The inside was dimly lit, and the sound of dripping water echoed through the space."Look over there," Skylar said, pointing to a small office in the corner. "Maybe we can find something in there."They made their way to the office and began searching through the papers and files scattered on the desk. After several minutes, Skylar found a folder labeled "Kendrick.""Ryan, look at this," she said, handing him the folder.Ryan opened it and found documents detailing transactions and communications between Bella and an unknown party."This is it," Ryan said, his heart racing. "This is the proof we need. Bella is involved in this.""Let's get out of here," Skylar said. "We need to take this to the police."As they turned to leave, they heard footsteps approaching. Ryan and Skylar froze, hiding behind the desk.The footsteps grew louder, and they could hear voices."I told you to keep this place secure," one voice said angrily. "We can't afford any mistakes.""I did, boss," another voice repli
Ryan and Skylar sat in the restaurant, strategizing their next move. Ryan was frantic with worry, and Skylar tried to remain calm to support him."We need to figure out where they took Iris and Mrs. Jessica," Skylar said, tapping her fingers on the table."I know. I've got my father's men looking into it, but we need to find more leads," Ryan said, frustration evident in his voice.Skylar's phone buzzed, and she quickly checked it. "I've got a contact who might know something. He's got connections with some underground networks. I'll set up a meeting.""Do it. We need every lead we can get," Ryan said, his mind racing Later that evening, Ryan and Skylar met Skylar's contact, a man named Marcus, in a dimly lit bar."I hear you're looking for someone," Marcus said, his voice low and gruff."Two people, actually. A woman and her daughter. They were abducted," Skylar explained, showing him photos of Iris and Mrs. Jessica.Marcus studied the photos and nodded. "I might know something, but it
After the investors had left, Luca turned to Ryan. "Buddy, I've known you for years, and I've never seen you in such a mood. You were absent-minded throughout the meeting. What's going on?"Ryan sighed as they stepped into the elevator. "There's a lot happening, Lu. A whole lot," he said, running a hand through his hair. "Iris is missing, after her mother went missing. And Bella is at my house, pregnant with my child."Luca's eyes widened in shock. "What?!!!""It's a mess, Lu. I don't know where to start," Ryan said, his voice breaking."Start from the beginning. What happened to Iris and Mrs. Jessica?" Luca asked, his concern evident.Ryan took a deep breath and began to explain. "Iris and I were getting close, despite everything. But after an argument with Bella, Iris ran out, and then she disappeared. I got a text from her phone saying she needed help, but I couldn't find her. Later, I found out that Mrs. Jessica was abducted from the hospital."Luca listened intently. You had all
Ivy remained in her room, reminiscing about what Bella said. "You look so much like your brother's wife," the voice from the show echoed in her head.She was told this same thing at the fashion show, and now Bella said it again."But we don't look alike, do we?" she asked herself.She searched for Iris's pictures but couldn't find any. She remembered their wedding pictures and searched for them. She finally saw a picture of Iris on Instagram. She saved it and compared it to hers.She looked closely and saw that they had a striking resemblance. Her nose was pointed in the exact same way, and they had the same shape of eyes too.She shook her head to get rid of the thought. "It might just be a coincidence," she thought as she dropped her phone and decided to go take a shower.After her shower, Ivy felt a renewed determination to get to the bottom of this mystery. She decided to do some deep findings about Iris. She sat at her desk, opened her laptop, and began searching for any info
"Ryan, stop! Leave her alone. She's pregnant, can't you see? Are you trying to kill her?" Ivy's voice cut through the fog of his anger. She rushed towards them and pulled Ryan's hands off Bella's neck.Bella staggered backward and fell onto the bed, gasping for air and holding her neck. Ivy handed her a glass of water, which she gulped down, coughing and struggling to breathe.Ryan stormed out of the room in frustration, his hands shaking."Are you okay?" Ivy asked Bella, concern in her voice."Yes, I'm fine. Your brother tried to kill me. I will have to report him to the authorities," Bella gasped."I'm really sorry about that. I will go talk to him. Sorry, Bella," Ivy said, making sure Bella was stable before leaving to find Ryan.Ivy found Ryan in his study, sipping whisky from a glass. She sat across from him, her expression serious."That wasn't so good, Ryan. You almost killed her," Ivy said."I don't care. She should just leave me alone," Ryan replied, his voice void of emotion."
