LOGINALEXAI held the photograph tightly in my hands.Four men stood together.Williams.My mother's father.Jeffrey.Susan's father.Richard Cardova.Katey's father.And standing beside them was Father Michael.I stared at the photograph again.Why were these four men together?What connected them?And why had Father Michael kept this photograph hidden?Jason stepped out of the office.I remained inside with Mrs. Jada, still staring at the photograph.A few seconds later, I heard Jason's voice from the hallway.“Who's there?”Silence.“Who's there?”I looked toward the door.Jason's footsteps grew louder as he walked back toward the office.Then an elderly woman appeared beside him.She walked slowly into the room.“Mrs. Helen?” Mrs. Jada called.The woman turned toward her.“Hi, Mrs. Jada.”“Hi, ma.”I greeted her respectfully, lowering my head slightly.Her eyes moved toward me and Jason.“Andersons?”“Yes,” Jason answered immediately.His voice was impatient.“What were you saying back
ALEXAMom was staying with Steve and his wife for the meantime.I drove into the compound and parked my car.The guards greeted me as I stepped out.I took a deep breath before walking toward the house.I needed to find out if my mom knew Father Michael.As I entered the house, I saw Mom coming down the stairs.“Alexa?”She looked slightly surprised to see me.Then, almost immediately, her expression changed.I wondered why.“What are you doing here?”I raised an eyebrow.“Are you not happy to see me?”I pouted dramatically.“You've not been calling or visiting, so yes, I'm surprised to see you.”She said it flatly.I sighed.She was right.I hadn't been checking on her as much as I should have.Between the court cases, the documents, and everything happening with the family, I barely had time to breathe.“I'm sorry, Mom.”“It's fine, Alexa.”She came closer and held my hands.We both sat on the couch.“So, how have you been doing?” I asked.“I'm managing.”She gave me a small smile.
THE ANDERSON'S MANSIONMAX'S POVDinner was served promptly at seven.Herb-crusted steak rested beside creamy mashed potatoes and buttered asparagus. A basket of warm dinner rolls sat in the center of the table, while a fresh Caesar salad and glasses of sparkling water completed the meal.For dessert, there were slices of New York cheesecake.It should have been a normal family dinner.But something felt off.I stretched my hand toward Laura and Lisa.“Let's pray.”Lisa took my hand immediately.Laura, however, slowly pulled hers away.She closed her eyes and whispered a prayer beneath her breath before reaching for her fork.I frowned.That was strange.Lisa, seemingly unaware of my concern, dug into her food immediately.I glanced at her.She had a stern expression on her face.I couldn't understand why she had been acting so distant lately.After dinner, Laura quietly went upstairs.I watched her disappear before turning toward Lisa, who was sitting on the couch, typing furiously o
ALEXA'S POVI pushed the door open slightly.It creaked loudly, the sound echoing through the empty house.I took the first step inside.Silence.Complete silence.It felt as though time had stopped in the house years ago.Jace, Jason, and Mr. Anderson followed closely behind me.The first room was dark and dusty.I sneezed almost immediately."Bless you," Jason whispered."Thanks."He reached for the light switch.After a few attempts, the lights finally came on.I froze.Piles of documents were scattered across the floor.The furniture was covered with white sheets.Drawers had been pulled open.Several chairs were overturned.Books and papers were everywhere.The entire house had been ransacked.Someone had searched every corner of the place.And we all knew who it was.Mrs. Stones.My eyes slowly travelled around the room.Despite the years of neglect, the mansion was still grand.But its former beauty had faded.The paint was peeling from the walls.Several windows were broken.D
JENNIFER'S POVAustin covered my eyes with his hands as he carefully guided me forward.I wasn't exactly excited.Lately, excitement had become difficult.I was exhausted.Exhausted from the mysteries.Exhausted from the constant tension surrounding our family.Exhausted from pretending everything was okay."Just a few more steps," Austin whispered.I rolled my eyes playfully."If I trip and fall, I'm blaming you."He chuckled."I'll take responsibility."He finally removed his hands.My eyes widened.Candles flickered softly around a beautifully decorated table.Fresh roses sat in a crystal vase.Delicious-looking dishes covered the table.The entire setup was breathtaking."Austin..."I turned to look at him."This is beautiful."He smiled proudly."Have a seat, my lady."He pulled out a chair for me.I sat down while he took the seat opposite mine.Then he reached across the table and held both my hands.His eyes softened."You're beautiful."I laughed."And you're charming."We bo
JASON'S POV"Yesterday?" Alexa asked.She narrowed her eyes, as though trying to process what Dad had just said."Yes," Dad replied quietly.I rubbed my jaw, anxiety twisting in my stomach."How did Mrs. Stones find out about Jeffrey?"Dad sighed deeply. His face had gone pale."Katey has her ways. She's sneaky, intelligent, and resourceful.""She couldn't have known about Jeffrey by chance," I said. "I think she has someone watching us."Dad immediately stood and began pacing around his study."And who would that be?"Alexa suddenly gasped.I turned toward her.She covered her mouth, her eyes widening as though something had just clicked in her mind."What is it, Alexa?" I asked."Josie."The name dropped into the room like a stone."Josie?" Dad repeated.I frowned."What's wrong with Josie?""She was in the dining room when we were talking about Ashwood Psychiatric Hospital," Alexa explained, nervously biting her lower lip.Dad stopped pacing."Let's not jump to conclusions.""I don
ALEXA'S POV“So you’re trying to tell me that you know each other?” Jason asked, confusion flickering across his face.“Yes,” my mom and his mom chorused.“Yeah,” Austin and Jennifer said, stealing glances at each other.“How?” I asked curiously.“Well… when I was back in university, I had two frie
I got to the office a bit late. My head still throbbed from the alcohol I’d had last night. Being the boss meant I could arrive anytime, but I had documents waiting for me.After working for over an hour, I handed everything to Mr. Patrick, my secretary. I needed to make arrangements for the blind
"Alexa, why don't you just try this one?" my mom said convincingly."Mom," I looked straight into her eyes and placed my hand on her shoulder. "I'm not in for blind dates. I've got work to do," I said with a stern look."Just try it out!" she pleaded again, still trying to convince me."Mom, just l
Alexa’s POV I dressed quickly and drove to the restaurant Jason and I had agreed on. My mind drifted briefly to my mother and whatever she had wanted to tell me earlier, but it was clear she wasn’t ready yet. I pushed the thought aside. The restaurant was already buzzing when I arrived. I scanned







