A month had gone by. Will’s life was a blur of wedding plans, important meetings, caking tastings, work presentations, suit fittings, and he felt empty throughout the entire time. He lived his life on autopilot. Grace had planned a stunning and elaborate affair. However, Will insisted it be a private ceremony, with only friends and family in attendance. It would take place in a small chapel just outside the city. The reception was set to take place at Grace’s family’s home. He wanted as little fuss as possible. Grace had tipped off a few reporters, so they were waiting outside of the chapel when they arrived. She wanted to the world to know she was going to be Mrs. Stewart. Will stared at himself in the mirror, a fog taking over his mind. Jason had ensured that he looked amazing but couldn’t commit a single detail of his suit to memory.“Hello, Earth to William,” Jason tried snapping Will back to attention. “You are very far away.”“Um, just nerves, I guess,” Will lied. Memories of
All of the lights in the house were dimmed when Will arrived. The hazy glow of amber candlelight flickered from the dining room. Will followed and was greeted by a gorgeous scene. A sumptuous and decadent dinner was laid out on the table. A bottle of his favorite wine was chilling in an ice bucket. Two glasses had already been poured. Soft violin music was playing in the background. Everything was bathed in the gentle golden shine of the candles. In the center, was Grace. She wore a flowing blush colored wrap dress. Her hair cascaded down in soft waves, just the way he had always loved. She was vision, and for a moment he was transported to a simpler time. “This is really nice,” Will said, some of the ice inside him melting. “You look beautiful,” he commented. “Thank you. Have dinner with me,” she gestured toward the table. Will pulled out a chair for Grace, and she floated down into it. He sat across from her. “Have some wine,” she said drinking from her own glass. Will sipped on t
The next morning, the tension was thick between them. But not the kind Grace wanted. If will had been cold before, he was glacial now. There was ice in his eyes when he looked at her, and she should freeze whenever he looked at her. She had expected anger, but this was worse. Anger was an emotion. That would have been better than the chilly nothingness he looked at her with. “Um…” Grace squeaked. “I’m sorry about last night.” Will stared at her. “I was just so desperate to reawaken what we had.” He continued to stare at her. “Please say something.” “Did you mean any of it?” his voice was frost. “Any of what?” Grace played dumb. “I don’t have time for games. Did you mean any of the words you said last night? You know, before you drugged me.” “Will please… you have to know how sorry I am about that. It was stupid and I…” “How am I supposed to trust you again after that? If you’re capable of that, what else are you capable of?” Will asked.“I really am sorry. I’ll earn your trust
Along with Grace’s regular visits to the office, Will’s parents started visiting his home. Grace was the happy, courteous, and elegant daughter-in-law society dictated she should be. Will wanted nothing to do with them, but Grace continued to welcome them over and attend to them. She would do anything that it took to solidify her position in the Stewart family. Will felt it was strange that his parents were coming together. Since they’d been separated, they had lived their lives apart. They used Will as a weapon against each other, claiming that the other one was abusing him. He was in and out of the tabloids as a child. They were so busy fighting each other that they never bothered to love him. They had a deep, and passionate hatred for each other. So, them coming to see him together was suspicious. “Hello, darling,” Julia gushed as she walked in. She greeted Grace with exaggerated double air kisses. “You are such a lovely new bride.” “Hello, Mrs. Stewart.” “Oh, honey no. Please
“Okay, so I have determined that your target is nowhere in the city. My sources say that she moved away quite some time ago,” the private investigator stated. “My sources do believe she is living in Lyncrest, but it’s not confirmed.”“Please let me know as soon as you do find. More than anything, I need to know if she’s pregnant. If you can find out how far along she is, that would be a bonus.”“And what if she is pregnant?”“Your job is to find out, not to worry about it,” Grace snapped. “I’m paying you an exorbitant amount of money. My payment includes not asking questions.”“Yes ma’am. I will find her. I have also received word that your husband has people trying to find her. We’ve been derailing his investigation, having his people chasing false leads, and leading them in wrong directions.”“Excellent. Keep that up. I’ll wait for updates.”“Yes ma’am.”Grace hung up, the wheels in her mind were turning. Will refused to sleep with her. There was no way she was going to get pregnant
