The following day was a Saturday, Dante was with Lyra in his apartment. He was standing by the window of his large sitting room, the morning lights filtering through the gauzy curtains. He was watching Lyra with a warm smile and his arms were casually folded. He felt too fortunate gazing straight at the same woman he has been having sleepless nights about for the past few years now. It was too good to be true and yet it was true. Thinking about how happy he was now compared to those times he could not help but feel utterly grateful and indebted to her. He was determined to make every little minute count for something."How about we take a little trip, just the two of us?" He suggested now placing his hands on his waist.Lyra held his gaze from her slanted position on the couch her legs crossed and a smile was playing on her lips. "Where to?"“City Skape Villa,” He quipped with his dreamy eyes beaming."It's a huge vacation home for lovers in the city. It's perfect for such outings
Felix took a quick sip from his glass of soda, sitting at one of the dimmest corners of the old club.He was sitting at the same spot where he and Aria had linked up a few weeks ago.He looked up now and again, his patience wearing out as he scanned the entrance for Aria."What is she still waiting for? It's over an hour already."He had mumbled, glancing at the watch in his hand quickly, before taking another sip.It took about ten more minutes before Aria finally appeared at the doorpost. And for the first few seconds of her arrival, she stood near the doorway, looking as visibly annoyed as ever.She did not waste too much time before she spotted Felix. After all, she already knew where to look, and when their eyes met, she clenched her fist and ground her teeth, shaking her head faintly before she began to match his direction. All through this time, Felix wore a sly smile."What did you mean by what you said on the phone?" Aria snapped as soon as she was within hearing distance.H
It was a typical workday, and Dante was sitting in his spacious office. At the other end of the chair was Marcus, drawn to the edge of his seat as usual as he furnished his boss with updates on recent happenings at the company.Dante leaned forward with a pen in hand, signing the final pages of an important contract.He tried reviewing a new document that had unexpectedly landed on their desks."So, Marcus," Dante looked up from his table to say, with a hint of amusement on his face.“Did Anthony really submit a proposal to Memphis Corporation as well?"Marcus chuckled, shaking his head. "It seems like he did, boss. It looks like our new partner wasn't that impressed."Dante raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on his lips. "Well, well. Anthony always did have a knack for failure.”Their laughter filled the room briefly, a welcome break from the usual seriousness of their business discussions. As soon as quietness returned, Dante shifted gears."Speaking of surprises," Dante mumbled tho
Mirabel stepped out of the sleek Honda car, her heels clicking measuredly against the marble floor of Anthony's corporate headquarters. Employees moved briskly, their expressions a mix of focus and determination, embodying the company's high-stakes environment.Her eyes glowed with satisfaction as she strode through the glass doors, her mind set on the plan she had carefully crafted and was now ready to execute. The cool air-conditioned breeze hit her face, a stark contrast to the warmth outside, making her feel even more in control.She knew that to bring down Lyra and, in turn, get back at Dante, she needed a powerful ally who was as angry as she was.In this case, Anthony was the perfect candidate. She had done her research.His company, a formidable competitor in the industry, had all the potential and financial might to do the necessary damage. The walls of the lobby were lined with awards and accolades, a testament to Anthony's business acumen and ruthless strategies.As Mirabe
It was closing time, and Aria was on her way to the company premises, her mind swirling with thoughts of the day’s activities and the chores that awaited her at home.She had just reached the elevator entrance and was about to take another step forward when Lyra's voice called out to her."Aria, wait up!"Aria stopped sharply and turned around swiftly to see Lyra half-running towards her. Her handbag was dangling from her hand, and she had a bright smile on her face.Despite the chaos that has been brewing in her mind since yesterday, Aria couldn't help but smile back. She couldn't afford to look as she was actually feeling."Hey, Lyra. What's up?" She voiced, trying to sound just as cheerful.Lyra was in front of her now, slightly out of breath but still beaming. "Here, I got you something," she said, handing over the bag to her gingerly."I figured it was exactly your speck."Aria collected the bag with genuine surprise, her heart warming at the gesture. "You know you didn't have
Lyra sat at her desk, the glow of her computer screen illuminating her face.Pieces of art and sketches were scattered around her, each design more intricate than the last. Her fingers were spread over the keyboard as she made final adjustments to her latest pattern.The office was quiet, save for the soft hum of the air conditioning and the occasional rustle of paper. She had been at this for hours, consumed by the need to perfect every detail.Just as she was beginning to put finishing touches on a particular design, she heard a soft knock on the door. Lyra paused to look up as her secretary, Bancroft, entered the room. "Madam, we just received a call from Mr. Donovan, a potential investor. He's expressed significant interest in your upcoming collection."Lyra's heart skipped a beat.Mr. Donovan was another big name in the industry, one of the pioneers of the most classic runway shows in Silver City, known for his keen eye for talent and his generous investments. If he was intere
