★★★★★ "Mum, there is nothing to worry about. I was doing my skincare. My skin feels rough and dry. It will take a couple of minutes. After that, I will sleep," Rebecca said as she bit the inside of her cheek for lying with such ease to her mother. And because of him. At first, he decided to get into her room through the window, and now making her hard to breathe. Furthermore, she could not speak the truth to her mother as well. "Okay, I am leaving. Don't hesitate to give me a call if there is anything you need. It will be not wrong if you rely on someone a little" Rebecca's mother said and turned around to leave. "Okay, Mum. Goodnight, love you," Rebecca shouted, praying her mother to leave so that she could kick Edward out of her room after knowing what he was there for. "Hmm!" Rebecca’s mother sighed and left the area of her room. She could feel something was going on with Rebecca, but she was not willing to talk about it. Meanwhile, Rebecca shot a glare at Edward and pushed h
★★★★★Rebecca pursed her lips and poured water from the tap, thinking why would he look so calm and patient. He even decided to answer her questions. Though she did not ask him what happened after he found her in the situation, she could tell he didn't short his eyes for a second.His worn-out expression was last seen when he found out his parents got into an accident.Suddenly, 'Ting' The sound of a microvan brought her back from her thoughts, and she pulled open the door, bringing out a cup of noodles. She quickly mixed up the condiments with the boiled noodles before pressing the sticker tight on top of it.She gently turned off the light and made her way upstairs with light feet, her breath was tight as if she was holding it back. As soon as she stepped into the room, her eyes popped out of their sockets because the sight was inexpressible."Your creepy staring making my skin crawl!" Commented Edward as he continued playing something on his phone."What are you doing with my towel
★★★★★"I don't care where you sleep, but right now, I can no longer entertain you, " said Rebecca with an angry huff, turning around and climbing to the bed on the right side. Drawing the sheet up to her nose she stretched her hand and turned off the light before closing her eyes.Edward stood up from his seat, made his way to the other side of the bed, and sat at first.Rebecca felt the bed dipped on the empty side. So she pecked out of the sheet and watched him get into the same sheet as her before he stretched his body straight onto the bed. Her heart throbbed in her ribcage. Last time, she recalled herself waking up next to him naked, which left an earthshaking image in her head; for that reason, she could not hold back her nervousness, knowing he was sleeping next to her."I can hear your heartbeat," Edward murmured, his voice soft and muffled, as though drowsiness had already wrapped around him like a blanket."Rubbish!" Rebecca spat, giving a snap look at Edward, but he was not
★★★★"Move!" Edward ordered, giving Rebecca an annoyed look."No, I can't... you will go out only when I have finished thinking of a proper reason to tell my mom why you are here!" Said Rebecca, not shifting from the door while her hand holding the lock."Don't be stupid! It may not be your mother," Edward said, staring down at the petite woman."Is that so? Do you have super power to look through the door? Besides, there is no one else other than my mother in the house!" Said Rebecca with a light snarl in her eyes. She was absolute that he was looking for problems in the early morning. Until she heard another man's voice outside the door, "Boss!"Her brows were drawn together in confusion before the realization hit, and her expression stretched to horror."Trevor!" She questioned, looking into his eyes to confirm she was assuming right."Yes, he brought the dress so that I could leave your house," Edward replied with an unnerving calm, his tone steady as he motioned with his eyes for
★★★★★"Martha came to her senses this morning. Are you sure you don't want to tag along?" Edward said, glancing at Rebecca, noting the shift in her expression."Is she okay?" Rebecca questioned with a concerned tone that left Edward puzzled, and he turned at her, his eyes staring at the person who was concerned about the people who wanted to kill her, not once but twice."Why are you looking at me like that?" Questioned Rebecca, her lower lips curled into a pout as her frown displayed her deep confusion."She is not okay, but I need to talk to her," Edward replied curtly, turning around, "Don't just stand there if you want to go!""Hmm..." Rebecca replied, her lashes drooping a little as if a certain thought made a change in her feelings. She did not answer the way Edward thought, which prompted him to look in her direction again. "What is there to be scared about?" Edward asked.Rebecca looked up and answered, "I am not scared, I am thinking about the reason she did it. What if....
