JUSTIN POV:"LOVE, SOMETHING ARRIVED FOR YOU!" I shout, holding the paper that the mail had just delivered.I hear her steps coming towards me quickly."Oh my God," she grabs the paper and starts removing the fragile packaging that guarded it."Can I know why all this excitement?" I ask."It's the response to the dance contest I entered for the orphanage kids.""The orphanage that Jason took you to? You didn't tell me you kept going to that place.""First: Show some respect, and second, if you paid more attention to me, you would know where I am every Friday afternoon.""With Jason?""No, JUSTIN!" she huffed irritably."So you're not going to see him there?" I ask suspiciously."Justin, he's friends with the kids. I can't stop him from seeing them," Jade shrugged, unconcerned about my jealousy.I say nothing more and watch her read the paper excitedly."THEY GOT ACCEPTED, THEY CAN COMPETE!" Jade shouts excitedly, jumping."Are you going to be their teacher?" I ask curiously."Are you
Two days later**Emily POV**"Mom, what are we doing here?" Olivia asks as she gets out of the car."I've told you, came to visit someone, don't leave near the house, okay? I'll be back in a second," I say, moving away.I know this is not right, and I also know that Tyler probably saw the message on my phone, and he would find out soon, but I couldn't stop now; at the right time, I would tell him.Tyler is cold with me; today is New Year's Eve, and he still hadn't started talking to me properly. He went to meet Ethan, but he didn't tell me anything, just that he wouldn't be a danger to us. I turn once again to make sure no one is watching and also to see Olivia. I hold the envelope in my hand and ring the doorbell with the other. I did this two more times, but no one answered. Strange. Connor said I should bring the results to his house since I couldn't stop by the hospital today; he would have called to cancel.I turn the doorknob, and it's unlocked; I enter the house."Connor?" I ca
Emily's POV"Did you have a lover?" Jade asked, entering Olivia's room where I was dressing the little one in a pink dress with some bows."I already told you no," I replied curtly."Mom, what's a lover?" Olivia asked, playing with her teddy bear."Adult stuff, Julie," I grumbled, buttoning up her shorts."Who was the guy?" Jade sat in front of Olivia, starting to put on her shoes."Connor Taylor, a doctor," I rolled my eyes in anger."Are you sick?" Jade asked, concerned."No, Jade, it's complicated," I sighed, trying to keep calm."From the message, it could only be a gynecologist. What do you have?" Jade continued pressing the issue."I'll explain later, just... you believe me, right?" I said, looking into her eyes, trying to find some hope."Of course, Emily, you're like a best friend to me. I'm on your side," Jade said, smiling.I smiled back at her, and she returned with an even wider smile."Can't she dress herself?" Tyler asked."Believe me, we don't want anyone with the costu
Tyler's POV"Dad?"I hear my little one's voice and turn to see her. She was leaning against the door, waiting for my approval since she should supposedly be sleeping."If your mom sees you here, she'll be mad at both of us," I say, returning my gaze to the pool that reflected the image of the stars."I can't sleep. Can I stay with you?" she asks, rubbing her little eyes.I nod, and she comes to sit on my lap. I look into her eyes, and they didn't seem sleepy; they were vivid and bright, perhaps too bright."Why are you sad, Daddy?""I'm not sad, sweetheart," I reply, giving her a weak smile."I know you are. You didn't even kiss Mom before she went to sleep, and you do that every day.""Hey, where did the 'Daddy' go? I was getting used to it," I say, and she smiles playfully."Sorry, Dad, but I...""Can't pretend. It's okay, love," I interrupt her before she finishes the sentence."And you can't pretend to be happy for me."When did my daughter become so smart?"You can tell me, Dad.
pov emilyI didn't even wait until six in the morning. I had pretended to be asleep so that Tyler wouldn't ask me any questions or make me talk anymore. My nausea was on the verge of making me scream. I searched for the bag I had used the day I was going to deliver the results to Connor and grabbed the envelope from there.My heart seemed to want to pierce through my skin. These were the results of the test I had taken a month ago. Connor didn't give me much information and only told me to avoid sexual relations until all the tests were complete. He also didn't explain why it took so long.I sat on the bathroom floor, and a tear rolled down. I was afraid to open it; memories from a year ago came back to my mind. I couldn't go through this alone again. The cold wall against my back kept me alert. I was exhausted, but I needed to make sure. Thank God I didn't have to go to work today. Once again, the urge to let everything out hit me, giving me the courage I needed to open those papers.
JOSH POV"Josh?" Anne's voice sounded again, and her free fingers moved, poking my hand. "Josh, are you sleeping?""No, I'm not sleeping," I reply."Josh, are we going to die?" she said, desperate.She wriggles her body as if trying to dry her face with her shoulders, although it wasn't very clear since we were tied back to back."No, Anne, we're not going to die," I reply, shrugging."Why are you so calm? We've been kidnapped." She raises her voice a bit. "By the way, why haven't you figured out a way for us to get out of this place yet?""This rope they tied us with is a joke; I could break it in seconds, and I know perfectly well how to get out of here. I just don't want to yet," I say, trying to maintain my composure."Explain this idiotic reasoning because it's challenging." she demands."Smell that?" I ask."The weirdest smell I've ever felt, but what does that have to do with us?" she says impatiently."This smell is typical of a producer.""Producer?" Anne asks confused."Yeah
**Emily's POV**"Love, did you see that black folder?" Tyler asks as soon as he sees me enter the office."Huh? Uh, no," I say, holding the test papers and gathering courage."Did Olivia come in here today?" Tyler grumbles, searching in every corner of the room."I don't think so, love. Tyler?" I call, but he doesn't pay much attention. "Tyler, I need to talk seriously with you." I try to get his attention again, but he seems too focused on what he's doing."You can talk, love," he says, shrugging, as if he were only superficially listening."Tyler, did you hear the word 'seriously'?" I cross my arms, indignant.He stops for a moment and rummages through his pockets, taking out his phone."Darn it," he says annoyed. "I have to go to the shipping company. Is it very important what you have to talk about?" Tyler raises an eyebrow and gives me a kiss on the forehead before rushing out the door. He didn't give me time to respond."I'll be back before dinner. Love you, and tell Olivia to r
••**Emily's POV**"But, Mom," Olivia sits on the bed and pouts, "I don't want to go to sleep without my dad.""He hasn't arrived yet, sweetheart, so you have to go to sleep, and tomorrow he'll tuck you in, okay?" I say, stroking her hair."Can you leave the light on?" She asks and wraps herself up to her neck."Of course, my love." I give her a kiss on the forehead."Mom, lock the wardrobe?" She asks, looking at the slightly open door. I go to it and do what she asked."There you go, my sweetie. Mom loves you." I say, bidding her goodnight."I love you more, Mom." She gives me a smile and turns to the wall.I leave the room and go to Jade; she said she wanted to talk to me. Fortunately, she and Justin weren't having sex when I entered the room; believe me, it's very embarrassing when that happens."Do you want to talk now?" I ask, poking my head inside the door."Sure, come in." She says seriously."She has a conspiracy theory," Justin says, laughing."What would that be?" I stare at
### 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