Trina's POV I was seated in one of the plush seats in the lobby, deep in thoughts when I heard a feminine voice address me.“Ms. Ryder, right?”I raised my head up to see an elegantly dressed woman in suits with her red hair pulled back into a bun looking down at me with a condescending look on her face. I ignored the look as I smiled at her, “Yes, Ms. Trina Ryder.”She didn't return the smile as she quickly turned and started walking away, muttering “Follow me” in an authoritative voice.Shaking my head, I simply got up and did as she said, wondering why the unknown woman is acting so arrogant towards me when I don't even know her, talkless of knowing what I might have done to offend her. As if she read my mind, I heard her muttering not so subtly– as if she deliberately wanted me to overhear. “As the secretary to the CEO, I have so many better things to do than showing some… wannabe staff member around as if I’m her escort!I didn't know when a small smile spread across my face b
Trina's POV As I left the kitchen with my heart still beating fast from my encounter with the world-renowned chef, my eyes fell on the way leading to the hotel dining room and my interest was instantly piqued. Should I or should I not?Taking a deep breath, I made up my mind and headed straight to the dining room. I had the big boss’s permission afterall, so it doesn't matter what the secretary says. And I'm glad I made that decision because I was awed by what I saw— gleaming chairs and tables, sparkling crystal and gold decors everywhere. I was still marveling over the opulence and glamour of it all as I made my way back to the lobby. Deep in thoughts, I nearly bumped into the arrogant secretary as I got to the lobby. Her face instantly squeezed into a haughty frown with her eyes narrowing as she saw me.Then in an equally haughty tone, she snapped at me. "The president is extremely busy with work, as am I! So a newbie like you shouldn't be troubling us with such trivial matters!"
Dr. Noah Hemsworth’s POVThe moment my eyes fell on the woman Zane had introduced as ‘Ms. Trina Ryder’, time seemed to stand still. My heart skipped a beat and for a split second, I found myself being transported back memory lane to that fateful night five years ago in Paris…Although the woman standing before me wasn't really the same as that one from that night, there's just something about her… the resemblance was uncanny enough to make my heart skip a beat and remind me of that act that has been gnawing at my conscience ever since. Really, if Zane had not threatened to reveal one of my darkest secrets to my father at that time, I would never have done what I did. It was the only time I did something out of line in my career as a doctor and I'm still regretting it up till now.This woman, Ms. Trina Ryder, had chestnut brown curls and hazel eyes that sparkled with determination, quite unlike the other woman in my memory, who had strawberry blonde straight hair and light blue eyes fi
Trina’s POV The next few days passed by in a jet’s speed, and gradually, both Eleanor and I have gotten used to the routine of waking up early, going to the McAllister mansion and spending the day with the nice and friendly staff members… and of course, the too mature mini man, Jayden when he returns from school. As for the big boss himself, I haven't set my eyes on him ever since that first day.On Friday, which marked my fourth day of working at the McAllister mansion, as we drove home after a sumptuous dinner, Eleanor dozed beside me while I sat quietly in the car, my mind buzzing with thoughts. After he returned from school, Jayden had told me the ‘good news’ about the confirmation of Eleanor’s enrollment into his school and although I genuinely thanked him, deep down, I was overcome with worry.I know without any iota of doubt that Jayden’s elite school, which is the best in the entire city, is full of children from extremely wealthy, creme de la creme families and so my little
Trina’s POV As I checked my phone, I realized it was a message from Mr. McAllister. My heart instantly skipped a beat. Why would Mr. McAllister be texting me at this hour? Not just at this hour, he had never texted me before! I just hope all is well! With trembling hands, I opened the message which read, "Ms. Ryder, I hope you and Eleanor had a pleasant evening. I wanted to let you know that the school paperwork is ready for your review. No pressure, but I believe this could be a wonderful opportunity for Eleanor.”I stared at the message,with feelings of both gratitude and apprehension washing over me. So far, the cold, human iceberg Mr. McAllister had been nothing but kind, yet I couldn't shake off the feeling that accepting his help would change our lives in ways I couldn't predict. Everything about him, his attitude towards my little munchkin and the way his son dotes on her… it's just so overwhelming. And now, this new school they have enrolled her into…Sighing, I made my way t
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 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.