“Mr… Mr. Hawthorne,” Paula stammers, visibly terrified by the fury blazing in his eyes. Heck, even I’m trembling. This is it, I am done for—I can as well kiss this job goodbye.“Thank God you're here,” the man sneers, his face contorting with disgust as he glances back at me. “This incompetent fool spilled coffee on me.”“I… I—” I try to explain, to say anything in my defense, but my voice is caught in my throat, choking on the overwhelming feeling that no one cares. I want to scream, to shout, but the weight of the moment silences me. The tears that have been brimming finally spill over, hot and uncontrollable.“Stop making matters worse,” Paula cuts in hastily, her voice a sharp whisper. “I’m so sorry, sir. We’ll compensate for this—”“I’m sorry,” I whisper, my voice trembling, eyes fixed on the floor as tears continue to fall. “Please… forgive me. I can’t lose this job. I’ve tried so hard.” My voice cracks, the vulnerability creeping in more than I intended. But I couldn't help it,
One thing I respect about him is that he never pushes—he respects boundaries. I think he must’ve noticed the hesitation on my face because he didn’t press me further. “Th… thank you,” I murmur, watching him stand up, his broad back retreating toward the desk. Cocky bastard. He doesn’t even bother turning around as he waves me off dismissively. Why is he even here today? He hardly shows up. God knows what might’ve happened if Mr. Hawthorne hadn’t walked in when he did. I shudder at the thought. The rumors would’ve been endless—my haters would’ve had a field day. At least I was validated this time, but it still feels like I narrowly dodged something worse.As I walk out of the office, I head straight for my usual spot. Geez, I’ve got so much to tell Maryam about her so-called "MCM." That’s what she calls him. Every time I complain about Thorn, she brushes me off, saying, “But he’s hot, so everything he does is valid,” As if good looks justify everything.Her favorite line? “There’s a
Upon reaching the camp, there wasn’t much to do, so I stretched my limbs and decided to sort through my clothes. I rampaged through the mess, folding and rearranging, though it was more of an excuse to keep my hands busy. The thing about being alone is that unwanted thoughts start creeping in, uninvited. The memories I claim to have buried, the people I say I’ve forgotten—none of it is true. They always crawl back into my mind, haunting me like shadows that refuse to disappear.I thought about the first day I returned home. Richard, the butler, had opened the door. His eyes had widened with shock, his lips parting as though he was unsure if he was seeing a ghost. Maybe he recognized me, but at that moment, I didn’t recognize him. His face was a blur, a distant piece of a life I had long abandoned. He scurried away, most likely to inform them that their long-lost daughter had returned.“My God, Claire!” my mother gasped when she saw me. Her hand flew to her chest, tears spilling from
It is Monday already. I was heading to work, the weight of the weekend still heavy on my shoulders. The agent had shown us places way outside our budget, and it was a struggle—honestly, a draining, frustrating struggle. We wanted a decent place, something that didn’t look like it would fall apart with one strong breeze. But our budget had us cornered, leaving us at the mercy of what little we could afford.We had to settle for something in a lower-class neighborhood—a ghetto, really. But it wasn’t too bad, considering the other places we were shown. It was decent enough, and that’s all we could ask for. Two bedrooms, small but comfortable. At least Maryam and I would have our own spaces. It wasn’t much, but it was something. We’ll move in completely tonight, scraping by with just mattresses. Sofas, home décor, and the little touches would come later, once we could save up again. One step at a time."Good morning," I greeted the watchman as I entered work. His smile was warm as he ans
Sebastian’s POV:After my time with Ella, I decided it was best to freshen up before bed. I entered my room, pulling off my black shirt, when something—or rather, someone—caught my attention. There she was, on the CCTV feed connected to my iPad. I’d tuned in earlier to check on things, a habit I developed to ensure my branches ran smoothly when I wasn’t there.I’d forgotten to exit the feed.Something about her always felt off. Sketchy. And I couldn’t figure it out. Daphne had a habit of being the last to leave the café, always staying after hours when no one else was around. It was just her and the security outside, and I’d noticed this pattern more than once. That day, when that sick bastard laid his hands on her, something inside me snapped. The rage I felt was enough to ignite the world. I despised men who acted like animals, treating women as if they were property. I imagined how I’d react if someone touched my little girl that way. Daphne may not be my daughter, but she was som
Daphne’s POV“Wh... what if—”“Shhh, nothing is happening,”Maryam says, projecting a calmness I didn’t know she possessed. “Nothing will happen to you, as long as I’m here. No one can hurt you.” The weight of those words hung in the air, but the truth was that my heart raced with uncertainty and insecurity. “But Nate… he saw me. He knows I’m alive.” Maryam’s hands trembled as she handed me a glass of water, the liquid sloshing slightly as she passed it to me. We sat on the cold, empty floor of our new apartment, the chill seeping through my clothes and into my bones. I had looked forward to this day, the promise of a fresh start, a chance to escape the shadows of my past. But now, as I surveyed the barren walls and the unadorned space, it felt like none of it mattered. The excitement I had envisioned seemed to evaporate, replaced by an overwhelming sense of loss. I couldn’t shake the feeling that joy had slipped through my fingers like sand.I had dreamed of this moment—of new begi
