Chapter 4
Andre POV:
Who's getting married?!" My sister's excited voice broke through the quiet of the room, startling everyone. I hadn't heard her come in.
She must have greeted our Father before now because She hurried to where our stepmother was sitting, and wrapped her in a hug.
"Mother, you're back from shopping?" My sister asked, a smile on her face, and then turned to me and my father, "You guys finally found a match for Andre? That's great! What's her last name?" Was the first thing my sister was concerned with.
She was like everyone else in my family who only cared about the status of the people we should be associated with.
"We fixed your marriage, Louisa." I taunted.
"You're lying, I heard Father talk about your marriage, and by the way, you're the one old enough to get married here, you're thirty, remember? And I'm just twenty-four, why will I get married before you?" She reasoned.
"I don't mind, Louisa," I turned to my father, "Dad, we should get Louisa married soon, don't you think?" Hearing me talk about her marriage with our father, her face morphed into something else, she looked mad right now with smoke coming out of her mouth and ears as she grunts. So I imagined.
"Daddy, ask him to stop...! I'm not getting married now, I'm still so young."
"But you'll have to get married someday," Elizabeth chirped in,
"It's someday, but not today, why does it feel like you all want me out of the house?" Louisa asked everyone in the room.
"Not everyone, some people here," I said, passing a quick stare at Elizabeth and then continued, "Good news is that they also want me out of the house too," I added to make Elizabeth a bit uncomfortable.
She shifted a bit on her chair, silent for a moment before speaking, "Did I show you the things I got from the store, Louisa?" She turned to Louisa, holding her hands in hers. "Follow me to Leila's room so that we can open everything together. We even collected Leila's new uniform, you should see how exquisite it looks." She called on the helper to pick up the bags and they left quickly.
"The women are too concerned about material things, don't you think?" My father asked.
"Hmmm." I agreed,
"Andre, did you know, I did not become rich by being contended with what I had?
I always wanted more that's why this family is where we are today, it's good to always form new relationships, beneficial ones." He got up from his chair, going to stand in front of the large window at one end of the room, I followed behind.
"I made a mistake by going against my parent's wishes to marry Taylor in the first place, I thought love was something real, but soon I realized that there's no such thing as love for people of our status. Just get married to keep the line stronger."
He went ahead to pour two glasses of alcohol, handing one to me with a small smile as he cheers to the glasses.
"Taylor was from a family which had nothing to offer my family, they were just dormant and would never raise the family name for as long as I stayed with them. Don't get me wrong but the only thing she had to offer which I am grateful for is you and your sister. She left me but she didn't live her life any better without me, without us. We won son."
"We did." I concurred. "She doesn't look like she's having any fun in that small restaurant of hers. I'm not sure anyone in this family would like to eat in a place like that. It belongs to lowlifes." I added.
"You're a smart boy Andre, I have been blessed by God to have you as my son. I am only guiding you because I do not want my son to make the same mistakes I made in my life."
He placed his hand on my shoulder and pat me, "I want you to be forward with the former minister's daughter. Make her fall deeply in love with you so that things can proceed quickly. I need to be in their circle. Understand boy." I nodded.
"Yes, Father." He stared at me for a while, "You've seen the girl at least once, if you don't feel she's the right one, I have a list of others. It's the first time I wished I had more sons, we would've been on top of the world." He tittered.
He finished his drink quickly, refilled the glass, and took a sip from it before speaking,
"I heard you asked Stanley to call the insurance company, what for?"
"I have a minor problem with my car, it's nothing for you to be worried about, father." My father was a little dramatic, if he knew what that girl did at Taylor's restaurant, he would be forced to believe Taylor planned it all and both of them would be in deep trouble.
"We could get you a new one if you want. You can't take a scrap car around the city, you're the son of Chris Garcia, Heir to the DDG group." He said.
"I'll have the car fixed. Thank you, Father, I'll leave now." I bowed in front of him respectfully before leaving.
I went back to my room and Stanley was already waiting for me with the phone in his hand. It reminded me of that girl which I planned to torture.
