“Do you know him?” Ethan asks in a puzzled tone. “Apart from the fact that he was present in the meeting, I know nothing else about him.” I respond with a grimace. Ethan does not respond but rather goes about typing on the computer. “What are you doing?” I ask in confusion. “Copying the footage, of course.” Ethan responds with a scoff as though he could not believe that I was asking such a stupid question. “You want to show it to Roman.” I say to him as my blood runs cold at the thought. “The person behind this is very powerful, whoever he is. Do you think just a black and white camera footage stolen from the hotel room can indict him or bring him down?” Ethan asks, giving me a flat look. “So what are planning on doing with it?” I ask in a more confused tone. “Gathering evidence of course.” Ethan responds as he plugs in a flash into the computers USB port. “You are going to help me track this person down?” I ask in a hope filled voice. “I can't exactly let my newest partner
I hide the pictures under my bag as Roman ends his call and stalks back to me. I knew it wasn't safe there and if there was any way I could keep it away from Roman, I had to discard it. Immediately. I look at Ethan, and an idea pops into my head immediately. I know I can trust him to properly discard the pictures. I try to catch Ethan's eye for a few minutes but I'm unsuccessful as Ethan's focus is entirely on his laptop. I yawn widely and loudly in a last-ditch effort to get his attention and this time I'm successful only I also draw the attention of Roman. “Are you sleepy, princess?” Roman asks as he shuts down his laptop and tilts his body towards me. “Ummmmm, yeah a little.” I respond as my eyes flicker from his to Ethan who is staring quite intently at me now. “Let's head to the room then.” Roman says as he nods towards the back of the plane. “This plane has a room?” I ask in barely concealed awe. “Of course it does. Only the best for the Montgomery enterprise.” Roman say
“How soon can you find out about my past?” I ask Ethan angrily, as I fold my arms across my chest. “Why the urgency? Are you trying to decipher something or what?” Ethan asks with a teasing tilt of his brows. “No. I want to protect myself from making a terrible mistake.” I respond even when I know he wasn't truly asking for a response. “Those pictures were quite the test.” Ethan says humming appreciatively, interrupting my line of thoughts and drawing my attention to him. “Did you get rid of them?” I ask in a hopeful tone, happy that he had gotten the drift earlier on. I look discreetly behind me, careful to ensure that Roman does not listen in on our conversation. “No, Aella, I didn't. I kept them.” Ethan says giving me a look that I don't quite understand. “If anyone finds those pictures, Roman will strangle me and probably kill you!” I whisper yell at him. Why wouldn't he just get rid of them? “I'm keeping them, Aella. I have my reasons, and even though I can't tell you now
I need to see Ethan, but I don't know how much time I have left. Surely Roman must now be aware that I hadn't gone home like he said I should. If I were to call Ethan with my phone, Roman would surely find out I did so. “Why do you look like you've seen a ghost?” A menacing voice says from above my spot on the seat. “Lily???” I croak out when I get a good look at the person who was standing directly in front of my table. “Who else would it be? And why do you look like you would rather it be someone else?” Lily asks with a mocking expression as she lowers herself to the seat opposite mine. I take in huge breaths as I try to calm down my fast-beating heart. I must not let her know I suspected her of having a hand in my accident. I need to put up an act. And by God, it had to be Oscar-worthy. “What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be on leave or something?” I ask with an uninterested glare on my face. “Am I not allowed in the company I work for? And besides, it's only na
“Is my father responsible for the accident?” I ask with my heart in my throat. I don't know what I will do if he's the one. “No, Aella. He's not the one.” Ethan responds. “Why are you so sure?” I ask in a suspicious tone. “Trust me, your father does not have enough money to pay off a killer.” Ethan responds. “Even if my father took no part in it, why would his friend attempt to hurt his daughter? What did he stand to benefit from it?” I ask in an exasperated and confused tone. “Money. Lots of money. I traced a transaction that came into an offshore account belonging to him and on the night before the accident, he received more than half a million dollars in cash.” Ethan says with a grimace. “Let me guess, he escaped immediately after the accident?” I ask with a scornful expression on my face. “On the contrary, Aella. He's in prison. Blackwood Correctional Facility. It's barely on the outskirts of the city.” Ethan responds with a smirk, seemingly happy that the driver is in jail
“We've already spoken, Roman, there's no need.” I say to him as I avert my eyes from his. “Aella, it's either this or you are stuck with me.” Roman says in a tone of finality. “Fine, I will talk to her myself.” I say as I pick up my phone from beside me. I spare a glance at Roman as I make the call. Ashley picks almost on the first ring. “Where the hell are you bitch? I've been waiting for almost an hour now!” Ashley's excited tone pours through the speaker of the phone the moment she picks up the call. I take the phone away from my ear and confirm it's really Ashley on the other end of the line. “I'm on my way, Roman wants to ensure I will be safe with you.” I say to her as I spare Roman a single glance, studying him for his reaction. “Funny that he says that. Well you've been safe with me, long before he came around, haven't you?” Ashley asks in a sardonic tone that has Roman rolling his eyes. “I'm on my way, anything I should bring along with me?” I ask Ashley, trying to di
