RYANThe night was quiet, but my mind was anything but quiet. I sat in my dimly lit study, the weight of everything pressing down on me like a boulder. Papers, documents, and pictures were scattered across the desk, all reminders of the chaos Leon had brought into my life. I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling as a storm of thoughts raged in my head.I didnโt know where to start or how to fix the mess that was unraveling in front of me. It felt like everything was falling apart at once, and I was powerless to stop it. I grabbed the whiskey bottle from the desk and poured another glass, the amber liquid shimmering under the light of the desk lampMy mind kept circling back to the same question, the one I dreaded most.What if he wants to contest for the title?That thought alone was enough to drive me mad. If Leon decided to step out of the shadows and challenge me, everything I had worked for would be at risk. I wouldnโt stand a chance.I had three advantages over Leon, th
NAYA I woke up early, determined to get a head start on preparing for Leonโs session. After everything we had been through and the chaos of the past few days, it was time to refocus. We couldnโt afford to waste any more time. Leon wasnโt walking yet, and that was the ultimate goal. I took a deep breath as I got out of bed, mentally going over the plans Iโd made for the day. Each session was a small step forward, and while progress had been slow, it was still progress. I reminded myself of that every day. Heading to the kitchen, I made myself a quick cup of tea to wake up properly. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a soft glow through the windows. The quiet of the morning gave me a moment to think, to plan out exactly how today would go. I wasnโt going to let anything distract us or slow us down. I grabbed my notebook, flipping through the pages filled with exercises and techniques I had researched and written down. Each one was carefully selected to push Leon closer t
I woke up and it felt like I had been in a trance, I tried to move my body to find out that both my hand and feet had been tied, then there was a cloth over my face so I couldn't see a thing, there was a tape over my mouth was also so all I could let out were weak muffled screams. We were moving and I was in a tight space that I figured out I was in the trunk of the car. I kept screaming through the tape even though they were barely audible. I still continued screaming and kicking to let myself out or call attention to passersby all to no avail.โShut the fuck up bitch or I would stab you in the gutsโ someone shouted from the front seat of the car.My brain couldn't function, I could barely think about anything else other than trying to survive. I just couldn't die yet. The car came to a stop after hours, at some point it felt like they were driving in circles. The car trunk opens and the first thought that came to my mind was to make a run for it. I hopped out of it even with the fa
LEONIt was so funny watching her bolt out of the house, how could she kiss me but was flustered when I pulled her to me? She was something else. There was a way she made me feel, a way that I couldn't put it into words. Every morning I look forward to hearing her voice, to hear her cute laughter. I hated to see her hurt and for some reason, I wanted to keep the smile on her face so bad so I was ready to do anything at all to make that happen just for her.She brought out what had been buried in me for a long time. The least I could do is make her wish come true regardless of the results of the ongoing treatment.I heard the door of the living room open up so I rushed over to see her โNaya, are you finally back?โ I laughed โNaya?โ I asked โYou mean Nick and yes I'm back, don't tell me you missed meโ I heard Nick say โShut your hole, did you see Naya?โ I asked bummed that she wasn't the oneโWhere? Isn't she in the house or did she go somewhere?โ he asked looking around like I was
NAYAโOh my, look at your faceโ Ryan gaspedโDid I tell you to rough her up like this?โ he asked the man who kidnapped meโShe wasnโt obedient,โ the man saidโSo you couldnโt handle this tiny woman without ruining her face?โ he asked, kicking him on the shin, then he grabbed him by the collar and slapped him repeatedly across the face, not once, not twice, not thrice just continuously. He acted like he was crazyโNow apologize,โ he told himโI-I-I am sorryโ the man stuttered โGood, now Naya he has apologized we should be even,โ he said smiling, his smile gave me the creeps. How was he human โRight?โ he asked โOh sorry your mouth,โ he said before he snapped at the man, who looked like he was in a lot of pain. The man came over to me and took off the tape that covered my mouth.โGet me a chair,โ he said and the man did just that, it was pathetic to watch a grown man run around for Ryan.Ryan sat in front of me and crossed his legs together wearing that same stupid ass smile. If not b
โSpeak we don't have all day!โ Ryan spat startling meโGo on I'm listening,โ he said but I said nothing, the words felt too heavy it couldn't come out. He angrily took the gun from the man and placed it right on my temples. The cold metal on the side of my head made me freeze in fear.โYou think all this is a joke, I would count to five if you don't speak you are done for,โ he said and started counting immediately โ1, 2,โฆ.โ โI-I-I-โ I stutteredโ3, 4โฆ.โ he continued I will leave!!! I wanted to scream in his face but a loud sound of police siren filled the air and everyone paused. I started to scream loudly so I could be savedโShut the fuck up!!โ Ryan shouted while the man covered my mouth with his hand muffling the screamsโYou should go, sir, I think the cops are here,โ the man saidโFuck!!!โ he shouted punching the air hardThe sirens became louder and I saw him visibly panicked before he ran out the door. The man returned the tape over my mouth and ran out, also locking the doo
