CARTER’S POV: The pain I’ve caused Hazel, is it the same level of the pain she’s causing me now? If it was, then how did she endure and overcome it? Tears continue to fall down my cheeks as I bring the glass of bourbon into my lips. I’m partially staring and listening to the TV, showing the news of Lilian’s murder. I don't have to pay keen attention to it though coz I know every detail.It was, after all, my doing.Lilian manipulated me into loving a son that isn't mine. She also tried to kill Hazel. Therefore, her death is just and deserved.I can only hope that Hazel won’t push me to the brink of my patience like what Lilian did. I love her, though some may call it an obsession. I’d rather see her dead than seeing her happy with another man.If only my attempt to kill Marius succeeded, then I won't have a competition for her affection. But fate has other plans, it seems, testing my power. If that’s so, I’m ready to show just how powerful Carter Whitlock truly is.My thoughts are i
VINCENT’S POV: “No! Why did it have to happen?!” My cries echo off the barren walls of my rented small apartment, my hands clutching the crumpled newspaper with a headline: Lilian Doyle Murdered Inside the Prison. It’s my fault! I love her, but when the noose tightens, I let her take the fall, convincing myself it’s the only way to save us both. And her killer, I was the one who hired him oblivious of what he could do. Now, she’s gone! If only the gunman isn’t caught, then Lilian won’t have to suffer in jail. But why would he kill her even after I already gave my promise that I’ll get him out too as soon as possible? There's something more than meets the eye here. Is it possible that both the gunman and Lilian were killed by the same person or group of people? But who? My head spins. I haven’t come up with any strategy on how to get out of the other abyss I’m being dragged into, and now I’m shoved into another one! My swollen eyes flicker towards my email through my laptop, re
MARIUS’ POV: My path to redemption may take longer than I would want to, but just the fact that Hazel is willing to open the door to me again is beyond exhilarating.Before I second-guess myself, I kiss her passionately. Instantly, she melts into the kiss, her arms wrapped around my neck."Take care, see you tomorrow," she murmurs.My hand gently caresses her cheek before I walk out of Mr. Montgomery’s mansion.As I drive towards my penthouse, a rare sense of peace courses through me. But as I approach an intersection, that peace is abruptly shattered. Three cars barrel down the road, swerving to block my path. My heart lurches as I slam on the brakes, narrowly avoiding a collision. The cars box me in, leaving no room for escape.Then, masked men spring from the cars. They wrench open my door and drag me out. I throw punches and kicks, but there are too many of them."Let go of me!" I shout.One of the assailants presses a cloth with a pungent smell against my face. Then, the world
HAZEL’S POV: I’ve been calling Marius, each unanswered ring making me anxious. We have plans for today, but he’s already hours late. The security at Marius’ penthouse said that Marius didn’t return home last night. Marius’ parents confirmed that Marius is no longer living with them since Lilian’s arrest, and they’ve already reported him missing to the authorities. My mind races through a myriad of scenarios, each darker than the last. I try to brush them away, but they’re too insistent to be ignored. Suddenly, my phone rings. Hope flares that it may be Marius. But my anticipation quickly deflates when I see Carter’s name on the screen. I ignore the call coz I need to focus on finding Marius instead of listening to Carter’s repeated declaration and promises of love. But Carter keeps buzzing up my phone. Then, an inkling snaps into place: Carter may know something about Marius' disappearance. It isn’t far-fetched; he already tried to kill Marius once. And with me and Marius get
My phone vibrates incessantly and papa’s name flashes on the screen. I’m not picking up coz he’ll only make me second-guess what I’m doing. Instead, I send him a text message: -[Bring the authorities to 20 Cooper Square. Carter and someone else kidnapped Marius and are planning to kill him.]-I then silence my phone to make sure it won’t interfere with me later on.After an hour drive, the Uber pulls up to an eerie, abandoned building. Every instinct screams at me to wait for help, but the image of Marius, possibly hurt and helpless, propels me forward.I slip inside with only the moonlight as my source of light. In the distance, there’s a group of muscular men drinking and smoking, a game of cards spread out before them. Then, another figure emerges - Vincent?! The shock nearly makes me gasp, but I clamp a hand over my mouth.I know he and Marius are rivals as the sole inheritors of their father. But they’re brothers! This Vincent may be more vile than Carter and his father for
I have no idea where exactly we are or how far we have strayed from danger. Inside a cave, I huddle over Marius' frail form. I’ve done my best, using the meager leaves blanched in boiled water to patch his wounds, but it isn't enough. He still has a high fever with labored breathing.I can't leave him to seek help. Yet, if no help arrives soon, he may not make it through the day. The raw terror of losing him gnaws at my insides, and I can't think straight of what to do next.Dawn comes unnoticed, and my exhaustion and hunger begins to take a toll on me. Suddenly, voices echo and shadows dance at the cave's entrance. Then, a jolt of fear courses through me when Vincent and his men emerge with villainous smirks. "Found’ya," Vincent wickedly teases."No, please," My voice trembles as I position myself protectively in front of Marius. "Don't kill us. Let us go.""And why would we do that, Lilian’s enemy number one?" Vincent sneers as he steps closer.He then motions for his men to gr
