The man stepped onto the terrace.His eyes were a deep shade of blue, and he had a scar just above his left eyebrow. His hair was a tousled mess from the gentle breeze.I found myself staring, trying to piece together where I had seen him before.Was it on the streets? At a mutual friend's gathering? Maybe he had been a guest at the hotel during my days as a humble waitress. The more I tried to remember, the more elusive the memory became."Have we met before?" he asked, looking at me with the same confusion. “There's something about you that feels familiar."For a brief moment, neither of us spoke while we observed one another, and then memories started flooding back. Suddenly, it hit me like a ton of bricks: we had indeed met before!We spoke at the same time.“Grey Cameron?”“Elizabeth Stone?”Grey took a seat in the chair I offered. His eyes were the same piercing blue I remembered, regarding me with curiosity. “You disappeared suddenly without a trace. How have you been?”"I'm go
The elevator doors slid open with a soft ding, revealing the grand penthouse perched atop Queen's Courtyard. No one had access to that room except for me, Samantha, and Sapphire. Cleo's small hand gripped mine and Crimson’s tightly as she skipped alongside us, her favorite teddy bear backpack bouncing behind her. The stunning views of the city skyline were visible through the expansive windows. The sunlight looked ethereal, like a painting displayed in a grand museum. Cleo let go of our hands and ran toward the large, plush couch in the center of the room, giggling as she plopped down onto the soft cushions. “Just a minute. I'll give the child something to do so she won't disturb us.” Crimson strode towards Cleo, opened her backpack, and produced a jigsaw puzzle. The child sat down on the plush carpet, and Crimson placed the puzzle pieces within her reach. I shifted my gaze to the window, watching the view and wondering why I felt something was missing in my life, even thou
Crimson's surprise was palpable in his voice as we spoke over the phone. He asked me why I had called, and I quickly provided him with a brief explanation of what had occurred. After listening attentively, he understood the situation and instructed me to wait.I crossed my arms underneath my chest and stared at the men present. Someone will be losing their jobs today, I thought to myself, annoyed that I had to be there to be watched by them like a specimen in a science experiment.“Why are you smirking? Do you believe you'll get out of this situation easily?”My gaze bore into the man, filled with enough intensity to pierce him with imaginary bullet holes. Just because I was dressed in a plain t-shirt and faded jeans, they felt justified in judging me.“Just watch,” I replied.Crimson arrived a few minutes later. He must have been nearby when I called him because he arrived so fast. With an air of confidence and elegance, he strode into the room, and it suddenly fell eerily quiet.The
It was the longest time of my life.The car whooshed, feeling one with the wind. My eyes remained closed, fearing that when I opened them, I'd see a long river surrounded by exquisite flowers.When I opened my eyes the sound of a gunshot piercing through the air, causing my heart to jump in my chest. My hands tightened even more on the seatbelt, as if it could provide the strength I needed.I was amazed I hadn't fainted yet, considering how scared I was.Bang! The car window at the back shattered, tiny fragments of glass glinting on the dark floor.I pressed my fingers to my lips to stifle a scream. I’m not yet married, nor have I seen the man I want to marry and have children with, so I'm not ready to die yet.Crimson pressed harder on the accelerator, desperate to put as much distance between his car and the one following behind us.He cursed under his breath as another gunshot rang out.“Cling to whatever you can hold on to!”He suddenly made a split-second decision, veering off o
I couldn't help but show a faint smile as I nodded."Yes, Chief Dallas, it's me," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady despite the rush of emotions. He was one of the few people who remained kind and welcoming to me despite my ruined image years ago, and I will never forget how he helped me in the past.He studied me for a moment, his eyes flicking over my face as if trying to piece together how I had changed over the years. "You've changed; I almost couldn't recognize you! I thought a Hollywood actress just walked into the room. Look how beautiful you are.”I blushed at the compliment. "Well, it has been a while, sir. I'm happy to see you well and healthy.”The older man nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. His gaze softened. "I never thought I'd see you back here, Elizabeth."“It was unplanned…. Something happened on our way back home… we have to report an incident.”“We?” he asked. For the first time, his eyes finally settled on Crimson, who had stayed qu
