Lucas PovThe next morning I arrived at the office earlier than usual. My whole head was a chaotic storm of emotion I couldn't seem to shake off. Audrey had taken up some permanent residence in my thoughts, and no matter how hard I tried to focus more on the memory of her smile, look, appearance, and the way her eyes lit up, it kept pulling me back aside.I wasn't even sure when it had started, but it's clearer now. I was drawn in a way that I couldn't explain, and I didn't want to, yet I knew I could not try to afford distractions, not with so much at stake; I mean, my whole life, my company, and my reputation are on the line. I can't afford to be distracted.I intentionally buried myself in work, hoping that the piles of reports and some kind of endless emails would drown out the chaos in my head. But calm was short-lived; it kept replaying what happened yesterday at the meeting. The investors actually noticed my lack of focus, and I pray they don't change their mind and withdraw fr
Lucas POVOhh god!What is going on? Why do I feel like I am dragging myself into big trouble, a trouble that the stakes are higher than I can ever have imagined? I said to myself as I glanced through the text on my phone for the second time, the glow of the screen burning into my eyes. My fingers hovered over the keypad, unsure of what to respond. Was this some kind of sick joke or something? A warning? Or worse, a threat?For a moment, I considered ignoring it, brushing it off as a prank. But the deliberate mention of Audrey made my pulse quicken. Who is this? And how did this person know about Audrey?I quickly dialed the number. The number rang twice before disconnecting, and when I tried again, the number was out of service. My frustration shimmered just beneath the surface as I slammed the phone onto my desk.Who would send such a message? Isabella immediately crossed my mind. She had the motive and the temper. But this didn’t feel like her style. She was bold, confrontational.
Isabella's POV As Kendal stood before me, the satisfaction that surged through me was almost intoxicating. She was more than an accomplice—she was my sharpest weapon. Her performance had been impeccable. I leaned back, letting a faint smile play across my lips, my tone deliberate and razor-edged. “You’ve truly outdone yourself, Kendal. The lies you told Lucas are just too seamless. He’s already starting to question Audrey. Exactly as planned.”Kendal’s smile widened, a flicker of pride glinting in her eyes. “Thank you, Isabella. It’s an honor to have the privilege to assist you. I take pride in my work.”I leaned forward, my voice soft but dripping with venomous intent, as though sharing a secret meant to stain the air. “Good. But now, we escalate, that is we are going to the next stage of our plans which is to make her life unbearable, subtle, precise, and devastating for her in this office .Push her into making small, fatal mistakes. Make her doubt herself and loose focus in her e
Lucas POV The chair scraped gently against the polished floor as I pulled it out for Isabella to sit with my eyes momentarily locking with hers. The dim lighting bathed her face in a warm glow, softening her sharp edges and momentarily clouding the doubt swirling in my chest. “Thank you, Lucas,” she said, her voice as smooth as the wine we’d yet to order. Her smile held a kind of radiance that could disarm anyone—but not me. I pulled a chair and sat down across her as the weight of guilt pressed down on me like a physical force. I knew that I didn't just want Isabella to be here, she's not the woman that I have interest in and that I want to have anything to do with but right now I don't have a choice. I just knew it deep down, but I couldn’t bring myself to admit it aloud. After my outburst earlier in the office, this dinner felt like a necessity. An apology I owed her, that's the least I can do, it won't take me anything. “Isabella,” I began, my voice steady as I reached for
Audrey's POV Gosh! I'm late again! I quickly walked into the company's building and headed to the receptionist table to sign my name on the attendance. The stress of my son's health, the weight of the hospital bills and the responsible I had to face at work toll really hard on me. I headed to my office after signing my name on the attendance and then I walked slowly, with my eyes scanning the tables of my other colleagues as I walked pass them. The sound of the clicking of keyboard just seem muted today and I feel like I was walking through a fog. I unlocked my office door and sat at my desk trying to shake off the feeling of unease that I felt all over me. I settled down after some minutes and was calm and then I began to go through my emails but then my mind kept wondering back to Aiden. I could see his small body hooked up to the machines and wires in the hospital bed. I could hear the beeping sound of the monitor and the soft whisper of the nurses voice. Tears filled a
Audrey's POV "Lord please, make Lucas to be too busy that he won't see this mistake".I prayed in my heart as I walked back to my office. I closed my eyes and tightened my fist and tried to calm myself down. I have to do something to fix this. So I quickly took the correct files and scanned them and sent it Lucas, I just hope he won't notice the mistake.But as I learned back on my chair after sending the correct files, I couldn't just shake off the feeling of unease that I felt. I had just made a very terrible mistake and that could just lead to a serious consequence I was not ready to face now.Still lost in my thought, my phone buzzed with an email notification, it was from Lucas. My heart sank and I swallowed hard after reading the subject line of the email, it says "Regarding the Johnson's File".I waited for some minutes and then I took the courage to open the email but my hands were still trembling like I was about to commit murder. And then, I saw the words that made my heart
