“Mom said you wanted to see me, huh?” Kiara grinned as she sat right across from her father at the dining table, digging into her full plate of food.She was starving, well deserved for all the stress she’d been put through yesterday. “You should slow down first.” Damian suggested, gesturing towards her plate, “You eat like a wolf.”Kiara snorted, “Well, guess who I learned that from?”“I can’t seem to figure it out.” He chuckled, pushing around the sausages on his plate.“So, sweetie, I wanted to talk to you about the company.” His tone became more serious, and he placed his hands on the table, lacing them together.“Yeah, what about it?” She raised a brow, gulping down a glass of orange juice. All Damian did was stare, he didn’t say anything else.“Dad, you’re scaring me. Can you say something?” Kiara’s brows furrowed in annoyance as she dropped her silverware back onto her plate.“Right. Right, I’m sorry darling,” He nodded, finally slipping back into reality, “Well, you know I’m g
The first time Kiara’s father brought up the fact that she would be in full ownership of the company, she frowned upon the idea, saying that office jobs weren’t for her. She also thought she wasn’t meant for those kinds of roles, so instead, she’d stick to helping.Doing the little she can. You know, charity, helping out at orphanage homes, raising money for a particular cause and mass donations, those kinds of things. She’d stick to those things—her personal routine, her holy grail.Now, she knew better. She also knew that if she was the owner of the company soon enough, it would be game over for Luca. Of course, she couldn’t trust her father right now. As a matter of fact, Damian trusted Luca way too much for his own good and look where that got him. Now, it was her turn to take over. She wouldn’t lay all her cards out on the table, but she’d pretend so.“Good morning, how are you doing?” Kiara set her bag on the table, smiling down at the newly hired accountant, courtesy of her. S
Kiara’s eyes narrowed as she drifted through the company’s files that lay on the table right in front of her. She had been studying them all day, well enough to know how things worked at the very least.All that was left was for her father to come in, so they could finally talk. She wondered why he was taking so long at work, and her patience was wearing thin gradually.She decided to stand up from the table and walk around, stretching her arms and limbs a bit. Her eyes were beginning to get sore from all the reading she’d been doing, and she rubbed them, annoyed.“Oh, look at the time.” She sighed, as she placed a hand on her hip, looking up at the clock. It was already 6. P.M.“I’ll just call him then.” She grumbled, pulling her phone out of her breast pocket and putting his number on the line. It rang for a few seconds, but there was no response, and it went to dial tone.“Hey, it’s Damian! I’m either busy or in a meeting. Leave a message.” Her father’s pre-recorded voice echoed th
“Thank you so much, the food looks delicious.” Kiara smiled as the waiter set the bowl of steaming hot pasta right in front of her. It was Damian’s favorite, but he already had his food in front of him. A bit of seafood rice and a soup on the side.Kiara grabbed her silverware and looked at the two men across from her. “We can eat now.” She murmured, taking her fork and a spoon and picking up some pasta to take a bite.“Actually, sweetheart. Do you mind if we swap plates?” Damian asked, uneasy about what he was about to eat.“Oh? Why couldn’t you have just ordered this instead?” She pouted, as she chewed on the delicious, creamy pasta.“Luca said it would be nice, but I’m not really feeling it now,” he explained, looking at Kiara, hopefully.“Damian, what are you saying? This is quality food! It was Annie’s favorite.” Luca laughed, urging Damian to take a bite, but Damian shook his head, standing on in business.“Nah. I’d stick with my usual,” He replied, “So?” He looked at Kiara.Luc
“Thank you so much, Doctor.” Maria shook the doctor's hand, looking down at Kiara, silently sleeping on the bed. “I'm glad I could help.” She gave a small smile, looking back at the monitors. Her vitals were more calm than before. Initially, they were erratic, without telling if Kiara would be okay. Gradually, it began to reduce and all of a sudden, it went back to normal. “She should be thanking her lucky stars. We almost lost her ma'am.” The doctor said, shaking her head.“We had all hands on deck for her, doing everything we possibly could.” “What…what was found in her system, doctor?” Damian asked, his heart racing with each second.“Well, we aren't certain for now. The only thing we know for sure is that it was extremely deadly. It almost took her life, so let's just be thankful she survived.” The doctor explained.“Deadly?” Maria sniffled, resting her head on Damian's chest as he wrapped his arms around her comfortingly. He rubbed her up and down, kissing her forehead. “Yes
“I know what you did. If you think you’re fooling everyone, you’re definitely not fooling me!” Kiara said as she stood in front of Luca.3 days later, she was feeling perfectly fine.“You tried to kill my father! Are you really that crazy, Luca?” She yelled, placing a hand on her hip. She definitely couldn’t take it anymore. It felt all too real to her, and it hurt to know that the man she loved was the one behind this.“Well, that isn’t news, Kiara,” Luca said nonchalantly, leaning against the wall. He wasn’t remorseful, and he didn’t seem to care about Kiara. How often did he do this? He scared her.“You saw what happened, didn’t you?” He laughed, pushing her and she stumbled back shocked. “You told them and they didn’t even believe you! How are they supposed to take you seriously now?”“I’m always one step ahead of you, Luca.” Kiara retorted, hoping that she’d at least instill some fear in him.“You can’t be serious, Ki. You and I both know that you’re too scared to do anything.”“
Kiara’s face hardened, her eyes blazing with fury. "Poison! That was what the so-called sweetener was. Are you out of your mind? You could’ve killed me!" she yelled, her voice trembling with a mix of rage and disbelief. “How stupid can you be to be given a substance to add to someone’s food and you obliged?Gerald cowered under her gaze, stammering, “I swear! I didn’t know it was poison. He just said it was a harmless sweetener. Please, don’t tell the police!”“Oh, you bet I’m telling the police.” Kiara’s tone was ice-cold. She pulled out her phone, recording Gerald’s confession. "Now I want you to repeat everything you’ve said.” “Please, I didn’t know. I wouldn’t hurt anybody intentionally.” He continued to plead. Kiara wasn’t convinced Gerald didn’t know. And even if he truly wasn’t aware, he should pay for his stupidity. He was wrong on all sides. It’s against the ethics of his job—that she is sure of. The exact reason it is difficult for her to believe he really wasn’t aware.
