BENTLEY'S POV"I can't... I can't believe this," I murmured, tears streaming down my cheeks unchecked. "They were supposed to be on vacation, enjoying their time together. How could this happen?"Enzo's grip on my hand tightened, his own eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I don't know, Bentley. I don't know."Tears blurred my vision as grief engulfed me, consuming every fiber of my being. Enzo's comforting presence was the only anchor keeping me tethered to reality amidst the storm of emotions raging inside me.But just as I felt the first tendrils of despair begin to loosen their grip, a sudden commotion shattered the fragile peace of the café. I looked up through tear-streaked eyes to see a woman—Max's mom, Clarissa—storming into the café with an air of righteous indignation.Before I could even process what was happening, she was standing before me, her expression twisted with anger and contempt. Without a word, she reached out and snatched my untouched latte from the table, her m
BENTLEY'S POVTears welled up in my eyes, a tidal wave of emotions crashing over me with relentless force. "Why do you hate Accalia so much?" I cried, the anguish in my voice echoing through the café. "She's done nothing but try to be a good daughter to you."Clarissa's face contorted with rage, her hand raised as if to strike me. But before she could make contact, her hand was suddenly held back by an unseen force.I turned, my heart pounding in my chest, to see a shadowy figure looming behind Clarissa, his presence both comforting and intimidating in equal measure. Who was this mysterious savior, and what did he want?The tension in the air was palpable as Clarissa struggled against the unseen restraint, her eyes blazing with fury. "Let go of me!" she spat, her voice a venomous hiss.“Luca!???”As Enzo's voice rang out in surprise, I turned to see the figure step forward, revealing himself to be none other than Luca—another one of Accalia's bodyguards. My heart skipped a beat at the
BENTLEY'S POVI felt a surge of anger rise up within me, but before I could retort, Clarissa was already spewing forth a barrage of hurtful remarks, each one more cutting than the last. "You're nothing but a cheap, desperate woman," she sneered, her words laced with venom. "And to think I once considered you worthy of my son's affection. How laughable."Enzo shot me a sympathetic glance, his eyes mirroring the mix of frustration and amusement that churned within me. "Don't listen to her, Bentley," he said, his voice a soothing balm amidst the storm of insults. "She's not worth your time."But Clarissa was already making her exit, her laughter echoing in the wake of her departure like a haunting melody. "Enjoy your life of mediocrity, Bentley," she called over her shoulder, her tone filled with scorn. "I'm sure it suits you perfectly."I seethed with rage as Clarissa disappeared from view, leaving me behind with a cold, indifferent bodyguard and an amused, mischievous Enzo."Well, that
BENTLEY'S POVI suppressed a giggle at Enzo's antics, watching with amusement as Luca's expression darkened with irritation. "Very funny, Enzo," he retorted, his sarcasm dripping like honey. "I think I'll pass on the whole fatherhood thing, thanks."Enzo chuckled, undeterred by Luca's icy demeanor. "Oh, come on, Luca, where's your sense of adventure?" he teased, nudging him playfully. "Besides, I hear parenthood does wonders for your sleep schedule."I joined in with a laugh, the tension of the earlier confrontation dissipating in the face of Enzo's infectious humor. Despite Luca's best efforts to maintain his stoic facade, even he couldn't resist the lure of camaraderie and laughter.Enzo grinned, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Great! Let's celebrate Bentley's impending motherhood with a round of drinks," he exclaimed, his tone playful.I rolled my eyes at Enzo's antics, but couldn't suppress a smile at his infectious enthusiasm. "Yeah, because nothing says celebration like morn
BENTLEY'S POV"Well, you see, we met again the second time," I began, my voice dripping with faux sincerity, "it all started one fateful night at the bar."Luca nodded, playing along with practiced ease. "I stumbled in after a long day of guarding Accalia and her husband, seeking refuge from the chaos of the world," he added, his voice tinged with melodrama."And there I was," I continued, gesturing dramatically, "behind the bar, mixing drinks and stealing hearts with my irresistible charm."Enzo leaned in, hanging on our every word. "And then what happened?" he prompted, his eyes wide with anticipation."Sparks flew," Luca declared, his tone solemn. "We locked eyes across the crowded room, and in that moment, we knew—we were destined to be together."I nodded emphatically, adding, "It was like something out of a romance novel. We danced, we laughed, we fell in love under the twinkling lights of the bar."Enzo's eyes widened in disbelief, but he was clearly enraptured by our tale of w
BENTLEY'S POVEnzo leaned back in his chair, a skeptical expression crossing his face. "As romantic as that story sounds, I'm going to need some proof," he declared, his tone laced with doubt.I exchanged a nervous glance with Luca, our elaborate ruse suddenly feeling a lot less amusing. "Proof?" I echoed, my voice pitching higher with each word. "What kind of proof is more solid than our story?"Enzo's eyes sparkled with mischief as he leaned forward, his grin widening. "Well, for starters, how about a couple selfie? Or maybe a heartfelt love letter?" he suggested, his tone teasing.I bit my lip nervously, casting a pleading look at Luca, who merely shrugged in response. "Uh, well, you see..." I stammered, scrambling for an excuse.But before I could come up with a convincing lie, Enzo was already pulling out his phone, a determined glint in his eye. "No need to be shy, you two lovebirds," he said, his fingers flying over the screen. "Let's document this historic moment for posterity
