James I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself before stepping into the conference room. The atmosphere in the office today felt tenser than usual, and I knew the reason. The meeting led by Mr. Corleone wasn’t just a routine gathering; it was a battleground for the egos between him and me. This time, I wasn’t planning to back down.As I entered the room, every gaze shifted toward me. I seized their attention for a moment before heading to a chair in the corner. Mr. Corleone sat at the head of the table, his face calm, but I could feel the tension pulsing in the air surrounding us. He had prepared something, and I needed to be ready for his counterattack.“Welcome, Mr. James Kent,” Mr. Corleone greeted with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “We’ve been waiting for you.”“Sorry, I had a few pressing matters to attend to,” I replied as I took my seat. “But it looks like we’re ready to start.”Mr. Corleone nodded, but his eyes never left my face. He knew this wasn’t just a business
James That day, the atmosphere at home felt more oppressive than usual. I had plenty on my mind after coming back from the office, but what I found in Renata's vanity drawer was something I never saw coming. With steady steps, I approached the drawer, not really thinking about what I might discover. Yet, when I opened it, I was stunned to find several photos of Giselle, Katniss's daughter, hidden inside. A place she had no business being.“What the hell is this?” I muttered under my breath as I stared at the pictures. Giselle was smiling in every single one, her face beaming as though nothing was wrong. But deep down, a knot of unease began to tighten in my chest. Why did Renata have these photos? What was she planning?One by one, I pulled the pictures out, my mind racing with disturbing possibilities. I took a deep breath. I knew I couldn’t ignore this. I had to confront her.When Renata entered the room, I didn’t waste a second. “Renata, we need to talk.” My voice was firm, laced
James With my head full of strategies, I nodded. "What if we confront them and make sure they know they're being watched? I don’t want to involve the police, but we need to make them understand."After finalizing the plan, Alex helped me locate the spies Renata had hired. They looked like lost street kids, which only fueled my irritation. How could they dare to target an innocent child without any shame?We caught up with them at a small café on the outskirts of the city. They looked startled when we approached, but I didn’t give them a chance to run. "You’re working for Renata, aren’t you? Watching Giselle," I said, my voice dripping with contempt.They exchanged uneasy glances, and one of them, a scruffy-looking young man, finally muttered, "We’re just doing what we were told."“Told by Renata, not by God!” I snapped, stepping closer. “If you don’t stop this right now, I won’t hesitate to take more severe action.”One of the others, visibly shaken, tried to defend himself. “We’re j
James I had just finished a meeting at Ethan’s office when I overheard a conversation between Katniss and one of her colleagues. They were talking about how Giselle had finally started school. The mention of her name stirred something deep inside me, igniting a curiosity about how my niece was adjusting to her new environment. Without hesitation, I set out to find out where she was enrolled.After gathering the information I needed, I decided to visit the school. As I drove, my emotions churned—a mixture of pride that Giselle was finally able to experience school and anxiety about how she would fit in with her peers.When I arrived, the school grounds buzzed with the laughter and chatter of children. But as I scanned the area, my heart froze. A group of kids had surrounded Giselle. They were laughing, and I could see the discomfort in her expression. I stopped in my tracks, hiding behind a large tree, observing from a distance.Giselle stood in the middle of the circle, her eyes glis
KatnissI decided to pick up my daughter early today. I left work ahead of schedule, eager to spend more time with Giselle. Her nanny had taken the day off for personal reasons, so it was my responsibility as her mother to take care of her.Giselle had recently confided in me about being bullied by some of her classmates. I had hoped that sending her to an elite school would protect her from such experiences, but clearly, I had miscalculated. I reported the bullying to the school administration, hoping they would address the issue and educate the children who were targeting her.Over the past few days, Giselle had seemed withdrawn, the weight of those hurtful experiences dulling her usual brightness. I wanted to do something special for her, to lift her spirits and help her feel better.As the school day neared its end, I glanced at my phone, trying to pass the last few minutes. When I saw the children starting to trickle out, I stepped outside, scanning the sea of faces. My eyes narr
Katniss“Mommy! Let’s go!” Giselle was bursting with excitement. It had been a week since her mood about school had changed so drastically for the better.‘I’m not getting bullied anymore!’That’s what she’d told me, and of course, I was thrilled to hear it.‘I guess the school finally addressed my complaint,’ I thought. They seemed to handle the issue swiftly and thoroughly, rooting out the problem.“Mommy’s so happy to see you this excited,” I said as we drove towards Giselle’s school. She turned her head to me with a wide, radiant smile.“Of course! It’s all because I get to see—“But she cut herself off suddenly. “See who?” I asked, glancing over at her, curious to see her reaction. Her expression was a little panicked, as she nervously bit her lower lip, her eyes slightly widened as they stared straight ahead.My brow furrowed, a clear line forming on my forehead. “Giselle?” I called her name again when she didn’t respond right away.“Who are you excited to see?” I repeated, tryi
