*Present*“That’s how my life turned out,” Scarlett narrates. “After that, I stopped loving him. Reality set in and I realized that in order to survive, I’ll have to defeat Elle.”“What happened with James and Amelia?” Ryder asks.“I have no idea,” Scarlett confesses. “I received a call from Amelia one night and she told me to meet her but when I reached there, James was dead and Amelia passed out. At that very moment, the cops arrived and I was put under suspicion. My mother bailed me out but Hector and Elle worked to frame me. My bail was canceled and I was sent to prison.”“Why didn’t Vincent help you?” Ryder frowns. “You could’ve blackmailed him-”“It hurt my pride to break my promise once so I refused to do it again,” Scarlett mutters. “I couldn’t do it again. Vincent wasn’t in the country that time either but he was having business problems with James.”Ryder is silent for a while. Both of them are thinking the same thing. Elle is the most suspicious one but they can’t discount
Their lips weave together in a slow, sensual manner while the water gently flows around them. His hands are caressing her bare back, sending jolts of shiver down her spine. She gently bites his lip, earning a soft moan from him. Ryder deepens the kiss, dipping his tongue into her mouth to pry it open for him. Scarlett presses her lips against his. She grabs his damp hair, tasting his lips which she wanted to savor for so long. The months of tension are slowly starting to unravel and they’re both entering a frenzy.This is nothing like what they’ve felt before, the raw need and urgency for one another. Ryder slowly breaks the kiss to gaze at her. Under the star lit night, she looks ethereal to him. It’s hard to imagine people ridiculing this girl and terming her as the bad one. “What are you thinking?” She whispers, her voice sultry. She slowly presses her body against his. He inhales sharply when he feels her b*easts grazing his chest and he nuzzles his lips against her jawline. “
Her body shudders as he inserts his tongue in her hole. Scarlett gasps in pleasure, her whole body reacting to his whims. Ryder hungrily massages her clit with his tongue, occasionally biting her folds to hear her sexy moans. He holds her legs down while lapping her soft flesh. He’s buried between her thighs, tasting her exquisiteness. She’s mumbling incoherently, her fingers clutching his hair as if she’s holding on to dear life.Scarlett’s whole body is shaking and she feels the tension within her mounting. Her walls shudder and she’s consumed with an insatiable need to have him. Her hips are convulsing and she lets out a loud cry when she finally comes. Ryder licks her slick folds before trailing his kisses upwards. He momentarily pauses at the scar on her stomach before tenderly kissing it.This small gesture makes Scarlett overwhelmed with gratitude. He accepts her as she is. She’s broken and scarred but to him, she’s the only one. Ryder doesn’t have to say it.But she already k
“You’ll never get away with this!” She shouts. His face is pale with fear and he’s sweating hard. The woman is going to expose him and he can’t let this happen!“I’ll tell everyone what you did!” she claims. “You…you…monster!”“SHUT UP!” He roars and plunges at her. His hands grip her throat, his eyes filled with madness. There’s no way he can let her tell the truth.The woman fights back, her fingers gnawing at his face. She scratches him hard, causing him to falter. He inadvertently pushes her. The woman stumbles and falls off the railing, plunging downwards.“AHHHHHH!” Her screams echo throughout the night. He panics and glances down.A pool of blood is forming around her body and she’s gurgling. For a few seconds she stares at him, her gaze accusatory until her eyes go blank.She’s dead.“NOOOOOO!” Troy wakes up with a start. For a wild moment, he’s confused over where he is until he realizes that he’s in his bedroom.It’s that nightmare again…no. It’s that memory again. The memo
“Unbelievable,” Kat says on the phone as she puts on her socks. “You actually found gold?”The explosion turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Karwoski is happy to have found the gold and now he’s planning to expand his operations with Ryder and Scarlett. He’s officially breaking off with the Hawkins and investing in Ryder’s company. Scarlett will lead the project by herself, albeit she’ll have to be protected well in case Hector comes after her again.Jim managed to smuggle Hector out of Cliveton to keep him from another one of his schemes. Elle couldn’t be found anywhere nor were there any traces of the bald man. “Yup!” Ryder cheerfully says. “We found gold, little sis. We’ll sort out the things here and take the flight home this evening. Will meet you for dinner tonight at the restaurant.”“Okie dokie!” Kat chirps.She hangs up the phone and sighs. Miranda is sleeping peacefully in front of her, having been saved. The heart attack was minor but seeing how frail her grandmother
“This better work!” Scarlett mutters into the tiny mic in her collar button. She’s at the office lobby, alone. Ryder didn’t show up at work, pulling the strings from behind. There’s a file in Scarlett’s hand which she clutches tightly. She’s not fully sure about whether Hector will fall for this trap or not but Ryder is confident.“Just wing it, kitten,” he says. “I’ll take care of the rest.”Scarlett takes a deep breath and glances at the clock. It’s nearly 10.30 AM, the time when Hector arrives at the office. On his way to his cubicle, he’ll go past the female toilet. She braces herself and heads for the toilet. Thankfully, the place is empty so she gets into action. She takes out a small bottle of glycerine and puts a few drops in her eyes.“Ow!” She winces. The liquid slightly burns her eyes and she blinks back tears. How do people use this thing? She wonders painfully.“I forgot to mention that the glycerine might sting a little,” Ryder’s voice comes through the mic“A little?”
