A drop of tears slid down her cheek as she stares at her swollen face in the mirror. Her heart wrenches in pain, and she feels her world crash down to her feet. Again, she has just received the beating of her life from her stepfather. This is what she goes through every day in the hands of the monster that got married to her mom ten years ago, and has been abusing her. Not that her mom is helping matters at all anyway. Unlike every other mother out there that deems it fit to make sure that their children are happy and doing well, her own mom doesn't care about her, as she sees everything her stepfather does to her, to be the right thing. Even when she sees that she's being maltreated. Ariel Williams is just nineteen years old, yet treated like a ten years old little girl. Yes, at times she thinks of running away, but where will she go from here? What will become her fate if she eventually runs away? And isn't it better to stay here and have a roof over her head while suffering, than
Chapter 2 "Here's your room," The lady says to her with a deep frown on her face after she took Ariel into a large beautiful room. The room is just like the types she has only seen in movies. She never imagined that she'd see this type of room in her entire life, and to think she's going to be sleeping here, she can only be happy that it's more comfortable than her small room back in the house, but also scared of what is going to happen here. "Thank you," She says to her politely, but the lady only ignores her. It's already getting confusing at this point. "That's the bathroom there. Go have your bath and join me downstairs. We have something to discuss," The lady says to her casually, and she slowly nods her head. As much as she wants to ask her some questions out of curiosity, on a second thought, she conclude to let this rest for now. Besides, not that she will be leaving here anytime soon, that is if she's ever going to be leaving, anyway. She watches as the lady turns and wal
Chapter 3Three days later... Her heart beats rapidly as she cuddles herself up on the bed and stare at the closed door. It's almost time Maxwell will show up in the room to have sex with her as scheduled, and she can't help getting scared. They have gone to the hospital just the following day that she came here, and after series of tests, the doctor confirmed that she's healthy, though she was still given some injections. It's almost 10pm already, and as the second ticks slowly, she feels her heartbeat increases rapidly. You can imagine why she's so scared, right? Aside from never been laid by any man all her life, she never thought that she would lose her virginity to some stranger. The minute hand finally ticks the time, and as if he timed her, the door suddenly pulls open, and her breath stops immediately as she beholds him standing. He's wearing a purple robe that exposes a portion of his chest. Although she didn't stare long before she turns her gaze away, but he looks so br
Chapter 4Three weeks later... "I told you not to do this, babe. It seems like I've just been wasting my time," Maxwell vents his frustration as he drives down the road. It has been three weeks since he and Ariel have been into this dirty thing, thinking that it'll eventually yield good results, but it turns out that he was mistaken. He has also slept with her on her ovulation, thinking that she'll eventually get pregnant, but nothing happened. "Come on, honey... You don't have to get too worked up about this, OK? We're just going to go for a medical check-up and see what's wrong with her. I promise you that everything will be fine," Alicia holds his hand and assure him before she glances over at Ariel who has been in the backseat and watching the couple as she thinks about her life. "Are you sure you're not having any unusual feelings, Ariel?" This is the same question that Alicia has been asking her for the past three weeks, and each time she asked her that, she'll tell her that
Chapter 5The next day at Max's mansion... The early morning sunlight penetrates the room through the window, and Ariel slowly tilts her head to see that it's morning already. She sighs briefly and runs her fingers through her messy hair, groaning tiredly. Recalling the incident of the previous night, a smile lace up her lips. She has never felt so good all her life, and she enjoyed every bit of it yesterday. Looking to the side of the bed, she sighs briefly as an empty space welcomes her. Maybe if he were to be her boyfriend or husband, he would've been by her side and sleeping peacefully, and maybe she may have all the time to stare at his handsome face, but too bad that he can never be hers. He belongs to someone else. Realizing that she has to go to the hospital to get the test result, she quickly stands up from the bed and drags herself into the bathroom, while holding the duvet to her naked body. Her vaginal feel sore after the sex, but she can still manage to walk. After ha
Chapter 6The next day..."Are you sure about this?" Alicia asks for the umpteenth time as their car pulled over at the parking lot of Mr. Dante's mansion."You don't have to be nervous, babe. Everything will be fine," Max assures her, and she nods her head as they both hop out of the car. They stride to the entrance door and ring the doorbell. Moments later, the door pulls open, revealing a woman in her mid-sixties. She's Mr. Dante's housekeeper."Good day, ma'am Cleo," Max greets her politely, and the woman smiles at them warmly. Madam Cleo used to be Maxwell's nanny after the death of his mom years ago. After Max moved out of the house to build a family of his, the woman had to take on the job of helping Mr. Dante out with the house chores and also cook for him."Please come in," She opens the door wide for them, and they both walk inside. The sparkling neat large living room welcomes the both of them. It has been a while since they were last here and the place is only getting more
