Chapter: 197Lorette feels something, something she can't really tell, slip out of place in her heart. No…it can't be possible. Santiago couldn't have done this. Santiago couldn't have done this to get her mad at Weston. She bows her head, stares at the table. She can feel all the tears in her eyes gathering and ready to fall. The first drop rolls down her right eye, next her left, next, countless drops roll down the face, drop by drop on the table. All she can be grateful for at the moment is the fact that she didn't pack her hair, it does a lot to cover some of her face. “Lo…Lorette?” Weston calls, seeing more and more drops of tears falling on the table. He can't really see her face but he doesn't need to to know she's crying. “That isn't you, right?” Weston asks. He doesn't get a reply from her, instead, more tears drop on the table. “I…” wait a minute…did Santiago say he did that? That can't be possible, right? No matter how bad Santiago might have su
Last Updated: 2025-02-21
Chapter: 196Lorette finally manages to pull away from Santiago. “I need to see him.”“No. You can't see him. You could kill him if you saw him. You should try to be calm first and think it over.” “No. I have to see him. I have to know why he chose to humiliate me this way.” Santiago sighs. “Maybe it was because he thought you were too clingy.” Santiago knows what he's doing. He knows how much she loathes that word ‘clingy’. Lorette’s face reddens. She stares at Santiago. “What?” “Look, Lorette, forgive Weston and let this go.” Lorette stands up. “I have to see him tomorrow.” “Tomorrow? I think he told me he was meeting a friend around…um…I'll check the address. I wrote it down tomorrow.”“Thank you for telling me this,” Lorette says and storms inside. Santiago relaxes on the sofa. What a damn good brain he has. He stands up and goes out with his second phone. He calls his father's number and leans on the wa
Last Updated: 2025-02-21
Chapter: 195“Just tell me.” “Lorette kind of told me they did some really bad things to her. I was mad, Weston, when I saw the marks on her body. She told me those guys did it to her. I swear I didn't think to question her, I just…I just felt she couldn't be lying to me because I have known her for a long time.”Weston can't think. The information is just too much at a time. “Why did you lie to me in the first place?” “I didn't know you were going to pack out of the house. I thought you'd forgive me so we can move over it and pretend nothing happened. I mean, I didn't want you to see Lorette as a bad person.” “But…why? Why did she do that?”There is a long silence at the other end before Santiago answers. “Lorette has a big secret. I…she has been hiding it all these while but she doesn't know I know about it.” “What's the secret?” “I'm afraid I can't tell you over the phone. How about we meet tomorrow? You say whatever time you
Last Updated: 2025-02-20
Chapter: 194Later that night, Weston lies on the bed and takes his phone. He's scrolling through the pictures in his gallery when a picture catches his attention. He stares at the picture. He feels all of his fucked up emotions that he has been trying hard to suppress all through the night swelling up and weighing in his face. In the picture, Jose is making a face, clearly annoyed and trying to stop Santiago from taking the picture. It feels just like yesterday when the three of them went to get a tattoo and the two of them were picking on him (Weston). Yeah, those two are always arguing and playing stupid childish games but they are always getting along well. He finds himself dialing Santiago's number. Santiago answers on the third ring. Santiago doesn't say anything. Weston also doesn't say anything. He has a lot of questions he wants to ask Santiago, he wants to ask Santiago why he killed Jose. He wants to tell Santiago th
Last Updated: 2025-02-20
Chapter: 193His father is trying to withdraw his hand from the gun but Weston's grip holds the man's hand on the gun. “Go ahead, sir. Don't be afraid. This is the time you have been waiting for. You're probably going to relish this moment for the rest of your life after I am gone.” “W-what what what the hell are y-you you doing?” His father stutters. Weston looks at his father in the eyes. “What? You're scared to do it?” “Have you lost your fucking mind?!”Weston nods slowly, a smile on his face. “Yes, sir. I have finally lost my mind. Thanks to you, it was easier to lose it than I thought.” He finally let go of his father's hand. The man falls back on the sofa, his face pale and widen as he stares at Weston. “You and I are the ones in on this,” Weston says, “let's not drag my daughter into this.” He picks his gun from the ground and walks to the door. He's about to open the door when his father's voice stops him. “I
Last Updated: 2025-02-19
Chapter: 192Later that night, Weston loads the gun, he tucks it in his pocket. He adjusts his black baseball cap and looks at the hotel building. He storms in. He doesn't give a damn about the security men asking him why he is here, he doesn't stop walking and to their luck, they don't come after him. Weston knows damn well he'd fill some head with lead if they dare stop him. Just as he enters the hotel, his phone rings. It's the same unknown number that called him earlier. He answers the call and looks around the reception. There is no one around, not even the receptionist is at her desk. “Go to the elevator on your left and come to the seventh floor. Knock on the door of the first room you see and open the door. I'll be waiting for you,” the person says and hangs up. Weston strides to the elevator, he goes in and presses the button for the seventh floor. He feels the gun around his pocket. It's either he kills that damn man tonight or nothing.
