SebastianIt’s been a month. Thirty days since the explosion that almost killed off the Alexanders. A month since Christopher lost his place at Bell Energies and I stepped into his shoes.Shoes that don’t fit and probably never will. All I have dreamt of for years was to get my revenge on Christopher, but I am not enjoying it.And yet, here I am, sitting at this goddamn desk, staring at reports and contracts, pretending like any of this matters. None of it does. Not without Elizabeth. Not without the woman pilling at my heartstrings. Not without our baby. I run a hand through my hair, leaning back in the chair that still reeks of Christopher’s cologne. The office feels suffocating, the air stale, and every corner a reminder of him. He’s too quiet these days, playing along like some obedient lapdog. But I know better. I know him. A cornered animal is the most dangerous kind. Whatever Christopher is planning, it’ll be calculated, brutal, and thorough. He’s not done. Not by a long sho
ElizabethThe room is dark, but I can still make out the shapes of the walls, the shadows pooling in the corners. This place feels like a prison, and I’ve been counting every second since I woke up here. The padded walls mock me, their softness hiding the cruelty of my situation. My legs feel restless, and my body wired with tension. I’ve been staying in my room, pretending to sleep, watching, waiting. They think I’ve given up. I haven’t. Dr. Maggie’s face flashes in my mind. That fake smile she gave me when she said the flyers were distributed. "Someone will call," she said with such conviction as if she cared. But I knew the truth when I saw the flyers crumpled in her bin. She lied to me. She doesn’t want me to leave. I can’t stay here anymore. I glance at the small pile of items I’ve managed to gather: Dr. Maggie’s stolen keycard, a long coat swiped from a visitor weeks ago. I’ve been planning this for a month, using every moment to map out routines, shifts, and patte
SebastianI pace the length of my office, my footsteps heavy against the polished floor. My jaw is clenched so tightly it hurts, but I don’t care. My thoughts are racing, each one more frantic than the last. "Find out where that video was taken," I bark at my assistant. My voice comes out sharper than I intended, but I don’t have the patience to care. She nods briskly, her eyes wide with urgency, and rushes out without another word. The door shuts behind her, leaving me and eric alone with the deafening silence and my pounding heart. Then, Eric’s voice explodes through the quiet, his phone pressed tightly to his ear. "She's alive, Dad!" His voice cracks with raw emotion. "She's alive!" I freeze. Eric lowers the phone slowly, his fingers trembling, and turns to face me. A wide grin stretches across his face, pure relief radiating from him like a beacon. For a moment, I just stare at him, the words echoing in my mind. She's alive. Relief crashes over me, so sudden and
ElizabethI turn around slowly, her soft voice still playing in my ears. She stands there—tall, striking. Her red hair cascades over her pale shoulders, framing a face that feels oddly familiar. Her green eyes, bright yet holding something deeper, meet mine with a mix of curiosity and warmth. "Hey," I say, my voice unsure, testing the word on my tongue. "Hi," she replies with a friendly smile. "I'm Sarah." Sarah. The name hits me like a wave, crashing into my chest and leaving me breathless. I don’t know why, but it feels... significant. Familiar in a way that makes no sense. The connection is instant and electric, and I don't understand it. Sarah sits across from me, her movements light, almost too graceful for a place like this. "What’s your name?" she asks, her voice laced with an innocent curiosity like she’s eager to know me. I hesitate, a lump forming in my throat. "I... I don't remember," I admit, forcing a small, awkward smile. "They call me Jane here." Sa
ChristopherI storm into the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind me. My coat slips from my shoulders, falling to the floor in a heap, but I don't care. My mind is too clouded with rage, and frustration gnawing at every fiber of my being. My chest tightens with every breath I take, and my hands are trembling—whether from anger or exhaustion, I don’t know anymore. Sebastian Valdez. That name alone makes my blood boil. He has taken everything from me—my company, my goddamn legacy. Bell Energies was my birthright, my family's empire, and now it's rotting in his filthy hands. I want to rip him apart, piece by piece, watch him suffer like I have these past few months. The thought consumes me, fuels my every waking moment. I stop in my tracks, my pulse pounding in my ears. A flash of red catches my eye. I freeze. The figure stands near the window, facing away from me, bathed in the soft glow of the city lights spilling through the curtains. Long, flowing red hair cascades dow
SebastianThe cottage sits in a clearing, its weathered wooden exterior blending into the dense background. The air is cool, and heavy with the scent of damp earth and pine. I sit on the old porch steps, nursing a tumbler of coffee in one hand, my phone in the other. Eric leans against the railing, his sharp features drawn tight with frustration, while James, broad and rough around the edges, paces the dirt path in front of us, the gravel crunching beneath his boots. "What did they find?" James bellows, his Southern drawl thicker than usual, a clear sign he’s losing his patience. Eric sighs, running a hand through his hair. "The men went to the location where the video was taken," he begins. "Elizabeth was there. Witnesses say she was taken by two men. They work for some asylum. Beyond that, I don’t have many details." I interrupt, the weight of my own thoughts pressing against my chest. "Celeste knows I was sleeping with Elizabeth." Both men stop what they’re doing and star
