The CEO..A wild grin spread across my face as his six favorite goons strutted in, encircling me like vultures.I turned to him with a chuckle, "This again?"He smirked, leaning back. "Since force is the only thing that works on you, we have to go with that." With a sharp clap of his hands, he barked out, "Rough him up, boys!"As the first one lunged at me, I felt a surge of adrenaline. My eyes widened with excitement. "I’m not the only one getting roughed up today!" I yelled, charging right back at them.These thugs had beaten me to a pulp more times than I could count, all in the name of trying to win my father’s approval. But not today—today, I had a score to settle.The first guy threw a heavy punch, but I easily sidestepped, swerving to the right. I struck back with a vicious left hook to his side, a liver shot. His face contorted in pain. Finally, I thought, grinning as I relished the moment, I get to repay these bastards for every bruise, every broken bone. I followed up wit
The CEO..He clenched his fist, his face contorted with uncontained rage, and bellowed with a voice that could shatter mountains, “Damon!” The dam broke, and the fury I had been bottling up for so long surged forth. “Mr. Williams!” I roared back, matching his intensity.My father leaned back, a sinister chuckle escaping his lips, echoing in the room like the taunt of a villain. "You’ve finally lost your mind, haven’t you?"“Yes, I have!” I shot back, my voice trembling with fury. “All you do is push me, over and over again, until my back’s against the wall. Now, with nowhere left to retreat, all I can do is fight back!” My eyes narrowed, and veins bulged on my neck as I spoke.“It’s foolish to fight back, Damon,” he said, his tone brimming with unshakable confidence. “A battle you can’t win. You’ll never defeat me.” At that moment, there was nothing I desired more than to shatter that confidence, to crush it beneath the weight of my defiance.I chuckled, running my hand through my
Aria..A groan escaped as I shut Aria’s diary. The snap fills the otherwise silent room in Damon’s villa. My head was spinning, and an ache had inhabited it, making a home out of my head. Detective Andrew had told me when he went to Twinkle Company they had told him it was a long time ago, so they had lost the records, making it difficult for him to get any more information. Knowing Damon’s name was the one actually used, I told him we could find more clues, and that was what I had been doing from her diary. But her description was so vague. Never did she mention the man’s name once—not even a physical description. I turned on the bed, casting my gaze on the ceiling like there was some hidden clue in there. Sighing, I shut my eyes, sifting through my thoughts for any methods that could be used to get more details about him. After a while, Elaina popped into my head. She was the closest to Aria and the only one I know who knew Aria.I reached for my phone beneath the pillow and d
The toy . . I dashed into the café, the door swinging shut behind me with a soft jingle. The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee intertwined with the scent of warm pastries, curling into my nostrils like a familiar embrace. It awakened something deep in my belly, a growl of hunger that stirred but quickly died as if my appetite had forgotten how to wake up properly. My grip tightened on my bag as it threatened to slip from my shoulder. I made my way to the table tucked in the far corner of the café. The soft chatter of other patrons buzzed around me. I approached Mr. Andrew, who was seated at a table, clad in a sharp green suit paired with a black long-sleeve underneath. He was sipping American coffee from his mug, the steam curling lazily into the air. "Good afternoon, Mr. Andrew. I'm sorry I'm late," I said, offering a slight bow of apology before taking a seat across from him at the same table. "Hello, Ms. Aria. How have you been?" He asked, his eyes pausing on my face, sc
TW: (This chapter contains violence that might disturbing for viewers. Viewers discretion advised)THE CEO..Zach’s detective had sent a message that he would be meeting me up at the office. I bounced my legs on the floor as my eyes frequently checked my watch.“Mr. Hudson is here,” my P.A. announced as soon as he opened the door.I thought I would feel relief, but no. Instead, my heart pounding intensified. “Tell him to come in.” As soon as I said those words, Mr. Hudson appeared right behind my P.A. With his lazy gait, he strode in and settled in the seat across me. “Good morning, Mr. Wesley.” “Good morning, Mr. Hudson.” I leaned in and clasped my hand beneath my chin, My stubble was pricking the back of my palm subtly. “You had something to tell me?”“Yeah, I found the man you are looking for.” A raspy sound brushed against the sudden silence in the room as he rubbed his beard. “I could have said it over the phone or text, but I prefer to give important information in person.
The toy...The cool Saturday morning breeze swept across the picnic ground, carrying the scent of grass and chatters of the other girls who sat a distance away from us. Jessie, Eliana, and I sat on a picnic mat, encircling the different snacks—a big juice and a bottle of wine. With the whole tension from the investigation, Eliana decided we should hang out to take my mind off things. “How’s the investigation going?” Jessie asked, pouring juice into her glass. Eliana nudged her. “We brought her out to take her mind off things and not remind her of it.” She glanced at me. “Look at her, the puffy eyes and pale face. She needs to take her mind off things.”“The only thing that can take Ari’s mind off anything is work.” Jessie sipped from her juice. “This is wonderful.” She whipped her toward me and poured the juice into my empty glass. “Try this; you would love it.”Jessie was right; this picnic wasn’t going to take my mind off things, not when things were not making progress. Every
The toy ..Leonardo’s threat was this morning alarm as My eyes flew wide open, my heart pounding erratically in my chest. The sweat seeped back into my skin from the drenched pillow. I rose to a sitting position.Those shadows from the basement crept into my head and reminded me of everything that happened in that basement.The sound of the shower stopped, and Damon’s footsteps followed, getting louder as he approached me. As the thud got louder, I pressed my knees to my chest. I suddenly felt I was back in the basement and an uneasy feeling—pain flowed through the stream of my blood as Damon’s step reminded me of Leonard’s.“Are you alright?" Damon’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “Yes.” I collapsed my knees back on the bed, forcing a smile.His gaze lingered on me. “You don’t look—“I jolted up. “Let me make breakfast for you.” Before he could say anything, I scurried out of the room.Getting out, I leaned, my back against the wall, seeking support as I muffled my sobs. Dam
The CEO..My car headlights pierced through the night, casting partial shadows on me as they merged with the darkness cloaking the path to my villa. The gates opened, and I drove in, my eyes immediately catching sight of the black car. Fear gripped me as I recognized it as my father's. I bolted out of my car, sprinting towards the house. "Why is he here?" I thought, my heart pounding. "Did he come to hurt Binky?" My body betrayed my fear, every movement tense and jittery. The more I thought about it, the more my fear gave way to anger.As I opened the door, my fist tightened at the sight of my father sitting in the living room. He was seated across from Binky. "Are you alright?" I asked as I hurried to her. I dropped to my knees beside her, cupping her face. "Did he hurt you?" I repeated, my eyes narrowing as I scanned her for any sign of distress. My father turned his head slightly, a chuckle escaping his lips. "My son thinks I'm a monster now. "No, he didn't.”She shook her hea