LEONI just can’t with Naya, I didn’t want her involved in anything again but she wasn’t someone that would back down. After what happened with Ryan and when she was ready to leave I thought she wouldn’t want anything to do with anything again which was fine because I wanted to handle everything alone without having to involve her, anything that would harm her I just didn’t want it. Hearing her say she wanted in again, caused a lump to form in my throat. I regretted not helping her leave when she was ready to, that way I would know she is safe but my selfish ass just couldn’t let her leave now we were back to going back and forth. And it was all my fault.“Why aren’t you dressed yet?” Nick asked as he walked into the house“Naya is coming along,” I said instead“Why?” He asked with raised brows“Would she be okay?” He asked again“She made the choice and you know how she never listened” I breathed out“She insisted?” He asked and I nodded“Should I just lock her inside the house?” I
Everyone in the room had their attention on Leon, shocked that he was there. Whispers spread quickly among the people present, and I could hear bits and pieces of their conversations. They were surprised, confused, and probably wondering how he had the courage to show up after staying out of sight for so long.The reporters outside the boardroom were restless, pushing against the security guards as they tried to sneak in and take pictures of Leon. Cameras flashed through the gaps in the doorway, capturing whatever they could. It was expected Leon had disappeared from the public eye for a long time, and now, out of nowhere, he was here at the election. Anyone would be curious. I was sure many people were concerned, and some were probably trying to figure out what he was planning.But out of everyone in the room, the person I was most focused on was Ryan.At first glance, he looked composed, but I had been watching him long enough to know that it shook him. When his eyes landed on me, e
“Oh my wasn’t he crippled?”“Was everything a lie?”“How did he start to walk again?” Whispers of questions filled the room as they all stared in awe“Any objection?” Leon asked and no one said a word“That would be all then, Vice President” he turned to Jennifer giving her a curt nod“Acting president” he turned to Ryan and did the same thing The meeting coordinator hesitated, his eyes fixed on Jennifer, unsure whether to proceed or not.Suddenly, Jennifer stood up abruptly and stormed out of the meeting. The coordinator quickly rushed after her, and within moments, Ryan followed as well.It was clear that the election would have to be postponed.Leon turned over to me with a big smile on his face. Everything walked perfectly for him.“Let’s go, dear wife,” he said loudly so that everyone around heard him“What about your chair?” I asked“Anyone that wants it can have it,” he said grabbing my hand tightly as we walked out“Does it hurt?” I asked he was standing and walking on both
NAYAThe ride back was quiet. Not the uncomfortable kind of quiet, just one filled with thoughts. Leon had his hand in mine the entire time, his grip firm, and steady, like he was silently telling me everything was under control.I glanced at him. He looked completely relaxed as if he hadn’t just walked into that boardroom and flipped Ryan’s world upside down. As if the flashing cameras and shouting reporters meant nothing to him.But I knew better. He wasn’t just sitting there calmly. He was thinking, and planning, already three steps ahead of everyone.The car pulled to a stop, and as soon as we stepped inside the house, I watched him carefully. He had been on his feet for too long today. I saw the slight shift in his stance, the way he put more weight on one leg than the other.“Leon, are you okay?” I frowned “I’m fine,” he said easily, letting go of my hand and walking over to the couch. But I wasn’t convincedHe sat down stretching his long legs on the coffee table in front of h
LEONI tried to hold myself around her but every time it seemed like there was a magnet drawing me to her that I couldn’t fight. I was in my feelings about the rabbit hole I was about to go down and she sensed it. It wasn’t going to be an easy fight I knew that but she gave me strength to believe I could win. Getting her involved was risky, I should distance myself from her and just let her be but I couldn’t, I was so drawn to her that I couldn’t imagine a life without her in it.They would come after her again and again just to get rid of me and that scared me. The only way for her to be safe was to dissociate from me. I tried to remind myself how my mother ended and how my father ended. They took my family away and cast me to the side like I was nothing. There was no proof it was tied to them but I knew deep down that they had hands in it.I wanted her with me but that is just too selfish of me. I needed to let go.I broke the kiss and immediately missed the feel of her lips on mine
RYANI drove home with my head swirling just thinking about what was going on. As I got out of the car, I received a text notification from my mother and when I opened the text it was a video clip.As soon as I pressed play anger filled me instantly, it was Leon and Naya speaking to the reporters Leon snatched a microphone from one of them and said“No doctor was able to fix me, they all told me I would never be able to walk again but-” he stopped halfway and the camera panned towards Naya“What are doing” she let out an awkward laugh“My beautiful wife here made it happen,” Leon said, his voice filled with pride. “She did what the doctors said was impossible. I’m forever grateful to her.” He addedHow was that possible? From what I knew she was a college dropout so how?“He just called her his wife,” one person said “How long have you guys been married?” “Naya Genrey, how did you meet” they all rambled trying to get pictures of them“It is Naya Valois” I corrected and my blood bo