The bell rings, indicating the end of class. Troy quickly dashes out of class and heads for the corridor. He stands in front of a locker and sends a text.“Where are you at?” He asks over the text.“Behind ya.”He turns around to find Kat standing there. Her hair is tied in a high ponytail, highlighting her slightly chubby cheeks. A smile is playing on her lips and her dimple is visible. Troy’s heart skips several beat because she looks really cute to him.“What’s up?” Kat asks nonchalantly as she dumps her bag in her locker. “We need to start the second phase of our project,” Troy claims, his cheeks red. “Maybe we can go to a coffee shop today and-”“I don’t like coffee,” Kat says. “I’m not fond of cafes and restaurants. We can just head for the library.”Library? Troy was hoping to spend some time alone with Kat. The library is buzzing with students and Kat hates restaurants and coffee shops. There’s no doubt that she doesn’t want to spend money in those places and there’s no way s
Kat is humming as she sips mango juice from the packet. She’s heading for the stairs when she nearly bumps into someone.“I’m so sorry-” She says but all of a sudden, a pair of hands push her backwards. Kat falls on her butt, spilling the juice all over her shirt.“What the hell?” She snaps at the boy who pushed her. The boy, whom she recognizes as one of her classmates, merely laughs and runs off, leaving her fuming.“I’ll hack into his computer and reveal his porn collection!” She vows. “Ugh!”“Are you alright?” Kat looks up to find a curly haired girl whose name she can’t recall. Except for Troy, all her classmates are a blur to her.“I’m fine…er…” she tries to recall the girl’s name.“Moira,” Moira smiles and extends her hand. Kat slowly stands to her feet. “Your shirt is drenched,” Moira remarks. “I’ve got an extra shirt in my bag. Do you want to change into it?”“OH no, I’m fine!” Kat says. “I’ll go to class-”“I insist! The teachers might scold you if you go like this.”Kat t
*Three years later*Ryder is in the study, intently reading the books sprawling in front of him. He’s completely absorbed in them, memorizing every bit of detail.“Feed the baby every two to three hours,” he murmurs. “Change diapers after four to six hours. Where’s the part on how to help with digestion?”Ever since Scarlett announced her pregnancy, Ryder has been extremely cautious of her every need. Whether it’s at day or night, he’s ready to get her anything, do anything she wants. She has the strangest cravings especially at night so Ryder stocked the fridge with everything she might want. From pineapples dipped in tabasco sauce to even bananas on pizzas, there isn’t anything he left out.“Ryder!” Scarlett’s voice comes from their bedroom. Instantly, he drops the books and runs to help her.“What is it?” He asks. “Is it ice cream? Or do you want strawberries with mustard again?”Scarlett blinks at him in surprise before bursting into laughter. “I just wanted to ask which color do
A soft breeze is flowing by, making the colorful flowers sway like delicate ballerinas. The vast garden has been set up with several mahogany benches. Every bit of the garden has been neatly trimmed and roses of all colors have been planted along the entrances to add a natural sophistication.The entrance is made of an arch with green leaves and twigs elegantly entangled together. A scent of fresh flowers and soil is enchanting the guests who have arrived. The groomsmen are busy showing the guests to their seats. They didn’t invite a lot of people but a large chunk of the guests are Ryder and Scarlett’s old friend who are indebted to the couple for their inherent kindness.In the midst of the picturesque garden is a breathtaking altar crafted with scarlet and vermillion flowers of all kinds. Set against the vibrant sunset, the arch is softly glittering in the multicolor hues as it stands on sturdy pillars. The flowers are soft, yet fiery, blooming vibrantly like flames. The gentle bre
*One month later*Everyone is tense. Scarlett is standing still while Kat keeps on rubbing her back to reassure her that it will be fine. Troy is there as well along with Jim and Jeremy who are equally worried. Sitting on a wheelchair is Miranda, who’s weak but hopeful. They’re all standing outside a room, separated by a glass window. On the other side are Ronan and a pair of nurses with Ryder. Ryder is sitting still on a bed, his eyes still covered with bandages. His heart is racing and he’s taking several deep breaths. Ronan slowly undoes the bandages to reveal Ryder’s closed eyes.“When I count to three, slowly open your eyes,” he instructs. “Very slowly, alright? Don’t get too excited.”“Got it.”“1…2…3…”Ryder slowly starts to open his eyes. Scarlett holds her breath, her heart still. Every second feels long and torturous as she watches Ryder opening his eyes until finally, they’re fully open. For a moment, no one speaks. Ryder is simply staring into space, not saying anything.
