XANDER’S POVI watched as Adeline carefully crossed off items from her packing list. Her travel box was already half-filled with clothes, shoes, and accessories, neatly folded and placed inside. My own suitcase sat open beside me, empty. I hadn’t even started packing yet, too preoccupied with the thoughts racing through my mind. We were supposed to be flying to Washington that night, and though we had the whole day to get ready, my nerves wouldn’t settle."So, what if your grandparents hate me?" I asked, genuinely worried. The question had been gnawing at me.Adeline sighed in exasperation. She put down the blouse she was holding and turned to face me. "Not that again," she said, shaking her head. "Xander, you really need to stop expecting the worst. I’ve told you a thousand times; they’re going to love you."I frowned, still not convinced. "But they’re not just anyone, Adeline. I’m meeting the Qylers. And what if…what if I mess up?"She walked over to me, her expression softenin
ADELINE’S POVThe plane touched down smoothly at the Washington D.C Airport, but my stomach still fluttered with nerves about what was going to happen. I looked over at Xander who was sitting next to me. His jaw was clenched tight and eyes focused on the small tele on the head rest. I knew he was just about as nervous as I was about meeting my grandparents tomorrow. They were not just any grandparents- they were among the richest business people on earth, and the thought of introducing Xander to them made my palms sweat. I had a lot of questions, plenty of them. But I smiled so Xander could relax.Would they like him? Or would they hate him at first sight? I couldn't tell, but the thought of waiting until the moment made the whole situation even more terrifying. I could feel the foreboding which had my stomach growling. "Hey," I said softly, unable to hold in the fear anymore. I reached for his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, hoping that it would alleviate the fear I also felt
ADELINE’S POV It had been really thoughtful of him to write me a very sweet note before leaving and I couldn't stop the way my cheeks kept reddening anytime I picked up the letter and read it again before letting myself collapse back on the bed. I felt tired because I'd not gotten enough sleep last night. I felt like doing nothing today even though I had a lot on my plate and there was no resting until I'd been able to finish every single task, till the very last. I set an alarm for thirty minutes and drifted off to another short nap. I felt terrible when I woke up 2 hours later and then my mind went back to my boyfriend again. "What could have happened?" I whispered to myself. Something must have been serious enough for his mother to call him back to Manhattan so suddenly, especially after he just arrived in Washington. I hoped that everything would be alright, but the uncertainty was what scared me the most. I didn't know what to expect unless I called him later on and asked h
SASHA’S POVI was sitting on the cold, hard bench in the cell, staring at the cracked wall in front of her. I’ve come to accept my life now since it was clear that there was nothing I could do that would get me out. It was something I’ve been forced to accept over time because I had been frantic at first. I never thought that this was ever going to happen but it was and there was nothing I could do. The light that was shining overhead flickered now and then, giving the room eerie shadows every now and then. The room was a small, dingy space. The smell of sweat, mold, and despair was very thick in the air and it constantly reminded me where I was and most importantly, how far I had. I clenched my fists tightly and my nails dug into my palms, but the pain didn't bother me at all. I was so consumed by anger and being frustrated that my mind raced with thoughts of revenge and how I was going to make Adeline pay for everything she had done to me but first I had to figure out a way to
ADELINE'S POVThe warm scent of freshly baked bread wafted into my nose as I sat in the room unpacking. It was a scent that I hadn't smelled in a long time, not since I left for Manhattan. The Familiar warmth of the place was just so comforting. Likewise kind of blanket and for a moment, I forgot about everything else; the worry, the disappointment of Xander's sudden departure, and the tension I knew was waiting for me upstairs. My thoughts were interrupted when a voice floated down the hallway. "Adeline, are you in your room." It was my grandmother. Her voice was followed by the sound of her quick footsteps. "Yeah." I chirped excitedly. When I entered my room it was just as I remembered it. It was bright and airy with soft pastel color and the bed which was nearly made followed by my favorite quilt which was folded at the foot. I set my suitcase down the bed and took a deep breath, trying to calm my thoughts. I knew what was coming for me whenever I would go to see my grandfather
MRS. DEVON'S POVI sat in the quiet of my living room, thinking about how I was going to tell Xander about what was in my mind. The room was so quiet that the only thing I could hear at that moment was the thinking sound of the clock and my loud thoughts that kept coming back to me every now and then even though I was trying so hard to keep them away. My hands rested in my lap and my fingers were entwined tightly as I continued to think again and again. This was a habit I had when I was nervous and considering the gravity of the situation, I knew that I was going to be clasping my hands for a very long time. Even the soft breeze that occasionally came into the room was not enough to soothe the anxiety and fear that was bubbling up and down inside me. This was a lot worse than I thought and I knew it was going to take a lot of time before getting rid of these thoughts. How the hell was I going to tell Xander? I had been wrestling without question for hours ever since Floral had com
