SHAWNAI couldn't stay at the prison for long. Eugene wasn't even willing to talk to me again. I left with the promise of visiting her more often, that didn't sit well with her, of course.Just as I got out of the station, my phone started ringing. When I saw that it was Damien, a smile came up on my face. My entire face was warm.“Is someone missing me?” I teased as I answered the call."I think so, and we can meet right now if you'll meet me at our favorite spot,” he said."Really? Are you there right now?” I asked him, pausing by my car.“Yes, I'm waiting for you, come over." He said.He doesn't even have to say that twice. I was already thinking of what to do for the rest of the day since I've closed for the day, I'm done with all I have to do already.“I'll be with you shortly, stay right there," I told him.“I'll always wait for you." He said, his face very calm and soft.“Okay then, I guess I'll see you soon," I said then ended the call.I got into my car and drove towards the
SHAWNADamien looked back at the voice, he stood up immediately he saw the person who called his name. I didn't see his face very well, but it looked like was smiling.“Stacey, it's been years!" He exclaimed. They both hugged and laughed like they'd been away for years and they were just reconciling, which they were.“It has been years indeed. I didn't know I'd see you here though, I just knew that voice and the back view looked familiar." She giggled.I badly wanted to butt in there, she didn't look like someone who didn't know he was here when she was coming here, she walked straight to him without an iota of doubt in her.“Really? What are you doing here though? Both in the country and this place, you traveled out years ago." He asked her.I just sat down on the blanket while they talked away. It felt like I wasn't even there at all.“I did travel out to relocate. But I'm back here finally now, I made some mistakes years ago that I'm back to correct and start life all over again."
SHAWNAIs she mentally deranged or what? Because I can't just seem to understand why she'd say something like that. Damien is not a kid or toy that should be claimed that way.The fact that she walked away before I could give her a response was even more annoying, I was too stunned to say anything to her.Since we were almost at my car before she said that, I just got in. I drove off with my head filled with different thoughts. I didn't want to think too much about what just happened, I didn't want to be sad so soon already.I just started getting happy, there's no way I'll let anyone soil my happiness with her delusions. Damien doesn't have anything to do with her again, right? She just came out of her hiding ten years ago.I drove home, playing my favorite song on the car's speaker. I'm trying so hard to not let anything make me sad at all. She's not just enough to bring up that emotion in me.On getting home, I saw only my mom up. The kids and their grandfather were fast asleep, th
SHAWNAThe excited look on my face dimmed when I saw that it was a necklace, what was I even expecting? Why was I that happy? My heart dipped a lot when I saw what happened to be in the box.“I just thought I'd give you an apology gift, I owe you one." He said as he stretched out the gift towards me. I just kept staring at the shining object dangling in his hand.“I don't think I understand you, why are you giving me a necklace?" I asked even though he just clearly stated the reason he got it for me.“It's an apology gift. I'm sorry that I had the picnic ruined that way, and that's why I'm offering this as an apology.” He rephrased the sentence he said before.I stared at the necklace, he was still stretching it out to me. I honestly just don't know if the reason I'm mad is because I mistook the content of that box being something else.I eventually took the necklace from him but I was still mad, I didn't want to be so rude that I didn't take the gift from him. But what I had in mind
EUGENEI scratched my hair, the scalp was itching me so hard that I just wanted to pull it out or something. I can't remember the last time I had it washed.And the fact that the kind of heat that's around this side is just too much, there's almost no form of ventilation in the room. I was placed in the worst room around this side.“Hey, liar. Come over here.” One of those ladies that I fought with that day catcalled me. I just ignored them like I've been doing.I just want to be on my own but these ladies don't seem to understand that. Lillian was about to walk closer to me, definitely about to start trouble with me.Before she could get to me, a warder interrupted us."Eugene Brown, someone is here to see you,” he said, turning around almost immediately.I walked after him, knowing that those ladies would come after me if I didn't go now. I wonder who's waiting outside for me, I have an inkling that it's my mother though.She has been the one visiting me since I've been here. My fat
EUGENEI stopped and stared at the policewoman to make sure I heard her correctly. There's just no way I heard her right, did she just ask me if I want to get out of here?That felt like set up or something, “Sorry, I don't think I heard you correctly." I told her, a frown etched into my face. To think of it, I don't think I've ever told her about running away one-on-one.But on a normal note, everyone held up here would want to get out through any means. No one would want to stay here forever, especially me.I've never liked life as rough as this before, I grew up with luxury, and a life like this isn't just fitting at all. And the thought of being constricted to a place doesn't just sit well with me.“I can get you out of here if you want." She repeated.What does she even mean by that? She's like the toughest policewoman here, it's just very shocking to hear such questions from her.It's a setup, I just know there's no way she's being real right now. It's just better if I wave her
