119.“Axel, I need your help with talking to Cole,” Amber said as they headed to the parking lot together.Axel stopped in his tracks, turning to face with a confused expression on his face. “Why? What happened?” he asked.Amber stopped walking as well, holding her books to her chest as she looked at Axel. “Because,” she paused, sucking on a long breath. “Janice doesn’t love him. She is lying to him and using him.”Axel blinked. “What?” he asked.Amber nodded, the annoyance she tried so hard to keep in coming back. “Today, Cole asked me to get him food from the cafeteria. On my way to deliver the food to him, I passed by a classroom where I overheard Janice speaking with her friend. She mentioned that once she gets what she wants from Cole, she’d dump him. At first, I thought it was about his grades, but when I confronted, and she was so mean to me, I realized there was something more, but I couldn’t find out what.”Axel stared at Amber for a while. “Are you sure about this?” he asked
120.Amber blinked. She couldn’t believe Cole would say such a thing to her. How on earth was she selfish? She was doing this for his own good. It was hurting to see her genius brother being fooled by a wolf in sheep’s clothing. But now because she cared, Cole had to raise his voice on her for the first time. It broke her heart so much that her brother didn’t trust her enough to believe her. “We’ve never had a fight before, Cole,” Amber said, her eyes turning glassy as she looked up at her brother. “Are you going to allow your so-called girlfriend come between us? I’m your sister. I would never hurt you or put myself first before you.”“Stop making this about you, Amber,” Cole sighed, feeling conflicted. “When you and Axel got together, I wasn’t against it. Even when you two kept it away from me, I didn’t get mad.”“I and Axel are different!” Amber snapped. “And the reason you approved of the relationship was because you trusted Axel. You knew he was a good person. I don’t trust Jan
121. “Are you sure that’s gonna work?” Axel asked after Amber explained Jack’s plan to him. “I mean, you and Janice are literally at each other’s throats. It’s crazy if you ask me.” Amber rolled her eyes. “I know befriending her sounds like a lot of work since I can’t put up with her,” she said, her tone laced with uncertainty. “But I believe this might work.” she was ready to do anything to prove to Cole that Janice wasn’t to be trusted; that Janice was a liar and was using him. There was no way she would be able to convince Cole without any evidence. Axel’s expression turned thoughtful as he massaged his temple, “Don’t you think she would find it suspicious? I mean, you can’t just walk up to her and ask her to be friends with you.” “I’m aware of that, Axel,” Amber said, folding her arms over her chest. “That’s why I have a plan. It’s simple, really.” She grinned, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “I’ll pretend to have an issue with Cole.” she said. She already had one though becau
122.“Axel? My Axel?” she asked, her cold gaze on Janice and her so-called best friend. Janice folded her arms with a smirk on her face. She had no ounce of remorse on her face and Amber nodded her head as everything returned to her piece by piece.All this while she had thought it was for grades. She had no idea the main target was Axel, her boyfriend. Janice had been getting close to Cole and finally began dating him because she wanted free access to Axel every time she wanted it. And Cole was oblivious to that, giving the bitch the upper hand. Amber put her hand in her pocket. She felt a wave of rage wash through her as her eyes stayed glued on Janice’s face. Now she was angry for two things.One, Janice deceived her brother. Two, Janice was trying to seduce her boyfriend. It took every bit of self-control in her not to begin teaching the damn girl a lesson right now. “So…” Amber frowned, glaring at Janice. “You’ve been dating Cole to get close to Axel, right? Do you know Axel is
123.Amber, Axel, and Cole walked into an empty classroom where Cole slammed his fists on the wall. Amber quietly took a seat and Axel followed as well. They sat there, watching Cole exhale.Cole had seen it with his own eyes and heard it with his ears. He couldn’t believe that Janice was this heartless to have used him with the aim of getting to Axel. He felt betrayed and hurt. All these months, he thought they had something genuine going on. He thought he had finally found love and found someone who loved him, but it was fake. He was such a fool to have fallen for her lies.And he had accused Amber of lying and being selfish when she warned him about Janice. He turned to look at Amber, who was seated with Axel, his expression turning sadder by the second.He walked to where she was seated. He knew he fucked up and needed to apologize to her. “Amber,” he called, his voice soft. “I just want to thank you for making me find out that Janice wasn’t someone to be trusted,” he said and she
124.Melissa and Jack waited as Amber was being rushed into the Emergency Department where her wounds would be treated. Axel rushed into the hospital and Melissa ran to him.“Where is Amber?” he asked, paranoid. When they had called him that Amber had gotten shot, he couldn’t believe his ears and had to rush down here. “Is she okay?” “She is currently being tended to at the Emergency Department—”Axel didn’t wait for Melissa to finish answering his question as he began heading to the place, but she held him to stop him. “You can’t go there right now. They asked us to wait until they are done. Please, calm down.” Melissa pleased.Axel sighed and massaged his forehead. He couldn’t stay in a place and began pacing around, his heart beating frantically in his chest. “How on earth did it happen?” he asked, turning to face Melissa and Jack.“We have no idea,” Jack replied, his face filled with horror. He couldn’t believe what just happened. “We just finished our project and were about to l
