As the sun rose, Emma hurriedly prepared as she rushed into her workplace, the memories of her night with Lucas still lingering in her mind.They barely had time to sleep, their insatiable hunger for eachother last night was beyond words, causing them to oversleep once again, and now she was running late for work. Entering his office with a file in hand, Emma froze, feeling the weight of Mr. Ethan's stare like a tangible force, holding her in place. His disapproving silence echoed in her ears, thick with tension, sending a shiver down her spine."You're behind schedule," he stated, his voice firm with a tinge of anger, his tone sharp and unyielding. Emma's heart raced, its beats frantic as she swallowed, determined not to avert her gaze."I apologize, it won't happen again," she stuttered, the words tumbling out in a rush. There was something about the way he looked at her today that screamed danger, a knowing glint in his eye, a hint of suspicion."It better not. Can you explain your
A wave of disappointment washed over Emma as she shut her eyes, her anticipation of gaining more knowledge already shattered. There was a certain significance hidden within those files, something Mr. Ethan was trying to conceal from everyone. If she hadn't made a copy of the document she had previously saved, she would have lost access to it forever. The revelation of the small amount of information she had uncovered hit her like a ton of bricks. Never in her life had she imagined that Mr. Ethan was somehow connected to her father, and he had never mentioned it to her, not even once. With only her father's file marked as confidential, Emma couldn't help but suspect that Mr. Ethan was hiding something incriminating.As the clock struck 6pm, Emma let out a sigh of relief. She had spent the majority of the day tirelessly searching and saving every important detail she might need for her revenge plan.Just as she stepped into the elevator and pressed the button, a hand stretched out, kee
Lucas took a step back, his gaze lingering on her face with a questioning expression. "Why? Have I done something to upset you? What is going on?" Lucas asked, displeased with Emma's words."It's not about you, Lucas. I believe it's important for us to have our own lives while we're still in the early stages of our relationship. I recently got a job and will be moving into my own apartment. I'd rather not become too reliant on you like I did with Trevor," Emma spoke softly, knowing her decisions were final.Lucas turned away, a sigh escaping his lips as he closed his eyes briefly before opening them again. "Is that why you've been working so hard? Did Ethan have a role in this? This is unlike you to keep me in the dark about something that could affect us, " he inquired, his tone tinged with hurt.Emma hesitated, her mind racing for an excuse. "It's not really... it's complicated," she finally admitted, running her hands over her face in frustration. "I just need some time and space to
She surrendered to the comforting touch of his hands, drawing solace from their warmth and the kiss he placed on her forehead."I love you too," she responded, drawing closer to him. Emma's lips passionately met his in a deep embrace, but she couldn't help but notice that Lucas didn't return the intensity. Instead, he allowed her to lead the way, showing her love for him through her kiss. Once they broke apart to catch their breath, Emma grabbed her handbag and suitcase, ready to leave the room.The day before, Emma joined Ethan's personal assistant on a search for her dream apartment, determined to find a place that would keep her close to both her workplace and Lucas' apartment. After careful consideration, she selected the cozy apartment located in the heart of the bustling city.As a guard helped load her luggage into the car, with the driver Mr Ethan had sent waiting to drive off, Emma took one last look at the house and at Lucas before getting into the vehicle.Upon arriving at
Emma was seated on the couch, her gaze fixed into space while she struggled to comprehend the information she had just discovered. Her father had given away his businesses to a stranger who she and her late mother had never met or introduced to as his close friend or inheritor?And to make matters worse, this person had installed a surveillance camera in her apartment after offering her an apartment as part of the benefit of being his secretary? Emma was in shock.Closing her laptop and setting it aside, she stood up and began to pace the room, trying to piece everything together. It just didn't make sense. What was she missing? Where exactly does she need to start looking at?She walked out into the balcony, the evening breeze caressing her entire body as she closed her eyes, yet the burning urge to know more, to have a glimpse of what exactly she was digging into, to have something she could tangibly hold against Ethan seems to be a frustrating move.The more she seems to find, the l
Emma stood frozen, her breath catching in her throat like a gazelle bewildered by headlights. Another knock reverberated through the room. Was it the cleaner? A quick glance at the wall clock revealed it was nearing precisely 8:30 am. She had lost all concept of time, and the risk of being discovered had slipped her mind.She crouched under Mr. Ethan's colossal marble desk, waiting with a hand pressed to her mouth to muffle her rapid breathing. When the door remained shut and no footsteps sounded, Emma breathed a sigh of relief as she quickly returned the objects to their original positions.With care, she placed the ring back in the drawer, using the bobby pin she had previously used to secure the lock before tucking it back into her hair.Satisfied with the desk's appearance and everything back in its place, she tiptoed to the door and pressed her ear against it, listening for any signs of movement. The hallway was silent.With a quiet exhale of relief, she unlocked and gingerly clo
