Chapter 18: Uncle GregMIAMy family is all kinds of weird, there's my uncle, Greg, my dad's elder brother who is the family’s black sheep. He went to jail for trafficking drugs and other reckless behaviors which made my grandpa give the company's rights to my dad. Uncle Greg is manipulative and narcissistic, always in one trouble or the other and my dad is always the one bailing him out.My aunt, Cecilia isn't like that though, being the baby of the house, she was always spoiled by my grandpa before he passed. She's sweet, loving and has been a mother figure since my mom passed, although she has a very sarcastic side to her which I find really amusing.As for my dad, he's the second child. He always had the responsibility to make sure everything is in order at home. We lived on the family property as per my grandpa’s wish. Hence my uncle barging in on us now, the house was our family house, so he had the right to be here. As for why he wasn't living with us before now, that's because
Chapter 19: Kissed him MIA “You know what?” Sophie said when we got back from the mall. “What?” I responded, feeling really tired. “Let's go to the club,” she giggled. “The strip club.” She added. “Girl, you're not serious, I'm tired.” I said, heading to her room. She followed suit, still trying to convince me. “We still have four hours till the strip club opens, you can rest then we'd go, okay?” She said, leaving no room for me to reply. “Whatever you say, mi lady.” I responded, sarcastically. I settle in and in no time I dozed off, when I woke up, I heard voices outside and I went to check it out, it was Sophie and her mum. “Good evening Mrs Turner.” I greeted Sophie’s mum, interrupting their discussion. “Hello Mia, you're awake,” she smiled. Sophie lived alone, so there must be a reason that her mum is here, I smiled back at her and went back to the room. “Mia, are you ready to partyyyy!” Sophie shouted as she got into the room. “Oh yes.” I said. “That was rather s
Chapter 20: Dramatic/cause a scene GREG EVANS I showed up at my family house knocking as loud as I could but got no immediate response. Why would they keep me waiting? This is my house too. He opened the door and there he was, standing at the doorway like he was king of the castle, then I saw her—Mia. All grown up now, but I’d know that timid look anywhere. The same one she had when she was a kid. Like a deer caught in headlights. Pathetic, really. “Greg,” my brother said, his voice like ice. He always thought that his cold tone could keep me in check but It never did. “Hello, brother,” I replied, as smooth as ever. I stepped inside without waiting for an invitation. What was the point? It's not like he was going to stop me, no one had the right to stop me. My eyes found Mia, and I couldn’t help but smile. She looked like she wanted the ground to open and swallow her up and I loved that I had that effect. “Mia,” I said, dragging her name out slowly, savoring her discomfort. “A
Chapter 21: Mr. Do-Everything-RightJOHN EVANSWhat the hell are you doing here?” I hissed, after dragging him away from the board room “I came to talk, but I see you’re too busy.” Greg shrugged, like he didn't just try to cost me a huge investor.“Get out, Greg. Now.” I commanded. “Don't get your pants hitched Johnny, I'll go, but I'll be back.” he responded and left.I took a sigh of relief and went back to the boardroom, “I'm sorry for the inconvenience, we do not need to postpone the meeting again.” I said to my client, thankfully they were still in the boardroom, although they were obviously shocked at what just happened.After the meeting with my client, I went back to my office and got lost in thoughts.How did we get here? I remembered how good my brother was to me, he was like my role model, but everything changed when he got into college, back then I just got into highschool. He started making friends and moving around with the bad eggs, then the bullying started, he was
Chapter 22: Ethan's a big meanieMIA“You heard the lady.” I heard the familiar voice again and I was thankful.“Who the fuck are you bro? Didn't you take the first hint she gave you?” The stranger said, obviously frustrated by Ethan.“I'm the one who's going to whoop y’all's asses.” He said and they bursted out laughing.One of the dudes holding Sophie left her and went to Ethan, “go pick on someone your own size, oldie.” He nudged Ethan and they all started laughing.Ethan grabs his fingers and twists them, then he calls on his bodyguards, they come and free Sophie, beating up the guys holding Sophie. Ethan then grabs the strange guy holding me, “it seems like the beating I gave you back at the club wasn't enough.” He said and began throwing punches on the guy.“Hey Ethan, it's okay, you're going to kill him.” I screamed, scared for Ethan.“Are you still trying to defend him?” Ethan asked, he looked hurt.“No, that's not what I…” Ethan leaves the strange guy, grabs me and shoves me
Chapter 23: Who's Mia?ETHANSeeing Emily ruined my whole day, I couldn't focus at work, what did she want? Why was she back? Those thoughts filled my mind. I didn't bother to think about how she found me. I was Ethan Blake. I'm always the star of the show.“Sir, you have a meeting with a client by two o'clock.” Daniel said, interrupting my thoughts.“What else do I have on my schedule for today?” I just wanted to get this day over with.“You also have a meeting with Judge Hilary at Preston hotel.” He responded.I totally forgot about Hilary and our “meeting” which mostly consisted of her sucking my dick and screaming my name.“Okay, is that all?” I asked.“Yes sir.” He said and I gestured to him to leave which he did.Maybe meeting up with Hilary will help me ease the stress of meeting my ex wife and Mia, “Mia!” I remembered, as I grabbed my phone and dialed her number for the thousandth time, it rang and it didn't go through again. “Daniel, get me a new number.” I said to Daniel th
