Jade Mitchell POVThe night had fallen, and Emily and Tyler had retreated to their room, fussing over their daughter. Josh had gone out with some girl, and Justin was in the living room with me, though we kept our distance. While he watched TV, I perused some random fashion magazine.Boredom was the predominant feeling, and Justin paid me no attention; he was engrossed in an episode of the Ellen show. Lost in thought, I perked up upon hearing the voice of my favorite singer, Shawn Mendes. Excitedly, I rushed to the front of the TV, almost kissing the screen."Young people and their peculiarities," Justin remarked from behind."Something big, I feel it happening, out of my control, push and pull, and then it's grabbing me, feel it in my bones like whoa oh oh oh oh whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh whoa oh oh oh oh whoa," I sang along."Your voice is actually quite beautiful," he said, smiling. "But it's past the kids' bedtime," he added, turning off the television."Oh, you didn't just do that,"
POV de JustinI heard strange noises coming from Jade's room and decided to check it out. I knocked on the door and called her, trying to understand what was happening. When she opened her eyes abruptly, I realized I had startled her.She, furious, questioned my presence in her room. Confused, I explained that I had heard strange noises and just wanted to make sure everything was okay."What are you doing in my room?" she snapped angrily."I... I don't know. You were making strange noises," I replied, confused."Get out now, you pervert!" she practically shouted."Me? At least it wasn't me moaning in my sleep," I said, laughing. She looked at me furiously and kicked me out with punches.As I was being expelled, I heard Jade screaming, expressing her irritation and making it clear that I shouldn't enter her room without permission. She almost fell as she kicked me out, but I managed to hold her by the waist in time."You don't seem so angry now," I commented when she was furious. Jade
Emily POVAfter Luke left and Josh spilled the beans to Tyler, he practically came home in thirty minutes, even though he had gone to sort out some things in a nearby town."I've told you that you didn't need to come back," I said, putting Olivia in her crib."How come? Josh overheard your conversation," he said, looking at our baby and making sure she was well settled."I know how to take care of my daughter," I huffed, irritated. "And if Josh overheard, did he tell you what I said to Luke?" I replied seriously."He did," Tyler continued following me through the house, not stopping."So, Tyler, why all this drama? Haven't I given you enough proof that I love you?" I asked angrily."I don't know," he sighed, coming to hug me, and I ended up giving in to feeling his touch again."I should be the insecure one here," I responded apprehensively."Why is that?" he asked, raising his eyebrows in confusion."Because I'm ugly and fat, you're handsome, rich, and all the women on our street wan
Justin POV When jade mentioned that she had been invited to sing at an event, I knew I had heard that story before. I just needed to do a bit of research and found some information about a gang that trafficked teenagers to be sold like commodities. Deep down, I wished it wasn't true, but all the pieces matched. "Where's Jade?" I asked Josh. "Just took a taxi to the event," Josh replied, shrugging, focused on the TV show. "Darn it! Did she leave any address?" "In the phone book; I think she wrote it there," he said, still engrossed in solving a Rubik's cube. I rushed to the phone book, and there it was. May God help me. I took the first car I saw, which happened to be Josh's; he always left the keys around. I started driving as fast as I could, probably ran four red lights – sorry for the fines, Josh. Jade was the girl who needed my care; that much was clear. She shouldn't have reached the address yet; it was quite far anyway. However, I couldn't find any taxis going in that dire
Tyler's POV"How was yesterday? Did they like you?" I asked Jade as she joined us for breakfast."They set her up; I was there," Justin spoke in front of her. They exchanged glances, and then she nodded, smiling weakly."Yeah, they liked me," she finally sat down.The breakfast table was abundant with various fruits and natural juices. I insisted that the maid prepare it so Emily could have a healthier diet. After all, she was breastfeeding our daughter, and the doctor said everything the mother eats influences the milk production and quality. Since then, I've been convincing Emily to have a healthier diet for the sake of our baby, and everyone around us ended up joining our diet to encourage Emily."She's asleep," Emily said, entering the kitchen with the baby monitor in hand."Of course, she swaps night for day," I said, pulling her to sit on my lap."When will she learn the difference?" Josh asked."She's a baby; she can break any rule," Jade replied, shrugging."Speaking of that,
Tyler's POVEmily's reaction startled me, but in some way, I was already anticipating it. She had to kill her own father, and this change in her personality was more than expected. However, I didn't want her to change. This world can transform people, but not always for the better, and she shouldn't lose her essence because of our family circumstances.Anyway, I hadn't killed Luke. I despised the guy, but he could be useful, and a man is capable of anything to stay alive."So, you're going to let him live?" Josh asked incredulously."He can work for us, gathering information from Johanna and Paul Mitchell. In the meantime, we just keep him at a distance, and I know how to do that," I said, grabbing his beer."I don't think Emily will agree with that," he said, shrugging."She doesn't need to know.""Justin, what do you think about this?" Josh asked, but there was no response. Justin was looking at his phone and laughing like a fool."We're talking to you, idiot!" I said, throwing a pi
