Aidan hesitated, his silence speaking volumes. Just as he was about to speak, Amira interjected, her voice tense with emotion. “Aunt, don't ask him that. You know he hates even hearing Karina's name. I'm certain he feels nothing for her. His heart belongs to me," she asserted, stealing anxious glances at Aidan. Xander couldn't resist a taunt. “Hey, Amira, you could have let Aidan answer instead of assuming he'd explode." Amira snapped at Xander, her frustration evident. “Shut up. Don't provoke me with your nonsense!" She turned to Cruzita with a pleading look. "Please, Aunt, ask your nephew to show some restraint.” Cruzita nodded and shot a stern look at Xander before stepping away from Aidan. “I wish I had been at that party. I would have put Karina in her place," she declared, her voice filled with disdain. “To heck with your bitterness," Grandma Lila scoffed, her voice tinged with emotion as she thought of Karina. “She's back. I hope I can see her again." “I hope she stays out
The Everhardt MansionKarina, engaged in lively conversation with her grandfather and Aunt Zora, stepped into the mansion. As they entered, they were met with dim lighting, causing them to pause in surprise.“What happened to the power supply?" Zora inquired, scanning the surroundings.Karina lowered her gaze with a smile just as the room burst into glittering lights, illuminating the beautifully decorated space.Sir Lawson looked around in amazement. “Who did this…?”"Surprise!” Sophie's cheerful voice rang out as she emerged from a corner, eliciting gasps of astonishment from Zora and Sir Lawson.“My dear child is here!" Sir Lawson exclaimed with joy as Zora rushed to embrace Sophie, lifting her up in her arms.“Hello, Aunt Zora, Great Grandpa, are you guys thrilled to see me?” Sophie beamed."Yes, darling,” Zora replied, planting a kiss on Sophie's forehead."Our adorable one, I missed you,” Sir Lawson chimed in, then turned to Karina, who wore a mischievous smile.“So, you deliber
The Algernon MansionSeated around the dining table, the members of the esteemed Algernon family quietly indulged in their dinner. Suddenly breaking the eerie silence, Cole spoke in a commanding tone."The company has not been faring well ever since I made you the CEO, Aidan. This is far from impressive." The lines that formed on his forehead showcased his obvious disappointment as he gave Aidan a piercing gaze."I understand, Father. I will ensure things are handled properly," Aidan replied, his tone filled with determination.However, before Cole could press on, Amira made her entrance."Good morning, everyone!" she greeted cheerfully, receiving warm smiles from Cruzita and Wally. She hugged Aidan from behind while Xander gave her an indifferent look, quickly pecking his cheek. "Hey, baby. Did you sleep well? I missed you," she said with a beaming smile.Aidan simply nodded and continued to eat, trying to mask his displeasure with her presence.Amira took a seat next to him, giving
The woman, Anita Salvatore who’s Lucas' elder sister, shifted her gaze to where Karina's car had disappeared, sporting a sly grin."She's classy," Anita commended."And beautiful too, Momma," her daughter, Lilly, chimed in, earning a chuckle from Lucas. "Uncle Lucas, were you on a date with the beauty?"Lucas hesitated, a hint of disappointment in his tone as he replied, "Um, not really, my dear.""But that woman, how do you know her?" Anita interjected before Lucas could respond, her head tilting in thought. "She looks familiar.""Yeah, Mom. I think she's the famous actress, K. Everhardt," Lilly answered.Anita's eyes widened slightly. "An Everhardt?"Lucas nodded, a sense of apprehension creeping in. "She's an Everhardt, Anita."Anita's expression soured. "What?""She's the granddaughter of Sir Lawson," Lucas clarified, observing his sister's jaw stiffen. "I understand why you're reacting this way..."Leaning closer, Anita whispered through gritted teeth, "Then why are you sociali
Shaking like a leaf in the wind, Marcus stuttered, “It's... It's your ex-wife, Karina Everhardt, sir." Aidan's grip on Marcus loosened slightly, his expression softening at the mention of her name. “She's the new CEO of Everhardt Corporation,” Marcus continued cautiously, taking a step back. Cruzita and Amira groaned in frustration, their anger palpable. “That wretch!” Cruzita exclaimed, echoing Amira's seething sentiment. Wally, nervously biting her nails, interjected, “I had a bad feeling earlier, everyone. If we let that horrible Karina take control, we're doomed. I fear more trouble is coming…” “Enough!” Cole silenced her, turning his attention back to Aidan. “You, Aidan! I warned you about this. Why did you proceed despite the risks?” Aidan remained composed, rolling up his sleeves. “I will personally go to the company to pitch our proposal and secure a deal for our company.” “You'll just give her the chance to insult you personally? No, son, it's not worth it,” Cruzita int
Karina gracefully entered the conference room a few minutes later, finding the board of directors gathered and Aidan positioned before them, poised to present his proposal. She exchanged a disapproving glance with Gina, who offered her a sympathetic smile before nudging Aidan to begin. She took the seat at the head of the table, reserved for her as the CEO. Settling into it, she observed Aidan deliver his pitch flawlessly, while stealing longing gazes in her direction. As he wrapped up, she could see the approving nods and expressions of most of the board members. After he finished, they all applauded, except for Karina who discreetly concealed her annoyance. "What are your thoughts on his proposal, Karina?" Gina inquired, cautiously. Karina stood up with a composed expression. "I will reserve my comments for now and..." she purposefully paused as her phone rang. Excusing herself, she left the room, feeling Aidan's eyes following her. After taking her call and stepping out into the
Gulping nervously and casting a fleeting glance at the rest of her family, who looked at her expectantly, Karina raised her chin and pondered the appropriate response to her daughter's question."Mommy, is my Daddy here?" Sophie tugged at her shirt once again.Karina averted her gaze, instinctively, and forced a reassuring smile. "No, sweetheart." Then, squatting down to her level, she whispered, "Let's not talk about him right now, okay?"Sensing her mother's distress, Sophie nodded with a wide grin.Karina kissed her cheek and stood up. Turning to her family, she muttered, "Excuse me. I need to go and rest. It's been a long day."Zora nodded and gestured for her to get some rest."Good night." Karina glanced at everyone and left with her daughter. An insidious grin spread across Martha's face as she thought, 'What a clever way to dodge a difficult question. How intriguing.' She made eye contact with Riley, who also smiled maliciously. Minutes later, Martha was removing her makeup
After a moment of contemplation, Karina set down her utensils and gazed at Martha, seated across from her at the dining table. "I will do it." "We have faith in you, dear," Zora reassured Karina with a warm smile. The atmosphere at the breakfast table grew tense as the family grappled with Martha's bold stance, leaving the fate of Karina's ascension uncertain. After breakfast, Riley burst into her parents' room, her mind buzzing with questions and disbelief. "Mom, why suggest such a challenge? Karina's going to take it and prove she's the rightful heir to the Algernon business empire. Ugh!" She clenched her fist in frustration. Martha, wearing a mischievous smile, rose from her seat. "Don't worry, darling. Do you know who Mike Henshaw is?" Riley furrowed her brows in confusion. "He's a notorious misogynist. That's why he'll reject whatever proposal Karina brings," Martha explained confidently. Riley's eyes widened in realization. "Wow," she chuckled. "She's bound to fail," M
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