★★★★★"Shut up!" Kendell shouted, her face contorted in fury. Her fists clenched tightly to her sides, remembering how she dismissed her daughter's worries in the hospital. She thought it was impossible for Rebecca Jonas to ruin her daughter's happiness, but now it seemed she was wrong to judge the dirty intention of that girl."Don't you dare to act over-smart in front of me," Kendall snapped, unleashing her disdain with her eyes. Walking forward she diminished the distance between them and continued, "I cannot believe you and your daughter have no shame. Even though the man once broke off the engagement and left you to deal with the shame and people's mocking. Huh!" She paused to snigger, "You two care only about money.""Mind your language, Kendell! You're standing in my house and insulting me and my daughter; I am no saint," Rebecca's mother shot back, gritting her teeth."What are you going to do?" Kendall challenged Rebecca's mother, her eyes full of provocation. "Back then, you
★★★★ Rebecca and Edward arrived at the hospital to meet Martha. The more Rebecca walked toward Martha's ward the little heart inside her rib cage drummed loudly. Edward, on the other hand, emitted a chilling aura as he came to a stop in front of the ward. The moment he heard that Martha came to her senses by some miracle, he decided to hear the reasoning he was looking for without caring about her health or showing mercy to her situation. "Mr Harrington, the patient is very fragile. A small agitation could lead her life to end which is why I want to request you not to make her rattle with your words," the doctor's voice was below the whisper. "Once she is better, there will be plenty of time to get anything you want from her," a doctor who was in his mid-40s requested Edward to be a little gentle with the patient, his voice hopeful. Last night, he had seen Edward being an erupting volcano, which made him believe there was some animosity he had with the woman on the bed. Instead of
★★★★Edward led Rebecca into his office, the soft glow of the table lamp illuminating the dark, polished wood of the room. He shut the door behind them, casting a brief glance at her pale, unsettled face. He knew taking her home would only give her space to spiral further into her thoughts. "You can sleep on the couch if you’re tired," he said, his tone unusually gentle, though it carried an underlying firmness. Rebecca, however, remained rooted in place, her arms crossed tightly across her chest. Her mind was clearly elsewhere. Edward sighed, his voice dipping into a softer register as he tried to pull her from her internal whirlwind. "You’re obsessing over something invalid, Rebecca. Sometimes, things people say are nothing but empty words meant to rile you up." Rebecca snapped out of her daze, meeting his gaze defensively. "Invalid?" she repeated, her voice low but tense. "She didn’t seem like she was spewing nonsense... Don't you see her face? Her wide, fearful eyes make me th
★★★★★"I would like to know where I went wrong," Connor said after steadying his frayed nerves. His hands clenched at his sides, itching to lash out, but his curiosity for the flaw in his grand plan kept him rooted.Edward stepped slightly to the side, positioning Rebecca protectively beside him. His gaze bore into Connor with quiet intensity. "Your mistake?" he began, voice steady and deliberate. "It started the moment Grandfather insisted I give you an equal opportunity in the business. When I allowed you to take charge of the projects I owned, you thought you had won."Connor scoffed, though unease flickered in his eyes. "Then why did you let me control everything, even the Blue Heaven properties?"Edward's lips curved into a sharp, humourless smile. "Control? You own nothing, Connor. The papers you collected—stolen, actually—are all fakes. I orchestrated every move, letting you believe your schemes were succeeding. Why? Because I knew you had Grandfather imprisoned on that island.
★★★★★Imara’s face remained impassive, her tone cold and measured as she continued, "They weren’t going to stop the bond between you and Edward, especially after his accident. But they should have. My father is Mr. Harrington’s best friend; it only makes sense that they’d think of me for Edward. We’re equals, Rebecca. Same status, same world. You? You never belonged. Besides," she added, her eyes narrowing slightly, "Mr. Harrington and your mother were having an affair. Your relationship was a mistake from the beginning."Her words hung in the air, sharp as a blade. There wasn’t a flicker of remorse in her expression, as if she were narrating a mundane event instead of confessing to tearing lives apart.Rebecca’s breath hitched, disbelief etched into every feature of her tear-streaked face. "You’re fucking insane," she spat, her voice trembling with both rage and heartbreak. "I can’t believe it. At your age, you plotted something so cruel, so vile. You didn’t just ruin Edward’s life—y
★★★★★Connor stood there as if paralyzed, his eyes fixed on Edward’s lifeless body, the blood pooling beneath it. His face was a mask of shock, but he didn’t move or speak; he just stood frozen in that terrible moment.Imara, her face streaked with tears, whipped her head around to glare at him. "You bastard!" she shouted, her voice trembling with fury and despair. "You said you wouldn’t let anything happen to him! And now—now he’s not breathing! You betrayed me, didn’t you?"Connor’s head snapped up, his eyes narrowing as he glared at her, his voice low and cold. "Keep your mouth quiet," he said, the distaste in his tone unmistakable.Imara surged to her feet, her fists clenched as she marched toward him. "Don’t you dare tell me to keep quiet! You planned this, didn’t you? You knew this would happen! I stood by you. After all, I trusted you because I wanted to protect him—and you let this happen!"Connor’s expression darkened further, his jaw tightening as he took a threatening step
