**Valerie**I walked back to my office, a surge of satisfaction coursing through me. One man down; next would be Karen. Taking a sharp breath, the events of that night replayed in my mind. I had somehow managed to get a second chance.***Few days ago***I slowly opened my eyes, taking in the surroundings. The table, chair, wall… This wasn't my room. So where was I?Rubbing my eyes with the back of my palm to ward off sleepiness, I said up gently. The images of the last thing I could remember flashed through my head, and a shiver ran down my spine.Tessa spiking my drink... Me trying to get away... the men trying to carry me afterwards... And then my mind went blank. But why did they bring me here? I thought they must have killed me by now. I wrapped my trembling arms around my chest in fear as my mind reeled. “Wait, am I in heaven?” I murmured to myself.“Do you really think you'd go to heaven if you died?” A voice startled me. I looked up to see Lucas."Lucas?" My voice was barel
**Third person**Karen stormed into her office, slamming the door behind her. She paced back and forth, her anger boiling over as Valerie's words replayed in her mind.*Amelia said the same thing on Friday. Guess who's going to sleep in a cell tonight?*Karen's fist clenched, and she gritted her teeth. “How dare she threaten me?” she thundered, her hands flying to her table. And object after object, she tossed them at the wall before finally swiping all the papers off the table.Then suddenly, she stopped and picked up her phone, her mind drifting to the bastard who told her that the job was done, that Valerie was dead."Answer," she growled into the receiver as soon as he picked up.A hesitant voice spoke on the other end. "Ma'am?""Why is she still alive?" Karen demanded. There was a pause before the voice responded. “Who?” His confusion was evident in his voice.“Fucking idiot,” she cursed. “Who did I ask you to get rid of?” “Valerie Thorne? What's the fuss about?” The man spoke
**Valerie**I walked into the knitting club, scanning the room for the familiar faces. Then I spotted Frances and Grandma, chatting and clicking their knitting needles. A bright smile plastered on my face, and my heart swelled with emotion as I made my way over to them."Hey, girl!" Frances exclaimed, tapping on the seat beside her and gesturing for me to sit. "We were just talking about you; it's been a while.”“Yeah,” I smiled again, taking a seat beside them.Frances leaned towards me. “The getaway dick got you real good, didn't it?” She whispered into my ear.I sputtered a cough, almost choking on my own spit.My cheeks turned red with embarrassment, and my lips spread into a small cheesy smile as I recalled my conversation with her at the bar. I cleared my throat and then looked up to meet her expectant eyes. Ah... Guess that wasn't a rhetorical question.Then I equally leaned towards her. “Wasn't quite what I was expecting,” I confessed in a whisper.She gasped softly. “Wait… D
**Third person**I sipped my coffee, my eyes locked onto Matthew's. “When I'm done with Karen, my parents are next.”Then my gaze shifted from him to somewhere beside his chair. “I need to know how my mom felt conspiring against her own daughter.” I sucked my teeth and wiped my face as a stray tear escaped from the side of my eye.“I wonder what it was like for her. Was it easy? Did she hesitate?” My chest tightened, and my voice came out in broken pieces. “Who knows, maybe she probably even brought up the idea. But still, I'd never understand why.”“Valerie,” Matt called out, placing a comforting palm on my shoulder. And from my tear-blurred eyes, I could see his jaw clench. “What good is having a family anyway? when all they do is betray and abandon you?”I shrugged, trying to seem unaffected even though it still hurt like yesterday. “Well, I'm fine now. That's all in the past. I don't have a family anymore.” I said, trying to keep my voice firm. He nodded and then gave my shoulder
**Valerie**Lucas placed his hand behind my neck, pulling me towards him as his lips crashed on mine, making me forget my question.The kiss was brief, and without warning, he lifted me like I weighed nothing and placed me in a sitting position on the bed. His knees dropped to the ground in front of me. “My mother said I've kept you waiting for too long.” His dark eyes filled with desire stared up at me.I swallowed, my mouth opening to respond, but before my words could come out, he ripped open the buttons of my nightgown. My bare body was exposed, open, and vulnerable to him as my nipples stared right at him. The way his eyes flickered through my body increased the hot throbbing sensation in my pussy. “Beautiful tits,” he muttered with a lust-filled gaze. More than anything, I wanted his lips on them, to feel how truly beautiful they were. To possess them and show me how much he appreciated them. But instead, his head found its way to between my legs. Starting from my inner thigh
**Lucas**A wave of frustration washed over me as I saw the fear etched into her eyes. Those beautiful eyes, unchanged."I'll come with you," she offered, but I shook my head, dismissing her suggestion."Take her home," I ordered Calvin, who now stood before me. "And then come pick me up.”Valerie's eyes seemed to widen with amusement at my statement. Maybe she was surprised that I won't be staying long at the station.I was only there for questioning after all. I didn't kill Layla.After a few tense minutes of watching her leave with Calvin, I climbed into the police van and headed to the station.At the station, the air was thick with the smell of stale coffee and