Trina’s POV Standing by the window, I watched my little munchkin laugh as she petted our neighbor's llama in the courtyard. I don't understand how having such unusual pets has become a new trend nowadays. However, a bittersweet smile spread across my face as I saw her excitement. She reminded me so much of my beloved younger brother, Mason, who would have been over joyous had he been in Eleanor's shoes right now.Mason loved animals a lot. His face would light up at the sight of anything with fur or feathers, like when he got his puppy. But that joy was short-lived because in a fit of rage, my evil father had angrily tossed it away, leading to its tragic death. Mason had been completely heartbroken at that time. The image of his tear-streaked face still haunts me up till now.I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the painful memories, but they just kept coming as my thoughts shifted to those of my late mom. I remembered the last call I had with her head doctor. Though she was
Trina’s POV I kept on staring at the piece of paper in my hands, with my brow furrowed in confusion. The scrawled numbers and letters in Justin's neat handwriting seemed to dance before my eyes, refusing to make sense and he hadn't said anything in response to my earlier question. Looking up at him, I asked in a confused tone. “Justin, this looks like an address, but... for where?"However, Justin's expression just remained grim and instead of answering my questions, he just kept his eyes locked on mine, without uttering a word. It was as if he wanted me to piece it together myself, to come to the realization on my own.And then, like a bolt of lightning, it suddenly hit me.My eyes widened, and I felt my breath catch in my throat. "Is this... is this what I think it is?" I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper.Justin slowly nodded, his expression softening just a little bit. "Yes, Tri. It is." he said quietly. "It's your mother's grave. The address you asked me to find while y
The realization hit me like a physical blow. I instantly stumbled forward, falling to my knees beside the mound as a sudden wave of vertigo overcame me. Emotional and frantic, I don't know when my fingers began digging into the earth, grasping at the grass as if I could somehow reach through the soil and touch her. Touch my beloved mom whom I haven't seen in many years and will never see ever again…"Mom," I whispered, my voice breaking. "Oh, Mom!"The tears pricking behind my eyes then came loose like a dam, hot and relentless. They streamed down my face as years of pent-up grief and anger poured out of me. I sobbed uncontrollably, my body shaking with the force of my emotions.This was worse than anything I could have imagined. There was no headstone, no marker, nothing to indicate that a beloved woman rested here. It was as if that evil father of mine and his equally evil wife had tried to erase her very existence, to hide her away from the world like a shameful secret.I felt Just
Trina's POV The rest of the weekend passed by in a blur, with preparations of the memorial area already in place. Very soon, it was Monday and once again, I was faced with the reality of Eleanor being enrolled into Jayden's elite school. Mr. McAllister had mentioned that I am exempted from going to work at the mansion today since I have to go to the school this morning and complete the paperwork that required my signature.However, even when my alarm woke me up at the crack of dawn, I still had no intention of going to that school this morning. But Eleanor, my vibrant little firecracker had no such misgivings as she unexpectedly bounced into my room even before I got up, with her strawberry blonde pigtails swinging wildly as she jumped onto my bed."Mommy! Mommy! Is today the day? Are we going to my new school today?" Her light blue eyes sparkled with excitement, and I instantly felt a pang of guilt twist in my stomach.I forced a smile, running my fingers through her soft curls. "No
Trina’s POV The room suddenly seemed to tilt on its axis as a wave of vertigo overcame me. I gripped the arms of my chair, struggling to process this information. "That's... that's impossible. There must be some mistake."Mrs. Hartley's smile never wavered. "I assure you, there's no mistake. Mr. McAllister was quite clear in his instructions and all the payments have been signed, sealed and delivered already. Now, shall we proceed with the paperwork?"I nodded numbly, my mind reeling as I mechanically signed one form after another. Deep down, my mind was buzzing, as I tried to process the implications of what I had just learned. Mr. McAllister had paid for Eleanor's education, not just for a term, but until she graduates! And that too, years in advance, without even consulting me!"Are you alright, Ms. Ryder?" The headmistress's voice sounded distant, muffled by the roaring in my ears.I forced myself to nod, as I signed the last form."Thank you," I managed to say, my voice soundin
Trina’s POV I shifted from one foot to another as I nervously stood in front of my intimidating and charismatic boss, who was sitting down behind his imposing desk and looking at me with those piercing grey orbs of his. I took a deep breath and chose my words carefully before speaking, after all, I was talking to the so-called Mr. Meticulous."Does that mean you will sell the land to Justin's company?"Mr. McAllister's face remained impassive, and with his steely grey eyes still fixed on mine, he calmly stated. "No, Ms Ryder. The land isn't for sale."My heart sank as his words hit me like a blow to my gut. I felt the panic rising in my chest. And I didn't know when I blurted out, "But... but you promised! Just a few moments ago you said that if I agreed to the school fees payment, you wouldn't build an oil refinery on that land! So why are you going back on your own words in just a matter of seconds?"Mr. McAllister leaned back in his leather recliner, and steepled his long fingers
