"You're fired, Leah! I don't want to ever see you here again.” Her boss' words struck her like lightning. She had just lost the only job that fed her and her family. Hot tears threatened to leave her eyes as she stood in front of Mr. Michael, trembling. “Please, sir. I- this is my only source of income. You know how it is ever since my dad-” “Enough, Leah! You should have just continued to be the obedient girl that you were.” He cut her off, his voice sending a chill down her spine, as she glanced around to see people staring at her. All she did was refuse the advances an annoying customer had made toward her. Her boss had queried her because of the several reports he had gotten from their top customers on how she snapped at them. He said she was being rude to their big customers and was likely pushing them away to their competitors. He urged her to just play along when they flirted with her. “You don't have to go to their houses and get in their beds, Leah. Just play along h
“Mr. Harper,” Leah called out steadily.Jeremy turned around swiftly and Leah saw him face to face for the first time. Yes, people had described him to be very wealthy and commanding and good looking, but no one ever described how he looked perfectly. Pictures of him on billboards didn't even do justice. This man was dripping in finesse.“How can one man be this good-looking?” Leah wondered.“Leo, is it?” Jeremy asked, his piercing blue eyes scanning her from head to toe. He was a very classic man.Leah swallowed her nerves, deepened her voice and answered, “yes, sir.”“You start tomorrow,” he said, dismissing her with a wave of his hand.Leah almost skipped out of the mansion. She'd done it. The job was hers.On reaching home, she saw that her mother had been discharged, and it was Noah who had taken care of the hospital bills. Her mother had been in a myasthenic crisis but was doing better after receiving treatment at the hospital. She only had to keep taking her medication, avoid
“Ugh! My head aches so bad. Leo! Leo!” Jeremy called out, gripping his head and groaning.“Yes, sir,” Leah rushed in as if she had been waiting to be summoned. She barely had enough sleep the previous night, wondering if Jeremy had found her out or not. She was uneasy.Jeremy just looked at her and mumbled, “lousy man.”“Make me some lime juice, for my headache. I'm having a hangover from last night.”“What? Last night?” She asked even though she had heard him clearly. She was terrified. She had been careless last night and she could've sworn that he heard her. Oh God! She prayed silently in her heart.“Are you deaf? You better hurry!” “Yes, sir!” She hurried out and came back with a glass of the lime juice.“Sir, I have arranged the clothes you'll wear. Will you have breakfast downstairs or should I bring it here?” Leah asked.“You aren't my babysitter, are you? I'll let you know when I need something. Get lost!” He snapped at her. Leah couldn't understand why he was so difficult t
Jeremy seemed to be watching Leah closely after the previous night and Leah could feel it. She became extremely careful. She had told herself that whether she was alone or not, as long as she was in the mansion, she was “Leo.”She did her work swiftly and avoided him like a plague. She couldn't risk getting caught. Her life depended on retaining that job and getting her monthly salary.Thankfully, a month flew by, and payday arrived.She received her salary and got a bonus too. Her boss wasn't so bad, after all.Her once-a-month weekend leave had arrived, and she was eager to go home and be herself again.“Mama, how have you been?” She greeted her mother, kissing her cheeks.Her siblings, Keira and Ivan, welcomed her warmly, arguing over who would carry the groceries she brought. Their playful bickering made Leah and their mother laugh.Leah cooked Noah's favorite dish, porridge, and invited him over. “Noah, I appreciate all that you do for me. You're more like a brother to me than a
Jeremy looked dashing in his navy-blue suit, polished shoes, gold wristwatch, and the faint scent of designer cologne. Stepping out in style, he was driven to the office, where his arrival created a buzz akin to a presidential visit. As the company’s president, his presence commanded respect. Everyone welcomed him with warm smiles. He shook hands with a few colleagues, and wheeled his chair to his office. It felt good to be back. Everything was in place. His secretary walked in to brief him on the things that had been going prior to his resumption. She expressed how happy she was that he survived the accident, and said that she was optimistic that he would walk again. He cut her short. He didn't like talking about the possibility of walking again. Having high hopes and expectations cut short wasn't something he was ready for. Jeremy, however, quickly changed the subject. He wasn’t ready to entertain false hope. Thanking her for holding the fort, he instructed her to prepare the
Jeremy made arrangements for Leah to go shopping and get classy dresses befitting of her new status as his wife.It was all mixed feelings for Leah. She was anxious and excited. This was a good offer. At the end of the six month contract, she'd have saved enough to change her family's story for good. She hadn't even told anyone about the new development. She would surely tell her mom and her best buddy, Noah.The car pulled up to a luxurious spa, where Leah was treated to a full-body massage, facial treatments, and even a manicure. Afterward, the driver drove them to a high-end beauty salon where her hair was styled into soft waves that cascaded down her back. By the time they reached the boutique, Leah barely recognized herself in the mirror.She tried on several dresses, each more elegant than the last. Jeremy, seated in his wheelchair, watched silently, his eyes narrowing with every outfit she modeled. His gaze wasn't one of criticism but of astonishment. Leah, in all her understa