Jade Mitchel POV"Are you crazy? We can't trespass here," I hesitated at the entrance to the dense forest."Who said that?" Justin asked."That sign?" I pointed to the yellow sign that read "Private Property.""You need to loosen up, break some rules," he said, pulling me along. We passed through an odd gate and found ourselves in front of a sunflower field.I was speechless; everything was so beautiful."Do you know why I brought you here?" he asked, caressing my face."I think you want to seduce me or something," I laughed, approaching him. I felt his hand grip mine, giving me an almost indescribable sensation."I've always found these flowers beautiful and so pure. Right over there is a rose greenhouse; it used to belong to Ethan.""He must have been very romantic," I smiled, observing the surroundings."He and I used to say that whoever brought a girl here first would pay the other's tab at all the bars in town," he said, hugging me from behind and placing his hands around my wais
Justin POV "Cassie, please, I'm starving," I begged, trying to get her to change her mind. "No, Justin, you can't taste the stew before everyone else," she replied, angrily removing the pot from in front of me. "And what about the cake?" I insisted. "What do you have inside your belly?" She asked, laughing. "Don't laugh at others' hunger, Cassie, that's wrong," I retorted angrily, grabbing a piece of bread from the table. Suddenly, a red-haired girl entered through the kitchen door, carrying bags. "Hi, Mom," she said, placing the things on the table. "Hello, dear, greet Justin; where are your manners?" Cassie said. The girl turned to face me, and I could see her face completely. Wait. That was the stripper from a club I used to frequent. Oh my God, poor Cassie, she had no idea what her daughter did to please clients at night. "Hi! I'm Anne, Mom, the things you asked for are already here, I'll be going," she said, turning towards the door, wanting to leave as quickly as possib
### Pov Olivia"Are you ready, my daughter?" my mother asked, gently tapping on the door.I finished putting on my hat and nodded. She took my hand and led me to the car, where my father was already waiting in the driver's seat. We arrived early at the cemetery, and for now, only Justin and Ingrid were there, both with expressions heavy with sorrow as they gazed at the coffin.We approached slowly, and they greeted us with somber looks."We're burying him in an hour... you didn't have to come so early," Uncle Justin said sternly, trying to hide the anger and pain in his voice."She wanted to come say goodbye," my mother replied, looking at me with an encouraging glance. She signaled for me to approach the coffin.With a heavy heart, I took a few steps toward David's coffin. Each step felt heavier than the last. Ingrid placed her hand on my shoulder and tried to muster a smile. "He would have liked to see you one last time. He loved you, Olivia," she said, her voice trembling but since
### POV Olivia"Antony..." I murmured nervously, looking at his body lying in front of me. Tears blurred my vision, but I couldn't waste any time."Come on, Olivia, we don't have much time. Forget about Antony, he's gone now. You need to live!" David said, gripping my arm tightly and dragging me towards the trees."How did you find me?" I asked in surprise, hearing footsteps of people running after us."I tracked your phone," he said seriously, looking for a place for us to hide."But it's turned off. They removed the SIM... and there's no internet signal here..." I grumbled, confused."I put a tracker on your phone," he replied."Oh my God, you creep, why did you do that?" I let go of his hand, stepping back in fear.David took a deep breath for a moment and looked at me seriously. "Olivia, I did it because I love you. I couldn't stand seeing you pining over Peter. That day, when I saw you kissing him at your father's house, since that day I felt hatred, resentment. I wanted to kill
### POV Tyler"Are you crazy? That man is a scumbag! How can you do business with him?" Emily nearly vomited with indignation when I told her who my new ally was."I know," I replied, trying to stay calm. "But if we want to get our daughter back, he's the only person who knows Ethan's location. Remember when I asked Antony to check all the warehouses in the city? We found out that guy was the only one Ethan was doing business with. The frequency and his employees were so discreet it was almost imperceptible." I shrugged and collapsed onto the bed, exhausted. "Any news from Josh and Justin?" I asked, noticing the worried look on Emily's face. She shook her head, confirming there wasn't."Anne can't stop crying. She's having to deal with everything alone. To make matters worse, Noah keeps saying Ethan is his father. She's devastated, and Ingrid can't stop looking for her kidnapped niece," she replied sadly, the pain evident in her voice."That's all the more reason I need to rip the hea
### POV Tyler"So, what do you intend to give me in exchange for this information?" the fat man with his cane asked suspiciously, his small, calculating eyes fixed on me."I'll release some of your men I've captured and stay away from your business for at least three months. You'll have carte blanche to do whatever you want