EUGENE“I thought he'd never leave,” I muttered in annoyance when I heard the front door shut and immediately rushed towards the folder I'd watched him put on the table.Although Damien had restricted me from coming to his house, I still knew how to get in without the password. I hadn’t been curious about the folder, but after hearing it was about Shawna, it took everything in me not to grab it immediately and burn it.She was someone I'd been all too happy to get rid of and I couldn't afford her coming back into our lives when I hadn't made Damien mine yet. “It's been five years so why is he suddenly trying to find out about her?” I picked up the folder, my heart beating against my chest wildly. Damien had done everything he could to find Shawna when she left him but with Kyle's help, I was able to get rid of her traces and prevent him from ever locating her.I'd finally forgotten her and yet he was trying to bring her back. I couldn't allow that.“No! How is this possible?” I mutte
DAMIEN“That asshole had better not have done anything to the report,” I muttered as I ran out of my car. I checked my watch to see that I was a few minutes late. Roger wasn't one to frequently make empty threats so I couldn't put it past him to set the report ablaze.He could always get another but I was too curious and anxious to wait anymore. “Sir, you're back earlier than expected,” Suzy said as she handed me a glass of water, concern etched on her face. “I was going to drink that but you look like you need it more than I do.”“Thank you,” I said as I guzzled the entire glass of water. “I really did.”“Are you sure you're okay, sir?” She inquired. Since Shawna left, she'd been the one looking after me, though it took raising her salary thrice to make her stay when Eugene lived with us.I nodded. “I'll be fine. Thank you.” I impatiently made my way towards my home office.“Sir,” She said, running after me. I turned to her with a raised brow, impatience chipping away at me. “Your br
SHAWNA“He’s not your father!” I hated myself the moment those words left my lips as I saw how Billy’s expression crumbled. I picked him up and gave Damien a scathing gaze before I walked inside irrespective of the fact that he didn't stop staring at me and Billy. “Mommy said he's not our dad,” Billy cried, jumping out of my arms when we stepped inside. He and his siblings ran inside the room crying and I stared at my mother, the feeling of exasperation threatening to ruin me. “I don't know what else to do, Mom,” I cried. My mom sighed as she walked up to me and pulled me into a hug while I sobbed into her chest. “I hate lying to these kids, it breaks my heart,” I cried. My mom sighed, “You aren't doing anything wrong, Shawna. You just need to start thinking of only yourself and your kids.”I sighed, “That’s what I've been doing for the past five years.”“Why don't you take a break today, Shawna? Go see Liam,” my mom suggested. I frowned, “What about the kids? They're upset wi
SHAWNA“You have a grandfather?” Liam asked me. I shook my head, my face still contorted in confusion ever since the call ended. “No, I don't,” I answered. “But you told me the person asked you to ask your mother,” Liam pointed out. I sighed, “Yes, and I’m going to ask her right now just to clear my mind and make sure that it’s a prank call.”Liam nodded at me, “Call me if you need me.”“Alright, thank you, Liam,” I smiled at him. I left the office and headed back home. I was wondering about the phone call I had received. I knew there was no way that could have been a prank call since it was an elderly man’s voice. But my mom had told me that her father was dead and my dad’s father was dead. I didn't have any living grandparents so who could have called me? “We’re here, Miss,” the cab driver announced. I paid for the cab and stepped out of the car heading inside the house. My mom frowned when she saw me. “Why are you back early?” she queried. I shrugged, “Where are the kids?
EUGENEI had just arrived home from destroying evidence at Damien’s place to find out that my father was furious. He was yelling at my mother when I stepped inside. “Speak of the demon spawn and she appears!” he yelled when he saw me. I frowned, “What happened?”My mom sighed when she saw me, “What did you do to upset your father again, Eugene?” I frowned, “I didn't do anything. I've been a good girl as always.”“Bullshit!” my father snarled. “What happened now, Papi?” I queried. “What did you do to piss off Damien? His father canceled the contract we have with him,” my father snapped. I sighed, I knew Damien would react but I didn't know he would go as far as trying to ruin things with my father’s company. “I’m sorry, Papi. I'll make it up to you,” I said. “How?” he quizzed, “The only other company bigger that can boost the business is Lancaster Empire and no one has been able to get through to them.”An idea suddenly formed in my mind when I stared at my mother. “Mom, weren
SHAWNAI have never felt so embarrassed in my entire life as I felt today. As the cab drove back home I couldn't help but let the tears flow down my cheeks as the memory of what happened with Kiara and Eugene kept playing in my mind.“Stop it,” my mother hushed me but I was too sad to care. I noticed how the cab driver kept throwing me pity looks and it made me feel worse. Finally, the cab pulled up in front of the house and I got out, running into the bedroom to cry. I was very glad the kids were still sleeping so they wouldn't see me like this. My mom didn't bother me. She gave me time to bawl my eyes out and when I was done I went back to the sitting room to see her. She looked very sad and it broke my heart. I felt like a failure who couldn't take care of my children and my mother. “Mom, I'm so sorry I upset you today,” I apologized. My mom shook her head, “You didn't do anything, Shawna.”“Is this why he called us? To embarrass us before Eugene and Kiara?” I asked my mom. M
