“L…Lucas?” Anita almost stumbled, noticing his hard expression.He approached them, a smirk playing on his lips. "So, you really were the one who kidnapped Sophie."Anita swallowed hard, letting Juliana step forward as if to shield her.Lucas's expression shifted from hard to something more calculating and dangerous. "Let's finish Sophie off for good," he declared.Anita's brows creased in confusion and fear. Her lips trembling, Juliana asked in a whisper, "What do you mean, son?"He sighed, his tone resolute. "You've got my support, Anita. Carry out the heart transplant and let's close the chapter on Sophie."Anita's lips parted in shock. "Really?"He nodded, his eyes cold and determined. "You've now got my support, sister."Juliana and Anita exchanged glances, the gravity of the situation sinking in as they realized the full extent of Lucas's involvement and determination.Lucas noticed the lingering shock in their eyes and couldn't help but cackle softly to himself. "Relax, ladies.
Relief flooded Aidan's features as he was informed of a potential lead on Sophie's whereabouts."Send me the location," he urged urgently before ending the call.Turning to Karina, Aidan relayed the news, his voice tinged with hope. “My informant thinks they've found something," he explained, his eyes locking onto hers.“Really? I'm coming with you…”"No. Just go back home. I will keep you informed.Karina's resolve hardened. "No way, Aidan. I'm coming with you," she insisted firmly, her determination evident.Aidan hesitated momentarily, then nodded, motioning for her to get into the car. Without further delay, they hurriedly got in, Aidan's heart racing with a mix of fear and anticipation as they sped off toward the unknown, clinging to the hope that this lead would finally bring Sophie home.Aidan’s car screeched to a halt as they reached the narrow road, their headlights illuminating a scene of chaos. Before them, a battered vehicle was positioned horizontally across the road, ste
Karina sighed, looking between the two men, feeling the weight of their tension. "Please, both of you, stop. This isn't helping."Lucas turned to her, his tone softening. "Karina, come with me. You need to rest."Aidan interjected, “Don't feel pressured, Karina."Karina took a deep breath, her eyes filled with conflict. "I appreciate both of you, but right now, I need to focus on Sophie. But…” she trailed off and shifted her gaze to Lucas. “I will follow you.”Aidan's face hardened, but he stepped back, reluctantly releasing her hand. "Fine. Just…be careful and uh…have a good rest."She nodded and Lucas started pulling her away to his car. **** ***** ****At the Salvatore Mansion, Anita descended the stairs rapidly as she saw the two men who had taken Sophie earlier. Their clothes were scratched and stained, telling a story of a struggle. She hurried down, her voice rising in anger. "Why are you back? What happened?"One of the men, breathless, explained, "Someone was trailing us. We
Without warning, Lucas pulled the car over to the side of the road, causing Karina to almost hit her head on the dashboard since she hadn't put on her seat belt. The breach road was narrow and flanked by dense trees, casting long shadows in the late afternoon light."What's wrong with you?" she asked, staring at him in surprise.Lucas turned to her with a grimace. "I confessed my love to you, Karina. All this while, I've been a good friend and your best supporter. Now, because of the situation, you're rebounding with Aidan, your ex-husband who treated you like trash.""I don't have the strength for this," she scoffed. "I made a mistake letting you take me home." She grabbed her purse and got out of the car.Lucas groaned and followed her, grabbing her arm roughly. "What is it, Karina? Is this why you've been ignoring me all this while and getting back with Aidan? Is this what it is?""Let go of me, you're hurting me," she said, trying to free herself.Lucas punched the car bonnet, his
That night, Lucas drove crazily to see Anita. His knuckles were now white from gripping the steering wheel too tightly, his face a mask of rage and frustration. He swerved through traffic recklessly, his thoughts a chaotic whirl of anger at Aidan, guilt over his actions, and fear of the situation spiraling out of control.When he finally reached the Salvatore Mansion, he barely paused to park the car properly before storming inside. He found Anita in her room, pacing back and forth with a mix of worry and irritation on her face.“Anita, this is getting out of hand,” Lucas snapped as he entered the room. “The police are doubling their efforts. They’re going to find Sophie any day now.”Anita turned to him, her eyes narrowing. “Calm down, Lucas. Panicking isn’t going to help us.”Juliana walked in, her face lined with anxiety. “She’s right, Lucas. We need to think this through. The police can’t be that close yet. We still have time to fix this.”Lucas ran a hand through his hair, his ex
Lucas forced a smile at Alicia, who was now genuinely smiling, tears of hope glistening in her eyes. "Good day, my boy. Someone wants to talk to you. Alicia Montgomery. Your mother."The boy's tone hardened, "I don't talk to women like her."Alicia shook her head bitterly. "No… son…"Lucas pouted and hung up, then laughed mockingly. "You see, Alicia? He hates you more than you can imagine."She scoffed, her voice breaking. "No. What have you done? You made him hate me?!"Lucas laughed sadistically. "Oh, Alicia, you give me too much credit. I didn’t have to do much. He just needed to hear the right words about you, and his hatred blossomed naturally."Alicia's eyes filled with rage and despair. "You're lying! He would never hate me if he knew the truth."Lucas leaned in, his breath hot and malicious on her face. "Truth? There’s no truth in this world that matters. Only perception. And I’ve shaped his perception well."Alicia's voice trembled. "You’re worse than the devil."Lucas grinned
Hello, dear beautiful readers 😍. I'm Gem, the writer of this incredible book and I would love to show my gratitude for my committed readers. You all mean a lot to me. Though, I've not gotten any comments yet 😓🥺 but I still won't feel discouraged because I believe my loyal readers will drop some great comments and reviews soon. Honestly, I can't wait to see them.☺️☺️ With all pleasure and some sadness, this book will be ending this month. I think it's just 15 chapters left. And guess what? 😁 I'm going to be bringing up book 2, the sequel of this book. Do you want to know the title? Don't worry, I won't keep you in suspense for too long. I'm already working on book 2. It's going to be more interesting than this and with our remarkable female lead and male lead. Trust me, you don't want to miss it. 😄 So, I just said I should update you all. Once again, thank you for reading my book. I genuinely appreciate it.❤️❤️❤️ Have lots of good time reading the rest chapters and enjoyi
Lucas freshened up and went downstairs. He checked the wall clock: 15 minutes past 8 pm. He groaned in frustration as he checked his phone, realizing Amira hadn't replied to any of his messages. Determined, he called her again. This time, she answered immediately, her voice hostile, "How may I help you, Lucas Salvatore?"He smiled. "What's with the formality?"She scoffed but didn’t answer.He sat down and asked, "Why have you been ignoring me for days now?"Her reply was blunt. "Sorry, but I don't follow dubious people."He chuckled and nodded. "Alright, let's get this over with. Come over to my place and let's sort this out."Feigning reluctance, she responded, "Fine. Give me the address."He ended the call and sent her his address, then switched on the TV and relaxed. After about 30 minutes, the doorbell rang. Smiling, he went to the door and opened it, seeing Amira standing there. Her expression was cold, her attire revealing and striking."Hello, lovely," he greeted.She ignored
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