Helena’s hands trembled as she gripped her phone, her eyes scanning the latest message from her best friend. The evidence was undeniable—a screenshot of a blog post, now deleted, showed the mysterious woman in the same dress Liliana had worn to the ball. But what chilled Helena to the bone was the uncanny resemblance between the woman’s facial features and that bitch. “This can’t be happening,” Helena muttered under her breath, her fingers tightening around the phone until her knuckles turned white. The anger that had been simmering inside her since last night erupted, her chest heaving with each shallow breath. How had she missed this? How could that emotionless corpse be with her Ray, let alone in a relationship with her Ray? She was so caught up with her hubby that she didn’t even notice that bitch. Why, why, why! Helena’s thoughts spiraled into a dark, twisted place. She couldn’t fathom how someone like that bitch —a woman who was supposedly an emotional vagabond and had the em
Helena barely had time to gather herself after her disastrous video when she heard the heavy knock on her door. Her heart pounded in her chest, dread creeping up her spine. She knew that knock all too well—it was her father. And he was furious.The door swung open, and James stormed into the room, his face twisted in anger. Matilda followed closely behind, her expression a mix of concern and forced calm. “Helena!” James’s voice boomed, making her flinch. “What in the world were you thinking?”Helena swallowed hard, trying to maintain her composure. “Dad, I was just trying to—”“Trying to what?” he interrupted, his eyes narrowing. “Destroy our family’s reputation? You’ve embarrassed us beyond repair! Using the charity ball as an excuse to drug Ray Manchester, of all people? How could you be so reckless? Your naked picture with my business partner is all over the internet, how I’m I to face the world after this?Helena’s heart raced as she stumbled over her words. “I—I didn’t think it
Matilda could hardly believe what she just heard—Lilliana was the mystery girl spotted with Ray Manchester. How was that even possible? “You need to stop joking about this, Helena. There’s no way in hell that piece of wood is with him,” Matilda scoffed. Helena had expected exactly this sort of reaction from her mother because she felt the same way when Ellen first sent her the news. “My thoughts exactly, Mom, because this is unbelievable. Why is that bitch with my hubby? Do you remember the rumors about her at the party?” “Yes, baby. The news was online for five minutes before it was taken down, which I found unbelievable since the Anderson PR team isn’t usually that efficient. They couldn’t even take your news down until the next day.” “Mom, you’re off track—that’s not what I’m talking about,” Helena whined. “Sorry, baby,” Matilda muttered, though she couldn’t help but think about how suspiciously fast the news had been removed. “She was wearing the same outfit as the whore
James frowned. “And how do you propose we do that? Lilliana’s already in the spot link with Helena video “Matilda’s lips curved into a small, calculating smile. “Better. If we can subtly push that connection further, stir up more rumors, it could work in our favor. Let the public focus on Lilliana been alive. If they’re too busy gossiping about her, they’ll forget about Helena.”James considered her suggestion, his anger slowly giving way to reluctant agreement. It was a gamble, but at this point, he didn’t have many options. “And how do we ensure the rumors spread? We can’t be seen as the ones fanning the flames.”Matilda’s mind raced as she considered her options.** “We need Lilliana to make a public appearance,” she said suddenly.James frowned, his anger momentarily subsiding as he tried to understand her angle. “What good would that do?”Matilda’s eyes gleamed with a cunning light. “Think about it. If we can position Lilliana as the center of attention, especially in a positive
Ray’s playful demeanor flickered with a hint of concern as Lilly’s words sank in. He pulled back slightly, his brows knitting together as he searched her eyes for any sign of discomfort. “Nauseous?” he echoed, trying to keep his tone light despite the unease creeping into his chest. “How long has this been going on?” Lilly blinked, her gaze unwavering. “A few weeks,” she replied matter-of-factly. “It’s not constant, just… sporadic. It’s strange.” Ray’s mind raced, the mischievous glint in his eyes replaced with genuine worry. He tried to mask it with a casual grin, but his thoughts were already spinning. *Could it be something serious?* He quickly dismissed the thought, unwilling to jump to conclusions. “And you haven’t mentioned this to anyone? A doctor, maybe?” “No,” Lilly responded simply. “It’s not a priority. Besides, I thought you might have some insight. After all, you claim to know everything about me.” Ray forced a smile, though his heart wasn’t fully in it. “I do,” he
Chapter 69Ray's mind was racing as he made his way back to Lilly. He couldn’t help but replay his conversation with his mother, her words swirling in his thoughts. The possibility of Lilly being pregnant was exhilarating, but he needed to be sure before jumping to conclusions. *What if she's really carrying my child?* The thought filled him with a mix of anticipation and nervousness.When he reached the bedroom door, he paused, taking a deep breath to steady himself. He knew he couldn’t let Lilly see how rattled he was. Whatever happened next, he needed to approach it calmly and with care.Pushing the door open, Ray found Lilly still resting on the bed, looking as serene as ever. Her gaze flickered to him, and he could sense the quiet strength she carried even when she was vulnerable."Hey," he greeted her softly, moving to sit beside her. "Feeling any better?""A bit," she replied, her eyes studying him closely. “I heard talking to someone, who was it?Ray nodded, trying to keep his