Slowly opening my eyes, I found myself in my room, lying on the mattress. My body felt as if a train had wrecked through me, each muscle protesting in agony. A dull ache pulsed through my head, and as I glanced at the window, I realized it was well into the afternoon. My stomach growled in hunger. My lips felt cracked and dry, a parched desert in desperate need of relief.As I attempt to sit up, Maryam walks in, her expression a mix of concern and relief. “Hey, easy there,” she says, gently supporting my back. “W… what happened?” I mumble, my voice raspy as I glance around, disoriented.“Here.” She hands me a glass of water, the cool liquid feeling heavenly against my throat. I gulped it down like a hungry lion as if I hadn’t seen water in years. Just as the haze began to lift from my mind, panic coursed through my mind. “My baby, Alex!” I shouted, my heart racing as the gravity of everything that happened hit me.“Jeez, calm down! Baby Alex is fine,” Maryam reassures me, and I let o
“I…I don’t understand.” My voice quivers, barely audible as I fight to hold back tears. “Don’t make me repeat myself.” His voice is cold, almost cruel. “Pack all of your things and leave. Now.” The sharpness in his was like a dagger aimed directly at my heart. This wasn’t the Mr. Hawthorne I thought I knew. No warmth, no familiarity. Just a stranger—a boss with no empathy.“I… I can explain,” I stammer, my voice cracking under the weight of my desperation. My hands tremble as I clutch the fabric of my dress, pleading silently in my mind. Please, don't do this. I couldn’t afford to lose this job. My life,—everything—depended on it. This opportunity, though a miracle by chance, had been my only lifeline. No qualifications, no experience—just pure, undeserved grace. “Save it,” he snaps, cutting through my words like a whip. “I don’t want to hear your excuses.”I fall to my knees, my pride crumbling with me. “Please… I won’t go. I need this job. Please.” My voice cracks, heck it, this i
Daphne’s POV My body shook, a buzzing filling my ears, tears blurring my vision. “I can’t believe this, Seb. I fucking can’t believe this,” I choked out, hugging him tightly, soaking his t-shirt as he held me close. “I’m happy that you’re happy, Daphne. You fought so well,” Seb whispered in my ear, his voice also shaky. Was this it? The end of Charles Sinclair? The end of the torment, the years of abuse, the never-ending cycle, all because of his selfish desires? It felt surreal. After the sentence was delivered, I watched Mom spiral. She couldn’t comprehend it, seeing the man she had placed on such a high pedestal come crashing down. Richard quickly took her away, but not before giving me a nod of acknowledgement. Seeing Mom like that tugged at my heart. She had ruined not just her life, but ours too. She had stayed with a man who repeatedly hurt her, and it had shattered me time and time again. But I had finally come to terms with it. I wasn’t responsible for her choices.
Daphne’s POV “This is the bank transaction, showing all the dirty work and exploitations,” Nathaniel said, spreading the thick sheaf of papers across the table. Sebastian’s eyes scanned the documents, his brow furrowed. “They’re rigging oil prices too,” he muttered. “Just how rich and powerful is Charles? He couldn’t have done this alone. There’s government involvement here, somewhere.” Nathaniel was back, thank God. Richard had been feeding us information over the phone, piecing together the puzzle of Charles’s illicit activities. After countless meetings with prestigious authorities, and after what felt like an eternity of legislative deliberation, we finally had it: an arrest warrant. But there was a problem. Intelligence suggested Charles was about to flee the country. Someone within the legislative body had tipped him off. Thankfully, Charles was tracked down to his private retreat, a secluded estate far from the city. The apprehension was swift and decisive. He would
Two Weeks Later “That’s great news!” I exclaimed, pulling Seb and Claire into a hug, joy bubbling inside me. We were gathered around the table, Skyping Nathaniel, who had finally gotten his hands on the NGO’s bank statements and transaction records. “I’ll be back first thing tomorrow, and the chase will finally be over,” Nathaniel muttered with a cashmere smile. It had been two long weeks since Nathaniel traveled to investigate the NGO. Given his position in the ministry, he was able to gain access quickly, posing as an agent sent by me. Charles had been notified by the NGO of my request for the bank statements. Richard informed us that he had been desperately trying to track me down, still clueless about how I’d accessed the files. He was currently hiding in one of his estates in Suncity, under the pretense of being out of town. Our investigation had uncovered vital information, including receipts for bombs and weapons purchased under Charles’s name, weapons that led to the mas