Elizabeth“Who knew Seattle had so many psychiatric hospitals?” Eric’s voice cuts through the tense silence as he thumbs through the list on his phone, the light from the screen illuminating his face in the dim confines of my car. I glance at him from the driver’s seat, exhaustion weighing heavily on both of us. The rain streaks down the windshield, the rhythmic tapping a sharp contrast to the frustration brewing between us. “I’m starting to think that we might not find her, I mean what if they moved her somewhere else?” I mutter, gripping the steering wheel tighter. My knuckles are white, and my patience is nonexistent. Eric exhales loudly, his head dropping back against the seat. “None of the hospitals have confirmed or denied her presence. It's the same rehearsed answers every time: ‘We can’t share patient information. Privacy laws. Blah, blah, blah.’” “What the hell are we going to do?” I snap, my frustration boiling over. Eric doesn’t answer immediately, his mind churn
Elizabeth The common room hums with a low murmur of voices, the occasional scrape of a chair against the tile floor, the shuffle of slippers as patients wander aimlessly.I sit in the corner, book in hand, though I haven't turned a page in the last ten minutes. My eyes skim over the words, but I don’t absorb them. I’ve learned to pretend—pretend to be cooperative, pretend to trust Dr. Maggie, pretend I’m nothing more than ‘Jane,’ a quiet, submissive patient who no longer questions why she’s here. But I’m not Jane. And I’ll never be. The moment I let my guard down, the moment I stop pretending, they’ll make sure I never leave this place. So I wait. I watch. I listen. Then, something changes. A commotion stirs outside the common room. Footsteps—urgent, heavy. Voices, low but firm. I lift my head. Across the room, Dr. Maggie storms in, her face pale, eyes darting around like she’s expecting someone to jump out and grab her. “Come with me, Jane. Now.” Her voice is sharp,
ElizabethThe glass doors of Bell Energies slide open with a quiet whoosh as I step inside. The air is thick, laced with the familiar scent of polished wood and expensive cologne.It’s the same building I once walked through with my hidden shame, the same halls that were once used to humiliate me. But today, everything feels different.Every step I take is heavy, my heels clicking against the marble floor like a countdown to the inevitable.My heart pounds in my chest, but I refuse to let my fear show. I’ve come too far. I won’t stop now.Edward’s sleepy embrace, Michael’s lingering gaze, and my father’s firm nod flash through my mind. They’re safe. That’s all that matters. I did what I had to do. Now, it’s time to finish this.Sebastian is beside me, his presence steady. I can feel his eyes on me, searching, waiting. Eric walks slightly ahead, his movements sharp and focused, like a man preparing for battle. And then there are the detectives, their hushed conversations crackling with
ElizabethI step into Sebastian’s penthouse, Edward clutched tightly in my arms. I can feel the rapid beat of his tiny heart against my chest, and for the first time in what feels like forever, I breathe in relief. He’s here. He’s safe. He’s mine.“Mama, is this our new home?” Edward whispers into my ear, his small arms wrapped tightly around my neck.I press my lips to his hair, inhaling the sweet scent of innocence. “No, honey. But I’m happy you’re here with me.”His little hands relax, but I can feel his confusion. He doesn’t understand yet, but one day, he will. One day, he’ll know why I had to do this. Why I had to fight for him.I set him down, watching as he hesitates for just a moment before running into my father’s open arms. James lifts him with ease, his strong hands steadying him like he’s been doing it his whole life. I swallow the lump in my throat. This is what Edward should have always had—a family that truly loves him, not one built on lies and control.“So now that t
ElizabethShock ripples through me, leaving my body frozen in place.Of all the games Christopher could have played, I never imagined this.A proposal?Renewing our vows?He doesn't love me.He never has.So why?I can't question him. Not now. Not when I'm starting to remember. Not when I know who he truly is. I need to play this carefully, keep my face neutral, my voice steady. Whatever he’s planning, I need to stay ahead of him.“Elizabeth, Christopher asked you a question,” Celia’s sharp voice cuts through the room. There’s an edge to her tone, a demand laced with impatience.Anger simmers beneath my skin. If I say yes, I go back to being Christopher’s puppet, his punching bag. My stomach churns at the thought. I take a breath, preparing to respond, but before I can, the doorbell rings.Relief floods me. Saved by the literal bell.The house manager rushes in, looking pale. “You have guests.”Celia’s eyes narrow. “Who?”Before the house manager can answer, two tall figures step into
