CHAPTER 35The ray of sunlight peeking through the expensive cotton curtains met Valerie's face and stirred her up from sleep. She woke up with a yawn and stretched her hands to the side a few times before stepping out of bed and then going to look at her reflection in the mirror. Her fingers grazed the purple bruises on her neck a few times before she stepped backward and checked her physique. The memories of what happened last night were still etched in her brain and she closed her eyes together tightly to try and forget a bit. A sorrowful sigh left her lips as she walked back to the bed and flopped herself on it. She picked up her phone and the first news that popped up was about an explosion that took place after the Cranberry forest. A curious look appeared on her face as she clicked on the news headline. "There were no survivors," She read out before dropping the phone and slipping the thin hand of her silk nightgown down her pale, milky shoulders. Her thoughts wandered of
CHAPTER 36 Valerie spent nearly the whole day with Alan and then returned to her room later that evening. The orange evening sun reflected into her room and she could hear the estate trees dancing in sync with the breeze. An overwhelming feeling flowed inside her as she took a sit on the bed and lay on it out of impulse. Even if she felt sad that Alan was going back to London the next day, she took it as a sacrifice for his and her well-being. A thought about her birth control pills crossed her mind and when she got up to go and have a pill or three her phone started to ring under her pillow. "316 missed calls from the CCU?" She asked herself before settling on the bed to call the hospital back. Different horrible thoughts crossed her mind as she heard the soft rings. "Hello, Mrs Carson. We have been trying to get through to you all day," The doctor said, his voice low. It scared her so much because he was a cheerful man- a doctor who never let a bad day wear him down unles
CHAPTER 37 Valerie flung the door to her room open and slammed it on Fareeda's face. Fareeda, who had a sad expression on her face knocked softly on the door before opening it.Fareeda knew that she wasn't one to feel sorry for Valerie's son, there are many reasons as to why she need not have any filial attachments to any member of the Carson's. There wasn't any more time to pity anyone.If she could kill her sister and her cousin then who was Valerie that she couldn't squeeze the life out of. Valerie immediately turned to face Fareeda, with an angry expression on her face she yelled, "Get out! I don't want to see you anywhere near me or my room," Fareeda's face contorted into one of confusion and she made to understand why Valerie would have said that. "Why? What did I do? For all I know, you have been the one who has been nonchalant about this whole thing! You have a sick child! You struggled so hard to give birth to that child and he turned out to be sick and his mother was n
CHAPTER 38FLASHBACK TO FEW HOURS BEFORE FAREEDA AND VALERIE'S VISIT TO THE HOSPITALFareeda sat on the swivel chair in her office, her hands under her chin with a tablet sitting before her. She kept replaying the events of the fire accident that was reported near the forest, and the words of the sheriff- Dreg rang in her head, "Unfortunately, there were no survivors but three burnt bodies were found and we'll Identify them as soon as possible and send word to their families," Different scenarios of being betrayed by her closest people swarmed her head. Even Dreg, she didn't trust him anymore.She had reached a stage in her life where she could no longer trust anyone because she was nearing the end of this long plan time, and it was usually at this stage that people backed out of things.The most deadly stage where things usually got ugly.She could picture two possible ways of how this whole story would end and both of them ended up with a happily ever after for her. If she had any
CHAPTER 39"So ma'am what did you say the victim called her again? And can you describe her facial features for us so as to make it easy for us to catch the murderer," Dreg asked and Valerie pressed her lips to form a thin line, she strapped the blanket on her shoulder to her chest tightly as she went deep in thought.The killings hadn't stopped, they were even getting worse. Different people were being targeted from different angles.Mr Rize, Her father, Logan, Asha, Mini, Kevin, and now Kai?Even if she wasn't really a fan of Kai's antics she still appreciated the fact that he had come to confess to her about everything before he was killed.She'd like to think of it as his redemption card to heaven, or maybe he won't be forgiven for having a hand in all of those murders.The worst part was that she had little or no clue about who the murderer was, but whoever it was, Mehn, that person was heartless.Mini and Kai were the ochestrator's siblings, so why'd she kill her siblings? Becau
CHAPTER 40THREE DAYS LATERValerie held Alan by the arm and escorted him to the estate's hanger where his helicopter was. The captain gestured a salute toward Valerie and she nodded back."So, this is goodbye," he said softly with a smile on his face."Yeah, not forever though. You'll come back for me right?" She asked with a glint in her eyes. He cupped her face and pressed both their heads together and whispered softly, "Yes Cara," "Can I say? I love it when you call me Cara. It reminds me of my dad. You picked it up from him right?" A small smile appeared on Alan's lips as he nodded in affirmation, "I figured that you wouldn't miss him as much if I called you his favorite given nickname," "That wouldn't work anymore because you're leaving. Now, I'd miss him more than ever," She said sadly and he raised his head to place a kiss on her forehead."I got you a journal. I asked one of the estate maids to leave it in your room. I know that we are going to be on video call every sing
