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Chapter One hundred and sixteen
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2024-05-25 15:57:40Related chapters
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter One hundred and Seventeen
This was the night of their lives. It was a time worth celebrating; this time was going to herald in a whole new era. A new era of happiness, joy, and a new beginning—they were both bubbling as the limo made its way to the Oriental Pearl Hotel, the most luxurious hotel in the city. The side windows rolled down to reveal the opulent insides of the hotel’s car park, decorated with red roses and sweet-smelling perfumes. Lana was surprised to see the usually full hotel’s car park empty. What could possibly make the Oriental Pearl empty? A staff member of the hotel came on each side, opening the door for the couples as they stepped out. “I thought we were going home.” Lana was confused. “Yes. But we celebrate here first.” He answered, taking her by the hand and leading her inside the hotel lobby. She was more surprised to find the hotel lobby decorated and empty, except for the receptionist who sat behind her desk, flipping through a social magazine. She straightened up when she saw
Last Updated : 2024-05-27TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter One hundred and Eighteen
Andre had been properly disgraced at the award-giving ceremony, or, as he should put it, improperly disgraced. He paced around in his room, shaken by what he had just seen. He tried to get it all together and ordered the strongest bottle of alcohol from the cellars downstairs. Alcohol wasn’t going to solve anything, he knew, but he still wanted it. He needed something to just get it off his chest. His own awards ceremony had been the previous day, and here he was, sulking over the matter. He ignored the cup that came with the drink and instead took a swig from the bottle, downing half of it in one go. Cameron and Lana, with their little friends, had hurt his ego, and he was surely going to pay them back. He looked at the naked, sleeping secretary on his bed and suddenly became irritated at her sight. He tried to remember what had transpired between them, and the disgust on his face deepened. Andre tapped her lightly; it was time to go. “Good morning, sunshine.” She yawned, stretc
Last Updated : 2024-05-29TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter one hundred and nineteen
Sally was just done reviewing the documents that had been sent in from the archives. Right after the awards, she had scored a multimillion-dollar contract that would take her to three different continents. But before she was able to score that, she had to sit in front of a ten-man panel in one of the biggest interviews of her life. If she wasn’t going to prepare for anything, she had to prepare for this. She called the staff and had them bring all the files in the archive to her office, totaling over three thousand pieces. Of course, she wasn’t going to go through them all; she was not Jarvis in the Iron Man trilogy. She sat down with a steaming cup of coffee as the staff brought in the documents in carts, wheels after wheels rolling into her office. She had been hinted at by Megumi, who provided the connection that this was supposed to be a special intelligence force that needs some sort of legal backup wherever they are going on missions. Part of the job description was that sh
Last Updated : 2024-05-30TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter One hundred and twenty
When he was sure that the house was deserted except for the two of them in the sitting room, Marcus moved closer to Andre, bringing out another big brown envelope from beneath his coat. He handed it over to Andre and spoke in a fake tone. “My digging has brought me close to the answer. While she was working immediately after she left, she had a baby. Babies, actually; it was twins.” Andre looked at him in surprise. His suspicion was actually true; Lana was already seeing Cameron when they were together. “How was she able to instantly get a job at Black Bricks with a degree she had abandoned?” “My findings indicate that she didn’t get to work at Black Bricks until two years later. She worked multiple shifts at a restaurant owned by a recorded Darby of no other name and at a bar owned by an Elan. She worked them together until she resigned from Elan after she was harassed.” “Harassed? How?” He felt surprised at how he still felt so concerned after all this time. “A customer reput
Last Updated : 2024-05-31TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter One hundred and twenty one
“What do you mean by a losing the company type of threat?” Andre fired, the chicken pie dropping from his hand in fear. Freda looked at the mess he had created on the floor in a disgruntled manner, looking back to the landline phone as if the caller was still stuck there. Her face looked flushed, as if she had just seen a ghost. She looked at Andre, mouth agape, and quietly took her seat, looking around the room as if soliciting for help from viewers. As she dropped the phone, Freda’s face drained of its warm, golden glow, leaving her complexion a stark, ashen gray. Her skin seemed to tighten, pulling taut over her cheekbones and forehead, as if the very life force was being sucked from her pores. The vibrant pink of her lips faded to a pale, tremulous whisper, and her eyes, once icy and cold, dimmed to a dull, glassy stare. As she sat there, frozen in shock, her entire presence seemed to whisper a silent scream, a haunting testament of impending doom about to throw their lives i
Last Updated : 2024-06-01TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter One hundred and twenty two
