I could not sleep no matter how hard I tried, even when I had closed my eyes so tightCarson's reaction wasn’t what I expected. He was too calm, too composed. He didn’t even try to deny anything, he just told me to mind my business.I wanted to believe he was telling the truth. I really did. But something felt off.“Maybe I'm overthinking”.I said to myself trying to shake off the feelings.If those documents weren’t important, why was he hiding them? And why did I see my father’s name on one of the files?I sighed, rubbing my forehead.The more I thought about it, the more I realized I needed to talk to someone. Someone I trusted. And that person was Fred.Fred had been there for me when my father was arrested, he was the one who supported me when I had nothing. He even convinced me to take this job, even though I hated the idea of working for Carson.He was my best friend, but something insideme whispered that I should be careful..I needed answers, and I wasn’t going to find them l
I stood frozen, with my heart racing badly. Fred and Victoria together? The sight of them got me cold.Fred's eyes met mine, and his expression shifted from surprise to disappointment. At that moment I knew I needed to run away.I turned on my heel and started walking fast down the street, but Footsteps echoed behind me, quickening with each step.Hy"Annabel, wait!" Fred's voice called out to me but I couldn't stop. I needed to distance myself, to think.As I rounded the corner, a strong hand grabbed my arm, pulling me into a dark alley. I breathed in, ready to fight, but a familiar voice spoke near to my ear."Shh, it's me," Carson whispered, still holding me tightly."Carson? What are you doing here?" I asked."I could ask you the same," he replied, glancing back toward the street. "But there's no time. We need to get you out of here."He added.Before I could protest, he led me through the narrow way, walking the paths with ease. I was confused and scared at the same time. "Why a
Last night was too much to handle, it started from seeing Fred with Victoria, to getting chased, and then Carson showing up at the right moment to save me.I still couldn’t wrap my head around the stunt Carson pulled out there. I knew he was cold, distant, and clearly didn’t like me. So why did he help me?I shifted in bed, staring at the ceiling. Every part of me wanted to believe I was just overthinking things. But I wasn’t stupid. Carson didn’t do things without a reason. And Fred—Fred, my best friend—was now someone I couldn’t trust.A soft knock on my door pulled me out of my thoughts."Come in," I said, sitting up.Carson walked in, dressed in a black suit. He didn’t say anything at first. He just stood there, watching me like he was trying to figure something out."You’re awake," he said.I rolled my eyes. "Obviously.""Eat something before you leave this room. And don’t go anywhere without telling me first."He said."Excuse me?"I said rather surprised."You heard me," he said
The moment I sent the message to Carson, I knew I had made the right decision. But now, standing in front of Victoria, I realized I might not have enough time.She was already smiling like she had won. Fred, on the other hand, looked like he was about to throw up. I wanted to believe that he didn’t set me up, but it was too late for that. The fact that Victoria was here, blocking my way, meant that things were already bad and I just had to get out.But right now, Carson looks like my own route to escape. I know he's dangerous too, but all that matters right now is to get out of this snare of the fowlers.I decided to see what I can do on my own, so I took a step back, but one of her men moved closer. There were two of them, both standing by the door. I glanced at the other entrance, the one leading to the back of the café. If I could just get past them…Victoria noticed and let out a wicked smile. "Thinking of running?"she asked.I said nothing. "Annabelle, do you really think you c
The door opened,Carson walked in and everything went silent.Victoria positioned well on her chair, crossing her legs slowly, unsurprised. Fred’s face on the other end was full of confusion. He opened his mouth to speak but was so short of words.Carson didn’t say anything at first. He just stood there, with hands in his pockets, looking around the room. His face didn't show anger but I'm sure he wouldn't leave without a fight. His eyes finally turned to me. “You okay?”I nodded in affirmation.Victoria smirked. “Oh, how sweet. He came to check on you.”Carson ignored her. He turned to Fred. “You. Stand up.”Fred hesitated. “Listen, Carson, I—”“I said, stand up.”Fred slowly pushed back his chair and got to his feet. His hands were shaking slightly. “Look, I didn’t mean for things to—”Carson cut him off. “You had one job, Fred.”Fred’s face turned pale. “I—”“You were supposed to make sure she was safe,” Carson continued, his voice calm but sharp. “And yet, here she is, sitting in
I sat on the bed for a long time after Carson left. I didn’t know what to think because everything felt strange.Starting from the way he talked, the way he looked at me and the way he avoided questions.It was like he was trying to be nice but something about it didn’t feel real."I don’t understand this man," I muttered to myself.While still thinking, my stomach made a little sound which made me realize I hadn’t eaten anything all day. I stood up and walked to the kitchen. I opened the fridge and saw a plate of food wrapped neatly. There was a sticky note on it.Eat this. It's best to relieve you from the stress and I don't want you falling sick……………..Husband Carson”I stared at it for a while. I didn’t know whether to smile or frown. "Is he being caring or is he just pretending?" I asked out loud.I sat on the couch and began to eat slowly although I didn’t really like the food but I just had to take it. As I chewed, I heard footsteps getting closer, so I looked up. It was Carso
