“Mum, Miss Bernard is Alice’s mum”, Caleb said hastily, skipping pleasantries.“Manners young man”, Rissa said, giving him a disapproving face.“I am sorry, hello mum”, he responded instantly.Rissa hugged him lovingly and thanked the bodyguard who brought him back.“Who is Alice by the way?” Rissa questioned, confused.“Mum! You forgot my girlfriend; I am disappointed”, Caleb said, pouting.Rissa rolled her eyes inwardly and drew him closer.“Okay, sorry, what about her?” She said smiling“It turns out our teacher, Miss Bernard, is her mum”, Caleb said enthusiastically.Rissa's memory resurfaced, and Miss Bernard hit on Adrian openly during the last encounter they had.“So did you give Miss Bernard the shoes?” Rissa questioned.“Not yet mum but her dad was scary, I guess Miss Bernard likes my dad because he is not scary, but Alice said you will hate dad if Miss Bernard likes him”Rissa busted into uncontrollable laughter surprised by the little kid analysing their life.“Your mum won
“To Liam Hickson, I would say all will be well”.Rissa said and smiled warmly at one of the kids rallying around her.Liam scoffed inwardly and picked up his spoon.He kept munching on his food hungrily quickening the pace.“You are going to get indigestion at this rate”.Amber said, watching him with a raised brow.He didn't respond to her because he knew better than to.Amber picked up her bag and stood up abruptly.“Well, I am not idle either, Mr Hickson; I am a CEO; I will see you later”.She turned to leave but Liam held her hand.“Thank you, Amber, I mean it”Amber smiled warmly and walked out without another word.Liam picked up his phone immediately and dialled a number.“How is my father doing?” he questioned.“He isn't yet awake, Mr Hickson, but his heartbeat remains steady”, the receiver responded instantly.“Okay, have you traced the blog's address?” Liam questioned with a huge lump in his throat.“Yes, but it was opened in a foreign country, China to be precise”, the rece
“Mr George!” Rissa shouted wide-eyed.“Miss me?” Mr George said mockingly.Mrs Robinson scoffed loudly “What is this dimwit doing here?” She muttered under her breath eyeing Mr George maliciously.“Well, I came as a well-wisher, aren't I even privileged to be one?” He said teasingly facing Rissa.“I guess you were well disguised enough that the security didn't recognize you”, Mrs Robinson said scornfully.“Ouch! That stings a bit, but let me ask you,” he said, turning to Mrs Robinson. “Am I a criminal now? From what I know, I am a free man; I only lost my job here; that's all”, he said grimly.“If you had any honour, to begin with, you would be ashamed to set your foot into Perchy Peach, you fucking traitor!” Mrs Robinson shouted at him.Mr George laughed hysterically “I can see you haven't gotten over me, too bad, the charges were dropped, weren't they?” Rissa was quiet for a while watching their duo banter with words.“Why did you do it?” Rissa asked calmly, out of the blue facing
Adrian sat in the front row, watching the international panelists do their job.His mind was muddled as he thought of what the results would eventually be.He watched them simultaneously penning down some things that were far beyond his line of vision.Flashes of camera light filled the air as the bloggers and reporters were busy taking their fill of it.Adrian had spent a fortune in inviting these highly sought-after panelists from the world food production Regulations.If their assessment of the new products developed turns out negative, it will have a negative impact on their already existing products in the market.It was a calculated risk he was taking as a businessman.Rissa was literally shivering on her seat so were the other members of the new product development department.This was the second day of their staff week and the most crucial of all.Adrian's keen eyes was focused on the bald panelists on the far left seat whose countenance remained blank.His eyes met Rissa's an
“Can I tell you a secret?” Rissa whispered seductively into Adrian's ears at the time that the elevator ding opened.They instantly tore apart out of sheer embarrassment; they stayed quiet as the amused look on the face of Mrs Robinson said it all.“Mr Grey, congratulations to us for today's victory, Miss Stonebridge has been breaking through the toughest boundaries”“Stop flattering me Mrs Robinson, I am starting to get shy”, Rissa said playfully.“She wasn't flattering you, Rissa; you have indeed been making us real proud”, Adrian said, taking them both by surprise.Rissa blushed furiously, Mrs Robinson left them and took the elevator while they went into Adrian's office holding hands.Liam couldn't help but scoff loudly as Rissa’s smiling face showed up on the internet again.“Perchy Peach has been taking their sweet time basking in the limelight because we got hit for a short time”.“Adrian Grey is a businessman, don't blame him”, Amber said, munching on an apple pie.“Aren't thos
“If Caleb wasn't in the picture, we probably…. would still have met and we would fall in love like this”.Adrian said, holding her hand in his and kissing it softly.Rissa blushed furiously “Then I would have been a perfect Cinderella twice”.Adrian didn't respond to that, without Rissa being the mother of his child.He had been smitten by her the first day he had seen her through the CCTV footage on her first day at work.Seeing her as his victim's mother and confirming she works with Perchy Peach further supported his belief in their twisted fate.“Your turn Adrian”, Rissa said smiling.Adrian's mind was clouded; tons of questions swirled around his subconscious mind, begging to be unleashed.“Were you deeply in love with him? I mean back then”, he asked shyly.“If you are referring to my ex-husband Liam, I was in love with him or let's say, I thought I was until his feeble mind got the best of what I thought we had”, Rissa confessed sardonically.Adrian was silent for a split secon
