The sky was draped in a thick blanket of grey clouds as if mourning alongside the small gathering at the cemetery with Cassandra’s name etched on the headstone. Krystie stood among the mourners, her face pale with black sunglasses draped over her eyes. The dark circles under her eyes betrayed the sleepless nights she had had. She wore a simple black dress, her hands trembling as she clutched the envelope Cassandra had given her. She had dared not open, afraid of what she might find. Her eyes remained fixed on the lowering casket, guilt gnawing at her core. The priest’s words faded into the background. She was only present physically. Chloe gently placed a hand on Krystie’s shoulder, her voice soft and reassuring. "Krystie, please stop blaming yourself. You did everything you could. You saved her. This wasn’t your fault." Krystie didn’t respond. She couldn’t. Her heart was heavy with unanswered questions. The logical side of her brain to accept life and death as part of the job w
The blood-stained envelope lay on the table, its edges crumpled. Krystie stared at it with a pounding heart. Chloe and Lucian sat across from her, anticipation evident on their faces. The silence between them was almost deafening. Krystie’s heart raced as she finally tore it open. The contents spilt out across the table, a stack of photographs faded with time, and a small note written in Cassandra's handwriting. Krystie reached for them with trembling fingers, afraid of what she might see. Chloe’s gasped, her fingers flying to her mouth. "Oh my God…" she whispered, her eyes darting from photo to photo. The first photo showed a strikingly handsome young man with piercing dark eyes and a charismatic smile. He was laughing, caught mid-motion, his arm around someone just out of frame. Krystie’s breath hitched. She recognized him from the countless times Lucian had mentioned him. Damien! Lucian’s elder brother. The same brother who had been murdered the day Krystie’s parents died
Krystie, Chloe, and Lucian sat in the living, each one deep in their thoughts. Krystie’s phone buzzed, breaking through the silence. She picked it up, her eyes narrowing as she read the message: Boss, there is another unauthorized surgery scheduled soon. Details are vague, but it’s happening within the next few days. Nancy. Krystie’s jaw tightened. She stood abruptly pacing around the room. They are not going to stop any soon, there's another scheduled surgery happening soon, she muttered, her voice low Lucian’s eyes darkened, but Chloe spoke first. "Then we need to stop them. We can’t sit here while people out there need our help. That's what Papa taught us. Krystie shook her head in frustration. "Exactly. But I don't know how to help them. I can’t go back into the hospital without drawing attention. I’m still under investigation. I was suspended, remember." A deafening silence followed until Chloe broke it. "Then that's the point where my plan comes into the picture. I t
The hospital corridors were very silent. Krystie, Lucian, and his team of trusted allies walked through, dressed in scrubs and surgical masks. "Let me check on Chloe first," Krystie whispered to Lucian as she peeled away from the group. She reached the door and paused, her heart pounding in her chest. "Inject her now. She's the next one for the procedure," a cold voice ordered from inside. Krystie’s eyes flashed with fury. Without hesitation, she kicked the door open. Two masked nurses turned in shock, one holding a syringe filled with a clear liquid. Chloe lay on the bed helplessly, her face pale from fear of what would happen if Krystie didn't make it on time. Krystie grabbed the nurse with the syringe, twisting his wrist until the needle clattered to the floor. With a swift punch to his jaw, he crumpled. The second nurse lunged at her, but she was faster, driving her elbow into his throat before sweeping his legs out from under him. He hit the floor with a thud. Krystie to
Dr Lawrence’s eyes fluttered open. A sharp, metallic scent filled the air, the cold dampness of the room made him shiver. His head throbbed with pain, a dull ache from the back where he had been struck. He tried to move, but his arms were bound tightly behind a metal chair, his legs shackled to the floor. The faint sound of waves crashing hinted that they were near the coast. Perhaps Italy, from the faint accent in the whispered words exchanged around him. As his vision cleared, he took in his surroundings. He was in a vast, abandoned warehouse somewhere unfamiliar. His heart raced with panic when he noticed the men surrounding him. They weren’t the big boss’s men. They were fierce, sharp-eyed men dressed in black, their postures rigid with discipline. Some had scars and others bore tattoos with symbols he couldn’t recognize, but all of them radiated the same silent threat. Their faces were cold, emotionless, and deadly. "Where am I?" Dr Lawrence asked drawing the attention o
The sirens grew louder as the cars made their way to Dock 47. The stench of gunpowder, blood and bodies scattered like discarded chess pieces in the area. Two black SUVs with tinted windows screeched to a halt. Armed men dressed in black tactical gear spilt out. Their faces were masked, they had been tracking the van since it left the hospital. They were Krystie's people, not the police. The GPS trackers hidden inside the cartons had led them here. The sirens were only to scare everyone away. "Secure the area and clean everything!" barked the team leader, a man with a sharp jawline and piercing grey eyes that missed nothing. Inside the cartons, the doctors and nurses had begun to stir, groggy from the sedatives. Panic flashed across their faces as the realization set in, everything foggy in their minds. One of the men yanked the tape off a doctor’s mouth. The doctor gasped, coughing violently as he tried to speak. "Please help us," he croaked, his voice raw from dehydration.
