Zoe stepped out of her sleek red car that pulled in front of ANCLAIR imposing building, as the morning sun radiated against its polished surface and cast an eye-blinding reflection to those who cared to look. She stood like a regal figure as soon as she was greeted by the employees who were waiting outside to welcome her already, her impeccable three-piece, exuding sophistication and timeless elegance. As she proceeded through the revolving door into the lobby which was full of the usual busy activities of the morning, behind her was Gary, in his perfect suit, and the others, walking behind her like an army. Hush fell into the room the moment she sauntered past the marbled-floor lobby, the click of her heels echoing in the silence, as employees paused mid-conversation, their eyes widening as they caught sight of the daunting lady who was making her way into the elevator. As the doors of the elevator slid open with a soft chime, Zoe stepped inside together with Gary and the doors
As the thought of Malcolm came to her mind, Zoe’s mind could not help but flash back to what he had told her that morning before she left the house. It was when he gazed at her with some kind of expression that conflicted her. “Zoe,” he called her as if his breath had seized from him, his eyes twitching with something she thought seemed like sadness. “Do you think that you can leave this family now? And be away from everyone? Finally? Don't try to know anymore and just break off?” His voice carried a hint of something that sounded like weariness which she wasn't sure of, because Malcolm Meyer was not the type to express such emotions. “What do you mean?” her eyebrows raised with surprise, her questioning eyes searching him with curiosity to know what he meant by those words. “Nothing,” a smile she knew was not genuine curved his lips, as he slowly brushed a strand of hair from her face and tucked it gently behind her right ear, “I… I probably was too eager to hear if you would st
Zoe arrived at the discreet golf course in the evening after she clocked out of the company a little earlier than usual, as she spotted her friend, Martin, waiting by the golf tee, looking all fit and fine in his golf outfit. He waved the moment his head turned right, and he saw her, a smile curving his lips with delight. “Hey, Zoe,” he called out, still smiling, as they both hugged briefly and shook hands smoothly, “How have you been?” His eyes peered at her with admiration. “Hi, Martin,” a brilliant smile stretched Zoe's lips, as she adjusted her cap and the golf outfit she had asked Zara to order for her less than an hour ago, after he asked to meet there, “I have been great. Trust you have been too.”“Absolutely,” Martin responded, handing her a golf club, “Let us make this a good game,” he winked at her.The two made their way to a further place in the large field away from the eyesight of the few people that were around, till they got to what looked like a perfect spot for the
Martin's eyes took a haunted look, as he stood unblinkingly trying to process what he had just heard, before turning to stare at her with shock, “Your fiancé?” Blood drained from his face at that unexpected revelation, “Zoe are you serious?” there was urgency in the way he spoke. “She nodded, her gaze steady, “Yes, Martin. I truly am.”Martin shook his head as his stomach contracted into a tight ball, “But...how?” His voice failed him miserably, as he couldn't mask the deep disappointment he felt at that moment. He was suddenly confused. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know how Malcolm Meyer of all men would be her fiancé.‘Where did they meet? How? Since when have they been together? And why was it even a man like him? How was that even possible?!’ Martin's mind was stormed with different questions, his brain battling to process the numerous rhetorical questions one after another. He truly hoped it would not be true. He wanted to ask if she was sure he was truly her fiancé,
After Zoe left the golf course, she couldn’t bring herself to go home because of how she was feeling, and the surfeit amount of thoughts that were running through her mind. Instead, she drove to a faraway beach to clear her head, parked her car miles away, and walked down to the edge of the ocean where water could sweep her feet. She stood on that spot for a few minutes, her mind racing through many conflicting thoughts and emotions, before she finally turned back and sat down, wrapping her arms around her knees as she gazed out at the relentless waves from a distance while lost in thoughts. The disturbing revelation Martin had told her earlier made her so worried, as she slipped her phone out of her inner coat, and swiped across the screen to her gallery where the picture of the card she took was. It was an innocuous-looking card, plain blue, embossed with simple red lettering. If not for her curiosity about everything that was in Irina's safe, there was no reason for her to both
Zoe threw her phone back into her pocket, her hands trembling with rage as she got on her feet, straightened the rumples on her clothes, and stormed to where her car was parked. The drive to the six-star restaurant was almost at the speed of light, as she gripped the steering wheel so tightly, and floored on the accelerator so keenly with her eyes fully on the road, while navigating through the city’s evening traffic. The memory of Marcel, arrogant, disrespectful Casanova, who had asked to see her burned in her mind, and she knew she would not let unwelcome reappearance go unanswered in the right way. As she pulled up to the opulent restaurant, the valet took her keys with a nod after her orders, as she strode purposefully through the lavish lobby, her heels clicking sharply against the polished floor. She was on her way to see him on the very last floor that was said to have been reserved for just the both of them, to resolve their differences.‘Ah,’ her lips twisted into a wicked
