★★★★★ "God, what is wrong with this couch!" Rebecca continuously put all their strength into moving the couch, yet she was unable to move it a little, increasing her irritation. Meanwhile, Edward, who was aware why Rebecca's effort was not giving her satisfaction, kept his mouth closed, even though he was giving her sidelong glances frequently. "Argh!" Rebecca cried out and kicked the couch with her right foot. Since she was on a heel, her foot twisted, and she fell on the ground, crying loudly, "Ahh... my foot!" As soon as her hand reached to the heel, her eyes welled up in tears, with a whimper, "Oh, god!" Edward gritted his teeth and stood up from his seat, making his way to Rebecca. Going to his knees he picked Rebecca up from the ground in his arms and made her sit on the couch. He said, "Can't you see the couch is impossible to move because it is fixed to the ground?" His frustration laced in his voice. "Can't you inform me about this a minute ago, when I was struggling to
★★★★Meanwhile, Veronica was sitting with some of her friends in a cafe, having coffee and snacks. While the conversation flowed around her, she seemed lost, her gaze fixed somewhere in the distance."Ve, come back on earth!" Hosey exclaimed, giving a gentle nudge to Veronica. She was a close friend of Veronica and also a model. Both of them walked together on the ramp many times all over the world."I am listening to all of you!" Veronica dismissed Hosey's words with a smile that did not reach to her eyes, causing another friend to tease, "Are you missing your Mr Perfect? I mean, Mr Harrington is a perfect man, but, obsessing over him in this way is not good for your health and mind.""Shut up, Jena! I am not," said Veronica, waving her hand in front of her face before grabbing her coffee that had not been touched since it was served."Ah- Huh! I can smell, Veronica, something is troubling you. What is it!?" Hosey asked, her tone was concerning."Do you remember Rebecca Jonas?" Veron
★★★★★ "I got you startled, how?" Connor said, coming to the desk, "What are you doing on Edward's laptop? You know he is going to kill you," Connor had a comfortable smile on his face. "Nothing, I'm just looking for things to communicate with him since he is not picking up my phone. I just want to get out of this place," Rebecca said, standing up from the chair before making her way out of the desk. "Well, I share the same thought. Let’s go!" Connor said, his voice was enthusiastic. "How can I? There is a lot more work I need to finish. Plus, I can’t leave without telling him. In the morning, just because I did not bring the file to him, he punished me with these files. Who knows what he would tell me to do if I left the office now," Rebecca said, pushing away some hair from her face. "As long as you have me you do not need to fear of him. He won't say no to me, you know that. Besides, where he is?" Connor asked, "My sources said he is in a business meeting and definitely won't b
★★★★★Rebecca shifted her eyes behind her and froze, finding Edward standing. His eyes bore a chilling terror as they looked down at her. It made Rebecca swallow a wave of uneasiness.'She could not be such an unfortunate woman. Wasn’t he supposed to be in a business meeting? How come he is here?'"Ed, you surprise me, man!" Connor exclaimed and pulled Edward in a light hug. Connor was shocked- Edward showing up to a party that was unrelated to any business was the last thing he had expected. "I am surprised, too! I can see you invited a lot of people, even the people who have no reason to be here," said Edward, his tone edged with irony. As he said, his gaze landed on Rebecca, who immediately understood his words aimed at her. She was an unnecessary person in this party. Connor, noticing the tension between Edward and Rebecca quickly stepped up, saying, "She is my date. Don't scare her away!" Connor grabbed Rebecca's hand and pulled her close. "Is that so?!" Edward questioned back
★★★★★Rebecca glanced up in Edward’s direction after reading the message and saw him locking his phone. He leaned forward and got his drink. She did not understand what would be wrong if his brother touched her feet in a simple act of concern.Her eyes shifted a little on Edward's arm, where she saw a lipstick stain, leaving her burned with envy. Hence, she felt like rebelling against his warning. The following second, she grabbed her phone back and typed a text: "Sometimes learn to keep your eyes to yourself. Stop being bossy in the party. Otherwise, I will let your girlfriend know you are being possessive toward me!" And she sent the message before exhaling a breath.At the time, Henrick got up from his seat, grabbed a glass of whiskey and approached Rebecca."The way you ignored me almost made me feel you never knew me, why is it?" Henrick commented and sat next to Rebecca, who gave him a hate-filled sideglance and decided to shift. But Henrick stretched his hand and offered the w
★★★★★ For a second, Connor had a face of surprise before he looked back at Rebecca, who let go of his hand. She, in her head, thought to speak about her past to Connor the following morning so that people would not fill his mind with poison about her. There were not many friends she had left to talk to. "Speak, Rebecca! Or are you afraid another Harrington is going to toss you out of his life and you end up again on the street!?" Henrick ridiculed Rebecca with a chuckle. Simultaneously, faint laughs could be heard around the room, meaning everyone was holding their laugh as if eagerly feeding on her humiliation. Rebecca balled her fist to bear the humiliation as her gaze dropped in shame. She wanted to answer every one, but there was nothing she had against the blame Henrick poured on her head because Edward left her handicapped four years ago. "Edward, buddy, help your brother to see the right path," Henrick called out to Edward, intending to embarrass Rebecca more. But when every
★★★★On the other hand, Connor left the party in search of Rebecca. So everyone left one by one. Hosey called Veronica, who sounded distressed on the phone and informed her she did not know where Edward was. He was not returning her calls.But Henrick did not leave immediately as he remained in the room and enjoyed whiskey until he was not let go of the anger left by Rebecca.He got up and staggered to walk, but he made his way out of the bar. He called his driver to pick him up since he was not a smooth driver especially when he was drunk. Leaning against the post, he whistled and waited for his driver; when suddenly he felt a presence behind him. As soon as he turned to see who the person was, a strong punch hit his face and he crashed to the ground. In fear, Henrick muttered in a shaky voice, "W-who are you?" The man in front of him had his face covered completely and wore back attire. The person looked like a professional killer to Henrick. For a second, his heart leapt to his m
★★★★★ "My wife!" Edward shouted, the eerie coldness in his eyes left the man struggling to stand upright. His voice shook like a leaf as he answered, "I don't know your wife, sir. I work in this cafe and also take care of this place because many teenagers come here to take drugs!" Hearing the man, Edward let go of his wrist, which was on the verge of snapping from the force Edward put. The man began rubbing his wrist, feeling as though he could not hold anything with his right hand for a while. His thoughts were interrupted by a picture Edward showed on his phone. "Did you see her in the shop tonight?!" Edward demanded. He was going crazy every second not finding Rebecca. His desperation in those eyes could not be overlooked, as if his patience was on edge, losing control. The man looked closely at the picture before answering, "Yes, she was here in the shop, and she got to know the owner of the shop, Miss Ella. They talked for a while. Later I saw her getting into Miss Ella's
★★★★★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
★★★★"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.