“For god’s sake, Emilia, it’s been three weeks! You can’t keep complaining about everything Serena does or says. It’s becoming unbearable.”“Excuse me?”“You heard me,” Lillian replied with a straight face. “At some point, you’ll have to get used to living under the same roof with her.”“But it’s not just her anymore, is it? Her so-called mother who appeared out of nowhere is also a part of this madness. She speaks to me rudely and encourages Serena to continue acting as if she’s my equal.”“First of all, that’s her foster mother. The woman was homeless, so it was not out of place for Serena to invite her here to live and have a familiar face around her.”“Whatever…”“Second, we all know Serena isn’t your equal and she can’t be, no matter how much she tries. Her being here is temporary,
“Granny’s dead. She passed away this morning,” Emilia’s mother informed her over the phone the following morning.“Oh, dear. I’m so sorry, Mom.”“Thanks, darling,” her mother replied brokenly and blew her nose.“I’m coming home with Travis today. We’ll be on our way soon.”“That would be nice. We’re heading to the countryside later today. Daddy’s not going with us, though. He’ll join us tomorrow after he’s sorted out things in the restaurants.”“Ok. We’ll see you soon.”After she hung up, Emilia curled up in her bed again and cried. Granny was gone. She’d never feel her grandmother’s warm embrace anymore or hear her calm singsong voice.She wished she could cry all day but that wasn’t possible. She needed to get Travis ready for the trip to her parent’s home.“Where are you going?” Lillian asked her as she and Travis marched behind the maids who were dragging her packed bags towards the front door.“We’re going to my parents’ house. My grandmother died this morning.”“Oh, I’m so sorry
Shortly after her family left, it began to rain. Emilia sat on the porch with Travis but they were driven back inside the house by the leaking roof.She decided to make pancakes for Travis but then thought she heard someone tinkering about on the porch. When she went to check, she found Matt there, fixing the leaking roof. The rain had stopped but the skies were still dark with the promise of a coming storm.“What are you doing here?” She asked and Matt almost fell off his small ladder.“Jesus! You startled me. I thought everyone was gone.”“Travis and I are still here. How did you know the roof was bad?”“It’s been like this for a while now. I kept promising Bertha that I’ll fix it but I never got around to doing it. When it started to rain, I remembered and rushed down here to finally fix it as my parting gift to Bertha.”“That’s sweet,” said Emilia. She was genu
“Are these guys for real?” Chloe asked in awe as she watched the news on TV with Emilia.It was the following day after receiving that disturbing text and she’d spent nearly 24 hours on Google, trying to search the exact location of the Homer Shed.“I can’t believe this,” Chloe continued.“When it comes to the Beaumonts, nothing surprises me anymore about them.”“Did you know they were working on this so-called rehabilitation centre?”“No. Once they accepted Serena as a part of the household, I became the outsider. I’m also just finding out now along with millions of viewers that my husband’s family is commissioning a new drug abuse rehabilitation centre in memory of the newly deceased Jack.”“But you should be there too. Instead, they took that kidnapper there. That’s so disrespectful.”“Oh, well. As you can see, they’re passing her off as Jack’s girlfriend who’s pregnant with his baby. That earns them extra sympathy votes.”“We should expose them to the world and let everyone know t
“I’m so sorry about the miscarriage, Chloe. You didn’t deserve to go through that kind of pain.”“It’s ok. I wasn’t meant to have that bay any way and don’t even pretend that a part of you isn’t happy that this happened.”Emilia didn’t know how to react because Chloe was right. “Well…”“It’s fine, big sis. I’m sort of glad too. It would’ve been very difficult to raise a child alone while the father that rejected it is balling with his psycho wife.”“Lillian isn’t a psycho, though. She’s just a little stuck up, that’s all.”Chloe snorted. “But not too stuck up to be a freak. Samuel thought she was cheating on him again.”“Then why is he renewing marriage vows with her?”“To spite me, of course. Why else? Such a petty bastard. I can’t believe I was ever in lo
“I’m so sorry, Emilia. I can’t even imagine how disappointed you must feel right now.”She blew her nose into a tissue and acknowledged Matt’s comment with a nod. She was too broken to even speak. She was mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted.“Let’s just go back to the hotel, ok? You need to rest.”“Of course,” she sighed and leaned back on the chair.Matt drove them back and the ride was a silent one. At this point, Emilia was ready to give up the search permanently and finally accept the hard truth that she would never see Tiara again.When they arrived at the hotel, Matt took her to her room and asked her if she wanted anything.“Stay with me,” she whispered. “I don’t want to be alone.”“Are you scared?”“No. I think I’ll lose my mind if I have to stay here by myself all night.”“Ok.