The information that Zoe had been on a blind date set by her grandfather when he was out of town, and the one she had been asked to go to again that day, drove Malcolm crazy when he heard that he lost every sense of reasoning at that point as soon as he dropped the call. He had not bothered to change his clothes, and just stormed out of his room, picked up a car by himself, and drove out without employing the help of a chauffeur. His hands gripped the steering wheel as he floored hard on the accelerator, his anger fueled by thoughts of betrayal from Francis Sinclair. The imagination of Zoe going on a blind date arranged by her grandfather and meeting another man played repeatedly in his head, with each version of his mind scene inciting the flames of his rage.‘Just why would he do that?! Why?!’ Malcolm was so enraged. His fingers trembled with fury as he dialed Zoe's incessantly, without any sign of response. “Fuck it!” His jaws clenched hard as he threw the phone onto the passeng
Malcolm drove out of Francis Sinclair's mansion still in anger, while trying Zoe's phone unsuccessfully with no one to pick it up. Though unfazed by Zoe's grandfather's words before he left, his mind could not help but drown with concerns about what the old man could be planning to do. “You will not be able to say this once she regains her memories,” those words flashed through his mind repeatedly, and overwhelmed him with some kind of unsolicited fear.He knew the kind of person that Francis Sinclair was, and could never say he trusted what he was capable of beyond business terms. In fact, he preferred not to know what he could do. The only person he was interested in was Zoe. Roaming through his head and mind, he thought of the perfect place that she could be even if she had gone on a blind date, and hoped that he would really be right, so he confirmed that she wasn't home either. Even if he knew he was supposed to be respecting her space by not arousing suspicions between the tw
Audrey struggled for breath as she began to tap his hand, which was already restricting the airflow from her lungs, and it was as if his eyes burned with more anger because the veins of his hands popped out more visibly.Without thinking too much, she raised the pointed tip of the shoe she was wearing as she positioned her hands firmly, on the railings for support. With a force, while struggling hard to breathe, she sent a kick to the middle of his legs. The pain caused Andre to groan as he instantly snatched his hand from her neck and grabbed his crotch in pain, which made it easy for Audrey to instantly spring forward instead of falling over because of the force he had used to shove her against the railings. Immediately, she dialed Zoe's number as fast as she could on her escape, as she scurried away from where Andre almost choked the life out of her, her ragged breaths uneven, and her heart beating so fast. Momentarily lost for the right words to say as soon as Zoe picked up Aud
SIX MONTHS AGO. Audrey had worn a camel-colored dress that day on Irina's birthday to celebrate freedom, and her imminent moment of final escape from the Meyers. From her ruthless husband's family, her miserable life and family problems- the major reason why she was still stuck in the stupid marriage. Her room back in the mansion had been cleared to an extent of all the things she needed, and arranged perfectly in a way that it might take a while to suspect a thing from just a mede glance. Smuggling her luggage out had been the easiest. It had been tactically towed to a storage company earlier that day, in new garbage bags that didn't even make anyone question. She had executed the plan perfectly, during the busy hours of the day in the mansion, while everyone was trying to make Irina's birthday party a perfect one and were all distracted. She had withdrawn Aaron from school, hidden him in a safe place in the guise of school camp, and had planned everything perfectly. It was only
Andre barely slept a wink all night. He was so restless, and his mind roamed aimlessly. Nothing was working for him. Nothing. And yet, he just continued to fall into more problems and debts. Yes, debts. While he was busy faking his death in the country he was living while his mother sponsored his lifestyle, he spent most of his time gambling in a casino. Returning to California, he continued codely in high-end clubs for elites, and had lost his savings in just a few months after placing a costly bet during one of his usual gambling days. The slush funds that was secretly siphoned from the MEL-CO oil and gas was meant to help him get back on his feet, but Malcolm caught on fast and blocked it mercilessly. Since then, he had been pressed for money and was desperate. He didn't know what was going to work out at the moment, but he needed a large amount of money to settle the private loans he took. Selling his shares was not an option because he would lose everything. Asking his moth
