**Third person**Amelia trudged up the creaky stairs of her townhouse, her eyes fixed on the worn carpet. She hated this place, hated the noise, and hated the neighbors. Especially the ones blasting music at 10 p.m. and even early this morning. She reached the top floor and slammed the door to her apartment, trying to drown out the thumping bass. But it only seemed to get louder."Ugh, why can't they just keep it down?" Amelia muttered to herself and flopped onto her black couch.Just as she was about to call the landlord again, her phone rang. She hesitated, wondering who was calling this early on a Saturday morning.But then she picked up when she saw the caller ID."Why the fuck didn't you tell me that bitch was affiliated with Mr. Stone?" The gruff voice on the other end yelled.His yelling startled Amelia, and she immediately sat up on her couch, her forehead wrinkling."What is going on?" She snapped. "And were you able to take care of her?" He scoffed. "Are you kidding me?”
**Lucas** “Sir? Selling the phone to her?” Calvin asked wide-eyed. “Yes, well she seems stubborn and I knew she was going to reject it.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “So I had to come up with something,” I explained, but Calvin just kept staring at me like I was from a different planet. “Goodness, I knew that you were going to screw this. That's why I wanted to help,” he murmured under his breath but I still heard him anyway. I turned to glare at him. “What did you say?” “Nothing,” he replied. “Good. I thought so too.” Then I moved away from the window where I was standing and settled into my chair. “So what do I ask for as payment?” I muttered, rubbing my chin. “You're not really going that route, are you?” He narrowed his eyes in a curious way. I cocked my eyebrow. “What's wrong with it?” “Well she's going to think you want to buy her over. And you definitely don't want her to have that impression about you right?” I tapped my finger on my desk and th
**Third person**“Hey, how are you doing?” Val asked casually.Amelia turned to glare at her. “When did we start exchanging pleasantries?” Then her focus returned to the soup she was scooping onto her plate.“We don't,” Val agreed. “But I just thought you'd like to know that I was attacked on Friday.”Amelia's eyes widened with fear. Did Val already know? But Amelia was backing Valerie, and so Val didn't see the look on Amelia's face. “If Val knew, she'd have already told Lucas, and they'd have come for her,” she thought to herself.Amelia immediately regained her composure, the frown on her face deepening. “And why would I want to know that?”“I just thought that since my life was threatened and we work for the same company, you might want to know,” Val explained, her tone laced with a tint of sarcasm.Amelia rolled her eyes and released a breath she didn't know she was holding. “Well, I'm glad you're fine. You can leave now." Amelia waved her hand. "Shuu…” “Thank you, and Lucas
**Valerie**“Huh?” I stuttered, pulling my hand away from his. I wasn't expecting Adam to be so straight-forward.And wasn't it too soon?"Look, Val, I will provide you with whatever you want; you'll never lack anything,” he assured me.I was staring into Adam's eyes. He looked so sincere. If only he'd shown me just a little bit of this part while we were married... Maybe I wouldn't be so angry.I swallowed. “What about your wife?”“And what about her?” He reiterated as if he didn't know what I meant.“Would she be okay with this?” I asked, trying to study his face.Of course she wouldn't!No woman would be okay with her husband having a mistress, but I was curious as to what his reply would be.He leaned forward and smiled. “Does she have to know?”The irritation in me bubbled up. “She's not even as beautiful as you are,” he continued."Oh, Adam..." I sighed inwardly. How was I able to stay married to him for three years?“Valerie, you're by far the most beautiful woman I've ever s
**Third person** Amelia's mind raced as she sipped her coffee in a corner of the dimly lit cafe. Her eyes flew to the watch on her wrist yet again. She'd planned to leave by 9PM. She swiped her phone screen and read his message again. “Don't forget your deadline is Monday.” Taking a deep breath, she took another sip of her coffee, allowing the liquid to burn through her throat. This wasn't the time to hesitate. She had to carry on since she'd exhausted her only option; her savings. No friends who'll be willing to lend her some money, and definitely not Karen. She had acted on her own accord, and it didn't turn out for the better like she'd expected. That would only make Karen furious. The last option lingered in her mind; it was the only way, and she bet Adam wouldn't even notice. After taking the last sip of her coffee, she rose to her feet. It was already 9PM. She paid for the coffee and then headed out. Amelia made her way back to the office building, her heart pounding
**Valerie**My heart pounded in my chest. What was I going to do?Surely, I couldn't let them find me here.“Think, Valerie. Think fast,” I urged myself. Just then, I looked above me, and a thought came to my head. I'd seen it in movies. “You don't have the right to look around in the CEO’s office,” Amelia scolded.Whatever she did in Adam's drawer, I'm sure she was scared of them finding out.They bickered a bit more, and I used the opportunity to do what I'd thought of. It was my best shot.I heard the drawers open. He was already here. I held my breath as the guard looked under the table.And thankfully, he didn't see me because I clung to the underside of the desk.Phew… It worked.After what felt like an eternity, the voices faded away. The door clicked shut as they all left the room. I let out a shaky breath, my heart still racing. Then I dropped to the floor, my mind immediately flying to Matthew. “Hey, Matt,” I whispered.