Big Margaret was dressed in a way that disguised how she looked. She wore dark sunglasses and a plain black face cap, pulling it low to cover her face. She adjusted her oversized trench coat, its bulky fabric concealing her figure. Anyone passing her by would think she was just another shadow in the dim light of the early evening. She called Noah and asked him to drive her somewhere discreetly.“Okay, ma'am. Where are we going?” Noah asked.“You'll find out. Just get ready,” Big Margaret said.“Alright, ma'am,” Noah replied, his voice unsteady.Noah opened the door for her, and she slid into the backseat of the car, saying nothing as he started the engine.He drove through the lonely streets, his heart beating fast. Big Margaret was usually scary, but she was acting unusually strange that day. Noah peeped through the rearview mirror to read Big Margaret's expression, but couldn't observe anything.“Park here,” Big Margaret said abruptly, her voice cutting through the silence like a b
Leah stood in one of the aisles of the pharmacy, carefully examining the list of medications her mother needed. It had been a long day, and all she wanted was to purchase the items and head home. As she moved towards the counter, she froze. Sarah was there.Was Sarah sick? Or did she have someone who was sick she was caring for? That was very unlikely. With Sarah, one had to always be suspicious. She was always up to something, to further her own ends.Leah was going to hide and find out what Sarah wanted in the pharmacy, but Sarah caught a glimpse of her and called out to her.“Hello, Leah,” Sarah greeted, her voice cheerful and warm.Leah was caught off guard by Sarah's warm greetings. She furrowed her brows. “Hello,” she replied, forcing a police smile.“I really wanted to thank you for taking care of my Jeremy while he recovered. I must commend you for doing a great job,” Sarah said, an uncharacteristic smile plastered on her face, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness.Lea
“I'm telling you, Leah. She was acting so strange. She had me parked in the middle of nowhere and trekked a long distance until she vanished out of sight,” Noah narrated.“Whoah. You don't mean it. What kind of secret could she possibly be keeping. We have to go there and look around. We may find something,” Leah said.“To be honest, I was scared for a minute.It’s like she’s always ten steps ahead of everyone,” Noah confessed.Leah's voice softened with concern. “I am always scared for you, Noah. What's your police contact saying?” she asked.“He said they're unto her with a full force, and it won't be long before they get her in a way she's never able to escape, even with all her influence,” Noah said, his voice tinged with both hope and exhaustion.“I really hope that’s soon enough,” Leah replied with an edge of frustration. “I just want all this to be over already. It feels like we’ve been walking on eggshells forever.”Noah nodded, though she couldn’t see him. “I hope so too.”Le
It was a beautiful Thursday morning. The sun was still rising, casting a soft, golden glow over the city. Workers were in their offices, students were immersed in school activities, and business people were already handling their affairs. The cool, calm atmosphere promised a peaceful day ahead, or so it seemed.Big Margaret asked Noah to drive her somewhere. Noah was shocked when Big Margaret gave him the address. It was Leah's house.He knew that Big Margaret knew Leah was in Jeremy's house. That only meant one thing. It meant that Big Margaret wanted to see Leah's mother. But why?Noah was uncomfortable about it. At first, he wondered how he'd act around Mama as Big Margaret's driver. Then he remembered she already knew. He then looked at the bright side. It could have been another driver. Leah wouldn't be home, he'd be at work and Mama would be home alone because Keira and Ivan were in school. He was thankful he was the one driving Big Margaret there. He'd get to protect Mama if ne
The car ride back to Big Margaret’s home was suffocatingly silent. Noah kept his eyes on the road, but his mind was racing. Every glance at the rearview mirror revealed Big Margaret staring out the window, her lips pressed into a tight line. Her face betrayed nothing, but Noah could sense the storm brewing within her.As they arrived at the mansion, Big Margaret finally broke the silence. “You’ll drive me to the office later, Noah. Be ready.”“Yes, ma’am,” Noah replied, his voice neutral.As she disappeared into the house, Noah exhaled heavily. He pulled out his phone and called Leah.“She’s gone now,” he said the moment Leah picked up.“Good. Mama’s shaken, but she’s okay. Noah, what did she say in the car? Did she mention anything?” Leah asked anxiously.“No, nothing. She’s not the type to explain herself, you know that,” Noah replied. “But Leah… whatever she’s looking for, it’s serious. She’s desperate.”Leah sighed on the other end. “I know. I’ll talk to Mama and see if she rememb
Noah sat in his dimly lit apartment, his headphones on, listening intently to the conversation coming through the bug he had secretly planted on Sarah. His pulse quickened as he heard her voice.“Jeremy,” she said softly. There was a pause. She sighed, clearly frustrated. “Pick up, damn it.”The line went dead, but Sarah muttered to herself loud enough for the bug to pick up her words. “I’ll show up at his place and act like I’m stranded. Surely, he’ll take pity on me. That’ll be my chance to get close to him.”Noah’s hand hovered over the phone. Should he call Leah and warn her? But if he did, Leah would inform Jeremy. He thought about it for a while. She’d go back to the mansion and see Sarah there and then maybe, just maybe, things would unravel in a way that forced Leah to finally leave Jeremy. Noah clenched his jaw. It was a gamble, but he decided to let the events unfold without interfering.– – – Sarah arrived at Jeremy's mansion, pretending to look dejected. She was crying,