Irina's mind had not known peace for the past few hours, and she hadn't slept a wink the entire night. Dressed in a gorgeous custom-made white suit, she sat stiff and frozen in the back seat of her car, as if she had forgotten how to move.Her driver glanced at her in the mirror once or twice, wondering what was wrong, because it was unlike her to look that dazed. The tension in the car was stifling as he drove, and it was almost suffocating for him. Her fingers continued to flutter nervously, with one hand on her lap, and the other biting at her already wounded nails. Her heart was beating erratically and restlessly, as her eyes remained dark and sunken in misery. She struggled to remain composed as her head pounded fiercely, because the terrible migraine from the previous night had not stopped stabbing into her eyes. But she barely cared. All she could think about was her daughter. Isla. ‘What does she know? What?! What was she talking about?!’ Her heart twisted with fear each ti
The bright lights from the chandelier in the room stirred Zoe awake as her eyes fluttered for a few seconds, before it parted. A gasp escaped her as soon as her eyes met the ceilings above, and her heart skipped immediately, as her eyes darted to the clock by the corner of the expansive room.8:30 AMZoe's hand flew to her temple, and her eyes widened, “No. No. shit!” she muttered, as she moved the bed covers around her body instantly and came down the bed. She was meant to rest for two hours, maybe three at most. Just enough to clear her head. Instead, she had passed out completely while sitting on the couch yesterday. She was wearing the same clothes from yesterday, with her phone off, her body tired, and not a single file prepped for the morning’s board briefing. ‘Malcolm must have brought her here when she fell asleep,’ she realized. Thinking about him, she noticed that the penthouse seemed quieter than usual, as she walked out of the bedroom straight to the dining room. There
“How did it feel to see her?” Malcolm, whose eyes were already shutting in weariness brightened at the mention of Zoe, saying she met her mother. “To be honest, I was so glad. I was exhilarated because it felt so surreal to know I still have a family,” a small smile graced her lips as she spoke of it, “She doesn't know yet, but I like seeing her every time. She is a gorgeous woman. Full of dreams, and beautiful. Fun fact, we have similar eyes,” she was so excited to talk about Jasmine to someone. Turning to look at her, Malcolm stared into her eyes with a smile, “Really?”“Yes. She is stunning,” her lips widened in a deeper grin. His heart, suddenly hurting at the thought of his mother again, Malcolm was curious, “You don't resent all the times you spent away from her? Or her?”“If I say I don't, I lie,” a soft sigh escaped Zoe, as she looked up at the beautiful chandelier that was sitting up on the ceiling of the living room, while staring at it dreamily like a new kind of attra
Ding dong! The shrill chime of the doorbell outside the door instantly cut through Jasmine's thoughts and her back to the present from her room. For a moment, she couldn’t move. Her body remained frozen as if her brain had paused, and her heart, hammered. It was when her phone which was by her side sounded with a loud notification, that she fully kicked out of the reset mode her mind had gone into. She grabbed the phone so languidly as if something was sucking life out of her. A message notification from Justine flashed through her face when she swiped the screen up, and it read, ‘I’m outside. Please come get me.’ Turning on the lights in the room, Jasmine rose to her feet and hurried out of her room with light steps, careful not to wake Raine up. When she opened the front door of the house, a silent gasp escaped her as soon as she saw her. Justine was looking like life had chewed her up and spit her out. Her eyes were red with weariness and swollen with tears, and her sho
The bedroom showed no sign of life because the lights there were off, but someone was sitting by the window side, staring out into her uninteresting compound, while lost in thoughts. She sat at the edge of her armchair with her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes fixed on nothing in particular. The air around her felt so thick with tension, and it felt too heavy to pull into her lungs, because it was constricted with pain. It had been almost two hours since Zoe left, but Jasmine’s heart had not known rest because of what she said. The most shocking part of her life was all exposed in just one evening, and she was still trying so hard to process it. Her truths were wrapped in so much pain.She had been trying to keep up with the chaos inside her head, but it was as if Zoe's pain now lived in her lungs.‘She was married?’ Jasmine could not get her mind off that part, because that piece of information was not included in her public biography. There was no news about it. ‘If she was
Zoe adjusted the face cap she was wearing and bent her head, her eyes boring deep into the floor as she entered into the elevator with Malcolm. It was when they entered and the doors shut, that she thought to herself that it would have been better if he had gone up first. ‘What could be worse than the tip-off of where she was staying the night? Meeting up with Malcolm Meyer in his private penthouse? It would look too good on paper. The speculations would be terrifying and suffocating!’“You can remove the cap now,” Malcolm told her as soon as they reached the penthouse of the forty-five floored building, and stepped out of the elevator. “Okay,” she muttered, even if she didn't pull it off immediately. She was still a little bothered that someone might see them. The penthouse was quiet when Zoe stepped in after Malcolm opened the door, and it was the kind of stifling silence that made her heartbeat echo in her own ears. And maybe somehow, because she had seen what his house looked