She looked into the mirror again to be sure it wasn’t another random black sedan that just looked like the one from before. “Unbelievable,” she muttered, her pulse quickening. It wasn’t paranoia—someone was following her.Kiara decided to test the sedan again. This time, she made a series of unpredictable turns, weaving through side streets and back onto a busier road. The sedan kept up, maintaining the same steady distance.“This isn’t a coincidence,” she said, her hands trembling slightly. She tried to get her phone so she could call the police. The car hit her from behind, and the phone fell from her hand. It was no longer in sight, probably under the seat now. “What!” She looked around to get the fastest help available. That was when she realized that she had unconsciously taken a lonely road, as she could only see just her car and the one chasing her on the road. The next car was very far away. No one would hear her even if she screamed at the top of her voice. Her mind raced
“What?” Luca exclaimed, terrified Harrison had more things to interrogate him about. Harrison closed in the distance again. It’s obvious it makes Luca very uncomfortable every time he does that. “At Eric’s house, we found a mask—a perfect match to the one used in the kidnapping of Kiara Lux, and a file that had the name Thompson Greco. Then there’s the CCTV footage.”Luca’s heart pounded in his chest. “CCTV footage?” he repeated, his voice laced with disbelief.Harrison nodded, pulling his phone from his pocket. He tapped the screen a few times and turned it toward Luca. “Take a look. Recognize that car? It was out there when Kiara entered that restaurant. Can you see it’s the same car Kiara and this mysterious man who was obviously hiding from the CCTV returned to? The same vehicle that took her? Funny thing, it’s registered under an alias we’ve traced back to one Thompson—Thompson Greco. Rings a bell?”“And guess what?” Harrison scoffed. “The car that chased Kiara’s the other day
Luca froze, stool in hand, as the loud bang on the door reverberated through the room. Open up. It’s the police.” The voice cut through everything that made sound in his house. His pulse quickened, anger and paranoia blending into a volatile mix. He knew that voice—Detective Harrison.The last person he wanted to see.Luca tossed the stool aside, its legs clattering against the broken glass on the floor. He stalked to the door and yanked it open, his face a mask of barely controlled rage.“What the hell do you want, Harrison?”Detective Harrison stood there, his imposing frame casting a shadow over Luca’s disheveled entrance. “Detective, sir! I love to be referred to as Detective Harrison.” Harrison corrected him subtly. His sharp eyes took in the state of the house—broken bottles, shards of glass, the remains of a demolished TV. His lips curled in disdain.“I address you however I deem fit, detective—I mean, Harrison.“Well, well,” he drawled, stepping inside without waiting for an
Luca slumped in the leather armchair in his living room, his hands gripping the armrests so tightly that his knuckles turned white. The echoes of Annie’s words reverberated in his mind: “I’m going to fight for full custody, Luca. And this time, you won’t win.”His jaw clenched as he stared at the half-empty bottle of whiskey on the desk. The house, once his pride, now felt like a hollow monument to his failures. The silence was deafening—a stark reminder of what he’d lost.Luca wasn’t angry because he loved the children that much or even because he wanted them around. No, his rage stemmed from something deeper, something darker. He’d lost control. Katie and Sam had always been pawns in his game—a way to keep Annie tethered, a means to assert dominance. Winning custody had been a symbolic victory, proof that he still held power over her. But now, that power was slipping through his fingers.“Damn it!” he roared, sweeping the whiskey bottle off the desk. It shattered against the wall, a
Maria sat down beside Kiara on the bed. She’s trying to persuade her to give the therapist another chance. It's been days since the last time it resulted in chaos. They hadn’t even gone through any form of therapy before it happened. She recounted the incident from that day in her mind. “Tell me, baby, who’s the driver guy?” Kiara’s panic attack escalated quickly. Her breathing grew rapid and shallow, her body trembling uncontrollably as she clutched her chest. Damian carried her into the house, his movements frantic but careful. Maria followed closely, her hands shaking as she dialed the family doctor.Within minutes, Dr. Rourke, their trusted physician, arrived at the mansion. He examined Kiara, who was still hyperventilating and crying softly. After administering a mild sedative to calm her, he turned to Damian and Maria.“She’s having a severe panic attack,” Dr. Rourke explained gently. “This isn’t just fear—it’s deep psychological trauma. It’s crucial that we get her to open up
