I had to forcibly pull my arm off from my mother-in-law’s grip as I replied, “There’s no need for you to brush that off to my face, mother. Again, don’t you think it’s unnecessary that you’re doing this to me while everybody might be staring at us?”
With a brief moment, I quickly pulled away my arm enough to make her let go of me.
“You should be grateful that there was a party going on,” Mother pressed on me. Her voice was trying to contain the animosity she has for me. She doesn’t have to directly tell it, it was already too obvious with her words.
“I’m sorry, mother.” Was then the only words I could say. Unfortunately, t
I longed to release a piercing scream, to confront my mother-in-law and expose her outrageous behavior. Yet, I found myself unable to do so, for the garden was filled with countless guests who would bear witness to my outburst. She could still find reasons to scold me for being a failure if I had truly done something wrong, but my intentions were pure when it came to those cookies.“Weren’t you aware of what you just did, mother?” I finally couldn’t help myself from telling her. I can not help but feel that my mother-in-law has taken things to a whole new level this time."And you are really going to go against me?" Mother gave me a stern look, clearly indicating that she did not want me to go against her.
I had all the reasons to laugh, but I tried hard not to.At this point, it would seem that the table had just reversed and my mother-in-law was the one who was getting roasted from trying to overstep her role. “What’s wrong, Wilma? Did the cat get your tongue?” grandma pressed on her and I could see that Wilma was really starting to get so pissed by the way that grandma has been giving her the same dose of her own medicine.I badly wanted to tell her how she deserved it. yet, I simply couldn't just indulge myself with this knowing my mother-in-law would eventually retaliate later on.It wasn't something I needed to be surprised of. My mother-in-law would for sure do that, regardless."Mother, I hope you're not trying to humiliate me in front of everyone." Wilma bravely said She was quick to retaliate. I suppose she wasn't a lawyer for nothing. However, even with her legal degree, she still had no match against grandma,of course.Grandma simply grin at her in a mischievous way as sh
“What is the meaning of this?” I screamed at the top of my lungs witnessing the infidelity of my husband right before my eyes.Justin could no longer justify himself for this act because what I've just witnessed could never get me wrong.“Marga, let me explain.” Justin began to speak to me, trying to explain his side of the story.Out of the fury I had been mustering up until now, I immediately raise my hand and flew it towards Justin’s face. My force was too intense that my hand left a red mark on his face.“You have nothing to explain. That’s not something you can explain.” I screamed at his fac
My body stood frozen as though I had been turned into a sculpture of ice.In an instance, everyone looked at my direction while the last projection screen in front of everyone continued to flash those scandalous images that depict a so-called image of me with another man.The worst part of it all was that I didn't even know that man.I was completely clueless while everyone looked at me with such disgust. "That's...that's not true." my head shaking as I screamed my protest against what was on the screen. "I don't know anything about those photos."Yet, to my horror, Justin suddenly pulled me by the elbow to face him. "You dare come clean and yet, you are much worse than a hoe for hiding this all this time."Justin was obviously furious after witnessing those farce photos of me with another man entering a motel."There was no truth about that, Justin. believe me." I quickly denied accepting that accusation
My eyes grew wide in horror upon hearing that from my very own husband. I simply could not believe how it was just as easy for him to actually speak about wanting to divorce me in public.I understand that the fake photo from the projection could possibly have triggered him to actually say it, but if he truly valued me, at the very least, Justin wouldn’t even come to think about saying that to me.He wouldn’t possibly come to the conclusion of wanting to divorce me at all.“So does this mean that you’ll just completely ignore three years, Justin? Three years of our marriage just because you believe that i was the one one that stupid fake photo?” I quickly protested once more. At the very least, I still wanted to continue fighting for what I want—and that was for Justin to to believe me more than all the rest of the people surrounding us now. It was like a earnest desire that I thirst right now despite knowing that everything was at the brink of total failure.Justin just released my
As I waited for Justin’s response, I was then shocked out of the blue when all of a sudden, my mother-in-law suddenly emerged out of nowhere to slap me on my face.“You wench! I knew that you’re no good for my son the moment mother has chosen you to become my son’s wife!” She uttered with great rage. It was so intense that her slap left my cheek quickly swollen.“Mother, I am completely innocent of all these false accusations.”“There were no accusations because it’s the truth. You can’t possibly deny solid evidence now, Marga. And could you stop calling me mother? You are no child of mine.”Her words cut deeper than the slap, stripping
In that instance, Justin quickly pulled me in and gripped into my shoulders once more. His face was fuming with rage at the revelation he had learned.“Tell me you didn’t do that?” Justin’s voice was toned down for some reason. And yet, I could feel every seething fury in each of those words.There was silence that caused me to be like this for the next few moments. I don’t particularly remember being active about the project and yet, they had the audacity to accuse me of selling the project to the Alforques.“Why would I even do that, huh? I don’t even know the Alforques.” I quietly uttered, as I was trying to conform with the way that Justin spoke to me.
