DANIELLE'S P.O.V.Adrian's blue eyes sparkled as a mischievous glint flashed across them. His lips were, once more, pulled at the corners into a smirk, causing a wave of anxiety to wash over me."Whatever would I do with you?" he asked, shaking his head slowly."What is that supposed to mean?" I asked in confusion."Is that why you've been so angry with me? Because you listened in on my conversation?" he asked."Do not get me wrong. I didn't listen in, I only just happened to over hear. It is not my fault you were loud enough for me to hear from outside the office." I scoffed."If you really didn't want to hear my conversation, you would have just pressed the bell or let me know you were outside through the intercom." he argued."How in the world would I have even known you were having such a conversation about me? You think anyone would knowingly want to hear their husbands demean them and place a price tag on their worth?""You think I demeaned you and placed a price tag on your wor
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.Waking up with an hangover was probably the worst thing to happen to anyone in the world.What kind of spirits exactly do they use in the production of alcohol?Why in the world could something so sweet and bubbly be just as deadly?I let out a sharp breath and groaned loudly as I woke up. My head felt like someone was playing on it- like it was a conga drum, my forehead felt just about ready to split open, and my tongue tasted like I had washed and rinsed it with soapy water.What if I actually did wash my mouth with soapy water?I pried my eyes open but I regretted doing so, closing my eyes almost immediately as the bright rays of sun light, that escaped the curtain's shield in torrents, pierced my already hurting eyes, causing my eyes to burn further, blurring my vision.As I lay in my bed, my eyes still closed, I tried to rack my brain to recall last night's activities, but nothing was coming forth.I say in my bed with my eyes closed for a few more minutes befor
DANIELLE'S P.O.V."If I am getting what you said correctly, you're saying that you can not recall anything else about the party after you called for a waiter?" Janelle asked."Yes. My brain is as blank as a wall right now." I sighed, picking up a French fry and putting it into my mouth."I still can't believe that Chase fucking Sinclair was at your school's reception. What in the world was he doing there? You don't think he is following you, do you?" Sofia asked."He probably was there with Madelyn as her plus one. She is his sister after all- it wouldn't be odd for him to follow his only sibling to a party dedicated to welcoming her and her colleagues to a new school." I shrugged."Aren't you creeped out by the recurrent coincidences?" Layla asked."What do you mean?" I asked in confusion."Don't you think it's odd that you both keep running into each other every where. First he came to the Bachelorette party, then he gate crashed your wedding reception, then he showed up at your dad
DANIELLE'S P.O.V."That about wraps it up." Sofia said, looking around the kitchen."You guys did a good job." I complimented as I looked around the kitchen too, taking in the hard work my friends had put in to clean the Penthouse's kitchen. The marble counter and island glinted and shone under the stream of light created by the light bulbs as if it was agreeing with my compliment."We did do a good job." Layla said smugly, drying her hands off on the cream colored kitchen towel."I'm glad that is done and over with." Janelle sighed, checking her fingers for any damage to her nails which she had just installed a few days ago.After having our lunch, the girls had joined me in cleaning up the living room and kitchen. Sofia had wiped off the kitchen's counter and island because she was the queen of wiping down dirty or greasy surfaces and making them shine; Janelle was in charge of loading the dish washer, an effortless chore because she was trying to avoid any damage to her newly fixed
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.The room was suffocating, hot, and airless, even with the air conditioner humming gently in one corner of the big space. My back hurt from crouching under the table for too long, and my throat was parched from the tension that coursed through my body and caused my muscles to be knitted tightly.You must be wondering why I was in such a position in the first place. What I would tell you is that I had made the biggest mistake that day, by listening to the voice inside of my head. No wonder psychopaths got taken to psychiatrist hospitals- because the voices in our heads were not to be trusted. But like the soft and kind hearted person that I was, I, Danielle Dawson, had stupidly listened to and trusted the voices inside of my own head that had encouraged me to go into Adrian's room.At first, entering Adrian's room had been a breeze- facile and undramatic. After turning the door knob, I had let the door fly open, the door hitting the wall with a soft thud. I had walked
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.I stared at Adrian, my expression mirroring his. My eyes, like his, were as wide as saucers from the shock of being caught in the act by him. My knees stung from falling on to the wooden floor in shock, and sweat had started to form on my brow."What the fuck are you doing here?" Adrian said, his chest heaving up and down and his eyes squinting in anger.My throat had suddenly dried up, and my tongue seemed to be glued to the roof of my mouth, preventing me from uttering a single word."Did you not hear me? I asked what the fuck you're doing crouching in my fucking room like a thief." Adrian said again, the volume in his voice starting to rise from anger.I coughed to clear my throat, and wiped off the sweat on my brows with the back of my hand. I then stood up from my crouched position on the floor and looked around the room- anywhere but at Adrian's angry face."I'm still waiting for my answer." Adrian said, folding his arms across his chest in confrontation. I avo
