It was Sunday so it was rest day for us, no sessions just so he could rest his muscles from the intense week of training we had, but I still spent my own day doing what I have been doing for a while now which was more research as sad as that sounded. That was my new life. Usually, I spent Sunday with my sister before she got into the hospital, we would go to the park and just lay on the grass while fantasizing about the type of life we would love to live. Thinking back at it left a pang in her heart so I buried myself inside the massive textbooks to shut my mind out.“Even on a Sunday?” Nick asked walking into the garden where I was, I decided to take it outside to listen to nature as I did my thing“What are you doing here?” I asked surprised to see him “I came to give this to Leon,” he said, showing me a brown envelope “He makes you work on the weekend also? That man is such an asshole” I said“I’m right here” I heard Leon say startling me, I looked to see him rolling in his whee
“I would get going since you don't have anything to give to me,” I said turning to leave“Just wait for lunch then I will give it to you,” Amarie said“And why the hell would I have lunch with you? Are you trying to get rid of me for good?” I asked with raised brows“Just take it as a courtesy nothing more, this was once your home remember?” she said“Yeah right my home” I let out a bitter laugh“I only came here to get her stuff if you aren't giving it to me there is no point staying,” I said“Listen to your mother,” James said walking down the stairs and a loud hysterical laugh left my mouth “Mother?” I asked before laughing again“What is this fucking show you all are putting on?” I askedSomething was up I could smell it.“We will always be family,” Amarie said, even Kayla just stared at her like she couldn't believe what she was hearing from her mother's mouth“Family? What type of family kills their child?!” I asked shouting at the top of my voice the rage in me was already bey
“Where?” I asked, staring at her, my voice trembling with anger. She just stood there, looking at me like I hadn’t said anything.“I said, where do you fucking burn it?!” I shouted, my voice echoing through the house.“Woah, calm down. It was in the backyard… or garden? I don’t know which one,” she shrugged like it was nothing.Without wasting a second, I stormed out, my legs carrying me faster than I thought they could. My heart pounded in my chest as I ran to the backyard. I hoped to find something, anything that belonged to Nyla.My eyes darted around, searching desperately, hoping for even the smallest trace of her. My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might break free from my chest. Then, I saw a pile of ash, dark and lifeless. And on top of it, something caught my eye. A teddy bear.It was burnt halfway, its once soft fur now blackened and singed. It was barely recognizable, but I knew it instantly. My chest tightened, my breath catching in my throat as I stumbled close
RYANI leaned back in my chair, the city skyline spread out before me. It was a view I never got tired of. The world below looked so small, insignificant, and powerless. Just the way I liked it.The sound of heels clicking against the marble floor broke my thoughts. I didn’t bother turning around. Only one person in this house stormed into rooms uninvited like she owned the place.“You’re going to want to hear this,” my mother’s voice cut through the silence.I turned slowly, lazily swirling the glass of whiskey in my hand. She was standing in the middle of my office, arms crossed, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against her elbow. That little habit of hers meant she was annoyed.“Well?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.“She refused,” she said curtly.It took me a moment to catch up. I frowned, setting my glass down. “Who refused what?” I asked“That little orphan girl you let into this family,” she spat, her face twisted in disdain. “Amarie called. Naya turned down the deal. She
NAYAI hated that I had to get out of bed that morning. I just wanted to sleep in bed, the thought that I had to be around Leon just pissed me off more but as much as I hated it I had no choice there was work to be done and time wasn't on our side.“Aren't you coming?” I heard a knock on my doorWhy was he up so early? I groaned“We missed a session remember we don't have time to waste,” Leon said banging on my door repeatedly “Can you stop? I will be down in a minute!” I shouted covering my head with a pillow“I would be right here until you are ready to come out,” he saidWhat the fuck was he on? I got up and threw on some gym wear then I dragged my legs to the bathroom and quickly washed my face and brushed my teeth. I hated every minute of it.“Coffee?” He stretched out a cup of coffee to me once I opened the door. I eyed him suspiciously. I didn't get why he was weirdly hyper, it was like the roles were reversed. He was always the gloomy one while I was the chirpy but it was th
