‘Mummy, why? Why did you forget about me? Why didn’t you and Daddy come back?’ A little girl, around five years old, cried out with tears streaming down her face, her eyes filled with a haunting loneliness. She looked like she had been abandoned by the entire world, her tiny shoulders trembling as she waited for an answer that would never come.Lilly watched her, and an unfamiliar ache rose within her chest, a feeling she couldn’t quite name. How could a mother ever abandon her child? She took a step closer, her voice soft but full of promise. ‘Little girl, who is your mummy? I’ll help you find her,’ she offered, unable to bear the sorrow in the girl’s innocent eyes. Lilly knew, in that moment, she would do anything to see her smile.‘I’ve been a good girl, Mummy. How could you have forgotten your little princess? Am I really that bad—that Mummy doesn’t even recognize me anymore?’ The girl’s voice trembled as she spoke, her words cutting through the silence like a blade. She clutched
“Good Morning wifey” Ray greeted while pulling Lilly into his arm, he could feel her unstable emotions but chooses to keep quite knowing there was nothing he could do to keep her mind off the girl from her dream, He already had Drake investigating if she had ever had a child which he knew was impossible, since he was one with her virginity. So where in the world was this little girl thing coming from? Ray loves the fact his baby girl is showing signs of being human rather than a robot. But the nightmare is the only annoying thing to him, and since nightmare of a thing began. She seen more distance than before. He thought marriage will bring them closer and close the gap between them, but it prove otherwise. They are physically close, but every other closeness is excluded in their marriage."Can you get off?" Lilly muttered, clearly annoyed. The last thing she wanted right now was any physical contact with anybody.“Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed” Ray teased, trying to d
She was visibly against the idea of him accompanying her on the trip. Her face was a mix of emotions, making it hard to pinpoint exactly how she felt.‘How can she change so much in just a month?’ he asked himself puzzled. "Marriage is about teamwork, wifey. We're supposed to face things together."He couldn't help but plead, "Can't I just send a team of bodyguards to ensure your safety?"Lilly can’t rap her head around why he was sudden protective. "I know I'm pregnant, and I would never put our child in harm's way," she said, holding his face and looking into his eyes."Hubby, I know you're worried about me, but I need you to trust that I can take care of myself and our child. I want to go on this trip alone, but I'm willing to compromise and take my assistant with me to make you feel better. However, I don't want a team of bodyguards following me. Let's just keep this trip private and tell people I'm taking a sick leave instead."Ray stared at her, his jaw tightening as he tried to
“Are you okay, man?” Felix asked, glancing at the lonely figure staring into empty space, emotionless, dragging a cigarette between his lips. The aura around him made it obvious— even to a blind man— that he was both angry and deeply sad. Felix had never seen him like this before. He knew Ray always wore a cold, stoic face, but the atmosphere surrounding him now was rare. Looking at him slouched on the cushion like that, one couldn’t help but pity him. He looked so lonely. When it seemed no answer was forthcoming, Felix turned toward Derek. “Do you know what happened to him?” Derek just shook his head and threw his hands in the air, as if to say, I don’t know, man. Maybe there’s trouble in paradise. Ray suddenly turned his head and looked at Felix, who was seated at the other end of the private room. He exhaled a ring of smoke from his mouth, his voice low but clear. “What is love?” Everyone in the room froze, turning to him in surprise. No one had expected such a question from
“Are you okay, man?” Felix asked, glancing at the lonely figure staring into empty space, emotionless, dragging a cigarette between his lips. The aura around him made it obvious— even to a blind man— that he was both angry and deeply sad. Felix had never seen him like this before. He knew Ray always wore a cold, stoic face, but the atmosphere surrounding him now was rare. Looking at him slouched on the cushion like that, one couldn’t help but pity him. He looked so lonely. When it seemed no answer was forthcoming, Felix turned toward Derek. “Do you know what happened to him?” Derek just shook his head and threw his hands in the air, as if to say, I don’t know, man. Maybe there’s trouble in paradise. Ray suddenly turned his head and looked at Felix, who was seated at the other end of the private room. He exhaled a ring of smoke from his mouth, his voice low but clear. “What is love?” Everyone in the room froze, turning to him in surprise. No one had expected such a question from
Ray leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and dragged his hands through his hair. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “It’s not just about the empire or the pregnancy. It’s about us. About her trusting me with the parts of herself she keeps locked away. And when she shuts me out like this—when she makes decisions without me—it feels like she’s telling me I’m not enough.”Derek shook his head, leaning forward to meet Ray’s gaze. “You’re reading it wrong, man. Liliana’s not saying you’re not enough—she’s saying she doesn’t know how to let you be. She’s spent her whole life building walls to protect herself, and now, she doesn’t know how to take them down. It’s not about you; it’s about her.”Felix nodded in agreement, his voice softer. “And the fact that she’s willing to try—that she’s even letting herself feel, even if it’s messy—that’s because of you, Ray. She’s not running from you. She’s running from whatever she thinks she has to face before she can fully be with you.”Ray was silent for a
After the plane landed the other night, Lily was already too exhausted to go anywhere. So, she soaked herself in a warm bath, but she couldn't help but miss her husband. If he were with her, he would have taken care of the little things, like bathing her and drying her hair afterward. He had made it a habit to pamper her daily, choosing her outfits and making sure she felt loved. Lily had grown accustomed to his thoughtful gestures, and his absence felt deeply. She left the bath when she realized she was becoming drowsy and she doesn’t want to sleep off in the bath in other to prevent drowning with her baby, that was the last thing she wanted.Lilly woke up to the faint light of dawn filtering through the heavy curtains. For a moment, she lay still, her thoughts swirling as the remnants of last night’s exhaustion clung to her. She didn’t have much time to linger; there was something pressing she needed to do. Thankfully no nightmares whatsoever ever, perhaps after seeing her mother s
"Your mother was my twin sister," she began, but Lily knew immediately that she was lying. The lines between her brow furrowed, a telltale sign that Lily knew all too well. Her mother's fingers twisted together nervously, another habit that betrayed her deception.Lily's mind raced as she considered the implications. If her mother was lying about being twins, then what was the truth? A fleeting thought crossed her mind: what if her mother was actually talking about herself? Lily quickly dismissed the idea as absurd.Evenly and her mother can’t been the same person, no way that was possible.Lilly’s mind swirled with confusion, suspicion rising with every passing second. She studied the older woman carefully, her every movement and word. Why lie about something like this? The lie wasn’t even well-crafted—it felt rushed, almost desperate.“My mother was your twin sister?” Lilly repeated, her voice laced with doubt. She leaned forward, her eyes narrowing as she pressed on. “You seem to k
“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