LIAMI've never been this restless and unsettled. I guess it's because I always knew she was safe, but now being in the police station just crested this sense of hopelessness in me.“I shouldn't be this way, I have to get her out there and not mop around," I mumbled to myself as I got to the car.I feel all shades of useless right now, I can't wait to up my game in the business world and have enough power that speak volumes than ordinary words would.It was not for anything but for Shawna. I want to be useful to her, not just anyone who would be pushed away from her anytime something comes up.We've been through so much to still be suffering at the hands of people to not come out victorious. I honestly can't wait for both of us to be successful.But for now, I have to get out of there and make Eugene suffer for what happened today. I drove towards the penthouse and got there in no time.I entered the apartment to see Shawna's mother pacing the room. She rushed over to me the moment sh
DAMIENI heard some kind of commotion outside while I was inside, I tried to ignore it, but whoever it was still probably going away.But at this point, I had to just stand up. I told my security men at the gate to not let anyone in, I didn't just want to receive any visitors right now.But who could it be? All I just had to do was go downstairs and stand by the porch. I called the other guy at the gate over, leaving the other one to deal with the person.“What's going on there? What's causing the commotion?" I asked him."Someone is out there, he said he wants to see you. He refused to go away, saying it's very urgent.” He answered.A frown came up on my face at his explanation. I'm not expecting any visitors, most especially a male.“What's his name?" I asked him.“He didn't say, but he said it's concerning… Shawna I think.”That has to be that guy who's always with Shawna, it's no one else but him. Liam, that should be the name.“Let him in," I ordered him. He nodded briskly, runni
SHAWNA“Are you ready for your daily dose, bitch?" The man whose face I've come to be very familiar with said as he stepped into the cell.I no longer flinch at all, I've lost count of the number of times he has come into this place after Eugene left yesterday. My body is shredded all over with little or no spot left untouched.“What now? You can't talk again?" He taunted as he walked further into the room.“Just do what you want to do and get out already puppet," I said with a tone I almost didn't recognize. It was so cold, without any atom of emotion in it at all.“Did you just call me a puppet? What even gave you the audacity to talk back at me?” He asked me with anger bare in his voice, he lifted the whip in his hand immediately.The contact the whip made with my skin wasn't as hard as I expected it to be, maybe today's beating isn't really hard or I'm just getting tired of it already.I feel myself getting weaker each minute I'm awake. I was hungry and parched, I kept getting bea
DAMIENI left Shawna alone with frustration thrumming through me, I just don't understand why someone has to be that stubborn. I saw her friend's car pulling out of the premises too just in time.It's just so obvious right now that she isn't the heiress, yet she keeps insisting on being the heiress when she's not. The most infuriating part is how she prefers to stay there and suffer.The only reasonable explanation for this is if she's there's something more to this.Because the only thing I think is holding her back from what Eugene said she has to do is that she doesn't want to be the one who loses in the end.Appearing on live television and then apologizing for the same thing that has made her popular in the space of that time wouldn't be easy on her.I drove over to the house of the only person who could get her out of there. I hate to admit it, but technically, Eugene has more power than me currently.The Lancaster Empire isn't a small one at all, they're so big. The biggest in
EUGENE“Really? That's good news. Meet me at my house in an hour.” I told him with a normal voice, but a bright smile was plastered on my face. He ended the call immediately I said that and I immediately squealed out in excitement, I jumped up so high that I felt my legs ache immediately my legs met the ground again.This just feels like the best news I've received this year, I've been looking forward to this day. The day Damien would willingly accept to be with me.Well, technically he didn't willingly agree. He just didn't have any other choice, he wanted to help Shawna so badly. Thinking of her soiled my mood all over again.I honestly don't understand what he sees in her that's not in me, is it because he was married to her? Or has he found out that those children are his?No, it can't be. There's no way he'd find out that he's the father of her children and be this calm. Maybe he's just still attracted to her.“Well, that's bound to change once I get my time with him today, I'm