Chapter 7Two months later... Max has successfully taken over the companies and things have been moving smoothly for the past two months. Ariel still lives with them, but she hasn't been happy as the thought of eventually giving up her child keeps haunting her every second that ticks. It's a beautiful evening and the atmosphere is conducive for a balcony. Staring up at the dark sky, she sighs for the umpteenth time as she holds the rail. So many thoughts parade through her mind and she can't help another sigh that tears through her throat. The thought of her mom flashes through her mind, and a drop of tears slid down the corner of her cheek as she bites her bottom lip sadly. As much as she dislikes her for doing this to her, she still can't help but miss her. She has no idea why she was suddenly cruel to her, but one thing she will never forget is that there was a time that she lived her life for her, a time that her mom protected and sacrificed her happiness to make her happy. But
Chapter 8"You can't do that, Max. I disagree with you!" Alicia yells angrily as she barges into the room and paces angrily. "Come on, babe... You know deep inside you that I'm doing the right thing...""The right thing? Do you have any idea what you're about to do at all? This wasn't what we planned. What if something happens to the baby?" She asks angrily, crossing her arms on her chest, and he sighs briefly. "Nothing of such will happen, babe. I promise you that the baby will be fine, OK? I know why you're worried, and I assure you that everything will be fine, OK?" He speaks to her softly, as he places his hands on her shoulder. An awkward silence assumes the air as Alicia just stares at her husband with a suspicious look. She has been feeling like something is not right about her husband. She was worried that Ariel might eventually take her husband away from her, and now he's getting all worked up about her, what's going on? "Are you in love with her?" She suddenly asks out o
Chapter 83"Why are you doing this?" Alicia yells at the top of her voice as tears stream down her cheeks. Alicia has been untied, and they are both inside a room now."You are going to kill everyone, and take what belongs to them? Are you this much of a monster?" She yells again, but Dennis doesn't look like he is going to listen to her."We've got what we want now... Why don't we leave for a faraway place where nobody will ever be able to get to us? I am giving you a chance to do this now," Dennis replies to her as he hands her a pistol."If you want to live, go out there, and shoot them one after the other. Kill them all and let's leave here once and for all. This is the only chance you have, Jessica. If you turn your back on me now, I will take you as my enemy for real this time," He utters, and she gulps down the lump that forms in her throat as she stares at him. Her hand trembles nervously, and she gulps down nothing again. It's literally her first time holding a gun, and she c
Chapter 82"How dare you, bitch!" Dante yelled at the top of his voice as he sent a hot slap across Elisabeth's cheek. After looking for her everywhere, Viper was finally able to get her from the hotel where Max had hidden her all this while."I told you to never mess with me, but you didn't want to listen to me. How dare you!" He yelled for the second time, sending another hot slap across her cheek. Her mouth is already bleeding. She is supposed to be in tears, but she is rather smiling as she stares back at him with a satisfactory look on."Do you want to slap me again? Go ahead and do it. Do you want to kill me? Then just go ahead and shoot me right here... Don't forget that Maxwell and Alex will be coming for you. They won't stop, until they hunt you down," A smirk settles on her lips as she emphasizes her words, and he finally punches her hard in the face this time, sending her roughly to the floor along with the chair she was tied to.He squats in front of her and grabs her hair
Chapter 81Ariel's head hurts and she groans as she tries to open her eyes, but she gasps upon finding herself in a strange room. She tries to recall what happened, and where the hell this place is, and just like that, memories of the previous day came flooding her head, and she gasps. She slowly looks around the room, and that is when the realization dawns on her that she isn't the only one in the room, but with her dad, stepmom, and the two little girls that were supposed to be her stepsisters."Daddy... Daddy... Are you ok? Joann... Ella... Ma'am... Are you ok?" Ariel asks worriedly as she manages to sit up on the cold floor, realization dawns on her that they have all been abducted. Hearing a silent whimper behind her, she slowly tilts her head to find Alicia tied to a chair too. Wow! This is crazy."What's going on here? Why are we here?" Although she knows her question is really crazy, but she couldn't just help it."Oh, you are awake? I thought you died in your sleep. That woul