125.While they waited for Amber to come out of surgery, Axel couldn’t help pacing. Cole had rushed in as well and had to wait as they filled him in on what had happened.“I believe it’s a targeted shooting as well, Axel,” he said, a frown settling on his face. “And believe me, if I find the jerk that did this to my sister, I swear I’m not gonna spare him.”“That’s if I keep him alive,” Axel answered.Melissa and Jack stared at Axel and Cole with shocked expressions on their faces. They knew these two cared so much about Amber, but they had no idea they were willing to kill to get revenge for her. She took a deep breath and buried her face in her hands. Her heart was beating frantically. Even though the surgery was being done on Amber’s arm, she still felt scared.When the doctor mentioned that Amber would be going in for surgery, she had been triggered. She recalled how one of her aunt was involved in an accident, and the doctor said it required her to go into surgery. Her Aunt didn’
126.A FEW DAYS LATER“Well, we have investigated, and the conclusion is that, it wasn’t a targeted shooting, but a stray bullet like we had predicted,” The female officer, whom Axel had questioned the day Amber got shot.Axel and Cole exchanged looks as they went through the statement. According to what the police officer had earlier explained, it was actually a robbery and an exchange of fire.Axel sighed, ruffling his hair. “Fine then,” he said, finally believing what she said because he had tried doing some investigations on his own, but couldn’t find anything. Maybe it was like she said. “If you find anything else, please do not hesitate to let us know about it.”The police officer nodded with a smile. “Definitely.”.Cole and Axel walked out of the station and got into the car as Axel drove them out of the premises. “Do you really believe that this is their conclusion, Axel?” Cole asked, his voice filled with doubt.Axel sighed, his gaze fixed on the road. “Not really, but I don
086.Laura sat in a coffee shop, her feet tapping relentlessly on the floor. Vera had gone to get them drinks but that was the least of her problems right now. She knew Gina was the one responsible for the beating she received, but she had no idea how Amber was able to clear her name in just a small amount of time.This only confirmed her suspicion that there was someone helping her form the sidelines. But who could that be? And why did the girl who helped to get the man caught look so familiar?"Something is fishy!" "Laura, did you hear, Amber has gotten all her opportunities back. Lots of companies are calling to get interviewed by her. They were moved by now she took care of the case and gave the police the leverage to catch the abuser." Vera dropped the coffee on the table and sat down.Laura groaned. "I hate how this is turning out, Gina. We need to do something about it.""That's not all. Ms. June has given her the cover page for the Mainland Tech Conference Article. If she pu
085.Amber's face lit up when she saw Larissa walking out of the club. She got down from the car and rushed to hug her. "You're back!" she gave Larissa a peck on the cheek. "You did it! My reputations cleared. I watched everything."Larissa smirked. "Told you not to worry about anything. Did you think it wouldn't work out when the plane was Axel's?"Amber raised a brow. "I thought it was your idea."Larissa shook her head. "It was all Axel's. I only agreed to be the bait," she said and Amber smiled."I'm grateful to you both. Now I feel relieved that it's all been taken care of. I can sleep with a smile now." Larissa chuckled.~•~•~The next day...GLAM MAGAZINE Amber walked into her department and Gina rushed to her. "Oh you have no idea how happy I am that you're finally back to work. The man has been caught by the police. Turns out, he was brutally beaten by the ladies he harassed. He's currently being questioned and you my dear, have gotten your fans back."Amber scoffed as she
084."Hey, beautiful," the man drawled, his voice low and seductive.Larissa's grip on the glass tightened, her brows twitching as she fought the urge to punch him in the face and give him a good beating. She quickly forced a smile to her face and turned to face him. "Hi." she answered and looked away. All she had to do was play hard to get and he was going to try forcing himself on her for sure.The man took a seat beside her. "Can I buy you a drink? A beautiful lady like you shouldn't sit here all alone, you know." his eyes roamed her body as his tongue ran over his lips.Larissa rolled her eyes. "As you can see, I already have a drink. And it's not bad to be alone, is it?" she asked."So you're really alone," he smiled to himself and moved closer. Larissa noticed this and leaned back. "You know," he began, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I saw the way you danced a few minutes ago. Mind if we get a room and you can show me privately? I'd love to see it up close." he touched her la
