A WEEK LATER TINA This past week has been very horrible and unbearable for me. I never stepped out of my room. I feel very ashamed and guilty to face my parents. I'm aware of how my scandal has negatively affected them all. Ryan hardly goes to the company these days, Dad manages both companies himself, all because of me. Honestly, I'm not worthy of having any of them. Ryan has been working hard on taking down all the videos, but it seemed like something that wouldn’t happen soon. I’ve always lived an extravagant life, flaunting my wealth at every little chance I get and this earned me lots of enemies. Each time Ryan succeeds in wiping out the videos, it gets leaked again from an unknown website. Ryan has always warned me about my way of life. I can remember his words clearly. “If you keep living like a rich spoilt bitch, it will come back and bite you hard one day.” I never took his words seriously, but now, I finally understood what he was saying. Facing him and the others is some
TINA Ethan is my closest cousin. My relationship with Ethan is nothing compared to what I have with Ryan. Ethan understands and never judges me. His cheerful personality is what endeared him to me the most. He always understands and always offers me advice. I can recall the day I told him about my relationship with Lucas, he had asked to Facetime with him and his reply after speaking with Lucas wasn’t a pleasant one. I can clearly recall his words when he called me later that day after speaking to Lucas. “I don’t like him, Tina. Something feels off about him. I don’t think he is the man for you.” I hung up on him that day and never called him up until this moment. He called me multiple times back then, but I never answered his call. After the incident, his calls constantly came in, but I never answered. Seeing him standing and smiling before me pulled a certain string within me. I felt too ashamed to face him. He had warned me, but I never listened. Now, he also has to pay the pric
TINA Life doesn’t often go the way we plan it. My goal at the beginning of the year was to settle down and build a family with Lucas, I never imagined that he could do something this terrible to me. Leaving the country had never crossed my mind, but now, it seemed like the inevitable. Here I am, dragging my luggage down the stairs, after refusing to get help from anyone. It has been over five days since my discussion with Aunt Hailey. These past few days, I kept seeing things that made me realize that leaving is the best option for me. Watching my mum at war with herself. Her face which was always glittering with joy, has dulled out, she now looks like a shadow of her former self. Always crying and trying to speak to me. My dad, on the other hand, seemed to have a lot of things to say to me but didn’t know how to summon me. Yvonne has taken to ridiculing and trying to show me how I'm not suitable to be part of the Mills family. “Let me help you with that,” an unfamiliar voice said fr
MILLS COMPANY, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA LIAM “Tell the others to go ahead with the plan. You all should submit what you came up with within a week. That’s enough time, right?” Looking up, I realized that the lady I was speaking to was so invested in whatever she was staring at to even notice me. My eyes went in the direction of what she was staring at, I realized it was a photo of my mum and me, which was resting in a corner of my office. “Miss Lydia,” I snapped, making her jump in fright. “Sir…sir,” she stammered, instantly looking up at me. “What did I just say?” “You were talking about the new project, how it’s…it’s…” “How it’s what?” I boomed, anger laced in my voice. “Get out of my office this instant…And never come in here if you aren’t going to listen to a word I say.” She turned around and ran out of the office, not without giving me an apologetic look. “Women,” I mumbled under my breath. I had banned the women at the company from entering my office several times, but the
Tina It's been two days since Aunt Hailey announced that I'll be working at the company. Honestly, I keep wondering if I made the right choice. Aunt Hailey had convinced me that working would help me forget since I love dealing with paperwork. She quoted that doing something I love will help me forget unpleasant memories. But I still doubted it. She had told me to choose a position I liked in the company. I guess she never expected me to decide to take a lower position. “Aren't you done yet? I'm about to leave,” Ethan yelled from outside my room. Adjusting my black pencil skirt, I straightened the red shirt I wore over it and picked up my red handbag. My black heels clicked on the floor as I left my room. “Wow, you look hot, thin Tina,” Ethan exclaimed. “I'd burn you soon,” I mumbled. Ethan is never serious. He makes a joke out of everything. I wonder how he manages to run the company. “If you were another girl, I would let you melt me down with your fire…But you are thin Tina
