WILLOWI marched into the living room, as expected, finding my dad dressed up but sitting down to adjust his radio. I walked up to him and faced him, but he treated like I wasn't even visible. All he cared about was his damn radio.I snatched the radio away from him, and he looked at me as if I had lost my mind."My radio, please," he finally spoke to me after four long years of pretending he was dumb, fooling me. I felt stupid."Oh, this..." I gestured, moving it closer to him. He shot me a wide smile, and that was it. With all my strength, I smashed it to pieces, throwing it across the room. He stood up, his eyes growing wide in disbelief and shock."Have you gone mad?!" he yelled at the top of his voice, adding petrol to the fire."So, those are your first words to me? Now you talk to me because of a dumb radio? Today, I found out that your disorder never even existed. I was about 16, struggling in high school, and the doctor said you had no signs or symptoms. You were only facing d
TRISTAN The party unfolded well, with numerous renowned proprietors and business owners approaching me. Some indulged in drinks, while others, like the strippers—among them, my sister—graced the dance floor. Hailey engaged in a lap dance with Jaxon, who seemed immersed in his own lascivious thoughts. Meanwhile, a section of the crowd was engrossed in gambling. The festivities took an abrupt turn when a commotion erupted from the gamblers' side.What now?As I drew closer an old man was arguing with some other gamblers."What's the commotion here" I asked trying to sort it out."This maniac strolled up, demanding his money back despite clearly losing the bet," one of them explained amidst a chorus of uproar from the others."Is this true??" I said bringing out my gun and pointing it directly at the back of the bastard's head as he threw his hand up the air in defeat."What's your name?" I asked as he slowly turned to face me and recognized him instantly he's Willow's father I dropped t
TRISTAN Sweet is defeat when you actually win. I grinned at the thought. It only took a drink to get that annoying brat on board, all thanks to her bastard of a father. My grin grew wider; now I have Willow all to myself, and the shock on her face when she learns about it is predictably priceless.I rose from my seat and rang for the casino's bouncer. Three strongly built men swiftly made their way to my office."You called, sir?" the leader came forward."Yes, dispose of him," I gestured, signaling them to take the old man. They grabbed him by his arms, ready to escort him out."Please, I lost my wife to death, and none of my relatives keep contact with me anymore. I just can't lose my daughter," he pleaded. My grin slowly vanished, and my face twisted in disgust as I signaled for another shot of gin, which was promptly delivered. A nod directed the bouncers to wait. I approached the old man, lightly brushing his collar, and collided my head with his, leaving him confused and shaky.
WILLOWWaiting in the subway for an hour, Allison, who volunteered to pick me up, arrived with a bag of chips. We hopped on a train to the other side of town, now rebranded as Good Luck Alley from its former name, Greenwood Alley – a change that intrigued me given its previous reputation."Hey Allison, can I ask you a question?" I inquired."Shoot." she nodded, handing me some chips"Why do they call this place goodluck alley?" I asked she slowly nods her head sideways."You don't wanna know" she says"Oh come on, I wanna know please" I whimpered like a five year old."They call it Good Luck Alley because, well, good luck trying to get out alive," Allison replied, sending a shiver down my spine."And we are walking." I panicked while she snorts laugh like a pig at my discomfort."I'm joking, relax. This place doesn't get worse than it already is by midnight, and it's only nine, so we're safe for now," Allison reassured, the last part delivered with a mischievous attempt to spook me."I
THIRD PERSON POVWillow sat down blindfolded and tied up having no clue of where she was, making use of her other senses she tries to make out where she is."Hello" she yells as loud as she could but only hearing her echos."Hello sweetheart" She gulps at the familiar voice."It can't be," she quivered in her thoughts. Shaky and sweaty, she prayed fervently that her worst nightmare wasn't becoming a harsh reality.Her blindfold slowly unmasked revealing the handsome devil of a man before her, Tristan."How comical" just her luck that she's seeing the handsome devil once again."How comical indeed, miss me? " He winked at her as she Blush a Little forgetting about her unfortunate state."You've got the guts to be comical when you have me hostage. I swear, when my father hears about this," she threatened, but he laughed, dismissing her empty words. He walked up to her, squatting down a little, and smiled as he looked right into her eyes—something he couldn't help but find captivating, as
WILLOW"I get to have you as my bride"The words reverberated in my ears, and my breath hitched. This had to be a nightmare, a twisted dream I couldn't escape. Yet, the strong, piercing scent of Tristan's cologne confirmed it was a horrifying reality. Tristan withdrew from my side, studying my reaction as he locked eyes with me. Shocked beyond words, I refused to display any emotion. I looked away, denying him any clue about my feelings. I wouldn't meet his gaze; I wouldn't let him see my vulnerability. Pretending as if his heavy breath hadn't brushed against my skin, I shifted my focus down to his torso.His warm breath against my skin intensified, nearly undoing me. Slowly, I averted my eyes from his torso, locking onto his gaze. Initially oblivious, Tristan's eyes eventually met mine. Once our eyes connected, it felt sinful to look away from his deep blue eyes, as profound as the sea. I found myself ensnared in a trance, immobile, worries dissipating like mist in a safe haven. Anoth
