TwistedCeline's POVIt’s been the busiest night ever. Staying up all night to work on this particular file was nothing short of a tough job. It still hurt deep down that I had to do this all alone when there were capable hands in the company that could have handled it. I chose to give myself the extra work because I was intent on not leaving any room for mistakes.No one was to be trusted at this point until all the evidence was out and the culprits identified. I tilted my head towards the table situated just to my left. The pile of files was still sitting there, glaring at me. None of them required immediate attention compared to this one. The graphic seemed a little too simple for my liking and needed improvement to add a more sophisticated touch. Glancing at my wristwatch, it was already past one, and my eyelids were growing heavy.A knock on the door made me wince. No one would be knocking at this hour unless it was Henry. And what would be keeping him awake at this time?“Come i
Not againHarry's POVSeated patiently in the car as he drove up, my heart wandered with joy. For a moment, I felt like giving up on this mission and focusing on celebrating this moment of rising hope and a great future. The grin on my face was evident and in full display.If I needed the clarity I longed for, then I should pursue it relentlessly. I figured that was the only way to keep me increasingly in anticipation of what was to be unveiled. How would it feel if I came close to the truth and cleared my doubts? That part of me longed for clarity once again as I watched the buzzing city from the car window. It felt so strong that I couldn't resist, which only left me in misery. Despite the hum from the busy city, my eyes rolled in anticipation while my heart wallowed in uncertainty. I had never been this drawn toward clarity as I was now, and the urge usually struck when I flashed back to his face repeatedly. Hope loomed in a distant hum.Soon the car halted at the mansion. I checke
What!My heart suddenly drifted to the earlier conversation with Mum that took place before my arrest. I couldn't believe I hadn't seen or heard from her after the incident that happened to me. That was unlike Mum; she never behaved in such a manner in the past, aside from the rift we had previously, which was obviously settled the last time we met.I pulled out my phone from my breast pocket to make a call, but her line wasn't connecting. Even the house line wasn't connecting either. My heart suddenly skipped. What could be the issue? I asked myself but couldn't come close to any clue that could have led to her disconnected lines. The beating of my heart intensified, as loud as a drumbeat, and I gasped."Take me to Mum's mansion, and please increase your speed," I instructed. It was a weekend, so I believed she would be home at that time if all was alright. However, I doubted that possibility. Along the drive, I clutched my hands to my chest to remain calm and remind myself that noth
HauntedJack's POV"Don't tell me to calm down! How could you think so lowly of me? Argh, Becky. I’ve loved you all along. I can admit I had a thing with her, but that was in the past," I tried to assure her, my jaw tightening. I think outside the plan, I felt something for her. That same feeling I once had for Emma before her demise."Don’t assure me of that if you can’t keep your word or prove it." A slight frown appeared on her face, which caught my attention. I reached for her cheek, my thumb gently rubbing the spot. "She’s suspecting my every move, even if she hasn’t said it outright, but I think she’s close to the truth. You know what that means for me.""Babe, don’t worry. That shouldn’t be a challenge or an issue that makes you frown," I said, smoothing her cheek with care, my gaze fixed on hers. "I can take good care of you, even without that job, so I don’t see any reason for you to worry." I assured her, lifting my other hand to hold her by the waist. The frown still linger
Becky, wake up“If you think for one second that you can use and dump me like trash, and I would sit back and watch, then man, you are joking,” she snapped, tightening her grip on the trigger.My brows furrowed as I tried to imagine what she meant by being five steps ahead of me. Its warmth lingered in my heart.“If you leave now, consider yourself lucky. I will not do any harm to you. But one more minute here, and you can consider yourself dead.”“Don’t be so quick, man. How heartless can you be to dump the mother of your son?”“H...mm, Jack, you have a son together?” Becky snapped from behind, her voice wavering. Her hands, which had been clutching my back in fear, loosened.“Babe, I can explain.”“What do you have to explain? Answer me. I thought you just had a fling with her in the past? You never told me a child was involved!” she snapped angrily. “Ahh!” Her eyes widened in disbelief. “Is he the one?”“Who?” I asked, perplexed.“The little boy, about eight or nine, I saw you with
New determinationCeline's POVI couldn't believe I was standing right there with Alloy and the group of cops that had surrounded the entire building.Was Jack really capable of doing everything he had confessed to? I still couldn’t believe it, even as I stood there, clenching my fists. I felt like punching that smug face of his right now. The dread hovering in my heart intensified with every new revelation that struck me deep down. A shiver ran down my spine. I felt like I was losing control every time I remembered the bang and the cold words from Jack. I imagined she had been shot, but deep down, I prayed she was still alive.Turning to Alloy, I asked, “What’s keeping them from coming out?” They were taking too long already; every second felt like an eternity.“It’s in process. They can’t possibly escape— the place is surrounded. Just calm down,” he said.“What if someone else is hurt?” I thought to myself. I couldn’t shake off the urgency. I needed to be certain Becky was okay. I c
Recurring pain"She's my daughter, let go of me!" she barked, throwing herself on the floor. I couldn't resist watching, fighting back the urge to console and comfort her. Deep down, I felt how broken she was. I remembered how I felt the day Henry was kidnapped years ago; it was as though the world was coming to an end. Not to mention kissing someone you knew would never come back again."Ma'am, it's alright, everything is going to be fine," I tried to console her, but she was inconsolable. She pulled away even more, not caring about the people watching or the media capturing everything to spice up the news."Ma'am, I think it's time we left. Remember, we need to go to the station first," Alloy called. For a moment, I hesitated, reluctant to leave the woman all by herself. But there was nothing I could do to help her, except ensure that the perpetrators fully face the consequences of their actions.Soon, we were out of the scene and back at the station, one of the largest in the city.