“I won't hurt you, Aella.” Ethan says as he heads towards me. I shrink back into the wall as I stare from the bloodied Mr Frederick to Ethan's hands and I can't help the little gasp of shock and despair that leaves me. “Think about it, Aella, if I wanted to hurt you, why would I bring you here? Why would I help you? I'm on your side, Aella.” Ethan says as he places his hands in front of him in surrender. “But why though? Why are you on my side? What do you stand to benefit?” I ask him the question I should have asked from the get-go. “Contrary to what you might think, there is still good in this world. My intentions are pure, Aella.” Ethan says with conviction. “Everybody has hidden intentions and goals.” I say dismissively as I gather myself together and stand, moving away from the wall as I try hardly to ignore Frederick's whimpering figure on the floor. “Very well. You are getting married to Roman, Aella. Roman is practically my brother so therefore you become my sister by pr
“Tell your boy toy to let your father go, Aella! How could you be this wicked!?” Kate asks me in a tone laced with anger. “Mother, I'm not holding his hands now, am I?” I asked in an innocent tone as I give Ethan a subtle sign to let my father go. “We should have indeed sent you down to a nondescript orphanage deep in the woods all that time ago. All you've done since you grew up is insult us and punish us for all the good we've done for you!” Kate says with teeth bared as Ethan finally lets my father go. “Why didn't you?” I ask in an angry emotion-filled tone. At this point, anything would have been better than growing up under their care. “You ungrateful bitch!” Kate says as she takes a threatening step towards me, stopping short when I don't cower back in fear. I see the uncertainty in her eyes and I can't help but feel smug about it. Ethan finally lets go of my father and he drops to the ground, coughing violently while clutching his chest. “When you sleep at night, let Aell
A hard choice has to be made. My past or my present. After my mother died, it was almost as if all the friends she had and her family as well vanished into thin air. It became clear to me when I grew up, that my father purposefully cut them out of our lives. I had sworn to myself that I would come back and look for them but life happened and I haven't had the chance to. But right now, the opportunity to reconnect with the only people who knew and loved my mother as much as I did has fallen into my lap but it comes at the expense of my future. If I stay back for even an hour longer, I will surely be caught which is why I refuse to turn back. With tears dripping down my cheeks, I forge forward as I run towards the motel. I barely see the road in front of me as the tears refuse to stop. I rush into my room and hurriedly change out of my dress and into some pants and a tee. I sling my bag over my shoulder as I head out of the room. I take a cab to the train station, and luckily for me t
A hard choice has to be made. My past or my present. After my mother died, it was almost as if all the friends she had and her family as well vanished into thin air. It became clear to me when I grew up, that my father purposefully cut them out of our lives. I had sworn to myself that I would come back and look for them but life happened and I haven't had the chance to. But right now, the opportunity to reconnect with the only people who knew and loved my mother as much as I did has fallen into my lap but it comes at the expense of my future. If I stay back for even an hour longer, I will surely be caught which is why I refuse to turn back. With tears dripping down my cheeks, I forge forward as I run towards the motel. I barely see the road in front of me as the tears refuse to stop. I rush into my room and hurriedly change out of my dress and into some pants and a tee. I sling my bag over my shoulder as I head out of the room. I take a cab to the train station, and luckily for me
“Is there any particular reason why I'm standing here?” I ask the security guard with a carefully practiced bored expression on my face. “I'm just waiting for confirmation, and then I will let you pass. I'm sorry. Instructions from the higher ups.” The man says once more before he continues his work. My heartbeat increases as I look around me. Most people were starting to look at me suspiciously and sooner than later, Roman is going to get me. “Fine. Where's the bathroom?” I ask the man after some time of thinking. “It's just down that way.” The man says with a polite smile on his face as he points me to a door at his far right. I don't say anything as I haul my bag with me towards the stalls. ‘Fuck!’ This is not supposed to be happening. I had to get on that train. And I have to do it fast. I weigh my options and come up with a hasty plan I hope is enough to get me boarded. I open my duffel bag and say a little prayer of thanks for having a bestfriend like Ashley. I take out t