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.The early morning sunlight licked its way mutely through the closed beige curtains which covered the length of the windows in my bedroom, and fell on to my face. I squeezed my eyes shut in order to block out the tiniest hint of the dull light, much preferring the dark of the night to the morning light.Seeing as any hopes of going back to sleep had being dashed at that point, I relaxed the muscles of my eye lids and let my eyes fly open. I threw away the blankets and comforter I had tucked myself into the previous night, and buried my feet into my bathroom slippers. With my legs padding loudly against the wooded floor of the room, I made my way towards the widows and threw the curtains open, a thrill running through my veins as I watched the way the light streamed into the room and highlight the wooden floors.I then padded across the room in to the en suite bathroom to take care of my morning hygiene. Staring at me from the bathroom mirror was the literal definition
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.For the first time in a really long time, I was up with the sun. I stood by the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room, dressed in my most comfortable set of pajamas which consisted of a blouse and bottoms, and I looked out of the window at the colours that painted the sky. Hues of pink and purple were reflected in the scudding clouds that had gathered overnight. I checked my phone for the day's weather forecast, seeing that the day was predicted to be scalding hot like every other day in August had been so far.I trailed to the kitchen, my bathroom slippers padding gently and then slapping loudly as they made the transition from the rugged living room floors to the wooded kitchen floors. I rummaged through the fridge for breakfast, searching for the last piece of frozen pizza which I had kept in the fridge the previous night. I picked up the plate of the two day old piece of pizza which I had been preserving for that morning, placed it into the microwave, presse
DANIELLE'S P.O.VI stirred from my slumber, my eyes blinking open reluctantly. The room was bathed in the soft glow of dawn and a lingering sense of unease clung to me.As consciousness found its way back to me, I felt the sting in my eyes which were heavy from a restless night. My eyes stung as I tried to focus on the familiar surroundings. A few remnants of the nightmares that had plagued my sleep replayed in my mind, their vivid images taunting me.A groan escaped my lips as I tried to sit up, the dryness and ache in my throat were evidence of the tumultuous night I had. The taste of fear lingered in my mouth, leaving me parched and exhausted.When I finally sat up, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I could still hear the faint echoes of my own screams and I took a quick glance around, half expecting to find shadows lurking in the corners of the room. The sheets clung to my skin- further evidence of my night which had been filled with restlessness.The room, usually a peaceful haven
ADRIAN'S P.O.V.It had been a month since the storm called Chase Sinclair, had hit our lives, leaving destruction and doubts in his wake. The air hung heavy, in my office, with the weight of unspoken words as Omar Zayn, my lifelong confidante and best friend, sat across from me. His eyes, filled with understanding, met mine, as if searching for the turmoil that had etched its mark onto my soul over the past month. The weight of the past month lingered heavily on my shoulders, and I couldn't shake the guilt that gripped my conscience."Omar, I messed up big time," I sighed, rubbing my temples.Omar leaned in, concern etched on his face."What happened with you two, Adrian? Last time I knew, you guys were solid. Tell me everything. Maybe there's a way to fix this." Omar said, his expression empathic.In a flash, I recalled the doubts that had plagued me and the message that had led to my questioning Danielle's fidelity" I doubted Dannie's loyalty, questioned her commitment, and worst o
ADRIAN'S P.O.VThe walls of my office seemed to close in on me as I sat there, utterly drained from the dual onslaught of my demanding position and the storm raging inside of me. The dim lights seemed to intensify the shadows that had taken a place in my life recently and the air felt heavy as the weight of my tumultuous life burdened me.The office room felt like a prison of polished wood and cold steel and the distant hum of the city just outside of the office walls did nothing to ease the feeling of being trapped. The room that was usually a place of productivity and creativity, had. now become a battlefield between my professional obligations to the company and my personal emotions.Rubbing my temples gently, I tried to erase the persistent ache that clawed at my skull, but I couldn't seem to find relief from it. Weariness weighed heavily on my shoulders, and burden on my heart as I could not seem to get away from the shattered pieces of my broken life.The weight of my responsibi