Recurring pain“What’s he doing here?” I snapped in fury. I couldn’t believe he was so jobless that he always tried to stalk me.“I invited him over,” Aaron asserted.“Why would you do that without my permission?”“Celine, watch it. That's my husband you’re talking to in such a manner. We want the best for you, even though you won’t give him another chance. It’s best you hear him out, forgive him, and move on with your life with someone else.” She paused, staring intensely. “It’s best you forgive him for the sake of your son and your sanity,” she added decisively.“I don’t want to hear anything he has to say! He should just get the heck out of my life forever! Is that too much to ask?” I asserted, by then Harry was already in our midst.“Celine, please hear me out, I..”“I don’t need your silly explanations! Just get the heck out of here this minute,” I cut in angrily. “Oh, don’t worry, I think I should leave instead. You disgust me,” I spouted, leaving immediately without a second th
A Blissful ForeverHarry's POVWe drove out of the mansion toward the most renowned resort in the city. My heart surged with joy and gratitude for the journey and the battles fought to reach this glorious moment of peace with Celine and my son, Henry.It was a dream come true. Deep down, I vowed never to let this opportunity slip away. This was the moment I had always envisioned, and now that it was manifesting, I was more than ready to cherish it. I resolved to make amends for all my past mistakes, creating and nurturing beautiful, lasting memories, even amidst any struggles that might come our way.“Dad, can we stop at Moore’s? I want to get my favorite candy,” Henry said, pointing toward the store on the left side of the street.“Alright, anything for you, son,” I replied, and he grinned, biting his hand playfully.“Thank you, Dad!” he cheered. I smiled and turned the car toward Moore’s parking lot.Soon, we were back in the car, Henry happily clutching his bag of candies and snack
The expectedA grin spread across his face as he held my hands, planting a loving kiss on them before crouching low on his knees. My heart soared once more, and this time, I was determined to give this tireless man a "yes" for his relentless efforts to win me over.“Please, my lady, will you be mine again?” he asked, his hands dipping into his pant pockets to retrieve the ring. To my amazement, his gaze remained fixed on mine.“Please, girl, forgive him and accept him back; for my sake and Henry's,” Evelyn's voice surged from behind almost immediately, and I winced.“Yes, he deserves one more chance,” Aaron added.I stayed still, determined in my thoughts, my face adorned with a grin. Finally, I whimpered,“Yes, I’ll give you another chance, to be yours again.”With a relieved smile, he hastily slid the ring onto my finger and rose to his feet.“Thank you. I promise I’ll never hurt you again,” he said, his eyes widening with sincerity.“Are you sure?” I asked, my voice trembling sligh
Sorrowful momentWithout hesitation, I tapped to receive the call, my head lowered and my heart racing. By now, the applause had stopped, but Harry still remained kneeling with the ring in his hands, his face showing a mix of disappointment and uncertainty.“Hel…” I started, but his voice cut me off almost immediately.“Please, you need to come. The report is bad, and Evelyn needs you,” he asserted, and my heart sank.“Okay, I’ll be right there,” I responded. The call ended almost immediately from his end. I hurriedly lowered the phone from my ear, casting a sorry gaze at Harry.“Please, I need to leave. It’s about Evelyn,” I announced. Without glancing around at the murmurs that arose once more, I hastily addressed the team, then stormed to the car and drove off almost immediately to the hospital.Once at the hospital, I hurriedly made my way through the lobby and down the hallway leading to the maternity section. I knew she would be there. As I had suspected, I spotted Aaron speakin
Two Weeks LaterCeline’s POVA lone tear dropped from my eye as I walked along the aisle toward the pavilion. My heart couldn’t stop wondering how I got here; a pathway filled with endless struggles and challenges. A path where evil loomed, but amidst the overwhelming obstacles and chaos, I succeeded, alongside the great team that stood firm with me. It felt like a dry bone coming back to life.The roaring applause of the crowd and the overwhelming feeling of having everything under control struck me with a sense of fulfillment—the kind that comes when one keeps a promise. That, I had lived to remember for seven years, ever since Dad was buried."I wish I could see him again and tell him everything is now fine and under control," I whispered in my heart, never stopping to wander through the familiar thoughts crowding my mind.The media buzzed around the hall, fixing and focusing their cameras on me. The grin on my face widened as a surge of joy erupted through me. As I climbed the pa
