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
Her heart was still pounding with residual adrenaline. The cool air inside did little to calm her. “Is that Miss Kiara?” The first officer to recognize her exclaimed. She approached the front desk, her voice steady despite her nerves.“I have with me evidence of attempted murder, and I want you to arrest the criminal with immediate effect.” The officer behind the desk raised an eyebrow but quickly motioned for her to sit while they summoned one of the detectives available. Coincidentally, he was the one in charge of the restaurant case. Within moments, Detective Harrison emerged—a tall, broad-shouldered man with a sharp gaze that missed nothing.“Miss Lux,” he said, his tone professional but curious. “I’m Detective Harrison. I’m already familiar with your father’s case. I believe that is why you’re here.”Kiara nodded. “The lawyer is sending a lawsuit later today; the reason we haven’t made any arrests. Mr. Lux wants the restaurant itself to take responsibility for what happened
Damian burst through the front door, his tie loosened and his usually composed demeanor frayed. Behind him stood Luca, his expression carefully curated to show concern. Maria, still flustered, hurried to greet her husband.“She’s home, Damian,” Maria said, wringing her hands. “She came back in a police car, and her car is gone. She won’t say anything.”“Where is she?” Damian asked, scanning the room urgently.“She has been in her room since she returned. She wouldn’t open the door. Amor, something is wrong with our baby girl.” Maria cried out in despair. “I will get her,” Damian responded. Before he could take another step, Kiara emerged from her room, her eyes locking onto Luca like a hawk spotting its prey. Her face twisted with a mix of disbelief and fury. “What is he doing here?” She demanded, her voice sharp.“What is who doing here?” Damian responded nonchalantly. “Are you alright? What happened to you? You look like you have been to hell and back. Talk to me.” “What is that
“What is it? What happened?” Maria asked, concerned, as Damian rose to his feet. “I need to get to the office. Eric just gave me a piece of information that should not be true.” “What did he say, dad?” Kiara asked but didn’t get a response. Damian dashed out of the house, grabbing his car keys on the table on his way out. He rushed to the office, his mind racing as he tried to process everything that had unfolded that evening. The weight of Kiara’s accusations against Luca, the police intervention, and now this—the missing money and documents—threatened to crush him. He arrived at the building, his heart pounding. Eric, the new accountant, was already waiting in his office, his face pale and nervous.“Eric!” Damian barked, slamming the door behind him. “What the hell is going on? Start talking, now.”Eric jumped at the sound of Damian’s voice, fumbling with the files in his hands. “Sir, I—I noticed it during the end-of-day reconciliation. A significant amount of money has been tr
Damian entered the dimly lit visitation room of the police station, his footsteps echoing in the stillness. Sitting at the table, his hands cuffed, was Luca Ettore. Luca’s eyes lit up with relief and desperation as Damian stepped in, though his composed demeanor cracked only slightly.“Damian,” Luca said, his voice tinged with a mix of weariness and disbelief. “Thank God you’re here. You have to believe me—I had nothing to do with this.”Damian pulled out the chair opposite Luca and sat down heavily, rubbing his temples. "Luca, you're in deep trouble. The police have recordings, confessions... everything points to you. The restaurant worker claimed you gave the poison to him to put inside my food.”Luca leaned forward, his hands gripping the edge of the table. “I’m being framed, Damian! You know me. I would never hurt you or your family. Why would I poison Kiara? Why would I target you?”Damian met Luca’s gaze, his own expression filled with conflict. “That’s what I can’t understand.
