SHAWNA I froze, my eyes glued to Stacey as her smug smile widened. My brain struggled to catch up. What was she doing here? How was this even possible? “What… what are you doing here?” I finally managed to ask, my voice shaky. Stacey leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs with infuriating ease. “Didn’t the receptionist tell you? I’m the new owner of this company. Surprised?” Her tone was mocking, her eyes glinting with amusement. “You bought this company?” My words felt hollow, disbelief and anger swirling in my chest. “Why?” Stacey tilted her head, pretending to think. “Why not? It seemed like a good investment,” she said, her smile turning sharper. “But I’m more curious about what you’re doing here, Shawna. Running around all day, closing deals. What’s the rush?” I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out. My brain was stuck, trying to figure out how much she knew and why she cared. I stammered, “I-I—well, it’s just—” Before I could embarrass myself further
SHAWNADamien’s eyes narrowed as he caught the subtle shift in my expression. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice low but edged with concern.I swallowed hard and handed him my phone. “Read this.”Damien’s jaw tightened as he scanned the message on my phone, his knuckles going white around the edges of the device. When his eyes finally met mine, they were full of determination. “We can’t give her Eugene. That’s like signing her death warrant.”I crossed my arms and started pacing, the words spilling out before I could stop them. “Maybe she deserves it. After everything she’s done, Damien… the lies, the manipulation. But even if I wanted to do the right thing, we don’t have a lot of options right now.”Damien stepped in front of me, catching my arm gently but firmly, making me stop in my tracks. “Shawna, listen to me,” he said, his voice calm but intense. “We’ll figure something out. But we’re not handing Eugene over to Stacey. That’s non-negotiable.”I yanked my arm free and stepped b
STACEYI swirled the amber liquid in my glass, watching the golden city lights twinkle through the penthouse window. The whisky burned its way down my throat, but the satisfaction of my recent acquisition burned hotter. I had worked too hard to let anyone get in my way, not Shawna, not anyone.As I tilted the glass for another sip, a muffled voice dragged me back to reality.“Stacey, please… let me go. You’ve already taken my company. What more do you want from me?”I smirked, turning slowly to face him. The man tied to the chair looked pathetic, his once-impeccable suit now crumpled and stained. Sweat beaded on his pale forehead, and his eyes flitted around the room like a mouse trapped in a cage.I took a deliberate step toward him, savoring the way he flinched. “What more do I want?” I repeated, my voice dripping with mockery. “Darling, do you think this is about your sad little company? You insult me.”His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. “I… I don’t understand. I gave you ever
CARAThe whisky burned going down, but the conversation with Stacey burned even more. I leaned back in the plush chair, swirling my glass, and smirked at my sister. Stacey always had this cool, calculating vibe that made me feel both impressed and a little uneasy.“So, what’s the next move?” I asked, raising an eyebrow as I leaned back in my chair, cradling the glass of whisky in my hand. “You’ve got Shawna wrapped around your finger. Spill it—what’s the plan?”Stacey leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, her lips curling into that sly smile of hers. The kind that made you nervous even when you were on her side. “It’s enough that they don’t know we’re sisters,” she said, her voice smooth as silk. “That alone gives us the element of surprise.”I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’ve got a point. Can you imagine their faces if they found out? Shawna would lose her mind.” I sipped my drink, still chuckling. “She thinks she’s so clever. Little does she know, she’s playing right into
STACEYThe mall wasn’t exactly my sanctuary, but when stress weighed me down, retail therapy worked wonders. And today, Kyle and his evasive nonsense had pushed me to my limit. I needed to clear my head, and browsing the high-end stores seemed like the perfect distraction.I was strolling past the luxury children’s section when I spotted her. Shawna. Of all the people to run into when I was already in a bad mood. She was with her kids, the three of them giggling and holding up clothes as though they had all the time and money in the world. The sight of her gratingly smug face turned my irritation into full-blown annoyance.“Shawna,” I called out, stepping into their line of sight. My heels clicked against the polished floor with precision, each sound echoing through the luxurious mall.Her head snapped up, and the moment she saw me, her smile disappeared faster than I’d expected. “Stacey,” she replied, her voice clipped and her forced smile barely masking her irritation.“What a surpr
SHAWNACara placed the document neatly on my desk, her calm and collected energy somehow grounding me in the middle of this hectic morning. “This is everything you need to finalize the deal with Kyle,” she said smoothly, her tone steady like always.I nodded, letting out a long breath. “Thanks, Cara. Let me go through it, and I’ll let you know if I need anything.”She gave a quick nod and turned to leave, her efficiency unmatched. But before she could even reach the door, it burst open so suddenly it made both of us jump.Kyle strode in, his presence loud and overbearing as always. He flashed one of those fake, overconfident grins, aimed right at Cara like he was some kind of superstar.“Cara,” he greeted her, his voice dripping with that faux charm he thought was so irresistible.Cara, to her credit, didn’t flinch. She looked at him with her usual unreadable expression, her professional mask firmly in place. “Mr. Kyle,” she said curtly, offering a polite nod before gliding out of the
