MasukRachel’s POVSilence.The silence from the other end of the call was deafening. Disturbing even.Then, “What?” Sophia said.I told her everything. The cellar. The strangling. The threats.When I finished, Stacy sounded furious. Or maybe I was just imagining it.“Don’t worry,” she said sharply. “Richard will regret this. We already have something against him.”I frowned weakly. “What do you mean?”“I can’t explain everyt
Rachel’s POVSighing, I gave Zane one last look before heading to the cellar. I knew that was where Richard would be. It was the only place that had no CCTV. I closed the door softly and walked in. The cellar smelled of dust and damp wood when I stepped inside. Richard stood in the shadows, waiting. Looking around, there was no sign of Richard. I even checked the inner cellar, still nothing. It was after a mouse ran out of its corner that I saw him. His eyes darkened with murderous intent. My heart pounded. “You lied to me, ” I whispered. His face darkened instantly. “You said you would not tell your wife anything. What were you telling Tessa about? You pushed me to the wall so I had to talk about Thailand— Before I could move, his hands wrapped around my throat. I clawed at him, gasping, until my knee slammed into his stomach. He staggered back, breathing hard.“You should’ve stayed quiet, Rachel,” he hissed.I coughed, gripping my neck. “About Thailand? About your secret son? Or
Rachel’s POV The elevator stopped with a soft ding and slid open. The apartment number she had given me glowed faintly on the door at the end of the corridor. I squinted, double-checking the message on my phone. Was this really the place? It looked too ordinary for someone like her. I sighed and walked, despite the hesitation in my legs. I took out my phone and dialed her number. It rang only twice before she picked up.“Hello?” Her voice was high-pitched from the other end of the call.“Are you home?” I asked, keeping my voice low as my eyes kept darting around like a thief. I stopped in front of that door. “Oh, you’re here?” Her tone was calm, almost amused. “Come on in.”The door clicked open before I could knock. She smiled and immediately went back. I stepped inside, the hallway light spilling into the apartment like a hesitant guest maybe because it saw me. Stacy stood there in the soft glow of a single lamp, dressed in a simple black robe, her dark hair loose around her sh
Tessa’s POV My mouth fell open and I took a step back. Rachel? “How dare you talk back at me?” Richard barked. “ Babe can you see your sister?” “The nerve you have to stand there and pretend like the good husband you aren’t” she rolled her eyes and looked away. My eyes almost bulged out. “ Rachel!” I yelled. “Don’t talk to Richard like that” “And why won’t I Tessa? Your husband has been deceiving you, claiming what he is not. Has he told you about Thailand? I whipped my head around so fast my neck almost broke. “Richard, what... What is Rachel talking about?” he ran a hand through his hair. “It was some bad business deal that happened in Thailand” she muttered. I looked from him to Rachel. Instantly, I knew none of them was telling the truth. “Is none of you going to tell e the hell what is happening here!” I screamed. My head was racing with ideas. Very ugly
Tessa’s POVMorning came too quietly. That was the first thing I noticed when I woke up. I saw myself on the bed. Who would have taken me? Richard. I rolled out of bed and yawned. Only then did I notice that there was no sound downstairs. No laughter from Zane. No movement from the kitchen. Just a heavy silence sat in the house like it had been with me when I caught Richard. I stared at the ceiling for a moment, trying to decide if I should go back to sleep or pretend everything was normal.Normal felt impossible now. Last night kept replaying in my head in fragments. Richard is standing outside in the rain. The black car.I sighed and finally got up. The hallway felt colder than usual. When I reached downstairs, I found Richard in the living room. He was already dressed. But he didn’t look rested at all. His shirt sleeves were slightly rolled up, his tie loose, hair not fully set. Like he had spent the night thinking instead of sleeping. Yeah, that's what you get for standing in th
Tessa’s POVI woke up happy. I didn’t have a concrete reason to be. I stuck my feet out of bed and sat up. Looking over to the other side of my bed, I sighed. Richard was not in bed. Oh dear. He has been working really hard lately. Perhaps to rebuild his clientele that Sophia‘s saga caused him to lose. A smile crept to my lips. I hope he gets them all back. And even more.I washed up quickly—face, body, clothes. I was ready for breakfast. As I was going downstairs for breakfast I couldn’t help but notice that the house felt different in the morning light.Warm and almost alive. Then I was interrupted by Zane’s giggles mixed with Rachel’s voice. I paused at the top of the stairs without meaning to, just listening. It sounded… normal. Like something I had always wanted without knowing how to ask for it. Who would have thought that Rachel was my sister? Then came the guilt of not telling Harley. She wanted me to fire her but didn’t. If I did that I wouldn’t have my sister. Suddenly I rem
I stood frozen for a second, hand still resting on the doorknob, heart thudding harder than I wanted to admit. I should’ve just walked away. I should’ve let him sit there in his pool of regrets and self-pity and whiskey. But something about the way he looked so… hollow— like a man sitting in the
The day had been long. Longer than most. Even after everything that happened, the stolen project, the chaos, the silent tension between everyone on the executive floor… my face remained composed. But inside… everything felt like it was shifting.I had spent hours in my office, keeping my head down,
I turned back toward him, slowly, my pulse catching in my throat. He was facing the ceiling now, one hand flung over his eyes, the other clenched against his chest. “I should’ve protected you,” he murmured, barely coherent. “I should’ve believed you…” I stood still,
Aside the location Richard sent, the driveway curved just like I remembered it. The tall pines swayed gently in the breeze, casting shadows across the manicured lawn as I pulled up to the front of the house I used to call home. But I wasn’t here to walk down memory lane, I was here to remind myse