“Jeezzzz, Val," he exclaimed. "You scared me. What
**Valerie** The women's laughter grew louder, creating a chorus of mocking chirps. "What's that look on your face? Too big to pick up her clutch?" Amelia fired again, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Maybe Karen was right. It wasn't a big deal, after all. I just need to swallow my pride and pick up her bag. This job was really important to me, and I needed to keep it. Just as I stepped forward to pick up the bag, Lucas appeared and picked it up. “Here.” He extended the bag to Karen. He turned to me, his eyes sparkling with a warmth that melted away the tension in my chest. "I've been looking for you everywhere," he said, his voice soft and reassuring. “Uh…” I mumbled, my eyes wide with surprise. Lucas wrapped his arm around me, his touch sending a jolt of electricity through my body. My heart pounded in my ears as I struggled to catch my breath. My mind raced. “Lucas?” I managed to murmur. He smiled at me and cupped my cheeks. “Are you okay?” My eyes moved to his han
**Valerie**I swallowed. And before I had time to process what was going on, a woman who seemed to be in her late fifties was standing in front of us. The woman's lips seemed to have parted in shock, and a young, beautiful, brown-haired lady stood beside her.Lucas's grip on me tightened, and he looked up at the woman with a serious expression. "Mom, this is my girlfriend, Valerie; the one I told you about," he announced.What???!His what??My cheeks suddenly became really warm.Lucas glanced at me again and gave me a small nudge for me to play along.Smiling sweetly at his mother, "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Stone,” I greeted.Her eyes narrowed as she scrutinized me.I forced a small smile, feeling her stare burn into my skin. Was she going to say she doesn't like me and disapproves of the relationship? “You're not trying to mess with me, right?” She asked her son, her voice laced with suspicion.Lucas tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his touch sending a shiver down my spine. "
**Third person** Valerie dragged her heavy eyes open. She blinked a couple of times to clear her vision. The smell of drugs and antiseptic and hospital filled her nose. Beside her, Lucas sat with his eyes closed. Almost immediately she jumped up on the bed. “Let me go,” she shouted, startling Lucas. He climbed the bed and pulled her into his arms. “It's okay, you're safe now,” he whispered softly, planting kiss after kiss on her hair and forehead. Valerie relaxed into his embrace, her racing heart finally calm. A tear slipped from his eyes and he wiped it. He'd thought he'd lost her. “I'm sorry I couldn't keep you safe. I should have anticipated it, I should—” “It's not your fault,” she cut him off gently. “It's not.” Tears trailed down her own cheeks and she sniffed. “What happened to Matthew?” A muscle ticked in Lucas's jaw, he felt Matt had an easy fate after everything he did. "Dead." Valerie let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, her body shaking with relieve
**Third person**“Let's move, slowly,” Matt murmured in Valerie's ears, his hot breath fanning against her skin. His eyes were still locked onto Lucas—who was practically shooting daggers at Matt with his eyes."Matthew, please," Valerie whispered back, her voice trembling. "You don't have to do this. You can still let me go."Matt's jaw tightened, his chest heaving with desperation and anger. "Do you really think I'm stupid?" he hissed. "You want me to let you go? I should just allow you to run into his arms?" He questioned in a mocking tone.“Drop your weapon and surrender,” the police announced again but neither Valerie nor Matt paid any attention. “Best believe that if I do that, then I'll shoot you from behind before you get to him,” Matt added. The chilling sensation in his voice sent a shiver down Valerie's spine.“Man to man,” Lucas began, his voice almost a growl. “What would it take for you to let her go? Anything at all… name it. Even if you don't want to spend a single da
**Third person**It took Matthew half the time it would normally take to get to the bunker. He parked his car at a safe distance before running over to the location. And with each step he took, his mind raced, his heart pounded with anxiety. He couldn't afford to lose her now that he was so close. They'd literally be leaving the country today. Valerie please be there, please be there, Matt murmured, his legs moving faster.A half-relieved sigh left his lips when he reached the entrance and saw that the door was still locked—She was still here. His trembling fingers sifted through his bunch of keys, his breath gaspy and he wiped the sweat on his forehead with the back of his palm.Matt unlocked the door and then pushed it open forcefully. His eyes blazing with anger and anxiety found Valerie immediately. She was curled up at a corner, her cheeks stained with tears and her hands and feet shaking."What have you done??!" he growled, his voice venomous.She frowned in confusion, even th
**Third person**Matt seemed to ponder for a moment before he exhaled deeply. Then he moved over to the table and picked up a small knife. He began cutting the ropes. His jaw clenched at the red mark the ropes left on her skin, a pang of guilt coursing through him. He'd done this to her, he thought. “Do you need me to get you anything from the store?”Finally untied, Valerie examined her free hands and legs, a sense of relief and determination washing over her. “No, thanks.”