Trina’s POV "A memorial," he mused, leaning back in his chair. "For your mother and other heroines. That's quite an ambitious project, Ms. Ryder."I nodded, feeling both vulnerable and defiant at the same time. But in a firm voice, I responded to him. "It's important. These women deserve to be remembered, to have their stories told."That's all he needs to know. He doesn't have to know the details of my beloved mom's sorrowful life and why I really want to create the memorial for her. My family secrets are mine to keep!Mr. McAllister was quiet for a moment, with his fingers drumming lightly on the polished surface of his desk. I held my breath, waiting for his response. Would he laugh at my dream? Dismiss it as foolish sentimentality?But when he spoke, his voice was surprisingly gentle. "I can see why this means so much to you," he said. "Your passion is... admirable."I blinked, caught off guard by his words. Was Mr. Zane McAllister, the notoriously ruthless businessman, actually
Zane’s POV I watched as the color instantly drained from Ms. Ryder's face as my words sank in. For a moment, I couldn't help but feel a bit... off. Was the idea of being my wife really so repulsive? I quickly pushed the unfamiliar sensation of discomfort aside, as I maintained my usual mask of indifference."W...what?!" Ms. Ryder finally managed to stammer, with her voice barely above a whisper.I leaned back in my chair, and in a cool, calm tone as if I was just discussing the weather, I clarified. "My pretend wife. Be my pretend wife for a certain period of time, and your dreams of creating the memorial area will be fulfilled. Consider it a trade by barter."The words hung in the air between us, heavy with implication. I could almost see the gears turning in Mr. Ryder's mind as she struggled to process my unexpected proposal. Her hazel eyes, usually so full of fire and determination, now appeared confused and wary.I remained still, with my gaze fixed on her face. Years of high-st
Trina’s POV After her proclamation, Aunt Livvy wasted no time at all. The moment both Mason and I nodded our heads in agreement that Mom really deserved the grand funeral she had been cruelly denied, Aunt Livvy immediately sprang into action. She handled everything with a precision that portrayed her years of experience of managing the Caldwell empire and also, her deep love for her niece Sarah Caldwell Ryder. Within hours, she had called the archbishop, contacted every relative and every family friend across the country, arranged for caterers, and ensured that media outlets announced the passing of the Caldwell heiress to the world. The obituary was finalized, and invitations were sent far and wide. What surprised me is that as soon as she made those calls, even those people who had never once shown interest in my mother’s well-being while she was alive now clamored to attend her funeral after hearing that she was the Caldwell heiress!By the time Aunt Livvy finally finished all he
Trina’s POV From the address Aunt Livvy sent to me, I know she lives about an hour and a half drive away from my house. But when I inputted the address on the Google maps and let it direct us, it felt as if the drive to her estate was much longer than the hour and a half that I had estimated. Or perhaps it is because of the daunting task ahead of both Mason and I… of breaking the news of Mom's death to her loving aunt, that I felt so.As I drove, I kept biting my lower lip at intervals, which is a nervous habit I got from none other than Dad himself. Shaking my head as if to get rid of the numerous thoughts buzzing in it, I turned to the side, stealing a glance at Mason who was sitting at the passenger seat beside me. Just like me, he had been silent for a long while now, deep in thoughts. He was staring out of the window and I could see his clenched fists tightly around the large envelope containing the stack of letters we brought with us. I know exactly what he was thinking becaus
Trina’s POV With the amount of earth-shattering revelations we have been having these past few days, it has been one hell of an emotional rollercoaster for both Mason and I. And this latest revelation about our late Mom being the sole heir to the vast multi-billion dollar Caldwell empire left me feeling completely drained, yet somehow more complete than I had felt in years because even if nothing, I have come to realize that my late Mom wasn’t really abandoned completely by her family as we had thought. All that while when both she and I thought she had no one but Mason and I, her aunt and father had secretly been yearning for her and loving her in secret. The only sad thing is that Mom never got to know this before she died, all thanks to that devil incarnate Emily Ryder!Heaving a deep sigh, I turned to Mason, my dear younger brother who was also as emotionally drained as I was. Then in a tired voice, I said. “What do you think we should do now, Mas? This… this is something I hav
