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
Panic instantly coursed through my entire body. Regina was still trying to check on her phone about some messages that she seemed stressed to respond that she didn’t seem to bother that the elevator had already opened. Before she could even lift her head up and see me, I don’t even know why but a mysterious hand rapidly pulled me to the side and saved me from getting caught.My eyes followed Regina’s movement until she headed her way out of the lobby’s entrance.Following that, my eyes quickly turn to the side and found no other than Aunt Lou’s secretary Janine.“Good gracious, Janine. You scared me, but you know what, thank you for saving me back there.” I immediately told her after puffing out the excess air out of my lungs. I was relieved, really. Knowing that my encounter with Regina was too closer for her to finding out that I was actually here. “I saw you stammering before the elevator like you’re not on your senses. I knew I had to make some actions.” Janine immediately ex
The days that followed were peaceful but filled with an undercurrent of anticipation. I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something I needed to do—something unfinished. It had been haunting me for weeks, but now, with Justin’s shadow gone and Leon by my side, I knew it was time.“Leon,” I began one quiet evening, as we sat by the fire. He looked up from the book he was reading, his dark eyes softening the moment they met mine.“What is it?” he asked, setting the book aside.I hesitated, my fingers playing with the hem of my sweater. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”He frowned slightly, confusion flickering across his face. “Who?”“You’ll see,” I said, standing and holding out my hand. “Come with me.”Without hesitation, Leon took my hand, his trust in me unwavering. I led him out to the car, the cool night air brushing against us as we drove into town. The roads were quiet, the streetlights casting long shadows that danced as we passed.We arrived at a small park just out
The clock struck midnight as I arrived at the abandoned warehouse, the location Justin had specified. The air was damp and heavy, the only sounds the distant hum of the city and my own racing heartbeat. I had slipped away from Helena, leaving behind a note promising to be careful, though I knew she wouldn’t forgive me for this reckless decision.The large metal doors creaked as I pushed them open, revealing a dimly lit interior. In the center of the room stood Justin, flanked by two of his men. Behind them, Leon was tied to a chair, his face battered but his eyes sharp and alert. The sight of him sent a wave of relief and fury crashing over me.“Well, well,” Justin drawled, his smirk as cruel as ever. “The damsel arrives. Punctual, I must say.”“Let him go,” I demanded, stepping forward despite the fear coursing through me. “I’m here, just like you wanted. This ends tonight.”“Oh, it will,” Justin replied, pulling a knife from his pocket and twirling it lazily. “But not the way you th
My heart froze as his words sank in. He wasn’t just after Leon—he wanted me. Before anyone could react, Justin’s men stormed in, their presence throwing the room into chaos. Leon moved like lightning, tackling one of them as William engaged another.Helena appeared in the doorway, clutching a laptop. “We’ve got the files uploaded!” she shouted. “But we need to move now!”Leon turned to me, his expression desperate. “Go with Helena. I’ll find you.”“No!” I cried, panic gripping me. “I’m not leaving you behind!”Justin’s voice cut through the chaos like a blade. “Run all you want, Margarette, but you can’t hide. I always get what I want.”Leon’s fist connected with Justin’s jaw in a blur of motion, sending him staggering back. “You’ll never touch her,” Leon snarled, his voice venomous.Helena grabbed my arm, pulling me toward the back exit. “Come on!” she urged. “We don’t have time!”I hesitated, torn between fleeing and staying to fight. Leon’s gaze met mine, and in that split second,
The ominous text on my phone screen felt like a knife twisting in my chest. My fingers trembled as I stared at the words, the weight of the decision Justin was forcing on me suffocating. Choose wisely? What did he mean? What was the game he was playing now?I bolted upright and paced the room, my breaths shallow as panic clawed at the edges of my composure. Every fiber of my being screamed that this wasn’t just about me anymore—it never had been. Justin was a master manipulator, and his threat wasn’t idle.A soft knock at the door snapped me out of my spiral. I opened it to find Leon standing there, his disheveled appearance and the dark circles under his eyes a stark contrast to his usual confidence. He didn’t say anything, just stepped inside and closed the door behind him.“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice low and steady, but his eyes sharp as they searched mine.I hesitated, clutching my phone tightly. “It’s Justin,” I finally said, showing him the message.Leon’s expression dar