A marriage offer with Marius, approved by Pierce Throne himself. As tempting as it is, we’re not in a perfect world to just easily agree to that. Aside from Carter and the kidnappers, there’s also the pregnant Nicole. So I bravely refuse it… for now. I must do something first, before accepting it. I head to the Thorne residence to visit Marius. Though he’s already conscious, he’s still on his bed and his face still marked by bruises. We smile at each other. I kiss him on his lips, but when he deepens the kiss, I have to stop him. This isn’t what I’m here for. I take his hand in mine, feeling the warmth of his skin against my cool fingers. "Marius, I’m going to make Carter believe that I’m choosing him over you out of fear. But in reality, I’ll be working in secret to drag him down to hell.” Marius' eyes widen in alarm, and he struggles to sit up. "Absolutely not. It's too dangerous.""We can’t trust the justice system to protect us from someone as powerful as Carter. Even your
Every fiber of my being recoils at the thought of being near Carter, yet I mask it with a veneer of calculated allure. It’s dangerous, and one misstep can cost me everything. Each time Carter will try to cross the boundaries, I’ll gently but firmly remind him that trust and love are not yet his to claim. He needs to gain those first, before I can satisfy his s.exual desires. Whenever Carter questions me about my sudden change of heart, I speak of Marius’ perceived weakness, painting him as someone who’s unable to protect me in the way Carter can. I cite the recent event as the start of me doubting my future with Marius. The kidnappers are part of our discussions from time to time. They’re still on the run even though the authorities already have their identities. Even Carter can’t find them that easily. Another worth noting is Vincent’s survival, which is both a threat to Marius and my safety and to Carter’s fake innocence. Carter is desperate to silence him completely before he
Being the world’s richest and powerful couple is an honor, but comes with it the burden of attracting possible new jealous and evil individuals. To prepare for this, Marius and I put the country’s Chief of police and the General of the army on our payroll in exchange for their protection of our family’s well-being. Additionally, we befriend some politicians here and abroad by funding their projects and election campaigns. We also keep our contact with the hacker and the cosmetic artist. Though we’re not yet needing their help again, we’re sending them and their families’ gifts every once in a while - a way to show our appreciation for the skills and to keep them loyal to us. Everything is going well. Except,... My relationships with my former and my current mothers-in-law. They remain adamant in forgetting our pasts. Even so, we maintain our respect for each other unlike before. Plus, they always visit their grandchildren to spend some time with them. “Elmyra,” I begin, trying to
Charles Guo Committed S.uicide Behind Bars! - That’s the headline of every news outlet. I’m shocked that he’d do this to himself. But to make sure that this isn’t just a lie so that he can escape jail, I head to the morgue myself. And there he is - white and cold, with a chain mark on his neck. There’s a little guilt in me, but there’s also a huge relief. Suzy and the others who vouched for him in the courtroom are now in jail for lying, awaiting their trials. The second DNA results of Rain and his grandparents turn out to be positive, and the one Suzy presented to the court is proven to be fabricated. This, hiding Rain’s father’s death from the law, and hiring my former bodyguards to become their spies and kill my family, add to the charges she’ll be facing, making it difficult for her to pose bail. “P-please, Hazel… I’m sorry I chose my husband over you. He threatened me, that’s why I have no choice,” she cries, clutching the bars of her cell.I raise an eyebrow. “You didn’t
My tears continue to cascade from my eyes, as I chase after Marius, who’s on a stretcher and being rushed to the emergency room. “Ma’am, you can’t enter,” the doctor says as she shuts the door in my face. I sink to my knees and clutches my tightening chest. Oh God! Please, save Marius! Don’t take him from me! Hours pass, but the emergency doors remain closed. There’s no update about Marius’ situation so far. Betty has arrived too, panicking and sobbing, which only makes me even more apprehensive. The nurses help her to calm down by giving her some medications. Then I sit beside her, hoping to give and get comfort. But,... “If I lose my son too, I will kill myself, and will blame my death on you,” she says, coldly. I stop myself from responding. This isn’t the right time and place to argue. Finally, the doctor steps out of the emergency room, his expression grave. “The patient is in a coma and will be under monitoring. The bullet has pierced through his left lung, but it’s
