LOGINBack 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
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 chest. His tie was loose, his hair slightly disheveled, and the dark circles under his eyes made it obvious he hadn’t slept in days. “Move! Out of the way, let me through!” he shouted, shocking employees as he pushed past them without slowing. The boardroom doors burst open. Inside, nearly twenty directors turned simultaneously, their conversations dying instantly at the interruption. At the head of the long table sat Alexander Sterling. Alexander’s face darkened, annoyance flashing in his sharp eyes at the sudden interruption. Joseph didn’t stop. He rushed forward and leaned down, whispering quickly into his boss’s ear. Whatever he said changed everything. Alexander went completely
After my heart-to-heart conversation with Rebecca, something finally settled inside me. I was moving too fast. Yes, I was desperate to change our lives, desperate to leave Murkwood behind as quickly as humanly possible. But somewhere along the way, I forgot one important thing. I wasn’t leaving alone. While I had already made peace with the decision, the people coming with me were still trying to catch up emotionally. Rebecca… Mary… the children. To them, everything must have felt unreal, like a beautiful dream they were afraid to fully believe in, unsure whether waking up would mean losing it all. If I truly wanted this new life to work, then I couldn’t rush it. We needed to move forward carefully. One step at a time. I had to ease them into this transition, gently and patiently, so that when we finally reached the life waiting for us at the top… it would feel like it was meant to be ours. I exhaled slowly and turned to Rebecca. “Let’s go get the kids.” She blinke
“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, lowering her head in apology. “I am very sorry about this situation,” she said softly. “Please, tell me how I can make this up to you. I can offer a gift card or you can pick anything, it’ll be on the house.” I dusted off my clothes, ignoring her entirely, and walked to the extra shopping bag left on the counter, the one with the bracelet inside. I turned to the manager, holding it casually. “I’ll be taking this extra bag to carry our things.” “Of course,” she said quickly, relief in her voice that I wasn’t making it a big deal. “Please, take as many bags as you need.” I smiled faintly, gripping the bag and taking Rebecca’s hand. Together, we walked toward the exit, pausing for a moment in f
“Are you really not going to eat?”I took another bite of the juicy chicken, the flavor bursting across my tongue. It was so good I almost groaned. Each chew felt like pure heaven, reminding me that I was alive. I could almost feel my body waking up again with every swallow. I chuckled to myself, i
I didn’t need to read minds to know exactly what the neighbors were thinking as they watched me from their balconies and doorways. Patricia Allen, the notorious drunk who only ever caused trouble had finally lost her damn mind. It’s not that I didn’t expect them to be shocked. I just didn’t expe
I looked away, pulling the towel tighter around my body as I walked toward the bedroom. “You’re just in time for dinner,” I said quietly. “Go freshen up.” “Dinner?” Her voice was flat, as she looked at me in pure disbelief. “Since when do you cook dinner?” I felt her eyes on my back as I close
By the time I woke the next morning, Anna was nowhere to be found. The living room was still dim, the curtains were barely covering the pale morning light. Billy, Gracie, and I had slept on the thin comforter I bought yesterday because Anna had locked herself in the bedroom and I didn’t want to s







