*Splash!*Dream or no dream, Cold water soaked Leonica from head to toe. She gasped and tries to raise her young soaked body out of the small pond she had been shoved into, but her hand slipped on a few pebbles and she fell back in.In front of her, standing tall and proud, was her high school bully and his friends. They cackled amongst themselves, expressions of delight shimmering in their eyes.Just looking at their faces, Leonica felt her anger boiling. “Jamil, I swear to God, I’m going to get you back for this.” She threatened, the shrill in her voice exposing her youthful nature.The ring leader, Jamil, steppes forward and bent down, at least enough to meet her eye level. “You? Get me back?” His taunting words were followed by a loud laugh which reached his bright blue eyes. “Yeah right, Leonica. Even in a thousand years, a freak like you can’t do nothing.”Immediately after his words, Jamil received a harsh slap on the back of his head. He yelped in pain and turned around, ready
Leonica drove straight to her company after dropping Ashley off at his school. The moment she arrived on her company's premises, she took notice of the fleet of securities lined up by the entrance.Kennedy, who as usual, was waiting by the entrance for her, received her with a bow. “Good Morning, Ms. Romero.”“Morning Kennedy. What’s all this about?” She gestured towards the four men in black standing guard in front of the entrance. Before he could answer, they parted at the middle and Leonica watched a familiar figure walk towards her, hands tucked in his pocket.“Arvan,” She smiled, greeting him lightly. “I see you got yourself more trustworthy guards.”“The last ones were utter disappointments.” He wasn’t joking, seeing as his ex wife had been able to make her way into his house without him knowing. “How are you doing, Leonica?”“Best shape.” She offered him her best smile, but he did not fail to notice the dark circles underneath her eyes as they turned and headed Inside. “What ar
Owen walked along the busy halls of his current film set, having just finished recording a scene from his movie which was set to come out sometime in December. As he p*ssed the crew and extras, he greeted them with a nod or a wave, not failing to notice how the extras and some of the staff looked at him with admiration.It made him chuckle, realizing how far he had come from the small role of a high school boy that was just p*ssing by in the background.“Owen,”The sound of his name snapped him out of his thoughts and he turned, a smile automatically forming on his lips when he saw the source.“Alistair, what’s up?”His manager beckoned him over at his question, bringing his voice to a whisper when Owen got closer. “You got a call.”A call? Owen narrowed his eyes. Why was there any need to whisper over a call?“From who?” He asked.Alistair didn’t respond immediately. In fact, he didn’t respond at all and instead, he grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him along.They went into Owen’s
"The results so far shows that Ashley is doing great," Doctor Bailey's words rang out as he pointed at Ashley's newly printed medical chart.The said child, although not understanding much, stretched his neck to get a glimpse at what both his parents were so focused on."And his healing progress, how's that?" Leonica asked, tearing her gaze away from the chart and looking at Doctor Bailey."There's no problem. His bones seem to he healing and developing nicely, but," He paused and looked at Ashley, not sure if he should say what he wanted to in front of the young child.Gabriel, who was beside Ashley, got the hint and stood up. "Ashley, do you want to go get some ice cream?"The little boy's face lit up instantly. He looked to his mother for permission and Leonica nodded, allowing him to leave."Kennedy, please accompany the young master.""As you wish, ma'am." Kennedy bowed and held his hand out to Ashley, waiting for the boy to take it before they walked out."What's wrong, doctor?"
“The name of Mr. Rodrigo’s accomplice is Melvin Rome-“ Kennedy attempted to repeat his words, making sure that his employer had heard the information he intended to p*ss across, but abruptly, Leonica interrupted him.“No.” For a second, he was confused, not being able to decipher the emotion that had coated her voice, making it change from its usual soft melody. “Something must have gone wrong with that scan. Some sort of error, but it can’t be Melvin.” She stated, firmly refuting what her *ssistant had told her.She was sure about it, because unlike Kennedy who was new to the family, less than 6 years, she who had always been part of the Romero family had witnessed the demise of Melvin Romero.She had seen his body which had been burnt from head to toe by the fire that had engulfed the private school they both attended years ago.She witnessed his burial, watched as dirt was thrown on his coffin as he was lowered into the ground. Cried for him.She was there. Not Kennedy.“But Ms. Ro
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Melvin, or the man who looked exactly like Melvin, asked and turned towards Leonica, his cold and emotionless gaze scanning her body before settling on her face."Y-you're," Leonica took a step back, her entire face scrunched up in disbelief. "How are you..." She couldn't bring herself to ask how he was alive.Each word that came past her lips came in the form of a stutter or jumbled up nonsense. The lookalike laughed, and Leonica caused her brain for automatically thinking this lookalike, this fraud, was her brother.He wasn't. He couldn't be."You look pretty shocked kid sis, that isn't any way to welcome your big after so long.""Who are you?" Leonica asked, schooling her expression. She wasn't so easily going to fall prey to this stupid prank.That's right, this most certainly was one of Rodrigo's schemes. He must have gotten someone to get a face job to look exactly like her dead brother.All because...She paused and her mind placed two and two to
Although she had used going to a meeting as an excuse, Leonica had not even in the slightest bit, gone near any of the conference rooms, when she decided to make a U-turn into the restroom.After making sure that she was alone in the bathroom, she turned on the water and leaned her weight against the wash hand basin, staring absentmindedly at her own reflection.Not once did she blink, as her mind tried to process and break down what had just happened.Melvin was alive, that was a fact that she could no longer deny. From the look, demeanor and even the scar on his forearm, it was clear, that that imposter, was indeed her brother.And in his words, he had come back for his birthright, the very same company she was steadily running.Leonica nearly chuckled mockingly as she pondered over his audacious words. After years of deciding to take a break from life, he had resurface and suddenly wanted to claim the company she on her own had saved from destruction months ago?At this point, she
Leonica narrowed her eyes at her father’s words. He wanted them to have a talk? In this situation?“What’s there to talk about dad?” She questioned and When her question was met with silence from her father and a pleading gaze from her mother, she glanced between the two and scoffed. “Don’t tell me you honestly believe he's the same Melvin we knew?”“He’s your brother, Leonica.” Benjamin insisted softly.“Like hell he is!” Leonica was quick to flare up. “He's with Rodrigo the very same person who tried to take your company.”“And the same person who saved your brother.” Her father countered, confusing Leonica for a second.Rodrigo saved Melvin? Sure, she was currently aware that Rodrigo was with Melvin, but never for once had it occurred to her that he might have been her brother’s savoir.The look on her face was enough to convey her confusion to her parents and Benjamin could only but sigh.“Before you’re quick to condemn your brother, have you ever for once wondered how he survived