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
**Chapter 72**Chloe couldn’t shake the unease bubbling within her. She had always admired her boss’s calm demeanor and sharp mind, but this time, things were different. Her boss was about to step back into the real world after the whole death incident, fully aware of the chaos that awaited her. The upcoming press conference would mark her role model's official return, and Chloe knew the impact would be seismic.As she reviewed the final preparations, Chloe's thoughts wandered. *My boss facing the world again will be epic.* The idea seemed almost surreal. For two months now, her boss had operated from the shadows, controlling everything with an iron grip while remaining out of the public eye. But now, everything was changing. And while Chloe trusted her boss’s judgment, a small part of her couldn’t help but worry about the storm that was sure to follow.Meanwhile, in another part of town, James Anderson sat in his study, brooding over the latest developments. The rumors Helena had pos
**Chapter 73**Lilly hung up the phone, her expression as blank as ever. Across the room, Ray Manchester observed her carefully, searching for any sign of what she might be thinking. He knew her well enough to understand that reading her emotions was almost impossible—her face remained impassive, her eyes cold and calculating. Still, he couldn’t help but try.“Lilly?” Ray ventured cautiously, hoping to gauge her mood. “Who was that?”“Well, it was my amazing father,” she answered sarcastically.Ray looked into her eyes, trying to make out her train of thought. It was always hard to pinpoint what each of her expressions meant, which made understanding her quite difficult. “What does he want?” he eventually asked.“Control,” she replied flatly, setting her phone down on the table with a soft click. “He always wants control.”Ray nodded, sensing there was more she hadn’t said. She seemed to be up to something, and he had overheard her earlier speaking to her assistant about a press confe
“She was poisoned. Now, who are you?” the voice answered before shooting back a question.Liliana’s thoughts raced as she tried to make sense of the voice’s revelation. Poisoned? Her? The concept didn’t fit the narrative she had assumed—this body, Liliana’s body, was supposed to be impervious to toxins.“She was poisoned by her family,” the voice repeated with cold certainty, as if the explanation were simple and unquestionable.Liliana’s fists clenched, anger surging. “That’s impossible,” she hissed aloud, her voice trembling. “This body has built-in resistances. It’s practically untouchable unless…”She trailed off, dread creeping in as the horrifying possibility dawned on her. “Unless it’s self-destruction,” she whispered. “The pill.”“What pill?” the voice asked sharply, curiosity lacing its tone.Liliana’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Just forget it,” she snapped, unwilling to give the voice more ammunition. She shifted the topic quickly. “Have you dealt with the Andersons yet
Ray gazed at her face, hoping to see his old Lily, but the one standing before him seemed guarded and unwilling to open up."I'm really okay," Lily said, though she couldn't convince him. It like seemed annoying or threaten him, triggering the body thief. She must truly love him.Ray nodded in understanding before asking. “Can I take my bath?“ he felt uncertain about his next move. If she didn't want him to bath, then so be it. What mattered most was her health, well-being, and safety. Even his own discomfort was insignificant and could be ignored at any time.Lilly couldn't help but smile hearing what he said: "You must really love her."‘Her’ what her, why is she referring to herself as a third person’ Ray thought.“I love you” he said Ever since their conversation at the hospital, he couldn't shake off the feeling that this woman might be different. It was as if she had some kind of personality disorder, like two people were living inside her or two personalities were at war.‘He
“Aww, cutie pie, you shouldn’t dare me like that. I dare—and I will.”The words left her lips with a teasing smirk, but before she could relish her triumph, a sharp, searing pain erupted in her head. Her body jolted violently, like an unseen force had reached into her core and seized control. She gasped, her eyes widening in panic as her limbs shook uncontrollably.It felt like her skull was being split apart.‘You need to know your limits and behave yourself, or I will send you back to wherever you came from,’ a cold, sinister voice boomed inside her mind. The sound reverberated like hammer blows, each word driving shards of pain deeper into her brain.“No!” Liliana choked out, clutching her head as her body convulsed.“Lilly—Lilly! Lilly, please look at me! Open your eyes! Are you okay?” Ray’s voice cracked, frantic as he knelt by the bed, gripping her trembling shoulders. His calm composure shattered like glass.One moment, she had been teasing him, and now she was violently shakin
