[ MARGA’S POV ]Aunt Lou has done everything she could to make sure that she has enough test result.“Well the fetus inside you is miraculously doing fine even after the bleeding incident. Anyways, I’m going to prescribe some medicine you needed to take to avoid miscarriage. And please, try not to overstress yourself or even go about making yourself working physically.” Aunt Lou’s words once more caused me to remain silent.I knew that whenever she talks like that, especially the professional way, I knew that I must take it seriously. Knowing my aunt, it really doesn’t sit well with her whenever someone doesn’t pay any attention to the details she was discussing.I mean, I believe everyone else would find it annoying, but my aunt would really behave more stressed about it. Like she would really pressed it on me so that I would eventually understand.“Are you even listening to me, Marga?” And now, it what I was just talking about now happened to befall on me instead. “Of course,” I an
“That could only be done by the Montefalco’s. I wouldn’t doubt that.” I instantly said that broke the short seconds silence that occurred between me and my aunt the moment we heard the report of her secretary.Aunt Lou’s left brow arched up and then she swiftly asked, “Why? Did your mother-in-law saw you upstairs?” I shook my head. “No. Dr. Kanishk hid me outside the suite room and she was the one who talked with Mother.” I told her the truth.“Then if that’s the case, how was it that the Montefalco’s suddenly wanted to take those CCTv footage as if they wanted to find out you really went to visit your grandmother-in-law today?” Aunt Lou’s question was also a puzzle to me.“I honestly don’t have any idea, Aunt Lou. but I am very much certain that my mother–in-law didn’t see me.” I stood firm with my answer. It was the truth anyway. Besides, at a time like this, I don’t see any point for me to make any lie.Aunt Lou suddenly took her seat back and rested her forehead on her fingers as
I was left with the feeling that I should actually feel bothered that my Aunt would have to feel responsible of something for desire to see grandma.“You know what, you should’t worry about it. I’ll handle things from here.” Aunt Lou eventually said right after which then again worsen the feeling of guilt that I have.I only wish that it would be that easy for me to actually resolve everything for her. Thing wouldn’t have gone worst like this if I had not pursue coming to see grandma today.“Aunt Lou—” but before I could even begin to tell her what I wish to say, Aunt Lou was quick to tell me to leave.“I said, it will be alright from this point. I’m sure the IT department could figure out something out of the blue.” Even I was not really at ease with her statement. It was like there was a huge thing behind it that was totally off and despite knowing it already, Aunt Lou just remain to be steadfast about trying to keep it from me. Following that, she hurried pushed me towards the do
“Aunt Lou?” I tried to repeat myself again as my query seemed to have gotten her a little stunned. “Oh, yeah, right. About that, well, the IT department was able to resolve it. They successfully blocked the hackers right before they could fully breach into the digital archive.” She quickly answered, and although she was quick to tell me that, I was still unconvinced.I just didn’t want to continouosly press more on the details since knowing my aunt, she would only have something to tell me that would block me from stressing her about it.“On the other hand,” she swiftly said, adding to her statement a moment ago. “Why haven’t you taken your medicines? I adviced my secretary to have these brought home with you so that you could take them at the right time, didn’t I told you that earlier?” Aunt Lou now turned into the strict aunt mode that she was whenever she talks about errands or instructions that were not done accordingly. And as for my stubborness to drink my medicines on time,
Since the Montefalco's party, it seemed like the week flew by in the blink of an eye. But during that time, I could not shake the worry about what might have happened to grandma. I could not help but worry about her well-being, but Aunt Lou was adamant about keeping me confined to the house.I had been eagerly awaiting the moment when my aunt Lou would finally depart for her duties, allowing me the perfect opportunity to slip away unnoticed. However, to my dismay, the hours had ticked by since the early morning, and Aunt Lou was still engrossed in her beloved garden in the backyard."Are you not going to your clinic today?" As soon as I emerged, I eagerly greeted her, eager to see her latest masterpiece in the garden.I must admit, they are truly wonderful. It is quite a delightful surprise to discover that my aunt possesses a knack for gardening as well. She excelled at creating charming little scenes beneath her rustic wooden fences."Is it Saturday today?" she asked, her voice fill
It had slipped my mind just how much time it took for me to transition from my cozy pajamas to a lovely, comfortable outfit in order to help Aunt Lou at the grocery store. I was taken aback when I realized that Aunt Lou had already finished changing and taking a bath, and she did it much more swiftly than I ever could. As I descended the stairs, a wave of surprise washed over me. There she was, perched on the cream sofa chair by the door, engrossed in her phone. Our eyes met as she noticed my presence.“Are you good to go?” she asked while wearing a very bubbly expression.What she didn’t know that it instantly made me feel somewhat awkward knowing that I may have actually made her wait for me for minutes or hours I couldn’t even remember how long. "Did I keep you waiting for so long, Aunt Lou?" I asked, my voice filled with concern. Deep down, I feared that I had indeed made a mistake. And knowing my aunt's nature, I knew she would inevitably refuse to acknowledge the truth."No, d