Chapter 24: You're unbelievableETHANI couldn't get what Mia did off my mind and my gut kept telling me to follow her and that's what I did, while following her, I sent the head of my security my location.“Meet me at this location with some of your men.” I typed while walking, then I noticed him, the same guy at the club but this time around, he brought company.They moved closer and started to harass Mia and Sophie who didn't have any idea of what was going on. “You heard the lady.” I said as I stepped closer, my voice loud and furious. I’d had enough of these guys harassing Mia.“Who the fuck are you bro? Didn't you take the first hint she gave you?” one of the assholes spat at me, clearly pissed.“I'm the one who's going to whoop y’all's asses.” My tone was calm, but I meant every word. They laughed like I just told the world’s funniest joke. One of them walked to me, leaving Sophie wobbling on her feet. “Why don’t you pick on someone your own size, oldie?” He jabbed a finger
Chapter 25: Don’t be so shy, Mia MIA The whole house was a mess, broken bottles of beer, empty cans, and cigarettes littered the living room. Cushions were tossed across the floor, a vase lay shattered near the coffee table, and the distinct smell of whiskey hung in the air. What the hell happened when I was gone? “Dad?” I called, my voice echoing through the house. No answer. I climbed the stairs, taking two at a time, and pushed open his bedroom door without knocking. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, his head in his hands. “Dad,” I said, softer this time. “What happened?” He looked up, his face weary. “Your uncle.” Of course. Who else? My heart sank, but my blood boiled. “What did he do now?” “He threw a party,” Dad replied, his voice flat. “According to him, he was bored.” I leaned against the doorframe, crossing my arms. “When is he leaving, Dad? This is getting out of hand.” Dad sighed and rubbed his temples. “I’ve given him two days. Two days to sa
Chapter 140: With all my heart ETHAN The soft hum of the television filled the living room as I scrolled through my phone absentmindedly. The news anchor’s voice droned on about economic fluctuations, political scandals—nothing that interested me. That was until I heard Smith Cole’s name. I glanced up at the screen. The bold letters at the bottom of the screen made my eyebrows lift. “BREAKING NEWS: BUSINESS TYCOON SMITH COLE FOUND DEAD IN PRISON CELL” I sat up, the remote slipping from my fingers. “According to sources, Smith Cole was found unresponsive in his cell early this morning. While initial reports suggest suicide, investigations are still ongoing.” I grabbed my phone and immediately dialed Greg. He picked up after two rings. “I was wondering how long it’d take you to call.” I didn’t waste time. “Did you hear the news?” Greg chuckled. “I knew the news before the news knew.” I froze. “Damn, don’t tell me you were behind this.” There was a pau
Chapter 139: OliviaMIA A Month Later.Time didn’t erase the grief I felt, but it softened the pain a little. A few months had passed since my dad’s death and Smith Cole’s sentencing, and while the pain still lingered, life had started moving forward. Uncle Greg had stepped up as the CEO of Evans Group, and surprisingly, he was doing a damn good job. It wasn’t just about running the company; it was about maintaining what dad had built. With Marvin by his side, helping in ways none of us had expected, the company was thriving again. His kids, Derrick and Amanda, had finally settled into life in New York. Amanda was adjusting well to her new school, making friends and embracing the city. Derrick became quieter but sharp as ever, and had taken a liking to Marvin. Watching my brother interact with them, laughing and being… normal, gave me hope. Ava moved out of the city after Dad's funeral, she said this city reminded her of him and if she needed to move on, she had to leave.Aunt
Chapter 138: CampingETHANThe drive to the cemetery was silent. Mia stared out the window, her fingers playing with the hem of her sweater. I knew she was deep in thought, maybe even trying to find the right words to say when we got there. I reached over, placing my hand over hers. "You don't have to say anything if you don't want to." She exhaled, nodding slightly but didn't look at me. When we arrived, she hesitated before stepping out of the car. The cemetery was quiet, the only sound being the rustling of leaves in the wind. I followed behind her, giving her space as she walked up to her father’s grave. She kneeled, tracing the name on the tombstone with her fingers. "Hi, Dad," she whispered. "It's been a while." I stayed back, leaning against the car, letting her have her moment. She wiped her eyes. "We won, you know. We got him. Smith Cole is going to rot in prison for the rest of his miserable life. Uncle Greg made sure of it." She let out a shaky breath. "But it d
