As soon as I laid eyes on them, a chill ran down my spine, leaving me frozen in place. I was completely unsure of what to do in this moment.They’re headed in my direction, and they look totally wasted."What do we have here?" A man with an unkempt, rustic red beard and scruffy appearance stared at me as if he had just stumbled upon a life-changing jackpot prize.In all honesty, he appeared quite foolish-looking to me. However, what truly terrified me was the presence of the other man by his side. His shaved head was barely thin, and he towered over the redhead guy. With regard to this particular one, there was something about it that caused me to feel both intimidated and nervous. It seemed as though he was looking at me with a desire that was both lustful and malicious inside of him. His gaze lingered on me, taking in every detail, as if he was undressing me with his eyes. It was quite unpleasant, especially considering he wasn't exactly attractive—not that I would have found it a
I needed to get away from here as soon as I could, but how would I even do that now that I appeared to be helpless from these drunkards.“Get your hands off me!” I immediately protested. Yet as I tried to struggle to free myself, the one with red head tightened his grip so that it was almost impossible for me to get away from him any longer.“You’re too loud! It’s so annoying!” The other one complained and he quickly covered my mouth with his filthy hands. I could smell the pungent scent of his palm that made me think if he even touched himself first before using this particular hand to cover half of my face.The stink has made me nearly throw up. I even had to wiggle m
“So, how did you even end up being in that place again?”The policewoman who had been trying to ask me the same question for over nth time was already growing a little impatient, yet I could see that she was still trying her best to understand my situation as her tone has not changed a bit.She was still calm and compassionate, especially whenever she asked me some sensitive questions that I dare not answer.“I came from an event inside the villa.” I uttered.It has been hours due since the nightmare with those drunkards happened. I had called my Aunt Lou, thanks to the cops who lent me their phone righ
“Don’t you know how terrified I was when you called me about what happened?” Aunt Lou instantly told me as the two of us were inside the police station. She even hasn’t at least taken her seat when she began crying for goodness sake. I wasn’t even dead yet. Although I do understand why she would eventually feel that way. As someone who truly cares for me after my parents departed, of course Aunt Lou would really worry about me after learning of the incident a moment ago. Aunt Lou was so furious that she immediately spoke with the policewoman, “I want those two to rot in jail. Do you hear me! What they did to my niece was unforgivable!”“Calm down ma’am. There is a due process for that and we need your cooperation as well.” replied by the policewoman.Her statement has left my aunt in silence. She carefully listened to the words that the policewoman has informed her right after.Following that, my aunt then retrieved me from my seat. Her entire right arm was wrapped around me as sh
“I don’t think I’m getting your point, Marga.” Aunt Lou quickly reacted.I moistened my dried lips before I clarified everything to Aunt Lou once again. “What I meant about that, was that not only I was framed for cheating on my husband. But I was also framed for betraying the whole Montefalco’s after this allegation that I sold off the multi-billion project of the Montefalco’s to the Alforques.”“You did what?” Aunt Lou’s eyes squinted from annoyance. “I didn’t do any of that, Aunt lou. I don’t even know how operations work in their company. Although, Justin indeed tried to intrust the project to me before the accident, but that was the last time I even had the chance to work on it. Following the accident i’ve been through, I never get the chance to be in the office anymore.”“If that’s so then why are you being framed up like this. That allegation is seriously damaging you entirely, Marga. It isn’t right that you just let them do as they please to you when you know for yourself tha
The question made me stare at Aunt Lou for the next moments. “I haven’t.” I honestly told her anyway. There was no sense trying to keep it from her in the first place since she knew that I didn't intend to speak about the child inside me. “I’m glad you didn’t.” She eventually reacted.“You know that I don’t intend to tell them about the baby no matter what. I just don’t think my in-laws, especially my husband, deserve to know the truth about my child.”“I’m glad you knew that. Now what do you plan to do?” Aunt Lou questioned me. And although that would seem to appear like a normal question, it was actually more like Aunt Lou’s way of telling me how she badly wanted me to decide that I should sue the Montefalco’s and to avenge myself against them.However, knowing the Montefalco’s, I would only be wasting my efforts if I were to make that move right now. They have all the riches that they could easily use against me. And surely, the wouldn’t just let someone like me get my way against
THE FOLLOWING DAY. I woke up at the delicious scent of the delicious breakfast she was preparing. I wasn’t even able to go to the bathroom first to have my face washed.Before I knew it, my feet was already able to bring me to the kitchen where Aunt Lou was currently busy toasting, frying and even making sure that the stew she was preparing were all good.It made me wonder what could be the occasion why my aunt was suddenly preparing something that was not only smell delicious but also feels like mouth-watering. “What’s the celebration for? You seemed to have prepared too much.” I went on to react the moment I saw the dinning table with quite a variation of dishes laid upon it. It surprised me really, because from what I could recall. Aunt Lou’s husband and two daughters were away in Vancouver where her sister-in-law was based. Her husband was relocated there due to work.Aunt Lou believed it would be more practical if she would just send her two daughters with their father in Vanco
“Do you really still have to go?” Aunt Lou asked for the nth time as I make my out her house. As soon as she told me about what happened to grandma, I immediately rush to get ready so that I could go and check on grandma. Aunt Lou was kind enough to inform me where Grandma was rushed today.“Aunt Lou, Grandma is different from all of them. She has been very good to me throughout my stay there.” I turned around to explain. And yet, the way that Aunt Lou looked at me says that she was not realy convinced. “If that is the case, then why didn’t she believed you?”Of course, Aunt Lou has a point. If my statement was truly factual, then grandma would have believed me first more than those framed up things that ruined my name towards the Montefalco’s.Suddenly, it made recall grandma during that night when I gave her those cookies she so longed to have. It reminded her of her late husband who worked so hard to become successful.“Grandma reacted the way someone who has been betrayed by the
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