Alexander and Jake climbed into the car, and Jake started the engine. Alexander leaned back in his seat, pulling out his phone."We should check the CCTV footage first," Alexander suggested, his voice steady but urgent.Jake nodded, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. "We need to move fast. If she’s been taken, time isn’t on our side."Within minutes, they arrived at a nearby surveillance hub. The staff at the facility recognized Alexander immediately, offering no resistance as he demanded access to the camera footage of the surrounding area. Alexander and Jake sat in front of the monitors as the technician rewound the footage. They scanned the screens intently, their eyes darting across the feed. It didn’t take long before they spotted it...a black car pulling up near Marianne moments before she vanished. "There," Alexander said, pointing at the screen. The technician froze the frame, zooming in on the license plate. "Can you trace that vehicle?" Jake asked.The technici
The car was masked by the rain, unnoticed by anyone else. The person in the car chuckled softly to themselves, their satisfaction evident. "Perfect," they muttered, staring at the taken photos before lowering their phone. "This will come in handy."The car sped off into the rain-soaked night afterwards, leaving behind an air of mystery and an impending sense of trouble. ***Inside the house, Michael gently placed Emilio on the couch, undressing him, quickly wrapping him in a warm blanket. Emilio’s body was still trembling, his eyes fluttering as he fought to stay conscious. Michael knelt beside him, his face a mixture of concern and guilt. "Why did you come here, Emilio? What were you thinking?" He muttered."I... I wanted to see you," Emilio whispered, his voice barely audible. "I called... but you didn’t pick up..." Michael closed his eyes briefly, his heart aching at the boy’s words. He placed a hand gently on Emilio’s forehead, feeling the chill that had seeped into his bo
"Cheers to internet chaos," Brian muttered, his voice low and smug.The figure chuckled briefly before smirking. "I’ll be on my way now. Just so you know, one call is all it takes for me to forward this to my trusted friend—a reporter," they said, their tone dripping with confidence. Brian nodded in agreement. With that, the figure retreated to their car and drove off."Michael, Michael, Michael," Brian said, shaking his head with mock pity. "Let’s see how you’re going to overcome this."He stepped inside, locking the door behind him, and dropped onto the couch. A moment later, he erupted into loud, maniacal laughter, filling the empty room with the sound of his triumph.*******Sophia paced back and forth in her room, her phone gripped tightly in her hand. The weight of her plan pressed heavily on her chest. For some reason, doubt had begun to creep in. Was it too obvious that she was behind this? Would Jayson figure it out so easily?But what could she do now? The damage was already
Emilio lay on the couch, his chest rising and falling steadily as he slept. Michael walked out of the bathroom after his shower, his gaze falling on the boy. Seeing him asleep, he let out a soft sigh. "He hasn’t taken his medicine yet," he muttered, reaching for his phone. Concerned, he dialed his doctor, though it was late, and he doubted the doctor could make it. "Hello," Michael said as soon as the call connected. "Hey, Michael. Are you feeling weak again?" came the doctor’s groggy voice. "There’s a kid here I need you to check on," Michael explained. "I don’t know if it’s too late for you to come over, but—" "It 'is' late, Michael. It’s almost midnight," the doctor interrupted. Michael sighed heavily. "But he’s only six years old, and I’m worried." He ran a hand through his hair, his voice tinged with frustration. "Alright," the doctor relented. "Go to him, feel his temperature, and tell me what it’s like." Michael complied, placing a hand on Emilio’s forehe
"I’ll die at this rate if we don’t… you know… 'do something'" he whispered, his voice dropping lower, his lips brushing dangerously close to hers. Marianne froze, her pulse racing at his audacity. Wasn’t it too soon for this? They hadn’t properly reconciled—at least, not in her mind. Or was she the only one unaware that they had?Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn’t pull away."Alex," she warned, her tone sharp, yet betraying the flutter of uncertainty in her chest.But Alexander closed the gap, capturing her lips in a soft, lingering kiss. For a moment, Marianne stayed perfectly still, her mind racing. Then, against her better judgment, she found herself responding, her resolve melting away like ice under the warmth of his touch. When he pulled back, his eyes searched hers, vulnerability etched into every line of his face. "Stay with me," he whispered, his voice barely audible. Marianne sighed, torn between her emotions and her instincts. She reached for the blanket, tu
The moment Alexander got the news, he called Michael. His voice was tense, filled with urgency. "Michael, where's your mother staying?" Michael sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. Emilio, seated nearby, watched him intently, his small face scrunched with worry. "I'll text you the address" Michael said, trying to keep his voice steady, though his frustration was evident. "I’ll handle things on my end. Just... stay focused. I’ll text you once I’ve sorted something out." The call ended, leaving Michael staring at his phone. Emilio’s big eyes tracked every move, and Michael gave him a faint smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Before he could speak to Emilio, Michael decided to call his coach, Mr. Smith after he had sent the address to Alexander. As the line connected, he braced himself for the inevitable anger. Everyone else had already lashed out at him... would his coach be any different? But Mr. Smith’s voice was calm. "Michael, Come over to the compa
