LOGIN[Isabella Hayes]The room was dark, and after being hit a few times, I could hear my abductor having a conversation with Olivia.Despite being blindfolded, I recognized her voice. She didn’t sound like she was in a much better position. I’m not even sure how I got involved in this mess. But all I remember is being knocked out and waking up to someone throwing water onto my face.The man said he needed a bargaining chip for Adrian because, clearly, Olivia wasn’t enough for him. I tried to explain that I’m not with Adrian. We are not dating. We haven’t been together in years, and I even go out of my way to avoid him.This man wouldn’t believe me. He said Olivia explained that Adrian was in love with me. Like that’s supposed to be my fucking problem?I’m not angry, I’m terrified, and it feels like anger in the moment because I’ve been hit for showing any reasonable emotion.The ties around my wrist cling to it tightly, cutting deep into my skin with each movement.How does he plan to kee
[Adrian Cole]Roman Vasiliev hadn’t reached out since the day he showed up. He still has Olivia, and I hope he keeps her.Okay, so he did reach out. He sent some men to get me so we could talk, and I called the police. The men told me that it was a big mistake to make, but I didn’t care. I increased the security detail in my home, which cost money I didn’t want to spend.My mother was in the hospital. The gunshot wound hadn’t hit anything vital, but she was shaken up badly. All I could do was pay for her to be there for a couple more days until she felt like herself again.My father had locked himself in his bedroom, refusing to leave. Not even for food. I wish he would at least leave my house. I’m still pissed at him.I couldn’t go into the office. The world was unaware of my dilemma and the threat that had been made on my life, so they were happily protesting pointless things like my past affair and still talking about the secrets of the other elites.I never knew how stupid people
[Ethan Blake]The phone stayed pressed against my ear as I tried to process what happened on the other line. Isabella had screamed, and I’m presuming that the phone fell from her hand.Someone had attacked her, but they hadn’t hung up. Which was good. I could hear them shuffling around in the car, murmuring something.I stayed as quiet as possible, then finally acted. Setting the phone on mute so even if I did make a sound, they wouldn’t pick up on it.The next step was to use my second phone to call Naomi. She’s supposed to be with Bella, but I remember being told that she had gone to grab something from her apartment.I was proven right when she answered. “Ethan? Why are you calling me?”“Do not go to the car. I think someone just attacked Isabella.”“Not on my fucking watch.” She said in a huff, hanging up on me before I could tell her that I needed her to check if they had a car with them. Or if the attacker had a mask on.Important things.Instead of calling her back, I tapped in
[Isabella Hayes] I’m not sure why I allowed her to drag me away from the interesting sculpture that I needed to take photos of. We stopped just short of the women’s restroom. The hallway here was empty, except for one woman at the end of it having a heated conversation with someone on the phone. I recognized the tattoos on the woman’s arms. Naomi, thank god, I’m not alone. “You’ve got quite the tongue. I thought those videos of you being shy were clearly fake, and it turns out I was right.” I cocked my head to the side. “You were watching videos of me when I was married to Adrian.” Her eyes widened as she realized what she had just admitted. Because I haven’t been shy in five years. And I also haven’t been in the public eye for just as long. “Well, it doesn’t matter. I just wanted to let you know that I’m back to claim my man. Ethan and I may have had our issues…” “Issues being your infidelity, the decade spent apart, and you dating his older brother.” I pointed them out one by
[Isabella Hayes]As a child, I was raised to believe that there was some kind of good in every single person. I was taught that no one was truly evil.Evil deeds were committed by good people in a moment of weakness.Now, as a woman in her thirties, I realize how stupid and wrong those words are. My mother, Adrian’s parents, Olivia, and Adrian are proof that some people are just evil. Bad people do bad things. The same way good people can do bad things. Bad people can also do good things.My mother had been honest with me my whole life. There wasn’t a scenario where she suddenly realized how wrong it was to treat me the way she did. Then we magically reconnect and build an even stronger relationship.None of that would ever happen. She hated the idea of being poor more than she loved me. Or my father.That realization would have hurt anyone else, but not me. I grieved our relationship. I felt all the remorse I could ever feel for her, and now there’s nothing left for me to offer.Noth
[Isabella Hayes]I stepped out into the backyard with my mother in tow.Ethan was waiting for me in the car, while Richard was perched somewhere in the living room, seething at the thought of having to apologize to me.I was happy about that. I’m glad my future husband is a bit of a kook. Someone has to be insane in our relationship, and I’m more than willing to let him fill in that role.A small part of me hopes that they don’t write an apology to me. Call it the angry young girl in me who had to suffer through the insults and bullying from the people who were supposed to love me.But that part is small for a reason. I don’t want my mother to lose another husband. It’s the last act of kindness I’m going to offer her. If she can meet the requirements, of course.That’s between her and Ethan, to be honest. I would like to put this unpleasant meeting behind me.Folding my arms over my chest and fixed my eyes on the damaged garden. This was once my mother’s pride at some point.When my f
[Isabella Hayes]“Mrs Cole? Mrs Cole, are you still there?”The assistant’s voice drowns out as something in my brain clicks into place, but that can’t be right. The call… the reason he was so happy… it couldn’t have been because of her.I never worried about Olivia, even though Adrian’s parents be
[Isabella Hayes]Later in the day, I met up with my best friend for a chat and some drinks to help me process my embarrassment.“You didn’t call him out?” Naomi shouted, alerting other people in the cafe to our table. She was acting like I’d committed a cardinal sin.“I…” I fumbled over my words, f
[Isabella Hayes]There’s a saying my best friend uses constantly.‘The public never forgets, so be careful what you do around them.’You stumble once on stage, they’ll bring it up every single chance they get. They love to humble people at the top.Cheat on your wealthy husband with a busboy? And w
[Isabella Hayes]I sat in the front row, in view of the cameras, feeling so many things at once. The cameramen seemed to love me because every now and then, a round of clicks would go off in my direction. Something like this would bother a normal person, someone who wasn’t used to being the center







