Frederick’s POV“I am sorry about yesterday,” I said to Joan, but she was already pissed by the way she looked, and yes, I was the sole reason. I felt guilty because I was angry, but I already said what I said, and I couldn’t take it back. Heaven knows what Isaac must have done to her in school since I was suspended; I barely got a message from classmates, and she was the only one in touch with me. All throughout the day, she didn’t reply to any of my messages.I wanted to give her time to calm down, but it was Joan, all-mighty Joan. I knew she wasn’t going to reply to me, so I had to do something. I couldn’t tolerate her silence anymore, nor would I leave her to suffer the guilt of my own words, so I did what I had hoped she would like. I went to the kitchen and prepared something for her."Joan, please, can you open the door? I got you food,” I said, but she didn’t reply to me. I heard her whimpering and sniffing, as she was already crying. My first thought was Isaac. I hated that bo
Joan’s povWhile leaving the house, the goal was to see Isaac. Just as Fred had commanded, I was to take his phone or the camera while Fred waited for me outside. He promised he would come, so I went in with all confidence that all this threat might end today, or might end worse if I fail or get caught.Isaac was waiting outside in a car. I saw scars on his face, and without any explanation, I knew what it meant for him to scar himself after being provoked, and it made me question his almost flawless skin. From a considerable distance, he looked flawless, but being in close range with him, one would see a psychopath.He did not smile like he always does; he looked dreadful and tired. Maybe he didn't sleep, but his eyes were sagging and red.“Enter and stop staring,” he said.Which I did with no further hesitation. Checking my phone, Fred was tracking me. I had sent him the live location of where I might be going before setting my phone aside, so he doesn’t suspect anything.“How was y
Frederick POVHearing the first gunshot, I knew Joan was in trouble already and that bastard somehow would have hurt her, but Joan screamed two times, so I took a guess that he was scaring her. Damn that jerking psychopath, what does he want to do with her now?I could have thought of every other weird thing he wanted to do, but holding a gun wasn't one of them, so I took my phone out and called 911. I knew what the expenses were, and it had to do with our secret leaking out, but whatever it was, Isaac wouldn’t be spared, and Joan might be safe.It had to go closer to the scene, just at the bag door and the pile of wood I hid. Then I heard him telling Joan all sorts of nonsense about Sophia and me; he just had to put her off the edge, and Jaon was already listening to him."You don’t know what you are saying."The sound of her voice shattered me. I loved her. I have been a dick all my life, but I only slept with Sophia; she was the first girl I ever slept with and practiced all my kin
Joan’s pov“She will be fine,” a more muscular voice said. It sounded close enough that I could say it was in the same room I was in. “When she wakes up, I would like to talk to her before her parents; can that be arranged?""Yes, ma’am, you can talk to her when she wakes up, or whenever you please."My feathery lashes batted against each other, slowly opening my eyes. I met the harsh ray of light trying to blind me, but soon enough it was obstructed by a lady who was familiar in all senses: her pained smile and blond hair, her grace and aura—everything made my body jitter in fear and uncertainty.“How are you feeling, Joan?” She placed her hands on my head, then stared at the doctor, who now approached with those doctor thingies; they hung on their necks, and he placed them on my chest. He asked some questions, which I deemed dumb, but when he was done, he left me to Isaac’s mother.“I came to apologise," she said, her lips barely stretching successfully in a fake smile like she alw
Joan’s POVAfter that day, nothing was as I hoped it would be; Isaac was not in school anymore, I was noticed more by students, and some chose to be my friends, and in three months, it became my new 'normal'. I knew a whole load of people, but Anita never left my side; she made me promise I wouldn’t either, but college had a different plan; she was aiming for Princeton’s and I was aiming for Boston College, whispered my father.Then, on the other hand, Isaac was nowhere to be found, the clip was never heard of, and for a moment, my problem was reduced. Well, I pretended it did to keep me sane.Fred became cold and questioned why?, but I knew why. For the past three months, we didn’t talk to each other like we used to, and we didn’t have sex either. Just like Sophia liked, I made sure he stayed far from me; I avoided him like a plague.While Sophia was swooning him like a bee, she was obsessing over him. And she didn’t waste any time telling me how much he was intertwined in her hands,
Frederick POVJoan wouldn’t talk to me; it’s been three months already, and it felt like a century; nothing seems to be making sense anymore; I barely laughed genuinely in three months; Sophia had been on my neck too about Joan. She would constantly visit to make sure I retained my four-foot rule.She even had me recite my rules before I left her. I never looked at any woman when I was with her; I was to compliment her every chance I got, and I was told to smile whenever we were in public places. She recently developed the habit of having a foursome and giving everyone a number and position every week. With all this going on, I was the only one on her social media.And anytime I disobeyed her, I had to deal with her constant nagging and complaining about this and that. She would refer it to Joan and explain how she saved me from being charged with a felony, but I was tired of everything. I just wanted to be free, and when I saw the email of admission, I couldn’t be any happier to see