I sat on the bed, holding Carson’s note like it was some kind of puzzle.“There’s a driver downstairs if you want to go out today.”‘What did that even mean? Was I free to go anywhere now? Or was it just another way to keep an eye on me?”I asked myself, expecting no reply from anyone.I tossed the note on the side table and sighed. “Whatever.”I took a quick shower, changed into something simple, and headed downstairs.The house was quiet, as usual. Cynthia was already cleaning. She smiled when she saw me.“Good morning, ma.”“Morning.”I wasn’t in the mood for small talk. I just kept walking until I reached the front door.True to the note, there was a black car parked outside. A driver stood beside it, wearing dark shades.“Good morning, ma,” he said, opening the door for me.I raised a brow. “What if I don’t know where I’m going?”He smiled politely. “Mr. Carson said I should take you anywhere you wish,”he said.“Anywhere?”I asked.“Yes, ma.”he said.I got in. The seats were soft,
I stayed on the bed for a while, just staring at the ceiling. My phone was beside me, but I didn’t feel like picking it up, the silence in the house was the kind that made your chest feel heavy like something was about to happen, which I can't really figure out. I remained positive hoping for the day to go smoothly with no drama.Around 6 PM, I heard the front door open, it was Carson, he just came back.I sat up quickly, my heart doing that stupid fast-beating thing again. I didn’t even know why I was nervous, maybe it's because I still didn’t understand him. Or maybe because he was the only one who had the power to make my world spin without doing much.I walked slowly to the table where he was already sitting. The food was there, everything was nicely arranged. He didn’t look at me or say anything. I pulled out the chair across from him and sat down quietly. For a few seconds, I just sat there, not touching anything. I looked at him, focusing on his food like I wasn’t even there.I
It was the next day, but the tension from the night before was still in the air. I couldn’t stop thinking about the video of Victoria, Greg, and Fred planning everything, talking about my father like he was just a problem they needed to erase.I was in the kitchen, making tea with my hands still shaking a little.Carson walked in. He didn’t say anything at first, he just watched me for a few seconds.“You didn’t sleep again?” he asked.I shook my head. “I tried, but I kept hearing their voices,” I said. “It’s like they’re still in my head,”I added.He walked to me and took the cup from my hand. “Sit down,” he said.I sat at the table and looked at him.“What now?” I asked.“We go deeper,” he said. “We dig until we find something that can destroy them,”He added.“We already have the video,” I said.He shook his head. “The video is powerful, but it’s not enough. People like Greg and Victoria—they can find a way to spin it so we need more. We need something that ties it all together,”He
The next morning came too fast although I didn’t sleep much because my mind was full of questions and worries. I kept thinking about the photos, the name Greg Vale, and the gunshot. It was all too much for me to process.I was sitting on the bed when I heard a soft knock at the door.“Come in,” I said.Carson walked in. He looked tired too, like he didn't have a good sleep.“How are you feeling?” he asked.“I don’t know,” I said quietly. “Still shaken, I guess,”I added.He nodded and walked closer. “You didn’t sleep?”He asked.“Not really,” I replied. “You?”He shook his head. “Same,”He said.There was silence, then he sat beside me and held my hands.“We can’t pretend this isn’t happening,” I said.“I know,” he replied. “I think we need to figure out how to go about this whole issue, so we can know how well to deal with it.” He added.I looked at him but he didn’t look like the same man I married out of force. He looked different and softer now or maybe more human.“What do we do now
It was past midnight when my phone buzzed.I rubbed my eyes, half expecting another message from Carson, maybe checking in. But it wasn’t from him, It was from an unknown number. No name. Just a single sentence:“Meet me where it all began.” I stared at it, my heart thudding.“ What did that even mean? Where did it all begin…?” I asked myself.And then it hit me that it might mean my childhood home, the estate that I grew up in. What used to be ours before it was seized and locked away like the rest of my past. That was where everything began, where the night of the gala had ended, where my father returned furious and broken.I slipped out of bed and got dressed in silence. I didn’t tell Carson,I wasn’t sure if I should tell him about it.The city was quiet as I rode in a cab through the night. When we arrived, the place looked as forgotten as I remembered. Dusty gates, overgrown garden. Faded memories.I stepped out and walked to the porch.And then I heard a sound more like a movem
