That can't be true!Celine’s pov"Jess, girl, you look insanely hot—more beautiful than I ever imagined. I mean, you've changed so much," Evelyn praised, her hands moving quickly from my face to my shoulders in a split second. "To think I underestimated your looks over the video calls. It's just not adding up," she exclaimed, surprise spreading across her face."Evelyn, stop. You’re making me blush already," I said, shrugging a bit to free myself from her touch. She was just a friend, though she could be dramatic at times. "How can you say I look prettier than before? Haven’t I been communicating with you all along?"She groaned, forcing a frown. Was she serious now? Or had she really pulled me all the way from Italy for this?“You're not serious with this crummy makeup and stunt, are you?” I asked, knowing she wouldn’t stand a chance if I turned the tables on her."Now tell me, aren't you looking gorgeous too? Or haven't you noticed quite a difference in your appearance?" I teased. A
My son, Harry!“What a small world,” she muttered.“Yes, indeed,” I said, lost in thought, my gaze fixed on an unidentified object, staring at nothing specific. It was as if my mind had numbed while I pictured the shocking scenario.“That's not all, girl.” Her voice snapped me back to reality, and my heart was on high alert, racing faster than a roller coaster. “Rumor has it that Anderson had a secret business deal with Jack. You remember Jack?” I nodded, still struck dumb by the news.“Yes, him. Jack was actually the one who initiated the sale to Anderson,” she said.“What?” It was a revelation that hit me hard. To think that Jack had slipped out of my mind all these years was unsettling. I couldn't comprehend or make sense of the scenario—Jack, Anderson, initiating the sale—it didn’t add up.If Jack initiated the sale of the company, it meant there was more hidden behind the scenes than anyone could see. It meant he might have had a hand in what happened years ago or was somehow con
Open controntationHarry's POV“And where the heck did you take them?” I yelled tenaciously, pointing my slender fingers at him, my heart racing like a roller coaster.He narrowed his gaze at me, a frown creasing his face as he took one more step toward me, closing the space between us. “I should be the one asking the questions, not the other way around. Or have you come to tell stories?” he spat, his brows furrowed.It felt like a thunderous slap to my face. The air around me suddenly became tense, like I was in a steaming furnace. My skin crawled. Jack isn’t playing with me, is he?“Don’t try to pull a fast one on me, man. I know your schemes—yes, I really do know,” I paused, my eyes scanning him. I doubted if I could spare one more minute without getting physical.“You're joking,” he muttered. I could sense his heartbeat now, pounding harder by the second. His eyes grew darker, fueled with rage. His forehead seemed to grow as we both stared intensely at each other.“I spared you
Never accepting DefeatLocked in the spot for who knows how long, my eyes grew even darker, and so did his. Our rage accelerated with every passing minute. I knew I was doing what was right. It was best to end the shreds one at a time, pointing and hitting the nail on its head. It had been a long, long struggle and would only end with bloodshed. I had taken enough already—enough of the guts, stunts, misery, and public showdown that had eaten deep into my spine. Shredding my heart every passing minute, like a strong wave of obsession, piercing deep into my soul.A smirk spread across his face, replacing the dread and horror within his heart. I miserably felt sick, unable to comprehend the sudden shift. The hurricane intensified, burning like lightning in my heart, like a lightning bolt.In my peripheral vision, I saw the guards, each surrounded, pointing guns at each other. Everything was about to go down the drain. All the years of labor and struggle—how painful that after all these y
RuinedJack’s pov“I will also prove to you that I am far ahead of you, faster than you can even imagine,” he exclaimed, his features etched with more confidence and certainty than I could comprehend. I thought this fool of a man, standing right in front of me, would just give up and bid me farewell, greeting my parents and loved ones, especially Emma—over there in the afterlife. But he was so confident in his stunts that my heart only quickened, a string pulling across my spine, sending shivers throughout. My limbs were growing feeble but I shrugged it off, putting up again.I wasn’t going to let his words affect me, never. I was strong, resolute in my heart—stronger than I had ever been. Harry had nothing over me; I had always had the upper hand, the master of the jungle, weaving my strategies of attack and defense. Was I going to let his empty words get to me? No, not a chance, not now nor ever.“I doubt you’ll do anything,” I sneered, my expression fixed and unchanged. My heart ti
Bang!Harry’s POVI was sure I was getting to him, deep down in his hardened heart, like a spear shredding that single organ into tiny little pieces, feeding it to him so he could taste how it felt. The delight that another person who had once navigated your suffering was now going through the same ordeal was overwhelming.I felt satisfied, for not giving up on myself, even after feeling defeated and vulnerable to him. He was way stronger than I was and connected to a more dreaded mafia group, but one thing was certain,I had him playing at the mercy of my smartness. However, I had no clue what I was really saying or doing. I had never plotted anything over the years, all because I was focused on protecting my family and enjoying the peace while he was gone. I never saw this side of him coming. I thought he had gotten over all these fights already. I mean, it had been five good years since our last confrontation, and in my naive heart, I thought it was over. But never would I have thou
The interviewCeline’s povThe camera zoomed in as I walked to the entrance of the hall, amidst the crowd scattered around the premises of the large auditorium. I couldn’t help but feel a pang in my heart, an overwhelming sense of accomplishment surging through me, like a rush of heavy spring rain.“Have a good day, Miss Emma Wood,” the security personnel greeted, a grin spreading across my face in a hearty welcome.“Here she comes,” the reporter announced, and all gazes shifted in my direction. My heartbeat suddenly accelerated, rising and falling in an instant. I was feeling a mix of nervousness and unease. The thought of having all eyes on me fueled my discomfort. But I needed to remain poised, perfect before their eager gaze.Starting a branch of the firm here in New York wasn’t difficult, especially with capable hands to ensure its success. Today, I was finally here for the grand opening, celebrated as the most successful and influential figure recognized globally. The butterflie
Her nameAll eyes widened in disbelief. I turned toward the direction of the voice as the footsteps approached. The smile on my face suddenly dissipated, and the urge to throw up surged. Right before the interviewer, whose mouth had parted, I could read the lines on her face. Not only had that name surfaced, but it was also so articulated and directed at me specifically, the voice echoed through the entire room. It had been buried in my past, and I wished it had remained so, but fate had a different plan. Today was the company's grand opening, yet so much was happening in just a brief flicker of time.It wasn't enough that the interviewer asked questions that were off-limits, now another person—who I believed was from my past—was obviously present here. Who could that be? My heart was rising and falling like a pendulum. Thousands of thoughts flew by in just a second. One of which was the reason I felt it wasn't time yet to return to New York. But I couldn't remain in a foreign land fo
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