XANDER'S POVI was driving through Manhattan, worried as hell because my mind kept racing with a mix of emotions. I wondered why she didn't tell me anything about what was going on. Why would she keep the information from me as if it was for my own good. I didn't want that. I wanted to call our family doctor, or the neighbours but I remembered how she had told me not to worry as the problem wasn't her. She wasn't sick and nothing had happened to her. I was forced to think, to wonder what else it could be. What would be so serious to have me racing madly through the streets of Manhattan this way. What worried me the most was the sad tone in her voice as she told me everything. I was forced to find out what it was. She had sounded so urgent when she first called and now as I navigated the streets back home, I couldn't help the knot of worry that kept tightening in my chest every now and then. The city was bustling as always, and people hurried along the sidewalks as cars honked wh
XANDER'S POVI left the house in a daze because my head was spinning with everything I had just heard. I could not believe what my mother had just told me and what shocked me the most was that she had kept all these away from me ever since I was small and I was pretty sure that if Flora had never showed up she was never prepared to tell me about it. I could not just believe it. The new girl has been so eager to introduce herself as my sister but I could not wrap my mind around it. Something told me that this was wrong, that we were missing something and I had to find out what it was as soon as possible. But I was still trying to process the information that we had just gotten and it was surely going to take me some time before I would find out whatever it was she wasn't saying. But if anything, she looked so genuine and didn't seem to have anything she was trying to hide from us. I wondered why I felt this way, but then reminded myself that she had just arrived and I was only being
ADELINE’S POV***I woke up slowly, feeling so groggy and disoriented. My body was so heavy and there was a dull pain in my side. I did not know why but the pain had my head hammering. I blinked against the bright light in the room and that was when I realised that I was not alone. A lot of questions ran through my mind as I wondered what had happened and why I was here. Someone was sitting next to me and there seemed to be a shocked look on their face when our eyes met. "Adeline?" The familiar voice came through. It was soft, like silk. I turned my head and sock Xander sitting right by my side. I felt an instant wave of relief and my heart swelled. I was so scared before this happened, so scared that something bad had happened to him but seeing him right here with me did a very good job with pushing off the pain for a little while. He was here with me, alive and okay. I blinked back the tears that were already starting to form. And that was the moment everything slowly started to c
FLORAL.I could barely breathe as I gripped the steering wheel, my knuckles were already white. I knew what Tristan was planning and I couldn't let it happen because it opposed everything that we worked for. Yes, I knew he wanted to take revenge on those who put him in prison but if he was going to do that, he should go face Adeline's old man, not Adeline. She was innocent and did nothing to him. I was not going to let him hurt her, not after I'd met her. Of course she was going to be a problem if I wanted to get to Xander but she was innocent and she was a good woman. I had to stop Tristan no matter what it was going to take. The streets blurred past me as I sped down the road. My heart was pounding so loud in my ears that I drowned out everything else. Tristan couldn't kill Adeline. Not like this. Not over some twisted sense of revenge. I didn't know how I ended up in this mess. It wasn't supposed to be my fight. But here I was driving, driving madly towards the one person who cou
ADELINE'S POV***My hands wouldn’t stop shaking as I dialed my grandfather's number. I could barely think straight now as my thoughts were all over the place. It felt like my mind was running a hundred miles per hour but I wasn't going anywhere. What was I going to do now that it was clear Xander was in danger. I didn't even know where I was going to start from. How the hell was I going to find him? And it was clear from the foregoing that Matt had had the one behind this whole thing. He had abducted Xander and his phone was enough proof for that. He had also put on a mask to make me think that was Xander. That son of a bitch really did all this only to die a very disgraceful death. That was exactly what he deserved. But what if he'd killed Xander? The thought brought back the fear that was already building up. I needed to do something, and I hoped my grandfather would be able to step in with his connections. If it didn't work then I had no idea what else would. All I could think ab
