Barve’s povThe commissioner’s expression didn’t change, but I could see the disgust in her eyes. “So, you admit to poisoning Eric?”I nodded slowly. “Yes. But it was her plan. She planned everything.”“And the photos of you two together?”I looked away, shame flooding through me. “We…we were involved. She promised me everything—money, power, a future. I was stupid enough to believe her.”The commissioner straightened, a small, satisfied smile playing on her lips. “Well, Mr. Barve, it seems you’ve finally decided to cooperate. Lucky for you, that might just save your life.”I didn’t feel lucky. I felt like a fool—a pawn in Stephanie’s game. And now, sitting in the ruins of the station, I realized just how expendable I was to her.The commissioner motioned to the officer, who grabbed the bloodied man and hauled him to his feet.“Take him to holding,” she said. “And get this place secured. We’re not done here.”The man was dragged out, leaving me alone with the commissioner.“As for you
Stephanie’s pov“So what do you want to do?” Asked an impatient Amelia but I waved her to be silent.“You shouldn’t bother about that, my little child. I’ve got it all handled very well. We are here, are we not?”“So you want to kill him here?” I laughed at my daughter. “Of course not, child. I would not do that. I would instead make sure that I watch his progress and when it’s getting better, I plunger it back into the terrible condition he is in now. He won’t get better.”“And Crawford?” Zach asked as I waved him off.“Like I said, I’ll take care of it.”“Stephanie,” he said, leaning forward. “You know as well as we do that Eric’s time is up. If he stays alive, none of us will get what we deserve.”Amelia nodded, her voice low but firm. “He’s already weak. It wouldn’t take much to… you know, finish it. The inheritance could finally be ours.”I sighed, running a hand through my hair. Eric had lingered too long, and his recovery was ruining my plans.But I was scared that if our name
Audrey’s povI sat in the quiet hospital room, the only sound coming from the soft beeping of the machines monitoring my father’s condition. Crawford, my father’s lawyer, sat next to me, his face serious but calm. He had been by our side through everything, and I trusted him.“Audrey,” he began, breaking the silence, “there’s something you need to know about your father.”I turned to him, my heart heavy with worry. “What is it?” I asked.He looked at me, his eyes kind but firm. “Your father knew Stephanie was not to be trusted. He had started suspecting her months ago.”My eyes widened. “What do you mean? If he knew, why didn’t he say anything to me?”Crawford sighed. “He didn’t want to worry you. He thought he could handle it himself. But he did take steps to protect himself.”I leaned forward, confused but eager to hear more. “What kind of steps?”“For one,” Crawford said, “he stopped eating any food Stephanie prepared for him.”My jaw dropped. “He stopped eating her food? How?”“Hi
Audrey’s povThe week rushed by pretty fast as I made my statements at the station.When I was done, the commissioner leaned over. “I’m sorry for all you had to go through in the hands of your stepmother. I’ll make sure that never happens again.”“Can I see them?” I asked as the woman nodded.“Of course,” she said.I walked through the halls with a guard leading me there as we walked into a cold, dark prison. The air was heavy, and the sounds of distant murmurs echoed around me. I wasn’t nervous. I was determined. Today, I needed to face Stephanie and Amelia.The guard led me to Stephanie’s cell first. She was sitting on the small bed, looking completely relaxed. When she saw me, she smirked, like this was all some game to her.“So, Audrey,” she said, her voice mocking. “You came to see me? How sweet.”I stepped closer, gripping the cold metal bars. “Stephanie, you are about to regret ever coming into my life,” I said firmly. My voice didn’t shake. I wanted her to feel my anger and st
Audrey’s povHe nodded. “I’ve never been more sure. Stephanie and Amelia betrayed this family. They tried to hurt me, to hurt us. You stood by me, protected me, and fought for the truth. You are the only one I trust to handle everything.”I looked at Mr. Crawford, who was smiling softly. He nodded as if to confirm my father’s words.“But Dad,” I said, “what about Amelia? She’s still your stepdaughter.”My father’s face hardened. “Amelia made her choices. She sided with Stephanie and Zach. She helped them try to harm me, Audrey. She doesn’t deserve anything from me.”I felt a lump in my throat. “And Stephanie?”He laughed bitterly. “Stephanie? She doesn’t deserve even a thought. That woman tried to poison me, to kill me. I regret ever letting her into my life. No, Audrey. Everything will go to you. You’re my daughter, and you’re the only one I trust.”Tears welled up in my eyes as I nodded. “I don’t know what to say, Dad.”“Just promise me,” he said, reaching for my hand, “that you’ll
Xander povI wanted to surprise Audrey when she got home from court, so I decided to make her favorite meal. Cooking wasn’t something I did often, but for her, it was worth it. I set the table, lit a candle, and waited for her.When she walked in, I could tell she was tired but happy. I met her at the door with a smile.“Welcome sweetie,” I said. “You’re back home and you need to rest.“Thank you. You won’t believe the day I’ve had,” she said as we walked into the living room and she smiled when she saw the setup. “Xander, did you do all this?”I nodded and kissed her cheek. “You deserve it. Come, sit down. Let’s eat.”As we ate, she started telling me about what had happened in court.“Xander,” she said, “it’s all over now. The judge gave the verdict, and Stephanie, Zach, and Amelia are all going to prison. Justice has been served.”I could see the relief on her face. She looked lighter, freer.“That’s amazing news,” I said, smiling at her. “You’ve been through so much, Audrey. I’m
