ARIANA'S POV Gasping for breath, I barely registered Detective James's hands pulling me out of the water. I choked, coughing violently, each spasm a fresh agony that tore through my chest. Water streamed down my face, mingling with tears I couldn’t control. My body shook uncontrollably as I struggled to breathe, every intake of air a desperate, ragged gasp. Flora. Flora. I could see flashes of her face. Flora laughing. Flora running. Flora crying. Flora teasing me. Flora shooting herself in the head. And there was I, standing in my wedding gown. Looking down at her lying in a pool of her own blood. Detective James threw a towel at me, the coarse fabric hitting my face and falling into my lap. I grabbed it, trying to wipe the water from my eyes, but my hands trembled too much to be of any use. Sobs wracked my body as I broke down, tears mixing with the water dripping from my hair. I was so tired. So fucking tired. I felt like I could not go on again. Yet I was so angry at Detective
ROBERT'S POV I stood there, momentarily stunned by Odette's revelation. Richard Vanderbilt murdered her father? My mind struggled to process the information. This wasn't just a business takeover; it was personal for her. Odette's rage and determination suddenly made sense. She had a motive beyond greed. The pieces of the puzzle were finally falling into place. It was not just “for fun” this was a personal vendetta. Odette was just trying to act unconcerned but she was obviously very involved. Odette's voice broke through my thoughts, laced with bitterness. “Do you have any idea the kind of hell I’ve been through to get here? Richard murdered my father in cold blood, he put a bullet straight through his brain”, her voice was shaking with emotions.Her words hit me like a sledgehammer. I could see the pain and anger etched on her face, her eyes blazing with a mix of fury and sorrow. I was at a loss for words, confusion written all over my face as I tried to comprehend the gravity of
ARIANA'S POV Consciousness came slowly, pulling me from the dark abyss in agonizing increments. Kill Margaret, Kill Margaret, played over and over in my head. It was an unending loop that was driving me crazy.My body felt heavy, as if weighed down by invisible chains. Every muscle ached, every breath a laborious task. I blinked, the dim light of the room piercing my vision. The silence was unnerving, a stark contrast to the chaos that had preceded my blacking out. I couldn't even remember what had knocked me out. One minute Reginald and Detective James were in the room with me and the next, I'm waking up to silence. I winced as I tried to move, every movement a source of agonizing pain.Where am I?Panic set in as I realized my situation. My wrists throbbed from the ropes that had cut into them, and I struggled to move, only to find myself still bound to the chair. My heart pounded in my chest as I strained against my restraints, desperate for any sign of life, any hint that this ni
ROBERT'S POV My world suddenly grew quiet. The sirens, the murmuring detectives, all the noise faded into a deathly silence. It was as if someone had turned the volume knob of the universe all the way down. I stood there, staring at the grotesque body on the ground, feeling as if my life had ended. Ariana, my heart whispered, as my mind struggled to accept the horrific scene before me.The silence was oppressive, pressing down on me like a weight. I couldn't hear the frantic conversations of the officers or the distant wail of emergency vehicles. Even the city, usually a cacophony of life, seemed to hold its breath. The only sound was the pounding of my own heartbeat, a relentless reminder of my existence in this nightmare.I wanted to scream, to break the suffocating silence, but no sound came out. My throat was a desert, dry and parched, incapable of producing the noise that roared inside me. The world had stopped, leaving me in this frozen moment of horror and loss.I closed my ey
ARIANA'S POV Reginald’s eyes narrowed with renewed interest at my mention of Sylvia. He signaled Detective James to put away the gun, and the man complied, lowering the weapon from Nate's temple.“Who is this Sylvia?” Reginald demanded.My voice shook as I replied, “She’s the lawyer representing Winters Pharmaceuticals.”Reginald let out an ironic “ahhh” and leaned back, a mocking smile playing on his lips. “Margaret told me the merger looked promising,” he began, his tone dripping with bitterness. “She came to me for help, and now, just like tha
ROBERT'S POV Confusion erupted, filling the room with frantic energy. Margaret's cries escalated into loud, desperate wails, each one a dagger in my already bleeding heart. I could only imagine the agony she was experiencing, losing both Ariana and now, possibly, Nate. My own grief mingled with hers, a suffocating cloud that threatened to drown us all. I fumbled for my cell phone and called Detective Edward. The disbelief in his voice mirrored my own as I relayed the latest grim development.“I’ll do my best to bring the boy home,” Edward assured me, though his tone was laced with uncertainty.
ARIANA'S POV I dialed the number with shaking hands, the quarter clicking loudly as it settled in the payphone. My heart pounded at the call waiting. The silence on the other end was unbearable. I had to undo what I had done. Reginald had proven himself to be very dangerous, even more than Odette and I couldn't let him get his hand on Sylvia.“Please,” I whispered desperately. “Please pick up.”But the call wouldn't connect. I slammed the receiver down, a sob escaping my throat. I was so close, and yet so far. The frustration and fear were overwhelming. I sank to the ground, my body shaking with sobs. I was weak, hungry, and exhausted. It felt like every part of me was breaking down.Nate climbed down from the bench where I had sat him and walked over to me. He wrapped his small arms around my neck, kissing my cheek. "Sorry, Ariana," he whispered, his voice trembling.I held him close to me, my body whimpering from the sheer touch, my tears soaking his shoulder. “It's not your fault
ROBERT'S POVMy heart pounded against my chest as I lifted the receiver, the unease creeping over me like a shadow. Reginald’s presence behind me felt like a physical weight, an immovable anchor tethering me to a sinking ship. I rubbed my fingers together, the sensation of the fine sand still lingering—a small but unsettling detail that gnawed at my mind.Why did he have sand on his hand?“Hello?” I answered, my voice barely steady.The voice on the other end was shrill and frantic, unmistakably Ariana's. My heart skipped a beat, terror and relief colliding in a cacophony of emotion. I nearly shouted her name, but she cut me off sharply.“Don't say anything, I'll do the talking,” she screamed, there was fear and desperation in her voice. “Is this Robert Stone?”“Yes,” I croaked, my throat tightening.There were so many things I wanted to say. So many words fighting for a place in my mind. “Rob, listen. Reginald is not to be trusted,” she said, her voice quivering with raw terror. “I'