Jake was sitting in the living room, focused on his laptop, when the sound of footsteps caught his attention. Instinctively, he reached for a pen on the desk in front of him, gripping it tightly in case he needed to defend himself. He knew it couldn’t be his father or grandmother—they would’ve been chatting away if it were them. Besides, they had just left for China a few days ago to attend a business meeting about declining sales in the company there. It seemed impossible for them to return so soon.Rising from his seat, Jake carefully approached the door. Just as his hand moved toward the doorknob, the door suddenly burst open, and a handbag smacked him squarely in the face, nearly knocking him off his feet.“Grandma? Dad?” he asked, stunned. “What are you two doing back so early?” His father, Mr. Ashford, said nothing, brushing past him and heading upstairs without a word. His grandmother also tried to make her way to her room, but Jake quickly stepped in front of her, blocking he
Jayson tried to ignore Alexander’s annoying chuckle, knowing it was pointless to figure out what was going through his mind. "I thought I’d need a DNA test, but now I don’t," Alexander said, stepping closer to Jayson with a mug of coffee in hand. "The feeling’s mutual, buddy. You don’t have to like me. As long as Marianne does, your opinion doesn’t really matter." He smiled, took a sip of his coffee, and set the mug back on the table. As he turned to leave, he gave Jayson a light pat on the shoulder, walking away without a second glance.Jayson stood there, fists clenched tightly, seething inside. "Let’s see who comes out on top," he muttered under his breath, heading back to his car. He didn’t want to think about Alexander anymore, not now. His plans were still in place, and that’s all that mattered.The drive back to Emilio’s school took only a few minutes. When he arrived, he headed toward the director’s office but paused when he heard a familiar voice call out to him. He turned
Michael blinked rapidly, still staring at Dylan, who now had a smirk on his face. Michael was at a loss for words, unsure of what to say next. Dylan had rendered him completely speechless."Wait..." Dylan said suddenly, a playful smile spreading across his face as a thought crossed his mind. "What are you thinking about?" he asked, watching Michael clear his throat and avert his gaze, cheeks flushed with embarrassment."Let’s just go to the restaurant," Michael muttered, trying to distract himself by looking out the window. But Dylan gently turned his face back, stealing a quick kiss. Michael's eyes flew open in shock as he scanned the surroundings, making sure no one had seen them."What was that for?" Michael scolded, his voice low with embarrassment."You're too much, you know that?" Dylan teased, still grinning. "Were you seriously thinking about sleeping with me already?"Michael slapped Dylan’s hands away, his face scrunched in a frown. "I wasn’t! Stop messing with me." "Relax,
Disregarding the message, Alexander set his phone down and focused on driving to the destination he had in mind for Emilio. His only goal was to tell Emilio a little bit about who he was to his mother, nothing more."Are you okay?" Emilio asked as soon as Alexander started the car."Yeah, I'm fine. I was just expecting an important message, but it turned out to be spam," Alexander replied. Emilio gave a quick nod, seeming to understand, and they began the drive."How would you feel about spending the night with me at Jake's place?" Alexander asked, briefly glancing over at Emilio, whose face lit up with excitement."Really? That would be awesome! Grandma Emma is so sweet. I wish I had a grandma like her," Emilio said with a bright smile."Yeah? You really like her?" Alexander asked, and Emilio nodded quickly, his smile still wide. But it soon faded as he slumped back into the seat."I don't even know if I have a grandma. Mom never talks about it," Emilio muttered, fiddling with the he
Marianne took a deep breath and forced a smile, trying to ease the tension in the air. She inhaled softly, preparing to address Michael’s mother, but before she could say anything, Michael yanked his mother away from her. His mother, however, shoved him aside and tried to lunge at Marianne. Michael grabbed her by both shoulders, restraining her from moving closer.“Can you just stop this madness? Stop embarrassing me! Isn’t what’s happening at home bad enough? Do you really enjoy seeing me suffer like this? What the hell do you want from me?” Michael shouted, his eyes filling with tears.“Oh, so you raised your voice at me over a girl?” his mother laughed mockingly. Michael squeezed his eyes shut, a tear slipping down his cheek before he opened them again.“Mom, have you ever really seen me as your son?” he questioned, his voice shaking. “Have you ever thought of me as your son? You never have. And now... I no longer see you as my mother. Just stay away from me.” With that, he turned
Alexandra pulled up to Jayson's mansion, just in time to see him preparing to get into his car for work. A smirk crept onto Alexander's face as he exited his vehicle and walked toward Jayson, who paused mid-step, noticing his approach. Jayson stood up straighter, his expression cold and unreadable, as Alexander drew closer with a measured stride.Taking a brief glance around, Alexander observed the mansion before turning his attention to Jayson, whose face showed clear displeasure. With a smirk, Alexander leaned casually against Jayson's car, folding his arms across his chest."Why are you here?" Jayson asked, his voice clipped."To talk about Anne," Alexander replied nonchalantly. Jayson opened his mouth to respond, but Alexander didn't let him speak."Let me get something straight first. No matter what you do—even if you tear your heart out and beg her to take it—you'll never win her back. Marianne is different; she’s my woman, and do you know why?" Alexander asked, eyeing Jayson an