WillowWe disengaged from our awkward hug as Tristan made his way towards her."Who's she? I've never seen her dance at the casino," she said, almost making me choke."How long have you been standing there?" Tristan asked, seemingly unconcerned."Long enough to shoot you a dozen times. You left me at the party with that detective of a nurse to find clues, deserted a party you were supposed to host, and now I find you in the hands of a random stripper," she said, scrutinizing me until her eyes lit up."Is that all.." Tristan said not giving a damn."No, you need to stop acting like your actions don't have consequences, you can't just kill anyone you don't like, the doctor called saying you let that man slide In a coma" she yelled."He deserve it probably if he survives he has learnt his lesson." he said hands down In his pockets leaving me clueless about any idea what they are talking about."Tristan." she scowled at him he just huffed a smirk pushing back his hair In a slick motion."T
WILLOWA week has passed, I'm still locked in this room, though it was adorned with all the comfort one could get, I felt like a prisoner.I couldn't leave my room, talk less leave the damn house, Tristan had the best chefs prepare the most healthiest food filled with nutrients, I wasn't allowed to eat any thing like junk food, Tristan forbid it. It didn't make sense why he forbade it but anytime I asked he always seemed to ignore me.I wasn't allowed to keep any connection with the outside world not even my dad, so I wasn't granted a phone.And I haven't set my eyes on Tristan on the past one week, for some reason, I was disappointed.I shouldn't be after all he's done to me.I wonder how dad is, did Tristan pay him a large chunk to keep him quiet?And Allison , I wonder what Tristan did to pay her off as well, does she worry about me? Or has she chosen to forget me.It was already dark, and I lay down on my bed, lost in thought until my door creaked slowly open, revealing Hailey . Sh
Willow's POVAfter I got my shift off, behold, I saw Hailey . She rocked black ripped jeans and an imprinted denim crop top. I wouldn't believe her if they said she recently gave birth; talk of she put to birth early, and guess what? Twins! I'm so happy for her and Tristan, and recently they got married. I swear Jaxon has his hands full with a boy and a girl; the boy's name is Allister, and the girl's name is Willow."I thought you were in London," I said as she pulled me into a hug."I'm on the run, and I missed you, and Jaxon wouldn't permit me, so I stole a jet and came here. So, how's the hospital?" she asked, clinging tightly to my arm and pulling me away from the hospital."Great! I'm getting full validation having over the hospital documents. You are free to call me Doctor Willow," I teased."After you go to med school," she said, ignoring my protests."Hey, I've not fully checked out yet," I cried, but she didn't listen."Jaxon is on the lookout for me, and I don't have much t
WILLOW'S POV"What if he doesn't like me?" Tina panicked, jolting back and escaping from my grip."He's my dad, and I'm sure he'll be happy to welcome you into his heart," I said as she looked into the community center for old people. It's been five months now, and she's nervous about meeting Dad.We've both had lots of time together to bond, and I'm sure she forgives me for the whole stealing her boyfriend thing, I think.My dad recently woke up from his coma, and Tristan permitted us both to see him. It didn't matter, though, because we were both going to go anyways."How do you know he will like me?" she said, clinging tightly to the frames of the door. Tina Mendoza, nervous? I think not."You've strutted the runway, eaten competition, and broken your competitors, and you're afraid of meeting your stepfather. Tina, he's heard so much about you and really wants to see you. Show him the real Tina Mendoza," I said as she let go of the frames and hugged me."It's Tina Shawn Davis to yo
WILLOW'S POVI'm in a wedding dress, and all eyes land on me. I feel very uneasy; they won't stop staring. Maybe it's because they are surprised to see a bride at an airport. Markus said we are getting married the moment we land in Croatia and start a new life away from troubles. As pleasant as all that sounds, I feel like I'm leaving a big part of me behind, like an other half, but every time I try to remember, nothing comes.It's my turn to pass through the metal detector. It scans for any metal but dings green. I prayed for it to ding red so that I might be held back, but it didn't. Markus took me by my hand, ushering me to the plane he booked. I can't believe it, and I don't know why I'm feeling miserable. The cloud is heavy, and it looks like it was about to rain. Maybe lightning will strike the plane because death is optional. Right now, I don't want to leave, but I'm afraid to tell Markus ; the way he reacted earlier scared me."Are you ready?" he said as our luggage was being