I collected the phone from his hands and coupled the battery before switching it on. It had her picture as the screensaver and so I proceeded to open the lock, what was I expecting, it was locked with a secured password. I tried different ones and none worked so I dumped the phone on the bed, laying back on my chair with my hands on my head. The weight kept me sane.
"Stanley, picture the screen saver on the broken phone."
"What do you want me to do with it, Sir?" He asked as he walked to where the phone was and picked it up.
"I want you to find that girl, she owes me insurance money."
"Sir," he drew my attention and paused for a moment, "What is it, Stan?"
"I don't know if you can give me her name, it would be easier to find her if I knew her name- at least... what is her name?"
"I don't know, don't ask me," I shrugged him off, "But don't come to work tomorrow if you don't find at least something about her. Good day, Stanley." I said.
He bowed quickly, about to leave when her name flashed through my mind, "Vanessa, her name is Vanessa. Find something valuable about the Vanessa girl and bring it to me, she should start the payment by this weekend." I said.
"Ok Sir, he bowed once more before leaving the room."
My phone beeped in my pocket, I took it out to see a long text from Taylor. She wanted to apologize for the incident earlier. She also sent a text to let me know that she took action against that girl by firing her. She was asking for my free time so we could meet but I knew how women like her were, she didn't care about me and my sister, and that was why she left us alone with father knowing I was eight and Louisa was a two years old who needed her mother the most.
All her effort to please me with words turned out to be vain as I had made up my mind to have nothing to do with her. She didn't love us then, why should she pretend to do so now that we're all grown up? Doesn't make any sense, does it?
I didn't bother to answer, just directly blocked her from sending more annoying texts that reopened the wounds from twenty-two years ago.
My mind was settled after blocking her, I fixed my hands in my pants pocket, staring out the window as the cool breeze brushed past me, messing my hair.
I felt it again. That downcasted feeling of loneliness, like I wasn't worthy to be alive. Something crossed my mind and I wished it didn't. For a moment, I began to guilty judge myself for not doing dr*gs, at least not now, but it was hard to fight that urge as it was already the only thing I depended on to suppress my disorder.
I knew it was wrong and have had to attend many therapy sessions if I could give up on it but it's not so easy. It's the only thing that could calm me down at a time like this.
It started when I turned fifteen with a father who did his best only in earning money for us and left us in the care of our nanny and stepmother, Elizabeth. They both f**ked with my mind real good.
The thought of taking Dr*gs this evening kept me warm and excited for a moment. I didn't want to mess up myself in the presence of the whole house so I went to the door, quickly checking outside to see if the area was cleared, it was and then shut my door, leaving the keys on the desk which was the closest to the door and then went to my closet.
I knew how hard it was to get these things and after that time someone tipped the police to search the house for drugs, I became more careful in hiding my stuff. Back then my father was disappointed that I did drugs, the only thing he did to help me was sign me up for counseling and I did go, just that I f**ked the counselor out of her mind whenever I went on my sections. She was so attracted to me that she couldn't counsel me properly so we made a deal and she discharged me after six months.
Back to business, I removed my work shoes from the shoe rank, lifting the plank at the bottom to reveal a small box. I dragged out the box and did not bother to arrange the closet before going to bed. I opened the box, there were lots of packed cokes which I had saved up for some time since they were pretty expensive and hard to get. Medicine bottles and unused syringes. My veins popped up in excitement as I withdrew from the bottle. I went ahead to get a plate, alcohol, and a pack of cigarettes, and they all go together.
I lit one cigarette, taking the first puff from it before strapping my arm with a tourniquet to reveal the veins. I was about to inject myself with the drugs when I heard a sharp knock accompanied by my sister's voice, "Andre, are you in there?"
I gave no reply at first and then she knocked again. I can perceive cigarettes so I know you're in there. We're ordering seafood soup for dinner, do you want some?" She asked.
"Not interested, Lou," I yelled, feeling pissed off. She's always here at the wrong time.
"I thought you love those, strange. Don't complain later because I won't leave any." She murmured to my hearing.
"Please get off and don't come back Lou, you're disturbing me." I rolled out my eyes, I hope she doesn't come back till the night is over.
I heard her steps distant, she was leaving. As soon as I could hear it no more, I injected myself with the substance. That rushed feeling of adrenaline clouded my head. I felt like in a different world.
