AnnaDelroy was always the kind of home I sought to be in, a place where I thought I could rebuild my life all over again away from the tyranny of my adoptive family and their troubles. However, the last few months had put me in more danger than I ever imagined I could be in, all because of some group my father joined me in. But now I was too deep in it to turn away. Up until now, I never bothered with anything that concerned my family. Always believed they’d abandoned me, and after Sarah’s and Linda’s trick that night, I completely gave up looking for them. They were too much trouble than I needed. However, with everything that had happened since the time I moved here, all the drama, the attacks, the kidnappings, everything the Circle had done to me and taken from me, it changed something within me. Turned me into a version of myself I couldn’t recognize, but I didn’t care. I needed to become this person. With all the odds stacked against me, I needed to let go of myself and become
AnnaI knew immediately that whatever Rita was planning to do could not be good, but I did not want to create the impression that I was afraid of her. So, I casually ignored her, shifting my gaze away, “If we are done here, then I’ll very much like to be released. I’ve got homework.” I said with a teasing smile.Rita on the other hand, did not seem much convinced by my lack of interest. She turned towards me with a look of intent and then smiled evilly. “I think you’ll be more concerned about this than any homework you may or may not have.”At that point, I could not deny it anymore. I wanted to know what she was planning, I was too curious to ignore the sinister thoughts that she might have had brewing in her mind, especially if they had to do with Mark.“Ask the question, Anna.” She urged.“I know you want to. How do I plan to steal Mark away?” She said and then answered.“It’s quite simple really. I understand that he might not feel the same way or even as strongly as he’s felt to
Jack“F*ck!” Sheila exclaimed kicking the bumper of the car.“We almost had him.” She said and slumped on the ground in devastation.“Anna,” I muttered softly, still feeling puzzled about what just happened.“If we follow him we can cut him off and get back the vial,” Blake said in haste, grabbing his keys, and walking towards the car.I suddenly grabbed him and swung him around, “We can’t do that. You heard him. If we come after him now, Anna loses her life. We can’t let that happen.”Blake’s expression suddenly darkened as he yanked his arm away from mine, “I don’t care what happens to Anna, all I know is that man that you just let escape is responsible for my daughter’s death and I’m not just going to let him drive off, especially with something that gives him more power and influence to destroy more lives. He needs to pay for what he did to us. Now you either join me or you don’t get in my way.” Blake said with a stern gaze and turned to walk towards the car.“What Dad? You’re goi
Jack“Slauson Woods?” I repeated sternly, seeking confirmation. “Yes, yes! Please, just don’t kill me. I’ve told you where you can find her. I can be of much more help to you as well.” George said, trembling in fear.“It’s going to take more than giving us one location for us to spare you, but for now you can continue to be of use to us, so count yourself lucky,” Sheila said and then turned towards me, pulling me aside.“What’s the plan? We need someone to stay with him. We know Edgar isn’t coming back for him, but something tells me he knows more about their plans and can be of help to us. We just need to keep him close and find out everything he knows about Edgar and the people he’s working with within the Circle.” “How are we sure that whatever information we are getting from him will be exact? He could just be spinning lies to us, that will only lead us to a trap so that he can escape. We can’t trust him, Sheila. We’re not even sure that what he’s telling us about Anna is precis
AnnaThe entire elevator ride was filled with tension as we approached the ground floor. My heart was pounding heavily, not from danger, but in fear of what I’d tell Mark if Rita got to him first. I didn’t think I’d have to tell him about my children just yet, not sure if our relationship could accommodate that.We continued down in silence until we reached the ground floor. One of the men shoved me out, leading me towards the main entrance. I felt very confused when we finally emerged from the door I stared into the woods. The last thing I remember is passing out in Logan’s form, so how did I end up here?Slowly, I turned towards the hefty men escorting me, filled with confusion, and asked “Where are we? How do I get to twin from here?” Immediately their gaze turned cold as they shoved me again, “What do we look like, Uber drivers to you? You better start walking and find your way to the road. Except you want to be stuck here in the thunderstorm that’s coming.” He said and then th