Rising Tension"Why can't I go inside?""That's the instruction, sir. I'm so sorry if it doesn't sit well with you, but please, you can't go in," he explained."I see. Is your madam at home?""Not really. She stepped out a few minutes ago. I thought you might have driven past her on your way here.""Not at all," I replied, feeling a pang of devastation. My eyes fell on the drink I held in my hands, and all the carefully rehearsed words I had practiced in the car suddenly felt meaningless."Can I leave this for her?""Not at all, sir. I think you should give it to her yourself; it would be much better," he replied. I sighed and turned to leave, my feet dragging sluggishly against the ground.Just then, a voice called out from behind."What are you doing here? I thought I told you last time not to come near us! Why are you still bent on bringing us more trouble?"I turned to meet his angry gaze. His words were far too harsh for a child his age, but I couldn't shake off the feeling that
Bad OccurrenceHarry's POVIt's been a heck of an experience for me. The shock and the stigma felt increasingly heavy, almost suffocating the life out of me. I still felt as though the chains of the forbidden were caging me, weighing me down like an unbearable burden.“Boss, you need to do something before everything escalates beyond what we can handle,” Louis, who had come over, suggested with a concerned expression.I sat still, lost in thought, struggling to figure out what to do. It was fortunate that the news hadn’t picked up on this yet, but I needed Celine's help to navigate through this mess before it did. Otherwise, it would tarnish the company’s reputation irreparably. This disaster, which I had been grappling with for the past twenty-four hours, left me filled with regret. I doubted it would ever leave my mind; not now, not ever. Mom’s face still appeared before me repeatedly. The moments when she smiled, the happy times we shared; all of them taunted my heart relentlessly.
The Unforseen I held her hands in pain as the other corps members rushed toward us. My gaze became blurry from the tears that clouded my eyes.“Ma'am, step aside,” the officer instructed, but I remained unmoved. I couldn't let go of her hands. Watching her lying motionless pricked a deep part of my heart, and I didn’t even notice if the guy was caught or not. Everything else felt irrelevant at that moment.He leaned in, turning her over slowly and placing his ear on her chest.“I think she’s still alive,” he muttered, and a sudden wave of relief washed over me.Soon, she was wheeled into the ambulance, and I followed suit. Once at the hospital, she was rushed into the emergency room while I waited impatiently in the waiting area, praying earnestly that nothing would happen to her.I stood there, lost in my thoughts of grief and anguish, when a hand rested on my shoulder, jolting me almost immediately. I turned to find Alloy standing close by.“Ma'am, I think you should calm down. She
Moment of AgonyOnce freed, I ran as fast as I could while they pursued me. I knew the risk was higher now, but it was the least of my concerns at that moment. My heartbeat raced as I stumbled upon a door. Hurriedly, I opened it, only to find myself at the back of the suite where the cops were stationed. Just as one of the men chasing me fired a shot, the bullet struck the doorframe, creating a sharp cracking sound as I scrambled to the other side.“Drop your weapons!” the police announced. Oblivious to the ambush, the men chasing me ran straight into police custody. I heaved a sigh of relief, clutching my chest in an attempt to ease the tension building within me.“Damn, that was a freaky risk,” I muttered under my breath. I had no idea I could run as fast or as boldly as I just had. Once settled, I glanced around, only to realize something was amiss. I distinctly remembered hearing the leader give orders as I fled. He had been following me, but now he was nowhere to be seen. Somethi
A Turn for The WorstMy heart raced drastically as I lifted my head to meet his gaze. Did he already sense that I had my eyes fixed on the dark-haired guy, apparently the leader who had just walked in? I thought to myself, but then the realization hit me hard: What if he’s part of the gang? I mean, judging from his appearance.I felt my stomach churn as I finally mustered the courage to reply.“What are you doing here?” I inquired, trying to mask my unease, which was clearly written on my features.He smirked. “Looking out for you,” he replied. I felt a little relieved and then a surge of anger.“Why can't you mind your business?” I asserted.“I can't mind my business while you’re still sitting here. Besides, I kept wondering why your supposed partner is taking so long to appear. Or were you just playing a fast one on me?” he questioned, smiling sheepishly.I tried so hard to hold back my anger, which was seething beneath the surface. It was glaringly obvious that he wasn’t part of th