Chapter 21Andre's POV:On Thursday morning, I sat in my chair, reading reports from the previous month. I also signed a few papers that required my approval. It was then that Stanley knocked on the door."Sir, there's a lady outside causing a small commotion about meeting you.""Send her away," I replied nonchalantly, tapping my pen on the desk as I studied the paper."We tried sending her away as we noticed she isn't someone you'd know, based on her appearance butt she has refused.""Do you know who she is?" "I don't know; I'll go outside and check again," Stanley said, quickly leaving the room. I got up from my seat, went to the window, and lowered the blind to see for myself who it was. It was a young lady who looked quite ordinary, and I doubted I'd seen her before. I usually didn't do business with people of her standing. A few moments later, Stanley returned."Sir, she claims she's a friend of Ms. Williams and she has something to speak with you about." I thought for a while,

Chapter 23Vanessa's POV:The drive from the store to my house was an all-too-familiar one. The city streets had a certain rhythm, a pulse I had missed more than I could admit. After spending the last week in prison, I was relieved to be back.He dropped me off a few houses down from my own, reversed, and left with a reminder of tomorrow night's event. I couldn't help but feel a mixture of relief and trepidation as I walked the remaining distance.I reached the front gate and took a deep breath before entering. As I approached the door, I felt a growing knot of guilt in my stomach. My mother had no idea where I had been, and now, I had to tell a lie to shield her from the harsh reality of my recent ordeal, I doubt I'd keep a straight face to lie to her, I never told her lies but ever since I met that man, I've turned something else with concealing truths.I pushed open the front door, and there she was, my mother, sitting on the living room couch with Claire and Victor by her side. He

Chapter 25***Vanessa's POV:***Sunday evening had finally arrived, and I was a bundle of nerves. Claire had spent the day helping me prepare for my boss's dinner date. Claire was a perfectionist, and I had entrusted her with the task of getting me ready, and maybe she was beginning to do too much. She turned her room upside down searching for the perfect outfit."Vanessa, how's this?" She asked, raising a very skimpy, short, and revealing dress with nude mesh. I shook my head. "Too revealing?" She inquired, and I nodded."Ok, what else do I have here?" She said, looking at the loaded wardrobe with her hands on her hips. "Claire, I told you, something moderate. I'm not participating in a pageant...""But still, you have to look pretty and show him your worth, girl- I found it! The perfect outfit for tonight!" She said excitedly in between explaining why we should do this.As the evening sun painted the sky with hues of orange and pink, I stood before the mirror, barely recognizing the

Chapter 27***Andre's POV:***Outside, I lit a cigarette, exhaling into the air. Just then, the gate opened with a creak, and a teenage boy stepped in. He was in his school uniform, with his bag slung over one shoulder and an AirPod in his ear. Upon seeing Ethan and me, he paused for a moment, then lowered his gaze to the ground and walked past us without a word.The first time I saw her other son, I thought. Ethan patted my shoulder. "Andre, I asked you nicely not to mess this up. Why are you acting strange?" He inquired."Did you see her son? He must be getting all the love he needs from having a complete family," I commented, changing the subject."Ethan, you know I was younger than him when my mother left me? Just a child who had to deal with things on his own. I had no one to turn to back then; my father was in his world." I took another drag from the cigarette before speaking again."I feel jealous of that young man.""Your brother?"I chuckled. "Says who? Just because he's Tayl

Chapter 29Vanessa's POV:"What makes you think she's better than Stanley, brother?" She asked but he didn't give a reply. She exhaled deeply,"Anyways, In case you're firing her soon, we should offer her a job at the mansion, she looks like she fits in here more than working as your assistant. I'd like to see her refuse work from me." She was looking down on me."I'll consider it, Lou." He said, put his arms around my shoulder and we left her room. In the lobby, he spoke again, "You're so quick to find odd jobs, I guess that's why you found another one after Taylor's, just before I met you. That's an aside, you should stay away from my sister, she doesn't like you already." What do I care if she doesn't? I don't work under her, not that I enjoy working under Mr. Garcia.We walked down the corridors a bit more till we got to the room at the end of the space.He brought out the key and opened the door, and with a heavy sigh, he went inside first. He didn't take time to remove his suit