The big boss stood at the corner of the warehouse looking out of the window. His dark mask covered his face as always. Things had started going wrong! The warehouse was silent except for the chirping of the birds outside. Ben, his right-hand man, stood beside him, tense. He was afraid the boss might lash out at him. "Boss, I think it's kind of strange, everything is so wrong right now. We still haven’t found Dr. Lawrence. It’s like he disappeared off the face of the earth. At the dock, everything was wiped out clean. I think we have a mole in our group." The big boss exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "Lawrence, that bastard ruined everything. And now he’s hiding?" His voice was deadly calm, but everyone in the room knew what that meant, someone was going to die tonight. "About a mole, I have noticed that too. Don't worry about it. I'll handle everything in today's meeting. Make sure that boy also attends, I want to deal with him tonight." The big boss took a seat at the table.
The meeting room inside the warehouse was dimly lit with only a single overhead light. Across the wooden table, the men seated around with tension on their faces. The big boss sat at the head of the table, his gloved fingers tapping rhythmically against the wooden table. His dark mask hid his expression, but the sharp glint in his eyes was enough to send chills through the men seated before him. His patience had run out. Ben stood beside him silently, watching as the others shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Every man in the room knew that meetings like these never ended well. Someone wasn’t going to walk out of this room alive. The big boss finally spoke, his voice calm. "We have a big problem!" He leaned back in his chair. "You see, everything has been going to hell lately. Our plan was interfered with, the dock was wiped clean, our men tortured, and Dr Lawrence returned to us in a state that not even the devil himself would wish upon his worst enemy. He let the words s
Krystie sat on a thick blanket spread out on the floor, cradling a sleepy-eyed baby boy in her arms while his twin sister giggled as Lucian lifted her high into the air, spinning her gently. "Easy, Lucian," Krystie laughed, brushing her son's dark curls from his forehead. "She’s going to think she's a plane." "She’s my little plane," Lucian said proudly, kissing the baby's chubby cheek as she squealed with delight. "A future heartbreaker like her mom." Krystie rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop the smile tugging at her lips. Their twins, Liam and Liana, were now six months old. Everything had changed since that magical wedding night. Regal Hospital, under Krystie's leadership, had become one of the most respected medical centres in the country. Krystie had restructured the staff, introduced groundbreaking programs for patient care, and expanded services to help the underserved. Her days were busy, filled with patients, administrative meetings, and, more often than not, chasing a
The iron gates of the prison stood still under the grey morning sky. Rain drizzles fell as a man dressed in all black stood at the gate. One last glance at the prison before he left. Not long after, sombre news had already spread like wildfire through the city: Xavier West was found dead in his cell at dawn.The report listed it as a suicide.There was no note, only the silence of a man who had once tried to control too much and lost everything. The guards said he hadn’t spoken for days. He’d sat in the corner, staring at the cracks in the wall, as if waiting for something that never came.Two days later, a small and discreet burial was held at a secluded cemetery. There were no headlines or reporters. Just a closed casket, a simple grave, and a few scattered mourners who had once called him family.Mark took one last glance at the casket at turned around, tears at the corners of his eyes. Despite everything his father had done, he couldn't deny that watching him lay in that casket st
Krystie smiled up at Lucian. As the slow notes of Perfect by Ed Sheeran ft Beyonce filled the garden, Lucian gently pulled her into his arms. They swayed together, the world around them fading away. His forehead pressed against hers as they danced. Mark and Chloe joined them on the dance floor, laughing when Mark twirled her clumsily but caught her just before she stumbled. Around them, their friends watched with shining eyes. When the song ended, Joel took the microphone, clearing his throat dramatically. "Alright, alright!" he called. "Before we dive into the cake and the rest of the night, we have something to announce" Lucian stepped forward, reaching into his pocket for a small velvet box. He smiled at Krystie, a radiant smile reserved only for her. "I wanted to start our new life together by giving you something," he said, voice carrying through the garden. "Something that represents your strength, your compassion, your unwavering belief in doing what's right." Krystie f
