Author's point of view... Izzy gritted and held back the urge to smack the man in front of her. How much did she cost? What kind of question was that? Is she a toy or something? She disgusted these people, for them women are just things to use. Bloody bastards...! He asked it so casually as if he was talking about the weather but Izzy felt that question as if a painful wound on her body was scratched. She couldn't take the check, as she needed the money to hire a taxi. "Can you lend me some cash? I don't take checks in payments" she said reluctantly. Mike hesitated, that girl's attitude had surprised him so much. Girls like her will be so excitedly willing to accept the check. After all, who doesn't like money? But this girl asked for cash...! He took out his wallet and grabbed some of the bills out of it. "How much?" he asked again. She shot a glance at those bills and blurted out immediately. "Five hundred dollars would be enough..." she mumbled in a hurry. He was
Author's point of view... Looking at the scenario, walking inside became so hard and heavy for her. Each step was like carrying a huge burden on her shoulders. Her heart started thumping in fear. Did something happen to Dad? As just the thought flashed over her mind, her legs seemed to have lost control and she stumbled while walking. No...! It can't be Dad...! It took her all to convince herself that her Dad was strong and healthy, it must not be her Dad in that coffin. Nothing seems to be right. She took a deep breath as she clasped the doorknob tightly. She stepped in bravely after bracing herself a bit. She had to be brave as her Dad taught her to be brave in any sort of situation. However, when she saw the portrait of the deseeded one laid on the table near the coffin, Izzy felt that her head was swirling and she was about to collapse. "Da...Daniel...!!" a desperate moan left her mouth. Her hands immediately covered her mouth and her vision got blurry due to the t
Author's point of view... The next day Robert jerked awake, gasping for air, struggling to move but gripped with unease. When the realization hit him, he was drenched with sweat. His disorientation alleviated, and he saw that he was alone on his bed. His head was pounding with a terrible headache. It was dark in the room as the curtains were still covered, despite it being noon already. How long had he been asleep? He hadn't slept this well in a long time, and he hadn't had a nightmare that bad in such a very long time either. Last night's memories flashed in his mind. The girl...! Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat when he felt the soft touch on his fingers. As he titled his head, the bed, however, was empty. A dangerous growl escaped his chest. Where is she? He wondered. She drugged me...! He groaned inside his head. Sweeping his feet off the bed, he lunged at the door to see if the girl was still around. When he opened it, nothing greeted him other than a man'
Author's point of view... Mike and Noah, and all others in the corridor, were aghast at the frustrated instruction. No one dared to even let out the breath that they had been holding in, frightened that they would offend the big boss. Mike was so confused though. If Robert had spent the night with the girl, shouldn't he be happy and relieved that his illness had naturally cured? Why would he be frustrated instead? Why was their boss so angry? Did that innocent-looking girl actually do something unpleasing to him? Noah was speechless. He took his boss's words another way. After a moment of silence, Mike coughed lightly and responded. "Yes... Yes, boss..." Mike was the only one who dared to speak with Robert without worrying about getting beheaded and having his head hung on a wall. Robert glowered at Mike and for a moment Mike thought that he had invited death to his door and his face turned pale. "Get everyone involved with her here and ask them for her details. Now!"
Author's point of view... All the clues, all the information took them to a dead end. That girl was nowhere to be found. It seemed as though the ground had parted and she was absorbed by it. "Just where the hell could she go...!!" Mike yelled at his men. It had been two days since he last visited Robert. He wanted to cover up for his mistake by finding the girl for his boss as soon as possible but it seemed to be an impossible task. Could it be that the girl was from some other world? He even wondered in a stupor. Smacking himself out of the stupid thoughts, Mike returned to face the devil. He was now ready to take any punishment that his boss would throw at him today. Though it can be a gunshot to his head or throwing him in the lion's den. He would take it silently. To make up for his error, Mike was prepared to die. But as he reached Robert's room, he saw a chaos unfolding before him. A fat man lying in a pool of blood in just his underwear. His hands tied behind his
Author's point of view... A month had passed and there was no clue about the girl at all. Robert got busy with his business schedule. Anywhere he went—to Sweden, the USA, Africa, etc. No matter which country he was in, it was OK as long as he was around other people, but when he was by himself, he could not resist recalling her, reaching out his lips and touching them since it reminded him of the softest touch he ever felt. "Where are you...??" he wondered wasting another sleepless night. Not long after, Mike insisted on buying a property in Dallas City and Robert agreed to it. Though It wasn't a big firm, it was indeed a good deal. The Imperial Group Building is where several ostentatious businesses have their headquarters. It was like taking hold of the threads of every recognizable firm in the nation to own that spot. Robert hardly attends any of the welcoming occasions like that but as Mike and Noah both were out of the city, he was forced to go with Dan. But that visit