BENTLEY'S POVBut as Enzo examined the photo with a critical eye, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.Enzo leaned back in his chair, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You know what? Forget about reenacting the scene," he declared, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "Why don't you two just kiss to prove to me that this whole love story isn't just a load of baloney?"My eyes widened in disbelief, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment at the suggestion. "Kiss?" I echoed, my voice cracking with nervousness. "Are you serious?"Enzo nodded eagerly, his grin widening. "Absolutely! Come on, show me some real chemistry," he urged, his excitement palpable.Enzo leaned back in his chair, a smug smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "Come on, it's the perfect proof," he insisted, his voice tinged with amusement. "A kiss seals the deal, right?"I shot Enzo a withering glare, my mind racing with a million reasons why that was a terrible idea. "Absolutely not," I declared, sha
BENTLEY'S POVEnzo couldn't contain his amusement as he watched me squirm in my seat, a teasing grin plastered on his face. "Well, well, well," he chuckled, his voice tinged with mirth. "Looks like I've stumbled upon a real-life soap opera."I shot him a glare, my cheeks still burning with embarrassment from the unexpected kiss. "Don't even start," I muttered, my voice laced with irritation.But before Enzo could reply, my phone rang, cutting through the tension like a knife. I glanced down at the caller ID and felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach—it was my parents.Taking a deep breath, I answered the call, steeling myself for the inevitable barrage of criticism and disapproval that was sure to follow. "Hello?" I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the turmoil raging inside me."Bentley," my mother's voice crackled through the line, her tone icy and disapproving. "Your father and I expect you to be at the family dinner this evening. And bring that... bodyguard of
DON'S POV"I spoke with Bentley, her father is the police officer that ruled your sister's death as suicide." Luca said."So?""According to Bentley, Accalia family has no hand in it. Her father was threatened by the other gang and their new leader."I nodded slowly, understanding what he was saying. "We better get the truth out of Ken then, have you handed Florella over to the police?" I asked."Yes boss.""Good."We both headed down to the basement where Ken was being held captive, I needed to torture the truth out of his mouth.He was sitting against the wall with his arms tied behind his back, his wrists chained. His face bruised and bloodied, and his clothes covered in dried blood, he was still shivering, despite his cold exterior."What are you going to do with me?" He spat, spitting blood onto the floor of the dungeon."Well Ken Peterson , I'll give you an opportunity to answer a few of my questions and maybe I'll release you."Ken narrowed his eyes at me, "Why should I believe
DON'S POV "You need to calm down son, I have no reason to kidnap your wife!" My father screamed in annoyance as I held him by the collar, accusing him of being responsible for Accalia sudden disappearance. it has been two days since I've heard from Accalia or seen her.i recalled telling her to go home first after the press conference but when I got home, she wasn't there and no one knew anything about her disappearance.I was beginning to go crazy over her absence, I felt like something bad happened to her and I couldn't control it, I was scared shitless.I was furious that I did not know what had happened to her.who the hell dared to kidnap my woman?!!!"I won't let anything happen to her!" I roared while I tightened my grip on my dad's neck and squeezed harder.After I released my grip, my father gasped and began coughing loudly."What the hell are you?!" He questioned me as he took several deep breaths."Do you really think that I am a weak minded coward like you?!" I replied
ACCALIA'S POVI noticed alot of crowds at the company today but I had no idea why but for some reason Enzo seemed tense and clinged to me."Is the company doing something today? why are there a lot of people and reporters outside?" I asked but before I could hear Enzo's response, an egg hit me on the head."She's the one that hurt our kitten!" The man shouted and everyone's attention was turned to me, I was so confused but had no time to process that confusion because people began hurling insults at me and the eggs kept on flying.I tried to defend myself but people would not allow it, many people were throwing eggs at me and they kept on hitting me and I had no way to avoid the hits. One egg managed to land on my head causing me to stagger.I wanted to defend myself, the insults weren't hurting anyone they were just getting their point across.Someone picked up a bottle and threw it at me. The impact of the bottle hitting me made me flinch.Enzo guided me through and I finally made
