★★★★"I’m not going anywhere," Jasmine whispered, a deep heartache gripping her as she held the kids close. At that moment, she felt at home, with no reason to believe this was all a lie.She gently rubbed the backs of both children before standing up and looking down at their faces. It dawned on her that, indeed, both of them resembled Damon more than herself."Jasmine!" Nadia called out as she rushed toward her, embracing her tightly, tears slipping from her eyes. She had spent days praying, and it wasn't until this morning that Damon told her he would be bringing Jasmine home tonight.Jasmine returned the hug, though she couldn't quite place Nadia in her memory."Don’t worry, you’ll remember us soon! I always told you Paul wasn’t a good guy, and this time he’s gone beyond imagination," Nadia said angrily."You know him too?" Jasmine asked."Yes, we were all in college together. Then one day, you kicked him out of your life. You hated him," Nadia answered."We’re so happy... so happ
★★★★ As soon as the morning arrived, Paul returned to the house after spending the night at the hotel with that unknown woman. He had no idea how he ended up in that room with her since the last thing he remembered was sitting at the counter having drinks. Suddenly, a certain smell hit his nose, and everything after that was a blur. "Madeline!" Paul shouted frantically when he saw the front door open and didn’t see Jasmine in the house. "Sir," the caretaker rushed out of Jasmine’s room and said, "I think madam has run away through the window. There are clothes on the bed, and the window is open." Hearing that, Paul rushed to the room and saw the clothes she had worn the previous day, with the window wide open. His blood boiled as he stormed out, slamming his fist on the small wooden table. He shouted at the caretaker, "Where were you? I told you not to leave the house until she was asleep!" "Sir... Sir, I was sure she wouldn't wake up," the caretaker replied, her voice trembl
★★★★★"Call an ambulance!" Kesha shouted as her daughter fell to the ground, unconscious.Meanwhile, Damon crouched beside Jasmine, grabbing her head and seeing the blood. He quickly placed his handkerchief on the wound. "Why didn’t you use the knife I gave you? I told you I would take care of everything!""I'm fine, Damon. It just feels like my head is spinning," Jasmine said, placing her hand on Damon’s chest."I'm taking you to the hospital," Damon insisted, helping her stand up. But before he could, Paul attacked Damon from behind, kicking him away from Jasmine."You're mine. You will come with me. Just a couple of days, and you'll forget everything. I can't let him ruin this opportunity," Paul said, leaning forward to grab Jasmine, thinking of running away with her. But Damon swiftly put his gun back in his waistband, grabbed Paul by the collar, and slammed his head against the shelf."Do you want to know why I didn’t take your life? Because Jasmine is fine. However, I’m plannin
★★★★★ After what felt like an eternity, Jasmine slowly unfurled her eyes, the soft hum of hospital machines filling the room. The sterile white ceiling above her was unfamiliar, and for a fleeting moment, panic surged through her—hadn't they been on the ship? Her heart raced as she pushed herself upright, her hands trembling against the sheets. Before she could process her surroundings, a nurse hurried to her side. "Please, don’t move so quickly! You need to take it easy," the nurse said gently, her tone both firm and reassuring. Jasmine blinked, still groggy, her voice barely above a whisper as she asked, "Where’s my family?" Her words carried the weight of her desperation, her mind racing to find Damon’s face, to know that he was safe. The nurse offered a soft smile, the kind that made Jasmine feel like she was in safe hands. "I’ll get them for you," she said kindly, already turning toward the door. "They’ve been waiting since early this morning." As the nurse left, Jasmine allo
★★★★ "No... Is it just me overthinking, or have you two somehow become good friends?" Jasmine teased, glancing between Damon and Harley. "Now, that would be a miracle." Damon scoffed, his expression twisting with distaste. "Babe, 'friend' isn’t exactly the word I’d use. The definition changes when it involves him." He shot Harley a look that suggested his tolerance was barely hanging by a thread. Harley leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed casually but with a smirk that betrayed no offence. "Trust me, the feeling’s mutual. I’m not here to hold hands with Damon Colley. I came to check on you, that’s all." "No, you’re here because you’re following Nadia," Ceece chimed in, her voice laced with amusement as she threw Harley a knowing grin. "In your absence, things between them have gotten... thick." Jasmine’s eyes widened in surprise, her gaze darting over to Nadia, who was suddenly very interested in the floor. The blush creeping up Nadia’s cheeks gave her away, despite her
★★★★★ Nadia bit her inner cheek, every instinct telling her to run, but something kept her rooted in place. She needed to hear Harley, to know for sure. She had never truly allowed herself to fall for anyone, which made it even harder to believe that Harley might have deceived her. "It’s been years, Amanda. You can’t be real, can you?" Harley said, his tone cool as he pushed her off his shoulder. "Years don’t erase feelings," Amanda replied confidently, stepping closer. "I know you still think about me, or you would’ve said you hated me by now." Nadia exhaled sharply, disappointment settling deep in her chest. But Harley’s reply was the only thing keeping her from walking away. "Why are you here?" Harley asked, his voice low with a mix of irritation and wariness. "I’ve been in town for a while," Amanda began, her voice smooth. "Then I heard Damon is getting married, and I thought this would be the perfect chance to see you. I don’t want you to think I’m here because of him anymor
★★★★★Nadia could feel the intensity of her emotions, the tug-of-war between her mind and her heart. Her chest felt heavy with frustration, and her inability to shove him away or slap him only deepened her anger. Finally, she pushed him, her hands hitting his chest with more force than she intended. "Don’t you dare try this with me again!" she shouted, her voice trembling. "I’m not some other girl, Harley. Don’t think you can treat me like the rest. Next time, I won’t just warn you—I’ll make sure you regret it." Her voice cracked as she grabbed her phone, turning her back on him, but just as she stepped toward the door, Harley grabbed her wrist.“This isn’t over,” he said firmly, his grip tightening slightly. "You don’t get to storm off like this without giving me an explanation. Why are you acting like this all of a sudden? What happened?"Nadia yanked her hand free from his hold, her eyes burning with the sting of unshed tears. "Because," she spat out, "I finally came to my senses.
