Monica's eyes were all red and teary. She didn't notice the man trailing behind her from a distance.
She didn’t have much left on her. All through her stay at the McKenzie's, everything she bought was billed to Liam, so she didn’t keep any money with her. The atmosphere changed and it started raining. She didn’t even stop to stand under a shade and kept dragging her boxes under the rain. Her clothes and hair were all drenched, and it wasn’t long before she started feeling cold. Her once-cheery life had gone sore. She didn’t have any more strength left. Her biological mother was dead, and she wasn’t sure anyone else was willing to accept her. A black Mercedes pulled beside her, and Spencer came down from the car and held the umbrella above her head. “Monica…” he gently called. Her ghostly pale face turned to him with shaky lips. “Liam.” Spencer’s face changed in a moment. “You came for me?” she shivered. Spencer swallowed as he grabbed her. She had a fever. She was mistaking him for Liam again. He had been a bit worried about her, so he had someone stay close and watch her. He was scared that the paparazzi might get hold of the news about her divorce and attack her. He gasped as she threw herself into his arms. Her clothes were pressed against her skin, so every curve of her body was felt by him. “Let me take you home.” He shook her gently, but she didn’t respond. He carefully checked her out, only to find that she had passed out. He carried her to the car and drove to his place. She was already shivering by the time he got back home. His maid followed him to the guest room. “Sir Spencer, why are you bringing your brother’s wife back home?” The maid, Susana, had been with him for a long time. He loved her and respected her. She had been his nanny before he knew his biological father. She had taken care of him for a long time and knew most of his deep secrets. “She was stranded, and I helped her out.” “Spencer, this girl is trouble. You have moved on from her, you should stay away from her.” Spencer carefully dropped her into the bathtub. “Aunt Suzy, I have nothing to do with her now. I just wanted to help, so please, help me change her into dry clothes.” Aunt Susana gave him a skeptical look as he left the room. Memories he had buried inside came flooding back in. --- Four Years Ago Spencer walked out of the house and picked out the latest fashion magazine from his mailbox. He flipped through the pages, and a smile graced his lips as his eyes landed on a figure of a model in the latest lingerie collection. “You are obsessed with this girl,” his nanny peeked over his shoulder as his eyes wandered on the magazine pages. “She’s so beautiful,” Spencer whispered. “You’ve been crushing on her for the past two years,” his nanny teased. He took the magazine into his room and placed it with his numerous collections. He had a few of her pictures on his walls. His mind wandered back to the present. He was beyond shocked when he returned from college to find out that his half-brother was engaged to his crush. His stepmom had everything arranged. He was really heartbroken after seeing his crush in someone else’s arms. He knew his brother didn’t love her, but he couldn’t do anything. He was cheating on her. He wanted to warn her, but before he knew it, he was arrested for murder. He went into his room and took off his clothes. He had a hectic day. While abroad, he had managed to set up a fashion company, but no one knew that he owned it. He was trying to bring a branch to his hometown without revealing his identity until he could clear his name about the fire. He got dressed in a shirt and shorts and walked back to the guest room. “How is she?” he asked. “She is running a fever,” she replied quietly. “I tried calling a doctor… but because of the heavy rain, none of them would be able to come.” Spencer stood still for a moment, staring at her on the bed. Then, he swallowed hard and slowly stepped forward. Everything he had buried inside came surging to the surface. He thought he had moved on, but it turned out that he had not. “She is still your brother’s wife. You should not be involved with her.” Spencer ignored his maid’s words and walked to the bed. She was shaking badly. He grabbed the duvet and climbed in next to her. “Sir Spencer, you shouldn’t indulge in this obsession. It almost ruined you once.” Spencer carefully pulled her into his arms. It was the only way to keep her warm. “The cold will get worse, Aunt Suzy.” Aunt Suzy didn’t want to argue anymore, so she left the room with a sigh. She didn’t want history to repeat itself. Spencer pulled Monica into his arms, and she flushed against his body, trying to bury herself in the warmth. “You will be fine,” he whispered. She flushed again and murmured softly, “Liam.” Spencer’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t pull away. Rain drummed softly against the window as he tucked the duvet tighter around her. He had her in his arms, but she still belonged to someone else. Spencer pulled Monica into his arms, and she flushed against his body, trying to bury herself in the warmth. “You will be fine,” he whispered. She flushed again and murmured softly, “Liam.” Spencer’s heart sank. She still couldn’t see him. Rain battered the windows harder now, almost as if the skies themselves were echoing his turmoil. He pulled the duvet tighter around her, fighting every instinct to pull her even closer. Then her lips moved again—barely audible. But this time, it wasn’t Liam’s name. His breath caught. He leaned in slowly. “What did you say?” She mumbled something once more, her brows furrowing like she was fighting a memory. And then, her eyes slowly fluttered open—locking with his for the briefest moment. “…Spencer?” He froze. She opened her eyes weakly and looked at him for a second before closing them again. His heart thudded. She saw him. Just for a moment—she saw him.The morning was crisp, silver-gray clouds stretching across the sky like folded sheets. Spencer adjusted the cuffs of his shirt as he stepped out of the elevator, a garment bag slung over his arm, his other hand clutching his phone.Diane stood waiting at the lobby entrance, tablet in hand, her eyes sharp and ready. “Good morning, sir. The car is waiting.”He nodded once, then looked around the open lobby. It was early, but the building was already humming with quiet urgency—assistants hustling down corridors, heels tapping like a metronome of efficiency.