DAMIEN The incessant ringing of my phone snapped me out of my thoughts as I groaned and grabbed the annoying thing. I desperately wanted to destroy the phone but seeing who was calling I reigned my temper. It’s been three hours since my confrontation with Liam and Shawna. I was certain that the sleazebag was sleeping with Shawna when we were still together. But I didn't know why that mattered and why I felt so hurt. Shawna told me we weren't married again so I had no right to interfere in her life. I knew she was right but it didn't make me feel better. I just felt like shit which was why I had returned and buried myself in my bar. My phone rang again and I sighed staring at the time. Suzy would be here soon and she would make a fuss if she saw me like this. I picked up the call with a scowl on my face, “Hello.”“Where the hell are you, Damien?” my father’s voice sounded in my ears. I winced taking the phone away from my ears, “Keep your voice down.”There was a slight pause at
SHAWNA“What is happening now?” I asked, staring at the papers in my hand. My mom walked up to me with a frown as she took the document and stared at it. “You’re naming her your heir?” my mother asked. My grandfather nodded with a smile, “Yes, it was your mother’s wish before she passed away.”I saw the broken look on my mother’s face as she stared at my grandfather. Her voice broke when she spoke up again, “Mother is dead?”My grandfather nodded, “I’m sorry, Princess. We tried to reach out to you but we couldn't. That was when we found out you've left that scumbag. Before I could find you again she died.”I didn't understand anything but I knew the love a daughter had for her mother. Even though my grandparents disowned my mother she still felt terrible at the realization that her mother was dead.“I’m so sorry, Mom,” I patted her back. My grandfather handed my mom a box, “Take this, she asked me to give it to you.”My mom collected the box and cradled it like it was the most im
SHAWNAMy hands shook as I stared at the phone screen. A strange number. My heart pounded.Liam leaned closer. "Answer it."I swallowed hard and pressed the button. "Hello?"There was silence for a second, then…"Mommy?"My breath caught in my throat. "Jasper?! Baby, is that you?""Mommy!" His little voice was filled with excitement. "I found the police! They helped me!"Tears streamed down my face as I clutched the phone. "Oh my God! Where are you, baby? Are you okay?"A deep voice came through the line. "Ma'am, this is Officer Reynolds from the Oakridge Police Department in Washington. Your son was found a few hours ago. He came to us himself and reported that he had been kidnapped."Liam exhaled sharply beside me. "Is he safe? Did you get the kidnapper?""We’re still searching, but he’s unharmed. We need you to come immediately.""We’re on our way!" I said quickly. "Please don’t let him out of your sight!""Understood, ma’am."I hung up and turned to Liam, gripping his arm tightly.
JASPERI blinked my eyes open and sat up, rubbing the sleep from my face. This wasn’t my room. My Spider-Man nightlight wasn’t glowing. My big, fluffy blanket wasn’t here. I looked around. The bed was too big, the walls were gray, and the air smelled weird, like old socks and something burnt. Where was I?I slid off the bed, my bare feet touching the cold floor. My tummy felt funny, like when I got scared watching scary cartoons. I walked to the door and pushed it open. The hallway was long and empty.“Hello?” My voice was small.Nothing.I took slow steps, my heart thumping fast. Then I saw him, the man who took me. He was sitting at a table, eating chips, and watching something on his phone.I walked up to him, my fingers curling into fists. “Where are we?” I asked, trying to sound brave. Mommy always said I was her brave little soldier.The man looked up, surprised. “You’re awake.”I nodded. “I had a bad dream. I want my mommy.”The man sighed, putting his phone down. “Kid, your mo
SHAWNAMy hands wouldn’t stop shaking. My breath came out in ragged gasps as I sat on the edge of the hospital bed, gripping Damien’s hand like it was the only thing keeping me from collapsing.“Damien, baby, please wake up,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “You have to wake up. You have to fight. I can’t do this without you.”His face remained still, pale, lifeless. The beeping of the machines was the only sign that he was still with me. The doctors had told me he was stable, but stable wasn’t enough. I needed him awake. I needed my son back.The thought of Jasper sent a fresh wave of panic through me. I covered my face with my hands, trying to control the sobs wracking my body.“You’re falling apart,” Eugene’s voice cut through my grief like a blade.I snapped my head up, my vision blurring with rage. “Shut up.”She smirked, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed. “Still fighting? You’re exhausting to watch.”I tightened my grip on Eugene’s collar, my nails digging into
