SHAWNAMy mouth hung open in shock, the phone in my hand about to fall off with how loose it was. Stacey just insinuated that she was the one who took Billy.I jolted back to reality as someone tapped me, it was Liam.“Who was that? Is it about Billy?" He asked me, looking at my phone and then my face.“Stacey, it was Stacey. She has them. She's with Billy, she took him.” I said breathlessly."What the fuck? How's she that fast?” He asked me, his eyes widening in shock.“I guess she has been watching all our moves, she must have been tracking us," I mumbled, my head reeling with a lot of thoughts.“That's just the most reasonable explanation for this right now, she's so proactive. What do we do now? Did she say anything else? Maybe something you can do to get Billy back?” Liam asked."She said I shouldn't tell Damien about the shares issues,” I stated. That lady is something else. It seems she's almost as crazy as Eugene because I don't think there's anyone as crazy as Eugene at this
SHAWNAStacey gasped immediately when she saw Damien come out of the car, and she threw a subtle glare in my direction.“You betrayed me, you said you weren't going to call Damien. He's here now." Her eyes looked like she was thinking of a lot of things at the moment.It seems she just realized that it's over for her already and she already lost on both ends as what she's trying to prevent just showed up before us.“How about you just relax and watch this play out?" I asked her with a coy smile on my face.Damien got to us with his eyes trained on Stacey. He glared hard at her before he looked at me. His eyes swept me over as though he was trying to see if I was physically okay.“I thought you've changed, Stacey. I thought you were just back in the country to make amends like you said. Why are you going around destroying people's happiness again?" Damien asked her immediately after he got there.“Wh- I can explain.” She stuttered."Explain what? Explain how you kidnapped an innocent c
SHAWNATo say that I was shocked would be an understatement, my mouth hung open in shock as the phone was about to fall from my hand, I was that shocked.Eugehe breaking out of prison just means a lot of problems, I honestly don't understand why everything has to keep going south.“What happened? Are you okay?" I jolted back to reality when someone tapped me, It was Damien. He had a frown on his face as he tried to read my facial expression.“Eugene is gone, she broke out of prison and they don't know where she is," I said, my voice still sounding shocked.“What the actual fuck?” He cussed.A sound came from the phone and I looked down to see that the call was still going on, I never ended the call.“Ma'am, are you with me?" The person who just called said.“I am, how did she go missing? What has been done to fish her out of her hiding place right now." I asked her."We're doing everything in our power to get her, we've not seen her, but we're working actively on it.” She answered."Y
STACEYI parked my car at the warehouse that's so secretive that no one would have suspected that the warehouse was there.“Stupid Shawna, she thinks she's so smart and she has done something significant by sending me off," I mumbled under my breath as I got out of my car.“I'm going to deal with her, she'll regret ever crossing paths with me. She'd be the one pleading with me as I deal with her ruthlessly.” I added.Anger like never before gripped my entire form, I just wanted to kill her already. I've been watching them for years, I watched when they were married for years.I just stood by the sidelines watching. I knew then that Damien didn't like her, I know him so well that I know him when he's in love.That's just the main reason I didn't bother about their union at all, I know she has nothing on him.But when I saw that they were getting closer than normal, I watched and I realized that it seemed Damien had fallen in love with her. He can't love her, he's mine and mine alone.I
KYLEI wiped away the blood on my nose, glaring hard at Damien. He was still breathing heavily like I was too. I dusted off the dirt on me before looking at both of them.“I'll do my research and get back to you two, also let me know once you find anything. I'm leaving now.” I said as I walked away from them."You better pray that we don't find out that you have a hand in her disappearance,” Damien said, still sounding so mad.All I did was look back and give him a pointed look before going out to where I parked my car. I'm not even shocked that he jumped right to a conclusion when he saw me. It would look like that to anyone.I was being truthful when I said that I had no idea of her disappearance. But I do have an idea of who would have helped her escape.It can only be Stacey, she's the one who can do this. I dialed her number immediately after I got into the car. She didn't answer the call at first but she did anyway.“Someone finally remembered that he brought someone into the co
SHAWNAWe left the station too almost immediately after Kyle left. Damien still looks like he's raging with anger.“You have to calm down, I think he's innocent," I told him as I entered the car. He started the car before talking.“You're talking this way because you don't know him. I know Kyle more than you do and I know the things he's capable of doing. Kyle is not just a liar, he's also pretentious." He said."I understand your perspective, but I just have an inkling that he doesn't know about Eugene's disappearance. Let's just hope he gets back to us when he gets something on his end.” I said."I hope so too." He mumbled, keeping his eyes on the road.I just want to believe that she hasn't gone far and they doublecrossed her in no time.Eugene running out of prison is going to be messy for me. What if she teams up with Stacey? Or what if Stacey was the person who helped her escape?That just makes sense, but at the same time, I don't think she's that smart. She doesn't look like s
