As I walked into the museum where Sevi and I last went, the museum was already close and I had to resort to looking for a nearby cafe. The familiar scent of roasted coffee beans and freshly baked pastries wrapped around me like a warm hug. My eyes scanned the room, landing on him instantly. Sevi sat at our usual table near the window, his brows furrowed as he stared intently at his phone. He looked up just as I approached, and the tension in his face melted into a relieved smile."Bridgette!" he exclaimed, standing so quickly his chair scraped against the floor. "Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick! Do you even know how many times I called you?"I forced a smile, feeling a pang of guilt at the concern etched on his face. “I’m sorry, Sevi. I should’ve called you back earlier. Things got... complicated.”“Complicated?” he repeated, his voice rising slightly. “That’s all you’re going to say? You disappear, don’t answer your phone, and now you just show up like it’s nothing?”I s
The elegant ballroom shimmered with chandeliers and buzzed with animated chatter as it was turned into a splendid venue for commemorating my father's real estate company's tenth anniversary. The hall was crowded, and people sipped their drinks while enjoying the music of a live band playing soft tunes in the background. A scene full of charm and elegance that somehow couldn't fill the void I felt deep inside me despite all the beauty and luxury around. Amidst the crowd, I found myself wandering aimlessly as my steps took me in no particular direction. A gentle smile graced my lips, concealing the fatigue that weighed heavily on me as I warmly welcomed my father’s guests. Meanwhile, I scanned the crowd but couldn't spot my husband, Derick, anywhere. It felt like he was intentionally distancing himself from me, especially ever since he learned about my struggle to give him the one thing he longed for the most—a child. It was distressing for me, but it became even more painful when
THE NEXT MORNING, the sound of my phone startled me awake. I squinted at the screen and groggly groped for it. The name flashing across it caused my blood to stop—Romeo, my Dad.Heart thumping, I jumped off the bed, fumbling to respond, but the ringing stopped just before I could swipe the screen. Two seconds later a text alert showed up.**COME HOME RIGHT AWAY** In all caps locked.There was no space for justification or explanation for his calling of me. Simply as usual, just an order.I hurriedly got up, still wondering why my father suddenly wanted me to go home right away. But what made me suddenly confused what what on earth was I even doing in an unfamiliar room?I was so certain, this wasn’t my hotel room. My head still hurts due to hangover but I know that I must get up and come home right away. And as my feet nearly tripped from the scattered clothes on the floor, that was the only time when everything else came flooding my memories about what happened last night.“Shit.” I
I skirted through the crowd of people in the ballroom while attempting to concentrate on my goal. It was a whirlwind of color and laughter. I had to look for someone who could assist me in securing my future. But my confidence started to falter as I looked around the room. Each of these men exuded confidence and elegance.What if I wasn't enough? What would happen if I was unable to find someone who could help me?My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a bartender’s voice, low and smooth. “You look like you could use a drink.”I turned to find the bartender standing before me, holding out a glass of wine and pouring me some. He was dressed impeccably in a black and white uniform.I forced a smile, taking the glass from him. “Thank you. I suppose I do.”He raised the bottle to pour some on my glass. “This might be quite hard on you”“I can manage,” I echoed, clinking my glass before taking a sip. The wine was crisp and cold, but it did little to calm the nerves fluttering in my s
The man and I moved our conversation to a more secluded place away from the loud noise of the ball. And before I knew it, I found myself already escorted inside his hotel room. “I have about three questions before we begin with our deal.” He suddenly uttered, pushing me against the long, creamy white bed.I was certain that if my eyes were shut now, then I was probably dreaming.There was no other possible explanation for the way my body tingled, the way my breath hitched in my throat, and the way my mind raced with thoughts that I had never dared to entertain before.It all seemed so too good to be true, as the man lurred his body before me. He was like a walking, breathing embodiment of desire. His dark, tousled hair framed a face that could have been chiseled by the gods themselves, his piercing eyes a shade of blue that bordered on ethereal.He was close, too close, his presence consuming the air between us. His broad shoulders seemed to block out the rest of the world, leaving o
When I opened my eyes again, the room was already bathed in the warm embrace of morning light, as if the sun itself had been waiting patiently for me to join the world. My head pounded slightly, fragments of what happened last night lurking just beyond my memory's grasp. Yet, the first thing I did was quickly check my clothes. And I felt some sort of ease knowing they were still intact, although messy from lying on the bed all night. Some relief washed over me—I guess nothing had happened with that blonde stranger and me again. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed to make another escape, but the door creaked open just as I was about to do so. My heart skipped a beat. There he stood—the same blonde from the night before was walking in, carefree and undressed in just a bathrobe that hung loosely, revealing his toned abs and chest, and a towel tied around his waist. He didn’t seem surprised to see me awake."And where do you think you’re going, damsel?" he asked, a smirk playi
