“How do I look?” she asked, her eyes sparkling.William stared at her with wide eyes, unable to utter a word for several seconds.“William?” Jessica furrowed her brows.William cleared his throat and quickly looked away, a frown plastered on his face as though he was annoyed.“Where are you going?” he asked.Jessica smiled. “Our crew was invited to Mr. Edmond Wade's dinner party tonight, so I'm going,” she said excitedly, glancing at her dress.“I’m going to the same party too.”“Really?” Jessica looked at him. “Perfect! We could just tag along and—”“No,” William said flatly.“If you're going to come, take another car,” he added and entered his car without waiting for a reply. The car drove off immediately.“What is wrong with him? If he didn’t like the dress, he could have just said so,” Jessica mumbled, watching his car disappear down the driveway.“This way, Miss,” Jessica’s personal driver said, gesturing toward another vehicle.She nodded and followed him to the car, stepping in
Jessica lay on the bed, curling up in discomfort, when the door clicked open, and a figure walked in. Relief washed over her immediately, but it was short-lived as she saw a masked man approaching her.Sensing danger, she slowly shifted back. “Who—who are you?”The man smirked. “Don’t worry, just relax. I promise you’re going to enjoy this,” he said.Before Jessica could move, he had her pinned to the bed, his weight pressing her down.“No... no...” Jessica struggled, but he held her wrists firmly against the mattress as he began sucking on her neck.“Please... stop...” Tears welled up in her eyes. Her body betrayed her, slowly succumbing to the effects of whatever was coursing through her, heightening her panic.His hands moved down, squeezing her breast before grazing her thigh and touching her intimate part.All Jessica could do was cry, desperately hoping for a miracle. Just as she began to lose all hope, with the man unzipping her gown and starting to pull it off, a loud knock re
“Wi… William Newman’s wife?” Oliver stammered, his voice trembling as the weight of those words sank in.He stared at Alexis in disbelief, his mind racing to comprehend the revelation. It couldn’t be true, could it? There had been no rumors, no whispers in the media about William Newman being in a relationship, let alone married. The news outlets, always eager to pry into the life of the business magnate, had never reported such a thing.“What the hell are you saying? Do you think I’m stupid enough to fall for that nonsense?” Oliver spat angrily, his voice carrying a mix of defiance and desperation.Alexis smirked, his expression calm and mocking. “You won’t be saying that once he gets here.” he replied, his tone laced with amusement.Turning to the guards, Alexis issued a cold command. “Untie the waiter and turn him over to the police. He’s irrelevant now.”As the guards began untying the unconscious waiter, Alexis glanced back at Oliver with a grin. “As for him,” he said, nodding to
The taxicab dropped her off in front of The Harrison mansion—her father’s house. Earlier, she had received a call from Belinda summoning her back home. She was about to refuse, but on second thought, she agreed to come. It was finally time to make things clear with them once and for all.Heaving a deep breath, she stepped forward and entered the mansion. She was greeted by the maids, who guided her to the living room where they were waiting for her.The moment she stepped in, she was met with their disapproving faces—a look she was all too familiar with.“Father,” Jessica called.Leon tossed a newspaper in her direction. Jessica looked down at it and saw her name in the headlines.“Tell me, what is the meaning of this?” Leon said, standing up. “What sort of connection do you possibly have with one of the higher-ups? Don’t you know this is affecting Belinda’s career and fame? You’re stealing her spotlight!”Jessica smiled bitterly. Of course, this was going to be about Belinda again.“
Jessica turned to look at him with furrowed brows. She crossed her arms and raised a brow before speaking.“Oh, so now you're spying on me?” Jessica asked.“I asked a question, and I demand an answer,” William replied.Jessica frowned. “Really? And how did my personal life become any of your business? You don't have any right to question me about who I see and who I don't. You were the one who made the rules, remember? For us not to meddle in each other's private lives. You made the rule, so stick to it.”She scoffed and looked ahead. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I need some rest. Goodnight,” she said and walked up the remaining stairs.William just stared at her retreating figure, his fists clenched tightly.“What is wrong with me?” he muttered to himself._________The next day, Jessica woke up to a sunny morning. After taking a shower, she headed downstairs for breakfast. Entering the dining room, the delicious aroma of food wafted through the air, making her appetite grow.“Good mor
Alexis took a seat across from Jessica and Rachael before smiling charmingly.“Pardon my tardiness; I had to attend an urgent meeting,” he said. “My name is Alexis Rodgers, CEO of this company. It's a pleasure meeting you.” He stretched his hand forward.Jessica accepted his handshake. “Jessica Belles, and this is my manager, Rachael Spencers,” Jessica introduced.Rachael jolted in surprise when Jessica mentioned her. Alexis turned to look at Rachael, who was trying her best to avoid his gaze. He smiled and stretched his hand toward her.“It's a pleasure meeting you,” he said.Rachael hesitantly shook his hand. “Same here,” she muttered.“So,” Alexis began, flipping through some pages in a file, “We would like you to collaborate with us for our magazine cover next week. Going through your past photoshoots, you seem really talented,” Alexis said.Jessica smiled. “Thank you, sir. It'll be an honor to work with you,” she said.“Great! My personal assistant will communicate the date of th