Emma's determination solidified as she maintained her position. "I'm positive there were two," she stated confidently, her assurance growing. She had acquired the intelligence she sought - there were no additional CCTV cameras in her residence.As she made her departure, a chilling realization dawned on her. The series of events began with the discovery of documents, then the camera, and now her father's ring. What was happening? Emma was left with more questions than answers as she exited Mr. Ethan's office, her mind racing with the possibilities of what she was about to uncover.At the end of the day, as Emma emerged from the office building, she was joined by Tina, her friendly colleague. Her voice was filled with enthusiasm and inquisitiveness."So, did Mr. Ethan really give you a car as a job perk?" Tina's words were spoken quietly, tinted with curiosity. Emma glanced at her, observing the flicker of intrigue in her eyes.Emma let out a soft laugh, with a hint of surprise. "Where
With an excited exhale, Tina proclaimed, "I know he won't. He has long awaited this opportunity. Becoming CEO has been his lifelong dream; he surely won't let it slip away."Emma nodded, her gaze fixed on the road as she drove.A pang of guilt weighed on Emma for not disclosing the truth about Trevor to Tina. If only Tina knew Emma's connection to Trevor, she might have chosen her words more carefully."I wish him success," Emma forced a smile as she turned onto Tina's estate, stopping at the gate.Tina hopped out of the car, a bright smile on her face as she leaned her elbow on the window."It was lovely talking to you and thank you for the drive," Tina beamed. Then she added eagerly, "Are you free tomorrow? We could hang out since it's the weekend, right?"Emma hesitated, her mind consumed with thoughts of Trevor and the information she had gathered from Mr. Ethan's office. "I apologize, but I will be occupied tomorrow. I will be visiting my boyfriend. Perhaps on Sunday?" she sugges
Emma clenched her hands in her lap, her knuckles white. She glanced at Lucas, who gave her a reassuring nod. "You can do this," he mouthed.After what felt like an eternity, it was time for the verdict. The judge's voice was firm, unyielding. "Mario Rodriguez, you are sentenced to a total of fifty years in prison for the rape of Kathy Callum, for human trafficking, drug trafficking, money laundering, and aiding murders. You will be eligible for parole after twenty five years."The courtroom buzzed with murmurs, but Emma barely heard them. She was focused on the look of shock and fury on Mr. Mario's face as he was led away in handcuffs. It was over. Truly over.Tears welled in her eyes, but this time they were tears of relief. Lucas squeezed her hand, and she turned to him, a tentative smile breaking through. "It's finally over," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.He nodded, pulling her into a hug. "You were amazing," he said softly. "So strong."Emma leaned into him, feeling
Emma felt the warm trickle of blood running down the side of her face where the gun had struck her. The metallic scent filled her nostrils as she looked up at Mr. Mario. His grip on her face was ironclad, his face mere inches from hers. His breath was hot and reeked of cigarettes as he hissed, “Don’t make me kill you, Emma. Don’t tempt me.”His voice was low and menacing, and Emma could feel the vibration of his words against her skin. She knew she was probably making the worst decision of her life, but it was the only thing she could think of. With a sudden, desperate resolve, she lunged forward and sank her teeth into his nose. She bit down hard, the taste of blood flooding her mouth, and pulled with all her might until she felt the flesh tear awayMr. Mario’s scream pierced the air, raw and filled with agony. Emma could see the shock and pain in his eyes as he clutched his nose, blood streaming through his fingers. Seizing the moment, Emma summoned every ounce of strength and let o
Emma slowly sat back down in a chair. She took a deep breath and opened the file. Inside, she found a set of documents. As she scanned the pages, her eyes landed on the title: "Dissolution of Betrothal Contract." Her heart pounded as she saw Morgan’s signature at the bottom.Her mind reeled. Why had Morgan changed her mind? What had prompted this sudden shift? Emma leaned back, staring at the papers, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and curiosity. But her relief was unmistakable."What had changed her mind?" Emma whispered to herself, the question lingering as she stepped out of the courtroom.**One month later**Emma stepped out of the hospital with Tina, who had just finished her antenatal check-up. The setting evening sun glinted off the hospital’s glass facade, casting long shadows on the pavement.Emma got into the driver’s seat and started the engine. “Feeling okay?” she asked as she navigated the car through the parking lot.Tina chuckled, resting a hand on her baby bump.
