THE VILLAIN

“You killed my best friend!” Ricardo thundered. “The least I could do was take his son in and raise him as my own.” “Your best friend?” Andres let out a high-pitched, unhinged laugh, wiping furiously at his nose. “He was gonna turn you in anyway. I did you a fucking favor! If he’d lived, you’d be rotting in a federal cell right now. I handled that shit. Me. Your son.” Ricardo’s voice dropped to a dangerous low. “No. You acted out of childishness and recklessness—giving orders that directly contradicted mine. You murdered my good friend and his wife. He wasn’t a bad man. Of course he would have turned me in, even if I was his best friend. I had plans… and I was ready to disappear without bloodshed.” He paused, jaw tight. “He saved my life once. I promised him I would do better. And now you—my own son—ended his. Not only that, you killed his wife too… then mocked his death by wearing his fucking cologne.” Andres threw his head back and laughed louder, the sound jagged and manic

ALL THAT THEN THIS?

LENA'S POV After dinner, the house settled into a deep, peaceful silence. Julia and her family had long since gone to bed, but sleep refused to claim me. I lay in the guest room, tossing and turning, my mind a relentless storm. Hot tears soaked the pillow beneath my cheek, turning the fabric cold and clammy against my skin. I told myself I wouldn’t cry, I thought bitterly. I had done so well all evening—smiling through dinner, laughing at Julia’s jokes, helping clear the table like a woman who had her life perfectly together. But the moment the house grew quiet and the lights dimmed, everything I’d been holding back crashed over me like a tidal wave. All the pain I had pushed aside came rushing back, heavier than before. My chest ached so fiercely it felt like a physical wound. I sniffled and sat up, unable to stay in that bed any longer. Slipping out from under the covers, I pressed my bare feet against the cool floor and slid down to sit against the side of the mattress. I drew

A KNOCK

I wished I hadn’t left the phone he’d bought me back at the suite. If I still had it, I would have called him right now and unleashed every curse I could think of. I hadn’t lashed out earlier—I’d been too shocked, too numb. Instead, I had pretended I didn’t care.But now the anger boiled over.I wanted to scream at him. I wanted to hit him. I wanted him to feel even a fraction of this agony.I shot to my feet, grabbed the pillow, and slammed it against the edge of the bed again and again. I punched and beat it with every ounce of fury I possessed, my breaths tearing out in ragged gasps.When I finally stopped, my chest was heaving, my face wet with tears, strands of hair clinging to my damp skin. A loud, broken sob tore from my throat.“Why, Tarzan?” I whispered hoarsely to the empty room. “Why did you try so hard to win a ‘yes’ from me, only to do this? Was it really just the chase? Maybe I’m too old for these games.” My voice cracked. “I hate you… I fucking hate you.”I collapsed on

WHAT IF

“Julia has always been skinny.” He chuckled lightly. “I wish she’d add some flesh. Men like women with a little meat on their bones, you know.”Heat crawled up my neck.“As an African man,” he added casually, “I’ve always appreciated chubby women. They’re the best.” He paused, his gaze drifting over me. “Can you encourage her to put on some weight? Hitting bones can be very off-putting. Especially the sagging skin… Your skin are tight and plump. Your tanned skin is nice too. Are you by any chance mixed?”“I… I don’t know.”I wrapped my arms tighter around myself, as if I could shield my body from his stare.*Is he drunk?*How could he speak like this to a stranger? Insulting his own wife’s body while she slept upstairs?Before he could say anything else, I cut in. “I… I really need to use the bathroom, do you mind giving me some privacy?” I mumbled.He seemed to notice my discomfort at last and gave a small nod. “That’s all right. I’ll leave.”"Thank you".He headed for the door, the

SHUT DOWN

TARZAN’S POVA sharp knock cut through the silence of the suite.I was slumped on the floor, wrecked. I hadn’t slept at all. The pain I’d felt the night before had been so vicious I’d genuinely believed it would kill me.“Come in,” I rasped.The door opened cautiously.Diana entered first, followed by the hotel manager, the director of operations, head of security and finance director.The moment they stepped inside, they froze.The suite was in ruins. Empty bottles littered the floor and a heap of burnt cigars beside me. The curtains were half-drawn, trapping the room in a gloomy half-light even though the afternoon sun blazed outside.Diana rushed forward and dropped to her knees beside me.“Boss, are you okay? Should I call the doctor?”I must've looked sick from all the crying I did last night.I lifted my eyes slowly.“It’s not your job to worry about my well-being,” I said quietly. “I called you here for something more important.”She stood and stepped back, her face tight with

LOW BUDGET

LENA'S POVThe next day, I got myself a new phone and SIM card.Julia had advised me to choose one from her neighborhood, but I didn't want to be anywhere near her home after her husband's weird move last night.By late afternoon, I was exhausted, but I finally connected with Mr. Hargrove.He sounded confident on the phone, promising something that might actually work for me.It was almost evening when we pulled up at the place.The house in front of me was nothing my budget could afford.However, I followed him in.We got into the elevator and stopped at the 7th floor.The moment Mr. Hargrove unlocked the door to Unit 812 and swung it open, I froze right there in the entryway.My breath caught in my throat.Floor-to-ceiling windows flooded the open-concept living space with soft evening light, making everything glow.The wide-plank luxury vinyl floors gleamed under recessed smart lighting that seemed to adjust itself as we moved. Quartz countertops, matte cabinets, brushed metal acce