The evening was colder than usual, and a soft breeze carried dust and the scent of damp leaves along the quiet sidewalk. Ivan kept a cautious distance, his eyes locked on Sarah as she walked ahead, unaware—or so he thought—of his presence. The plan was simple: follow her, gather any useful intel, and report back to Keira and Benita. But Sarah’s steps didn’t falter. In fact, they seemed almost... deliberate.Sarah had noticed him. The moment he started tailing her, she sensed it. The soft rustle behind her, the occasional reflection in car mirrors, and the ever-present feeling of being watched confirmed her suspicion. She didn’t panic. Not yet. Instead, she allowed it. If anything, it was time.She mumbled under her breath, almost like speaking to the wind, "Come on..."As though he heard her, Ivan resumed trailing her discreetly, moving from one shadow to another, keeping himself mostly hidden. His heart thudded with anticipation and nerves. Something wasn’t right. Sarah was too calm.
The morning air was cool and crisp, the kind that whispered promises of change and silent thrill. Ivan adjusted the strap of the small surveillance bag slung across his shoulder as he stood near the alley behind a café, eyes fixed on the entrance across the street. Keira had handed him the mission file that morning, detailing Monica’s schedule with surprising precision.“Be careful, Ivan,” Keira had said.Ivan had nodded.But Keira wasn't finished. “Don't get carried away. I'm sure you understand what I mean.”And now, the mission had begun.Benita arrived moments later. She wore a fitted leather jacket over a sleek black tee and jeans, her hair pulled into a high ponytail. Her look was casual, yet every movement she made screamed quiet confidence. Ivan’s breath caught slightly when he saw her, and he quickly looked away, pretending to fiddle with his bag.“You ready?” she asked, flashing a quick smile.Ivan nodded. “Always.”She looked so good, radiant, but Ivan withheld his complim
“I'm going now,” Cassandra said to Ivan and Keira as she picked up her handbag and left for her hospital appointment. She was in remission but she still visited the hospital on days fixed for her appointments, just for regular checkups.After she left, the tension in the air became palpable, thick enough to slice with a knife. Ivan stood by the wide bay window of the Fisher residence, arms crossed, staring out at nothing in particular. His mind was full. Ever since the sighting of the scarred man in the company, he and Keira had been on high alert, their thoughts in constant motion, weaving strategies to shield Leah and Jeremy from whatever storm was silently brewing.Keira sat on the armrest of a velvet chair behind him, tapping a pen lightly against her lips, her brows furrowed in concentration. The open notebook on her lap was filled with messy scrawls—names, possible links, loose plans."We need to strike before they make their move," Keira said, breaking the silence.Ivan nodded
The living room was unusually quiet that afternoon. The silence was thick, like a heavy curtain drawn between breaths. Maggie sat on the edge of the couch, her fingers nervously wringing a handkerchief, eyes darting every few seconds toward the window.Ever since Ivan reported the incident about the scarred man lurking around the company, she hadn’t known peace. The word scarred had unlocked a locked box of horror in her mind. A box she had hoped would remain sealed forever.Was he still alive? He must've survived. And now he was back to haunt them. He must be one lurking around the company. What if he was watching them even now? He was extremely dangerous. All these thoughts had occupied Maggie's mind, even though she hadn't spoken about it yet.Maggie’s voice trembled as she finally broke the silence. "Leah... what if it’s him?"Leah, who had been pretending to scroll through her phone, looked up, her expression controlled but her eyes revealing a flicker of fear.“Who?” Leah asked,
Sarah paced back and forth in her small apartment, her fingers nervously toying with the edge of her blouse. The sunlight that poured through the curtains did little to lift the heavy tension in her chest. Her phone had been silent all morning. No updates. No photos. No announcements.No news about Jeremy and Leah's wedding.She'd expected to hear something—anything. A date. A venue. A hint of the dress code. Something on social media. Anything.But there was nothing. Not a whisper. Not a trace. And the silence was eating at her.In a moment of desperation, she picked up her phone and dialed Monica's number. The line rang twice before Monica’s voice came through, distracted and slightly breathless."Sarah? Hello.""Monica, please tell me you have something. Anything. When is the wedding? Have they picked a venue? Who's designing her dress? Is it still a private affair?" Sarah’s words tumbled out quickly, each question laced with barely contained panic."I—Sarah, I'm sorry. I really do
Ivan stood near the front desk of Fisher Enterprise now merged with Harper Corporation, his eyes subtly scanning the bustling lobby for one person. Over the past week, it had become a routine—he would show up just before closing hours, pretending it was coincidence, but deep down he knew he was doing it for Benita. Ever since the incident with the scarred figure outside the office, a sense of responsibility had gripped him like never before.Benita soon emerged from the hallway, holding a stack of documents close to her chest. Her face lit up in surprise and gratitude when she saw Ivan leaning against the wall casually."You're here again," she said, a gentle smile curling her lips.Ivan shrugged with an easy grin. "Just happened to be around. Thought I'd walk you to the car. You never know who might be lurking."She laughed softly. "I appreciate it, Ivan. Thank you."He took the documents from her hand, their fingers briefly brushing. They walked out to his car in comfortable silence
Leah woke up suddenly. Her stomach hurt and she felt sick. She quickly got out of bed and ran to the bathroom. She held the toilet seat tight and knelt down, vomiting. The loud noises filled the quiet morning. Jeremy sat up in bed, worried."Baby, are you sure you're okay?" he asked, his voice laced with worry as he stood and moved closer to the door.Leah didn't respond immediately. When she finally got up, she looked pale and exhausted, her lips barely moving. "I don't know. I don't feel good at all. The test results should be sent to my email before the end of the day."Jeremy reached out and helped her back to bed. She lay there, her head sinking into the pillow, her face turned to the side. She looked so frail.Without saying a word, Jeremy bent and kissed her forehead gently. Then he turned and walked out of the room. A few minutes later, he was in the kitchen, pulling out ingredients. Eggs, bread, avocados, and tea.He prepared breakfast quietly but quickly. When the food was r
"Hi," Ivan greeted, offering a polite smile as he walked past the reception desk.Others greeted him, smiling back. Familiar people shook hands with him and asked after his welfare.But the young woman greeted, "Hi," not even looking up from the files she was sorting through.Ivan continued walking toward Leah's office, but something tugged at his memory, pulling him back toward the receptionist desk. He turned around slowly, curiosity deepening in his eyes. There was something... familiar about her. Not in the vague way you remember a coworker or someone you met once at an event—this was different. Intimate, perhaps. Distant, but warm. He was sure he'd seen her before. Not just that. He knew her."Excuse me," he said, his voice drawing her attention this time.She looked up, finally making eye contact. The moment their eyes met, something clicked in her expression too."Have we met before?" Ivan asked, squinting slightly as though trying to match her face to a past version of itself.
The morning started with raised voices echoing through the walls of the quiet home.Ivan and Keira were at it like old times, when they were still younger."Stay away from my stuff!" Ivan shouted, storming out of his room with a towel slung around his neck.Keira stood by the kitchen counter, arms crossed and visibly unimpressed. "But you come to my room as you please, Ivan. What kind of double standard is that?"Ivan threw his hands up. "That’s different! I was looking for my earbuds. You always misplace them.""Oh please," Keira scoffed, turning to open the fridge. "They were right on your shelf. Maybe next time you actually use your eyes.""You know what? I don't even know why I came back," he muttered, pacing across the living room."Neither do I," Keira replied without flinching. "No one begged you."Ivan stopped and turned, narrowing his eyes. "You know what? I'm out of here again. Maybe I'll just go stay with a friend."Keira didn’t look up from the glass she was filling with j