WILLIAM'S POVI drove to the school, hoping to catch the Marlons before they took their kids home. The address the receptionist had given me was in the south side of the city, a rougher part of town. As I navigated through the streets, the scenery shifted drastically. The polished buildings and manicured lawns of the upper city gave way to dilapidated houses and graffiti-covered walls."Guess the Marlons have gone back to their all too familiar abode," I muttered to myself, gripping the steering wheel tighter. The streets were filled with shady characters, street boys hiding guns under their shirts and dealing drugs openly. The air was thick with tension and the unmistakable scent of desperation.As I approached the school, a small, rundown building with barred windows, I parked my car a few blocks away and walked the rest of the distance. I didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention to myself. The school's entrance was crowded with kids and parents, all looking worn and wary.I sc
SLYVIA'S POVI arrived home with the kids, but my mind was still stuck on the image of William entering the school. What was he doing there? Seeing him again after all these years stirred up so many conflicting emotions. When I first saw Jocelia at the restaurant with the kids and Grayson, I didn't feel like this because I never considered her a friend. But with William, it was different. I had confided in him when Grayson and I were having problems, welcomed him as an in-law and a friend, and he ended up lying to me and betraying me in the worst way possible. The hurt still ran deep within my soul."Mum, is everything alright?" Zendaya asked, looking up at me. I realized I had been standing there, lost in thought, without unlocking the door."Oh, sorry. Just thinking about grown-up stuff," I said, shaking off the memories. I unlocked the door, and we all entered the apartment. "Take off your uniforms first," I instructed the kids.I dropped my purse on the counter, trying to push awa
As I was about to step out the door, I heard another knock. I paused, turning back toward the living room."Is someone else coming?" Jessie asked, looking a bit confused."I don't think so," I said, heading back to the door. I opened it to find Raymond standing there, looking as handsome as ever in a crisp shirt and dark jeans. His smile widened when he saw me."Hey, beautiful," he said, his eyes twinkling with admiration. "Ready for our date?""Hey, Raymond," I replied, feeling my heart flutter. "Perfect timing. I was just heading out.""Good evening, Mr. Raymond," Jessie said politely from behind me.Jessie’s voice coming from the living room. “Wow, you both look amazing together,” she said, her eyes twinkling as she looked at Raymond and me.“Yeah, Mom, you look like a princess!” Zendaya chimed in, grinning widely. Zenith nodded in agreement, his eyes full of admiration.I laughed, feeling a little bashful under their praise. “Thanks, guys. You’re making me feel like I’m going to p
GRAYSON'S POVI was hunched over my desk, papers spread out in front of me and my laptop glowing in the dim light of my room. Jocelia was fast asleep on the bed behind me, her breathing steady and soft. The clock on the wall showed it was well past midnight, but sleep was a luxury I couldn't afford right now. The stakes were too high.My phone buzzed on the desk, breaking the silence. I glanced at the screen and saw Stewart's name. I picked it up quickly, my eyes darting to Jocelia to make sure the noise hadn't disturbed her. She shifted slightly but remained asleep. Deciding it was best to avoid any chance of waking her, I slipped out of the room and stepped into the hallway."Yeah, Stewart, you got anything for me?" I asked, keeping my voice low."Grayson, I found the Marlon family," Stewart said, his tone grave. "But there's a problem.""What kind of problem?" I pressed, my gut tightening with a sense of foreboding."They were killed a few hours ago, before I could get to them. The
ALICE'S POVI was rewatching my interview on "The View," critiquing my outfit choice. "I knew I should have worn the Versace jumpsuit," I muttered, annoyed with myself. Just then, there was a knock on my door."Mum, it's me. Open up," William's voice called from the other side. I sighed, pausing the video, and walked over to let him in. The moment I opened the door, I saw a look of pride plastered across his face."What's happening?" I asked, curious but also slightly apprehensive.William stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "I took care of it," he said, a note of satisfaction in his voice.My heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady."I've dealt with the Marlon's," he said, pulling out his phone and showing me a news report. The headline read, "Local Family Found Dead in Apparent Robbery Gone Wrong."I scanned the article quickly, my mind racing. "Oh, I didn’t think you could pull it off," I said, a mix of surprise and relief flooding
SLYVIA'S POVI didn't want to put my phone on silent after Grayson's several attempts to call me during my date with Raymond. "What the hell would he be calling me over and over again for?" I muttered to myself, annoyed.Raymond and I tried to get back into our conversation. I looked at him, trying to push Grayson's intrusive calls out of my mind. "So, how's work been?" I asked, genuinely curious but also hoping to steer the evening back to a more pleasant vibe.Raymond's face lit up with enthusiasm. "It's been awesome, Slyvia! Magazines are calling me left and right for cover shoots. Even some pop stars want me to star in their music videos!" His excitement was contagious, and despite my earlier irritation, I found myself smiling."That's amazing, Raymond! Congratulations!" I said, genuinely happy for him. Raymond had always been talented and hardworking, and it was great to see him getting the recognition he deserved."Thanks," he replied, his smile broadening. "It's been a crazy ri
SLYVIA'S POV Raymond and I finished having an exquisite dinner at the five-star restaurant. The ambiance was enchanting with soft, slow music playing in the background. Raymond, ever the gentleman, took my hands in his and with a charming smile, invited me to dance.I giggled and blushed slightly at his gesture, finding it both endearing and unexpected. We moved gracefully to the music, holding each other close as we swayed gently. Raymond leaned in and kissed me softly, and I reciprocated, feeling a rush of warmth and affection.As we pulled back slightly, I smiled at Raymond. "This has been wonderful, Raymond, but it's getting late. I need to get back home to the kids."Raymond nodded understandingly. "Of course, I completely understand. Let's head back."We walked out of the restaurant together, the cool night air differs from the warmth we felt in each other's presence. Raymond opened the car door for me and I slid into the passenger seat with a grateful smile. He closed the door
ALICE'S POVI woke up that morning with a clear plan in mind, ready to set things in motion. The sun was just starting to peek through the curtains, casting a soft glow in my bedroom. I stretched, feeling a surge of determination coursing through me.First things first, I grabbed my phone and dialed my account manager. "Good morning, John," I greeted him, trying to sound as composed as possible despite the nerves. "I need 1.5 million dollars in cash today. Can you arrange that for me?"John sounded slightly taken aback. "Um, sure, Alice," he replied cautiously. "May I ask what it's for?"I chuckled softly, trying to maintain my calm demeanor. "It's for a project I'm working on," I said vaguely. "I'll explain later. Can you have it ready by 10 AM?""Of course," he confirmed, though I could sense his curiosity lingering in the air. He knew better than to pry too much, though. I trusted him with our finances, but some things were best kept private.After hanging up, I made my way to the