The following day, I began working on my purpose for coming back in Anacortes. And it was to met Jack in his office first thing in the morning. As I entered Jack’s office in Anacortes, a quiet tension settled over me. The familiarity of the space, the faint smell of leather and polished wood, triggered memories I’d long tried to leave behind. Jack stood from behind his desk when he saw me, his expression a mix of relief and seriousness that made my stomach tighten.I braced myself for whatever news he had; I already suspected it would be unpleasant.Jack’s face was tight, his brow creased with concern as he fiddled with a stack of papers. When he finally looked up, his expression was troubled.“Margarette, it’s good to see you. Please have a seat.” he greeted, extending a hand as I settled into the chair across from him.“You too, Jack,” I replied with a small, tight smile as I took in my seat. “Though, I have a feeling this isn’t going to be a pleasant conversation.”He gave a somber
A bright morning greeted me as I stepped outside, feeling the weight of my recent conversation with Jack begin to lift, at least for now. As for today, Lena happily accompanied me, eager as ever, her light-hearted demeanor a perfect contrast to my own tightly guarded thoughts. We decided to explore the town, visit some of the spots that held many memories. It felt strange, seeing Anacortes again in this light—as a place to simply enjoy. Two elite bodyguards accompanied us, blending discreetly into the surroundings, trained to remain inconspicuous yet alert. Their presence reminded me of the stakes, but I pushed that aside, hoping today would just be a simple day out.We started with a café in town, where I indulged in a strong coffee and Lena ordered a pastry that looked too delicate to eat. For a while, we just laughed, talking about her plans, her classes, and the people in her life. It was nice, grounding in a way I’d been missing since I came back.As lunchtime approached, Lena s
The next few days had been about me and jack deciding to finally see this resort that Wilma had built.And with Jack’s guidance, we made our way towards the Montefalco resort. It felt surreal as we approached the grand entrance, cloaked by shadows and guarded by staff who, thankfully, didn’t seem to recognize either of us under our carefully chosen attire. We entered through a back pathway that Jack had scouted earlier, careful to avoid the main entrance and any security cameras that could expose our identities. The resort sprawled out before us as we walked further inside. Lush tropical plants framed the entrance, and I couldn’t help but feel a pang of disbelief at the grandeur. This place was more than just opulent—it was dripping with wealth and exclusivity. Guests milled about, dressed in designer clothes and exuding that effortless elegance of the elite. Some lounged by the pool, others sipped cocktails on the sun-drenched terrace, while a few sat by the garden in private, sec
After the intense day Jack and I had spent at Wilma’s resort, confronting not only the twisted lies plastered across its walls but also Wilma herself, I knew what needed to be done. My anger had simmered long enough; it was time to take action. I wouldn’t sit idle as Wilma wrapped her tentacles tighter around the remnants of Justin’s estate and rebranded his memory for her own twisted gain. That encounter in the lavish, deceit-ridden walls of her resort had been the final push I needed to put an end to her schemes.Once we’d returned to Jack’s office, I took a steadying breath before voicing the decision that had solidified in my mind. “I’m ready to file a lawsuit, Jack. Wilma has crossed every line imaginable,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended. “She’s using assets, properties, and finances that were never hers to use. And that plaque—dedicating the entire place to Justin? It’s blatant manipulation.”Jack leaned back in his chair, nodding as he mulled over the words. “That’
[LENA’S POV]I glanced at my watch as I headed up the building stairs, my stomach churning with nervous energy. Margarette had asked me to deliver a package to one of her colleagues—nothing fancy, just some gifts she had put together. She said she’d be busy during lunch and needed me to drop them off for her.I didn’t mind helping out; I was grateful Margarette trusted me enough to take care of her little errands. Besides, it gave me an excuse to break from my usual routine.Stepping into the café where we were to meet, I adjusted my blouse, trying to smooth out wrinkles that probably weren’t even there. I told myself this was just a simple drop-off, that I didn’t need to be so anxious, but that never stopped my nerves from twisting.Then, as I scanned the tables, I froze.Jack was sitting there, looking relaxed as he browsed through his phone, a soft smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. My heart raced, my mind swirling with confusion. This wasn’t supposed to be a lunch with Jac
[MARGARETTE’S POV]The afternoon sunlight streamed through the window as I spotted Lena stepping through the front door, looking refreshingly radiant and a bit…well, dazed. I stifled a grin, noticing how she lingered at the door a little longer than usual, a tell-tale sign that she was trying to collect herself. Jack’s car had just pulled out of the driveway, and I couldn’t resist the playful urge that bubbled up in me. I took a few steps closer, casually leaning against the doorway with a smile that I knew Lena would recognize as mischief. “So…” I drawled, crossing my arms, my voice just loud enough to snap her out of whatever lingering thoughts Jack might have left her with. “How was your date?”Her eyes widened, cheeks flushing with that unmistakable shade of pink. “It—it wasn’t a date, Margarette,” she stammered, hurrying to set her purse down as if that action alone might distract me from my teasing.“Oh, really?” I raised a brow, leaning a little closer to her. “Because from wh
Yesterday’s laughter with Lena felt like a distant memory as I refocused on why I had come back to Anacortes—to bring justice to everything Justin’s mother had taken from me. The sun had barely risen, casting soft light through my window, when I found myself sitting at my desk, sifting through stacks of documents and revisiting old memories. Jack had just informed me that he’d officially filed the lawsuit against Wilma for her illegal usage of assets, particularly those belonging to Justin and me as conjugal property.The prospect of standing up against Wilma was daunting, to say the least. I’d seen her power, her influence, the way she used people and assets without a second thought. But I knew this was something I couldn’t avoid. Sitting back and letting her rewrite the truth of Justin’s legacy wasn’t an option, not anymore.I barely had time to finish my coffee before my phone rang and saw that it was Jack who called, his voice calm yet urgent on the other end of the line. “Good
The days following the filing of the lawsuit against Wilma passed in a blur of legal discussions and quiet reflection. But amid the whirlwind, I couldn’t shake the nagging thought of grandma, whom was the only person that showed me true kindness during my time at the Montefalco household. She had been a surrogate grandmother to me, offering warmth and wisdom when everything else in that home felt cold and transactional. When I learned about her being left at the retirement home like she was of no use to Wilma anymore, my heart broke and there has not been a day that I didn’t worry what could her condition be like even now as I thought about her.It made me want to look after her but I know it wouldn’t even be easy especially while Wilma was still around to hamper me.I found myself sitting in Jack’s office one afternoon, the faint hum of his coffee machine filling the silence. He was scanning a document, his brow furrowed in concentration. I hesitated for a moment before finally voic
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,”