"Mother, what nonsense are you even talking about?" I immediately uttered to my mother so Andt she may refrain from inquiring further.As she was in the middle of trying to come up with a wave of her baseless accusations, i then added, "I instructed Regina to take this documents for me, mother. there's nothing to worry about here." I was hoping those answers would be enough to persuade my mother. However, it would seem that she happened to be not quite done just yet."Oh really, son? Then why Regina of all people?" And here she goes again with that attitude of hers towards Regina."Mother, we're not going to argue on this matter again, aren't we?" I reitarated. The path from which this conversation was leading to has been giving me the irritation I couldn't fully express knowing it was my mother who was testing me."Son, all that I'm concerned about is the company and its assets. You know I don't trust Regina, and so does your grandma. Just what do you think she would tell you once
[ MARGARETTE’S POV ]The process of my healing wasn’t that easy but I had Justin to always look after me. Without my husband to take care of me, I couldn’t even begin to imagine how I would have survived the past few weeks.Although if there was anything that I regret up to this very moment, perhaps it was the fact that I still couldn’t recall the few fragments of what took place prior to my accident. For some reason, it always remains blank whenever I try to recall what happened back then.It surely feels a bit scary when a horrible incident from your past becomes a mystery on how you were able to get through that.“Marga? Are you ready? We still need to see grandma today before we meet with the caterer.” Justin eventually reminded me of the appointment we needed to do for the day.Grandma’s eighth birthday shall be coming up in a few week’s time. Justin volunteered to prepare for the caterer on grandma’s huge celebration. And as his wife, I simply couldn’t just stand idly by. I also
As Justin and I concluded our errands for today, the two of us came to the decision to drop by at our favorite restaurant. It was just like yesterday, when I remember having an argument with Justin here because of Regina. However, things must have changed now because of Regina. Right now, I was under the impression that Regina could really be out of the picture.I didn’t have any idea whether what I believed was even true, however, I haven’t really seen Regina lately, so it gives me the impression that Justin may have actually discarded his mistress.Although when I tried to ponder it, I still had a few doubts that I was only fooling myself. I know that Justin couldn’t easily forget the woman he truly loves. He may have become more caring for me, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he could instantly remove Regina from his life.I have never seen Justin take a moment to be away from me since the accident. Which was why I suddenly came to the conclusion that he may have actually discard
Regina’s words left me raising a brow at her as my two hands were clutched together. “The nerve of you to even call me a whore when you’re the one who was trying to ruin my marriage with Justin.” I retorted, not trying to let someone like her intimidate me.Regina finally return the watch she has on her hand and this time, and it caused me to look at that item I was eyeing to purchase since earlier.“Did you really just come here to display your filthy behavior?” Regina even added, it brought me to become more irritated at her that I found myself almost wanting to slap her for her chosen words.However, I was not really in the mood to pick up on her ways to provoke me. Not today.I came into this shop with the sole intent of purchasing a watch I’ve seen earlier. It was a watch that I intended to buy for Grandma’s birthday present. When I saw Regina holding the limited edition watch, it made me feel somewhat intimidated. Like I really wanted to get that first. I don’t know if it was
I could not shake off the haunting feeling of what Regina shared with me at the boutique earlier. It had been lingering with me all the way back home. I could not even enjoy my shopping earlier because all I could think about was what Regina said.It made me suddenly wonder if what she was particularly telling me earlier today was still about the watch or if it already meant something else. And for some reason, Justin was the first name that popped into my head at that moment."Naturally, it was my husband she had her sights set on from the very start." I could not believe how much time I spent pondering over it—almost the entire afternoon. If only I had known earlier, I could have given Regina a taste of her own medicine. She should be grateful that I let it go without even realizing it.‘Margarette? What are you talking about just now? Who’s aiming for whom?’ Aunt Lou immediately said from the other end of the line.I was so lost in my own thoughts, replaying my encounter with Regin
My heart race from horror as I thought about what would become of grandma. After seeing her lying unconscious on the floor, my reflexes urged me to call for help. Emergency hotlines were faster to save grandma after I shouted to the maids to call for help. They were able to provide immediate response to Grandma. “Margarette…” Grandma’s voice sounded too low that I almost didn’t hear her whispering for my name. An oxygen mask was still clinging against her lower face enabling to help her breathe.What seemed to have happened to grandma was a series of asthmatic attract. It would appear that her personal nurse took a break believe that grandma wouldn’t be up from her afternoon nap until it’s dinner time.Not knowing that grandma was already up early because she forgot to take her inhaler. But since walking for too long was making grandma too tired, it was impossible for her to grab the inhaler at the wall cabinet where most of her maintenance medicines were stored.“I’m right here, Gr
“Mother? Why did you have to slap me?” I eventually asked her while my hand voluntarily pressed my swollen cheek. I could feel my skin vibrating from the impact of Justin’s mother’s action.It was physically painful, but what was more hurting for me was the fact that my own mother-in-law would eventually raise her hand at me. And I don’t even have any single clue why she would even do this time.It was not until she finally speaks again, “You did this to my mother! You didn’t even dare call us right away, had it been for the maids, we wouldn’t even know.” She screamed at my face.It was the first time that mother had acted like that. It was even too petty, although it was a shortcoming of mine that I was unable to call them right away. “Mother, it was an emergency. I had to call for the medics right away to be certain that grandma could be saved right away. If I failed to inform you immediately, please understand that it was because I had to watch over grandma.” I reasoned, hoping th
Over a day had passed and here I am trying to sulk from the time that time when I learned that Justin still have feelings for Regina. And It hurt so much having to hear that from him directly. I had always believe that since the accident, Justin would eventually change the way he feels for me. However, I was wrong to think that someone like my husband was even capable of loving me truly.The way he treated the past few weeks were only result of his pity over what happened to me. I was naive to think that Justin had already changed. Perhaps I was wrong again.“I hope you’re not forgetting to eat, dear. You look so pale that I am getting worried about you and the child inside of you.” Aunt Lou eventually took my moment of thinking.Apparently, after telling her that I miss her, Aunt Lou insisted to take me out for dinner. Since Justin and I had this argument, we still really haven’t talk about it. The longer this cold treatment between us occurs, all the more that I get this strong fee
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,”