His lips curled into a sneer. "I'm going to win my case tomorrow. And when I get out, Emma, I'll make sure you pay. I'll kill you, and before that, I'll have my way with you. Brutally. You'll regret everything. You should have stopped when you had the chance."Emma's smile didn't waver, but inside, a shiver ran down her spine. She steadied herself, refusing to let him see any weakness. She knew the case was too good for him to win it. "We'll see about that, Ethan Maddox. How pitiful it is, the once powerful Maddox, stuck in a jail cell." She stood up, adjusting her coat with deliberate grace.As the guards moved to take him away, Ethan's expression shifted, a malicious glint in his eye. "Watch your back, Emma. Mario is still out there, and he's planning something big."Emma paused, her heart skipping a beat, but she didn't turn around. She walked out of the room, the echo of Ethan's words trailing after her.With Mario still roaming out there, she knew everything was truly far from ov
"Cookies or a sandwich?" Emma asked.Tina picked cookies without hesitation. Emma retrieved a pack from the pantry and placed a few on a plate, setting it on the counter next to where they would soon sit with their hot drinks.The kettle began to whistle, steam escaping from its spout as Emma poured the hot water into two waiting mugs filled with cocoa mix. The rich aroma of chocolate filled the air.They sat down at the kitchen table, the silence heavy between them as they sipped their drinks. The warmth of the hot chocolate seeped through Emma's fingers, temporarily soothing her senses.After they finished their drinks and Tina left, Emma returned to the living room. The fatigue of the day washed over her, and she settled onto the couch, her thoughts wandering to Lucas.Hours later, the sound of the front door opening roused Emma from her doze. She blinked sleepily, glancing at the clock—it was a little past seven. Lucas entered the room.He settled beside her on the couch, leaning o
The lady sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping as she collapsed onto the edge of the bed. "Maybe you weren't convincing enough," she suggested. "You should have worn the other more revealing red dress. And maybe you sounded pushy..."Her words faded into the background as Morgan's anger reached a boiling point. With a sudden, ferocious movement, she stood up and crossed the room in two quick strides. Grabbing the lady by the front of her shirt, she lifted her off the bed and slammed her against the nearby wall. The impact sent a dull thud through the room."If you want to pass blame on me for your stupid plans not working," Morgan hissed through gritted teeth, her face inches from the lady's, "you're not going to like how it ends for you."The lady's eyes widened in shock and fear. Her breath came in shallow, rapid bursts. As Morgan's grip tightened momentarily before letting go, the lady slid down the wall, her legs weak beneath her. She straightened herself slowly, smoothing out her
Upstairs, Lucas leaned back in his leather chair, the phone pressed to his ear. Morgan's voice echoed through the line, breaking the silence."We need to see Lucas. It's urgent," Morgan's tone was urgent.Lucas frowned, his brow furrowing. "See me for what?" he asked, his voice guarded.There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Morgan replied, "About Ethan Maddox. There's been a breakthrough, and I thought you should know."Lucas's grip tightened on the phone. Ethan Maddox. He inhaled sharply."Why are you trying to help me?" Lucas's voice was low, contemplative. "It feels like there's more to this than just the case."A soft chuckle came through the line, warm and unexpectedly genuine. "Yes, Lucas," Morgan admitted, her tone unguarded. "I have my reasons. I want you to warm up to me, and if helping with this case will achieve that, then I'm willing to take the risk. I'm really sorry about yesterday, I shouldn't have done that. It's been years, and I should have allo
"This is one of the disk file you gave to us, we would like to watch it with you," the police officer stated and Mrs Veronica nodded.The screen showed a dimly lit kitchen. Mrs. Maria was gagged and tied on the floor, her eyes wide with fear. Ethan Maddox was pacing around, his face twisted in anger, his mouth moving rapidly as he shouted. Although there was no sound, the rage in his body language was unmistakable. Mrs. Maria seemed to be pleading, shaking her head in desperation.The scene escalated quickly. Ethan Maddox grabbed a knife from the counter and, with a swift, brutal motion, slashed at Mrs. Maria's neck. Blood spurted out in gruesome bursts, staining the floor and walls. Mrs. Veronica's breath caught in her throat, her eyes glued to the screen.The officer quickly shut the laptop, her hands shaking slightly. She took a deep breath, her face pale. "This... this is more than enough evidence," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Emma and Lucas sat in the car, parked
Emma inhaled sharply, not expecting what she had just heard. "Does the phone contain information that could help?" She asked and the woman nodded.Emma glanced at Lucas, whose eyes were distant and unfocused, lost in thought.Lucas suddenly stood up from the worn-out couch, his expression resolute. "This is what we're going to do," he said, his voice steady. He ran a hand through his tousled hair, a sign of the stress they were under.Emma watched as he began to pace. "I'm going to call the police, and you're going to speak to them," he continued, "They'll come here and find everything exactly as it is. But this time, we'll take pictures and leak them to the public. That way, they can't cover anything up, especially with the FBI involved." He glanced at the woman, whose eyes widened slightly, a mix of fear in her gaze."We need to make sure they can't hide this," Lucas explained. "You're going to tell them you've been attacked and that you have information they need. When they're clos