ISABELLA'S POV Of all the people I expected to replace me as the waitress, I never thought it would be Dahlia.She stood high and mighty, swaying her waist and acting like she was the one running things. She still had that look of hatred on her face, and I couldn't be more annoyed. What was she even doing here? Her brother and parents had enough money to keep her spoiled for the rest of her life. Why was she working here?“Dahlia. What a pleasant surprise.” I crossed my arms. I was more than ready for her nonsense today. “Oh please. Why are you here?” She spat, maintaining a fighting poise.I laughed. “As you can see, I'm the customer here. And you're supposed to be the waitress. So please, get to your job, unless you don't want to keep it.” My voice was filled with mockery.She fumed in anger, but didn't respond. She walked off, trying to ignore me as much as she could. I walked to meet Julia, who was smiling at me like I had won a trophy. “Go girl! That was amazing! I told you sh
MAXWELL'S POV I stared at the man sitting in front of me. Long brown hair, bright brown eyes, and a tremendous amount of facial hair. He was clad in a neatly tailored suit set, one size too big, and a pair of nice loafers. He had been avoiding my gaze since he stepped into the office, trying to make sense of his environment.For someone who had spent $300 million on real estate, this was not how I pictured “Greg” to be. If that was even his real name. I got tired of the singular staring contest, and took out files of his transaction on my desk. I shoved them in front of him.“Mr Greg, am I right? You have been one very interesting client.” I gave him a cold glare, smirking in satisfaction as he flinched.“So tell me, what brings you to my office? So important that you had to cause a scene?” My words were like a double edged sword, waiting for the right time to strike. He had caused one hell of a scene, shouting frantically and trying so hard to get into the building like I was with h
ISABELLA'S POV Someone pinch me and tell me I'm dreaming. I couldn't move.I couldn't see.I could breathe, but it was hard.All I could remember were the last moments before I woke up in this unknown place.A tall man dressed in all black snatched me into the alley, despite all my struggles. I learned a bit of karate when I was a kid, and those skills helped me throughout my life.Apparently, not now.I was tossed into the back of a truck, yelling and screaming frantically. It seemed no one cared.Actually, they didn't.When we drove for over 10 miles, I realized what was happening. I was being kidnapped. I thought of my mom, my dreams, Holly, Maxwell. I thought of my life as I knew it. “Who are you!? And what do you want with me?” I yelled from the partition that separated the back of the truck and the driver's seat. The man who abducted me only smirked. “You'll find out soon, princess.” This was absolutely ridiculous.I tried reaching for my phone, and that was when I realized
ISABELLA'S POV The sentence was subtle, yet piercing. “You need to get to a hospital.” I muttered, trying to stay calm. I was already having a panic attack. My palms were jittery as hell, and I could feel my heart rate moving erratically.“So do you.” He glanced over at me, and held my chin with his free hand. I realized I had been biting my lip the whole time, and it was starting to bleed. “Where did you go?” He asked, the sentence low and aggressive. “Why didn't you let David drive you? You realize if you were with him, this wouldn't have happened.”Another wave of guilt gnawed at me. He was right, but I just couldn't risk it. So, I told him what my conscience told me.“I wanted to go swimming. Alone.” I said quietly watching his reaction. His brows rose up slightly, and he turned to look at me. He paused for a moment, and my heart pulsed with trepidation.“And so? He could've stood guard outside the facility or whatever. It's fine.” He exhaled, “Don't ever leave the house alone a
MAXWELL'S POV The last time I had to prepare actual food was around five years ago. I hadn't entered a kitchen ever since Holly became my cook.It was a crooked method of living, but when you have someone to do it, why do it yourself? I had fired Holly out of anger and annoyance that she couldn't at least keep Hannah in check.It wasn't the first time.The other time, I always ate outside. My kitchen remained untouched until my anger over her flip up had subsided, and after persuasions from my mom. Cooking just wasn't my thing.I can't believe I'm doing this.My head burned from the image of Hannah sitting in that chair, all tied up. The horrified look on her face when she saw me. The marks on her face and arms. I hated to think they touched her. I didn't care about the slightly larger than normal gash on my arm, nor how much blood I had lost. When I saw her like that, my heart burned. Like it was acid was permeating my veins, making it impossible to function.I'd find those idiots.
ISABELLA'S POV Maxwell stared at me, as if I had committed a dangerous offense. The room suddenly got colder, and all I wanted to do was run as far away from here as possible.“Fine then. You can sleep in your room.” His voice came out cold and detached. He turned towards the half eaten platter of food, running his hands through the bag. I never saw Maxwell eat fast food, so seeing him eat it now was just…odd.“Unless you wanna sleep in, shut my damn door.” He growled, not taking his eyes off the table. I stuttered slightly, caught myself, and palmed my face.I ran out of his room, with my heart pounding erratically in my chest.That was…anticlimactic. I sighed in relief, and began the slow walk towards my room. I'll try to use photographic memory so I don't get lost again.“Ah ha! Got it.” I exclaimed in relief when I found my room.I ran in, leaning against the door and sinking to my knees. The familiar solitude was welcoming, and I couldn't have asked for anything more. Maxwell ca
ARTHURInsane? It wasn't an uncommon word in my dictionary. I had been characterized with that concept since I was 12, when my classmates couldn't handle the fact that I believed in extreme torture as a form of punishment. It was part of me. Something I wouldn't change in a very, very long time.But for once in my life, I didn't feel like killing anyone.Korra, the hot gardener who apparently had an even darker agenda against Maxwell than I initially thought, made me rethink most of my life's decisions. I hated people. I loathed the thought of being around them. They were like viruses, slowly creeping into your life and upsetting the balance.The more reason I worked alone.But now….“Maxwell's schedule is pretty predictable. Every morning he leaves the house for work, and returns typically around 7pm.” Korra said, crossing her legs and dragging a cigarette. She knew her stuff. I glanced at the open paper she displayed in the middle of the shed.“And his wife?”So far, she was the o
MAXWELL'S POV Maybe, just maybe, I was too arrogant for my own good.I hated inferiority, no matter how it was portrayed. I mean, why must one person feel smaller than the other when both of you are human?The idea was absurd, and infuriated me to the point that I often acted out of context.“Sir…I..it wasn't intentional at all. He..he threatened me.” I stared at the half beaten man kneeling in the middle of my office. Gerome, one of my managers, apparently left a loophole in one of his attempts at mutiny. A few important files of the company went missing several weeks ago, but after a thorough search, they were found in one of the janitor's lockers. Turns out, they were stolen and photocopied by Gerome, and handed over to someone who he had refused to name for the last thirty minutes.He severely threatened his assistant, with warnings of returning him to his past life on the streets if he spoke a word about their escapade.The guy couldn't handle the blackmail anymore and reported