Back at the brothel, after regaining her voice following the slap, Rie stared at the woman before her and offered a sincere apology. "I'm sorry, mother." Martha, who turned out to be the woman, glared at her, her disappointment evident. "How dare you, Riley? Or should I say ‘Rie’?" Riley looked around, feeling at a loss for words. Martha seized her daughter's arm, pulling her closer. "Since when did you start acting as Rie, who appears to be a prostitute?" "No, Mother, it's not like that," Riley protested. "I only faked my identity and appearance to deceive the woman who left. She's Amira Vanderbilt." Martha's grip on her daughter's arm loosened slightly, her curiosity piqued. "Amira Vanderbilt?" "Yes," Riley confirmed. "She's Karina's ex-husband's girlfriend, and possibly his soon-to-be wife." Martha's expression softened, though skepticism remained. "Why are you working with her?" "Because she hates Karina as much as we do, probably even more," Riley explained urgently. "Ever
Phoebe struggled to snap out of her daze and Sophie enveloped Karina in a warm hug, excitedly welcoming her mother home. As Sophie warmly embraced Karina, Phoebe's heart rate gradually returned to normal. She managed a strained smile as Karina explained her early return and expressed her desire to spend time with Sophie. After regaining her composure, Phoebe chimed in, echoing Karina's sentiment. "Yes, it's wonderful to have you home early, Karina. Sophie and I had a lovely time out." Karina's gaze shifted to Phoebe, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "Oh, did you now? Where did you two go?" Phoebe's heart skipped a beat as Sophie opened her mouth to speak, but her relief was palpable when Sophie simply replied, "I made Aunt Phoebe take me along with her to the supermarket." Phoebe let out a silent sigh of relief as Sophie excused herself to get ready for dinner. Karina praised Sophie's thoughtfulness before turning her attention back to Phoebe. Once Sophie was out of earshot, Kari
Karina's brows furrowed as he skillfully slipped her foot into the shoe and began to tie the straps. She swallowed hard, feeling the intensity. Each movement felt like a betrayal of her resolve. When he finished tying the strap, Karina arose just when he stood up and held her gaze again. Their intense gaze lingered for a moment, a silent exchange of emotions passing between them.Then Karina stepped back, her breath hitching as she glanced around the room. Cruzita's gaze bore into her, and Aidan's closed eyes betrayed his inner turmoil.Taking a deep breath, Karina addressed them all. "From now on, you'll serve me just as I did six years ago," she declared, her voice laced with unacknowledged vulnerability and a hint of triumph. Aidan turned to face Karina, his disbelief palpable as he met her unwavering gaze. Six years had passed, yet she stood before him now, a stark contrast to the meek woman he had once known. Her eyes betrayed no hint of concern, her expression devoid of any tr
Lucas returned to the dining room with a forced smile, trying to shake off the unease from the mysterious call. Anita's keen eyes caught the change in his demeanor, and she couldn't help but voice her concern. "Lucas, are you sure you're okay?" she asked, her brows furrowing with worry. Juliana shot her daughter a surprised glance, taken aback by her direct question. However, Lucas quickly reassured them both with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I'm fine, Anita." “Alright. Who called you?" She asked, curiously. "Just a random call, nothing to worry about," he replied, his tone casual. Anita didn't seem entirely convinced but chose not to press the matter further. Instead, Lucas seized the opportunity to steer the conversation in a different direction. "Anyway, enough about that," he said, mustering up enthusiasm. "Let me tell you about my progress with Karina." As he recounted his achievements with Karina, Juliana's eyes sparkled with pride, and she applauded his efforts. "You're
Anita watched him leave with a mixture of hope and apprehension, her heart heavy with the weight of their shared past and uncertain future. As Lucas reached the door, he glanced back at her, his eyes cold and calculating. "I'll do my best for Lilly," he said flatly, "so you won't have to remind me again that you saved my life." Anita sneered, holding his gaze in an equally intolerable manner. “Also, I'll be coming with Karina and her daughter." With that, he left, banging the door close behind him.But Anita's sneer melted into a contemplative expression after Lucas dropped the bombshell about Karina and her daughter visiting. She glanced at her mother who seemed taken aback by the announcement."That's... unexpectedly soon," Juliana murmured, her brow furrowing in concern.Anita remained silent, her mind racing with thoughts. The mention of Karina's daughter stirred a mixture of emotions within her, though she kept them hidden behind a facade of composure.Lucas's terse departure
Aidan closed the distance between them, his hands casually slipping into his pockets as he studied Karina's face, illuminated by the gentle morning sunlight. “I do understand the importance of respecting boundaries,” he affirmed.Karina's devilish smile wavered momentarily, her resolve faltering at the weight of Aidan's words. Nevertheless, she straightened her posture, mustering her courage to respond. "You should remember that, Aidan," she countered sharply. "I'm not the same Karina who put up with your nonsense six years ago."Aidan's demeanor remained composed as he absorbed her words, offering a subtle nod in acknowledgment. "You're absolutely right," he conceded, his tone softening.Karina's gaze drifted upward to the sky, a wistful smile playing at her lips. "Despite the challenges of yesterday, it's still a beautiful morning," she mused, her voice tinged with irony. "I bid you goodnight because it seemed like the end of a trying day for all of you. Perhaps you should rest, as
Just then, Phoebe emerged. Karina glanced at Phoebe, her eyes silently pleading for confirmation, but Phoebe's expression remained unreadable as she stared steadily at Sophie. Karina pressed on, trying to coax Sophie into remembering. "Are you sure, honey? Maybe someone caught your eye while we were out yesterday?"Sophie shook her head, her attention already drifting towards the door. "I don't think so. Can I go play with Grand Aunt Zora now?"Phoebe intervened, sensing Karina's growing frustration. "Of course, sweetheart. Run along."As Sophie scampered off, Karina turned to Phoebe with a furrowed brow. "Why did you come back so early?" she asked, her tone laced with concern.Phoebe hesitated for a moment before replying, "I just wanted to check on something at home. Is everything alright?"Karina nodded, but her mind was elsewhere. "Actually, there's something I need to talk to you about," she began, her voice serious.Phoebe's eyes widened slightly, sensing the gravity of the sit
Karina managed to get over her surprise and relieve herself from feeling awkward as she embraced Lilly in return.As she engaged in conversation with Lilly, she introduced her to Sophie, and the two girls exchanged pleasantries.Anita, though not entirely pleased with Lilly's affection towards Karina, masked her emotions with a smile as she observed them. "Lilly, come sit next to me, dear," she suggested, but Lilly declined, opting to sit beside her new friend Sophie instead. Exchanging a smile with Sophie, Lilly sat on the seat next to her. Anita forced a smile, accepting the situation. She remained composed, taking her seat at the table. Juliana, noticing the interaction between her granddaughter and Sophie, chimed in, "It's nice to see Lilly with a friend her age. She doesn't often have visitors her own age." Karina nodded in understanding, though she couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss with Lilly.As they began to eat, Karina's concern grew as she noticed Lilly's
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