My blood seriously boils seeing them hand in hand like a loving couple. What does my ex-husband really take me for? He was obviously the one cheating on me and I remain quiet about it all these years. And yet now, it was like slapping me multiple times seeing how they look so lovey-dovey.A single tear was trying to escape from the corner of my left eye, but I immediately had to wipe it off just in time when I witnessed Regina finally turning her eyes in my direction.What just added more to my fury was the fact that she didn’t even seem surprised or flustered that I was there seeing the two of them. She pretended not to see me as she made a quick devious smirk.“Honey, I forgot about the bread, would you get it for me.” Regina told Justin and even addressed him as honey.How dare the two of them publicly display their affair when the divorce agreement between me and Justin had not been settled yet. As soon as Justin left to get the errand that Regina had asked of him, Regina pushed
Justin abruptly threw out my hand in the air as he let go of my wrist. There came a short awkward silence that was filled with tension as the next few moment was all about me and Justin exchanging glances that were full of hatred and annoyance.Never had I imagine that a day would come that the two of us would eventually become like this as though we had never been husband and wife. “Not only did you publicly display your mistress, but you even dare mistreat your wife in public for the sake of her.” I eventually said, breaking the silence that rendered me and Justin a moment ago.“Damn that statement, Marga. It was you who cheated on me and now you are coming clean trying to spit on me, something I could never do!” I scoff. His statement just made me want to feel like my stomach twisted that I couldn’t help but laugh it out. “What was so damn funny about it, huh?” Justin promptly said.“The funny thing? Oh no, it was not a thing, but who. Because it was you who was funny, Justin.
The room felt heavier now, as if the ghosts of the past had never truly left. My father’s study had once been a place of quiet authority, filled with the scent of polished wood and old books. Now, it was chaos—a graveyard of secrets waiting to be unearthed.Leon and Dorian moved swiftly, sifting through papers, searching for anything that might explain my father’s connection to Elise’s father. But my hands trembled as I flipped through the documents.My father’s handwriting stared back at me in sharp, deliberate strokes.Project Haven—Initiated 20 years agoI frowned. “Project Haven?”Leon peered over my shoulder. “That name mean anything to you?”I shook my head, but something about it felt... familiar. Like a memory I had brushed against in passing but never grasped fully.Dorian pulled a dust-covered filing box from beneath the desk. “We’ve got more.” He popped the latch and revealed stacks of old documents, some stamped with red ink.CONFIDENTIAL.I swallowed hard as I pulled out
The weight of the locket in my palm was heavier than I remembered. The last time I had seen it, I was a child—too young to understand the depth of what had been stolen from me. And now, years later, it had resurfaced in the hands of a man who had every reason to use it against me.Leon’s grip on my knees tightened. “We need to figure out why he has this.”I nodded, but my thoughts were elsewhere, tangled in memories I had buried long ago. My parents. Their deaths. The accident—or what I had been told was an accident.I took a shaky breath. “This locket... it was my mother’s. She gave it to me the day before she died.” My voice wavered. “When they found me after the accident, it was gone.”Leon’s eyes darkened. “Someone took it.”“Not just someone,” I whispered. “Elise’s father.”Dorian entered the room, his usual calm demeanor slightly frayed. “I just got word. Elise’s father left town hours ago. Whatever game he’s playing, he planned this move in advance.”Leon cursed under his breat
The moment we arrived at Leon’s safe house, a heavy silence settled between us. The tension in the air was suffocating, thick with unspoken fears and the weight of what we had just learned. Alexa was gone. And Elise's father—the man who had been a phantom in the shadows of our problems—had finally made his move.I paced the length of the dimly lit living room, arms crossed over my chest. My mind raced, trying to piece together the possibilities of where Alexa could be and what they might be doing to her. Dorian stood near the window, his sharp eyes scanning the darkness beyond, while Leon leaned against the wall, his jaw locked tight.“We need to move,” I said, breaking the silence. My voice came out steadier than I expected, but my hands were trembling. “Every second we waste, Alexa could be—” I cut myself off before finishing the thought. I refused to let fear paralyze me.Leon pushed off the wall, his expression unreadable. “Dorian already has our people searching the perimeter of
