“Hey sunshine, your dad just got Ana to sleep,” Madeline said as she sat beside Andrea who was hiding in her room. Her daughter hid her face in between her knees as she hug her legs. “She hates me,” Andrea mumbled. “I feel like all I do nowadays is push the people I love away. And that whatever I do will always have the same result. Any day now and I might do something that you guys will hate me for.” Her mother sighed as she peered out the window to see the night sky. “I did something that I thought was a good thing for you. But ever since then, I regret it. I’m the one who’s scared that you’re going to hate me for it.” Andrea raised her head in confusion. “Mom, what are you talking about?” The older woman noticed a wilting flower by the windowsill. “He didn’t give you a flower today?” Her daughter gave the peony a hostile glare and spat, “I didn’t think to ask when I was screaming at him to leave.” But she wanted to return to the previous topic. “Mom, what are you scared about?”

A gray sky loomed over the city as Sebastian started another dreary day at work. Although it was the opposite for his employees. Every person who passed by him would pause, smile, and say, “Thank you, Sir. We heard about what you told the Prestons.” It was his job as the head of the company to protect them and he felt inadequate that it had to reach more than one woman speaking up before they did something about it. As he got inside his office, Sebastian turned the TV on. The Elysian Pictures statement regarding Daniel’s case was being read. “-as is dictated in his contract. But most importantly, our company will ensure a safe space for everyone where they can work comfortably. And as such, we will continue with our internal investigations of the alleged accusations. We hope that this serves as a warning that no one is excused from such behaviors, no matter who they are.” Sebastian switched it off after, knowing that this would be the media’s topic for some time. “Thank goodness y

“So I’m guessing you two are on good terms now, huh?” Ren mused after seeing Andrea and Sebastian share another glance that could only be described as coy. The billionaire was visiting the Fray house and at the moment was spending his after-work time with his daughter.“Put it on top. There. Not the owange one! It has to be bwue!“ Anastasia pointed and ordered Sebastian and Robert where to place the blocks as they assembled a building that replicated her father’s company.Andrea giggled at her daughter’s bossiness. Who else but her father would she get that kind of attitude from?She scoffed at her best friend, “Of course, we should be for Ana’s sake.” It had been days since they got back together again. Though the two chose to keep their relationship hidden for a while, at least until they’ve sorted out the Lilith issue.Ren rolled her eyes and sighed, “Oh please, Andy. Even a blind person would easily know that you two are on more than good terms. If you know what I’m saying.” She w

“The evidence you gave us is very good. But a confession from Quinn would solidify this case so that the jury doesn’t find reasonable doubt to convict her,” the counselors and detective working on Lilith’s case told Andrea’s group.“We can arrest her now on these grounds, but we’re very sure that she would clam up and call the best lawyers their money could buy. And we all know how that will turn out.”They became familiar with the process. Lilith’s lawyers would talk directly with the court that she was not being lawfully held despite the mounting evidence against her. She wouldn’t even spend a night in jail because of who she was. A millionaire heiress so of course, the judge would favor her. Then she’d get out and wreak havoc into their lives as if nothing happened.Their hearts sank after hearing that all their efforts could do was a small dent in Lilith's case.“There’s a possibility that we can win this case,” the lead prosecutor, Monique Perrin, informed them. “But her admittin

“You are not your fear, Andrea. You are not your trauma,” Andrea said her usual chant as she got out of her car and faced the menacing high, concrete walls of Fort Havenshaw.“I can do this, I chose to do this,” she whispered with eyes shut. The dread had finally caught up to her. Andrea’s bravado had waned the nearer she was to that person.When she told the hesitant Darren that she could do it, Andrea thought that she could. But now, she’s convinced that it was just false toughness.Andrea couldn’t feel the tip of her fingertips as her whole body had turned rigid. As opposed to the bright, sunny day that graced them, an unknown source of penetrating cold had entered her body. It didn’t plan to leave anytime soon.A part of her said, “It’s not too late to turn back. You still haven’t gotten inside the prison.”Andrea’s eyes went back and forth, from the fort entrance to her car handle. A drop of sweat had begun to roll down the side of her face. “Shit!” She exclaimed as Andrea reache