Piper-/It took a long time to finally get here but it was a good thing. I waited outside for her. I already made up my mind to wait until the close of work since they had an inbuilt cafeteria and the chances of them going outside for break were slim. Still, I didn't wan to miss if she did.After several painful hours of waiting, she finally showed up. She seemed to be in a hurry so I quickly drove in front of her.“Mind if I give you a lift?” I asked and she immediately frowned. I could see that she minded. Very much too.“Come on, Gianna. I know that things didn't go well the last time we met but I would genuinely appreciate if we could talk, you know? Clear up things between us and put the past behind us,” I said.Her frown deepened even more.“I don't think you and I have anything to discuss, Piper. As you can see I was in a hurry before you stopped me. If you don't mind, I'd like to go now,” she said coldly.It was hard to keep on smiling ah this point. Especially when all I want
Gianna-/I made sure to drop my number for the nurses. I needed them to call me if anything went wrong.After confirming what Maxmillan did, I was even more afraid of what he would do if he found out I went to visit. I mean, he didn't exactly say I couldn't visit, right? Why did he tell me the name of the hospital if he didn't want me to confirm, right?I couldn't shake off this uneasy feeling in my chest. Should I have stayed longer?I bit my fingernails nervously.A few hours later, Max came home but with a package. Since the incident, we haven't had a normal conversation. Partially because I was terrified of him and flinched every time he came close. The action pissed him off greatly but he didn't comment on it.“Get dressed,” he instructed.Get dressed? Why? Where are we going?I took out the dress and I felt my stomach sink. It was a stunning blue fishtail dress but did I want to wear it? Not really.He gave me three days to think about becoming Donna and that time had elapsed, m
/-Piper-/I didn't plan to kill anyone but I got tired of waiting for Maxmillian to react. He didn't respond since my last messages so I decided to take matters into my own hands.I was very certain that I would be the last person that Gianna would suspect.So here I was, outside of the hospital, waiting for the perfect time to slip in.I didn’t know his name. I didn’t care. He mattered to Gianna, and that was enough.Getting into the hospital was easy. People never looked twice when someone walked with confidence. The uniform helped, but I would’ve gotten in either way.Room 309.He lay in the bed, unconscious, an oxygen mask over his face. The beeping of the monitors was steady. Peaceful.Pathetic.I pulled the syringe from my pocket, flicked it once, and injected a slow stream of air into his IV. No alarms. No sudden jerks or gasps. His body wouldn’t register what was happening until it was too late.Still, I wanted to watch.I lifted the oxygen mask from his face. His eyes cracked
/-Maxmillian-/From what the doctors said, he suffocated and the camera footages were erased. It did sound like something I could do but it wasn't me and it pissed me off that she thought so.If I killed him, there was absolutely no reason for me to lie to her.The way she was crying over him made me even more mad. Didn't she say he was just a friend? Why was she acting like she lost the absolute love of her life?“Can we go now?” I asked her and she shot me a thick glare. I won't lie, she looked somewhat frightening but it was cute nonetheless.The doctors came in to take his body away but that didn't stop her from looking at me like I was the devil.“The police will soon be here to start their investigations,” one of the doctors said. “Please kindly vacate the room.”Gianna got up and walked out while I trailed behind her. She suddenly stopped and turned to me.“You know, the police are going to find out what you did, right? And you are good to rot in jail!”I must confess, it was q
Gianna-/I think I'm going to fall sick. I needed to get out of here as soon as possible.The mettalic smell of blood was stirring everything I had eaten today. I was going to throw up here if I didn't leave now.I wasn't sure Max was ready for that kind of embarrassment.“Maxmillan…” I whispered into his ears as his men discussed amongst themselves. “I need to use the bathroom.”A look of worry crossed his face. I didn't even have it in me to get mad at him. I just wanted to get out of here.“Come with me.”I followed him outside the room. He stopped by the restroom and pointed at the one specifically for females.“There it is. Do you want me to come in with you?” He asked. I shook my head immediately.“There's no need for that. I'll be fine,” I assured him. He waited for me to get inside before leaving.I dashed to the one of the toilets and emptied my bowels in it. I don't know how long I remained on the floor, but I was having a migraine now and it felt like I would pass out any m
/-Gianna-/ “Baby.” I hated how soothing his voice was, like what happened earlier was just nothing. I was shaken. Terrified out of my mind even. He wasn't allowed to just wave it off with that soothing deep voice of his. “Gianna…” “Can you stop?” I pleaded. “I… I just want to be left alone.” “I'm sorry but I can't do that,” he said and I curled further on the bed. Of course he couldn't. What I wanted didn't matter to him. He just did whatever he wanted. I don't try arguing or convincing him. It was pointless. I needed to plan my escape. I had to sneak out without alerting the guards and that was easy if Maxmillian was not home. That was the first step in my plan. Get him out of the house. I couldn't move this night. I might not get far with him here. It had to be tomorrow. “Can I ask you something?” I asked. “Anything, baby,” he said quickly. “Can… can I skip work tomorrow? Just tomorrow, please. I need to clear my head,” I asked. It wasn't completely a lie. I nee