I woke up early, the room was quiet. i didn't know what the day would bring but I just want to have a positive mind. I got dressed and went downstairs. I poured myself a glass of water and sat at the table.Just then, I heard soft footsteps so I turned and it was Carson.“Morning,” I said.“Morning,” he replied.He walked past me and opened the fridge. Then he looked at me.“You want to take a walk?” he asked.“A walk?” I said.He nodded. “Just a small one.”He replied.“Okay,” I said.We stepped outside, walked side by side but we weren't talking much.After a while, he spoke.“When I was ten, my stepmother told me I would never be good enough,” he said.I looked at him. He was staring ahead.“I believed her for a long time,” he said.“I’m sorry,” I said.“It’s fine,” he said. “She was always like that. Cold and sharp.”We walked a little more.“You ever feel like you’re pretending to be okay when you’re not?” he asked.“All the time,” I said.He gave a small nod. “Yeah. Me too.”He s
The sun came up slowly that morning. I sat by the window, holding a cup of tea I didn’t drink. The house was quiet again. Carson was still asleep, I guessed.I touched the necklace on my neck. It felt cold.My phone rang. I looked at the screen. It was the hospital. My heart jumped."Hello?" I said."Miss Drake?" a voice replied."Yes," I said, standing up slowly."This is from Saint Grace Hospital. It’s about your mother," the nurse said."Is she okay?" I asked."She’s stable now. But something came up," she said."What is it?" I asked again."Her bills... they were fully paid last night," the nurse said.I blinked. "Paid?"I asked unsure."Yes. Everything, both the surgery and the medication, even the special care fee," she said."Who paid?" I asked quickly."We were told not to say," she said."But you know?" I asked."Yes, but we were told to keep it private," she said."Can I come see her?" I asked."Of course. She’s awake now," the nurse said."I’ll be there soon," I said.I ende
I came downstairs the next morning, slowly. The house was quiet, too quiet. That kind of quiet that doesn’t feel peaceful.I went to the kitchen but Cynthia wasn’t in her usual spot. I opened the fridge, saw some juice, poured myself a glass and sat at the counter. I am getting used to this silence now, but not in a good way. It was the kind of silence that teaches you how to feel lonely even in a full house.Just then, I heard a door creak somewhere upstairs.I waited, then not long after Carson appeared at the end of the hallway. He didn’t look surprised to see me. He just looked... tired.I stood up. “Morning,” I said.He nodded. “Morning.”He replied.I waited for him to say something else, but he didn’t.I tried again. “Can I ask you something?”I asked.He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. “Sure,”He said.“Why did you lock me in yesterday?” I asked.He blinked. “I didn’t mean to make you feel trapped.”He said.“But I was. Literally.”I replied sharply.He looked away, l
I stayed on the bed for a while, just staring at the ceiling. My phone was beside me, but I didn’t feel like picking it up, the silence in the house was the kind that made your chest feel heavy like something was about to happen, which I can't really figure out. I remained positive hoping for the day to go smoothly with no drama.Around 6 PM, I heard the front door open, it was Carson, he just came back.I sat up quickly, my heart doing that stupid fast-beating thing again. I didn’t even know why I was nervous, maybe it's because I still didn’t understand him. Or maybe because he was the only one who had the power to make my world spin without doing much.I walked slowly to the table where he was already sitting. The food was there, everything was nicely arranged. He didn’t look at me or say anything. I pulled out the chair across from him and sat down quietly. For a few seconds, I just sat there, not touching anything. I looked at him, focusing on his food like I wasn’t even there.I
I sat on the bed, holding Carson’s note like it was some kind of puzzle.“There’s a driver downstairs if you want to go out today.”‘What did that even mean? Was I free to go anywhere now? Or was it just another way to keep an eye on me?”I asked myself, expecting no reply from anyone.I tossed the note on the side table and sighed. “Whatever.”I took a quick shower, changed into something simple, and headed downstairs.The house was quiet, as usual. Cynthia was already cleaning. She smiled when she saw me.“Good morning, ma.”“Morning.”I wasn’t in the mood for small talk. I just kept walking until I reached the front door.True to the note, there was a black car parked outside. A driver stood beside it, wearing dark shades.“Good morning, ma,” he said, opening the door for me.I raised a brow. “What if I don’t know where I’m going?”He smiled politely. “Mr. Carson said I should take you anywhere you wish,”he said.“Anywhere?”I asked.“Yes, ma.”he said.I got in. The seats were soft,
I sat on the bed for a long time after Carson left. I didn’t know what to think because everything felt strange.Starting from the way he talked, the way he looked at me and the way he avoided questions.It was like he was trying to be nice but something about it didn’t feel real."I don’t understand this man," I muttered to myself.While still thinking, my stomach made a little sound which made me realize I hadn’t eaten anything all day. I stood up and walked to the kitchen. I opened the fridge and saw a plate of food wrapped neatly. There was a sticky note on it.Eat this. It's best to relieve you from the stress and I don't want you falling sick……………..Husband Carson”I stared at it for a while. I didn’t know whether to smile or frown. "Is he being caring or is he just pretending?" I asked out loud.I sat on the couch and began to eat slowly although I didn’t really like the food but I just had to take it. As I chewed, I heard footsteps getting closer, so I looked up. It was Carso