Chapter 70“This marriage talk again…” Lilly thought, trying to keep her expression neutral as she glanced at the faint line on the pregnancy test. The possibility of being pregnant had already thrown her mind into a whirlwind, and now Ray was pushing for marriage on top of that. She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before speaking. Why did most of their conversations end with talk of marriage? She could see that Ray might genuinely feel love for her, but she was still trying her best to come to terms with that.“Ray,” she began, her voice steady, “pregnancy and marriage are two different things. Just because I might be pregnant doesn’t mean we need to rush into getting married.”Ray’s smile faltered slightly, but he held her gaze, his eyes full of sincerity. “I understand that, Lilly. But I’m not suggesting marriage just because of the baby. I’m suggesting it because I love you. Isn’t that reason enough?”Lilly studied him for a moment, her logical mind trying to process ev
**Chapter 71**Ray picked up his phone and dialed Derek’s number. After a few rings, Derek answered.“Derek, I need you to come over,” Ray said, his voice tense. “It’s important.”Derek could sense the urgency in Ray’s tone. “Alright, I’ll be there shortly. What’s going on?”Ray didn’t elaborate, ending the call with a frown. Derek’s mind began to race. Ray had been calling him frequently, and it was often for something out of the ordinary. First, it was a psychologist; now, he didn’t even explain. Derek concluded that something serious was happening and hurried to see him.A short while later, Derek arrived at the address Ray had sent. He was surprised by the new location. Why wasn’t Ray at home?“You’re late, man,” Ray said instead of welcoming him inside. Really? That was the first thing Ray was going to say to a man who put his work on hold to come see him, Derek thought.“You sounded urgent,” Derek replied.“I need you to confirm if my baby girl is pregnant.”What! I hope I’m not
Fairy tales didn’t exist. Ray had always known that. And yet, he had let himself believe. Believe that after everything, he could finally have his happy ending. That Lily would come back, that they would put all the chaos behind them and just… be. But four months had passed. Four months, and she was nowhere to be found. And in those four months, she had caused more destruction than she probably even realized. The Anderson family was gone. The Manchester family had been silenced. The power structures that once dictated everything had crumbled beneath the weight of her actions. And yet, the world had gone eerily quiet. The media barely spoke about it. There were no reports, no scandalous headlines, no outrage. It was as if the universe had conspired to erase all traces of her, making her untouchable. He couldn’t reach her. He couldn’t speak to her. He couldn’t even see her. It was hell. And the worst part? It was starting to feel like the version of hell he had
The silence stretched between them.Lilly and Jerry—two people who had seen death, caused death, lived among death—now sat here, unable to make sense of the one loss that actually hurt.Lilly swallowed the lump in her throat.“I thought I could tell you that time would heal this. That one day, you’d wake up, and the pain would be gone.”Jerry gave her a hollow stare, waiting for her to continue.“But that would be a lie.”Her voice broke slightly, but she pushed through.“The truth is… you won’t wake up one day and magically feel okay. You’ll carry this pain with you. Every damn day.”Jerry’s jaw clenched. He knew that already, he knows deep down he will never get over losing his love right before it could even blossom.Lilly reached out and placed a hand over his.“But you’ll learn to live with it,” she whispered. “Because that’s what Chloe would have wanted. She didn’t fight this hard, endure this much, just for either of us to fall apart when she’s gone.”Jerry let out a ragged bre
Ray stared at her, his heart pounding in his chest.“One… m-m-month?” His voice cracked. “That’s too much, wifey.”His grip on her hands tightened, as if afraid that if he let go, she would disappear before his eyes.Lilly’s lips trembled, but she held her ground.“At least this way, you won’t be married to a woman who is mentally unstable, Ray,” she said softly. “And worse—a woman who shares her new body with her dead twin’s split personality.”Ray’s body stiffened.“Split what?” His brows furrowed, convinced he had misheard.Lilly sighed, wiping the stray tear that escaped her eye. “I’m sure you’ve already guessed it, Ray. You’ve seen it. You’ve felt it. Lia and I… we aren’t just one person. And I need to do this—for myself, for you, and for our baby.”Her voice wavered.“I need to be able to give you the same love you’ve given me. To birth our baby in a safe place. Please, Ray… please.” She squeezed his hands, her tears falling freely now.Ray felt something twist in his chest.Lil