Trina's POV The morning started as it always did this past few weeks since both of my children started living with me. It was chaotic, noisy, and filled with the usual back and forth of both the silent whizz kid Jayden and chatterbox Eleanor getting ready for school. Between helping Eleanor finding her misplaced shoes, reminding her about her forgotten lunchbox, listening to the mild bickering between the two siblings and last minute homework checks for Eleanor, I barely had time to dwell on my own thoughts. Mason and I drove them to school, with the car filled with Eleanor's usual cheerful chatter and Jayden’s occasional interjections. When we arrived, my little munchkin, as always, hugged and kissed me goodbye before she turned to do the same to Mason. After pecking him on both cheeks, she pulled back and raised her little finger at him in a warning gesture, saying, “Don’t you dare pull another one of your disappearing stunts on me again. You had better be right here in this car
Trina's POV Before I could react to her loud squeal of delight, my mischievous little munchkin had already sprinted towards us, with her little feet barely touching the ground as she literally flew to my brother. She crashed directly into Mason’s waist, with her arms automatically wrapping themselves tightly around him. Caught off guard, Mason almost stumbled back but due to his physique and balance, he fortunately didn't. He laughed out loud, obviously very pleasantly surprised as he exclaimed and greeted. “Whoa! Hi there, Princess Eleanor!” Hearing her beloved nickname, Eleanor instantly beamed. She tilted her head up at him, with her doe-like light blue eyes shimmering with awe. “It’s really you?” she whispered, before tightening her little arms around him, as if afraid he might vanish. With a huge, pleasant grin on his face, Mason knelt down to her level, and in a very soft and gentle voice, addressed her. “Yeah, kiddo. It’s really me.”She instantly threw her arms around h
Trina’s POVFor a prolonged time after we finished our discussions and staggering revelations to each other, Mason and I just remained sitting in the living room, not doing or saying anything more as we were still trying to process the tangled mess of truths and revelations that had we had unraveled to each other in the past few hours. I have no idea what was going on in Mason's mind but as for me, my own mind was filled with a myriad of thoughts which were mostly questions that I have no immediate answers for. Like what step should Mason and I take now after knowing all that we have come to know today. Just then, out of the blue, the sharp ding of the oven timer broke through the silence. At first, my brows furrowed in confusion as I was momentarily disoriented before I suddenly remembered what I was doing before Mason arrived.I exhaled deeply. Of course, it's the chocolate cheesecake. I have completely forgotten about it! Grateful for the distraction, I quickly stood up and made
Zane's POV The lawyer just sighed and shook his head before responding. “The only reason why you didn't find any evidence of that is because you only looked into his past, Sir. You didn’t check what he was currently doing in secret. If you had, your investigators, who I know are the best, would have definitely found it.” He paused before adding, “And as for his terrified reaction when you exposed the dirt in his name and everything else... it wasn’t because he was devastated that he had just lost money for himself, Sir. No, not at all. It was actually because of Ms. Sarah’s two children who are now the inheritors of the company, according to the last will Ms. Sarah had made before she went into a coma. The truth is, he was busy working very hard behind the scenes, desperately trying to source legitimate funds to clear all the debts and also erase all those crimes you uncovered which Emily had committed in his name, just to make sure that the company was completely clean before handi
Zane's POV I couldn't believe what my ears just heard. Duncan Ryder was trying to divorce the woman he loved so much that he tortured his own daughter and previous wife because of her? Is it because he had finally discovered that she never really loved him and was only just using him as the means to an end? Is the puppet trying to free himself from the clutches of his puppet mistress who had been pulling his strings and playing him as a fool all this while?The lawyer solemnly nodded and reiterated. “Yes, Duncan Ryder is definitely divorcing his wife. In fact, he had secretly started the process a long time ago. But after his ex-wife's sudden death, he was forced to halt everything because he wanted to conduct a secret investigation about her mysterious death first and didn’t want his wife Emily to suspect anything.” Hearing that, my brows instantly furrowed. Something about this didn't sit right with me. So in a cool voice, I ordered. “Elaborate.” The lawyer sighed as if preparing
Zane's POV Even though every single fiber of my being screamed at me to go after Duncan Ryder and demand answers about what had just transpired between him and Trina and why both of them had looked so shaken after he had left, I just couldn’t bring myself to leave. At least not yet. Not without making sure Trina was okay first. I knew that even if I did leave to chase after him, my mind would still be stuck here with her. So, instead of going myself, I spoke into my earpiece, giving my bodyguard Don a direct order. He had followed my car on his power bike and was the perfect man for the job. “Tail him.” I said to him. “Report to me about every place he goes and every single thing he does.” Don instantly responded, “Roger that, Sir.”And as he revved off his power bike and immediately zoomed after Duncan Ryder, I refocused my attention back on the house. Through the thin curtains, I could see Trina still sitting frozen in the exact same position she had collapsed into earlier.