Author's POV:
The moment he injected himself with the substance, his eyes popped out, his thoughts began to race and it was almost impossible to focus on anything. His mind began to flash on all the events which happened during the day. He was giddy, talking fast and laughing at the most meaningless words which came out of his lips. Andre couldn't feel the cold air on his skin, but instead felt a hot, prickly sensation beneath the surface. It was like someone was holding a match to his skin, threatening to burn him from the inside out and it made him scratch his arm nervously without realizing he was already leaving marks on his arm.
"What the-" he muttered. He couldn't tell if what he felt was excitement anymore, his head was pounding hard, his eyes began to feel tired and heavy and he knew it was time to rest, but He was too anxious to do so. All he could do was sit there with crazy thoughts running over his head, what if he died in his sleep? He had gotten warnings from the family doctor to quit doing Dr**s but it wasn't so easy.
He flipped himself over to the other side, whispering to himself, "No, I can't do this, I shouldn't sleep. I'll die in my sleep." He continued. It was only a matter of time before sleep crept over him like a shadow.
His anger simmered beastly, burning hot and bright. There was this urge in him, telling him to break something. He did try to fight it off but it took over him. There was a sudden surge of power in his fist and he punched hard on the floor, almost breaking it.
After a while of messing the whole room up, he kicked away the drugs and collapsed onto the cold floor, the sound of glass crunching beneath his feet made him wince. But he didn't stop him from trying to sleep, he folded himself into a shivering ball, his teeth clattering in the cold. Sweating ferociously on the outside while frozen on the inside, He was too weak to even reach for a cover, let alone climb onto the bed. Andre shut his eyes to the darkness, his racing heartbeat against his chest like the erratic rhythm of a drum and then he sank into a restless sleep.
Vanessa's POV:My days started pretty early with my brother, Victor, waking me from my sleep. "Vanessa, aren't you going to work today?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern. I rubbed my eyes and tried to shake off the remnants of sleep. He was wearing an apron and I could perceive burnt food in the air. Did he cook? I asked myself and wondered why he went to the kitchen again as I remembered, he was an awful cook.Seeing his stern look, I realized that he asked a question earlier. "Work? I lost-" My tongue slipped, almost revealing my secret. Panic surged through me, and I quickly recovered, "I mean, I'm on off."Victor raised an eyebrow, giving me a suspicious look. "You lost what?""N-nothing," I stammered, my heart racing. "I mean, I didn't say lost. I said I'm on off." I corrected.He stared at me for a moment longer before letting out a sigh. "You're getting so many days off recently. Did you do something wrong?"I swallowed hard, my mind racing to come up with a plausible ex
Chapter 6Andre's POV:The harsh knock on the door woke me up, only to find out that it was 11 am and I was late for work."Shit," I mumbled. My head was still swiveling from the event of last night. I soothed it with my fingers to relieve the pain. I looked down at myself, I was nude with all my clothes off, and all over the place. How and when did I take them off? I had no idea.It took enough effort to get up from the floor and the first thing I did was to put on fresh clothes before coming back to the mess. I made sure to stay clear of the broken bottles. There was a repeated knock on the door and this time it was accompanied by Stanley's voice."Good morning Sir." He greeted.I didn't bother to respond and went ahead to open the door for him.The moment I opened the door, I flooded him with questions."Did you just arrive now? It's 11 am, Stan, how do you expect to get paid if you want to work for me like this?""Uhmm... Boss, I've been here since 7:30," he stuttered, startled by
Chapter 7Vanessa's POV:The memory of my last conversation with Claire echoed in my mind as I waited for her to return from work. I desperately needed help to deal with the financial mess I was in. The burden of my mother's medication expenses and the threat looming over the stupid car were pushing me to a breaking point. I knew Claire was the only person who could possibly help me out of this mess, but I had to be careful not to push her too hard.I waited for her to come back from work before going to see her.Finally, Claire burst into the room, in a rush to get changed, preparing to head out. "Babe, you're here. I'm going out, we'll see later," she hurriedly said without sparing me a glance, clearly preoccupied."Don't leave, I need your help, Claire,"Her expression shifted slightly, and she asked with a hint of annoyance, "What do you want?"I took a deep breath, summoning all the courage I had left. "Borrow me some money."She looked at me skeptically, "Huh, for what?"I hesit