★★★★★Rebecca’s confession landed like a bomb in the room, silencing everyone in its wake. Edward’s face twisted in fury, his breathing ragged as he stepped back and reached behind him.In one fluid motion, he pulled out a gun, the metallic glint catching the faint light. His eyes were ablaze with unrestrained rage.“I shouldn’t have trusted you,” Edward growled, his voice low and venomous. “I shouldn’t have saved your face from public humiliation. You don’t deserve redemption. You deserve to die in the filth you’ve created.”Rebecca’s breath hitched, her bravado wavering as she took a step back. Connor instinctively moved to shield her, his hands raised in a plea.“Edward, stop!” Connor shouted, his voice edged with panic.Edward ignored him, his gaze fixed solely on Rebecca. “Your entire family ruined mine,” he snarled, his grip tightening on the gun. He raised it, the barrel now trained on Rebecca.Imara gasped, her heart pounding in terror as she instinctively stepped forward. “Ed
★★★★★“I didn’t know this place was so far from the town,” Imara said as she stepped out of the car, glancing around at the pitch-black surroundings. The faint crunch of gravel beneath her shoes was the only sound in the still night. Her arms crossed instinctively as a cool breeze brushed past.Edward closed the car door behind him and stepped forward, his eyes scanning the unlit house in the distance. “This is the place my father bought,” he said, his voice low but calm. “He used to bring us here when he wanted to escape the chaos of work… to relax with the family.”Imara tilted her head, her curiosity piqued as she followed his gaze to the looming structure. “It looks so isolated,” she remarked, her tone a mix of awe and unease. “No wonder it’s good for getting away.”Edward nodded, his expression darkening slightly as he noticed the lack of lighting around the house. “Connor should’ve turned on the lights,” he muttered, his voice edged with irritation. “It’s too quiet.”Imara stepp
★★★★“I know where they are,” Imara said hesitantly, her voice laced with reluctance. She withdrew her hand from Edward, her other hand fidgeting with the edge of her scarf. “Rebecca told me… but she made me promise not to tell you. She said, under no circumstances, should you know where she’s gone.” Her eyes briefly flickered back to Edward before darting away again. “But seeing you like this… feeling betrayed, struggling… I can’t keep it from you.”Edward leaned forward slightly, his intense gaze fixed on her. His expression softened for a brief moment, though the storm brewing in his eyes remained. “Thank you, Imara,” he said with a firm nod. “If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like you to come with me. It’ll be safer that way. I’ll send someone to keep an eye on your father.”Imara shook her head, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “No, you don’t need to worry about him. Father… he prefers being alone. He usually lies to make sure I won’t fuss over him.” She grabbed h
★★★★★"You were with Rebecca?" Edward’s voice cut through the air, sharp but measured, as he fixed his piercing gaze on Imara. His dark eyes searched hers, but Imara refused to meet his look, her attention darting around the room instead. Her restless fingers fiddled with the hem of her jacket, an obvious tell that something was off. Anyone watching them would have easily pegged this as a date gone sour.“Yes,” Imara finally said, her voice barely audible. She brought her hands to the table, but her eyes stayed glued to the surface, tracing invisible patterns on the polished wood. “She dropped Ella and me at our homes after dinner.”Edward leaned forward slightly, his brows knitting together, though his tone remained controlled. “Hmmm,” he murmured, his composure wavering as the edges of his frustration began to show. “Do you have any idea where she might be now? Or if she met anyone while you were with her?”Imara’s head shot up briefly, her lips parting as if to speak, but then she
★★★★★The first picture stopped Edward in his tracks, his gaze freezing on the screen. It was Rebecca, embracing Connor in the middle of the road. Her arms were wrapped around him, her expression soft.The next image was worse. Connor’s lips pressed against Rebecca’s neck, her eyes closed as if savouring the moment. They were in a car, the angle of the shot suggesting it had been taken from a deliberate distance.Edward’s blood boiled. His grip on the phone tightened until his knuckles turned white. He swallowed back the roar building in his chest, his mind spiralling into chaos. His fingers worked furiously, dialling Connor’s number.Out of reach.He growled under his breath and immediately tried Rebecca’s number. The same result.With a sharp exhale, Edward called Imara instead.“Edward?” Imara’s voice came through, calm and comforting as always. “What’s going on?”“Where are you?” Edward barked, his tone cutting through her pleasantries.“At home,” she replied cautiously. “Is there
★★★★★"You don’t have to lie to me," Edward hissed, his voice venomous, his nostrils flaring as he struggled to contain his rage. "I went deep, Mrs. Jonas—deep enough to uncover every detail. The resort, the night you spent with my father... everything. Each piece of evidence screams your name."Rebecca’s mother staggered backwards, her composure unravelling as a thread pulled too tight. Her legs buckled beneath her, and she collapsed to the ground, trembling. Tears streamed down her face as the weight of his words sank in. The sin she had buried, the one she had tried so desperately to forget, now loomed over her, undeniable and raw."Edward..." she whispered, her voice cracking. "It wasn’t... it wasn’t what you think.""Spare me the excuses," Edward snapped, his eyes ablaze with fury. "Do you have any idea what you did to my family? To my mother? You shattered her life, and for what? Your selfish desires?"Mrs Jonas covered her face with her hands; her sobs muffled but gut-wren