Reluctantly, Damian turned, his expression hard as steel. Luca’s face was a whirlwind of desperation and something darker—a calculated edge.“What is it?” He asked, curious. “Kiara!” Luca responded. “I would like to have a word with her. She started all of these. Only she can shed more light and prove that I’m innocent. Damian didn’t want to involve his family in any of these anymore. Especially after what happened to Kiara. “This is beyond her now. There is nothing she can do to get you out of here, Luca. If you’re innocent, the police will vindicate you.” Luca scoffed. That made Damian’s skin crawl. “There are quite some things you don’t know, friend. You really think it’s what you see on the surface that matters? Well, there is something going on between me and Kiara that you all know nothing about. And that is exactly why I’m here. If I can talk her into forgiving me, Damian, all of this will be over.” “If I don’t know, then it’s not my call,” Damian responded. Without anot
Kiara’s heart skipped a beat. She froze, her hand hovering over the remote. Her mind raced, her father’s words echoing in her ears.He knows.Slowly, Kiara got out of bed and approached the door, her hands trembling. She cracked it open just enough to see Damian’s face, his expression a mix of concern and determination.“What do you mean by my relationship with Luca?” She whispered, her voice barely audible.“I think you know what I’m talking about,” Damian said gently. “This isn’t just about what’s happening now, is it? There’s more to this—something you haven’t told me.”Kiara’s grip on the door tightened. For a moment, she considered slamming it shut and pretending this conversation never happened. But the look in her father’s eyes stopped her. He wasn’t accusing her; he was worried.She opened the door fully and stepped aside, motioning for him to enter. Damian walked in, his eyes scanning the room as if it might hold answers. Kiara closed the door behind him and leaned against it
Kiara was standing in front of her open box, staring at the mess of clothes she had put inside earlier. Her fingers gripped a particular dress. She hesitated, but she shook her head and threw it aside. 'Does it matter what I pack? I am leaving.' she thought. 'Leaving the only home I have ever known.' Leaving everything behind.Her phone vibrated beside her and the notification read: Flight confirmed: 10 AM tomorrow.She exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of it settle over her."This is it." She said to herself.*********Across from Kiara's city, Donald’s phone buzzed.He picked it up and looked at the screen, expecting nothing important. But when he saw the notification, his heart pounded.GPS Movement Detected – Kiara Lux: Airport Route SetHe tightened his grip on the phone."No," he said in a low tone.He stood up from the chair, running a hand through his hair.'She is leaving. Leaving for good.' And if I let her go now, I might never see her again.' he thought to himself."No
Detective Harrison had been on Luca's case for months now with no positive results, no evidence to link him to the crimes.He sat in his office, flipping through a stack of photos that had been put across his desk earlier that day.Every single one of the photos showed Luca with his men. One photo showed when he took off his mask in the warehouse during Kiara's kidnap, the other showed when he tried to take the documents from Damian. His clothes matched. The photos showed him at different instances of Kiara's murder attempts. All the evidence pointed to one to Luca.The evidence had come from an unexpected source. Harrison glanced up, his gaze narrowing at the man sitting across from him. It was Donald.The same man who saved Kiara multiple times.Harrison tapped the stack of photos together. “You’ve been keeping an eye on him for a while, haven’t you?”Donald leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “Since the day he warned me to stay away from Kiara.”Harrison arched a brow. “You too
After a few days, Kiara was finally discharged. The hospital doors slid open, and Kiara stepped outside, with Maria and Damian closely behind her. Catching her breath in the cool evening air. It felt different. Not the air itself, but how it touched her skin, how it felt against her face. Everything around her felt distant, like she was walking through a world that had moved on while she had been stuck somewhere else. She wrapped her arms around herself, her movements slow and hesitant. Maria stood beside her, watching her closely. She had barely left her side since she woke up. As they approached the car, her concern was evident in the way she kept glancing at her, waiting for her to say something. “ Are you okay baby?” Maria asked. Kiara nodded. Damian, who was putting their belongings in the trunk, stood at the driver's side of the car. "Are you sure amore?But Kiara didn't respond.Damian didn’t push. He opened the car door for her, waiting until she was seated before ge
