The two men, Rhett and Optimist remained rooted in a spot, awaiting Ashley’s arrival.As the door opened, Rhett’s Icy face melted and it turned crimson as soon as a knock came on the door.Rhett glanced at his friend briefly as if to pass his defeat across but Optimist understood the assignment. “Come in” he uttered on behalf of his now speechless friend.Ashley pushed the door open and entered the room with the brightest light ever. She’s dressed in a free designer Kimono with a good quality leather belt but the incredible boss-like aura on her could not be dimmed even by the dull colors she’s wearing.When Ashley saw Rhett standing up and well, if not healthier than before. A flush crept up her face in astonishment, she couldn’t close the door behind her and stood rooted halfway through the door.As they stood with little distance between them, unable to speak a word or make a move, Optimist’s phone buzzed and this put an end to their dramatic moment of silence.“Sorry, I have to ta
Ashley planned to go home to her son after the meeting because she didn’t expect to run into Rhett. She was in the elevator when it suddenly stopped and a group of employees rushed inside with loud gossip and murmurs.She’s not the type to be nosy about people’s affairs but their topic of discussion piqued her interest which made her relax her mind for registration.They were all talking about the CEO and his sudden appearance. Also about breaking his engagement with their teamleader, Rachel Roland.Ashley could not believe her ears, hence when the elevator stopped and everyone started to leave, she followed them out of curiosity.What she didn’t expect was being caught unexpectedly, like a deer in headlights. The entire news didn’t shock her as much and when Rhett called everyone’s attention on her, she felt naked.As if that wasn’t enough, his bold declaration made her shudder. The butterflies she thought had been long dead in her stomach came to life and her face flushed crimson r
Withdrawing from the kiss, Rhett asked slowly and straightforwardly.“Do you want to do it here?”“We are in the storage room…” She chuckled softly.Rhett looked around them in the dimly illuminated space.“It’s my Company” his response came.Ashley blushed, her dress ruffled as she tried to get out of Rhett’s grip only to be pulled back forcefully. Her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed because the forceful pull made her collide with Rhett’s growing bulge.“I’m not doing this with you in a storage room” Ashley muttered and turned her face away, still trying to get away.“Ouch. But we used to do it almost everywhere back then” Rhett said, the corners of his eyes crinkled with mischief. He’s teasing his ex-wife.“Maybe we shouldn’t rush things for now” Ashley confessed and she felt free in seconds. Rhett suddenly released her and she stumbled back with a gasp. They were strongly glued together.“What about that night of the party?” He asked, his eyes droopy and searching.Ashley glanc
It’s the same box Kristian had found some days after they moved into the house. The box contains pictures and memories of his parents right from before they even got married.The box is like an emergency aid for Rhett in his miserable moments. After the divorce, he moved out but could not get rid of the house and their memories. It’s like a safe space he goes to any time he is feeling down.He hired workers to clean the house from time to time and he had prepared that box to fill the emptiness in him. It’s been 12 months exactly since he last visited the house because his health got worse.As he stared at their pictures, his eyes caught their wedding rings and he picked one up.“So can I call you Daddy?” Littke Kristian asked nervously, his head slightly tilted with his big eyes gleaming with stars.“What?” Rhett uttered. A strong wave of happiness settled in his chest seeing his carbon copy staring back intently at him and hoping for the same dream he’s been hoarding for a while.“C
Rhett in his perfectly tailored suit arrived at the hospital looking sophisticated and finely dressed. His scent still refreshing as in the morning.Right in front of his grandfather’s VIP room, he glanced at the name board with disinterest, different thoughts running through his head as regards the situation on ground.Finally, he raised his hand to slide open the door but it opened up and Mr.Catterman appeared to his face, adjusting his glasses.“Hmmm, Mr.Catter” Rhett called plainly.“You’re welcome Mr.Rhett, he’s been waiting,” He said and stepped aside for him to enter.Optimist arrived shortly after parking the car.“You haven’t entered yet?” he asked, puzzled.“Do you want to go in with me?” Rhett asked his friend, slightly tilting his head to the side.“It’s your cross to carry bud,” Optimist said with his hands up In retreat.INSIDEThe moment Rhett entered the room, the old man opened his eyes upon hearing his steps. With reflex, he removed a pillow and threw it at Rhett.“
“The longer they elude you, the more satisfying the catch” Rhett muttered with a groan. A muscle in his jaw twitched as he returned his phone to his pocket.As he walked out of the hospital with his longtime friend, making jokes and teases, he was struggling deep down to patch up the pieces of evidence etched in his head and replaying every second.Arriving at the company, Rhett explained Ashley’s proposals and they started working on it immediately. The two friends are intelligent and beautifully crafted characters of the business world. Just ten minutes into their two-men meeting, Optimist already derived a backup plan.His eyes and his aura show nothing but pure drive for his job. Taking all these into account, Rhett could not help but throw furtive glances at him in between hoping to see a crack, a sign of his flaws but he can’t find any.How great would it be if evil people could vividly engrave the mark of their deeds on their forehead for everyone to see?Staring at his almos