James “It’s impossible that Giselle just disappeared. Someone must be looking for her,” I muttered to myself, and only one name crossed my mind—Renata. Was she at it again? I rushed around the school where Giselle was last seen, but there was no sign of her. Without hesitation, I called Renata. A video call, to be exact. She wouldn’t be able to lie if I saw her face. After two attempts went unanswered, I kept calling relentlessly. Finally, on the fifth ring, Renata picked up. “Where are you?” I asked, straight to the point. “What’s with your tone? It’s really unpleasant,” she responded sharply, her eyes narrowing. “Where are you?” I repeated, ignoring her complaints. “That’s none of your business!” she snapped, her voice laced with anger. Her gaze was so sharp it felt like a knife. We had argued again this morning, after all. “Stop bothering me! I’m out with my friends!” she continued. I squinted, noticing she wasn’t in our apartment. Just as she was about to end the
James “Where are you? What the hell are you doing at the hospital?” I said, cutting straight to the point.Suddenly, a voice broke through, panicked and desperate. “Who are you people? I want to go home! No! I’m not going with you again! You can’t make me!”My heart nearly stopped when I heard it.“I want to go back to Mommy! Don’t take me away again! Mommy must be worried because I’m gone! She’s going to be mad at you! Just wait and see!”I knew that voice too well. Instantly, my gaze shot to Renata, sharp and furious.“I warned you, Renata! She’s just a child! Have you completely lost your mind? Don’t you dare mess with her! Where are you? I’m coming for her, now!” My voice rose, unable to contain the surge of anger boiling inside me.I didn’t care about the stares I was getting from people nearby, their disapproving looks didn’t matter. My footsteps quickened with every second.“Tell me where you are, now!” I pressed, my tone commanding, not taking no for an answer.“What are you
Katniss“Hurry up. Do what you’re supposed to do,” Renata said, her eyes boring into me, forcing me to kneel before her.My hands were balled into fists, shaking with anger that threatened to consume me. The ache in my body, especially in my knees, was nothing compared to the deep hurt in my chest. I was crushed under her rule, even though every part of me cried out for justice.Thud!I dropped on the hard, chilly floor. My pride felt broken, laying in pieces in front of her, but the pain didn't resonate. I swallowed what little dignity I still had and bent my head."Renata, I beg you... I begged for pity," I said in a tremulous voice then continued, "Please, stop this."It felt horrible to hear Renata's silence. She enjoyed her control over me as she stood there motionless. Seconds felt like hours before she finally spoke, her voice tinged with an eerie calmness."How about we add some more fun to this?"Confusion flooded my mind. “What do you mean?” I asked, my heart racing as I tri
Katniss“Get ready, Katniss. You cheap woman!”The message glared at me from the screen, each word a hammer to my chest. My breathing quickened, and a deep sense of dread began to creep in. Renata. I knew exactly what she meant, and it wasn’t good.I snatched up my phone, dialing her number with shaky hands. My heart thudded loudly in my ears as I waited for her to pick up.“Stop this,” I demanded the moment she answered.Her laugh was low and chilling, oozing satisfaction. I could practically hear her smirking on the other end.“Oh, Katniss,” she said, her voice mockingly sweet. “Say whatever you like. It won’t change a thing. I told you before—get ready.”“What are you planning?!” I shouted, anger and panic blending into a desperate cry.Switching to a video call, I felt my stomach twist as her face appeared on the screen. That smirk—a wicked curve of her lips—made my blood run cold.“What do you think I’m planning?” she teased, her eyes glinting with malice.“Renata, you’re going t
Katniss “You don’t have to answer me now,” said Mr. Corleone realizing how hard I was struggling to be able to respond to his kind offer.“I know it’s not an easy choice Katniss.” Still, there was a soft note to his voice as he said, "Well then, do take your time—however long it requires.”"But..." He looked at me and stopped to speak, and I was just gulping for air waiting for more information. It’s like you know the longer you wait to address it, the worse it will only become. "That’s all I wanted to say,” he said with a calm but pointed tone.He glanced at the clock. "Work hours will start soon. If you would like to go home first or if you would like to come with me, that is your decision.”Without waiting for my reply, he walked out of his office, leaving me alone with my tangled thoughts. The weight of his proposal pressed heavily on my mind. Marrying him... It was something I’d never imagined in my wildest dreams.There was no way I could discuss this with James. Even though
