Lola’s pov“Not forever,” I clarified. “Just… maybe taking a break, giving yourself time to have more fun in life.”Xander seemed to think about it, his eyes fixed on the path ahead of us. “Maybe. But it’s hard to walk away when everything feels so… high-stakes. My business needs me.”The day was going great until a few things happened between us and I found myself standing in the rain, drenched from head to toe, Xander’s car taillights blurring in the downpour with my heart pounding with a mixture of regret, frustration, and a strange ache that gnawed at me.How did I get here? I asked myself and I started to backtrack.It had been a moment—one fleeting moment—when I thought everything between us could just… fall back into place. I thought that the spark we once had might rekindle and chase away the loneliness I felt. But as he’d stepped back, reality had come crashing down. He was married, and he had told me as much, his voice steady, unwavering. He said he had to be faithful to he
Jackson’s povThe way she took the lead had me hooked, and I couldn’t help but match her intensity. I tried to say something, to make sense of this, but she pressed a finger against my lips.“Shut up and kiss me,” she whispered, her voice low and teasing.I chuckled, nodding, and did exactly as she said, kissing her deeply. All the tension I’d felt earlier slipped away, replaced by the rush of the moment. We kept going, her hands trailing down my shoulders as I pulled her closer, letting the intensity build between us.In that moment, words didn’t matter.While we kissed, I leaned in close, my lips brushing against her ear. "I know what I want, and I'm not afraid to take it."Lola's breath hitched as I bit her earlobe, my hand traveling up her thigh. "I like a man who knows what he wants," she whispered.The tension between us was electric as we stumbled through the bedroom door, tearing at each other's clothes.I pushed Lola up against the wall while naked, my lips finding hers in a
Lola’s povJade, on the other hand, looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “But, Lola, you knew what you were doing when you went to Jackson’s place. I’m not saying you don’t have feelings for Xander, but… you can’t expect things to magically change if you keep going back to someone you know isn’t right for you.”I sighed, unable to argue with her logic. She was right—I did know better. But it was like I was caught in a loop, repeating the same mistakes over and over.Then Amelia, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, suddenly looked at me with a flash of anger in her eyes. “Honestly, Lola, what were you thinking?” she snapped, her voice sharp. “Jackson? After everything? I can’t believe you’d go back to him.”I blinked, taken aback by her intensity. “Amelia, it wasn’t planned… it just happened,” I said defensively. “Why are you so upset?”But she didn’t answer. Instead, she grabbed her bag and stood up, her expression a mix of anger and disappointment. Without another word, she turne
Xander’s povSitting at the dining table, I kept my gaze on Audrey as she paced around the room in her pajamas, visibly frustrated. She was wound up tight, too tense to sit down, her thoughts tangling in a visible storm. I could tell by the set of her jaw and the way her shoulders hunched forward that she was thinking about her father and his situation. This wasn’t the first day she’d been restless over it, but today felt especially intense.“Hey,” I said, keeping my tone light, trying to break through the tension in the room. “How about we talk this over?”She stopped pacing for a moment and looked at me, the furrow between her brows softening slightly. Taking a seat across from me, she started venting about everything she was feeling—her frustration with the way her father was being treated, the family’s lack of respect, and her growing worry over his health. I listened, nodding along, but I knew words weren’t enough. Audrey needed a real break from all of this, a chance to get
Audrey’s povI felt a knot tighten in my stomach as I read through the documents. Each page revealed a disturbing pattern, and disbelief washed over me. “What kind of prank is this?” I asked Crawford, my voice barely concealing my anger.He chuckled lightly, but there was an edge to his demeanor that told me he was taking this seriously. “It’s not a prank, Audrey. These documents are fake, but they’ve been expertly crafted. The concerning part is that Stephanie has somehow merged these fake documents with legitimate ones in a way that would convince your father to sign over everything to her.”My heart raced as the implications sunk in. “You’re telling me she’s been planning this all along? She’s trying to take over my father’s estate?”“Exactly. But confronting her directly could escalate things, and you don’t want to tip her off. It’s a bad idea,” Crawford warned, his brow furrowing with concern.I shook my head, frustration boiling inside me. “I can’t just sit back and let her mani
Stephanie’s pov“Do it,” I said to my maid. ”I have a party tonight and it will be a surprise party. I have a plan and I’m going to need it to be perfect.”The woman agreed and I cut the call as I walked to the table.“You all are invited to my party tonight,” I smiled at the ladies before joining them.They all cheered as we started talking about what we would wear.After sitting for a while with my friends, I excused myself to get into the car and call Eric to notify him of the party.I sighed in frustration as I ended the call. Eric wasn’t answering, and that was the last thing I needed right now. I could already feel Audrey’s intrusion casting shadows over my day, making everything feel out of balance. I needed to restore control, to reestablish my position in his life. This celebration idea—it would be a small step, but it was just the beginning of my plan to show Audrey and everyone else that I was here to stay.Pulling into the driveway, I took a deep breath to steady myself b
Xander’s povAudrey sat hunched over at the bar, her fingers wrapped tightly around her drink. Her eyes were distant, glazed with frustration and anger. I had never seen her look so defeated, yet at the same time, there was this intensity about her, like a storm ready to break. I made my way over, tapping her shoulder gently.“Hey,” I said softly, “come on, talk to me.”“I want to be alone Xander,” she growled. “This is not the time to talk to me.”“You want to cause a scene here with your husband?” I threw at her as she knew she was already in soup if she rejected me in front of everyone.We were newly weds and everyone expected us to at least act like it.If we didn’t do that then it would be awkward for her and for me, but mostly for her seeing as most people here didn’t know me but her and they would wonder if this was how she acted with her sister.She looked up, her expression softening just a bit, and gave a short nod. Without another word, we left the noise of the party behin
Xander’s povI took a deep breath, trying to keep calm. “You’re blinded by your own ambition, Stephanie. You’re so wrapped up in your schemes that you’ve lost any real connection to the people around you. Even Eric from what I can tell is going away from you.”“You take that back,” she gritted her teeth as I kept my face bland.“Audrey might have her flaws, but she’s real. She doesn’t hide behind manipulation or deceit. People respect that.”Stephanie tilted her head, smirking. “Respect is a fragile thing, Xander. And once it’s gone, it’s gone. What Audrey has is temporary. People like Amelia and I? We endure. We don’t let foolish emotions dictate our actions.”I looked her in the eyes, not backing down. “And that’s why you’ll never understand what real strength is. It’s not about control or power—it’s about resilience, the ability to face challenges without losing yourself. Audrey is everything you’re not, and that’s why she’s a threat to you.”Stephanie’s lips thinned, her patience
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