LUCA'S POVDays passed and I still had to stay in touch with Claire. I don't know how much my mom wanted me around but she didn't have the time."This is her only chance to speak with me, I hope she doesn't mess it up," I complained to myself.I got up from the bed to check out what was making the noise outside."You bastard, you have no children other than him." My neighbours cursed."Oh shit. Not again." My mom and the neighbours got into a heated argument for a long time.As the woman that she claims to be, she would never accept defeat. That means she wouldn't accept leaving the girl alone."Well, I'm better than you who don't know what it means to have a child," Mom shouted back.Woah! That one hits differently."Argh!" I groaned and took my shirt to go outside.I didn't say a word or try to know what happened. I needed them to stop the fucking noise."Mom, that's alright for the day." I jacked her into the house."Go fuck yourself bitch." The woman cursed."What?" Mom exclaimed
CLAIRE'S POVI had a fun time interviewing the girl. She was such a cool and nice girl, to be honest.Just like the first time, whenever she enters I feel strange. Not in a bad way but in a way that I've found someone to help me.I was fond of her already. "She is such a good-looking girl," I said to myself anytime I remember her."Mom, are you leaving for work so soon?" Brian asked me.I was about to say yes, but with the look on his face, I had to say the opposite."No baby. I have to stay back and handle some things." I lowered my height to his level and cupped his cheeks.My son was smiling sheepishly already; he found himself falling for the words I had just said. Of course, I expect him to fall."So, Mom, am I going to be involved in what you have to do?" He bent his face to the ground.I know how emotional he is."Don't feel bad about anything. You are my priority and that's why I am staying back." I didn't mean to say that but he needs to hear it."Are you serious mom?" His
CHLOE'S POVI could not get out of the anger when I saw Lucas and Brian together. I felt like I should kill him off at once, I was fucking annoyed.There was no way I would have Lucas' attention if he was getting close to that brat. "They are getting on my nerves too many times, and I would not hesitate to teach them a lesson that they haven't learnt in a while," I muttered.I hid until they had passed and I watched him drive away. They looked so much like a family."Who knows where the bastard of a child came from?" I scoffed.I got back home, hitting everything that came my way. I could not think straight. I felt my blood pumping so hot like it was going to come out the next minute."I hate you, Lucas," I screamed.I hope my neighbours don't think I'm mad because this was the most unbearable part of it."For all the things I've done, you still don't think about that. You always find your way back to her." I crumbled the can that was in my hands."I should have ended this when I had
LUCAS POVThe message sent a shock to my whole body; I couldn't move for the next few seconds that passed."Chloe?" I found myself repeating the words. I put the phone back into my pocket and looked around. I found my mom staring at me through the window."Your daughter is back, and you have to start praying for her, or you might not see her the same," I muttered and got back into the car. I drove away in anger. At first, I planned to meet Claire, but after getting the massage, I had to change the plans."I hope not to find you anywhere." I gnashed my teeth.This message was sent to me by Claire. It's early morning, and she will probably be heading for work; I hope she arrives there safely.My doubts were too much for me to ignore; I had to call you to find out what was going on."Will she ever pick up?" I threw the phone on the passenger seat.I was close to the company when she finally picked up the call."Finally." I sighed."Hel..." She didn't let me complete the greetings befo
CHLOE'S POVI woke up with a severe headache. My head began to spin, I could barely think. My eyes were heavy, and my visions were blurry. I tried to get up but my pounding headache kept me back on the floor."Argh." I groaned.The pain was unbearable.I was in chains, my hands were tied to my back."What's happening?" I struggled to get myself free and that's when I noticed I was knocked out."What the fuck is happening?" I shouted.It took minutes before I could see clearly, Lucas was standing right in front of me."You are awake scum?" He asked.What the hell was going on? I was pissed hearing that he had to call me that."What....what do you mean by scum?" I asked him, annoyed."Are you done playing with your little whores like you?" He resigned.I didn't even get a clue of why he reigned insults at me. "What are you talking about?" I struggle to sit upright."Can you recall the last place you were?" He asked.He squatted and faced me.I thought about it, so hard to remember wh
CLAIRE'S POVI don't know how things were going with Lucas and that fool. I lost concentration at work, especially when he came to me in the morning and asked where I found her.He was so impatient that before I could get out of my office to meet him he was gone."Ma'am, the files you requested are here." One of the new workers said to me, I just kept staring at the papers without having in mind what I wanted to do with it."Ma'am, we have to leave with this immediately, so please, I would need you to finish with it...." I interrupted her before she finished speaking."Just leave," I said to her,"Ma'am?""Am I stuttering? I said you should leave." I raised my voice at her.I wasn't comfortable with that after some minutes but I didn't have a choice."Shit! What is going on with me?" I hit the table in anger.There was no way I would have to leave the company papers unsigned. Even when I shouted at the lady, I knew that I couldn't deny my work. I still have to do itI began with the
LUCAS POVIt was a pleasure to see Claire. I mean, I didn't expect to see her, but here she was anyway.She looked like one who had been running a helter-skelter to look for me. Chloe's mother made a threatening Sentence that made her almost lose control. I don't see any reason why she should be Afraid."Go home," I instructed her and I made sure she drove away before I joined them in my house. "Who do we have here?" My mother came out to welcome her supposed daughter."Hold those greetings to yourself." Chloe's mother interrupted.My mom stood there shocked; She was probably trying to process why she would act that way."You might want to have a seat mom," I said to her,I fell on the sofa and took a deep breath. "Mom, where's dad?" I asked while looking around.I found him coming downstairs."What is going on here?" My dad stepped inNow I was certain the so-called meeting should start; at least I have someone who doesn't support them in any way."Chloe came over." Her Mol pulled
