“Bella,” he said quietly, his voice cutting through the silence. “We need to talk.”She straightened up, sensing the seriousness in his tone. “What is it?”He hesitated for a moment, his eyes flickering with something she couldn’t quite place. “There’s been a development. Something we didn’t anticipate.”Bella’s heart skipped a beat, a cold sense of dread settling over her. “What do you mean? What’s happened?”He stepped into the office, closing the door behind him as he walked over to her. “We might have a problem,” he said, his voice low. “I just got word that Ryan is starting to wake up. He’s regaining consciousness.”Bella’s eyes widened in shock, her mind racing as she processed the news. This wasn’t part of the plan—Ryan was supposed to be out of the picture, incapacitated, unable to interfere. But if he was waking up…“What do we do?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, her earlier confidence faltering in the face of this unexpected development. Her brother’s expression ha
Luca stood beside her, his presence a calming force. “He looks better,” he said softly, his eyes fixed on Ryan.Before Ivy could respond, the door behind them opened, and Dr. Parker entered the room. His expression was as professional as ever, but there was a coldness in his eyes that Ivy had never noticed before.“Good morning,” Dr. Parker said, his voice smooth as he approached the bed. “I’m glad to see you both here. Ryan’s condition has stabilized overnight, but we’re still monitoring him closely.”Ivy nodded, trying to read the doctor’s face. “Do you think he’ll wake up soon?” she asked, her voice hopeful.Dr. Parker’s lips pressed into a thin line. “It’s difficult to say,” he replied, his tone carefully neutral. “He’s been through a lot, both physically and mentally. His body needs time to recover.”Luca’s eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the doctor, a sense of unease creeping into his mind. Something about Dr. Parker’s demeanor felt off as if he were hiding something. But Lu
Iris lay in the bed, the dim light casting eerie shadows on the walls, deepening the sense of isolation that had become her constant companion. Her body, weakened by the confinement and the minimal rations she was given, felt heavy and unresponsive. The baby within her moved slightly, a faint reminder of life, but even that small comfort was overshadowed by the relentless despair gnawing at her soul.The single hand that was free from the restraints rested limply by her side, a minor concession that allowed her some semblance of humanity in this hellish prison. The other hand was tied securely to the bed frame, the rough rope biting into her skin whenever she tried to shift even slightly.The door creaked open, a sound that usually signaled the arrival of her captors or the cold nurse, but this time, it was different. Iris was only half aware of the intrusion, her exhaustion weighing down her eyelids as she drifted in and out of a restless sleep.A figure moved silently into the ro
Flashes of images flickered behind her closed eyelids—disjointed, fragmented memories that didn’t quite make sense. A man’s face, his features blurred and indistinct, hovered in her mind’s eye, and then a woman, her voice soft and comforting, calling Iris’s name. Iris… Iris…The voice was familiar, like a half-remembered dream, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t place it. The images came and went, like the flicker of an old film reel, each one more elusive than the last. The man’s face appeared again, this time with a tender smile, but it faded before she could grasp its significance.Iris clamped her free hand over her ears as if she could block out the relentless assault of her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the images to stop, but they persisted, a cruel reminder of the life she couldn’t remember."Mum… Mum, is that you?" she whispered, her voice cracking under the weight of her despair. But the only response was the hollow echo of her voice in the empty r
Luca stared at his phone, disbelief washing over him as he read the message from one of the employees at Kendrick Enterprises.Bella’s presence at the office, along with a group of new faces claiming authority, had sent a shockwave through the company. His fingers tightened around the phone as he considered his next move.“Something’s not right,” Luca muttered to himself. He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was late, but this couldn’t wait. Grabbing his keys, he headed out the door, determined to get to the bottom of whatever was happening at the office.As Luca drove through the quiet streets, his mind raced with questions. How had Bella gained control so quickly? And why hadn’t she visited Ryan in the hospital? The pieces didn’t add up, and Luca felt a gnawing unease in his gut.When he arrived at Kendrick Enterprises, the building was still lit up, a stark contrast to the late hour. Luca’s footsteps echoed in the empty lobby as he made his way to the elevator, his thought
“Oh, I’m counting on that,” she said, her voice dripping with malice. “But trust me, Luca, by the time I’m done, there won’t be anything left to fight for.”Luca held her gaze, refusing to back down. “I’ll make sure Ivy knows what you’re planning. She won’t let you destroy everything her family built.”Bella’s eyes flashed with annoyance. “Ivy? That little fashion-obsessed brat? She’s nothing compared to me. By the time she realizes what’s happening, it’ll be too late.”Without another word, Luca turned on his heel and stormed out of the office, his mind racing. He had to warn Ivy and figure out a way to stop Bella before it was too late.Luca’s heart pounded as he dialed Ivy’s number, his hands shaking slightly. He needed to keep his cool, but the urgency of the situation made it difficult. The phone rang twice before Ivy answered, her voice laced with concern.“Luca? What’s wrong? It’s late.”“Ivy, we have a problem,” Luca said, trying to keep his voice steady. “I just got back
The evening sky was painted in hues of deep orange and crimson, the last rays of sunlight filtering through the blinds of Ivy’s apartment. The room was quiet, save for the soft ticking of the clock on the wall. Ivy sat at her desk, surrounded by a pile of documents, her laptop screen displaying the encrypted files she had been working on for hours.Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, the events of the past few weeks playing on a continuous loop. The treachery she had uncovered, the lies and deceit that surrounded her—it was all coming to a head, and now Luca had just informed her of Bella's claims on the company. She knew that if she wanted to survive, if she wanted to protect what was rightfully hers, she had to unmask the enemy, and as it stood, there were too many enemies.The sound of the doorbell snapped her out of her thoughts. Ivy hesitated for a moment, her hand hovering over the mouse. She quickly saved the files before closing her laptop and walking toward the door. She
“We’ll be careful,” Luca assured her. “But we need to move quickly. Time is not on our side.”Ivy stood, pacing the room as she thought through their next steps. “I’ve already started gathering some evidence,” she said, gesturing to the pile of documents on her desk. “But it’s not enough. We need something concrete, something that will prove beyond a doubt what they’re up to.”Luca watched her, his eyes following her movements. “We’ll find it,” he said, his voice filled with determination. “But Ivy, there’s something you need to know.”She stopped pacing and turned to face him, a sense of dread creeping up her spine. “What is it?”“There’s someone else involved,” Luca said, his expression grim. “Someone who’s been watching you, tracking your every move.”Ivy’s heart skipped a beat. “Who?”“I don’t know yet,” Luca admitted, frustration evident in his voice. “But I’ve noticed things—little things that don’t add up. Someone’s been tailing you, Ivy. They’re good, but I’ve caught glimpses.