The ferocious blaring of the alarm nettled Rissa.She felt like throwing it across the room but she held back.She could hear Adrian's faint whisper from the doorway “Don't disturb her Caleb, come with me”Rissa couldn't care less, she needed this long sleep.“Thank God we chose a weekend!” she thought inwardly.Her stomach grumbled impatiently and she knew it couldn't wait any longer.Breakfast was something she had always taken seriously.She sat up and smiled warmly staring at a tray set up in front of her.How thoughtful of Adrian, she managed to drag herself off the bed.Her body felt heavy from the impact of Adrian's favour.She managed to stand up and brush her teeth.The lingering sensation of the soreness between her legs haunted her.She blushed sheepishly thinking about it all.Just like it was eight years ago, he had crawled up to her in bed.She woke from her nap into ferocious kisses and smooching.Only this time she wasn't expecting Liam Hickson.It was the right man th
“Aren't we supposed to be strangers now? Why are you stalking me?” Liam questioned Diane.Diane didn't respond immediately, her focus rested on his left hand.Liam held a brown envelope which he clutched to himself.“You are still the same, gullible-minded as ever”Diane's spiteful words nettled him, but he struggled for control.“You haven't changed either, sly bitch” he responded swiftly.Diane smiled coyly unfazed by his words.“Why are you here?” he asked in an icy cold voice.“To help you”, she responded calmly, maintaining eye contact with him.“Do I look like I need your help?” “Of course you do, don't deny it, Adrian is a stronger opponent than you are in all ramifications”Liam scoffed loudly “How does that turn out to be your headache?”“Because Golden Fingers is…..” she started.“Can you get out of his face bitch! We have something better to discuss” Diane turned back to see Amber walk up to them.The crowded street made her hold herself back.She would have wanted nothin
Rissa hugged Stella tightly as she felt tears trickling down her eyes.Adrian stood behind them smiling pleasantly.He knew she would be overwhelmed by the surprise.He had reached out to Abraham to check up on the family and he invited them over with faith.He was excited when Abraham returned the call to inform him of their intention to visit Los Angeles.Rissa disentangled herself from her mother and hugged Abraham with affection.Caleb rushed into Stella's arms, screaming excitedly.“Grandma! Grandpa!” Stella happily hugged him while Abraham ruffled his hair vigorously.“You have added a lot of healthy weight; Los Angeles is so good on you, pumpkin,”, Abraham said playfully, and they all laughed.Rissa collected the baby from Abraham who released him despite him wiggling from the change of hands.“Where is his brother?” Rissa questioned.“Taking a peaceful nap in his crib” Stella responded.In all the bubbling reunion, Mandy just stayed behind and watched them fascinated.She had
“Are you sure you will be okay babe?” Adrian asked with genuine concern as Rissa turned the car door.Rissa gave him a reassuring smile and kissed his lips gently.She turned back to face the crowded paparazzi that had stationed themselves meticulously outside Perchy Peach.Adrian was used to the life of being harassed by the camera.It was nothing new to him, but for Rissa, he was having cold feet.She had stubbornly insisted on showing up at the company that morning alongside him.There was nothing secretive again, the whole world already knew they were an item.Caleb, accompanied by two bodyguards, went to school, and Mandy was home keeping their guests company.They alighted from the car and the paparazzi rushed out to them.To Adrian's surprise, Rissa held her head up high, her confidence top-notch; her defiant gaze made him almost smile despite himself.“Mr Grey, was there any reason why Mr Hickson was on his way to seek you out?” a brunette reporter questioned.Adrian scoffed “
Adrian held out his hand and Rissa took it, giving him a reassuring smile.They walked into the hospital at the same pace.Rissa, deep down, felt scared, but she had to be strong for Adrian.She smiled inwardly as her mind drifted off to his confession earlier that day.“I know this is not the best time to say this, but I …I am in love with you, Rissa”.The eloquence of his voice melted her heart.The sincerity it exudes! She couldn't trade it for anything else.They were definitely going to get through this together.The moment they reached the corridor to the VIP ward, they met Liam on the way.He scoffed loudly, throwing Adrian a disdainful glare.“It seems unwelcome visitors keep showing up today”.His eyes drifted to their entangled hands and a clear pain passed through his eyes.“Mr Hickson, I am sorry about what happened to your father, I am sure he will fight through it”, Adrian said calmly.He didn't mind Liam's thoughtfulness and scornful looks towards him.“All thanks to yo
“Yes, he is … my ex-boyfriend”, Mandy said softly, feeling embarrassed.Adrian heaved a deep sigh, a part of him rejoiced shamelessly at the fact that the threat wasn't directed at Rissa.But Mandy was family too; the blackmailer seemed hell-bent on setting her for doom.“Why?” Adrian questioned suspiciously but Rissa pinched him from behind.“It's okay Mandy, take your time, you can explain when you are ready”, Rissa said calmly.Mandy nodded her head in affirmation while resting her head on the car seat.Adrian felt ashamed for behaving too irrationally.He should have empathized with Mandy rather than questioned her immediately.The innocent woman was yet to get over the shock of almost getting stabbed.They alighted from the car in front of the house.The bodyguard swept Mandy off her feet, taking both Adrian and Rissa by surprise.They exchanged knowing looks and smiled awkwardly.They watched on as he carried Mandy into the house.“Are you sensing what I am sensing?” Rissa said,