Last Updated: 2025-02-19
Chapter: Chapter 292“I was coming to check on you, sir,” the butler said. “Are you the one waiting for me inside?” The butler nodded. “Yes, sir.” For some seconds, it didn't make sense for Ryan. The butler…did the butler cause him to lose his memory? The butler took out a gun from his pocket and handed it over to Ryan. “There are forty bullets in there, I'll be waiting in the party. I saw a guy who caught my attention.” He winked at Ryan before walking away. Ryan sighed in relief. It really wouldn't have been funny if it was the butler who caused his amnesia. Slowly, Ryan walked in. In the center of the empty room were two men on their knees. He couldn't recognize one of them but he knew fully well who the second man was. His mother's only brother. The same man who had been by his side and comforted him when his mother died. Ryan adjusted the gun and pointed at the other man's head. He shot him dead with two bullets. He held the gun against his mother's brother's temple.
Last Updated: 2024-11-27
Chapter: Chapter 291Ryan stood rooted in the spot and tried to process the information. The girl he saved when he was eight was Stephanie? His father knew but still made a fool of him by making him carry out stupid assignment by using the Hill family to threaten him? He stared at his father. “You know what, dad? You're unbelievable.” He started toward the door. “Ryan…you are not the only one affected by your mother's death! You get it?” “Like hell, you were affected. Like hell, you missed her way more than I did. But what…?” Ryan laughed. “You made no attempt to find out who murdered her. What a way to miss someone.” “We have different ways of handling losses. This is just my way.” Ryan turned to look at his father. “You handled it in a very pathetic way.” “Thank you, but what would I have done? Left all the work and cried all day? Would that bring her back?” “Dad, stop, will you? Nothing will ever bring her back, yeah, but you are just making excuses. You allowed the fact that you thou
Last Updated: 2024-11-27
Chapter: Chapter 290Ryan ran his hand through his hair. “I'm sorry I lied to you.” “No problem, man. Things might have been awkward if you told me straight up that you were Lopez's heir,” Landon said. “By the way, what clothes do you wanna wear? I could choose for you if you are confused.” “I'll really love that.” Landon checked the clothes one after the other. He took out five pieces of clothing and dropped them on the bed. “You can try those,” he said. “Was it the butler who invited you here?” Ryan asked. “No. Your father called me a week ago and made me promise to come with our neighbors.” “Are our neighbors here too?” Ryan asked in surprise. “Yeah and don't worry, your father sponsored their transport fare.” Ryan rolled his eyes. “Of course he's supposed to do that since he invited them.” “We arrived last night.” “I'm really disappointed in you guys. Abbie too? She kept it a secret from me…” Ryan grumbled as he tried one of the clothes. Landon chuckled. “Um…Lewis came with Brenda too.
