Minutes after Signoral ended the call, a message beeped on Ranya’s phone.Valerie opened it and turned to her boss.“It’s a video, sir.”“A video?” Ranya echoed, baffled. Had Finn found something significant and decided to send a clip of whatever he discovered?“Who’s the sender?” he asked, his eyes lingering on Calista.There was an invisible barrier between them, one he couldn’t seem to cross. Calista appeared reluctant, and he understood perfectly well why.Calista had her head buried in her arms, navigating through the storm of betrayal by someone she had once trusted. She had never expected Signoral to use such cruel tactics just to get Ranya away from her.“How could I have been so blind all along?” Calista murmured, unable to shake the heavy weight of betrayal. She had always considered Signoral a sister, never imagining that she would go to such extremes.Emily had been everything she wanted in a friend. Now, she wasn’t sure if their meeting years ago was a coincidence or a ca
“I was just indoors, putting things in order while trying to believe that my husband was safe. Minutes into it, a phone suddenly rang. Believe me, I was extremely frightened at first,” Mrs. MacQuoid said, her voice trembling slightly as she recounted the experience.They all stood around her, listening intently.“That must have been when Dad was trying to stop one of them from searching Mom’s closets. She had expensive jewelry that he bought for her when he was still working,” Willia speculated, her fingers nervously covering her mouth.“Maybe Mr. MacQuoid took the phone. I think he did that so he could be found, or so they could be found,” Ranya added, a flicker of hope in his eyes.“Did you answer it, Mama?” Calista asked.“No,” her mother replied. “I knew right away that it wasn’t your father’s or Willia’s.”Calista nodded, noting that her mother hadn’t touched the phone with her bare hands. It was wrapped in a white handkerchief. A small smile played on Calista’s lips, wondering if
“Can you just sit?” Her voice was strained as she watched him pace relentlessly around the room. “You’re making me uneasy.”He glared at her, his eyes burning with defiance and anger. How could she say that when she was the reason for his restlessness? If he dared step outside the confines of this room, his secret would be exposed, ripe for the prying ears of the media to feast on for weeks. That would jeopardize his chances with the only person who had ever truly warmed his heart.What tormented him even more was the thought of Ranya possibly positioning himself as Calista’s partner and earning her family’s trust. Maybe right now, they were on the verge of having dinner, and he could picture Ranya sitting where he always sat, right next to Calista.His fists clenched in fury. He hadn’t even been able to attend his father’s ceremony because of Athena’s threats.Anthony couldn’t be sure if Athena’s threats were true. What if he got rid of her, only for everything she warned about to co
“The flight will take twelve hours…”“Make it seven,” Ranya commanded. His tone left no room for negotiation, even though the pilot knew the request was impossible, regardless of the route or speed.“We can’t, sir…” the pilot, a man in his mid-forties, responded hesitantly. The two other pilots beside him exchanged nervous glances as Ranya’s intense gaze bore into them.“What?” Ranya’s voice, though quiet, carried a weight that made the men flinch. “Those guys made it in eight hours. How can you say otherwise?”“They made it in ten,” Valerie interjected, bowing slightly. “Mr. MacQuoid was taken around 7 a.m., and by the time we located him, it was already 6 p.m.”The pilots exhaled in relief, sensing Valerie’s presence as a lifeline.“I believe they took a brief detour before torturing Mr. MacQuoid for hours,” she continued, her voice even.Calista shut her eyes tightly. The thought of her father suffering because of her made her want to scream. She had unwittingly condemned him to th
5:42 AM.“We’ve arrived in Sicily. Please prepare for disembarkation!”Calista winced, stretching under the blanket. She blinked a few times, disoriented by the sudden announcement and the early hour.As she sat up to buckle her seatbelt, she realized it was already fastened.“Sorry your sleep was interrupted,” Ranya’s gentle voice came from in front of her. She looked up to see him smiling softly. “Good morning.”“What time is it?” she asked, her voice still groggy. He glanced up briefly from the tablet in his hand, earplugs nestled in his ears.“5:50.”“Oh.” She turned to Valerie, who was engrossed in her laptop, barely acknowledging her with a nod.“You both seem busy,” Calista observed, noticing the focused intensity on their faces.“Yes,” Ranya replied curtly, not looking up.Calista had seen him like this countless times—the seriousness, the way he immersed himself in work. It was one of the traits she had helplessly fallen in love with. Watching him so deeply focused made her w
Signoral leaned back in her chair, her gaze locked on her phone. Calista should have called by now. Or perhaps Ranya. One of them should be groveling, begging her to release Mr. MacQuoid, while she seized her true prize—Ranya, all to herself.That was the plan. It was why she revealed herself in the first place. She wanted Calista to know who was in control, to remind her that this time, Signoral held all the cards.Her fingers tapped rhythmically against the leather armrest. It had been years since she felt this level of fury... Well, maybe that wasn’t true. Ever since she’d aligned herself with Calista, anger had become a near-constant companion, especially after that idiotic contract linking her to Ranya.But, as always, she was winning. Calista would vanish for good this time, leaving no trace. And she would pay dearly for her meddling.Her thoughts darkened as she remembered how her father had once intervened, costing him his livelihood. She had uprooted her life to monitor him,
Fading Echoes of Desire The weather was nice and fair, especially after the heavy downpour the previous day. There was nothing to worry about as she made her way to the massive building belonging to one of the wealthiest bachelors in Texas, Ranya Windsor. Three years ago was the first time she had visited this place. She was in distress, desperately seeking a way to prevent her father from going to jail. She was troubled and extremely poor. But today, she held her head high, feeling a sense of belonging as her heels made resounding steps toward the receptionist. Despite being a law firm, the building felt more like a suite for people of high status. “Good morning, miss,” the blonde receptionist greeted, smiling sweetly at her. The last time she was here, the receptionist had a curt expression, unlike the friendly one now. “Good morning,” Calista replied, giving her a smile that lit up her face. “I have an appointment with Mr. Windsor.” The receptionist nodded and checked her
Bargaining with FateThree Years EarlierCalista stood before the imposing doors of the Windsor Law Firm, her hands trembling in the cold air of the waiting room. Her father’s future hung in the balance, and Ranya Windsor was her last hope. Lila, her father’s colleague, had assured her that he could help.The firm was one that loan sharks found quite intimidating. She desperately wanted to save her father from jail, not only because her family name and image would be tarnished but also because she couldn’t bear to watch them take him away. She knew he was not responsible for the allegations imposed on him by Lewiston Corporation.“Miss Calista MacQuoid, Mr. Windsor will see you now.” The receptionist’s voice jolted her back to the present. She took a deep breath and stepped inside, her eyes meeting the icy gaze of Ranya Windsor for the first time.“Don’t mind his cold demeanor when you meet him. He can help you.” Lila’s voice echoed in her head as she walked into the room, the recepti