FLORAL’S POV***I didn't know Adeline was in the house when I stepped out of my room. The moment I saw her standing there, my heart dropped. I should have been more careful. What was I thinking, walking out like that? But it was too late-- she had already seen me so there was no need to do anything suspicious now. But maybe there was still time, I thought to myself, glancing at her before I tried to duck back into the shadows. However, Xander’s mother, ever the gracious host, was quick to introduce me once she noticed I was behind her. "Adeline, this is my daughter, Floral," she said, gesturing to me with a proud smile. "Floral doesn't come around often." Adeline turned to me, scanning my face for a second and I held my breath. This was very bad because if she ever got to remember who I was, that was if she didn't know already, I was doomed. My palms were starting to sweat as I braced myself for her reaction. Would she recognise me? Would she say something? But instead, she smiled
ADELINE’S POV***I couldn't stop thinking about Xander. He hadn't come back since the day he told me he was going to stay at his mom’s house and I was disturbed because it could be the place where all his problems had started. Him acting weird must have been from there. He had been complaining about his sister before he came back and then everything had changed. He rarely talked to me and now he no longer complained about her. A lot of things were going on that I should be told about. But nobody was saying anything and it worried me so much. I wished someone could just let me know what was happening. But Xander was the only person I could talk to. He was the only one who knew what his problem was. It wasn't like him to just disappear like this, especially now that there was nothing bothering him, well, nothing that I knew of. He should have checked in lately but I'd heard nothing. My heart felt heavy as I paced around the living room. If I hadn't called him yesterday to know if he
FLORAL’S POV***I watched from a distance as Matt got out of his car and entered the pub. My heart raced but I had to keep my composure because this was going to work. It was either this night or never. This was the moment I'd been waiting for. I needed to find out who he really was. I had suspected for a while that something was off about him, and now I was going to prove it. I quickly made my way to his car, careful not to draw attention. The street was quiet, and only the occasional sound of passing cars in the distance was the only thing I heard. I approached his car and glanced around to make sure no one was watching. Then, I reached into my bag and pulled out the small hidden camera I had planted earlier. I couldn't risk leaving it there for too long, just in case he checked his car for anything suspicious. My hands shook slightly as I retrieved the camera, but I was careful to keep my movements steady. Once I had it, I slipped it back in my bag and quickly walked away, blend
XANDER’S POV***I tried to move but my body would not cooperate because every inch of me was hurting and it was starting to make me feel very dizzy. I was very worried because I did not want to pass out here because nobody would see me if I needed medical attention so I had to fight off every form of hazy feeling until I was sure that I was ok. My arms, my legs, my ribs- they were all on fire. I could not remember the last time I had eaten because my stomach was already growling and I was too weak to care. But do you think that terrified me the most was the fact that the room was very dark and there was nobody around. I could only help but picture that I had been left alone in some kind of Warehouse to die. My heart pounded very fast when I thought of that and as much as I told myself that his Men could be outside, there was still a possibility that they had left me alone here to die. I didn't even know if it was day or night because time had lost its meaning. I had tried to escape
TRISTAN’S POV***The weight of everything that had happened finally stayed to lift lift from shoulders. Sasha was dead. The hit man had done his job perfectly as there was no trace or evidence of who had done it. I felt so relieved because with her gone, there was no one left to testify against me, no one who could point fingers if things went wrong. That was the hardest mission so I guessed the rest would be very easy from here onwards. Now, I just had to take care of Adeline and Xander, before I could disappear. My time was coming, and I couldn't wait for it. I smiled to myself as I thought of my plan. Once they are gone, I'd be free to leave this place. But in the meantime I had to control everything from the shadows. I was happy that I had the capable hands. Sometimes I wished that this was the last mission, but then I was reminded that it was time to put my head down and do the rest. There was no promise of a better future if the rest were still alive. Thankfully, I had it all
SASHA’S POV***I sat on the cold, hard bed in my cell, staring at the ceiling. It had been a long day, just like every other day in this place. The routine, the noise and the walls closing in on me felt unbearable but that morning, something changed. My mother called. I was surprised when the guard came to inform me that I had a call. I thought they had abandoned me, that she had left me here to rot and die just like my father had abandoned us. And I wouldn't blame her for what happened because she was just as miserable as I was. The guard escorted me out of myself and walked me to the phone stand. My heart was drumming when I picked it up. Has something bad happened? Or was she going to just tell me that the divorce had been finalised? If it was the latter, I didn't want to hear anything about it. Since my father had decided to give up on me, I didn't want anything to do with him again. I listened in on the phone and her voice came through. "Sasha, honey." Her voice was so sweet,