"Who are you?" Javier shouted, struggling to free himself from the police but couldn't."Who am I?" Alexander responded calmly. "I'm Alexander, the kind of man who can't stand it when what's mine is tampered with. And if there's one thing you should know about me; I hold grudges, and I hold them well." A slight smile played on his lips as he made his way toward Michael. Once there, he sat down beside him."Michael, I swear, I’ll make you pay for this, even if it drains the last ounce of blood from my body. I’m going to expose you for what you truly are," Javier spat, his voice thick with venom. Alexander clicked his tongue sharply, cutting him off."Who said you're leaving prison any time soon? Even if Michael decides to have you released and I allow it, I’ll have you thrown back in the moment you pull any stupid stunt " Alexander shrugged nonchalantly.Michael kept his eyes down, refusing to look at his mother or brother as the officers led them out of the ward."Thank you, sir," he
As Marianne and Jayson stepped into Michael's hospital room, she scanned the space, searching for any trace of his family. When she didn’t spot them, her brow knitted in confusion. Where could they be? The room felt unnervingly quiet without their usual commotion. Just then, Michael opened his eyes, having been asleep since Alexander and Jake had left."Marianne," he said softly when he saw her. She smiled warmly and moved to sit beside him, her hand instinctively reaching out to check for any sign of a fever, but there was none."I’m fine," Michael assured her with a faint smile, taking her hand gently in his. "I’m sorry about earlier. My family can be a lot to handle...""Did you eat anything? I brought you some snacks," Marianne interrupted, not wanting him to continue. She had experienced his family’s behavior firsthand and didn’t need any further explanation. Her gaze wandered around the quiet room again before she turned back to him."Where’s your mom and your brother? I haven’t
The next day, Marianne and the others were at the hospital, except for Dylan and Michael, who had prior commitments but promised to visit later that evening. Grandma Emma arrived at the hospital, her warm presence immediately filling the room. She gently picked up Emilio and held him in her arms before turning to Jake. “Once again, I’m so proud of you,” she said, reaching out to ruffle Jake’s hair affectionately. Jake swatted her hand away with a playful grin. “I’m not a baby, Grandma!” he whined, eliciting laughter from everyone in the room. Marianne smiled faintly at the heartwarming scene, but her thoughts were elsewhere. Her mind lingered on Alexander, still lying unconscious in his hospital bed. Suddenly, Romeo burst into the room, a bag of ice cream in hand and urgency written all over his face. “Something’s going on,” he announced, hurrying to grab the remote. The TV flickered on, and the image of a news anchor appeared. “This just in,” the reporter began. “A ship
An ambulance was called immediately. Marianne, Jake and Emilio were carefully placed inside as the sirens wailed into the night, and the vehicle sped toward the hospital. Meanwhile, Vincent and the other officers stayed behind to survey the area, but there was no sign of Jayson. He had escaped. "What now? If he gets out of here, gets another surgery… we’ll have a much bigger problem on our hands," one officer muttered, glancing nervously at Vincent, who ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Meaning Sophia and Elena would have died for nothing? No," Vincent growled, his eyes hardening. "We finish this. He doesn’t walk away." Determined, Vincent moved away from the group, scanning the area for any sign of the fugitive. Still, Jayson was nowhere to be found. "We should issue an announcement," another officer suggested. Without hesitation, the team dispersed to their vehicles to alert the public and organize a citywide manhunt. The head of the police approached Vinc
Vincent tore the small plastic seal open, revealing the flash drive hidden inside. He stared at it for a moment, his mind racing with curiosity. "Where can I plug this in?" he asked, his tone calm but urgent. The officer pointed him toward a desk with a computer. Vincent inserted the drive, his fingers steady, but his heart pounded as the files loaded onto the screen. Rows of folders appeared...documents, images, and most notably, a series of videos. One caught his attention immediately..."Confession by Sophia Latino."He clicked play. The screen flickered to life, showing a young woman with sharp eyes and a determined expression. Her voice was firm, but there was a trace of fear behind her words. "I, Sophia Latino, documented all of this because I don’t trust Desmond Howard..." Vincent froze as the name struck a chord deep within him. His brow furrowed as he whispered it aloud. "Desmond Howard? Why does the name sounds familiar?"The officer beside him, Sergeant Miller, narr