“Before I go, I want all files for the Zurich account pulled and scanned to my secure inbox,” Spencer said, walking briskly toward the car. “Call Bernard directly—don’t leave it to his secretary. Tell him I’ll follow up mid-flight.”“yes, sir,” Diane replied, jotting notes down quickly. She hesitated, then looked up. “About the investor meeting next week…”“Postpone it,” he said without missing a beat. “If they can’t wait, they’re no
The music in the club pulsed like a heartbeat, deep and relentless. Lights flashed across their faces in soft strobes—red, blue, white—painting Spencer’s tired expression in fleeting colors. Max took another sip of his drink before speaking. “She didn’t even show up for the after-party.” Spencer didn’t respond. His fingers traced the rim of his untouched glass. “I really thought she would,” Max added. “I mean... the award, the show, all the buzz. It had her name written all over it. She deserved to stand there and own that moment.” “She was just gone,” Spencer said finally, his voice rough. “Like she never existed.” Max sighed and nudged the second drink toward him. “At least you know she’s alive now. You don’t have to keep carrying that guilt.” Spencer’s shoulders tensed. “That doesn’t make it better.” Max frowned. “It should.” “It doesn’t,” Spencer muttered. “Because I don’t know if she’s safe. I don’t know where she is. I don’t even know if she’s eating, sleeping, o
Spencer sat alone in the boardroom, long after everyone else had gone home.The lights were off. Only the faint orange glow from the city bled through the floor-to-ceiling windows. His laptop was still open in front of him, screen dimming to black after hours of inactivity. He didn’t move to wake it.A glass of whiskey sat untouched near his elbow. The ice had melted.Papers lay scattered across the table—maps, reports, drone surveillance stills. GPS coordinates circled in red ink. Names. Time stamps. Useless details.None of them brought her back.His thumb hovered over her last message again. A photo of her coffee, snapped hours before she vanished. It meant nothing, and yet he couldn’t stop staring at it.Two weeks. Two goddamn weeks.And all they had were guesses. Maybes.He leaned back slowly, resting his head against the cold leather of the chair, eyes shutting as if by doing so he could escape the noise in his mind. But even in the dark, Monica’s voice haunted him. Her smile. T
The days that followed felt like a blur of warmth and shadows—of comfort interrupted by the aftershocks of what could’ve been a tragedy.After the police took Anthony and his accomplice away, Max barely let go of Lake. He wrapped his jacket tightly around him and guided him back to the car with a gentleness that made Lake want to cry all over again. No words were spoken for most of the ride—just silence and Max’s hand in his, thumb brushing over his knuckles in quiet reassurance.When they got home, Max helped him out of his shoes, helped him sit, brought him tea he didn’t drink, and tucked a blanket over his shoulders like he was made of glass. Lake didn’t protest. He didn’t have the strength to. He was still shaking, heart still skipping anytime he heard a car outside or footsteps near the door.But Max stayed. He stayed through the night, never leaving the couch where he’d curled up beside him. And when the sun rose and Lake finally fell into a light, uneasy sleep, Max slipped into
Lake stumbled over a root, nearly falling face-first into the forest floor. The man behind him shoved his shoulder, forcing him upright. “Keep moving.” It was the first time the man had spoken. His voice was low—rough and cold like gravel under boot. Lake’s breath caught in his throat. Something about hearing him speak made it worse. More real. “You don’t have to do this,” Lake said again, his voice cracking from a mix of cold and panic. “You can still turn around. Let me go. I swear I won’t tell anyone—” “Shut up and walk.” Lake gritted his teeth as they moved deeper into the trees. The sunlight was fading now, bleeding orange and gold through the branches. It cast long shadows ahead, each one twisting like they were reaching out to pull him under. “Who paid you?” he asked, trying to keep him talking. “Do you even know why they want me? You’re just someone’s puppet.” The man said nothing this time, but his hand jerked his arm roughly, steering him off the trail. Lake’
Lake stepped down from the last backdrop, sweat clinging lightly at the nape of his neck. The team behind the camera clapped softly—some polite, others more genuine. “That’s a wrap, Lake. Great work today.” “You really nailed that last set. The couch shots were fire.” Tania handed him a bottle of water with a nod. “Not bad for someone who claims he’s more comfortable behind a hoodie.” He chuckled, taking the water. “You weren’t so bad yourself. Give me a heads up next time you plan on stealing the show.” Tania smirked. “Please. I carried you.” “Rude.” But he was smiling. “Alright, everyone,” the creative director called. “Let’s clear up in ten. Models, thank you. We’ll be in touch before the next campaign.” Lake grabbed his bag from the corner, slinging it over one shoulder. He gave a few quick thank-you’s to the makeup artists and lighting crew, all of whom looked just as exhausted. He made his way to the exit, only to be stopped by the photographer. “Hey, Lake.” He turned.