CHLOE'S POVSince I got back from visiting Lucas I was upset for no reason. He was just acting like someone who was not ready to move on with life. He is so busy thinking that Claire is alone and will get to him anytime."So stupid of him to think that she'll be alive for the next two minutes." The man who came to Claire off was disappointed with the way she looked. I tried to make him see reasons why he should buy her, but Claire wasn't helping matters, and this got me annoyed. When the man left, I got back to the basement.Claire was such bad luck; she was getting on my nerves for not being taken. "What do you think you were doing out there? Huh?" I slapped her immediately."I was only trying to save him from taking a bitch like me," She said.The fact that she didn't feel remorseful for what she did was what made me more mad."You think it's funny right?" I scoffed.Claire didn't get to still eat the food that I had left for her for the past two days. "Tell me why you don't wa
CLAIRE'S POVAfter the rejection, I thought it would be a good way for Chloe to just send me out of the basement, but unfortunately, that was the worst day and the beginning of my torture. Chloe did what she had in mind for a long time. I'm sure she was just looking for a way to express it. The more I kept talking it annoyed her, she would throw punches at me and do all sorts of things that would hurt meChloe came back for me angrily. She didn't even give me a chance to say anything; the little time I had to say something, I don't know what made me spit out some of the things I did."Argh!" I held my stomach tight.The pain was too much, I received a beating that I hadn't gotten in my life. I can not explain how I feel right now. I just wanted to get out of here."Help.." I managed to call out but there was no point in doing that.No one would answer me and no one would hear.I rubbed my body on the floor trying to get to the gates. I felt sharp pains while doing this; I immediatel
LUCAS POVI got to her house and knocked once and she Opened the door. It was a good thing that I got to see her at home because I wasn't patient enough to wait for anyone. “Where is she?” I asked with a frown.That was when I noticed that she was sweating like someone who was battling on a bed.“Why so much sweat?”“Were you having fun again with one of your harlots?” I scoffed.She didn't say a word. She was just staring at me like I fell from somewhere and she didn't recognize me.“You can't talk?” I furrowed my eyebrow.“What are you doing here?” She finally spoke up but in anger.“Finally saying something, but you are saying what I don't want to hear.” I tried to get myself into the house.“What are you doing? You aren't invited.” She tried to stop me from getting in.“I didn't ask for your permission to get in. Did I?” I bent my neck to a corner and twitched.Her hands got weak, and she had no choice but to let me. I got into the house and sniffed the smell of everything.“Wher
Priscilla's povI was busy with the things I had to do, Mr Lucas had not been In the company for how many days. He was running the Company but not visible, I was the one who did everything.“Please you all should try and submit your files for cross-checks today. I will need to hand over everything to Mr Lucas.” I announced it to the workers in the company.They sighed and began murmuring things that they could hear and not me. I was not interested in hearing what they had to say. I had a lot of things to handle.I left the office to check on other things and make sure they were in order. That was when I saw Lucas bringing back Charles. My jaw dropped, what was happening?“Take him inside.” He instructed me once he got to the door.Charles wasn't looking very strong and ready to work. “Ohh,” I held him immediately as he was about to fall.“I'm fine, just feeling dizzy.” He said to me and took my hands off slightly.“You are fine?” I scoffed.“He is fine but not strong for any pressur
CHLOE'S POVLucas is such an idiot. He did things that I didn't expect him to do even when I tried to act normal with him.He was so obsessed with Claire that whatever I said was like noise to his hearings.“Or maybe she just left you with the child to have fun.” I walked close to him.He was not ready to accept the bitter truth. He got so angry when I told him this and twisted my wrist. I was so mad at him, but it was pointless because he would still do what he wished without thinking about me.I shouted and wailed for him to leave me, but I was making more noise, and everything I did was just a sign that I needed more. When he got to release me, I felt a wave of rage all over my body. For a second I could just stab him with a dagger if I could. I told him to leave the house but that was just like telling him to stay more. While I was trying to deal with Lucas, another group of people came."You guys are after my life." I scoffed.They are Lucas workers, one of them, the hacker was