“Why are you in my house?” I asked wiping off the white particle that remained under my nose“How long have you been using again?” She asked glaring at me with disgust“I don’t know what you are talking about,” I said grabbing the transparent bag and chugging it into my pocket“Do I look stupid to you?” She asked“Fucking answer me now!” She shouted throwing a pillow at me“It’s just this once, okay? Get off my back,” I hissed, struggling to get up.“You are a disappointment,” she spat, her voice filled with disgust.I let out a dry laugh. “Cut the bullshit. That means nothing coming from you,” I shot back.Her calling me a disappointment was ironic. If I was one, it was only because she failed as a mother. She shaped me into this.“I’m your mother! You will not speak to me like that!” she shouted, her voice shaking the room.The room felt suffocating, the air thick with tension as she stood before me, her glares burning into mine. I was still coming down from the high, but her words
NAYA“I can’t put you through that, I am sorry I would deal with them alone,” he said his eyes begging me to leave“I’m sorry, I can’t,” I said looking him in the eyeHe looked shocked at my response, but that was how I felt hearing everything he said just made me want to stay by his side more. “But it doesn’t involve you!” He shouted“I promised to destroy the Genrey family, and I will do just that. Leave my family problems to me and stop interfering!” He shoutedI know he was trying to rile me up, yet all I could focus on was him. He sat on the edge of the couch, his shoulders tensed and his hands clenched into fists. He looked like he was fighting with himself, his breathing was heavy.I reached out, wrapping my hands over his feeling his warm skin in my hands, but he didn’t move.“Pushing me away won’t stop me, Leon,” I said to him softly yet firmly to make myself clear enough “I’m not going anywhere. This is what you signed up for.” I said with determination and I meant itHe
RYANThe taste of bitter powder still lingered on my tongue, mixing with the metallic flavor of blood from where I’d bitten the inside of my cheek. I didn’t even know how long I had been lying there, curled up on the same dusty couch in that dark apartment, the air thick with smoke and the stench of liquor. The curtains were drawn shut, blocking out the sun, or maybe it was already night again. Time had stopped meaning anything.My head was spinning. I’d taken too much this time, too many pills, too much alcohol. But I didn’t care. I didn’t want to feel anything not shame, not the loss or the rage that burned deep within me.I tried to stand but a wincing headache rushed through my spine causing me to fall on the couch, I let out a groan and took a big gulp of the bottle of whiskey in my hand before reaching for my phone. The brightness of the phone almost knocked me out, it was past two in the afternoon. I was scrolling through the notifications when I saw something that caught my ey
NAYAWhen I opened my eyes, the room was quiet except for Leon and Nick’s voices. They were speaking in low tones like they didn’t want to disturb me. I didn’t catch everything they were saying at first, but when I listened a little more, I heard them mention something about a video and the press.“What’s going on?” I asked, my voice still a bit weak.Leon quickly rushed to my side. “Sorry, we didn’t mean to wake you,” he said gently.“You didn’t,” I replied, shaking my head slowly.My eyes landed on the laptop screen, and I noticed a video was paused. “What’s that?” I asked, pointing to it.Leon’s eyes followed mine. “I should go get the doctor to check you,” he said quickly, trying to change the subject.“Don’t do that, I am fine” I said firmly. “Just tell me what’s going on this time, Leon,” I told him He hesitated for a moment. “It’s Jennifer,” he said finally, and my eyes widened.“What? Did she try something again?” I asked, suddenly alert“No, nothing like that,” he answe
LEONThe anger in her voice was very loud and clear, I had never seen her like that it was like watching a different person but in a good way. Although it happened at a rough time she had the last laugh and it was so satisfying to watch. Their faces as they watch every word come out of her mouth, they must have forgotten she wasn’t the same girl they taunted and trampled on. They thought her words were just her bluffing because they thought she was weak and there was nothing she could do to them.And she showed them, they didn’t know how much she gave her all into making sure she brings them to their downfall, how persistent she was during that period was what drew me to her. I was so proud of her because she fought that battle against them and she won after they laughed in her face repeatedly, now it was left to them to waste away wishing they could go back in time and not get on her wrong side.She laid in bed and just stared at the ceiling without uttering a word and I sat beside h
