SHAWNAHis head tilted to the direction of the paper, I ran back outside to call anyone, either a doctor or a nurse but they were coming in already.“Please move aside ma'am, we have to attend to him now." The doctor who attended to him the other day rushed in with two nurses behind him.I did as he said and just stood by the side as they prodded Grandfather with a lot of things. They did that for five minutes or so before the doctor took off the stethoscope around his neck, and he turned to me.“It's as though he only woke up for a reason, he's not responsive again for now. He's back into a coma, that's all we could get. I guess he has told you something before he slipped back into unconsciousness.” He said."Yes, he told me something. So there's nothing again, for now, nothing at all.” I mumbled.I feel really sad that he's back to how he was again, I thought he was awake already for real.“I can detect that he's healing again, he's responding to treatment, it's just the next time h
EUGENE“Good morning ma'am, how was your weekend?" My assistant asked me as soon as I got to the office.“It was very fine, thank you. How was yours too?" I asked her back politely, the last thing I'd want to have here is to not have a good relationship with the workers, especially my assistant.So I've been trying as much as I can to be friendly with them.“It was fine too." She said as she followed me into the office with her book in hand.“I won't be doing too much today, I just want to explore the empire, I want to see everywhere and not just this building,” I told her."Well noted ma'am, your wish is my command, I'll make provision for that now.” She walked out of my office, leaving the steaming cup of coffee she came in with.If there's anything I love about this position, the coffees would be number one, they're so nice, thick, and creamy.I don't even know what they do to make it this rich and different from other ones I've drank before. I closed my eyes and revealed its delic
SHAWNA“What?" I asked back with a deep frown etched into my face and confusion swirling in my eyes.“Get married to me, I just said that." He repeated those words. I had to rack my brain on what marriage means again because he can't be for real right now.“I don't think you understand what I'm saying or you know who I am, I don't even know you, you also don't know me." I almost screamed.“I understand you, you're Shawna and you're meant to be the head of the Lancaster empire because your grandfather handed it over to you." “And now you need my help with getting it back, I also need your help with getting married to me. It's a win-win situation for us, we both get something in the end.” He said.So he did understand everything I just narrated, and he knows me now. Why then does he want to get married to me? It's just so funny and sounds so crazy to me.“Why should we get married to each other when we don't even know each other? What if I'm a gold digger and I end up taking all your m
DAMIENEugene looked behind herself to see the person who was stopping her from slapping Shawna.She tried to pull her hand away from his but he tightened his hold on her hand. I had seen and saw everything that was going on, it was when she wanted to hit Shawna that I knew I had to step in.Shawna looked up from the ground with her hand guarding her face in anticipation of the slap. When she saw me, her eyes widened.“Who the fuck is this?" Eugene asked with anger evident on her face.She turned her head and when she saw that it was me, she immediately smiled, getting rid of that glare on her face.“Hey, I didn't see you there, I was just having a peaceful conversation with Shawna." She lied through her teeth, still keeping up with that fake smile.I dropped her hand as though it was a disease and she'd infected me with it, so I cleaned my hand with my handkerchief carefully.“You and I know you're lying, Eugene. Why are you this schemy and wicked?" I asked her. The people around us
SHAWNAI looked at Damien to see him equally confused as I was, I gently dragged my children back to avoid further embarrassment.“What do you mean by that? Don't you want this job anymore, or you'll say you don't know me?" Damien said, refraining from using foul words around the children."It's an order from above, sir. And you're allowed to go in, but not with them.” He said, pointing at my children and me.“What do you even mean by that? Who's the ‘above’ you're talking about? Don't they have a name? Get out of my way this instant!” Damien ordered him through gritted teeth."We'll just leave, Damien. Don't worry about us, I'll look for other places myself, thanks for offering though." I made to leave with my children but he stopped me."No, no, you don't have to do that, I'll get this sorted out in no time, I'm sure he's just bluffing, just give me a little time." He then turned back to the guy with a glare on his face.I just don't want more embarrassment, I've incurred a lot of t
SHAWNAI thought I wasn't hearing well when I heard that because there's just no way that's true. And it's not just anyone but the same guy who was asking me to marry him in return for his favor.He's currently before me with his hands in his pocket and a relaxed expression on his face.“Sorry, I don't think I heard you correctly. Did you just say-" he interrupted me.“Yes, they're my kids, do you want us to start dragging this now?" He asked me with one of his eyebrows up.“What now? You want to deny that you don't know him?" Damien's mother asked me.“I do know him, but I know the father of my children and he's not the one." I scoffed.“I'm sorry for her behavior sir, I'm sure she's just being this way because my son is here, she has eyes for him and has been pining over him since.” Damien's mother said again.With the look of things, this guy before me looks richer and bigger than them, that has to be the reason she's this way to him.“Excuse you?" I asked out loud. This just looks
