STACEYI parked my car at the warehouse that's so secretive that no one would have suspected that the warehouse was there.“Stupid Shawna, she thinks she's so smart and she has done something significant by sending me off," I mumbled under my breath as I got out of my car.“I'm going to deal with her, she'll regret ever crossing paths with me. She'd be the one pleading with me as I deal with her ruthlessly.” I added.Anger like never before gripped my entire form, I just wanted to kill her already. I've been watching them for years, I watched when they were married for years.I just stood by the sidelines watching. I knew then that Damien didn't like her, I know him so well that I know him when he's in love.That's just the main reason I didn't bother about their union at all, I know she has nothing on him.But when I saw that they were getting closer than normal, I watched and I realized that it seemed Damien had fallen in love with her. He can't love her, he's mine and mine alone.I
KYLEI wiped away the blood on my nose, glaring hard at Damien. He was still breathing heavily like I was too. I dusted off the dirt on me before looking at both of them.“I'll do my research and get back to you two, also let me know once you find anything. I'm leaving now.” I said as I walked away from them."You better pray that we don't find out that you have a hand in her disappearance,” Damien said, still sounding so mad.All I did was look back and give him a pointed look before going out to where I parked my car. I'm not even shocked that he jumped right to a conclusion when he saw me. It would look like that to anyone.I was being truthful when I said that I had no idea of her disappearance. But I do have an idea of who would have helped her escape.It can only be Stacey, she's the one who can do this. I dialed her number immediately after I got into the car. She didn't answer the call at first but she did anyway.“Someone finally remembered that he brought someone into the co
SHAWNAWe left the station too almost immediately after Kyle left. Damien still looks like he's raging with anger.“You have to calm down, I think he's innocent," I told him as I entered the car. He started the car before talking.“You're talking this way because you don't know him. I know Kyle more than you do and I know the things he's capable of doing. Kyle is not just a liar, he's also pretentious." He said."I understand your perspective, but I just have an inkling that he doesn't know about Eugene's disappearance. Let's just hope he gets back to us when he gets something on his end.” I said."I hope so too." He mumbled, keeping his eyes on the road.I just want to believe that she hasn't gone far and they doublecrossed her in no time.Eugene running out of prison is going to be messy for me. What if she teams up with Stacey? Or what if Stacey was the person who helped her escape?That just makes sense, but at the same time, I don't think she's that smart. She doesn't look like s
SHAWNA“What? What do you mean by she has been poisoned? Do you mean food poisoning that has to do with food processing and not one that's intentional?” I asked him."I mean the literal one and the poison is not curable. We need an antidote for it. I honestly wonder how the substance got into her bloodstream, it's too deadly for her little age.”It for like my entire world was about to come to an end, my eyes were spinning and my legs were so weak that it looked like I'd fall anytime soon.I could barely see through my blurry eyes, I zoned out completely as different thoughts started running in. I just don't know what to think right now, but the thought of something that deadly in my baby's system makes me want to do a lot of things.“Shawna?" Someone shook me, bringing me out of that reverie. My mother was the one who shook me, we came here together while grandfather stayed back with Billy and Jasper.“You mean to say that the poison is so deadly that we need an antidote. Then get th
SHAWNAI left the restroom and went back outside with my mother who was waiting for me already.“How do you feel now?", she asked me, looking into my eyes.“I'm okay, has the doctor said anything else?" I asked her.“No, he hasn't. Are you sure you're okay? You look mad."“I'm okay, you don't have anything to worry about. You should leave, I'll stay here till morning, you should go home and rest." I told her.“I'm not leaving you here alone, I'll stay with you." She said, shaking her head.“You won't be comfortable here at all, I'll order a ride for you to go home with now. It's just better if you leave and come back tomorrow." I told her with a tone of finality.“But I don't want to leave you alone here." She said, sounding sad.I brought out my phone, “I’m ordering the ride now.” I said as I opened the app and looked for the nearest driver close to us. I ordered the ride for her.“So, I'll see you all in the morning. I'll be here till then." I told her."You're sure you'll be fine a
SHAWNAHis face crumpled into one of disappointment, then it turned into hurt. I honestly felt like telling him the entire truth right there, I don't just want to lie to him at all.“Have a nice day, Damien." I don't even know why I said that, I just want to say something to him before leaving.Seeing the heartbroken look on his face before I eventually turned around was another big deal for me. It took everything in me to walk away from me.I just want to hug him, hug him tight, and forget my worries for the moment, or even tell him everything that's bothering me.Knowing that I caused him pain is another level of dejection, I'd have gone for other options if there were any. But at this point, the only thing I had to do was just that.And maybe, just maybe if there's a chance or anything, we're able to come back together and communicate. All that matters right now is that I get the antidote, my daughter's life is in danger.I walked back into the hospital to see Liam waiting for me,
