The street was dark, lonely, and eerie, but Melissa’s feet carried her far from the house. She didn’t spare a moment to look back; she just kept running, the pain in her abdomen growing worse. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the cold ground, bruising her knee in the process.“I hate my life!” she cried, crawling to the pavement to examine her knee. “What is this? Is this some kind of nightmare? Why am I in this mess? What did I do to deserve this?” Her wailing pierced the quiet night. She curled up, burying her face against her knees. As if nature itself conspired against her, rain began to fall lightly, quickly turning into a downpour. There was no shelter nearby, no place to go.“Fine!” she shouted, her voice lost in the rain. “Punish me all you want. I deserve it anyway. If only I’d listened to my mother and kept my legs closed for that bastard, I wouldn’t be in this situation! And why haven’t I terminated this baby yet? Of what use is a child to me? I can barely take ca
“Wakey, wakey,” Jared said, placing a tray of breakfast on the bed as Melissa stirred awake. “Good morning, sweetheart. Hope you slept well.” He sat on the edge of the bed.“What’s good about the morning, Jared?” she hissed, stretching and yawning. “Anytime I wake up and see your face, I know I should prepare for another awful day. What new surprise should I expect from you today?”“Come on, Mel. Can we move past our differences, please? I hate fighting with you. I want to make up for everything I’ve done. We can go beg your mom to take you back. If she doesn’t, I’ll take care of you. Maybe when you give her a grandchild, her heart will soften toward you,” he explained, hoping to calm her down.Melissa snorted. “Easy for you to say, isn’t it? I was already on thin ice with my mom before you showed up and made me fall into her trap. She’s not just punishing me because I got pregnant, but because it’s with you—her business rival,” she said. “Of all the people in the world, you had to pi
Melissa sat in the living room, munching on cookies and watching an action movie when the doorbell rang. “Why would Jared knock before entering his own house?” she muttered as a servant went to answer the door. The visitor turned out to be Cassandra.Melissa leaped to her feet, anger surging through her at the sight of Cassandra. “What are you doing here?” Melissa demanded as Cassandra walked in, scanning the room like she owned it.“Is Jared home?” Cassandra asked casually, brushing back her, and moving over to a couch.“Why are you looking for him? You have no right to be here. Leave this house!” Melissa pointed angrily at the door.“Oh, please,” Cassandra said dismissively, sinking into a couch and dropping her handbag beside her. “Tell the maid to get me a drink. I’m thirsty.”“You’ll die of thirst, Cassandra!” Melissa snapped. “Get your despicable self off that couch and leave!”“What are you even doing here?” Cassandra asked, leaning forward on the couch. “The last time I was he
After running a long distance, Melissa’s feet buckled beneath her, tears streaking down her face. She crouched beside a row of trash cans in a small alley, her body trembling from both pain and anger. She didn’t want it to hurt. She understood what Eureka went through, seeing her husband cheat openly, but she never knew it would hurt so much. The voice of Cassandra moaning Jared’s name clouded her mind. It felt as though she was losing her sanity as she clamped her head, wailing. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, drumming in her ears like an incessant beat.“Bloody bastard!” she yelled, punching a trash can with all her force. Her knuckles cracked as blood began to spill. She didn’t care. The pain in her heart was far worse than the throbbing in her hand. “I was a fool to think you loved me! Why does it have to be Cassandra of all the women in Beverly Hills? You don’t have taste, Jared. How can you share that tramp with your best friend?” She tossed her shoes aside, sat on the c
It has been two days since Melissa left Jared’s place. He has searched everywhere he could for her, yet nothing. Currently, he stood in the bar, repeatedly pouring himself a glass of whisky. His expression was downcast as he gulped the drink over and over again.“Why are you so unfortunate, Jared?” he thought. “Why do you have to be so stupid in the first place? You don’t know how to keep women, do you?”“Boss,” one of his servants called, appearing before him. He bore into her with his eyes, making her retreat.“Lunch is ready,” she notified him. He gave her the once-over without a word, then poured another glass of whisky.“Should I serve now?” she repeated.“Get lost, Juliet!” Jared snapped, startling the woman as she scurried away.“That was harsh,” came Cassandra’s intruding voice as she moved toward him. Her arm and face were strapped.“What’s this all about?” she asked with a sneer. “Why haven’t you been taking my calls or replying to my messages? Is that how you treat your wom
Melissa stepped into the living room from the kitchen, holding a cleaning rag to wipe the table. Charlie had many servants, as he had said, but Melissa insisted on helping with the household chores as her way of thanking him for being kind to her. Her tummy was protruding, and she feared Charlie would find out she was pregnant soon, so she wore baggy gowns to hide it.One day, she stepped on her long gown, stumbled, and nearly fell over.“I told you to wear normal clothes," he scolded her as he caught her.There was something about him that made Melissa's heart flutter, something she rarely felt around Jared. She felt safe and at peace with him.In the days she had spent in his house, he had been more than good to her. He treated her like a sister, and even the servants praised their boss for being a kind and wonderful man.“I wish I could marry him," joked one of the servants, a middle-aged woman, causing the others to laugh.“The boss is indeed handsome, but I’m not sure settling wi
