Vivian’s POVI hardly slept through the night, because I kept thinking about my encounter with Leon. There was obviously another lifestyle that he lived that Diana did not know about; one that entailed shady deals.Whether or not Manny and Ted connived together to lie about Ted owing a drug lord some money, one thing was clear; Ted and Leon were into something illegal and dangerous, because Jane was killed, and somehow, Ted was involved. My heart beat faster. It was as though my head would explode from trying to piece everything together. I stayed in bed thinking and trying to wrap my head around everything, so much so that I didn’t even know that time had ticked by so fast.By the time I got up from my bed, freshened up and hurried out of the room, it was already past 8am. I ran into Mr. Vale in the living room.“Good morning, Mr. Vale,” I greeted.He had his eyes on the TV, watching highlights.“Please call me Vale,” he responded. “All that formality makes me feel like I am in an of
Georgia’s POVGeorgia arrived at Syrus’s house; it was the day of the pregnancy test appointment, and Georgia was confident more than ever. Syrus’s doctor had instantly cooperated after she made that video; he could not afford to lose his career, and probably his family, because he knew quite well what was at stake if Georgia should release that video. He also knew that the world would believe Georgia over him, and he did not stand a chance against her.“Every man has something to lose,” Georgia said proudly to herself as she entered the living room.Bonnie was the first person she met.“Georgia!” Bonnie said in childlike excitement as she rushed over to Georgia and enveloped her in a tight and warm hug. Georgia forced a smile, but she didn’t even want to be hugged like that. “Bonnie…the baby,” Georgia whined coyly.Bonnie released her almost immediately. “Oh my goodness, I am so sorry! I wasn’t thinking,” Bonnie said, apologizing frantically. Then she led Georgia into the living r
Georgia’s POV“What did you say?” Georgia asked as she stood shock-still.After all the stress she went through just to make sure that everything worked smoothly for her? She could hardly believe her ears! “I said we would be using another reputable hospital for the test,” Syrus repeated patiently.“But why the change?” Nancy asked, equally surprised.“Mum, please stay out of this,” Syrus warned respectfully. “This is solely between Georgia and I,” Syrus said.For the first time in a really long time, Georgia was speechless. Her heart was beating really fast, and she did not know what to do. Georgia felt like she had been ambushed. After taking the pains of going to Syrus’s doctor and forcing him into doing her bidding, Syrus comes up with this ridiculous idea of a different hospital right when they were about to leave? “You cannot ask me to stay out of this, Syrus!” Nancy blew hot. “This is my grandchild we are talking about…” Nancy was saying.“Not until proven otherwise,” Syrus c
Syrus’s POV“Do you see what you have done?!” Nancy fired at Syrus, extremely upset now.Syrus looked at his mother and sister, and the anger he felt about the situation grew increasingly. Then he turned to Davis and barked. “Don’t just stand here watching like a dumbass. Go and get her!”Davis rushed out of the living room instantly. Then Syrus turned to his mother, boiling with rage. “And what the fuck did I do?” He asked Nancy.“Can’t you see that you have hurt her deeply?” Bonnie said before Nancy could say a word.Syrus looked at his sister, and for the very first time, he had the strong urge to strike her for not minding her damn business.“Bonnie, get upstairs to your room,” Syrus commanded darkly.His voice, powered by intense rage, sounded dreadfully like thunder, and Bonnie cowered under it. She did not waste time before dashing upstairs like a scared kitten.“Syrus, I know you think you are grown because you run the company and keep us afloat financially, but that does no
Vivian's Pov"Bullshit!" I cursed from the bottom of my chest as I watched the TV. The news channel headlined "Top actress and supermodel Goergia see linking arms with CEO of Vale Tech - Syrus Vale." I threw the coffee mug I was holding shattering the television. I had seen these reports before, but this one hurt more.That good for nothing husband promised to come home for my birthday, yet here he was, not just late, but fooling around with another woman, not just any woman but his ex-fiance to boot. I was the one who married him in the end, but it never felt like Syrus left her behind.I looked at the dinner table, still set with candles and the meal I spent hours making. The cake I baked sat there, untouched, its frosting melting. My hand shook as I picked up my phone and saw a message. It was a photo from Georgia. She rested her head on Syrus’s shoulder while he smiled, a smile I hadn’t seen in years.My breath caught in my throat. I felt stupid for holding onto hope. My frie
Vivian's PovI didn’t take a single penny from the divorce settlement. Syrus scoffed as I walked away, probably thinking I was foolish for leaving behind the wealth and status his name came with. What he never understood was that I had never touched the money he gave me. I had supported myself all these years, refusing to depend on him for anything.When I returned to the mansion to collect the last of my things, I heard laughter from the living room. I paused, recognizing the voices of my mother-in-law, Nancy and Georgia.“She said she’s divorcing my son! As if that greedy woman would ever walk away from this family’s wealth,” my mother-in-law cackled.“It’s a shame,” Georgia added, her voice dripping with fake sympathy. “If things had been different, I might have been your daughter-in-law instead.”“Oh, don’t say that, dear. Vivian and Syrus were never a good match. You two would have been perfect together.”I pushed open the front door, and the two women on the couch went silent. A