SHAWNAKyle’s words lingered like smoke in the air, curling into every corner of my thoughts. “A mole?” I repeated, disbelief clinging to my voice. “You’re serious?”Kyle nodded, his face dark and serious. “Think about it, Shawna. How else could Stacey have known? Someone’s feeding her information. Someone close to you.”I rubbed my temples, the idea sending a sharp pang of unease through me. “This is ridiculous. We’ve been careful.”“Careful?” Kyle snorted, pushing off the wall to pace the room. “Stacey didn’t just magically know about the deal. It didn’t come from thin air.”I stared at him, my mind racing. “Okay, fine. Let’s say you’re right. Who? Who do you think it is?”Kyle stopped pacing and faced me, his arms crossed and his gaze hard. “Let’s start with the basics. Who knew about our deal?”I frowned, counting on my fingers. “You, me, Cara, Damien, and Eugene. That’s it.”Kyle’s jaw worked as he processed the names. “Eugene’s out. She wouldn’t sell herself out. That leaves Car
SHAWNAI stood in the middle of the room, rubbing my temples as the tension built like a storm ready to burst. “I can’t do this anymore,” I said, my voice louder than I intended. “Eugene, you need to leave. Take your mother and go somewhere safe, but you can’t stay here.”Eugene’s arms were crossed, her jaw set in that stubborn way I knew all too well. Her mother stood just behind her, the same defiance etched into her face.“We’re not going anywhere,” Eugene said flatly. “Stacey’s bluffing. She won’t do anything.”I stared at Eugene, my patience fraying at the edges. “This isn’t up for debate,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “You can’t just stick around and hope for the best. Stacey doesn’t make empty threats.”Eugene shrugged, her arms still crossed as if to physically block out my reasoning. “She’s all talk. I’ve dealt with her type before.”“That’s exactly the problem!” I shot back, my voice rising. “You think you’ve got her figured out, but she’s already crossed lines th
PHOEBERichard didn’t react at first. He just stared at me like he was trying to read my thoughts.“I’m sorry for coming unannounced. I just… I really need your help.”I heard my own voice tremble. My eyes darted briefly to the floor before finding Richard’s again. I hated that I sounded so desperate, but I was. Completely and utterly desperate.Richard frowned, his brows pulling together. “What’s going on? Is something wrong?”I nodded slowly, my fingers wringing each other nervously in front of me. “It’s Ramon. I’ve been trying to find him all day. His apartment’s locked up. It looks like no one’s there. Curtains drawn. Door locked. Lights off. I knocked, I waited… nothing.”Richard’s expression changed subtly. Concern started creeping in.“I tried calling him. Several times. But his number’s not going through. It’s not even ringing.” I paused, struggling to keep my voice steady. “And I’ve spoken to some people who used to see him often…security at his place, a few mutual friends. N
PHOEBELater that day, I was still sitting at my desk, staring at the resignation letter in my hands like it might change if I looked at it long enough. It didn’t. The words stayed the same.I stood up and walked over to Clara’s desk. She looked up from her computer and gave me a soft smile before bowing to greet me.“Clara,” I said, holding up the letter. “Do you know where Ramon is? I need to speak with him.”She frowned and shook her head. “Oh… he left early this morning. Said he had something urgent to take care of. He didn’t say where he was going.”I felt my chest tighten. “Did he seem okay?”Clara paused, thinking. “I don’t know. He was quiet. Didn’t really talk to anyone. Just packed up his stuff and left.”“Packed up?”She nodded. “Yeah. Said he wouldn’t be coming back for a while.”That made my heart drop. What the hell was going on?I left the office immediately. I didn’t even bother to grab my bag. I just walked out, got into a cab, and told the driver to take me to Ramon’
PHOEBEI sat on my bed staring at nothing. My eyes were sore from crying, but no more tears came. I felt empty. Numb.A soft knock pulled me out of my thoughts. I blinked and looked up."Come in," I said quietly.To my surprise, it wasn’t Winnie. It was my grandmother."Grandma?" I said, standing up.She walked in slowly, her eyes scanning my face like she could read every thought running wild in my head. She didn’t say anything at first. She just came straight to me and pulled me into a hug. No words, no questions, just warmth. And in that moment, I cracked."Oh, my sweet girl," she whispered into my hair. "What’s wrong?"I hugged her tighter, and the tears came again, harder this time. I couldn’t stop them even if I tried. The sobs came from somewhere deep, somewhere I didn’t know still ached this much."I feel like I don’t know him," I sobbed, my voice shaking. "I feel like everything I believed was a lie."She didn’t say anything right away. Just rubbed my back gently, like she us
RAMONThe moment I saw her, my heart stopped.There she was, Phoebe. Standing by the garden path with the sun behind her, making her hair glow like it always used to when we’d sit on the porch together. I couldn’t move at first. I just stared.“Phoebe,” I said, finally stepping forward.She looked up, and our eyes met, but the look on her face hit me like a punch in the gut. No warmth. No relief. Just surprise… and something that felt like pain and disappointment rolled into one.She turned away instantly, like she couldn’t get away fast enough.“Wait…Phoebe, wait!” I rushed forward.She didn’t stop. She picked up her pace, but I caught up to her. I reached out and lightly grabbed her arm. “Please. Don’t go. Just let me talk.”“Let go of me, Ramon,” she said, her voice low and cold.I did. I stepped back, hands raised. “Okay. I’m sorry. I just… I wasn’t expecting to see you. I didn’t think you’d come out here.”“Well, I didn’t think I’d run into you,” she snapped. “Yet here we are.”“
BILLYI watched the door close behind Phoebe as she walked out of the room. My eyes followed her, but she didn’t even glance back. She just left.Jasper was standing beside me, arms folded, a puzzled look on his face. We both turned slowly to look at Winnie, who was still sitting on the edge of the bed. Her hands were clasped together, and she looked like she was trying not to say too much.“What’s going on?” I asked, breaking the silence first. “She just left us standing here.”“Yeah,” Jasper added. “She looked upset. And Ramon walked out earlier, looking like someone kicked his soul out. What’s happening?”Winnie looked up at us and sighed. “It’s… complicated.”Jasper raised an eyebrow. “Complicated how?”She stood up slowly, smoothing her shirt. “It’s something you should really hear from Phoebe.”“But she’s not exactly giving out answers right now, is she?” I said. “We’re her brothers. We have a right to know what’s happening with her.”“I agree,” Jasper added, nodding. “Did she r
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