Ryan stares at me like he was trying to decipher any fowl play from ms and I do not give him any reasonto fully doubt me.“Nothing.” Ryan says looking as confused as ever. He abandons me at the dinner table, going up thestairs.“Are you okay Ana.” Beatrice sudden voice startles me. When I jump and turn to face her, she holds backa laugh.“Oh wow, thank you Beatrice, I'm alright.” I tell her, my own smile reflecting upon my face.“I'm going back upstairs.” I tell Beatrice.“Be careful.” The woman warns and I nod in reply knowing she was already watching me as I climbed upthe stairs.I spend the other next week healing, I am fully okay at the rate and I am done sitting around at homedoing nothing, it was a great itch on my skin.I decide I will be resuming work tomorrow but before I do that, I would start the first part of my mission.I wake up that morning as as ever, I pick up my phone to do my regular morning exercise only to findalmost ten missed calls from Bianca and I begin
After Bianca is gone, I try to forget all about her focus on having a beautiful last day at home but it seemsa lot of people are against it.Ryan stumbles inside the house in a rush and he takes long strides towards me when he sets his eyes uponme.“Go upstairs and go get dressed.” Ryan burst out.“Why?” I blankly ask him. I was in the middle of cleaning up the kitchen, I forced Beatrice to let me cooktoday.Ryan menacingly walks up to me. “This fucking ends today Ana, you promised your mother you weregoing to get Scarlett out of the cell and withdraw your case, it's been hours and you haven't left the houseyet.” Ryan yells and I turn my head to really look at him.“Exactly why I'm in a hurry to finish up what I was doing before you interrupted. I will leave as soon asI'm done what this.” I simply tell Ryan and man I didn't think his face could get any red. I've been tryingto avoid any sort of altercation with him this last weeks.“What's your deal with Scarlett anyway, she's n
“My mother?” I ask in confusion my eyes and the eyes of everyone else finding the ones of a shockedlooking Bianca.“why would you do this and then come back around forcing me to come down here?” I ask Bianca.Honestly I knew how insane she could get so nothing was really that surprising anymorez I was morepissed that my time was wasted.“Are you out of your mind girl? why would I do something like this, especially to my own daughter inlaw.” Bianca shoves her shoulder in defense. “Talk about speaking nonsense.” Bianca huffs at me.“What do you mean I pressed charges and started a case.” Bianca asks officer Ben in accusation.“Actually not you ma'am.” Officer Ben says and the whole of us continue to watch in confusion.“What the heck are you talking about officer?” Ryan interrupts.Officer Ben sighs trying to clear up the confusion while also looking confused.“Your mother under the name of Mitchell pressed charges.” I continue to look totally confused at thesituation.Bianca's face
I leave the station with a more heavy chest and burden than I went in with. I have no Idea what detectiveBen meant when he spoke about my mother. I would ask him next time at a more private setting to be surebut I couldn't afford to trust anyone else and for I all I know this could be one of Bianca's sick game totaunt me.I sit in the car waiting for Ryan to come get me out of here glumly looking like that was a crowd aboveme waiting to rain when my mind flashes back to Maxwell's eyes.I knew I was almost the splitting image of the devil in his eyes and I probably might not deserve it but Icouldn't help but feel terribly hurt and in pain that he did not bother about me this entire past weeks. I wasassaulted in his home, at his engagement dinner by his future wife, yet he would turn such a blind eye tomy plight.My subconsciousness argues with me in my own thoughts. He thinks I abandoned him at the hospital formonths, of course he would do the same now the tables are turned.Wh
“And then you thought to bring me food?” Ryan asks still in confusion and mild suspicion flashes through his eyes.“I also wanted to apologize for this afternoon.” I tell him very softly.Ryan's eyes flow through my attire and I see the look in his eyes change as he watches me like his prey.I pass him to set the tray of food on the bed. “Here's your dinner.” I tell him nervously scrubbing my sweaty palm on my nighties.“Why are you suddenly being so nice to me?” Ryan asks in doubt and I realize that I would need to take an alternative before this blows off in my face.I pull Ryan down to the bed in other to distract him, I sit very closely beside him.“I told you already, I just wanted to apologize for earlier.” I tell him, holding back my cringe at the shrill in my own voice.Ryan's seems a little pleased at my sudden submissiveness but his eyes still looks like his try to gauge the reason for my sudden need to approach him first for the first time.“Go on.” I gesture with my eyes g
I search through Ryan's room to find the contract documents. My eyes suddenly zoom in on a separatebox in the room. I hurry through the room to reach the box.I try the different bundle in my keys but none was able to open the small box in my arms.I huff frustrated at my situation, I leave the box to check Ryan's other drawers to find a single key in itand a smile applies on my face.I happily take the key out. “This must be it.” I whisper out.I fix the key into the box and watch breathlessly as I finally hear the soft click I having been hoping tohear.I quickly pull the lid of the box open to find only a few papers in it, unlike the other drawers, this wasmore organized and kept neatly. By just staring at it, you would know this has to be something veryimportant.I take the papers out and I try to go through it's content but nothing was making that much sense to meanymore.I try to understand what exactly I'm looking at in confusion.It clearly states here that Bianca and Ja