WILLOW'S POVThe nurse keeps asking me questions about who Tristan Donovan is. I don't even remember how I got here. I feel like I'm forgetting something, but did I just have an operation or plastic surgery that I don't remember anything? A doctor walked in with a cunning grin. I looked down. I'm wearing a wedding dress in a hospital. Something is definitely wrong because weddings and hospitals don't mix."Willow, you are alive. I thought those hitmen would finally get to you, but I made sure you wouldn't pass into the cold hands of death," he said, walking towards me. I feel like he's a bad omen or something."Who are you, and why am I in a wedding dress?" I asked."We were about to get married, but this man tried to kill you. He's already arm's length away from you, and to be safe, we need to leave the country," he said, showing me a picture of a man I think I remember but can't."Why?" I asked."I'm afraid you are not safe here. We will be departing from the hospital to the airpor
WILLOW'S POVBeing escorted by bodyguards, I slowly wiped my tears dry. I didn't like what I was about to do, but I had no choice. As I reached where Tristan was being held captive, I tapped gently, even though I didn't have to, before letting myself in.Tristan, pale and looking almost dead, brightened up. His eyes lit up in hope upon seeing me, as if he had been awaiting my arrival."What took you so long, and what's with the wedding dress?" he asked with a faint smile. His smile was so contagious that I looked down to the floor. It hurt so much coming here, it hurt so much seeing him in person, I felt soulless and inhumane to even be here to tell Tristan what Markus wanted me to say to him."I hate you." I started. It felt as if I got punched on my throat. "I don't love you anymore," my heart bled on mentioning that, it wasn't any better but I thought it might soften the blow."What exactly are you trying to say?" he asked."You're not deaf; you heard me. Like you said, you don't b
JAXON'S POV"Willow... Willow..." I yelled at the top of my voice over the phone, but I got no reply until I heard a scream, and eventually, the call hung up."What happened?" Sam asked, wearing a worried look, waiting for my reply."He got her..."WILLOW'S POVYawning, my eyes slightly opened to everything white. A sharp sensation hit my head as I tried bearing the migraines. I attempted to massage my temples, but my hand was pulled back; clearly, I was chained to a hospital bed. I looked around, seeing pedals on the floor. I struggled with my chains to break free, but they were solid metal. I felt a sharp sting at my arm. Why did it hurt so much? Oh right... I remembered that bastard shot me, and I bled so much. But how am I still alive? I think I lost a lot of blood.I looked down to see myself clad in a wedding gown. I could hear wedding bells playing, but how was that possible when I was chained to a hospital bed? There was a TV in the middle of the room."Help!" I yelled at the
JAXON'S POVI looked into the files with Tina's laptop, logging into my email to receive whatever Willow sent, but she cut the call. As we clicked on the file, it was called "Black File.""They look like normal computer programming to me," I said after minutes of searching, unsure of what Sam touched, logging us into another program."That's strange, these are all files of security tapes at the hospital where Caden got his surgery, but they look hidden," Tina said."And these look like contacts for the explosion of a plane to Ukraine," Sam added. "And these are contacts to the goons that chased us," she added as I got back into focus."That's not the only thing. Look at this, Willow is the rightful owner and heir to everything. This is Clara's original will, but in digital form because she left Valentina , which is Tina, some property," I said."It makes sense. That's why Clara wrote that secret message on the will. She was forced to write that fake will. Clara never willed Willow," S
91 "Mr. Donovan , you have a visitor," one of the cops yelled as they opened up the cell and cuffed me violently, escorting me to the visiting room. They pushed me into the room, instructing me to sit down on the chair while I wait for my visitor. I hope it's Willow. She hasn't picked up my calls, and I haven't heard from her. The only phone call I had, I used it to call her, but she didn't pick up. It's like she disappeared. The door opened, and my eyes lit up in hope but were crushed later on as Tina made her way in. I didn't spare her a look. All I wanted to see was Willow, but she's nowhere to be heard from. She grinned, sitting down on the chair opposite me, bringing out a plastic takeout and pushing it towards me as she gestured for me to eat, but I refused. "Come on, Tristan, eat up, please," she pleaded. I froze. I didn't want to eat anything. All I could think about was Willow. "Is Willow okay?" those were the only words that escaped my lips. She hissed at my reply, frow
WILLOW'S POV "But Willow, your mother knew she was going to die and she knew her killer. I'm sorry, but I think Tristan killed Clara..." Sam said. "It's not true..." I violently shook the table, driving both Rhett and Sam away from me. "Willow, is there any other proof? The evidence is right before our very eyes. Tristan killed Clara." "He didn't kill my mom, OK? This is just a coincidence..." I growled, trying to convince myself she's wrong. She has to be wrong. "Raelynn and Clara's clearly state someone was going to kill her, and it all points to Tristan . Tell me it's just a joke that you think he's innocent..." she said as I got up. "They didn't write Tristan's name, did they? And why would Tristan want to kill my mom? The government was after me, not Tristan . This doesn't make sense," I sighed in frustration. "Didn't you see the news? He killed Caden and probably burnt down his property... And it was just confirmed that he killed Caden with identified evidence. You