Chapter 8Andre's POV:The sun's soft rays filtered through the curtains, casting a gentle glow across the room. With a sense of purpose, I readied myself for the day's challenges, my mind already focused on the responsibilities awaiting me at work. I held my necktie loose, going out to find one of the maids to help me knot it when I heard faint sounds of commotion coming from the main gate and I went to the balcony to see who it was. Seeing my mother with the guard, I asked myself why she came here, did she lose all her shame and decide to come so she could be roasted by the Garcias'?"Please, let me see him," she pleaded with the guard at the entrance, desperation evident in her eyes. The guard's stern expression remained unchanged."Madam, my job's on the line if I let you in," he firmly responded. I stood in front of the balcony the whole time, perplexed by how she managed to pass through the estate gate.Watching her plead to see me, a strange sense of satisfaction unfurled. I
Chapter 9Vanessa's POV:I got another job, again with Claire's influence at a small restaurant about 20km from my house, pretty far right? But I have no choice but to accept it.Starting a new job can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. As I stood in front of the modest-looking restaurant, a knot of anxiety tightened in my stomach. The sign above the entrance read "Savory Bites," and I took a deep breath before pushing open the door.The interior was cozy and welcoming, with a handful of occupied tables and the clatter of cutlery against plates. The delicious aroma of various dishes wafted through the air, making my stomach grumble."Hey there! You must be Vanessa, right?" a friendly voice called out. I turned to see a woman in her mid-40s with a warm smile. She was wearing an apron and holding a notepad and pen."Yes, that's me," I replied, offering a shy smile."Claire told me about you," she said, stretching her hand for a quick handshake."I'm Emily, the manager here. Welcome to
Chapter 10Three days later.Vanessa's POV:I finished work early, and then Ms. Emily permitted me to go home early.On my way home, I got a quick notification on my phone, knowing who it was, I didn't bother to open it. He made it a habit to text and flash-call me endlessly over the last few days.On getting home, the house was empty and I remembered Victor informed me that he was taking our mother to the hospital for her routine check. I threw my bag on the chair and went to the kitchen to prepare a meal. After preparing the meal, I took mine to my room to eat. My phone flashed twice before I decided to pick it up but he hung up immediately.I stared at the screen, my heart racing with a mix of fear and curiosity. My fingers hovered over the keys as I typed out the message, my pulse quickening with every tap. "Can you provide your account details for the first payment?"The reply came in, swift and unexpected. A shiver ran down my spine as I read the words: ~The Grand Luminary Hote
Chapter 11Andre's POV: After our meeting at the hotel, I got a call from Ethan that the guys were having a night out at the club and that he had some important news to announce to the group so he wanted me to be there.****As I stepped into the dimly lit bar, the raucous laughter and clinking of glasses greeted me like an old friend. The weight of the week's troubles lifted momentarily from my shoulders. Tonight was meant for unwinding, and I had my closest friends, by my side and then a few of them came with their girls.We found our usual corner at the VIP lounge area and settled in, ordering our drinks and toasting the weekend ahead. The amber liquid in my glass glistened under the dim lights, casting a warm glow on our faces. I was eager to forget about all my worries, especially about my mother."Hey, guys," Ethan spoke as he got up, holding Sarah's hand in his with her smiling sheepishly.The noise on the table reduced as they had everyone's attention. Looking at their body l