The room grew heavy with silence after Dylan’s revelation. Then, as if a dam had broken, gasps and murmurs filled the broadcast. Comments flooded the live chat, scrolling faster than anyone could read, as viewers tried to process what they’d just heard. At Dylan's agency, Brian sat up straighter on the couch, his eyes glued to the screen. His brows furrowed for a moment before lifting in disbelief. The shock on his face quickly turned to amusement as the chat filled with disbelief and speculation about the dating news. "Boyfriend?" Brian muttered to himself, his voice tinged with confusion. He tilted his head, trying to make sense of it. The comments kept rolling in, shifting attention away from the purpose of the broadcast entirely. Instead of the scandal, the public had become fixated on Michael and Dylan’s relationship. "Are they saying Dylan is dating Michael?" Brian scoffed, a sharp laugh escaping him. "That’s absurd. Who’s going to believe that crap?" His laughter grew l
“You’re not a baby that I’ll always have to put to bed after you’re drunk,” Marianne scolded Alexander—her childhood sweetheart, but he only smiled at her.“I’m your baby, aren’t I, Anne?” Alexander said with a playful smile. Despite his drunken state, she found him irresistibly charming, and his words made her heart race. Although he often said things like this when he was drunk, she couldn’t quite get used to it. Maybe he wasn’t aware of the effect he had on her. How would he react if he knew he was the guy she had always had her eyes on?“No, you're not! Now, let's move to your room” Marianne stood up and went to help him. With his arm draped over her shoulder, she led him to his room. They had just gotten back from a party with their friends, and she had decided to take him home because he was drunk. Jake, his friend hadn't agreed to do it, so she volunteered.As they got to his room, she pushed him onto the bed, momentarily forgetting he was holding onto her, causing her to fall
The room grew heavy with silence after Dylan’s revelation. Then, as if a dam had broken, gasps and murmurs filled the broadcast. Comments flooded the live chat, scrolling faster than anyone could read, as viewers tried to process what they’d just heard. At Dylan's agency, Brian sat up straighter on the couch, his eyes glued to the screen. His brows furrowed for a moment before lifting in disbelief. The shock on his face quickly turned to amusement as the chat filled with disbelief and speculation about the dating news. "Boyfriend?" Brian muttered to himself, his voice tinged with confusion. He tilted his head, trying to make sense of it. The comments kept rolling in, shifting attention away from the purpose of the broadcast entirely. Instead of the scandal, the public had become fixated on Michael and Dylan’s relationship. "Are they saying Dylan is dating Michael?" Brian scoffed, a sharp laugh escaping him. "That’s absurd. Who’s going to believe that crap?" His laughter grew l
The moment Alexander got the news, he called Michael. His voice was tense, filled with urgency. "Michael, where's your mother staying?" Michael sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. Emilio, seated nearby, watched him intently, his small face scrunched with worry. "I'll text you the address" Michael said, trying to keep his voice steady, though his frustration was evident. "I’ll handle things on my end. Just... stay focused. I’ll text you once I’ve sorted something out." The call ended, leaving Michael staring at his phone. Emilio’s big eyes tracked every move, and Michael gave him a faint smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Before he could speak to Emilio, Michael decided to call his coach, Mr. Smith after he had sent the address to Alexander. As the line connected, he braced himself for the inevitable anger. Everyone else had already lashed out at him... would his coach be any different? But Mr. Smith’s voice was calm. "Michael, Come over to the compa
"I’ll die at this rate if we don’t… you know… 'do something'" he whispered, his voice dropping lower, his lips brushing dangerously close to hers. Marianne froze, her pulse racing at his audacity. Wasn’t it too soon for this? They hadn’t properly reconciled—at least, not in her mind. Or was she the only one unaware that they had?Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn’t pull away."Alex," she warned, her tone sharp, yet betraying the flutter of uncertainty in her chest.But Alexander closed the gap, capturing her lips in a soft, lingering kiss. For a moment, Marianne stayed perfectly still, her mind racing. Then, against her better judgment, she found herself responding, her resolve melting away like ice under the warmth of his touch. When he pulled back, his eyes searched hers, vulnerability etched into every line of his face. "Stay with me," he whispered, his voice barely audible. Marianne sighed, torn between her emotions and her instincts. She reached for the blanket, tu