As the hours passed by, Aria sat on the edge of her bed, fumbling with her hands and staring into space as her mind raced. The fear that had initially gripped her heart for the past few days and for the last few hours began to loosen its hold, replaced by a simmering sense of envy. “Come to think of it, Lyra had always had everything: the perfect job, the admiration of her peers, a bright future. Everything. And now she was about to get the man of her dreams. Not just any man, but the best kind ever. A rich, handsome multi-billionaire. Even after the so-called separation, she still managed to get him back. What kind of reckless luck is that? And how could one human being do such?”She reasoned, tilting her head to one side.“Take my life as an example.” She thought.“I have struggled and toiled for every single scrap of recognition I ended up receiving, yet I have always been overshadowed by Lyra’s effortless success.”She sighed, breathing in and out. Was it really so terrible to g
Aria was still stiffened to one spot, freezing in apprehension when the door handle suddenly turned further. Her heart leaped. She quickly turned off the computer and dove behind the desk, shivering like a leaf in the wind, her heart pounding in her chest. Her eyes were squeezed shut and opened again.“Who could it be?” She was asking in her mind.“At this time of the night?”She was beginning to sweat, and for the first time in a long while, she started to mumble words of prayer, hoping she wouldn't get discovered.The creak of the door opening seemed deafening in the otherwise silent office.Aria dove even further; the violet beating of her heart at this point felt surprisingly audible.The intruder stepped in, and the footsteps she heard next were quick and continuous, followed by the pushing sound of a cleaning cart as well as the tune of the person's cheerful whistle. It was a man oblivious, and he was oblivious to the tension crackling in the air. He turned on the lights, and
It was about two days after Lyra had been discharged from the hospital.But instead of returning to the old apartment building, Dante surprised her by driving straight to the towering mansion located inside a secured estate at the heart of town. It was their new home, which he had bought during her time at the hospital.That evening, she had hugged and kissed him so passionately that it filled him with a renewed sense of hope.On this morning, the atmosphere was calm and serene, a contrast to the chaos of the past few days.The room was a testament to their fresh start: moderate yet cozy, decorated with personal touches that told their story.Dante stood by the kitchen counter, carefully arranging a vase of fresh flowers.Lyra entered the room, her steps light and tentative. She was getting used to walking like a baby all over again after being bedridden for close to two weeks.She smiled at Dante, feeling an overwhelming surge of gratitude.“We’ve been through the worst, babe,” Dante
Lyra was lying in the closed space that was her hospital room. By her side were flowers and get-well-soon cards from her staff and members of Dante’s family; the largest were from James and Emily, who had come to see her yesterday, their faces tender and affectionate.Now, though, the room was quiet, except for the soft hum of medical equipment.Lyra lay in the hospital bed, her eyelids moving up and down slowly.She looked around weakly, taking in the sight of the flowers and cards. The pain was still there, but it was duller now, less sharp than before. Dante sat by her side, his eyes filled with concern and love."Hey," Lyra whispered, her voice weak but steady.Dante leaned closer, a smile spreading across his face. "You're doing great, my love. One step at a time."Lyra's eyes filled with tears."James told me... I couldn't have done this without you." She managed to say her eyes were meek and full of meaning.Dante squeezed her hand gently. "We're in this together, Lyra. Alway
The morning after the night of the interception, the grand living room of Cooper’s mansion was filled to the brim with people.The entire family was present, from Grandmother Allesandra to Lucas and Mirabel in their handcuffs, then his dad, Dante, and even James and Emily were around. They had flown in the previous night; others who were also around were the police officials led in by Eric. Everyone had all shown up for the critical meeting after the emergency message from Grandma and Dante, and they face a crude mix of shock, anger, and sorrow.Grandma had insisted yesterday that they be kept in the house until morning so that this meeting could hold.Earlier that day, Detective Eric, Dante, and a team of officers stormed the mansion after Dante reached out to his grandmother. The plan had been executed flawlessly.The gates were shut off and immediately surrounded by policemen. Lucas and Mirabel had been locked up in the room, their faces frozen in shock and apprehension as they tri
After about three hours of waiting, the lead doctor returned from the emergency ward. Dante leaped from the chair.“Yes doctor? How is she doing?”“Calm down, Mr. Dante; we are making progress. She is not fully up yet. But we are making progress. I’m confident she will survive thiss." He tapped on Dante’s shoulder.“Take some rest. This is going to take a few more hours.”Dante was a little relieved by the confident tone of the doctor; at least he wasn’t sounding as tensed as he was when they first came.He decided to use the free time to hunt her attackers.Once he was outside the hospital building, he stood at one spot, mumbling to himself as he tried to piece together the events of the past few hours. The attack on Lyra, the driverless truck—it all felt like a puzzle he couldn’t quite solve. The more he thought, the clearer it became that someone was keeping tabs on them, closely monitoring their every move.“I mean, how did they know I was going to be parking at that exact spot?