SHAWNA“What? What do you mean by she has been poisoned? Do you mean food poisoning that has to do with food processing and not one that's intentional?” I asked him."I mean the literal one and the poison is not curable. We need an antidote for it. I honestly wonder how the substance got into her bloodstream, it's too deadly for her little age.”It for like my entire world was about to come to an end, my eyes were spinning and my legs were so weak that it looked like I'd fall anytime soon.I could barely see through my blurry eyes, I zoned out completely as different thoughts started running in. I just don't know what to think right now, but the thought of something that deadly in my baby's system makes me want to do a lot of things.“Shawna?" Someone shook me, bringing me out of that reverie. My mother was the one who shook me, we came here together while grandfather stayed back with Billy and Jasper.“You mean to say that the poison is so deadly that we need an antidote. Then get th
SHAWNAI left the restroom and went back outside with my mother who was waiting for me already.“How do you feel now?", she asked me, looking into my eyes.“I'm okay, has the doctor said anything else?" I asked her.“No, he hasn't. Are you sure you're okay? You look mad."“I'm okay, you don't have anything to worry about. You should leave, I'll stay here till morning, you should go home and rest." I told her.“I'm not leaving you here alone, I'll stay with you." She said, shaking her head.“You won't be comfortable here at all, I'll order a ride for you to go home with now. It's just better if you leave and come back tomorrow." I told her with a tone of finality.“But I don't want to leave you alone here." She said, sounding sad.I brought out my phone, “I’m ordering the ride now.” I said as I opened the app and looked for the nearest driver close to us. I ordered the ride for her.“So, I'll see you all in the morning. I'll be here till then." I told her."You're sure you'll be fine a
PHOEBEI felt like I’d been holding my breath the whole night, but when Uncle Richard finally gave his answer, it was like the air rushed back into my lungs.“Well,” he said with a small chuckle, wiping his mouth with his napkin, “the truth is, we’re a wealthy family. Very wealthy. Ramon chose to keep that hidden because he didn’t want gold-diggers. He wanted someone who’d love him for who he is, not what he has.”There was a beat of silence.Then Billy blinked. “Wait… you’re saying Ramon’s been pretending to be broke?”“Not broke,” Uncle Richard clarified with a grin. “Just… simple. Down-to-earth.”Everyone at the table was stunned. I couldn’t help it, I let out the tiniest giggle. Then a bigger one. And before long, laughter started to ripple around the table. Even Jasper cracked a smile. It was like the whole room finally exhaled.I glanced at Mom and made a small, sneaky wink. She caught it instantly. Her lips curved just slightly, and then she gave a quick nod.“Phoebe,” she said
RAMONI didn’t expect her to say that.“You want to invite my uncle to dinner?” I asked, blinking like I didn’t hear her right.Phoebe nodded, brushing her hair behind her ear. “Yes. I think it’s time. Everyone’s going crazy over him, and I just… I want to clear the air. If they meet him, maybe they’ll finally stop judging.”I rubbed the back of my neck, confused. “I mean, sure, I guess, but… I don’t know. He’s a quiet guy. He doesn’t do… dinners with strangers.”“Then ask him,” she said, giving me that look, half hopeful, half determined. “Please, Ramon. It matters to me.”I sighed and nodded slowly. “Okay. I’ll talk to him today. I can’t promise anything, but I’ll try.”“Thank you,” she smiled, squeezing my hand.Later that evening, I made my way to Uncle Richard’s place. He was outside on the porch, drinking tea like always, flipping through one of those thick history books he loved. I walked up and dropped into the chair beside him.He glanced at me over the top of his glasses. “Y
PHOEBEI slammed my door shut behind me, fuming. My chest felt tight, and my head ached. I couldn’t believe they all did that behind my back. Like, I couldn’t think for myself. Like, I didn’t know what I was doing.I threw myself onto my bed, letting out a long sigh as my face sank into the pillow. I wanted to scream. Maybe cry. But I didn’t. I just lay there, sulking in silence, trying not to overthink the whole night.A gentle knock came on my door about an hour later. I rolled over, expecting maybe my mom or dad. But to my surprise, it was my grandmother.“Can I come in, sweetheart?” she asked softly.“Yeah,” I muttered, sitting up.She walked in slowly, her warm smile softening the tension in my chest a bit. She sat beside me, her hand gently rubbing my back in that calming, rhythmic way only she could manage. Something about her presence always made the storm inside me feel a little less wild.“I heard there was a little storm downstairs,” she said lightly, trying to lift the moo
