Rhea's Pov Neveah tilted her head back, her cheeks rounder than I remembered, her little face glowing with life. She had grown plumper since the last time I’d seen her, a healthy fullness that made her look like a child untouched by the cruelty of the world outside.I bent down, brushing back a lock of her soft hair as I cupped her cheek gently, “You’ve gotten chubbier since the last time I saw you. And these pajamas…” I tugged playfully at one floppy ear on her hood, “They’re almost too cute. You look like a little stuffed toy.”Her cheeks flushed immediately, a rosy red blooming across her face as she ducked her head shyly, “I told big brother Laziel not to dress me like this, but he insisted.”I raised an eyebrow at the term, “Big brother?” She nodded rapidly, her little head bobbing up and down, “Big brother Laziel said he was older than me and I had to call him big brother. He's also taller than I am!” Neveah gestured widely, her covered arms flailing about. The corners of my
Rhea's Pov Mrs. Martins, ever the gentler presence beside her husband, reached out and patted my arm with a warmth that contrasted sharply against Sloane’s icy demeanor, “You deserve that vacation, child. You’ve carried so much weight on your shoulders in such a short time. Rest while you can. We’ll keep things steady here until you return.”“Thank you, Mrs. Martins.” I dipped my head politely, appreciating her sincerity even if I knew the company was not as steady as she hoped, “I’ll be in contact. Please let me know immediately if anything unexpected arises.”With that, Fiona and I excused ourselves. I didn’t spare Mrs. Sloane another glance, though I could feel her glare burning into my back as we walked out. That was fine. Let her seethe.Once inside the car, the door shut with a soft click, sealing me in the quiet cocoon of leather seats and faint engine hum. My pleasant smile vanished, replaced with the sharp, calculating edge I kept hidden beneath the surface.“Fiona.”“Yes, M
Rhea's Pov “So this is her? This is the child you’ve brought in to ‘change’ the company?” Her words dripped with condescension, each syllable deliberate, echoing in the quiet room, “Do you not have eyes? Can’t you see how inexperienced she is?”The air thickened instantly, tension snapping through the room like a live wire. The man shifted uneasily. The younger woman lowered her gaze, biting her lip. Even Fiona, who stood at my side, stiffened, her hand tightening around her folder.For a heartbeat, I didn’t move. I let the insult hang in the air, but then my lips curved, the faintest of smiles tugging at them as I finally turned my gaze to the stern woman. She was seasoned, sure, but compared to the two live times I've lived, she was nothing. “Inexperienced? Mrs Sloane, do you really think that of me?” Her eyes narrowed at my calm tone, clearly expecting me to snap or falter. She folded her arms, her chin tilting higher, “What else should I think? A child who’s barely seen the wor
Rhea's Pov “They have all been arrested and currently, it doesn't look good for Howard Thorne.” Fiona murmured, handing over a tablet to me. I glanced at it, skimming over the article on the screen. It's already been four days since they were all arrested and during those two days, people had stormed the police station, asking for justice. No matter what, Howard Thorne won't be able to escape this. “This is the break I need in order to remove myself from that family. This way, if I ask Howard for anything in exchange to save his legacy, he'll agree, won't he?” I leaned forward, placing the tablet on my lap carefully. Fiona blinked, “Are you thinking of saving him?” “Saving him?” I clicked my tongue, “What on earth do you take me for, Fiona? I worked so hard to reveal what they had done, why should I save him? But I'm certain that if I offer to help Jason out of prison, he'll jump at my offer. After all, Jason is his son and like many traditional fathers, they all think tha
Ginny's Pov Howard didn’t look at me. He didn’t look at anyone. His silence was enough of an answer. The scarred man who spoke scoffed and went upstairs along with his other men and together, they brought down a huge table stand that had my jewellery, makeup and a lot of my stuff. My eyes widened and I lunged forward like a madwoman, my throat tearing with a scream.“No! Not that! That’s mine! Do you hear me?!” I clawed at the arms of the men hauling my belongings, desperation flooding me like fire in my veins, “Take the paintings, take the stupid chandelier, take Rachel’s worthless trash, but not my things! Those are mine!”I grabbed onto the edge of the table stand, pulling with all my strength. But in an instant, one of them shoved me, harder this time. My body flew backward, my head cracking against the sharp edge of the coffee table before I hit the ground with a thud. White-hot pain exploded at the side of my skull, my vision swimming, spots dancing before my eyes.“Stay down.
Ginny's Pov Rachel’s mouth opened soundlessly, her tears flowing freely now. Her body trembled like a leaf in the wind, but she quickly nodded, her silence sealing her submission. Howard released her with a shove, sending her sprawling across the floor. She stayed down this time, pressing a trembling hand to her neck, too terrified to utter another sound. I smirked to myself, satisfaction curling in my chest. At last, Rachel was quiet, she was no longer an obstacle. But before I could relish the victory, or before Howard could speak again, the heavy thud of footsteps drew our attention. The front door creaked open, and six hefty men stepped inside. Their presence filled the house with a suffocating weight, their eyes sharp and unyielding. The air carried the faint scent of cigarettes and leather, an ominous warning that danger had entered. The tallest of the men, broad-shouldered and scarred across his jaw, stepped forward. His voice was gravelly, thick with menace. “Howard