DANIELLE'S P.O.V. "What are you going to do today?" Layla asked. "The usual. Laze about the house until evening, fight with my husband when he gets back from work, and then go to bed " I replied. "That sounds hectically boring" Janelle said. I shrugged. I changed my position on the bed by laying on my stomach then I propped my phone on a pillow to allow my friends a better view of my face. "How has life as a married woman been like?" Layla asked. "It has been wonderful. Just splendid. My husband and I love one another so very much." I said sarcastically. "I can hear the sarcasm dripping from your words. What's up?" Janelle asked. "It's been hellish, guys. Being married to this snotty human being has been hell on earth." "How come? He seemed into you at the engagement party. Even at the wedding, he looked like he was the happiest man in the world." Sofia inputed. "Maybe it's all in your head. I surely don't feel like the happiest bride in the world." "Seriously,
DANIELLE'S P.O.V"What are you doing here?" I asked.Don't get me wrong, I did not mean to sound rude and inhospitable; my father would bulk in disappointment if he ever heard me speak the way I did; but I could not help the edginess of my tone.I was not familiar with this lady and our first encounter was not one I would call pleasant, so seeing her standing smugly there, at my doorstep, was irking."Is that any way to greet a guest?" she asked. I was very baffled by her audacity. Who did she think she was, speaking to me the way she did; like we were friends who had become estranged because of a fight. I had no idea who she was, my first time meeting her being on the day of the wedding. Seeing her standing there, entitlement oozing from her pores, head to toe, irritated me."Then again..." she continued, a sly smirk on her face, "...you don't seem like one who is well mannered." she insulted.I did not feel hurt from the shallow insult. Throwing jabs at my supposed lack of home tra
DANIELLE'S P.O.V Bright rays of sunlight escaped the shield of the curtains hung on the window and fell on my face, causing me to stir from my slumber. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and stretched my arms with a loud yawn. The digital clock sited on my nightstand read 8:30 am. I wiggled my feet into my bathroom slippers and headed for the bathroom to brush my teeth. Once I was done clearing off the nauseating taste of the previous night's food from my tongue, I exited my room and headed for the kitchen in search of something to eat. As I entered the hallway leading to the living room, I heard Adrian's deep voice resonating from his room. He sounded angry. I made to tiptoe past his room to avoid him taking notice of me but I stopped still in my tracks as he yelled. "Fuck!" he cussed as he launched his phone across the room. I held my breath as I watched the device fall on the bed and bounce and I let out a loud sigh of relief as it settled in between the folds of the b
DANIELLE'S P.O.V The sky was covered with dark clouds that gave a foreshadowing feel of a downpour. The house was cast in a cloak of stilling darkness, and cool breeze wafted through the open window. I breathed in the fresh air and sighed in satisfaction at the feeling of peace that came alongside my action. At first it drizzled, but after a few minutes, it began to rain heavily with thunder and lightning, signifying the torrential downpour of precipitation. I made a dash for the open window and thankfully, I closed it in time to avoid any of the rain water getting into my room. It was the first rain in the month of June. I gleefully scampered out of my bedroom and into the living room, excited to start my day, but my joy was brought to an ultimate end when I sighted Adrian. I checked the digital clock in the living room to confirm that my eyes were not playing a prank on me. The time read 10:21 am. He should have been out of the house long before then, so what in the wor
DANIELLE'S P.O.V I applied a final coat of beige lipstick on my puckered lips, and rubbed one lip against the other to ensure an equal blending of the lipstick. I admired my reflection in the ceiling-to-floor mirror that I had discovered in my walk-in closet on my first day in the Penthouse, twirling and turning to confirm if my body hugging knee-length black dress was the perfect fit.Today, I was to make my first visit to the Valentino Company to familiarize myself with the company. Alfredo had made it very clear that my responsibility as the only daughter-in-law of the family was to learn the ropes of the company and assist my husband in the running of the company in the nearest future.Seeing as I was to be the the heir to my dad's fortune too, I had decided that taking up such a responsibility, instead of the punishment it seemed to be at first, would be actually very beneficial to me.I went through my collection of purses which sat on various bag compartments and finally dec
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.The click clack of my heels making contact with the marble floor resonated in the quiet reception. I was visiting my Dad at his company to check up on him and tell him about the latest developments in my life."Good morning, Ms Dawson." the receptionist greeted with a bright smile."Good morning, Samantha. How have you been?" I asked."I've been very well, how about you?" she asked."I've been good." I replied.Samantha and I had been cordial ever since her employment into Dad's company. She was pretty and nice, a few years my senior, but she always accorded me the respect one would give their age mates. She was easily the most likeable employee in the company."Congratulations on your wedding. I'm sorry I couldn't be there. I'm sure you looked like a princess" she said."Thank you, Sam. It's okay." I said, giving her an assuring smile.I continued on my way to my dad's office, taking the elevator to the 11th floor. On getting there, the elevator opened with a ping d
