LANAThe moment I saw the two police officers, my heart skipped a beat. I knew all too well that they weren't at the wrong address."Good morning, miss. Does Stella Wilson live here?" the female officer asked.I snapped out of my thoughts, fully aware that my mom had landed herself in trouble again. Reluctantly, I opened the door and mumbled, "Yes."Turning away, I went back to the kitchen to check on the noodles I was cooking. After finishing my meal, I stopped hearing my mom and dad's voices from the bedroom. I made my way to the living room, where I found the officers talking to my mom."Why do you want to take me to the police station when I don't even know what you’re talking about?" she yelled, her voice piercing through the air.I pressed my forehead with my palm, knowing she would only escalate the situation. Giving up on intervening, I turned and retreated to my room.The arguing continued, and I cranked up my stereo to drown out the noise, hoping to fall asleep.When I fina
LANAI turned to my mom and said, "I have some savings left—two hundred dollars tha..."She cut me off, impatience lacing her voice. "Is that all?"I knew I had over five hundred hidden away, but I didn't fully trust her, so I nodded and replied, "That is all I have."She quickly said, "Okay, if that’s the case, give it to me."I stood up and went to my room, returning with the money. I barely stretched out my hand when she snatched it from me, thanking me profusely. "Lana, I’m so grateful. I promise I’ll use this money wisely for our better future.""It’s fine, Mom," I said, glancing at the clock. It was already 4 PM, and I worried that Bernardo wouldn’t let me have dinner before insisting we head to the club.Determined to get something to eat, I said, "I’m going out to get some groceries." I was tired of eating noodles all day."Don’t stay out too long; the streets are filled with randy dogs looking for pretty girls," she warned."I won’t," I assured her, putting on my jacket and s
LANAAlthough I didn't go to college, that doesn’t mean I'm clueless. I understood what my stepdad, Bernardo, was hinting at.I stared at him, my eyes wide with disbelief, and raised my voice, "You mean I should let him have sex with me?"A frown crossed his face for a moment, but then he seriously patted my back and encouraged me, "You're so smart, Lana. You figured it out on your own. Hurry up and go in; don't keep him waiting."The corners of my lips twitched. I couldn't believe he saw me that way—as someone who should sleep with any man who wanted me. I felt humiliated and replied coldly, "Why should I sleep with a total stranger?"Bernardo's expression darkened, and he looked at me sternly. His eyes conveyed nothing but threat. "He gave us a lot of money to help pay our bills and buy groceries. Your mom is in debt—whose money will we use to settle all this?"I knew it was only half-true; most of that money would likely be gambled away by him."This isn't a good idea. This is pros
LANAWhy was he laughing?Did he think I was joking? I meant every single word I said.I shot him a serious look as his laughter finally subsided. “I mean it. I’m going to tell her everything.”As soon as I finished, he burst into laughter again, leaving me even more confused. I clenched my teeth in frustration. “Why are you laughing? Does this sound like a joke to you?”He met my gaze with a meaningful look, chuckled again, and casually replied, “Go ahead and tell her. You can even gather some solid evidence if you want. I won’t stop you from doing what makes you happy.”He shrugged, looking more relaxed than ever.My frustration mounted. He flashed me a grin. “Just remember, when you do, you’ll be sharing your salary with her…”Before he could finish, I heard someone call my name: “Lana.”We both turned to see Diana, the lady in charge of the dressing room, approaching us.“Get going, Lana. You shouldn’t be late on your first day. Be earnest and hard-working,” Bernardo chimed in, ru
LANAThat moment marked the end of my struggle; my dislike for him deepened.I glared at him, but he brushed off my hostility, grabbing my arm and dragging me into the room he had booked. When he finally let go, he turned to me with a cold sneer. "Lana, I don’t care if you want to do this or not. You need to listen to me. What I say goes. Go take a bath and get ready. You have twenty minutes. Got it?"His stern gaze pinned me in place before he turned and slammed the door behind him.Frustration bubbled inside me as I gritted my teeth. I was furious, sitting on the bed and refusing to follow his orders. Then, an idea sparked in my mind.With renewed determination, I got up and quietly opened the door, peeking out to find that Bernardo had left.Without hesitation, I snuck out of the room and hurried down the corridor, my eyes darting around.Suddenly, I collided with someone, and I quickly stammered, "Sorry."As I stepped aside, I looked up and found myself face-to-face with the man I
LANAWhen I saw her asleep, I knew she wouldn’t be able to eat, so I quietly entered the room and returned with a duvet, covering her gently before eating her dinner myself.The next morning, I woke up and searched for my mother, finding her in the kitchen, beaming as she cooked.“Lana, good morning! You’re up! You must be hungry. Please wait at the dining table; I’ll have breakfast ready in a few minutes,” she called out, her voice cheerful.Watching her move around the kitchen, preparing breakfast, felt surreal. I had never imagined my mother would cook, and I honestly doubted she knew how. Could she really cook?I blinked and pinched myself, trying to shake off the disbelief. She noticed I hadn’t left and smiled warmly. “Lana, you don’t have to linger. I can handle the cooking and serving.”I nodded and turned to leave, but my heart felt heavy. I knew her too well; she was probably plotting something to be overly nice so early in the day.Lost in thought, I heard her call, “Lana, b