★★★★★The next morning, Nadia informed Jasmine that she wouldn’t be able to attend the post-celebration at her house as initially planned. She had arranged a private lunch with a close circle of friends, and her schedule was tight. Nadia was preparing for an important interview and Jasmine, understanding the situation, nodded without much question. Nadia slid into her car, feeling a surprising sense of clarity. The previous night had been a turning point, a quiet moment when she had managed to push thoughts of Harley into the farthest corners of her mind. As she drove toward the office, a smooth half-hour ride through the city’s streets, her mind started working through the layers of the day ahead. The company she was visiting for the interview had an impressive reputation—one she had thoroughly researched in the hours leading up to this meeting. The figures added up in her head. If she landed this job, the salary alone would be enough to buy her a decent house and maybe even that c
★★★★ "Ellie!" Gary tried to approach Harley's mother, but he stopped him, saying, "Don't come close to mom. I didn't lay my hands on you just because of her even though I was on the verge of ripping your neck off your body. So, Again count yourself lucky!" Harley growled at his father. Just then, one of Harley’s men interrupted. "Boss, this woman is fainting!" Harley’s gaze shifted briefly to Amanda before he gave his orders in a cold, merciless tone. "Take her to the hospital. Make sure she doesn’t die, and ensure she gets proper treatment at our camp." Amanda tried to protest, but her words failed her as she collapsed. Without hesitation, Harley’s men carried her away, leaving the scene in tense silence. By that time, Harley's mom mustered up some strength and looked at her husband with pain and tears. Earlier, when Amanda said those things about Gary, she denied them without a second thought, even though somewhere in her heart, a bad feeling was swirling. But, in the end, she wa
★★★★"Are you hurt?" Harley asked, concern lacing his voice."Yeah, my foot," Nadia winced, her grip tightening around his neck. "I think something’s stuck in it."Without hesitation, Harley scooped her up in his arms, cradling her gently as he made his way inside, his jaw set with determination."It's Amanda, and she has more people inside," Nadia cautioned him so that he could have his gun ready."Humph!" Harley hummed only, then took her to a place where there was little light and a small place to sit. He carefully laid her down, turned on the phone's flashlight, and said, "Hold it up on your feet and let me see what it is?"Nadia's face was tired and sweaty, but her eyes were calm seeing Harley in front of her eyes. She got the phone and held it up, only then did they both notice a nail embedded in her left foot.As soon as Harley touched the nail, Nadia cried out, clutching his hair in her palm as her agonizing voice erupted, "Oh, it’s hurt!"Harley looked up at Nadia’s painful f
★★★★★ "I don't know how...." Harley's mother's hands were shaking as she held the gun in her hand. "There's no time for a lesson! Just put the muzzle on my handcuffs and shoot!" Nadia shouted, her impatience growing as Amanda's people could show up at any second. "Alright," Harley's mother muttered, exhaling sharply. She pressed the muzzle against the lock and fired without hesitation. The handcuffs snapped open instantly. Nadia forthwith ran to Amanda and pulled her back by her hair before Amanda could able to run out of the room. "Let me go, bitch!" Amanda protested, trying to scream. But Nadia held her back with her arm around her neck. Suddenly Amanda's men arrived with guns drawn. Seeing them, Amanda screamed, "Don't just stand there and help me!" She gritted her teeth and spat at the people who should have been running to her aid. "Don't come close to her if you want her alive and well?" Nadia yelled, holding Amanda tightly as she tried to strike a deal for them to escape.
