After a moment's hesitation, Antonio decided to calm down and wave it off. "Tell him I'm busy. I'll deal with it later."The lackey nodded and left and the other one followed suit, abandoning his broken phone in the living room, while leaving Antonio alone with the unanswered questions and the flickering screen of his phone. The family legacy was a burden he had always carried like a lead weight and though it has always been heavy, it felt heavier tonight.He continued thinking and gradually found himself sinking into the shadows of his own thoughts, the city outside hummed with its own secrets. Antonio was caught in the crossroads of frustration and power, he just liked to be in solitude of his own company. He was after all, a man grappling with the consequences of his actions in the silent confines of his apartment. The fact that he did not return the calls continued to nag at Antonio like a persistent itch. He scowled at his phone and eyed it wearily, the buzz cutting through the

Immediately he entered the club, his arrival was like the opening scene of a blockbuster movie. Heads turned and whispers spread wide like the wind through palm trees. The ladies exchanged glances, and Antonio, who was obviously in his own world of big ego, made sure that he soaked it all in like a sponge at a celebrity pool party.A group of ladies had their gazes locked on him and eventually, they moved closer towards him. "Hey there," one purred as she her hair. Antonio smirked, finding delight in the attention he was getting, but his ego had him playing it cool."I only dance with winners and you're a loser," he replied and started dismissing them with a calculated glance. The rejected trio exchanged puzzled glances as Antonio continued his movement towards the dance floor.Another bold lady decided to follow up and attempt flirting at him, she was just yet another woman attempting to break through his fortress of arrogance. "You must be a magician because every time I look at you

Without waiting, Antonio immediately shot back, "If beauty were time, you would be an eternity of wasted minutes." The bartender who had been pretending not to be listening to Antonio's conversation with the ladies chuckled and Antonio's ego soared even higher. The ladies' confidence went down the drain and they turned on their heels in embarrassment.A red haired lady that looked really bold approached him immediately she saw the trio walk away, "Is your name Google? Because you have got everything I have been searching for."A completely unimpressed Antonio retorted angrily, "If I were Google, you would be the annoying pop-up that I would block." His roasts were as fiery as the salsa beat.Antonio did not understand what was with the ladies in this club and now my giving up but it seemed she felt giving it a second shot would do the trick because she decided to go again, "Do you have a map? Because I just got lost in your eyes." Antonio rolled his eyes and replied without being mer

Antonio watched her down the drink with a very satisfied delight, his happiness was brewing in the shadows as Zoey unwittingly swallowed the drugged drink.As Zoey continued to down the drink, Antonio's eyes glinted with a happy delight. The effects of the drug would soon weave their way through her unsuspecting system. It was a kind of satisfaction that brought so much joy to him, it was like a spider watching its prey stumble into the web. The club's neon lights cast an eerie glow on Antonio's face as he observed, like a puppeteer pulling strings, he impatiently watched the unfolding act, he looked so evil yet so innocent as he watched, he was two-faced. His anticipation grew with each passing second, he knew that soon the effects of the drugs would shake Zoey who was nothing but a canvas of vulnerability who he would only use to satisfy his dark sexual desires tonight.Zoey soon finished the drink and this made Antonio's eyes to glimmer with a happy satisfaction. The drug that was

"Mom." Sydney's voice could be heard calling her mother but Ariana was just staring into space. It wasn't until Sydney screamed out her name."MOM!!"Ariana blinked as she got startled out of her thoughts and turned her attention to Sydney, who stood by the doorway with a puzzled expression on her innocent face. Ariana forced a smile, attempting to conceal the turbulence within her."What's up, sweetheart?" Ariana asked, her voice strained.Sydney tugged at her mother's hand. "Can we play dolls, Mom? I miss our bedtime stories."Ariana's heart sank, thinking about the unsettling situation with George. She couldn't fathom how to explain the complexities of adult relationships to her precious daughter. "Of course, Sydney. Let's play dolls," Ariana said, pushing aside her own anxieties for the sake of her child.As they sat on the bedroom floor surrounded by dolls and miniature furniture, Ariana couldn't shake off the fear that had gripped her since George's request for a DNA test. The