Alan’s POVA week after prom night…This summer was the worst!Mom went on vacation with her husband, Amy went with Chris, and I was left home alone. My friends were all busy with their own family holidays. I never thought I would say this, but I missed my mother. At least, she would nag me when I lazed around all day in my room during the summer.I had told my mother many times that remarrying was a bad idea. I was forced to move and lost my fun neighbor friends. Several times, I begged my mom to divorce Mr. Schmidt and come back to our old home.Of course, my mother rejected it. She had won all the lotteries she wanted, while I was left isolated and alone.I stared at the photo from my graduation ceremony with Fenella just before prom night. That morning, Fenella still had a bright smile, like a sweet angel. In this photo, I stood next to her, and I had to admit we looked good together!I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration. I took a deep breath, staring at the photo for a
Alan’s POVA year after college graduation…Everything may have passed in the blink of an eye for others, but not for me. I spent four years attending the same university as Amy and Chris. Those times were a long torture for me. They made me their sexual slave, and it completely changed me. Both psychologically and physically, I was no longer Clark Thomson.I had to endure the forced suffering for more than four years.How could anyone influence another person to change their entire identity like this? I used to love eating, but Amy forced me to change my eating habits and turned me into a clean-eating enthusiast. I used to watch cartoons while snacking, but now Amy has driven me to become obsessed with working out at the gym.Maybe it was better for me. Perhaps it was what I needed, even if I had to suffer. It was what transformed me into someone who was valued like I am now.I walked toward the altar. A small box containing a gold ring was safely tucked in my black tuxedo pocket. As
Alan’s POV“Hey, milady. Was everything good for you?”“Everything was fine until you came over to greet me.”Mallory West, the pop diva, did not look at me and responded to my greeting with a dismissive tone. I chuckled softly. Unfortunately, the woman truly seemed uninterested in engaging with me. She continued her workout on the leg press machine.“Is that so? I thought you might need some extra guidance, Miss West. I could give you the tricks you need.” I kept smiling.“Oh, yes, I suppose I need this branch manager to get you to leave.”“What if I offered for the owner of the entire chain to hear all your complaints?”Her legs stopped moving, and she looked at me. I widened my smile and spread my arms out to the sides.“I’m here. I heard from the staff that you were looking for me.”Mallory huffed and shook her head. She got up from the machine and wiped her sweaty body with a small towel. Then she looked at me for a long moment before grabbing her water bottle.“Damn it. Why didn
Fenella’s POVBack to present day…My mouth hung open after hearing all of Alan's story. His life journey from the time he met Amy until now could be described as a curse. I hadn’t realized that there was someone more unfortunate than me dealing with Amy.Imagine your own identity being stolen by someone you despise. Just because of a fleeting moment of desire, Clark Thomson disappeared, replaced by Alan Schmidt. I found too many differences between Clark and Alan. That’s why I never suspected they were the same person!But what’s worse than all this is the reality that Alan had prepared everything! He changed himself and then started a business just to attract my attention. I didn’t want to be full of myself, but this was obsessive!My heart pounded, and I stared at Alan intently. I knew there were no more lies he was hiding. Everything had been explained in detail by him—even too detailed!So now what?I moved awkwardly in my seat, unsure of what to say about all these revelations. M
Fenella’s POVMaybe I couldn't bear the burden anymore. I went to Boston hoping to find a bit of peace from all the mental strain about everything. Ugh, who would have thought Alan would chase me all the way to Boston?I no longer cared about anything. At that moment, I needed complete peace, which is why I went home and left Alan behind. When I got home, I realized I had also left my mother alone in the park with all those things. There was the trolley; my mother must still be strong enough to push it from the park to here, but it made me feel guilty.No, I couldn't see Alan again.Guilt gnawed at me bit by bit. How could he endure for so long to reach this point? How could he do everything with me as his main goal?I went into the house, up to my room on the second floor, and lay down on the bed. The back of my hand covered my eyes, and I remained motionless for a long time, thinking about everything.‘Even though Laird has rejected you and broken your heart, you’ve still liked him
Laird’s POVI walked further into the building, passing wooden doors along the corridor. I stopped right at the second door at the end of the dead-end corridor. However, doubt momentarily held my hand back in the air.Was I really going to do this? Was this the right thing to do?A few times, I carefully weighed my decision. Come on, I had made it this far. It wouldn’t be funny if I had to turn back just because of personal grudges. I should finish this as quickly and professionally as possible.I cleared my throat before finally summoning the courage to knock on the enemy’s door. I stood waiting, repeatedly adjusting my tie and quickly rotating my shoulders. My forehead furrowed as no one opened the door, even though the receptionist had clearly said that Prosecutor Golden was confirmed to be inside his office. I knocked three more times, just to be sure.“Go away, Evans!”A harsh, deep voice came from inside the room. I snorted after hearing the prosecutor's rude dismissal. I looked
