The Next Morning…Jessica sat before the vanity table, adding the finishing touches to her makeup. Once done, she picked up her earrings and began putting them on.Today was going to be a busy day for her. She had a meeting with the agency to discuss her upcoming movie.Just then, William pressed his lips against her shoulder. A smile crept onto her lips as she watched him through the reflection of the mirror.“How was your night?” William asked in a deep, gruff voice.“Tiring,” Jessica replied.William smirked, pressing his lips just below her ear. “Well, I’m not tired though…” he whispered.Jessica chuckled and stood up from her seat. “Not right now. I have to be at the company early,” she said, picking up her handbag.William frowned as he watched her. Once she was done, she turned to him and couldn’t help but chuckle at the look on his face.Cupping his cheek, she pressed a soft kiss on his lips. “I love you,” she murmured.William smiled and kissed her back. “I love you,” he mutt
Jessica took a deep breath as she arrived at the broadcasting studio, her heels clicking against the polished floors. The bright lights, the flashing cameras, and the hushed murmurs of staff moving about filled the air. Leon was already seated in the studio, chatting casually with the interviewer. He turned as Jessica entered, offering her a warm, fatherly smile. Anyone watching would assume they were a close-bonded family, little did they know.She settled into her seat across from Leon, pasting on a smile as the cameras started rolling.“Mr. Harrison,” the interviewer began, “today’s broadcast is truly special. After years of mystery surrounding your first wife, the public was shocked by the revelation that you had a child with her , the public finally gets to hear the truth from both of you. Mr. Harrison, why did you keep her identity a secret for so long?” she asked.Leon gave a small chuckle, shaking his head. “Jessica wanted to build her career on her own merits. She didn’t wan
"I can't," William said, freeing himself from her grip. "Jessica is my wife and I'll always chose her," he said then faced Roland."I won't tolerate any misplaced about my wife ever again. Whether you like it or not, she's part of this family. If you're not okay with it, you might as well leave." William said, glaring at Roland."William..." Lynne gasped. She didn't expect William would say such thing."Very well then," Roland said and stood up, heading to the exit without turning back.Without further ado, William left the dinning in search of Jessica.A stormy look brewed on Lynne's face as she watched William leave. She glanced at Louis who smirked scornfully at her before facing his food.William stormed in their room and just then, Jessica walked out of their bathroom."Jessica," he muttered and immediately pulled her in for a hug, taking Jessica by surprise."Love, anything wrong?" Jessica muttered, gently rubbing his back.William broke the hug and cupped her cheek, "I'm sorry
Alexis smiled as he watched Rachael sleep. She clung to the blanket tightly, like a little girl, her peaceful expression making his heart swell.He ran his fingers gently along her cheek, trailing down to her shoulder."Rachael," he called softly, but she only grunted in response, turning to the other side of the bed.Alexis chuckled, leaning down to pepper kisses along her shoulder. "You're going to be late for work if you don't wake up," he whispered against her skin."Is it morning already?" Rachael mumbled, a small frown forming on her face as she turned back to face him."Good morning," Alexis said, pressing a kiss to her forehead.She smiled sleepily, running a hand over his cheek."I made breakfast for you while you were still sleeping," he said, leaving the bed to retrieve the tray sitting on the table."I followed the recipe without missing a single step. Not sure if it still tastes good, though," Alexis shrugged as he set the tray in front of her.Rachael chuckled, sitting u
William finished going through some papers before he stood up, placing the documents he needed to review at home into his briefcase. The office was silent. His secretary and personal assistant had already left for the day, and he was among the last to leave, thanks to the heavy workload. Once everything was set, he picked up his briefcase and turned to leave, reaching for the light switch. But he stopped in his tracks when he saw Jessica leaning against his secretary's desk, watching him. "Hi," she muttered, smiling at him. William smiled back. "I thought you wouldn't make it," he said. "I'm sorry. I should have been here earlier, but I had an impromptu lunch with someone," Jessica explained, walking toward him. He held her waist and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "So, what do we do now? It's already late," he murmured. "The night is still young. Besides, we planned this date, so let's not ruin it." Jessica pouted. William studied her for a moment before chuckling.
The sound of heels clacking against the marble floor echoed as Jessica walked into the fancy restaurant. She was elegantly dressed in a white top, black palazzo pants, and black heels, her makeup flawless. Eyes turned to her as she walked before she settled into a particular seat."Jessica," Jericho smiled when he saw her.Jessica mirrored his smile, reaching out to hold his hand. "How have you been?" she asked."I'm good," Jericho replied, then pushed a paper toward Jessica.Jessica picked up the paper, her brows furrowing as she read it."Stephen Sherman?" She looked at Jericho.Jericho nodded. "That's as much as I could find. I feel like there's more to him than just that marriage agreement," he said.Jessica nodded thoughtfully. Now that she thought about it, it all made sense. Maybe the marriage that had been arranged between her and Stephen had a deeper purpose."Thank you," Jessica muttered, slipping the paper into her handbag. "I'll take it from here. You don't have to do anyt
Lynne stared at William in pure shock. She looked away and cleared her throat.Chuckling, she playfully smacked William's arm. "Relax, I was just testing you. You should see the look on your face right now," she laughed."Well, it's not funny," William said, his frown deepening.Lynne smiled. "I had a small talk with Jessica yesterday. She's a nice woman—you two really go well together. I just wanted to see if your devotion to her is as strong as the one she has for you, and from what I see, it's even stronger," she said.William's temper softened a bit.Lynne got down from the desk and straightened her gown. "I'll be leaving now. I have to meet up with my father before he goes for a meeting," she said and gave William a brief hug."See you around." She winked before leaving.The moment she turned, the smile on her face disappeared as she headed toward the exit. Her fists clenched tightly in rage as she walked.William sighed and sat back on his swivel chair, running his hands through
Rachael sat at a desk in the police station, clutching the blanket draped around her. The scar on her neck had been treated and patched. She stared into space, her mind racing at a hundred miles per second, her face void of color."Mommy!"Rachael swiftly turned to the entrance and saw Brandon standing next to Alexis."Brandon," she murmured and quickly rushed to them, engulfing him in a hug."I was so scared... I thought something happened to you," Brandon muttered, tears streaming down his round cheeks.Rachael cupped his cheek and smiled, fighting back her own tears. "I'm fine, okay?" she said, wiping his tears.Brandon nodded. Rachael looked at Alexis, who let out a sigh of relief. God knows the terror he felt when he received a call from the police, informing him that Rachael had been assaulted.A door opened, and a police officer stepped out."Miss Spencer, please come in," he said."Brandon, stay with this kind lady. We'll be back, okay?" Rachael pointed at the woman standing b
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