Emilio lay on the couch, his chest rising and falling steadily as he slept. Michael walked out of the bathroom after his shower, his gaze falling on the boy. Seeing him asleep, he let out a soft sigh. "He hasn’t taken his medicine yet," he muttered, reaching for his phone. Concerned, he dialed his doctor, though it was late, and he doubted the doctor could make it. "Hello," Michael said as soon as the call connected. "Hey, Michael. Are you feeling weak again?" came the doctor’s groggy voice. "There’s a kid here I need you to check on," Michael explained. "I don’t know if it’s too late for you to come over, but—" "It 'is' late, Michael. It’s almost midnight," the doctor interrupted. Michael sighed heavily. "But he’s only six years old, and I’m worried." He ran a hand through his hair, his voice tinged with frustration. "Alright," the doctor relented. "Go to him, feel his temperature, and tell me what it’s like." Michael complied, placing a hand on Emilio’s forehe
"Cheers to internet chaos," Brian muttered, his voice low and smug.The figure chuckled briefly before smirking. "I’ll be on my way now. Just so you know, one call is all it takes for me to forward this to my trusted friend—a reporter," they said, their tone dripping with confidence. Brian nodded in agreement. With that, the figure retreated to their car and drove off."Michael, Michael, Michael," Brian said, shaking his head with mock pity. "Let’s see how you’re going to overcome this."He stepped inside, locking the door behind him, and dropped onto the couch. A moment later, he erupted into loud, maniacal laughter, filling the empty room with the sound of his triumph.*******Sophia paced back and forth in her room, her phone gripped tightly in her hand. The weight of her plan pressed heavily on her chest. For some reason, doubt had begun to creep in. Was it too obvious that she was behind this? Would Jayson figure it out so easily?But what could she do now? The damage was already
The car was masked by the rain, unnoticed by anyone else. The person in the car chuckled softly to themselves, their satisfaction evident. "Perfect," they muttered, staring at the taken photos before lowering their phone. "This will come in handy."The car sped off into the rain-soaked night afterwards, leaving behind an air of mystery and an impending sense of trouble. ***Inside the house, Michael gently placed Emilio on the couch, undressing him, quickly wrapping him in a warm blanket. Emilio’s body was still trembling, his eyes fluttering as he fought to stay conscious. Michael knelt beside him, his face a mixture of concern and guilt. "Why did you come here, Emilio? What were you thinking?" He muttered."I... I wanted to see you," Emilio whispered, his voice barely audible. "I called... but you didn’t pick up..." Michael closed his eyes briefly, his heart aching at the boy’s words. He placed a hand gently on Emilio’s forehead, feeling the chill that had seeped into his bo
Alexander and Jake climbed into the car, and Jake started the engine. Alexander leaned back in his seat, pulling out his phone."We should check the CCTV footage first," Alexander suggested, his voice steady but urgent.Jake nodded, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. "We need to move fast. If she’s been taken, time isn’t on our side."Within minutes, they arrived at a nearby surveillance hub. The staff at the facility recognized Alexander immediately, offering no resistance as he demanded access to the camera footage of the surrounding area. Alexander and Jake sat in front of the monitors as the technician rewound the footage. They scanned the screens intently, their eyes darting across the feed. It didn’t take long before they spotted it...a black car pulling up near Marianne moments before she vanished. "There," Alexander said, pointing at the screen. The technician froze the frame, zooming in on the license plate. "Can you trace that vehicle?" Jake asked.The technici
"What do we do next," the message read.Sophia leaned back in her seat, her fingers lightly tapping against the screen, her mind so wide. Whatever was unfolding, she was in no rush. She would wait until Jayson decided to do the right thing.*****Jayson stepped outside and his eyes began scanning the quiet street. He had hoped to find Marianne outside, but the stillness only deepened his unease. Something felt wrong. She had left not so long, he was supposed to see her here, but standing here, the emptiness around him made it harder to breathe. Where was she?Before he could take another step, he almost bumped into someone. His gaze snapped upward to meet Alexander’s eyes.The tension between them was immediate, and Jayson’s brows furrowed. "What are you doing here?" Jayson asked, his voice colder than intended. Alexander raised a brow, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "You think I’d come because it’s your birthday? Why? You think you're special or something?"His tone was mocking
"if you think i’m lying, dare him to deny it," she challenged, her gaze locking on jayson. her smile widened as she saw his fists clench tightly. Marianne, seated nearby, glanced at him with a quiet concern. Her gentle gaze seemed to soften his anger for a fleeting moment. Catching her eyes on him, Jayson let out a faint, forced smile. "I’ll be back," he said quietly, his voice calm despite the storm raging inside him. Marianne nodded, and he gently placed Emilio beside her before turning toward Sophia. Sophia’s face was a mask of composure, but her fiery gaze betrayed her intentions. As Jayson approached, he hesitated for a moment before reaching out to pull her aside. But before he could, Sophia shifted her eyes to meet his, her grip tightening on her phone. "You wouldn’t like what I’m about to do, Jayson," she said, her voice low and biting, audible only to him. "Are you just going to let me tell everyone or admit that I’m your girlfriend?" Her words hung in the air like a