With the constant payment that Marcus, the tracker, had been receiving from Andre, he had gotten himself a one-room apartment situated in a not-so-busy part of town; the one-room apartment was a cosy sanctuary modestly furnished to cater to his needs. The walls, painted a soothing light grey, provided a calm backdrop for the carefully selected décor. A comfortable, medium-sized bed dominated the room, accompanied by a small, wooden coffee table and a matching armchair. The kitchenette, tucked away in one corner, was equipped with the essentials needed for his lifestyle: a compact refrigerator, a microwave, and a two-burner stove. A small, circular dining table and a single chair completed the setup. There was a store attached to the building from the external setup, but he converted it to his study and modified the house, adding a door that leads there directly. As Marcus settled in for the evening, the TV, mounted on the wall opposite the sofa, flickered to life. The programme cu
Last Updated : 2024-06-02TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter One hundred and twenty three
Andre had never been so desperate in his close to thirty years on the planet called Earth. He knew now that he wanted—no, needed—Lana more than ever. She was making things fall apart, and he knew he had to get to her before it got to the extent where his mother brought in the legal line of defence. After his mother’s announcement earlier in the week, Andre had raced against time to try to establish communication with her, but all his calls had been bounced. She had even once threatened to get a court-issued restraining order on him, not that he cared about it. Now, the week had moved very fast, and there had been a chain of events set in place by the revelation of the eclipse on both sides. Sally had been very active and had proved to be a thorn in the a*s, while Freda wasn’t ready to let go so easily. Now it was Monday, and the Audit Commission was on their way here from the Department of Finance in the morning. She must have had strong standing with the government for them to se
Last Updated : 2024-06-03TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter One hundred and twenty four
One needed to be able to commit a heinous, serious crime that could amount to treason for you to be visited by a Level Five official of the Audit Commission. Either that, or you’ve pissed off a very powerful government official who had enough influence to point the Audit Commission in your direction. She had been none, but Sally had used the influence of where she worked to get the Audit Commission at the Sharks’ group. If they were not popular for anything, they were known for finding the smallest of faults or digging the deepest and finding out your secrets, no matter how deep you think you have buried them. Their team of computer and software professionals had recently uncovered a faster way of recovering files that had been deleted from computer systems even as far back as fifteen years ago. There was no way to escape from them; the only way you’re safe is if their searchlight wasn’t extended onto you. They had done their job as usual, but it would take over three days to prop
Last Updated : 2024-06-04
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TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter Two hundred and three
Andre’s POV Two Years LaterMy mother was upset that I had gone behind her back to sabotage her. To sell her company to that little brat—that is what she refers to Lana as now—who knew nothing about business, but I did not have to tell her that it was either that or see her remanded in prison. To watch everything I had and everyone I loved taken away from me. I did not need to tell her that we were lucky we had a choice. The poor girl had no choice back then and had to take life as it was handed to her. My mother would live—abort sourly—but at least she would still live. We could build back the company even if it took a long time. Thankfully, all she had back then was a minor heart attack. As for the little brat, Lana, she and Cameron got married two years ago and have spent the last two years of their marriage touring the world.I was envious of the love they found. The comfort they gave each other, the strength in their numbers, but as time went on, I too was beginning to live wi
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter Two hundred and two
Lana’s POV The house was still the same way I remembered it. The chairs, the arm stool, and the and the settees All of the arrangements were still the same, and it struck a chord of familiarity within me. I settled into the plush armchair and watched Andre move towards the bar, his demeanour calm and composed. It was hard to reconcile this composed man with the man I had known years ago. Andre returned with a glass of red wine, just the way I liked it. He handed it to me, then sat across from me. “Have you come to a conclusion regarding what we discussed?” I crossed my legs, one above the other, and stared blankly at him. “Regarding what exactly? The only thing I remember that we have yet to talk about are the kids and how we’ll split their days between us. Other than that, I don't think we have any unfinished business. Except you are talking about signing the documents, which would see me as the new CEO of Ranhold.” Andre heaved a long sigh and rubbed his temples. Was he beginnin
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter Two hundred and one
Lana’s POV We spent the next week gathering evidence against Freda and meeting with potential witnesses who could testify against her if we were to take her to court, but it seemed as though that would not be needed. It was some time towards the end of the week when what was going to be our break happened. It came in the form of André getting a recognition award. I had no idea what his relationship with Freda had been like following everything that had happened lately, so I cannot talk about that. But upon receiving the award, Freda was so happy with her son that she decided to allow him to make certain decisions that regarded the leadership of Ranhold. In the past, André had been nothing but a figurehead. Although he sat in the CEO position, his mother, Freda, usually handled all the decision-making, and everyone knew this. He was useless, and if it was important that his signature be appended to a document, he had to get permission from Freda first before doing it. But now, all
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter Two hundred
