Chapter 35: Three strokes MIA Immediately I heard the knock on the door, I knew that the police had gotten the warrant and had come to take the human trash at my house away. Coming down the stairs, l looked down and my thoughts were right. The officers already handcuffed him and were taking him away. He looked back and saw me, but I didn't care, he deserved what he got. Dancing with joy downstairs, I went to the dining area and warmed up some pizza for my lone time so I could eat it and watch my favorite TV show. It wasn’t much, but after everything that had happened with the gallery theft and the police, I deserved a little normal life. Or so I thought. The sound of the front door opening shattered my peace. My dad’s voice called out, “Mia, are you home?” “Yeah, in here!” I said from the living room, sitting up. He walked in, and my stomach dropped. Behind him was Uncle Greg, looking entirely too pleased with himself. “What is he doing here?” I asked, my voice sharp as I sh
Chapter 36: Case closedETHANAfter a few days, I contacted the detective in charge of the murder case asking for updates.“The case is closed sir, it was ruled a suicide.” She responded when I asked about the case.“Closed, why?” I answered surprised. “Could someone tell me what the hell is going on in this country? That woman was fucking murdered for God damn sake.”“The evidence we found on the scene after cross examination pointed towards suicide, she shot herself to death.” She explained.“God damn it. Aren't you listening to me?”“I don't believe that, something else is at play here, why would she send me a ‘help me’ text when she just wanted to kill herself?” I asked her, my voice sounding irritated.“I'm sorry sir, There's nothing more to investigate unless you have an unknown lead somewhere that you would like to share with us.” She responded, her tone sharp.I kept quiet because I don't have any leads regarding the case.“Since you're mute, I guess it's settled then.” She sa
Chapter 37: Contesting the willGREG EVANSI knew John was going to come to my rescue, ever since he made that promise to dad, he had always fulfilled it—a daddy’s boy indeed.As soon as we got home and I saw Mia's angry face, nothing pleased me more. It was safe to say that I could die a happy death after that view. Father and daughter got into an argument and I didn't have the energy for that, so I left them and headed to my room.The house was boring and boring is suffocating. If they thought I’d sit here and play nice, just because John helped his own elder brother then they have got another thing coming. I wasn't going to sit still and I wasn't going to go back to where I was staying, the pressure there was too much for one man to bear.I needed air. More than that, I needed a drink, hell I needed a distraction—something loud. The club was the obvious choice. I left the house and drove through the city with one of the cars at home since that fool didn't want to buy me a car. T
Chapter 38: Getting out of your skinGREG EVANS“If it isn't the great Greg Evans.” A voice interrupted my thoughts.“Who the hell is…” I said looking up at the intruder.“Ha… I got you!” His hand fell roughly on my shoulder.The voice was rough,I froze as I recognized the voice. Slowly, I turned to face them—three men, all built like brick walls, their faces intimidating.“Been looking for ya,” the leader sneered, cracking his knuckles. “Bring him out.” He commanded and his boys dragged me out of the club.They dragged me out to the alley behind the club. “Gentlemen, no need for theatrics. I was just about to…” I said, forcing a grin as they dropped me on the floor like a sack of potatoes.“Save it,” he interrupted, stepping closer. “You’ve been dodging us for months. Time’s up.” Before I could react, a fist slammed into my stomach, knocking air out of me. I stumbled back, clutching my stomach, but they didn’t give me a chance to recover. Another blow caught me across the jaw, s
Chapter 39: The relapseMIAIt's been a long time since I heard from Sophie and I was getting worried. The last time we met, she said something about being followed which I thought was all in her head, maybe she was busy or needed some space but Something felt off. Normally she always texted or called, even if it was just to share some random thought or vent about her day. I decided to go to her apartment and check on her after leaving Liam's house. As I drove, my fingers tapped nervously on the steering wheel. Sophie had been through so much with Jacob, her abusive ex and it took a lot to get him locked up, ever since then, I felt an urge to always protect her.When I arrived, I climbed the stairs to her floor, I knocked on her door, hoping she’d open it with her usual warm smile and reassure me that everything was fine. Instead, Jacob answered. My stomach dropped. He stood there, leaning casually against the doorframe, his expression smug and unreadable. His presence alone was
Chapter 40: The Forced Date MIA Immediately I saw the text. I knew who it was, Ethan, always so authoritative. I ignored the text and continued on my way, as I got to the driveway, I got a call from the same number. What does he want again? I ignored the call and gathered my things, the call came again this time I didn't ignore it. “What do you want?” I asked as I answered the call. “Hey, hey, sweet thing. You've been ignoring me. Why is that?” He responded, his voice calm as usual. “You have four seconds remaining.” I snapped. “I want to take you out.” He insisted, sounding serious. Was he serious? Take me out? Ethan has never taken me out or made efforts to take me out. “What?” I asked confused, my mind racing. I know I said I didn't want to have anything to do with him again but he still had a huge effect on me, I just couldn't help it. My crush on him was something that just happened. I've liked him since I knew what liking meant, since I was in high school, so yeah it
Chapter 41: The Manipulative EthanETHANA few days after I got that ominous call from Greg, the call kept coming up in my head and messing with my thoughts then I decided I had to tell John about it. I picked up my phone and called him and thankfully he wasn't too busy to respond.“Hey bro.” John responded as he came on the line.“Hey John, there's something that has been disturbing me, I need to tell you about it.” I replied.“What's it? Did something bad happen?” He asked, sounding worried.“I think something bad is about to happen. I got a call from Greg and he wanted me to stand in as his attorney saying he wanted to contest the will.” I responded.“What? That bastard, he just took a large amount of money from me saying that he'll leave my skin if he gets it, so he never planned to keep to his words.” He angrily said.One thing I've come to learn about John these years of knowing him is to never get on his bad side, his anger is something else.“I thought I should tell you, I got
Chapter 42: BlackmailLIAMI sat in my car, gripping the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turned white. My mind raced as I replayed the message I’d received a few weeks ago. The video clip they sent was only a few seconds long, but it was enough. Enough to ruin everything. Me, in that cheap hotel room, with someone who wasn’t Mia. I closed my eyes, shame washing over me. It had been a stupid mistake, one night, one bad decision. I had no feelings for the woman, I was drunk. But now, someone had the proof, and they were using it against me. The text that followed was clear: “Pay five hundred thousand dollars or we send this to your girlfriend and the media.”I couldn’t let Mia find out. She was the best thing that ever happened to me, and I knew I’d lose her if this got out. And worse my father would kill me his political aspirations would end. I can't let this get to the media.Whoever these people were, they weren’t just after me. They are after my family and I think my fathe
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