worn leather. A row of wooden chairs lined one wall, occupied by a handful of people who looked like they'd been up all night.The officer led me to an interrogation room, its walls adorned with faded crime prevention posters. Two detectives sat at the table, their faces etched with stern expressions."Mr. Stone, thank you
**Valerie**"At least it's good that she's dead now," Matthew said to me, his eyes glinting with a hint of satisfaction.I raised a surprised brow as I peered at him. "What do you mean?" I asked.His expression turned serious, his eyes clouding over. "I mean... it means your secret is safe," he muttered, his voice low and husky. “She was blackmailing you, and she wouldn't have been satisfied no matter how much you gave her.”Yeah, there's that part of not having to worry about my secret and all, but there was something about the way Matthew said it that sent shivers down my spine. Does he have a hand in her death?"Tell me you have nothing to do with it," I asked, my eyes locking onto his. I held my breath, anticipating his response, hoping he didn't do something as crazy as killing Layla just to protect my secret.His expression remained calm and composed, the sides of his lips curling into an amused smile.Then his features suddenly turned fierce, his eyes blazing with intensity as
Chapter 76**Valerie**I sat on my couch, still feeling a bit shaken after the recent events. Matthew had called to let me know that he had a strong alibi at the time of death, and so it's all sorted out. But Lucas... What about him? Did he really have a hand in what happened to Layla? I shook my head, waving off the thought. And even though I've not known him for very long, he didn't strike me as someone who'd do that.Then again, he didn't strike me as someone who'd propose to a woman with his cock buried deep inside her. I pressed my palm against my warm cheeks as more thoughts about last night flooded my mind. *Should I put a ring on your finger?* That definitely wasn't a real proposal, right? People just don't propose so casually or... Do they? Standing to my feet, I paced the length of the room, my hands on my waist.Adam had proposed on a dinner date, though nothing too fancy. Friends on the table with Karen beckoning me to say yes.I rolled my eyes and gritted my teeth at
**Third person**Inside the hospital, Angela kept pacing around the waiting area. She couldn't let Lucas do the DNA test on her baby, else he'll find out what she was hiding.Is it even possible to do a DNA test this early in pregnancy? She thought.Valerie and Lucas were seated on the same bench, but Val had made sure to put enough distance between them. Calvin stood behind Lucas.Lucas's phone beeped, and he stepped away to answer the call."Mrs. Smith finally woke up, but briefly," Elliot reported.Lucas nodded thoughtfully, still confused himself at why Valerie had chosen to help Karen."Okay, there's no need to inform Miss Thorne now," Lucas instructed. "Maybe you can call her by evening."'Call me selfish, but I didn't want anything that'll take Val away from what we were doing here,' he thought to himself."Okay, sir."He hung up and then signaled for Calvin to come over.While Calvin and Lucas were away, Angela looked at Valerie. "So is this what you want?" Angela hissed, her
**Lucas**I'd been waiting all morning for Valerie to show up. Then I saw my competition—Matthew— arrive and my jaw tightened. But it immediately loosened when I saw Valerie arrive.Even all that had happened on her yacht, she still looked stunning. She had her hair packed up in a ponytail, and she was clad in a pink tank top and free jeans.I didn't want to approach them now; it'll only make me look bad if the guy and I get into another altercation.When she came out with Matthew, and he got into his car, I felt relieved. I'd thought he was going to spend quite some time there.Valerie's eyes met mine briefly, and she increased her pace. I did the same too and caught up with her.“Please just give me one minute of your time. Just one,” I stared at her, my eyes pleading, “no more than that.”Her eyes met mine, and she studied my face without saying a word.“I'll tell you everything,” I added. “No lies, okay?”She just pressed her lips into a thin line and let out a defeated sigh.I to
**Valerie**I walked quickly to the bathroom, the cool tile beneath my feet a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing inside me. My crying came out as sobs until I was standing in front of the mirror, my hands clutched to my mouth to prevent myself from wailing. He was right. I was a fucking weakling, and a dumb one at that.My hands pressed my aching chest to suppress the pain. It hurt so much, I didn't know what exactly, but he hurt. Maybe it was the realization that he was right."God, why am I so weak?" I shrieked, my voice echoing off the bathroom walls.I didn't even want to dwell on the fact that the anonymous person knew what happened. It could be anyone; crew members, my colleagues, security, or even this mysterious guy who didn't want to share his name. Or maybe someone who wasn't even on this ship, but had an informant.Then I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection; puffy and red eyes, running nose, smudged mascara that made me look like a panda."You fool," I
**Third person**Valerie let out a gasp and shuddered as soon as she heard the splashing sound that the water made when Karen's body hit it.The screams and gurgling sounds from the water filled Valerie's mind and she pressed her palms against her ears to shut it out. Adam moved away from the scene with the men, his face a mask of satisfaction and joy.Valerie’s chest tightened and she struggled to keep her eyes open. Slowly, the darkness creeped in until she lost her consciousness and slumped to the ground.Elliot, who had been keeping an eye on her from a distance, rushed up to her. “Ma'am?” His hand tapped Valerie and she opened her eyes. She looked and saw that she was on the ground. She must have passed out after witnessing what happened, she thought. And almost immediately, she reached for her phone and stopped the recording.She glanced at Elliot confused, but recognizing him. “How long have I been out for?”