Xander’s povI followed Daniel to his room as he whistled while I heard my name being called by Audrey and my mother alike.The minute he entered his room, he tried closing his door as my foot hit the door and it bounced open.He turned with a shock on his face as he had not expected me to follow him.“What are you doing?” He asked as I gritted my teeth. “You had no right to talk to my mother that way.”He laughed, reering his head back in heavy laughter before looking at me.“I don’t know what you think this is but you have about three seconds to get the hell out of my room.”“Why are you here?” I asked with a calm voice as he scoffed.“One,” he started a countdown, but I wasn’t scared of him. I was not in the mood for his theatrics.“We aren’t children anymore Daniel,” I said as I walked to the window to look out of it. “Two.” He continued as I scoffed.“You know, there were times when I actually thought we could be real brothers.”He scoffed. “Yeah, like you and Zach. Sorry, wher
Lola’s povI sat in my big apartment, on the couch, I had my high school yearbook opened. I don’t know why I kept it all these years. Maybe part of me wanted to remember, relive those bittersweet memories. Or maybe remind myself how much everything changed over the years. Flipping through the pages, there were faces of people I hadn’t thought about in a long time; teachers, students; friends who just drifted apart.And then there she was - Audrey Redfield.Her smiling face stared back at me from the yearbook photo. The girl who had it all. Beautiful, confident, popular. She wasn’t just liked; she was adored. Every guy wanted her, and every girl wanted to be her—or hated her for it. I fell into the second category. I couldn’t stand her back then. She got all the attention while people like me were ignored, invisible.I sat there staring at her picture for a long time. “Audrey Redfield,” I muttered under my breath. “I hated you so much growing up.”A wave of curiosity hit me. I wonder
Author’s povThe police quickly surrounded Daniel, cuffing him as he groaned on the floor. Blood trickled from his nose, and his face was twisted in anger and humiliation.“You’ll regret this, Xander!” Daniel spat, glaring up at his brother.Xander leaned down, his expression calm but firm. “Regret? That’s something you should feel for all the lives you’ve ruined. It’s over, Daniel.”As Daniel struggled against his restraints, the head of police stepped forward. He pulled out a list of charges and began reading them aloud.“Daniel Clarkson, you are being charged with the following: the kidnapping of Mrs. Wright, the attempted murder of Xander Clarkson, embezzlement from your family’s company, obstruction of justice, and numerous other crimes. You’ll be facing a long time in prison.”Daniel’s face contorted with rage. “None of it is true!” he shouted. “This is a setup! You’re all working against me!”“Your corrupt cop was also seen running off and right now he’s willing to testify agai
Author’s povMrs. Wright sat in the dark room, straining her ears for the movements of her captors. It had been a few hours since they taken her from her old place and brought her to this new place, hours marked by terror and solitude and confusion. But something inside had changed that night. Something told her she couldn’t be captive anymore. With newfound resolve, Mrs. Wright steeled herself and tiptoed to the door.The house was still; her captors didn’t suspect a thing when they had gone to bed earlier. Mrs. Wright cautiously unlocked the door, afraid of its creaking as she turned the knob to let herself out into the night air that was cool and freeing.She was done hiding. This time, she was going to save herself.The road stretched before her was infinite in the dark. She knew that with each step she took away from her prison it was another opportunity to get to her son and get out a solution. Her heart was beating both in fear and anticipation of the worst. She ran through t
Daniel’s povI stormed out of his office, hot blood rushed through my veins. How dare he? Who the hell does this man think he is? Some kind of a superhero coming to ‘save’ the company. He was going too far and asking too much. I got out of the company and headed for my car as I sat down there and leaned back in it. I was so angry I couldn’t hold myself back.My hands gripped tightly around my steering wheel; those knuckles were all white as if they were screaming ‘help!’ in some invisible way. In anger, I punched my steering wheel a couple of times before leaning back in my seat.I then turned the ignition and drove directly to the warehouse where I had everything under control—my men, my operations, and my future. It was a sanctuary of sorts for me, a place where I could reorganize my thoughts and plans without any distractions or disturbances. A couple of my men were already there when I arrived.They all stood up as soon as they saw me enter, feeling the unrest radiating off me. “
