2025-03-04 18:36:50
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From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. Author's Note
Hi." "Hi, do I know you? You look kinda familiar." "Me? Oh I don't think so. I've lived here all my life." "Oh… then you're not the one. My bad." "Not at all. You're the wife of the man who lives down at the beach house, right?" Ivy was surprised because she didn't know who the other lady was, or how she knew who she was. "Um … yeah?" "There's no need to look so concerned. I live around and I love going to the beach a lot. I've seen you and your… husband?..." Ivy nodded and she smiled. "Okay. I've seen you two around a couple of times." "Oh okay. Nice to meet you." "Same here. The reason I approached you today was because I wanted to be friends. I've been thinking about the right way to go about it but nothing seemed right so…" "It's totally fine. We can be friends. It would be nice to have at least one friend before I leave." "Leave?" "Yeah. My husband and I are just here for our honeymoon." "Ah, then I guess I should have approached you much more earlier." "Hehe. It's fi
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 128. Change of Heart
Ivy and Van were taking a stroll through the beach when they noticed a painfully familiar face. It had been a while since they had seen her and Van hoped that would be the last time. "I know you might not want to hear anything I have to say but please, all I need is five minutes." She begged, standing in front of Ivy. "Sorry, our time is precious and I'd rather not waste it with the likes of you." Van started to walk away when Ivy stopped him. "You have five minutes." She said. "Really Ivy? This is a bad idea." Van protested. "We should just go.""I know, but it wouldn't hurt to hear her out. We're in a public place, so she can't pull anything stupid this time."He sighed and plopped down on the sand. "Fine."Normally, Ivy would have just walked away without even acting like she said her, but there was something about her that seemed…. different. The Cynthia she knew had this aura of confidence surrounding her and she was always smiling like she was posing for a picture or some
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 129. An Outing
"Hey ladies." Ivy almost jumped out of her seat when she heard Chris's voice. She had hoped that she would be able to avoid him for a while before hearing his annoying voice again or seeing the psychotic one sided smile he always wore. She pretended like she didn't hear or see him, but he don't go away. Instead, he sat on the vacant chair at their table, his gaze brushed over Cassie's profile before he turned his attention to Ivy. "You know, running away from the Millers like that was a terrible thing to do. You had them worried sick.""Hiring a fake couple to act as my parents was also a terrible thing to do.""Fake? Don't tell me they're not your real parents? But I did thorough research before I decided on them. I'm really sorry Ivy darling, I had no idea they were fake." Anyone would have fallen for his fake apology but not Ivy, she knew how sly he could be. "Yeah sure you didn't. I can't believe I trusted you, I feel so stupid.""Really, I didn't do it intentionally. Okay, you
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 130. It Turned Pink!
"Wait, all this is just -""Far fetched? Probably. But we don't know these peoole that well, and the only thing we can do to keep ourselves safe, is to be cautious around them. I don't believe that Cynthia is on our side either. If you recall, she said that she and Cassie used to date, what if they're still together? Or what if she's just doing all this to get on her good side?If truly, she wanted to get back at Cassie for breaking her heart, she would have tried to look a way to harm her, but instead she's targetting Chris as well. It all makes sense when you think about it, Cassie claimed she doesn't know who Chris is and she just wants to punish him for your sake, but yet, she knows he has a cousin he likes. She even said she would convince Fiona to stay with Chris. I didn't really put much thought into it before, but how is a stranger supposed to do that?I mean, let's just imagine for a second that you're Fiona, and I'm Cassie. We have never met each other, right? You come in
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 131. The Arrest
As Cassie slowly made her way to Chris's place, she couldn't stop thinking about Ivy. She was pregnant. Ivy was pregnant. The image of the stripe kept popping up in her mind, no matter how hard she tried to forget. She remembered the amount of times she had purchased the same stripe from that same pharmacy and prayed for the same result Ivy got on a platter of gold. Why?Why was she always so unlucky in her life?No matter what she did, or tried to do, it never went her way. Right from her childhood days, everything had always been difficult for her. She always had to work hard for everything. She had to sacrifice a lot of things just to please others. Even after she grew up, she was still working like a dog just so she could wear nice things and live a life of comfort. Yet, it was an entirely different story for Ivy. Her life was utterly perfect. She had the best husband who was kind and affectionate to her. He patiently waited for her even after she left him because of Chris. I
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 132. The Community Station
"You told Cynthia to help you find them right? She came to me for help. And now I've found them for you." He said with pride. Ivy stayed still, she didn't shut the door but she didn't turn to Chris either. Her first instinct was to turn around and hear him out. But the rest of her wanted to tell Chris that she wouldn't fall for his tricks anymore and slam the door in his face. The chances that he was actually telling the truth was below ten percent, and she would be an idiot to risk her marriage again just for that. As much as she wanted to find her foster parents, Ivy had made a promise to herself that she wouldn't let it ruin her current life, her relationship with Van and her family. Without turning back, she shut the door and made her way to the station, ignoring Chris's calls for her. ★★★When Ivy arrived at the police station, Boyd was already there. She walked up to him and tapped his shoulder to let him know that she was behind him. "Oh hey, you're here." He said. "Yes.
