"If you harm any of the elders, I'm gonna go to the cops," I gritted out. Talking to this man only gave me disgust and loath.  "Threatening your father now, Hazie?"  My grip tightened around my phone. "Stop saying that. You're not my father, and you will never be!" Silence prevailed for a moment at the other side, before he replied, "Call me only when you have the folder." His tone had thickened with anger. "And just so you know, the Deputy Chief is my good bud."  Then the call went dead.  "Argh!" I screamed at the phone, running my fingers through my hair and pulling at it. How could someone be such cruel? How could he hold a bunch of old helpless people hostage just so he could gain someone else's hard work by fraudulent? Was he born without a conscience or a heart? Definitely both. But he couldn't stop me anymore. It was high time Dimitri knew of his monstr

"What is it?" I frowned, eyeing the envelope.  "See for yourself." He streched it more to me, and I took it, tearing the top and sliding the paper out in my hand. Unfolding it, I examined the content, my frown deepening.  "He is transferring me to New York, a thousand miles away from you," Blake worded it for me, anger lacing in his voice. I gave the paper back to him, looking down and pretending to fix the sleeve of my sweatshirt. "It is good. Everything is over. You should keep away."  "What!" His face creased in astonishment. "Hazel, what did this man do to you?" He looked at me like I had transformed into a ghost. "He saved me, so many times," I told him. "So did I," he retorted. "I don't deny it." I looked him in the eye, hoping he could read the fear and concern in my face. "That is why I am asking you to leave, so wh

I went through his closet, grabbing the first shirt that reached my hand and threw it on in a haste.    "Hazel, what happened?" Dimitri asked yet again, but my mind was too occupied with dreadful thoughts to fully register his words.    "My purse... Where did I keep it?" I began digging through the mess of blankets on the bed when clasping my arm, Dimitri flipped me to face him.    "Hazel, will you tell me what happened? What did Brooke say?" he questioned, eagerly wanting to know my answer.    I swallowed. What would I tell him? That Joseph, who lived in the retirement house, I was betraying him to save, had a heart attack and was now fighting death in the hospital? Say it or not, but I already knew that it was the deed of Montero to punish me for disregarding his warnings. He wanted me to suffer.    God, how could I be so selfish?  

My eyes snapped open by the buzzer of my phone, and I rose up, leaning on my elbow to grab the phone from the nightstand. It was a message from Brooke. The insurance company had agreed to cover the surgery and ICU cost, but there were still some other expenses that had to be borne by us, or more like by Montero, because he was in possession of all our money.    Setting aside the blanket, I fully got up and scanned my eyes around. Dimitri was nowhere to be seen. I tip-toed out of the room towards the kitchen and sure enough, found him there, filleting a salmon with the utmost concentration and skill. My clutch tightened around my phone, and I whispered, "Please, forgive me."    Skulking back inside his bedroom, I closed the door, so no sound could escape outside and found myself in front of the floor-to-ceiling shelf, my breathing bursting in and out. Lifting my foot, I let it hit the floor beside the couch as Dimitri did before, an

"I feel like kidnapping you to take you with me."    I chuckled, staring at his intoxicating greys, my heart heavy with guilt and grief. We stood at the airport, in front of his private jet, bidding goodbyes for the journey. It had been five minutes already, yet we latched onto each other like siamese twins. "When will you come back?" I asked, my voice coming out in a whisper.    "I'm not sure yet." He pressed his forehead against mine, sighing. "Maybe the day after tomorrow." His voice was uncertain and low like he hated the fact as well.    I looked down, biting my lip. I already knew what the future had in store for me, and it would not be something pleasant. For the record, this might just be our last time together. The mere thought of it shattered my heart into a million pieces, making me feel suffocated. My eyes stung at the corners.   "Hey, look at me." His hand grabbed my chin,