Vivian's PovI stood there, watching the man I once loved display his blind devotion to Georgia, and I couldn’t help but question how I had been so foolish for so long. I felt no desire to linger in their twisted drama any longer. As I turned to leave with my belongings, Georgia’s voice stopped me.“I would never admit to something I didn’t do! Why can’t you believe me? Do you really think I ruined your marriage out of spite? I’ve barely been around you two. I’m only here to film a movie. Why must you target me?”Though she spoke to the room, her words were clearly aimed at me. I almost laughed at how ridiculous this family had become—one fool blindly in love, another conniving for personal gain, and Syrus, seething with misplaced hatred, ready to lash out at me any second.Syrus turned to me, venom dripping from his voice. “If you didn’t set this up, then who did? Who else would go after Georgia like this, besides you?”I sighed, too tired for this nonsense. I addressed Georgia direct
Vivian's PovTwo hours later, Georgia emerged from surgery, and the doctor’s awkward expression caught my eye.Syrus, absorbed in concern for Georgia, didn’t seem to notice. “How is she? Will she be okay?”The doctor cleared his throat. “Her injuries weren’t severe. We’ve stitched the cuts and are running some tests as a precaution. She should stay overnight for observation, but she’ll be fine.”I couldn’t help but smirk to myself. Just as I suspected, the whole ordeal had been blown out of proportion. The medical staff seemed embarrassed by the fuss, dragging out the process to cover up how minor it really was.Syrus, relieved, hurried after Georgia’s stretcher. He didn’t spare me a single glance. I watched him go, a deep ache spreading through my chest. The man I had loved for so long didn’t even see me anymore. I wanted to scream, but I stayed silent, letting the grief settle over me.My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I froze when I saw the name on the screen. I let it go to voicema
Syrus’s POV“Do you see what you have done?!” Nancy fired at Syrus, extremely upset now.Syrus looked at his mother and sister, and the anger he felt about the situation grew increasingly. Then he turned to Davis and barked. “Don’t just stand here watching like a dumbass. Go and get her!”Davis rushed out of the living room instantly. Then Syrus turned to his mother, boiling with rage. “And what the fuck did I do?” He asked Nancy.“Can’t you see that you have hurt her deeply?” Bonnie said before Nancy could say a word.Syrus looked at his sister, and for the very first time, he had the strong urge to strike her for not minding her damn business.“Bonnie, get upstairs to your room,” Syrus commanded darkly.His voice, powered by intense rage, sounded dreadfully like thunder, and Bonnie cowered under it. She did not waste time before dashing upstairs like a scared kitten.“Syrus, I know you think you are grown because you run the company and keep us afloat financially, but that does no
Georgia’s POV“What did you say?” Georgia asked as she stood shock-still.After all the stress she went through just to make sure that everything worked smoothly for her? She could hardly believe her ears! “I said we would be using another reputable hospital for the test,” Syrus repeated patiently.“But why the change?” Nancy asked, equally surprised.“Mum, please stay out of this,” Syrus warned respectfully. “This is solely between Georgia and I,” Syrus said.For the first time in a really long time, Georgia was speechless. Her heart was beating really fast, and she did not know what to do. Georgia felt like she had been ambushed. After taking the pains of going to Syrus’s doctor and forcing him into doing her bidding, Syrus comes up with this ridiculous idea of a different hospital right when they were about to leave? “You cannot ask me to stay out of this, Syrus!” Nancy blew hot. “This is my grandchild we are talking about…” Nancy was saying.“Not until proven otherwise,” Syrus c
Georgia’s POVGeorgia arrived at Syrus’s house; it was the day of the pregnancy test appointment, and Georgia was confident more than ever. Syrus’s doctor had instantly cooperated after she made that video; he could not afford to lose his career, and probably his family, because he knew quite well what was at stake if Georgia should release that video. He also knew that the world would believe Georgia over him, and he did not stand a chance against her.“Every man has something to lose,” Georgia said proudly to herself as she entered the living room.Bonnie was the first person she met.“Georgia!” Bonnie said in childlike excitement as she rushed over to Georgia and enveloped her in a tight and warm hug. Georgia forced a smile, but she didn’t even want to be hugged like that. “Bonnie…the baby,” Georgia whined coyly.Bonnie released her almost immediately. “Oh my goodness, I am so sorry! I wasn’t thinking,” Bonnie said, apologizing frantically. Then she led Georgia into the living r