Katie pulled out her phone with trembling hands, her fingers fumbling over the screen as she dialed their mother’s number. The pounding on the door was relentless, the sound reverberating through their tiny room. Sam clung to Katie’s side, her stuffed animal crushed against her chest."Mom, pick up," Katie whispered, her voice shaking as she stared at the phone. The ringing felt endless, each second dragging out painfully. Finally, Annie's voice came through the line."Katie darling. How…” Katie’s shaky voice interrupted her usual questions about their well-being. What's wrong?" Annie's voice was filled with concern."Mom, it's Dad," Katie said quickly, her voice cracking. "He's out of control. He’s drunk—I think, and... and he's trying to break into our room!""What?!" Annie’s tone turned sharp with alarm. "Are you and Sam okay? Did he hurt you?""We’re okay for now," Katie replied, her voice breaking. "But the door... it's not going to hold much longer. You have to come home. Ple
Luca’s eyes darkened as the table crashed to the ground, spilling its contents in a noisy heap. His jaw clenched, and a vein throbbed at his temple. The air in the room seemed to thicken with tension as Sam stood frozen, her small hands trembling at her sides."You clumsy little brat!" Luca bellowed, his voice echoing off the walls. "Can't you do anything right?"Sam’s eyes filled with tears as she stumbled backward, her small frame trembling. "I-I’m sorry, Dad," she stammered, her voice barely audible. "I didn’t mean to... I promise I’ll fix it."But Luca wasn’t hearing her. His rage blinded him, fueled by his own frustrations and fears. He took a step forward, his injured hand throbbing but forgotten in the storm of his anger.“Sorry isn’t good enough!” he roared, raising his uninjured hand. Before Sam could react, the first blow landed—a harsh slap across her cheek that sent her sprawling to the floor. She whimpered, clutching her face, her tears streaming freely now.“Get up!” he
Meanwhile, back at Luca's, it's been turmoil. He had been on the run, unsure of what his fate would be. He has been hiding away, scared that the police are looking for him. When he realized that there had been no search or warrant for him, he decided to return to his house. "That betrayal must have gotten away with Kiara. If they are unable to find Kiara, they might never find out that I've been the one behind the kidnapping all along." He thought. However. That afternoon, word came from one of the boys he forced out to find Kiara, that Kiara had been found and, as in fact, been discharged from the hospital and now home with Damian. Luca stormed into his room, his injured hand hastily wrapped in a bloodied cloth. His face was a mask of fury and frustration as he paced back and forth. He couldn't even go to the hospital to have proper treatment. The faint smell of antiseptic from his poorly tended wound mingled with the scent of whiskey he had poured himself moments ago. He gulped
Well, that’s because he might be a culprit,” Harrison declared. “What?” “We’ve traced the missing funds from your accounts—millions of dollars—directly back to him.”Damian’s eyes widened, and he swung his legs over the side of the bed, fully awake now. “You’re saying Eric embezzled the money?”“Yes,” Harrison confirmed. “He used sophisticated software to launder the funds and make them untraceable. We were just about to bring him in for questioning when we found his body.”Maria sat up, her expression a mix of confusion and alarm. “What is it?” she whispered.Damian held up a hand to silence her, his focus still on the call. “Tell me you’re kidding.” “I’m afraid it’s the truth, Mr. Lux.” Harrison continued. “The missing papers have also been in his possession. But the mysterious thing is, not a dime is missing from the money. It was a new account he opened. He kept the documents also, under the same name. I don’t think he saved the money for himself.” “Do you think someone else w
Maria stood at the edge of the room, her face pale but resolute as she watched Damian absorb her words. His expression hardened, and his jaw set tight like a coiled spring.“What do you mean Luca called again?” Damian asked, his voice dangerously low.“He called to check on Kiara,” Maria replied cautiously. “That’s what he said. He added that he was relieved to hear she’s safe.”“Relieved?” Damian scoffed, his tone bitter. “That snake doesn’t deserve to say her name. He’s no friend of mine. My daughter was kidnapped, and he did nothing.”Maria sighed, stepping closer. “Darling, he called several times you were away, he called to check if we'd decided to hand over the company to them as they demanded. He said he couldn’t reach you. He even pleaded with me to convince you to do as they say so we can get Kiara back safely.” “Oh really? What a wonderful job he did. Giving a piece of advice from the comfort of his home when in reality he did nothing. If you don’t know, that amounts to not