As soon as Aunt Lou left, the house seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, leaving just Leon and me in our little bubble of contentment. We finished our breakfast, though Leon's playful attempts to tease me never ceased. Every smile he coaxed from me felt like a victory, and every kiss he planted on my lips made my heart flutter a little more. After we cleared the table, Leon wrapped his arms around me from behind, nuzzling his face into my neck. His warm breath sent shivers down my spine, and I couldn't help but lean into his embrace."You know," he murmured against my skin, "I think we should start every day like this.""Like what?" I asked, tilting my head to give him better access."With you in my arms, stealing kisses whenever I can," he replied, his lips brushing against my ear.I laughed softly. "You’re insatiable, Leon.""For you? I’d do it often," he said, turning me around to face him. His eyes sparkled with mischief as he leaned in for another kiss.As we kissed, his hands fo
Leon continued to surprise me in ways I never expected. After our indulgent lunch and shopping spree, I thought maybe we’d finally call it a day. But it would seem that Leon had other plans in mind aside from what we already did.As he carefully placed the shopping bags in the trunk of his car, I couldn’t help but tease him. “Do you have any surprises left, or have you exhausted all your grand gestures?”Leon flashed that mischievous smile of his, the one that made me feel like the world was ours for the taking. “You underestimate me, Margarette,” he said, closing the trunk with a smooth motion. “I’ve only just begun.”I shook my head with a smile, getting into the passenger seat. “Where to next, Mr. Romantic?”“You’ll see,” he replied cryptically, pulling out of the parking lot.The drive was filled with our usual banter, a rhythm we’d fallen into effortlessly over time. Leon, always the tease, brought up my familiar reluctance to let him spoil me. "You know," he said with a mischiev
As I slowly came to, the familiar warmth of Leon’s embrace anchored me to reality. The soft hum of his breathing, steady and comforting, was the first sound I registered. I opened my eyes to find myself nestled against his chest, his strong arms wrapped protectively around me. The evening light filtered softly through the curtains, casting a golden hue over us.It was a rare kind of tranquility, the kind that made me want to stay in this bed forever, away from the chaos of the world outside. In this moment, it felt like it was just the two of us against everything else, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.I shifted slightly, causing Leon to stir. His eyes fluttered open, and a lazy smile spread across his face as he looked down at me. "Evening, sleepyhead," he murmured, his voice thick with affection."Evening," I replied, my voice still soft from sleep. I reached up to brush a lock of hair from his forehead, my fingers lingering on his warm skin. He leaned in, pressing a tende
"Margarette, are you ready? We don’t want to be late for the hearing." Aunt Lou said. The sun had barely risen when Aunt Lou knocked on my door, her voice gentle yet firm. I groaned softly, still tangled in the warmth of my bed, the weight of the day ahead pressing on my chest. Today was the hearing, the one I had been dreading and anticipating in equal measure. Justin’s lawsuit against me was hanging over my head like a dark cloud, and I knew I couldn’t avoid it any longer."I'm coming, Aunt Lou," I called out, forcing myself to sit up. I took a deep breath, trying to steady the nerves that were already starting to fray. After quickly dressing, I headed downstairs where Aunt Lou was waiting by the door, her expression a mix of concern and determination.She smiled at me, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. "Don’t worry, Margarette. Whatever happens today, you’ve got me by your side."I nodded, grateful for her presence. Aunt Lou had always been my rock, especially after everythin
I couldn’t shake the unease that gnawed at me as I stared at Justin’s text. Meeting him wasn’t something I wanted to do, not after everything he’d put me through. But as much as I hated the idea, I couldn’t ignore the thought of finally getting my properties back without dragging this lawsuit out any longer. The question was, could I trust him? The answer was obvious, yet the temptation lingered.I spent the entire morning going back and forth, trying to convince myself that this was a trap, that Justin was just playing more of his twisted games. But what if, by some miracle, he was serious? What if he really was willing to return everything without a fight? The thought was too enticing to dismiss.Eventually, my curiosity and desperation won out. I needed to know what he was up to, even if it meant facing him again. So, after much hesitation, I messaged Justin, agreeing to meet him at my parents’ old vacation house.The ride there felt like it took forever, my mind racing with all th
The café buzzed with the usual hum of activity—clinking cups, the hiss of the espresso machine, the low murmur of conversations blending into a soothing white noise. Yet, to me, it all felt distant, like I was trapped in a glass box, separated from the world around me. The vibrant chatter, the occasional laughter, the shuffle of footsteps—all of it faded into the background, muffled as if I were submerged underwater.I sat at a small table by the window, my usual spot, but today it felt different. The sun streamed in through the glass, casting a warm glow across the room, yet I couldn’t feel its warmth. My hands trembled as I gripped the cup of coffee in front of me, the ceramic cool against my skin, a stark contrast to the roiling heat inside me. I brought the cup to my lips, but the rich aroma that usually comforted me now did nothing to settle my nerves.I stared into the dark liquid, trying to find some semblance of calm in its depths, but all I saw was the reflection of my own tu