“So, when were you going to tell me about it?” Charlie asked two days after Melissa was discharged from the hospital. She was seated on the bed, her head hanging low in sorrow. "How long did you plan to keep it from me?”"I don't know,” she replied with a shrug, looking up at him. "I'm tired of this life. Everything I do seems to go wrong. Why can't I be normal like everyone else? My mom wanted me to be a business administrator, to take over my father's company as CEO. She also wanted me to stop drinking and hanging out with my friends. My life got messier when I had to explain myself to everyone. I don’t want to keep answering questions about my life! Sometimes, I feel like I've lost something inside me. Just leave me alone!” she cried, tears brimming in her eyes as she jumped to her feet, trying to walk away."Come back here!” Charlie pulled her back onto the bed. “You don’t walk out on your elders, okay?" he scolded.“I don’t care. I just want to get out of your space. It's better
“Boss, you need to wake up. You’ll catch a cold sleeping here,” Melissa said to Charlie, who only stirred in response. "I wonder when you started drinking heavily like this. What am I going to do now? The others have gone to bed," she thought. “Boss, you need to pull yourself up," she said, grabbing his hand and trying to lift him. “I can’t carry you. Offer a helping hand." “I’m awake, Lisa. Let go," Charlie groaned, yanking his hand away from Melissa’s and forcing himself to his feet. “Stop acting like you care.” He turned to go upstairs, stumbling against the table and staggering back. He almost fell, but Melissa caught him from behind. With all his weight against her, she exhaled. “Let’s go to your room,” she said, leading him upstairs with his arm draped over her shoulders. “You don’t know what you did, do you?” he slurred in a drunken haze as Melissa practically dragged him along. “Watch your step,” she told him. It took over ten minutes for Melissa to lead Charlie to
Melissa stood by the door, staring at Jared as he worked on the desktop. He was also on the phone with a client or whoever it was, so he didn't notice her entry. The secretary had allowed her in when Melissa said she was paying Jared a surprise visit and didn’t want it spoiled. Besides, the secretary wasn’t informed that Melissa shouldn't be allowed into Jared's office without his consent. After all, they had seen her a couple of times before.So, when Jared ended the call and attempted to retrieve a file from his drawer, he saw her standing, her eyes glued to him.“Lisa?" He froze on the spot, his heart skipping a beat. “You didn’t tell me you were coming."“That’s what surprises are for,” she smiled, walking over to him. “Did it work?”“I bet it did, but I still insist you should have called me before coming,” he said, sitting back in his chair.“Oh, should I leave then inform you if I ever want to come back?” she snapped, though her voice was low.“Have a seat. Don’t throw tantrums
Kailani withdrew her hand from Kaiden's, stumbled back, turned, and took to her heels.“Hey, wait!" Kaiden rushed after her. “What's wrong, Kayla? You need to stop."Kailani didn’t stop. She ran as fast as her trembling legs could take her, pushing past people and crashing into their shopping carts.“Sorry," Kaiden apologized to the shoppers. “Wait up, Kayla!"Kailani stumbled upon a staircase, falling to the floor with a soft thud. That didn’t stop her. She swallowed the pain, scrambled to her feet, and tried to dash off when Kaiden grabbed her hand."Let me go!” she cried, tears rolling down her cheeks."Stop, Kayla. You need to relax,” Kaiden said gently."I want to go home, please,” she sobbed."Fine, let's go,” Kaiden agreed, leading her out of the mall."What's wrong? Where are your shopping bags?” Raymond asked as the twins reached the parking lot."Just drive and stop asking silly questions,” Kaiden snapped, opening the door for Kailani. She quickly got in and buckled up. Raym
Eureka sat by Kailani's side on the bed after she regained consciousness. The therapist had to leave, advising Eureka to make the girl see reasons why she needed her service. Eureka promised to try."I'm sorry, Mom," Kailani apologized, her voice quiet."About what, honey? You did nothing wrong," Eureka said warmly.Kailani glanced at her, her eyes beaming with tears. "Mom, can I tell…you something?" she asked, her voice shaky."Always, sweetheart. I'm all ears."Kailani swallowed a lump, the ugly torture she was subjected to flashing through her mind. "When I was…with those people," she paused, watching Eureka's concerned expression. Kailani scanned the room, shifting closer to her mother as her hands began trembling."Relax…you're safe with me now," Eureka assured her, draping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer. "I'm here for you.""Mom, the principal…at my school connived with…with that…there was a woman, she was wicked to me," she stuttered, her body trembling slig
Kaiden walked into the room after leaving to get some snacks for Kailani, but she had already fallen asleep. He sat on the edge of the bed, his soft eyes trailing her from head to toe, then he held her hand, squeezing it gently.“I knew something was off when that bitch entered the class on that ugly day," he thought. “The energy felt different. She had your voice, your face, but she didn't have your heart. I wish I had pointed that out, I wish I could have looked her in the face and told her she was not my Kayla. How could I? She bloody had your face and there was no way you would be two in the world with striking resemblance,” he paused as she stirred. He patted her arm gently and she relaxed again.“I'm deeply sorry, Kayla. The second time you need me and I wasn't able to help you. Even Mom couldn't. We all couldn't, probably because we didn't know evil exists to that extent. You'll heal perfectly, okay?” he said with a warm smile appearing on his face.