CHAPTER 41 Click, clack. Click, clack.Hollow footsteps could be heard from where Valerie sat, cross-checking the staff's credentials, she raised her head to where she heard the footsteps come from with a puzzled look on her face as to who that may be. "Alex," she whispered, her face filled with horror at his sudden but not unexpected arrival. She thought he was probably going to take like a year to process the thoughts of his brother sleeping with his wife but she was wrong.Alex walked into the living room, dressed in an all-black suit, with his long hair slicked back with a gel and then tied at the back to form a short ponytail. His aura screamed evil and desirous and the smirk that appeared in the corner of his lips even added to the fear she felt in her heart."What's going on here?" Alex asked, interrupting her train of thought with this thunderous voice. Valerie cleared her throat as she wanted to answer, "I'm taking them through a series of examinations. I discovered th
CHAPTER 42KNIGHTSBRIDGE, LONDON Alan inputted the password to unlock his luxurious penthouse, he was met with the scent of wood musk, carried on a warm current of air. He closed the door behind him and glanced down the long hall. He had not been home for close to four months and he was sure that he didn't forget to tell his AI home assistant- Shirley to turn off all the lights."Shirley, lights please," Alan said, and the lights started to come on one by one, illuminating the whole place and even accentuating the large space's beauty.He looked toward the large window that cut across the length of one wall and gave a breathtaking view of the city skyline. A sense of nostalgia filled him as his mind drifted back to the bustling Californian cities. Knightsbridge was a quiet place, perfect for people who don't like to be disturbed. But now, all of that seemed to fade into the background, as Alan stood transfixed by the light spilling out from the half-opened door at the end of the hall
CHAPTER 82 - FINAL CHAPTERValerie was discharged from the hospital a week later, and after they moved into their new home in the Maldives, Gideon never left her side. After several pleas, Gianna agreed to leave Fareeda alone and return to Spain, but not before forcing her son to appeal to the Spanish and Maldives governments to have Fareeda taken to jail, prompting her to go back into hiding. Fareeda continued to tail Valerie, her presence marked by the scent of her shampooed hair and body mist."Is this what she's going to do for the rest of our lives?" Gideon asked one evening while they were relaxing in their gazebo.A confused looking Valerie dropped the cocktail she was sipping and faced her husband, "Who? What are you talking about?" "Fareeda. I know she follows you around. Is she like your bodyguard? Did she make a pact with you to ignore living her own life to focus on yours? It's absurd how everywhere that you are, the wind still carries the aura of a second person," Valer
CHAPTER 81"I'm sorry! It was the alcohol!" Scarlett's screams and sobs rang in Valerie's mind as she gained consciousness while in the hospital. "She's going into labor now!" The nurses yelled as she felt herself being placed on a stretcher, and then being rushed into the emergency room."She is in a critical condition, sir! We cannot allow her to push while she is unconscious, she may lose her life!" Another nurse screamed at Gideon."I can see the baby's head!" Another nurse added. "Get Doctor Michael! Where is Doctor Michael?" This was the thing about pregnancies and going into labor, everyone was always so stressed out and crazy. Even as she felt weak, she could still tell what was going on around her. She could hear the loud thumps and thuds on the floor, the click and clack of the nurses' block hills. The clean smell of the white walled hospitals, and the smell of fresh blood oozing out of her vagina.On hearing a nurse suggesting the emergency room, her eyes flew open, "I do
CHAPTER 80Seven months later. Gideon had the whole suitcase cleared out and taken to his private jet because his parents decided that it would be better for Valerie and the babies in her stomach to have the chance to take in the good life in a different environment. Actually, the doctor said so, but everyone except Valerie agreed to it.Valerie hated many things about pregnancy, but one of the things that she hated most was the fact that she wasn't having one, but two babies.She almost fainted at the gender reveal party that her in-laws hosted two months ago because she was scared to have one baby, but now two was indeed a crowd. But, so far, being pregnant in the McCarthy household has been great. Everyone was wrapped around Valerie's fingers, she had had numerous tea parties thrown in her name, been sent congratulatory notes and presents from Spain's big dogs, including the president, Fareeda sent her two lovely electronic cots and with beautiful notes, and Gideon's mom visited