“Leah?” Jeremy called out softly. Leah swallowed hard. He had said ‘no strings attached,’ so what did he want? She wasn't a cheap girl and he had to know that. Jeremy wheeled his chair closer to her instead. “Leah, look at me. Come close.” Leah froze, her heart hammering in her chest. She bent to face him, feeling vulnerable and helpless. She breathed heavily and Jeremy could hear her heart beat faster. He raked his fingers through her hair and Leah closed her eyes, motioned to receive a kiss, as Jeremy's move hinted at her. “Are you trying to seduce me?” Jeremy’s question broke the spell, his voice low but teasing. Leah quickly opened her eyes, her cheeks flushing with heat. “Seduce you? Excuse me?” she retorted, her tone defensive. “I’m not trying to do anything of the sort!” Jeremy curled his lips. “Then, the incident at the boutique…and right now, you're wearing a transparent robe in my room. What are you up to?” “Oh, God. It's not what you think at all. Why would I
Jeremy had missed several therapy sessions. He felt they were useless. He had in fact given up hope of ever walking again. That accident broke him. It changed the whole existence of his being. There was no such thing as unconditional love. If there was, Sarah would have stuck with him and supported him.Sarah’s departure had left a wound deeper than the physical scars on his body. It was the kind of hurt that ate away at his soul.He was hurt. He had no one. Only Maggie had stayed with him, yet, for some reason, he resented her.He cared about her. He didn't want her to be homeless or anything of that sort, but he didn't appreciate her trying to act like a mother to him.He had no one, and that was fine. He was fearless and feared. He had built a fortress around himself, a wall too high and too thick for anyone to climb. He commanded authority. He was alone now, but not lonely. He liked it like that.That morning, he had an appointment with his orthopedic doctor, but it didn’t matter
The day of Elizabeth’s funeral dawned cold and grey, as though the skies themselves mourned her passing. The cemetery was silent except for the occasional rustle of leaves and the silent sobs of those who had gathered to say their final goodbyes. Everyone was dressed in black, a sea of mourning hearts united in grief.Leah and Maggie stood side by side, drowning in sorrow. Leah wore a fitted black top and matching trousers, her eyes hidden behind a pair of dark shades that masked her eyes that had become swollen from crying. She looked down most of the time, her fingers nervously fiddling with the hem of her sleeve.Beside her, Maggie looked like a shadow of herself. Her black gown flowed loosely over her frame, long and free, barely brushing the ground. She had covered her hair with a simple black scarf, tying it tightly as though to hold herself together. Her lips trembled, and her hands were clasped so tightly in front of her that her knuckles had turned white.Jeremy and Alfred st
The news spread like wildfire.It didn’t take long before everyone who mattered knew. Word of Elizabeth’s death moved through the city like an unstoppable wave. Her loved ones, acquaintances, even those who barely knew her but admired her from afar, had all heard of her passing. For those closest to her, those who had shared in her life, her pain, her secrets, the grief was something far more tangible, suffocating even.Maggie and Alfred had rushed to the hospital the moment they got the call. Time seemed suspended as they rode in silence, each consumed by their thoughts. Maggie stared blankly through the window, her heart a mess of denial and sorrow. Her hands trembled in her lap as Alfred gripped the steering wheel, his jaw clenched tight, trying to stay composed for her sake.They met Mrs. Callahan there. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, her nose runny, and her cheeks flushed with grief. She clutched a damp handkerchief that had long stopped being useful. It was soaked wi
Jeremy could hear his pulse thundering in his ears as he stared down the barrel of Big Margaret’s gun. The room was tense, air thick with danger and fear. He could hear Leah's cries, muffled and desperate, cutting through the chaos. His heart beat harder with every second that ticked by, and in that moment, something inside him snapped.With a roar of rage and courage, Jeremy moved forward.Big Margaret hadn’t expected it. Her moment of triumph turned to confusion as Jeremy charged. He crashed into her, knocking her sideways. In the same motion, his hand seized the cold steel of her pistol. They struggled for control, her hands clawing at his, but Jeremy was faster. Fueled by fury and desperation, he took the weapon from her.Without hesitation, Jeremy spun toward the armed guard, who was already raising his gun to fire.BANG!The guard was shot down before he could even pull the trigger. Blood splattered across the tiled floor as the body dropped to the ground. Jeremy didn’t flinch.
