The room was cast in a soft, dim light, but the entrance remained shrouded in shadows. As the figure who had spoken stepped further inside, the first thing that caught Serena's eye was a striking head of red bobbed hair.That alone made Serena freeze on the spot, confusion setting over her as a sense of realisation and surprise washed her.As the light illuminated the person’s face, Serena confirmed it– Elene.Her eyes widened in disbelief, and her heart began to race uncontrollably. “It’s you?” she whispered, still grappling with the shock of seeing her.Troy pulled his mother closer to him, clearly frightened by the familiar face that had just emerged. Serena noticed his reaction and shot a fierce glare at Elene.“What have you done to my son?” she demanded, her voice laced with anger and fear.Elene simply smiled, a chilling expression that sent shivers down Serena's spine. “Oh him? Well, let me see how I can explain this. We had a little game, and he pissed me off, so I decided t
After the reunion, Frederick turned to one of the men who had come with him and instructed him to take Dhoti and Troy outside for their safety until he could return with Serena.However, Dhoti was not on board with this plan. “I want to go with you. Serena is still somewhere in here and I can't just leave her behind,” she said, her voice filled with desperation and concern.“Sir,” one of the armed men called out to Frederick, “the rest of our team has arrived.”Frederick nodded in acknowledgment. “Make sure to inform them to carefully observe the entire building. Search every nook and cranny and ensure that everyone is accounted for,” he instructed the man, who then stepped away to communicate via a burner phone.Frederick then turned his attention to Dhoti, speaking earnestly, “I care for Serena just as much as you do– and I love her deeply. You have to trust me, Dhoti. I will bring her back safely.”Dhoti hesitated for a moment, weighing her options, but eventually nodded, albeit re
A scoff slipped out from Elene’s lips. “After all these years, Frederick, it really took you this long to remember?”“You’ve changed so much,” he replied, trying to process his memories.“I had to change. It was necessary for me to stay close to you without raising any suspicions. Now, where were we? Ah, yes. I was about to ask you to leave peacefully, or else it won’t just be Serena who gets hurt.”Frederick let out a sigh. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. I can’t leave her.”Elene’s expression hardened, her brows knitting together in fury. “Oh, so you’re declaring war between us right now, are you?”“There won’t be any war, Elene. You need to let Serena go, and we can sort out whatever issues we have between us, like—”But before he could finish, a loud gunshot rang out, followed by a piercing scream from Serena. Elene had shot her in the other leg.“Serena!” Frederick shouted, sprinting towards her despite Elene now aiming the gun at him. Just as she was about to pull the trigger, Fred
Serena slowly opened her eyes to find herself staring at a bright white ceiling. A delicate chandelier hung gracefully from above, casting soft light around the room. She felt the tightness of an oxygen mask over her face, and a wave of dizziness and nausea washed over her. Confusion filled her mind as she wondered, where was she?It was obvious she was in a hospital ward, the sound of a beeping monitor beside her providing a rhythmic backdrop to her thoughts. She attempted to sit up, but her body felt heavy and unresponsive. What had happened to her?As she lay there, still and quiet, her memories began to flood back. She recalled the terrifying moment when Elene had her in a chokehold, while Frederick desperately tried to save her. She remembered they were talking a lot, but Serena could barely hear them as she struggled to break free from Elene’s tight grip. That was when Elene shot her and she collapsed.She attempted to lift her body once again, but it felt impossible. “Troy?