“You said she would be fine, doc. What the hell is wrong with my daughter now? Why is she so scared? What does she see?” Eureka asked as she barged into the doctor's office.“You need to relax, Miss Bennett. Please have a seat," the doctor said calmly. Eureka hesitated before sitting down.“Your daughter is traumatized. She must have experienced some ugly events that are causing her reaction. You need to understand that it takes time for her to get over that scene. That’s why I suggest she starts seeing a psychotherapist,” the doctor explained."Are you saying that my daughter has a mental disability? She spoke just fine to us, then all of a sudden she started reacting strangely.”"Your daughter is emotionally affected. Psychotherapy doesn’t mean she’s crazy. I can assure you that with her medication and therapy, she will be fine in due time. You just have to be patient with her, and make her feel safe again," he stated.Eureka took a dee
Eureka entered the doctor's office, gently closing the door behind her. “You asked to see me, doc. What's the condition of my daughter?" she asked, sinking into the visitor's chair opposite the doctor.The doctor sighed, closing the folder he was holding. “What I'm about to tell you is temporary, so relax, Miss Bennett," he said."I'm calm, doctor. Just assure me my daughter will be fine,” Eureka stated softly."Your daughter was diagnosed with Chlamydia.”"I don't even know what that means.”"It's a type of sexually transmitted disease, Miss Bennett,” the doctor said.Eureka's heart caught in her throat as she shifted forward on the chair, her stomach churning. "What…what are you saying?" she stuttered, her voice trembling.“We discovered signs of sexual abuse on your daughter. She had injuries around her genitals, bruises on her thighs and wrists. Trust me, Chlamydia is treatable,” he explained.Tears rolled down Eureka's cheeks. "You're saying that my daughter suffered sexual abuse
“Kayla?” Kaiden muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. He dropped on his knees in her front, cupping her face, his hands trembling. “Kayla, can you hear me? It's Kaiden," he said, then untied her. He checked her pulse, listened to her heartbeat, but heard nothing. Silence. The kind that paralysis someone with fear. Her body? She was cold; eerily cold. “Kayla, I'm here now, okay? I came to take you home. Are you listening? You have to say something to me. You have to get angry, to scold me, to tell me how disappointed you are. I should have protected you as I promised but I failed again. I'm sure you'll forgive me, so say something, please,” he begged, tears filling his eyes as he stared into her closed eyes."Kaiden?” Raymond called, barging into the room. He staggered closer, freezing on his spot."What's happening, Mr. Raymond? Why is she not responding to me?" Kaiden asked, his tone filled with sorrow as tears slipped out of his eyes.Raymond took a deep breath, composing him
"Slow down, goddamn it!" Kaiden yelled, his grip on the handle tightening as Raymond sped through the street. "I thought you enjoy speedy rides like this." Raymond smirked, not yielding to his request. "Says who?" "Says your passion, Jackie Chan," Raymond teased, a smug smile appearing on his face as he slowed down slightly, then pulled up in front of a mini bungalow. Kaiden stepped down, leaning against the car, catching his breath. "You see why I'll never like you?" Kaiden groaned, relaxing. "I only thought of treating my son to what he likes. Sorry if I made you fear," Raymond apologized, locking the car door. "Fear? You wish," Kaiden scoffed. "Where is this place?" he demanded. "Kaiden..." Raymond walked to Kaiden's side, meeting his serious eyes. "We're here to rescue your sister, that's if we haven't missed our chances yet. My candid advice is for you to follow my steps when we step into that house. They might be bad guys and I don't want to answer to your mom if y
Kaiden jumped back abruptly, landing on the hard floor with a thud as a black car swept past the spot he had stood just seconds earlier. Blood seeped from his elbow, which had been bruised by the rough marble floor. His head spun for a moment, his vision blurring. Hayley rushed forward, crouching beside him. “Kaiden, are you okay?” she asked, checking his arm. Kaiden regained himself, leaped to his feet, and pulled his hand away from her just as his driver ran over. "Don't touch me!” he snapped, startling Hayley, who trembled a bit. "Go inside!” "What did I do? Why are you mad at me?” Hayley asked, her voice shaking. "I said go inside! Don’t you listen?” he yelled, and she quickly rushed inside, locking the gate. “Are you fine?" Kaiden's driver asked. “Isn’t it obvious?" Kaiden retorted, walking back to the road. “Did you get the plate number? What car was it?" he asked as they crossed the road, this time looking carefully. “It’s a black Chevrolet, but I couldn’t get t