Chapter 12Andre's POV:"And also, I don't have a boyfriend, I'm still waiting on the love of my life. Speaking of him, is Ethan still together with that girl?" Louisa asked, and I struggled with how to tell her that they recently announced their upcoming wedding. Ethan and Sarah will be married this summer."Yep,""I thought they had a fight and went their separate ways?" She inquired."They're back together, Louisa.""I hope they have a bigger fight this time and that he leaves her for good. I'll wait for him." She affirmed, making me fed up that I had to speak, "Louisa, you can't wish Ill on people and also, Ethan has always made it clear that he has no romantic interest in you. Let him off, will you?""He may not have feelings for me, but he always comes to my rescue when I'm in trouble. I won't give up on him.""You'll get hurt in the end," I warned."Leave that aside, let's talk about the money, Will you give it to me?""Quit bugging me." I shooed her off but she didn't move, "I
Chapter 65Vanessa's POV:It was Sunday. The last day here. The day before we’d fly back to our normal lives, back to work, stress, and the chaos that followed. And perhaps, he'd go back to his former asshole, bossy, jerk self which I kinda miss.I woke up late—so late that I thought I had somehow slept through half the day. The curtains were partly drawn, allowing thin slivers of gold morning sunlight to pierce through. But what jolted me wasn’t the time. It was the absence.His absence.The bed beside me was empty. Cold, like he'd left for hours. His coat, which he had tossed over the chair last night, was gone. No sign of him. I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, my hair tangled and puffed from the pillow. I blinked at the emptiness, trying to ask too much questions on his whereabouts. Maybe he just went out. Maybe he had a meeting.I shook the thought away quickly. There was a knock on the door. Room service.“Miss Williams,” a female voice chirped politely. “You’re schedule
Chapter 64Third POV:Rain came without warning that afternoon. The skies, once clear and blue, turned a soft, moody grey. The clouds hung low over the rooftops, and a light drizzle began to tap on cobblestones and storefront awnings. It wasn’t long before the drizzle turned into steady rain, soaking the city with its gentle persistence.Vanessa hadn’t expected the sudden change. She stood at the corner of a quiet street, just outside a vintage bookstore, her arms tucked close to her body as the chill from the rain crept under her cardigan. Droplets of water speckled her hair and eyelashes. She didn’t complain, just stood there, uncertain what to do next.And then, as if he had been watching all along, Andre appeared beside her. Tall, composed, and striking in a dark overcoat that didn’t seem to mind the rain.He said nothing at first. Instead, he removed his coat without hesitation and draped it over her shoulders, the warmth and scent of it instantly wrapping her like a quiet embrac
Chapter 63Vanessa's POV:I don’t know how long I stayed in the gazebo, but it was the only place I could find that gave me even a little bit of cover. The shadows clung to me, hiding my flushed face and jittery hands. The kiss had happened so fast, and yet it lingered on my lips like some kind of invisible mark. I could still feel the weight of his touch, the heat of his palm on my back. My heart hadn’t stopped racing.I didn’t want him to find me, but at the same time, I wanted him to. It didn’t make sense.The sounds of the violins echoed. I was stuck in a bubble that had popped and scattered everything I thought I knew about Mr. Garcia—about myself. What he meant by all these.Then I heard footsteps. Slow, steady, like someone who knew exactly where I was. I didn’t have to look to know it was him.“Hiding from me?” his voice came, soft and teasing.I looked up, and there he was, holding a huge, French-dressed fluffy teddy bear almost half his size. It had a red bow and sleepy butt
Chapter 62Vanessa's POV:I've barely been to parties all my life, but nothing… absolutely nothing could’ve prepared me for Genevieve Laurent’s party.From the second we stepped out of the car, I felt swallowed by a whole different world. Like I had walked straight into a dream... or a movie. Everything glittered. The lights, the dresses, the jewelry—even the champagne shimmered in its glass. The mansion itself looked like it was carved from gold and secrets—tall ceilings, grand staircases, chandeliers that sparkled like falling stars. Every corner buzzed with laughter, clinking glasses, French accents, and perfume that smelled like money.I froze at the entrance. Just stood there like a misplaced child in a palace. I wore a nude silk dress Mr. Garcia had sent earlier—tight in places I wasn’t used to. I wasn’t dressed wrong, but I felt wrong. Like everyone here had grown up sipping champagne while I was still figuring out how to pay rent on time.Mr. Garcia stood beside me like I belo