FLORELLA'S POVI frowned as I watched the new model, Accalia walk into the studio. She had a radiant smile on her face and everything about her just screamed beauty and perfection, no flaws or imperfections in sight.Her hair was styled in perfect waves that framed her face beautifully, her makeup perfectly complimented her gorgeous olive brown orbs and bright pink lipstick.She looked good. So good! So incredibly good that she could probably win any contest she was in! I almost gasped in admiration as I saw how breathtaking she really looked.I hated how beautiful she was, I never understood why anyone could want to look like that, but she was definitely an exception. She had a unique personality that drew people to her in a different way than everyone else did.I hated the fact that she was pretty that me and could easily over take me in the modeling world, there was no way in hell I was going to let that happen. i have been bullying her for over two weeks since she came but she
ACCALIA'S POVAfter hours of modeling and posing for countless pictures, it was time for me to go home and rest before I had to return to the studio again for another day full of work. My clothes were all wrinkled and dirty after being used so many times for clothing shoots.But I was tired and hungry. So, with only mild hesitance, I walked out of the studio to head back home. my phone chimed and I looked at it and saw it was a text from Don asking me to use the back door of the company and meet him at the car park where he was waiting for me.I smiled weakly at the text before I took the elevator to the car park tiredly.I exited the elevator and walked out of the building and saw Don standing at the entrance of the parking lot, he waved as soon as he saw me approaching and headed over to the car to help me inside. Once I was seated, he walked around the car to the drivers seat."Where is everyone?" I asked curiously, noticing no cars."They had to go somewhere." Is all he told me.
ACCALIA'S POVI smiled as I dressed up for my first day at work, yes, my first day at work. I was so excited when Don told me to dress up today that I would resume work at his company as a model.I wanted to make a good first impression so I needed to dress up nicely. A white button down shirt and a black blazer were the two pieces of clothing I selected from my closet after I finished dressing in bed this morning. I also wore some light makeup but it wasn't much. Not too much, just enough to look like I hadn't slept with it all off last night. That made me think about something else - Don's lips... I shook my head trying to get rid of those thoughts.I brushed through my hair once more then applied one last coat of lip gloss before leaving my room, closing and locking the door behind me. I took a deep breath of air and exhaled deeply, hoping to calm myself before I headed down the stairs to meet Don."Good morning!" Don chirped happily when he saw me. I grinned back at him and walk
ACCALIA'S POVDon squeezed my hand reassuringly, his gaze filled with unwavering determination. "We can do this, Accalia," he said, his voice steady despite the tremble in his hands. "Together, we can face anything."With a heavy heart, I nodded in agreement, drawing strength from Don's unwavering faith in our future. As we boarded the bus and took our seats, I cast one last glance back at the village of Arinthia, its familiar streets now fading into the distance.And as the bus pulled away, carrying us towards an uncertain future, I knew that it was time to go back to my old life.As the bus journeyed towards the city, the landscape outside morphed from rolling hills to towering skyscrapers, a stark contrast to the quaint charm of Arinthia. With each passing mile, my heart grew heavier, the uncertainty of our future weighing heavily upon me.But as we finally arrived at our destination and stepped off the bus, a sense of anticipation tingled in the air. For the first time in what fel
ACCALIA'S POVDon wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close as he felt my body tremble with suppressed sobs. "It's okay, Accalia," he whispered, his voice gentle yet filled with unspoken sorrow. "We'll be alright."But the dam had already broken, and I could no longer hold back the flood of emotions that surged within me. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I buried my face in Don's chest, my heart aching with the pain of leaving behind everything I had ever known."It's just... so hard," I choked out between sobs, my voice muffled against Don's shirt. "Saying goodbye to everyone, to everything..."Don held me tighter, his own eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I know, Accalia," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "But this isn't goodbye forever. We'll come back someday, I promise."His words offered little solace in the face of our imminent departure, but I clung to them nonetheless, finding comfort in the warmth of his embrace. Together, we sat down on the worn wooden b
ACCALIA'S POVWe climbed into the of the truck, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness at the thought of leaving behind another dear friend. Kito had always been there for us, offering his help and support whenever we needed it, and the thought of saying goodbye to him was almost too much to bear.As we settled into the worn leather seats of Kito's truck, a heavy silence hung in the air, punctuated only by the soft hum of the engine. I glanced out the window, watching as the familiar sights of Arinthia faded into the distance, my heart aching with the weight of farewell.The ride to the bus stop was a somber one, the only sound the steady hum of the engine and the occasional sniffle from one of us. Kito tried to lighten the mood with some of his trademark jokes, but even he seemed to be struggling to find his usual cheerfulness.As we neared the bus stop, Kito pulled over and turned off the engine, the silence that followed almost deafening in its intensity. "Well, this is it," he