LIAM Hours have passed since Tina left the office crying. Ethan had gone all out after hearing that she cried, he fired more than 10 employees and if not for me, he would have fired more. I had stepped in and drove him home, but then getting to his house, we found out that Tina had left. At this moment, Ethan is broken and wouldn't stop blaming himself. Apparently, he had heard all the comments about her in the morning but thought she didn't care about it. Though it angered him, he didn't want to show it and had only taken action in Tina’s absence. When he found out that Tina heard about him firing an employee because of her, he felt really bad, thinking that had been the reason why she left. I didn't have dinner with them tonight as the once cheerful home seemed like a funeral ground. Seated on my favourite couch inside my hotel room, I downed a bottle of whiskey lost in thought. Tina’s teary eyes wouldn't stop popping into my head. Her eyes held pain, anger and for some odd reason
LIAM “You also work here?” Tina asked, staring at me. “Yeah, my dad owns this company…He is late though.” Her mouth formed an O. Her gaze suddenly shifted from me to my uncle behind me. “Thank you for offering the position. But I think I'll have to decline,” she suddenly said and headed for the door almost immediately. I spared my uncle a sideways glance, only to see him glaring at Tina’s retreating figure. The moment he noticed my eyes on him, a sweet smile curved on his lips. “She doesn't seem interested in working here,” he said, shaking his head. I didn't bother saying a word to him. I've already figured that he was the reason Tina declined my offer. Pulling the door open, I went after her. “Liam!” I heard my uncle call out my name. Ignoring him, I quickened my pace and soon caught up with Tina. I grabbed her arm, turning her around to face me. “Come work for me,” The words left my lips before I could even think. “I said no, what's wrong with you,” she asked, trying to pu
LIAM“Let's meet up then,” I mumbled, hanging up.I swerved the car around, stepped on the accelerator and sped back in the direction of the company. I had wanted to visit Ethan at his company to know how he was faring. But the information I was about to get was more important than whatever friendship I had with him. Growing up, I witnessed my mum struggle a lot without getting any help from anyone, all because my dad was late. My mum had told me that my dad never died a natural death. According to her, he was tormented and then killed. After my mum died, I was left alone. That was until one of my dad’s friends stood up for me to help claim my dad’s companies which were monopolized by my uncle.I sped like my life depended on it and soon, I arrived at the company. Getting to my office, I lowered myself on the couch, tapping my foot impatiently on the ground and waiting for the private investigator to show up. About twenty minutes later, he finally showed up, panting.“I'm sorry, the
TINA You might say I made the wrong decision, you might say I needed a break from everyone, but I, Tina Mills say I don't. Yes, everyone close to me has hurt me in one way or the other, but getting hurt is one of the things that makes us stronger. I was finally at peace with everyone and held no grudge whatsoever against anyone, my past hurtful memories were forgotten and I no longer had a place to dwell. Oh, I almost forgot to mention. Liam and I were now officially married! Our wedding was tagged as the most expensive wedding in the history of Sydney! We moved into our new house, a house Liam and I jointly built to raise our family in. “Mama!” Blake’s piercing voice echoed, separating me from my straying thoughts. “What's up little man,” I bumped fists with him. “Grandma is calling you,” he pointed in the direction of the kitchen. My entire family and I were on vacation. Dad, Liam, Victor and Ryan were playing video games in the living room, mum, Tiffany and Aunt Hailey were i
TINA It's been over six months since Lucas’ demise, six long months since everything died down. Lucas had been buried a day after he died. Liam was gloomy for a few days after his passing, which I didn't mind. At this moment, everything had gone back to the way it used to be before all the unfortunate incidents. Only a few things had changed, I was no longer the single spoilt princess of the Mills family, I was a wife and a mother now. “Mama,” Blake’s tiny voice resonated next to me validating what I had just said. “Blakey,” I smiled, pinching his nose. I picked him up from the floor and twirled him around. “Mama!” He giggled loudly. My little boy is now a year and a few months old. He has even started walking and spends half of his day going in and out of every corner of the house, he literally knows the entire house like his palms. “Where have you been Blakey?” I asked, settling down on the bed and placing him on my thigh. “I shall go down with Liar,” he giggled. “You mean yo
TINA Ever since that day Liam left the house to go find Lucas, I never felt comfortable. I was worried and uneasy. It was so bad that I couldn't even eat. Leah and Riley tried their best to help me calm down but I couldn't, I was just too worried. Each day I cling to Blake crying my eyes out. “Liam is a strong guy, he will definitely come back,” Leah sang these words like a song to me every passing day. Just yesterday, I was seated in the living room watching the door and waiting for the moment Liam would show up when the door was pushed open and Ethan walked in, alone. Seeing him walking towards me alone while he left here with many others filled my heart with uneasiness. “Where are the others?” I had asked. He sat me down and explained everything that transpired while they were out. “And Liam, where is he?” I asked, gazing at the door. “He decided to stay in the hospital with Lucas, he survived the hit.” I didn't know how to feel, It was all too much to take in and process.
