Doubt gnawed at Riley's resolve, causing her to falter. Then with a heavy sigh, Riley lowered the pillow, her heart heavy with the weight of her decision. But just as she turned to leave, a surge of determination coursed through her veins. She couldn't let Sophie live to tell the tale. She had to do it, no matter how difficult it was.Bracing herself, Riley turned back to Sophie, her grip tightening on the pillow. She was about to press it over Sophie's face when Sophie suddenly stirred in her sleep. Riley froze, her eyes widening in shock as Sophie's eyes fluttered open.Caught off guard, Riley staggered back, the pillow slipping from her hands and tumbling to the floor. She stood there, paralyzed with fear and disbelief, as Sophie blinked up at her in confusion.Sophie sat up on the bed, rubbing her eyes as she stared at Riley. She asked groggily, "Aunt Riley, why are you here?"Riley's mind raced for an explanation, her words caught in her throat as she struggled to come up with a p
Karina's expression seemed to worsen with each passing second as she walked into the room. Martha and Riley exchanged a long glance, silently conveying their fears. Clearing her throat softly, Karina asked again, "What more do you need to do?"Martha, feigning obliviousness, asked, "What do you mean?"Karina replied, "I was just walking past and heard you discussing something."Martha tilted her head, glancing at Riley behind her, and held back a sigh of relief as she realized Karina hadn't heard all they said earlier. Returning her gaze to Karina, Martha frowned and accused her of eavesdropping. “You were eavesdropping, how could you?" Karina defended herself, saying, "I really wasn't doing that."Riley, feeling emboldened, spoke up, "You've been too pompous because you're the CEO of the family business. It's disrespectful."Taken aback by Riley's sharp words, Karina paused for a moment before responding, "Hey, Riley, I didn't mean to impose or assert dominance. We're all family here
Feeling aggravated by Amira's silence, Aidan's grip tightened around her throat as he urged her in a yell to speak. Gasping for air, she slapped his hand, her voice strained as she requested he let go.Relaxing his hold slightly, Aidan stared into her eyes, searching for any sign of deception. Despite her protestations, he couldn't shake the gnawing feeling inside him. He knew Amira had a vendetta against Karina, and he couldn't ignore his instincts."I'm not plotting anything," Amira swore, her expression earnest as she met his gaze. "You have my word. I won't do anything stupid again, especially since you've assured me of your love."As she stood on her toes, attempting to kiss him, Aidan pulled away, turning his back to her. She hugged him from behind, pleading with him not to doubt her intentions. "I want to help you and your family get out of this mess Karina has entangled you in," she whispered.But Aidan remained resolute, pushing her back slightly as he shook his head. "You sh
Gina barged into Karina's office, her expression grave, catching Karina off guard. Karina's scowl deepened as Gina slammed a paper onto her desk."What's going on?" Karina demanded, her tone sharp.Cutting straight to the point, Gina demanded to know why Karina bought the Algernon mansion. Karina glanced down at the files before her, pretending to be puzzled. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she retorted, but Gina wasn't buying it, pointing out the evidence right in front of her.Lifting her gaze, Karina questioned, “How did you get to know about this?" Gina revealed that Georgia had accidentally spilled the beans.Just then, Georgia rushed in, her expression filled with regret. Karina sighed, acknowledging Georgia's presence before dismissing her with a wave of her hand.Gina, her arms folded tightly across her chest, pleaded with Karina not to fire Georgia. Karina's assurance that Georgia would not be dismissed brought a sense of relief to Gina, who nodded appreciativel
Gina shifted in her seat, her mind racing as she pondered the implications of the cyanide discovery. "I hope no one drank from the glass," the man remarked, noticing her troubled expression.She nodded, her voice tight with concern. "Thankfully, no one did. I appreciate you prioritizing the analysis despite the facility's busy schedule."Attempting to offer him a token of appreciation, Gina retrieved some money, but he waved it off with a warm smile. "You're my buddy's woman, Gina. No need for that. Just pay at the counter for the test and go.""Thanks, Paul. I'll take my leave now," she replied gratefully, rising from her seat and exiting the facility with a weighty sense of foreboding.Outside, she was greeted by her boyfriend, Maxwell. "Hey, thanks for speaking with Paul to expedite the analysis," she said, mustering a small smile."Anything for you, love," Maxwell replied, flashing her a charming grin as he affectionately pinched her jaw and leaned in for a kiss. However, his smile
As Gina's footsteps gradually faded into the distance, Riley rushed to her mother's side, her nerves on edge."Mom, what are we going to do?" Riley whispered urgently, her eyes wide with apprehension.Martha's smirk widened, and she shook her head in amusement. “It's fortunate that I anticipated this, Riley, my dear."Riley nodded, attempting to steady her racing thoughts. “Yes. Gina is quite clever. I'm sure she went to have the glass shard analyzed."“Luckily, I spotted her with it early this morning. That puts us one step ahead of her,” Martha replied, her tone oozing confidence.Still plagued by doubt, Riley persisted, “But what if she uncovers the truth eventually, mother?""Don't fret, Riley. Gina won't discover anything. We've covered our tracks meticulously," Martha reassured, her voice soothing."But what if she does?" Riley insisted, her voice quivering with fear.Martha placed a reassuring hand on her daughter's shoulder. "If she does, we'll handle it. But for now, let her d