Richard’s voice cut through the heavy silence, the words pulling us against the unspoken emotions hanging in the air. “Now that everything is done, and we have the documents, with Charles’s signature… all you have to do is sign, and the NGO is legally yours.” His jaw was clenched and his gaze distant. He tried to hold it together after Mother left, but I could see the cracks forming. This was just as hard for Richard as it was for me, maybe even harder. Mother had made her choice—time and time again, she chose Father, no matter the cost. Richard kept fighting for her, trying to pull her back from the edge, but she didn’t want to be saved. She never did. Sebastian broke the tension, his voice gentle as he gathered the papers. “She will, once she finds stability. Let’s go home, Daphne you need to rest.” He drew me away from a broken Claire. I turned to Richard, my voice firm with conviction despite the ache in my chest. “Thank you, Richard, for everything. I will see to it that Cha
Daphne’s POV “M…Mother?” I whispered, the word catching in my throat. The sight that greeted me was a brutal shock. She was disheveled, almost broken. Her lip was split and bleeding, a thin line of crimson tracing its path down her pale skin. Her face, usually vibrant and carefully made-up, was ashen, almost ghostly. “Wh…what’s going on? Why do you look like this?” I stammered, my throat tightening with fear and disbelief. I had expected to see my mother, but this ravaged, vulnerable woman was a stranger. She clutched a thick Manila folder to her chest, her knuckles white. Her eyes darted nervously between us, finally settling on Richard. “I don’t have much time,” she said, her voice was barely audible, very strained and thin. “These are the files. They belong to you. Only you can have full access. The name of the NGO is ‘Project Chilia.’ All the necessary details are inside.” She hurried on, her words tumbling out in a rush, “But I must warn you, everything still runs under you
Daphne’s POV The next day arrived with an unpleasant swiftness. The air in the house hung heavy, thick with unspoken anxieties. Our collective patience felt like a frayed rope, stretched to its breaking point. We sat in an uncomfortable silence at the breakfast table, the clinking of cutlery the only sound disturbing the quiet. Sebastian had made breakfast, but no one seemed to have much of an appetite. The doorbell rang, a sharp sound that shattered the tense atmosphere. Sebastian exchanged a quick, worried glance with me. "Wait here," he said cautiously, his voice low. I nodded, my anxiety spiking. Claire shifted in her seat, clearing her throat uncomfortably. I glanced at her, sensing she had something to say. But I was beyond conversation. The return to the forest had stirred something within me, a raw reminder of her past actions, how she had brutalized me, and her constant ridicule. Ever since I came back home, she made me feel unwelcome, telling me harsh words. Forgiveness
I snorted, listening to Sebastian recount his first impressions of me, a genuine laugh bubbling up from my chest.“I mean…why wouldn’t I be skeptical?” he teased, a playful glint in his eyes. “You gave me ample reasons. First, you trampled my shoes, and second, you bolted from the hospital like a bat out of hell.”“Oh, please,” I groaned, burying my face in a nearby pillow, a wave of embarrassment washing over me. “Don’t make me relive those days.”Sebastian chuckled a warm sound that resonated through the room. “I should’ve known you were anything but ordinary. You entered my life like a force of nature.” I peeked at him from beneath the pillow’s soft fabric. A genuine smile graced his features as he shook his head in amused disbelief.“I thought you hated me,” I mumbled, not entirely blaming him. My initial behavior hadn’t exactly been endearing.“Oh, Daphne,” he said softly, a hint of tenderness in his voice. “You definitely got on my nerves…but I have a small confession to make. Y
Daphne’s POV A chilling dread settled over me. “I… I don’t understand,” I stammered, my world tilting on its axis. What could Richard possibly mean by saying I was the key? He gave a dry chuckle. “No one truly grasps the extent of Charles’s evil. Look at us,” he gestured to the group. “We all bear the scars of his influence, don’t we?” My gaze swept across Nate, Claire, and even Richard himself. Each of us carried a distinct torment, almost like a confirmation of Charles’s destructive power. “And here’s the kicker,” Richard continued, his voice laced with a bitter irony. “Mr. Calloway is the one who orchestrated your kidnapping, Daphne.” The name hit me like a physical blow. Mr. Callaway? One of my father’s business associates? The man who had… tried to….force himself on me last night? A wave of nausea surged through me. I retched, the contents of my stomach emptying onto the floor. Sebastian immediately wrapped his arms around me, his voice was like a soothing balm. “It’s al
THIRD PERSON POV FLASHBACK BEGINS The dogs barked wildly on a stormy night, their growls cutting through the eerie silence. The entire universe seemed cloaked in darkness, a heavy omen pressing down on the night. “I think something’s going on in the house. And from the sound of it, it’s bad,” Theo, the watchman, muttered to himself as he quickly sent a message to Richard. Richard, who had been restless all night, saw the notification and sat upright, his unease deepening. Richard had worked at the Sinclair residence for over a decade and knew every family secret. Though he didn’t have access to Charles’s numerous private dealings—something no one, not even Charles’s wife, possessed—he was privy to much more than anyone suspected. Richard was working as a double agent for a business associate of Charles, Mr. Calloway, who was also a trafficker. Calloway’s goal was to bring Charles down and seize his empire. Fueled by a thirst for vengeance, Richard had long buried any trace