Chapter 80"What's going on?" Ariel muttered as she run her fingers through her hair crazily. She has been trying to reach everybody, but no one was answering her calls, not even Max or Alex. She gulps down nothing worriedly, praying nervously that nothing happens. It's past 10pm, and Max hasn't been back yet after he told her earlier that he was going to attend to something and come back immediately."Answer your call, please," She mumbles as she dials the number again, and when it didn't go through, she decides to call Alex, and maybe, who knows, his number might go through, but it was still the same result she got.Many questions run through her mind as she sinks into the bed, grabbing a handful of her hair in her hands as she drops her gaze to the floor. Could it be that something happened while she is here? Were they abducted? Those are the questions that keep running through her mind as she tries to gather her thoughts together, but it only ends up getting ruined since she can't
Chapter 79After hearing everything from Alex, her heart sinks into her stomach, her cheeks are wet from her uncontrollable tears. Her heart wrenches in pain at the thought of being betrayed by the man she so much loved with everything in her, but on a second thought, she feels like he was right about everything. If she truly loved him, she wouldn't have agreed to that in the first place. Does she even have any right to feel used when she already hurt Max so much? Does she have any right to be hurt with just this, when she has lived all her life hurting people?As she drags her feet along the lobby and heads to her room, her phone suddenly starts ringing and she rolls her eyes when she checks the screen and finds out that the caller is Dennis.She crashes against the bed as soon as she steps into her room, staring up at the ceiling with a pool of tears streaming down the corner of her cheeks.'There is no wedding for us, Alicia. Do you think I would still marry you after everything? Y
Chapter 78 Alicia POV I arrived at the hotel room a few minutes ago, and I haven't been really at peace. Did I make the right decision? Should I have worked with him? Those are the questions that keep lingering on my bed as I toss on the bed before I sit up. Memories of the past came flooding my mind, and for the first time, I feel guilt wash through me. Thinking about Max makes me go crazy. I feel like I was being unfair to him. Although he later changed, which was all I ever wanted, but still, it didn't change the fact that I hurt this emotion. I know this is too sudden, and you must think that I'm really crazy, but trust me, it's nothing of such. I'm just feeling remorseful for my actions in the past. I don't want to end up like Dennis, and with the way I'm going now, I might end up clouding my heart with hatred like him, and end up tormenting people, which is the last thing I would never want to do in my life. I need to make things right. Besides, I've always lived a s
Chapter 77Silence creeps into the atmosphere as Alicia stares back at him, shocked at his confession. Is he trying to pull a fast one on her or what?"There's nothing bad in wanting to spend time with my daughter, right?" He breaks the awkward silence, but she only stares back at him with many thoughts running through her mind.As her eyes roam the entire restaurant, the realization dawns on her that they are the only ones in the restaurant."Oh, sorry if that came as a shock to you. I booked the restaurant for the time we will spend here. I didn't want someone to disturb us," He breaks into her thoughts as if he was reading her mind, and she sighs briefly before she turns her gaze to look at him with a blank expression on.Memories of years ago flood his mind as he stares at his daughter that is all grown now. How they would go to bed without food, how they suffered, and how he watched her grow with another man, calling him 'dad' when he was supposed to be the one she calls that. Th
Chapter 76"What is the meaning of this, Laura?" Dante's eyes widen in shock as he stares at his wife who just slapped him. He had just come here to see her since she was sick for the last few days, only to be welcomed with a slap.Tears stream down Laura's cheeks as she stares back at the man she has been with for the past thirty-three years of her life, the man she has spent her whole life loving, unknown to her that he has been lying to her. Just the thought of it was messing her head and driving her nuts. Laura and Dante have been together for thirty-five years. Three years of courting, and thirty-two years of marriage. She has always thought that this man was the most faithful man any woman would want to spend the rest of her life with, she thought he was the best man in the world, well, he was, up until the last few hours she found out what this man has done. It breaks her heart to know that she has been fooled and used for the past years that she has been with him."Are you ok,
Chapter 75I toss on the bed for the umpteenth time, trying to get some sleep, but I can't even bring myself to do it. The scenario from earlier today is still stuck in my head, and the more I try to get it off, the more I find myself thinking about it, and it's really driving me nuts. "Is he kidding me?" I scoff as I sit up on the bed, ruffling my hair that I already parked inside my cap, allowing them to fall carelessly on my shoulders. The room is air-conditioned, but I feel so hot and just feel like I need fresh air, but I know that I don't need it. I may feel cold if I decided to step out of the room now.It bothers me to think that Alex has been playing me, but I also don't want to conclude that it's what I'm thinking. What else would it look like? He was obviously playing you. I also try to assure myself that it's not what I'm really thinking, but fuck! My head is so messed up that I can't even gather my thoughts together.Pushing all the thoughts away, I lay back on the bed,