I sat on the hospital bed staring into the distance while Leon sat beside me, he looked down and troubled, that it made me feel horrible. He also lost the same way I did but he was only trying to make me feel better while he battled with his own grief internally. I couldn’t even hold him and tell him everything would be fine, my mind wasn’t in the right place, we both needed each other and I couldn’t be there for him.“Have you had anything to eat?” I asked and he turned to me quickly surprised to hear me speak“Don’t worry about me I am fine” he said giving me a little smileHe still had his head wrapped with bandages and he hadn’t had any rest yet, his eyes looked red and heavy.“How could I not? Just look at you we went through the same thing and you are still trying to look after me when you are also hurting” I cried“Naya” he called cupping my face in his hands“Look at me, I am fine as long as you are fine,” he said the tone in his voice breaking my heart even further “But I’m
KAYLAIt was like a dream, one minute I was planning a holiday to escape everything that had been going on around me, and the very next minute everything was taken away from us. It was frustrating when our accounts got frozen but in my head I expected it to get fixed. Dad would take care of it was what I said. But it was like someone was actively working extremely hard to bring us down, I would never forget how Dad got arrested. I was still in bed when I heard a loud bang from downstairs, I was so confused and scared but I ran down the stairs to see what it was about just to see a sea of policemen storm into the house and whisk Dad away before we could react. Mom had to go around taking loans to afford a lawyer, it was embarrassing and unbelievable. I couldn’t wrap my head around how we could fall so fast, it didn’t happen with warning or little but everything happened at once and too fast for me to process. I cried myself to sleep every night because mom kept saying stuff like I ha
NAYA Being in that ward tied to the damn drip and the continuous beeping that filled my ears made me feel like I was being held captive. I wanted to leave the damn environment but they didn't want to let me leave. “I can’t stay here it is suffocating, I need to leave,” I said to Nick “Just a little more while and you will go home” Nick answered his voice laced with pity “I can’t, it feels like I am being held captive. I hate it here” I sobbed “How about we get some air outside” he suggested “Alright” I mumbled He took a wheelchair and tried to get me to sit on it when I stopped him “I can walk” I kicked the chair away as I got on my feet “Careful” he rushed to my side to assist me but the look I sent his way made him know better than to hold me I lost my baby and that was hard enough, staying in bed made me feel more helpless and way worse than I already was “Leon is now the CEO,” Nick said beside me “That’s good” was all I said It was good news but right
I headed back to the hospital so I could be with Naya while Nick could carry on sorting everything out, the evidence was clear and inevitable. The only way Jennifer could avoid getting arrested was if the evidence was destroyed and that would never happen not on my watch. I got down from my car and before I could step in an older-looking man with specks of grey hair scattered over his hair stopped me with his both hands stretched out by his side “Where is my daughter?” he asked a whiff of his alcohol-filled breath hit meI tried to walk around him and leave but he rushed and stood in front of me again asking the same question “Where is my daughter?!” he asked shouting this time“Go find your daughter or whatever else where to leave me and get out of my sight before I punch you in the guts” I threatened through my gritted teeth, I was in no mood to deal with a drunk“If you don't take me to her now I will come back with the press,” he said pausing me in my tracksWhat was the fucked
LEONIt was hard watching Naya devastated and broken and once again it was me who put her in that position. Just after celebrating that we were going to be parents it was taken away from us. It hurt so much but I couldn't show that in front of her, I had to be strong for her but I was moments away from slipping. I wanted to scream and crush them both to crumbs even after being named CEO. That wasn't enough, I need to finish them off for good.She clung to me tightly but didn't say a word after she cried her eyes out and I held onto her not letting her go. I couldn't tell her the good news since the moment had been stolen away and it didn't even sound like good news anymore with what we had going on. Our bundle of joy that we rejoiced over was gone, and I couldn't begin to imagine the pain that Naya was going through.“Congratulations boss you did it” Nick whispered once Naya fell asleep “Doesn't feel like a victory” I breathed out, he was talking about me becoming the new CEO of Valo
NAYAI slowly opened my eyes, my vision blurry at first. Everything around me felt hazy like I was trapped in a dream I couldn’t wake up from. I tried to make sense of where I was, but the steady beeping sound filling my ears told me all I needed to know. I was in a hospital.I felt something strapped to my face and instinctively reached up, pulling down the oxygen mask. My body ached, but I ignored the pain and tried to sit up. The moment I moved, a sharp sting shot through me, making me wince.Before I could push myself any further, I heard hurried footsteps. Nick rushed to my side, his face filled with worry.“You are up,” he said happily “Stay still I will go get the doctor” he whispered“Where is Leon?” I asked but he rushed out to get the doctor I winced at every movement I made every part of me hurt and there was a throbbing in my head that didn't want to go away. Every time I close my eyes I see flashbacks of the car ramming into us, I thought that was it, I genuinely thoug