Awakening HopeCeline’s POVI could have looked past it if he had done it accidentally. But now, he deliberately tried to brush his dirty self on Evelyn when I became her saviour. I could see that deadly desire burning intensely in his darkened eyes. It wasn’t just the anger over whatever discussion they had—it was much stronger, like the kind he used to suppress whenever he wanted to make out with me back when we were still married.I cursed and scoffed at his disgusting behaviour. He had the nerve to do what, exactly, with my best friend? The same woman he claims is his friend's fiancée? How disgusting and low of him. He looked more repulsive than I ever thought possible.When I slapped him, I could sense his mind reset as he raced down the steps and left the room in haste.“How are you?” I asked, examining her properly. I was worried she might have been hurt by his sudden actions.“I’m alright. That asshole thought he could just do what again? Ugh!” She spat, shrugging off the part
Shocking TurnsHarry's POV"Why was I so careless to let myself attempt such an atrocity? It was just unbelievable, far beyond her imagination and comprehension. Stepping out of the large hall, almost flinching, I sauntered into my car, my heart pounding with heavy palpitations.I just messed up, and it damn well hurt. I thought of countless scandalous thoughts running through their minds. I knew I was the loose one right now; I was probably the bad guy. To think it was Evelyn I tried making advances on was never going to add up. What happened to the self-discipline I had labored to build over the years?I slammed my palms against the steering wheel. I was hurting, and I felt every bit of it, shredding my heart. Will I ever have a chance to speak with Celine again after the stunt I pulled? I sat there in the car, my eyes staring aimlessly in no particular direction. The bustling hum of music from the hall roared loudly, followed by the quick selection of another song. But my heart ref
ChaosCeline’s POV“Ma'am, the clients are extremely worried about the news, and I doubt it's good for our reputation,” Becky reported.I still couldn't imagine how this issue had turned into a piercing bone lodged in my throat. Everything was settled and dealt with already. The building's opening was successfully accomplished, yet someone seemed to have reopened old wounds. But how and why?“Do we have a spy, or should I put it more clearly? Do we have an enemy within?” I asked sternly but pensively.She was taken aback by my words, but almost immediately, she understood them. Her expression became calculating.“Ma'am, I have no clue whatsoever,” she replied after a brief silence, adjusting the blue gown she wore that fell beneath her knees. She had the decency to do that, but I would come back to it later, just not now.“Then tell me, how did the case of the leaky roof, which had already been sorted, get out to the public, and even the media has covered it? Tell me!” I blurted angri
Chaos Dread washed over my entire being like a tidal wave, my heart pinching harder and faster with uncertainty as I flipped through the pages of the newspaper. Each page ignited the spark of my eyes with horror, unable to fathom the sudden, swift punch, but I continued until the last page, only to find no news about Harry.I knew Evelyn wouldn't pull such a stunt or juice up stories about him. Maybe the headlines weren’t in this particular newspaper. However, I tapped my chest to ease my racing heart and caught a glimpse of stillness within myself. Having not fully recovered from sorting out the company’s issues and the culprit, I didn't want more stress over issues that pertained to outsiders, including Harry. Whatever it was that involved him had no business with me, and as such, I pulled strings to distance myself.“Ma'am, here are the full footages of the dealings from the end of the project to the faults arising, as you demanded earlier,” the director in charge stretched forth
Chaos Harry's POVSeated in the back seat of the car, my heart bitterly wandered to the countless atrocities and the series of repercussions taking their fierce grasp on me like a mighty claw of an intricate web. I was constantly in the midst of one trouble or another, each leaving me in abject pain and deep regret.How was I to explain everything, other than to find ways out of it? Every day became a thorn in a nightmare, and just as I was reeling from one, another would show itself. I pitied myself and my years of foolishness, thinking I would derive joy from oppressing others but unknowingly building my own downfall and cursed walls.“How did you get involved in such a delicate case?” His voice pulled me from my reverie, and I jolted back, my heart alert to his inquiries.“It was just an accident, a mistake I live to regret every day and every moment of my life,” I replied bitterly, my tone almost wavering.He turned his head toward me, sitting on my right. He narrowed his gaze, h
Chaos Celine’s POV“How dare you?” I retorted, stepping out of the car with so much anguish buried in my heart and soul. He not only tried his silly deals with me but also went as far as involving my son's life in his schemes.I moved straight toward them, my brows raised in disdain and pain. How could he do such a thing? It had been turmoil in my heart when Alloy broke the disheartening news to me, and I marveled for a second, thinking he was mincing his words. But after much persuasion and evidence, I was blown away by the news. Standing here and looking at his disgusting face, I felt like strangling the life out of him, if only I could.“Celine, I am so sorry. I never meant to do any of those things,” he begged.“Spare me that nonsense. I don’t need your damn apology,” I retorted.“Mum, is he the one that shot me?” Henry’s voice pulled me from behind, and my heart bled. I didn’t know he had followed me out of the car. I was so angry, filled with rage, that I didn’t notice. I felt
