Francis's brow furrowed, his cocky expression faltering. "Prepared? What the hell do you mean by that?"Just then, a knock sounded at the door. Without missing a beat, Zeke walked over and opened it, revealing a tall, broad-shouldered man with piercing eyes, carrying a laptop bag slung over his shoulder. The man gave Zeke a nod before stepping inside.“Thanks for coming, and especially on such short notice, Smoke.” Zeke said. “I asked you to come in person because I couldn’t trust this with anyone else. And Kris told me that I could trust you.”Smoke smirked, his eyes narrowing as he took in Francis slumped on the floor. Staring up at him, Francis scoffed before he looked back at Zeke. “Oh, so you need an extra guy just to fight me?” he sneered. Zeke stared at him. “Fight you? No. I don't fight losers. I beat them down.”“Doesn’t matter. You can beat me up all you want—even kill me. That video is still going out. You’re just wasting your time.”Zeke let out a laugh, shaking his head
Francis felt his heart pounding wildly as Zeke’s words sank in. He knew about the mental hospital Zeke was describing enough to know that the horrors went even further than that.A wave of panic washed over him, but he forced a sneer, trying to keep his voice steady. “You can’t do that,” he spat, the bravado slipping through his panic. “That lunatic place is in another country. Besides, it’s illegal to confine me against my will.”Zeke gave a dark snort. “All I need are a few documents saying you’re a danger to yourself and others. It won’t be hard.” Zeke’s smiled, but it was a hard one that didn't reach his eyes. “And yes, what I plan to do to you is illegal. So is what I've planned to have done to you once you're inside there. But I don't care. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to protect the people I care about from monsters like you.”A sickly sweat broke over Francis as Zeke straightened to his feet and pulled out his phone, dialing a number. “You can come in now,” he said co
As Millie clung to Zeke, allowing herself to finally let go of the pain she'd bottled up for so long, Smoke took in the scene. The quiet closeness between them was so raw, so vulnerable, that he felt like he was intruding on an intimate moment. Sensing it was time to leave, he began gathering his laptop and cords into his bag. He shot Zeke a small nod, catching his eye briefly, and slipped out of the room with a respectful silence, closing the door softly behind him.Zeke continued rubbing gentle circles on her back, comforting her until her sobs subsided. Millie finally eased back, sniffling and glancing down at his shirt with an embarrassed expression.“Sorry,” she muttered. “I ruined your shirt.”Zeke smiled slightly, glancing down at the damp fabric. “Just some salty tears. Nothing damaging."Millie managed a tiny smile, though a shadow of sadness lingered in her eyes. Without thinking, Zeke leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, lingering just a moment longer. “Re
Millie meant for the kiss to be slow, soft, and warm. But of course Zeke had other ideas. Zeke's arms wrapped around her as his tongue brushed her lips, asking for entry.Millie gave it to him in a heartbeat. His tongue came delving into her mouth, exploring it with an intensity that grew more with each passing second. He wanted her, and the evidence was poking her abdomen. And God knew she wanted him too. But before she could slide her hands between them to cup him, the sound of the doorbell sliced through their moment. Zeke groaned, pulling back reluctantly, his face filled with frustration. Millie tensed immediately, her eyes darting to the door. Zeke instantly knew what she was thinking and placed a reassuring hand on her cheek."Hey," he murmured gently, "relax. It's either Luisa or Thalassa. They're the only ones who are allowed to get to the door without the guards informing me.”Placing a quick kiss on her lips, he went to the door. It was just as he expected. Luisa and Tha
Luisa’s shock finally wore off, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Millie. "Bother me? Why on earth would it bother me?" She laughed, practically vibrating with joy. "My brother is in love with one of the best people I know, and she happens to be my best friend? This is amazing!" Before Millie could respond, Luisa enveloped her in a big hug, squeezing her tightly. "I’m so happy for both of you!" She squealed, her voice full of genuine warmth and excitement. Thalassa joined in, wrapping her arms around Millie too. "Honestly, I couldn’t agree more," she added softly. "You deserve this happiness." When she pulled back from the hug, Zeke was looking at her. "Thank you, Thalassa," he said. Thalassa tilted her head. “Why the thanks?" A warm, nostalgic look crossed Zeke’s face. "Because if you’d accepted me when I insisted, I would’ve kept convincing myself you were the one I wanted, even if something didn’t feel right," he admitted. "But now I know who I truly love. I’m grateful for th
In her dimly lit cell, Linda paced, frustration seething beneath her composed exterior as her lawyer delivered the grim news from just beyond the cold steel bars. Her voice was a venomous hiss. “So, you’re saying you can’t stop this? That you’re completely useless?” The lawyer swallowed, his gaze flickering nervously. “I… I’m sorry, Mrs. Miller. The evidence against you was overwhelming. I tried everything, but the judges—” “Don’t insult me with excuses,” Linda snapped, her voice low but fierce. “I pay you a fortune to defend me and get me out of here, not apologize for being useless.” The lawyer cleared his throat. “We… still have options. If you claim coercion and say that you were forced into this, there’s a chance we can sway the court during the trial.” “During the trial?" Linda glared at him in disbelief. “That could be several weeks or months away.” The lawyer nodded hesitantly. “Yes, but we need to be a little patient.” Linda snorted, her eyes flashing. “Patience
Linda merely scoffed and shook her head, her lips curling. "After all that stupid girl's lies and keeping your son from you, how did she manage to convince you so easily?" She spat the words, her voice dripping with disdain. "When did you become so gullible, Kris? That woman has you wrapped around her finger." Kris let out a short, humorless laugh. "Would you rather I was wrapped around yourz?" His gaze turned colder as he spoke, anger mixed with pain simmering just beneath the surface. "I prefer a thousand times for Thalassa to have me wrapped around her finger, because all she makes me feel is happiness. But when you had me wrapped around your finger, you used it to control me, manipulate me... You used it to destroy my life and take my happiness from me all in the name of what you thought was best for me." Linda's eyes flashed. "I only did what was right, Kris. Everything I did was to protect you." "Protect me?" His voice grew louder, each word laced with bitter disbelief.
