“Rich, have you had dinner, I can make a plate for you.” she offered as she got up from the couch. She had saved a plate for him during dinner and all she had to do was to warm the food. Before she could even take a step, Rich turned to look at her, a sneer on his face.
“Did I say that I want anything from you? Why are you even talking to me?” He had a disgusted look on his face. He hated this person standing near him with a passion. Just the thought of being in one house with her was always revolting to him.
Megan hung her head low in humiliation. Whenever she tried to have a conversation with him, it always ended up in a bad way either with him insulating her of or he would just walk away as if she did not exist.
“I am sorry but please I would like to discuss something with you if you can spare a few minutes for me”, she braced herself for more insults but Rich remained silent.
He never liked being in the same space with her but since everyone had gone to bed and it was just the two of them, maybe he could use this chance to try and convince her give him a divorce. He sighed and dragged himself to the armchair to make space between the two of them.
“What is it?” he asked gruffly, leaning back and crossing his long legs. He looked like a prince that was about to descend to the throne.
She sat down and looked into his eyes, hoping to get through to him with direct eye contact. “Now that father is no longer here with us, can you please help me to get a job at the company? I can’t just sit in the house and do nothing all day long”
Ever since Mr. Wayne, her father in law fell ill when she had just gotten married and joined the household, she was the one who was taking care of his daily needs because he did not want to go to the hospital and also did not allow the family to hire a nurse to take care of him. He had once confided in his daughter in law that his life might be in danger.
“Haaaa, and what do you think that you will be able to do in the company? Just look at youself with your mousy look and lack of fashion style. Do you want to embarrass me at the company?” he really despised this woman and did not want to bear the shame of being seen with her in public.
Even though people knew that he was married, the public had never seen his wife. They had held a private wedding with family only and even during social gatherings, his escort had always been Liana who marched perfectly well with him. Many people speculated about their relationship but they had to keep it a secret for fear of his father.
Once again, Megan looked down and concentrated on the patterns of her fingers. “I have a degree in Human Resource Management and even though I have no experience, I know that I can contribute in the company". After all, she had graduated top of her class and was an honorary student in the university.
This was met by a harsh laugh that made her cringe. “There is no way in hell that you will get a job in the same company that I run. Why don’t you do both of us a favor and divorce me? Father is dead so there is nothing for you here”, he spat out as he got up from the chair, ending the discussion.
“I will never divorce you Richard,” she said before he could take a step.
“What do you want from me? I hate you, I hate seeing your face and I hate that brat that you brought into this house. Listen, I will give you 1 million dollars. Go to any lawyer in town and prepare the divorce agreement and bring it to me latest tomorrow or else your life will turn to hell in this house”. He said that matched out of the living room.
Megan slid back to the seat feeling powerless. She did not want his money and if she could, she would have taken her son and left the house as soon as the funeral service was over.
The agreement that she had signed in the presence of Mr. Wayne and his lawyer stated that should she initiate a divorce then she would either reimburse a total sum of 10 million that had been used for her father’s operation and treatment or face a jail term of two years.
She could not afford either of the two choices so she was stuck in her predicament. Forcing herself off the couch, she headed to her room to stare at the ceiling because sleep was not forthcoming. If only her father knew what he had gotten her into.
Rich reached for his phone and called Liana. He could never sleep without having a video chat with her and wished that she was in bed with him. Whatever happened, he had to get Megan to divorce him so that he could be with his true love.
He wished he could make the divorce application himself but according to the agreement he signed with his father, he was to stay married to Megan if he wanted to remain as the CEO of the company, a position that he took over from his father on condition that he broke up with his girlfriend and marry the woman that his father had arranged for him.
Running the company was his birthright as he was the only son to his parents so there was no way that he was going to let Megan ruin it for him. He would force her to make the divorce application .
