**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'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
**Third person**Karen's face went pale, and she was silent. The officer spoke up again. “What will it be, Mrs. Smith? Will you rat your parents out to save your skin?”Finally, Karen's eyes flashed with defiance, locked on the officer’s. "No."The officer's expression didn't change, but her voice took on a slightly harder edge. "Mrs. Smith, we have evidence. We know your parents were involved. It's better for you if you cooperate."Karen's jaw set, her eyes blazing with determination. "I said no," she hissed. The officer pressed her lips into a thin line stood up. “Very well then,” she sighed out in resignation. “I'll ask you again after you spend a week in this shithole. I'm sure you'll have a change of mind.” Then she shrugged and gave Karen a wicked smile. “That's if you survive it. Because this place is no place for a pretty girl like you.”“Go to hell if you think you can scare me!” Karen snapped, trying to seem confident even though her voice trembled slightly.”The woman smi
**Third person**Wait… Valerie just stood still for a few minutes, her mind blank, her head spinning.A gentle tap from Elliot had her snapping out of her daze. She looked up at her robot. “It's fine, he's a friend. Give us a moment, please,” she murmured absentmindedly. Elliot glanced at Victor briefly, a warning flashing in his eyes before he stepped back.As Valerie's eyes locked onto Victor's, she felt goosebumps erupt all over her skin. The initials "VA" flashed into her mind. He was the anonymous person who had been helping her all along. How??"How are you...?" Valerie's voice trailed off as the memories came flooding back. The first time he'd texted her, she was literally about to enter Adam's office with a knife. He had been standing just outside the door. So she didn't think too much about him. He was Karen's bodyguard. He had always been in plain sight, but she never recognized him. Even on the yacht... he was always there. He knows about all Karen's plans; that's how he
**Third person**“I thought the reality sank in after you cried for help?” Lucas mocked, his eyes shooting daggers at Adam. “If I think about what you tried to do to my woman, I still have this urge to kill you regardless.”Adam's jaw clenched again at the mention of ‘my woman’. But he didn't say a word about it, he wouldn't dare.Lucas placed the paper and pen that he was holding on the table. “Sign them now while I'm being nice,” he ordered, his voice a low growl that had Adam forcing a lump down his throat. Then he removed his feet from Adam's hand.Adam cried out in relief.Using his other hand as support, Adam tried to massage the hurt one into shape, but it was numb anyway. He looked up at Lucas, “My fingers… I—I can't sign.”Lucas shot Adam a glare without saying a word. He didn't need to.Adam swallowed, and quickly, he picked up the pen with trembling hands and scribbled his signature on the paper. His jaw tightened when he finished signing. So he is actually divorced from A
**Third person**“I'll get you, I promise,” she swore, and then climbed out of the window, still flashing the knife in her hand.Karen sprinted to her car and leapt inside. Her shaky hands found the ignition, her eyes watching Elliot who was almost closing in on her as she sped away.Elliot paused to catch his breath, his hands on his waist as he watched the back of Karen's car helplessly. Then immediately, he rushed inside to check up on the women.He apologized to the frightened women, then he cleaned Frances’s wound. Afterwards, he called Lucas to inform him. And as expected, Lucas was fuming. ****************************Valerie sat on the hard chair, her fingers drumming on the desk as she waited with her eyes fixed on the door where Adam would emerge. An officer brought him out, his wrists cuffed to a chain around his waist. His eyes met Valerie's, and his face brightened.Adam looked worn out, his skin pale and his eyes sunken. His hair was disheveled, and his clothes were w
**Third person**“Hello, sister,” Karen sneered, her eyes blazing with fury as she got closer. She reached where Valerie was standing, and without hesitating, she swung her knife in the air. Adrenaline coursed through Valerie, and she dodged quickly before any harm was done. “What are you doing?” Valerie fumed, taking swift steps backward, further into the room and away from Karen.Karen followed. “Come, let me show you.” She lunged forward and swiped the blade at Val again. Valerie scurried backwards again, her heart racing with fear as she reached for a pillow on her bed. She used it as a shield when Karen swung her arm in the air again. The knife sliced the pillow fabric, fiber bleeding out.“Don't you think you've done enough harm already?” Valerie panted, heart hammered anxiously against her chest as she spoke. She glanced at the bathroom door that was still shut. Frances was still inside, listening to her music and singing along loudly.“The fact that you're still alive means
**Third person**Valerie showed up late to work the next day. She was just coming from the restroom after throwing up her entire breakfast. Taking her seat again, she tried to focus on the screen in front of her when a knock sounded on the door.Tessa stepped into Valerie's office when she answered."Hey, what brings you here?" Valerie asked, her voice friendly.Tessa closed the door behind her, her eyes scanning the room before settling on Valerie. "I just wanted to touch base with you about the Smith account," she said, her voice professional.Valerie had been feeling weak and was even about to go home. “Just hand them over. I'll check it out and get back to you,” she instructed.“Okay ma'am,” replied Tessa but she wasn't making any attempt to leave.Valerie looked up at her. “Is there anything else?”Tessa was playing with her fingers nervously. She hesitated before she responded. “I swear, I'm really sorry for what happened before.”Val frowned. “What's that?”“The party at my pl
**Third person**The day outside was very bright and clear as still waters but Matt sat inside a bar, nursing a bottle of beer. It seemed like everything was falling apart for him.When he saved Ashley that night, it was out of curiosity. He'd been curious about what was so special about her. She'd been given everything while he was tossed aside in an orphanage. Then he realized it, her spark, and he fell in love with her.For the past year, it almost seemed like he had just one job—make her fall deeply in love with him first, before revealing that they're related. It would seem he did a pretty bad job.He lifted the bottle to his lips and took a large gulp.“Three shots, please,” he called out to the bartender. He needed something stronger.The bartender came over, his hair dyed a bright shade of red. Then he filled three glasses with the clear liquid. “Girl problems?” “Fuck off,” Matt snapped. He picked up the first glass, downed its contents in one go, and winced. He did the same