로그인TESSA'S POV
I walked out of the shower, a towel wrapped tightly around my chest, water still clinging to my skin. The room was dim, only the bedside lamb that casted a soft glow across the space. Richard sat on the edge of the bed, scrolling through his phone, but he looked up the moment he heard me. "How do you feel now?" he asked, his voice low. "Better," I said, offering a soft smile... lovely on the outside, hollow on the inside.Zane’s POV Two years later “We are gathered here today to lay her to rest…” Thunder rumbled loudly in the distance and I shivered. I hated the rain. I looked up and out and sighed. I hated funerals. It was just depressing and made me cry for days. Rain poured softly against the black umbrellas surrounding the graveside. Everything looks gray. I stared quietly at the coffin while the pastor kept talking, but honestly, I wasn’t listening anymore. Funerals always sounded the same to me now. Sad voices. Crying people. Promises that the dead were in a better place. Adults liked saying things like that. I looked around. Aunt Rachel’s picture sat beside the flowers on my nightstand. She was smiling in it. Not the fake smile she used to make sometimes. A real one. The kind she made when Mommy laughed too hard at something stupid. Or when Dad tried cooking and nearly burned the kitchen down. Or when she carried me on her back pretending she was losing strength dramatically. I swa
Tessa’s POV The gun fired. I squeezed my eyes shut and quickly opened them.“I won’t miss next time,” Harley warned. Zane began to cry. “ Mummy please make it stop!”I tried to get to him but all I saw were guns pointing at me. Richard was fast enough and grabbed him despite the guns. “You have to kill me” he said through gritted teeth. There was no Rachel, Stacy, or Stacy. Where did they all go?A gunshot blasted in the distance and I ducked. When I stood up, I couldn’t believe it. The electricity cut out so suddenly that for one terrifying second, I thought I had gone blind. It must be the police. Screams exploded around the house instantly. Police officers are shouting outside.Bodies crashing into things. And through all of it…Harley laughed. That laugh did not sound human anymore. I never knew that was who she was. Hey, laughter echoed through the darkness as she had finally lost the last piece of sanity holding her together. Suddenly there was another blast and I was thro
Tessa’s POV Even though I had no reason to worry, I couldn’t stop worrying in the hospital. My son was in a safe place. By morning I made up my mind. I was going to the orphanage.“Call me let me speak to Zane on video call” Richard said. I nodded and kissed him on the cheeks. I left the hospital. My mother said she would go with me.************************There were police vehicles and a yellow tape at the orphanage my heart began to pound. I didn’t know what to say or think. I got out of the car and ran. On my way, I saw it was covered in blood.I stood frozen near the entrance while police officers moved in and out of the building carrying bodies beneath white sheets. Children’s toys littered the floor. Tiny shoes. Broken crayons. A teddy bear soaked in red.My stomach twisted violently. “No…” I whispered before collapsing to her knees. “No, no, no…”I immediately rushed toward the teddy bear while Madam Clarisse held my other arm. My entire body shook uncontrollably.“My so
Rachel’s POV Rain hammered violently against the windshield as I drove. It was hard to concentrate after what I had just heard. My hands trembled so badly on the steering wheel that I almost missed a turn.Was the governor dead? And… and it was Stacy who killed him. I swallowed. I glanced over at her. Beside me, Stacy sat unnaturally calm after casually confessing she had gone to prison to kill the Governor. She said it, like it was normal.God!I finally looked at her in disbelief. “Why would you do something like that?”Stacy laughed softly and wiped dried blood from her hand. “Because he’s becoming a problem.”“A problem?” My voice cracked. “That man is Sophia’s father!”“And?” Stacy shrugged. “Sophia won’t do anything.”“You don’t know that.”“Oh, I do.” Stacy smiled strangely while staring out the window. “Sophia only loves herself.”Something about the way she said it made cold fear crawl through my chest. These people were completely destroying one another now. Tessa was no
Rachel’s POV The kitchen smelled like burnt garlic and tension. Stacy stood near the stove stirring the sauce aggressively while muttering curses beneath her breath. She was pissed. Furious even. It was because of Sophia. Nothing in the mansion felt stable anymore. Not since Richard’s accident. Especially since Tessa somehow clawed her way back into control. And definitely not since Sophia started behaving like she owned everyone.I sat quietly at the counter scrolling through her phone nervously while trying not to think too much. That was becoming impossible lately. Especially after I left Tessa’s house. They didn’t even let me talk. What did I do to get stuck between two egotistical women?Suddenly, Stacy’s phone buzzed loudly against the counter. She grabbed it instantly. Then smirked.“What’s that?” “The blogs got taken down. I knew she would do it”I looked up slowly. “What blogs?”Stacy shrugged casually while pouring wine into a glass. “The one accusing Tessa of killing h
Tessa’s POV I could not stop shaking. Even after the police took my stepmother’s body away, even after the house became quiet again, my hands still trembled uncontrollably in my car. I haven’t even called anyone to tell them. The realization that someone must have killed her because she wanted to tell me something hurt like crazy. My mind was racing with ideas on who might have done it. Sophia? Stacy? I shook my head and wiped tears off my eyes.The image of her lying lifeless on the floor would not leave my head. Finally, I was able to leave but I went to my mother-in-law’s house.That night I sat curled up on the couch inside Madam Clarisse’s living room while she rubbed my shoulder gently. For once, the powerful woman looked exhausted too.“Tessa,” she said softly, “you need to breathe.”“How?” My voice cracked instantly. “She called me because she wanted to tell me something important. Something urgent.” Tears filled my eyes again. “And before she could say it… she died. ” It f
Richard’s POV The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes was the sharp sting of daylight bleeding through partially drawn curtains. The second thing? The pounding in my head, like a jackhammer drilling straight into my skull. “Ug
Richard’s POV The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes was the sharp sting of daylight bleeding through partially drawn curtains. The second thing? The pounding in my head, like a jackhammer drilling straight into my skull. “Ugh…” I groaned, shi
Camilla’s POV The corridors of Anderson Global always had this sterile quiet around noon. Most of the staff were either at lunch or hidden behind frosted glass panels. I preferred it that way… it meant less chit-chat, less curious eyes.
I walked out of the shower, a towel wrapped tightly around my chest, water still clinging to my skin. The room was dim, only the bedside lamb that casted a soft glow across the space. Richard sat on the edge of the bed, scrolling through his phone, but he looked up the moment he heard me. "How