It was like even the clouded darkness of the night connived with the dark moments of my life. I had not only been accused for something farce, but here I was dumped and thrown away like a stray cat.At this point, I really wanted to go back and beg for Justin however, seeing how the security has tighten to prevent me from getting through, I supposed trying to get inside would be impossible.“If I were you, I’d leave.” Claude immediately stated, breaking my moment looking from the party inside as I look at his direction.“Were those my things?” I pointed at the luggage that was rested beside him. “You seemed to be prepared that this will eventually happened. Which was why you already had my things prepared, huh?” “The moment I saw what you did with the project, miss Marga, I already had a hunch that you’ll eventually be evicted from this family. And it was not because I already had it prepared.”“And you seriously think I would believe that lies?” “I don’t know with you, miss Marga,
Nathan Calloway had always exuded a quiet menace, the kind that made people instinctively lower their gaze and step aside. But today, he didn’t bother with subtlety. He stood in my path like a hunter savoring his victory, his dark suit crisp, his expression one of smug satisfaction.“Margarette,” he said smoothly, like we were old friends. “Going somewhere?”I clenched my fists at my sides, forcing myself to keep my expression neutral. My heart was pounding, but I couldn’t let him see my fear.“I was just leaving,” I said, stepping sideways.He moved with me, blocking my way. Behind him, two of his men stood by the black car, watching. Waiting.“Now, now,” Nathan murmured, tilting his head. “Let’s not make this difficult. We both know how this ends.”A cold rush of adrenaline flooded my veins. I could fight. I could run. But neither would get me far.Leon’s voice came through my earpiece, low and urgent. “Margarette, I’m coming. Stall.”I swallowed. “If you know everything, why are yo
Elise Grant was a woman born into privilege, but privilege came with its own kind of chains. She had spent her life learning how to play the game, but now she was realizing that the rules had changed—and I was the one rewriting them.I watched her disappear into the fog, but I knew she wouldn't be able to walk away from this. Not entirely. People like Elise didn’t just sit back and watch their world collapse—they fought, even when they didn’t know who the real enemy was yet.Leon let out a quiet sigh, his fingers flexing against his side. "She’s going to struggle with this."Dorian smirked. "Good. People make the best decisions when they think they don’t have any other choice."I pulled my coat tighter around me. The air was damp, the salty ocean breeze mixing with the lingering scent of gasoline from the fishing boats docked nearby. "She’s going to reach out again soon."Leon’s gaze flicked to me. "How can you be so sure?""Because she’s smart," I said simply. "And because she’s terr
The wind whipped through my hair as I watched Elise disappear into the night. A thrill ran through me, a mix of victory and anticipation. She had taken the bait, but we weren’t in the clear yet. Not by a long shot.Leon and Dorian flanked me, their expressions unreadable. The three of us stood in silence for a beat, the ocean waves crashing against the wooden pier below us.“She’s scared,” Dorian finally muttered, lighting a cigarette. The flame illuminated his sharp features for a moment before fading into the night. “Which is good. Fear makes people predictable.”Leon’s gaze remained fixed on the path Elise had taken. His jaw clenched, his thoughts miles ahead of us. “Fear also makes people desperate.”I turned to him. “You think she’ll run to her father?”He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he shifted his stance, slipping his hands into the pockets of his coat. “Not immediately. She’s smart enough to know that if she tips him off too soon, she’s collateral damage.”I nodded. “The
The moment Elise Grant’s fingers touched mine, I knew I had her attention. She was a woman who played in circles of power, who measured every interaction with precision. A single misstep could cost her everything.I held onto her hand for just a fraction longer than necessary, letting the weight of my words settle between us. Then, with a small, knowing smile, I withdrew, lifting my champagne flute to my lips.“Margarette,” Elise repeated, as if testing how my name felt on her tongue. “I don’t believe I’ve heard of you before.”I chuckled softly. “That’s the point, isn’t it?”Elise tilted her head, intrigued but guarded. “And what exactly do you do, Margarette?”I swirled the champagne in my glass, watching the golden bubbles rise to the surface. “I help people see things they’ve overlooked.” I lifted my eyes to hers. “Or things they’ve been kept from seeing.”Her smile didn’t waver, but something in her gaze sharpened. “That sounds dangerously close to a threat.”“Not a threat.” I to