SHAWNA“We've come to the end of the shareholder's meeting, I look forward to actively working with you all. Have a nice day and week." I rounded up the meeting.As I made the final remarks, they all started mumbling within themselves, just greeting each other and smiling warmly at each other.I have a feeling that working with these people will be so easy. Well, that's excluding Stacey. She left minutes into the meeting with the excuse of having something important to do.She did that dramatically too, she made sure everyone knew she was leaving so I wouldn't be able to say anything. I didn't even respond to her till she left.Seeing as people were leaving already, I turned to Cara, my assistant.“Since when did Stacey become a shareholder here, and how am I just starting to know about this?" I asked her, I thought I had the name of everyone who just bought shares from the company directly.I'd have known if I saw her name, I know her very well and the name would have surely rang her
SHAWNA“What? How can a woman overpower you to this extent? How crazy could she have been?” I couldn't help but ask. Hearing that a female injured him that way is just kind of unbelievable.“She's that crazy.” He mumbled, looking at anywhere else but me."Why didn't you report to the authorities? I'm sure there's something you could have done or someone you could have told before signing off your shares.”There are just a lot of ways he could have gone about this without having to sell off the shares like that. And this man before me looks like he's hiding something.It felt like there's more to this than what he's letting off."She has something she's using against me, she used that to get me to sign the papers too. I didn't have any other choice but to do her bidding after she said she knew about it." He said, sighing as though he just let off something heavy from his chest.“And what's that? Why didn't you say that from the beginning?" I asked him."I don't think you want to know t
KYLEI adjusted the cuffs of my suit, barely listening as my father droned on about business strategies. Ever since Damien left, he had been more determined than ever to mold me into his perfect successor. I had humored him for a while, but deep down, I knew I didn’t want to stay in New York.Sitting across from him in his grand office, I nodded at the right moments, pretending to be engaged. The large windows behind him gave a stunning view of the city skyline, but even that didn’t hold my interest anymore. New York had always felt like a temporary stop for me, never truly home.“Kyle, are you even listening?” My father’s sharp voice cut through my thoughts.I blinked, meeting his expectant gaze. “Of course,” I lied smoothly.He sighed, rubbing his temples. “This is important, Kyle. With Damien gone, the responsibility falls on you. The company needs leadership. I need you to step up.”I leaned back in my chair, resisting the urge to sigh as well. “I understand that, but let’s be hon
SHAWNAThe flight felt endless. Even with the luxury surrounding me—the plush leather seats, the soft hum of the engines, and the attentive flight attendants—I couldn’t shake the feeling of irritation. I kept shifting in my seat, trying to find a comfortable position, but nothing seemed to help. The cabin was too quiet, too empty. Every time I reached for my phone, I was reminded that I had no service, no messages from Damien checking in on me.I sighed and stared out the window, watching as the sky slowly shifted from a deep blue to a golden hue. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm glow over the clouds. It should have been beautiful, but all I could think about was how much I hated flying alone.After what felt like forever, the pilot’s voice crackled through the speakers, announcing our descent. I straightened up, stretching my arms before fastening my seatbelt. Finally. At least this lonely trip was almost over.The plane glided smoothly onto the runway, the tires touching
SHAWNAI watched as Damien loaded the last of the suitcases into the car, his movements quick and efficient. There was something about the way he handled everything that made me smile. He had a way of taking charge, but at the same time, he always made sure I was comfortable with every decision."You know," I said, folding my arms and leaning against the car. "I never thought I'd be this excited to leave. But I am."Damien turned to me, a smirk playing on his lips. "Oh? And here I thought you’d be all sentimental and teary-eyed about leaving everything behind."I shook my head. "Not a chance. I’m ready for a fresh start. No baggage, no bad memories, no regrets. Just you, me, and a new beginning."His smirk widened, and he pulled me close. "That’s what I love about you, Shawna. No hesitation. No second-guessing. Just full speed ahead."I looked up at him and grinned. "Speaking of full speed ahead, you do realize you haven’t mentioned any honeymoon plans, right?"Damien blinked, then ru