Chapter 137: Together, We're strongerMIA"Mia, are you okay?" I heard as I woke up with a gasp, cold water dripping down my face. My heart pounded as my vision adjusted, and I saw Sophie kneeling beside me, her face filled with concern. I blinked rapidly, struggling to make sense of what had just happened. The last thing I remembered was seeing Ethan.Ethan, who was supposed to be dead, was standing in that courtroom. My chest tightened. Was I hallucinating? Was I losing my mind? “Thank goodness you're awake, you scared us Mia.” Aunt Cecilia exclaimed.I ignored her, “Wasn't that Ethan? I need to be sure, let's go back to the courtroom.”I struggled to get up and headed back into the courtroom, aunt Cecilia and Sophie behind me. Then I heard the judge’s voice. “In light of the overwhelming evidence presented to this court, Smith Cole is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.” My head snapped toward the judge’s bench. The courtroom was dead s
Chapter 136: Plea dealAUTHOR POVThe world around Smith Cole was crumbling. Politicians who once shook his hand in private meetings were now scrambling to erase any connection to him. Some fled the country entirely, disappearing into private jets with hastily packed bags, their families already on their way to safe havens overseas. George Ramsey, one of Smith’s closest allies, wiped the sweat off his brow as he rushed through a VIP airport terminal. “Where’s the damn pilot?” he snapped at his assistant, his hands trembling as he checked his watch. “He’s preparing the jet, sir. But…” “No buts! We need to be out of here in ten minutes!” The assistant hesitated. “Sir, the feds are looking into your accounts. If you leave now, it’ll…” “Shut up and do as you’re told!” George Ramsey barked before marching toward the boarding gate. Across the city, others were making similar escapes. Some tried bribing their way out of investigations, while others resigned from their governme
Chapter 135: Walk freeMARVIN EVANSMia wasn’t the same anymore. Since Dad’s funeral, she had withdrawn into herself, barely speaking, barely eating. I saw it in her eyes, the emptiness. She would sit for hours, staring at nothing, lost in a world none of us could reach. Sophie visited often, trying to get her to eat, to talk, to function. Sometimes, Mia responded with a weak smile or a nod, but most times, she just existed in silence. Greg’s kids were around too, trying to lighten the mood, but it was like talking to a ghost. I knew what she was feeling. I felt it too. Dad was gone, Murdered in cold blood and the bastard who did it was still out there. That changed the day Greg walked in. I was sitting in the living room, flipping through TV channels, not really watching, when Greg strode in with a determined look on his face. “I found him,” he announced. I turned off the TV. Sophie looked up from where she sat beside Mia. Even Mia’s blank expression shifted slightly.
Chapter 134: LawsuitSMITH COLEI had underestimated Greg Evans. That was my first mistake. I thought he’d come at me like a street thug, swinging wildly, making it easy for me to shut him down. But no—he was playing smart. Legal. And that was the kind of fight I wasn’t prepared for. One of my boys came running into my room interrupting my thoughts. “Boss, another club’s been shut down.” I glared at Marco, my patience wearing thin. “Which one?” “The one on the east side. The cops raided it last night, they said on suspicion of trafficking, illegal gambling, the whole damn list.” I exhaled sharply, gripping the edge of my desk. “And you’re telling me this now?” He hesitated. “Didn’t want to bring bad news first thing in the morning.” “Marco, you’re about to bring me bad news at your funeral if you don’t fix this.” I growled, staring daggers at him.I waved him off, already feeling the headache creeping in. My businesses were crumbling one after another. First, the cops hit m
Chapter 133: A ghostETHANI stood at the abandoned shipyard, waiting for Greg. The scent of salt and gasoline hitting my nostrils. The place was quiet except for the occasional creak of metal and the distant sound of waves crashing against the dock.I had chosen this spot for a reason, it was neutral ground, away from prying eyes and close to my hideout.The black SUV rolled to a stop a few feet away. The headlights cut through the darkness before shutting off. The door opened, and Greg Evans stepped out, his movements stiff and with caution. He scanned the area before his eyes locked onto me. Then, he froze. His body went rigid, his eyes wide with shock. His lips parted as if he wanted to say something, but no words came out. He took a slow step forward, shaking his head. “No. No, this isn’t possible.” I smirked. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Greg’s face twisted in disbelief. “You’re supposed to be dead.” “Yeah, well… I guess I’m not.” His fists clenched at his
Chapter 132: Conspiracy and racketeeringGREG EVANSThe funeral was over, but the fight had just begun. I sat in my office, staring at the wall of documents pinned up like a detective solving a crime. Because that’s exactly what I was doing—solving the crime of my brother’s murder. My anger hadn’t lessened since the day we buried John. If anything, it had grown into something cold. It was no longer just grief, it was revenge.If Smith Cole thought he could get away with this, that he could walk free after having my brother killed. Just because he had a few connections then he had another thing coming.He had no idea what he had just unleashed. I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples as I went through another set of documents. These weren’t just business papers—they were evidence. The ones my boys brought in for me.Smith Cole’s entire operation was filth, built on money laundering, blackmail, and human trafficking. His corporation wasn’t just corrupt—it was a damn criminal emp