Back in Riley's room, Gina regained her composure and demanded, "Ciara, how did this happen?"Ciara fell to her knees, her voice trembling. "I used a pest control product in the garden last night and forgot to wash my hands before taking the glass to Sophie's room. I found out earlier today that the product contained cyanide."Almost yelling, Gina asked, "Why did you bring such a harmful product into the house? We always use less harmful pest control products."Ciara looked down, tears streaming down her face. "I bought it from a person outside the household. They assured me it wasn't made with strong harmful ingredients."Gina's eyebrows shot up. "Who did you buy it from?""A random person I met," Ciara admitted. "I bought it for the gardener. He asked me to."Gina scoffed, shaking her head. "You're so careless, Ciara."Ciara clutched Gina's leg, her tears soaking into Gina's pants. "Please, forgive me, Miss Gina. Don't tell anyone. I'll lose my job."Gina frowned, her heart torn. "T
Karina's eyes widened in disbelief. How did he find out? She wondered, struggling to keep Aidan on edge. She took a deep breath, trying to control her racing thoughts. "Who told you this?""I have my ways," Aidan replied, his tone dripping with satisfaction. "Why did you keep this from me?"Karina's grip tightened on the phone. "Because it's none of your business, Aidan. This is absurd. Why would you even think that?""Because I've seen her," he replied. "She looks just like you."Karina's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean, you've seen her?"“I told you that I saw a girl the other time, right?”"You're a fool. You saw someone else and mistook her for my daughter.”“Okay then. That means you've got a daughter. I did some digging about you. You've got a daughter you're keeping from the public, especially me because I am—"Karina cut in, annoyed, "Aidan, you had no right to do that. How dare you…?""I had every right," he interrupted. "I needed to know the truth. Why didn't you tel
A Few Months LaterLife had started to return to normal for Karina and Sophie. Sophie, with the help of therapy and the constant support from Aidan and Karina, had begun to heal from the trauma of her kidnapping. They spent their weekends visiting parks, and museums, and sometimes just enjoying quiet family picnics, which helped Sophie find joy again.Karina and Aidan, too, had found a new rhythm in their relationship. They decided to set aside their past differences and work together for Sophie’s happiness and welfare. Aidan's family, especially his mother, Cruzita, had also mended fences with Karina. The shared goal of giving Sophie a stable and loving environment brought them closer.Meanwhile, Lilly had undergone her transplant surgery, thanks to the Everhardt family's efforts in finding a suitable donor. Her recovery was a beacon of hope amidst the chaos.During these months, Anita and Amira faced their trials. Amira’s defense team, led by her best lawyers, had fought tirelessly t
The atmosphere was charged with a mixture of dread and desperate hope, a battle of wills playing out in the room.The men appeared, one of them carrying Sophie on his shoulder as she squirmed and cried. Karina called out desperately, "Sophie! Sophie!"Anita's expression turned concerned as she watched the scene unfold, her eyes flickering between Karina and Sophie. “I’m doing you the honors because I’m a mother too. Use this moment well and say goodbye properly to your daughter.” She signaled to the man, who dropped Sophie down and the other went and untied Karina. The little girl ran to Karina, her face tear-streaked and trembling.“Mommy, I missed you,” Sophie cried, trembling.Karina managed a smile through her tears, cuddling her daughter tightly.“Don’t worry, darling. I’m here. Nothing will happen to you.” She scanned Sophie’s face, then shot an angry look at Anita. “Why does my daughter look like this? What have you been doing to her?!”Anita shrugged nonchalantly. “Just keep
Karina watched with teary, weary eyes as Anita paced impatiently. Lucas stood nearby, his face a mask of frustration. Juliana returned, her face pale as she informed them that Lilly was ready.Lucas sneered at Anita. “Where are your men? They should’ve been here by now.”“They’re coming. They should be—” She was cut off by a knock on the door.Anita took a step forward, but Lucas stopped her with a raised hand. He went to open the door and returned with two burly men in tow.“What the heck kept you guys?” Anita snapped.“Sorry, ma’am. Traffic was a nightmare,” one of the men apologized.Anita hissed. “Fine. Lucas, they’ll go get Sophie now.”Lucas nodded, watching them head upstairs before turning his gaze back to Karina, who was sobbing and staring at him with a mix of sorrow and betrayal.“Lucas, I never thought you could do this to me,” she choked out, her voice trembling with a mix of desperation and heartbreak.He leaned forward, feigning remorse. “I’m sorry, love. You know I ha
Anita asked, tensed, “What are we going to do?”“Tie her up!” Lucas commanded. He dragged a chair and placed Karina on it, securing her tightly with ropes. “Where are your guys who are supposed to take Sophie to the facility?” he grumbled.“They are on their way,” Anita muttered, nervously glancing at Karina.Lilly appeared, her eyes widening in horror as she saw Karina, who was now bleeding from the head. “Mommy, what happened to Aunt Karina?”Lucas flicked his gaze at the girl, snarling, “Ugh, this girl. Take her to her room and get her ready, Mother!”Juliana quivered and walked to Lilly. “Let’s go, my dear,” she said softly, leading Lilly upstairs as Lucas continued tying Karina to the chair.In the Everhardt mansion, Aidan walked into the house. “Where’s Karina?” he asked Gina.“She went to the office about 30 minutes ago,” Gina replied.He nodded and turned to leave but stopped as Georgia walked in with some files in her hands. “Georgia, have you seen Karina?” he quickly asked.