CHAPTER 79 Three Months laterFareeda threw a robe over her head and drove to the area where the former Carson estate was situated.Yellow and black tapes were draped over the large gates, and some post signs that had, "Do not trespass," written on them were placed in front of the estate.She peeked through one of the holes in the gate and found the estate, dark and empty. Neither the streetlights nor the house lights were turned on.A few days after the news of Alan's demise got out, his mother and wife sold the estate, the remaining shares they have under Carson Innovations, and left the United States to God knows where leaving Alex Carson to rot in prison for the rest of his life.Fareeda has never felt sorry for anyone in her life, but she believed that no matter how evil a person may have lived their life, they still deserved a second chance.The Carsons that she had spent almost ten years trying to destroy were now ground to dust. Their ruin was one of the best things that e
CHAPTER 78Fareeda raised her hands to her shoulder and stepped backward, "We used to be friends, Valerie," she warned."That was before you stabbed me in the back!"Fareeda clicked her teeth, "I know I hurt you by not telling you anything, and your father didn't deserve to die by my hands, but Val, you don't know how desperate I was! I was ready to kill anyone who got in my way!" She confessed."And, what did that old and frail man do to get in your way?" Valerie asked, angrily."He helped me get some things done and then wanted to back out when he saw how much you were in love with Alan. I was so obsessed with getting revenge on the Carsons, and I didn't want you to find out about any of it because you would have hated me and kicked me out at once. It's not like that would have stopped me from destroying the Carsons, but I didn't want to lose your friendship then, especially when you needed a shoulder to lean on," Tears gathered in the corner of Valerie's eyes, and she threw the gu
CHAPTER 77Gideon stretched his arm to turn off the blaring alarm sound. As he grabbed the phone on the bedside table he turned it off, realizing that it wasn't his phone."5 am? Why did she set an alarm when we slept late?" He asked himself with a puzzled expression on his face.He curled his head to the side, meaning to wake his wife up, but she wasn't there. He placed his hands on the empty space to feel it, and his heart dropped when he found the space cold."Valerie!" He yelled but there was no answer.He got up and moved to search the balcony, the bathroom, and the toilets, before leaving to check Maria's room.Maria opened the door after several knocks, "What is it, Gideon?" She inquired angrily."Uh…sorry to disturb you but, is Valerie here?" He asked, looking inside to see."No, why?" Gideon sighed dejectedly, leaning on the wall," We slept in the same room an hour to midnight after a long discussion, only for me to wake up and not see her next to me. She only left a note,"
CHAPTER 76NOTE: 'Silence' is a place in San Resort"Wedding bells?" Gideon asked, his eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.Maria nodded and paced around the place, the back of her hands shielding her nostrils, "We have got to keep moving. 'Silence' would surely be around here somewhere, we aren't just looking well," she said and walked towards Valerie who's eyes were half-closed.Tapping Valerie ferociously, Maria groaned as she watched her cousin lazily get up, "Stop being like this, Val! You're too slow and it's making me nauseous,""I'm trying," she replied in a soft voice as she leaned onto Gideon for support."You are not trying hard enough. We all saw the rotting priest in that chair, none of us fainted or fell. Yes, the smell was really bad, but we all smelt it. Give it a break, you overreact a lot and it's not even that deep, given that you have actually seen so many people die," Maria chided.Maria looked up and faced everyone else, "Now, guys… since Alan has given us n
CHAPTER 75SAN RESORTPOV- "Silence is a place in San ResortGideon's jeep pulled over at the San resort at noon because it was really far from their private island at Carriacou. Before they left, they packed some clothes and other things they would be needing, because somewhere that far, needed supplies.As they walked up to the reception, Maria pulled Valerie aside and asked, "For more clarity, did the resort officials ever tell you guys why you weren't allowed into 'Silence'?" Valerie shook her head sadly, "We even met with the CEO because he and Gideon were friends and business partners. Immediately he heard that we wanted to enter 'Silence', he shook his head and told us that only staff were allowed to enter. But, we pestered one of the staff to answer our questions, and he said that the CEO meant that only he was allowed into Silence, no one else," "This makes no sense Val. Why on earth is there a place in this resort that only the owner is allowed into?" Gale shrugged, butti
CHAPTER 74"One day, we find ourselves engulfed by passion and love.When I lose myself without any choice to make she is not right beside me, tending to my every need and want.One day, I close my eyes and I find her wrapped in the arms of another.I lose my mind but there's no loss in a fool's game," Maria said, pausing after reading out a chapter of Alan's prison diary.Valerie scoffed and threw her head back angrily, "Why does it sound like he's blaming everything on me?" "That is literally what he's saying. One day you guys were in love, and the next day you are loving someone else, that someone being Gideon," Maria answered, pointing toward him.The four of them sat in a circle, the phone to which the Californian police department sent pictures of the diaries to placed in Maria's hands as she read out the content of it.Gale nudged her girlfriend to continue and then she started to read another part, "A very discerning storm starts to rumble and she who swore by day and night t