The city swallowed us whole the moment we stepped out of the car. Anacortes was the same—steel and stone, sharp edges and dark alleys—but I felt it in my bones. Something had changed. Or maybe it was just me.I wasn’t the same woman who had left this place behind. I wasn’t the same woman who had fallen in love in this city, built a life here, and thought she could outrun the ghosts waiting in the shadows. I had returned, but not as a victim. Not as the woman Elise’s father had once underestimated. No, this time, I was ready for war.Leon moved beside me, his presence solid, his energy coiled like a predator waiting to strike. He was on edge too. We all were.“Dorian.” Leon’s voice was low, sharp. “What do we know about Elise’s father’s movements?”Dorian’s fingers danced over his phone screen, his brow furrowing. “He’s been careful, but not careful enough. There’s been an increase in high-profile meetings in the city—business moguls, politicians, even a few well-dressed criminals. He’
The moment we stepped into the house, I could feel the tension in the air. Every shadow felt like a threat, every silence too loud. Leon locked the door behind us, and Dorian immediately pulled the curtains shut, moving with a precision that told me he’d done this before. I was no stranger to fear, but tonight, it pressed against my skin like a second layer.Elise’s father was behind this. I could feel it in my bones. And that terrified me more than anything.Leon paced near the fireplace, his face locked in a storm of controlled fury. Dorian sat at the table, his fingers moving across the keyboard of his laptop, eyes scanning for any digital trace of Alexa. I stood in the center of the room, my mind spinning with a thousand possibilities.“She’s out there somewhere,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “And we’re running out of time.”Leon exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “We need to figure out what Elise’s father wants. What’s his endgame?”Dorian didn’t look u
The moment we stepped into the safe house, the air felt different. Heavy. Charged with something unspoken but undeniable. The low hum of tension sat thick between us, each of us knowing that Alexa’s disappearance wasn’t a coincidence. It was a move—a calculated strike from Victor Langford, a man whose power was as dangerous as his reach.I couldn’t stop my hands from trembling as I reached for the envelope Leon had just read aloud. You should have stayed away. The words were scrawled in sharp, deliberate handwriting. I imagined Victor writing them with a smirk, knowing exactly what this message would do to us.Leon exhaled sharply, crushing the paper in his fist. “We need to move fast.”Dorian nodded. “I’ll put our guys on the streets. If they moved Alexa within city limits, someone saw something.”I swallowed, forcing my voice to steady. “We can’t just wait for information. We need to hit back.”Leon’s gaze snapped to mine, a flicker of something unreadable in his expression. “What a
The night felt heavier than before, the air thick with unspoken tension as we pieced together what Elise’s father’s return truly meant. My mind raced through the implications—if he had found her, it meant he wasn’t working alone. It meant he had resources, people willing to do his bidding, and most of all, it meant we weren’t prepared for what was coming.Elise hadn’t moved from her place on the couch, her fingers white-knuckling the phone. She wasn’t the same woman I had met before—there was something fragile about her now, something shattered. I understood that feeling far too well.Leon and Dorian were standing near the kitchen island, speaking in hushed voices, but I caught fragments of their conversation.“We need to move her somewhere else,” Dorian said, arms crossed. “If he got to her once, he can do it again.”Leon ran a hand through his hair, his jaw tight. “Moving her won’t change anything if he has the means to track her.”“Then what do you suggest? We wait for him to knock
The tension still lingered, like static in the air, even after we had ensured Elise’s safety and returned to the penthouse. The night had been long, exhausting, and I was running on nothing but adrenaline and borrowed time.Leon stood at the kitchen counter, pouring himself a glass of whiskey. The amber liquid swirled in the crystal tumbler as he took a slow sip, his eyes trained on me. He didn’t have to say anything—I could feel the weight of his gaze."You’re shaking," he murmured.I exhaled sharply, glancing down at my hands. He was right. I hadn’t even realized it.Leon set his glass down and crossed the space between us in two strides. His hands, warm and steady, caught mine, stilling them. "Come here."I let him pull me into his arms, the exhaustion catching up to me all at once. I buried my face against his chest, breathing him in—woodsy cologne, something faintly smoky, something undeniably him."You always act like you have to carry the weight of everything on your own," he m
The air in the penthouse was heavy with unspoken tension. I sat at the desk, eyes scanning through the files, absorbing the weight of what we had in our hands. The evidence was undeniable. Justin and Elise’s father had left a trail of financial crimes, bribes, and illegal dealings that could tear their empire apart. The question was—how did we move forward without tipping them off too soon?Leon stood behind me, his presence strong and reassuring. His hand was still on my shoulder, grounding me in the moment. "We need to be careful with this," he murmured.I nodded. "I know. We have to strike at the right moment."Dorian, now lounging on the couch, exhaled loudly. "I hate waiting. Feels like we should be doing something more than just sitting on this.""Patience is key," Leon countered. "If we rush, we lose the advantage."Dorian rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. I closed my laptop and stretched, the weight of the day settling deep into my bones. "I need a break."Leon caught my hand