TWO DAYS LATER LIAM It's been two days now since Lucas got out of the Operation theatre, two days since he was put down on this bed, two days since he failed to open his charming blue eyes. I haven't had any sleep since the day everything unfolded, I haven't even gone home yet. Guilt was eating me up, for some reason, I kept blaming myself for letting things get like this. Lucas didn't deserve this, he got deceived. Marcus should be the one lying here in pain. These few days, I regretted pulling the trigger and ending Marcus that way. He had a way too easy death and I blamed myself for it. He deserved to gnash his teeth in anguish and cry out for help which wouldn't ever get to him. But sadly, I gave him an easy death. Sighing, I put my head down on the bed next to Lucas. “I should have tried harder to convince you. You wouldn't have chosen this path if I did that. I'm a terrible brother,” I cried. “Just open your eyes, Lucas,” I pleaded, grabbing his nearly cold hands. “Let go o
LIAM One moment I was downcast and was about to cry about Lucas’ sudden passing, then the next, someone more shallow minded appeared. It broke my heart that he used poor Lucas this way and discarded him. I wondered if this would have been my fate if I never did a proper investigation into the cause of my father’s death. I stood still watching Marcus utter despicable words and confession of his multiple crimes. Each minute of standing there made me feel like shredding him to pieces but then I was powerless at the moment. When he revealed how he was indeed the one behind my dad’s death and everything thereof, I made a resolution in my heart at that moment. “Marcus’ blood will be spilled by me.” Anger and disgust bubbled inside of me with each passing minute, I watched him send out his men to attack Ryan and me. He stood at a distance watching us, probably to see how his men would rip us apart. In one swift move, I pulled out my gun from under my pants and pointed it at the men w
LIAM “Do you still want to do it alone?” Ryan asked. His words made me pause in my tracks and turn to him. “I'll do anything to keep my wife and son safe, even if it means teaming up with you. I promised my wife I would get rid of Lucas and I'll go to any lengths to fulfill that promise.” Ryan stayed silent for a while, just gazing at me. “Are we going to capture Lucas or do you want to keep staring like you've suddenly fallen in love with me?” I asked, eying him unpleasantly. He snarled at me, then began walking away. I followed him. “There is no car available,” he muttered. Ethan and the rest of us had visited here prior to today and I knew there was a little garage behind the building, I also knew where the car keys were. We had taken a safety precaution of fleeing, just in case things went haywire. “Wait here, I'll go get a car,” I muttered. Walking into the house, I randomly grabbed a key and headed for the garage, the key turned out to be that of a Maserati MC20. I go
Ryan I have been tracking my dad’s movement the entire time. My dad is someone who would do anything for the sake of his children. Considering how Tiffany wasn't his, but just my wife, I knew he was okay with using her as bait just to keep my mother and all of us safe. Starting from the moment they all agreed to use Tiffany as bait, I was upset, even mad that my gullible wife agreed to it. I mean, there is a possibility that she will lose her life in the process of being used as bait. I threatened to divorce her, just to make sure she didn't do it, but both she and I knew I wouldn't be able to divorce her. Earlier today, Tiffany suddenly went missing. It scared the hell out of me. I searched the entire house for her but she seemed to have disappeared into thin air and this was on the day I had found out my dad and the others planned to get Lucas. “They took Tiffany with them,” I concluded. Anger coursed through my veins and I rushed into my car. Instantly tracking my dad’s locat
LIAM Things got all serious the moment we all got into the car. We had chosen one vehicle as it seemed more convenient and allowed us all to communicate easily. “What's up with Lucas, he hasn't made any move yet,” I muttered staring down at the screen that showed Luacs pacing up and down a shabby looking room. “He got a call earlier and is waiting for help to get to him. Help is already on its way to him,” Ethan said. “We have just a problem,” Victor said. “His men.” He fell for the phone call and thinks a rescue vehicle is coming for him. “How about we send the police to him?” Tina’s dad suggested, but Ethan and I were quick to push the suggestion aside. “He gets help from the police,” Ethan muttered. “You should have seen how the police tried to protect his impersonator the night I ended his life.” “That dude has the police backing him up.” “You didn't actually kill the guy, right?” I asked, staring at Ethan “You know, when you have loved ones to protect, you'll be willing
LIAM I wanted to break the news of my sudden and urgent departure to Tina the moment I got home, but I didn't want to sadden her. The way she clung to my body, how she confessed her Love for me, all made me stall time. Even though I knew leaving was inevitable. I had planned with Ethan and the others on how to deal with Lucas and we came up with a plan to go away from our families while dealing with that Psycho. If we ever succeeded in capturing Lucas and keeping him in our house, it meant danger for our loved ones. Thankfully, Ethan had a hideout where he had hidden himself since the shooting incident to convince everyone that he was at the hospital. The moment Ethan and the others showed up and broke the news of my departure to Tina, her eyes became gloomy but then, she had that look of understanding on her face. The look that read “ I understand you're doing all these for me.” She had followed me into my room to help me pack up without saying a word to me. Facing my closet and