"...well, I think the suggestion you made at the clubhouse was a great one, Ollie, and we should start thinking of..."Chloe paused, her voice trailing off as she noticed Ollie's distracted state. There was a tension in Ollie's expression that hadn't been there before, and it concerned Chloe."Ollie?" Chloe said firmly, her hand coming down on the table with a sharp slap. Ollie jumped slightly, her attention fully brought back to the present."I was listening," Ollie responded, her voice a little flustered.Chloe studied Ollie's face, her eyes searching for the truth. She knew Ollie well enough to sense when something was bothering her."No, you were not," Chloe countered gently. "What's bothering you, Ollie? You know you can always tell me."Ollie hesitated, unsure if she should reveal the reason for her distraction. The encounter with Anthony, the man with a notorious reputation, still lingered in her mind."I...It's nothing, Chloe," Ollie replied, her voice wavering. "I didn't slee
Emma's head throbbed relentlessly, despite the painkillers she had taken. With each pulsating ache, her frustration and disappointment grew. She mustered the strength to drag herself onto the bed, collapsing onto the soft surface, desperate for relief.The absence of Kylian during her time of need only intensified her anguish. Clutching her head with trembling hands, she felt the pain sharpen, as if mocking her. Where was he when she needed his support the most? Wasn't he supposed to be her partner, her rock?She couldn't shake off the bitter realization that Kylian's devotion was reserved for Chloe. He would be furious when he discovered the state of his Bentley, left damaged in the compound. Emma had taken it for a joyride around town, struggling to maneuver a vehicle she had yet to master. And to compound her foolishness, she had even live-streamed the entire reckless escapade.Tossing aside the towel that had provided little relief, Emma confronted the harsh truth. Waiting for Kyl
Emma's tears continued to flow as she stepped out of the grand mansion, her heart heavy with the weight of her emotions. The mere thought of staying in the same space as Kylian felt suffocating, unbearable. She questioned whether Kylian would even leave the garage that night, consumed by his obsession with his precious Bentley.Emma pressed her foot on the accelerator, eager to distance herself from the painful reality she found herself in. As the tears blurred her vision, she wiped them away, a mixture of anger and sadness coursing through her veins. Kylian had made his priorities painfully clear, and Emma couldn't overlook the significance of his actions. How could he prioritize a car over his wife?How could he be so blind to her need for love and attention, especially during this challenging time?As Emma zoomed out of the compound, frustration surged within her. It was absurd to think that a mere car was more important to him. It felt like a betrayal, a cruel reminder that she wa
Chloe sat in front of the mirror, the rhythmic strokes of the brush through her hair bringing back cherished memories of her mother's tender care. She realized now that she had been mistaken to think she could let go of her parents' memory so easily. The longing to uncover the truth about that fateful day when they left the house and never returned had grown stronger within her. It was time to have a heartfelt conversation with Amelia, to seek answers and connect with her roots. Perhaps, by discovering more about her parents, she could also uncover the truth behind their mysterious disappearance.Gathering her luscious locks into a curly ponytail, Chloe admired herself in the mirror, a faint smile playing on her lips. She couldn't deny the resemblance she saw between herself and her mother. It was as if their spirits were intertwined, guiding her on this journey of self-discovery.Max had hinted that their outing would involve some walking, and Chloe contemplated putting on trousers f
The sun beat down relentlessly as they arrived at the park, drawing the attention of onlookers to Max's sleek grey Porsche. Max exuded an air of sophistication in his simple yet luxurious attire, and as Chloe joined him, the clicking of phone cameras captured their every move.Max held Chloe's hand with possessiveness, a silent declaration that she belonged to him.Chloe relished the leisurely walk, despite the scorching heat of the sun. The afternoon carried a pleasant breeze, making the temperature more bearable."I received a call from my secretary, Kayla, this morning," Chloe began, breaking the silence. "It seems my trip to Abu Dhabi is going to happen sooner than expected.""How soon? I would love to accompany you to Abu Dhabi, but my schedule is packed this week. If your trip falls within the next few days, I'm afraid I won't be able to make it," Max replied.Chloe wanted Max by her side when she explored Abu Dhabi. It would be her first time visiting the city, and she envision
Max's live video captured the moment when Emma spotted Chloe blindfolded and led towards a sleek black Bentley. A pang of jealousy and bitterness pierced Emma's heart. Why was Max buying Chloe the car she had been dreaming of?The Bentley was adorned with elegant ribbons, its impeccable appearance captivating Emma's gaze. Passers-by began to gather, their phones capturing the enchanting moment. Their exclamations of awe filled the air, as they couldn't help but admire the luxurious gift. Emma couldn't help but compare. This was what she had yearned for from Kylian – grand gestures of love, expensive and lavish tokens that would leave everyone envious. Yet, it seemed that Chloe effortlessly attracted the men who possessed the very things Emma desired.Envy consumed Emma as she watched Chloe take graceful steps toward the glistening beauty before her. Chloe's radiant smile only fueled Emma's irritation. It should have been her. She should have been the one experiencing such luxury and i