The next morning, Chief Dallas informed me that he had obtained the plate number of the car involved in the ambush. However, after running through the search data, it was discovered that the car had been stolen, making it impossible to trace it back to the real culprits.I assumed the Chief must have told Crimson the same thing since he had asked for our contacts before we left the police station yesterday.I couldn't help but feel frustrated by the news. However, there wasn't much that could be done except to wait.As I strolled through the penthouse, my mind was occupied with Sam's birthday preparations.Sam's birthday, as she had requested, was a small gathering of close friends and family. She wanted to keep things low-key, without any extravagant decorations or elaborate party planning.I first suggested that the venue could be in the banquet hall, but as expected, the birthday celebrant gently declined because the place was too grand and big for the occasion.When Sapphire sugge
“Brother, you should have let us know you were coming! I had no idea,” I exclaimed, rising from my seat to greet him.Louis, whom I hadn't seen in a month, flashed me a smile. “It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you,” he replied, giving me a hug.I glanced over at Sapphire, who had also risen from her seat to greet our brother. She looked just as surprised as I was, indicating that she had no idea he was coming.“Have you eaten? There's a lot of food tonight. It's Samantha's birthday.”“I've eaten on the plane, Liz, so I'll pass, but I would appreciate a drink.”I gestured for the server to come over and requested a bottle of wine. He nodded and momentarily excused himself to fetch my request. Upon returning, he brought four glasses and a sealed bottle of wine.We all settled back into our seats.Out of the corner of my eye, I felt like I was being watched. I glanced around the room, trying to figure out who it was, until my gaze landed on Crimson. He was taking a sip of whiskey, res
Crimson pulled his pants back on, much to the disappointment of the audience, who had been enjoying his beautiful body. He gathered his shirt and also put it on.The game continued. Crimson spun the bottle.“Please, not me,” I mumbled under my breath.Finally, it stopped, pointing at a girl, making me heave a relieved sigh.“Truth or dare?” the master of the game asked.The woman in pink, wearing a halter top, laughed nervously before standing up. “Dare.”The master of the game grinned mischievously before saying, "I dare you to approach the man you have a crush on and confess your feelings."The woman's eyes widened, but she took a deep breath. With soft, hesitant steps, she slowly made her way to the young man seated next to Crimson.“I—I l-ike you,” she muttered, her cheeks a deep tomato red.The man beside Crimson broke into a smile. “I like you too, Dolly, ever since we were kids,” he confessed .The whole room erupted into cheers, watching the couple hug each other.I couldn't h
Crimson was waiting at the lobby by the time we returned to Queen's Courtyard."Did you two enjoy your time together?" He asked.“We had a great time,” I replied. “But we had to cut it short because Cleo's leg was hurting from all the running around at the zoo.”His face broke into a wide smile as he scooped our daughter into his arms, planting a kiss on her cheek. “Did you miss Daddy?”Cleo nodded, snuggling into his shoulder. "Cleo is sad because Daddy can't come to the zoo with us. But Mommy promised we will have a fun outing together soon, so I'm feeling better.”"That sounds wonderful! We'll all go out together in the future— you, Mommy, and Daddy. Will that make you happy?”Our daughter beamed with excitement and nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes! Cleo will be very happy!”Seeing them together made me grateful that despite our complicated relationship, both Crimson and I still cared deeply for our child."Why are you here?" I inquired. Curious. As far as I knew, he was busy. I wondered
I could hear the gentle sounds of Cleo's breathing as I tucked her into bed, her small body curled up under the soft, cozy blankets. She had been so tired that she fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.I watched her peaceful face. Her long eyelashes fluttered slightly in her dreams, and her little chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm.The events from a while ago played back in my mind.Cleo seemed to genuinely like my brother. On the other hand, my brother was equally mystified by the little girl.I leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, whispering a quiet "I love you" into her ear.The love I felt for her was overwhelming, a fierce, protective force that filled my heart to bursting. I wanted nothing more than for her to be safe, happy, and loved, for her to always know how special she was to me. My only regret was that I could not grant her deepest wish—for her father and me to be together again.I stood up from her bedside and let out a heavy sigh.
