Joe stands, pacing the room with a newfound intensity. His movements are sharp, his jaw clenched. I can tell he’s already piecing things together in his mind, but I can also see the weight of it pressing down on him.“We need to start with Jayden,” he says, his voice firm. “He knows too much. If he’s working for Janie, he’ll slip up eventually.”“And if he’s not?” I ask, watching him carefully.Joe stops, his expression hard. “Then he needs to prove it. Because until then, I don’t trust him.”I nod slowly, though doubt churns in my stomach. Jayden has been nothing but kind to me since we arrived here, but Joe’s right—his connection to Janie makes him a threat. Trusting him blindly could cost us everything.The sound of a door creaking pulls us both from our thoughts. Jayden steps into the room, his face unreadable. He looks between us, sensing the tension in the air. “I assume you’re not done interrogating me,” he says dryly, crossing his arms.Joe steps forward, his posture tense. “Y
The tension in the room is still heavy, even though Joe has stopped pacing, and Jayden has settled against the wall with his arms crossed. Neither of them says a word, but I can feel their emotions simmering just below the surface. I sit on the edge of the bed, my legs folded underneath me, watching them both. My nerves are on edge, but I force myself to stay calm.Jayden finally breaks the silence. His voice is steady but laced with weariness. “You both deserve to know the truth about why I’m here.”Joe straightens up immediately, his eyes narrowing. “About time.”Jayden ignores the jab and focuses on me instead. “Bella, your father hired me.”My heart skips a beat. “My father?”Jayden nods. “Yes. After your scandal went viral, he didn’t believe the story Leon spread about you. He thought something wasn’t right, so he hired me to investigate Leon. That’s why I was at the resort that day, keeping an eye on him. That’s also how I got pulled into all of this.”I feel the floor tilt bene
The room falls into a tense silence after Jayden drops the bombshell that my father hired him. I glance at Joe, whose face is hard, his jaw clenched tight. He doesn’t trust Jayden, not even a little, and honestly, I don’t blame him. After everything we’ve been through, it’s hard to believe anyone anymore.Jayden leans against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, watching us both. He’s calm, collected, like he’s waiting for the next move. But I see something else in his eyes—something I can’t quite place. It’s not arrogance or defiance. It’s more like... determination.“You have got a lot of nerve,” Joe finally says, breaking the silence. His voice is low, dangerous. “Claiming you are here to help after everything you have kept from us.”Jayden doesn’t flinch. “I didn’t keep it from you to hurt you. I did it to protect Bella.”Joe lets out a bitter laugh. “Protect her? You worked with Janie to get that video. You made her life worse.”“That is not true,” Jayden replies sharply. “I di
The Montana bungalow is no longer the warm, lively home it used to be. A heavy cloud of despair hangs over the sprawling estate, suffocating everyone who steps inside. The once vibrant Katherine Montana, known for her grace and cheerful demeanor, is now a shell of her former self. Her silence is haunting, her stillness unbearable. She hasn’t spoken a single word since the news of her children’s supposed deaths.Her days are spent sitting in the sunroom, staring out at the garden she once tended with care. The flowers have withered, much like her spirit. She doesn’t eat unless coaxed, doesn’t respond to the doctors or nurses Mr. Montana has brought in to help her. She is present in body but absent in every other sense, her grief consuming her entirely.Mr. Montana stands in the doorway of the sunroom, watching his wife with a deep ache in his chest. His usually strong shoulders are slumped, his face lined with exhaustion and sorrow. He’s a man who has always prided himself on being in
The evening air in the small cabin feels tense as Jayden paces the room. Joe sits on the worn-out couch, his arms folded, watching the detective with narrowed eyes. Bella, still recovering, leans against the armrest of the couch, her gaze fixed on Jayden with a mix of curiosity and unease. Mr. Jonathan stands near the window, pretending to be engrossed in the scenery outside, but his stiff posture gives away his discomfort.Jayden’s phone vibrates on the table, breaking the silence. He glances at the screen, and his face tightens when he sees the caller ID.“It’s…it’s him,” Jayden mutters under his breath, stopping in his tracks.Joe straightens, his sharp gaze pinning Jayden. “Who?”“Your father,” Jayden replies, his voice low but strained.Bella perks up at that, her brows furrowing. “Dad?” she asks, her voice soft, tinged with a mixture of longing and pain.Jayden hesitates, his thumb hovering over the screen. The room feels heavier now, the weight of the moment pressing on everyon
