Elena's POV I was packing my bags, my mind racing with thoughts of Asia and the new life that awaited me. But just as I was about to zip up my suitcase, my phone rang."Hello?" I answered, expecting it to be Gina."Hi, is this Elena?" a deep voice asked."Yes, it is. Who is this?""My name is Mark. I'm Gina's associate. She sent me to drive you to the airport."I nodded, even though he couldn't see me. "Okay, thanks. What time should I be ready?""How about we meet at the coffee shop on 5th street at 2 pm?" Mark suggested.I agreed, and we hung up. But as I continued packing, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't right. I had an ulterior motive, one that I couldn't reveal to Gina or Mark just yet.I finished packing, but instead of taking my suitcase with me, I left it behind. I dressed up in a sun hat and glasses, concealing my face. I made my way to the coffee shop, my heart racing with anticipation.When I arrived, Mark was already there, sitting in a black sedan.
Gina's POVI sat at my desk, staring at my phone with a mixture of concern and frustration. It had been over a week since I last heard from Elena, and I was starting to get worried. I had asked her to go to Asia, to get her out of the country and away from Julian and Lily's reach. But now, for the past three days, I've been having a feeling that I might have made a mistake. I dialed Elena's number again, hoping that she would pick up this time. But as the phone rang and rang, I knew that something was wrong. I tried calling her again, but it went straight to voicemail.Just as I was about to give up, I decided to try one more time. I dialed the number, and this time, a man's voice answered."Hello?" he growled.My heart skipped a beat as I realized that this wasn't Elena's voice. "Who is this?" I demanded. "Where is Elena?"The man chuckled, a cold, menacing sound. "Oh, if it's not the famous Regina Saxton. I've been waiting for your call. Elena is...indisposed at the moment. And if
Gina's POVWhen the call ended, I sat back down at my desk, staring blankly at the papers in front of me. My mind was elsewhere, consumed by the distressing call I had received earlier. Elena's kidnapping weighed heavily on my mind, and I couldn't focus on anything else.As the day wore on, I found it increasingly difficult to concentrate. I made mistake after mistake, and eventually, I decided to close up early. I couldn't take it anymore.There was a knock on the door of my office. I knew it had to be Jenna of course.“Come in.” I said.“Ma'am, I wanted to remind you that your next meeting with the Board of Directors is scheduled for 3pm.” Jenna announced as soon as she stepped inside.“Today or tomorrow?” I asked, massaging my temples.“Today. Yeah, I also wish it could be moved to tomorrow. You couldn't have forgotten right? I mean, you have been preparing for this meeting all day.” She chirped.Having noticed the look of worry on my face and the fact that I didn't smile at her jo
Gina's POV The thought of Elena's safety rummaged my mind. It's funny how Julian and his minions thought they could get to me through capturing Elena. They couldn't even raise the stakes, just asked for common five hundred thousand dollars. Always making it obvious that they were low and penniless. Well, I'll give them what they're asking for. So that they can feed with it. Five hundred thousand dollars. A mere fraction of what I had in my accounts. Money was never the issue—decisions were. And I had just made one. I didn’t hesitate as I dialed the number. The call barely rang before a gruff voice answered. “Let me guess, you have it?” “Yes,” I replied, my voice steady. “Send me the details.” A second later, a text came through. I opened my banking app, entered the numbers, and authorized the transaction. Just like that, half a million dollars vanished from my account. Not that it mattered. Money flowed in and out of my life like water. But this wasn’t about money. This w
Gina's POVThe weight in my chest refused to lift. No matter how many times I told myself that what I was thinking about Elena wasn't true. Yet, the unease gnawed at me like a parasite, making it impossible to focus. It wasn’t like her to disappear. Not after everything I had done. Not without so much as a thank you. I sat in my dimly lit office, swirling the wine in my glass, my mind drifting through possibilities I didn’t want to consider. Was she hurt? Had someone else taken her? Was she lying low on purpose? Every scenario led to more questions, none of which had answers. Then, my phone rang. I snatched it off the desk so quickly the wine nearly spilled from my glass. I glanced at the caller ID—Victor Saxton. One of the board members under me. I let out a slow breath before answering. “Gina Saxton speaking,” I said, slipping effortlessly into my composed, businesslike tone. “Mrs. Gina,” Victor’s voice rang with excitement. “I had to call you personally. The charity pro
Julian's POVI gripped the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white. My jaw clenched as I replayed the argument with Lily and Monica in my head for the hundredth time. It was the same thing every damn day. Lily’s sharp words. Monica’s disapproving glances. Their constant complaints, their nagging voices ringing in my ears long after I had left the house. "You never spend time at home anymore, Julian." "You're always stressed, and you're taking it out on Lily!" "Maybe if you actually listened, your business wouldn't be falling apart!" That last one had come from Monica. And it had taken every ounce of self-control not to snap right then and there. She had no idea what I was dealing with. No idea how hard I was fighting to keep my company from sinking. My funding was drying up. Investors were pulling out. My financial team had warned me that if I didn’t secure new capital soon, I’d be looking at bankruptcy within the next year. And now, on top of everything