I pull the car I had driven to a stop in front of Ashley's house. I barely have the time to turn off the car and step out of it when Ashley comes running out of the house with a bag in her hands. I had called her on the ride down here and had given her the watered down details of what went down explaining in very clear terms that I was leaving. “Drive! Drive! Drive!” Ashley exclaims as she slips hurriedly into the front seat of the car. I do as she says and zoom off, watching as the bodyguards who are supposed to be watching her attempt to pursue our car on foot but have no such luck. “What the hell, Ashley? What was that all about?” I ask once we've gone a considerable distance away from her house. “I had to lose the guards. It's not like you would have appreciated it if I had brought them along with us now, would you?” Ashley asks while settling down further into the seat, putting on her seat belt. “What do you mean ‘us’? You aren't coming with me.” I say to Ashley with a slig
“She's working hand in hand with someone in your house.” I say to Roman the moment he steps back into his office. His shirt sleeves are folded and his tie is a bit loose, his hair also looks like he had run his hand in it countless number of times in the last few hours. “You don't believe me.” I say in a quiet tone when I'm met with his silence. “It's not a matter of believing you or not, it's about who led you down this part, princess.” Roman responds in a quiet tone. “I don't know. There were a couple of people involved. Oh, wait. There's one. The man that tried to kill me in the massage parlour. The person who lured me outside and pushed me into the pool in the hotel in Seattle. The person that has been sabotaging all my work right in this office.” I say angrily until I'm panting heavily.“You told me you fell into the pool.” Roman says in a deadly cool tone. “Do you need me to continue?” I ask Roman, ignoring his questions. “Ever since I woke up from this godforsaken coma, my
“Where are you going, Roman?” I ask in a confused tone as I step into the office and find Roman packing up his stuff. “I have an urgent meeting to attend. I will have the driver take you home, princess.” Roman says in a response as his intense gaze roves over my face. “I have something to show you, Roman.” I say in an urgent tone as I take a step closer to him. He starts to say something in response when his phone goes off ringing. “Fuck!” He curses as he sees the caller Id. “Go home straight, princess. We will talk when we get back. Don't give me a reason not to let you off on your own again.” Roman says while giving me a pointed look. I nod my head and give him a tight smile as I pack up my things. Files and documents I want to work on when I get home. There was no exposing Lily now. I have to wait till he gets back home as promised. This was all even better. At least she won't be present to try and sway him or lie to him about everything. Just as I'm finishing up, a knock s
“Ashley?” I call out in urgency, the need to see her safe overriding my need for self-preservation as I step out of the car and hurry into the house. “Aella?” Ashley calls from inside the room where I hear voices. I rush into the room and find Ashley sitting on the bed where she looks pretty comfortable. “Thank God you are here. Please help me these people that I'm indestructible and there's no need for the fuss.” Ashley says with an exasperated sigh as I hurry to her bedside. I spot a cold-looking Ethan standing by the window, staring sharply at the doctors surrounding Ashley and totally ignoring the nurse who made it her life's mission to attract his attention. “Tell me you are okay, Ashley.” I say in a wobbly voice as I pull her into my arms. “Of course, I'm okay, Aella. I told you, they can't hurt me.” Ashley says in a strong tone, but she still tightens her arms around my midriff. I get on the bed with her as I try to quiet my sobs, and I don't say anything when I feel my
“Where did you take her to, Roman?” I ask in an extremely calm tone that I have a hard time recognising as mine. “Calm down, Aella, he had nothing to do with this.” Ethan says as he steps into the house, immediately reading the situation. “Where the fuck did you take her to?” Roman barks at Ethan, barely sparing me a glance. “That's not important right now. I need you to let go of Ashley, right this minute!” I say to him in a trembling voice, wondering why I'm afraid of him finding out I was out with Ethan when he could possibly be holding Ashley hostage. “Why would you think I'm the one responsible for all this?” Roman asks me in a confused tone as he takes a step towards me. “If you aren't involved, then what are you doing with those pictures? I saw you take them out when I came in.” I respond with tears rolling down my cheeks. “I saw them lying outside when I came into the house. To look for you, but apparently you weren't here.” Roman explains in a hard, sinister tone as he
“Tell your boy toy to let your father go, Aella! How could you be this wicked!?” Kate asks me in a tone laced with anger. “Mother, I'm not holding his hands now, am I?” I asked in an innocent tone as I give Ethan a subtle sign to let my father go. “We should have indeed sent you down to a nondescript orphanage deep in the woods all that time ago. All you've done since you grew up is insult us and punish us for all the good we've done for you!” Kate says with teeth bared as Ethan finally lets my father go. “Why didn't you?” I ask in an angry emotion-filled tone. At this point, anything would have been better than growing up under their care. “You ungrateful bitch!” Kate says as she takes a threatening step towards me, stopping short when I don't cower back in fear. I see the uncertainty in her eyes and I can't help but feel smug about it. Ethan finally lets go of my father and he drops to the ground, coughing violently while clutching his chest. “When you sleep at night, let Aell