“Leah, dear, please come out,” Mama called softly, knocking gently on Leah's door.There was no response, only the faint sound of muffled sobs. It pained Mama so much. Leah who had left home that morning to go back to the mansion returned moments later with all her luggage, looking pale and exhausted and broken, even though she'd said nothing. And now, her silent sobs could be heard from inside.Mama hated to see Leah like that. It broke her heart.“Leah?” Mama tried again, her voice tender, almost pleading. But despite her attempts to reach out, the sobs inside only grew louder. Mama sighed deeply, wiping at her eyes as they began to glisten with unshed tears. Perhaps it was best to give Leah some space.“I’ll check back later,” she whispered to herself, reluctantly wheeling her chair away.Noah soon came around. “Mama Bear,” he called out softly after he knocked and pushed the door open.His calm presence usually brought a sense of ease to the house, but today, the tension hanging i
“If I ever see you here or anywhere around me, I'll hurt you,” Jeremy threatened as he threw Sarah's bag and pushed her outside.“B…baby,” Sarah managed to call out as she fell on the floor.“I should have known you were up to no good, you wench,” Jeremy cursed. “What did you do? Tell me. You must've added something in the water,” he said as he tapped his forehead hard aggressively.“I love you, Jeremy. We're meant to be together. Didn't last night mean anything to you?” Sarah asked dramatically.Jeremy looked at her with so much hatred and anger. “Thank God I don't remember anything. You're such a whore, jumping from bed to bed. Get out of here!” Jeremy ordered and slammed the door.“It's done,” Sarah muttered to herself. She stood up and arranged herself, smiling victoriously. Jeremy had no clue what was coming next. Sarah felt like she had won a lottery. Her goal was close to being achieved. In fact, it had been achieved.Inside, Jeremy was sulking. He felt so stupid. How couldn't
“Ahan. Perfect family reunion,” Big Margaret said, clapping her hands. “Except the kids aren't here. I should have them brought here.”Leah stood up and walked up to her. “Stay the hell away from my siblings!”“What do you even want here?” She asked, looking at Big Margaret straight in the eyes, overdosed on confidence.Noah, who had remained stiff and silent, finally spoke. “Don't worry, Leah. I'm sure Anthony and his team will be here shortly to capture her again.” He was standing rigidly.But Big Margaret only laughed. A slow, taunting laugh that sent a shiver down Leah’s spine.“You must think I am foolish, don't you” Big Margaret said, laughing. “Let them come.”“I really do not get why you keep coming back here. You've taken everything from us, yet you won't let us have peace. Can you leave us the hell alone?” Leah vented, sounding frustrated.Big Margaret sighed dramatically, feigning disappointment. “Oh, Leah. I hate coming here too.” She tilted her head and let her gaze drif
The very next day, after Jeremy and Sarah had met Leah and Noah at the mall, was Big Margaret's court hearing date.Jeremy didn't go. He couldn't stand seeing Leah with Noah like that, as a couple. He knew now that he was making a mistake by considering marrying Sarah because she was pregnant.He was miserable with her. His heart, body and soul belonged to Leah. He thought about her all the time. He yearned for her. He longed for her warm touch and her sweet kiss. Oh, he missed her.But she had moved on, and too quickly. It hurt him like hell. He was so pissed. But he wasn't supposed to be. Leah wasn't his anymore.Sarah came to the living room to see Jeremy watching the news. She picked the remote and changed the channel. Then she sat beside him. “We should go to the hospital and do a scan. You know, see how the baby is doing. Hear the baby's heartbeat,” she said.Jeremy didn't respond. His mind was far away.“Jerry?” She called out.“Um, yes. You were saying,” Jeremy snapped out o
Sarah was sipping from a glass of wine as she admired her reflection in the mirror.Her life had taken a drastic turn suddenly. Leaving Conrad had been the best decision she had ever made. He was a failure, a man too weak to give her what she wanted.She was glad that she schemed her way back into Jeremy's life.Just as she was about to take another sip of wine, her phone rang. The unfamiliar number flashing on the screen made her hesitate. Normally, she ignored calls from numbers she didn’t recognize, but something told her to answer this one.She picked up but didn’t say a word. Instead, she waited, listening to the silence on the other end.Then, a thick, hoarse voice broke through.“Hello, Sarah.”“Conrad,” she muttered, her voice dripping with irritation. “Why the hell are you calling me?”“We need to talk,” Conrad said, sounding miserable.Sarah scoffed. “There's nothing to talk about. Please, stop calling me,” Sarah said and hung up abruptly, tossing the phone onto the nightst
