SkylarI came down the stairs, still adjusting the strap of my bag over my shoulder. I had taken extra time getting ready for work this morning—not because I wanted to impress anyone, but because I needed the distraction. Something to keep me from thinking too much.But the second I stepped into the dining room, all thoughts came flooding back.There he was. Cole. Sitting at the table beside her.Amelia.He was gently placing food on her plate. His voice was soft as he urged her to eat, as if she were a weak, wounded child. Amelia sat still, her shoulders hunched and her head slightly lowered, like she was weak or scared… or probably acting to be both. Her hair was tied loosely, and she was still in her pajamas.I stopped in my tracks.The image hit me like a punch to the chest.The memory of last night flashed in my mind—the moment Cole had carried her into the house. His arms around her. Her head against his chest.I had been waiting for him. Sitting on the couch for hours, going ov
ColeMy heart dropped the second I turned around.There she was.Amelia.She stood frozen, arms slack by her side, eyes wide with horror. A gun lay on the ground in front of her, still hot from the shot she had just fired. Her hands trembled violently.For a moment, everything else disappeared—the trees, Xavier’s shouts, the bruised bodies on the ground. All I saw was her.Pale. Shaking. Broken.She had just killed two men.I rushed toward her, my eyes filled with surprise. Her body swayed like she could collapse any moment.“What happened, Amelia? Why did you kill them?” I asked as soon as I got to her side.“Are they dead? Oh my God,” she sobbed, stumbling into my arms. “I killed them. I just... I killed them!”Her voice cracked. She broke into tears, loud, aching sobs that pierced the silence of the woods. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tightly as her whole body shook against me.“Hey, hey... shhh... it’s okay,” I whispered, brushing her hair away from her tear-streaked
ColeThe air was heavy with silence as I stood beside Xavier, both of us waiting with our eyes scanning the shadowy forest ahead. He held the suitcase tightly—a black, solid case filled with $50 million in cash. The amount felt ridiculous for a man's greed, but Amelia's life was worth more than every dollar in that case.We had arrived at the transaction ground not long ago. It was deep in the outskirts, surrounded by trees that stretched far beyond the eye could see. The kidnapper’s instructions had been clear—I was to come alone, no guards. I had argued to follow through. But Xavier refused."You think I'm going to let you walk into a lion's den with no protection? Think again, Cole. You're not going there alone," he had said earlier.We fought about it for a while. Xavier wouldn’t let me go alone, no matter how much I yelled or insisted. In the end, he agreed to one compromise: no guards, just him and me.Now, here we were.The air reeked of damp earth and moss. Somewhere in the di
ColeI was pacing back and forth in my office, worried for Amelia's safety as I pressed the phone to my ear again. The line kept ringing. No answer."Come on, come on, someone pick up!" I muttered through gritted teeth.Just minutes ago, I had been on the phone with Amelia. She sounded frightened, saying she was being followed. I told her to stay calm and keep talking. But then—a loud gunshot.Then—silence.Nothing.I had been calling nonstop since then, trying to get through to my special forces team, checking every contact I had, demanding updates. My phone was already overheating, and I was on the verge of losing my mind.*Amelia. Where are you?*As I reached for my phone again, the door swung open and Xavier quickly walked in. I turned around."Tell me you've got something," I said in a sharp, expectant voice.Xavier gave a short nod, pulling out a tablet. "We were able to get into the city surveillance system. We tracked the road Amelia was last seen on. We managed to get footage
EthanMother grabbed my arm the second our eyes locked and dragged me away from the hallway without a word. Her grip was firm and tight, almost desperate. I didn’t resist. I couldn’t. My legs moved on their own as my mind kept replaying the words I’d just heard through the door."Ethan is also your biological son, for God’s sake!”We reached her room in silence. The moment we stepped inside, she shut the door and leaned against it, breathing heavily. Her chest rose and fell as if she had run a marathon. Then she finally looked at me and spoke, her voice shaky."What were you doing outside the study, Ethan?"I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. I just stared at her, my throat dry, my heart thumping painfully in my chest."Is it true?" I asked in a low voice. "Is Rufus Buckman really my biological father?"She looked away and avoided my gaze.Her lips parted slightly, but no words came. I watched her, my body gradually growing stiff with anger and confusion. She opened her mouth again and
EthanAs I drove through the gates of my stepfather's house, I let out a long sigh and stared ahead at the mansion, trying to calm the frustration building in my chest. My life had started to feel like a loop—boring, predictable, and suffocating.Lately, everything felt off. There were too many conversations about the engagement—the themes, cake flavors, guest lists. It was as if the world had pressed a fast-forward button and I was being dragged along against my will. I didn’t want to get married. Not yet. Hell, I just wanted to press pause. Or better yet, postpone everything for another ten years.But I knew it was for my own good, and I couldn't really back out now.I sighed as I parked and stepped out. My mother had asked me to stop by a few days ago… saying it was important. I guessed she wanted to discuss more engagement plans, so I kept postponing her. But today, I just decided to come see her after much insistence from her.The moment I walked in, I was greeted by the butler,