SHAWNAThe moment we stepped into the house, I knew something was wrong. The air felt thick, voices were raised, and all I could hear was arguing coming from the living room.“What’s going on here?” I asked, stepping in with Damien right behind me.Phoebe, Billy, Jasper, and Winnie all froze. The tension in the room hit me like a wall. Phoebe’s face was flushed, her arms folded tight across her chest. Winnie looked caught in the middle. Jasper had that tight-lipped, stubborn look, and Billy’s hands were resting on his hips like he was trying to keep himself from saying something worse.“Can someone explain this?” Damien asked firmly, eyes scanning all of them.“It’s nothing,” Phoebe said quickly.“It doesn’t sound like anything,” I said. “We could hear the shouting from outside.”“It’s about Ramon and his uncle,” Jasper muttered.Damien raised a brow. “Ramon?”Yes,” Winnie jumped in. “I told Billy and Jasper something earlier…about Richard, Ramon’s uncle. I recognized him from years a
PHOEBEI was tired. I just wanted to get home, take off my shoes, and crawl into bed. But the moment I walked into the house, I felt the tension hit me like a wall.Winnie was sitting on the couch.And my two brothers, Jasper and Billy, were standing next to her, arms crossed like bodyguards. The look on their faces said everything.“What’s going on?” I asked, closing the door behind me.Winnie stood up slowly. “We need to talk.”“I can see that,” I said, dropping my purse on the side table. “But what I don’t get is why you’re here… with my brothers.”“Phoebe,” Jasper started, “Winnie told us about the man you ran into at the mall. The one holding hands with that girl.”I blinked. “Richard?”“Yes,” Billy said, stepping forward. “She said he looked familiar and he happens to be Ramon’s uncle.”I froze, my heart suddenly pounding in my chest. “She told you that?”“Yes,” Jasper added with a serious look on his face. “And we think you need to be careful with this whole issue. It seems lik
RAMONMy uncle, Richard, stepped in like he owned the place, as usual. He looked around briefly and then narrowed his eyes at me.“She’s gone?” he asked.I nodded and moved to sit on the couch. “Yeah, just left.”He shut the door behind him and walked over, not wasting time.“What’s going on with Winnie?” I asked before he could even sit. “She recognized you at dinner. She’s not some random girl, you know. She’s sharp. You’ve been warning me about staying focused, but you’re the one slipping now. What exactly is happening?”My uncle paused by the chair, but didn’t sit. He rubbed his chin like he always did when he was buying time.“She just arrived,” he finally said. “I wasn’t expecting her to recognize me. It’s been years since I last saw her, and even then, she was still in school.”“So she does know you?”“Yes,” he sighed, finally sitting across from me. “Her father is one of my business partners. We’ve done deals together, some clean, some… not so clean.”I leaned forward, frownin
RAMONThe night started simply. After Phoebe told me everything that happened at the mall with Richard, I could tell it had been weighing on her. I wanted to take her mind off things, so I asked her out to dinner. Just something nice, somewhere quiet. I picked this cozy little restaurant I liked on the west side of town. Nothing too fancy, but it had a warm vibe, soft lights, and good pasta.Phoebe seemed excited when I picked her up. She smiled the whole car ride, playing with the radio, teasing me about my terrible playlist.“Ramon,” she laughed, “do you only listen to '90s rock ballads?”I chuckled. “Hey, don’t disrespect greatness. This is vintage mood-setting.”She rolled her eyes, but I could see the blush on her cheeks when our hands brushed on the gearshift. I liked her. A lot. And tonight, I just wanted it to be easy. Normal.When we got to the restaurant, Phoebe told me she’d invited Winnie to join us. I paused for a second.“She’s still suspicious of me, isn’t she?” I asked
PHOEBEIt was hard to ignore the odd tension in the air when we bumped into Richard and his… companion. Despite my initial surprise, I greeted him politely. “Hi, uncle Richard. Fancy running into you here.”He smiled, a bit awkwardly, as if he hadn’t expected to see us either. “Phoebe, Winnie, good to see you both.” His smile seemed genuine enough, but there was something in his eyes that made me think he was hiding something.Winnie, always the one to break the ice, stepped forward. “Hi, Mr. Richard. We didn’t expect to see you out here. Who’s the lovely lady?” Her tone was light, but I could tell she was curious, even more so after the awkwardness of the moment.Richard shifted a little on his feet, clearly uncomfortable. “Oh, just a friend,” he said quickly. “Nothing to worry about.” He didn’t even make eye contact with the woman beside him as he said it.Winnie didn’t seem convinced. “Are you in a hurry? We’ve barely seen you since… well, a while ago. We’ve missed the good chats,”
PHOEBEI blinked a few times, staring at Winnie like she had just told me unicorns were real.“What did you just say?” I asked slowly.“I said I know that man,” she repeated, still staring at the photo on my phone. “The one standing behind you two in that picture. Ramon’s uncle, right?”“Yeah,” I said, glancing at the photo again. “That’s Richard. Why?”Winnie raised an eyebrow, her tone serious. “He came to our house a while back. Twice, actually. He met with my dad.”I laughed, half out of shock, half because it sounded so ridiculous. “Winnie… your dad is basically a billionaire. Why would he meet with Richard? Richard owns like… nothing. He’s not exactly in your dad’s league.”Winnie didn’t even flinch. She stood there with her arms crossed, her brows slightly furrowed, clearly unamused. “I know what I saw, Phoebe,” she said firmly, her tone serious. “You think I’d forget something like that? The second I saw his face in that picture, I remembered. Same smile, same eyes, even the s