DAMIENThis can't be true at all, there's no way this is true, I don't just know what to believe, but what Shawna said just made me believe that it's not true at all.“No, no, no! Shawna can't cheat on me." I shook my head repeatedly as I tried to grasp the fact that she said it herself.I've known her for years since we got married, and the little time I spent with her when we got back together wouldn't make me believe that she did that.She wouldn't cheat on me with anyone, maybe what she was trying to say was that she got together with him when we were divorced.Even at that, I don't want to believe that she got with him. Was she under pressure to say it? Could she have been forced to say it?Do I have to do something? I'll try to see if I can get something from my end. I mumbled as I brought out my phone. I immediately called my private investigator.He picked up the call almost immediately, he's just one investigator I am newly employed, and he's pretty good through.“Boss, good
LIAMShit, that was a very hard slip-off, I shouldn't have said or let that out at all. He released me immediately I said that, glaring very hard at me. I looked at him, fervently praying within myself that he wouldn't ask me anything.“What did you just say? What do you mean by believing that trash” He asked me, looking at me pointedly. I swallowed thickly and tried to come up with a response, I needed to reply to him."Forget it, I was just spewing rubbish. You also weren't helping matters with how you held me up by the collar.” I tried to divert the topic.He surely didn't believe that, I racked my head to think of another response to that. He glared hard at me at my last response."Don't even try to tell me that, it wasn't a mistake. You're hiding something from me.” He said to me. I let out a very deep sigh and ran my hand through my hair.To say that I'm frustrated would be an understatement, I should have just calmed down and allowed him to leave.If I hadn't replied to him, he
PHOEBEThat morning, I woke up to the quiet hum of birds outside the window. For once, I didn’t have to rush to work or pretend everything was fine. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, trying not to think too much.The soft floral curtains swayed gently with the breeze, and for a moment, everything felt peaceful. But that peace didn’t reach inside me. I felt like I was just floating, present in body, but far from okay. My eyes were heavy from lack of sleep, and my chest ached from holding in tears all night. Still, I stayed there, wrapped in Winnie’s guest blanket, letting the silence stretch as long as it could.Winnie had helped sneak me into her house late last night, and I was grateful."Are you going to tell your parents you’re here?" she asked softly that morning as she came into the room with a cup of warm tea.I sat up slowly, blinking away the crust from my eyes. "There’s no need. They’ll just ask questions I’m not ready to answer."She nodded and handed me the cup. The mug
RAMONI stood there for a long time, watching Phoebe walk away. Her words echoed in my head like a sharp slap: “I never want to see you again.” I wanted to chase after her, to make her listen, to explain everything. But I couldn’t. Not when I didn’t even have the answers she needed.Not when everything in my life was already broken beyond repair.Maybe she was right to leave. Maybe this was the best thing for her. That’s what I kept telling myself as I dragged myself back to my uncle’s house. It was late, and the street was too quiet, like even the night wanted nothing to do with me.When I stepped inside, Uncle Richard looked up from the couch. He was lounging like a king in his robe, glass of whiskey in hand, the flickering TV light painting shadows across his aging face. He looked too calm for someone who had just helped me destroy the only thing that ever made sense in my life.“Well, look who’s back,” he said, a slow smile curling at the corners of his lips. “I take it she finall
PHOEBEMy whole body was sore. My dress was torn, my wrists burned from the ropes, and my eyes stung from crying. I was huddled in a corner of that cold, dark room, shivering as the last of the men ran out like rats. One second, they were setting up cameras, saying the most disgusting things, and the next, they were gone. Just like that.It made no sense. None of it did. Why would they leave me? What scared them off?I was too weak to stand, too confused to think straight. My head was pounding, and I could still feel whatever they had drugged me with swirling through my system. My heart was racing so fast I could barely catch my breath. My legs were pulled to my chest, arms wrapped tightly around them, as if I could make myself disappear if I just curled up small enough.And then I heard footsteps.Fast. Heavy. Coming closer.My eyes shot to the door.I froze.My heart shot to my throat.Were they back?Did they forget something?Were they going to finish what they started?I couldn’t