Anna “Anna?” He called rushing towards me. He squatted in front of me, quickly taking off his jacket and wrapping it around my shoulders. At this point, I didn’t need to lift my head to know who it was. It felt like a dream and also like my biggest nightmare. Mark was here. “What are you doing here? How did you end up here?” He asked, his voice shifting between concern and worry. I gulped, still looking down, afraid to look at his face. “Anna? Anna, are you okay?” He repeated, helping me to my feet. “My God, you’re cold.” My hands were trembling, still afraid to look at him, wondering where he came from. Suddenly, he grabbed my chin and slowly turned my face towards his direction. “Are you okay? Say something.” Staring into his familiar blue eyes, I felt my heart breaking at the sight of it, and without any warning, my eyes welled up in tears, my voice quivering as I muttered, still in disbelief, “Mark?” “Yeah, it’s me, Anna.” He replied, smiling at me, “I’m home.” He s
Anna “What were you doing out there anyway?” Mark’s voice resounded in my head as I approached the car. “I just got lost, that’s all,” I answered and without waiting for his response, I quickly stepped into the car. Mark stared at the woods again, scratching his head in confusion, and then heaved a sigh and turned away. Stepping into the car, he ignited the engine and drove off wordlessly. I hunkered my head down on the car headrest, tilting my gaze to the road as we drove towards Mark’s hotel. He did not want anybody to know that he was back home, so decided to stay at the hotel. For some reason, he seemed a little tensed and fidgety and at first I thought it was because I did not give him a proper explanation about what I was doing in the woods. However, I started to notice Mari was putting a lot of effort into hiding his face whenever we approached a security camera or security official. It was at that moment I knew he wasn’t suspicious of me. He was hiding something, some
Anna“The Vial?” I repeated, shocked.“Yes, the vial. It’s…”“My father’s well-kept secret,” I interjected, my mind trailing off.That just means Logan was not kidding. He was working with Edgar. This meant he was also right about something else, the Circle was larger than any of us could have imagined.“How do you know about the vial?” Jack’s words echoed over the phone, breaking me out of my thoughts.“It contains the codes to my father’s wealth and fortune. That’s what Edgar has been looking for all this time, and now he finally has it.” I said, my voice trailing off.“How do you know any of this, Anna?” Jack asked, but just then I heard footsteps echo on the hardwood floor behind me,“Anna do you want to…” Mark said approaching me with a towel wrapped around his waist, and suddenly stopped, his face reflecting confusion.“Is that Mark?” Jack said as I took the phone away from my ear. However, his voice was still echoing from the speaker as I turned around.“Is that Jack?” Mark ask
The day of reckoning had arrived. In a few minutes now, Anna and her troop will be taking Edgar and his men by surprise. The stage had been set with everyone working together to end Edgar’s tyranny.Under the cover of the night, Anna, Mark, Jack, and their allies positioned themselves near Edgar’s main hideout. Zach had fed them crucial information about the hideout's layout and where Edgar and George would likely be during the operation. Armed and ready, they moved swiftly, slipping through shadows and avoiding detection.As they closed in, Anna felt a mix of fear and exhilaration. She knew this confrontation would determine everything—her role in The Circle, her fate, and Mark’s future with his family. She glanced at him, catching his gaze, and a silent understanding passed between them. Finally, they reached the inner sanctum, silently taking down Edgar’s security guards, until they reached where Edgar and George were having a conversation. The two men looked surprised but quickly
As Mark prepared to find his brother, Zach, he couldn’t help but feel a mixture of fear and hope. Although he had agreed to work with Anna, he wasn’t convinced she understood just how deep the roots of The Circle ran or how much any of this had affected him. However, seeing how resolved she was to take down Edgar had swayed him, and he knew that, for his brother’s sake, he had to give her plan a chance.Meanwhile, after Anna walked out of the room, she now decided to contact Jack. As soon as he picked up, she explained her suspicions about The Circle and how their influence might reach farther than even she had initially thought, informing him that she needed him now more than ever. A few hours passed and Mark arrived at a small, dimly lit bar where Zach was known to spend his evenings. Immediately he walked in, he spotted Zach sitting at the far end of the bar, looking troubled. Mark approached him slowly, and as soon as he sat down, he placed a firm hand on his brother's shoulder.