Ryder is rushed to the hospital, his eyes still bleeding. Scarlett, Troy, and Jim are pale faced as Ronan takes a look at Ryder’s state.“His eyes won’t even last a month!” Ronan tells them. “He has been under too much stress. We must operate on him, but there’s no donor-”“There is!” Scarlett declares. Everyone stares at her in shock when she points at Elle’s corpse which is lying on another bed.“Her blood type was B negative and she died just today,” Scarlett goes on. “I’m sure she can donate.”Ronan, Troy, and Jim are astonished. Did Scarlett plan all this by herself?“We’ll need permission from her family-” Ronan begins but Scarlett is already prepared. She takes out a permission form for organ donation.“I’ve already signed it,” she states. “As her only family member, I give you the full authority to donate all her workable organs. Now, give her eyes to my husband. Now!”…He tries to move his eyelids but the agonizing pain is weakening him. There are muffled sounds around him,
Elle cries in agony as Vincent’s men beat her up. Scarlett is kept in a corner, bloody but untouched. Vincent knows that as long as Ryder has the evidence against him, he can’t hurt Scarlett, but Elle is a different issue.“Please!” Elle begs. “I-I swear I’m pregnant-”A guard kicks her so hard that her rib cracks. Vincent holds up his hand and the guards stop beating her. They’re in a soundproof room which doesn’t let any sound escape nor come in. This is a special room designed for his hostages and Vincent loves to torment them here.“That last baby,” he sneers at her. “Was it also a sham?”“I…” Elle has no words. Vincent takes out another document which has pictures of Elle and the bald man together in bed. She squirms at the sight of them.“It was his, wasn’t it?” Vincent shouts at her.Elle only whimpers in pain. “I loved Hector!” She lies. “I-”“You had that man kidnap me so that you could have Ryder to yourself,” Scarlett speaks up. Vincent turns to her.“What did you just say?
The vans stop at the bottom of the hill and everyone starts to climb on foot. They’re all wearing green and brown jackets to camouflage themselves. The men have split into two groups: one is being led by Ryder and Troy while Jim is infiltrating the hill from the other side. They slowly crawl to the top until they spot a heavily fortified gate which has electrified barbed wires on top. A pair of armed guards are standing at the front while there might be more at other entry points. Ryder motions Troy and his men to wait while he goes around the building.He quietly crawls in the bushes, keeping an eye on the gates from afar. The stream seems to be leading to another entry point where there are a few guards who are carrying food and supplies inside. Ryder waits and observes them to memorize their movements. There are around four guards out of which two are carrying the boxes while the other two are keeping an eye on the surroundings. There are CCTV cameras around the building too.Ryde
Scarlett slowly opens her eyes. Everything is blurry and her head is heavy. The left part of her neck is throbbing hard. She winces as she lifts her neck up to take in her surroundings.The place she’s in is windowless with only one door at a corner. The walls are of a pasty yellow color, the paint peeling off in many places. She can hear the faint sound of water running somewhere and she can sniff the scent of wet petrichor in the air.A hill, she deduces. She must be somewhere near a hill which has a waterbody. Scarlett looks down and is relieved. They took off her jacket but she still has her shirt on. The button Kat gave her is still stitched on it.The door opens and a thin figure walks in to gloat at her.“You!” Scarlett barks at Elle. Elle merely smirks.“Hello, sis,” she grins. “Long time, huh?”Scarlett only glares at her in fury. The sight of Elle’s happy face makes her want to throw up. Seeing this woman gloating is making her skin crawl.“You’re really now out in the open,
Elle pulls out a large garbage trolley and with great difficulty, shoves Scarlett into it. She’s already wearing the garbs of a cleaning lady and covers Scarlett’s unconscious form with several bags. She puts on a mask and slowly pushes the trolley out.A guard is indeed standing there. He spots the cleaner coming out of the toilet and is about to approach her but he’s blocked by a group of men who are coming out of the men’s toilet, chatting loudly. Taking her chance, Elle pushes the trolley, walking far away. The guard doesn’t follow her, distracted once again when his phone rings.Elle pushes the trolley outside the restaurant and keeps on pushing it until she reaches an alley. Sliding the trolley into the alley, she quickly pushes it till she reaches a black van. Several men come out of it and they take out Scarlett’s body and shove her into the back of the van.“Let’s take her to Vincent’s hideout,” Elle instructs. “Ryder and his men will swarm the place soon.”“Yes ma’am!”She g
*A Few hours ago*The car is slowly backing out of the mansion. Scarlett’s eyes are fixed on it, her feelings mixed between dread and a strange happiness. She’s dreading that she may never see her home again while she’s also happy because she can return Ryder his life back.How many years has he been suffering like this? It pains her heart to see him hide his pain. He smiles to mask the torment he’s suffering inside, his love for his family greater than any desire for vengeance. It’s ironic, she ruefully thinks. There was a time when she was fixated on vengeance. All she wanted was to destroy the Hawkins family and wipe them off the earth. Her longing for revenge would have blinded her if Ryder hadn’t entered her life. The freedom she seeked was in front of her all along.Yes, she feels free when she’s with him. He makes her heart beat like crazy and eases her mind. Every moment with him is filled with happiness and despite the dangers which loomed around them, for the first time in