I turn to look at Ryan properly. It wasn't what he said, it was the way he said it. I really look at him, Ryanhad a dull look in his eyes. If I didn't think we were in the same house and I would have surely not if hesmoked, even occasionally, I would doubt his present level sanity was surely not from the result of anexternal substance.I have always known that Ryan was a lot of things, an arrogant, proud and entitled piece of shit, he was anabuser, physically, mentally and emotionally but he was also a victim at some point in his life before hebecame the exact monster that probably scared him at night. He probably doesn't even recognize what hehas become, he must have embraced it to be a part of himself.Ryan was also possessive and jealous but lately there has been a difference to him. He would mostlyignore my presence but whenever his focus was on me, whenever his spoke to me, his voice was highpitched, his fingers wringled beside him and they was a slight slur to his speech
I search through the numerous worth of a months replies for the one that belongs to Dominic Garcia’s personal assistant. I find it and gasp loudly, I was looking forward to a reply but I was not so sure it was going, especially with how out of reach the man and his assistant tended to be when I made a research of him. When I look into it properly, I see that a reminder email had also been sent and the surprise on my face expands. I could barely concentrate on Jersey's day dreaming. “And I left the juicy part for the last.” Jersey screeches as my eyes scan through the content of the email. “Guess what?” Jersey teasing sounding more excited by the increasing second. “I got a tip that Dominic Garcia is the country.” Jersey says and my head snaps up to stare at Jersey. “What?” I ask her. “It is unheard of and very unusual but he's barely ever in the country, he always prefers to remain in Italy or so I heard-” “Jersey,” I yell and it startles a carried away Jersey. “Before th
“I'm so sorry Anastasia.” I hear Maxwell whisper, still not looking at me but I can see the glistening oftears in his eyes. “You might never forgive me but I'm so sorry Ana, I should have known you wouldn'thave done something like that, I should have trusted you.” Maxwell says and I wanted nothing more thanto be in his arms in these times.“No, I lied, you were in pain and you were being manipulated.” I say, I was hurt and I wasn't about to healanytime soon but Maxwell was as much as a victim in this, I have no idea how he must have felt all thetime he spent thinking the woman he loved killed his child.1“Thank you so much Ana, he's the greatest gift and redemption.” Maxwell says sniffling so hard.I hold my hand out towards him. “Come here.” I whisper, my own eyes glistening with tears.Maxwell slowly walks towards me like he was carrying the whole world on his shoulders. He kneels infront of me.I hold his broad shoulders closer to me and Maxwell looks like a child whose guil
“Oh God,” I mutter to myself when I suddenly feel a hard push on my abdomen.“You have got to be kidding me.” I whisper to myself when I feel water underneath my thighs.What was happening? Panic suddenly filled my every pore. I felt more fear than I did the overwhelmingpain in my very gut.I needed help and fast, the baby was coming. I groan out loud and try to push myself up when another bultof pain decided to rack through my body.“Ana? Ana!!” I hear screams of my name coming from outside of the house, my already pulsing heartnearly stopped the moment I recognized who the voice belonged to.“Maxwell.” I whisper to myself, too weak to speak any louder.“Ana.” Loud footsteps march past the open wide doors and a disheveled looking Maxwell stands directlyin front of me.Confusion takes over his features first and then shock as his eyes access the situation and mess in theroom and then fear as he watches me bleeding out on the floor.“Ana?” He calls running towards me. “What happen
“What did you just say to me?” Ryan asks, clicking the gun at me.“What, you can dish out food but you can't eat it?” I ask him. “I said you are a daddy pleasing bastard youknow that or don't you?” I say and Ryan angrily takes long strides towards me, pointing the gun directlytowards the side of my head and I glare at him instead of shrinking away in fear.“Do you know what will happen to entire family if Dominic Garcia finds out something happened to mein your home, you could have it all covered up with the law but he will find you at the end of the day andhe won't stop until you are rotting six feeth underneath.” I stubbornly state, I wasn't so sure about all that Ijust said but one thing I knew was Dominic Garcia was immensely protective for a reason quite unknownto me.Ryan needed me so I knew he wouldn't pull the trigger unless his bipolar self and easily angeredtemperament was too much for him to handle.“Ryan please stop.” Beatrice begs coming to put a hold on Ryan's sho