during that time," I replied seriously, taking a sip of the whiskey on the table."Tyler... Tyler... who would have thought that after all this time, you'd come to me proposing a deal..." He laughed cynically, his eyes gleaming with malice. "What do you want with Ethan?" He raised an eyebrow, clearly suspicious."That's none of your business! It's personal... I want to know if you accept my deal," I responded curtly, shrugging, not caring about his suspicions."Tyler... Tyler... you’re as arrogant as ever!" He shook his head, thoughtful. "Do you think I'll let you come into my house and deceive me? Have you and that worthless Ethan made some kind of deal to take me
**POV Olivia**I woke up again feeling dizzy, with lapses of memory, alternating between waking and falling asleep without being able to keep my eyes open for long."Look, the little princess is awake!" Alana entered the room with a cynical look, while my hands and feet were tied to the chair, preventing me from escaping."This won't end like this. What have you done to me? Why do I feel so..." I couldn't finish the sentence. My lips were numb, and my mouth tingled."Sedated? Perhaps because you're under the effect of sedatives. We already know you're a match, but we had to run a lot of tests to check if your bone marrow is in good condition, considering the amount of alcohol you consume at your father's parties. We'll need at least two more days to detox you from all the medications. Don't worry, this is the last sedative!" She winked, applying that greenish liquid into my bloodstream again."My bone marrow? What do you want with it?" I asked, trying not to succumb to the anesthesia c
**POV Tyler**"Tyler... Tyler, wake up!" I heard a female voice beside me, shaking my body. The voice seemed distant, and I felt weak. After much insistence, I slowly opened my eyes. The brightness hurt my retinas. The room was all white, filled with equipment. I tried to move, but felt something attached to my arm. Then, a gentle touch on my face and a tight hug."Tyler... I thought you were dead. I'm so happy you're alive!"I opened my eyes and saw Emily in tears, her face red and swollen, looking like she had been crying for hours. I looked around and realized I was strapped to a hospital bed, with various machines monitoring my vital signs."What happened? How long have I been here?" I asked desperately. Emily stepped back, swallowing hard."Seven days. You've been in a coma for seven days. Josh and Justin still haven't woken up. The doctor said they're in critical condition, worse than you... we don't know when they'll wake up," Emily replied, lowering her head."No... that's imp
**POV Tyler**With my heart racing, I got into the car and started the engine. As I drove through the nearly deserted streets, a fierce determination took hold of me. No matter what it took, I would bring Sara back safely. Josh and Justin were my closest friends, and I knew I could count on them.When I arrived at the meeting point, I saw Josh and Justin already waiting. They looked at me seriously, ready for what was to come."We're going to get Sara and make sure she comes home safely," I said, looking at both of them."We're with you, Tyler," Josh replied firmly. Justin nodded, the same determination reflected in his eyes.We arrived near the warehouse, having meticulously planned every detail. There were a few men at the back of the building, and I had positioned some patrol cars at key points on the streets to prevent possible escapes. After rescuing Sara, the plan was to interrogate one of Ethan's men and find out what he was planning and why he was so fixated on Noah."Let's go
**POV Olivia**"It's better this way, honey. We need to trust your father. He wants the best for us," my mother said, smiling and stroking my hair as I lay on the bed, crying in anger.She wiped away one of the tears running down my face and suggested, "How about we watch a movie together? It's been a while since I arrived, but we haven't had time to do normal mother-daughter things. We've been apart for so long... I want to know more about you," she smiled, excited."Thank you, Mom... I would love that," I replied, a slight smile forming on my lips, and she nodded.As soon as she left the room, I sent a message to Peter, asking if he knew anything. I fiddled with my phone to pass the time while my mother made popcorn in the microwave. Finally, I received a message."Do you want to find that bitch Sarah? And your dear friend David, who betrayed you? Come to Xavier Marques Street, near the dark alley. I'll be there and take you to them..."There was no sender. It was another one of tho
**POV Tyler**"Okay... Does Emily have a twin sister that her father sold to a couple when she was born?" I asked again, shaking my head, unable to believe my own words."Yes, Alana Parker was a victim of human trafficking..." Olivia replied seriously, while Emily swallowed hard. "She helped me find my mom, but now it seems like she wants some kind of payment for her help..." Olivia finished her sentence."What does this crazy woman want? Money? Could she be working for Ethan?" I stood up from the table nervously, unable to stay still."I don't know... I didn't go with her... but she really wanted me to," Olivia muttered, hugging Emily, who didn't want to let go of her."Alana is dangerous. I always suspected her and doubted she was on our side. I don't know what she wants, but we have to protect our daughter, Tyler!" Emily said nervously.The anguish in Emily's eyes was evident. She clearly didn't want to lose Olivia after already losing so many years of raising her."Emily, we will