ElizabethI sit by the window, staring out at the vast estate, but I might as well be staring at prison bars. Every entrance and exit is watched. The staff move about, avoiding my gaze, their silence speaking volumes.But at least I have Edward.Each day, another memory breaks through the fog, slipping into my mind like a whisper. I can almost see it now—what happened to me, why I ended up here, but I know I can’t rush it. My mind is protecting me from something.The weight of it all presses down on my chest. One child still hidden away, nameless and safe with Michael’s grandmother. And Edward—still here, still vulnerable, as long as he remains under this cursed roof.Doubt creeps in, slithering its way into my thoughts. Have I done the right thing coming back? But I shake it off. I have to push forward. I have to find something—anything—that can prove what Christopher did to me. Or at the very least, what he’s capable of.I spend my days searching, slipping through the house like a g
ChristopherIt has been a week since Elizabeth returned. A week since she walked through the doors of this house like she still belonged here. A week since she accused me of trying to have her killed.If she’s planning something, she’s keeping it close to her chest. She hasn’t let a single crack show. And that unsettles me. I’ve done everything to contain the situation—cut off every loose end. I even fired Agnes, Edward’s nanny, the only person close enough to notice something was off. No one who knows what happened to Elizabeth is still around, except Celeste, Celia, and Martin. But still, she keeps her distance. She watches me like she’s studying me, like she’s remembering.Does she remember? The thought burns through me like whiskey down my throat.“What’s going on in that head of yours?”Celeste’s voice drags me back to the present. She’s been standing in my office for who knows how long. I never even heard her come in. She’s smirking, her eyes gleaming with amusement.“Why are
I walk into the room, a smile carefully placed on my lips. It’s light, almost playful, as if I’ve walked in on an intimate moment between old friends."What's happening here?" I ask casually, strolling further into the room. My eyes flick from Christopher to Celeste, taking in the way she’s perched on his lap, the way his hand grips her thigh possessively. It’s a picture-perfect moment of deceit, one I’ve walked into far too many times before.Christopher’s head snaps up at the sound of my voice, and I watch as shock and something close to anger flicker across his face. "Elizabeth, what are you doing here?" he demands, his tone sharp.I tilt my head, feigning innocence. "I thought you said this was our house?" I let my gaze drift lazily around the room before settling on Celeste, whose lips curl into a slow, knowing smile. My stomach tightens. It takes a moment, but recognition dawns.That’s where I saw her. The hospital. She called herself Sarah. She tried to turn me against Sebastia
ChristopherThe silence in the car is suffocating. I grip the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turn white. Elizabeth sits in the back, her head turned toward the window, while Edward clings to her like he’s afraid she’ll disappear again. I glance at my mother, catching the way her lips press into a thin line. She’s thinking the same thing I am.What the hell is Elizabeth playing at?She’s changed. That much is clear. The woman I knew was fragile, naive—an easy pawn. But this version of her, sitting there with that eerily calm expression, feels different. It’s unnerving. I can’t read her, and that terrifies me.My plans are crumbling. A month ago, I was set to pocket one hundred and fifty million dollars, and now, here she is—back from the dead, threatening to ruin everything. And to make matters worse, thanks to her father and her lover, she still holds the majority shares of Bell Energies. That thought alone makes my blood boil. As if Sebastian Valdez wasn’t already enough of a
I freeze.The air in the room shifts, growing thick and suffocating. My fingers tighten into fists, nails digging into my palms so hard it hurts. My breath catches in my throat as I see them—Christopher, Celia, and Edward.It takes everything in me not to recoil, not to let the storm inside me show on my face. My pulse hammers against my ribs, my stomach knots so tight I feel like I might be sick.I bite down on my lip, the sharp pain grounding me, keeping me from crumbling. I cannot lose control. Not now. Not when the enemy is standing right in front of me. My destroyer. My nightmare in flesh and blood.And then, before I can prepare myself, it happens.“Mama!”Edward’s voice rings through the room, so innocent, so pure. My baby. My sweet, beautiful boy.He wiggles free from Christopher’s grasp and runs toward me with arms wide open. My heart shatters into a million pieces.I stand too fast, the chair scraping against the floor. The room disappears, the walls fade away, and all I see
The office is a mess—papers scattered, the scent of sweat and sex thick in the air. My grip tightens around Celeste’s waist as I press her against the cool glass of my desk. She gasps, her head falling back, exposing the delicate line of her throat. My lips trace the curve, tasting her, owning her.Celeste’s fingers weave through my hair, tugging, urging me closer. Our passion has always been undeniable, raw, consuming. But now, there’s something else, something heavier—maybe it’s the cocktail of drugs in my system, maybe it’s the sheer fucking euphoria of knowing I’ve won. Everything is golden. Every enemy crushed beneath my feet.My mouth captures hers again, demanding, punishing. She moans into me, wrapping her legs around my waist, and I lift her effortlessly, ready to devour her completely—“Stop, Christopher.”The words crash through the haze of pleasure, and I freeze, my breathing ragged. Celeste pulls back, her eyes locked onto the television screen behind me.“Christopher, lo