ChaosJack’s POV“How dare you? You think you can use me to get what you want and then dump me like I mean nothing, huh? Answer me!” she retorted, her face creased in a frown.I glared at her with so much resentment and horror. “You don’t tell me what to do; I call the shots here,” I snapped, my anger intensifying. “I decide what should be done and take measures to ensure it’s right.”“No, you got it all wrong! Need I remind you that I did all of that?” She placed her hands on her chest, clutching it hard. “I did. I single-handedly handed over the documents to you. I did all the inner work and spent nine years of my life doing that, taking all the stunts and hoops, and here you are taking the glory! Gosh, you are dumb!” she spat, and my rage grew more. A thunderous slap landed on her face in a blink of seconds. “You don’t spit at me. Don’t ever do that!” I covered the space between us in rage.“You dare lay your filthy hands on me, Jack?” Her hand rested on the left cheek where the sl
Creepy occurrencesCeline’s POVYou would see it coming. It better be a glitch or a joke. Each occurrence playing tricks in my subconscious as I mingle with the scenes in my heart. I watched them, I saw them, and I knew exactly what was happening; however, I will play it cool to this game as it unfolds, fully ready for their antics and shows all the way.Sitting in the office, I couldn't let go of my thoughts, my mind playing riffling games with my head, and the thoughts conflicting in a demanding way. Becky, Jack! Not really.“Ma'am, the client from Triffins is demanding a meeting with you, ma'am,” her voice pulled me out of my reverie. Talk of the devil herself. Calm, tender on the outside but sneaky, evil on the inside. I glared at her with disdain written all over my gaze, and she marvelled, uncomfortable, standing as if chasing dead ends.“Ma'am,” she called out once more, this time her tone wavering, my legs gradually trembling. “Have I done anything wrong?” she asked, her palms
Dungeon Celine's POVWalking past the hallway, I gasped, holding my breath as I took in the surroundings. A tiny pang pulled at me, but then a surge of determination suddenly took hold of my being. I wasn't used to places like this, yet I snapped back to focus as I stepped into the lounge.“Ma'am, what do you need?” a waitress asked, walking toward me. I glanced around, taking in the sight of the place. It revealed a more intense environment, a mix of individuals. Some had a dreaded appearance, wearing rugged, torn jeans or disheveled suits. A few others, more decently dressed, were all engrossed in their activities and fun.I found an empty table at the other end of the hall, away from the cramped seats and the litter of bottles beneath many of the tables. “Just give me water,” I said curtly, and the waitress hurried off to fulfill my request. My heart raced wildly, but I knew I had to end all of this once and for all. The leader of this particular group controlled the other organiz
ForbiddenQuickly brushing my hands off, a cool shiver ran down my spine. In a moment of clarity, I realized what had just happened, which jolted me. I reached for her hands, tapping gently, but there was no response.“Gosh, what have I done?”I hastily pulled away from her and stroked her hair, letting my fingers trail down the side of her neck. It was instantly cold, and I jerked backward in shock. My body broke into a cold sweat despite the chills running through me. This can’t be happening. No!“Mum!” I called to her, but there was no response. My body trembled slightly. I raised her hands gently, but they dropped slowly, and that was when the true reality struck me. No! No! What have I done? I slammed my hands hard on the couch, making a reverberating noise that echoed through the entire room. Amidst my worries and misery, I still realized that I had just done something I shouldn't have.“Mum!” I called again, my eyes fixed on her face, which was still innocent, her eyes slightly
Her deathHarry's POV A surge of relief washed through me as I anticipated her call. I had sent her another gift just yesterday and hoped she had received it.Morning had already come, yet I hadn’t heard from her; not even a text. The earlier relief was gradually fading away. She was right to treat me the way she did; I had tried so hard to absorb that truth. Still, I couldn’t shake off the urge to go see Mum. She had given me false information about Dad’s death, but Louis had advised me to calm down before confronting her. That advice, however, had lingered long enough.It had been two days of intense worry and sorrow. Each time there was a glimmer of hope, it drowned in an ocean of grief and bitterness. I doubted if I could hold on any longer; I couldn’t heal unless I sorted things out quickly. I pulled my phone out of my breast pocket and hesitated for a moment before typing a text to Celine.Countless texts had been sent over the past few days, yet none received a reply. Still, I