Chloe's emotions swirled inside her as they approached the address that supposedly held her childhood home. She couldn't help but feel uncertain about what awaited her there. The existence of the house itself was uncertain in her mind. She let out a frustrated sigh, and Max reached for her hand, offering his support."Are you ready for this?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.Chloe had convinced herself countless times that she was prepared for this moment, but the sleepless nights had left her feeling weary. She was eager to reconnect with the house that held cherished memories of her childhood and the presence of her parents. However, she couldn't shake off the fear that the painful void left by their absence would overshadow everything.She nodded once more, attempting to reassure herself. "I'm alright, sweetheart. Just a little nervous. It's been such a long time."Her gaze drifted to the glimmering ring adorning her finger, a constant reminder of the perfect display of love
Emma's wine cup slipped from her hand, shattering on the ground, forgotten in the wake of her mother's emotional revelation. Confusion and curiosity clouded her thoughts as she sought answers to the cryptic words Amelia had spoken."What are you talking about, Mum?" Emma pressed, her voice filled with a mix of urgency and concern.Amelia's tear-stained face bore the weight of sorrow, and Emma could sense the depth of her pain. Whatever transpired between Chloe's mother and her own was evidently a haunting secret. Emma's desire to uncover the truth burned within her, fueled by a mix of resentment and longing for closure."I want to know, Mum," Emma persisted, her voice tinged with determination. "What did Chloe's mother do? What did she take?"Amelia locked eyes with Emma, her expression filled with a tumult of emotions. She hesitated, wrestling with the weight of her confession. Finally, she took a deep breath, as if steeling herself to reveal a long-held secret."I loved your dad, Em
Chloe pushed the doorbell of the door where she once lived. It felt like ages she’d been at Emma’s doorstep. The number of calls and the text messages she had gotten at the wedding made it feel like it had been really something urgent.She’d had her doubts about making that visit. The last time she remembered, Emma had wanted her downfall so badly that she had gone to the extent of allying with dangerous criminals, even putting herself in danger in the process.After a while of waiting, she pushed the doorbell yet again. She heard some footsteps trotting steadily in her direction. She held her breath in anticipation as she couldn’t tell why she had been called out there.“Chloe,” Emma said, “You’re here.” She hadn’t expected to see her after all.“Yeah, I’m here.” Chloe’s eyes ran a quick subtle scan through her. Her wandering eyes were caught by the little bump in her belly. She was shocked as she hadn’t been told that part of the story. Max…come on. He had sadly left out that import
“I look stupid!” Ollie exclaimed in a mild tone of disappointment as she looked in the mirror one more time. “I look like a total goof.”“No, Ollie, you don’t,” Chloe protested as it had taken her and the costumier a considerable amount of time and energy to get her in that. “You look elegant.”Chloe looked over at the other girls on the bridal train as they silently complained about Ollie being way too vocal about her own complaints. And her dress too.“Elegant? Are you kidding me right now?” Ollie seemed like she’d never be satisfied, even though she was just a few minutes from walking down the aisle.“I’m not. Besides they’ve put in their best to give you the best, so it’s best that you just…” Chloe was out of words as she walked up to Ollie from behind, her tone becoming more and more hushed as he advanced. “Give them your best reaction. The dress is just perfect, Ollie.”The glistening white wedding gown had a very elegant flay. Maybe just too elegant to the point it puffed proud
Emma was getting uncomfortable in her seat. How had Kylian gotten his hands on all that? It was probably Francis, but how had he gotten to Francis?Her attorney was totally unprepared for that sudden twist in the case. It had been a walkover up until then. That woman’s testimony had them all dumbfounded— she, her mother, and her attorney. They were all thrown in disarray.“Emma, when did this happen?” Her mother, Amelia questioned from behind in a whisper. She had no answer that could appease her mother’s curiosity without implicating her as well. Her lips seemed to shut off their own accord.She knew she was about to face cruel music which she hadn’t rehearsed its dance steps. The look on Kylian’s face when he said, “It’s over,” almost made her lose it in front of the judge. She would be giving herself away before the case was over if she hadn’t gotten her act together.“You could have told me about this,” her attorney whispered faintly in a way that meant that she was really in big