DAMIENI had raised my hand to knock on the door when I heard a familiar voice from inside, Shawna's mother.“Joseph, you aren't going to say anything? You'd just stand there and watch your daughter rot in jail because of your wife and other daughter?"That's her voice, what's she doing here? I pressed the doorbell just in time for the door to be opened. The same woman I was contemplating if she was the one who was pushed through the door.I caught her before she could fall, steadying her. I looked at her face and saw that she was okay before looking up at the devil's incarnate before me.Eugene looked more than shocked to me here.“Damien, I- I didn't know you'd gotten here. Come on in." She smiled.I looked at her with nothing but anger thrumming through me, I didn't say anything to her. I just led Shawna's mother outside, away from them.“Thank you for saving me, I'd have fallen so hard if you hadn't caught me. I appreciate it." She smiled sadly at me.“You're welcome. And I want y
SHAWNA I wouldn't even say I've lost hope in getting out of here, but it looks like I'm not getting out of here normally anymore. I've moved from just being in here to serving a term with prisoners. I now serve punishment with people who have gone through courts and are only serving their term. Since I was a child up until now, I never thought a life like this existed. It's so rougher than I even imagined. Waking up every morning before sunrise and then going back to sleep late at night with body pains because of working all night. I woke up this morning to cold liquid dumped on me, I had just slept one hour ago only to be woken up now. I opened my eyes to see an officer with a bucket in his hand, he just dumped it on me. “Wake up, criminal." He sneered. My whole body ached a lot, my head was banging so hard due to stress and lack of sleep. And to top it all, those scars are getting much worse, I've not even gotten any one of them treated. He dumped the remaining of the water o
EUGENEWaking up was euphoric, I felt the happiness in me before I woke up at all. Last night was just too blissful, it feels like a dream come through for me.With my closed eyes, I stretched out my hand and tried to feel his body but my hand met with the cold bed. My eyes flew open, did he leave already?I looked around the room to see him dressing up, he was almost done.“Are you leaving already? It's still so early." I yawned, my hand covering my mouth as I sat up on the bed.“You promised to let Shawna go after this, let's go there already.” He buttoned up his shirt and turned to me.Anger thrummed through me as he mentioned her name, it just served as a reminder that the only reason he's doing it is because of Shawna and not just willingly.Can't she just die already? Argh! I just want to squeeze the life out of her, watch life leave her body so she can just leave this earth and stop disturbing me.“Do we have to go now? Let's just do some more things before we leave.” I tried t
RAMONI was dead tired by the time we finished the meeting at the company. My shirt clung to my back, and my head was pounding from all the numbers and back-to-back discussions. All I wanted was to check my phone and unwind, maybe see if Phoebe had texted.I reached into my pocket. Empty.My heart skipped.I checked the table, the chair, and even under the folder I’d used. Nothing.“Where the hell is my phone?” I muttered.My uncle, sitting across from me, raised an eyebrow. “Lose something?”“My phone. I had it before we came here.”He shrugged. “Maybe you dropped it at the house.”I didn’t like how quick he was to answer.Still, I forced a calm nod and stood up. “I’ll go check.”The ride back to his place felt like it took forever. My mind was racing. Phoebe. Had she called? Texted? What if something was wrong? My gut wouldn’t calm down.When I got to the house, I tore through every room I had been in earlier. The living room. The guest room. Even the damn kitchen. Nothing.My uncle
PHOEBEThe hotel was breathtaking, with marble floors, chandeliers sparkling like stars, a scent of roses, and money hanging in the air. My heels clicked softly as I followed the receptionist, who wore a perfectly polite smile. My coat was still wrapped tightly around me, hiding the dress Winnie helped me pick out. My heart fluttered with a mix of excitement and nerves.“He’ll be with you shortly,” the receptionist said sweetly, opening a suite door for me. “Please, get comfortable. There are refreshments inside. Make yourself at home.”I gave a shy nod. “Thank you.”The door shut behind me.The suite was luxurious, with soft couches, a large table with drinks and fruit, and dim romantic lighting. I let out a small breath. “Wow…”I walked slowly to the table, brushing my fingers along the glass rim of a wine glass. Red wine. A chill ran up my spine, and I shook it off. Maybe he asked them to pour it before he arrived. Maybe this was his way of setting the mood.I pulled out my phone.