The room felt unbearably heavy.Jerry sat still, his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands.And then, without warning—A sob tore through him.“Haaaaaa~~~” he yelled out. For the first time in life he felt like someone was trying to zap life out of him.The kind that clawed out from the depths of his soul, ripping past the walls he had spent years building.Tears streamed down his face. He didn’t even bother to wipe them.This wasn’t grief.This was devastation.This was an unbelievable moment, it was only aFew days ago that he realized the extend of his live for Chloe and now she dead.Dead just like that.This was the feeling of watching the one person who made life feel like more than just blood and war—slip through his fingers.He had lost Chloe.And now, what was left of him?Nothing.Nothing but this unbearable silence, this emptiness that no amount of vengeance could ever fill.He clenched his fists.He had always thought himself untouchable, someone who laughed in the fa
The room was too quiet.The kind of silence that made the air feel heavier, pressing against their chests like an unbearable weight.Lilly sat frozen, her eyes staring into nothing.She wasn’t crying. She wasn’t speaking.She just sat there, lost in the void.Ray was right behind her, not touching, not speaking just there.Because what could he say? What could he do?There were no words for grief like this. No bandage for wounds that cut this deep.On the other side of the room, Jerry knelt beside Chloe’s bed, his hands gripping hers with a desperation that made his knuckles turn white.His lips moved, whispering something under his breath.A prayer.Jerry Manchester the man who had never feared death, who had laughed in the face of danger—was now begging.To a God he didn’t even believe in.“Please—”His voice cracked, his fingers tightening around Chloe’s.“Please, don’t take her.”Tears burned at the corners of his eyes, but he refused to let them fall.He didn’t cry. Not Jerry Man
The scent of iron was thick in the air.Lilly’s eyes, cold and unyielding, swept across the men standing by. Their hesitation irritated her.“What the hell are you all waiting for?” Her voice cracked through the tense silence, sharp as a whip.The men snapped to attention.“Get him out of there. Now.”She didn’t need to say it twice.Two men rushed forward, reaching into the trunk and dragging David Deluca’s battered body out. His weight was dead, limp, his blood smearing against their gloves.“Take him to Damon.”Her tone left no room for argument.The men moved swiftly, disappearing into the building with their barely breathing cargo.Lilly stood still, her breathing measured, her fingers clenched so tightly her nails bit into her palms.She should feel satisfaction.But for some reason—She didn’t.Inside, the air was suffocating.The rhythmic beeping of the life support machine filled the room—until suddenly, the sound changed.The sharp, rapid BEEP—BEEP—BEEP sliced through the ai
Lilly inhaled sharply.Ray cursed under his breath.Jerry looked up, his expression wild, desperate. “We need to stop the bleeding!”But his hands were unsteady, his mind a mess.Lilly took over.“Move,” she ordered, her voice firm.Jerry hesitated, unwilling to let go, but Ray grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back.“Let her work.”Lilly worked fast, grabbing supplies from the medical kit. She cut away the fabric around the wound, assessing the damage. The bullet hadn’t passed through it was lodged inside.“Shit.”With gloved hands, she cleaned around the wound, applying pressure to slow the bleeding. Her movements were steady, precise years of training kicking in.Jerry could barely breathe.“Is she going to be okay?” His voice cracked.Lilly didn’t answer immediately. She grabbed a hemostatic gauze and pressed it firmly against the wound.“This will slow it down until Damon gets here,” she murmured.Ray kept his focus on Jerry, who looked like a man on the verge of breaking.“She’l
The shockwave rattled the car, and Chloe instinctively ducked.“What the fuck—?!” Jerry shouted, glancing at the rearview mirror.One of the enemy vehicles was now a burning wreck.And behind it—The Alpha Team had arrived.Meanwhile, in the Shooter’s Car…Matt watched in horror as one of their vehicles went up in flames.He gritted his teeth, his fingers digging into the seat.“Stop shooting!” he roared.His men hesitated, confused.But one look at Matt’s expression—twisted with fury and frustration—was enough to make them obey.Clark, sitting beside him, turned with a scowl.“Boss, I thought you said they wouldn’t have backup until we reached the city.”Matt’s jaw clenched. His hands balled into fists.“Well, are you fucking blind?” he snapped. “Or just too dumb to realize we’re already in the city?”Clark stiffened.“They own this place,” Matt muttered, his voice low and furious. “This is their fucking territory.”Clark exhaled sharply, running a hand down his face.“Then why the h
Jerry’s hands gripped the steering wheel tighter, his knuckles turning white. His mind was spinning, Chloe’s words echoing in his head.“You never miss a chance to make me feel like an object.”“But guess what, Jerry? I’m not an object.”His jaw clenched.“When have I ever treated you like an object?” he asked, his voice unusually quiet—almost confused.Chloe scoffed, rolling her eyes.Jerry, however, wasn’t done.His mind raced, trying to piece together where the hell he had gone wrong. Is that why she won’t give me a chance? Does she really think I see her that way?For the first time in his life, Jerry Mancini found himself questioning his own actions.And in doing so—He completely forgot they were being followed.A loud bang erupted behind them, and the car jolted violently to the side.Chloe snapped her head around, eyes widening as she saw the dark SUV gaining on them, its headlights like glowing eyes in the night.“Jerry, focus!” she shouted.Jerry’s head whipped back toward t