A brief moment of silence settled between them as Jessica stared at William with wide eyes, utterly speechless. She had been expecting him to get angry or glare at her like he usually did, but him admitting he was jealous was the last thing on her mind.The air between them suddenly felt tense and awkward. Her eyes widened in alarm when William took a step closer to her. She subconsciously stepped back, but William closed the gap by taking another step forward.“Umm... W... Wh—” Before she could form a coherent word, William casually took the food flask from her hand and walked to his seat.He sat down, opened the flask, and grabbed the spoon. “Let’s hope the food isn’t poisoned,” he said nonchalantly.Jessica rolled her eyes. “I really wish it were,” she muttered.Surprisingly, William chuckled at her remark, a faint smile playing on his lips. He ate a spoonful of the food and chewed slowly.“So...” Jessica muttered, “How is it?”William swallowed, his expression neutral. “Feels like
“Is it me, or are you shy right now?” William asked, amused.Jessica quickly pushed him away and took several steps back, her cheeks tinged with embarrassment.“What were you trying to do just now?” she demanded, glaring at him with narrowed eyes.William shrugged nonchalantly. “I was doing nothing. You were just imagining... things,” he replied, smirking.Jessica scoffed, crossing her arms. “About earlier—you said you were jealous of Evan…” she trailed off, unsure how to phrase her thoughts.William nodded, as though it was the most natural thing in the world. “Yes. Can’t I have the right to feel jealous?” he asked, raising a brow.Jessica stared at him, her expression shifting between disbelief and frustration. She finally rolled her eyes. “What was I even thinking? A man who’s as clueless in romance as you will definitely be saying such words without realizing the weight of them,” she thought to herself, concluding she had read too much into his statement.“Is it just me, or are yo
Rachael's heart pounded violently in her chest, each step a battle against her failing strength. Her breath came in ragged gasps, vision blurring as pain clawed up from the gash in her abdomen. But she couldn’t stop. Not now. Alexis and Brandon were waiting. She had to escape before Fred discovered Sandra’s lifeless body.The mansion was eerily quiet. Fred had no guards—just himself, Rachael, and the woman who now lay dead. Her blood stained the floor; Rachael’s hands trembled with the weight of it.She pressed her palm harder against her bleeding side, staggering through the long marble hallways. Her eyes darted across every corridor, every door, seeking salvation. Fred had kept her locked away like a secret, never allowing her to explore. Now the mansion felt like a maze, cold and unfamiliar.After minutes of desperate wandering, she found the staircase and dragged herself upward, each step sheer agony. The rooftop beckoned. From there, maybe—just maybe—someone would see her.The do
"Hello? Hello! Rachael!" Alexis said on the call but nothing.He quickly hung up and went to his inbox. "Was that Rachael? What happened?" Jessica asked. She was about to state her plan when a call came and interrupted her and from the look on Alexis face, she knew who it was."That's my girl," Alexis smirked when he saw the sketching Rachael sent him.."It's Rachael. She dropped a hint on where we could find her. However we need to act fast before Fred out smarts us," he said."I'll call back the FBI," William said."I'll go get the car ready," Alexis said."Jessica, can you stay and keep an eye on my son?" Alexis said."Your son?" Jessica furrowed her brows. Her eyes widened in realization."Oh... Yes, sure," she muttered."Thanks," he said and left. William cupped her cheek then pressed his lips against hers, "I'll be back," he said."Stay safe," Jessica said.William smiled and kissed her forehead before leaving.___A resounding slap echoed in the air and Rachael fell down to h
The sound of the tap rushing could be heard as Fred washed his hand. Rachael sat up weakly on the bed. A different look flashed in her eyes, something undecipherable. She grabbed a glass vase nearby and on a whim, shattered the vase against the wall.The sound of the broken glass immediately pulled Fred out of the bathroom. His eyes widened when he saw her holding a piece of the broken glass."What are you doing?" He muttered under his breath."I'm tired. I'm done playing this game. I can't," she muttered in tears, bringing the piece of glass to her neck."Rachael, please calm down. Don't do anything you would regret. Rachael," Fred tried to coerce her."I pray you rot in hell," she muttered and immediately brought down the glass, stabbing herself on the tummy."Rachael!" Fred screamed out.Rachael's eyes went wide as blood gushed out of the wound on her tummy. She collapsed to the bed."Rachael!" Fred rushed to her and immediately uncuffed her hand from the headboard.He cupped her