Leah didn't go home after office hours that day. She rotated herself in her chair, her mind spinning on the recent events, until sleep found her.She had rested her head on the table, hoping to rest only for a little while, but sleep came like a thief and dragged her into unconsciousness.When she opened her eyes, the world around her had changed.This wasn't her office.Her neck ached as she jerked upright, blinking rapidly as she observed the surroundings. Cold, clean air. A dim light from a nearby desk lamp. Her eyes adjusted to the space, and that’s when she realized where she was.Jeremy's office? How?She looked at her wristwatch. It was past 9 PM. She tried to get up when she noticed she'd been tied to the chair she was sitting on. What the heck! She struggled to break free, twisting her body violently, testing the binds, but the ropes held firm. “What the hell is going on?” she muttered, her voice shaky.“Hello!” she called out, but she only heard the echoes of her own voice
Elizabeth was preparing to go to the office that morning when she slummed.Thankfully, her mother, Mrs. Callahan was present.She quickly made a phone call and requested for an ambulance, and in no time, the ambulance arrived.The nurses moved swiftly, the hum of overhead fluorescent lights, and the wheeled gurney rushing past in a blur. On it lay Elizabeth, her body weak, trembling, her breathing shallow and erratic. Maggie stood frozen, her heart pounding like a war drum in her chest as she watched the hospital staff work swiftly around her.Alfred was by Elizabeth’s side, passing instructions to the nurses, his voice tight with urgency. He had tried to remain composed for as long as he could, but this—this was different. Elizabeth’s lips had turned a terrifying shade of blue by the time they arrived, and her eyes, though they were open, they seemed to flutter between consciousness and something far more terrifying.As the nurses wheeled Elizabeth into the emergency room, the doors
Ivan had been invited by the board members, and as soon as he arrived, two police men covered him.“Ivan Fisher,” one of the police men said. “You're under arrest fo the attempted murder of Leah Fisher.”His hands were cuffed behind his back as he stepped out with the police men, the flash of red and blue lights reflected off the glass doors, casting eerie shadows across his face. The officers barely spoke as they read him his rights. There was no need for dramatics. The real spectacle was the betrayal written across Ivan’s eyes.Monica stood still. She didn’t cry, didn’t plead. She just watched, her lips tight and her shoulders stiff. Then she rushed to her station and was quickly clearing her desk, as if trying to run away and never return.Leah couldn't understand what was happening. Who had called the police on Ivan? He was being arrested for orchestrating her accident. She didn't report it even after she found out. Then who did?Was it Monica? Had she doublecrossed Ivan?She ru
The rain had stopped by morning, but the world felt no lighter. Leah stood in the kitchen, the mug in her hands long gone cold. Her thoughts spun in a thousand directions, each one pulling at a different thread of betrayal.Jeremy entered, still in the same shirt from the night before. “No sleep?”Leah shook her head. “Sleep feels like a luxury I can’t afford.”He leaned against the counter. “I combed through more of the files. Ivan didn’t just want to remove you from the board… he wanted to erase your entire claim. Financially. Legally. He’s built a case against you using your amnesia.”Leah set her mug down. “And Monica?”“She’s been a go-between. Messages. Meetings. Hush-hush coordination. But it gets worse. There are references to a player, someone labeled as M. Ivan’s not acting alone.”Leah’s eyes narrowed. “M? Same as C. M. Voss, or a different person” Jeremy shook his head. “I have no idea. But whoever M is… they’ve funded parts of this. Masked transfers. Multiple shell compa
“I know it hurts and you're upset, but you can't be at war with your brother,” Noah said, his voice filled with concern as he leaned forward on the couch, the phone pressed tightly on his ear. The atmosphere in his apartment was quiet, except for the distant hum of traffic outside his window.On the other end of the call, Leah let out a bitter laugh, one that sounded more like a scoff than amusement. “My enemy, you mean. He staged the war. He hates me with a passion. You don't understand, Noah.” Her voice trembled slightly, the pain and betrayal etched into every syllable. “Forget it. How are you?”“I'm good. Hey, buddy. Handle this with wisdom, please. Tell mama about it,” Noah advised.“I don't want to trouble that poor woman. She's already been through too much. I'll handle Ivan. Don't worry,” Leah said firmly. There was a finality in her tone. “I gotta go. Talk later.”“Alright. Bye,” Noah said softly before hanging up.He set his phone down and sat still for a moment, absorbing e
Rain tapped gently against the windows as Leah sat at her desk, rereading one of the letters Noah had given her. Ivan’s words were written with raw emotion; part regret, part bitterness. But one line lingered in her mind like an echo:"You forgot us and chose a stranger. Even in forgetfulness, you chose Maggie."Leah stared at the sentence, her lips parting in disbelief. It didn’t sit right. Not just because of the words themselves, but because of the intent. The accusation wasn’t about memory. It was about betrayal. As if her amnesia was a weapon she had wielded on purpose.Her chest tightened. Something deeper lurked beneath the surface of these letters.She flipped through the other letters again, this time slower, looking beyond the words. The tone varied. Some were loving, others accusatory. But a few of them… they were cold. Detached. Like they weren’t written for healing but for reminding her of a debt.Leah frowned. Why would someone write you letters you were never meant to r