While Grace and Will’s relationship was crumbling, Emma and Spencer’s relationship was flourishing. They were growing closer and closer. No lines had been crossed and Emma never showed any interest in progressing them towards anything more. But Spencer was drowning in his emotions for her. He didn’t want to ruin things between them, so he was holding back from saying anything. They spent almost all of their free time together. Coming to his office in Lyncrest brought a new thrill. The office was growing and was getting more and more projects. But it was also his chance to see Emma. She had been the highlight of his days. He was attracted to her when they first met; he wasn’t sure when that attraction had morphed into something more. Emma was happier than ever before. She was laughing and smiling all the time. And while her life definitely didn’t take the turns she planned; she was happy. At the core of her, she felt that something could be missing. She ignored that feeling as best s
It was slower than she would have liked, but Grace was improving her image with Will. Her frequent visits to the office had garnered favor with his staff. In her interactions with them, he was able to see small glimpses of the old Grace. She was kind, courteous and bright. They began to interact more. Will would take her out for dinner every now and then, and Grace was thrilled. However, there was still a certain chill about the way he treated her. She wanted a hot, steamy romance and was getting a lukewarm friendship. “Welcome home, Will,” she greeted him one night after he returned from work and leaned in for a kiss. Will stiffened and leaned away. “Hello,” his tone was tense. “Can’t I have a good evening kiss?” she flirted and leaned into him again. Will stepped away and went around her. “Grace…” “I prepared dinner for you,” she announced. Her voice was cheery with a hint of desperation. “Come.” She grabbed his arm and dragged him to the dining room. A grand feast was laid o
Sunlight assaulted Will’s eyes, setting a jackhammer off in his head. His mouth was dry and fuzzy, and his limbs were lead. It took a few moments before he realized he was nude and that there was someone in the bed with him. “What the…?” he mumbled. He hadn’t remembered getting into bed with anyone. He shouldn’t have gotten into bed with anyone. He pulled the covers back and to his shock, Grace was sprawled out, nude in his bed. At the loss of warmth, she stretched. Her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled at Will. “Well, good morning,” she purred. “What happened last night?” Will was panicking. The answer was pretty clear, but he hoped with every fiber in his soul that there was some other explanation. “We made love,” she simpered. She sat up and pressed herself against him. “Too bad you don’t remember because it was amazing. I don’t recall you being so dominant, but I liked it. Maybe… I can jog your memory.” Will leaned away and fell off the bed. “We didn’t,” he rattled, scram
Six months later “Stewart Industries Landmark building construction was completed today. The twenty-story building boasts retail, commercial, and event space. The impressive building has already become a hallmark of the city with a silver tower as its crown. Glass windows glisten in the sun. And anyone in the city can enjoy the gorgeous public park that surrounds it. It is a gorgeous and shining collaboration of the best and freshest minds in the city. William Stewart has named the structure, ‘The Conrad Tower,’ in honor of his beloved late grandfather. The city awaits now for the building to open and for all the new opportunities it will create. This has been Susanne Winters for Channel 16 news.” They all cheered and toasted the completion of the building, gathered around Will and Emma’s living room. “Here’s to The Conrad Tower!” Will raised his glass. “And to all the people that helped make it possible! I wouldn’t have been able to do this without you all. Thank you.” They raised
The high from the success of the show had worn off, and Will felt himself spiraling. His pulse quickened; a sheen of cold sweat sprouted on his forehead. He held it together the best he could while around others. But alone, with nothing but his memories to accompany him… it was always the worst.As he arrived home and prepared himself for another lonely night, he was greeted by something unexpected. A large truck was parked in front of his home. Men moved in and out of it, bringing things inside.“…The fuck?” he muttered as he parked his car. “Excuse me,” he called out to them. “This is my home. What are you doing here?”“I hired them,” a voice said from the doorway of the house. He looked over towards the familiar voice, not daring to believe it. But there she was, bathed in the light from inside the house. “Hi, Will. I’m sorry if I startled you, but I w
Their days were filled with appointments. Every time they turned around, there was somewhere to be. Will had been discharged and had the company to take care of. With the building finally underway, Stewart Industries was thriving again. It was a rare moment that he got time to himself. And even when he did, everyone else was busy with their own hectic lives. Will floated around his giant, empty home. He went to work, came home, did his physical therapy exercises, and went to sleep. Alone. He found, in recent days, that alone was not a good place for him to be. Nightmares plagued his sleep, and he jumped at the slightest noises. Monsters had moved from under the bed and in the shadows to inside his mind.He hated it.Emma hadn’t been able to make good on her promise to move back. Things were hectic, and no one had time for anyone anymore. It had been almost two weeks before he saw anyone. They all called and messaged each other, but it wasn&rs