Chapter 61Vanessa's POV:When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was the absence of weight in the air.No subtle scent of woodsy cologne. No sound of faint typing or movement. No silent, looming presence behind me.Just… silence.The kind that made me blink rapidly as I sat up slowly, my body sinking into something softer than the firm couch cushion I had laid on the night before. That’s when it hit me.I wasn’t on the couch anymore.I ran my fingers over the sheets, confused and dazed. My head turned quickly toward the now neatly folded couch blanket resting in a corner, as if someone had gently peeled it off me in the middle of the night.Andre Garcia.It had to be him. He must’ve carried me to the bed while I slept. The idea of his hands under me, lifting me—his scent barely clinging to the pillow beside me—sent a confusing rush straight to my chest.Why would he do that?I rubbed my face and flung my legs over the edge of the bed, taking in the empty room. The tall, sheer curta
Chapter 60Vanessa's POV:I sat stiffly at the round table, the heavy silverware shining under the warm glow of the restaurant’s chandeliers. The conversation between Mr. Garcia and his business partners flowed smoothly, but I felt like a decorative piece—smiling when expected, nodding politely, and pretending that I belonged here.I tried to stay invisible, focusing on the perfectly cooked steak on my plate and avoiding too much eye contact. But of course, things never stayed simple around him.As I reached for my glass of water, Mr. Garcia leaned forward slightly, a playful look in his eyes as he assisted, passing the water to me.“Ah, young love,” Mr. Laurent mused, smiling as if he’d just discovered our biggest secret.I nearly choked.I set my glass down quickly and glanced at my boss, hoping—begging—he’d correct the misunderstanding.Genevieve chuckled softly and placed her hand over her husband’s. “It’s lovely to see Andre with someone who makes him… human. You bring a softness
Chapter 59Vanessa's POV:Later that night, back at the hotel, I tried to keep my distance. But he was everywhere, partially suffocating my space.I was barely out of the shower when there was a knock at the door. I wrapped the robe tighter around me before opening it slightly, only to find him standing there, hands in his pockets.“Did you forget about the dinner?” he asked, his eyes scanning me briefly before stepping inside without invitation. “You need to get dressed.”I gestured to the dress I had already picked out. “I’m wearing this.”The dress I had chosen was a simple black one—elegant but modest.He gave it one look and dismissed it with a shake of his head. “No.”Frustration bubbled. “What’s wrong with it?”Instead of answering, he lifted the shopping bags with him. I blinked. He had lots of bags, and I wondered if he picked half the store."I got more than five dresses. Try them on.”“You expect me to try all of these?" He didn't respond, so I started opening the bags and
Chapter 58Vanessa's POV:He smelt of cigarettes. Sounded like the “something important” was smoking. My lungs were a bit relieved that he was considerate enough to do it outside.He paused in the doorway, expression unreadable, staring with lazy eyes, and in a nonchalant voice said, “What are you doing?”“Sleeping,” I said, fluffing a pillow.He let out a dry laugh. “Get up.”“I’m fine here.”His voice sharpened. “You're not allowed to do that here. We're sharing the bed, and that's final.”He did look serious. I swallowed. There was no room for argument. Slowly, I stood.I climbed into the bed, keeping as much distance as humanly possible from the other side. He disappeared into the bathroom. The sound of the running shower lasted minutes before the door clicked open again.I couldn't help myself. My eyes flickered over to him, despite my best intentions to look anywhere else. And there he was—standing shirtless, with a towel tucked loosely around his waist and another in his hand,
Chapter 57Vanessa’s POV:The moment I stepped onto the plane, I knew something was wrong.Or, more accurately, something was too right.First-class? I had mentally prepared myself for the stiff seats, the cramped legroom, and the congested space. But here I was, standing in front of a seat so luxurious I almost didn’t want to touch it. Plush cream-colored seats, ample space, and an actual menu? This wasn’t just an upgrade. This was a full-blown Cinderella moment—except my fairy godmother was a sadistic CEO who got a kick out of seeing me squirm.I turned sharply to face Mr. Garcia, who was already settling into the seat beside mine like he owned the entire plane. Which, knowing him, he probably did.“You didn’t tell me we were flying first-class,” I asked, arms crossed.He gave me a slow, lazy smirk. “Would it have made you come willingly if I did?”I clenched my jaw. He didn't tell me he was kidnapping me in luxury.“This is unnecessary,” I muttered, gripping the armrest like it mig