★★★★★ "He’s always busy!" Jasmine sighed, her voice tinged with a mix of frustration and longing. She glanced around the room that had become her gilded cage, the four walls she knew too well, the garden outside that she’d only glimpsed through the window. "I was thinking," she continued, trying to sound casual, "maybe we could go out together, explore the town a bit? I’m feeling a little restless being cooped up here all the time." The caretaker gave her a sympathetic smile, but it was tinged with something else, something more guarded. "Madam, I understand your frustration," she said gently, "but your health is the top priority. Sir is very concerned, especially after all the injuries you’ve suffered. Staying here isn’t a restriction—it’s for your well-being. How about I take you back to your room? A little rest might help, just like it usually does when you’re feeling this way." Jasmine forced a smile, masking her disappointment. "No, thank you. I’ll go on my own," she repl
★★★★★Damon burst through the hospital doors, his pace frantic and unsteady as he spotted Cesar and Phil standing near the entrance. Their faces were taut with grief, a look that only fueled the fire burning inside him.Phil stepped forward first, his voice soft yet strained. "Boss, just... breathe for a second. I know there's nothing I can say to take away the pain, but you still have Dante and Payne. They need you."Cesar, usually the more composed of the two, looked shaken. "Damon, you need to keep it together."But Damon’s anger flared uncontrollably. "Why the hell are you both talking like she’s already gone?" His voice cracked, a mix of fury and desperation. His eyes bore into them, ablaze with a rage that barely masked the terror beneath.Cesar took a deep breath before speaking, his words heavy with the weight of reality. "The body was found on the shore. But... it’s almost unrecognizable. Her face, eighty percent of her body... it’s destroyed beyond recognition. The tests— th
★★★★★ Dante sat across from Payne, his eyes clouded with the weight of uncertainty. The silence between them was heavy, punctuated only by Payne’s quiet sniffles as she wiped away her tears. “Are we never going to find Mom?” Payne’s voice trembled, breaking the stillness. “It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve seen her face. I can’t take it anymore, Dante.” Dante leaned forward, his heart aching at the sight of his sister’s despair. He wanted to offer her some semblance of hope, but the words felt hollow even as they left his lips. “Dad’s doing everything he can, Payne. We’ll find her. I promise you, we will.” Payne shook her head, her tears falling faster now. “But how? How can she not be looking for us? Mom wouldn’t leave me for a day, let alone weeks. Why hasn’t she reached out? Why hasn’t she tried to find us?” Dante’s throat tightened, and he struggled to find the right words. “I don’t think Mom is free to do what she wants. Maybe… maybe the people who took her are stopp
★★★★Paul didn’t miss a beat, his smile softening as he crafted a quick explanation. "Oh, that," he said, his tone filled with feigned sincerity. "He runs an organization that helps those who can’t afford to give their loved ones a proper farewell. You know, people who don’t have the means for the last rites. As for the truth he mentioned, I simply asked him not to tell the family that I was involved. I didn’t want them to feel burdened, especially since it’s a co-worker’s family—his father just passed away."Jasmine’s suspicion seemed to waver, replaced by a hint of admiration. "That’s really good work, Paul," she said, her voice softening as she looked at him with newfound respect.Paul seized the moment, wrapping an arm around her in a gesture of affection. "Just trying to help where I can," he said smoothly, then turned his attention back to the man standing across the room. "You can go now," Paul instructed, his tone slipping into one of subtle authority. "And if there’s anything
★★★★★ "Martha!" Paul greeted with a forced smile, clearly displeased by her sudden appearance. "How are you?" "I'm fine, Paul," Martha replied, her eyes darting towards Jasmine, who, despite her mask, had an unmistakable curiosity in her gaze. "I got married six months ago. I invited you and Layla. Neither of you showed up." "Time isn't always on our side," Paul said tersely. "I've been swamped with work." "Where's Layla? And what exactly are you doing here?" Martha pressed, her suspicions growing. She didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but the situation made it hard not to think the worst. Paul drew in a deep breath, resisting the urge to lose his temper. "You have Layla's number. She can tell you where she is," he said, irritation creeping into his voice. "How about we discuss this later?" "Are you cheating on Layla with her?" Martha cut to the chase, her voice sharp. "Do you think I didn’t notice? I know how much Layla loves you!" Paul slammed his hand on the table and stood
★★★★★"Actually... I’m in..." Martha started to say, but her words were cut off by the screech of tires as a car suddenly pulled up beside hers."Martha, where are you?" Layla’s voice was filled with concern on the other end of the line.The window of the car beside Martha rolled down with eerie slowness. In a split second, a gun emerged, the cold steel glinting in the late evening moon."Martha, are you there? What’s going on?"The sharp crack of gunfire shattered the air. The bullet tore through the window of Martha’s car, the glass splintering in a thousand directions before the round slammed into her skull. The phone slipped from her hand as she slumped over the passenger seat, her life extinguished in an instant."Martha? Martha!" Layla’s voice rang with panic, but there was no answer. Only silence, punctuated by the distant sound of city life and the faint hum of the line.The two men in the car moved with chilling efficiency. They jumped out, yanked open the door of Martha’s ca
★★★★★ Layla’s sobs grew quieter, but the anguish in her eyes was unmistakable. “I just can’t take it anymore, Mom,” she said, her voice cracking under the weight of everything she’d endured. “It’s like every time we turn around, there’s another lie, another betrayal. How are we supposed to keep going when everyone we trusted is turning against us?” Kesha’s eyes flashed with a fierce resolve, her jaw setting with determination. “We keep going because we have no choice,” she replied, her voice low but powerful. “If Paul is willing to stoop this low, then we’ll go lower. We’ll fight back with everything we’ve got. I never thought he would betray us like this, but if this is the game he wants to play, then so be it. We’ll make sure he regrets ever crossing us.” "What are we going to do?" Layla asked. “First, we need to find him,” Kesha said, her voice tight with determination. “And then we’ll find out who this woman is that he’s married. It’s strange, isn’t it? How come his family hasn
★★★★★Later in the afternoon, Jasmine got out of her room, a little careful. It was the time when the caretaker left for home. She went to the kitchen and packed all the food into plastic as she was going to throw it. Jasmine hurried to her room, her mind racing. She needed to get to that party—something about the woman’s words in the café had lodged itself deep in her gut, a feeling she couldn’t shake. There was more going on than Paul was letting on, and she wasn’t about to sit around waiting for answers.But as she flung open her closet, frustration hit her like a wave. No cocktail dresses, nothing remotely fancy—just her usual casual clothes. She bit her lip, scanning her options. Then it hit her: she didn’t need to stand out. In fact, it was better if she didn’t.Grabbing a pair of jeans and a plain top, she reached for the mask she’d tucked away, the one that would keep her identity hidden. Fancy dress or not, she’d blend into the shadows and see what Paul was up to. Her finger