DANIELLE'S P.O.V. It was a bright and sunny aftemoon. I had pulled aside the curtains that covered the floor-to-ceiling window which encompassed the entire length of a wall in the living room. The sun rays showered the living room with their bright light, reflecting on the marble floors, and illuminating the room with their natural light; this gave the room a warm ambience and I smiled in satisfaction at the beauty of the afternoon. My morning had been quite uneventful, having spent the early hours staying locked up in my room in an attempt to avoid Adrian, yesterday's stomach stirring moment still burning in my memory; and the later hours laughing my heart out to Andre and Rainbow 'Bow' Johnson's dealings with their crazy and dramatic family, work, and everyday life in Blackish, one of my favorite comedy TV series. After binge watching three seasons, I had gotten bored and decided to invite my friends over to the house. It would be their first time in the penthouse, so I fus
DANIELLE'S P.O.V. "You're going to business school?" Layla asked, incredulously."As Alfredo would have it, yes." I said, nodding my head. "Your father-in-law is scary." Sofia said, shivering at the thought. "He is." I agreed. "Why don't you just do an online course instead. I mean they did give you a choice." said Layla. "I choose to go to business school because it would benefit me more. I hate staying in this house the whole day, being unproductive while everyone I know is busy making money and making a name for themselves." I said. "You don't have to do any work though. You are Danielle Valentino nee Dawson. You were born into wealth and now, you're married into more wealth. You don't need to work a day in your life. You already have a name for yourself." Janelle said, shrugging. "You guys are from wealthy families too, but yet you work." I stated. "We do what we love. It's different from what you'll have to do. I like interior designing, Sofia likes being an a
DANIELLE'S P.O.V I stirred from my slumber, my eyes blinking open reluctantly. The room was bathed in the soft glow of dawn and a lingering sense of unease clung to me. As consciousness found its way back to me, I felt the sting in my eyes which were heavy from a restless night. My eyes stung as I tried to focus on the familiar surroundings. A few remnants of the nightmares that had plagued my sleep replayed in my mind, their vivid images taunting me. A groan escaped my lips as I tried to sit up, the dryness and ache in my throat were evidence of the tumultuous night I had. The taste of fear lingered in my mouth, leaving me parched and exhausted. When I finally sat up, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I could still hear the faint echoes of my own screams and I took a quick glance around, half expecting to find shadows lurking in the corners of the room. The sheets clung to my skin- further evidence of my night which had been filled with restlessness. The room, usually a pe
ADRIAN'S P.O.V. It had been a month since the storm called Chase Sinclair, had hit our lives, leaving destruction and doubts in his wake. The air hung heavy, in my office, with the weight of unspoken words as Omar Zayn, my lifelong confidante and best friend, sat across from me. His eyes, filled with understanding, met mine, as if searching for the turmoil that had etched its mark onto my soul over the past month. The weight of the past month lingered heavily on my shoulders, and I couldn't shake the guilt that gripped my conscience. "Omar, I messed up big time," I sighed, rubbing my temples. Omar leaned in, concern etched on his face. "What happened with you two, Adrian? Last time I knew, you guys were solid. Tell me everything. Maybe there's a way to fix this." Omar said, his expression empathic. In a flash, I recalled the doubts that had plagued me and the message that had led to my questioning Danielle's fidelity " I doubted Dannie's loyalty, questioned her commitment
DANIELLE'S P.O.V I woke up with a splitting headache. The piercing pain that seared through my head dragged me out of the depths of unconsciousness. As my eyes fluttered open, I groaned, clutching my throbbing temple. The room spun and my vision blurred as I blinked. "Where in the world am I?" I muttered while trying to make sense of my surroundings. As I tried to sit up, the sharp pain in my head intensified, sending shockwaves through my body. It felt like a sledgehammer had collided with my skull and I could hear the faint echoes of my own pained groans. With my muddled senses, I struggled to make sense of my situation. I continued to blink rapidly to clear off the dizzy spell until the dimly lit room slowly came into focus. Suddenly, I felt restraints on my wrists and ankles. "What the hell...?" I muttered pulling at the ropes that bound me and restricted my movement. On seeing that they would not budge, undiluted panic started to creep into my bod