Katniss This was no longer a personal matter. It had grown into something much more serious than that and it involved Mr. Corleone and the whole company into my problems. The weight of my choices continued to bear down on me like a heavy weight on my chest and back. Now there was nothing I could do about it – I had to pay the price whatever the state I was in. The investor had departed, and he had taken all his employees with him. The once very active meeting room was very silent, and it was only me and Mr. Corleone. He sat still; his back straight as he made a sharp breath. Sitting back in the chair, he tilted his head up to the ceiling with his eyes closed as if searching for solace in the midst of the storm I have stirred. “I deeply apologize, sir,” I began, my voice trembling. “You prepared everything so meticulously for this investor, but because of my carelessness—” “Do you think apologies will fix this, Katniss?” His voice cut through my words like a blade. He didn’t ev
Katniss "You don’t have to answer me now," said Mr. Corleone, sensing how difficult it was for me to respond to his offer of help."I understand it’s a tough decision, Katniss. So, take your time—however much you need," he added gently."But..." He paused, leaving me breathless, waiting for him to finish. "You know the longer you wait, the bigger the problem will grow. That’s all I wanted to say," he said with a calm but pointed tone.He glanced at the clock. "Work hours will start soon. Whether you go home first or come with me, it’s your choice."Then, he stood and offered, "We could have breakfast together."Without waiting for my reply, he walked out of his office, leaving me alone with my tangled thoughts. The weight of his proposal pressed heavily on my mind. Marrying him... It was something I’d never imagined in my wildest dreams.There was no way I could discuss this with James. Even though this might seem like a good idea, I was certain he’d reject it outright and do everyt
Katniss “Sit, please,” he said, his voice calm but with an edge of authority. I hesitated, my instincts warning me that nothing good would come from this conversation. The air around us felt suffocating, heavy with unspoken tension. “If you think you can fix this mess, then sit and listen carefully. I know this isn’t something you want to hear, but this is the price you must pay for what you’ve done,” he said, his tone sharp yet steady. The weight of his words made my chest tighten. Slowly, I sat on the sofa, feeling the cold leather beneath my hands. He returned to his chair, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp, watching me like a hawk. “What should I do, sir?” I asked, my voice low but firm, masking the storm inside me. He tilted his head slightly, studying me with a faint smirk. “Why are you so desperate, Katniss? You’ve already agreed without even knowing the cost.” Mr. Corleone picked up his coffee cup, steam rising from the dark liquid, but his piercing gaze didn’t wave
Katniss"Stay in bed with her. Make sure she does not watch TV or sit to play on her phone or do anything with her social media account. Do you understand?" I said, my voice rising an octave, my stare daring her, looking directly into Nanny’s eyes.She agreed without any further questions. "Yes, ma’am,” she responded.I quietly smiled and nodded somewhat in agreement."I’m leaving now," I said, not waiting for her response.I was ready to go, though I hadn’t showered—just changed my clothes, brushed my teeth, and washed my face. Mr. Corleone had insisted on this meeting at his house, and though I didn’t understand what will he said, I couldn’t risk defying him. He said it was important, and I couldn’t afford to refuse.Before heading out, I quickly sent a message to the maid. I didn’t want Giselle to wake up to any bad news about her parents, especially anything negative about herself.The drive was long, but eventually, I found myself in front of the grand mansion, its towering struc
JamesSpit it out already! You know his name, don’t you? You know who that man is!” I demanded, my voice sharp and unyielding.Beads of sweat poured down his forehead, his face pale and trembling. Who could terrify him to this extent? Just how powerful was the person he was so afraid of?“I-I don’t know, sir,” he stammered.“Don’t give me that!” My voice thundered, drawing the attention of those nearby. Their heads turned in my direction, their curiosity evident, but one icy glare from me sent them scrambling to mind their own business.He flinched, his shoulders hunching further as he struggled to find the words.“T-They… I can’t say much, sir,” he mumbled, his voice shaking. “They… they threatened me.”I frowned, confusion briefly cutting through my rising anger. “Threatened you?” I asked, my tone low and dangerous.“Yes,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “They kidnapped me… took me to some place. They said if I didn’t give them the evidence, they’d…” He trailed off, swallowi
James “James!”Katniss tugged at my shirt, her urgency pulling me back from the brink of confrontation. Her voice trembled, carrying the weight of her fear.“I-I swear I didn’t see him leave, sir. B-But when he came in, I noticed him. He hasn’t exited yet,” the security guard stammered, his words tumbling out as his gaze darted nervously between us.I felt my patience snap. “Why didn’t you say that from the start?!” My voice was sharp, cutting through the heavy air. “Instead, you claimed you hadn’t seen anything! Be clear—give me proper answers!”“I’m sorry, sir,” he muttered, his head hanging low in shame.I inhaled deeply, forcing myself to rein in my temper. “Listen closely,” I said firmly, each word deliberate. “If you spot the man with the description Katniss gave, you detain him immediately. Do you understand me?”“Yes, sir,” he replied, his head nodding rapidly in nervous compliance.I turned to Katniss, whose face was a mixture of worry and determination. “That means he’s sti