life in sight, and no CCTV to capture my every move. I hesitated for a moment, taking a deep breath before vaulting over the gate, my mind racing with thoughts of Marianne.As I approached the house, the weight of uncertainty pressed down on me. My initial plan was to scale the house and slip into one of the rooms, hoping to find Marianne hidden somewhere within. But something told me to try the front door first—better to see what I was up against. My nerves tingled with anticipation as I knocked twice, my hand trembling slightly. A few seconds passed before a calm, feminine voice called from inside, telling me to wait.I stood there, feeli
SHARON "That was close," I thought as Tony and I got off the bed and began to leave the room. My heart was still racing from how close I came to attacking him in order to save myself. It was a good thing he was easily manipulated by me. I would have been deeply saddened if I had failed in my mission and let Aislinn down. She trusted my capabilities, and I couldn't afford to make a mistake now. I knew Aislinn was watching everything that was happening, but still, I needed to inform her myself, I couldn’t take any chances. It was crucial for her to know that Tony was planning to discard Mildred's body at ten. I had to be precise about the time, down to the last detail. While we had sex earlier, I had deliberately moaned loud enough for Britney to hear, relishing the mental torment I was causing her. I couldn’t wait to see the look on her face. Hadn't she wanted me dead? Well, she was about to find out what true misery felt like. After all, my boss had specifically instructed
MARIANNE "Wait!" I exclaimed just before Astrid and his cohorts pulled the trigger, my voice cutting through the tense air. Astrid smirked darkly. "Any last words?" he asked mockingly, his cold eyes studying me. "Of course, it's useless to make any requests. I can promise you that none of them would be fulfilled." I chuckled softly, and his brow furrowed in surprise. Then, without warning, I burst into laughter. Astrid scoffed, his annoyance barely concealed. "And what's so funny? The fact that you are about to die?" I smiled slowly. "No, I'm laughing at the fact that you all are live. Did you really think I came unprepared? I have cameras all over my body. Every word you've spoken and every move you've made has been recorded and is currently being streamed on the internet as we speak." Astrid’s smirk faltered slightly. "What are you talking about?" "Think of all the people watching right now," I continued smoothly, "especially your precious commissioner. Even if I die n
MARIANNEI could not understand why I was being chased with police dogs as though I was a deadly criminal on the run.The fact that Astrid had prepared such formidable backup meant he had also been scared that there was a chance ahis plan would flop."Too bad, he still lost," I said out loud as I placed my palm over the glass sheet on the ground, activating it instantly and making it open into a concealed passageway.Without wasting even a second, I began to descend the flight of metallic stairs and struck my palm against the metal below, instantly closing the entrance above me.I heaved a sigh of relief as I continued down the narrow shaft. The tunnel was dimly lit, lined with cold steel walls that echoed every step. A soft hum of air filled the passage, a reminder of the hidden ventilation system. The space smelled faintly of damp earth, but it was solid and unyielding, built to withstand any external threats. It was the kind of tunnel meant for survival, a labyrinth of security an
MARIANNE "What is this fool doing?" I muttered to myself, watching Tony rip the sheets off Sharon’s body, grab her by the hair, and declare she had to die. I scoffed. "Well, let's see who dies first." There was no fear for Sharon’s safety; she was a fourth-degree black belt, trained from childhood by her late father, who had been a master in the art. I’d dug into her background thoroughly before hiring her, and I knew she could handle herself if things turned violent. None of her clients had ever dared to treat her badly, and for good reason. Sending her to Tony’s house had come with no reservations. She was resourceful, strong, and more than capable of taking care of herself. If she decided to beat Tony to a pulp in order to save herself, I wouldn't have any complaints. I was already more than pleased with what she had accomplished so far. Watching her seduce Tony in the bathroom and seeing him fall for her tricks, I felt a pang of shame that a man like him had ever been my h
MARIANNE HOURS EARLIER My dream lingered as I woke, the soft voice of a little girl calling me "Mommy" fading into the morning haze. My chest felt tight, as though her voice had reached into the very core of my being and left an imprint I couldn’t erase. I washed my face, staring at my reflection, trying to shake the dream off. The face staring back at me seemed foreign—cold, calculated, and so far removed from the woman I used to be. I had to make a decision. I couldn’t delay anymore. Dr. Raymond was waiting for my answer, and I knew I needed to face him today. But as I dried my face with the towel, a nagging thought struck me. There was something I had ignored earlier—a file I hadn’t bothered to open. Curious, I grabbed my phone and opened it. My brows furrowed as I noticed it was an audio file from Sharon. I pressed play. The voices that came through made me lift my brows. Aislinn. Sharon. I listened intently as Aislinn spoke with venom, her words sharp and deliberat
MARIANNE When I arrived at my old apartment, I paused outside, scanning my surroundings with a cautious eye. The air felt heavy, as if it carried an unspoken warning. It was still my house though. With a deep breath, I approached the keypad, and entered the code. As the door clicked open, I stepped into silence. The house was eerily still, void of the warmth and familiarity it once held. “Sharon?” I called out, my voice echoing in the empty space. No answer. I fished out my phone and dialed her number, only to be met with a dead line. The same number that had called me earlier was suddenly unreachable. I didn't need a soothsayer to tell me that something terrible was about to happen, but not to me. Determined to figure out what was going on, I began searching the house. My steps were quick and purposeful, the creak of the wooden floors beneath me the only sound. As I ascended the stairs two at a time, a faint noise stopped me in my tracks. It was coming from the CCTV room. I