"Elena," Jayson whispered, his voice sharp with bitterness. His eyes darkened as he stared at the screen, the tension in his jaw tightening with every second. Rage blurred his vision, making it hard to focus on the task at hand. He wanted to smash the screen, but a sudden knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. With a sigh, he set the food aside and walked to the door. When he opened the door, one of his men stood waiting. "Boss," the man greeted him, bowing slightly. Jayson nodded in acknowledgment. His expression remained cold "I have a job for you," he said, pulling out his phone, tapped a few times, and handed it over. "This is her number. Track her down." His gaze hardened, his voice dropping to a chilling calm. "Silence her." The man gave a nod, his eyes glinting with understanding, before turning to leave. Jayson closed the door quietly behind him. His mind raced, but there was no time for hesitation. Instead of returning to Marianne, he moved swiftly to his bed
Across from her, Jayson found a seat and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his eyes a dark, endless abyss. "You deserve the truth," he began, his tone eerily soft, like a lover sharing a secret. "You always did."Marianne felt her heart thudding painfully in her chest. "What are you talking about?"He smiled, but it wasn’t warm. It was hollow, devoid of humanity. "Who I really am," he said slowly. "You’ve known pieces of me...the parts I’ve let you see. But that’s not the whole story. It never was."She sniffed but he sighed, a sound filled with false regret. "I grew up in a house where pain was currency, where love was a weapon. My parents… they weren’t just abusive. They were the kind of monsters that lived behind closed doors with smiling faces for the world. They crushed me until there was nothing left. But one night, I heard someone say, ‘If you can’t escape your suffering, end it.’ I took those words to heart. I went home, and I ended it." He met her gaze, unbli
The sirens of the police car blared in the distance, growing faint as Vincent watched it disappear down the street. He exhaled slowly, his eyes filled with determination. The officers had taken over the scene just as planned. Now, there was only one place left to be. The hospital "Let’s go," he muttered to the others before slipping into his car as they drove off.The minute he arrived, he rushed through the sterile corridors, searching. His eyes found Charlotte standing near the waiting area. She looked small and fragile, her arms wrapped around herself as if trying to hold herself together. "Where’s Jake? And what about Alexander? Is he not out yet?" Vincent asked as he strode toward her. Without answering, Charlotte threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly like a scared child. Her grip was so firm it surprised him. Vincent sighed heavily, patting her back with gentle impatience. "You’re an expectant mother. Cut the child act and start acting like a woman.?" Vincent c
“I’m sorry, Marianne,” Jayson muttered under his breath as he drove away.In a matter of minutes, Jayson reached his apartment, the tires of his car screeching to a halt. He stepped out swiftly, lifting Emilio from his mother's side. The child stirred lightly, leaning against Jayson’s chest as he carried him inside and settled him in a room.Without a moment's pause, he returned for Marianne’s unconscious form, and also carried her. Just as he turned toward the house, Elena appeared, her eyes narrowing as she took in the scene before her. "Well, I’m not here for this," she said, drawing his attention. "Why the hell did you get Alexander involved in an accident?" Jayson said nothing. He kept his expression blank as he carried Marianne past her as if he wasn't the one being questioned.Elena chuckled softly, trailing after him. "Are you ignoring me now?" she asked. "Did you forget I have evidence that could destroy you? Ruin everything you’ve built? And maybe... Lead to your death?"
Elena stepped into the house, her eyes immediately landing on Hailey sitting at the dining table, chattering away with her nanny. The little girl was so absorbed in their conversation that she didn’t even notice her mother’s arrival. The nanny, amused, chuckled softly at whatever Hailey was saying. "Ma’am... you’re back," the nanny murmured, rising to her feet. Hailey turned her head just in time to see her mother fully enter the house. Her eyes lit up. "Mom!" she beamed, abandoning her food as she jumped off her chair and ran toward Elena. Elena knelt down, gently ruffling her daughter’s hair. "How have you been, my love?" she asked, cupping Hailey’s small face before kissing her forehead. "I’m fine, Mom. But I missed you so much last night," Hailey muttered, her lips forming a small pout. "Where did you go? You’ve never slept outside unless you were traveling." Elena smiled, brushing a stray curl away from Hailey’s face. "I had to look for a job yesterday. Since we moved
Charlotte left Jake’s place that morning, her mind already set on collecting her belongings. Not that she’d be moving in with Jake...no, Grandma Emma had graciously offered her one of her mansions to stay in until the case with her mother was resolved. Charlotte had been overwhelmed with gratitude, thanking Emma profusely for her kindness. Jake had offered to accompany her, but she declined. "You’re expecting Alexander, remember? It wouldn’t be nice if he came by and found the house empty," she reminded him. Still, Jake had made her promise to be careful. She assured him she would. Now, as she sat in the cab, her head rested against the window, lost in thought. The city blurred past, but her mind was miles away. She knew her family loved her dearly...there was no question of that...but her mother… Her mother would be a whole different story. To her, Charlotte was still a baby, and the idea of her own baby carrying another child would be a shock. "I hope Mom doesn’t scold me,"