MEREDITH: Seconds turned into minutes, minutes into hours, hours into days, days into weeks, and weeks into a month. After that night, in which I refused to let Brandon drop me off at Miles's place, it has just been me and my tears. I had Brandon drop me off at an affordable hotel for the night. The last thing I needed was to be anywhere near Miles or his establishment, which would have constantly reminded me of him. After much quarreling, Brandon agreed and left me behind. I stayed two nights in the hotel, not going anywhere or doing anything. I didn't eat for those two days. I just wanted to give up, but I had to stay and fight for Christian. I managed to wake my weak self up, and what did I do throughout each day? Stare at the ceiling and cry. After two days, I called Brandon to bring over my stuff. I made sure I pointed out specifically the things that belonged to me. I left behind all that Miles got for me. Everything; the car, clothes, jewelry, shoes, and the rest. I wanted not
MEREDITH: “Alan?” I swung around, knowing very well he was the one. “What are you doing here and where did you come from?” Shaking my head, I gathered my composure. I was asking the wrong questions. “How did you know where I was staying? Were you the one sending those flowers?” Snickering, he flashed his perfect set of teeth over an overwhelming smile. He wore a radiant black shirt, leaving two buttons open. A black flannel that made him look taller sat pretty on his waist. The black ankle boot on his feet was what made his outfit tasteful. On his neck, he wore a diamond necklace that matched his bracelet. The moon made him look more gorgeous than I remembered. His style was a mix of casual and date night. 'Snap out of it, Meredith! This is no time to admire Alan.' “Woah! You have so many questions. Yes, I was the one sending the flowers. I didn't know how to approach you after what I did.” “And you think flowers will pave the way for you?” “No, Meredith. Not even my life will. I
MILES: After what I saw, I ended work and shut operations for the day. Throughout the day, I sent out words to all my connections within the States, asking every last one of them to dig into anything underground. More and more discoveries were made, and I can tell you that it was heart-wrenching. My nightmares weren't just an illusion. It was a fragment of Christian's memory. His last moments. I could only imagine what he went through. Who could have been so heartless as to hurt an innocent boy like him? At once, my anger and whatever ill feeling I had toward Meredith for the last one-month vanished into thin air. I promised to help her find her brother. I sent out investigators to do so and every bit of information they brought back, added to the ones Brandon had been bringing in, were not things I could reach out to her with. She will shatter. Meredith will die of heartache. At once, I became so furious that I wanted to make all those involved hurt and burn their organizations. Wh
MEREDITH: My head was as heavy as logs of wood piled in a spot. I managed to crank my eyes open, shutting them once the brightness in the room hit them. I was on a bed of some sort; soft, silk, and comfortable. I could tell due to how comfortable it felt against my tired body. The scent of the atmosphere was a mix of vanilla and cedar with food. Food? My stomach immediately danced at the inhalation of that savory aroma. Fighting hard, I opened my eyes. I was in a simply furnished room; a bed and a small table that had a tray which I suspected was the source of that nice aroma. I hadn't eaten all day. Being in this situation heightened that fact, even though I was confused and a bit scared. Suddenly, the door flung open and Alan strode in with a glass of juice and water on a tray, wearing a beautiful smile like everything was normal. Like I was his wife who had just woken up to dinner in bed. How could he even be smiling? He dropped the juice close to the food tray and brought the w
MEREDITH: Alan loosened his grip, giving me room to swallow. “I thought so, too. I thought Christian was a twenty-year-old that I could easily manipulate, but he was smarter and braver for his age. If he had simply handed over that program to me, accepting my compensation, no one would have killed him.” He edged closer, closing the distance between us. “My feelings for you went cold even before our breakup.” I knew that. “I stopped loving you five years ago.” “Why did you stick around until the seventh year? Why didn't you set me free? Why did you reappear to claim that you loved me? That you have been thinking of me?” “They are all lies, Meredith. Jesus! You are so gullible.” He released me, storming around the room, raking his hair in an aggressive pull. “You want the whole story. Here it is. After all, you won't live to tell another.” “What do you mean? Are you going to kill me too?” “Yes, if necessary. I can't have you ruin what I struggled to build, just like your brother. I
Miles: Through thick and thin, I tried to reach out to Meredith, but she just vanished into thin air. Even with all my contacts being involved, it was a dead end. They kept saying the same thing: "She doesn't want to be found." She wrote a note which she left on her kitchen counter in her small apartment. Meredith had stated that she was doing fine and nobody should come looking for her. Funny. Because, when people ask not to be looked for, that's an indication to search for them more. Yet, I didn't give up my search until it led to something confusing two days ago. Meredith had an interview with Alan by her side, stating that it was all a misconception. In her words, "I was with him the night my brother went missing. We had a nice dinner, after which we came to a mutual conclusion of taking a break from our relationship. It's ridiculous that anyone would pin this on him. I think the initiators are those who want to tarnish his image due to his new productive project." She went ahead
MILES: “I swear to God, if you move, I will order them to shoot you,” Louis warned me, signaling the hefty guys who drew their guns and closed in on me. “Drop your phone!” She ordered. There was no way in hell I was going to take an order from her. Not happening. Squinting and maintaining eye contact, I tried to punch my emergency trigger button on the lock screen, so Brandon could get the alert. But, Louis snatched a gun from one of her goons and shot it into the air, showing me that she meant business. Instantly, I tossed the phone to the floor. “Good boy. You do not have nine lives, so don't test my patience.” She shot the phone numerous times until nothing was left of it. “I must say that I am excited. Here, I was, wondering how to get to you. But, you fell right into our hands. How did you know of this place?” Seconds passed without an answer. She shook her head and said, “It doesn't make sense. You only made things easier for us.” The guys were now at my side; two to the left
MEREDITH: This selfish-murderous clown hurled me to an abandoned warehouse where he chained me to a septic tank, only feeding me once a day. Other than crates, there was nothing useful in the warehouse. He said it was going to be one of his production sites once the manufacturing started. On the second day, he made me do an interview where I admitted his innocence and announced that we were back together. He neither gave me extra clothing to cover myself during cold nights or allow me to freshen up. I wore the same clothes for three days, only getting thirty minutes to take care of business whenever he found it convenient. At night, he disappeared, probably for his own comfort, leaving me with just a dimly lit lantern. It was scary, lonely, and overwhelming. I was left with just my thoughts, thinking about numerous things. Would Christian have been happy with the breakthrough of what he believed so much in? Would I still have met Miles? Would Christian have loved and approved of Mil