A week has lapsed,...And finally, the judgment day has arrived! Will fate back us up? Or will it vouch for Charles instead? Inside the courtroom, Charles looks calm, a complete turnaround from how he was when he’s in our basement. Sitting on the bench behind him is Amber, Rain and Suzy. I saw those three earlier, arriving separately. The media were all over them, throwing questions about the scandal surrounding their family’s odd relationships. They ignored them. And just like Charles, they all look calmer than how I was expecting them to be. When the trial begins, the first case that’s discussed is the m.urder of Rain’s biological father. Rain’s grandparents get on the witness stand. Their emotions rise as they state how they remember their son when he was still alive. “He just suddenly came home one day with groceries and shopping bags that we knew he can’t afford, given the salary he’s getting in Mr. Guo’s factory,” the father says. “Soon, he brought us a brand new house
HAZEL’S POV: It’s proven that Amber Stark can’t be trusted. But, what about Suzy and Rain Guo, will they side with me and Marius? Marius and I, disguised as Crystal and Chris, meet Suzy and Rain in a high-end cafe. “Give us the list of Charles’ illegal businesses, and we promise that all of his wealth will be yours,” I say. Suzy responds, “Believe it or not, my husband doesn’t have any illegal businesses, so there’s no way you can lawfully freeze his access to his wealth.” It seems like we can’t trust these two as well. If only our hacker can find these pieces of information, then we won’t need to bargain with them. But our hacker has limitations too. Suddenly, Suzy’s aura shifts! “However, I can give you the identity of Rain’s biological father. You can use his death against Charles,” she says. That’s a help, but that's not enough to freeze Charles’ assets. Charles may still be able to utilize his wealth to manipulate the authorities. After giving us the details of Rain’s
AMBER’S POV: Crystal Wu’s offer is tempting, but she and her husband can’t be trusted. Plus, Charles won’t be defeated that easily. I call Charles through my phone since he hasn’t come back home yet. When he picks up, he sounds a little more enthusiastic than usual. Even when he’s celebrating something huge, he isn’t like this. “Weird,” I murmur, then continue with a clearer voice. “Be careful. Crystal Wu is planning to destroy your finances, and she’s trying to use me against you.” His enthusiasm doesn’t falter. -[“I’ll be careful. Thanks for letting me know.”]- He then drops the call, and I can’t reconnect with him when I try to call him again. Frustrated, I send her a text message: -[Where are you anyway? I need s.ex!]- But, there’s no reply. I meet Rain and Suzy, who are having their lunch in the dining area. Then I tell them about Crystal Wu’s scheme. “She wants me to know all Charles’ illegal businesses, so the government can freeze all of his wealth just like what hap
HAZEL’S POV: It’s not easy to harden our hearts, but Marius and I must do it if we don’t want our enemies to get the better of us again. We already got access to our bodyguards’ and house staff’s past and current call and text message logs, and we identified five Guo’s spies in total. To stop them from continuously betraying us, we target their weaknesses - their loved ones. We gathered the traitors inside the study, and took their phones and their weapons. At first they’re confused until we explained why.“You’re spies of Charles Guo and you’ll pay for that big time,” Marius said coldly.Stunned, their faces paled and their bodies clenched. But none dared to deny it.“We have your family members, hidden in a place where you can’t contact or see them. If you want them to stay safe, you must follow every single thing we’ll demand from you,” I added with equal coldness.Alarmed, they tremble. One of them even kneeled down and begged,“Please, my family has nothing to do with my bet
“Take off all the CCTVs now!” I roar. Frantically, the maids and the bodyguards uninstall all the CCTVs in every corner of my estate. It may lessen the safety of my home, but I can’t risk giving my enemies more of our privacy! Once they’re done, I turn to Suzy and clutches her shoulders furiously.“I didn’t realize that there’s CCTV in that hospital room!” Suzy explains, trembling in fear. “Regardless! You shouldn’t have told the Thornes about our family’s affair!” I hiss, before pushing her onto the sofa. Then I turn to Amber, who’s fearfully hiding behind Rain. I wanna lash out at her too, but I stop myself. Even I didn't think that the CCTVs in my home used for our safety would be hacked to shove us into danger.Over the next few days, the mainstream and social media explode with news about our unconventional family relationships. We have become the laughing stock of the entire country. I can’t get out of my estate out of humiliation, can’t even accept an interview or a new
CHARLES’ POV: There’s nothing! Crystal and Chris Wu’s cellphones can’t provide anything that’ll connect them to Marius and Hazel Thorne! I turn to Rain and ask, “Are you sure you don’t know them?” Rain replies, “They invested one billion dollars to my new business venture, but I don’t know them personally. And I also don’t remember ever inviting them to my prenuptial party.” Irritation courses through me. “You’re so s.tupid to not meet your investors in person! I’m not gonna be surprised why until now you can’t build connections on your own!” “And now we can’t be sure if we can trust those two or not!” Rain shrugs, unbothered in showing his disinterest. I can’t believe that I’m squandering so much wealth for this d.umbass! If only I’m able to produce my own son, I would never let him exist! Amber approaches me and seductively rubs her palms across my chest area. “Honey, I’m scared. Everybody is talking about us now. Shall we just confess our affair?” she asks without any hin