"And oh! You might want to unplug your earpiece as you approach the door," Alexa said once more."But why?" Isabella asked, her eyes narrowing with curiosity. She wondered why she should unplug her phone's earpiece, especially since it was her phone and they did not own it."You must understand that this place is a dangerous zone, and any mistake on your part could have dire consequences, potentially leading to your death. So, follow all instructions meticulously and blend in as if you're one of them, only to acquire the weapon. You'll be out of here quickly. Moreover, this task falls on you alone, which means I am shutting down in 1, 2 ....""No wait!" Isabella interjected in a loud whisper, but it was too late. She suddenly heard a chime, signaling Alexa's shutdown. Hence, fear began to take hold within her as she remembered everything Alexa had said, particularly the fact that even the slightest mistake could result in her death."Wordpass Santiago." Isabella breathed out the passw
Hearing this, Isabella's legs began to quiver all of a sudden again, as she knew nothing of what to say. Then beads of sweat began to drop from her face like raindrops on earth, and the ground beneath her became wet like the canvas of a painter's masterpiece, absorbing the intensity of her apprehension.“Ehm, ehm, ehm," she began to stutter, as the guard's face looked more dangerous than before. Hence, the second guard at the door, like the first guard, revealed his pistol on his belt and stepped closer to her.Isabella could hear his breathing, which indicated how carefully he stepped toward her. Then he pulled the pistol from his belt and slowly pointed it at Isabella’s head, like a hired assassin who was going to kill his victim without any atom of empathy for her life.Seeing that two pistols were pointed at her, Isabella's heart began to race more than the horses on a race track. She immediately wished she could just speak to Alexa at this moment, and Alexa would bail her out by
"Are all of these weapons sold illegally to people?" Isabella exclaimed, her surprise evident. But she didn't expect a response from the man. However, to her surprise, the man did reply. And in this moment, his words contradicted Isabella's initial impression. "You are mistaken, Ms. Isabella Rosewood. These are the weapons we sell to people with reasons to use them. So many unjust things occur under the warmth of this sun, facing the earth, and people often seek a way to rectify the hardships they've endured. For instance, Isabella, you've been unfairly treated by Ethan Mark, who claimed his late father’s properties and quickly forgot about you. In my opinion, it doesn't matter who initiated the divorce; once he reached a peak in life, he should have called you back and rekindle your relationship. So, you have a valid reason to possess one of these weapons. With it, he won't see it coming." Hearing the man's words, Isabella let out a deep sigh. Everything he said felt right. Although
Isabella's heart surged with dread, her fear akin to that of little chicks whose mother hen had been plucked away from them. And thereafter, the chicks scattered in all directions as their cries for help pierced the air.Observing Isabella's reaction, the man deduced her intense fright like a skilled tracker reading the panicked footprints of a prey on the run. Consequently, he loosened the metal he had inserted into his pistol's mouth and carefully returned the firearm to its original position."Don’t be frightened. This is merely routine around here," the man reassured, striding over the lifeless bodies of the naked man and woman. Upon reaching Isabella, who stood at the room's entrance, he looked in a distant direction at the guards positioned by the door and nodded at them. In this way, their response was a reciprocating nod.Still gripped by fear, much like a kidnapped child in the clutches of a dangerous captor, Isabella's heart alternated between racing and sinking in trepidati
Finally walking out of the building, Isabella retrieved her earpiece from her fancy bag once again and plugged it into her ears. Hence, even without saying anything, Alexa chimed—a sound that signaled it was awake—and immediately, like a voice coming out of the unknown, she said,"Oh, dearest partner in crime, how did it go in there?""I got it," Isabella whispered, looking side to side to check if anyone was coming in her direction or if any kids were playing in her direction. Once she confirmed that none of this was happening, she brought out the pistol from her fancy bag to show Alexa, as if she were standing next to her."See it? The little bitch would be smoked in the ass if she came anywhere near me.""What the heck, Isabella? Keep that in your bag. I am not standing next to you, so why would you be reckless?" Alexa cautioned her immediately."Oh! I am sorry, Alexa. I must have really gotten carried away," Isabella pleaded at once as she quickly concealed the pistol back into he
"Now that you've found out about this, what are you going to do about it?" Alexa suddenly asked, like a splash in a quiet pond."Nothing! I'm just going to walk to the car now and drive back to the hotel," Isabella replied, tiptoeing once again out of the corner she had peeped from.When she reached the dusty door again, she immediately stood upright and used her hands to dust her dress of any stains, as if she had fallen to the ground and her fancy dress had been stained by dust. In this manner, she checked her shoes to see if they were still darkly polished. Seeing that they were indeed still shining black like a moonless nightsky, she felt a sense of satisfaction and stretched her left leg forward and quickly closed it with the right as she continued to walk fast.Walking past the clown man at the Throwing Ball Games tent, she saw that there were new kids lined up in a queue at the front of his tent. And as such, Isabella shot a distant look at the clown man, who thus returned the