Dante stepped out of the gleaming glass doors of his office building. It was past 6 p.m. already, and the late evening sun hovered above the sky, ready to start receding.The usual hum of traffic and distant chatter filled the air, but something felt off. As he approached his car in the open parking lot, he noticed the front tires looked slightly deflated, and fresh scratches marred the previously pristine rims.He stopped a few steps from the car, hanging his hands on his waist.“What the hell?” He muttered, crouching to inspect the damage. Everything had been in perfect shape when he parked this morning. A sense of unease settled in his chest. Who would tamper with his car, and why?He looked around the fenced expanse for a moment but couldn’t find anyone close by.In helpless resignation, he climbed into the car and drove off slowly.In a few minutes, he managed to totter the vehicle to a nearby repair shop, less than five miles away from his office headquarters, carefully maneuve
The good light of the evening filtered through the blinds, casting a pale glow over the sterile hospital room.Lyra stirred on the narrow blue bed, feeling groggy and disoriented. She blinked a few times, her vision blurry, trying to make sense of her surroundings.The faint smell of antiseptic hung in the air, and the gentle beeping of machines created a rhythmic noise in the background.As her vision cleared, she noticed Dante sitting by her side, his eyes heavy with concern.His presence was a reassuring anchor.She took a deep breath, her voice barely a whisper.“You came? Where is…where is…”“Shhhh!” Dante hushed, leaning forward tenderly, his hand gently holding hers. “He’s gone.” He muttered calmly."You fainted a few hours ago, Lyra. Felix called me. He told me everything that happened. We brought you here immediately. After that, I asked him to leave."Lyra's heart thumped as the memories of the restaurant flooded back in that minute. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she tu
Lyra drove towards Philly April’s café with a blank expression, even though her heart was aching with curiosity.Felix had called earlier to promise his sincere apologies, and more importantly, he had claimed that he was ready to make some significant confessions, but she remained skeptical.She wondered if this was another one of his ploys, but that would not be a problem because she was ready to go any length to force the truth out of him, particularly the real truth about Aria's involvement in all of this.As greatly as she would have wished never to see or talk with Felix, her determination to uncover the truth pushed her forward.As she parked her car and approached the café, she steeled herself for the confrontation.The café was quiet, and the afternoon sun cast a golden hue over the cozy interior. Lyra spotted Felix immediately. He sat at a secluded table, his posture slumped, and his head tilted downward. His guilty, cowering look only fueled her anger.“I just hope this isn
Dante stood outside Lyra’s apartment, his heart rumbling with different thoughts, and he ached for her to appear so he could finally get the chance to defend himself.He took a deep breath and knocked on the door about four times, his knuckles rapping sharply against the wood.Inside, he heard the muffled sounds of movement, followed by Lyra’s voice, strained with pain and anger.“Just go away, Dante! I don’t want to see you!”Dante knocked again, louder this time. “Lyra, please, just hear me out!”“I’ve heard enough lies already!” Her voice reverberated through the door, each word a stab at his heart.“I said, just go away. Leave me the heck alone. Is that too much to ask?”The oppressive weight of desperation settled over him.He knocked once more, his voice rising.“Lyra, it’s about Mirabel. You need to know the truth. Just hear me out. Don't tell me you haven't been asking some questions either. Just give me the chance to offer you some answers; that is all I ask.”There was a bri
Dante sat next to his study desk, his eyes fixed on his phone. He dialed Lyra’s number again, waiting anxiously as it rang. Once, twice, and three times, each ring echos in the silent room. After five rings, the call went to voicemail. He let out a frustrated sigh, his mind racing with questions."Please pick up the phone, Lyra." He muttered quietly, pushing the phone aside as he stood up to start pacing the room. The last judgmental image he had of her, coupled with the unanswered calls so far, was only adding to his confusion and frustration.He debated going to her apartment, but the thought of facing her without answers held him back. His mind wandered back to that night. What exactly had happened? His thoughts spiraled, imagining the worst. Had he really slept with Amara? But How?The memory was hazy and fragmented. How had it come to this? He reasoned, his mind a whirlwind of doubt. The last thing he remembered was sitting in a hall with Mirabel. Amara was so much farther a