MAURICE'S POV"Dad... Dad... Maurice!"I jolted and stared at Brian wide-eyed. His face was turned up in an irate expression."Um... What did you say?" I asked, trying to hide the fact that I had not been listening.Brian had been saying something and I wasn't paying any attention. I was so distant and lost in my thoughts.I took a minute to comport myself. The events of the past few days were taking a toll on me and I was zoning out too often. I peeled my eyes up at Brian who had been intently observing me. He was giving me a berating look.Brian. My son. I sighed deeply. Everything was in a total mess and I was so confused on where to start."Sorry." I apologized. "I wasn't listening.""That was obvious. I guess having a wife and a pregnant mistress isn't going as easy as you thought it would." Why did he always do this? He always spoke without reasoning, blurting out the first stupid sentence that pops up in his mind. One thing I was at least certain of was that he didn't inherit
GLENDA'S POVLucy was a constant disturbance. She was always wanting something from Maurice under the guise of her being pregnant. And for some inexplicable reason, Maurice was always too quick to indulge her.I was beginning to feel lonely, left out and abandoned. I saw Maurice everyday, but we barely talked. The situation was even more difficult than I envisioned.I stood by the kitchen island, absent-mindedly staring at the mess I had made in Nora's perfectly clean sink. The water I had come for, had spilled over it and I knew just how much Nora hated that. I took note to ensure that I cleaned up after."You're still here."I raised my head in the direction of the voice, Lucy was inclined against the door. Her hand crossed over her chest.I glanced at her, ignored her and set about returning the glass to its place in the cabinet. I jerked in shock when I turned to see Lucy behind me, so close.She was smiling eerily. "Did I scare you?"I was exhausted and had no energy to deal wit
MAURICE'S POV"Are you even listening to me?" Sam's agitation was evident in his voice.The pattern of me zoning out on people talking to me was becoming a habit. Too much was going on in my mind."I'm sorry, bro. What were you saying?""You are doing this too often." He commented. "Why are you distant? Did something else happen?"I sighed, unsure if I should keep bothering Sam with my many problems and complicated life. "How is Glenda?" Sam asked, worry etched in his voice.He was always too quick to ask about Glenda. Why he thought she was the only one who had trouble with everything going on baffled me. I couldn't understand why he never once thought that maybe Glenda was the one causing us trouble."She is changing, Sam." I began."Changing?... How?""Just yesterday, I found her twisting Lucy's wrist in the kitchen. Lucy was practically in tears, but Glenda wasn't letting go. I could never have imagined her to behave in such a manner.""And what did she tell you?" Sam asked."Luc
GLENDA'S POV I rang the doorbell with apprehension, nervously twisting, linking and unlinking my fingers as I waited for an answer to the door. My nervous gaze darted around the familiar front porch of my father's house. Memories of me and Elsa running around as kids flooded my mind. My heart repeatedly thumped against my chest violently. The wait seemed to take forever and my fears grew with each passage of time. Slowly, the door finally peeled open to reveal the one person I thought would deal mercifully with me. The one person who would try to understand my plight and extend a comforting embrace. Or so I thought. Instead, once the door swung wide open to reveal the length of me, the neutral expression that adorned her face immediately turned scornful, hateful, embellished with contempt. It was a nasty mix. “Why are you here? Why have you come?” she fired at me. “Elsa.” My tone and gaze were pleading. “Glenda.” Elsa spat back at me with venom. Under Elsa's condescending ga
MAURICE'S POVThe joints in my neck popped as I twisted my neck tiredly. I was exhausted. My back ached from sitting for so long.I had been seated at this desk since the early hours of this morning working out figures. My eyes were strained from the constant switch between the papers and the screen of my laptop. Everything about me screamed exhaustion, but I had no intention of leaving this study until I had things sorted out.I could have easily handed this herculean task to someone at the office, but as it seemed, I couldn't trust anyone now. I needed to catch the thief and I was going to do it myself.It was late into mid-day by the time any of the figures began to make sense to me. The culprit had meticulously mapped out every detail of their plan so that it would be difficult to catch them.Anger rose within me as I stirred at the screen of my computer. The final result of the search stared blankly at me.I jerked up from my seat. I took quick long strides and headed for the do