“That's good.” I mutter tiredly, seeing them all go down the drain was all I wanted but now it's actuallyhappening, I'm not that too interested.“I think a warrant should be going out for both your mother and step father any moment from now. This isbig Ana. Are you okay?” Jersey asks me in concern.“Yeah I guess.” Jersey says.“I'm going to bed.” Jersey says and I know she's only saying that because she feels the need to give mespace.“Thank you Jersey.” I tell her as she walks away and she gives me a smile.“Anytime Ana.” Jersey says.The next morning, I make up my mind but first, I'm making sure to get an official divorce from Ryan, Idon't want to forever feel like I'm in a bondage no matter how far I run. I want to be certain nothing holdsus together anymore.“Jersey I'm going out.” I tell her, getting my keys.“Where are you going?” Jersey asks knowing the store was closed for a long while.“To Ryan's, I'm going to get a divorce.” I tell Jersey determined as I step out of the
“What did you just say to me?” Ryan asks, clicking the gun at me.“What, you can dish out food but you can't eat it?” I ask him. “I said you are a daddy pleasing bastard youknow that or don't you?” I say and Ryan angrily takes long strides towards me, pointing the gun directlytowards the side of my head and I glare at him instead of shrinking away in fear.“Do you know what will happen to entire family if Dominic Garcia finds out something happened to mein your home, you could have it all covered up with the law but he will find you at the end of the day andhe won't stop until you are rotting six feeth underneath.” I stubbornly state, I wasn't so sure about all that Ijust said but one thing I knew was Dominic Garcia was immensely protective for a reason quite unknownto me.Ryan needed me so I knew he wouldn't pull the trigger unless his bipolar self and easily angeredtemperament was too much for him to handle.“Ryan please stop.” Beatrice begs coming to put a hold on Ryan's sho
“You fucking bitch, you really are out of your mind.” Ryan shouts at the top of his voice.“Do you have any idea what you have done, my entire life and family is in jeopardy, you will fix thischaos as soon as possible.” Ryan yells. “Your parents have been arrested, what kind of daughter are you?”Ryan asks staring at me in disbelieve and I scoff out loud.“You must have some sort of fucked up audacity to that to me Ryan.” I hiss at him. “You all used me tothe very last drop and then you framed me up to leave me to rot away and you thought I was going to sitby and watch it all happen, you fucking bastard.” I calmly tell Ryan.“Did you fuck him? Is that how cheap and desperate you were.” Ryan accuses.“I owe you no sort of explanation Ryan, you think whatever you want to, that's your problem. Sign theGoddamn papers.” I instruct pushing the papers towards him.Ryan picks the paper up, tearing it up into pieces while glaring harshly at me.“You are still my wife Ana, and you belong to
"That's good," I mutter tiredly. Seeing everything fall apart was all I wanted for so long, but now that it's actually happening, I find myself less interested than I expected.Jersey, standing across from me, studies my face carefully. "I think a warrant should be going out for both your mother and stepfather any moment now," she says quietly, her voice carrying a seriousness that matches the situation. "This is big, Ana. Are you okay?"I shrug, unsure how to answer. The truth is, I don't know what I’m feeling anymore. "Yeah, I guess," I say after a moment, trying to convince myself as much as her.Jersey doesn't seem to buy it. She watches me with concern, her brow furrowed. “You sure? It’s okay if you’re not, you know. This is... it’s a lot.”"Yeah," I repeat, softer this time. “I’m fine.”There’s a pause, thick and uncomfortable. Jersey looks like she wants to say something more, but instead, she rubs the back of her neck awkwardly. "I'm going to bed," she announces, and I know sh
“I would love to come along with you Ana, I don't think I've told you this before but I love to explore, I'vealways wanted to leave the country, relocate somewhere else, besides it's not like I have anything backhere or a family I'll miss. My job is the only thing I have and my job lies with you.” Jersey says chucklingand I let out a sad chuckles of my own.“But what about the business?” Jersey asks and I shrug in answer.“I have no idea but each step at a time, if I do decide to leave, we'll figure it out, together.” I say holdingJersey's hand closely to mine. I cannot possibly explain the relieve and joy that came at her answer, I feltwarm all over. I just needed Beatrice to also agree to come with me, I was not sure I was comfortable withleaving her behind with Ryan. She had motherly affection for Ryan so I would respect whatever decisionshe would make.Another thought immediately crosses my mind and I turn to Jersey with a mischievous smile on my face.“You know, I was also
Another thought immediately crosses my mind, and I can’t help the mischievous smile that spreads across my face. Jersey notices, raising an eyebrow slightly as I turn toward her. "You know," I begin, "I've been thinking." My voice has a playful lilt to it, though what I’m about to say is anything but a joke. "You’re really good at what you do in the jewelry business. Like, really good. You’ve been doing this longer than I have, and you know more about the inner workings than I ever could."Jersey's expression remains calm, though I can tell she’s wondering where this conversation is heading. She nods, a quiet acknowledgment of the compliment, but it’s clear she’s holding back a response, waiting for me to get to the point."You've taken care of the store long before I ever set foot in it," I continue, "and on top of that, you’ve always been the one looking out for everyone. You care so much about this place and the people in it." I pause, letting the words settle for a moment. “With