Last Updated: 2024-11-26
Chapter: Chapter 289Ryan stared at the worker for a few seconds. Has she lost her mind? “What did you say?” Ryan asked some seconds later. “Master had collapsed, sir.” “Where is he right now?” “At the hospital, sir.” “Which hospital?” Ryan grabbed a car key from the top of the drawer. “I don't have an…” Ryan didn't hear the rest of her words as he ran outside. A driver was waiting for him. He got in and the car sped on. “Does this happen often?” Ryan asked the driver. “No, sir. This is the first time something like this has ever happened, sir.” Ryan tried to control his knee jerk but it was impossible. Why should his father collapse on his birthday? The thought of losing the only family he had left brought numbness to his whole body. The car came to a halt in front of a big building. Ryan opened the car door and ran toward the gate. He ran inside. He stopped and looked around. This place looks nothing like a hospital. He was about to go back to meet the driver when he saw people coming out
Last Updated: 2024-11-26
Chapter: Chapter 288A really bad headache was what Ryan woke up to the next morning. What a way to start a birthday, he thought. He took the phone beeping on the bed. He checked the time. Seven a.m. He had a thousand messages from strange numbers. Yeah. He's back to this kind of life where he cannot have a private number. All the messages were congratulatory messages from people he had no idea who they were. Just as he clicked on one, ten more messages appeared. Ryan tossed the phone on the bed and got up. Just how people always figure out his number will remain a mystery to him. He went to the bathroom and grabbed his toothbrush. An idea came up in his head. “Ryan, we are no longer a kid…” he scolded himself but still, he dropped the toothbrush and walked to the end of his room where the digital scale was. He stood on it. He hasn't gained any weight. He went to the stadiometer his height hasn't increased too. He started laughing. What the hell is he doing? He is really not trying
Last Updated: 2024-11-26
Chapter: Chapter 287Ryan glanced at his father. He wanted to remind him that he was supposed to hand over the Right Life to him when he is twenty five but the man doesn't seem like he was ready to listen to anything else. Ryan looked at the men still on their knees. “I promise to do my best as your leader and not let you down.” There was the sound of gunshots, then total silence. For some seconds in which everyone processed the change of leadership, there was silence. At once, all the men got on their feet and together, they bowed at Ryan. “I should have known you guys were planning something dangerous when you told me a surprise was waiting for me,” Ryan said later that evening as he went with butler to the lounge. “That isn't a surprise. Your birthday is tomorrow.” “If that isn't a surprise, what the hell are you guys planning to do with me again?” Ryan asked. “You'll love it, sir. I'm sure of that.” The lounge was already set with tables filled with drinks. After they sat down, the butler
Last Updated: 2024-11-26
Chapter: Chapter 157: Epilogue"The award of the best student in this graduating set goes to… before I call his name, I would like to add that he is the most handsome guy I have ever seen on earth —because I see a lot of things in my imagination. Combine his handsomeness with his being a genius and you have…" "Harlan Smith!" The audience and the graduating students shouted, completing the MC's sentence for him. Harlan came on to the stage, dressed in an academic gown. "Hey, Harlan, where is your cap?" Mr Healy asked in a whisper as he was about to hand over the prize to him. "Mrs Smith is wearing it," he said. "Now, you have to snap this picture without the cap," Mr Healy pretended to sulk. "Even with that, I still stand out," Harlan said and smiled. Mr Healy smiled and handed him the prize as camera light flashed on him. The MC called on Mr Healy to give his speech after prizes had been handed over to students that merits it. Mr Healy was given a standing ovation as he stood up from his seat in t
Last Updated: 2024-05-20
Chapter: Chapter 156: The runawayHarlan dropped the envelope containing all the cards on the table. On the same table was his car key, his ATM card and a note which read: goodbye. Thank you.He remembered the exciting feeling that he felt on the day Mr Smith gave him those cards. He shook his head quickly to get rid of the thought. This isn't time to be emotional. He just cannot forgive his parents for what they did. He had always hoped that his father would never have peace, just look what happened. All these while, he had been Harlan Smith without knowing it.He opened the door and went outside. He only took four clothes and a extra pants. He would start from scratch and go back to living the life he used to live before Mr Smith came into his life.The light in the compound made it a very beautiful sight to behold. The first time he had come here, he had almost thought he was imagining things. Funny how those days had passed really quickly."Sir, where are you going early in the morning?" Jack asked as Harlan was