SHAWNAThe three of them looked at me with a look that said they were not going to back down, I couldn't even sideline them at this point.“Yes Mom, who's our father this man, that man over there, or Liam," Billy asked me, his siblings nodded after what he just said, agreeing with the question.Before I could reply to them, the guy beside me butted in.“My name is Paul, I'd love to be your father if you would all allow me, it's nice to meet the three of you. I guess this would be the first time you're all seeing me.” He said.I was more than gobsmacked at what he just said, I just couldn't say anything. My children were looking at me, almost as if they were asking if he was being real.I couldn't even say anything, I just kept looking at them like a deer caught in headlights."Mom?" Phoebe asked me, dragging me out of that reverie.“How about you all sit down there and I discuss with him? I promise I'll tell you everything after this." I told them."Promise?” Jasper asked me, his mout
EUGENE“Let's go," I said to my driver, leaving the school with him after I had watched Damien leave with Shawna. The way he interfered and talked back at me made me so angry.I'm mad that he's still after her despite everything that has happened all these years, he doesn't even know that those children are his, yet he's still after her!What does he even see in her that I don't have? There's nothing special about her at all, she's just normal, absolutely normal!I have everything he can ever need, money included. I'm not poor and won't even be a financial problem to him, but he still wants someone as poor as that.“Ma'am?" My driver’s voice drew me out of that reverie, I'd been standing before the car, my eyes going over to the same spot where Shawna was standing with Damien and her three spawns.My assistant had to leave rapidly earlier with the other guys so I'm just with my driver.Can't she just focus on that guy that has been following her everywhere? They fit each other so damn
EUGENEThe moment Kyle’s car taillights disappeared into the night, I turned to Shawna, frustration bubbling in my chest. I couldn’t hold it in any longer.“Why didn’t you just give him the contract?” I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. “It could’ve avoided all this mess!”Her head whipped around so fast that I almost took a step back. Her eyes were blazing, and her posture was tense. “Excuse me?” she said, her tone icy. “Risk my company to protect you and your mom? Are you serious right now?”I swallowed hard, but I wasn’t going to back down. “It’s just one contract, Shawna,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “One deal, and he’d have nothing to hold over us anymore.”She let out a bitter laugh, throwing her hands in the air. “Do you even hear yourself, Eugene? One deal? That’s not just a ‘deal’—it’s my business, my reputation! I don’t owe you or your mom anything!”Her words hit like a slap, and I flinched despite myself. I opened my mouth to argue, but she wasn’t done
SHAWNAKyle was sneaking around, and I wasn’t about to let him ruin everything we had worked so hard to set up.“Are you sure about this?” Liam whispered. His breath fogged in the cold air as he looked at me concernedly.I nodded, my jaw tight. “We can’t let him figure out what’s going on. If he does…”Before I could finish, Kyle took a cautious step away from the car, glancing around like he expected someone to pounce.“Now,” I hissed, grabbing Liam’s arm.We darted out from the shadows, Liam grabbing Kyle by the arm before he could take another step.“What the—!” Kyle yelped, stumbling as Liam’s grip tightened. His face twisted in surprise, his eyes darting from Liam to me. “Shawna? What the hell are you doing here?”I crossed my arms, glaring at him. “I should be asking you the same thing. Why are you sneaking around?”Kyle’s shock quickly morphed into a sly grin. “Sneaking around? Oh, come on. You’re the ones lurking in the dark, pouncing on people like some secret agents. What ar
SHAWNAI sat on the couch, my fingers drumming nervously on my lap as Mom sat across from me, her gaze sharp enough to slice through my thoughts. I could feel her impatience radiating across the room.“Well?” she asked, tilting her head slightly and narrowing her eyes. “What did Damien say?”I sighed heavily, leaning back into the cushions. “He hasn’t told me anything yet,” I admitted, my frustration bubbling just under the surface. “He’s…hesitating.”Mom’s frown deepened, and she crossed her arms tightly across her chest. “Hesitating? About what?” she snapped, her voice climbing a notch. “Shawna, this isn’t some casual decision. This is your life we’re talking about! Your safety. The kids’ safety!”“I know!” I shot back, running my hands through my hair. “Do you think I’m not aware of that? He just… he’s not ready to commit to a plan yet. I don’t know what’s holding him back!”Before she could say anything else, Grandpa Bryan cleared his throat from his spot near the window. His calm