The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm, golden light that did little to lift the weight on my shoulders. As I walked along the main road after my frustrating encounter with Regina at the café, the anger and frustration still simmered beneath my skin. I needed to talk to someone who would understand, someone who could help me make sense of this mess. Without thinking twice, I pulled out my phone and dialed Aunt Lou’s number.“Margarette, is everything alright?” Aunt Lou’s voice was laced with concern the moment she answered.I hesitated, not wanting to worry her, but I couldn’t keep it all bottled up anymore. “Aunt Lou, is it okay if I drop by your clinic? I need to talk.”“Of course, dear. I’m finishing up with my last patient now. Come over, I’ll be here.”“Thank you,” I murmured, relief washing over me. I hung up and flagged down a taxi, my mind already racing ahead to the conversation I knew I had to have.The ride to Aunt Lou’s clinic felt longer than usual, th
The days following the incident with Justin and Regina were filled with a tumultuous blend of determination and dread. I kept telling myself that I wouldn’t let them get to me, that I would push forward and secure the victory in the lawsuit. Every morning, I woke up with a renewed sense of purpose, reminding myself that I had to prove to Justin—and to myself—that I wasn’t someone who would simply surrender to his manipulations.On one such morning, as I descended the stairs, the smell of freshly brewed coffee greeted me, mingling with the faint scent of the flowers Aunt Lou always kept in a vase by the kitchen window. But instead of the usual peaceful start to the day, I was met with an unusual sight—Aunt Lou, standing by the living room couch, her hand clutching the phone to her ear, her expression strained. She was talking to someone, and the anxiety etched into her features made my heart skip a beat. I hesitated at the bottom of the stairs, not wanting to intrude, but as Aunt Lou’
The rain was falling again.It always did on days like this—days that felt like endings.I stood on the edge of the cliffs overlooking the stormy waters of Anacortes, my coat pulled tightly around me, the hood shielding my face from the wind that carried the scent of salt and something older—something like goodbye.Leon stood behind me. I didn’t have to turn around to feel him there. His presence was familiar now, carved into my skin like muscle memory. He’d been my gravity, my storm, my salvation, and my ruin—sometimes all at once.“It’s really over, isn’t it?” I whispered, more to the wind than to him.He didn’t answer right away. His silence was as heavy as the stormclouds above us.“I wanted to fix everything for you,” he said finally, his voice hoarse, like it had been dragged across a battlefield. “I wanted to give you a life that didn’t hurt.”I closed my eyes. The ache in my chest pulsed with every beat of my heart. “You did,” I said. “For a while, you did.”I heard the crunch
I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “I’m not the same person I was before,” I said, my voice firm, unwavering. “And I’m not walking away this time.”The man’s eyes flickered with a moment of doubt, just enough for me to catch. And then, before I could even register what had happened, Leon moved.Faster than I could blink, Leon was in front of me, his hand grabbing the gun and twisting it out of the man’s grasp. The force of it sent the man stumbling back, but he didn’t go down easily. His bodyguards rushed in, but Leon was already a step ahead, disarming one of them with a swift, calculated move.I stood frozen for a moment, trying to process what I was witnessing. Leon—always so calm, always so careful—was ruthless. He was like a force of nature, determined to protect me at all costs.But the fight wasn’t over yet. The man recovered, his eyes burning with rage. “You really think you’ve won?” he spat, his voice dripping with venom. “You’re nothing but a pawn in a game you can’t ev
The sound of boots drew closer, pounding the floor with an urgency that echoed through the cavernous halls of the estate. My heart raced as the reality of what I had just heard crashed into me like a tidal wave. The man who had once been a part of my life—my family’s betrayer, the one who had orchestrated their deaths—stood there, calmly, as if this was just another night for him.Leon’s grip on my hand tightened, but I didn’t let him pull me away. I could feel the air thickening with tension, the walls pressing in as everything I thought I knew began to crumble.The intruders were only moments away.The man—he—smirked, watching us. “You think this will end well? You’ve no idea what you’re up against. My people are everywhere.”I took a step forward, ignoring Leon’s silent plea to retreat. “You killed them. And you thought I would be the next one to fall in line?” My voice was a whisper, but it held a power I hadn’t realized I had. “You were wrong.”The man’s face faltered, just for a