Back at Leon’s secluded estate, the air was heavy with tension. The security team was doubled, every window and door meticulously checked and locked. Leon’s protective streak was in full force, and I could see the weight of the situation bearing down on him.“Here,” he said, handing me a glass of water as we sat in his study. The room, usually a place of calm and strategy, now felt like a fortress under siege.“Thank you,” I murmured, taking the glass. I watched him pace, his movements restless and charged. “Leon…”He stopped, turning to face me. His dark eyes held a mix of anger, worry, and something else—something deeper that he rarely let surface. “You don’t have to thank me, Margarette. Protecting you isn’t a favor. It’s what I’m supposed to do.”“But this isn’t just about me,” I said, standing to face him. “Justin’s targeting everyone I care about. You, my family, even William and Helena—he won’t stop until he gets what he wants.”Leon stepped closer, his presence grounding me. “
The room fell into a tense silence, the weight of William’s words hitting me like a freight train. My family. Justin was targeting my family. The thought sent a jolt of fear and fury through me, my heart pounding in my chest.Leon’s face hardened, his jaw clenched as he stepped closer to William. “What does the message say?” His voice was low and deadly, carrying an unspoken promise of retribution.William handed over his phone, his expression grim. Leon read the message aloud, each word slicing through the air like a knife.“If you want to keep Margarette’s loved ones safe, you’ll stop meddling. The clock is ticking.”I felt my knees weaken, but I forced myself to stay upright. My mind raced, trying to process the implications of Justin’s threat. My parents. My sister. Everyone I cared about. They were all in danger because of me.“Margarette,” Leon said softly, his tone a stark contrast to the storm brewing in his eyes. He reached out, his hand steady and warm on my shoulder. “We’ll
The morning light was deceptive in its warmth, casting a golden hue over the chaos that still swirled within me. Justin’s voice echoed in my mind, his words a cruel reminder that peace was nothing more than a fleeting illusion.I sat on the edge of Leon’s bed, watching his chest rise and fall in steady rhythm. He was still asleep, his face pale and bruised, but there was a tranquility in his expression that eased some of the tension coiled within me.Alexa was safe for now, resting in a secure room down the hall, with Helena standing guard. William had left to oversee the cleanup of the warehouse, ensuring no trace of our presence remained.But even surrounded by Leon’s team and their precautions, the weight of Justin’s threat pressed heavily on my chest.A soft groan pulled my attention back to Leon as his eyes fluttered open. For a moment, his gaze was unfocused, but when it landed on me, a faint smile curved his lips.“You stayed,” he murmured, his voice gravelly but warm.“Of cour
The world seemed to slow as the metal beneath us groaned, then gave a horrifying screech as it collapsed. I felt weightless for a split second before gravity yanked us downward. My arms tightened around Alexa, a scream tearing from my throat as the ground rushed toward us.A blur of movement shot out from below—Leon, running faster than I thought humanly possible. His arms stretched upward, and for a moment, I thought he’d catch us.The impact never came. Instead, we crashed into a tangled net just a few feet above the machinery below. My chest heaved as I struggled to catch my breath, adrenaline surging through me.“Margarette!” Leon’s voice was raw as he climbed onto the platform beneath us, his hands gripping the net tightly. “Are you hurt?”“I’m fine,” I choked out, clutching Alexa, who was still semi-conscious. “Get her first!”Leon’s jaw clenched, his eyes scanning the precariously swaying net. He reached up and carefully pulled Alexa down, cradling her like she weighed nothing.
William limped into the room, his face pale but his resolve intact. “What’s going on?” he asked, his voice tinged with pain.Leon handed him the phone without a word. William’s expression darkened as he took in the image and the accompanying threat. “We need to act fast. They’re escalating.”Helena nodded. “I’ll get the team ready. We’ll need every resource we’ve got to track her location.”“I’m going with you,” I said, my voice firm despite the tears welling in my eyes.“No, Margarette.” Leon’s tone left no room for argument, but I wasn’t going to back down.“I’m not staying behind while Alexa is out there,” I said, my voice rising. “She needs me.”“She needs you alive,” Leon snapped, his frustration boiling over. “You can’t help her if you’re dead.”The room fell silent, the tension between us thick enough to cut with a knife. William stepped forward, his gaze flickering between Leon and me. “She has a point, Leon. She knows Alexa better than anyone. She might pick up on something w