I woke up very early the next morning, because I didn't want any other stranger to meet me in the sleeping position. I sat on the chair but it was still a bit dark everywhere, so I laid down again only to be woken up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Ashley was already up, preparing for the day ahead. She greeted me with a warm smile and handed me a cup."Good morning, Nina. How was the night, hope you slept well?" she asked."Yes I did sleep well. Better than I have in weeks," I replied, taking a sip of the coffee. It was strong, exactly what I needed."I'm glad to hear that," Ashley said. "I'll be over there preparing for the day's activities. You can go to the back to freshen up, but don't forget that you're welcome to stay as long as you need. This shop is always open to those who need a little help."Her kindness touched me deeply. I had encountered many people who drove me out on cold nights. I expected that she would throw me out or say something that would make me leave,
I was working at the local café one day with full attention. I was in the middle of my shift, serving customers and preparing drinks. It had become my routine, and I enjoyed doing it. The smiles and compliments from customers give me the courage to do more. The café was busy with activity, the sound of conversations and clinking cups filling the air and I cared less of whatever was happening.I was behind the counter, arranging some drinks on a tray , when I saw someone who looked just like Olivia. My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly withdrew so she wouldn’t see me. The last thing I wanted was an encounter with Olivia because I didn't know if I could handle it.But it seemed luck was not in favor of me that day. I didn’t realize that Olivia had seen me first. She walked up to the counter, majestically. “She hasn't stopped,” I murmured.“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Nina who else would it be,” Olivia said in a mockery voice. “What a surprise to find you here. Did I just say that
When I entered my boss's office, I could tell that he was angry. His usually kind eyes were hard, his mouth set in a tight line. He motioned for me to sit down, and I did so reluctantly, feeling the tension in the room. What could he be thinking? I asked myself as I glanced at him. But I didn't cause a scene today. After a few minutes of heavy silence, he finally spoke.“What do you call honesty?” He asked me as he rose up.What kind of a question is that? I asked myself. Does Mr Johnson now see as his first daughter or is there something wrong with him? I decided to keep quiet for a few seconds, hoping that he would repeat the question again.“Excuse me Sir? Are you asking me what honesty is?” I asked without fear. “I don't understand.”“Nina, I heard everything out there,” Mr. Johnson said, his voice low but sounding serious. “I want you to explain everything to me before I make any decision”Is that supposed to be a threat or what? I looked at my boss in confusion trying to read t
“Oli…via” I muttered once more as I made my way out of the café that night. It has been a long and exhausting shift- from Olivia to my fellow workers and then to my boss. Who wouldn't get tired? I'm a human, and I've been doing a lot of brain work alongside my job. “Goodness!” I heard myself saying after replaying the events of the day in a second.I found myself standing along the road, hoping to get a cab, but the road looked deserted. I guess it was because of the heavy downpour and the few cars that passed by didn’t seem interested in stopping. I sighed, looking at my watch every now and then. It was late, and I was tired. As the minutes ticked by with no cab in sight, I decided to start walking. It wasn’t too far to my apartment, and the cool night air might help clear my head. I wrapped my arms around myself and began the trek. The last time I trekked at night was about five years ago when my family and I went out, but on our way back, my husband's car developed a fault, there
I stood there waiting for him to bring out whatever he wanted to give me but I noticed that he just stood there observing me.Damn it! Have I become a doll or does he think he could just keep me here waiting. I turned to look at him. “Sir, I thought you wanted to…”He interrupted with a wave of hand. “Let's move towards the park. As we reached the small park, James suggested we sit for a while. We found a bench under a canopy of trees, and the leaves rustled gently in the breeze. I looked up at the night sky, dotted with stars, and took a deep breath.“Nature is indeed beautiful. The beauty of the stars in the sky makes it difficult for you to ignore.”“Just as beautiful as you are.” My boss added but I pretended not to hear him“The calmness this brings is unbeatable, I hope that one day, I'll find some peace..” I said as I bowed my head.”“Nina, the peace you're yearning to have is inside of you. Why don't you forget about the past and move on with your life.” My boss said, Well, I