The black SUV moved through the city under the cover of darkness, the tension inside as thick as the fog rolling in from the harbor. I sat in the passenger seat, my fingers drumming against my thigh, my gaze fixed on the glittering skyline ahead. Leon drove in silence, his grip tight on the wheel, while Dorian lounged in the backseat, casually checking his watch as if we weren’t about to walk into one of the most dangerous plays of our lives.“Elise Grant won’t be easy to approach,” Dorian mused, breaking the silence. “She’s got bodyguards, a strict schedule, and enough privilege to think she’s untouchable.”“That’s what makes her blind to threats,” Leon countered. “She’s never had a reason to look over her shoulder.”I exhaled slowly, my mind racing through the details of the plan. Elise would be attending a charity gala tonight, hosted at a high-end hotel owned by one of her father’s associates. It was the perfect opportunity to get close, to plant the seeds of doubt in her mind. Th
The cabin felt smaller now. Maybe it was the presence of this new stranger, or maybe it was the way my nerves coiled tighter with every passing second. Either way, the moment Dorian stepped inside, I felt it—the shift in the air.I gripped the revolver tighter, even as I pushed the door shut.Leon emerged from the hallway, still holding his phone, his dark eyes sharp as they flickered between me and Dorian. He didn’t look surprised. If anything, he looked… resigned."Dorian." Leon’s voice was clipped. "You took your time."The stranger—Dorian—chuckled, running a hand through his dark hair. "Traffic," he said, as if that explained everything. His green eyes met mine again, studying me with a mix of curiosity and something I couldn’t quite name.I didn’t trust him."You’re staring," I said flatly, not bothering to hide the irritation in my voice.Dorian grinned, unbothered. "Just making sure you’re as sharp as Leon said.""Flattery isn’t going to make me lower the gun."Leon exhaled, pi
The car ride was silent except for the occasional hum of the tires against the pavement. Lillian sat in the driver’s seat, her hands steady on the wheel, eyes flicking between the road ahead and the rearview mirror. Every so often, I followed her gaze, expecting to catch sight of a shadow trailing behind us.Nothing.Yet the unease in my chest refused to settle.Leon had sent one of his private drivers to pick us up outside of town, just past the tree-lined outskirts where the city lights faded into darkness. The safe house was in an undisclosed location—secluded, heavily secured, and supposedly impenetrable. But after everything that had happened, I wasn’t sure I could believe in impenetrable anymore.Aunt Lou had been hesitant to let me go, but she knew staying behind was too dangerous. Uncle George had slipped a small revolver into my bag before I left, whispering instructions in a firm voice I had never heard from him before."Use it if you have to. Don’t hesitate."Now, as the he
i sat in the dimly lit room, my fingers trembling slightly as I clutched the warm cup of tea Aunt Lou had prepared for me. The fragrant steam curled upward, but even the soothing aroma couldn’t quiet the storm raging in my mind.No matter how tightly I wrapped myself in the comfort of my aunt’s presence, my thoughts remained restless, tangled with fear and uncertainty. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the same thing—Leon, his jaw tight with determination, refusing to back down no matter the danger. His need to uncover the truth had set us on a treacherous path, and with Alexa hidden away for her safety, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong.Sleep had been a distant dream for the past few nights. Every creak of the house, every gust of wind against the window, sent my heart racing. I knew I was being watched. Maybe not now, in this moment, but somewhere out there, someone’s eyes were on me.A soft knock at the door shattered my thoughts.Aunt Lou
The room remained silent for a moment, heavy with the weight of what Lillian had just revealed. My mind raced, processing the implications of the forged document. Justin wasn’t just trying to intimidate me—he was trying to erase my claim entirely, to make it look like I had given up willingly.I clenched my fists, my pulse pounding in my ears. “How did you get this?” I asked, my voice steadier than I felt.Lillian exhaled sharply, pulling out a USB drive from her pocket and placing it on the table. “An informant within Justin’s circle leaked these to me. They overheard him discussing his next steps—he’s preparing to launder the stolen assets and shift everything offshore. If we don’t act now, your parents’ properties will be out of reach forever.”Uncle George muttered another curse under his breath. Aunt Lou, pale and shaken, placed a protective hand over mine. “What do we do now?” she asked, looking at me as if I had the answers.I swallowed hard, then turned to Lillian. “Do we have