Kat holds her breath as she tries to process Troy’s tale. They had assumed Elle killed James and Isabella but it turns out that Hector was the culprit all along. “Hector wanted James’s property transferred to Elle,” Troy bitterly says. “If Scarlett got the inheritance, she’ll never let him touch it. Elle, on the other hand, was docile and obedient. She’d hand over everything to him. This is why he wanted Scarlett and James out of the picture.”James anticipated this, Kat concludes. He wrote the letter and hid it in Isabella’s old house so that she could one day find it. He knew that she’ll go there.There’s no point in trying to find it now, she inwardly sighs. Hector must have gotten rid of the letter. Nevertheless, they now have a witness to Isabella’s death and they can bring Hector down.“You have to come clean to your former sister-in-law,” Kat encourages him. “If you want to free yourself from the guilt, you must tell her the truth.”“I can’t!” Troy bemoans. “My mother-”“Your
Scarlett is visibly shaken by the revelations. Her hands are clammy and her blood has gone cold. An icy silence has fallen over them following Troy’s story and the others are cautious about her reaction. Troy, who’s feeling the most guilt, is ashamed to be in her presence and he knows that she hates him. Kat is standing in a corner while Ryder is still gripping Scarlett’s palm.“I was being mean to you so that I could protect you,” Troy says, gulping. “I couldn’t bear to see what would’ve happened to you if I had told you the truth then. Hector may have tried to kill you in prison. I just-”“Stop,” Scarlett simply says. She takes a deep breath and looks up at the boy. Somewhere in her mind, she expected to hate him but there is nothing. Instead, she’s trying to find the remnants of the innocent boy who used to adore her. She still remembers how he was mistreated by his family, yet he loved her as a sister with his whole heart.“I don’t hate you, Troy,” she says. “I…I understand why yo
“Sir, I’m afraid I have some bad news,” one of the company secretaries states out loud. Vincent doesn’t respond but is quietly thinking.“The media isn’t letting the matter rest,” the secretary continues. “I’m afraid the board of directors are going to take action soon against Master Hector.”Vincent glances at the newspaper on his table. He’s still in a foreign country, handling the business unit there. The news about Hector has spread all over the world and even reached Vincent’s ears. Everyday, Hector’s silly face is plastered over the papers, bringing even more shame to the Hawkins’s family name. “The bribes didn’t work?” He quietly asks. The secretary shakes his head.“There’s one more thing,” the secretary continues. “It seems that Master Hector has sold a significant amount of his shares to a third party, a firm owned by Nathan Mitchell. If rumors are to be believed then-”“My son is trying to throw me out of the company,” Vincent concludes. He miscalculated his moves. Hector,
Troy is in his room absentmindedly tuning his guitar. His mind is swirling around Kat and how he feels about her truth. His family wronged her and she has every right to take revenge, but did she ever love him? Was there even a trace of genuine feelings for him or was it all a part of her plan to get access to the mansion?Whatever the reason is, Troy knows that he’ll support her in her quest. He might not be assured of her true feelings but he’ll help her in every way.He just can’t trust her to love him the way he does. This truly is the end of their relationship.Troy sighs and puts the guitar away. Suddenly, something catches his eye.From afar, he can spot a familiar figure walking along the entrance. It’s Jeremy and his assistant. Frowning a little, Troy’s instincts are telling him to go and follow them. He slowly gets out of his room and observes the two men heading towards Hector’s study. Within seconds, Hector comes out of the study and heads outside with the men.Troy sprin
Elle is frozen to her spot. The familiar voice is sending chills down her spine and she shudders in fear as the man’s cold laugh echoes through the phone.“Missed me, s*ut?” the bald man sneers at her from the other end. “You’ve been quite busy, I see. Your loser of a boyfriend cheated on you, right? He must’ve come groveling back to you and gave you gifts, right?”Elle is speechless. She grips the phone hard, unsure of what to do. “What do you want?” she whispers. “Is it s*x? I’ll-”“Nah, my dove,” the bald man says. “Thanks to your sister, I can’t do it anymore. She cut my balls, remember? But I still crave for you, my h*e. Your sweet scent, that young and luscious body which makes me want to plunge into it all day and night long.”“What do you want?” She demands. “I want fifty million dollars in cash,” he says outright. “By tomorrow.”“What?” She exclaims. “That’s insane! I can’t give you that much! Hector will find out and-”“Oh, you’re worried that your own cheating scandal wil
Scarlett is frustrated. She’s on the phone, talking to a nurse at the hospital.“I apologize for the delay, Mrs. Rochester,” she says on the phone. “There were many emergency cases and some of the doctors were on leave so we were short of staff. We still could not examine your sample.”“How much longer will it take?” Scarlett asks. “It’s been weeks.”“Please allow us some more time. We’ll get back to you soon.”“One week,” Scarlett orders. “I’ll give you just that much time.”She hangs up the phone, feeling irritated. Trust the medical services to be this slow! It’s been weeks since she sent the samples of Ryder’s medicines and they still could not examine them. She’s angry and frustrated at their lack of response. Why is Ryder hiding his medication from her? This makes no sense.Scarlett lays back on a sofa, closes her eyes and thinks hard. Someone knocks on the door and Betty’s face appears.“Madam,” the maid starts. “Would you like to have dinner now?”“I’ll wait for Ryder,” Scar
Hector is creeping in the basement, waiting. Nathan’s men are supposed to incapacitate the security outside. The men have already arrived and are knocking out the guards one by one using a special gas. Even the security system has been hacked into in such a way that there are no traces of an external interference. They also received information that the servants go home for the weekends and with Ryder away, the mansion is an easy target.He checks his watch, waiting for midnight to strike.Finally, the watch shows 12 AM and the message arrives. All the guards have been taken down.Hector grins as he slowly makes his way up the stairs. The mansion is dark but airy. There’s not a single soul in sight as he creeps his way along the marble tiles. He’s wearing a black mask over his face to hide his identity.Scarlett is in the mansion somewhere, probably in her bedroom. Is she resting? Or lying there idle? Hector thinks of the many things she might be doing in her bedroom but he only wants
The lone car drives along the road, the headlights breaking through the pitch black night. Elle is nervously looking over her shoulder every once in a while to make sure that she isn’t being followed. Her heart is thumping loudly as she makes her way to the place where the bald man told her to come.Finally after an hour, she pulls up in front of a river which flows through the city to meet the sea which is a few kilometers away. The man called her to a dense part of the woods near the river, filled with trees and boulders all around her. She takes out a large bag from the passenger seat, the bag containing loads of cash. Elle slowly walks along a narrow path in the woods until she reaches a small shack.She nervously fidgets with the hairpin in her hair. Her hands are shaking and the thought of the bald man trying to blackmail her is making her cringe hard. Elle takes a deep breath and walks up to the shack.Knock! Knock!She waits and the door slowly slides open and the bald man's
*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