Mag-log inWe spent about thirty minutes planning the rooms and the interior of the house. The kitchen, the bathrooms, and even the fourth room, which would serve as my in house office for now. After that, we called a taxi and visited two furniture stores, going back and forth over prices before finally deciding which one to use. I paid an upfront deposit and gave them a copy of my house key, though I already planned to change the locks the moment we officially moved in. I wanted everything new. Beds, pots, rugs, curtains. Everything. Even if it was a bit expensive, I did not care. The only thing I won’t compromise on is bringing any furniture from Murkwood to Skyline City. The furniture, cleaning, and interior setup would take about a week. I also paid for fumigation. After that, the car the landlord arranged took us to Evercrest Academy. We were given a tour of the school, and it was exactly what I expected. Large, spotless buildings, well equipped classrooms with modern boards and proje
The 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
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
I had no idea just how catastrophic the reaction would be.I knew it would be bad but what followed was something else entirely. Later, I could only wish I’d been a fly on the wall when everything unraveled.The truth was, eyes had already been on my account.So the second that post went live, it w
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
Everyone in the estate knew Gerald’s marriage was a disaster.He was a narcissist who truly believed he was the greatest thing to walk the earth. He and his entire family treated his wife and daughters like maids, people meant to serve, not be seen. Patricia Allen saw that ugliness and mistook it f