I am trembling mess, the fear crawling up my spine like ice. I can feel Joe’s arms around me, his warmth grounding me, but it doesn’t stop the storm inside. His hands press gently against my back, his touch soft, trying to soothe me, but I can’t shake the overwhelming panic that’s tearing through me.Mr. Jonathan is standing beside us, his face lined with concern, his voice low and calm. “Bella, take a deep breath. You have to calm down, okay? We need you strong right now.”I try, I really do. But it’s impossible. My chest feels tight, my breaths shallow. My heart is beating too fast. I can hear the faint sounds of Jayden outside, making another call, his voice muffled, but it does nothing to settle my nerves. I need him to come back and tell us everything will be okay, that we’ll be fine, that our families will be fine. But deep down, I know it’s not that simple.I pull away from Joe, my hands pressing against my temples as my mind races. “I need to go home,” I whisper, my voice crac
THIRD PERSON’S POVJanie’s fists tremble as she stands in the middle of her living room, her mind swirling in a chaotic storm of fury. She’s so angry she can’t think straight. The rage bubbles up in her chest, hot and suffocating. Her breaths come in short, jagged bursts as she glares at the remains of the glass objects shattered across the floor. The room feels smaller, more suffocating with each passing moment.She picks up a delicate vase, her hands shaking with tension, and hurls it at the wall. The crash is loud, satisfying. A few shards of glass skitter across the floor, but Janie doesn’t care. She’s beyond caring. She’s consumed by the madness, by the sheer frustration of it all.“Damn it!” she spits, her voice hoarse, her throat raw with emotion. Her chest heaves as she pants through the anger that’s threatening to overwhelm her. “Damn them. Damn all of them.”Her hands are shaking, her body trembling, and she can’t tell if it’s the alcohol from earlier or just the anger consu
THIRD PERSON’S POVLeon and Rina sat in the lavish living room, glasses of champagne in hand, their laughter echoing off the walls of the grand house. The celebration felt as if it could go on forever, as though every single obstacle they had faced had been swept away by their latest move. The feeling of victory was intoxicating. It tasted sweeter than any drink could, especially now that the battle was over and they were standing at the top, looking down on everything they had fought for."You know," Leon said, a smug grin spreading across his face, "I think I’ve finally won, Rina. This is it. I’ve got everything I need now."He took a sip from his glass, eyes gleaming with satisfaction. There was a confidence in his posture, a weightlessness to his movements. He had pulled it off, and there was no turning back now.Rina smiled, but the expression on her face was more complex. She leaned back into the couch, eyes drifting over the sleek, stylish room. It was all hers now—the house, t
“Um, my dear?” His father calls, and I turn to her, leaving Rey’s eyes scorching my skin. “I think it is time. And forgive me once again, but hold nothing against your friend. She is a good soul. I just needed to get to the root of all this, and I knew she was the only person who had the answers that I sought, aside from you, of course. She means well.”I knew it was. “So, this happens to be the evidence that you have been telling us about, Irma? What is this all about? Where did that come from? Why do you have an old check for this huge amount from our company?” Ana asks.Well, I had not anticipated this happening any sooner, but I guess my father-in-law and my friends planned this well. I can’t lie anymore.I turn to Rayafter looking at these two women, who look like they are about to pee in their pants. “I am…”“She asked me for the money. She blackmailed me!” Katherine snaps, confusing everyone.Even I am confused by her guts! I blackmailed her. With what? Or for what? She is so s
The three of us once again trade quizzical glances. There is more.“What?” We all trace our heavily pregnant gazes to Katherine as she whimpers, “This joke is the worst of the pains, so what more is there, Mazur?” She asks.A joke? She is still refusing to believe that he is divorcing her, even with the divorce headline in bold and staring right through her eyes. Not even his serious tone is enough to convince her. Poor woman! I wonder how she does not collapse after the next blow, and I am also eagerly waiting to know what it is.“I have frozen your cards, Katherine. From this moment on, you have nothing. You are barred from coming close to any of my companies because I have erased your name from everything that has my name on it. As for your children, I will leave it to them to decide. I want you to sign these papers and get out of my house.”Mr. Mazur’s words hang in the air like a heavy cloud. Silence has been the only sound for a long time. Fear and questions linger in the room.