Conrad entered the basement in Big Margaret's house, his footsteps echoing as he walked towards the safe. The safe was there, staring at him, silent and unyielding, like a guardian of untold secrets. Certainly, it was something of great value.He licked his lips, staring at the steel box embedded in the wall, its numerical keypad waiting, daring him to unlock it.This was his chance. His golden ticket.Conrad had given years of his life to Big Margaret. What did he have to show for it? Peanuts. Scraps. He had been her errand boy, her enforcer, her puppet in the shadows. He had done things for her that would haunt him for the rest of his life. He had even satisfied her sexually, a degrading act of submission that had left him hollow inside.And for what? Nothing.Sarah had left him, spitting in his face about how he was a useless man who could never give her the life he had promised. And now, she was with Jeremy, even though she was carrying his child. He knew it was his child even tho
“Why have you done this to yourself, son?” Maggie’s voice was soft, filled with concern as she looked at Jeremy. Her eyes, though kind, held a deep sadness. It pained her to see her son like this. So weighed down, so lost.Jeremy, seated across from her, barely looked at her. His fingers tapped rhythmically against the armrest of the chair, betraying his unease. “Because it’s the right thing to do,” he said finally, his voice hollow, but not convincing.Maggie exhaled sharply, studying him. He looked exhausted. His usual sharp, confident demeanor had become dull, replaced by something she struggled to define. “But you’ve become so unhappy. You’re clearly unhappy,” she pointed out gently.Jeremy looked at her and looked away.“You can still perform your duty as a father without being with Sarah. Don't do this, son. You'll regret it forever,” Maggie said.Jeremy tilted his head. “But parents sacrifice their own happiness for their children, don't they? You wouldn't understand that thoug
Leah's hands trembled as she stared at the contents of the safe. Her breath hitched, and she felt Noah’s gaze on her, watching, waiting for her reaction.Besides the neatly arranged documents, a small velvet box, and most shockingly, a sealed envelope with her name written in bold, elegant handwriting.Her father’s handwriting.Leah swallowed hard, her pulse pounding in her ears. She reached for the envelope first, her fingers shaking as she tore it open. A letter slid out, the paper slightly aged but still crisp.She hesitated, glancing up at Noah who gave her an encouraging nod.A part of her didn’t want to read it. A part of her feared what she would find. But she had come too far to turn back now. Taking a deep breath, she unfolded the letter and began to read.My Dearest Leah,If you’re reading this, it means you’ve found the safe, and I can only hope you have done so before Margaret did.There is so much I wish I could tell you in person, so much that I have kept from you, not o
Leah and Sarah were a couple now. And Jeremy was stuck with Sarah. Jeremy had called Leah to explain that he was family oriented and wanted his child to grow in a serene environment, and that even though he didn't love Sarah, he was stuck with her for the sake of the baby.“Go to hell,” Leah said harshly.“I'm sorry, Leah. I never meant for any of this to happen. I never meant to hurt you. I'll always love you,” he said sincerely.“Screw you,” Leah said and hung up abruptly.He had the guts to spew those words to her.“I'm family-oriented, Leah. I want my child to grow up in a stable home. I don't love Sarah, but I have to be with her for the sake of the baby.”His words had rung in her ears long after she hung up, after she spat out the harsh words, “screw you.”She blinked repeatedly to stop the tears that were forming in her eyes. Thankfully, it worked. She inhaled and exhaled sharply.She would not cry over Jeremy any longer. Leah had always believed that nothing happened by cha
Leah walked out of Jeremy’s house, her breath ragged, her heart hammering violently against her chest. The night air hit her face, cool but unable to calm the storm inside her. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hold in the emotions threatening to spill over. Pregnant. Sarah was pregnant. Jeremy’s child. The words replayed in her mind like a broken record, each repetition digging deeper into her chest. How could this be happening? And now? Tears stung her eyes as she walked aimlessly down the street, her vision blurred. She had no idea where she was going, only that she couldn’t stay there. She couldn’t stand in the same room as Sarah, couldn’t watch Jeremy wrestle with the consequences of his mistakes. Her feet carried her without thought, her emotions too raw to care where she ended up. Then, as if by fate, she found herself in front of Noah’s apartment. She hesitated. Noah. The one who had always been there. The one who had seen her at her lowest, who had h
Conrad was stressed and needed to relax. Not sleep ‘relax’, or any other kind of rest. He needed his woman.He attempted to touch Sarah but she kept resisting him.He was burning with desire. Sarah had been denying him of sex for some time now, but Conrad didn't make a fuss about it because he thought it could be the pregnancy hormones.But tonight, he needed her badly.“Stop it, please,” Sarah said softly, pushing his hand away and slightly adjusting herself on the bed.“Come on, baby. You know it's been a while. I'm starving,” Conrad said, his voice sounding desperate, like someone in need.He moved closer to her again, and Sarah could feel the unmistakable pressure of his arousal pressing against her. He rubbed her shoulders with his hands and kissed her neck and shoulders.It irritated Sarah.“Stop it, I said,” she yelled now, sitting up on the bed.“Please, just give me some tonight. I miss you so much. Don't you miss me?” Conrad asked, his body on fire.“Conrad, I'm so tired and