Flashing red and blue lights filled the night.The party had turned into chaos as the guests murmured in hushed voices as paramedics rushed Kiara towards the exit, her body limp on the stretcher.Damian pushed past security, his expression unreadable as he followed closely. “I’m coming with her.”“Sir, we need space,” a paramedic started, but the warning died when Damian shot him a sharp glare.“She’s my daughter,” he said flatly. “I’m not leaving her side.”The paramedic hesitated but nodded. “Get in.”As the ambulance doors shut, Damian sat beside Kiara, watching as the medics checked her vitals. His hands clenched into fists. Even in her unconscious state, Kiara could still feel his touch lingering. It felt familiar, like she had felt it before.And just like that, her mind slipped into a dream.And then, the past pulled her in.***Laughter surrounded her as she spun in circles, her arms wrapped around Donald’s neck.“Put me down!” she giggled, swatting his shoulder.Donald smirk
Luca, on the other hand, has been going crazy since his kids were taken from him. They were all he had left. His neighbors heard him breaking things so they called the police. Luca was taken to a facility after his tests came positive for PTSD and disruptive behavior. Days passed, and he stayed quiet. Cooperative, pretending to be fine. The doctors bought it. They thought he was getting better. Not until one evening, during a shift change, Luca made his move. A nurse had forgotten to properly secure the door after checking his vitals. Perfect. This was his chance to escape from this hellhole.Luca slipped out, moving down the hall, his heart pounding.He stayed close to the walls, avoiding eye contact with staffs. One wrong move and they’d drag him back. His bare feet barely made a sound against the cold floors; the exit was close. Just a few more steps. Then— “Hey! "What are you doing?” A security guard spotted him. Luca bolted, running with all his might.Alarms sou
It's been three months and Kiara has not had the guts to go out due to the trauma she faced in Luca's hands. Although Luca has been away from the Lux family for months now, Kiara still feels like he's watching her. She still hasn't told her family the truth about her relationship with Luca and his involvement in the kidnap.The Lux home had never been this quiet before. There was no music playing from Kiara’s room, no late-night TV chatter, no laughter echoing through the halls.Maria sighed as she walked past the closed door of her daughter’s bedroom, hesitating for a moment before knocking softly.“Kiara, sweetheart?”She heard nothing.She knocked again. “It’s morning. You should eat something.”There was a long pause before a tired voice. “Not hungry.”Maria pushed the door open, stepping inside. Kiara was curled up on the couch by the window, staring blankly at her phone. The curtains were still drawn, blocking out the sunlight.Maria sat beside her, placing a gentle hand on her
A Few Months Later********************The courtroom was filled with quiet murmurs as lawyers shuffled papers and the judge prepared to begin. It was the final custody hearing for Sam and Katie, and Annie’s heart pounded as she sat at the plaintiff’s table, waiting for the moment that would decide everything. Across from her in the room, was Luca, who sat stiffly, his expression unreadable. He looked calm, but Annie knew better. This wasn’t the Luca she had once known. The man sitting before her had changed. For years, Luca had raised Sam and Katie without her, and for a time, they had been safe. But then, things changed. He became reckless. Cold. Dangerous although he had been that way, which was why Annie left him, she didn't think he would one day show his true colors to the kids.The judge, a woman in her late fifties with gray hair and sharp eyes, cleared her throat. “We are here today to finalize the custody arrangement for Samuel and Katherine Ettore." Ms. Annie, you may p
“Power’s out, completely out,” one of the nurses shouted in the dark hallway of the hospital. The emergency lights flickered off and on for a moment and then came back on, but the sense of unease had not.“Listen, we can’t stay here,” said Damian, his voice low as he looked around the nearly empty corridor. “This hospital isn’t safe anymore.”Maria nodded quickly, clutching Kiara’s hand tighter. “I’m scared for Kiara,” she said softly.Kiara, still shaken, couldn't say a word. She just sat there mopping. Harrison stood near the door, keeping his hand on his radio. “We need to move to a safer hospital. I’m calling for transport. We can't use my car. This place has been compromised, obviously.” Damian frowned. “Compromised? What do you mean?” “Not sure yet,” Harrison replied. “But when power is cut like that, and there are strange sounds in the hall, you can’t trust the security here.” Maria interjected, “So, where do we go?” Harrison sighed shortly. “There’s a private facility on
Kiara barely had time to react before Detective Harrison shoved her behind him, drawing his own weapon in one swift motion.“Drop the gun!” Harrison barked, his voice sharp and commanding.The intruder didn’t hesitate. He fired at Kiara but missed.A loud bang echoed through the room.Kiara screamed, instinctively ducking as the bullet slammed into a nearby vase, shattering it into pieces. Maria shrieked, stumbling backward, while Damian threw himself in front of her, shielding her from the masked man.Harrison didn’t waste a second. He fired back, forcing the masked man to dive for cover behind the couch.“Stay down!” Harrison shouted at Kiara, keeping his gun targeted at the intruder.The masked man didn’t stay hidden for long. In a blur of movement, he lunged out, knocking over a chair as he went towards Kiara.Her heart seized. He was coming straight for her.Harrison moved fast, stepping between them. Both Harrison and the masked man clashed violently, fists colliding in a flurry