The buzzing of Flora’s phone startled her out of her thoughts. It was Olivia. The message read:
“Can you meet me in thirty minutes? There's a small 24-hour supermarket called "Pinegrove Market" not far from the estate. I’ll be there. Please, Flora, I really need to talk.”Flora’s pulse quickened as she read the message. Thirty minutes? She glanced at the clock. It was late, and while her body still ached with exhaustion, the urgency in Olivia’s words cut through any hesitation. Something in her gut told her this couldn’t wait. Without overthinking it, she typed a quick reply:“I’ll be there.”She stood up from the couch, assessing her loose pants and short-sleeved top. They would have to do for such an impromptu meeting. She padded quietly upstairs, not wanting to disturb the peaceful quiet of Damien’s home. He was fast asleep, one arm draped over his eyes, his breathing steady and calm. Flora felt a pang of guilt for slipping out, but she had to do this. Bending dowOlivia’s face was puffy, her eyes rimmed red and swollen from crying. She looked utterly devastated, her usual composed demeanor shattered. Her bottom lip quivered as she attempted a smile, but it was weak, trembling at the edges. "Flora," Olivia whispered, her voice cracking. Flora stepped forward, unsure whether to close the distance between them or keep some space. She could see the exhaustion written across Olivia’s features, the turmoil swirling behind her eyes. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the weight of what had brought them here pressing down on both of them. Olivia broke the silence first, her voice barely above a whisper. “I—I didn’t know.” She choked on the words, shaking her head as fresh tears welled in her eyes. “I didn’t know what my mother was capable of. I swear to you, Flora, I didn’t know any of it.” Flora stood still, absorbing Olivia’s words. She wanted to believe her. Desperately. But the betrayal of the past day,
A chill ran down her spine, and she stammered out the first question that came to mind. “Olivia…are you—”Before she could finish, Olivia let out a bitter laugh, the sound filled with a weight of sorrow and exhaustion. It wasn’t a happy laugh, but one of disbelief at her own situation.“Yes, I’m pregnant,” Olivia confirmed softly, cutting off Flora’s stumbling attempt to find the right words. She rubbed her palm lightly over her stomach as if to comfort herself more than anything else. “And before you ask, it’s Cyprus’s.”Flora’s breath caught in her throat. Cyprus. Of course it was his. Her mind flew to that one disastrous night that Olivia had had with the arrogant vice president of Defendwise Ventures.“Olivia…” Flora whispered, her voice thick with disbelief. “What are you going to do?”The question hung in the air like a fragile thread, and for a moment, Olivia seemed lost, her gaze fixed on some distant point beyond the supermarket, beyond the immediate rea
The next few days blurred together, filled with a whirlwind of action and emotion as Flora set the final stage for justice. Filing the formal report against Alice was both cathartic and devastating, but it was something Flora knew she had to do. This was the final step in a journey that had begun when her life was torn apart by betrayal, and now, she was finally fighting back. Alice was arrested almost immediately after Flora's report, and to everyone's surprise, she didn’t resist. For the first time in their long and painful history, she didn’t fight back. There were no screaming matches, no attempts to manipulate or twist the situation in her favor, no venomous remarks hurled in Flora’s direction. Instead, Alice turned herself over with an unsettling calm, submitting a written confession detailing her involvement in both the death of Flora’s mother and the accident that had left her father a prisoner in his own mind. Flora knew Alice’s cooperation wasn’t born
Flora’s breath caught in her throat, but she held her composure, her hands clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white. She cast a glance across the courtroom and met Alice’s eyes. There was no fire in them, no anger or hatred. Only resignation. This was her fate, sealed and unchangeable. Alice would spend the rest of her life in jail. There would be no escape, no return to the life she once knew. She would die there, alone. The judge then turned her attention to Janice, who sat trembling in her seat. “As for Janice Holden,” the judge said, her tone unwavering, “for the charge of conspiracy to commit murder, and for the misuse of her professional authority as a nurse, resulting in the death of Vera Wicks, this court finds the defendant guilty.” Janice sobbed openly as the judge delivered her sentence: twenty-five years to life, with the possibility of parole only after serving the minimum term. But even with parole, Janice would never fully escape her crimes.
