(ALEXA'S POV)I stared at the box on the pavement. My gaze shifted to Rachel, who was kneeling, and Chloe, who kept on pleading with her son to be considerate. I ignored them and focused on Ethan who stood next to the box, waiting for someone to tell him what to do."Give her a proper burial". I said to him looking at the box again. But then I changed my mind. "No," I said, my voice trembling, "let's do cremation" He nodded.A gentle hand landed on my shoulder, and I turned to see Luke. He gently guided me toward a car. I moved without thinking, I got in and he slid in beside me. As the car pulled away, he opened a first-aid kit and began to gently wrap bandages around my hands."I'm so sorry," he murmured over and over again. But I barely registered his words. My mind kept going back to the scene, flashing images of Chloe’s body, broken and scattered.We arrived at the hospital, and Luke led me straight to my mum's room. "I tried to get in earlier, but they wouldn't allow it," he s
(ALEXA'S POV)The choice wasn't clear but it was my only choice. So I chose the devil I knew. However I later regretted this, when Luke dropped me off at the hospital entrance. He didn’t even turn off the engine, just watched as I helped Mum out before speeding away, leaving us completely exposed. Eventhough he was aware we had just escaped a kidnapping, he left us without even a single guard.Inside, they took Mum to a ward to begin running tests and giving her medication. I sat outside the room and dialed a number I never thought I would ever dail. Cole arrived faster than I could have imagined, with Lala and his own security team following behind. “Thank you Cole,” I said nodding toward the guards he had already posted at the door, praying I had made the right decision to trust him. He was an orchid lord, after all."I am so sorry!" Lala said as she crushed me in a hug. "I didn't know. Why didn't you tell me Gladys was an imposter?""It's fine," I murmured, holding her close. Her
(ALEXA'S POV)I desperately wanted to tell him that the woman he called Mum was an imposter, but the words were stuck in my throat. How could I possibly explain the dagger plunged into her heart? I swallowed hard.“She is the one.” I replied.He stared at me as if I had completely lost my mind.“We shall get back to that later,” Gladys said. “Let me finish my story first.” She paused for a moment. “Now, where was I? Oh, right. I was explaining how and why I stayed after my mission was complete.”She laughed coldly. “I was fired from the Wilton family the moment they discovered I had secretly given birth. But I couldn't bring myself to leave this city. Good enough stupid Robert had fallen in love with me, and my daughter was still living in that home.” She smiled lovingly as she spoke of Nicole.“But how could I get close to her? I kept monitoring the Wiltons. When Nicole was seven, I discovered she was greedy and selfish, there was jealousy already growing inside her. I got a job as a
(ALEXA'S POV)"What is going on? Why does she look dead?" Luke asked, pointing at the coffin."Because she is dead, dummy," Gladys said with a smile. "She has been dead for a long time, you are just stupid” she said examining the coffin “But you should thank me, I have preserved her, for this day, if I throw her in the lake it will depend on how you and her behave”“Do you think you can fool me with this?” Luke said, pointing at the coffin in disgust."Don't tell me you really believe that dummy is your mother.” Gladys asked curiously, but I was also curious, did he really believe that Chloe at home was his mother. "What do you mean?" Luke asked.Gladys looked from him to me, a challenge in her eyes. "Should I tell him, or do you want to?" She asked mockingly.Luke turned to me for answers, but I turned away from him and turned to look at the two women, one perfectly still in death, the other fighting desperately to speak. As I took a silent step forward, I noticed something about my
ALEXA'S POV)My mind went blank, I sat there paralyzed. Luke's voice on the phone cut through my fog. "Track that phone," he instructed whoever was on the other side, then hung up. "We will get her," he promised, his voice comforting me, despite my pain. I buried my face in his chest as I cried softly. "It will be alright," he murmured, his hand rubbing my back slowly, trying to comfort me. I stayed there for a few minutes, trying to piece my thoughts together.Suddenly, he handed me the phone. "They have sent the location.” He said.Immediately I stood up. He was right behind me, so I turned to him. "I am going with you," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.We walked into a very old building, it was covered in dust everywhere, finally we entered a room. A woman stood before us, she was dressed in a crimson red dress, holding a glass of red wine. A slow, chilling smile spread across her face as she turned. "You two are finally here," she said happily."GLADYS?" I said
(ALEXA'S POV)Adam Clives." The name escaped my lips like poison.He gave a slight, mocking bow. "At your service, baby." I shivered at the sound of his voice. I took a step back, my eyes looking around cautiously, searching for any possible exit."You really had me fooled," he said, his eyes tracing my face, like he was starving. "I genuinely thought you were dead. My greatest prize."I stepped backward again, my body tensing."You know," he said, taking a slow step forward, "when Nicole told me that Alexa Jones was my Aconite, I couldn't believe it. But here we are." He laughed. "How did I not see it? That face, that effortless beauty only you could possess." He paused, smiling like a predator that has finally found its prey. "Say something, baby. I miss the sound of your sweet voice."Suddenly, he stepped forward but I moved back, getting into action, ready to fight.Bang.The sound cracked through the air. Adam’s eyes widened in surprise before he collapsed right in front of me.