Maxmillian-/I didn't really think she would actually run from me but I guess I underestimated her dislike for the kind of life I lived.I wasn't angry with her. Not even a little bit. She just narrowly escaped death after all. Twice.If I hadn't come in at the time I did, she would have died. It was okay for her to consider running.“Don't even bother counting this as keeping your promise,” she muttered under her breath.“I don't plan to,” I assured her. “How was it?” I asked instead.She looked at me with a blank expression. She clearly had no idea what I was talking about.It felt a little weird saying it out loud but I really wanted to know if she liked the pancakes. I used a recipe I found online and I genuinely wanted to know if she liked it.“I mean breakfast, didi you enjoy it?” I asked and something flashed in her eyes. She didn't…?“I didn't have an appetite. What was it by the way?” Gianna said, looking away immediately and it felt like a bullet hit me in the heart.I stare
Piper-/ Something was different about her. Right from outside when she first ignored Dante even though she knew we had something strong on her. Yeah the blackmail… I reserved that specially for last because I had so many things I wanted to try on her. Like one, poison. The plan came to my head when Dante informed me about the family dinner. I knew for certain that Gianna would be there but I needed to act carefully. Cornering her was not an option because Max had a nack for saving. Gianna whenever she was in trouble. It was as if the guy had a second skin attached to her. Either way, now was not the time to think about that. I just needed a opeimg to sneak this poison into her for but how? My fingers tightened around the small vial hidden in the folds of my sleeve. It was a special blend—slow-acting, untraceable. By the time anyone noticed something was wrong, it would be too late. I scanned the dining room from my seat. The long table was set with expensive silverware, crystal
Melody-/She must be a big fool to think that I actually wanted peace. It was all my idea to play nice inorder for my plan to work.And it was quite simple.Poison Gianna. Make her lose that stupid baby she was using to tie Max down.As I assisted with the basic things for cooking, I searched desperately for an opportunity for her to leave but she wouldn't leave. She was right there till she finished cooking.Even Max joined us.I knew then that I had only one shot left. Serve the food. Which was why I insisted on serving the food. Just so that she could leave.I returned to the kitchen and opened the top cabinet slowly, careful not to make noise. Hidden behind the neatly stacked bowls was a small vial I had tucked away days ago. It wasn’t lethal, no, that would be too obvious. Just strong enough to cause cramping, pain, and hopefully a miscarriage.I poured a few drops into one of the plates while my hand trembled slightly, not from guilt, but from adrenaline. Timing was everything.
/-Gianna-/I went to the kitchen to make something for him to eat. I was certain that he hadn't eaten all day.As I prepped the ingredients to cook, Melody walked into the kitchen. I groaned inwardly. I really wasn't in the mood to deal with her tantrums.“Need help?” She asked suddenly, surprising me. I blinked. I didn't expect her to ask that question out of the blue.“Why?” I blurted.“Do you need help or not?” She frowned. I nodded because I did help. I could manage on my own but an extra hand would make things faster for me.“Good! Then I'll help you!” She said.I was too stunned to speak. There has to be something wrong. Melody didn't like me for any reason. I thought with her mother's death, she might have changed especially since Maxmillian was housing her now but she proved to be nothing but a snake.Acting harmless in his face and turned to a jar of spikes when he was gone. So this… this was indeed shocking.“What do you need help with?” She asked but I couldn't even answer
/-Gianna-/Maxmillan came home with a grim expression lacing on his face and just that was already a turn off. As he walked in, my eyes hovered around his legs as they moved and then to his waist, they stayed firm and calling. I groaned in frustration as these days, I barely get any time with him—he was always chasing ghosts or more deadlier, mostly in the form of his brother.I bit my lips as I pressed my gaze just to his face when our eyes locked unto each other and in that spiraling moment, the world seemed to still and wait for our cue.I didn’t break contact, I held up as the tension reduced and there, I saw something in his body shift. His body was no longer rigid or shoulder tensed like he had come in earlier, they dropped and he softened as every peak of his eyes seemed to lit up like some crying toddler whose mom just gave in to his demand.And the way he stared — it was heaven as it suddenly made the room look magical. His gaze fell and while I tried to meet it, it felt like