Last Updated: 2024-05-20
Chapter: Chapter 155: ReunionHarlan almost choked on his food. He grabbed a cup of water and drank from it. She made a tsk tsk sound. "You are just like your father. Your face is flushed.""I am eating mo… Mrs Smith!" He almost called her 'Mom'."Does that mean you are studying law?" She asked."Yes. I am in my final year.""Wow! I can't wait to wear your graduation cap."Harlan found himself laughing in between eating. Throughout the rest of the day, he and Mrs Smith were discussing. She told him about her perfume company about how much she loved what she was doing. Harlan found out that she was a very easy going person. He had missed having her in his life all these years and he found himself wondering how great life would have been if she had been part of his childhood days.Later in the evening, Mr Smith came back home and the first thing he did was to turn on the television. The case had been a really fast one. Harlan would bet that everything was possible only by Mr Smith's influence. All the people that
Last Updated: 2024-05-20
Chapter: Chapter 154: A mother's love"I just wanted to check on you to see if you are getting it, Sir," the Cctv footage officer said. He could not help thinking the CEO had come to check on his girlfriend who had come here with another man.Harlan stood up and left. The footage officer stared at his back. The CEO doesn't seem to be in the same mood he had been when he came in. He shrugged.****Harlan found himself at the large field where he already went whenever he was overwhelmed. He had had a lot of surprises in the past six months but none of them has even been as shocking as this. He rolled on the field and faced the sky. He heard the sounds of birds nearby and wondered if he would have any problem if he were a bird.He replayed all he heard from some hours ago in his head. The conversation between Mr Smith and Mrs Smith. His father and mother… he closed his eyes. So all these while, he had those two people's blood flowing in his veins and he wasn't aware of it.He took his phone from where it was lying beside him
Last Updated: 2024-05-20
Chapter: Chapter 153: The real Harlan SmithHarlan crossed over to where he had parked his car. He got inside and looked out through the window. In the next seventy two hours, he would be buying up all what the Alberts had. Through the help of Mr Smith, he had been able to refile the cases that the Alberts had been guilty of but had won. Mr Smith had told him how difficult that was, but he had not taken no for an answer.He took a deep breath and silently prayed that all these would be over. He had been able to get the victims of the Alberts and had convinced them that they would be duly compensated if they came back for their cases again.As he was about to turn on the car. He saw someone familiar pass him by. Mrs Smith? The fact that she was alone, with no bodyguard, made him more curious to know why she was at the hotel. He waited for some seconds before coming down from the car. He walked in the direction she had passed and saw her enter the hotel.When got inside, he could see the receptionist go pale as he walked toward
Last Updated: 2024-05-20
Chapter: Chapter 152: Damn rude CEOHarlan's phone beeped. It was his personal assistant from the 'where talent glows' calling. He answered it."Hello?""Is there any problem?" Harlan asked."Not really. Mr Richard Albert has been meaning to see you all these while. He asked for your number but I didn't want to give him until I asked for your permission first.""Tell him to meet me at the Jay Team lounge," Harlan said and hung up."Drive to Jay Team," Harlan told Jack."I checked into the company where you made your friend the manager, things have gone really wrong there. Lot of workers have quit," Jack said as he turned the car in another direction."So?""He has done worse things than you are aware of," Jack said."Whatever he has done to me is none of your business," Harlan said.Harlan searched for his personal assistant's number of the company where he made Kelvin the manager and sent him a message to call in the evening.Harlan had informed his personal assistant at the Jay Team hotel to make sure no one other tha
Last Updated: 2024-05-20