“You can’t do that!” Tarah screams, springing to her feet. “You know that you need us. You need the support of my family for this business. You can’t terminate this agreement. You can’t…”“Your parents and I, young lady,” Mr. Mazur cuts the hysterical parrot off, “have already talked. We agreed that this agreement was a mistake. It is not working. Since this mess has also touched their family because you are in the picture, they agreed to end it in peace and set our children free. We will refund all the investments that your company made in our empire once we do our calculations, and that will be the end of it. For now, all you both need is to sign the papers and go your separate ways.”Hello, to the moon and stars. Here I was thinking that I would be the one to have this bitch divorce my man, but it seems like the stars and the moon were working on my case. Blessed be unto the heavens and to this man as well. God, please restore his health so that he can witness and be a part of the
We all get to Mr. Mazur’s room with fear and curiosity gnawing within the deepest parts of our souls. I know we are all worried. For instance, I have come to love this old man like a father. He adores my child and is excited to welcome the next one that is on the way. He has justified my stay in this house and my love affair with his son with sincere intent. How can I not love him?“Father? We are all here. I thought we had a party next week, which you were preparing for. What is with this sudden meeting?” Ray asks.And I know how much he adores his father. I remember how badly he pleaded with me not to harm his father. Our paths crossed in this second phase, and my heart was pounding with waves of vengeance and wrath. He was willing to do anything, even to take up his father’s punishment on his behalf. And in the months that I have been in this house again, I know how deeply he cares for him. He and another love him so much. He may be rendered incapable of anything right now, but I s
Katherine remains mute, but her expressions ooze hurt and pain. It is like this is a bitter pill that she has to swallow.“Next time, don’t you dare go high and mighty on me, Katherine. You don’t want to cross, or else...”“Shut up!” Katherine shuts her up, her voice coming out between gritted teeth. “Don’t say something that you will regret,” she hisses again as they stand before each other like two antagonistic lions.I feel Rayshift beside me, and before I know it, he is standing up, taking me with him as he approaches them. They drop the rage when they sense us. As if we have not been watching the entire show. As if there is anything new with them. I know their secrets. I know they were together in that blackmail attack against me years ago. The person I pity is Rey, because I still have not found the courage to do what she did.I know that he deserves to know. I know that he has all the rights to know what his mother is capable of. I know he needs to know what his mother thought
I join the annoying party, hugging my fury at my claws because I am supposed to be having the best of this moment with Ray and not burning my arse here watching some manner of less arses drink their already inebriated asses off. Why did this b*tch even need us here? All they have been doing ever since we sauntered from the kitchen is just drink and pick on Ray and me. And she—I don’t understand why she had to stay this close to Rey. She annoyingly pressed against him on the left side while I was clinging to him on the right. The poor guy is so uncomfortable and lost at the meaning of this whole thing, just as I am. And you, if all she wants is to show off, then I don’t need to stoop so low. I know who it is that matters to Rey. I am serious as fuck about where I stand in his life.I unbandage my hand from him and shift aside from him, an action that causes him to reach for my hand and shift closer, pinning himself on me and wrapping his arm around my shoulder. With ease and care, he g
She cloaks her anger for a minute, putting on her signature bitchy crown. But today, her act is not working decently. Even through her iciness, you can still pick up the pecks of anger, hurt, and shame. Bingo, Irma Rose! You are serving this diet, which is the recommended diet. Thumbs up! Stuff her more!“Do not be too sure. And, by the way, how did it feel to see me kissing my husband, whom you can’t stop swooning over? I saw how you almost collapsed with utter stupor and hurt. Did your heart break into pieces after witnessing us kissing?” She asks, almost emitting a smirk.Sha! This witch is so cheap at devising plans. Was that the only way she could come up with to rile me? My! My! She should have asked me for some advice to spice up her rubbishy, unsuccessful plan. She couldn’t even pull off something to equal a kiss. Such a pathetic loser!“I admit I was thunderstruck and hurt at first seeing Rey’s lips on your disgusting ones for a second. But then, reality slapped me—that was a
After a moment, she clears her throat myriad times, scraping the back of her neck as if she has an itchy skin disease. She is still mired in ignominy and bewilderment, and her friends are still looking at her with dismay and shock. She could have prepared them instead of trying to showcase something that isn’t real.“I will just get some glasses. Feel at home and make yourself comfortable on the seats.” She is still battling with her conflicting sentiments.Her friends start dragging their confused bodies to the seats where Rayis is perched, while she starts towards me. I was about to get out of her way, but she grabs my hand and drags me inside the kite with her.The door slams shut behind us, the fresh scent of our raw sex with Ray minutes ago slams our nostrils, and we stare at each other like two antagonistic lionesses that we in reality are.I roughly jerk my hand away from this bitch!“What in the devil’s name were you doing in here with my husband?” Tarah screeches after I snat
“What were you doing in there? Been screaming your name for minutes, hun!” I hear that bitch’s voice as I finish cleaning myself up with the Soviets.Hun? Since when? And what is that?annoying cheesecake tone? Trying to play some lovey-dovey games to fool her fucking guests? I reckon she is even clinging to my Rey’s arm or fixing the nothingness on his tee just to show off. Bitch!“Uuuu! Spare us, will you?"Spare us?From what?Silence!There is no voice from that witch, and these parrots of hers are just cheering; only the devil knows what. I detest those shrieking sounds! They are making my ears itch! I fix my hair and walk out feeling so raw and content, and...And dumbstruck!The heartbreaking visual visage of my Ray and Tarah together with their lips pressed so iniquitously against each other impairs my visual sense for a minute.Holy fuck!I slam my back on the closed kitchen door the minute it closes. A tinge of stinging tickles jolts down my spinal tube, almost paralyzing me