LOGINNADIA’S POV“Your daddy is a monster. He will eat you alive before you know it.”The words rang in my head nonstop. I couldn’t help but stare at Zara blankly. In the end, I snapped out of it.“Don’t you dare call my daddy a monster. What do you know about daddies? You don’t have one,” I said.It wasn’t the first time I would mock her for not having a father but it seemed she could never get used to it. Even now, her face turned pale after I said those words. It pleased me to see that I wasn’t the only one who was feeling like shit.“I should take my leave now,” I said, smiling. “Recover… or not.”They say the one who laughs last laughs best and I was beginning to agree. I stepped outside the room, feeling victorious. However, it didn’t last long because my father’s driver was right outside, waiting for me.“Where is my dad?” I asked.“He left already,” he replied. “He was driven by his secretary. He ordered me to stay back and bring you to the mansion. The car is right there, please c
ZARA’S POV “I intend to hold a press conference in order to counter your claims,” I told him seriously. “I won’t allow you to use me or my husband without our permission.” Victor bit his lower lip and looked into my eyes viciously, “Do not wake up the sleeping devil.” I scoffed, “Why would you sleep if you are a devil? It makes you look like you're not serious.” “You know I’m not joking,” he said. I crossed my arms, “You have so much nerve for someone who just gathered reporters and lied to them just for your political promotion. If I hold a counter press conference, your election campaign will be over even before the election period.” “You won’t do it,” Victor smiled. “I can see it in your eyes. You are a businesswoman, you understand there is no use becoming my enemy over this. You can just cut a deal with me.” “Dad,” Nadia interrupted. “Be quiet,” Victor said firmly. He flashed a smile at me, “Tell me, Zara. What do you want from me?” “Nothing,” I replied. “No matter how mu
VICTOR’S POVI was taking a nap that evening when my phone began to ring. I ignored the first ring but then came the second and the third. I checked the caller ID on the fourth and as it was my secretary, Ada, I just hoped she wasn’t calling to tell me the stock prices were plummeting.“What is it?” I asked over the phone, calm and composed.“There has been a big issue.”**I sat down in the living room, switching channels on the TV. Ada was seated across my left while Nadia was on my right. I had called Gerald Holt too but he was yet to be here.“If I may sir, this matter should be resolved immediately, with or without Gerald’s presence,” Ada said carefully. “The more time we waste, the—”I gave her a menacing gaze and she kept quiet immediately.“I agree with her,” Nadia muttered. “I’d like to get over this and go to bed, dad. It’s getting late. Early to bed, early to rise.”“Not today,” I replied. “Forget about going early to bed today.”Nadia sighed. I heard the door open around t
CAEL’S POVThe police arrived fifteen minutes later and took Gabriel who had regained consciousness. When Zara asked why he did that to her, he replied that she had robbed him of his control over the company and also turned down his advances. Do I need to add that he threatened to find Zara once he got out of prison?I asked the policemen for a moment to talk with him and since he was already in cuffs, they stepped back comfortably.I leaned towards him and whispered into his ears, “Dead people don’t find others. A lot of people die in prison fights these days, what’s to say you won’t die from brushing shoulders with someone? I can make it happen.”“Are you threatening me? Want me to call the police?” he asked.“A threat… I consider it more like a promise. You won’t come out alive of prison, Gabriel. I give you my word,” I told him lightly.“I will tell the policemen,” he muttered shakily. “If anything happens to me, you will be held responsible.”“It will be your word against mine. W
CAEL’S POVWhen I got the threatening text message earlier, I had to make a choice. I could choose to tell the police team leader while carrying the weight that the decision might place Zara’s life in danger. That was a risk I couldn’t take and so my choice was made, I would go alone and rescue Zara no matter what it takes. I walked towards my car immediately but needed the car key so I turned back to Oliver.“Give me the car key,” I told him.“Why?” Oliver asked in reply. “Are you going somewhere? I will drive you.”“I will drive myself,” I replied firmly. “Just give me the car key.”“I insist on driving you. Whatever you want to do, two is always better than one,” Oliver insisted. He had an unwavering gaze which I didn’t have time to entertain. I dug my hand into his pocket and got the car key, leaving him dazed. As I turned to leave, I could see Charles running towards me. I had gotten into the car already before he caught up to me.“Where to, boss?” Charles asked, panting.“You do
ZARA’S POVMy abductor walked away and when I stopped hearing his footsteps, I decided I had to use this window of opportunity to escape. This wasn’t my first time being kidnapped. It happened once when I was eight and although I didn’t escape on my own then, I felt I must have learned one or two things there and the most important was that I had to be resourceful. I had to find things near me and plan my escape with them.I started to look for things I could reach and guess what? There was nothing. My hands and legs were tied to the back of the chair, what could I find things with? My nose? It wasn’t that long.It didn’t take long before I started to hear some kind of dragging noise. It became clearer as time went by and I figured it was coming this way. When the dragging noise stopped, I heard some screeching of metal. It sounded like someone was working.“What are you doing? What did you drag in with you?” I asked.“Shut up, you will know soon anyway,” the voice replied. I kept shu
ZARA’S POVCael Ashford stood there in the doorway like he owned the place.Which, apparently, part of me now did too. He was dressed in a fresh black shirt and trousers, looking far too composed for a man who had just walked into a woman’s apartment uninvited.In his right hand, he held my missing
ZARA’S POVMy head felt like someone was driving nails into my skull from the inside.The worst hangover of my life had arrived with its full force, punishing me for every single terrible decision I made last night.I woke up slowly, squinting my eyes against the bright sunlight pouring in through
ZARA’S POVThe elevator doors had barely closed behind us before Cael had me pressed against the cold metal wall. His lips crashed down on mine with a hunger that stole what little breath I had left in my lungs.This kiss was nothing like the polite one at the chapel. This one was hungry, demanding
ZARA’S POVI looked outside the window, taking in the bright city lights that shone ahead of us. I sat in the passenger seat, as my heart pounded like a free rock-and-roll concert was being held there.While Cael on the other hand was driving calmly, his eyes on the road, one hand on the wheel, and