“These aren’t even new photos. Has she been stalking us?”“Looks like it but she denied having anything to do with this.”“Please, don’t tell me you believe her, Matt. Who else has an axe to grind with you aside from Molly?”“But I wasn’t dating her when these photos were taken. These were from the time we used to go to Lake Victoria for picnics. Your grandmother was even alive then.”“Yes. That was about two years ago but don’t forget that Molly has had a crush on you since high school. She may have been stalking you the whole time.”“Come on, Emilia. Molly’s not that crazy. Besides, she’s too busy with her work as the supervisor of the farmer’s market for her to go trotting in the woods, stalking us.”“I know you think Molly is an angel, but I know she did this. This is her way of getting back at me for being with her man
“So, Miss Madison, are you saying that Mrs Beaumont was intimately involved with your ex-fiance while you two were still engaged?”“Yes.”“But are you sure she was aware of your relationship at all? Because according to reports, Mr Erikson and Mrs Beaumont were already acquainted with each other two years earlier.”“Trust me, Emilia knew I was engaged to Matt. I met her for the first time at her grandmother’s funeral. That was where Matt introduced us and I showed her my engagement ring. That didn’t stop her though.”The interviewer sighed sympathetically. “Please, tell us how you found out about the affair.”Molly straightened her skirt over her knee and then looked straight at one of the studio cameras. “It happened the day after the funeral. Matt had gone to fix Bertha’s leaking roof.”“Who’s Bertha?”“That’s Emil
Emilia’s road to recovery was a slow and painful one. After six weeks, she was moved to a regular private ward where she got around in a wheelchair.“The doctors believe that your spine injury has healed enough for you to begin physical therapy,” Kane announced to her one afternoon.“That’s good news,” she smiled.“Yes. Who knows, you might get back on your feet in time for the twin’s fourth birthday.”“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, please.”Kane placed his hand on hers and squeezed it gently. “I am not afraid to hope, Emilia.”She shrugged. “Sometimes, hope ends up in disappointment.”“Don’t say that. I believe you’ll walk again.”His phone buzzed. He checked it and got on his feet. “Sorry, my love. This is an important business call.”“You don’t need my permission to answer your phone, Kane. Go ahead and take the call but do it outside. I think I’ll take a nap,” she said and yawned.He pecked her on the cheek and hurried out of the room. Emilia got comfortable on her bed and clo
Kane thought it was only possible to dodge bullets in movies but he’d done it in real life. When the old man showed up with the gun and yelled at him, Kane had preempted his opponent’s move and dropped to the ground before he pulled the trigger.He lunged at the man, knocking him to the ground. Hank fired another shot that went into the ceiling and Kane grabbed the rifle, trying to wrestle it from his grip.“Get off me, you bastard!” Hank yelled at him as he continued to maintain his hold on the gun.Kane headbutted him, destabilizing Hank for a few seconds. He finally snatched the gun from his hands and got up.“You bastard. You broke my nose,” Hank lamented and wiped the blood from his nostril.“Who the hell are you?” Kane asked him while aiming the rifler at its owner.“I’m Hank. This is my cabin and you’re a trespasser.”Kane glanced at Emilia and saw that she
Kane felt like smashing his fist into something. He was so angry he couldn’t think straight. He should never have left Emilia alone.He should have given his Qatari business partners an excuse for not showing up to the contract signing ceremony. Now, he would still miss the event and his wife’s life is in danger as well.“I am going to kill that guy when I see him again,” he muttered angrily.Emilia had suggested that Matt could be the stalker but he had written off that possibility because he was so certain that his wife’s ex-lover was safely tucked away in Wyoming. The bastard had waited for him to leave before finally making his move.His phone rang. It was his mother calling.“Yes, Mother?” He answered impatiently.“The police have found the kidnapper’s vehicle,” Elsie said shakily.Kane sighed with relief. “Has he been arrested?”“Well… that isn’t possible anymore.”“Why not?”“He’s dead. They said the vehicle was crushed completely. They’d have to cut it up to bring out the body