Laird’s POVNothing had changed. Year after year, my father would host a Christmas Eve party, inviting a few colleagues and close neighbors. The line of cars along the street in front of our house confirmed that the party had long since started and guests were arriving just as my father had hoped.I tightened my coat and cleared my throat. My steps led me to the house across from ours. Not for the party, but to persuade and reassure my girlfriend that I still loved her.The green and red wreath on the white door hung neatly. In contrast to my house, the Baxter home looked quiet. There was no commotion, no line of cars in front of the house, and no staff walking back and forth serving guests with drinks or coats.I pressed the doorbell once. The chime sounded faintly from inside the house. It didn’t take long before someone opened the door.“Merry Christmas, Mrs. Baxter,” I said with a wide smile.“Oh, L
Laird’s POV“Weren’t you mad at me?”She turned towards me this time. Her eyes were tearful, as if she were about to cry at any moment, but she still had the determination to narrow her eyes at me.I frowned when I heard Fenella’s question. I shook my head.“I wasn’t mad at you.”Hearing my answer, she immediately lowered her knees and sat cross-legged on the sofa. Her posture was rigid. Then she began a string of judgmental remarks.“Yes, you were. You saw that ad at the office, and you got mad. Then you started blowing rampage at Gene’s office and beating up Alan because of it.”“Wow, wow. Slow down, baby. Take a breath.”I raised both of my hands in the air. “Calm down,” I said in a deep voice slowly, hoping she would listen to me calmly.“Alright, I admit it. I saw t
Fenella’s POVThree months later…“State of New York vs. Alan Schmidt! All rise, and please be quiet!”The bailiff announced the case name in a loud voice. I sat in the audience with my heart pounding and my feet restless. The reporters waiting in the back of the room fell silent, capturing every moment as the judge entered.I squeezed Laird's hand to quell my nerves. He smiled at me and whispered that everything would be okay. I nodded and offered a small, reassuring smile in return.This was the final appeal at the Supreme Court. After this, Alan wouldn’t be able to appeal again until his sentence was served. After two long years of a drawn-out case with various appeals from Alan’s side, we had finally reached the finish line.The judge began reading various considerations and court notes. They took turns reading the decision documents. Time seemed to crawl, and I began to feel drowsy.I occasionally glanced at Alan, who sat in his prison jumpsuit. His once curly, neat hair had grown
Fenella’s POVTwo years later…I held Laird's hand, squeezing the palm that felt damp with sweat. A smile appeared on my lips as I tried to calm the nervousness he had felt since we left the house. This was the first award ceremony for him, Dave, and Rowan. They couldn’t sit still in their seats either.I couldn’t deny that I felt the same. My heart raced, even as the host made jokes that had the audience laughing. Still, I tried to remain calm because I didn’t want to make him more anxious than he already was.“The winner of the Best Mobile Game of the Year is...” The music stopped, the announcer paused, tension built, “My Supermodel!”“Oh! Thank God!” I exclaimed behind my hands that covered my open mouth.“Congratulations, honey!”I immediately stood up and hugged Laird tightly beside me. I cupped his face in my hands and kissed his lips strong and quick. He smiled broadly and whispered for a moment, “I love you, baby. Thank you.”“Congratulations!” I shook hands with Dave and Rowa
Fenella’s POVI stood at the edge of the balcony. My hands are firmly gripping the iron rail of the balcony as my eyes gaze at the nighttime scenery in the distance. Puerto Vallarta, a cliff with a stunning coastal view that showcases the beautiful side of Mexico.Perhaps there is truth in the saying—including Lloyd's yesterday—that bad memories must be replaced with good ones.Since arriving in Mexico until now, all the bad memories have been erased and replaced with the beauty of a honeymoon vacation with the love of my life. It's not bad, really.Despite the heavy trial we went through yesterday, we finally had some peace of mind. The night breeze blows through my hair. There's a strange sensation, but I don't want to go into the room yet. Until Laird came from the balcony door and immediately hugged me, enveloping me in soothing warmth.“Hey,”“Hi, baby. Are you done showering?” I asked, raising my head to look at Laird's face for a moment.“Yup.”“You smell nice,” I said as I inh
