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
On a beautiful yet unbalanced spring morning, Karina hurried into the vestibule of the alluring manor, tears cascading down her cheeks. She had gone to pay a visit to her spouse, Aidan, and share the elating news of her pregnancy. However, upon arrival, she witnessed him in a vehement intimacy with a fair-haired woman. Consumed by heartache and unable to even catch a glimpse of the woman, she fled, her emotions in disarray. How could he have betrayed her so heedlessly? Strolling over to a settee, absentmindedly, she closed her eyes and reminisced on the look on his countenance when they first met. It was a mixture of vexation, irritation, and surprise. She could have never fathomed that he would be unfaithful to her after all these years of wholeheartedly committing herself to him. After a moment of suppressing her tears, she composed herself as she heard the sound of a vehicle. Aidan had arrived and she was hoping for a plausible explanation for his actions. She turned around as s
Aidan lunged forward, instinctively attempting to intercept his mother's impending strike aimed at Karina. Despite his swift reflexes, he was a fraction too late, watching helplessly as the slap landed with a resounding thud against Karina's cheek.Karina recoiled slightly from the impact, her hand rising instinctively to the stinging mark left in its wake. Yet, to the astonishment of those gathered, a faint smile graced her lips, her expression one of disbelief and defiance.Straightening her posture with a quiet resolve, Karina reached for the divorce papers, her movements deliberate as she swiftly signed them before returning them to Aidan with a measured calmness."You are now officially divorced, Aidan Algernon," Karina announced with a sense of formality, locking eyes with him in a silent exchange that spoke volumes. The room fell silent, everyone taken aback by Karina's unexpected acquiescence."Woah, you actually signed them?" Wally's incredulous remark punctuated the stunne
As Karina wandered through the streets for hours, feeling lost and helpless, she eventually found herself settling near a dumpster. The sky grew dark, and rain began to fall, drenching her in its cold embrace. Looking up at the heavens, she cried out in despair."Why, God? Why do you let me suffer like this? I have no home and no family. Just when I thought I found a new family, everything fell apart." Tears mixed with rain streamed down her face as she poured out her heart. "I gave everything to a man for three years, only for him to cheat and leave me. Now I'm back on the streets, alone and pregnant. How is this fair?"With each word, her voice cracked with pain, and she sank to her knees on the wet pavement, overcome with sorrow. Lost in her regret and agony, she suddenly heard the sound of an approaching car. Startled, she stood up and shielded her eyes from the headlights. But before she could react further, her strength failed her, and she collapsed onto the ground, just as the
~~ Six years later ~~ As the plane's door swung open, a woman descended the stairs with grace, her every step exuding elegance and sophistication. Her chestnut brown hair cascaded in soft waves, perfectly complementing her flamboyant attire that bespoke of wealth and classic taste. With sparkling eyes and a radiant smile, she held onto a cheerful little girl who mirrored her mother's grace and beauty, dressed in a matching outfit.As they stepped onto the tarmac, the little girl's eyes widened in wonder, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling airport. People stopped in their tracks, their gazes drawn to the pair as they made their way down the railings."Why do everyone keep staring at me wherever we go, Mommy?" the girl asked, her voice filled with curiosity.The woman chuckled affectionately, removing her sunglasses to reveal sparkling daunting brown eyes. "It's because you're so pretty, Sophie, my darling," she replied with a smile.Sophie giggled in response, her infecti
Aidan could not contain his involuntary blinking as he fixated on Karina, who commanded the stage with her ethereal presence and left the audience in awe of her divine appearance. As Karina dazzled the audience with her stunning appearance, Aidan felt a rush of conflicting emotions. His heart raced at the sight of her, while his mind struggled to comprehend the transformation before him. It truly was Karina, his ex-wife, but she appeared otherworldly. She was far from the woman he had last seen six years ago. She radiated like a golden goddess, with an enviable beauty and a figure that could seduce just by staring at her dazzling face framed by perfect hair. Suddenly struck with a sense of suffocation, Aidan excused himself and hastily made his way out of the hall, desperate to escape the suffocating atmosphere. Amira's gaze followed him, her expression a mix of frustration and disbelief. "Gosh. This has to be some kind of sick joke," Amira muttered under her breath, her jaw clenche
Amira's narrowed gaze bore into Aidan's, filled with a mix of incredulity and fury. With a sharp jerk, she wrenched her hand from his grasp, her voice laced with barely contained anger as she addressed him."How dare you interfere?" she seethed, her teeth gritted in frustration. "You know perfectly well—"Her words faltered as Karina's mocking laughter reached her ears. Turning towards the sound, Amira found herself met with Karina's icy stare."Patience is a virtue, gentlemen," Karina remarked casually to her bouncers. "There's no need to waste time on insignificant nuisances."Amira's cheeks flushed with humiliation, her fists clenching at her sides as she fought to maintain her composure.Karina's threat hung in the air, igniting a fiery determination within Amira. She took a step forward, her mind racing with thoughts of retaliation.But before she could act, Aidan intervened, his voice tinged with resignation as he addressed her."Don't escalate the situation, Amira," he urged
Karina stood her ground, her confidence undiminished. "I need you to continue playing along for a while," she stated firmly.He leaned in, his curiosity piqued. "And why is that?""Forget about the why," she dismissed with a playful smirk."Then I'll assume you want to use me to manipulate some situations," he surmised.Karina chuckled softly. "You could say that. I have big plans to pull strings and render people worthless. I just need a little assistance from you.""Alright. What's in it for me?" he asked, intrigued."Well, future lucrative deals and valuable connections," she offered."Interesting," he mused, considering her proposal. "But isn't it risky to strike a deal with someone you barely know?""I'm no fool," Karina assured him confidently. "I presume you're someone of significance. I'm Karina. Everhardt.""Ah, your reputation precedes you. I'm Lucas Salvatore," he introduced himself, taking her hand and giving it a firm shake.Their eyes met, and a silent understanding pass
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