Vivian’s POVI hardly slept through the night, because I kept thinking about my encounter with Leon. There was obviously another lifestyle that he lived that Diana did not know about; one that entailed shady deals.Whether or not Manny and Ted connived together to lie about Ted owing a drug lord some money, one thing was clear; Ted and Leon were into something illegal and dangerous, because Jane was killed, and somehow, Ted was involved. My heart beat faster. It was as though my head would explode from trying to piece everything together. I stayed in bed thinking and trying to wrap my head around everything, so much so that I didn’t even know that time had ticked by so fast.By the time I got up from my bed, freshened up and hurried out of the room, it was already past 8am. I ran into Mr. Vale in the living room.“Good morning, Mr. Vale,” I greeted.He had his eyes on the TV, watching highlights.“Please call me Vale,” he responded. “All that formality makes me feel like I am in an of
Georgia’s POV“How dare he?!” Georgia barked.She was still boiling with anger and rage as she made her way out of her doctor’s clinic. “How dare he tell me what to do? How dare he suggest such nonsense?” Georgia fumed some more.She almost went back into his office to lash out at him even more, because he had no right. Georgia had managed to climb the ladder of success on her own accord without the help of anyone. She had single-handedly made a way for herself in a world that only cared about people with the money, power, and influence, and so she did not need anyone to tell her what to do or not. Her mother had tried for years to project her bitterness, anger, jealousy, and negativity on her, but Georgia had managed to weave through all that. She knew what she was capable of, and she would not allow the mere words of her doctor to pull her down. If she had listened to him when he had advised her to keep the baby and tell her older fling about it, she would never have gotten this f
Georgia’s POVGeorgia sat in her doctor’s office and waited for him to be done with his appointment so that he would attend to her. She also had something else to fix as quickly as possible before the scheduled time for the pregnancy test appointment.“Sorry to have kept you waiting,” the doctor said the moment he entered and sat on his seat.“I understand,” Georgia said. “I hope no one knows I’m here,” Georgia asked.She was still being extra careful. The fact that his clinic was in an isolated neighborhood and he had fewer patients who stopped by occasionally did not mean that Georgia would be reckless. She knew the depth of what she was doing, so she always had to double-check and look above her shoulders at all times. “My clients and patients’ confidentiality matters to me; I thought you already knew this,” the doctor responded.“Of course I do,” Georgia agreed. “You wanted to see me,” she began. “I hope you have gotten what I want, because I cannot stay here for long,” Georgia
Vivian’s POV“Vivian?” Diana called, drawing me out of my frozen state.I shook my head to get my head back in shape. “What did you just say?” I asked.“I said that it would be nice of you to meet Leon,” Diana said.This time around, she was looking at me with a worried expression on her face. My reaction to what she said was glaringly obvious that there was no way she would not have noticed, and I couldn’t have pretended even though I wanted to.“Is everything okay, Vivian?” Diana asked, placing her warm hand gently on mine in concern.“Did you say he was on his way here?” I asked, hoping that I had heard wrongly.“Yes, I did. He should be here in less than two minutes, actually,” Diana answered, flashing a quick glance at her wristwatch.I sprang to my feet as though I had been bitten by a poisonous snake immediately, making Diana also stand up, extremely worried.“What is wrong?” She pressed.“I have to go; Marie would be expecting me back by now,” I lied.“That’s not true,” Diana
Vivian’s POV“He is your what?” I asked, still unable to tear my eyes from the picture.“That is Leon, my twin brother,” Diana said, completely oblivious of my mood.Maybe it was because she was standing behind me, which was why she didn’t know that color had drained from my face, my knees were weak, my heart was beating really fast, my hands were becoming sweaty, and I couldn’t even think straight.Just when I thought I had succeeded in running away from every danger I knew!“You must be Vivian,” Diana was speaking behind me. Her tone was light, friendly, and accommodating, even though she was just meeting me for the first time and I was acting really weird. If I didn’t know better, I would have mistaken her for Marie’s daughter, because the aura of joy and peace that came with being around Marie was all over the store since Diana came in, but the picture on the wall and his haunted look the day Manny and I went to pick up Ted from the location that was given to Manny did not allow
Georgia’s POVThe moment Georgia had stepped into her new house, the words of her mother disappeared from her head, and she had been having the best time of her life ever since.Today wasn’t an exception.As Georgia made lunch, she still reminisced on the fact that she now owned a house. The papers were with her, so it definitely wasn’t a dream or a joke, and this was fully and completely her property! This was something that would never be taken away from her. Finally, Georgia had gotten out of that dungeon where she suffered emotional and psychological abuse from an embittered and failed woman who called herself her mother.“You are the best at what you do, Georgia!” Georgia praised herself. In fact, she had been toasting to her immeasurable success ever since she moved in.It was not just fully furnished, it was also bigger than what Syrus had rented for Vivian. Oh, Georgia made certain of that. It was even a good thing that she saw the apartment for herself, because it gave her th