NAYAI woke up to a beeping sound filling my ear, I opened my eyes slowly and pain hit me at once.โAre you okay?โ Leon asked grabbing my handI looked around me to see we were at the house but, I had a drip being passed through my arm โCan you come check her now, she is upโ Leon said and older-looking man in a white lab coat, he flashed a tiny light in my eyes checking each of them after the other.โHow many fingers am I holding up?โ He askedโTwoโ I wincedโGood no concussion, you have to be in bed for a few days so the pain can leave then you are fine,โ he saidโThank you, doctor,โ Leon said and they shook hands โMake sure she doesnโt skip any meal, and call me if you notice anything,โ the doctor said before leaving โHow are you feeling?โ Leon asked squeezing my hand tightly โDid they catch them?โ I asked instead and he just shook his head sadly โHow did you find me?โ I asked sniffling โJust get some rest we will talk when you feel betterโ he breathed out then none of us said
LEONShe was being a hard-headed person. How could she have gone through all that but still insists on staying? I would only bring her more harm and she knew that trying to convince her was just like speaking to a wall she doesn't want to listen.Ryan threatened her to leave or die. They feel she is the reason why I decided to come out to the public eye. They think taking her away would make me return to my shell, as much as they were woefully wrong. I still couldn't let Naya stay around me, I just didn't want to press further before her body needed rest.Seeing her wounded and bruised broke me in many ways I never thought, I felt like ripping my heart out. It hurt so bad that I couldn't hold back my tears which felt very foreign even to me.I soft knock came on the door before it opened up slightly revealing Nick. He didn't say a word before I rolled out to meet him.โDid they find fingerprints on the gun?โ I asked him. A gun was found on the scene which Nick carefully hid before the
RYANThe taste of bitter powder still lingered on my tongue, mixing with the metallic flavor of blood from where Iโd bitten the inside of my cheek. I didnโt 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. Iโd taken too much this time, too many pills, too much alcohol. But I didnโt care. I didnโt 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 Nickโs voices. They were speaking in low tones like they didnโt want to disturb me. I didnโt 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.โWhatโs going on?โ I asked, my voice still a bit weak.Leon quickly rushed to my side. โSorry, we didnโt mean to wake you,โ he said gently.โYou didnโt,โ I replied, shaking my head slowly.My eyes landed on the laptop screen, and I noticed a video was paused. โWhatโs that?โ I asked, pointing to it.Leonโs eyes followed mine. โI should go get the doctor to check you,โ he said quickly, trying to change the subject.โDonโt do that, I am fineโ I said firmly. โJust tell me whatโs going on this time, Leon,โ I told him He hesitated for a moment. โItโs Jennifer,โ he said finally, and my eyes widened.โWhat? Did she try something again?โ I asked, suddenly alertโNo, nothing like that,โ 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 wasnโt 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 didnโt 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 couldnโt even hold him and tell him everything would be fine, my mind wasnโt in the right place, we both needed each other and I couldnโt be there for him.โHave you had anything to eat?โ I asked and he turned to me quickly surprised to hear me speakโDonโt worry about me I am fineโ he said giving me a little smileHe still had his head wrapped with bandages and he hadnโt had any rest yet, his eyes looked red and heavy.โHow 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 hurtingโ I criedโNayaโ he called cupping my face in his handsโLook at me, I am fine as long as you are fine,โ he said the tone in his voice breaking my heart even further โBut Iโm
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 couldnโt wrap my head around how we could fall so fast, it didnโt 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. โI canโt stay here it is suffocating, I need to leave,โ I said to Nick โJust a little more while and you will go homeโ Nick answered his voice laced with pity โI canโt, it feels like I am being held captive. I hate it hereโ I sobbed โHow about we get some air outsideโ he suggested โAlrightโ I mumbled He took a wheelchair and tried to get me to sit on it when I stopped him โI can walkโ I kicked the chair away as I got on my feet โCarefulโ 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 โLeon is now the CEO,โ Nick said beside me โThatโs goodโ 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 โWhere is my daughter?โ 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 โWhere is my daughter?!โ he asked shouting this timeโGo find your daughter or whatever else where to leave me and get out of my sight before I punch you in the gutsโ I threatened through my gritted teeth, I was in no mood to deal with a drunkโIf you don't take me to her now I will come back with the press,โ 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.โCongratulations boss you did itโ Nick whispered once Naya fell asleep โDoesn't feel like a victoryโ 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 couldnโt 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.โYou are up,โ he said happily โStay still I will go get the doctorโ he whisperedโWhere is Leon?โ 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