Author’s POV“So you’re telling me that you are not just a part of an evil organization that has been around for years, but you are also the head?” Mark asked, staring at Anna in disbelief. “I know this is difficult to process, but it is the truth. But we are not all like Edgar.” Anna said.“Right…” Mark scoffed.“No, I mean it. We don’t all want the same thing. The Circle has been in operation for years, working to maintain the balance and smooth operation of the surface world. Edgar and his associates are the only ones with the ideals that things need to change, and that for some reason they are the ones to affect that change. That’s why we are fighting them. We are trying to retain order and balance in this world.”“And how do you do that, huh?”“Tell me, Anna, does it involve letting the people up here decide for their lives or does your organization plan out the course of their lives?” Mark asked with a pruning look.“I don’t know about that, I’ve not been a member for long.” A
Author’s POV“What?” Mark recoiled in shock.“Who could have done that?” Anna hesitated for some moments, afraid of how he would take the news. “Tell me, Anna.” He demanded.“Zach!” Anna blurted. “Your brother Zach did.”Mark staggered for some time, trying to process what I had just said. “Are you serious?” He asked, still in disbelief.“I am,” Anna said softly. Mark remained frozen in place for some time, deep in contemplation. I could imagine how difficult this was for him to hear. Zach was a lot and had caused a lot of problems, but at the end of the day, he was still his brother. “I can’t believe this,” Mark muttered and immediately started searching through his drawers.“What are you doing?” Anna asked, to no reply.“What are you doing Mark?” She asked again. “What does it look like I’m doing?” Mark snapped irritably.“I’m going down to have a conversation with my brother and give him the chance to explain how he almost got me killed.” He raged and grabbed his car key.Ann
Author’s POVThose words filled Anna with a sudden dread. She hoped that somehow Mark would not ask her that because she still wasn’t sure who the father of her children truly was. There was that stranger from that night, and then there was Luke. For all she knows, it could have been either of them.Seeing how hesitant she was, Mark asked again,“Is the father still in the picture Anna? What happened with him?” At that point, Anna quickly turned around, “He’s not in the picture and that’s all that I can say. I don’t really like to talk about him.” She said, her heart beating out of her chest.Much to her surprise, Mark did not ask anything concerning him again. He waited for some time and then his lips curved into a smile,“I’d like to meet them.” As soon as she heard these words, Anna’s eyes widened in shock.“I’m sorry. You want to meet…”“Your children,” Mark interjected. “Is that okay with you?” He added.Anna remained frozen for some moments, her thoughts running wild. This w
Author’s POVUpon hearing that, Mark’s face reddened with humiliation. He didn’t think she would figure it out, but she was right, he was afraid. After Lydia died in that car accident, Mark had spent his entire life afraid of being abandoned, and that fear resurfaced when he learned of Anna’s children.“No Anna, the issue here is that you could not trust me. I’ve already been down that road once with Mia, and I don’t want to be in another relationship where my girlfriend is keeping secrets from me.” He argued.As much as he had a point, Anna was still not convinced. She knew Mark was trying to change the course of their conversation and she would not let him.She shot him a soft gaze and slowly walked toward him, “I know it’s not easy to admit Mark, and I know that I shouldn’t have kept this away from you for so long, but I am afraid too.” Anna said and Mark’s eyes shot up with curiosity.Anna heaved a deep sigh and continued, “When I first came into town, I didn’t know what I was goi
Anna“Who’s there?” Mark’s voice sounded through the door.I hesitated to answer. One word from me and he’d be calling the guards to throw me out, or at least that’s what I thought, so I knocked again and waited a while for his answer. This time he did not bother to say anything, and after waiting for a while, I knocked again.“I already told you, Rita, I don’t need anything!” His voice echoed in annoyance as he approached the door, and unlocked it.As soon as his gaze met mine, he froze in shock for some moment, unable to find the words to say anything.“Anna?”“Wh-what are you doing here?” Mark asked, and immediately his brows creased into a deep frown.“Mark, I just want to talk…” I started to say, but he rudely cut me off.“I don’t have anything to say to you.” He replied coldly and tried to close the door, but I quickly put my feet through the doorframe, stopping him.He shot one look at me and sighed heavily, turned his back, and walked inside the room, leaving me at the door.
Anna“You want my advice? Go for it.” I said, encouraging Jack. Deep down I knew it was a selfish act. As much as I hoped that he’d find love somewhere else, a part of me wanted to believe what it told him about Anna, that deep down she did not still harbor any feelings toward Mark. I’d hate to be in competition with my sister over a man we both wanted. Jack seemed flustered when I said that. I could tell he hoped that no one would spot his feelings toward Chloe, especially not the girl he was just trying to get over.Still, he managed to keep his composure and quickly tried to change the focus,“You should try taking your own advice with Mark. I know I’ve not always made your relationship with him easy, and I apologize for the part I played in that. But whatever this thing is between you and Mark, it’ll be a shame if you both fall out.” He said.“Jack, what happened between Mark and I is not because of you. He just couldn’t stand the honesty he wanted.” I said, pushing the bangs on
“Mark and I used to date.” The words echoed in my head like I was reliving a nightmare. I froze in shock, not sure what to say or how to even react. Deep down, I couldn’t help but dismiss the thought that this was the relationship Chloe and Mark shared, but I always tried to convince myself it wasn’t anything like that. Mark never talked a lot about her even after we met at that party, and I just assumed there was nothing much to say about an old friend.Now I see I was just trying to keep my thoughts away from a fear I didn’t want to have to face.However, I couldn’t understand why Chloe chose to tell me at this point and why Mark never said anything. Was he hiding something about their relationship? I didn’t know Chloe was my sister then, and I’m sure he didn't know either. Certainly, I wouldn’t have minded much about a girl he dated in the past, and at this point, I was convinced he was hiding something.As much as it should have felt good that I now had something to call him out