It had been two hours since the heads of the kidnappers inexplicably exploded in the torture room—something impossible, something unimaginable to mankind.Like, how the hell do people’s heads just blow up like they’re firecrackers?Whoever was after his baby girl’s life wasn’t ordinary. Ray was sure of one thing: his wife knew more than she was letting on. Her psychologist was coming over tomorrow, and he could only hope she would open up to him. This new version of her was terrifying in ways he couldn’t put into words. She had taken down six hefty men as if they were toddlers.It didn’t add up.Looking at her past self—the woman she used to be—she had always seemed weak and harmless just emotionless, someone who didn’t even know how to throw a punch. The investigation into her past showed nothing about her having fighting skills. Nothing.Before leaving, Ray had instructed Damon to contact a team of forensic pathologist to perform an autopsy. He needed answers. Anything. With that do
Back in the Lab“This is bad. Very bad,” Grey muttered to himself, tapping frantically at the keys on his laptop.He stared at the monitor in disbelief. The system was back online.“What… how…?” he stammered, his eyes wide with horror. He had been trying to deactivate the radiation sequence—he was sure of it.The screen flickered. A new message appeared, bold and cold:“COMMAND OVERRIDDEN. OPERATION EXECUTED.”Grey’s breath hitched. His trembling fingers hovered uselessly over the keyboard. Whatever had happened, it was far beyond his comprehension. The hackers had reached into their system like ghosts.Before he could process the full extent of the failure, the lab door slammed open.Matt stormed in, his face flushed red with anger. “What the hell just happened, Grey?” he barked, his voice sharp enough to cut steel.“I—I disabled it!” Grey stammered, jabbing a finger at the monitor as if to defend himself. “I swear I deactivated the sequence! Someone else—” His voice broke off, his h
The warehouse was cloaked in darkness, its oppressive silence broken only by the steady drip of water from a corroded pipe. The stench of rust, mildew, and blood lingered in the air, a nauseating prelude to the carnage within.Six men sat bound to metal chairs in a grim row, their heads slumped forward in exhaustion. The metallic bands around their foreheads hummed faintly, the only sound betraying the deathtrap concealed within.Jerry paced the room, his boots clanking against the concrete floor as he barked orders to his underlings. “Clip their tongues,” he snarled, his voice sharp and commanding. “Make sure they can’t bite down and die on their terms. These bastards don’t deserve an easy way out.”A sinister grin played on his lips as he turned back toward the men. Their battered faces showed defiance even in their broken state. Jerry liked it when they resisted—it made breaking them all the more satisfying.But then, something changed.A faint flicker of red danced across the meta
Matt’s pulse quickened as he stared at the footage. The “pet,” the most prized creation of their master, was not supposed to care. Her emotions—or lack thereof—were engineered to perfection, ensuring blind loyalty and unwavering execution of orders. Yet there she was, her face flickering with a softness he had never seen before, an almost protective rage as she shielded one of their captured men.Grey turned the screen toward him, rewinding to the critical moment. “See that? Right there,” he said, pointing at the pixelated image. The pet, with her fluid movements and deadly precision, should have eliminated the threat without hesitation. Instead, she had hesitated, even turning her weapon on their own operatives to protect the man.“This is no malfunction,” Grey continued, his voice shaky. “Something inside her is… waking up.”Matt rubbed his temples, his mind racing. He needed to contain this before the boss found out. Any sign of imperfection in his creations was not tolerated, and
“The Manchester family has them,” a tall man with curly hair muttered, his voice tense.The man seated in the center of the room barely moved, his presence radiating authority. Lounging back in his oversized leather chair like a king surveying his domain, he lifted his gaze to the curly-haired man, his expression sharp with disdain.“And what does my pet have to do with them?” His deep voice rumbled through the room like distant thunder. “Do they even know who they’re messing with?” he fired, each word cutting like a blade.Matt, the curly-haired man, flinched slightly but held his ground. The tension in the room was palpable, the air heavy with unspoken consequences.The boss’s jaw tightened, his gaze darkening as he processed the implications. The Manchester family. Their meddling was not part of the plan. They were powerful, yes—but so was he. “What are they trying to achieve by getting involved?” he muttered, almost to himself.Matt cleared his throat, knowing he had to answer car
“Who are you?” Lilly turned abruptly to Ray, sitting beside her in the private jet. Her voice was sharp, almost accusing.Ray blinked, startled. Since takeoff, she’d barely acknowledged his presence, staring out the window or resting her head back like he didn’t exist. Why the sudden question?“I didn’t say anything,” he replied carefully, his brow furrowing when her intense gaze didn’t waver.‘I’m in your mind, dummy.’What the hell? Lilly flinched. Did that voice just call me a dummy?‘Yes, I did. And you still haven’t answered my question.’ The voice was colder this time, almost impatient.‘Body thief,’ Lilly shot back in her mind, defiance surging. If she wanted to play games, fine—she wasn’t backing down.‘The fact that you’re calling me that means you already know who I am,’ the voice retorted smoothly. ‘I have no memory of you, but clearly, you remember me.’‘Duh! Of course, I do,’ Lilly fired, sarcasm dripping from her thoughts. ‘I’m the one in charge of this body now. But bef