“Lassa?”“Lassa?”“Hey, Thalassa!”The sound of fingers snapping in front of her face jolted Thalassa out of her thoughts, snapping her back to reality. She blinked to find Luisa watching her, brows furrowed with concern.“Thalassa, I’ve been calling your name over and over! You didn’t even notice when I walked in,” Luisa said, her voice edged with worry. “Oh… sorry,” Thalassa murmured, running a hand over her hair with a sigh. Luisa tilted her head. “You’re still thinking about Kris?”Thalassa nodded slowly. “He still hasn’t called. It feels like he’s upset with me,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.Last night, after Kris had announced the news that his mother was going to be transferred to prison, he'd tried hard to act like everything was alright, which had made her realize that nothing was alright.Every time he'd glanced at her, she could swear that she could see some resentment in his eyes. She knew she was imagining it, but she also couldn't help but feel that
Karen paced the living room like a storm brewing in a too-small teacup, her arms folded tightly across her chest. She shot a glare toward her mother's lawyer who sat calmly with his briefcase beside him, waiting.“I don’t understand,” Karen snapped. “You’re already here, so why aren’t you reading the will? In fact, why do we even need to read it? I was her only daughter. I'm sure she's giving everything to me anyway.”Mr. Sawyer adjusted his glasses. “Ms. Blade, I ask for your patience. There is one more person who needs to be present before I proceed.”Karen’s nose wrinkled as she tilted her head. “What are you talking about? Who else could possibly need to be here?”As if on cue, the doorbell echoed through the house. Karen’s lips thinned, her irritation clear.“I’ll get it,” Bridget murmured, hurrying toward the door. Moments later, the click of heels and a deep, familiar voice caused Karen to freeze.Kris stepped inside first, his hand resting protectively on Thalassa’s lower back
As Thalassa stepped down, the room was filled with sniffles and silent tears. Though she wasn't crying, the devastated look on her face and her touching words brought tears to everyone's eyes. All except for Karen, who was glaring at her from across the aisle.The somber mood in the chapel persisted as Bridget stood up and walked to the altar.“You were my boss,” Bridget began, her voice breaking slightly, “but also my best friend. A person with the rarest heart—one who could make anyone feel seen and valued.”She paused, swallowing back the lump in her throat. “You loved with your whole being. That’s who you were. To lose you… is to lose a light in this world. But I take solace in knowing you're at peace now, somewhere you can finally rest after all the pain life threw your way. You'll never be forgotten, dear madam.”The room was silent, save for the occasional muffled sobs of mourners. When Bridget sat down, the priest returned to the altar, gesturing for everyone to bow their head
“You signed Mum’s death sentence. It’s your fault she’s dead!”Karen’s tear-streaked face twisted in raw pain as she turned to Thalassa, her voice rising like a jagged knife.“That's not true!” She shouted, her hands shaking. “I didn’t know this would happen! How could I have known?”Thalassa’s eyes narrowed, her body trembling with barely restrained fury. Before she could speak, Kris stepped behind her, his jaw tight.“So it is true, Karen?” he asked, each word laced with disbelief. “You told Linda it was your mother who gave me the evidence? What the hell were you thinking?”Karen’s lips quivered, and she stumbled over her words. “I didn’t mean to! It just… slipped out while we were talking. I couldn’t take it back!”Thalassa let out a bitter laugh that was chilling to the bone. “Oh, I’m sure that’s the excuse you told yourself to sleep at night,” she snapped. “But we both know the truth. You knew exactly what you were doing. You were scared Linda would come after you, so you decide
Karen gripped the steering wheel tightly as she drove, her frustration building with every mile. It had been three days since her mother last called her.Since the day she told her mother that she didn't want anything to do with her, the woman would call at least twice a day. But she'd gone three days without doing so, and it was grating on Karen's nerves.Had she given up already? Karen was damned if she would allow that.Right now, she was driving to her mother’s house, but she wasn't going there to reconcile. She just wanted to remind her of her betrayal and make her beg for her affections again.Pulling up to the gate, she frowned. The gate didn’t open like it always did. She waited a moment, growing impatient before honking the horn. Nothing. Annoyed, she picked up her phone and dialed Bridget’s number. “Why is the gate locked?” she demanded when Bridget answered. “And why isn’t anyone opening it?” Bridget’s voice was quiet, but the exhaustion in it was evident. “Because no