"Don’t worry,” Kylian’s attorney told him not to do the one thing that his mind had been doing subconsciously since he’d set foot in the courtroom. “You’ll be fine.”“Sure I will,” he said, trying not to discourage his attorney before the grueling duel began. Either way, he wouldn’t be that much of a mess. Worst case scenario, he’d have to see Emma at their board meetings.“Kylian,” his mother called out from behind in a whisper. “Keep your composure out there, our fifty percent depends on it.”“Thank you, Mom, you’re doing such a great job at easing me of the pressure of the moment. Very commendable.” He said, harshly sarcastic.“Thank you, Kylian. Just don’t fuck this up for us.”He was a bit taken aback to hear his mom say the ‘f-word’ in public. “It’s really sad you called me just to tell me this.”“Now’s not the time to get in your feelings, young man. Go out there and get our family’s legacy. That’s all the pep talk you need.”As much as he hated it, she was right. He inhaled de
Max had his shades on as he walked through the construction site on the hot sunny afternoon.“The long-awaited upward progress has finally begun.” Mr. Singh mused as he was almost following all of Max’s footsteps throughout the site.“Isn’t it lovely?” Max replied with a smile. “Feels like we started just yesterday.” He was glad that it had been all running smoothly despite him being occupied with all the many personal challenges that he somehow managed to see himself come out on top.“It sure does.” Mr. Singh seemed like he had a default positive response for everything he had to say. It had Max wondering if he’d ever get to see Mr. Singh mad, even just once. He itched to see that moment, except that it didn’t have to be on the job that he was doing for him.Max believed that it was all because of the remarkable presentation that he had put forth. He strongly believed that it was still speaking for him up until then. He hadn’t questioned his moves and followed him with blind trust. H
Ollie picked up her phone and dialed frantically, “Did you hear about Alejandro on the news?” The report on the news seemed untrue, and she assumed that Chloe hadn’t seen it yet. “Alejandro has been arrested on numerous charges?”“Yeah, I heard,” Chloe said, unalarmed like they hadn’t lost one of their biggest potential partners after they had set quite a huge part of their budget plans around him and his cash, especially. “He’s been arrested.”“You know what that means?” Ollie still believed that she wasn’t getting the full scope of the impact of that news in particular. “What’s going to become of our plans and all?”It took Chloe quite some time to get a sigh out from her end of the line. “Well, we are going to figure something out, Ollie.”What? She meant to ask but swallowed it in as she sought a much better response but she couldn’t find any other, that forced her to say it out anyway, but more softly and politely that didn’t make it seem like Chloe had said something unreasonabl
“It’s on the news, Chloe,” Max stared at the TV screen in wild wonder, calling out to Chloe who came running, “They finally got him.”“Businessman known as Alejandro Navarro has been finally apprehended by the forces on charges of illegal drug trades, manslaughter, sex trafficking…” the TV presenter went on and on with his many dirty deeds.“Damn, he’s got quite a lot going for him at the moment.” Max remarked as he reclined on the couch, “Good thing they got him. There could’ve been trouble if they didn’t.”“Yeah,” Chloe said looking on in anticipation, “Nothing on Diego yet?”“Wait for it.”“Alongside the underground drug lord, the notorious gangster, Diego Gutierrez was also found in the building. After much resistance and shots fired, the swat team was able to break in and apprehend the two men and a few other survivors from the heated exchange. Two hostages were found in the basement of the building, a male and a female, suspected to be victims of his trafficking crimes…” The pre
It was the D-Day of the raid. Gray couldn’t deny how nervous he was, but he had to what had to be done. His heartbeat surged forcefully with each stop and turn of the vehicle.Most of all, he hoped the resistance they had predicted would what they’d be faced with. He’d heard stories of how vicious the Mexicans could be, and he didn’t want the mission to be a continuation of that tale.“Alright,” he finally got the courage to speak up amid the men in the large trunk of the van, he was about to attempt to make them not feel what he was feeling. He took out the large tablet that had the blueprint of the building.“The operation is simple.” He didn’t believe it was, but he had to say it anyway. “First, we surround all possible exits of the villa, which include the main gate, the back gate, and one other hidden gate on the Eastern side of the fence…”“Second, we ask Alejandro and his men to come out peaceably. If they don’t, which they most probably wouldn’t, we first hit them hard with so
Kylian tapped on the door, hoping that he’d somehow made it to the right door, following Maya’s directions to her place.The block of flats had way more homes than it appeared to have while viewing it from the outside. One could easily get lost in there. It had him wondering how the inhabitants kept from mistaking another door for theirs.He tapped yet again. He heard some faint footsteps approaching the door and expected to see Maya’s dazzling face. He could hear hands working desperately at the lock and that made him brim with anticipation.Finally, he thought, till the door opened for him to see a tall macho man with overgrown beards and tattoos scattered all over his body. The shock from seeing the stranger made him almost unable to speak. He had heavy rock music pounding in his apartment.“Can I help you mate?” his deep voice could make anybody’s knees buckle with frightful intimidation.“Sorry…I came to the wrong door,” Kylian broke out in an uncoordinated stutter, “I was lookin