“I'll be back soon.” He gave her a warning look. “Don't try anything stupid.”She nodded vigorously. “I wouldn't dare.”Satisfied, Matthew turned around and headed out. Valerie had her timid and innocent mask on, until the moment Matthew was out of view.She squeezed her eyes shut and then began counting from one to fifty in her head, giving Matthew enough time to leave the premises. Even with her eyes closed, she could hear the locks click behind him.When she was done, she sprang to her feet, her eyes desperat
**Third person**Eighteen hours had passed since Valerie's disappearance.Lucas stood in the center of his living room, surrounded by computers and anxious faces. His team of experts, handpicked from the best in the business, worked tirelessly to track down any lead on his woman.But so far, neither his team nor the police have been able to come up with anything tangible. There was also no signal from the tracker in Valerie's necklace. Either her kidnapper knew that the necklace was bugged and got rid of it, or they were under water, in a bunker, or somewhere that'll block the signal.One thing for sure; he'd find Valerie and he'd find her soon. Even if it meant turning the planet upside down. She'd be found.News about her and disappearance was all over the media and there was a huge cash prize for whoever brought relevant information on her whereabouts. Lucas ran a palm across his exhausted face. Deep lines creased his forehead, and his jaw was set in a rigid clench. "Broaden the
**Third person** It was almost as if Valerie disappeared just when Elliot blinked. After dismissing the woman who'd come to talk to him, he looked up but he didn't find his boss. Damnit! He'd clenched his jaw and quickened his pace, his hand instinctively resting on the gun holstered at his hip as he rushed outside. Eyes scanned everywhere around but there was no trace of her. "Miss Thorne?" he called out, his mind racing. “Ashley?” He called louder. “Valerie?” There was no response. Immediately, he dialed her number… once, twice, thrice… until it was unreachable. He'd rushed over to some passersby to ask if they'd seen her… There was nothing. Shit! Just then, his phone started ringing. Elliot pulled the device out and stared at the screen, his throat suddenly feeling dry as he registered the caller ID—Mr. Stone. He took a deep breath and then pressed the answer button. ***************************** Valerie's eyes fluttered open, her gaze was blurry and unfocused. She tri
**Third person**Valerie's blood ran cold as she stared at the picture attached to the message. It was a picture of a small boy, no more than two years old. The fact that he was a spitting image of Lucas Stone had goosebumps erupting all over her skin—same blue eyes, jet-black hair, nose, lips, jawline…Val's heart rate increased. Her son was truly alive?“We’re heading to the hospital; Mr. Stone said we're meeting him there?” Elliot asked, his hands already on the ignition.Valerie nodded absent mindedly and he started the car.She felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins as she stuck her head outside the window. Breeze hit her face but it did nothing to calm her. She knew that she had to lose Elliot, and fast. As the car moved through the city, she spotted a convenience store up ahead and made a split-second decision. "I need to stop and get some water," she said suddenly.Elliot frowned and glanced at the bottle of water sitting in the middle of the car compartment.
**Third person**Valerie's smile broadened into a full-blown grin. "Oh, don't think it's unfair if justice isn't served for your lover's sister."Karen frowned, her eyes narrowing. "My lover? What do you mean?" What did this have to do with Victor, she hasn't even heard from him, Karen wondered.Valerie locked her eyes onto Karen's. "Victor, your bodyguard... the one you've been fucking.” She paused to study Karen's face—she didn't look so confident anymore. “But you killed his sister."Karen's face drained of blood, her eyes wide and her lips parting with shock. Valerie continued, "The young lady who took care of Nathaniel Scott."Dread coursed through Karen, her mind shifting back to the night Nathaniel was killed. He'd been with a woman, and when Adam killed Mr. Scott, the woman witnessed it. Karen had to silence her.A small smile found its way to Valerie's lips as she studied the horrified look on Karen's face. "So now, does it finally ring a bell?"Karen's eyes stung with tears
**Third person**Valerie woke up to a wet sensation on her clit. A shiver coursed through her spine, her nipples hardening.The sensation continued, and she was forced to open her eyes. She wiped her heavy eyes with the back of her palm and then looked down between her legs, where the source of the heat she was feeling came from. Lucas, with his head between her thighs, looked up, his tongue still whipping her sensitive clit. “Morning, babe,” he murmured. Valerie blinked a couple of times to clear her eyes. She arched her back and she cried out in pleasure when he slipped a finger inside her. “W-what are you doing?” She managed to ask between moans.He smiled and looked up at her again, with those dark, desire-filled eyes. Her cheeks flushed as she noticed her pussy juice rubbed all over his mouth and its surroundings. “I've always dreamed of waking you up like this,” she murmured, his voice rough.Lucas slipped another finger in her and began pumping, his tongue returning to her c