Taking a deep breath, Flora made a decision. "Alright, Olivia," she said, her voice firm yet gentle. "Let's give this a try.” She reached out, placing a steady hand over Olivia's trembling fingers. ”But know this – if you betray my trust, if this is all some elaborate game, there will be no coming back from it. I won’t be so forgiving after a second betrayal."
Olivia nodded, tears streaming down her face. “Thank you, Flora. I promise, I just want to help. You won't regret this.”A hesitant smile touched Flora's lips. Would she regret this? Maybe. There was a very good chance that Olivia was playing her for a fool again. But she wouldn't let the fear of that stop her from doing what she believed was the right thing.The tension in the room eased as Flora felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She had chosen to forgive, and while the wounds Olivia had inflicted would always be there, maybe this was a step towards healing. Whether their newfound understanding would blossom iFlora's alarm woke her from a restless slumber as dawn painted the city in a hopeful glow, the morning sky bleeding a vibrant orange. Inside the lavish penthouse, a different kind of fire burned within Flora. Today was the day. Today she would finally face Alice, the woman who'd poisoned her childhood with constant criticism and indifference. She would confront her stepmother, and try to stop her from taking over her father’s company. She took a deep breath and tried to steady her nerves. She needed to be strong. She dressed carefully, choosing a sleek navy blue pencil skirt and a white silk blouse with delicate ruffles at the collar. Her black heels added a few inches to her height, giving her an air of authority. She added a pair of pearl earrings and a simple silver bracelet, her hair pulled back in a neat chignon. She looked at herself in the mirror, hoping to see a confident woman ready for battle. The fabric rested beautifully against her skin, it
The car glided smoothly through the city streets, the morning traffic a symphony of honking horns and impatient drivers. Flora, however, barely registered the chaos outside. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions – anger at Alice, apprehension about the meeting, and a sliver of nervous excitement about toppling Alice's plans. The drive to the Equinox Centre was smooth and uneventful, the luxurious car gliding effortlessly through the city streets. Flora stared out the window, her mind racing with thoughts of what awaited her. She had faced many challenges in her life, but this one felt particularly daunting. She was about to confront her stepmother, the woman who had made her life a living hell for so many years. But she was determined to fight for her father’s company and his legacy. As they approached the Equinox Centre, Flora’s heart rate quickened. The office building where the lawyer's meeting would take place was a towering behemoth of glass and steel, its im
Flora felt the air leave her lungs in a whoosh. A paternity test? What in the world did that have to do with her inheritance? She exchanged a bewildered glance with Eva, who carefully hid her own confusion under a mask of neutrality. Flora’s eyes widened in disbelief. “A paternity test? This is outrageous! My father has never questioned my paternity. Why now?” Alice finally spoke up, her tone dripping with feigned concern. “It’s a necessary legal formality, dear. We must ensure everything is in order.” “Why would there be a clause like that?" Eva finally chimed in, her voice sharp with suspicion. "Did Mr. Wicks have any doubts about Flora's parentage?" Alice shot Eva a withering glare, but before she could retort, Mr. Henderson intervened. "Unfortunately, Mrs. Wilson, the specifics surrounding the clause are not explicitly stated in the will. However, it does stipulate that if Miss Flora refuses the paternity test, she will forfeit not only t
Flora stared at the glittering cityscape outside the window, her reflection distorted in the glass like a funhouse mirror. The vibrant lights held no allure for her today. The revelation of the paternity test hung heavy in the air, a storm cloud threatening to unleash a torrent of emotions she wasn't sure she could handle.As the conference room confrontation receded into the background, Flora found herself adrift in a sea of troubling thoughts. Thoughts of the paternity test clause gnawed at her, casting a shadow over her childhood memories. She couldn’t help but wonder if her father had always harbored suspicions about her birth mother’s fidelity. Maybe that was why he allowed Alice to treat her so poorly. The idea that the man who had raised her might not be her biological father left her feeling unmoored and vulnerable.She tried to keep an upbeat attitude for Eva’s sake, brushing off her friend’s concerned questions with practiced ease. Each time Eva glanced her way, a
Flora stared at him, a flicker of hope battling the despair that had threatened to consume her. Damien's words, his unwavering belief in her, felt like a lifeline thrown across a churning sea. She clutched at it with the desperation of a hungry hound.As if in agreement, Whiskerton let out a loud meow and then purred contentedly against Damien. Flora couldn’t help but smile at the sight. “Thank you,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. ”I needed to hear that.”Damien reached out, as if to touch the screen separating them. The gesture, though impossible, held a tenderness that made Flora's heart skip a beat. "Always, love," he said, his gaze holding hers. “Remember, you’re not alone in this. I’m here for you, no matter what.”They spoke for a little while longer, Damien updating her on his day, his voice a soothing balm on her frayed nerves. As the conversation wound down, a peculiar thought snuck into Flora's mind, one both scary and enticing.Several hours later
After breakfast with Eva, Flora tried to occupy herself with reading the documents of her father's company, particularly those pertaining to succession. She found the details meticulous and comprehensive, yet with each page she turned, her frustration grew. However, the more she read, the angrier she became. As she delved into the intricate succession clauses, her ire creeped higher. Every sentence, every paragraph, seemed like a cruel reminder of the precariousness of her situation. The possibility of the paternity test unraveling her entire claim, of being rendered an outsider in her own inheritance, gnawed at her like a relentless rodent. Was there even a point in fighting? Was there a point in flying back all the way to her home city, battling Alice, and clawing her way through the legal system, only to have a single blood test render her efforts totally useless? The thought that all her struggles might be in vain left her feeling hollow and despondent.
It was no secret that Alice, always the epitome of image-conscious, would relish the opportunity to rid herself of her ailing husband, even if it meant splurging on a deluxe hospital room. The cost wouldn't matter to her as long as it maintained a semblance of decorum. Charles remained silent, his eyes forward, as Anne parked the car. Stepping out of the car, Flora felt a strange mix of trepidation and a morbid curiosity. She straightened her skirt and took a deep breath, steeling herself for whatever awaited her within those sterile walls. Though this was a different place entirely, it unfortunately reminded her of her time spent recovering from Esther's plans and Tilly Goodman s assault, bringing that luckless period to the forefront of her mind. Funny enough, it had not been that long ago. This place reminded her of blood and pain and fear. Flora took a deep breath and smoothed out her blazer as she walked through the entrance. Inside, the
A gasp escaped Flora's lips as strong arms wrapped around her waist, catching her before she could hit the floor. A smoky musk surrounded her. She looked up, startled, into a pair of apologetic brown eyes framed by thick black glasses. "Oh my God, are you alright?" a male voice exclaimed, his voice laced with concern. The man holding her steadied her and then stepped back, his hands still lingering on her waist. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going." As Flora opened the door to leave her father's hospital room, she bumped into a hard chest. The collision sent her off balance, and before she could process what was happening, a pair of strong hands caught her mid-fall by the waist, straightening her back up. Flora blinked, slightly disoriented. The sudden contact had knocked the wind out of her. "It's fine. I'm fine. Really. But, um... your hands?" The man looked down and realized his hands were still on her. He flinched slightly, a
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 .