Gina's POVSomething was off. I could feel it deep in my bones. No matter how I tried to push it aside, the uneasy feeling coiled tightly around me, refusing to let go. Elena’s kidnapping—it didn’t sit right. The pieces weren’t aligning the way they should, and that was enough to keep me restless. I had already sent the ransom for her release, yet something gnawed at me, a whisper in the back of my mind warning me that this wasn’t just a simple abduction. When the man provided me with the address where Elena had been held, it triggered something—an itch I couldn’t scratch. The address rang a bell, but I couldn’t immediately place it. His words replayed in my head, his voice gravelly through the receiver as he gave me the address where Elena had been held captive. An address that nagged at me like a splinter buried deep under my skin. I sat in my study, drumming my fingers against the polished wood of my desk, mind racing. The address felt familiar, too familiar. It wasn’t
Gina's POVI hated being played. The moment I made the connection between Elena’s so-called kidnapping and her own house, I knew she had staged the entire thing. But knowing wasn’t enough—I needed proof. Cold, hard evidence that would expose her little game and put me back in control. I reached for my phone and dialed the number of the man who had just sent me the address. He picked up after the first ring. “Yes, ma’am?” “I need you to track the kidnapper’s phone number,” I said without preamble. “Find out who he is.” There was a brief silence on the other end before he responded. “I’ll get to work immediately.” “Good. I’ll be waiting.” I ended the call and leaned back in my chair, tapping my fingers against the desk. The anticipation burned through me like acid. I hated waiting, but this was a game of patience now. I needed the full picture before making my next move. All because of this investigation thing, I didn't go to work today. Wat would be the essence of going
Gina's POV I couldn’t stop hugging Alex. Over and over again, I threw my arms around his neck, pressing myself against him as if I could somehow merge our souls together. My heart swelled with so much love and happiness that I thought I might burst. “I can’t believe this,” I whispered against his chest, inhaling his scent—warm, musky, and familiar. “I just… I never thought we’d get here.” Alex pulled back slightly, his hands cupping my face. His thumb traced the corner of my lips, and his deep blue eyes shimmered with affection. “Believe it, Gina. Because from now on, we’re together—*truly* together.” A fresh wave of emotion washed over me, but before I could say anything, Alex suddenly grinned. “We need to celebrate.” I raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t we already?” He chuckled, stepping away to retrieve a sleek black case from a nearby table. When he turned back around, he held up a bottle of champagne, its golden liquid glistening under the soft candlelight. I gasped. “You
Gina's POV The drive to the estate was nothing short of magical. With the countryside stretching out before us, golden fields bathed in sunlight and rolling hills fading into the horizon, I felt a sense of peace I hadn’t experienced in a long time. Alex had one hand on the wheel, his other hand reaching over to gently intertwine his fingers with mine. Every so often, he would glance at me, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he cracked one joke after another. I couldn’t stop laughing. “Okay, okay, stop! My cheeks are hurting,” I giggled, swatting at his arm playfully. “You love my jokes,” he smirked. I rolled my eyes but couldn’t deny it. He had a way of making me laugh so effortlessly, even when I least expected it. As the radio played a soft tune, Alex suddenly turned up the volume and grinned at me. “Come on, let’s sing!” I raised an eyebrow. “You *know* I can’t sing.” “That’s the fun part!” he teased. And just like that, we both burst into song, completely out o
Gina's POV The next afternoon, as I sat in the living room, sipping tea and flipping through a book, Alex walked in with a mischievous smile. "We’re leaving tomorrow," he announced. I raised a brow, setting my book aside. "Leaving? Where to?" "The estate," he said, walking over to sit beside me. He took my hand in his, gently rubbing circles against my palm. "I figured we could spend some time there alone, just the two of us. Consider it a romantic getaway." A rush of excitement flooded through me. I hadn’t even stepped foot in my grandfather’s estate yet, and now, Alex wanted to take me there for a whole week? "A vacation?" I beamed. He nodded. "Just you and me." I nearly squealed, throwing my arms around him. "That sounds amazing!" His deep chuckle vibrated against my chest as he hugged me back. As soon as I pulled away, I called for Lana. "We have to start packing!" ### **Packing for the Trip** Lana followed me upstairs, and as soon as we reached my room, I s