I opened the door and fell on my bed. I was exhausted to the extent that I slept throughout till the next day.“Oh my goodness!” I exclaimed as I used my hands to rub my eyes. I rushed immediately to the bathroom to have a quick bath and off I went without cleaning my room.I arrived before my boss, and this made me take a deep breath as I began the day's job. The days at the café continued to flow with a sense of normalcy. James and I maintained our professional relationship, but there was an undeniable undercurrent of mutual affection. I was grateful for his patience and understanding, and slowly, I began to open up more, letting him into my world bit by bit with no intention to have anything to do with him.One evening, just as we were about to close the café, a tall, well-dressed man walked in. His presence attracted the attention of everyone, and there was something about him that was familiar to me. Mr Johnson, who was busy trying to check on some task, looked up and his counten
“You can do this, Nina.” Johnson whispered softly into her ears.“You've come too far to back out now, you better come and end all of these secrets of your past life.” Thomas added.I turned to look at my boss, before taking the next step to open the door. I paused for some seconds before summoning the courage to push the door open. The dim light from the old chandelier cast shadows on the walls as I stepped in. After all these years, I was finally here, face to face with the woman who had given me life and then disappeared without a trace. She left me to face the reality of life at a tender age, I met Henry who became there for me all through but where are we today? I asked myself as I wiped a tear that threatened to spill. The air was thick with tension and unspoken questions, and I felt a shiver run down my spine.As I moved further into the house, I saw my mother. She was sweeping the staircase, but her eyes widened with shock and recognition when she saw me. She was older now, h
The mention of Olivia hit me like a physical punch. The lady who had tormented me, who had been the cause of so much pain and confusion. “Olivia?” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. “You mean Olivia who’s been making my life miserable?”“Yes,” she said, her voice breaking. “I didn’t know. I swear, I didn’t know she would turn out like this. I thought I was doing the right thing.”I felt a surge of anger and betrayal. “So you have been aware all this time? How could you not know she would turn out like this? How could you let this happen?”“I’m so sorry, Nina,” she sobbed. “I never wanted this. I never wanted any of this. But now that we know the truth, we can make things right. We can bring our family back together.”“Really? Bring our family back together?” I echoed, in pain. “How am I supposed to do that after everything that’s happened? Do you know the level of pain she has caused me?”“I don’t know,” she admitted, her voice filled with desperation. “But we have to try. W
Marcus lay on the cold, concrete floor, in the ocean of his blood, his breath came in ragged gasps. His once confident, domineering presence was now reduced to a pitiful, broken man struggling to fight for his life. Kelly stood over him, with the gun still trembling in her hand. The shock of what she had just done was written all over her.Marcus’s eyes, once filled with cold calculation, now held a flicker of disappointment, anger, and perhaps even a trace of betrayal. He coughed, and the movement sent a fresh wave of pain through his body, he stretched his hand out toward Kelly, but his fingers wavered as if trying to grasp something just out of reach.“Kelly,” Marcus whispered. “Why…why did you do this? I thought…we were on the same side. I thought we agreed… to get revenge.”Kelly’s lips shook as she looked down at him, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. The man lying before her was a shadow of the person she had once known, the man who had manipulated her, twisted her emotions,
The door finally creaked open, and the sound echoed through the warehouse like a gunshot. Nina’s breath caught in her throat as Marcus walked in with Nurse Kelly. The sight of her sent a wave of shock through the room, the collective gasps of everyone echoed in the silence. Kelly’s presence was unexpected, and for a brief moment, everyone seemed frozen in place, as their minds struggled to process this new development.Nina’s eyes locked onto Kelly’s, searching for some sign of what was going to happen next. On the other hand, Kelly’s expression was unreadable. But there was a look in her eyes that sent a chill down Nina’s spine.Marcus stopped in the middle of the room, studying the faces around him with a predatory gaze. He seems to enjoy the fear he saw in their faces. He moved closer to Nina. “I told you, but you wouldn't listen. You wanted to see what I could do. Right?” He asked her as he wiped a tear from her eyes.“See what you’ve caused. Everyone is in a mess because of you.
