LOGINOPHELIATheir heads whipped toward me immediately, color draining from their faces. Selena slowly stepped before Julius as I stopped in front of them, my hands still connecting in loud claps. “Go on. Pretend I’m not here,” I urged. “How did you get out of Jail? Didn’t they say bail isn’t available for you? Did you escape?” Selena fumed. She slipped a hand into her pant pocket and fished out her phone. “I’ll call the police. You’ve come to threaten Alia’s life again.” Anger washed over me as she dialed 911 and brought the phone to her ear. Before she could blink, I snatched the phone from her and smashed it against the floor, their eyes widening. “I was released. Surprising, right?”“What are you doing? Julius look.” She faced Julius who was staring at me with wide eyes like he was seeing a ghost. “Cat got your tongue?” My brows lifted. He looked away for a second and gentle expression— one I’d grown familiar with over our four years of marriage settled back into place. His acti
OPHELIA“What you had was barely breakfast.”I turned. He’d changed from his nightwear to a corporate outfit now. Right. I was only coming around to the fact that I’d seen Ronan Throne in a casual outfit and disheveled hair. It was one of the rarest things I’d seen.Being married to Julius for years, I’d known Ronan for that long, but I’d never seen him or seen pictures of him in anything less than a three-piece suit or a corporate outfit. The man always looked like he was attending a gala or a fashion parade. My eyes trailed over his white dress shirt and grey pants before settling back to his face. “You said all I needed to do was rest.”“A few more bites wouldn’t hurt. It’s going to be a long day.” He glanced behind me and gestured to the housekeepers. Lydia the youngest keeper hurried toward the kitchen and returned with a plate of pancake which she handed to Ronan.One hand in his pocket and the other holding the plate, he crossed the distance. “The faster you eat, the fast
OPHELIA The car immediately came to a screech at the side of the road. My face grew hot and I resisted the urge to look away when he spread one hand against the steering wheel and cocked his head to stare at me. Silence filled the car. “What did you say?” He broke the silence. I gripped the hem of my pajama shirt tightly and spoke. “I need the name of someone stronger than him.” Ronan assessed me. Amusement danced in his eyes as they pierced through mine, as if trying to read my thoughts. After a full minute of staring, he let out a quiet laugh and slowly ran his fingers through his hair. His eyes rolled down from my face to my body, each part that they fell upon causing a sting. I cleared my throat and pushed myself against the door. “Quite bold,” he finally muttered. “Marriage. Do you realize that I am your brother-in-law?” “More reason this would work.” “And me? I wonder what I will get out of this.” “You get to avenge your brother with me. Nothing would shat
OPHELIA“Come out.”I jerked awake from Ruth’s voice only a few minutes after managing to fall asleep. She looked at me from above, the iron gate of the cell wide open.“Didn’t you hear me?”I held the wall for support as I rose from the floor. “Wh-what? Are you taking me somewhere else?” I asked. “You’ve been released.”“What?” “I didn’t think that you had such huge connections. That confirms you’re not crazy after all.”“You-you mean I can go home? Did someone come for me?” My eyes were wide as I stared at the woman in curiosity. She nodded tiredly and turned away. I followed her out of the cell until we got to the receptionist. She turned again. “Sign and leave. Your person is outside.” Madam Ruth was surprisingly nicer than she was when I was first brought in. She didn’t have that huge frown on her face anymore. I wondered why she avoided my gaze. After signing my name, I stepped toward the exit still confused. Who could’ve gotten me out? Nova, perhaps? I could only think o
RONAN It wouldn’t stop. My home office felt more like a freezer than a workspace. The air conditioner hummed at its highest setting, yet It just wouldn’t stop. I tilted my head to one side, then the other, trying to ignore the irritation creeping along the back of my neck… my entire back. The itching should’ve stopped. I’d thought it had until it resurfaced a few days ago, beginning mainly at nights, just like now. My eyes stared at the wall clock at the other side of the room. 4 am. I’d barely had a wink of sleep. When the itch intensified, I clutched the glass of wine in my palm tighter, fighting the urge to scratch my burning skin and the memories that threatened to resurface. “Boss.” The door of my study creaked open followed by loud footsteps. I didn’t need to lift my gaze to know who it was. “I remember asking you to leave, Abraham. Didn’t I?” I slowly asked. He went speechless for a while and I heard the clatter of his teeth and the rubbing of his palms. “Boss, ar
OPHELIA“Someone call the psychiatrist. I think she’s crazy.”She banged the door shut. Afterward, she placed her hands on her chubby waist and her stormy eyes pierced me. “Call the psychiatrist,” she repeated.“I’m not crazy.”“The psychiatrist will determine that.” Pulling a pen out of her black uniform shirt pocket, she used it to scratch the middle of her head that had a tight bun on top of it. “You’re unbelievable.”I stared at my surroundings. The cell they’d thrown me into could barely fit me. The four corner walls closed in on me and the sound of mosquitoes irritated my ears. My chest rose and fell violently and my fingers sank into my palm. “You call yourself a police woman fighting for justice,” I ground my teeth. My voice rose. “But you can’t even see the truth right in front of you. You don’t even want to listen.”“And why should I?”“Because I’m telling you she’s my child.” I slammed my hand against the gate causing her to flinch. She pushed backward and shook her head
OPHELIA “ALIA!” My legs refused to move. For one devastating heartbeat, they remained stuck on the spot, my wide eyes staring at the child at the bottom of the stairs. I waited to wake up from a nightmare, convinced my eyes were playing their tricks. When my legs finally decided to move, I flew d
OPHELIA“My baby.”The cry of a newborn echoed around me. I screamed as a nurse carried the baby away. “No, don’t take her away. That’s my daughter.”Even though I wanted them to, my legs just wouldn’t move. My hands extended and my screams increased as they moved further and further away, until s
OPHELIAAshford Valentino.That was my father. I didn’t wait another second. My legs instantly led me toward the elevator and out of the company. Even before I sank behind the steering wheel of my car, I’d begun dialing Nova’s number.“Phil, how did it go? You’re out of there?” Her voice rang from
OPHELIAMy heels clicked sharply against the marble floor as I stepped into my father’s company for the first time in years. Heads turned almost immediately. Right. I wanted it to be clear from the deliberate sway of my hips to my loud footsteps that I wasn’t just here for a visit this time. If I