GLENDA'S POVWhat did Brian just do? Oh my goodness! Maurice! Maurice!My body trembled with fear. He doesn't want me near him. He hates me. I've lost him. Tears streamed down my face.The unpleasant possibilities filled me with dread. I began to hyperventilate. My lungs felt too tight and breathing became difficult. I grasped for air as though I would die the next minute.“Glenda!” Brian rushed over to my side. He placed his hand on my back and tried to calm me.As I slowly regain control of my senses. I yanked myself free from his hold and pushed his chest. I pushed him again. The force of the subsequent push harder than the last.“What did you just do? Why did you do that? Why did you kiss me? You and I know that there's nothing going on between us. Why did you lie to him? Why did you claim we had something going?” I stared at him with vicious eyes and wished I could rip him apart with my gaze.“Glenda.” He sounded surprised at my outburst.“You fool!” I jabbed at him. “You fucking
MAURICE'S POV Robotically, I strode through the hallway. My mind and body were different entities from each other. I was numb to my very core. I had dealt with so much pain that I could no longer feel it. Now, all I felt was emptiness, numbness, and unemotional. I felt like a walking dead. Why? Hadn't I been through enough already? Doesn't the spree of betrayal ever stop? Does it get worse as one ages? Or was I just cursed? Twice married, twice cheated on, twice betrayed. How couldn't I have known? How couldn't I have sensed it? There was always this bad blood between those two. Brian had never seemed to like Glenda. I scoffed at the thought. All an act. All the while it was all an act between those two. How did I fall prey to this? Did my experience with Lois teach me nothing? Was I the famous fool at forty? I let out a painful breath as I collapsed tiredly onto the sofa in my study. I looked around the room in a haze. My eyes rested on my opened laptop still seated on my desk
GLENDA'S POVI cried my eyes out after Maurice left me to myself in his study.He was mad and feeling betrayed. I couldn't fault him. He had every right to feel that way. I had kept my past a secret from him. Not intentionally, but it doesn't change the fact that I never mentioned it.What a grave mistake I made by allowing Brian get close. I should have known better. He was out to cause trouble for me.I still laid sprawled on the floor, drowning myself in self-reprove and self-loath when the sound of eerie, mocking laughter suddenly filled the room. It was a familiar sound.I raised my head to see the feminine figure towering menacingly over me. Of course, the news must have reached her and she had come to gloat.“That's exactly where you belong. On the floor I walk on.” Lucy spat at me. A victorious smile graced her lips.“Who is laughing now?” She chuckled. “You are even worse than I thought. Sleeping with both father and son.” She sneered.I was too exhausted to deal with this l
GLENDA'S POV I didn't want to accept how foolish I had been. How gullible I was. How blindingly trusting I was. “Elsa, please tell me this is all not true. Tell me this is all a prank. Say it. Laugh all this off… Say you're joking!” I yelled at her. I shook my head as though doing that would dispel everything that I had heard. “You are a liar! I don't believe you!” I broke into a sob. “I trusted you, Elsa. I loved you! I trusted you!... You were my sister! That's how much I cherished you.” I spilled through my teary, pain-filled voice. “And I hate you! I hate you Glenda! I hate you!” She countered, panting with dark rage. The room was filled with the heat of the hate emanating from her. The stench of her loath towards me was palpable in the ambience of the room. It felt so surreal. Like acting out a scene with the evil villain. Only, this was far from a dream or a movie. It was my sick reality. I could never have thought Elsa, whom I considered akin to my sister, harbored su
MAURICE POV It was a long drive. It had been two hours ago since Lucy agreed to take me to the place she talked about, yet we still hadn't reached. We kept taking neverending turns and corners. “Are we there yet?” I asked like an impatient child eager to reach the park sooner. “No. It's right up that corner.” Lucy replied. “How many more corners are we going to take?” Exasperation embellished my tone. “How did you even come to know about this place?” I asked out of my impatience and eagerness to quickly reach Glenda. The long hours of driving was beginning to make me rethink my decision. I couldn't help but begin to consider that this may be a ploy to distract me. “Um, he brought me here one time when we needed to talk privately. This is his hideout.” she spoke shyly. From the sound of her voice and the expression on her face, I understood that this was where they came to do all their plotting. Could Brian and Lucy still be working together? Could this also be one of
BRIAN'S POVI repeatedly slapped the passport against my palm, relishing in immense satisfaction as I walked to my car. It had taken longer than I had anticipated to get it done but I was finally holding it. My ticket to leave this place without being spotted by anyone.Best part, I was taking the woman I love along. Everything was falling into place. I smiled to myself as I got in my car. Aunt Helena had no idea how smart I could be. By the time she'll realize anything, we'd be long gone. Far long gone! To a place where no one can ever find us! Our disappearance would be a huge disappointment to Aunt Helena. It would put a big hole in her plans.As I sat in my car, my hand rested idling on the steering wheel. I gaze through the windshield, staring fixated at nothing ahead, my mind traveling back to that day at the hospital.★★★Flash back★★★“I've lost him.” She was crying profusely. “We failed.”I glanced over to Lucy curled on the gurney, an irritated look draped my expression.