RAMONI stood in that hotel lobby staring at the manager as if he'd just announced a death. Maybe he had. Because knowing Phoebe had been taken right from under my nose felt exactly like that, like something had died inside me."She was in your care!" I shouted. "She was supposed to wait for me here!""Mr. Ramon," the manager said nervously, "we thought it was authorized…""By whom? My uncle?" I spat. "You took her because my uncle said so? Did she look like she wanted to leave? Did you even ask her that?"No answer. Just that sick, silent guilt on their faces.I didn't waste another second. I turned on my heel, stormed out of the hotel, jumped into my car, and sped straight to Richard's estate. My hands gripped the wheel so hard they ached. My mind was a storm, rage, fear, regret. I kept seeing her face in my head, her smile, the way she had trusted me. And now...She was gone.When I got to the mansion, the guards at the gate crossed their arms."Sir, Mr. Richard said not to let you
RAMONI was dead tired by the time we finished the meeting at the company. My shirt clung to my back, and my head was pounding from all the numbers and back-to-back discussions. All I wanted was to check my phone and unwind, maybe see if Phoebe had texted.I reached into my pocket. Empty.My heart skipped.I checked the table, the chair, and even under the folder I’d used. Nothing.“Where the hell is my phone?” I muttered.My uncle, sitting across from me, raised an eyebrow. “Lose something?”“My phone. I had it before we came here.”He shrugged. “Maybe you dropped it at the house.”I didn’t like how quick he was to answer.Still, I forced a calm nod and stood up. “I’ll go check.”The ride back to his place felt like it took forever. My mind was racing. Phoebe. Had she called? Texted? What if something was wrong? My gut wouldn’t calm down.When I got to the house, I tore through every room I had been in earlier. The living room. The guest room. Even the damn kitchen. Nothing.My uncle
PHOEBEThe hotel was breathtaking, with marble floors, chandeliers sparkling like stars, a scent of roses, and money hanging in the air. My heels clicked softly as I followed the receptionist, who wore a perfectly polite smile. My coat was still wrapped tightly around me, hiding the dress Winnie helped me pick out. My heart fluttered with a mix of excitement and nerves.“He’ll be with you shortly,” the receptionist said sweetly, opening a suite door for me. “Please, get comfortable. There are refreshments inside. Make yourself at home.”I gave a shy nod. “Thank you.”The door shut behind me.The suite was luxurious, with soft couches, a large table with drinks and fruit, and dim romantic lighting. I let out a small breath. “Wow…”I walked slowly to the table, brushing my fingers along the glass rim of a wine glass. Red wine. A chill ran up my spine, and I shook it off. Maybe he asked them to pour it before he arrived. Maybe this was his way of setting the mood.I pulled out my phone.
PHOEBEI slammed the front door a little harder than I meant to when I got home.Winnie looked up from the couch, raising an eyebrow. "Whoa. Somebody’s in a mood. What's wrong, sunshine?"I dropped my bag by the door and flopped onto the armchair with a loud sigh. "It’s Ramon," I said, pouting like a child.Winnie immediately perked up. "Ramon? Spill. What happened?!"I buried my face in my hands for a second before looking up at her. "We kissed. Like... really kissed. It was amazing. He kissed me like he needed me to breathe or something."Winnie squealed, hugging a throw pillow. "Oh my God! Finally!""Yeah, it was incredible," I mumbled, my cheeks heating up. "But right after that, he got a call. Emergency at home. He had to leave. Just like that."Winnie’s face softened. "Oh, babe...""I know he had no choice," I said quickly, fiddling with a loose thread on the armrest. "But... it sucks. I’m losing my mind over him, Winnie. I’m slowly going crazy. I want him so bad it hurts."Winn
PHOEBERamon’s eyes burned into me like I was the only thing he could see. I felt my cheeks heat up under his stare, and I shifted awkwardly on my feet.“Phoebe,” he said, his voice low and rough, “I want all of you…every part of you. I’m not afraid of being with you. I’m just... trying to restrain myself.”My heart pounded so hard it hurt. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out at first. Then I swallowed hard and said, "I want all of you, too, Ramon. I’m not scared."Something snapped between us.Ramon closed the space in a single, hungry heartbeat, grabbing me again and crashing his mouth onto mine. This kiss wasn’t soft. It wasn’t sweet. It was rough, fierce, almost desperate, like he had been starving, and I was the only thing that could satisfy him.His lips crushed against mine, demanding and urgent. I could feel the heat pouring off his body as he kissed me like he needed me more than air. His hand slid up, fingers threading into the hair at the nape of my neck, then wrapping
RAMONI tossed and turned all night. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t sleep. My mind kept racing, full of everything Uncle Richard had said... and Phoebe. Always Phoebe.I was falling for her. Hard. It scared the hell out of me, but it also felt so right. I didn’t just like her, I needed her. Every smile, every look, every word she said stuck in my head like glue.When morning came, I dragged myself out of bed, showered, and dressed like a man on a mission. I didn’t even think twice. I was going to see her. I had to.No more running. No more hiding.When I got to the worksite, she was there already, sorting through some papers, looking so focused and beautiful that it made my heart twist. She looked up and blinked like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing."Ramon?" she said, her voice small but full of surprise. "I thought... I thought you weren’t going to be available anymore."I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling awkward and stupid all at once. "Yeah, about that. I’m