Audrey's POV Beep Beep Beep!!My alarm rang, reminding me of the 2 pm meeting that I have with Kendall. I had been wishing the time for the meeting take longer so it won't come so soon but finally it is here and I felt a sense of unease.I tried to just calm myself down as I took a deep breath and exhaled. I don't want what so ever Kendall has to say to get to me so I have to calm myself down before leaving. The conference room was kinda far from my office as I will have to walk pass many office to get there and it is really frustrating. I mean, if it was a general meeting for all workers, I would have been so happy to go but this is just different. I was going to have meeting with someone that is not even my boss and that is really tiering.As I walked, I could feel the eyes of my fellow colleagues all over me. I just couldn't help but wonder if they knew about my meeting with Kendall or if they were just curious to know where I was heading to, cause the way they looked me was so
Lucas POV "Isabella what are you doing here?" I asked with my voice firm as I turned to face her.Isabella just beamed with smile and her eyes gleaming with innocence. "Lucas my love, please don't be mad me, I didn't mean to interrupt. I came to see you and on my way to your office, I heard voices so I decided to stop by and see what's happening, that is all".I raised an eyebrow, "You didn't mean to interrupt then, why are you here in the first place? What if it was a meeting with my investors, don't you know that you just walking in here without being invited could ruin the meeting?""I'm so sorry, I won't barge in like that next time and besides, the main reason I walked in here was because I heard Audrey's name so I decided to walk in here to see if she's putting on one of those her bad attitude."My eyes narrowed as I was a bit confused . "Bad attitude? Where did you get such information about her from?"Isabella's smile grew wider as she looked excited to take about Audrey . "O
BELLA’S POVSilence stretched between us, thick and unyielding. Carlos sat across from me, his fingers tapping lightly against the table, his dark eyes unreadable. He was waiting for me to say something, to explain why I suddenly looked like I had just pieced together a missing part of a puzzle.I took a slow breath, choosing my words carefully. “There’s someone… someone who could help us.”Carlos arched a brow, still unreadable. “Who?”I swallowed, my heart hammering as I said the name out loud. “Edward.”For the first time since I had met Carlos, his expression wavered. It wasn’t shock, but something sharper, something calculating. “Edward Leon, Ethan’s brother?”I nodded. “I’ve only ever had a proper conversation with him once, but that was enough to see it, he hates Ethan. I don’t just mean sibling rivalry or petty resentment. No, Edward loathes him. And I know he’d do anything to take him down.”Carlos leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his broad chest, watching me close
Sweet Loving“Great! Just great! More work has been added to the pile of files I have to review and analyze.” Stephanie complained as she viewed mail from her department manager asking her to create a visual representation of the data she had to analyze using power BI.It was very late in the evening and most of the staff had gone home but Stephanie stayed late in the office most evenings as work was all she had to do.She didn’t have any friends or family members she could go home to or visit. She grew up in the orphanage and learned very early never to get too close or form any bond with any of the other kids because they could be separated in the blink of an eye.Stephanie sighed, remembering how she had to work hard, work extra time to get an education and work her way up to the position she was in now as a data analyst. The overtime spent in the office paid off.She was nowhere near where she wanted to be in her career but she believed that with time, her ambitious self would ach
LUCAS' POVI hated the fact that Isabella was trying to force me to take pills that did nothing but mess with my head. It gave me a severe headache that sometimes I ended up forgetting everything that happened the previous day.“I won't take it and you won't force me to, Bella. It hurts my head, why don't you understand that? Do you like it when I'm in pain?” I asked in confusion and she immediately shook her head in response as she dropped the pills back into the drawer.“I thought it actually helped with headaches and stress since it works for me too. I was just worried about you, that's all.” She said with a nervous smile and my brows furrowed in confusion. Why was she trying to make sure I took the pills?She's been acting suspicious ever since she had me fire Kendall and I needed to get to the bottom of everything.“You sure that's all? You can tell me anything.” I said softly, trying to get her to say something but she remained and shook her head in denial.“My stomach suddenly
