★★★★★ "I’m here to tell you," Connor began, his tone cool but with an edge sharp enough to draw blood, "Edward barely escaped with his life—" he held up his fingers, the space between them barely a pinch, "—by this margin." Elder Harrington’s face darkened, fury igniting in his eyes. With a sharp motion, he slapped the arm of the couch, the sound reverberating through the room as he surged to his feet. "How dare you?" he roared, his voice trembling with anger. "Where is he? Where’s Edward?" Connor remained unshaken, his gaze steady and unyielding. "He’s fine. As I just said," he replied with maddening calm. But then his expression hardened, and his words cut like a whip. "Though let me make one thing clear—what he went through, the danger he faced, is your fault." Elder Harrington’s jaw clenched, his fists curling at his sides. "What are you talking about? I did what needed to be done." Connor scoffed, stepping closer, his movements deliberate, his presence almost suffocating. "No
★★★★The narrow road stretched ahead under the dim glow of streetlights, the hum of the tyres the only sound inside the car. Imara turned her head slightly, her voice laced with unease. "Umm, Rebecca… that car's been behind us for a while now. I don’t think the driver plans on just passing us."Rebecca gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, her gaze fixed ahead, almost vacant. "I don’t think so either," she murmured absentmindedly, her tone distant.Imara frowned, her eyes narrowing as she studied Rebecca’s expression. Something was off. Rebecca’s silence, her taut jaw—she wasn’t just ignoring the situation; she was preoccupied. Imara leaned forward slightly, her gaze darting to the side mirror. "Are you even paying attention to this? What’s on your mind?"Rebecca blinked as if waking from a trance, but instead of answering, she adjusted the rearview mirror, her brow furrowing. The car behind them—a black sedan—had been tailing them for too long. Imara noticed the faint shif
★★★★"Stay the hell away from her!" Imara snapped, her voice sharp as she strode up to where Veronica and Rebecca stood, placing herself firmly between them. "If you’ve got questions about Edward’s announcement, take it up with him. Not by stalking us like some creep!"Veronica let out a humourless laugh, her lips curling into a smug smirk. "Oh, how noble," she sneered, her gaze flicking disdainfully to Imara. "But tell me, why are you so desperate to defend her? Unless, of course, you’re not just a friend. Maybe you’re hoping to ride Rebecca’s coattails and cosy up to Edward yourself?"Rebecca’s jaw tightened, her fists clenching at her sides. “That’s enough, Veronica,” she said, her voice low and dangerous. “Don’t you dare drag Imara into this?”Veronica scoffed, ignoring Rebecca entirely as she locked eyes with Imara. “Why don’t you let her speak for herself? Or maybe you’re just another one of her little pawns—blind to the truth.”Imara’s expression hardened, her voice calm b
★★★★ "Rebecca, run! Now!" Imara’s voice was sharp, her tone laced with urgency as she kept the blade pressed firmly against Veronica's neck. Rebecca froze, her wide eyes darting between Imara and the men advancing toward them. “I can’t leave you like this!” she exclaimed, her voice trembling with guilt. “I have to help you!” Imara didn’t even glance at her, her focus locked on Veronica, who flinched as the blade pricked her skin. “They won’t touch me,” Imara said firmly, though her knuckles whitened around the hilt of the weapon. “But if you don’t run and find help, none of us will make it out of here.” Veronica hissed in pain, her lips curling into a sneer. “If you stab me again, I’ll make sure your body is unrecognizable before it hits the river. You’ll be a memory no one mourns.” “Shut up,” Imara shot back, her voice low and ice-cold, her lashes briefly lowering as though to steady herself before snapping back to attention. “Rebecca, go!” she commanded, her eyes blazing. “
★★★★★Imara chuckled, her breath warm against Veronica’s ear as she leaned in close, her voice dropping to a chilling whisper. “Oh, you’re so smart, aren’t you? Always figuring things out,” she said, her tone mocking yet laced with something darker.Veronica flinched but mustered the courage to reply, her voice trembling. “Then why are you so eager to save Rebecca? If Edward loves her, why are you risking everything for her?” She was grasping at straws now, hoping to bargain her way out of this unnerving situation.Imara pulled back slightly, her face calm but her eyes cold and calculating. “That’s a beautiful story, Veronica,” she said softly, her lips curling into a sinister smile. “But there’s no value in you knowing the details, is there? What matters is that Edward loves her, not you. And that’s why, up until now, no harm ever came your way. But you…” Imara’s voice hardened as she stepped closer. “…you decided to interfere in my plans. So tell me, Veronica, why shouldn’t I inv
★★★★"Are you hurt?" Connor asked, his voice low yet steady, as his eyes swept over Rebecca, searching for any sign of injury. His gaze lingered on her trembling frame, moving from her face to her scraped knees and bruised legs."You… you killed that man," Rebecca exclaimed, her voice shaky, ignoring his question entirely.Connor sighed, his expression unreadable. "I had no choice but to gun him down," he replied, his tone devoid of regret. "He had a knife in his pocket, and you were defenceless."He stepped closer, his hand lifting to gently cup her cheek, his eyes scanning hers for reassurance. But Rebecca flinched, taking a small step back.Connor lowered his hand, his expression softening as he placed the gun back in its holster. “Relax,” he murmured, his tone quieter. “I didn’t think this through—I only thought about saving you. That’s all.”Rebecca’s breath hitched, her mind reeling. “There’s someone else we need to save,” she said urgently, her words tumbling out. “Imara.
★★★★★"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
★★★★★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
★★★★★"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