CLAIRE'S POV"Claire! Claire!! Claire!!!" I could hear Chloe calling my name.Even if I was to answer her I know it was not for something reasonable. I would reserve the energy to shout when I am ready to get out of here."Where is she?" I could feel how Lucas was boiling from here. I know very well that he won't leave until he sees me."I need to think of a way to alert them. Mm." I looked up in thought.I raised my palms to wipe my bloody mouth, but on second thought, I wanted Lucas to believe that she did this to me.He would still believe even if he didn't get to see but seeing it is different."Did you hear her answer? No." She kept ranting."Bitch. She knows that I am weak and that's why she chose to use that strategy." I gnashed my teeth.If anger could break chains, the chain on my leg would have been broken by now. I was filled with so much rage that all I could think of was killing someone."Lucas, don't leave please. Feel my presence." I sobbed when I heard Chloe threatenin
LUCAS POV"I'm going to leave this place," I shouted in anger."Oh well, I will be very much pleased. Please leave." She rolled her eyes and gestured for me to leave.When Charles and Priscilla appeared here, I knew within me that nothing would make me leave this house without Claire in my arms.She was the reason I came here and I'm not going back without her. Charles complained of how the signal was strong, and I believed him; I believed everything he said."Chloe, why are you acting so stupid. You know, even if you hide her, I would not get to look at you for a minute." I scoffed.She bent her neck a bit and smiled. "But you'll look for a second.""Fuck you." I cursed."Get out.." She shouted.We argued for a long time. I was tired of waiting without receiving any positive things from her. I flared up and shook the whole thing in the sitting room"What are you doing? I bought those things costly." She lamented.If she wasn't going to show where Claire was exactly, then I would keep
CHLOE'S POVJust when I was arguing with Lucas and his crew, Claire made a loud noise that attracted everyone. I tried to make a noise so they would think I was the one, but she struck again.All my efforts to convince them that they were hearing things were in vain. No one wants to listen to me.This triggered Lucas to begin the search. The so-called hacker of a boy was so hungry to use his new iPad. All the words I said to him so that he would get annoyed was like watering a basket. He did it more and didn't feel anything for it "I wished you died during the car accident." Mumbled in my clenched lips.They got into the search and Lucas was the last to leave the room. He gave me a very quick notice that I am very sure he is serious about.I was afraid but still chose to act like I wasn't moved. I laughed and sipped the wine in my hands.If there was anyone I wanted to take down, it was Charles. He was the one who had the easier way to find Claire; I wished I could just strangle him
Claire sat across from Lucas and Prince Will in the small café near the courthouse, her hands wrapped tightly around her coffee cup. The warm steam curled into the air, but she barely felt it. Her mind was set on what she was about to say.Lucas watched her carefully, his deep honey-gold eyes filled with something unreadable. Prince Will, on the other hand, leaned back slightly, observing her with quiet curiosity.Claire took a deep breath. “I’ve made a decision,” she said finally.Lucas’s jaw tightened slightly. “What decision?”Claire exhaled. “I’m moving away. I’m taking Brian with me to another city.”Silence.Lucas’s entire body went still. PrinceWill raised an eyebrow but said nothing.Lucas’s fingers tapped against the table once, twice, before curling into a fist. “You’re taking Brian away from me?”Claire swallowed hard. “Lucas, after everything that happened… I need a fresh start. Brian needs a fresh start. He deserves to live in a place where he isn’t constantly looking ove
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
Lucas barely had time to react.A sharp pain exploded at the back of his head as Chloe struck him, making him stumble forward. He caught himself against the wall, breathing heavily, trying to stay steady.“Don’t move,” Chloe hissed.Lucas turned his head slightly and saw her holding a gun, her hands trembling just enough to show her nerves.“Chloe,” he said slowly, keeping his hands where she could see them. “You don’t want to do this.”Chloe let out a bitter laugh. “You think you know what I want?” Her grip tightened around the weapon. “I wanted you, Lucas. I wanted us to be together, but you threw me away like garbage!”Lucas took a cautious step forward. “You know that’s not true.”“Don’t lie to me!” Chloe shouted, her breath ragged. “You chose her. You always chose her!”Lucas exhaled, forcing himself to remain calm. One wrong move and this could end badly.“I didn’t choose anyone, Chloe. This isn’t about that. It’s about you making the wrong choices,” Lucas said, his voice steady.
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