“Miss Donaldson, are going to continue living in denial?” the therapist said with a raised brow.“Denial! Denial of what exactly?”“Of the fact that your thirst for revenge supersedes your chance of forgiveness”, the therapist responded worriedly.Diane laughed hysterically, “I must say, you aren't a sham; no wonder Liam Hickson comes all the way here to you”.“Mr Hickson! You know him?” the older woman asked with a confused expression on her face.“Let's say, I do in the past”, Diane responded nonchalantly.The therapist heaved a deep sigh.“Are you his ex-wife?” She asked sternly.“See! You are really smart”, Diane said sweetly.“Are you here for a therapy session or to stalk him?” The woman asked calmly, maintaining eye contact with Diane.“Both actually”“If you will excuse me, Miss Donaldson, I have a place to be now”, the woman said, standing up abruptly.“I can see he had bad-mouthed me a lot to you”, Diane said.“I am not obligated to reveal to you my session with another cli
Liam crossed his legs and smiled widely scanning through the official invitation sent by Perchy Peach to him.He wouldn't have considered such a late offer if he weren't playing hooky with Adrian Grey's integrity.He looked over at his father's peacefully sleeping face and rage engulfed him.“Hang in there dad, I will show you my strength soon”He looked around the room and his eyes settled on several bunches of flowers that had been sent by well-wishersPeople are so gullible enough to fall for whatever they hear on the internet, he thought inwardly.He stood up abruptly and left the hospital ward.He had missed three scheduled therapy sessions already.Liam got into his car and zoomed off at high speed.He alighted in front of the building and walked in putting his initial worries all away.This was his safe haven, he thought inwardly.“Mr Hickson, it is such a pleasure to see you again”, the therapist said excitedly.“Thank you, I am sorry I cancelled our initial schedules thrice;
“Then you get to take a shower after killing the cockroach laced in your hair”. Diane laughed hysterically at the mere memory of the general’s word. She remembered how she had jumped up and ferociously pulled at her hair in a bid to get it out. Unfortunately, she just got herself fooled by the cunning bastard. Everything was going to be over soon. Finally, she was going to get her happy ending, which she had strived endlessly to achieve. Rosa had reported seeing Amber rushing into Perchy Peach and the scowl on her face a few minutes later when she exited. They must have had a bone to pick. She made for her wine cellar and brought out the best there is but she didn't have the flair to pour more than a few glasses, she had to disconnect her spy recorder in Rosa's car that minute, she was tired of hearing her moans while on missions, Mr George seems to have been digging her right. Mr Smith was right; coming back to Los Angeles was a difficult task for her, having to hide from raising
“Don't you think we should…..”The door opened, cutting Rissa off her word; Amber rushed him; she looked unkempt and uncomposed, and both Adrian and Rissa looked stunned. It took them quite some time to react to her presence.“Mrs Hickson, this is a…..it's a pleasure to see you.. please have a seat”, Adrian offered.“I know all too well that it is not a pleasant meeting, not at a time like this, but I have no choice.” Amber burst into uncontrollable tears, and Rissa moved closer to console her. Even at the most dangerous moments, she had never been this shattered.“Mrs Hickson, what is going on?” Adrian questioned suspiciously.“Liam is being blackmailed”, she said, dabbing her tears with a handkerchief.“By Diane?” Rissa questioned suspiciously.“Not her; he tells me everything about her moves, but this was an anonymous person.”Rissa felt a pang of stabbing jealousy at Amber's words; Liam hadn't been the type to hide things, unlike Adrian, who was prone to. She wished he never had t
Mandy hugged Caleb for the umpteenth time. She felt herself moved to tears, and it took all of her self-control to hold it back. Caleb was sulking, too; he had really gotten used to Mandy's presence for the few days that her departure was about to leave a void in him.His mother, Rissa, had been quite…..distracted these days that she barely had time for him. Also, his father's business was at a huge turning point; he had been keeping himself company with the numerous video games, but right now, he was getting bored.“Don't worry, pumpkin; I will come to visit soon with a lot of chocolate.” Mandy's reassuring smile did little to cheer him up, he nodded innocently. “Now baby, you wouldn't want Aunty Mandy to miss her flight, will you?” Caleb nodded in affirmation and shifted back into Rissa's embrace. He kept waving goodbye till she was out of his view.Rissa's eyes were glued to Mandy's departure, she felt sad but also was happy that nothing negative had happened during her stay in Lo