DANIELLE'S P.O.V The weeks following my traumatic ordeal at the hands of Chase were a blur of hospital rooms and tests. I had also been offered therapy sessions, but I rejected them as the very last thing I wanted to do was revisit the torture I had gone through. However, I could not seem to run away from those days of captivity as even after I had long been discharged from the hospital, my mind was still trapped in the nightmares that had plagued me ever since that fateful day- the day Chase Sinclair had kidnapped me. It felt like I was trapped in a unending nightmare, unable to escape the memories of what had happened to me- memories of how my baby had almost been taken away from me. I was back in the safety of the mansion Adrian and I had gotten but the house which used to bring me so much peace now seemed as oppressive as it was comforting. I sat on the plush couch in the living room of our grand mansion, surrounded by my friends and family. Adrian was on a busi
DANIELLE'S P.O.V. The hospital corridors stretched before me, a maze of sterile white walls, distant echoes of life, and busked whispers. Their white walls were an unsettling reminder of the captivity I had endured for far too long at the hands of Chase Sinclair. Determination surged through my veins as I made my way towards the women's restroom, a small glimmer of hope guiding me towards the next step in my escape. I walked with purpose and my steps were fueled by a desperate determination to reclaim my life from the clutches of the darkness that Chase had surrounded me with. My footsteps faltered as both anticipation and apprehension coursed through my veins and each footfall echoed in my ears as I made my way to the restroom. Every step that I took felt heavy with anticipation and my heart pounding in my chest as I neared the restroom. It was a moment that held the key to my freedom; the key to reuniting with my family and escaping the clutches of Chase once and for all. As
DANIELLE'S P.O.V. Chase’s eyes bore into mine, and I could see the rage simmering beneath them. His gaze moved around the room, scanning for any signs of betrayal and then, suddenly, his eyes locked onto my shaking figure. A cruel smile pulled at his lips as he lunged towards me and on reaching me, he grabbed my hand with his grip tightening around my wrist. Panic engulfed me as he wrenched the phone from its hiding place under the pillow and he held it up, triumph gleaming in his eyes. “You really thought you could get away, didn’t you?” he sneered, his voice dripping with malice I stood there, transfixed to the spot by the fear that caused my heart to pound in my chest, my hands trembling. The stolen phone rested securely in Chase’s grip; a small but strong weapon that I had used against the man who had held me captive for far too long. Chase loomed over me, his eyes burning with a mix of anger and desperation. "You think you're so clever, don't you?" His voic
ADRIAN'S P.O.V The walls of my office seemed to close in on me as I sat there, utterly drained from the dual onslaught of my demanding position and the storm raging inside of me. The dim lights seemed to intensify the shadows that had taken a place in my life recently and the air felt heavy as the weight of my tumultuous life burdened me. The office room felt like a prison of polished wood and cold steel and the distant hum of the city just outside of the office walls did nothing to ease the feeling of being trapped. The room that was usually a place of productivity and creativity, had. now become a battlefield between my professional obligations to the company and my personal emotions. Rubbing my temples gently, I tried to erase the persistent ache that clawed at my skull, but I couldn't seem to find relief from it. Weariness weighed heavily on my shoulders, and burden on my heart as I could not seem to get away from the shattered pieces of my broken life. The weight of my r
DANIELLE'S P.O.V. The days, weeks, or perhaps months, following my abduction felt like an eternity; I had lost track of time as those moments that I spent while being trapped in this desolate room passed in a hazy blur of fear and despair. Each passing moment was filled with fear, uncertainty, and a desperate longing for my freedom, every second spent in Chase’s clutches was a reminder of the very fragile line that separated both my life and death, every waking moment that I spent in that godforsaken room was tainted by the knowledge that I was at the mercy of a man I once called a friend; a man whom I had thought to forgive and let go of the hurtful things that he had done to me in the past; a man that had now turned into an obsessed captor; a man that had snatched me away from my peaceful existence. The room was always dark and even with the air conditioner, who’s hum served as the only other source of sound in the dreary space, it always felt suffocating as the only other me
DANIELLE'S P.O.V. I did not know how long I slept for, or how many days had passed by while I was in a state of unconsciousness; all I could remember when I slowly opened my eyes, the heaviness of sleep still lingering in my limbs, was that I had been taken against my will and the culprit of my kidnapping was none other than my former childhood friend and recently reconciled nemesis. As my vision started to clear, I found myself in a dimly lit room; it was not as small as the one I had previously woken up in, but it felt the same to me as I felt the sterile walls closing in on me. Panic coursed through my veins as the memories of the events leading up to my kidnapping flooded my mind. My heart raced and thumped loudly in my chest as the realization of my situation settled in once more. I would give anything to exact as much pain on the culprit of my predicament and source of my pain at that moment. Chase Sinclair! A name that I had once associated with friendship; a name that