Checking the time on her watch, which was encased in gleaming gold with a strap made of genuine crocodile leather, Isabella saw that it was three in the afternoon. "If I drive fast enough, I could reach Havenbrook by 5 p.m. and get back to my hotel room before 9 p.m. Right, Alexa?" "Yes, Isabella, you're absolutely correct. If you drive fast enough, you will indeed be at HavenBrook by 5 p.m., and that's the perfect time for your father to arrive at the FlavourFusion Bistro restaurant. And if you drive that fast when coming back, you could get back to Eldridge before 9 p.m." "Great!" Isabella exclaimed like a child who had just discovered her passion. Immediately, she reached into her fancy bag once more and pulled out the pistol, handling it like a seasoned fisherman reeling in a prized catch. As she stared at it for a moment, she took a deep breath and muttered, "That little, tiny leg reporter b*tch, you better not try me. I've never pulled the trigger before, but I won’t hesitate
As Alexa uttered those words, Isabella fixed her gaze on her phone screen and slowly raised her hand to press the "play" button."At around 12 p.m. this afternoon, we received a report stating that a car had been parked outside Ethan Mark’s grand mansion since the previous night. Inside the car was a man named Mr. Davis John, who had been sacked from Woodmark Industries a few days ago. The question that remained was, Why was he waiting at the front gate of Ethan Mark’s mansion?"Upon hearing this, Isabella's attention was immediately drawn to the screen, as if pulled by a magnet. She couldn't believe that Davis' car was now being shown on the news, and his name was now repeatedly coming out of the reporter's mouth."Mr. Davis John was reported to be stalking Ethan Mark. This report outlines how this conclusion was reached and provides a view of the incident." the reporter stated. Right away, a video was shown in which Davis stepped out of his car upon spotting Ethan Mark and his escor
Pushing her back into her prison cell like a reluctant pawn being returned to its square on a chessboard, Isabella fell on the prison floor, resembling a fragile autumn leaf descending with a surrender to the inevitable embrace of the cold, hard ground. No matter how her voice had risen in anger towards her mother in the meeting room, she knew very well that she wanted to read the contents of the letter in the envelope and discover the help Ethan Mark had promised her. "Would he file for my release?" "Has he bought me a home as a sign of my forgiveness?" "Would he take me back as his wife?" Different questions rushed through her mind like a tumultuous river, each query cascading over the other. As she held the envelope in her hand, she sat at the corner of her cell and stared at it much more closely. In this way, she saw that the surface of the envelope bore a faint trace of handling, like a blank canvas marked only by the weight of the untold. She also observed the edges, crisp
As Isabella saw her mother through the glass panel, her eyes first peered at her face, which was fresh and glowing like a sun-kissing morning, radiating warmth and vitality. Similarly, she observed her hair, cascading strands of silk, flowing effortlessly, resembling a gentle waterfall gracing a serene landscape.But if that were all, it would be a lie. She also noticed her dress, which was as beautiful as a field of blooming flowers, each petal a vibrant hue, creating a tapestry of elegance. Likewise, her neck, ears, and wrists were adorned with jewelry, resembling constellations adorning the night sky, each piece a sparkling star in the galaxy of her elegance.Taking in this perfect image of her mother, the thought immediately struck Isabella that her mother's current appearance was the complete inverse of hers—a mess in a uniform and in a confined space, akin to a wildflower struggling to bloom in a cramped garden bed."Been a while," Victoria Sinclair said again, immediately as Is
Like a fish forced to live in the desert for the crime she had committed, Isabella's prison days wove a bleak tapestry of monotony and despair. The cold, unforgiving reality of prison life left her yearning for freedom, with each passing moment feeling like an eternity. The absence of familiar faces and the pervasive loneliness created a profound sense of desolation that permeated every aspect of her existence.Most especially, the daily beatings from her tormentor, Elara Whitewind, resembled an unrelenting storm, leaving Isabella's spirit battered and broken, akin to a shipwreck in the tempest of her despair. This was the reason she wished she had never set foot in the prison yard, mess hall, or communal bathroom ever again.However, whether she wished to visit those places or not, prison protocol had to be followed, leaving her no choice but to be present even in the devil's face if the protocol demanded it.In the dimly lit mess hall, clattering trays and hushed conversations fille