Joan’s POVHe really did it; he hurt mom, just like he promised. I had no idea when it happened as mom slumped on her way out of my room. Due to her closeness to the staircase, she tripped and fell all the way to the base of the stairs, and the last thing that affirmed me was her scream when she fell.Now she was in the ICU, and I couldn’t stop crying; I didn’t want to survive anymore; I hated my life at that point; I didn’t see the reason to survive; every sound existed in my mind yet it felt so quiet; I was so tired of living yet too afraid to end it all; it just didn’t work well with me, not after what had happened."Joan, look at me,” someone said, tapping my chin, but my vision was clouded, and I couldn't see any further than an inch. My body was numb and disconnected; I knew I was whimpering and shivering. When I think of it, that was all I remembered.The scent of blood, the jitter, and the cold shivers—that was all I could recall.“Joan, snap out of this, breathe!" More people
Joan’s POVA week passed like the snap of a finger. Fred didn’t get to visit as frequently; his time spent was rationed, while on the other hand, Jones wasn’t allowed in the building. After his repulsive trigger, he was banned from seeing me or mom, which meant for a week I was trigger-free, so Fred basically brought food and fed mom and me.He would feed mom, then come back to me. While feeding me, he never spoke about what his father did, but he said sorry in so many ways, which made me feel empty and guilty. I was a person at fault, and yes, he was right. I felt selfish because if I had agreed with Jones offers, which I was still considering, maybe everyone would be happy.In one week, I spent it checking out schools over here to see if I would find one that was close enough for a cab drive. I tried to see the bright side, but there was none. I was on fire if I decided to stay, and he would keep on using me till I had nothing to give anymore.It wasn’t because of the money he gave
In a penthouse far from the world's trouble, Joan and Fred had just gotten the best news yet: she was pregnant with their second child after their first child, Janet.Their happiness was boundless; it was a miracle yet again. Fred held onto Joan’s waist, swimming her in the living room as they danced to the song made by the trees that surrounded them, while Janet clung to their feet, dancing around with them.It’s been three years since they had problems that were out of the ordinary—three years of utter bliss and love at their peak. And there were no enemies at their doorstep; they were so far from world trouble that they had forgotten what it felt like to be hated.After the gunshot at Joan’s wedding, Sophia shot herself and died at the reception. The wedding made news about how the billionaire's daughter shot her ex-boyfriend on his wedding day.Everyone criticised them for making her lose her own life; they trolled her for being his stepsister until they found out what really warr
Joan’s POV“You can take a look now,” the makeup artist said, turning the drafting chair so I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I was left speechless, and she placed the veil on my head, making my heart jitter.It looked so beautiful. I looked this beautiful, and it was a surprise to me at my wedding that I wouldn’t see my reflection till the final touch, just staring at the final touch.“Do you like it?” She said, patting my cheek with a makeup brush.“It’s perfect"“Well, I hope the groom is more shocked than you because you look stunned," she said, and with a fine touch, she kissed my forehead.It was my wedding day, and I had been up since 5 a.m., but it was worth it; the look was perfect.Few hours from now, Fred and I would be arriving in the church to exchange our vows before the reception, and even after so much planning, I still felt a knot in my belly, my heart pounding and my hands itching to be held by him.I imagined what he would look like and what his reaction woul
TWO YEARS LATERJoan’s POVThe weather seemed so cold today. I stretched my hands to feel his body, but it's nowhere to be found—not even close enough after rolling to the edge of the bed.“Baby,” I whispered, yet nothing at all"Babe, where are you?"Yet it was all so quiet. I waited a little; maybe he went to the bathroom. Looking at the side of the bed, it’s just 6 a.m. in the morning, so he either went for a run or would be back soon, so I waited, but it clocked nine and I was still on the bed.It’s a Saturday, and not just like every Saturday, it’s my birthday. I had expected him to wake me up with kisses and maybe good morning sex, but no, he chose to go out instead. I felt so disappointed in him.Picking up my phone I called him, but his phone was ringing, and he wasn’t answering. Fred was a sucker for his smartphone; he only slept two inches away from it every night, so I could swear that he saw my calls and heard all my endless voice messages, and he chose to ignore them.It