AUDREY'S POVI had my heart in my throat as I rushed over to the ward. Scott was right behind me and I could tell that he was nervous as well. The nurse ushered us in and my heart soared when I saw Claire lying on the bed as she stared at the ceiling.“Claire?” I called out but she didn't reply. Almost like she didn't hear me.“Claire,” I called out again but there was still no response. I walked up to her and gently tapped her shoulder, causing her to turn to look at me as I smiled at her.“How do you feel, Claire? Does it hurt anywhere?” I asked as I sat beside her and placed my hand on her forehead only for her to slap it off in an instant.“Who are you?” She asked in confusion and my heart sank into the lowest depths. The doctor was right… she had lost her memory.“My name is Audrey and I'm your best friend. You got into an accident that's why you don't remember anything now.” I explained as I took her hands in mine and she looked at me with a skeptical expression.“Why should I b
ISABELLA'S POVThe plan with Scott was going according to how we expected it to and it filled my heart with joy that we were getting rid of the pests in my way. I refused to tell him about Jason though… I liked it when he was caught off guard by the things I did.Audrey wasn't at the office yet and I knew that Jason was doing his job well. While she's distracted, I'll keep drifting them apart until she falls in love with Scott, then let Scott reveal his true colors to her.It'll be so much fun to see her cry after she loses everything and everyone she loves.I glanced down at the office from the top floor and my eyes caught sight of Kendall working behind her desk as usual. She looked like she wasn't going to try to implicate me but I knew better than to believe that. I had to get rid of her before she decided to get rid of me.I immediately took all the combined evidence to Lucas' office with a feigned expression of shock and betrayal. Lucas looked grieved as he asked me to send for
LUCAS' POVIt was already noon, and Audrey still hadn't come to the office. She didn't take a sick leave or a permit from me and it made me annoyed to the core. I thought we had finally bonded after last night's event but it seemed like I was the only one who thought that.Something in me felt uneasy, though, because I knew that she had never been absent from work before. Not even when she was sick. Could it be that her sickness got worse? Why didn't she inform me then?Or could she be in danger?“Lucas!” Isabella suddenly shouted my name as she rushed into the office and I glanced up at her with a frustrated expression.“What is it? Did you have to shout my name so loudly?” I asked in annoyance but she didn't seem to notice my mood as she approached me and handed me her phone.“Look what I found. I've got evidence to prove that Kendall has been stealing from the company. Not just once or twice but multiple times!” She said and I raised a brow in shock as I scrolled through the transa
AUDREY'S POV I rushed out of Aiden's ward after hearing Scott's words. He wouldn't tell me what had happened to Claire so I had to find out by myself. I rushed downstairs and he was right behind me as we both walked into the doctor's office. “Doctor, how's my friend?” I asked in worry as I sat down on the chair opposite him and he let out a sigh before taking off his glasses. Scott sat next to me and took my hand, almost like he was giving me the silent support that I needed. “Well, your friend was hit badly from behind at the back of her head. She's fine now but there's a little problem…” He said calmly and my heart pounded wildly in my chest as he placed his hands on the table. “Tell me what it is, doctor. As long as she's fine and she's not dying, I'm sure it's not that bad.” I said to him but I didn't know if I was reassuring myself or reassuringly him. “Your friend might end up losing her memory.” He said and it felt like a bomb had been dropped inside me. “With how badly sh
AUDREY'S POVMy heart sank into the depths of my stomach as I found Claire lying unconscious on the floor. I couldn't move; I was frozen as I stared at her unconscious body on the floor, and I couldn't bring myself to move closer to her.I didn't want to believe that something was wrong with her. I just wanted her to stand up and tell me that it was all a prank. But after calling her name multiple times with no answer, the tears flowed down my face freely as my entire body shook.“Hey, look at me, Audrey. I'm sure she's fine, let me check on her.” I heard Scott say as he held my shoulders and I glanced at his handsome face before nodding blankly.Scott stepped forward and placed his fingers on her neck to check her pulse and I placed a hand over my mouth to stop myself from sobbing loudly. He suddenly turned to look at me with a smile and a hopeful expression as he turned her around and picked her up.“She still has a pulse and she's still breathing. Let's get her to the hospital firs
AUDREY'S POVMy legs were bouncing nervously as I waited for Claire to pick up but when there was no answer, my fears skyrocketed. Scott had already made a U-turn as we headed to the police, and I knew this was gonna make me late for work, but I didn't care.This violation of my privacy has to stop.“You won't really tell me what's happening, Audrey?” Scott asked as he zoomed down the road and I took deep breaths to calm myself down before I could speak.“Look,” I said shortly and he slowed the car down as he took my phone from my hands. His eyes widened when he saw the pictures and he glanced up at me in shock.“Someone is stalking you? Since when?” He asked in shock and I let out a sigh as I tried to relax against the chair.“It's been days now. There were cameras inside my room, and I was being followed everywhere. It's driving me crazy!” I replied in despair as I held my hair in my hands and he let out a frustrated sigh.“Why didn't you tell me about this? Stalkers are dangerous a