[Arella]Turning my worried eyes away from Ava, who looked like she'd seen a ghost, I turn to none other than Deric. The air feels thick, like something heavy is about to drop, and it settles in the pit of my stomach. I swear, it’s like fate is always playing a cruel joke on me, making me cross paths with this scumbag at the worst possible time.I scoff immediately, the sound sharp and biting, as I feel the blood rush to my face in anger. "Why can't I be here? Is the mall yours?" He smiles smugly, his lips curling into a mocking grin. "I should be asking you this same question. I'm here to get an engagement ring for my soon-to-be wife, Vivian."He emphasizes her name like it’s some kind of victory. Like I should care. “Not like you would know anything about that”, he adds, the jab aimed right at me…I don't even know if I should call this a jab though, seems pathetic.My smile turns brighter, forced but sharp. "Well, my husband closed down the mall for today. It'd be in your best in
[Arella]The hot summer sun beats down, its harsh rays bouncing off Mr. Malcolm's bald head. I sit up straighter, tilting my head to avoid the glare coming through the open window. The office feels warm, with the AC struggling to keep the heat at bay.“What is the matter, Mr. Malcolm?” I ask calmly, masking my irritation.“Oh, please, cut that bullshit, young lady!” he snaps, his voice sharp and abrasive, echoing through the quiet office.I arch a brow, fighting the urge to roll my eyes. Funny how bold he is now that Bridget is out on business. His audacity is as suffocating as the humid air hanging heavily in the office.“I'll ask again, Mr. Malcolm. What is the matter?”He storms forward and slams a crumpled piece of paper on my desk, his thick fingers trembling with barely restrained rage.“This! This is the matter! What do you think of yourself, eh? That you can just come here and change the order of things? My project with the Ames finances will not be cut off the vision board,
[Lincoln] The ambiance of the 7-star Michelin restaurant is almost suffocatingly posh, reeking of old money and self-importance. Crystal chandeliers dangle from the high ceiling, their cold light shimmering off gold-accented walls. The faint hum of soft classical music seeps into the room, blending with the clink of fine cutlery and quiet murmurs of privileged patrons. Why Clement Thompson chose this particular restaurant for a simple lunch is beyond me. It feels like I’ve walked into a live-action display of "Who’s the Richest?" “Right this way, Mr. Sawyer.” A lady with a crisp British accent, dressed in an immaculately tailored suit, leads me through the maze of lavishly decorated tables to a private room. The air is thick with the scent of aged wine and freshly baked bread. Seating in front of Mr. Thompson, I relax my posture, though every instinct tells me to be on guard. His sharp, calculating eyes study me like I’m both a challenge and a prize he intends
[Lincoln] "W-what?!" Arella lets out a startled gasp. "H-how did it happen?" "I don't know," I say, trying to keep my cool despite the storm brewing inside me. "I'm going to need you to calm down, baby. Can you do that for me?" "Lincoln…" she starts, fear widening her eyes, her breath coming in shallow pants. "Please, Ella," I plead, my eyes flicking back to the road as the car swerves dangerously. There's a large field coming up. It's fenced, but that isn't going to be a problem—not if I can help it. "Are your seat belts on?" I ask, my voice tight with controlled urgency. Her watery eyes meet mine. "Lincoln… I'm scared," she admits, trembling. The car jerks violently, nearly spinning out of control. Despite my calm façade, my head pounds with a thousand chaotic thoughts. Nothing must happen to them. Nothing. "Are your seat belts intact, Arella?" I ask again, firmer this time. She nods with a sob, clutching her seatbelt tightly as if it could anchor her to safet
[Deric] "What do you mean you're canceling the deal? This is unacceptable, I–hello? Hello?!" "Fuck!" I snap, slamming my fist against the polished oak conference table, the sharp sound reverberating across the room. The board of directors seated across from me flinch, their faces pale and tense. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" My breathing quickens, chest tightening. "We're losing everything! How did this happen?" My voice cracks with desperation. "W-we have no clue," one of the men stammers, beads of sweat gathering at his temple. "It's as if we're intentionally being blacklisted by some force." His words send a chill down my spine. Blacklisted? By who? Why now? "What does that even mean?" I respond sharply, my voice cutting through the stifling air. "This issue isn't confined to San Diego—our suppliers and recruits are terminating contracts across the entire state of California!" How is it possible that no one wants to work with Ames Finances? The company I built with blood, swe
[Arella]"I'd gladly bring you to Nevada next time, even if you don't have a doctor's appointment. You really seemed to enjoy yourself," Lincoln says, his deep, smooth voice carrying a teasing undertone as he leads me out of his Bentley. The cool evening air brushes against my skin, a stark contrast to the cozy warmth inside the car. His hand rests on my lower back, steady and protective.We spent the weekend in Nevada, indulging in a world that felt distant from reality, only landing this evening. It's a weekday already. Bridget's gonna give me an earful for vanishing like that. "I'd like that," I say, meaning it more than I should. His lips curl into a slow, satisfied smile that makes my heart lurch, traitorous as ever."Or we could go somewhere more exotic for our honeymoon," he whispers that last part just for me, his breath grazing my ear like a forbidden secret.The mansion looms before us, grand and imposing, its towering pillars gleaming under the soft glow of garden lights