When Emilia regained consciousness, it was dark and she could smell the delicious aroma of beef stew. She was in so much pain that the only part of her body that she could move was her eyes.A slow scan around her surroundings showed her that she was inside a log cabin. She was in a small room, lying on a bed alone. There was one chair in the room beside the bed and a bookshelf with a lantern on top of it.She suddenly remembered that Matt had said he was taking her to a cabin before she jumped on him. Panic gripped her.Had he somehow managed to survive that terrible crash and brought her here after all? How was she going to escape now?She heard the footsteps coming towards the room and a male voice humming a tune. Who was that? Her saviour or her captor?The fear of the unknown made her nervous but she couldn’t get up from the bed to hide. She seemed pinned to the spot.A few seconds later, a strange man showed up at the doorway, ho
“Who is it?” Lara called out from the living room.“Don’t say a word,” Matt warned Emilia.“So, you’re the stalker.”“I hate that word. I wasn’t stalking you, by the way. I was just letting you know that I’ll come back for you and now, here I am.”“What do you think you’re doing, Matt?” She asked him softly. “How do you think this is going to end?”“It’s going to end with you following me quietly and going back to Wyoming with me. Or we could go to Connecticut together. Do you remember how much fun it was when we were together in that hotel, making love all night?”“That wasn’t a fun memory for me,” she replied flatly. “it was a painful time in my life when I was searching frantically for my missing child.”“Well, you’ve found her, haven’t you? Now, stop talking and com
“We will have the mansion under a one-week surveillance to see if the stalker will show up again,” said the police officer, Gary Wesley. “so, have no fear, Mrs Beaumont. If he shows up again, we will catch him and arrest him.”“That’s very reassuring, thank you.” Said Emilia.“If the stalker isn’t caught this week, will you extend your surveillance by another week?” Kane wanted to know.“Let’s see how this week goes first but I am confident that we will catch the stalker if he shows up again,” said officer Wesley.“Fair enough. Thank you for your time.”After the policeman left, Kane joined Emilia in the sunroom where she was brooding alone.“Don’t worry, my love. You’re safe with me,” he said softly. “and if the police can’t protect us, nobody else can.”“I’m just trying to figure out who could be playing this prank on me. What if it’s Matt?”“Who? The Wyoming guy?”“Yes.”“I don’t think so. Why would he leave his job and family to come here and leave dumb notes for you?”“I know, bu
“I really enjoyed our vacation but it does feel good to be back home,” Emilia sighed happily one week later as she relaxed in the family swimming pool with Lillian.Their children were in the kiddies' swimming pool nearby with their nannies and swimming instructors.“I can tell you had a great time. You’re glowing like a crystal ball.”“I am? Gee, thanks.”“I envy you. I wish I can go on a vacation too.”“Why not?”Lillian sighed heavily. “This divorce negotiation with Samuel is becoming a pain in the ass. We have another mediation scheduled for next week with our attornies.”“What’s going on?”“That greedy son-of-a-bitch wants spousal support and is demanding a piece of some of my properties.”“What!”“I can’t believe his audacity. What makes him think he’s entitled to anything
“That audio recording has done its magic,” Virgil informed Kane over the phone a few days after the TV interview. “the publishing company has cancelled their deal with Serena.”“As they should. She was going to write hundreds of pages filled with lies about me and my family. She should have taken the money I offered her.”“She might reach out to you for it.”“That offer is off the table. She missed her chance.”“Well, that’s that then. My work here is done but don’t hesitate to get in touch with me if you need my services again.”“Of course, thank you.”After the phone conversation, he went in search of Emilia and found her in the sunroom with Lillian and Elsie.“Hello, ladies. May I join you?”“Of course, darling,” said Elsie. “we were going over the details of your upcoming wedding anniversary party.&r
“Romeo and Juliet… I was wondering when both of you will finally show up here,” said Serena with a delighted grin.“Let’s cut to the chase then,” said Kane curtly. “my wife and I are ready to offer you twice the amount you’re getting from the publishing house to write your book.”Serena giggled. “Are you trying to silence me? I am an American citizen and I have the right to free speech.”“Not if your free speech is a bunch of lies targeted at destroying our reputation,” said Emilia.“You’re one to talk. Aren’t you the same woman that cheated on her husband with a random farmhand in Wyoming? And you’re here talking about your reputation. How ironic.”“How much do you want?” Kane asked her.“I’ve told you a billion times already, Kane. I don’t want your money, I want you.”“What’s that supposed to mean?”“Divorce this woman who is unworthy of you and then marry me. I will be devoted to you, I will be faithful to you and I will make you proud wherever I go.”“That will never happen,” Emi