MasukThe landlord glanced at Bianca, and I caught the quick look they exchanged before he turned back to me and waved my concern away. “No, do not worry about it too much. It is not a waste of time,” he said with a small smile. “You should at least see what I have available. We can talk about the price later.” Bianca nodded quickly. “Yes, Patricia, let’s just check it out. I am sure you will love it. And about the price, he mentioned earlier that he is offering a big discount for families renting.” “I did?” the landlord repeated, clearly caught off guard. But the moment he saw the look Bianca gave him, he cleared his throat and nodded. “Yes, yes, I did. I am willing to offer a big discount on the rent. No problem at all.” He let out a slightly awkward laugh. I gave both of them a side glance, suspicion flickering in my eyes, but I decided to go along with it for now. “Alright… shall we?” We walked toward the main lobby, and he stepped ahead to open the door for us. The moment I ste
I raised a hand to stop the panic, ruffling Billy’s hair before bending down to pick Gracie up and shower her face with kisses. “Do not panic. I was on my way back when I tripped and fell into the gutter. There was glass in it. I already got it treated, so it is fine. I will just shower and go rest, okay?” “Mom, you have to be careful!” Billy said, looking incredibly worried. “I know, I know. It is my fault,” I replied gently. Rebecca still looked unconvinced, but she chose not to question me in front of everyone. Slowly, the everyone went back to what they were doing. Later that night, just as I was about to fall asleep, my phone rang. I picked it up, carefully patting Billy, who had fallen asleep on my chest, snoring softly with a bit of drool at the corner of his mouth. “Hello?” “Hello? Is this Patricia? This is Bianca. I collected your number earlier at the salon, remember?” “Oh, hi, Bianca. I did not expect you to call so quickly. I assume you have spoken to your sister.”
Chapter Forty— A Last Chance “You will carry that guilt for the rest of your life?” he scoffed, his eyes full of disbelief and mockery. “Fine. Let’s say I believe you. Let’s say you are truly sorry and I forgive you. What does that change? Will the sun suddenly shine brighter? Will I wake up tomorrow with a million dollars? No. I am still stuck here in Murkwood with no future. Your apology changes nothing.” “It does,” I shot back, forcing strength into my voice while ignoring the sharp sting in my knee from the glass shards. “If you accept my apology, everything will change. You will agree to work for me.” Jerry took a step back as if he could not even stand near me anymore. “You are crazy.” “It will change everything because I will make a difference in your life. I will fix the damage I caused and give you a better life. If you work for me and promise you will not betray me, I will change—” “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” His face turned red, a vein throbbing at the side of his nec
Back in Murkwood, the three men exchanged uneasy glances. None of them seemed sure if they should chase me away or hear what I had to say. One of them leaned toward another and whispered something. The second man shook his head immediately, clearly ready to send me away but before he could speak, I slipped my hand into my bag and pulled out a thick stack of hundred-dollar bills. Their conversation stopped instantly as I placed the money on the table in front of them waiting as their mouths dropped open. “Please,” I said. “I need to see him.” The money seemed to wipe away every doubt they had. All three of them jumped up at the same time, scrambling for the cash and nearly fighting over it before shoving the bills into their pockets. A strange, greedy smile spread across their faces. “Wait here,” one of them said quickly before rushing inside the canteen. I stayed where I was, holding my handbag tightly, only having to wait five minutes before the door suddenly burst open. A t
“May I ask why I owe this pleasure?” Alexander asked, leaning back more comfortably in his chair. “What made you come all the way here to see me?”Rosie took a moment before answering. She looked down at her hands, nervously rubbing the edge of her phone as if the words she wanted to say were difficult to bring out of her lips.As if even speaking them felt forbidden.Alexander, always quick to read people, raised an eyebrow. “Mr. Dawson doesn’t know you’re here, does he?”The moment Malcolm’s name was mentioned, Rosie’s lower lip trembled.She bit down on it before slowly lifting her head to meet Alexander’s eyes. Her lashes were wet now, tears gathering until her eyes looked glassy and red.She sniffled softly, looking heart-breakingly fragile, like a delicate flower that had been caught in a tragic storm. “Sir…” her voice shook. “I need your help.”She paused, swallowing hard, as if she was forcing herself to continue. “My family… needs your help.”Before Alexander could even blin
Sitting on one of the plush couches in the waiting area of Sterling & Co. was a beautiful woman. Her back was perfectly straight, her posture calm and elegant as she smiled politely at anyone who happened to glance her way. There was just something about her. Something warm and inviting that made people want to approach her without even realizing it. It was almost as if a soft halo of kindness surrounded her. Her red hair was neatly gelled back. She wore a simple white dress paired with delicate green jewelry that made the color of her hair stand out even more. The whole look gave her an innocent, gentle appearance. This woman was Rosie Nelson. Even though a small part of her suspected that Alexander Sterling might refuse to see her, none of that worry showed on her face. She kept her calm smile, waiting patiently like someone who had all the time in the world. Then her phone buzzed and she glanced down to see the name Malcolm flash across her phone screen. The smile she had
“What sort of nonsense are you insinuating right now?” Rosie snapped, stepping in front of me and shoving me slightly behind her as she glared at the saleswoman. The movement was protective but I’ve gotten to learn that it only looked that way on the surface. I knew this feeling too well, the su
“Oh, we’re just looking around,” Rosie said brightly. “We want to get something special for the birthday girl.” She slipped her hand from mine and wrapped both arms around Mom instead. Mom let out a pleased, self-satisfied laugh, patting Rosie’s arm. “Oh, you naughty girl,” she said, though her
“What?! You can’t do that to me! I’ve worked here for five years!” Cecelia’s voice cracked as she lunged toward the manager. A security guard was faster. He grabbed her, pinning her to the floor as she screamed and cried, still yelling about her missing bracelet. The manager turned to me, loweri
Just as I was speaking to the men in Murkwood, miles away, in Skyline City, the loud sound of shoes clacking on marble floors echoed through the headquarters of Sterling & Co building. Joseph, Alexander Sterling’s assistant hurried down the company hallway, holding his laptop tightly against his