KYLEI leaned against the door, watching the scene between Damien, Stacey, and my father unfold with mild disinterest. These dramatic exchanges had become routine, and I was tired of being caught in the middle of their endless tug-of-war. Stacey was barking out retorts like her life depended on it, while Damien’s father looked ready to burst a blood vessel. It was all predictable until I noticed Damien’s left hand.Twitching.He tucked it behind Stacey as casually as possible, but I’d seen it. Damien’s finger only twitched when he was lying. Always had.What could he be lying about?I leaned forward, narrowing my eyes as I tried to decipher his face. But before I could piece anything together, Damien called a truce and walked off with Stacey into the garden.That evening, I decided to join them.“Mind if I join?” I asked, plopping down on the chair before Stacey could get a word out.Her eyes narrowed into slits, and her lips pressed into a thin line. If looks could kill, I’d be six f
STACEYThe moment I stepped into my penthouse, my phone buzzed incessantly, but I ignored it. My focus was on the mess at hand. Eugene had slipped through our fingers, and I was fuming. I slammed my bag onto the glass table, and the sound echoed in the silent room.A man, sitting calmly on my couch, raised an eyebrow at my outburst. "I take it things didn’t go as planned?""They lost her!" I snapped, pacing back and forth. "How incompetent can they be? They let Eugene escape, and now she’s out there, God knows where probably plotting something!"The man didn’t react much, just leaned back, crossing his legs. "And you’re sure it was a clean break? No one saw her?"I glared at him. "That’s not the point! The point is they let her go! I told them to keep an eye on her, and they couldn’t even manage that!""Relax," he said, in a tone that made my blood boil even more. "You’ve still got Damien, don’t you? Isn’t he the whole reason you’re doing this?"I took a deep breath, trying to calm do
SHAWNADamien’s hand rested lightly on my shoulder as he led me outside. His touch was supposed to be comforting, but all it did was remind me of the chaos my life had become.“Shawna, calm down,” he started, his voice soft but firm.I yanked my arm away, my frustration boiling over. “Calm down? Damien, don’t tell me to calm down when everything’s falling apart!”He sighed, running a hand through his hair, his face etched with concern. “That’s why we’re talking. I need you to see the reason. Your aunt…”“Don’t you dare bring her up!” I snapped, spinning around to face him. My chest was heaving, and I could feel the heat of anger rising in my cheeks. “If Eugene and her mother hadn’t barged into my life, none of this would’ve happened! None of it! I wouldn’t be in this mess, and I sure as hell wouldn’t be dragged into Stacey’s madness!”Damien raised his hands in a placating gesture. “I know you’re upset, but—”“But what, Damien?” I interrupted, my voice cracking. “What is there to reas
SHAWNAThe moment the bail papers were signed, Damien was already pacing like a caged lion. His voice came out sharp and cold. "Get out of my sight, Shawna. You and your lover." The word dripped with disgust. "Go home. I don't want to see either of you again."I flinched, but I didn’t say a word. I knew better than to argue with Damien when he was like this. Liam gently took my arm, guiding me toward the exit. We left the station in silence, his grip steady, but I could feel the tension in every step.When we got home, I called my mom immediately, desperate to hear her voice. “Mom, it’s over. The bail went through. We’re out.”“Oh, thank goodness,” she breathed, and I could hear her relief. “Are you okay? Where are the kids?”“They’re fine. We’ll be home in a few minutes.”By the time we pulled up, the kids were already waiting at the door. My mom ushered me inside, her arms wide open. “Come here,” she said, wrapping me in a tight hug.“I’m okay, Mom,” I whispered, but my voice cracke
EUGENEThe voices grew louder, and I could feel my heart pounding in my ears. My mom’s hand was still clamped tightly on my arm, and I could feel her fingers trembling slightly.“Mom,” I whispered, barely audible. “What are we going to do if they find us?”“Stop talking,” she snapped, her voice barely more than a breath. “And stay still.”“This is insane,” I mumbled, my voice shaking. “Hiding behind crates? What’s your plan if they look here?”“Eugene, for the love of everything, shut up,” she whispered fiercely.The air felt heavier with every passing second as I crouched behind the crates, my chest heaving with shallow, nervous breaths. My mom’s hand rested on my shoulder, her grip firm yet trembling. I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breathing, but it was useless. The footsteps were getting closer now, crunching on the gravel like a countdown to disaster. Every sound felt amplified, the distant hum of a car engine, the faint sound of a radio, and the heavy boots drawing nearer.
EUGENEThe car came to a sudden stop, jerking me forward in my seat. I felt my heart race as I looked at my mom, panic rising inside me. “What’s happening? Is this part of your plan?” I asked, my voice tight with fear.She looked at the road ahead, her grip on the steering wheel tight. “I must’ve taken the wrong turn,” she muttered, her voice low.I felt a wave of panic hit me. “The wrong turn?” I repeated, my voice shaking. “Mom, we can’t be here! If they find us, you’ll end up in prison. We need to leave. Now!”My hands started to shake, and I grabbed her arm, my eyes wide with fear. I could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on me. “You don’t understand, they can’t see us here.”She glanced at me, her eyes sharp. “Eugene, calm down,” she said, but her voice was strained. “Just give me a minute to think.”But I couldn’t calm down. Every second we stayed here, I felt like we were making it worse. “Mom, we’re sitting ducks! We’re exposed!” I said, my words rushing out. “Yo