LUCAS POVIt was another day to start begging Claire; she hadn't been picking up my calls or replying to my text messages.It felt like I was just talking and replying to myself all day. “Are you ready to go?” Dad asked, putting on his jacket.Dad and I were to go to the company together so we could make some transitions so I could start from there to make the company back.“Yes, I'm ready,” I responded, throwing the jacket on the bed.“You are not going to put that on?” He pointed at the jacket on the bed.“Nope, that's too much for me.” I sighed and reached out for my suitcase.My dad got out of the house first. My mom obstructed me when I was about to pass.“Why don't you always go for your husband? You are always after me?” I complained.“You are my son and I choose who to disturb this morning.” Her nose wrinkled.I wasn't so sure if she was annoyed or she was just putting up the act. “My husband has me all night and I have just a few hours of the day to spend with you.” She smi
CLAIRE'S POVMy visions were blurry as I slowly opened my eyes. My head was banging so bad and I felt a slight pain in my body.I looked around trying to glance at something as my head was spinning. “Where am I?” I groaned softly.The place doesn't look familiar. A mouse passed me, and I jumped, scared; this place didn't even look clean enough to call someone's room.When I could look at something I got to find out that I was in a basement.Now the question was, how did I get to this place?“Hello?” I called out slowly.My voice echoed and this was scary to me. I tried to move but felt a sharp pain in my head and I sat back again.I heard footsteps and I waited patiently to see who it was. My face hardened when I got to see Chloe walking up to the door.“Well, well, well, see who's unfortunate.” She smiled mischievously while spinning the keys in her fingers.“You asshole.” I clenched my teeth.“You still have the nerves to speak. Maybe you should stay a little longer so you could l
CHLOE'S POV It was a new day and I couldn't hold myself from seeing Lucas. There was no way I would stay here with this girl while I let Lucas miss her.If I'm there, he wouldn't need to feel her presence. “Where the hell is this girl?” I got up from the couch to check on her.I haven't heard anything from her and I need to be sure she isn't fading away.“What in the heck is happening here?” I asked her while shaking the gates to wake her up.“Do you want to die of hunger?” I scoffed.Claire was still appearing strong and refused to eat the food that was in front of her.“You want people out there to think that I can't feed you? Come on poor thing, get the food and eat.” I mocked her.She refused to say a word to me; she just stared at me and the plate.“Get up unfortunate creature.” I roared in anger.Claire did this to get me angry, and I think she was getting through to me because I hate to see her silent and I'm the only one talking. It makes me look more like a fool.“I don't h
LUCAS POVI was having a bad day already with the jobs that I had to do, and then I watched Chloe walk into the room. I was speechless and didn't know what to say exactly. I was supposed to be shouting and making her leave the office immediately, but I was too tired to let her stress me.She wasn't looking so bad. She looked very well and that was part of the reason I couldn't send her away yet. We got to both words and of course, she would always get irritated. It wasn't up to a second when something caught my attention."Claire's hair band." I tried to overlook this, but it looked so exactly like Claire's hair band.“Hold on a minute. That looks like Claire's hair band.” I squinted his eyes while pointing at her hair.Her lashes fluttered, she had refused to talk a say anything for a moment "Chloe?" I called her sternly."What? Can't I have my hairband?" She shrugged the topic off."What do you mean? This looks exactly like Claire's hair band." I scoffed, getting confused a bit.
CLAIRE'S POVI struggled with the pain until it reduced. I wasn't getting any better but there was no easy way to eat that food there.My head was spinning anytime I lifted it. If I wasn't strong enough, I would fall; Chloe abandoned me here and left to see Lucas,, I guess."She knows nothing about what I saw." I gave a half-smile.When leaving the house I noticed that she had my hair band on her hair. I refused to speak, I needed that to be like a sign to Lucas."What I pray for is that she doesn't remember to take it off." I sighed and fell back to the ground.I heard someone ranting and throwing things. That was absolutely Chloe, I could feel the pain from here. I just wonder how she never gets tired of being rejected."That bitch." She cursed. I felt happy to find out that she was so heartbroken.I could hear her footsteps coming to the basement, I immediately put my head down so she doesn't know that I have been rooting for her to sound that way once she's back."You god forsaki
LUCAS' POVThe whole situation was still unclear to me, I tried reaching Claire but she was still not picking up her calls or doing anything to show that she was still alive."What the fuck is going on with everyone? Why is Claire acting up?" I soliloquize annoyed.This time I was out of her house. I searched everywhere possible that I thought I could find her, but she was nowhere to be found. "I think she had gone on a trip." I shook my head"A trip? What happened with her picking up her calls and telling someone that she was away. Her son is going sick because of her and all she can do is not pick up the phone call." I ranted to myself.I found myself being angry over something that I didn't know much about. She was barely speaking to me and picking up my calls, so why did I have to be so worried.I had arrived at the hospital. I got out of my car and walked to Charles's room; I needed his help right now."I don't think he is getting better but do I have a choice?" I sighed and ope
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
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