>>Epilogue>>The flashes of camera resounded in the Grey room while Scarlet stood stiffly against the white wall behind her.Her hair was dull and her face had turned pale like she had been rubbed with ashes. The jumpsuit she wore was standard uniform. Orange colored, loose, and entirely devoid of the grace she once carried.She was made to hold a wooden board firmly against her chest with a blank face. Her hands trembled slightly as the officer instructed her not to move.On the board, it read:> INMATE: SCARLET HERNANDEZ> CHARGES: ATTEMPTED MURDER, KIDNAPPING, CONSPIRACY, EXTORTION> SENTENCE: 80 YEARS WITHOUT PAROLEThe camera flashed again to take the final photo. Scarlet didn't even blink, too stiff to say a word like someone who had accepted their fate.The moment passed, and the officer took the board from her. She was turned around and was led out of the room, handcuffed.She disappeared through the steel doors, and was led into her new cell. Scarlet paused at the entrance
Scarlet's voice shook as she stepped closer to her father, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You're not really going to use those explosives, are you? You said they were just for bluff. You said no one would get hurt."Mr Hernandez didn't look at her right away. He kept his eyes on the scene unfolding on the security monitors he had placed in the room where Lucas and Clarissa were kept. "Things changed," he said flatly.Scarlet's breath hitched. "What changed? That Lucas said he doesn't love me? That he chose her? Is that enough reason to kill him?"Hernandez finally turned, his jaw tight. "You had one job, Scarlet. Just one. Make him yours and make this alliance work. But you failed. And now, you're no longer in control of what happens next.""I didn't fail," she snapped, her eyes burning. "I still love him—""But he doesn't love you back," he cut her off. "He never did. And the sooner you accept that, the less painful this becomes."Tears slipped down her face, but her voice rose anywa
A few hours later after the brutal torture, Mr Hernandez walked in first with a calm face, like the chaos didn't faze him. And behind him, Scarlet entered with anger in her eyes, her hands clenched at her sides. She didn't look at her father because her focus was on one person only.Lucas.She stopped a few feet away, staring at him in the chair, and he was still glaring back at her like she meant nothing to him."You know all this could have been avoided if you just loved me?" Scarlet said suddenly, her voice loud and sharp. "And I’m sure you know that I do love you too.”Lucas grimaced in annoyance. "You don't love me, Scarlet. You only loved the idea of me.""That's not true," she snapped, stepping closer. "You're lying to yourself. After everything we've been through, after everything I did for you—"Lucas cut her off. "You lied to me, trapped me with a child and manipulated me. That's not love. That's obsession."Scarlet's face twisted, her lips shaking for a moment like she mig
Lucas jerked awake with a sharp gasp when cold, stinking water hit his face and soaked his shirt. He blinked fast, coughing and shaking his head, confused and shivering. His body felt heavy and sore, and his head was still pounding from the hit earlier.As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he saw where he was. He had been tied to a chair and not just any chair…an electric chair.There were straps wrapped around his wrists and ankles, and the metal beneath him was icy and hard. Meanwhile, Clarissa sat across from him. She was tied to a wooden chair, her head hanging low, hair messy, her body trembling. Her hands were tied behind her back, her face bruised and stained with tears, soft sobs filled the room. "Clarissa," Lucas called out in a rough voice. "Clarissa."She lifted her head slowly. The second she saw him, she froze in shock."Lucas..." she whispered. More tears rolled down her face. "Oh God, you're here."Lucas tried to move, but the straps held him tight. "I'm here," he
Lucas's car came to an halt in front of a rusted gate. It was pitch black and almost midnight when he arrived at the abandoned estate. It was a three hours drive from the main city to this place. Lucas turned on his cellphone and dropped it in the car before he got out. His black boot hit the granite all over the ground as he walked towards the gate, unsure where the entrance was.His eyes searched for a spot that served as the entrance but got none. When his patience start to grow thin, he turned around to head to the car.Just when he turned, he was blocked by three unknown men.Lucas paused, staring blankly at the men who were dressed in black jackets and masks. His eyes moved from one to another, immediately guessing they were Mr Hernandez’s men. "Where is Mr Hernandez?" "Come with us." One of the men stated, his voice slightly rough and edgy.Lucas frowned. "This is not the location?" "You heard me the first time." The man said a little impatiently. They made a path for him
In the dimly lit room upstairs in the Reeds headquarters that served as the IT space, monitors were scattered around the room, with blinking lights from the available servers. The room was crowded by people moving around and trying to get work done. The tension was thick in the air, the kind that made your lungs feel heavy.Henry was leaning over one of the desks, arguing with a tech analyst who was typing away on his monitor. Charles stood by the whiteboard, running a hand through his hair for the fifth time in ten minutes, scattering it in the process. Edward sat on the edge of a table, bouncing his leg rapidly, his arms crossed tight around his chest. While their father, Mr Rhodes leaned against the wall on the corner in silence.And Lucas stood in the middle of it all, staring at the map on the big screen. His jaw was locked tight and his arms were crossed together.His mind still replayed the information Mr Rhodes had told him. Due to the situation, he hadn't asked for clarit