SIX MONTHS LATER “There has once again been a notable increase in the stock sales of the F&S corporation, which is currently in partnership with the well-known Te-Sumi company. The stocks are rising at a remarkably fast pace, and it is advisable for anyone interested to—”The driver lowered the volume of the radio as the passenger he was carrying wanted to make a phone call.Seated behind him was Mr. Te-Sumi, accompanied by another man who was the one making the call. After finishing his conversation, the man turned to his boss, Mr. Te-Sumi.“I believe we don’t need to attend the meeting anymore, sir,” the man said confidently. Mr. Te-Sumi raised an eyebrow, indicating that he was curious and wanted to hear more about this statement.“Mr. Sullivan has finally woken up. With that, there’s no longer a need for us to meet with the board to discuss the idea of bringing in a new chairman,” the man explained, a hint of relief in his voice.Mr. Te-Sumi nodded in understanding. “I see your p
It was a beautiful wedding day, set in a charming open area surrounded by tall, swaying palm trees that gently rustled in the warm breeze. The sun shone brightly, casting a soft glow over the small gathering of finely decorated chairs and tables. The decorations were simple yet elegant, perfectly complementing the serene atmosphere. White linen draped gracefully over golden chairs, each adorned with delicate sprigs of greenery and small white flowers, adding a touch of nature to the setting. A golden arch stood at the front, decorated with flowing white fabric and clusters of vibrant blooms in soft pastel colours. The small tables were dressed in light-coloured tablecloths, each holding a single vase filled with fresh flowers, bringing a pop of colour to the scene. Flickering candles were placed on the tables, ready to light up as the sun began to set, casting a warm and inviting glow. Steadily, the guests began to find their seats, creating a cozy atmosphere filled wit
"The 1st runner up of City Chef, tonight… I represent you, ladies and gentlemen, Serena Mundt! " " Oh my God" 18 year old Serena screamed delightedly as she scurried to the stage. Her ears, all red. She was over the moon and kept smiling ear to ear when the host slid a silver medal down her neck. Her hazel eyes searched through the applauding audience for her mother and when she found her, she said over the microphone "I dedicate this to you, mother, you never gave up on me and I'm so grateful for that."Another round of applause filled the hall again as Serena couldn't hold in the tears that finally flowed steadily down her face.She scurried back to the wings of the stage and before her, was her very close friend, 21 year old Frederick."And the time has come for the winner of tonight's City Chef to be made known. Who will take home that golden Toque? Well prepare yourselves my guests " "I knew you could do it" Frederick saidSerena snickered amidst the tears and smiled "well bra
Frederick Sullivan was never born rich. He lived with his petite mother in port Washington, a small and quiet town tucked along the North Shore of Long Island, with a forty-minute commute into Manhattan. His Father took off to fend for his other family, undeniably abandoning Fred and his mother. So anyone could guess that Fred would grow up to be successful enough to make his bastard Father regret leaving him. Fred had always had a thing for food and when he realised that this could be his gateway to wealth and everything he ever wanted, he packed his stuffs and with his mother by his side, they went to the big City of New York where he would own one of the biggest food company in the Country, F&S Corporation. Frederick Sullivan became known as the youngest billionaire in New York City at the age of 28. He owned companies in different parts of the country. Fred was a clean-cut, good-looking man of elegance and hostility. His eyes were grey-blue, he had a strong jawline and his
It was a beautiful wedding day, set in a charming open area surrounded by tall, swaying palm trees that gently rustled in the warm breeze. The sun shone brightly, casting a soft glow over the small gathering of finely decorated chairs and tables. The decorations were simple yet elegant, perfectly complementing the serene atmosphere. White linen draped gracefully over golden chairs, each adorned with delicate sprigs of greenery and small white flowers, adding a touch of nature to the setting. A golden arch stood at the front, decorated with flowing white fabric and clusters of vibrant blooms in soft pastel colours. The small tables were dressed in light-coloured tablecloths, each holding a single vase filled with fresh flowers, bringing a pop of colour to the scene. Flickering candles were placed on the tables, ready to light up as the sun began to set, casting a warm and inviting glow. Steadily, the guests began to find their seats, creating a cozy atmosphere filled wit
SIX MONTHS LATER “There has once again been a notable increase in the stock sales of the F&S corporation, which is currently in partnership with the well-known Te-Sumi company. The stocks are rising at a remarkably fast pace, and it is advisable for anyone interested to—”The driver lowered the volume of the radio as the passenger he was carrying wanted to make a phone call.Seated behind him was Mr. Te-Sumi, accompanied by another man who was the one making the call. After finishing his conversation, the man turned to his boss, Mr. Te-Sumi.“I believe we don’t need to attend the meeting anymore, sir,” the man said confidently. Mr. Te-Sumi raised an eyebrow, indicating that he was curious and wanted to hear more about this statement.“Mr. Sullivan has finally woken up. With that, there’s no longer a need for us to meet with the board to discuss the idea of bringing in a new chairman,” the man explained, a hint of relief in his voice.Mr. Te-Sumi nodded in understanding. “I see your p
Serena slowly opened her eyes to find herself staring at a bright white ceiling. A delicate chandelier hung gracefully from above, casting soft light around the room. She felt the tightness of an oxygen mask over her face, and a wave of dizziness and nausea washed over her. Confusion filled her mind as she wondered, where was she?It was obvious she was in a hospital ward, the sound of a beeping monitor beside her providing a rhythmic backdrop to her thoughts. She attempted to sit up, but her body felt heavy and unresponsive. What had happened to her?As she lay there, still and quiet, her memories began to flood back. She recalled the terrifying moment when Elene had her in a chokehold, while Frederick desperately tried to save her. She remembered they were talking a lot, but Serena could barely hear them as she struggled to break free from Elene’s tight grip. That was when Elene shot her and she collapsed.She attempted to lift her body once again, but it felt impossible. “Troy?