/-Maxmillian-/My phone rang and I was surprised to see Doctor Ellie calling. She was the one in charge of the autopsy on the Matriarch’s corpse.Her call was the very thing I had been waiting for, for days now. This could change everything.If I could prove that the Matriarch didn’t die from a terminal disease, then the Council would be forced to investigate her death. And God help Eric if he was responsible for it. He would see a different side of hell, one he never knew existed.I swiped the answer button.“Good day, Doctor Ellie. Are the autopsy results out?” I asked. Melody, who was seated beside me, turned to look, her eyes narrowing with concern.“Yes, the results are out,” Ellie said, her voice serious but low. “Could you stop by the hospital when you’re chanced? There’s something important I’d like you to see… in person.”I didn’t hesitate. “I’ll be there in ten.”Whatever Declan needed could wait. This was what it had all come down to.“Alright. I’ll be waiting,” she said an
Chapter 110/-Eric-/“What?!” I gasped. “How could he have been stupid enough to get caught? Did he give names?”I was already on my feet, pacing the floor of my penthouse office. Jasper stood a few feet away, stiff as a soldier, eyes fixed on the floor. He didn’t answer fast enough, and I turned on him.“Well?”He cleared his throat. “No names, sir. But the Zurich server was accessed, just before the wipe was completed. Someone pulled the backup files remotely.”I cursed under my breath and shoved a stack of papers off the desk. They scattered like snow.So that was how they were doing it.Dante and that woman… Piper. I should’ve known she wasn’t just going to disappear quietly. She looked like the kind to break, not bite. I had misjudged her, and now she was back with Dante, sharpening his sword.“They know,” I muttered, more to myself than anyone. “They have enough to trace the money. The foundations. The shell companies. That’s why they’re being so damn quiet.”Jasper flinched at
/-Piper-/I returned home to find Dante waiting for me. “What happened?” I asked worriedly, hurrying to him. “I talked to Gianna and…”“This isn't about Gianna, Piper! It's about my business! My company. My manager called me this morning, he found the mole. You won't believe who has been behind the downfall of my company!” He gritted. “Maxmillan?” I guessed. “No, if it were Maxmillan, it would have been better but he doesn't have the time to go around scheming how to bring people down. It's fucking Eric North!” I was dumbfounded. Of course the man I was fucking cheating on my husband with was the orchestrator of his downfall. How the hell did I not see that coming?My jaw was literally on the floor. “I am going to have a fucking long talk with that bastard! He will pay for everything he has done to me! I was going him deceiving you slide for a while but it's obvious that he wants war!” I stepped in front of him, blocking his path. “Dante, wait. You can’t just go after him like
/-Piper-/“So what do we do now?” I asked him. “Do about what?” Dante asked me. “If this is about Eric then forget…”“I am not talking about Eric,” i spat his name in disgust. The bastard's name simply irritated me now. Thinking of it now, I couldn't believe I stooped so low to allow myself to be fooled by him. “I'm talking about Maxmillan. Remember the case with Gianna's parents? He told us to tune ourselves in and we both know we can't do that,” I said and Dante let out a sigh. “Right! I almost forgot about that. A lot of things are just happening at once. It's hard to focus,” he said and I felt a little sad I was one of the reasons for that. “You were right. I should have gotten rid of her when I had the chance now she is back to bite us in the ass.” “I think we should try begging her,” I said and he frowned instantly. “Beg who?” He huffed. “That thing? She should be the one begging me!” “Now is not the time for arrogance, Dante. Don't forget she is Maxmillian's wife. He wil
/-Piper-/I stared at Dante’s message longer than I should have. The words were harsh, meant to make me cower, but deep down, I knew Dante. I knew that no matter how furious he was, no matter how many mistakes I’d made, he still loved me.The realization hit me like a weight to the chest. Maybe I didn’t deserve it, but I had to go back. I couldn’t let everything I had with him slip away because of my confusion.I wanted to believe that the mess I’d made could still be fixed. I thought that if I apologized, if I explained the pain, the fear I had been running from, Dante would listen. He always did before, right? He would hear me out. He would understand that I was lost, that I didn’t know where to turn.I kept replaying the conversation with Eric in my head. How he had looked at me, his eyes dark with irritation when I mentioned leaving Dante. How he had shrugged me off, his smile never quite reaching his eyes when I spoke of love.Eric wasn’t the answer. I had let him be a distractio
/-Dante-/I didn't think she would actually go back to him after everything. Piper had the audacity to leave our home to chase after a man?I thought she would have packed all her belongings with her but they were untouched and scattered about like usual. It didn't seem like she had any plans of staying permanently with him. That was what made me hate it more. Every second of it. I hated that she wasn't here with me at my lowest of low. She was leaving me because of who? My uncle? That fucking demon with no human feelings?He was just going to play with her until he got bored and then discard her. This wasn't about love or anything. He just wanted to prove that if he wanted another man's woman, he could get her. He had done that countless times and it hurt deeply that Piper made it to the number. I stood in the center of the bedroom, staring at the clothes she’d left behind, her worn leather jacket tossed carelessly over the chair, the mug with the lipstick stain still sitting on