Audrey’s povI clearly remembered the drive to the cabin that morning. I’d driven so slowly, looking in the rearview mirror every few seconds to make sure I wasn’t being followed. The streets had been practically empty, but everything had felt still and foreboding because of it. When I had gotten to the place, I had parked a few hundred meters from the cabin itself, hiding my car behind some trees before continuing on foot.The closer I got to the cabin, the more uneasy I felt. Something was very wrong. The place looked abandoned—deserted—but it wasn’t just that. It was something else; something I couldn't explain.“Mrs wright?” I asked while staying at the door and knocking. I hoped no one would bash my head in as I opened it inwards as it groaned under my hand as I gave it a push so I could step inside.The sight that met my eyes made my stomach plummet. The entire cabin was in shambles. Furniture was flipped over, papers were strewn across the floor, and a faint acrid smell wafted
Xander’s povI sat in my office, the door closed behind me as I went through the financial reports once more. My anger simmered beneath the surface. It was bad enough that the company was in such a state, but the audacity of the board to act like nothing was wrong infuriated me. My father had worked too hard to build this company, and I wasn’t about to let it crumble under their watch—or Daniel’s.Just as I was contemplating my next move, there was a sharp knock on the door. Before I could answer, one of the board members stepped in, closing the door behind him. He was an older man, someone who had been with the company for decades, yet his face now looked pale and nervous.“Mr. Xander,” he started, his voice shaking, “I need to talk to you.”I reclined back in my chair, signaling for him to continue. “What is it?” I questioned, but I already knew he didn’t come here to help me with anything but to stress me.The man hesitated, and then he leaned forward a little. “I think you should
Xander’s povI was in my company office gazing at the files lying on my table. My secretary had compiled every possible document pertaining to the financial record of the company and I was growing more angry after going through it. How was it not tallying? Who drew this large amount of money, the supporting bills and receipts were in no record?I could see lots of money being removed from the company but there was no mention of them being used for the company again. Why was this a thing?I called for my assistance as she appeared before me.“Is this all?” I asked as she nodded.“Yes, Mr. Xander. I think this is all there is available in the system…”“You think?” I interrupted her as she gulped.“It is all I could find in the system.”I leaned back in my chair and drummed my fingers on my desk. “This doesn’t make any sense… Someone has been withdrawing money at absurd rates recently, and with no record of what it’s being used for? How the hell does that work?”She didn’t answer, but sh
Daniel’s povI smiled after hearing his voice. Xander, always so easy to rile up. “Calm down, baby brother,” I scoffed. Taking another sip of my drink as I got to my feet to face him. “I was merely conversing with her. No need to get your knickers in a twist.”He stepped closer, glowering. “I said, stay away from her.”I saluted him sarcastically and stepped back a pace or two. “Okay, okay. Chill out if it bothers you so much.”As I walked away, I glanced back at Xander over my shoulder. “You should really learn to relax,” I drawled, mocking him as much as possible. “It’s bad for your health, all this stress you carry around.”Walking through the doors out of the pool area with self-satisfaction rolling off me in waves, I didn’t care about Xander and his anger. Not when they were both going to be defeated very soon.Back in my room, I poured myself another drink and stared out the window. It was a clear blue night with stars in the sky, but I wasn’t looking at the sky or the stars or
Daniel’s povLola’s body went rigid and her face turned a shade of red that clashed horribly with her hair. “Audrey?” she screeched.“Yes,” I said, nodding. “Why would she do this to me?”I shrugged. “I don’t know. But she must have seen that maybe Xander was looking at you a certain way and she just wanted you out of the equation.”Lola laughed cynically, and shook her head. “Audrey is going to regret this.” She said, “She honestly believes that nobody is going to stop her? For real.”I said nothing, just letting her stew. If nothing else, getting angry at Audrey took her mind off what had happened. "Wow, you look like hell," I said, taking a step back from the chart."Gee, really? How would you have guessed?" she snapped and rolled her eyes at me.I smirked, leaning against the wall. “You’re lucky to be alive, you know.”Her glare seemed to darken at my words. “If your people were competent at making sure no harm came to you and I, this wouldn’t have happened in the first place!”
Audrey’s pov“No,” I said, just as firmly. “But we can’t do anything stupid either. Any wrong step in this thing and it could throw us all over the edge. We just found her, let’s be careful and tail her for a while while trying to know what’s going on.”He gave a long heavy sigh and rubbed his fingers across his forehead. His eyes looked miserable because he knew I was right."Let's think this through," I said softly, resting my hand on his arm. "We'll find a solution for her. But we have to do it right."Reluctantly, he nodded, but his shoulders drooped in defeat. "Okay," he whispered. "But we need to hurry. I don't think she can last much longer."I nodded with both relief and determination. ***Daniel’s povI was in the car already heading to the house when I got a call from my men. “Boss, we have a problem.”“What is it?” I growled while clutching the wheel.“Mrs. Wright brought a stranger into the house she is hiding in, and now that we’ve arrived, the person is gone.”I frowne