LUCAS POVI have not been acting normal in the house and my mom noticed that. My dad still thought that it was about the business, unknown to him that something bigger was happening. "It's been two days and I haven't heard from Claire. I need to go visit her today." I shook my head.My mom was too concerned, and of course,, the woman would never see me that way and want me to go."Son, what's the matter with you?" She asked."I don't think that's necessary, mommy." I kissed her forehead."You don't look like you are happy?" She said to me,"I am happy. It's just the morning face." I said to her,"You should change that, I don't like it." She fluttered her lashes."Alright, Mom, I'm changing it right away." I released her from my grip and then walked to the wine bar.I popped a bottle of wine and poured it into the glass. Slowly I took a sip.My mom was so busy in the kitchen I didn't really have an idea of what she was doing, but it should probably be breakfast.I picked up my phone
CHLOE'S POVIt was another day to struggle with arguing with my parents as they kept asking me where and when I had been.The problem wasn't my mom at this point, it was my dad.It is not easy to convince him about something that he knows about, he is good at sensing something when it's not right."Shit! I have to get out today." I grumbled when I got up from my bed.My mom was busy with the kitchen, which made a lot of noise, and I could barely think straight."Why is she making all the noise?" I cleaned my eyes with the back of my hands.I could see clearly now, I twisted the door knob and got out of the room"What? Are you awake? I didn't expect to wake up so early." She winked with a soft smile as I walked into the living room."Yeah, I Know. I don't expect myself to get up this early either, but you know, I think I need to get a break today." I explained as I grabbed a bottle of wine and poured it into the glass."What. Are. You. Doing?" Mom froze and her eyes were beating me up
CLAIRE'S POVI don't know what was happening exactly but I was happy to see Lucas. When he stepped into the house I felt a surge of happiness flowing through me."Are you sure you're okay with the massage?" Lucas asked, holding Mirabel's hands.I nodded in affirmation; I wanted the massage, but not from her this time; I needed it from him.He released her hands when he confirmed that I didn't need her anymore. The rest of the day was all fun. We didn't have time together trying to figure out how to make things better."I think I'm a bit relieved." I sniffed the fresh air that kept blowing."A bit? Mom, I need you to be better so you can come to school, and I want us to spend nights together. I have a lot of stories to tell all of you." My son cuts in immediately."Ugh..that's what I had in mind, and now you are a genius because you just read my mind." Lucas jacked him up and made him smile.Well, I found myself smiling sheepishly while watching this. They thought of the right thing
CHLOE'S POVMy body was irked when I got to meet Christabel again. I don't know how to pretend that I was happy to see her. "How are you doing?" Her smile was broad and a bit contagious, but u weren't going to fall for that.I don't think I'm as stupid as I was five years ago. "How does it look like I'm doing?" I smiled mischievously.Honestly, I had a lot of plans going through my mind and I wished I could carry that out in a second."Well, from my observation I think you are doing just fine. I mean, look at the baby girl; she's partying and having fun." She tapped on my boobs."You haven't changed." I frowned."I haven't, darling. I just became worse and that's not something you love." She winked and sipped her drink from the glass."I'm glad you know I'm not a fan of it." I rolled my eyes and looked away."You know I've been thinking about how you got to this place.." That came out as a mistake; I don't want to jump into the matter so fast, even when I'm curious about it."Are yo
MIRABEL'S POVIt's been weeks, or would it be better if I say months, and I have been running the company and doing all that was necessary. My work in the company was done but I'd have to take over the place of Claire as her personal assistant."I don't think they are going to like this," I muttered while clicking my tongue as I stared at the letter in my hands.Claire left everything that she had in control to me; the little times I spent cross-checking the works, I almost ran mad.She was so kind to tolerate these things and she hasn't made a bad decision to take away some unserious humans from the company. It was good that Claire was getting better but I don't think it is a good thing for the workers. "Girl came back with a hotter decision. I mean she's literally driving everyone away from the company. The lazy ones to be precise." I scoffed...Everyone was so busy with their work, of course they'll be. Claire is back and they would always want to please her. When I walked into
CLAIRE'S POVIt is a beautiful day and I can say that I have fully recovered.Brian has always been on my neck to take him out. Lucas would never watch me go out with him, he would claim that I wasn't fully recovered and I still have to stay indoors."Mommy, when are you going on the trip?" Brian's eyes widened.I don't know what answer he was expecting but I think I would have to disappoint him a bit."What trip are you talking about exactly?" I squinted my eyes pretending to think about what he just said."Mom, don't tell me you have forgotten in a hurry. You promised to take me on a trip, more like a family trip." He spoke calmly to make me understand, his patience was not so big.Brian could lose that patience anytime. "Ohh," I Snapped.I won't love to stress the whole issue, so, I pretended to get something from what he just said."You know how busy I've been darling. I'm trying to arrange the thing in the company so I can get to a greater level to take you on a trip." My eyes
CHLOE'S POVSeeing Christabel in my life was a stupid and funny thing. I don't know what she wants exactly and why she has to follow me everywhere."Gosh, my mom is going to be sick and tired of me." I rubbed my morning face trying to take the sleep off my eyes.I stretched out of the bed. I could hear noises from the kitchen, she was up already. I don't know how she is going to receive me. I stood beside the door for a long time, I didn't know what to say.She looks pissed, or should I agree, that's her morning face.Mom was so busy with the cleaning that I stood there for a few minutes. When she got to notice me, my legs were already hurting."Mom," I said feverishly."Are you done taking in whatever you took in?" She rolled her eyes in irritation."Mom, that's not what you think. I was just tipsy, not drunk, at least I wasn't...." I paused looking for the right word to use there."Stupid." I shrugged."What makes you think you weren't stupid? I have warned you to stop drinking too
CHRISTABEL'S POVIt's been four years, and I haven't seen Chloe. I never knew she still existed, I just came to start a new life, and now I get to meet my one-time enemy."I don't know what I expect her to be, though." I shrugged while watching her leave the party...Her eyes never hide her feelings; they will always reveal them. I could tell how surprised she was to see me, I mean four years plus before she left to stay with her family."I don't expect her to be happy to see me." I gulped the drink slowly.I got back into the club. By this time my sparkling moments just became dull. I grabbed my back and left with a taxi.I got to my house, I didn't want to be noticed around, so I got something someone wouldn't want to look at twice.I paid off the taxi and got into the house. "Oh what a wonderful day, I got to meet my old enemy." I scoffed while pulling out the shoes.She looked so happy now. Wait, I didn't realize that she was still with her parents; I mean, with all those things
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