The room was quiet for a moment after the doctor’s announcement. Juana’s eyes glistened with tears as she looked up at him. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. “Thank you so much.”Upon waking up and being unable to move her legs immediately, she'd truly been terrified, but this had given her so much hope.The doctor gave her a kind smile. “You’re a fighter, Ms. Juana. But remember, no stress. Rest if your head feels heavy. If it worsens, inform us immediately.”Juana nodded as tears spilled down her cheeks. Thalassa and Luisa exchanged a glance before speaking in unison, their voices filled with gratitude. “Thank you, Doctor.”He nodded again and excused himself, leaving the three women alone. Luisa and Thalassa moved to either side of Juana’s bed. Luisa gently placed her hand over hers. “I’m so happy to see you awake and well,” she said softly, her voice filled with relief.Thalassa bit her lip. “Juana, I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you saved my
Thalassa’s hands trembled at her sides as her furious words hung in the air. The weight of what she had just said, what she had admitted she wanted to do, filled the room with shock.Luisa placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, her voice trembling with worry. "Thalassa... please don’t talk like that. You don’t mean it." But Thalassa’s cold, unwavering gaze shot through her. "I mean every word," she bit out, her voice low and steely. "I want to kill her. I would be doing the world a favor by getting rid of someone as vile as Linda Miller. She’s a waste of a human being." Luisa swallowed hard, unease crawling up her spine. She had seen Thalassa enraged before, but never this murdurous rage. It scared her. "I know you’re upset," Luisa said, her voice soft but firm. "You have every right to be angry, but this isn’t you. You’re not a murderer, Lassa. You’re nothing like Linda Miller." Thalassa shrugged off Luisa’s hand with a sharp jerk. Her jaw tightened, and her eyes burned with fu
Thalassa buried her face in Kris’s chest, her sobs muffled against his shirt. His arms wrapped tightly around her.She clung to him, trembling, her mind screaming against the reality she didn’t want to accept. Rita was truly gone. The door creaked open, and Kris lifted his head. The doctor entered, followed by a nurse. This time, he didn’t ask them to leave. Instead, he approached Rita’s still form, his expression solemn as he checked her vitals. After a moment, the doctor straightened and glanced at the nurse. His voice was steady as he said, "Time of death: 7:21 AM." The words felt like a punch to Thalassa’s chest, knocking the air from her lungs. Her knees threatened to buckle, but Kris tightened his grip, holding her upright. The doctor turned to her, his face filled with sympathy. "I’m very sorry for your loss," he said softly. "It happened quicker than I expected. I’ll prepare the death certificate and arrange for her body to be transferred to the morgue whenever you’re
At Rita's revelation, Kris swallowed hard against the tightness in his throat. He thought he should feel shock or anger, but he didn't feel that. Not even disappointment. All he felt was a crushing sadness and a hollow ache in his chest that made it hard to breathe. Deep down, he'd known. He'd known his mother was behind it.But had it been too much to wish for his mother to prove not to be a monster for once? How far was Linda going to go? His jaw tightened as he looked down at Rita's frail form, her skin pale and her breaths shallow."I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice cracking under the weight of his guilt. He stepped closer to Rita, his hand hesitating before lightly brushing against hers. "I’m so sorry. You didn’t deserve this. None of this." His throat burned as he forced the words out. "I promise you, I’ll get justice for you." Rita’s eyes fluttered open slightly, her gaze cloudy yet still warm. She gave him the faintest smile, her voice a faint rasp as she whispered, "Wha
Thalassa sat in the hard, plastic chair by the wall in Rita’s ICU unit, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. The sterile scent of disinfectant filled her nostrils, but she barely noticed it anymore. Her eyes were fixed on the frail figure lying in the hospital bed. Rita was surrounded by machines—a heart monitor that beeped steadily, an IV drip that fed her weakened body, and a nasal cannula that provided oxygen through thin, clear tubes resting against her pale face. She had always been so strong, so full of life. Seeing her like this, so still and vulnerable, made Thalassa’s chest ache. The machines keeping her alive felt intrusive, cold, and mechanical—so unlike the warm, loving woman who had been her pillar through so much. She rubbed her tired eyes. She hadn't slept a wink since last night, but sleep was the last thing on her mind. Her gaze darted back to Rita every few moments, desperate for any sign of movement. Nothing. A soft knock came at the door, pulling her from