MARIANNE “What!” Doctor Raymond exclaimed, his voice a mix of shock and concern. “What are you saying, Marianne? I know you wanted to be a mother before and…” “No,” I interrupted, my voice firm but my heart unsteady. “I am not ready to be a mother. Not right now.” He hesitated, studying my expression before speaking. “I need to tell you something. There’s a high chance you’ll never conceive again.” The words hit me like a punch to the gut, but I kept my composure. I nodded slowly, swallowing the lump forming in my throat. “Okay, I can live with that. There are so many motherless children out there who need someone to look after them. When I’m ready to be a mother, I’ll fill that gap. I’ll adopt a few children and love them as my own.” “Are you sure?” he asked, his voice softer now, almost hesitant. “Yes,” I replied, but the resolve in my voice didn’t match the storm brewing inside me. He sighed deeply, almost as if he could sense my inner turmoil. “Alright, if you’ve mad
MARIANNE After Aislinn left, I got into my car and sat there, the echo of her words swirling in my mind, tightening the knot of anger in my chest. My hands trembled slightly as I gripped the steering wheel."I can't let Troy stay in my house anymore," I muttered, the words barely audible over the roar of my emotions. "He's out. Tonight."I started the car and drove towards my apartment on the outskirts of town, my jaw clenched and my heart pounding against my ribs. Every mile I covered only amplified my frustration. When I finally pulled into the driveway, his car wasn’t there.The silence when I stepped inside was deafening, but his presence lingered. His cologne still clung to the air, an irritating reminder of him. I sighed heavily and sank into the living room couch, my mind spiraling back to Aislinn’s threats."Interesting, Aislinn," I murmured with a bitter smile. "Don’t you just love to talk? Let’s see how much you’ll love it when you can’t hear or speak anymore."The thought
SHARON As I watched everything unfold before me, I felt a profound sense of satisfaction. Every detail had fallen into place, every move executed flawlessly. For the first time in a long while, I allowed myself to exhale deeply. My job was done, and it had gone exactly as planned. Yet, as the euphoria faded, unease crept in, wrapping around me like an unwelcome shadow. The discovery hit me like a lightning bolt: the woman I had loyally called Aislinn, my enigmatic boss, was none other than Marianne. The very same Marianne she had claimed was her late sister. At first, I dismissed the similarities as coincidence. But then, little things began to stand out—the way she spoke about her “sister,” often slipping into first person as if she were Marianne, the way her eyes gleamed with a depth of knowledge only someone who had lived through such betrayal could possess. And now, looking at her partially obscured face, there was no denying the truth. Marianne had survived. She had retur
MARIANNE “This court finds the accused, Mr. Tony Vane, guilty of four counts of complicity in perjury, unlawful imprisonment leading to death, attempted murder, and embezzlement of company funds, and sentences him to life imprisonment with hard labor in the Norwegian island prison.” “The court also finds the accused, Mrs. Britney Vane, guilty of five counts of kidnapping, bestickning and hot, bribery, Perjury, and unlawful imprisonment leading to death, and sentences her to life imprisonment with hard labor in the Norwegian island prison.” As I listened to the judge’s final verdict, I exhaled slowly, a quiet sigh of relief escaping my lips. It was over. Tony, Britney, and Mildred had been brought to justice. Mildred received eight years in prison for perjury and complicity in embezzlement, which I believed was adequate punishment. Yet, as the gavel struck, signaling the conclusion, an unexpected emptiness welled up inside me. This was everything I had fought for—justice for my
TROY The sharp sting of Marianne’s slap echoed through the courtroom and reverberated deep in my chest. My hand instinctively flew to my cheek, as if trying to confirm what had just happened. I stared at her in stunned silence, my breath caught somewhere between shock and disbelief. “How dare you touch me!” she spat, her voice laced with anger and an emotion I couldn’t quite place. “What happened to you?” I managed, my voice barely above a whisper. She met my gaze, her eyes like ice, sharp and unyielding. “Listen to me, and listen carefully. Stay away from me and anything that has to do with me.” Her words hit harder than the slap. There was a cold finality to her tone that made my stomach twist. “Initially, I thought of sending you the divorce papers,” she continued, her voice steady but trembling at the edges, “but then it occurred to me that I married you as Aislinn. Everything—the identity I used—was a fake one. Hence, there’s no need for a divorce. You can go be with your A
TROY As the days dragged on painfully, I remained rooted at Marianne's apartment, unwilling to leave, despite her absence. I kept hoping she would return, but day after day passed—one, two, three days, then four—and still, there was no sign of her. The empty silence grew louder with each passing moment, filling me with a gnawing emptiness. My mind was clouded with fear, frustration, and an ache that wouldn’t let me rest. I searched for her tirelessly, refusing to give up. I went to her company every morning, visited the police station, and scoured every place I thought she might be. I was haunted by her absence, by the need to see her, to know she was safe. And with each fruitless attempt, the weight of despair only grew heavier, crushing my resolve bit by bit. Still, there was no sign of her. My phone chimed occasionally, and each time, my heart would leap with a flicker of hope—only to realize it was another call or message from Aislinn, whose persistence grated on my last ner
TROY I felt a tremor of shock ripple through me at what unfolded before my eyes. The turn of events was staggering, like a tidal wave crashing over my heart. When I first heard a female voice call out to me while I was still in the kitchen, I knew something was wrong. The person certainly didn't sound like Marianne. It was clear now—Aislinn was doing everything possible to provoke Marianne, to disrupt the fragile peace I’d worked so hard to establish. I just wished, more than anything, that Marianne would calm down, take a breath, and allow me a chance to speak. But she was stubborn, fiercely so, and that stubbornness was as much a part of her as the pulse in her veins. I loved her for it, yet sometimes, it drove a wedge between us. I tried to explain, tried to reach her through the wall she’d put up, but it was like trying to catch the wind. Watching her walk away felt like watching my world shatter, as if each step she took was ripping something vital from me. It was like a