A scoff slipped out from Elene’s lips. “After all these years, Frederick, it really took you this long to remember?”“You’ve changed so much,” he replied, trying to process his memories.“I had to change. It was necessary for me to stay close to you without raising any suspicions. Now, where were we? Ah, yes. I was about to ask you to leave peacefully, or else it won’t just be Serena who gets hurt.”Frederick let out a sigh. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. I can’t leave her.”Elene’s expression hardened, her brows knitting together in fury. “Oh, so you’re declaring war between us right now, are you?”“There won’t be any war, Elene. You need to let Serena go, and we can sort out whatever issues we have between us, like—”But before he could finish, a loud gunshot rang out, followed by a piercing scream from Serena. Elene had shot her in the other leg.“Serena!” Frederick shouted, sprinting towards her despite Elene now aiming the gun at him. Just as she was about to pull the trigger, Fred
After the reunion, Frederick turned to one of the men who had come with him and instructed him to take Dhoti and Troy outside for their safety until he could return with Serena.However, Dhoti was not on board with this plan. “I want to go with you. Serena is still somewhere in here and I can't just leave her behind,” she said, her voice filled with desperation and concern.“Sir,” one of the armed men called out to Frederick, “the rest of our team has arrived.”Frederick nodded in acknowledgment. “Make sure to inform them to carefully observe the entire building. Search every nook and cranny and ensure that everyone is accounted for,” he instructed the man, who then stepped away to communicate via a burner phone.Frederick then turned his attention to Dhoti, speaking earnestly, “I care for Serena just as much as you do– and I love her deeply. You have to trust me, Dhoti. I will bring her back safely.”Dhoti hesitated for a moment, weighing her options, but eventually nodded, albeit re
The room was cast in a soft, dim light, but the entrance remained shrouded in shadows. As the figure who had spoken stepped further inside, the first thing that caught Serena's eye was a striking head of red bobbed hair.That alone made Serena freeze on the spot, confusion setting over her as a sense of realisation and surprise washed her.As the light illuminated the person’s face, Serena confirmed it– Elene.Her eyes widened in disbelief, and her heart began to race uncontrollably. “It’s you?” she whispered, still grappling with the shock of seeing her.Troy pulled his mother closer to him, clearly frightened by the familiar face that had just emerged. Serena noticed his reaction and shot a fierce glare at Elene.“What have you done to my son?” she demanded, her voice laced with anger and fear.Elene simply smiled, a chilling expression that sent shivers down Serena's spine. “Oh him? Well, let me see how I can explain this. We had a little game, and he pissed me off, so I decided t
Serena slowly opened her eyes to the soft sound of a child sniffling, the unmistakable sound of someone who had been crying. The pain from the gunshot wound in her leg was still very much present, and she winced as she tried to push herself into a sitting position. This place was unlike the dark and terrifying environment where she had been held captive before. Instead, it was a small room that felt almost normal, featuring a bed, a lamp casting a warm glow, and a table with a chair tucked into one corner. As she looked around, she realised she found herself lying on the floor next to the bed. What struck her as odd was that she wasn’t tied up in any way, though the pain in her leg already made it impossible for her to escape. Perhaps that was the reason she had been shot in the first place.Once again, she heard the low sniffles and turned her gaze toward the bed. There, she saw a little boy with brown hair, curled up and crouched on the mattress. He was crying quietly, his small
Serena's GPS was being tracked, and Frederick wasted no time in following the signal to locate her. The FBI had already been alerted and were getting ready to offer any sort of assistance to Frederick.Frederick pressed down on the accelerator, weaving in and out of traffic as he sped down the highway, the screen in his car displaying Serena's location. His mind was racing, but he pushed aside any thoughts about who might be behind this or why it was happening. All that mattered was finding Serena before it was too late.Eventually, he arrived at a rundown old road that forced him to slow down due to the many potholes and bumps. The area around him was desolate, a perfect setting for something sinister like a kidnapping to take place. Deep down, he felt a mix of hope and fear, praying that Serena had remembered to take her phone with her and hadn’t left it behind somewhere. That phone was the key to tracking her down in this desperate situation.Suddenly, a figure stumbled into the
Serena pulled up to a deserted road and turned off the engine. Stepping out of the car, she looked straight ahead. This was the end of the road for her. In front of her was a bushy path, and she had no idea where it would lead.This was the path she was meant to take. The strange voice from the call she had received earlier instructed her to walk down this trail until she reached a building. Only then would she be able to save her son, Troy.Whoever had called her was the same person who had kidnapped Troy and Dhoti. They had already released Dhoti, which made it clear that the kidnapper was only interested in Troy. But why? This had to be connected to her in some way, but she couldn't understand the reason behind it.Serena couldn’t help but dig through her memories, trying to recall if there was anyone she had seriously upset in the past. However, no one came to mind.This could only mean that this person was likely connected to Frederick. Perhaps they were Frederick's enemy, and si