083.KING'S MANSION The family was seated in the dining room, having a nice relaxing dinner. Kevin looked at Axel, who seemed to be in a good mood. It's been a while he saw Axel actually eat enough food like he did.His gaze darted to Larissa and Maverick. They were also in good moods. Were these kids hiding something from him? Besides, he saw the scandal with Amber. They couldn't be smiling at a time like this, right?Knowing Axel, he would have thrown a tantrum and dealt with whoever did it. But here the young man was, eating like he was celebrating.When he couldn't take it anymore, he dropped the fork and knife he was holding, making a clanging sound on the plate that drew the trio's attention. They all turned to look at him."You three, what's going on?" he asked, his gaze narrowed at them.The three of them exchanged confused glances, having no idea what Kevin was talking about. "Uncle, what are you talking about?" Larissa was the first to ask.Kevin scoffed. "Are you trying to
082.“No! There's no way I'm letting you do that. What if it backfires? Promiscuous men like him can do anything to women.” Amber declined after Larissa told her about the plan. “C'mon, Amber,”“No, Larissa,” she sighed. “You are an idol. You have fans all over the world. Do you have any idea what this would cost you if it backfires? No way am I letting you go to that club and be the bait.” Larissa chuckled and took a seat beside Amber. “I like the fact that you underestimate me, Amber,” she smirked. “Look, I know how the club works. And I know what makes stupid bastards like that idiot tick. Do you think I'd go there with no backup? Trust me. It will only be just to lure him into the trap.”Amber sighed. “I don't know, Larissa.”“Amber listen, I'm sick and tired of seeing mean comments against you. Many jealous reporters are using this opportunity to ruin you the more. They might have been quiet because they saw nothing to use against you, but now, they are trying to ruin your rep
081.Amber pulled away from the kiss and cupped Axel's cheeks, her eyes shining with love for him. Axel raised a brow at her. “What was that about?” he asked amidst chuckles.Amber batted her lashes at him. “Don't you like it?” she asked, her voice small.Axel’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, then a grin spread across his face. “Well, now.” he drew Amber closer, wrapping his arms around her waist. “I do like it. But I can’t say I’m not a little bit surprised.” his voice was low and gravelly, making Amber’s heart flip-flop in her chest.Amber blushed, but she couldn’t look away from his intense gaze. “I had to do something to thank you,” she whispered. “For everything.”Axel’s eyes softened as he stared at her. “Amber, you don’t have to thank me for anything. I’ll always be here for you. No matter what.” He pressed his forehead against hers, their lips inches apart. “And I want you to know, I love you too.”Amber’s heart skipped a beat. She wrapped her arms around him. They've been thro
080.“So, how long have you and Mr. A been together?” Larissa asked during their break.Amber was taken aback by the question. “What? He and I are not together.” she answered.Larissa chuckled. “Seriously? Are you telling me that you two feel nothing for each other, or he feels nothing for you?” she asked, handing a chocolate bar to Amber.“Aren't dancers supposed to eat healthy snacks?” Amber asked, her gaze on the chocolate as she tried to change the topic.Larissa raised an eyebrow. “First of all, this is dark chocolate, which is supposed to be good for you. Second of all, don't change the subject.” she pointed her finger at Amber. “Now, tell me. Are you and Axel just friends, or is there more to it?”Amber fidgeted with the wrapper of the chocolate, avoiding Larissa's gaze. “We…we're just friends,” she insisted, though her voice wasn't quite as convincing as she'd hoped.Larissa smirked. “Uh huh,” she leaned forward, her eyes glinting with mischief. “Okay, let me break this down f
079.Axel continued patting her on the back as she cried. Amber couldn't help the tears. She melted into his arms while he kissed her hair. “Hey, stop crying, okay?” he said and she nodded.Axel pulled away from the hug and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Look at me,” he said and Amber looked up at him with a tear stained face. Axel used his thumb to wipe her tears and smiled at her. “You're a strong woman, Cat eyes. You don't need to let them know they've gotten you. I know you were set up, your friends know that as well, and your loyal fans too.”Amber nodded. “I'm just so hurt and annoyed.”“I understand,” Axel said. “And I won't let that motherfucker get away with hurting you. He's just dug his own grave for hurting my woman.”Amber smiled, a blush crawling up her cheeks. “You still call me your woman in such playful tone while I'm really annoyed here?”Axel leaned forward and rolled strands of hair into his index finger. “Why not? At least I got a smile from you.” he said, hi
078.GLAM MAGAZINE Amber walked into the company the next day, but something felt different. The employees were murmuring and talking in hush voices as she walked by. Her brows creased. What was going on? She was still in a sour mood from what happened yesterday, what was going on today?She walked into her department and Laura walked to her. “Oh, what a slut you are. I should have known that you got all your fame because you sleep with me that are old enough to birth you.”Amber frowned. “What the heck are you yammering on about?” she asked.Laura snickered. “You're a journalist. The news should be something you check every damn fucking day. I always knew you were pompous, now you've gone outside to show the world just how terrible you are.” Amber shook her head and walked to her desk. She knew bantering with Laura won't yield any results. The girl will only end up getting her to lose her temper, and she didn't want that.She brought her phone out and switched her data on. Her eyes