Fredericks POV“Never!”Dad turned immediately, shooting the first person who was unfortunate enough to be at the mercy of the pistol.George….“No!"Rushing towards him, I yanked the gun from his hands and pointed it at him.“Frederick, don’t shoot him; he can’t run anywhere now." George, who had just been shot in the arm, said he was bleeding on the floor and had now been carried away by the paramedics.Then I stared back at this embarrassment of a father. He held a smug look on his face as she stared deadpan at me.“You don’t have what it takes to pull the trigger; you think having balls like a man makes you any stronger; no, it doesn't; do your worst; you are just like me anyway.""Never; I am nothing like you; I never will be." I yelled, forbidding whatever he said. I had fought too much to remove that thought from my mind. I didn’t waste money on so much therapy just so he could look me in the eye and call me a replica.I was nothing like my father—nothing at all.“Fight it all
Fredericks POVAnother round of sex, a little kiss on the chin, some I love you and love you too, and she was good to go. I had just dropped Joan off at her school when I was driving back home.It’s been tough. So tough, but with all that had happened, at least I came out strong. The money from the inheritance was big enough to get me a house on the other side of the city, and I am currently building a car repair store. I had this undyinfnpassing for carsIt has always been my dream to own something like this, and somehow the universe came up to me at my lowest, gave me a fortune, and set me on the right path, which I took with the help of mom and Joan. I couldn’t be any happier, and even if I could, I knew it wouldn’t be different from this feeling I had inside.The feeling of utter bliss and no confusion, the calmness needed to pursue a dream I always wanted, the family support, and everyone else needed to get the perfect kickstart.And with time, I have come to understand that fami
Joan’s POVAfter mom's surgery, we were to go home and probably come to pay her regular visit, but that wasn’t the only good thing that had happened.Fred and I left the hospital and went back home, just to hear West crying. It was concerning, given the fact that Lisa should be consoling him, but he was banging on the door and crying bitterly when Fred and I pulled up at the house.“Hey baby, I am coming,” I said, rising towards the door and hitting on it so Lisa would open the door. I hoped she didn’t vent her anger on the little child who did absolutely nothing to cause her this much misery, but it seemed she wasn’t going to open the door, so Fred called her, endlessly hoping she would open the door but still doing the same thing.“Did she lock us out for good? You gave her the house, didn’t you?”“Yes, but is it not too quick to throw us out? I mean, I have things in there too." We started off by calling her name and banging on it even more. But it's still the same thing.“Move asi
Joan’s POVThe headaches, the gut feeling that made me want to sleep for a whole three days, and this crippling depression that I felt at the corner of my eyes made me feel like throwing up, but I didn’t drink beer; there was no throwing up here.I was just made to suffer the hangover coupled with this level of sadness that came over me the moment I opened my eyes. It's already morning, like most of the morning we had in this house. I wasn’t prepared to stand; I just wanted to survive the day while doing absolutely nothing.But it was mom's surgery; she needed me there. At least I can’t stay here or let Fred go all alone; it’s suicide, but seeing his face would be the end of me. I don’t want to know if he woke up well this morning or barely slept last night. I didn’t want to have the slightest affect shown towards me by him.I just wanted him out.But then again.Hospital..Mom…So I stood from my bed, then sluggishly carried my body to the bathroom. I was wrecked of sweat and liquor,
Joan’s POV“What?”“Yes, so just so you know, before you start blaming me for everything that has happened, I saw your message in the damn hospital. Get your head straight for once in your life, would you?"“Is mom okay? Where is she? What happened to my mother?" I yelled, pulling his collar. If anything were to happen to mom, I wouldn’t survive past today, and I made him know that with the way I reacted.“She’s fine, just a little seizure, and the surgery commences tomorrow, so we have to be there tomorrow unfailingly in the morning, and here you are, blaming me for taking time to see our mother; you are just, ahh, what will I do with you?”“Don’t talk to me like that; how would I have known?" I whined, feeling the pain of guilt down my chest; the liquor I had taken quenched, and my little uproar of courage died. I found myself wanting to cry again, but my eyes were tired, and if they had a mind of their own, I bet they would purge out of the socket. I had cried way too much today, b
Joan’s POVInside mom's room was the same as Jones's too, which this couple had defied; the broken vase was no longer there, so either Fred or his mother had cleared it because I wouldn’t, and not just that, I hope she hasn’t dented my mother's property because she was looking for something to steal; I won’t be quiet if that was what she was looking for.I would expose her to the world, and she would be dragged into it for the rest of her life. They could torment me all they wanted, but never my mother; she was too good to be despised continuously.Eagerly ruffling through everywhere till I finally saw a key similar to what she had explained, relief flushed over me.“Finally!”The tag and the address were just tagged at the side, and from the looks of it, wherever this warehouse was, it would take me an hour to get there, but since it was the only way I could find happiness on a day like this,.Why not?Shoving it in my pocket, I walked out of the room. I made my way out of the room j