It was 4:30 AM when Veronica, Mrs.Roland woke up unable to sleep due to the constant worry about her daughter, Rachel who had been detained for weeks awaiting her court hearing for attempted murder and the kidnapping case.Veronica lay in bed for a while, casting a frown on her husband, sleeping next to her. The thought of seeing Rachel's face and how she was doing drove her to get up furiously. She woke her husband up.“Frank!” She called nonchalantly at first as she switched on the lamp on the bedside table.A high volume of snoring was heard instead.Veronica scrunched her lips and stared ardently at her husband. She raised her hand and tapped him vigorously on his back which got Frank up immediately in shock.“Today is another visitation day, let’s start preparing” She informed.Groggy and tired, Frank replied “Ok… Okay”******As they arrived at the detention center, they couldn't help but feel a sense of dread this time around. As this is a different ward from the rest.When the
Optimist, annoyed but maintaining maximum composure, left for his office at the news of the Rolands' arrival.The walk to the office was short due to his long strides. In his mind, he couldn’t get rid of the possibility that Rachel might have spilled some important information to her parents.“What a weak little thing” he muttered as he walked swiftly towards the door.“Good Morning b…” His secretary stood up to welcome him but he waved his hand in dismissal, cutting her short.“Do you think anyone saw them coming in?” he asked.“Uhm… Sir, I’m not sure… I only received the news from…” The secretary stuttered.“Anyways, the CEO mustn’t hear of this. It won’t do him any good to see them here or even meet them for now” Optimist said.“Yes boss” With a brief head nod, he glanced over at the door and ground his jaw. Finally, he arrived at the door and pushed it open. When he entered and saw Rachel’s parents, he shut the door behind him. “Oh thank God you’re here” Veronica sprang up to we
Ashley pulled into the driveway of her home, and Rachel gazed out the window at the cozy house. It’s the same house she had lived in with Rhett but it’s now so different."Let's fix you a good bath first, for the baby," Ashley said with a warm smile.Rachel gulped down her saliva, heavy loads of guilt eating her up.Her eyes widened as they stepped inside, it’s the same house Ashley was living in but it’s so much different now. The interior was tastefully decorated, with plush furniture and elegant artwork.From the colors to the ambient lighting, everything screams fresh renovations."Wow, Ash, this is beautiful," Rachel said, her voice laced with sincerity.“Thank you, Rachel, Rhett and I are moving In here after our wedding. So we are touching it up again” she said.Ashley then led Rachel to the kitchen, where the aroma of roasting chicken filled the air."Coincidentally, I made your favorite," Ashley said, pulling out a chair for Rachel.She stood frozen in place for a while, hesi
Ashley Gu cried a river after sending Kristian off without a proper goodbye. Clara and Mr.Fred were there to console her.“You don’t have to worry ma, You can trust the unaccompanied minor service. They’ll take care of him” Clara said.“Madam Gu would surely be on time to pick him up too” Mr.Fred added.Ashley nodded her head and sniffed in her tears.“Don’t you think you should stop working for now too? I don’t want to put you in danger” She said to them.“If I wanted to run, I would have suggested going with Kristian. I’m not leaving ma’am” Her assistant said assuredly.“I can’t leave you to your troubles again!” Clara insisted.“I have to inform Rhett about all these. Let’s go to the police station” CITY POLICE STATIONThey’ve been holding Rhett for over two hours and yet none of his lawyers have shown up. At first, Rhett thought there might be a delay because of the mess on ground but then as time passed, he realized something must have happened.He wondered if his grandfather wa
Peering at the file holder safely tucked in between Mr.Catterman’s grip, Optimist called him to stop.“Sorry Mr.Catterman, I didn’t mean to delay you. I was wondering if it’s a simple errand I can help with on my way back” he asked them.“Uh, that’s right! Since you want to stay behind so bad, we can ask him to pass it to…” The old man was saying this when Mr.Catterman said an outright no.After his refusal, he bowed respectfully before leaving the house.“This one has always been so diligent” Optimist muttered, disgruntled by the butler’s attitude.He watched him disappear before returning his gaze to the old man.“How is your health? grandfather” “I can say I could still manage to be arrested” The old man joked.Rhett laughed shortly before he stood up with a smile plastered on his face.“I brought you a medicinal juice, good for preventing heart attack” he announced and then waved the small package in his hand.“The only one that cares so much about me” The old man commended and O