★★★★★Meanwhile, Harley returned home and learned from the servant that his father had been awake for a while but had ordered no visitors until he permitted it. Ignoring the warning, Harley marched straight to his father’s room. Rather than knock, he pounded on the door.His father’s irritated voice boomed from within. "I warned you—I don’t want any interference! If you all want to keep your jobs, stay out of my business!"At that moment, Harley responded by firing on the door lock and then kicking it open. Gary ran to the corner in fear, his back hitting the wall. When Gary saw that it was Harley who had shot at the door, he blurted out, "What's going on in your head? You could have called me!" "Where are they?" Harley yelled with murderous eyes."Who are you talking about?" Gary replied, trying to sound calm, but miserably failed under his son's intense gaze. Harley clenched his teeth and rushed to his father, who tried to escape, but Harley grabbed him by his throat and howled, "
★★★★★ Jasmine was exhausted, thirsty and going through the ripping pain in her shoulder, but she made sure she reached out for her husband, who was looking for her crazily. "Hello... it's me!" Jasmine said in a tired voice and crawled away from the dead man. Since it was almost dark, she took refuge behind a tree and decided to stay there until Damon came. "Where are you?" Damon's harsh voice broke out, full of impatience and tension. "Come and get me. I am tired and I...I killed a man who wanted to kill me," Jasmine said, "Also a group of people took Nadia with them. She is in danger too. Bring men," Jasmine said, closing her eyes. "Hang in there!" Damon said. There was a sense of reassurance in his voice that calmed Jasmine and she replied, "Okay!" And she touched her shoulder where she felt pain. Meanwhile, Harley reached the mansion where Amanda's father was busy in the swimming pool with some young lady. As soon as they entered, they all started screaming in fear becau
★★★★★"I don’t know anything!" Harley’s mother stammered, her voice trembling as she scrambled towards Nadia, who sat handcuffed in the corner. "In my sleep, I felt someone’s hand on my face, and I jolted awake. I tried to fight, and Harley’s father did the same, but they injured him before dragging me out of the villa. It was dark outside.""I think it’s the same people who brought you here. They pretended to be the police and tricked me," Nadia said calmly as she looked at Harley's worried mother."How is his father?"Nadia felt bad hearing Harley's mother's worried voice."When I left the villa, a doctor monitored him and the doctor said he is fine and has no injuries," Nadia said."You are not lying to me, are you?" Harley's mother asked again just to believe Nadia was not saying the positive just to keep her calm."Why would I lie to you to keep you satisfied when both of our lives are at stake? I was thinking about your son. I'm afraid he won't deal with this situation patiently
★★★★Nadia didn't go to her house. Instead, she went to Jasmine's house. All the way she kept wondering if Amanda was really that stupid. Knowing Harley's nature, how could she dare to attack his mother, and why did she think that kidnapping Harley's mother would make it easier for her to get back into his life?When she was about to enter Jasmine's house, a police car blocked her way, which shocked Nadia, and she quickly got out of the car in confusion and asked, "What happened, Sir?!" At the same time, Jasmine saw Nadia and the police from the balcony, where she was walking with a coffee mug in her hand. So, she decided to go and see what the matter was."Are you Nadia Hazelwood?" a policeman asked.Nadia replied, a little nervously, "Yes, sir, I am Nadia Hazelwood. Is something wrong?""We found illegal substances in your house. You have to come with us to the police station," the cop said, showing off the handcuff to Nadia who could no longer stop herself from panicking as she mut
★★★★ As the morning dawned Nadia found herself pinned down by a strong arm around her waist and unable to breathe. But what scared her the most was the thought that Harley was naked. She moved quickly and looked under the sheets, but he wasn't naked; he was wearing his boxers, and she sighed with relief. Then she tried to push his hand out of her to get up, but he grumbled, "Let me hold you a little longer." "I have a lot of work to do; hugging won't buy me time," Nadia grumbled. "You work in my office, and as your boss, I am ordering you to remain on the bed with me; if you're so free, you can show me your care by kissing me," Harley said. "Stop your nonsense, Harley. Your mother will come anytime and I will feel ashamed," Nadia put her hand on his face and tried to push him away, but she couldn't. Though his sleeping face looked innocent and peaceful, which urged her to stare at him for a long time, she refused to do that since she was embarrassed to show her affection. Suddenl
★★★★★"Uh..huh! What did you hear him talking about?" Harley replied calmly."He was talking to someone in the garden who I couldn't see so I was standing near the wall and listening to their conversation, then I heard your father say that if that person can't achieve what he has been given to do then he should kill himself or your father will kill him," Nadia said with shock and fear in her eyes as she thought that Harley’s father was going to harm someone."Hmmmm... Dad is consumed by the greed to get the power. That is why he abruptly came here with Mom," Harley said, making his way to the bed, his hand unbuttoning his shirt, while he added, "Let him do what he wants. I'm glad you found something entertaining in this house!""How come you are so relaxed even after knowing all this? What if he is plotting something dangerous against you because I felt he has no sympathy for you or no care that you are his son," Nadia said impatiently putting both her hands on her waist as she did no