Author's point of view... It was nine in the evening. Izzy got out of the elevator, her eyes red. She wiped her tears away and cleaned her face before going to the manager to get off duty. Just before entering the manager's cabin, Izzy clenched her fist on her skirt and took a deep breath. "I must not tell anyone what happened in the elevator..." "I can't afford to lose this job..." She wants this job at any cost. She accepted this daily-paying work when Lissa contacted her early in the morning to let her know that her father's medical payments were overdue. Strengthening her resolve, she extended her hand and knocked on the door. "Get in..." the cold voice of the manager rang from inside. Izzy stepped in with her head hung and stood before the manager. "Sir, I completed the task, can I go home now?" But before the trembling girl completed her words, a file came flying through the air and hit her forehead. "You useless thing." the manager barked. "Just take it
Author's point of view... Collecting herself, Izzy knew her destiny. She had to go to him. She had to face whatever was waiting for her. She trembled at the thought of what that man would do to her. His eyes were filled with lust. And he also knew everything about her. What else could she think of? Standing before the Chairman's cabin on the topmost floor, Izzy hesitated. Her phone vibrated again, dragging her out of the trance. She will be defiled today. Stepping in was just like stepping inside an inferno to her. She heaved a sigh at her helplessness and knocked on the door. "Get in" The cold voice of a man reverberated from inside. Hanging her head down with shame and reluctance, Izzy opened the door and stepped in. The room was dimly lit, giving it an aura of a devil's lair indeed. There at the centre of the room was a huge desk and behind it was a chair, swinging. Izzy stood frozen. Though the temperature in the room was maintained to be normal, her ent
Author's point of view...Just then, the kitchen door creaked open, and Lissa stepped out. She looked pale, her face carrying the weight of guilt and shame that had built up over years. She stopped a few steps away, her gaze glued to the floor. Izzy felt a tug of empathy at the sight of her aunt, who had always been hard on her. But now, seeing Lissa’s pained expression, Izzy understood the complicated truth. Slowly, Lissa took a deep breath and, with trembling hands, sank to her knees in front of Izzy. Her voice was barely a whisper, choked with tears. “Izzy… I don’t deserve your forgiveness, not after the way I treated you. I was so blinded… by jealousy, by my own misunderstandings. I thought—I thought you were Isaac’s mistake, something that reminded me of a betrayal that never even happened.” She covered her face, breaking down. “Stella… your mother… she gave us everything. And I repaid her by hurting her daughter. I’m so ashamed.” Izzy’s heart ached at the rawness in Liss
Author's point of view... The next day, they received an invitation for a family banquet from the Sintclair family. The old patriarch of the Sintclair family had arranged this banquet just for Izzy to introduce her as his granddaughter. After being dressed up, Robert drove them to the Sintclair family mansion, nestled among vast gardens and surrounded by elegance that hinted at generations of stories. Izzy’s nerves tightened as the towering mansion loomed closer, her hand instinctively reaching for Robert’s. He looked over, his eyes warm and steady. “Don’t worry, Izzy,” he murmured, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. “I’m here, every step of the way.” She nodded, offering a small, grateful smile. “Thank you… I don’t think I could do this alone.” They stepped inside, and she was greeted by a room filled with unfamiliar yet strangely welcoming faces. She felt the weight of their gazes, curious, surprised, even delighted. She heard whispers of, "Doesn’t she look just li
Author's point of view... Getting back to the city, Robert immersed himself in his work. It was his way of dealing with grief. Though Izzy was always by his side, they rarely had anything to talk about. They eat together, live together, and sleep together, but there is still a distance between them. After a few days, Robert arranged for Izzy to return to her studies. Though she was so surprised, she was happy to be able to continue her studies. She took a specialization course in psychology. It was her dream to become an efficient Psychologist just like her mother and with her mother's professional books at her assistance, she was destined to exceed in everything. It had been six months since Izzy started college, and she had to stay in her college dormitory as the college she chose was far from the city. Robert missed her so much. He often drove all the way, for hours, to her college just to see her and hug her. Though she wasn't allowed to step out of the dormitory, who