KAYLA “I just told Jennifer about that brat,” Mom said “Who is that?” I asked “Naya who else, how would she reject Jennifer she must really think herself something now that she is married to that bastard,” she said fuming in anger “She has been different since she got into that house or is that husband of hers different from what we are seeing?” I asked “Who do you mean?” Mom asked “Well, she has gotten a lot more confident and acts like she is untouchable since she married him. If she married a sore loser, what would make her raise her shoulders so high?” I asked It was odd to me, the marriage was supposed to make her head bend lower than it used to be. She got married to a waste, a sore loser of the family so what was there that made her feel confident that she spoke to us however she liked when he was way beneath us? Was it the name that came with the marriage? “She is just showing her true colors now that she doesn't need anything from us, she has always been li
RYANMy whole day just went down the hill when I saw what Mark had sent to my office. It was the info on Naya but there was nothing helpful in it. There was nothing on her, nothing distinctive about her, no secrets, nothing. I was so confident that I would have her wrapped around my fingers soon and have her lick my foot but there was nothing that could be used against her.I took my phone and immediately rang Mark“This can be it,” I said as he picked up the call“That's it like that is all, she lived a very boring life. She was adopted with her sister by the Genreys, attended high school like an almost invisible student, and got admitted into Med school immediately after while she was there she had no social life and dated only one person then she dropped out and worked in a coffee shop all through until she got married. That is basically all her life nothing was left out I promise you” he said like I hadn't already seen that“Did I fucking ask for an explanation, I saw that alread
LEONMy mind kept going back to the way Naya confronted me. I knew she was angry, but I didn’t realize just how furious she was until she poured out every single thought she’d been holding in. It was like she’d stripped away every filter, leaving no room for doubt about how she truly felt. I could still hear her words, each one cutting deeper than the last, and the worst part was knowing I’d brought it on myself.It wasn’t surprising that Jennifer had tried to manipulate my life again. She’d always been calculating, always scheming, and this wasn’t her first attempt to control me. The idea of tying me down with someone she could use to keep tabs on me was classic Jennifer. But the marriage? That had its own tangled history.The whole thing started with an old contract between my father and James Genrey, keeping their companies affiliated through marriage. The details were vague, it didn’t specify which son had to marry but it was a deal sealed with signatures and promises. After my f
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
RYANIt felt like I was in a trance state not only did I watch Leon walk in and destabilize everything I also watched him get elected as CEO out of fifty board members forty-nine of them all voted for him while I got one, just one fucking vote and that person was my mother. All my plotting and trying to protect my position and he just came out of nowhere and took it away from me like it was nothing.I had questions How long has he been planning for?He had a whole secret company and now an investment company? He was out to get us for good and he won. he fucking won.More than anything I felt like a failure, the smirk he had on his face kept replaying in my head. I wanted nothing more than to bury my nose in cocaine and do whatever came to mind. I wanted to strangle him with my bare hands and watch his life slip out of him.“Can you fucking answer me?!” I heard my mom shout. We were in the basement parking lot of the company waiting for the reporters to clear out before we left, the
LEON“Let me fucking go” I hissed at the doctor trying to clean up my wounds“But sir you are bleeding,” he said“I don’t fucking care!” I roared “I want every doctor in this hospital to attend to her, she must wake up or I would burn this place to the fucking ground!!” I shouted, there was a banging in my head as I spoke but I ignored it. I had to make sure Naya was fine“We have been able to stabilize her, we can only hope that she wakes up,” he said slowly like he was scared of the words as they came out of his mouth“Don’t tell me that! I would pay any damn amount just make sure she is fine and she wakes up please” my voice cracked as tears filled my eyes, it was unbearable to keep watching her lay still like that“What is going on? What happened?” Nick rushed in looking between me and Naya“We will try our best you have my word,” the doctor said I crashed on the couch holding my head tightly trying to stop the banging that refused to stop“Why hasn’t this been covered up?” Nick