The event at the auction had been nothing short of chaotic. The tension in the room was so thick it felt like I could slice through it with a knife. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat reverberating in my ears as I tried to make sense of everything that had just happened. As the event organizers attempted to calm the storm, Thiago leaned in close to me, so close that I could feel his breath against my ear. “We need to leave. Now,” he whispered, his tone urgent, almost desperate. “Before your former family decides to do something against us.” The way Thiago had spoken to me, the intensity in his gaze—it left me reeling, completely off-balance.A shiver ran down my spine at the urgency in his voice. Without a second thought, I followed him, my mind racing with a million questions. Who was this man, really? Why had he kept silent for so long about his connection to Cynthia, my former mother-in-law? And what was it about Thiago that made my father speak to him as if they were old a
The soft click of the attache case echoed in the otherwise silent room as Thiago set it on the table between us. The tension was palpable, and I found myself holding my breath, unsure of what to expect next. With a practiced ease, he flipped open the case, revealing a stack of documents neatly tucked inside a long brown envelope. His movements were deliberate, almost predatory, as he withdrew the papers and slid them across the table toward me."Read it carefully, damsel," Thiago's voice was smooth, yet it held an undercurrent of command that made my skin prickle. "This contract is binding, and I expect you to understand every clause."I hesitated, my fingers trembling slightly as I reached for the documents. Thiago's eyes were fixed on me, his gaze intense, almost as if he was stripping away every layer of my defenses. It was unnerving, the way he looked at me, and I found it hard to meet his eyes for more than a few seconds. Instead, I focused on the papers before me, hoping that re
As I walked into the museum where Sevi and I last went, the museum was already close and I had to resort to looking for a nearby cafe. The familiar scent of roasted coffee beans and freshly baked pastries wrapped around me like a warm hug. My eyes scanned the room, landing on him instantly. Sevi sat at our usual table near the window, his brows furrowed as he stared intently at his phone. He looked up just as I approached, and the tension in his face melted into a relieved smile."Bridgette!" he exclaimed, standing so quickly his chair scraped against the floor. "Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick! Do you even know how many times I called you?"I forced a smile, feeling a pang of guilt at the concern etched on his face. “I’m sorry, Sevi. I should’ve called you back earlier. Things got... complicated.”“Complicated?” he repeated, his voice rising slightly. “That’s all you’re going to say? You disappear, don’t answer your phone, and now you just show up like it’s nothing?”I s
I tightened my grip on my bag as I followed Thiago into the police station, the sharp scent of disinfectant mingling with the hum of activity around us. My heels clicked against the tiled floor, each step feeling heavier than the last. This was the last place I wanted to be, but Thiago had insisted—no, demanded—that I file my statement against Agatha. He didn’t care that I felt exposed, or that every moment spent here reminded me of the tangled web of family betrayals I’d tried so hard to escape.“It won’t take long,” Thiago said as he opened the door to the interview room for me. His tone was firm but not unkind. “Just tell them exactly what happened. The more solid your statement, the stronger the case against her.”“I know how this works,” I muttered, stepping inside. “But don’t think for a second that this is me giving in to your demands.”He didn’t respond, only giving me one of his unreadable looks before gesturing for me to sit. The officer assigned to take my statement—a ster
Thiago’s car glided through the streets behind the police convoy, the tension in the air between us thick enough to cut with a knife. I glanced out the window, trying to distract myself from his earlier question. “Will you already believe me when I say that the only safest place you’ll ever be is by my side?”” His words echoed in my mind, stirring a mix of emotions I wasn’t ready to face.“Are you going to answer me, Wifey?” Thiago’s voice broke through my thoughts, smooth but edged with the insistence that always made my temper flare.I turned to him sharply. “First of all, stop calling me that. Second, just because you played hero today doesn’t mean I’m moving back to Sevi with you.”Thiago’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, his jaw clenching. “You’re being reckless again. Agatha is behind bars, but that doesn’t mean you’re safe. You need protection.”“I can protect myself,” I snapped, crossing my arms. “I’ve been doing it my whole life.”He scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping h
