Annie When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was the feeling of lying in my bed. I was back home, safe, and just knowing that made me want to cry with happiness. I hugged my pillow and inhaled that smell of my comfort that felt so good to me; I just couldn't believe that I had actually decided t
Annie This time I was the one who went to my parents' bedroom door and knocked lightly. My dad was downstairs with the whole family while they were preparing something to eat, but he had told me that Mom was in their room, so I had decided to use that time to go talk to her. When I got there and we
Laura Anne and I spent some time together there in the room, hugging each other, while I felt my world slowly getting back on track. Even though my daughter was safely home and the suffocation was over, I was still scared that something like this could happen again. But Anne and I talked a lot, and
Laura “What will happen now?” I asked my husband when he and I were about to go to sleep that night. The day with the family had been incredible after Annie's return; we had been talking, playing board games, we saw a movie in the cinema right there at home, we went to dinner, and now everyone was
Annie “Your mom and I think you need to take a few days off,” my dad said. “Your teachers are aware of what is happening; they even advised you to take time for yourself. For me, we could go on a family trip; how about that? They say Venice is very beautiful at this time of year.” He was smiling a
Annie Mom and Dad left my room after our conversation; they had daily chores to do. I also needed to go to school. Mom offered me a ride and said that before I finished getting ready, I should go and meet her downstairs as she was waiting for me to take me to school. When I was alone, I unboxed m
Laura I was hugging my daughter and wishing her a great day back to school. “You heard what I said, right? Anything you need, don't hesitate to call me or your dad,” I told her while stroking her hair. She nodded. “Okay, mom. I’ll call you anything,” she replied with a smile. I left a warm kiss
I still remembered when I started working with my old partner, the late Richard Carter, and then I met that whole team and I also met her, so she got to know my daughter from that time when Annie was still a baby. Her concern was understandable because years had passed and despite everything that ha
Jason POV Frustration bubbled inside me like a cauldron about to overflow. Laura's words echoed in my head, over and over, like a scratched record. "Zoey needs to be kept under control." What the hell! As if I were some kind of puppeteer, pulling the strings of a girl I barely knew. I wasn't being
Lindsay POV Nowadays Arriving home after an unhealthy day at Hextec was like a relief, a refreshment for the soul. I knew I needed some time away from Gideon, especially after yesterday, when I gave in to his charms. That was a mistake, and I couldn't let it happen again. I had to be firm becaus
Lindsay POV I was finishing packing my things in that room that had been ours for so many years when Gideon walked in. The air between us was heavy with sadness, the silence of those final moments almost tangible. We were already divorced, and each movement, each packed box, was like a reminder of
Lindsay POV After the meeting with Laura, I knew I had to head straight to the Bathory mansion to confront Gideon. The weight of the decision I was about to make was immense, but it was clear in my mind: I needed to do this, for me and for Wyatt. When I arrived at the mansion, I was greeted by Ma
Lindsay POV I was nervous as I made my way to the fancy London restaurant where I had arranged to meet Laura. The last time I saw her, I had yelled at her, letting out all the frustration and pain I felt due to Gideon's obsession with her. Now, as I walked through the streets of London, I knew I n
Lindsay POV The sun had barely begun to rise when I heard the knock at my hotel room door. I wasn't expecting anyone, especially not him. My heart jumped, a mix of fear and anger spreading through my veins. I knew it was Gideon even before opening the door. There he stood, with an expression that
Gideon POV I was sitting in the mansion's living room, head bowed, my thoughts devouring me like a storm. Lindsay had left, leaving behind an echo of our fight, a void that seemed to swallow the soul of the house. It was all my fault; I knew it with every fiber of my being. My thoughts spun uncontr
A thread of tears ran down my face; I hated feeling so weak. “I don't need your money, Gideon,” I mumbled. “I don't need anything from you; I'm just going to take my son and leave here." He was silent for a few seconds. Then, the coldness in his eyes gave way to something darker, something more thr
Lindsay POV I was crying so much that I could barely breathe properly. My quick steps echoed through the mansion, that immense, cold place that for seven years I tried to call home. Everything there seemed oppressive: the ostentatious chandeliers, the immaculate furniture, the walls covered with a