Inside the cold warehouse, the air was thick with tension. Nina sat bound to a chair. She watched the movement of Marcus in fear. After some time of pacing around, he stood before her with a twisted smile on his face. The sight of him made her blood boil, but she knew she had to keep her composure. Any sign of disobedience could set him off, and the last thing she wanted was to put her family in more danger. He leaned forward to kiss her, but she quickly turned her face.Marcus had been making jest of her for what felt like hours. Every now and then, he would lean in close, his breath hot against her ear as he whispered threats.“You’re so predictable, Nina,” Marcus sneered, pacing back and forth in front of her. “You’re always trying to be the hero, always thinking you can outsmart me. But look where that’s gotten you. Tied up and at my mercy. I thought you’d recognise me when I came, but No!. Can't you see that you're dumb?”Nina’s jaw clenched as she fought the urge to spit in his
Henry's heart pounded as he drove towards the east of the town. He called Olivia to ensure that they were safe while he also informed them about his movements, his thoughts were consumed with fear and anger. “Please be safe out there.” Olivia managed to say.“Sure, be more vigilant as well.” Henry said as dropped the phone.The lead he had just received from Maria felt promising, but he couldn't shake the fear that something terrible might happen to Nina before he could reach her. The idea of Marcus holding her captive, possibly harming her, made Henry's blood boil. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, as he sped down the road.The sudden ring of his phone startled him. He quickly glanced at the caller ID and felt a cold chill run down his spine. It was Marcus. “My goodness!” He exclaimed loudly as he pulled by the road.Henry hesitated for just a moment before answering, trying to prepare his mind for whatever twisted words would come through the line."Henry," Marcus’s voice came
"Doctor?" Nina said, her voice tinged with confusion. "Why didn't you inform us that you were coming? We weren’t expecting you at all."The doctor didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he stepped closer, his eyes fixed on her in a way that sent a chill down her spine. Before she could react, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a gun. Nina's heart stopped, and she took a step back, fear paralyzing her."Don’t be a fool, shut your mouth and get into the car," he ordered, his voice cold and unfamiliar. It was then that she noticed something else, his face wasn’t right. The more she looked at him, the more she realized this wasn’t the doctor. His eyes were different Then, with a swift movement, he ripped off what she now saw was a mask, revealing his true face.It was Marcus.Nina’s blood ran cold as she recognized him. His face looked more cruel than before, and his eyes were filled with malice. She tried to scream, but no sound came out. Instead, she found herself frozen on th
“Take it here, and drop it there.” Nina said as she held her husband closely.“We’re doing it, my darling.” Henry told his wife. “I can't wait to start life again with you.Just then, Henry’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at the screen and saw Kelly’s name flashing. He tapped the screen and put it on speaker. “Henry, listen to me,” Kelly’s voice was urgent, filled with fear. “Don’t go anywhere. Marcus is out there. I just saw him, he looked like he was heading to your house. And I'm very sure he’s planning something.”Marcus had instructed Kelly to call him so that they would be able to know their new location.Henry exchanged a look with Nina, as his heart was pounding. “We need to stay back,” he said, his voice tight with urgency.“Oh my!” What's all these? She asked as she ran outside to alert everyone.“Get inside, now,” Nina ordered, ushering everyone back into the house. They moved quickly. Inside, they locked the doors and pulled the curtains shut. Henry’s mind raced
Kelly looked around in fear as she tried to find her way out of the strange environment. Her heart pounded in her chest with every step she took. She knew Marcus’s men were around, but she had to take the chance. She moved quietly, trying to find an escape route. Just as she thought she was close to a lonely road, Marcus suddenly appeared in front of her."Where do you think you're going, Kelly?" Marcus's voice was low and demeaning.Kelly got startled. She tried to back away, but Marcus stepped closer, his eyes were cold and calculating. "Why are you trying to escape?" he asked, his tone threatening. "Don't you think you are putting yourself in more danger? Hey my darling Kelly, No one leaves under my custody."Kelly swallowed hard, trying to muster her courage but his cold laughter made her angry. She raised her hand to give him a slap but Marcus prevented it quickly and resumed laughing at her in a mocking tone.Kelly felt helpless, she fell on her knees and tears started dropping
Henry knew they were playing a more dangerous game so he decided to get started on the difficult task of processing their visas to leave the country. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but it was their best chance at escaping the clutches of Marcus and Kelly. He made secret calls and filled out the necessary documents, all while keeping a watchful eye on his family.Meanwhile, Marcus grew increasingly desperate and angry. He started calling Clarissa, Nina, and Henry relentlessly, hoping to instill fear and make them slip up. But Henry and Nina had already decided to ignore his calls, understanding that engaging with him would only make matters worse. Clarissa, however, answered one of his calls out of frustration and a desire to confront him."Hello?" Clarissa said, her voice trembling slightly."Clarissa, it's Marcus," came the cold, familiar voice. "You thought you could run away and hide?""I’m not hiding, Marcus," Clarissa retorted. "I’m trying to live my life without your threats."“Ar
Nina held Henry's hand firmly, not wanting him to move an inch. “Henry, please I beg you. Don't go.”“Nina just hold on.” He whispered softly. Henry gave a signal for Clarissa to take the kids to their rooms while he took the next step.Henry glanced through the peephole cautiously. When he recognized the man standing outside, he breathed a slight sigh of relief. It was their neighbor, Mr. Thompson, who lived just three houses down. Henry opened the door slowly, ensuring there were no unexpected surprises waiting behind the familiar face. He wondered what had brought him here, his family just moved here and they barely go out."Good evening, Mr. Thompson," Henry greeted, attempting to hide the unease in his voice."Evening, Henry," Mr. Thompson replied, stepping inside quickly. "I hope everything is going smoothly?”“Sure,” he responded with a nod.“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but some people were asking about you and your family, they had your pictures with them too. But the