[Arella]Vivian turns to face me, her eyes widening in shock. Her blood-red lipstick falters slightly, though she quickly schools her expression. She’s dressed to impress, wearing a fitted white blazer with gold accents and matching high-waisted trousers, her stilettos clicking nervously against the tiled floor. Her sleek, chestnut-brown hair falls perfectly over her shoulders—too perfect, too practiced.“A-Arella?” she says incredulously, her voice trembling just enough to seem genuine. “What are you doing here?”I arch a brow, my pulse quickening—not with fear, but with simmering resentment. Her audacity still manages to surprise me.“I should be asking you that, Vivian,” I snap, keeping my voice cold and steady. “Haven’t you already been informed that we do not wish to work with Ames Finances?”The flicker of embarrassment in her eyes is brief before she recovers, her expression hardening.“And what gave you the right to turn down Ames Finances?” she prods, her voice sharp. Gon
[Arella] “Oh, it’s you, my dear. Hi!” She waves, a crinkle forming at the corners of her warm, hazel eyes as she smiles. Her whole face lights up with genuine warmth, something almost tangible radiating from her like a soft, comforting blanket on a chilly day. She doesn’t seem any older than Mom, but there’s this... feeling I’m getting from her. It’s like she carries sunshine within her, and I can’t explain why I suddenly feel safe, like I’m wrapped in a long-forgotten hug. “Hi,” I squeak out, feeling like a shy kid caught staring at candy. “Thank you for the other day, hon.” She chuckles, a rich, melodic sound that instantly calms my racing heart. It’s the kind of laugh that could make flowers bloom. “Oh, it’s okay. It was a pleasure. I hope your feet didn’t blister too much.” “No, no, they’re fine,” she rushes to say, heat creeping up her neck. “I should be asking you that though. You look so... confused choosing between these two.” “Oh,” I say, flushing like som
[Arella]“Fuck you, Lincoln Sawyer!” Thompson’s voice tears through the air, cracked and furious, soaked in desperation as he launches backwards with one final burst of rage. His boot slams into Lincoln, sending him staggering back a few steps and before I can even think, he’s charging at me—wild-eyed, unhinged, like something that’s crawled straight out of hell and decided it wants to drag me back with it.But Lincoln doesn’t go down easy.He moves like something deep inside him just snapped back into place. One moment he’s stumbling, breathless, the next he’s lunging like a damn freight train, grabbing Thompson mid-sprint and twisting with enough force to rattle the concrete under our feet. Thompson’s body slams into the ground with a sickening thud, the gun flying from his hand and skittering across the floor with a metallic scream as the punches from Lincoln connects with his face.“Arella!” Lincoln’s voice cuts through the chaos, raw and real.With thinking anymore I run to him,
[Arella]“No no no!” Lisa screeches, stumbling back like the floor beneath her just cracked open. “H-how did you find us?!”Her voice pierces the air like shattered glass, high-pitched and filled with the kind of desperation only obsession can birth. She's shaking now, her wild eyes darting from me to the little vial still pinched between my fingers.“You conniving bitch!!” Thompson barks, his neck veins bulging as his gaze swings to Vivian.His hand trembles violently as he points between us, rage bleeding into fear. Then he sees Deric. And he pales.“It was only a matter of time before I found you, Thompson,” I say, calm, steady, like the reaper arriving with a smirk. “I’m sure you knew that too.”He begins to back away, every inch of arrogance fleeing his body like air from a punctured balloon. He stumbles until his back hits Lincoln’s bed—and that’s when everything freezes. My blood stops in my veins as he suddenly swings a gun out of his pocket, his hand shaking but deadly, and p
[Arella]"Are you sure you don't need any backup? I don't understand why you won't let me send more backup."Shaking my head, I comfort my grandfather over the phone as the car hits bumps on the uneven desert road, the tires dipping into shallow pits and loose gravel kicking up dust clouds that filter through the cracks of the car windows. The vehicle rocks like it’s just as nervous as I am. My voice stays steady and solid. "We already have enough reinforcement, Grandpa. Don't worry—Thompson is not escaping this time around."I want to believe that. I have to believe that. If I don’t hold it together now, I’ll fall apart like wet tissue paper.My eyes trail to Vivian beside me. She's shrinking into the seat like she wishes the world would swallow her whole. Her hands are sweaty on her lap, and her knees haven’t stopped bouncing. She looks like she’s two steps away from puking or pissing herself—or both. It's hard to believe that they was actually a time in this life, I'd considered he