Rissa felt her cheeks heating up; she opened her eyes slightly as Adrian kissed her lips gently. It feels great every time, she thought inwardly. She wrapped her arms around him in a bear hug, pouting innocently. He looked into her eyes and laughed heartily. Rissa Stonebridge sure is full of surprises.“I got you some gifts”, Adrian said with a charming smile plastered on his face.Rissa disentangled herself from him; her eyes shot up; what was the occasion? It wasn't even her birthday. She turned her head to her bedside and saw a crowded bunch of wrapped gifts, Just looking at them from a distance, she knew he must have spent a fortune.“What is the occasion, Mr. CEO?” she said teasingly.“Nothing special; I just achieved my aim of seeing a sweet smile on my girlfriend’s cute face,” he said, squeezing her cheeks playfully. Rissa rolled her eyes and laughed “I am everything but cute! Nah, I am way past that, thanks to being thirty”.He hugged her tightly and kissed her cheeks; Adrian
Mandy waved enthusiastically and Caleb rushed into her arms. They both couldn't contain their joy; she hadn't had a video call with him in weeks, and it felt like years; she almost got thrown on her back by his huge hug. Rissa walked up to her smiling pleasantly.“Caleb is all grown; I almost fell on my butt from his hug.”Caleb laughed as he disentangled himself from her. Rissa hugged Mandy, too, and kept on blabbing about the jet lag and how she was craving a cold shower and some home-cooked meals. She reached into her pocket and handed over a chocolate box to Caleb which he collected enthusiastically.“You have lost a few pounds, Mandy. Have lectures been stressful?” Rissa questioned worriedly.“Very stressful, but I love it, it keeps me on my toes, and I only have one more year to endure the hard part.”Rissa nodded in understanding and they all walked out of the airport beaming with smiles. Mandy had called her three days back to inform her about her return to Los Angeles for a f
Diane kept gulping down more wine; she was beyond drunk, her face was swollen, and her lips were plump. She smiled inwardly as she listened in on her Bluetooth headphones. The soft moans, her mind drifting off to its imagination, parted her legs slightly and inserted two fingers into her core.The moans intensified, and so did the thrusting of her fingers; she heard the male groan, and her senses flew up; she felt the shift in power and his vigorous thrusts on the female; she felt herself reaching her peak and let out a soft moan before withdrawing her hands.Diane felt herself weakened on the sofa, her juice flowing out freely from between her legs, she smiled satisfactorily. She hadn't had the time to do that in the two months since she arrived in Los Angeles.“Can we do this a few more times?”“Don't you dare dream!”She heard the words and laughed hysterically, Rosa hadn't been aware of the bug in the car, but Diane knew she couldn't trust anyone. Stupidly enough, her assistant de
Everything else was grand except that the plan itself was fruitless; Adrian's eyes scanned the report on his table; he held up his head with his left hand and ruffled his hair. Confusion set about in his countenance; how could their brilliant idea go down the drain like that?Perchy Peach developed a new marketing strategy and product packaging, and within two days, the internet was filled up with negative reviews of it. He had tested it out privately, and nothing seemed to be out of place, but some people seemed to be hell-bent on tarnishing their image.His phone rang loudly, and he dipped his hand into his pocket to retrieve it; he picked it up instantly, and Rissa's voice came through. Caleb was reported to be ill from school, and she had to rush out of the office to get him to the hospital.Fear gripped Adrian, was this coincidental? He knew Diane was going to come for him and Rissa, but he desperately hoped for her own good that Caleb wasn't gravely ill due to one of her mischi
Winter sure was as expected; Mr. George walked out of the prison yard smiling pleasantly; a few weeks ago, she had promised to help him out; he didn't know she had such influence; two days earlier, his parole was granted without any hassle.He waved his hand excessively the moment he sighted her standing beside a luxurious car he hadn't come across before, his eyes shone in admiration of the car and the stunning owner.“Congratulations”, she said nonchalantly as he approached.“Thank you”.They got into the car and drove off instantly; Diane alighted in front of the restaurant opposite Perchy Peach; she put on her sunglasses and curvy hat, a perfect disguise for someone who had been presumed dead.Mr George didn't ask any questions; he had done his research on her secretly. She was supposed to be dead, burnt beyond recognition, but he didn't care how she survived as long as she could be an instrument in his revenge.“I got you a place and job”.She said, sipping on her coffee; the re
“You have a visitor”.Mr George turned and eyed the warder maliciously, he looked tired and haggard from the day’s strenuous activities now he had distracted his nap time. He wondered who his visitor could be but he couldn't wrap his head around it, his girlfriend had stopped visiting two months after his verdict had been stamped, his aged parents despised him a lot now, they were devoted Catholic, how could a child of theirs commit such great atrocities.“Who?” He questioned casually.“Get your ass up, inmate 7505; I am busy”.Mr George rose and yawned lazily; he silently hoped Liam or Adrian hadn't come seeking him for some kind of forgiveness; he laughed hysterically at the thought of that. He braces himself ready to dive into whatever lies ahead of him.The door flung open, and he walked out; he eyed the keys in the warder’s hand; if it had been the only key to get him out of the whole prison, he would have stolen it and absconded.“Aren't you going? I told you I am busy inmate 7