Two Weeks Later The evening had settled into a comfortable warmth as Flora parked her car in the driveway of Damien’s estate. The sky was a gentle gradient of fading sunset hues, a perfect close to what had been a long but fulfilling day with Eva. They had been going over the offers from several publishing houses and TV studios, that wanted to monetize Flora's experience with Alice and Janice. It had been exhausting, but there was a sense of peace that came with knowing everything with Alice was truly over. Justice had been served, and Flora was finally free. With a content sigh, she gathered her things, pushing open the front door. The house was unusually quiet, save for the faint rustle of the breeze outside and the distant clinking of glass from the kitchen. A cozy warmth greeted her, the familiar scent of home wrapping her in comfort as she stepped inside. "Hello?" she called out softly, slipping off her shoes and setting
Hello everyone, Ena here! Phew, this has been quite a journey. I can hardly believe that we've reached the end of this story together. What started as a simple idea has grown into something so much more, and that’s all thanks to you readers and your support. Thank you for sticking with me and I'm grateful to every single one of you. Though we’re closing this chapter, I hope this isn’t goodbye. I have more stories to tell, and I’d love to share them with you. I'll be back soon with an even better book. Until next time 💛 All my love, Ena Starr.
“You were never enough for me.”Flora Grey blinked at the harsh words from her husband, Henry Grey as the fork fell from her hand. They were eating dinner in the summerhouse Henry’s parents had given to them as a gift for their third anniversary. Classical music was playing softly from the speakers in the room but it all sounded so far away to her as she stared at Henry.Tears stung her eyes, threatening to spill and ruin her delicate makeup. Flora hated crying, it turned her face so red and splotchy she looked like she was having an allergy attack. Henry dropped his fork and picked up the napkin by his plate to wipe his mouth. His dark grey eyes were devoid of any feeling. “Stop crying now, I’m not done talking.”“Where is this coming from Henry?” Flora said, her voice breaking. She rubbed her face, trying to stop her tears from falling. She wasn’t really shocked, but she was angry. Angry with him for what he had just dared to say to her, and for surprising her with a trip to this be
Eva Wilson, Flora’s closest friend, rolled her eyes heavily as she went through the contents of the papers Flora had brought to her. After Flora had cried out the majority of her anger and grief at her marriage ending, she’d taken a minute to collect herself before packing the papers Henry had given to her and setting them neatly on the table. As if on autopilot, Flora had robotically cleared the table of their cold abandoned food and put all the leftovers in the fridge. Then she’d washed the dishes and treated herself to a long hot bath to soothe her nerves. She was going to need all her strength to face the day. There were no servants to help Flora, because mistakenly, she had assumed Henry would want to touch her after so long and dismissed all the maids employed in the summerhouse. How stupid she had been.The signs had been there all along, but Flora had been too naïve to see them. When Henry had started keeping late nights, he had told her it was because his new promotion at w
Hello everyone, Ena here! Phew, this has been quite a journey. I can hardly believe that we've reached the end of this story together. What started as a simple idea has grown into something so much more, and that’s all thanks to you readers and your support. Thank you for sticking with me and I'm grateful to every single one of you. Though we’re closing this chapter, I hope this isn’t goodbye. I have more stories to tell, and I’d love to share them with you. I'll be back soon with an even better book. Until next time 💛 All my love, Ena Starr.
Two Weeks Later The evening had settled into a comfortable warmth as Flora parked her car in the driveway of Damien’s estate. The sky was a gentle gradient of fading sunset hues, a perfect close to what had been a long but fulfilling day with Eva. They had been going over the offers from several publishing houses and TV studios, that wanted to monetize Flora's experience with Alice and Janice. It had been exhausting, but there was a sense of peace that came with knowing everything with Alice was truly over. Justice had been served, and Flora was finally free. With a content sigh, she gathered her things, pushing open the front door. The house was unusually quiet, save for the faint rustle of the breeze outside and the distant clinking of glass from the kitchen. A cozy warmth greeted her, the familiar scent of home wrapping her in comfort as she stepped inside. "Hello?" she called out softly, slipping off her shoes and setting
Flora’s breath caught in her throat, but she held her composure, her hands clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white. She cast a glance across the courtroom and met Alice’s eyes. There was no fire in them, no anger or hatred. Only resignation. This was her fate, sealed and unchangeable. Alice would spend the rest of her life in jail. There would be no escape, no return to the life she once knew. She would die there, alone. The judge then turned her attention to Janice, who sat trembling in her seat. “As for Janice Holden,” the judge said, her tone unwavering, “for the charge of conspiracy to commit murder, and for the misuse of her professional authority as a nurse, resulting in the death of Vera Wicks, this court finds the defendant guilty.” Janice sobbed openly as the judge delivered her sentence: twenty-five years to life, with the possibility of parole only after serving the minimum term. But even with parole, Janice would never fully escape her crimes.