"I have something to show you, Mommy," she exclaimed.“What is it, Cleo?” I asked, my interest piqued by her enthusiasm.“Just a moment, Mom,” she replied.Sitting on the edge of the bed, I watched as Cleo knelt down on the floor, opening her small suitcase filled with clothes, and began rummaging around inside, a frown creasing her forehead."I told Daddy to put it here, but why can't I find it?" she grumbled under her breath."Do you want me to help you, sweetie?" I offered."Thank you, Mommy, but no. You shouldn't see it. I want it to be a surprise for you," she replied, dismissing my offer with a wave of her hand.The way she gestured with her fingers only added to her adorable charm. I couldn't help but smile to myself."I found it at last!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down, holding the photo album close to her chest. "This is Daddy's treasure, and he entrusted me with taking good care of it.”“A treasure? That must have cost a fortune,” I teased her."Its value is priceless, a
The delightful time I spent with my best friend had sadly come to an end.“See you when I see you,” Samantha said, waving a hand with a wide smile on her lips."Of course," I replied, waving back at her.Sam made her way back to the Front Office desk, where she was diligently training a new receptionist. I, on the other hand, stepped into the elevator that would whisk me away to my office on the top floor of the hotel.Lunch was lovely, but now it was back to the office to grind through my never-ending workload. The thought of the mountain of work that awaited me made me sigh.Who knows how many hours it would take to sift through the emails, reports, and tasks that had piled up during my absence? I had to finish it all today.I returned to my desk, surrounded by stacks of papers and files. I believe I can finish them before 7:00 pm..The hours slipped by in a haze.I glanced at the clock, realizing that Cleo would be arriving soon. The door to my office swung open, and Sapphire str
“You're getting married?” I blurted out loudly, causing her cheeks to flush deeper.Samantha averted her gaze as though she was embarrassed. I stopped walking, gently grabbing her by the arm until we were facing each other.“Yes,” she replied in a barely audible whisper.Tears stung my eyes as I looked at the dazzling twinkle in her eyes, a sign that she was deeply in love. I'd never seen her look this radiant before, and in that moment, I knew she had found the one meant for her.“What's wrong?” she asked with a frown. “Why are you suddenly crying?”“Silly… I'm crying because I'm so happy for you. You've been working hard for your family as the sole breadwinner, giving everything you have to make them happy. It's now your time to be happy and build a family of your own.”My best friend wiped a teardrop from her cheek. “I never thought I would find someone I’d want to spend the rest of my life with. He just came along when I least expected it.”“I thought you’d end up becoming a spins
“Shall I take you back to the Ashford Residence, or would you prefer to be dropped off at the hotel?” Crimson inquired once we were inside the car."Just take me to Queen's Courtyard," I responded, my mind preoccupied with the piled paperwork awaiting me on my office desk. Crimson sighed, drawing my thoughts back to him. What does that sigh mean? And why did he look so sad? I shook my head and told myself that it was just my imagination."What time are you planning on dropping off Cleo at my place?" I asked, changing the subject."What time works best for you?" I thought for a moment, considering the time I needed to finish up my work. "Maybe around 6 or 7 pm? Is that okay with you?""That works for me. She'll have dinner with me before I take her to the hotel.”"Thank you," I said with a grateful smile. "But are you absolutely certain it's okay for me to stay with Cleo for a few days? I mean, isn’t it asking too much?""Don't worry about it," he replied in assurance. "I'm more than
I fished my phone out of my bag and nervously chewed my bottom lip. My fingers pressed the keys. Since I forgot to call my brother yesterday, I should prepare myself to hear an earful of lecture.Louis, being the protective older brother, constantly worries about me, and I can't help but feel guilty for causing him stress.As soon as he picked up, there was annoyance in his voice. "Why haven't you called me earlier? I’ve been waiting for you since last night," he grumbled.“I’m really sorry I forgot to call you. There's a lot on my mind.”He sighed in frustration but eventually softened. “ I understand that you're going through a lot right now, so I don't want to add weight to your burdens by lecturing you for hours.”Thank you, Lord, for giving me such a kind and understanding brother, I thought to myself with an inward sigh.“How’s my niece doing?” my brother asked. I've already told him about Cleo, so he must have informed the family.“Cleo is doing well. She's an adorable child.”
I hugged Cleo tightly, but loose enough for her to breathe. I couldn't believe that this adorable girl was my daughter.“Daddy tried to explain everything to me, but I still wonder, why did you leave me? Don't you want me?”The question stopped me in my tracks. Seeing the sadness in her eyes made me bite my lip. I couldn't blame her if she thought I abandoned her. I was never present in her life during the past four years. I didn't witness when she first opened her eyes, took her first steps, or said her first words. I missed out on so much, and it breaks my heart.But I couldn't tell Cleo the whole truth just yet. She was too young to understand the intricacies of my past and the reasons why I had to leave her behind. So, I simply said, “I had to go away for a while because there were some things I needed to take care of. But now, I'm back, and I promise I'll never leave you again.”Cleo studied me for a moment before throwing her arms around me in a tight hug. “Don't ever leave me a
The police station was a hive of activity when we arrived, and officers were moving around in a hurry. Crimson and I were directed to the office by a stern-looking officer, who instructed us to wait for Chief Dallas.I sat with my hands clenched in my lap. I was scared, but I was trying my best to maintain a calm demeanor.After what felt like an eternity, the door opened, and Chief Dallas finally came in. He offered us a smile, but upon noticing the look on our faces, he occupied his seat and said, "Elizabeth… Crimson. I'm surprised to find you both here. What can I do for you?”“Celestine took Cleo without permission. She kidnapped my daughter,” Crimson explained.Chief Dallas nodded, understanding the seriousness of the situation. “We will do everything we can to locate Cleo and ensure her safety. Do you have any idea where Celestine might have taken her?”“No,” replied Crimson. "We've checked her condominium and called her number, but she's not answering.”“Tell me what she's wear