DANIELLE'S P.O.VI woke up with a splitting headache. The piercing pain that seared through my head dragged me out of the depths of unconsciousness. As my eyes fluttered open, I groaned, clutching my throbbing temple. The room spun and my vision blurred as I blinked."Where in the world am I?" I muttered while trying to make sense of my surroundings.As I tried to sit up, the sharp pain in my head intensified, sending shockwaves through my body. It felt like a sledgehammer had collided with my skull and I could hear the faint echoes of my own pained groans. With my muddled senses, I struggled to make sense of my situation. I continued to blink rapidly to clear off the dizzy spell until the dimly lit room slowly came into focus.Suddenly, I felt restraints on my wrists and ankles."What the hell...?" I muttered pulling at the ropes that bound me and restricted my movement. On seeing that they would not budge, undiluted panic started to creep into my body and coursed through my veins an
DANIELLE'S P.O.VThe weeks following my traumatic ordeal at the hands of Chase were a blur of hospital rooms and tests. I had also been offered therapy sessions, but I rejected them as the very last thing I wanted to do was revisit the torture I had gone through. However, I could not seem to run away from those days of captivity as even after I had long been discharged from the hospital, my mind was still trapped in the nightmares that had plagued me ever since that fateful day- the day Chase Sinclair had kidnapped me.It felt like I was trapped in a unending nightmare, unable to escape the memories of what had happened to me- memories of how my baby had almost been taken away from me. I was back in the safety of the mansion Adrian and I had gotten but the house which used to bring me so much peace now seemed as oppressive as it was comforting.I sat on the plush couch in the living room of our grand mansion, surrounded by my friends and family. Adrian was on a business trip and they
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.The hospital corridors stretched before me, a maze of sterile white walls, distant echoes of life, and busked whispers. Their white walls were an unsettling reminder of the captivity I had endured for far too long at the hands of Chase Sinclair. Determination surged through my veins as I made my way towards the women's restroom, a small glimmer of hope guiding me towards the next step in my escape. I walked with purpose and my steps were fueled by a desperate determination to reclaim my life from the clutches of the darkness that Chase had surrounded me with. My footsteps faltered as both anticipation and apprehension coursed through my veins and each footfall echoed in my ears as I made my way to the restroom. Every step that I took felt heavy with anticipation and my heart pounding in my chest as I neared the restroom. It was a moment that held the key to my freedom; the key to reuniting with my family and escaping the clutches of Chase once and for all.As I pushe
ADRIAN'S P.O.V.I sat at my office desk which was surrounded by a sea of important documents related to the impending project that the company was about to start. I was engrossed in the stack of documents that were spread out before me as the impending project demanded my utmost attention.A knock on the door resonated in the room, interrupting my work. The door to my office creaked open, and Karen, my secretary, poked her head inside."Mr Valentino, it's already closing hours," she announced, her voice gentle. "I'm heading home for the night. Do you need anything else before I leave?"Her words jolted me back to reality. Closing hours? I glanced at my watch, realizing that I had lost track of time. I couldn't believe how late it had gotten as time seemed to have slipped away while I busied myself with analyzing every detail of the upcoming project meticulously."Oh thank you, Karen. I had no idea it was that late. Go ahead, call it a day. I'll be fine here for a while longer. You can
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.Chase’s eyes bore into mine, and I could see the rage simmering beneath them. His gaze moved around the room, scanning for any signs of betrayal and then, suddenly, his eyes locked onto my shaking figure. A cruel smile pulled at his lips as he lunged towards me and on reaching me, he grabbed my hand with his grip tightening around my wrist. Panic engulfed me as he wrenched the phone from its hiding place under the pillow and he held it up, triumph gleaming in his eyes.“You really thought you could get away, didn’t you?” he sneered, his voice dripping with maliceI stood there, transfixed to the spot by the fear that caused my heart to pound in my chest, my hands trembling. The stolen phone rested securely in Chase’s grip; a small but strong weapon that I had used against the man who had held me captive for far too long. Chase loomed over me, his eyes burning with a mix of anger and desperation."You think you're so clever, don't you?" His voice was a venomous hiss,
DANIELLE’S P.O.V.The days, weeks, or perhaps months, following my abduction felt like an eternity; I had lost track of time as those moments that I spent while being trapped in this desolate room passed in a hazy blur of fear and despair. Each passing moment was filled with fear, uncertainty, and a desperate longing for my freedom, every second spent in Chase’s clutches was a reminder of the very fragile line that separated both my life and death, every waking moment that I spent in that godforsaken room was tainted by the knowledge that I was at the mercy of a man I once called a friend; a man whom I had thought to forgive and let go of the hurtful things that he had done to me in the past; a man that had now turned into an obsessed captor; a man that had snatched me away from my peaceful existence.The room was always dark and even with the air conditioner, who’s hum served as the only other source of sound in the dreary space, it always felt suffocating as the only other means of