[Lisa]“Dad, what the fuck are you doing?!” I scream from the floor, voice hoarse, panic clawing at my throat as I watch Lincoln stagger, then crash to the ground. I scramble toward him despite the sharp ache in my arm, but a stinging slap from my father snaps my head sideways.“You stupid, stupid girl!” he spits, yanking a fistful of my hair and dragging me up by it. Pain spikes down my neck.“You had one job. One fucking job Lisa!”Another slap. I hit the ground with a cry, my face burning as he starts to pace like a lunatic, eyes wild and skin pale.“He's regained his memories! How the fuck did this happen?! What did you do?!”“I didn’t do anything!” I snap back, voice shaking but sharp. “We—we went shopping, okay?! I don’t know how he got my phone! He went to get water and—and by the time I caught up to him, he was on the floor with my phone pressed to his ear—!”Dad’s hands tear through his hair. He looks like he’s about to explode.“Are you hearing yourself?! I told you not to t
[Lincoln]Air.I needed air, but all I could taste was smoke. Thick, bitter, choking smoke. My chest heaved, lungs screaming for a break, but the smoke pressed in like a vice. Just a little further…the entrance isn't far off—Bang!Pain explodes in my side. I see myself flying backwards, spine slamming into the concrete wall with a sickening crunch. The scene shifts, broken and fragmented—one second I’m crawling out of debris, limbs trembling, dragging myself across shattered glass and dirt- filled floors, fighting just to breathe—then a figure falls over me.Someone stands over me—silent, still… like they’ve already decided what happens next. Something slams against my skull and pain explodes, the world tilting, smearing into colors I can’t hold onto.Then—her voice. Sickeningly sweet. Nonchalant.‘Hush now… it’ll all be over soon,’ she whispers, like it’s a lullaby. ‘And then we can start our forever.”My gasp rips out of me like a dying animal, a harsh rasp as I jerk awake. My ey
~PRESENT~[Lincoln]“Yes, it's me”, she whispers softly. “It's really you, Lincoln. I'm not d-dreaming, am I?”Her voice slams into me like a ghost of something I should remember. Like the echo of a dream I was never supposed to forget. It's soft... broken... but it shreds through me. It drags something deep inside of me, an aching emptiness, a piece of me that I didn’t even know was missing. And it pulls at me, hard.“Where are you now, Lincoln?” she asks, and I want to respond, but it’s like the words won’t come out.My chest tightens so fast it knocks the air from my lungs. My fingers tremble, gripping the phone like it’s the only thing keeping me tethered to the earth, to the reality I’m struggling to hold on to.And then I hear it again. “Where are you? Why aren’t you s-saying anything?”Everything else fades—the room, the air, even my own thoughts. It’s just her. That voice. Like I’ve been searching for it in every silence, never knowing I was looking for it, never knowing that
[Lincoln]~THREE HOURS EARLIER~“This isn't over, boy.”“I think it already is, Thompson.”These two lines have been haunting me, looping like a broken record in the back of my mind since I rolled out of bed this morning. It’s from that dream, the one I can’t shake, no matter how hard I try. It felt more like a memory than a dream. The setting was some kind of grand celebration, flashing lights, the hum of voices, champagne bubbles bursting mid-air—but everything else was smeared and hazy... everything except Dan’s face.His name definitely isn’t Dan.That venom in his eyes when he spat those words—“this isn't over”—it wasn’t the kind of hate you dream up. It was real. A sharp, burning thing that dug into my spine and left scorch marks. He stormed off in the dream, dragging Chloe behind him like a rabid dog on a leash. But even then, no, especially then, I knew her name isn’t Chloe either. It’s Lisa.Too many slip-ups. Too many weird details they pretend not to notice. I’m not stupid,
[Arella]My eyes widen as I stare, mouth agape at Deric and Vivian. What? Rising to my feet, my hands tremble uncontrollably."What are you saying, Deric?" My voice cracks as the words leave, trembling with disbelief. But his eyes… they don’t meet mine. They’re locked on Vivian’s, like she’s the only thing he can see.She looks like death just kissed her. Her already pale face has lost all color, her lips trembling like a leaf in a storm."Answer my question, Vivian! You were behind the wheel of that truck, weren’t you?!" He thunders, his voice slashing through the tension like a blade, making her flinch violently.Anger. Hot, white, scalding anger surges through me like a wildfire, burning away the confusion and planting rage in its place. My mind scrambles, backtracking, clawing at the past for any clue—anything—that could’ve pointed to this. My blood turns to lava under my skin."I-I—" she bursts into tears, her sobs a jagged mess. Crumpling forward, she clutches her head like it’s
[Arella]"Help! Let me out of here! I've been kidnapped! Help!"I roll my eyes, stepping into the room where Vivian’s been locked up for the past two days. She hasn’t been much use, barely stirring after I beat her up—guess I went too hard. But that’s not my problem. The woman had it coming.I take the keys from Zach’s hand, turn them in, and push open the door with force, the impact sending Vivian stumbling to the floor.Her terrified eyes trail up my blazer, finally meeting mine. They widen in shock.“Y-You? How… So, I wasn’t dreaming?”I chuckle lightly, unable to hide the satisfaction in my voice.“You sure as hell weren’t.”Vivian clutches her head, her face twisted in confusion and fear as she screams, “Help! Help! This crazy woman kidnapped me!”I smirk, rolling my shoulders back.“The only crazy person here is you, Vivian.”She yelps in terror, scrambling to her feet. “Scream as loud as you want. This penthouse is soundproof.”Her face pales as the reality sinks in. She looks