Jessica and William were sitting in the living room when a maid escorted Alexis in. William stood up the moment he walked in."I'll place him in the guest room so he can sleep," the maid said, referring to Brandon, who was fast asleep in Alexis's arms.She took Brandon and left."Bro, it's literally midnight. Why would you—""Rachael has been abducted," Alexis cut him off."What?" Jessica muttered in shock, slowly rising to her feet.Alexis ran a hand through his hair, pacing anxiously, panic etched across his face. The more time passed, the more terrified he became."It all happened in a flash. We were at a restaurant, and she excused herself to use the restroom... then she just disappeared. I tracked her phone and found it in a trash bin near the restaurant—along with all her belongings," Alexis muttered as he paced."I think… no, I know her ex-husband kidnapped her. I should have done something when she complained about being attacked by him. This is all my fault," Alexis breathed
"I hate you," Rachael muttered tearfully. "You're disgusting!" she screamed in anger."Disgusting? I wasn't the one who cheated on their spouse with the father of her child, then had that person threaten her spouse at gunpoint for a divorce," Fred said.Rachael just continued sobbing in silence.Fred stood up and walked toward her, sitting down in the space next to her."Just give in. There's no hope now," he said, rubbing his thumb against her teary cheek."If I accept, do you promise not to go after them?" she said, finally looking up at him."You have my word, love."Rachael looked away and nodded ever so slightly. Fred smiled in victory."That's my wife. My sweet, docile wife," he said, patting her hair gently.Rachael folded her fists tightly beneath the sheets as he patted her hair._____"Pregnant?" Louis muttered under his breath.Amara wiped her tears. "I wanted to surprise you. But you never listened to me... you never had time for me," she said quietly."Amara..." Louis mut
Alexis sat on the chair, drumming his fingers on the table as he occasionally glanced toward the hallway that led to the restroom.He looked at the group of violinists who were already on standby, waiting for Rachael to arrive. The words "WILL YOU MARRY ME?" were boldly written on the cards which the waiters held.He sighed as he checked the time on his wristwatch. Twenty minutes had already passed since Rachael excused herself to use the restroom.The more minutes passed, the more anxious he became.The waitress he had sent to check on Rachael came back with a worried look on her face—and that’s when he knew something was wrong."Where's Rachael?" he immediately asked as she approached."I'm sorry, sir, but I couldn’t find madam. When I got to the restroom, it was empty... Only this note was on the floor," she said, stretching the note toward Alexis.He took it and read it. His eyes widened.“Fuck,” he breathed out, immediately storming toward the exit of the restaurant.He looked ar
Louis was expecting a scared or tearful reaction from Amara, but he was momentarily stunned when she swiftly turned to face him, glaring while holding her stinging cheek.She smirked scornfully before standing. “Go on, hit me however you want. After all, that’s all you can do,” she said before walking away.“Amara,” Louis called, but she didn’t turn back.“Amara! If you leave this room, you’ll regret it,” he warned.Amara turned to him, then smirked before walking out of the room.Louis folded his fists tightly as he glared at nothing in particular.Roland, who was still casually eating like nothing had happened, smiled. “What’s wrong with your wife? Acting up again?” he said.“You tell me. After all, you were the one who forced me into marrying that wench,” Louis snapped.“Or maybe you’re getting too soft on her. Women are like dogs—you need to constantly remind them who their owner is. Your mother was really a docile one. Too bad she passed away,” Roland said.“I’ll deal with her la
Brandon's eyes sparkled with excitement as he stared at the ring in Alexis’s hand. His little fingers twitched as he could barely contained his giddiness.“So?” Alexis asked, his voice laced with nervous anticipation. "What do you think?"Brandon looked up at him, his expression suddenly turning serious. “You really love my mommy?”“With all my heart,” Alexis said without hesitation. “And I love you too, Brandon. You both mean everything to me.”Brandon squinted his eyes as if sizing him up. “Then you have to promise me something.”“Anything.”“You have to protect Mommy always. No matter what,” Brandon said, bringing up his pinky finger.Alexis smiled, reaching out for his pinky fingers to intertwine it with his, “I swear on my life, Brandon. I will protect her and you with everything I have.”Brandon studied him for a moment, then nodded in approval. A small smile played on his lips before he took a deep breath. “Okay, then… Dad.”Alexis felt his heart stop for a second. The word ech
A brief moment of silence settled between them. Stephen looked at the paper, then smiled before standing up and straightening his suit.He placed an invitation card on the table and pushed it toward Jessica."If you're so eager to know what business I have with your family, then you should come and see for yourself," he said."It's such a shame you're already taken. I love feisty women," he added, eyeing her before walking out of the cafeteria.Jessica picked up the invitation card and stared at it."You’re cordially invited to the masked ball held for Halloween. Sponsored by the Shermans."She read the words before glancing toward the door where Stephen had just exited.____Amara and Evan sat in Evan’s car. The silence between them was heavy, broken only by Amara’s soft sobs. She sniffled and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe her tears."Do you feel better now?" Evan asked, breaking the silence.Amara nodded slightly, managing a small smile. "I’m sorry you had to see me like this. M