As the first rays of dawn filtered through the blinds of the hospital waiting room, casting long, pale shadows, the weight of the night’s events pressed down on Queen and Dante. The initial shock had begun to give way to a gnawing anxiety, a desperate yearning for any news about Megan. Wendy sat quietly beside Dante, her presence a silent question mark in the tense atmosphere. The police officer returned with a weary look on his face. “We’ve reviewed the CCTV footage from the campus gate,” he began, his voice low and serious. “It’s… not very clear. The area was dimly lit, and the crucial moment was obscured by the branches of the acacia tree.” Queen’s heart sank. That one piece of evidence, the potential key to unlocking the mystery, was shrouded in darkness. “However,” the police officer continued, his gaze meeting Queen’s, “we did see a figure running away from the scene shortly after the estimated time of the attack. We will continue working on it". A chill ran down Queen’s s
The scene that unfolded before Queen in the periphery of the campus lights sent a jolt of pure terror through her as she saw a shadowy figure crouched over a motionless form lying on the tarmac. Her breath hitched in her throat. It couldn't be...“Megan!” The name tore from her throat as she dropped to her knees beside her friend. Megan lay sprawled on the cold tarmac, her limbs at an unnatural angle. A dark stain was blooming on the back of her head, and her usually vibrant face was ashen and still. Queen’s fingers trembled as she reached out, gently touching Megan’s cheek. It was cold.Tears welled up in Queen’s eyes, blurring her vision. “Megan, wake up! Please, wake up!” Her voice was choked with sobs. "Do you know this lady?" The man asked as he moved aside for Queen."She called for a cab but didn't get in. When I alighted to see what was going on, I found her sprawled on the ground."Queen lifted her face to look at the cab driver, tears welling in her eyes. She fumbled for
The world dissolved into a starless void. One moment, the harsh glow of the campus lights illuminated her frantic face as she reached for the taxi door; the next, an all-encompassing darkness swallowed her whole. The last sensation was a dull, sickening thud against the back of her skull, followed by an abrupt silence that was more terrifying than any noise. Megan’s phone slipped from her numb fingers and clattered onto the tarmac, its screen displaying Dante’s contact. The cab driver, oblivious to the silent violence unfolding behind him, waited patiently, the meter ticking. A shadowy figure emerged from the darkness, his face obscured by the low-hanging branches of a nearby acacia tree. He swiftly retrieved Megan’s phone, his movements precise and deliberate. With a final, lingering glance at Megan’s unconscious form sprawled on the ground, he melted back into the night, leaving no trace of his presence. Inside the grand hotel, the party continued its raucous crescendo. Laught
The air in the grand hotel hall that was hosting the campus party crackled with an almost palpable energy.Lizbeth moved through the throng with the practised ease of a hostess. Her smile was bright, her greetings effusive, but behind the polished facade, her mind was a whirlwind of calculations and simmering resentments. Tonight was about more than just a simple college party; it was about subtly manoeuvring pieces on her own personal chessboard.Her gaze, sharp and assessing, swept across the room, finally settling on a figure standing somewhat apart near the ornate bar. Wendy, Dante’s ex-girlfriend, exuded a quiet intensity, a hint of lingering pain, hidden in her eyes.Wendy had arrived with a singular purpose: to see Dante, to gauge the possibility of rekindling a flame she believed had never truly died. Seeing him across the room, laughing with a group of men, a familiar ache resonated within her.Lizbeth, ever the opportunist, had invited Wendy, not as a potential ally but a
The grand ballroom buzzed with vibrant energy, the air thick with the murmur of conversations and the clinking of glasses. The party was in full swing, a celebratory affair following the successful signing of a crucial international investment contract. Yet, amidst the revelry, Rich, the company's usually charismatic CEO, stood apart. He was a solitary figure in a dimly lit corner, a glass of amber liquid clutched in his hand, its contents barely touched. The truth was, he hadn't wanted to be here. The weight of the day's intense negotiations still pressed heavily on him, and all he truly desired was the quiet solitude of his home. However, his position demanded his presence, a symbol of gratitude and success for the visiting investors. Across the room, Liana was a whirlwind of practised charm, embodying the role of the perfect hostess. She glided from table to table, her laughter echoing, ensuring her presence was felt by every guest. A carefully cultivated percept
Queen sighed, running a hand through her hair. She had noticed the dreamy look on Megan's and the soft hum on her lips, indicating that something might have transpired that day. She had also missed classes, which had never occurred before."It must be Dante" she guessed."Queen, we cleared things up." She said as she smiled at her friend and explained what happened earlier.Megan's blissful ignorance was starting to grate on her nerves. "Megan," she began again, trying to keep her tone gentle, "I'm just saying, isn't it a little convenient that Dante suddenly has all the answers and Lizbeth is just… a liar?"Megan's smile faltered slightly. "But Queen, he explained everything! He said Lizbeth was just someone his family knew a long time ago, and she's always been a bit… dramatic. He said he told her to stop spreading rumours."Queen raised an eyebrow. "And you believe that wholeheartedly?""Yes!" Megan insisted, her smile returning with a touch of defiance. "Dante wouldn't lie to me.