SHAWNA The beeping of the monitors was the only sound in the sterile hospital room. Damien lay still, his face pale, his body unmoving. I clutched his hand tightly, my voice trembling. "Damien, please..." My throat burned with emotion. "I can't do this without you. Jasper needs us. I need you." I clutched his limp hand, squeezing it tightly as if my grip alone could pull him back. His face was pale, his breathing steady but weak. The machines around him beeped rhythmically, a constant reminder of how fragile this moment was. "Damien, wake up!" My voice cracked, thick with desperation. "He's running out of time! I can't lose both of you!" Still, nothing. Not even the slightest movement. My chest tightened, a crushing weight pressing down on me. I bit my lip, willing myself not to break down. I had to be strong, for Jasper, for Damien. But how could I be strong when everything was slipping through my fingers? Tears blurred my vision as I rested my forehead against our joined hands
SHAWNAThe beeping of the monitors was the only sound in the sterile hospital room. Damien lay still, his face pale, his body unmoving. I clutched his hand tightly, my voice trembling."Damien, please..." My throat burned with emotion. "I can't do this without you. Jasper needs us. I need you."I clutched his limp hand, squeezing it tightly as if my grip alone could pull him back. His face was pale, his breathing steady but weak. The machines around him beeped rhythmically, a constant reminder of how fragile this moment was."Damien, wake up!" My voice cracked, thick with desperation. "He's running out of time! I can't lose both of you!"Still, nothing. Not even the slightest movement. My chest tightened, a crushing weight pressing down on me. I bit my lip, willing myself not to break down. I had to be strong, for Jasper, for Damien. But how could I be strong when everything was slipping through my fingers?Tears blurred my vision as I rested my forehead against our joined hands. "Ple
SHAWNAEugene’s scream cut through the sterile air of the hospital, a sound so sharp and guttural that it sent a shiver down my spine. I turned the corner and saw her on the floor, her arms wrapped around herself, shoulders shaking as sobs wracked her body. Nurses whispered, exchanging pitiful glances, but no one dared to approach her.I took a deep breath and stepped forward. "Eugene…""Don’t." Her voice came out raw, thick with grief. She lifted her head, her tear-streaked face twisted with rage. "Don’t you dare come near me."I stopped in my tracks. "I just…""You just what?!" she snapped, pushing herself to her feet. Her eyes burned with fury. "You just came to see the damage you caused? You came to gloat?!"I clenched my jaw. "I came to console you. I know you’re hurting…""Oh, now you care?!" She let out a bitter laugh, her hands trembling. "Where was your care when you dragged my mother into this mess? When you kept pushing, kept poking, until it all spiraled out of control?!"
SHAWNAI turned to Eugene, my voice low and sharp. "This is all because of you."Eugene, who had been rubbing her temples as if she were the one suffering, looked up at me with narrowed eyes. "Excuse me?""You keep lying. Twisting things. Escalating everything!" My hands curled into fists at my sides. "And now look where we are! Jasper is missing. My son is running out of time. Damien was shot trying to save him. And your mother…""Don’t," Eugene snapped, stepping forward. "Don’t even dare bring my mother into this."I scoffed, shaking my head. "Why? Because the truth hurts? Because now, suddenly, you want to play the victim?" I gestured wildly. "You had a chance to tell the police the truth, but instead, you lied. Again."Eugene’s nostrils flared. "You think the police would have helped me? Would’ve believed me?" She let out a bitter laugh. "You have no idea what I’ve been through.""I don’t care what you’ve been through!" I snapped. "You put us all in danger. And for what? To cover
SHAWNAI sat at the long metal table in the hospital’s private meeting room, my fingers gripping the edge so tightly that my knuckles turned white. The air was thick with tension, the dim lighting doing nothing to calm the storm inside me. Across from me sat two police officers, a cybercrime specialist, and two professional hackers. They all had the same grim look, the kind that made my stomach twist into painful knots."Time is running out," I said, my voice tight. "You don’t understand, this isn’t just a normal kidnapping. Jasper is in a place where the air is restricted. Do you hear me? He might not have much longer."Detective Harris, the lead officer, nodded, his eyes sharp. "We’re doing everything we can, ma’am. Our teams are already tracking possible locations…""Not possible locations," I snapped, cutting him off. "You need to find the exact place. Because if you don’t, my son is dead."The hacker on the left, a young woman with short black hair and piercing green eyes, adjust
EUGENE I walked out of the police station with my mother by my side, a victorious smirk playing on my lips. "That was easier than I thought," I muttered. My mother scoffed, adjusting the sleeve of her expensive coat as we walked toward our car. "Of course it was. Shawna is too emotional to think straight. The police saw what we wanted them to see—a desperate, grieving mother grasping at straws." I smirked, brushing an invisible speck of dust off my dress. "Pathetic, really. She walked in there thinking she had some grand case against us, only to end up looking like a crazy woman." We approached our sleek black car, the engine already humming as the driver waited. But before sliding inside, I turned back, my gaze locking onto Shawna. She was still standing there, her body trembling with barely contained fury. Her eyes blazed with hatred, her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white. If looks could kill, I would have been dead on the spot. I grinned, savoring the way he