Another Battle?My heart wandered to what Sharon had said earlier, and I couldn't shake off the urgency I felt to meet her. She sounded too serious, and whatever important information she had to disclose, I knew it was related to the past. As much as I never wanted to revisit my past, I still needed to know what it was all about.I had the urge to call Evelyn, but I restrained myself. There was no need to burden her with my issues anymore. I tried to grasp sleep throughout the night as I awaited the morning, but all my efforts proved futile, and I was already giving up in frustration.I reached my hand to the head of the bed where my podcast device was. I tapped to play the popular music streaming on it, tuning it to a lower key and pitch before slumping back onto the bed. I carefully freed my mind from all worries, and soon, the music synced with my heart. Slowly, I closed my eyes, and soon, I drifted off to sleep.*****Sitting in this popular resort at the far-right end of the larg
Intriguing SuspenseCeline’s POVMy heart shattered even more as I watched his reactions and flimsy flirting excuses, which he thought would win me over. I felt like I was losing it. He had taken something precious from me in the past, and as if that wasn’t enough, he still had to hide it from me; an act I despised so much.“I never want to see you near us again,” I cursed, looking intensely at his derailed expression, masked with even greater pain and hurt.“Please, for the…”“Just go,” Henry cut in, and he swallowed hard. I hated seeing my son angry, just as much as I felt the pain of a reopened wound. If my mum were alive, I wouldn’t have gone through the torment I endured. I doubted I would have faced the ridicule and humiliation his singular action caused me. Glaring at him, still crouched on the floor, I felt like strangling the life out of him for taking what was so precious and priceless to me, yet I tried so hard to restrain the urge.“Why are you still pleading? Take your di
BrokenHarry's POVI felt a shiver run down my spine the moment she pointed to the diary on the floor. My heart skipped a beat; or thousands. I distinctly remembered tucking the diary into the shelves, so how did it end up here, on the floor in this room?"How did you get that?" I asked, the perplexed look on my face betraying my confusion.She scoffed, shooting me a deadly stare that set my entire body aflame. "You still have the nerve to ask that? Isn't it your handwriting on it? You're just so pathetic," Evelyn spat, and I winced."Just get out of here this minute!" Celine barked, and my heart sank even more. Her pained expression and the tears on her cheeks tugged at something inside me. I tried to reach for her, but Evelyn slapped my hand away, rolling her eyes derisively."Never try that again," she snapped. Celine said nothing, her head buried in her hands, her face a picture of intense disdain.I crouched low, dropping to my knees. "Please, I'm so sorry for whatever you saw in
ExposedCeline's POV“Get the things ready and well arranged in the car while I quickly change into something perfect,” I instructed the new driver who had just started working.“Alright, ma,” he responded, turning to leave as I headed towards the staircase.“Ahh, girl, I’m so happy for you!” Evelyn chimed in from the door, hobbling towards me with a smile plastered all over her face.“Please calm down. You know you don’t need to walk fast in your condition. Slow and steady,” I teased, and she scoffed.“So, I shouldn’t walk fast anymore? Where is it written?” she snapped.“In your antenatal instructions, of course.”“No, you could have just called me a little child that should crawl instead.” She finally reached me.“You aren’t dressed yet.”“Yeah, but I’m going upstairs to get dressed now. Aren’t you coming over to help me with buttoning up?” I asked.“You should have just taken me along with you. It’s obvious you were actually waiting for me, pretending not to care,” she teased, com
AcceptedHarry's POVI could feel her breath heavily against mine as I deepened the kiss, my tongue savoring every drop of sweetness from her lips. I only pulled away when I realized she was out of breath.My gaze fixed on her intensely; I could see the fire and sparks buried within her eyes. I wasn't going to let go. I had long desired this moment, but somehow, I was denied it by the circumstances that followed thereafter.I kissed her again, enjoying every moment as she groaned, feeling the tingling sensation in her body. Her hands strayed to my back, her fingers digging deep through my shirt. I kissed her even more, lifting her to sit on the table while keeping our lips locked. My hands moved through her long, flowing gown, sliding up from her knees to her thighs. Her groans intensified, stirring my desire to continue. I could feel myself getting hard, not wanting to stop anytime soon.Just then, a bit of sanity struck me, hitting me hard enough to reset my senses. I stopped in my
Tingling SensationCan't believe he said those words. Wasn't he supposed be glad if I gave him a second chance in our lives. Or was he just putting on an act to get at me?“Why did you say that?” Evelyn asked, her eyes widened in shock as well. I silently thanked her in my heart for speaking up.“Because it's not the right time for that. Besides, my top priority is to ensure she's in perfect condition and not the other way around.”“Alright, if you say so,” Evelyn exclaimed.“But Dad, I can't wait for us to be one happy family again. Besides, Mum isn’t complaining about it, is she?” He turned to ask me, and I froze in place.“Mum!”“Yes, cutie, not really,” I replied, and he grinned.“You see, Mum isn’t complaining.”“Can we drop this issue for now? There are many other things to deal with right now.”“See, there is,” I replied, feeling utterly relieved at that moment. I wasn’t going to face any tough questions, even though I knew Henry had many to ask.*****Two months laterI steppe