A large boulder was thrown and the bodyguard hastily nodded it.Liam Hickson watched agape as the bodyguard fell and lost consciousness.His eyes widened in shock as the painful reality dawned on him.The boulder was aimed at him initially, if it had hit him, he would be spending the next few weeks in the emergency unit.He quickened his pace as the other bodyguards kept shielding him except one who was attending to their fallen colleague.Some Paparazzi rushed forward to block his way, but he and his bodyguard fought through the crowd, giving him a chance to escape.“Block all the other entrances, they must not come through”, Liam barked the orders desperately.He got to the elevator and made for his office floor.Immediately he got in, he threw himself on the sofa and heaved a deep sigh.Liam picked up the phone and dialled a contact.“What is the situation over there?” He asked worriedly.“We are managing it, Mr Hickson. The hospital security personnel were also of assistance”, the
“I am so ashamed of myself for accusing Perchy Peach CEO”“I am so pissed at Golden Fingers right now”“I will never restock their drink ever!”Rissa read through the comments on the social media with mixed emotions.She walked up to Adrian who wore an expressionless gaze.“Public sympathy is in your favour”, she said calmly.“Why does that make me feel uneasy?” Adrian responded sincerely.“I am baffled, too; who else apart from you is aware of this?”.“I can't be so sure, my grandfather was a man of few words”, Adrian responded, baffled.“To say he or she is even aware of the evidence you have in your hand”, Rissa pointed out desperately.Adrian gave it a thought but he took his mind off it as fast as he could.“Babe, I have been having this head-splitting headache since last night. Can we talk about something else?” Rissa nodded slightly in agreement, knowing Adrian had had enough of the trouble already.“Mum called earlier; they just got back home. Thank you, babe”, Rissa said wit
She crushed the paper she was holding; anger brewed in her; she had to put up with that saucy bitch because of a mere slip-up from that wretched opportunist. Mr Denver's eyes shot up and her late husband’s stoic face from the wall frame bore into hers as if he was judging her harshly.Mrs. Denver hissed angrily, it was a marriage of convenience from the start so he couldn't have expected faithfulness from her, he never attempted to show her love either, he was busy frolicking with that coward bartender, but now the outcome had come back to bite her in flesh as Diane Donaldson, the thick-skinned bitch.She picked up her private phone and stared intently at it, the message was simple and clear enough, but can it be trusted? She had grown up with the knowledge of walking on eggshells around everybody else, just one slip could lead to one’s destruction.“Mrs. D, We can turn the table around; our mutual enmity could be put to good use; call me if it resonates with you.”Mrs. Denver could s
Rosa kept throwing occasional suspicious glances at Diane who was busy cementing her usual flawless makeup. She couldn't shake off the possibility of her finding out about their plan before they were able to execute it. She had desperately hoped that Diane hadn't tapped her phone as she did bug her car.With her sensitive discussion with Bryan, and their rebellious scheme to overthrow her or probably eliminate her for good, Rosa had made up her mind; she was going to risk it; how long was she willing to lick the floor that the bitchy woman walks on.From the day she had set her eyes on Diane at the organization, she knew for a fact that she was trouble, it was just unfortunate that men’s blind lust for her had cost the previous general, her bedmate his life, not that Rosa cared, after all, she had only taken to his bed to save her own miserable life.She looked down at her hand, and her eyes flicked over the tattoo in her hand, her lifesaver, which had ensured her survival all along,
“Told me what?”Adrian questioned suspiciously, his heart thumping loudly in his chest; he sincerely hoped it wasn't what he was thinking. If it turned out to be, it would make him a total jerk. He looked Rissa in the eye; she didn't blink, and no shift in her countenance scared him more.“Were you hoping she was pregnant for you Hun!” Bianca said sharply, cutting off the awkward silence in the room.Adrian couldn't hide his embarrassment; he tried to deny it, but the words proved difficult to say; he looked over at Rissa, who wore a disdainful look. She smoothed her expression and smiled warmly at Bianca who kept up with the nonchalantly. “I am planning to resign from my position after the competition ends”, Rissa said softly.Adrian's countenance dwindled, replaced by instant grief? Was Rissa planning to walk away from him? Her eyes spoke volumes; it didn't look like she was going to have a rethink; she was on the verge of making up her mind; confusion engulfed him; she hadn't give