LANAWhen I saw that my mom had opened the door, I felt a wave of relief. But she completely ignored me and dashed toward the bedroom where Bernardo had just entered. I quickly followed, determined to provide proof if Bernardo dared to deny anything.As I reached the door, I heard my mom demanding, "Bastard, where is the money? Where is it?" My heart sank, and I felt a surge of anxiety when Bernardo replied, "What money? I don’t have your money! Get your hands off me!"The bedroom door was ajar, and I could see my mom gripping Bernardo's arm tightly, refusing to let go even as he struggled to break free. His legs were tangled in the gown; he must have been trying to pull it off when my mom barged in.With a sneer of contempt, my mom said, "Do you think I’m a fool? Lana has revealed the truth. You sold her out to men for money! Don’t think you can bypass me and keep it all. She is my daughter! Hand over all of it!"Hearing this, my face turned pale, and my heart shattered into a millio
LANAI reluctantly threw my bra towards him, watching intently to see what he would do with it."Strip naked," an impatient voice ordered.Taking a deep breath, I realized my breasts were bare, and though I was hesitant, I knew better than to defy anyone in the room.I wore jeans, so I grasped the waistband and pulled them down, lifting my legs one at a time before setting them aside. As I reached for my g-string, preparing to pull it down, I heard a voice say, "Slowly."I inhaled sharply and pulled it down at a snail's pace, following their instructions. Once it was off, one of them commanded, "Bend over."I complied.Then another voice said, "Face the door and bend over."Nervously, I swallowed, my heart racing as I feared the unknown, but I followed the instruction. The room fell into an awkward silence, and then I heard a voice groan.That was when I realized they were actually masturbating to my nakedness. I was shocked and confused. Did they really pay so much just to do this?Re
LANAWhen I heard my mother's response, I realized she might already know she's being deceived by my father. I couldn't understand why she stayed with him, and her decisions baffled me.She laughed bitterly. "You're so smart, Lana, but you'll never understand," she said quietly.I watched her ascend the stairs, looking defeated. I knew she was hurting, but I had no idea how to comfort her. I felt lost in my own dilemma.I went to my room and lay on the bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. I was completely restless.The next morning, I didn't bother looking for Maximum. I realized my life was a mess.I was caught in a conspiracy I knew nothing about.When I got home, the atmosphere was tense, and the weather was gloomy, hinting at rain. Even the mansion staff looked somber.I walked into the living room with my heart pounding. Although it was empty, my unease didn't fade. I showered, ate, and returned to my room.I was sleeping when my mother woke me. Her face was etched with wor
LANAMy father leaned back in his chair, rubbing his forehead in frustration. He clasped his hands on the table and said, "Lana, you should know your mother comes from the Wilson family. Her background and social status are on a different level. The rich don't care about the poor. You should understand this by now."I fell silent, pondering his words. He continued, "The Wilson family is a nightmare. Your mother didn't care about my background; she was interested in me and our love. That's why I never mentioned my family to her."I recalled what Maximum had said about my dad's feud with the Wilsons and his possible manipulation of my mother. My heart skipped a beat.Dad looked me in the eye and asked, "Lana, you believe me, right?"His eyes were filled with expectation, and I couldn't bring myself to express my doubts. So, I lied, "I trust you, Dad."He nodded, dismissing me with a wave. "You must be tired. Go rest."I got up and left his room, but I couldn't shake off the worry about
LANAHearing Maximum's side of the story, I felt a glimmer of hope that the situation was still salvageable.I let out a breath of relief, but then he turned to me and asked, "Do you believe me, Lana?"There was so much hope in his eyes that I couldn’t bear to let him down. I chose my words carefully. "Look, babe, I've been deceived and fooled all my life. It’s hard for me to accept all this, but I trust that you would never lie to me. You wouldn’t, right?"Maximum smiled, though it was tinged with sadness. "It's okay, Lana. I’ll earn your trust back someday. You should go home now; he might make a move if you stay."I hesitated, reluctant to leave. But his warm smile reassured me. "I will come for you, babe," he said softly.I nodded, turning away with a heavy heart. As I stepped outside, I spotted the driver pacing anxiously. When he saw me, surprise flickered across his face, quickly replaced by composure. "Miss, are you done?" he asked tentatively.I could read between the lines.