"Ryan," Mrs. Rose called, "when are you getting married to Bella?""Getting married to who?" Ryan asked, incredulous. "I'm only responsible for the child, not Bella. I can't marry Bella."Bella's eyes went dim and cold at Ryan's words."Don't dare me, Ryan. Don't. You will have to marry Bella and take care of her, and that's final. What is this I heard about you almost choking her to death? Are you mad, Ryan? Do you want to kill a pregnant woman?" Mrs. Rose barked."Get married to Bella or have me to deal with," she said.Ivy looked at Bella, a deep-seated dislike brewing within her."I won't and can never marry Bella, and that is final. My wife is still out there missing, and you are asking me to marry Bella? Mum, do you even have a heart?" Ryan asked, his voice filled with pain."Mind your tone and how you speak to me, young man I won't warn you again," Mrs. Rose said."You might as well take Bella to live with you if you don't want me to kill her anytime soon," Ryan said, leaving the
She knew she needed to take matters into her own hands. She couldn't rely on Mrs. Rose forever.Later that evening, Ivy slipped out of the house and headed to a secluded café downtown. She needed to meet someone who could help her. As she walked in, she spotted the man she was looking for sitting at a corner table."Thank you for meeting me," Ivy said, taking a seat across from him.The man nodded. "Of course, Miss Kendrick. What can I do for you?""I need information on the people who took my sister-in-law and her mother. I need to know everything," Ivy said, her voice low.The man raised an eyebrow. "That's a tall order. It won't be easy or cheap.""I don't care about the cost. Just get me the information," Ivy replied, her eyes cold and determined.The man nodded. "I'll see what I can do. Give me a few days."Ivy nodded, standing up. "Thank you. I appreciate it."As she left the café, Ivy felt a sense of satisfaction. She was going to get to the bottom of this, no matter what it too
Ryan, Luca, and Ivy spent the next few hours formulating a plan. They knew they couldn't go to the police Victor had connections everywhere. They needed to handle this themselves."I'll make the exchange," Ryan said. "But we need a backup plan in case things go wrong.""I'll follow from a distance," Luca suggested. "If anything goes south, I'll be there to help.""And I'll keep digging for more information on Victor," Ivy added. "We need to know what we're up against."Ryan nodded. "Alright. Let's do this."The following evening, Ryan stood in a deserted warehouse, the documents in a briefcase by his side. His heart pounded in his chest as he waited. Luca was hidden nearby, ready to intervene if necessary.A car pulled up, and a man stepped out. He was tall, with a scar running down his left cheek. "Mr. Kendrick, I presume?" the man said, his voice cold."Yes. Do you have Iris and her mother?" Ryan asked, trying to keep his voice steady.The man smirked. "They're safe, for now. Do y
Months had passed since Parker waited in vain for Ryan to come to his rescue. As the cold reality set in, the hope that had once flickered inside Parker’s heart dimmed until it was nothing but a distant memory. The prison walls around him felt like they were closing in, suffocating him with the weight of his past mistakes. Every day, he wondered if his son would ever come, but no sign of Ryan emerged. He had gambled on the wrong side of history, and now he was paying for it with every lonely second that ticked by.Meanwhile, Mrs. Rose Kendrick, once a woman of unmatched power and deceit, was locked away in her world of doom. She had seen the writing on the wall long before now. When the truth came to light, when all the lies she had crafted so carefully unraveled before her eyes, she knew no one was coming to save her. The empire she had tried to manipulate for herself and her lover Parker had crumbled. Her final days were filled with silence, the kind that came not from peace but
Ryan paced the length of his father’s study, his mind racing with conflicting emotions. He held the hospital reports tightly in his hand, his knuckles white from the grip. The reports confirmed his worst fears—the man he had called his father for his entire life wasn’t his biological father at all. Dr. Parker was. The revelation had shaken him to the core, and he knew he couldn’t keep this secret any longer. He had to tell Mr. Kendrick.Taking a deep breath, he walked over to where Kendrick sat in his leather chair, his eyes already filled with concern. Kendrick had noticed Ryan’s turmoil the moment he entered the room, but he hadn’t pressed him to speak."Dad," Ryan began, his voice trembling slightly. He rarely ever called him anything but ‘Dad,’ but now, with this new information, it felt like a lie. Still, it was all he had ever known. "I received something today. It’s… complicated, and I don’t know how to explain it."Kendrick raised an eyebrow, worry etching deeper into his
The atmosphere in the house was finally calm, or so it seemed. After everything they had been through—the betrayals, the conspiracies, and the almost impossible escape from danger—Iris, Kendrick, and Jessica were relieved to be back home. The past few days had been nothing short of a nightmare, but now, with Ryan by her side, Iris felt like she could finally breathe again.Ryan had transformed into the kind of husband Iris had always dreamed of. He was attentive, caring, and endlessly devoted, especially when it came to their newborn. Late-night feedings and diaper changes—Ryan was right there with her, helping in every way he could. The chaos and distrust that once clouded their relationship were gone, replaced by a bond forged through hardship and love.One afternoon, as Iris cradled their baby on the living room couch, Ryan returned from the front door, holding a small package. There was no return address, just his name scribbled hastily across the front. He furrowed his brow as