Ashley hurried to her bedroom, her breath shaky as she rummaged through her closet to find a change of clothes. The sound of her phone buzzing was driving her crazy so she ended up picking the next dress in sight.While putting on her dress, she would swipe up for new updates. When she was done, she put on her loafers and started walking down the stairs.A message came in from a familiar number that she hadn’t added to contact before.“Oh! It was this same number that texted me a few days ago” she said with her eyes on the phone as she jogged down the stairs.She almost missed her steps but fortunately, Mr.Fred was around to grasp her hand.“Miss please be careful” he stated his worry.“Uh, Mr.Fred! I’m glad you’re here. Have you read the news?” She asked uneasily.“Yes Miss, please calm down and do not concern yourself with it for now” he advised.Ashley arrived at the base of the stairs and frowned upon her assistant.“Take me to him. I need to see Rhett before they’ll arrest him” s
An hour later>>Rachel agreed to see her visitors after a long time of waiting. She walked into the room smiling, trying to hide her feelings and pale face but unfortunately, she could only put on an act for there was no makeup to conceal her dark under eyes, and pale and flaky skin.“To what do I owe this intrusion into my peaceful lonely day?” She said with a throaty laugh as she took a seat in front of Ashley and Rhett.Rhett leaned back on the chair with his arms crossed against his chest. Watching her up and down, waiting for the drama to unfold.“Hi Rachel… I don’t need to ask how you’re doing when it’s so glaring to the eyes” Ashley said, her face crinkled with sympathy for Rachel.Rachel scoffed and rolled her eyes at Ashley with great contempt.“What do you want? After pushing me to my death, you both must be here to put a nail in the coffin to celebrate your reunion, isn’t that right?” She glowered.“You must be happy that your biggest Villainess is gone” She laughed out lou
Rhet was about to approach the checkpoint when he saw Ashley there as well. And when their eyes met, Ashley quickly turned away from him out of embarrassment. Rhett paused his steps, his initial reaction from the house fading off.“I’m sorry, I didn’t think you would come here sooner,” Rhett said behind her.Ashley slowly turned but was unable to meet his gaze. “Same here” she replied, “I figured it’s better to act fast than waiting around to wallow in my pain. I need answers too”“I can leave and come back later if you want. You told me a few hours back that you would like your space” he reminded and Ashley sighed. Her eyes flickered.“No, it’s fine. You don’t have to do that” she said.“I’ll just come back later. I bet we are seeing different people anyway” Rhett said as he turned to leave.Ashley made a swift turn “Don’t go please!” she pleaded.Rhett stopped in his tracks.“Maybe I’m kinda relieved to see you here, I don’t think I can go in alone… I can’t face them alone. I’m scar
Stunned by her response, Rhett stares at her dumbfounded. “What is the problem, Ashley?” He asked hesitantly. Looking lost and confused.Ashley was staring right back at him with her hardened eyes.“Oh… I must have said that out loud” She said with a crazed laugh.“You’re scaring me…” He said, his heartbeat increasing every second. Never in a million years did Rhett think he would say something like that but indeed, Ashley looks terrifying at the moment. “I read about something Rhett, it’s about what happened back when we were young. About the accident!” She said.Rhett’s lips parted slightly in shock. His face flushed and he looked away in guilt. “Oh… I guess you knew about it already” Ashley said, her face crinkled with a smile.“Ashley I can explain if you calm down…” Rhett stuttered painfully. He tried to hold her but Ashley stepped back from him, shaking her head in refusal.“Do you know the craziest part? I read the lies with evidence. Many wrote about my father and what he d
Ashley tensed up on the bed as she read through the messages sent to her. She could feel the cold air penetrating through her flimsy nightwear.She didn’t want to believe her eyes. Frantically, she scrolled down to the end of the messages where several links were attached. Links to the news from many years ago, news about her father being a criminal.Ashley stood up slowly with the phone in hand. She glanced at her son teary-eyed, struggling to fight back her tears from dropping right there on the spot.Her hands shot up to her mouth instinctively; Pressing down on it before escaping to the bathroom.Ashley closed the toilet lid before sitting on it. Then she returned to the beginning of the text message.“The McCalls ruined your life! They killed your family” She shuddered in fright.“Here’s a little advice from a well-wisher, I pray that by the time you finish this wonderfully written piece, you’ll make the right decision and get justice for your father.You’re about to read the mos
Rachel paced back and forth in her cell, biting on her thumbnail which was already way lower than the rest. A habit she’d been enjoying for a while.Her mind raced with thoughts of injustice. She had been locked up in this detention center for what felt like an eternity, awaiting her court hearing. The walls seemed to close in on her, suffocating her with every passing day.She couldn't shake off the feeling of being wronged because she never got Kristian kidnapped but no one believed her. The police and everyone seemed convinced of her guilt except for her parents but now they are gone too.When she saw it on the news, it was like they’d removed the longest bone in her body.Her back hits the wall and she slides down helplessly.“I know I’ve always been painted the villain but Ashley, you have gone too far!” She cried out.For hours, she cried after learning of her parents' downfall.And as she lay on her cot to sleep, Rachel's discomfort turned to anger. She hated this place, the co