Gina's POV Ever since I returned from the hospital, Alex had been treating me like a delicate piece of glass. He barely let me lift a finger, always making sure I had everything I needed before I could even ask. At first, I appreciated his attentiveness, but after a while, it started to feel overwhelming. "Alex, I can do it myself," I protested one morning when he tried to help me put on my slippers. He ignored my complaint, slipping them onto my feet with ease. "You’re pregnant, Gina. You shouldn’t have to worry about anything." I rolled my eyes. "I’m not an invalid. I can still function, you know." He smirked but didn’t argue, simply brushing a kiss against my forehead before heading to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. This had been my life for the past few weeks—Alex doting on me as if I were royalty. I won’t lie; it felt good to be cared for, to be loved in a way I had never truly experienced before. But at the same time, it terrified me. Was he doing this because he
Gina's POV The air inside the car felt heavy as Alex and I rode home from the hospital. My hands rested gently over my stomach, still trying to grasp the reality of the life growing inside me. I should have been happy. This was supposed to be a moment of joy, of hope. Yet, deep inside, I felt something else—something dark, uncertain. The doctor had given me strict instructions—what to eat, what to avoid, when to come in for checkups. She had been reassuring, telling me that everything looked fine, that I was healthy. But none of it eased the fear that gnawed at my chest. Alex glanced at me as he drove. “You’ve been quiet,” he noted softly. I forced a small smile. “Just tired.” He reached for my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “We’ll get through this together.” I nodded but said nothing. When we arrived home, Lana was already waiting for us. Her eyes lit up with excitement as she rushed toward me. “Oh my God, Gina! I just heard!” she exclaimed, pulling me into a hug. “
Gina's POV As Alex and I stepped out of the courthouse, the blinding flashes of cameras assaulted my eyes. The air buzzed with urgency as reporters pushed microphones in our faces, bombarding us with an endless stream of questions. “Miss Saxton, how do you feel about the verdict?” “Do you think justice was truly served today?” “What are your plans for Julian’s company now that it’s been shut down?” "How do you feel about your family members being imprisoned?""What was your reaction when you found out that your sister was with your husband?"Their voices blurred together, a chaotic mixture of curiosity, speculation, and sensationalism. I kept my face expressionless, my lips pressed into a firm line as I walked forward. I had no interest in feeding the media frenzy. Alex, ever the protective force beside me, placed a firm hand on my lower back, guiding me through the throng of reporters. He shot a glare at one particularly aggressive journalist who tried to block our path.
Gina's POV Today was the day. I had waited for this moment for so long that it almost felt surreal. As I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind replayed everything that had led up to this. The betrayals, the suffering, the fight for justice—it all came down to this one day. But before I could dwell too much on it, a wave of nausea hit me suddenly and violently. My stomach churned, and I barely had time to rush to the bathroom before I was kneeling over the toilet, vomiting. I gripped the sink afterward, breathing heavily as I wiped my mouth. What was that? I wasn’t sick. I wasn’t even nervous, not really. So why did my body react like this? A soft knock on the bathroom door made me turn. Lana, my personal assistant, peeked in, her face etched with concern. “Gina? Are you okay?” she asked, stepping closer. I forced a small smile. “I’m fine. Probably just the stress.” Lana didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t push further. Instead, she helped me freshen up befor
Gina's POV #Gina's Triumph The night was ours. After months of battles, betrayals, and carefully orchestrated revenge, Alex and I finally had the victory we deserved. As we drove home, the cool night breeze drifted through the car windows, carrying with it the scent of the city—fresh rain on asphalt, the distant aroma of food vendors closing shop, and the faint trace of the ocean in the distance. I let my head rest against the window, a slow smirk playing on my lips as I replayed the look of horror on Julian, Lily, Monica, and Antoinette’s faces when the police took them away. Justice. Finally. Alex reached over and placed a hand on my thigh, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You did it, Gina,” he murmured. “You got your revenge.” I turned to face him, my heart swelling with gratitude. “*We* did it.” He chuckled. “Damn right we did. Now let’s celebrate.” Stopping by a liquor store, we grabbed several bottles of expensive wine and whiskey. Tonight wasn’t about drinking in
Gina's POV The time was almost 10pm. I had closed from work and now, I have one thing left before I can retire for the day. Yeah, call me wicked, but I love having my revengeAfterall, everyone gets what they deserve.The evening air was thick with the promise of a storm, but I felt nothing but satisfaction as I pulled up in front of the police station. The street lights flickered above, casting elongated shadows as I stepped out of my car and walked toward the entrance. My heels clicked against the pavement, the sound sharp and unwavering—just like my resolve. Inside, the station bustled with activity. Officers moved from desk to desk, filing reports, answering calls, and booking criminals. The scent of stale coffee and ink filled the air, but I ignored it, heading straight to the front desk where a tired-looking officer sat, skimming through some documents. He looked up, his gaze assessing. “How can I help you?” “I’d like to press charges,” I said, my voice firm. His brow l