CHLOE'S POVMy mom was my savior, but that didn't last for long.I had to defend myself at some point and I had to follow my mother's rules."Let the victim defend herself." When Lucas said that, my heart sank.I was shivering already, the man wasn't frightening but his looks and body movements says it all.I don't know how observant he was but I had to be careful so that he doesn't detect the lie.After the whole shouts and screams and argument. The father came to a conclusion that didn't favour Lucas. He was annoyed at this but his father...? He is the same to everyone including his sons.Lucas didn't give up, he shouted at us and did whatever he wanted but our decision stood firm."Before I leave, this is to remind you that if you don't accept my daughter after being a traitor to her...I will call the police into this case and her father..." My mom scoffed."You wouldn't love to see his madness here." With these words we walked out.I could tell that Lucas was mad. He kept stutte
Claire sat in the hospital waiting room, her hands clenched together so tightly that her knuckles turned white. The sterile smell of antiseptic filled the air, and the soft murmurs of nurses and doctors blended into the background. But she heard none of it.All she could think about was Lucas.He had lost so much blood. The doctors had been inside the operating room for hours. Every time the doors swung open, her heart leaped into her throat, but it was never the news she wanted.Her entire body was stiff with exhaustion, but she couldn’t rest. Not when his life was hanging by a thread.She leaned forward, burying her face in her hands. “Please, just let him be okay,” she whispered to no one in particular.A sudden commotion near the nurses’ station caught her attention. Several people had gathered around the television mounted on the wall, murmuring among themselves.Claire frowned and slowly stood up, walking toward them. The screen displayed breaking news, and her heart nearly st
Claire sat in the hospital waiting room, her hands clenched together so tightly that her knuckles turned white. The sterile smell of antiseptic filled the air, and the soft murmurs of nurses and doctors blended into the background. But she heard none of it.All she could think about was Lucas.He had lost so much blood. The doctors had been inside the operating room for hours. Every time the doors swung open, her heart leaped into her throat, but it was never the news she wanted.Her entire body was stiff with exhaustion, but she couldn’t rest. Not when his life was hanging by a thread.She leaned forward, burying her face in her hands. “Please, just let him be okay,” she whispered to no one in particular.A sudden commotion near the nurses’ station caught her attention. Several people had gathered around the television mounted on the wall, murmuring among themselves.Claire frowned and slowly stood up, walking toward them. The screen displayed breaking news, and her heart nearly st
Chloe smirked as she looked through the small window into the children’s area.Brian was sitting alone, his little face filled with sadness.Soon, he would be out of the picture for good.And Claire would never see him again.Brian kicked his legs slowly as he sat on the wooden bench inside the orphanage playroom, watching the other children run around. He didn’t want to play. He didn’t want to be here.He wanted his mother.Tears stung his eyes, but he blinked them away. His mom always told him to be strong. But how could he be strong when he was stuck in this place with no idea when he would see her again?Then he saw her.His little heart pounded as he spotted the familiar blonde-haired woman walking through the hallway, her heels clicking against the floor.Chloe.She was the one who brought him here.She knew where his mother was.Brian jumped up, his small feet moving as fast as they could. He ran toward her just as she was about to step into an office.“Miss… please.”Chloe sto
Kelvin sat in the interrogation room, his hands cuffed to the table, sweat dripping down his forehead. The walls felt like they were closing in, and the harsh overhead light made it impossible to escape the cold, hard truth—he was caught.Across from him, PrinceWill leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. His gaze was sharp, unwavering.“Let’s try this again,” PrinceWill said. “Who else was involved?”Kelvin licked his dry lips. “I already told you everything.”PrinceWill tapped a pen against the table. “Lying won’t help you, Kelvin.”Kelvin clenched his jaw, looking away.PrinceWill sighed. “We already have enough to put you away for a long time. The only thing that’ll make your life easier is if you cooperate.”Kelvin’s fingers twitched. He knew he didn’t have a way out of this.“Fine,” he muttered. “Chloe.”PrinceWill didn’t react, but his grip on the pen tightened. “Go on.”Kelvin exhaled heavily. “She planned everything. She was the one who arranged for Brian to be taken to the
PrinceWill sat in his office, his eyes fixed on the stack of reports in front of him. The search for Brian had gone cold, and frustration was eating him alive. Claire had been coming to the station every single day, her face pale with exhaustion, her eyes swollen from endless crying. It hurt to see her like that.He had promised to help her. He couldn’t fail.A knock on the door made him glance up. One of his officers stepped in, looking hesitant.“Sir, we still haven’t recovered any CCTV footage from the night Brian was taken. It’s like everything was wiped clean,” the officer said.PrinceWill let out a slow breath, rubbing his temples. “There has to be something. No way a child disappears in a city like this without leaving a trace.”The officer sighed. “We’ve checked all nearby buildings. All footage was mysteriously deleted.”PrinceWill clenched his jaw. This wasn’t a coincidence. Someone had done this on purpose.“Sir,” another officer peeked into the room, his expression tense.