PHOEBEI slammed the front door a little harder than I meant to when I got home.Winnie looked up from the couch, raising an eyebrow. "Whoa. Somebody’s in a mood. What's wrong, sunshine?"I dropped my bag by the door and flopped onto the armchair with a loud sigh. "It’s Ramon," I said, pouting like a child.Winnie immediately perked up. "Ramon? Spill. What happened?!"I buried my face in my hands for a second before looking up at her. "We kissed. Like... really kissed. It was amazing. He kissed me like he needed me to breathe or something."Winnie squealed, hugging a throw pillow. "Oh my God! Finally!""Yeah, it was incredible," I mumbled, my cheeks heating up. "But right after that, he got a call. Emergency at home. He had to leave. Just like that."Winnie’s face softened. "Oh, babe...""I know he had no choice," I said quickly, fiddling with a loose thread on the armrest. "But... it sucks. I’m losing my mind over him, Winnie. I’m slowly going crazy. I want him so bad it hurts."Winn
PHOEBERamon’s eyes burned into me like I was the only thing he could see. I felt my cheeks heat up under his stare, and I shifted awkwardly on my feet.“Phoebe,” he said, his voice low and rough, “I want all of you…every part of you. I’m not afraid of being with you. I’m just... trying to restrain myself.”My heart pounded so hard it hurt. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out at first. Then I swallowed hard and said, "I want all of you, too, Ramon. I’m not scared."Something snapped between us.Ramon closed the space in a single, hungry heartbeat, grabbing me again and crashing his mouth onto mine. This kiss wasn’t soft. It wasn’t sweet. It was rough, fierce, almost desperate, like he had been starving, and I was the only thing that could satisfy him.His lips crushed against mine, demanding and urgent. I could feel the heat pouring off his body as he kissed me like he needed me more than air. His hand slid up, fingers threading into the hair at the nape of my neck, then wrapping
RAMONI tossed and turned all night. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t sleep. My mind kept racing, full of everything Uncle Richard had said... and Phoebe. Always Phoebe.I was falling for her. Hard. It scared the hell out of me, but it also felt so right. I didn’t just like her, I needed her. Every smile, every look, every word she said stuck in my head like glue.When morning came, I dragged myself out of bed, showered, and dressed like a man on a mission. I didn’t even think twice. I was going to see her. I had to.No more running. No more hiding.When I got to the worksite, she was there already, sorting through some papers, looking so focused and beautiful that it made my heart twist. She looked up and blinked like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing."Ramon?" she said, her voice small but full of surprise. "I thought... I thought you weren’t going to be available anymore."I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling awkward and stupid all at once. "Yeah, about that. I’m
WINNIEWinnie stared at me like I had just grown two heads. "What do you mean you don't know if Ramon likes you enough to be intimate?" she asked, her eyes wide.I hugged my knees to my chest, feeling small and stupid. "I don’t know, Win. Maybe... maybe he’s just not that into me. Maybe he sees me like a kid or something."Winnie shook her head fast. "No way. Anyone with eyes can see Ramon is crazy about you, Phoebe. Seriously. He looks at you like you hung the moon!"I smiled a little, but it didn’t reach my heart. "Then why is he so hesitant? Why does he always back away when things get... close?"Winnie opened her mouth to say something, then paused. Her face changed slowly, like she was putting puzzle pieces together."Wait a second..." she said carefully. "Have you guys ever... you know... done it?"I looked down at my lap, my face burning. "No," I whispered.Winnie’s mouth fell open. "Wait. You mean... never?"I nodded, feeling like I was about to sink into the floor."And he kn
RAMONI stood in the garden, massaging my temples and trying to figure out what just happened. I hated seeing Phoebe hurt. I hated that I was the reason for that look in her eyes, the one that made my chest ache. I wanted to run after her, fix it, explain everything better.I had just taken a step toward the house when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to see Billy and Jasper coming out. Great. Just what I needed right now.They stood there awkwardly for a second before Billy cleared his throat."Hey, man," he said, not meeting my eyes. "We, uh... we just wanted to say sorry."I blinked, surprised. "Sorry?"Jasper shoved his hands into his pockets. "Yeah. For looking down on you. We didn't know... well, we didn't know you were who you are."I sighed, not really wanting to have this conversation. "It's fine," I muttered, even though it really wasn't."But," Billy added quickly, "we still think you're hiding something. And honestly... we don’t think you're worthy of our sister."Tha
PHOEBEThe second everyone was distracted inside, I grabbed Ramon’s hand and tugged him gently toward the garden. I was buzzing with excitement, my heart beating way too fast. I needed a moment alone with him, away from all the heavy stares and questions."Come on," I said, smiling at him. "Let’s get some air."He smiled back, letting me pull him along. The night air was cool and smelled faintly of roses. The garden lights made everything look soft and dreamy.Once we were far enough from the house, I stopped and turned to him, crossing my arms playfully. "So..." I began, raising an eyebrow. "You’re secretly rich, huh?"Ramon chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess so.""You guess so?" I laughed, nudging him with my shoulder. "Why didn’t you tell me?"He shrugged, looking a little sheepish. "I was going to tell you... eventually. I just wanted you to like me for me, you know? Not for anything else."I looked at him, my heart softening even more. His voice sounded so honest, s
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