Next Morning at the Estate Archives. The basement was cold and damp, and the air smelled of mildew and secrets. Old boxes lined the walls, labeled in my father’s tidy script. Financial records. Land deeds. Correspondence.Leon sifted through a crate of documents while I dug through another.Then something caught my eye.A faded folder labeled: Project Thornfield.I opened it slowly.Inside were blueprints—plans for development across coastal land that was supposed to be protected forest. There were signatures from multiple board members, including names I recognized.And then, one I didn’t.N. Vallis.Leon leaned over. “You know that name?”I shook my head. “No. But look here—he signed off on the project two weeks before my parents died.”Leon pulled out his phone. “I’ll run a background check.”I kept flipping through the documents—and found something that made my blood run cold.An aerial photo.Of the cliffside. Our property.With a giant red X drawn over the coordinates where my p
THREE WEEKS LATER...The investigation moved faster than I’d expected. With the board fully on our side now, the paper trail unraveled like a thread pulled from an old sweater—each piece of evidence exposing the next. Shell companies. Forged contracts. Witnesses who had remained silent out of fear but were finally coming forward.Still, no one had seen him since the day of the summit. He had vanished without a trace. No flights. No offshore activity. No messages. It was like he’d disappeared into smoke.But Dorian didn’t believe in ghosts. “He’s hiding,” he said as he handed me a thick folder. “And this—this will force him out.”I flipped through the documents. Bank records. A property registered under an alias. Hidden deep in the woods outside of Anacortes. I felt my stomach twist.Leon stepped up behind me, his hand grazing my shoulder. “Let’s pay him a visit.”The cabin was barely more than a shadow tucked between trees. No lights. No car. Just silence and the thrum of insects in t
Sunlight crept cautiously through the cracks in the blinds, casting golden slivers across the hardwood floor of the safe house bedroom. I sat curled up on the edge of the bed, a blanket draped around my shoulders and the journal heavy in my lap. The cover was cracked, worn with age and secrets. My fingers hovered over the first page for what felt like an eternity.Leon was nearby—he hadn’t slept much, either. He stood at the window with a mug of black coffee, watching the world outside with quiet alertness. When I finally opened the journal, he turned slightly but didn’t speak. He knew I needed silence for this.The first entry was dated nearly two decades ago.July 14th. We signed the contract today. Two families, one future. The woman from Delmar Holdings is more cunning than I expected. She knows we’re desperate—and she used it. I told Mariana to trust me. That this was the only way. God help me, I hope I’m right.My breath hitched. Mariana—that was my mother’s name.I flipped thro
MARGARETTE'S POVBefore we could react, the door behind us burst open.Three armed men rushed in, dressed in black, their movements precise and rehearsed. Leon shoved me behind him, drawing his gun up in an instant. Dorian, who had been lingering near the entrance, took cover behind a cabinet, gun already out.“Elise’s father wasn’t bluffing,” I breathed, my heart hammering. “He had backup ready.”Leon fired the first shot, catching one of the intruders in the shoulder and sending him crashing to the floor. Chaos erupted. Dorian ducked low and returned fire, narrowly missing another attacker who retaliated with a spray of bullets that shattered the windows.I crouched behind an overturned table, the sound of gunfire drowning out my thoughts. The locket in my palm dug into my skin, its edges sharp—a painful reminder that I couldn’t afford to lose control now.“Elise’s father!” I shouted to Leon. “He’s escaping!”Through the haze of smoke and broken glass, I saw the man slinking toward
The sound of footsteps pounding in the hallway was the last thing I heard before the door slammed open.I barely had time to react before a rush of armed men poured into the room, their eyes scanning every corner, landing finally on me. There was no mistaking the intent behind their cold stares.“Get down!” Leon’s voice crackled through the earpiece again, but there was no time to obey. I couldn’t allow myself to hesitate—not now, not when the truth was within reach.I raised my gun, my hands steady despite the chaos unfolding around me. I wasn’t going down without a fight, not after everything I had lost. Not after everything Elise’s father had taken from me.Before the first man could react, I fired. The sound of the shot echoed in the confined space, the bullet finding its mark in the man’s chest. His body crumpled to the ground with a sickening thud, but the others didn’t hesitate. They moved in faster, their guns drawn, but I was ready.I ducked behind the desk, using it as cover
Dawn came in silver slivers through the cracks in the window. I hadn’t slept—not really. My mind was too loud, looping the footage over and over like a broken reel.Leon sat across from me at the table, sipping his coffee like it was the only thing keeping him grounded. Neither of us had said much since the footage. We didn’t need to. The truth had cut so deep, it didn’t leave room for small talk.But I had questions.And I needed answers.“How long do you think he’s known I survived?” I finally asked, voice hoarse.Leon didn’t look away from his mug. “Long enough to start covering his tracks. But he didn’t expect the locket to resurface.”My hand instinctively reached for it. The locket was warm now, like it had absorbed my grief and fury. Inside was a picture of my mother and me—her arm around my tiny shoulders, her smile soft but tired. A photo I hadn’t even remembered until last night.“He killed her,” I whispered. “He killed my father. For what? A project?”“Not just a project,”