Chloe smirked as she looked through the small window into the children’s area.Brian was sitting alone, his little face filled with sadness.Soon, he would be out of the picture for good.And Claire would never see him again.Brian kicked his legs slowly as he sat on the wooden bench inside the orphanage playroom, watching the other children run around. He didn’t want to play. He didn’t want to be here.He wanted his mother.Tears stung his eyes, but he blinked them away. His mom always told him to be strong. But how could he be strong when he was stuck in this place with no idea when he would see her again?Then he saw her.His little heart pounded as he spotted the familiar blonde-haired woman walking through the hallway, her heels clicking against the floor.Chloe.She was the one who brought him here.She knew where his mother was.Brian jumped up, his small feet moving as fast as they could. He ran toward her just as she was about to step into an office.“Miss… please.”Chloe sto
Lucas stormed into his office, his entire body rigid with anger. His assistant, Mark, stood near his desk, looking anxious.“You need to see this,” Mark said, handing Lucas a file.Lucas barely glanced at it before slamming it onto the desk. “Tell me what happened.”Mark hesitated. “Kelvin called for a vote. He convinced the board members that your absence was harming the company.”Lucas’s eyes darkened. “And they listened?”Mark swallowed. “Most of them. But I called Camila.”Lucas’s jaw clenched at the name.Camila.His former love interest.It had been years since they last spoke, but she still held significant power in the company after inheriting her late father’s shares.Mark continued, “She arrived just before the final vote. As soon as she voted no, the others started reconsidering. Almost all of them joined her.”Lucas exhaled slowly, his hands tightening into fists.“So I’m still CEO.”Mark nodded. “Yes. But Kelvin isn’t backing down. He acted like nothing happened, said he’
Lucas lay on his bed, his body burning with fever. His head felt like it was splitting in two, his muscles weak, his throat dry. He barely had the strength to lift his arm, let alone get up. The room was dimly lit, curtains drawn shut, and the air was thick with silence.He had ignored his health for too long. Days without eating properly, sleepless nights filled with stress, and now his body had given up on him.A cold hand touched his forehead, and he groaned, shifting slightly.“Shh,” a soft voice murmured. “Just rest, Lucas. That’s all your body needs for now. Stop fighting it.”He forced his heavy eyelids open, his vision blurry. A figure sat beside him, a damp cloth in her hand. He blinked, trying to focus.Chloe? He wondered as his body tensed immediately.“What… are you doing here?” His voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper.Chloe gave him a small smile, pressing the cloth against his forehead. “Taking care of you.”Lucas tried to move, but his limbs felt too weak. “How di
Chloe pulled her coat tighter around her body as she stepped out of the car. The orphanage stood before her, an old brick building with a rusted iron gate. Children played in the front yard, their laughter ringing through the air. The sight made her sick.She wasn’t here for charity.With a confident stride, she walked through the entrance, where a woman in a long, dark dress stood behind a desk. The woman, Sister Agnes, looked up from a pile of papers, adjusting her glasses as Chloe approached.“Good afternoon,” Sister Agnes greeted, offering a warm smile. “How may I help you?”Chloe forced a sad expression onto her face, lowering her gaze. “I’m here to… to give my son up for adoption.”Sister Agnes’s smile faltered. “Oh, dear. That must be very difficult for you.”Chloe let out a dramatic sigh. “It is,” she whispered, looking down as if holding back tears. “I love him so much, but I can’t give him the life he deserves.”Sister Agnes reached across the desk, gently touching Chloe’s