The next few days blurred together, filled with a whirlwind of action and emotion as Flora set the final stage for justice. Filing the formal report against Alice was both cathartic and devastating, but it was something Flora knew she had to do. This was the final step in a journey that had begun when her life was torn apart by betrayal, and now, she was finally fighting back. Alice was arrested almost immediately after Flora's report, and to everyone's surprise, she didn’t resist. For the first time in their long and painful history, she didn’t fight back. There were no screaming matches, no attempts to manipulate or twist the situation in her favor, no venomous remarks hurled in Flora’s direction. Instead, Alice turned herself over with an unsettling calm, submitting a written confession detailing her involvement in both the death of Flora’s mother and the accident that had left her father a prisoner in his own mind. Flora knew Alice’s cooperation wasn’t born
A chill ran down her spine, and she stammered out the first question that came to mind. “Olivia…are you—”Before she could finish, Olivia let out a bitter laugh, the sound filled with a weight of sorrow and exhaustion. It wasn’t a happy laugh, but one of disbelief at her own situation.“Yes, I’m pregnant,” Olivia confirmed softly, cutting off Flora’s stumbling attempt to find the right words. She rubbed her palm lightly over her stomach as if to comfort herself more than anything else. “And before you ask, it’s Cyprus’s.”Flora’s breath caught in her throat. Cyprus. Of course it was his. Her mind flew to that one disastrous night that Olivia had had with the arrogant vice president of Defendwise Ventures.“Olivia…” Flora whispered, her voice thick with disbelief. “What are you going to do?”The question hung in the air like a fragile thread, and for a moment, Olivia seemed lost, her gaze fixed on some distant point beyond the supermarket, beyond the immediate rea
Olivia’s face was puffy, her eyes rimmed red and swollen from crying. She looked utterly devastated, her usual composed demeanor shattered. Her bottom lip quivered as she attempted a smile, but it was weak, trembling at the edges. "Flora," Olivia whispered, her voice cracking. Flora stepped forward, unsure whether to close the distance between them or keep some space. She could see the exhaustion written across Olivia’s features, the turmoil swirling behind her eyes. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the weight of what had brought them here pressing down on both of them. Olivia broke the silence first, her voice barely above a whisper. “I—I didn’t know.” She choked on the words, shaking her head as fresh tears welled in her eyes. “I didn’t know what my mother was capable of. I swear to you, Flora, I didn’t know any of it.” Flora stood still, absorbing Olivia’s words. She wanted to believe her. Desperately. But the betrayal of the past day,
The buzzing of Flora’s phone startled her out of her thoughts. It was Olivia. The message read:“Can you meet me in thirty minutes? There's a small 24-hour supermarket called "Pinegrove Market" not far from the estate. I’ll be there. Please, Flora, I really need to talk.”Flora’s pulse quickened as she read the message. Thirty minutes? She glanced at the clock. It was late, and while her body still ached with exhaustion, the urgency in Olivia’s words cut through any hesitation. Something in her gut told her this couldn’t wait. Without overthinking it, she typed a quick reply:“I’ll be there.”She stood up from the couch, assessing her loose pants and short-sleeved top. They would have to do for such an impromptu meeting. She padded quietly upstairs, not wanting to disturb the peaceful quiet of Damien’s home. He was fast asleep, one arm draped over his eyes, his breathing steady and calm. Flora felt a pang of guilt for slipping out, but she had to do this. Bending dow
Just as the words left Eva’s mouth, the kitchen door opened, and Damien stepped inside. He looked at Flora, his gaze soft and warm, and without a word, he crossed the room and kissed her gently on the temple. “Eva’s already started drafting the court papers,” he said, finishing Eva’s sentence. His voice was calm, matter-of-fact, as though they were discussing something far less monumental.Flora blinked, still processing everything. “Has Alice made a move since we left the estate?” she asked, her voice quiet but steady.Damien shook his head. “No,” he replied. “I think she knows this is the end for her.”The weight of his words settled over the room, and for a moment, there was nothing but the soft sound of the stew bubbling on the stove and Whiskerton’s contented purring. Flora exhaled slowly, a mixture of relief and exhaustion washing over her.That night, after dinner had been cleared away and Catarina and Eva had gone off to bed, Flora sat alone on the couch in t
Flora blinked, her eyes stinging with fresh tears. She knew who had orchestrated this—who had called Catarina and Eva, who had made sure that when Flora woke up, she wouldn’t be alone. It had to be Damien. He had seen how close she was to breaking, how much she needed the people around her now. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Flora looked between Catarina and Eva, her lips trembling with a bittersweet smile. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “Thank you for coming.” Catarina patted her cheek affectionately. “You’re stuck with us now,” she said with a soft almost motherly smile, before turning back to the stove to finish serving the stew. “Now, sit down and eat before you collapse. I made your favorite.” Flora’s stomach growled again in response, and she let out a soft laugh. Their presence, combined with the savory aroma of the stew, filled the room with a sense of comfort that Flora hadn’t realised she'd been craving .