Ethan said nothing in response to Mr. Alexander's words. Instead, as if he hadn't heard him, he seized a seat on the other side of the table and crossed his left leg over his right.Yet, this did not mean he spoke at this moment. The only sound was the rhythmic tapping of his fingers on the table, as if he were playing an invisible piano.In this manner, Ethan Mark exuded authority. Gazing calmly from Mr. Alexander's feet to the tangled mess of hair atop his head, he looked at him. With a serenity akin to the gentle flow of the Nile and a voice as soft as a satisfied dove contemplating a defeated jungle lion, he suddenly spoke."Kneel and apologize."Upon hearing these words, Mr. Alexander's eyes widened in shock. He never anticipated a day when he would be asked to kneel and beg for mercy, especially from the person he had always regarded as a poor bastard.Like an enslaved cat in the presence of a lion, Mr. Alexander fell to his knees as Ethan Mark instructed, pleading, "I was a ter
Seeing how bold, tall, and dangerous this prisoner appeared and observing his audacious manner of poking at him was akin to witnessing a prowling lion, confident in its dominance, taunting its prey before the impending strike. Mr. Alexander then immediately turned his back, attempting to escape from this menacing part of the communal bathroom like a startled deer seeking refuge from the looming threat in the dark forest. "I have to run," he muttered in total fright, his voice a tremor in the echoing silence, like a desperate whisper carried away by the chilling wind of impending danger. However, if his intention was for success, it was a futile hope. "And where do you think you are running to, huh?" Another prisoner said this behind him and pushed him forward like a pawn on the unforgiving chessboard of the prison's power dynamics. As Mr. Alexander was pushed forward, he witnessed how the older prisoners immediately surrounded him. He also noticed how they revealed smirks on their c
After speaking for hours, the man who had conversed with him advised Mr. Alexander to get some sleep. He emphasized the importance of having alert eyes to observe any unfortunate events that might occur in the morning. And with that, Mr. Alexander retreated to the corner of his cell once again, burying his head in his ankle like a ship seeking refuge in the harbor of solitude, sheltering itself from the tempest of the prison's harsh reality. He sat on the ground, succumbing to a haunted sleep. *** The next morning revealed Mr. Alexander as a mere specter of resilience, marked by the weariness of a night spent in the clutches of haunted dreams, like a tattered flag fluttering weakly after enduring the relentless storm of a sleepless night. His eyes, burdened with unrest, betrayed the toll of his surroundings. Disheveled strands of hair clung to his forehead, bearing witness to the restless hours entangled in unsettling dreams. As he rose from the dark corner of his cell, his eyes fir
"Long story, man," the man answered. However, if this was all he said, it was a lie. He began to unravel his own narrative, detailing how his legs became amputated and one of his hands irreparably broken and dislocated."You see, I entered this prison as a healthy man. My crimes weren't that significant. I robbed a bank because I couldn't bear to watch my daughter suffer. We hadn't eaten for days, and robbing the bank seemed like my only option." He took a deep sigh and continued talking."Yes, you guessed right. The mission was unsuccessful, and before I knew it, I was completely surrounded by the police. I had no guns, only a knife and a dagger. I never headed to the vault but collected pieces from each person I encountered in the bank. I just wanted to be able to feed my daughter and move on with life the next day.""While being surrounded, there was nothing more I could do than raise my hands in the air and let the police apprehend me. God knows it was the biggest mistake I ever m
Arriving at the prison, Mr. Alexander saw how the prison walls were imposing, resembling a fortress of despair that stood as a testament to the shadows of society. Certainly, he shook his head in regret, as he had never been to a place this horrible before.He observed cold steel bars, like sentinels of incarceration, confining notorious men whose stories were etched in the graffiti of hardened souls. Similarly, he noticed how the air hung heavy with the weight of regret, whispers of past misdeeds echoing through the dimly lit corridors.The sounds of his handcuffs tucked in chains down to his ankle made obvious sounds as he was escorted through the corridor harboring the cells of different notorious men by two prison officers whose faces lacked smiles, as if they hadn't smiled for many notorious years. Hence, he saw individuals behind these cells harboring untold secrets with their unappealing faces and frightful behaviors.Upon witnessing him and the others being escorted to their r
“Detective Sharon, we would love to ask you a few questions if you do not mind. We are sure this would help the public understand more of what is going on,” one reporter said immediately. “Alright, please go ahead. If this would help the general public understand more of what is going on, “Thank you, Detective Sharon. Now that Mr. Alexander, Mr. X, and Attorney Hughes have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms, and Attorney Reynolds is awaiting the outcome of his investigation before he is sentenced, do you think that would be the end of this deadly organization?” “Yes, Mr. X. Mr. Alexander Rosewood and Attorney Hughes have been sentenced to prison for a very long term, and if care is not taken, for life imprisonment. However, this is not the end of the organization. As you might already know, the deadly organization is a large organization that has penetrated every sector, which could even include the police, the prison officers, the legal system, and many more, which could even i