The air in the small living room buzzed with excitement. Krystie, Lucian, Mark, and Chloe sat around the coffee table, papers, flowers, and swatches of fabric spread out chaotically before them. "I still can't believe we're planning this in a few hours," Chloe giggled nervously, twirling a pen between her fingers. "Are we really doing this?" Mark caught her hand and squeezed it. "We are, honey. I don't want to waste any more time." Lucian nodded in agreement, his gaze tender as it fell on Krystie. "Neither do I. After everything we've been through, it's time for a new beginning. A real one." Krystie's heart swelled with emotions. It felt almost surreal, planning a wedding in one day but she wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Her parents would have wanted her to live fully, to find happiness even after the darkness. The girls and boys quickly divided up the tasks. Chloe and Krystie called a few close friends to help with the arrangements, while Lucian and Mark secured the
Krystie stiffened slightly in Lucian’s arms, lifting her head to meet his eyes."You said I gave you purpose," she whispered, her voice raw from crying. "What do you mean by that?"Lucian gazed down at her, his thumb gently brushing away the tear tracks on her cheek. His lips curved into a bittersweet smile as memories of seven years ago flooded his mind."I never told you before," he murmured. "But I think I owe you now."Krystie blinked in confusion. "Lucian…?"He led her by the hand to the couch and sat down, pulling her down beside him. His hand never left hers."Seven years ago," he began softly, "I was at the hospital. I had just lost my brother, Damien. He was my guardian after our parents died. He was everything to me."His voice grew tight with emotion, and Krystie squeezed his hand encouragingly."I sat outside the operation room for hours, refusing to leave. When they finally told me he didn’t make it, I couldn’t breathe. I just sat there, in the cold hallway, crying like a
Mark stood in front of Chloe’s apartment door, his knuckles white from clenching his fists. He hesitated for a second before knocking. Chloe opened the door, surprised to see him, but the look on his face made her step aside without question. "Mark?" He stepped inside, but he couldn’t look at her. His voice broke almost immediately. "I accompanied Krystie to see my father." Chloe’s eyes widened slightly, but she waited. Mark exhaled a shaky breath and finally looked at her, eyes red. "He admitted everything, Chloe. He killed them. Your parents just because he was bitter and envious." His voice cracked. "And I’m his son. I carry his blood, he stammered. I... I wouldn’t blame you if you hated me. If you never forgave me. I wouldn't forgive me either." Before another word could leave his lips, Chloe pulled him into a hug. He was stiff at first, then broke down, crying into her shoulder. "I’m so sorry…" he whispered, his voice raw.Chloe gently patted his back, her voice soft. "You
The heavy steel doors of the Blackthorn Federal prison clanked open as Krystie and Mark stepped inside. The long corridor echoed with the distant occasional shout from inmates. Guards led them in silence toward the visitation room. Neither Krystie nor Mark spoke. They all had lots of unanswered questions they desired answers to. It had been a month since the judgement, but Krystie had one more thing she desired to know. They were shown to a cold metal table. A few seconds later, Mr. Xavier was escorted in, clad in his prison uniform, hands cuffed, his once well-groomed face now unkempt beard and hollow eyes. But his smirk remained. "Well, well," he drawled, taking his seat and leaning back as far as the restraints would allow as if he were still the one in control. "See who finally decided to visit me if not my dear son and goddaughter. I was wondering how long it would take for the prodigies to come visit me. Have you come to gloat?" Krystie didn’t waste time. She straightened a
The courtroom buzzed as Xavier West was escorted inside, clad in an orange prison uniform that couldn’t quite mask the pride still etched in his posture. His expression remained composed, almost arrogant. His attorney, Mr. Clarke, adjusted his tie and leaned over. "Relax. We’ve got the best money we can buy. The judges are in our pocket. There’s no hard evidence they can use. We’ll have this thrown out in a week." Xavier didn’t respond, only stared at the room with cool detachment. Journalists filled the benches, their cameras flashing and pens ready. The public gallery overflowed with curious onlookers, family members of victims, and a few hospital staff. Xavier’s smirk returned when he saw the judges entering, three men he knew well, the judges from his case seven years ago. The lead judge struck the gavel, and announced, "Court is now in session. Case number 2328: The People vs. Xavier West." The prosecution began with an impassioned speech, laying out the charges including hu
At the boardroom on the top floor of Regal Hospital, sunlight filtered through the tall windows, where Mr. Xavier West sat at the head of the polished table, flanked by board members and stakeholders. All were dressed in fine suits, sipping imported coffee as they discussed the hospital’s future, oblivious to the storm that was about to hit.Xavier wore his usual calm mask, a faint smile plastered on his face as he nodded at a proposal from the finance director. "If we accelerate the expansion plans for our offshore branches, we can double our quarterly revenue," he said smoothly, exuding confidence and control.The silence shattered when the heavy double doors burst open without warning. Ben, Mr Xavier's personal assistant, stood there panting, sweat trickling on his forehead, his tie crooked as if he'd run all the way."Ben," Xavier barked, his eyes narrowing. "What the hell do you think you’re doing? You don’t barge in here when I’m in a meeting, especially not with the board!"Be