The meeting was getting too long and boring, but the board of directors kept clamoring for a solution to their fears, a problem whose solution date was long past. Adrian wished he could bail out but he imagined his grandfather throwing dagger shades at him for running away like a coward.He kept on nodding in agreement, urging the agitated bald man, whose ferocious behavior was well known, to keep up with his analysis. With one look at his phone, he was tempted to pick it up; Rissa had dropped him tons of messages that he didn't open, and the last one caught his attention: the kiss emoji.The unmistakable glint in his eyes had urged the speaker, unknown to him, that Adrian had fallen into the world of his fantasies. Another message surfaced on the notification bar that got him hooked.“Guess who decided to stop by?”Adrian had always known Rissa didn't bluff; he hastily picked up his phone, and to the director's displeasure, he mouthed a quick apology and hastily dialed her number; be
Amber's eyes never left Diane's; she had confidently walked into their home as if she owned the place; of course, she was once the lady of the mansion, but that was all in the past; her tenure was long gone. An unpleasant memory flickered in Diane's eyes; she was throwing glassware on the floor to appease her rage, and Amber was standing there with fear in her eyes, holding tight to her son, Rowen Hickson, shouting back at her. That very day, she had lost something important, her very first and only pregnancy.A feeling of loss took over her heart; she tried to shake it away, but it proved abortive; Diane had sat there for about ten minutes cross-legged. The awkward silence in the room unsettled her; Liam looked more composed than she had ever seen him in all the years they spent together in the past. He looked like a man with rational reasoning rather than his initial gullibility.“To what surprise do we owe this unpleasant visit?” Amber questioned sarcastically, glaring at her.Dia
“Is that a teardrop Adrian?”Embarrassed was an understatement of what he felt; he had hidden his emotions well enough, but Rissa still managed to catch a glimpse of his weakness. Adrian smiled warmly, hiding his feelings; he hugged Rissa, who was still shocked by it but decided not to question him.The day went by slowly and uneventfully until Mrs Denver decided to make a press release stating her stance on her late husband’s illegitimate daughter. To the nation’s surprise. Diane had shown up alongside her at the conference room.The countenance she wore had given the world a clue that they had reached a consensual agreement, only that Mrs Denver needed to pronounce it publicly. Mr Smith threw his phone across the room as he watched the live conference.This had not been his intention when he sent Diane the DNA result; he had tried to set up three strong parties against her, hoping one of them could take her down. Liam Hickson had rejected his offer, and Adrian Grey's stance was stil
Rissa pouted angrily. Was this all a sick joke to him? Three years of commitment and all she got was a casual proposal! She was about to turn him down bluntly and state a thousand reasons why she thought he was inconsiderate when Adrian's phone rang.He had to excuse himself to pick up the call and Rissa sat there sulking like a rejected teenager. Liam Hickson, in the past, had made her a grand proposal that melted many hearts, including the envious Diane Donaldson. Rissa ruffled her hair, she didn't want to think about it.The comparison of both men wasn't healthy; she knew that Adrian might be an inconsiderate jerk sometimes, but she was certain of his true affection for her. Her phone chimed, and Camela’s video call request came through; she picked it up, and it turned out to be a conference call.“Hi Rissa”, Camela and Mandy chorused “Let me guess, you are in Mr Grey’s office; the background is…. exquisite”, Mandy taunted, and they all laughed.Rissa blushed sheepishly; she had a
Diane alighted from the car, and the paparazzi rushed after her; she smiled inwardly but managed to maintain her facade of hurtfulness. Mr Denver's wife had watched her display from the CCTV footage, but she kept her composure, barely giving off any emotion of weakness.The first day she had read the anonymous blogspot about the bastard girl, her heart had almost given out; her late husband had promised her in the past that he was certain he had tidied up all his loose ends, but here she was, back in one piece.The uneasiness she had felt twenty-seven years ago when the news of the burnt house didn't record the child’s corpse had come back to haunt her in the form of a stronger force to reckon with. If her suspicion was right, she was dealing with a devil’s playmate.Beatrice had grumpily told Diane about what she had heard about her before she left the orphanage, the strange man who had dumped her there with a lump sum of donation had firmly insisted she must never be adopted by any
“Mum, we are building a sandman”.Caleb's enthusiasm melted Rissa's troubled heart, she sat in the far end of the beach house dressed in a sexy teal green bikini and a slightly draped kimono. They had put off the beach visit for too long, fearing attacks; their lives had been at a standstill for too long, and unwinding turned out to be the best idea.She looked over at the all-powerful CEO of Perchy Peach packing some earth with his bare hands; he looked too happy doing it that Rissa scoffed inwardly; his authoritative aura had been replaced with a childlike look; she was glad they had taken Mrs Robinson’s weird advice.With one look at the peacefulness of the ocean, Rissa wished she had such a life, but unfortunately, hers was filled with too many dramatic encounters and dangerous turns that she barely remembers what it felt like to be at total ease.She kept on glancing at their phones that had laid helpless on the floor, Adrian had come up with the idea that they switch off their p