SHAWNAThe day had been long and full of emotions. Damien had disappeared early in the morning with the kids, leaving me to spend time with my mother. I appreciated the quiet moments with her, but I couldn't shake the curiosity about where he had gone. He hadn’t said much before leaving, just kissed my forehead and told me he had plans.Later in the day, I was surprised when Damien’s mother showed up at the house. I had expected tension, maybe another disagreement, but instead, she looked almost... apologetic.“I owe you an apology,” she said, sitting across from me in the living room.I blinked, surprised. “For what?”“For how I spoke to you yesterday. I wasn’t being fair. I was so caught up in my own vision of the wedding that I didn’t stop to consider what you and Damien truly wanted.”I exhaled softly, the weight of our previous conversation still lingering. “I appreciate you saying that.”She sighed. “I see how much Damien loves you, how much the kids adore you. I was wrong to tr
DAMIENI stood in the middle of the beach, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore filling the air. The sun was beginning its descent, casting a golden glow over everything. It was perfect. Simple yet breathtaking, just the way I knew Shawna would love it.The gentle breeze carried the salty scent of the ocean, blending with the faint fragrance of the flowers we had carefully arranged along the aisle. White chairs stood neatly in rows, facing the beautifully decorated arch where we would say our vows. Fairy lights twinkled in the early evening light, creating a magical ambiance. The entire setting was intimate, just family and a few close friends, exactly what I wanted for Shawna.“Dad, are we sure this is enough?” Phoebe asked, looking around with excitement. Her small hands clutched onto the hem of her dress as she took in the scene.I turned to her with a smile, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.“It’s perfect,” I assured her, ruffling her hair. “Your mom doesn’t
SHAWNAWalking into Damien’s house, I felt a mix of nerves and determination swirling inside me. This conversation with his mother needed to happen. I couldn’t keep pretending to be okay with her making every decision for our wedding.As we stepped into the living room, his mother turned to face us, her expression unreadable. “To what do I owe this visit?” she asked, her tone clipped.I took a deep breath and smiled politely. “I wanted to talk to you about the wedding.”Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Oh? Have you finally realized that I know what’s best?”I shook my head. “Actually, no. I wanted to let you know that the plans I have for the wedding are different from what you want.”Damien shifted beside me, but he didn’t say anything. This was my fight to handle, and he knew it.His mother exhaled sharply, clearly displeased. “Go on,” she said reluctantly, folding her arms across her chest.“I want a beach wedding,” I announced, watching her closely for a reaction.Her brows lifted. “A
DAMIENI watched Shawna pace back and forth, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. The frustration in her eyes was impossible to miss, and I hated seeing her like this.“Maybe,” I said carefully, “we’re moving too fast with everything.”She stopped mid-step and turned to look at me, her lips pressing together in thought.“Are you saying you don’t want the wedding anymore?” she asked, her voice softer than before, but there was an edge to it.I shook my head. “No. That’s not what I’m saying at all. I want to marry you, Shawna. I just don’t want you to feel overwhelmed by all of this. If you need a break, we can take a step back.”She let out a deep sigh, running a hand through her hair. “I do want the wedding, Damien. I really do. But I feel like we need to change our environment. Just get away from everything, from everyone. Just for a little while, so we can focus on us.”I studied her, understanding exactly what she meant. “You mean away from my mother.”She gave me a pointed loo
DAMIENI watched Shawna pace back and forth, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. The frustration in her eyes was impossible to miss, and I hated seeing her like this.“Maybe,” I said carefully, “we’re moving too fast with everything.”She stopped mid-step and turned to look at me, her lips pressing together in thought.“Are you saying you don’t want the wedding anymore?” she asked, her voice softer than before, but there was an edge to it.I shook my head. “No. That’s not what I’m saying at all. I want to marry you, Shawna. I just don’t want you to feel overwhelmed by all of this. If you need a break, we can take a step back.”She let out a deep sigh, running a hand through her hair. “I do want the wedding, Damien. I really do. But I feel like we need to change our environment. Just get away from everything, from everyone. Just for a little while, so we can focus on us.”I studied her, understanding exactly what she meant. “You mean away from my mother.”She gave me a pointed loo
DAMIENI watched Shawna pace back and forth, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. The frustration in her eyes was impossible to miss, and I hated seeing her like this.“Maybe,” I said carefully, “we’re moving too fast with everything.”She stopped mid-step and turned to look at me, her lips pressing together in thought.“Are you saying you don’t want the wedding anymore?” she asked, her voice softer than before, but there was an edge to it.I shook my head. “No. That’s not what I’m saying at all. I want to marry you, Shawna. I just don’t want you to feel overwhelmed by all of this. If you need a break, we can take a step back.”She let out a deep sigh, running a hand through her hair. “I do want the wedding, Damien. I really do. But I feel like we need to change our environment. Just get away from everything, from everyone. Just for a little while, so we can focus on us.”I studied her, understanding exactly what she meant. “You mean away from my mother.”She gave me a pointed loo