Thiago’s words hung in the air like a challenge, his steady gaze fixed on me as if daring me to contradict him. My fingers curled tighter against my lap, my stubbornness flaring despite the sincerity in his tone.“I’m not some damsel in distress that needs constant saving,” I snapped, glancing out of the car window at the blur of the city lights. “And you can’t just swoop in and expect me to owe you everything.”His grip on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles whitening. “You can call it whatever you want, Bridgette, but the facts speak for themselves. You were in trouble, and I got you out.”I turned to face him, heat rising to my cheeks. “And I appreciate that, Thiago. But this doesn’t change the fact that I can take care of myself.”He let out a low chuckle, the sound laced with frustration. “Oh, really? Was signing away your inheritance part of your grand plan to take care of yourself?”The jab stung, and I scowled. “That was a distraction, Thiago. It was to buy time.”“You
Agatha sat across from me in the dimly lit van, her face cold and unyielding. My heart was racing, but I forced myself to stay calm. I had one shot at this, and I needed to execute it perfectly.“Let me call Dad,” I said, keeping my tone neutral. “You can watch me the whole time. If I’m going to sign my life away, I deserve at least one chance to hear his side of things.”Agatha’s suspicious glare remained fixed on me for several tense seconds. Then, with a sharp sigh, she pulled her phone from her pocket and handed it over. “Fine, but no funny business. You’ve got two minutes.”I took the phone, my bound hands fumbling slightly as I dialed the number I knew by heart. As the line connected, I took a deep breath and launched into my performance.“Hello, daddy. It’s Bridgette,” I said, my voice steady despite the thrum of adrenaline coursing through me. “There’s something I’d like to clarify about my inheritance.”I heard Agatha shift in her seat, but I kept my focus on the phone.“I kn
My wrists throbbed against the tight ropes binding them, but the ache was nothing compared to the storm raging in my mind. Agatha paced before me, her sharp heels clicking against the cold concrete floor of the warehouse. Her face was a picture of calm malice, as if orchestrating my abduction was just another task on her to-do list.I couldn’t believe it. My own step-sister.“Agatha…” My voice came out shaky, but I forced steel into it. “This is insane. Let me go, and we can pretend this never happened. I’ll forget all of it—this whole ridiculous plan.”She stopped abruptly, turning to me with a sneer. “Oh, you’d forget it, don’t you? How noble. But you see, Bridgette, I don’t want you to forget. I want you to comply.”My pulse spiked. “Comply with what?”Her eyes gleamed with a twisted delight as she stepped closer, crouching so that her face was level with mine. “I want you to sign over everything to me. The properties, the shares, the company, all of it. Once Daddy dearest kicks t
"Oh, Bridgette, you always were the slow one, weren’t you?” Agatha sounded viscous and sarcastic particularly when she adde, “Well, to put it simply, I wanted to kill you that is why I took this all in violence to completely get rid of you, my dearest stepsister."Her words stung, but not as much as the implications of what was happening. I was tied to a chair in what appeared to be a remote cabin—judging by the faint chirping of crickets outside and the musty smell of old wood. My wrists burned against the rope, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the betrayal cutting through me. "You want to kill me." The statement came out flat, emotionless, but inside, my heart was racing like a drumbeat of panic. Agatha's smile widened. "Finally, you’re catching on. Yes, Bridgette. I want you dead. You see, dear sister, you’ve always been in my way. Ever since Daddy married your mother and you came into our lives, you were the golden child, the favorite. Romeo’s precious little prin
I tapped my foot against the grimy concrete floor of the warehouse, my nerves fraying as the minutes dragged on. The air was stale, the kind that suffocated every thought, leaving behind only a haze of frustration and growing panic. My eyes flicked toward the three men standing near the dim light bulb that cast eerie shadows on their faces. They looked like they belonged in some bad movie—hulking frames, disheveled clothes, and the kind of casual menace that made your skin crawl."Who is this big boss you keep yammering about?" I snapped, my patience worn thin. "You've been playing this secretive game for hours now. Is it that hard to give me a straight answer?"One of them—a grizzled man with a scar running across his cheek—grunted but didn't bother looking at me. The other two exchanged glances, their silence louder than any response they could have given. It was maddening."Nothing to say?" I pushed, trying to inject steel into my voice despite the lump forming in my throat. "At l
I woke up with a splitting headache, my entire body aching as though I had been trampled. My vision was hazy, and as I blinked against the dim light, the smell hit me first—rust, mildew, and something faintly metallic, like dried blood. The air around me smelled as though it was thick, damp, and suffocating. My heart pounded as I took in my surroundings. I was on a hard, cold floor with cracked concrete beneath me. The whole area was large and poorly lit, with shadows pooling in the corners. A few crates and rusted machinery were scattered about, and the distinct sound of laughter reached my ears. I froze, my breath catching as I realized I wasn’t alone. "Man, this mission's a jackpot!" one of the voices said, rough and slurred. “How much did he say we’re getting?” another chimed in, his tone greedy. “Thousand dollars each, maybe more if we keep her quiet,” the first replied. My stomach turned. Keep me quiet? Who are these people? I shifted slightly, careful not to make