Will’s recovery was slow. The doctors had informed him that taking that bullet as such close range did a lot of damage, but it was the reason he wasn’t dead as nothing major was hit. He wasn’t out of the woods yet and would need a good round of physical therapy. The medical staff agreed that he needed to stay in the hospital for at least a week so they could monitor him. Emma and Alex fussed over him, making sure he listened and did everything according to the doctor’s orders.On the fourth day, he was restless and just wanted to leave. Alex was in the room with him, telling him off for not listening.“You’re being a brat,” Alex scolded him.“I just want to get out of this bed,” Will whined.“Try getting out again, and I’ll break both your legs.”“How very Mafia of you,” Will smirked.“Shut up,” Alex swatted at
Chaos exploded around them. Shouts and screams filled the air as Captain Whitlock ordered that Ghost be apprehended and an ambulance be called. Ghost dropped his gun and raised his hand in surrender as his fantasy came to life right before his eyes.“Beautiful!” he said over the din. “It’s more beautiful than I could ever imagine.”“Shut up,” Captain Whitlock spat as he wrenched Ghost’s hands behind his back. “You’re going to go away for a very long time. They may even make a case for the death penalty against you.”“I hope they do,” he said with a contented sigh. “I’ve done all I have ever wanted to do.”“Take this vile piece of shit. And read him his rights. This arrest needs to be perfect. I swear if this fucker gets out on a technicality, I’ll fire the lot of you!”An officer took Ghost a
Will turned around and the world moved in slow motion around him. About ten feet away from them, there he stood. Ghost. Denis. The man responsible for all the pitfalls in his life stood ten feet away from them, the sunlight glinting off the barrel of an ornate silver gun. How could he have been so careless?“Surprise,” Ghost sang.“How…” Will began to ask.“How did I get so close?” Ghost finished. “Without anyone noticing. Hmm…” he used the gun to scratch his temple for a moment and then pointed it back at them. “I’m the monster in the dark. The one under your bed. The one your parents warn you about. Oh wait… your parents wouldn’t warn you about anything. They’ve been trying to sacrifice you to the darkness for years,” he said with feigned contrition.“What do you want?” Will asked. His eyes darted around, looking for
They really thought they were smart, huh? They thought he would fall for their little traps. However, he couldn’t deny that they had presented him with the perfect opportunity. Will was serving himself on a silver platter. It would be so easy to just take care of him then. His ultimate fantasy could play out the way he’d always dreamt of. The very public murder of William Stewart was just something he couldn’t pass up.What reason was there even to hide anymore? They had revealed his identity. Everyone knew who he was. So, what purpose did the shadows serve him anymore? Perhaps it was time to come out into the light and end this charade. His last card against Will had been used up. He’d run out of games.“Let’s play,” he chuckled, loading his gun. “No plans. No backups. This is it.” His heart raced with elation as he envisioned a bullet ripping through Will. Hearing his loved ones cry as his body crump
The interview was a smash. The city was on high alert, and Ghost’s name was on everyone lips. The few times Sabrina went out, it’s all she could hear anyone talk about. She couldn’t help but feel a little proud. Captain Whitlock received dozens of calls and tips. Many people said how they knew Denis, and how there was no way he could be Ghost.Others said that they’re surprised they never saw the signs. Some offered clues and places that Denis used to frequent. He traipsed the city, following these clues. Most led to nothing. Just traces of an old that Ghost himself probably wouldn’t recognize. But there was one call…“Um… hi. Is this Captain Whitlock?” It was hesitant man’s voice.“Yes, how can I help you?”“I’m calling about Denis Ratcliffe.”Captain Whitlock received so many of these calls he was numb to them.
Will let the water wash over him as he tried to steady his frenzied heartbeat. The truth was that they were terrified. For Ghost to be so brazen as to just waltz into the police station and open fire did not bode well for any one of them. It was clear that Ghost was just as ready to end this as they were. He leaned his forehead against the cold tile, letting the rhythmic beating of the water of against his back soothe him.Soon enough, a shower wouldn’t be such an event. At least not the ones he took alone, anyway. Steam rolled off of skin as he emerged from the shower. Emma had laid out some clothes for him. Just a white t-shirt a pair of gray sweatpants. He laughed. Now that he was free and clean, he wanted to hold his baby.He went downstairs, back to the dining room where everyone was gathered.“Where is Lizzie?” he asked.“Right here,” Emma said. She stood behind him, holding a