Author's point of view... The day had begun with an air of hope, but it would end differently than anyone could have foreseen. It was a beautiful day, peaceful and filled with happiness scattering everywhere. Robert and Izzy stopped by to have a heartfelt meal with her and Nancy insisted on cooking it herself. Meanwhile, Robert took Izzy to roam around and she enjoyed playing in that beautiful scenery. Fresh air, fragrance of flowers and greenery. It felt like she was in heaven. "This is so beautiful..." Izzy exclaimed and Robert hugged her. "If you like it, we can visit more often in your holidays" "Hmm..." Izzy looked up and Robert smiled. Their cute conversation was interrupted by an affectionate call from Nancy."Kids... come here, the food is ready" When she called, Robert recalled his best days from the past when Nancy was with him, taking care of him, cooking for him. Though he can't get those days back, at least he have her now. He smiled and grabbed Izzy's hand to walk
Author's point of view... The very next day, Robert took Izzy to the Erickson estate in the country side. They had a vast land with so many farms and a lot of greenery, quite pleasing to the eye. As they drove into the countryside, Izzy’s eyes sparkled with delight. She took in the lush green fields, the quaint little cottages, and the open sky that stretched endlessly above them. There was a refreshing, earthy scent in the air, and Izzy felt as if she'd stepped into a fairytale.Her eyes lit up and Robert, who was in a deep thought, was so pleased to see her shine. He was silently sitting beside her, watching her with a gentle smile spreading across his handsome face. He’d never seen her this excited before, and it softened something within him. When they reached the village, they were greeted warmly by the locals. Though the villagers had little in terms of wealth, their welcoming smiles and heartfelt gestures more than made up for it. Erickson Corporation had implanted many
Author's point of view...! After saying whatever he wanted to say, Marco brushed his suit with his hands and walked over to the entrance. He stopped and stared back at Izzy as if filing his thirsty eyes with her one last time. She resembled so much of her mother, those beautiful pair of eyes and that adorable face, everything of Izzy, reminded him of his love, Stella. After admiring his long-lost daughter, Marco's gaze shifted back to Robert. And there was a change in his demeanor. The once soft and tender look was replaced with a harsh and cold one, but strangely, his gaze had a mixture of satisfaction and jealousy. He was indeed satisfied as his daughter was with a strong man, just like him but there was a pang of jealousy in his heart too. Izzy slowly clung to Robert's arms; her eyes were fixed on the stranger, who was supposed to be her father, though. If things were not what they are now, would she be looking at him with those scrutinizing gazes? He scoffed internally, pro
Author's point of view...! Marco looked down, guilt etched into his features. It was true. He was indeed a monster at that time. “Perhaps I did. But she was my life, and I will regret letting her go until my last breath,” he said, regretfully. "I want to take you with me, Izzy. I want to make up to you, to Stella. I want. To give you everything that I wasn't able to all these years..." "Enough..." William roared, "Take that kid with you...? Are you not satisfied that you destroyed my daughter? And now you want to ruin that innocent child...! I would never allow you to do that." The room fell into silence again. The old man was so angry that his entire body was shivering. "I will never allow you to take that child away?" William turned to his granddaughter and then to Robert as he declared in a commanding tone, "I am here to take my grandchild along with me today, she is my blood, the only thing that my daughter left behind..." the old man couldn't hold on any longer and bur
Author's point of view... As everyone settled into the grand sitting room of the Erickson mansion, the air was thick with anticipation. Marco took a deep breath, his usually hard gaze softened by sorrow and reflection. He stared at the floor for a moment, his voice low as he began. "Back then, I was the king. The one on the top where no one ever dared to look into my eyes." He said, though the words sounded as if he was proud of himself, his expression showed darkness that held inside his heart. He continued, "When you're at the top, people assume you have it all: power, respect, wealth. But the truth is, you are utterly alone," Marco stared, his gaze distant, caught in memories of the past. "I was strong, alive, yes, but I was not living. Until one day, I met someone who didn’t care about my status, my wealth, or my power. She was the first person who looked at me as simply a man. She dared to slap me across the face when I crossed a line, unafraid of who I was." He gla
Author's point of view... "Let's fight till the end..." Robert and Marco were like two huge bulls ready lock their horns. Their men were ready to start a fight on the spot. No one intending to back off. As Izzy noticed the thickness in the air, she shuddered and as if smacked back to reality, she instantly stood between them. Stopping them from fighting. "Please stop it..." she said to both while turning her head to Marco, she requested in a low tone. "Sir...I think you got the wrong person. I don't know you sir. My name is Izzy Brown and my father is Isaac Brown. My mother died when I was young and I never heard her talk about you or anything related to you..." "Isaac ...that bastard..." Marco gritted in frustration. "He was her bodyguard not her husband..." Izzy frowned. She was so angry that she wanted to push that man away and yell at him. She scoffed bitterly. Did he mean that her mother, the lady who lived her entire life, though smaller, in dignity had ch