Fenella’s POV“Oh, sweet Mother, that was divine!” Jessy took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Then he opened his eyes wide while his mouth continued chewing my mother’s crab cakes. The murmurs and cheers were still heard until he finally finished his last bite.“I was glad you liked them,” my mother smiled broadly.“I didn’t just like them. I loved, loved, loved them!”Everyone around us laughed at Jessy’s confession. We felt the same way because my mother had succeeded in making a super delicious wedding reception dish. Truly, our Baxter family home was filled with guests. Even though we had invited only a small number of people, our home had never been this lively.The decorations of pink, white, and red flowers and balloons filled the entire room. The furniture had been rearranged to create enough space for the guests to dance or chat. Soft music played through the speakers set up in the corner of the room.Occasionally, guests would step up to change the music, hold the microph
Fenella’s POV“Honey, you looked absolutely stunning,” my mother said. “Thank you, Mom.” I smiled wide upon hearing my mother's compliment. She handed me a bouquet of wedding flowers that was a mix of pink, red, and white colors. I then grabbed the small bouquet and held it tightly. “I couldn’t believe we pulled this off all in just a week.” My mother shook her head, her eyes wide. “We even thought to get married the day after he proposed, but I remembered your words about wanting to prepare every detail of my wedding. You only have one chance because I'm your only daughter, so here we are.”“I just hoped those fruit tarts and crab cakes would be enough for all the guests.” “It’s okay, Mom. If the food wasn’t enough, we could stuff them with the wedding cake. That’s the job of the five-tier cake you ordered.”“You're right. I'm grateful that Mrs. Maddox's bakery shop is willing to take on the order." She sighed and stared at my face."Oh, I wish your father could see you, even th
Fenella’s POV“Fenella.”“Yes, Laird.”Laird called me right after I arrived at the apartment.“Where are you right now?”“I'm at the apartment,” I replied quickly as I grabbed a glass of mineral water from the dispenser.“Oh, thank goodness. I'm on my way home,” he said.The apartment door opened, and I immediately saw Laird's figure enter. My mouth was slightly agape, with my eyes widening. My forehead wrinkled as I watched him walk in. I glanced at the clock on the table and realized it was 2 p.m.“Fenella,” he called in his distinctively low voice.He stepped inside and met me in the kitchen. I hurriedly set my water glass down on the dining table. For some reason, Laird's face looked different. There was a hint of a happy smile on his face, though the look in his eyes was dark, and I couldn't describe the meaning behind it.“You're home? One second you're calling me, the next you're standing in front of me,” I chuckled.Suddenly, he let down his backpack on the floor. Then he hug
Laird’s POVI took several deep breaths and let them out. I couldn't help but feel uneasy and anxious, and various bad thoughts were raging in my mind. My hands repeatedly smoothed my tie or combed my hair. Hell, I couldn't calm myself down!This wasn't the first time my father had gone this far. Using bodyguards to pick up other people by force, who does he think he is?I hate his methods. He's called the shark of the legal world for a reason. This is how he acts. Stalking, coercing, and making people bend to his will until they're crushed by Hugo Evans' ambition.Now he was after Fenella. He flew from Boston to New York for her. I just knew it.I almost know what my father wants from my girlfriend. Maybe he wants to tell her to stay away like some of the girls I dated at university. It could also be that he wanted to ask about the case involving me and Malgolm Golden together.Whatever it was, I was waiting for a call or mes
Fenella’s POVMy eyes blinked after hearing Mr. Evans' words. My brow furrowed as I tried to understand his reasoning and failed miserably. I remained silent, but eventually, my heart was stirred to dig deeper.“Excuse me? Why is that?” I asked slowly, being careful not to make a misstep.“Because he helped my enemy,” Mr. Evans replied firmly.Again, I could only blink. An enemy? Yes, Laird had told me how Mr. Golden had an affair with his mother. But wasn’t that ten years ago? In fact, Mr. Evans had been busy with his young girlfriend.Still, Laird had helped to do the right thing. I didn’t want to argue with him, but I began to feel that Mr. Evans' disappointment in Laird was beyond reason.“But he helped capture criminals. He has contributed to the community.” I voiced my opinion again and swallowed to ease my nervousness.“You don’t know anything, kid. He helped my arch-enemy without considering my feelings.” Mr. Evans scoffed in frustration. “How dare he? Sometimes Laird can be u
Fenella’s POVI willingly got into the black van, leaving Jessy alone on the sidewalk. I was sure he would immediately contact Laird. Maybe he would explain the situation to him, and Laird would call me right away.Sure enough, my phone rang just minutes after the van had driven away from Laird’s office building. I answered the call immediately.“Hello, Laird.”“Hey, Fenella. What is this about Jessy seeing you being abducted by a black van? He said you willingly got into the vehicle and mentioned it was my father’s men.”Laird asked with tension in his voice. His breath sounded hurried on the phone, but I didn’t want to make him more anxious.Well, yes, I was panicking too because suddenly I had been approached by men in black suits who resembled mafia. However, they mentioned Hugo Evans, Laird’s father. I didn’t want to give his father a bad impression, or I would lose th