My phone wouldn't stop buzzing, preventing me from getting the sleep I so desperately desired. I figured it had to be Carl pestering me, so I went over to my purse and as I pressed the button to turn off the phone, I caught the name 'Bethany' popping up. I stopped and read what her latest message had said. 'Please Olivia, I'm outside waiting for you. I really want to make things right with you. Please, please, please. I owe you an apology and I wanted to say it to your face.'Sighing heavily, I grabbed a pair of slippers and an overcoat to hide my nightgown, bringing my phone with me in case we got locked out of the building at this hour, and headed down to the lobby. I didn't want to do this, but I still cared about Bethany too much to leave her outside unattended; I had to send her home.As I walked outside, I didn't see Bethany anywhere. I took a few steps forward, and noticed a figure that resembled my sister leaning up against a street light, so I continued in that directio
Ellis had Bethany's arms pinned behind her back. The knife was lost in the leaves."Are you alright?" Ellis asked me.I nodded. "Yeah, you got here just in time, as usual." I took deep breaths, realizing with Ellis here, that I'd be okay."Get your hands off me you bastard!" Bethany shrieked, struggling against Ellis."Olivia, Bethany?" I heard my mother's voice calling out and not in the direction of where my phone was."Mom?" I shouted out into the woods.I heard rustling leaves, then my mother and father came running out of the trees. My mom ran right up to me and hugged me."Oh, honey, are you okay?" she asked."I'm fine," I affirmed. I hugged her back."Mr. Peterson, we seem to keep running into each other tonight," my mother said, nodding to Ellis. "Thank you for stepping in.""This has been quite an interesting night to say the least," Ellis exhaled deeply with a slight smirk.Then my mother's attention turned to my sister. "Bethany," my mother said, turnin
I set the picture down and looked around the rest of the room. My attention was drawn into the smile of the same woman in a large portrait hanging above a vanity. The portrait was encased in an elaborate, gold-gilded frame and took up almost the entire wall. She was posed in a perfectly poised, elegant position, seated with her hands on her lap. The alluring smile on her lips was ever-so-slight. And yet, she was absolutely beautiful. Her face was clear of all blemishes and imperfections. Even though she was dressed simply, the entire effect was charming and even heartwarming. The vanity was painted gold, with an elegant mirror. On top of it there were several pieces of fine jewelry, diamonds, pearls, and sapphires. They were also polished and dust free, like they were waiting to be worn. A bottle of expensive perfume sat on the vanity in a custom-made glass bottle. I recognized the label; It was a perfume by Givenchy that cost well over a few hundred dollars an ounce.This w
"What's so secret?" My eyes were closed and I let Ellis lead me down the hallway."You'll see," he said.When I opened my eyes again, I was brought into his playroom.I hadn't been expecting that. Well, I wanted him too, but I was worried after finding me in Nancy's room that maybe he wasn't in the mood… However, Ellis seemed happy to forget about the encounter. Maybe that meant it really wasn't a big deal to him. "What are we doing here?" I asked, looking around. "I got something for you and I thought it would be fun to try it out," he said, giving me a charming smile. My stomach fluttered as Ellis turned away. When he turned back, he had a box in hand, wrapped and tied with a red, silk scarf. "What's this?" I asked as I took the box. Ellis bit his lower lip, his eyes smoldering into me. "Go on, open it," he said. I licked my lips and untied the scarf, handing it to Ellis. He moved around behind me and ran the silky fabric up and down my bare arm. I shuddere
"The room?" Ellis asked, tilting his head slightly. My stomach dropped. I didn't like how he was being evasive and it only made me more suspicious. "The room with the piano, where you found me earlier," I elaborated. Ellis' lips turned down slightly at the corners, a subtle frown. His eyes didn't change, though. It was hard to tell if he was disappointed or upset. "It is just a room," he said. "A room that you keep clean, perfectly polished, and enshrined," I pointed out. His frown deepened slightly and he reached for a glass of water, like he was trying to mask his expression. "I like to keep my house in order. Clean, polished, ready for visitors and guests at any moment," he explained. It sounded rational enough, but Ellis had never been so concerned about me touching things in his house before. "Ellis, please, is there something I need to know about that room?" I asked. "Is something going on that I should be aware of?""Olivia, it is in the past and that is w
"Tell me everything you know about Nancy and your father," I told Carl, placing the bills on the dirty counter. I kept my fingers on the bills to prevent him from snatching them. "I can tell you what I know," he offered. "Alright, go ahead," I said, nodding to him. I raised an eyebrow, expectantly. "Nancy was one of the good ones. One of the kindest, gentlest, most amazing women I've ever met. Granted, I didn't see her much because I was traveling and off at boarding school. Dad didn't like me around, especially when Nancy was there," Carl said. He contorted his face bitterly. "I'm sure he had his reasons," I muttered. "Go on, please.""Nancy worked for a non-profit. She spent a lot of time raising money for good causes. I'd say she was a modern-day saint," he went on, smirking at me. My stomach twisted uncomfortably and I wished Carl would lay off the praise. I couldn't tell if he was doing it on purpose to rile me up, or if he really felt that way about Nancy. "My
**Ellis POVI embraced familiar waves of loss and sadness as I walked around Nancy's perfectly preserved room. At the piano, I picked up her sheet music and let my eyes flow over the notes. It was a very complex piece, but she'd always played it so perfectly.Setting the pages back in their place, I went to Nancy's portrait and looked her over."If only I'd been able to protect you from them," I murmured, reaching out to touch her but stopped short, pulling my hand back. "Years have passed, but I finally know how to avenge you and destroy the Klein's."A smile tugged at my lips as I gazed at her portrait. She was a hard face to forget and I knew a part of me would remember her for the rest of my life."You know, I met someone. She's a lot like you but she's very different in many unexpected ways. It is what makes her so refreshingly different that I love so much," I said softly.I let myself get lost in memories for a moment. For years, business always came first, and I'd m
**Olivia POVI hurried down the Peterson driveway and away from the mansion. How could I forget about any of that? Temper or no, he had admitted to only pursuing me because I reminded him of someone else. I shook my head as I stalked down the street and turned the corner. I needed space. I needed to clear my head. Listening to his words made me feel sick, physically sick. I rubbed my stomach as I walked, breathing in deeply to calm the rising nausea. How could I have been so stupid? This whole time, I thought he really cared about me. If it hadn't been for Carl, I might have gone on believing the lie. If that wasn't ironic, I didn't know what was. My stomach lurched and I pitched forward, falling to my hands and knees on the pavement. My whole body trembled as my stomach heaved and I lost my breakfast on the sidewalk. Tears stung my eyes and I coughed. My throat burned. I crawled forward away from the mess until my arms and legs gave out. I felt clammy all over. Rea