Lana’s POV Back at my apartment, we laid out all the new information we had gathered. It felt like we were finally making progress, and the weight of uncertainty was beginning to lift. But then a call entered my phone, which was going to either bring everything crashing down on us again or continue pushing us forward.We had laid everything on the table in front of us, and we were about to start sitting through them when the ringtone of my phone shattered through the peace, quiet, and anxiety that had settled over us. Sighing and thinking it was from one of my colleagues at Lukem, I pulled the phone from my pocket and paused when I saw the caller ID displaying on my screen.“Hmmm... Andre.” I said it out loud, alerting the other guys to who the caller was. Without waiting for their response, I swiped on the screen and placed the phone in my ear. “Hey, Andre.” I greeted. “What’s going on?”“I found something.” He announced. From over the phone, I could not make out the time of his vo
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter One hundred and Ninety-nine
Lana’s POV Fred smiled warmly, taking a seat beside Clara. “It’s been a long time, Aunt Clara. We have so much to catch up on, but there’s something important we need to ask you about first.”Clara looked at him. “Of course, anything. What do you need to know?”Fred glanced at me, and I handed Clara the letter. “We found this among my father’s papers. It mentions a promise to protect you. We need to understand what happened.”Clara took the letter and began reading it. As she read through it, I noticed the change in her expression. She took a deep breath and glanced up at us. “This... this brings back memories I thought I’d buried. Your mother and Mr. West were the best friends I ever had. But there was more to it, and it brought trouble or would have brought trouble had Mr. West not decided to act in what he believed to be the best interest of everyone, including your mother. Fred’s face lightened up, as did mine. “What do you mean?”Clara sighed. “Secrets.” She whispered. “Anne an
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter One hundred and ninety-eight
Lana’s POVFred shrugged. “She hinted at societal expectations and family obligations,” he replied. “But she didn’t give specifics. I think she knows a lot more than she’s letting on.”I nodded slowly. “My father never mentioned anything about your mother or you and Kathy. And I started going through his papers; maybe I would find something.”Fred’s expression softened. “I’m sorry you had to find out this way, but it is not to be helped. I cannot say I know how you feel or what you are feeling right now. Finding out that a person you think you know has another side, which you have no idea of, can really do something to you.”I reached out and touched Fred’s hand briefly. “We’ll figure it out together. I have some of my father’s old letters and documents that might help us piece things together. Maybe we can confront Freda again with more concrete questions? What do you think? Right now, she’s the only person who can give us answers, and we are not even on good terms.”We returned to m
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter One hundred and ninety-seven
Narrator’s POV Freda’s smile faltered for the briefest of moments, a shadow crossing her eyes before she quickly regained her composure. She leaned back in her chair, interlacing her fingers and resting them on her desk.“That’s quite a heavy topic, Fred,” she said, her tone now more serious. “Why are you suddenly interested in this?”Fred shrugged. “Perhaps after Kathy’s death, I realised something. I just want to know why he abandoned my mother, why he chose his other family above us, and why he caused us so much pain and loss. I want to understand all of these things; perhaps it would help me forgive, let go, and move on.”A shadow of a smile crossed Freda’s face. “Ahhhh... I guess it runs in the family then.” Fred narrowed his eyes, wondering what she meant by that statement. “I don’t understand. What runs in the family?”Freda stood to her feet and approached the floor-to-ceiling window, which offered a great view of the city. From here, he could view the city’s skyline and wat
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter One hundred and ninety-six
Narrator’s POV Freda’s office was located on the uppermost floor of the skyscraper that acted as Ranhold’s headquarters, a detail that made Fred pause as he stepped out of the taxi five minutes ago. He blinked against the rays of sunlight reflecting off the monolithic structure of steel and glass, momentarily blinded. The reflective surface mirrored the city below, creating an illusion of infinite depth.The other buildings around it were similar in their grandeur, each with its own unique design. For the umpteenth time since his arrival in the city, Fred was reminded of how little he had traveled. There were places outside of his known world yet to be explored, and this city of steel and glass was one of them. He had spent—wasted—five minutes entranced by the sleek, modern design, temporarily forgetting his purpose for being there.Pulling himself back to reality, he straightened his suit and approached the entrance. The revolving glass doors spun smoothly, ushering him into a grand
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter One hundred and Ninety-five
Lana’s POVI took tentative steps towards the bouquet. Whether unconsciously or by some reflex response in our system, we all had taken steps away from the bouquet. For some reason, we felt threatened by it. This was not the first time we would receive threats disguised as gifts, and I guess that has taught us a lesson. Slowly, I pulled out the card in the bouquet and glanced at Cameron and Sally, who both gave me curt nods. I opened it and began reading it aloud. “Congratulations on Zoe’s recovery. Best wishes for the future. – Freda.”The room fell silent as the implications of the message sank in. Sally was the first to break the silence. “Freda has acted once again. First of all, it was an almost dead bird on my door, and now congratulatory bouquet?”My grip on the card tightened. “Is this supposed to mean something?”Cameron stepped closer, resting his hand on the small of my back. “Hey, we’ll keep our guard up. She’s only trying to play mind games, but we won’t give her the sat