LANAI thought that by staying silent and ignoring him, my dad would just leave. Instead, he shut the door and strode over to my bed. He sat down and remained quiet for a while, and I hoped he wouldn’t say anything. But then he broke the silence."Lana," he began, "I know you might suspect me—think I’m behind the kidnapping, that I set up Mark for this."He paused, taking a sharp breath. "I’ll admit, I wanted Maximum dead. But not at the cost of your life. I won’t put you in danger to achieve my goals."My heart raced. I had never expected him to confess that he wanted Maximum dead. I wanted to pretend to sleep, but I couldn’t keep my composure any longer.Then, to my shock, he continued. "I know you’re listening and questioning why I want him gone. He hasn’t told you, but that bastard did something unforgivable. I won’t rest until he pays."I froze at his words, feeling a chill run down my spine. He sneered, "He killed my brother, and he has to die. Goodnight, my princess."In that m
LANAMaximum didn’t finish what he wanted to say, but I could sense his meaning, and it shook me to my core.He turned off the television and walked toward me, pulling me close and kissing my forehead. “Don’t be scared, Lana. I promise I’ll come for you. We’re going to get married.”I looked into his eyes and nodded. “I believe you,” I replied softly.A smile spread across his face, and he kissed my forehead again before saying, “You can leave now.”I felt a wave of reluctance wash over me, but I knew that staying would only provoke my father further. I turned toward the door, glancing back more times than I intended.As I descended the staircase and stepped outside, I was met with a scene of chaos: rows of police cars lined the street, and helicopters hovered above.A small smile tugged at my lips; I never imagined such a grand display was all for my return.My gaze swept over the crowd until I spotted my dad, deep in conversation with someone. When he noticed me, he abruptly halted
LANABefore I could escape, Mark grabbed my arm. I tried to push him away, screaming, "Let go of me!"He turned and slapped me hard across the face, leaving my head buzzing. "If you don't want to get hurt, you'd better cooperate and behave."My ears rang from his fierce warning, and I struggled to keep my eyes open as he dragged me down the mountainside.When I looked around, he was already pulling me into a cave. Armed men with guns surrounded us, and I knew I had to plead for mercy. "Mark, think of your friendship with my dad. Please let me go."He laughed, looking at me with disdain, then ordered his men, "Tie her up."He shoved me to the ground, pain shooting through my body from the impact. I looked at him with resentment, but he ignored me and walked away.Once I regained my senses, I found myself being tied up with ropes. No matter how much I struggled, they easily restrained me and forced me into a corner.I had lost track of time in the dark cave. My body ached, and exhaustio
LANAI didn't completely trust what Maximum had said about my father, but in that moment, I realized it was crucial to help my mother break free from her one-sided love for him.I took her hands, and for a brief moment, she seemed present. To my surprise, she smiled brightly, and I felt a flicker of confusion at the sudden warmth in her expression."Mom," I said softly.Suddenly, her eyes filled with tears as she replied, "I’ve been waiting for this moment, Lana—the day you finally forgive me."I was taken aback, momentarily at a loss for words.I squeezed her hands gently and said, "Mom, what if you’ve been living a lie? What if everything you believe about Dad isn’t true?"Her expression shifted to one of confusion, and I realized she had no idea what I was trying to convey. I pressed on, "Consider this: what if Dad doesn’t love you? What if he’s been using you to achieve his own goals? What if—"Before I could finish, she jerked her hands away, her eyes narrowing with fury.She lea
LANAAfter living with my mother for so many years, I could easily tell when she was lying; her body language gave her away.I sneered, "Stop trying to fool me, Mom. The Lana you knew is gone. If you think I’ll fall for your lies, you’re dreaming."My mom wasn’t shocked. Instead, she became furious and snapped, "What kind of daughter are you? Aren’t you worried that your father hasn’t kept his promise? He hasn’t even introduced me as his fiancée to any of his friends, but he’s been flaunting you around?"I shrugged nonchalantly. "Not my problem, Mom. You’ve spent years in street fights and passed out drunk in bars. Do you think Dad wants to show you off with that history?"She froze at this, and I realized she’d either forgotten her past or was choosing selective amnesia. Did she think her past actions were forgotten just because she claimed to have changed?With a sigh, she asked, "Lana, are you going to judge me like everyone else?"I yawned, stretched, and replied, "Mom, I’m tired.
LANAStanding behind me was Maximum, my boyfriend, wearing an expressionless face. He reached out and pulled me into his arms, and I buried my face in his chest, feeling a mix of comfort and tension."Stop trying so hard. I will never let you have her," Maximum warned sternly, his voice low.I turned to glance at Mark. His face was dark, fists clenched tightly, clearly furious that Maximum had interrupted."Stop acting arrogant. You’ll never be able to marry her. The more you try to ruin my plans, the more painful it will be when I finally take her to the altar as my wife," Mark replied confidently, a smile creeping onto his face.I was taken aback by his stubbornness. Did he really think he could have me despite my relationship with Maximum? He certainly had a big heart."Really? You’re sure I can’t marry her?" Maximum retorted playfully, a glint in his eye."Yes, you can’t," Mark shot back confidently.Then, in a shocking twist, Maximum dropped to one knee. The music in the backgrou