The tension in the hospital room hung heavy as Iris took a deep breath and prepared to explain everything. The faces of those around her—Jessica, Ryan, Kendrick, and Ivy—were etched with a mixture of concern, curiosity, and shock. Ryan, especially, seemed anxious, as though every word Iris spoke would shift the very foundation of what he believed to be true.“I found out I was pregnant,” Iris began slowly, her voice steady but filled with emotion, “on the same day that Mrs. Rose asked to see me. She called me out of the blue and said she needed to talk. I thought it was something important about the family, but when I got there…” She paused, her gaze shifting to Ryan before continuing. “She told me to leave you, Ryan. She wanted me gone so you could be with Bella.”Ryan’s jaw clenched at the mention of his mother’s betrayal, but he remained silent, allowing Iris to continue.“I was devastated,” Iris admitted, her voice cracking slightly. “I didn’t know what to do, and on my way back t
The tension in the room had begun to settle after the police escorted Mrs. Rose and Dr. Parker out in handcuffs. The silence that followed felt like the calm after a storm, but there was still an air of unease.Mr. Kendrick stood in the center of the room, his expression heavy with guilt and regret. He turned toward Jessica, who stood with her arms crossed, looking as though she wasn’t quite sure what to make of him yet. Ivy and Iris, standing side by side, had barely spoken a word since everything unfolded.Kendrick cleared his throat, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m sorry,” he began, his eyes filled with sincerity as he faced Jessica and the twins. “Jessica, Iris, Ivy… I know words aren’t enough to make up for the years I’ve spent apart from you all, the lies, and everything else that’s happened. But please believe me when I say that I’ve regretted every single moment I wasn’t with you.”Iris remained silent, her face pale from shock, while Ivy’s gaze flickered between Jessica a
The room was suffocating. Ryan sat up straighter in his hospital bed, his eyes narrowing as Luca entered, his expression grim. The air felt thick with anticipation as everyone waited for the news. Luca cleared his throat and looked directly at Ryan. “The anonymous messenger? It was Sarah—your house help,” he said quietly. Ryan’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Sarah?” He glanced at Ivy, then back at Luca. “What do you mean? She’s just a housemaid. Why would she—" “She’s been traced and caught,” Luca interrupted his voice firm. “We got her while she was trying to flee the country. She’s been feeding information to your enemies, Ryan. She’s been working with Mrs. Rose.”The room went still. Ivy gasped, her hand flying to her mouth, and Kendrick’s face drained of color. Mrs. Rose stood frozen, her eyes wide in disbelief as all eyes turned toward her.“What… what are you saying?” Ryan’s voice was low, but it shook with barely restrained anger.“She confessed everything,” Luca continued, h
The silence that followed Mr. Kendrick's confession was deafening. Everyone in the room seemed frozen, processing the weight of his words. Mrs. Rose’s face was a mixture of shock and rage, her hands trembling as she gripped the back of a chair for support. Ryan and Ivy exchanged uneasy glances, while Jessica stood still, her expression unreadable, though her eyes glistened with the pain of memories that had long since scarred her.Kendrick took a deep breath, his voice thick with regret as he continued. "I was in love with Jessica," he admitted, his eyes locked on the floor as if unable to meet anyone’s gaze. "We were both so young, and I couldn't resist her. But I was already married to Rose. There was no way I could marry Jessica. I was the heir to the Kendrick family fortune, and it would have been a scandal—a disgrace—to have an affair and a child out of wedlock."Rose scoffed, her voice laced with venom. "So instead, you chose to keep me in the dark and raise the child of your
The tension in the room was so thick it felt as though it could suffocate them all. Mrs. Rose stood frozen, her heart hammering against her chest as her eyes darted from Jessica to Kendrick and then to her children. Her worst nightmare was unraveling before her eyes, and there was no escape. Kendrick, too, was motionless, his face a mixture of disbelief and confusion. His eyes met Jessica’s, and a flood of memories rushed back—memories he had buried for years. He tried to speak, but the words caught in his throat."Je… Jessica?" Kendrick’s voice was barely above a whisper, his shock palpable. Ryan, standing by his father’s bedside, turned to Kendrick, his brows furrowed in confusion. "Dad, do you know her?"Jessica stood tall, her eyes blazing with the fire of long-buried resentment. She ignored Ryan’s question and locked eyes with Mrs. Rose, whose face was now dripping with cold sweat. Rose’s hands trembled as she took a step backward, her composure slipping with every second."No…
Mrs. Rose paced anxiously around the hospital room, her heels clicking against the cold tile floor. She glanced at her watch for the hundredth time, her impatience growing by the second. Where were Ivy and Ryan? What were they up to? Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the door open. She turned swiftly, only to see Ryan step into the room, followed closely by Ivy. Relief washed over her for a split second, but it quickly faded as she saw the grim looks on their faces. Something was wrong.“Where have you two been?” Mrs. Rose demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’ve been looking all over for you!”Ryan didn’t respond immediately. His face was hard, his jaw clenched. Ivy, too, seemed distant, her eyes fixed on the floor as if she couldn’t bear to meet her mother’s gaze.Before Mrs. Rose could demand answers, a weak cough sounded from the hospital bed. Her husband, Mr. Kendrick, had woken up. Slowly, he turned his head toward her, his eyes filled with anger and betray