GLENDA'S POV “Don't you want to hear my story?” She asked, pouting her lips, feigning childish annoyance. I was finding it difficult to understand everything going on. I had never seen this side of Elsa. She looked like some deranged psychopath. “Elsa. What…” I could barely formulate my thoughts into words before a forceful, painful sting shot through me. The electric sensation began from the cheek of my face, spreading pain, surprise and fear through my body. I stared at Elsa in utter disbelief. Did she… Did she just slap me? “You don't get to ask the questions.” She commanded in an icy tone. “Now, back to the story.” The iciness in her voice disappeared almost immediately as it had appeared. She was acting like a person with multiple personalities. I stared at her speechlessly, still reeling from the pain of the slap she had given me. She cleared her throat and began. “There was a beautiful woman who fell in love with a man. But sadly, the man did not return the woman’s love
MAURICE'S POV I walked back into the house taking quick long angry strides heading back to my study. My face contoured into a growl as I muttered angrily to myself.“Did they find her?” A voice asked.I stopped and turned. I hadn't noticed the presence of anyone seated in the living room. Nora materialized before me. “Has she been found?” She asked again. Worry and anticipation embellished her expression.The eagerness in her gaze only added to my fury. It was a stupid lead. A total waste of my time. Utterly pointless!There was no trace of Glenda where they had thought they had a lead. I wondered what their team was doing as regards to this case. Absolutely nothing! And my infuriation was growing with each passing time.I averted her gaze. I was too pissed to break the bad news to her. I scanned the area of the living room and then set my gaze on Lucy.“Why are you still here?” I interrogated her icily.She seemed to cower under my demeaning stare.“I was concerned.” Her voice was
GLENDA'S POV She came closer and sat beside me, darting her head behind her constantly as though checking if she was being followed. “I knew I'd find you here.” She whispered. Her alert gaze roved around the room. Oh thank Goodness! Finally someone was here to help me. “Elsa… Elsa.” I called out weakly, a tinge of excitement and hope adorned my gruff voice. “Elsa. Brian. Please get me out of here.” I mumbled. “I know.” She whispered in response and placed her right index finger over her lips. “Keep it down.” She darted behind her again. I immediately understood. We needed to stay quiet so we didn't alert my captor. I nodded vigorously to the best of meager strength. “Don't worry, I'll get you out of here.” She reassured me and tried to help me sit up. “You're weak.” She commented. She struggled to lift my limp body. It didn't help that I couldn't assist her by at least raising myself. Whatever Brian had been feeding me was still working actively inside me. “He has been feedi
MAURICE'S POVI took the next available flight back to London. All the while keeping constant communication with Nora regarding Glenda's return.I could feel it in my guts that Glenda was in trouble. It was confirmed when I returned late that night and Glenda was still nowhere to be found.There was no trace of her except for the blood that stained the vanity table and the telltale of someone being dragged on the floor.Incompetent staffs! How could someone enter the house without being noticed? Were they all asleep?I wasted no time informing the police. The evidence present, all pointed to the fact that Glenda has been kidnapped and investigations kicked off immediately.That was three days ago. Three days since the investigation to determine Glenda's whereabouts began and three days of no result.No one knew how she left the house. No one had seen her and no one knew who had abducted her. It was all too mysterious.So chaotic that it turned me into a frantic mess. Not knowing the
GLENDA'S POV A loud thumping sound woke me from the darkness I was floating in. It seemed to grow louder, increasing in its disturbing volume. I felt dizzy, hazy, like a clouded mist. I tried to move but my limbs felt too heavy to comply. Slowly, I fluttered my eyelids open. I was welcomed by a dim yellow light shining brightly beside me. I shut back my eyes. My head was aching badly. I tried to move again, propel myself and access my environment, but the aching weight in my head kept pulling me down. I shut my eyes and cursed at my failed attempt. I opened my eyes again and squinted past the yellow light to look around my environment. My eyes roved over the strange and unfamiliar setting. This was not my room. Where was I? How did I get here? The throbbing pain in my head increased as I tried to remember. Such a simple task brought me such intense pain. After a minute of trying, the memories came flooding into my mind. The bathroom. The feeling that I was being watched. The fe
MAURICE'S POV“What do you mean by you can't find Glenda? Isn't she at home?” My cold voice shot at Nora.I had just checked into my hotel room and was calling to inform Glenda. Her phone had been ringing non-stop with no response. I did try calling her earlier too when my flight landed but there was no response either. I assumed she must have been napping or up to something that kept her busy.Regardless, I expected her to be with her phone and to return my call at the earliest. I took some time to get myself settled and tried calling her again.Feeling frustrated after several attempts of being unable to reach Glenda, I called the house line only for Nora to tell me that Glenda wasn't home.“I just came from her room. She asked me to make dinner and that she'll come down to have it. That was four hours ago. The food was getting cold, so I went upstairs to inquire from her if she had changed her mind regarding dinner. But she wasn't there.” Nora explained over the phone.I found her