“Barely a minute,” he answered.Her head was spinning but she stood
**Third person**Back inside,“Move!” The man dragged Valerie. Her heart sank as she peeped at the dining area to see everyone asleep.Was this a repeat of last time? She'd thought that this arrangement was meant for Karen, but why was this strange man pulling her away?“You've got the wrong person,” she yelled at the man.The masked man kept dragging her until they were outside in the yacht. The night breeze made the scent of the ocean fill her nostrils. A scent she'd once loved, but now she loathed.Valerie noticed that the man was trying to pull her to the edge. Her heart hammered even harder against her chest. “No, no, no,” she cried. “Not again.”She began jumping and struggling vigorously against his grip. It was just two of them, and seeing what he wanted to do made adrenaline course through her veins.Val bit the arm of the man hard. “Argh,” he groaned in pain. He swirled her hair around his fingers and pulled her mouth away from his skin.If he felt any more pain from what sh
**Third person**Adam had told the organizer that he had some urgent things to attend to, but that wouldn't have mattered if Valerie had given him even the tiniest bit of her attention.After playing a few other games, everyone headed back to their cabin. They needed to rest and then begin to prepare for the anniversary tonight.At 7pm, the lounge was abuzz with laughter and music as everyone gathered for the celebration. The area was beautifully decorated. Not the typical way you'd decorate a hall for an anniversary, but it'll do just fine since they were on a yacht.It was adorned with strawberry-red roses and white lilacs dripping at the arc of the entrance to give the venue an elegant look.Different well-decorated tables with glasses and cutlery were scattered across the hall. Each of them was a table for three.At the end of the hall sat a buffet spot with a variety of foods that had the air filled with an exotic aroma while two servers walked around with wine.Valerie had just
**Valerie**The next morning, we all gathered in the cockpit by 9am.“Hello, so we've decided to organize some fun games here. At least to make our stay here worthwhile.”The employees cheered.“Hey, how's that leg?” Gabriel asked, appearing beside me.“It's all fixed,” I smiled, stretching a leg forward to show him.“You're going to pair yourselves in groups of twos. Your left leg will be attached to the right leg of your partner and vice versa.Noise filled the air—murmurs, cheer.“Then you and your partner will make a stop at three different places. There'll be a timer, and the team that reaches the finish line within the time limit wins.Gabriel leaned over to me and whispered, “I'm sure we'll kill it, girl. We make a great team.”I nodded, a bit excited. It's been a while since I allowed myself to engage in these types of activities. I also think I needed the distraction from my loud thoughts.Thank goodness Adam or his wife isn't here. It's obvious that the employees feel freer
**Third person**“I've told you, call me Adam,” he said with a soft voice.Valerie's eyes immediately snapped to the door. She was sure that she'd locked it after Gabriel left, before drifting off to sleep.The cabin with its plush carpet and elegant furnishing seemed to close in on her. “How did you get in here?” She questioned. The daggers her eyes shot at Adam was hard to miss even with the dim lightning in her cabin. Adam smirked before lifting a bunch of keys and jingling them at her. “Spare keys.”She groaned inwardly. Seems she'll have to start bolting the door from inside to prevent scenarios like this, Valerie thought.“Please, leave. I was sleeping before he came in,” she tried her possible best to keep her voice calm and polite. Adam was still her boss after all. She'd ask him first to leave calmly and if he doesn't, then she'll have to take drastic action.But her anger slipped into her tone as she spoke.“Val, don't you think that this is long overdue?” He adjusted on th
**Third person**Everyone was settling in the yacht. Valerie was the only lucky one amongst the selected employees who had a room to herself.She had just unpacked her things from her box into the wardrobe. A casual pair for later tonight, a dinner gown for tomorrow night, another casual cloth for before dinner, and then the clothes she'll leave with on Sunday.Then Val arranged all her cosmetics and makeup into the cupboard. The yacht was huge, with about six luxurious cabins, a master suite—where she assumed Adam and Karen would be staying—and then a VIP suite.They probably paired the employees two-to-one room, and since they were an odd number, that's how she ended up alone, Valerie thought to herself.The yacht was one of those expenses she had made on herself before marrying Adam. She had decided to splurge some money on herself for working hard, so she didn't spare a dime when purchasing it.Later, when she got married to Adam, he had berated her for it, saying, What kind of wo