Aidan and Karina arrived at the Everhardt mansion, the tension palpable between them. Aidan got out of his car and quickly walked up to her, his tone urgent. "Karina, I think we should inform Inspector Kai."Her eyes widened in surprise. "No. We shouldn't.""What? Why?" Aidan asked, bewildered."Lucas is no fool," Karina explained, her voice steady but tense. "He might have figured that I didn't just come to his family's house looking for him. I'm sure Anita told him already that she saw me at the hospital, and then he figured out that he messed up by lying to me twice."Aidan shook his head in frustration. "So, what are we going to do? Stay calm when Sophie's earring was lying in their house?"She sighed deeply, struggling to keep her composure. "Aidan, we shouldn't react impulsively. Lucas shouldn't think that I'm suspecting him."Aidan eyed her with concern. "Are you scared of him or what?""I'm just considering the odds and possibilities now. What if… my daughter is in that house
Karina answered it, faking her cheerful voice. "Hello, Lucas.""Hi, Karina. Uh, sorry but you can't see Anita or Lilly."Her brows creased. "What? Why?""They left the country. They went to Switzerland.""But you said we could have dinner with them, Lucas.""Yes, I had no idea they left. I just called my mom and she told me about it."She nodded. "So, when did they leave?""Last night, yeah."She nodded. "Okay. It's fine. Let's talk later." She ended the call and groaned. "He lied again."Aidan asked, "What happened?""I saw Anita and Lilly less than an hour ago, and he said they left last night," she concluded.Aidan's expression turned grim. "He's definitely hiding something, Karina.""I feel so too. I need to go over to his family's house.""I'm coming with you.""But you're going to stay outside and hide. Paraventure Lucas shows up, he shouldn't see you."He agreed, and they left. Aidan followed Karina's car as she drove to the Salvatore Mansion.When Karina arrived, she placed so
The air in the room shifted, charged with a new, tense energy.Lucas's face darkened, his jaw clenched tightly."Karina?" he muttered, half to himself, half to Amira. The intimacy between him and Amira shattered instantly, replaced by a complicated mix of fear, guilt, and anger.Amira pulled back slightly, her eyes wide with surprise and worry. “What do we do?" she whispered, her voice trembling.Lucas took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "Stay quiet," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument. He disentangled himself from Amira, his expression hardening as he prepared to face whatever was waiting for him on the other side of the door.Lucas started heading to the door and halted. He spun and gestured at Amira to go hide somewhere. She quickly grabbed her clothes and ran off, her footsteps light as she disappeared into another room. He exhaled deeply, trying to steady himself."Lucas, are you there…?" Karina's voice was tinged with impatience."Uh, I'm coming!" he ca
Anita held Lilly’s hand tightly as they walked into an examining room in an extinguished hospital owned by the Algernon family. She had brought Lilly for a discreet proper checkup. She had been meticulous in ensuring this visit would be confidential, preparing for the upcoming transplant surgery. After the doctor had thoroughly examined Lilly, they all returned to his office, a tense silence hanging in the air.The doctor sat behind his desk, looking over Lilly’s charts before raising his eyes to Anita."So, Mrs. Anita, when is Lilly scheduled for the transplant?"Anita forced a smile, her mind racing for a believable answer. "We’re taking her to England for the transplant. A hospital there has found a suitable donor."The doctor frowned, clearly puzzled. "England? Which hospital, if you don't mind me asking? We need to transfer her medical records and ensure they have all the necessary information."Anita’s responses became increasingly evasive. "It's a private facility. They’ve as
Soon, Amira matched Lucas’s vigor, her enthusiasm doubling his pleasure. He growled and moaned, “Good girl, keep going.” She finished, then licked him from his V-line up to his chest, biting his nipples. Lucas groaned, his body tensing with the mix of pleasure and pain.“You’re not scared of me?” he muttered hoarsely.Amira smiled naughtily. “Why would I be? I know you won’t kill me.”He nodded, kissing her forehead. “I won’t. You're just different.” They started kissing passionately, their lips moving in a synchronized dance of lust and dominance. She asked between breaths, “How?”He chuckled, pulling back to look at her. “Everyone considers me a monster.”They locked gazes, Amira’s eyes piercing into his as she smirked. “We’re alike. Raymond used to be someone special to me before. I loved and adored him.” Her tone turned flat and callous. “But I killed him.”Lucas grinned. “I’m not like you, darling. I don’t kill the ones I love. Only those who give me trouble.”She started care