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 133. Vindicated
After Ivy called Boyd, he suspected that it wouldn't be so easy to get Van out of the station even though he was innocent, so he decided to call his supervisor. "Welcome, Inspector Dan." He smiled. Inspector Daniel Thompson was a senior investigator at the station, even Chris didn't dare offend him because he was one of the very few who wouldn't hesitate to arrest him and have him face the law. The last time they met, Chris had tried to assault a young girl, and luckily for her, she was related to inspector Daniel, and he made sure that Chris was punished for it. Chris who believed that he was untouchable- especially at his father's place- was shocked to the max when the inspector marched into his father's mansion and placed him under arrest for attempted rape. At the sight of the inspector, the two officers who arrested Van couldn't help but to shiver. If, after the investigation was complete and Van was found innocent, they could receive huge penalties, or worse, they could los
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 134. Old Acquaintance
Ivy and Van headed out of the station and made their way to the bus stop, where they would take the bus back to their place. As they walked hand in hand, Ivy couldn't stop thinking about what happened at the station. The only way Chris would have known that she was pregnant was if someone told him, and asides from her, Van and Boyd, the only other person that knew she was pregnant was Cassie. Was she really that pissed that Ivy was pregnant that she had to tell Chris?, even though she knew that it would expose her connection with him. What was going on?"Hey, are you okay?" Van asked, squeezing her hand gently. "Yes." She said without looking at him. "Are you sure? You have that 'I'm worried about something' frown on your face. Talk to me." He urged with a smile. Ivy smiled at him. "It's Cassie.""What about her?""I wonder what possessed her to tell Chris about my baby. Does she hate it so much that she didn't mind me finding out that she was working with Chris? I don't understa
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181. A Mafia Lord?
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, revealing a dimly lit corridor lined with glass-walled offices. Van’s was at the end, a deep black door keeping the contents behind it a mystery. Elias was the one who knocked on the door and when Ivy saw the person who opened it, her face contorted into a frown. The lady standing before her was dressed in a black fitted mini dress that outlined the curves and edges of her body well. In Ivy's opinion, the dress was much too short and too revealing to wear to work, so she concluded that she wasn't a staff. “Are you coming in?” She asked and Ivy realized she had been staring. Smiling politely, she walked into the large office with Elias following right behind her. It didn't take long before she spotted Van, he stood by window with his back turned to them. Even without seeing his face, it wasn't hard to tell that Van was a very attractive man. He was on the phone, and judging by the way he was waving his arm around, Ivy suspected that h
180. The Chase
The headlights behind them hadn’t wavered for miles. Ivy tightened her grip on the steering wheel, trying to keep her breathing steady as she turned onto a quieter side street. The car behind them turned too. Her heart skipped. Once could be coincidence. Twice… She stole a glance at the rearview mirror. The vehicle maintained a steady distance, close enough to keep them in sight, far enough not to alarm casual onlookers.“Elias, I think we’re being followed,” she said quietly. Elias immediately snapped his head toward her. “What?”“I think they’ve been on us since the main highway. I tried to shake them a few turns back, but they’re still there.” she explained. His face drained of color. He ran a hand through his hair, fingers trembling. “It’s them. It has to be. Ivy, if they catch us—”“They won’t,” she said firmly, although her voice cracked on the last word. She pulled the car over and let a black SUV speed past—only to have it slow down a block ahead and pull over too. Confirmed
179. Missing
Moses sat in his office, the steady ticking of the antique clock on the wall matching the rhythm of his thoughts. He stared at the documents sprawled across his desk, none of which made any sense anymore. The Hartley meeting had been a disaster—he didn't expect things to escalate that much. But he wasn't even botherd that much by it, what he was more concerned about was the fact that since that day, Bianca had disappeared from his life like a ghost retreating into the shadows.He hadn’t seen her. He hadn’t heard from her. Not a call. Not a text. Not even one of those curt voice notes she used to send when she was annoyed with him but still too fond to stay silent. The silence was deafening, and more than anything, it was suspicious.Bianca’s parents, especially her mother, were not ones to sit back and allow things to fall apart without putting up a fight. If her mother hadn't already tried to "talk sense into her,"as she would put it,then the world had surely turned upside down."Wha
178. Elias
Flashback Two years earlier.The rain had been relentless that night—cold, insistent, and loud enough to mask the sound of approaching footsteps.Elias Grant stood alone in his office at JK Enterprises, the screen of his laptop casting a soft glow across his face. Financial reports, transaction logs, security footage timestamps—all of it laid bare in front of him. He had finally seen enough.He had been CFO for six years. Long enough to earn the family's trust, long enough to know which stones not to turn. But curiosity was a dangerous thing.Especially in a family like the Wilsons.The numbers hadn’t added up for months. Offshore payments disguised as consulting fees. A Cayman shell company with a fake board. Richard Wilson’s name never appeared directly—but his fingerprints were all over the transactions.Elias had started to put together a private dossier. He never told Ivy. Not yet. She was too close, too vulnerable. And he didn’t trust the board—or anyone else.That night, he co
177. War
The boardroom at Greyson & Co. was sleek, minimalistic, and designed to intimidate. Floor-to-ceiling windows bathed the space in cold, natural light. Ivy sat at one end of the long, black marble table, dressed in soft gray—neutral, calm, disarming. Van sat beside her, hands clasped, playing the role of her financial advisor. Across from them were three representatives from the prospective buyer, Sondrix Ventures. They were everything she expected—sharp suits, sharper smiles. Eager. Confident. Completely unaware they were walking into a house of cards. “We’re excited about the potential here,” said Miranda Kane, Sondrix’s lead negotiator. “JK Enterprises has history, brand equity, and assets in motion. We think we can scale it within six months.” Ivy gave a polite smile. “I’m sure you can. I just don’t have the heart for it anymore.” Van stepped in smoothly. “Ms. Wilson is transitioning into private ventures. She’s agreed to stay on for a brief handover—thirty days, limited invo
176. New Plan
Ivy sat at the head of the table, her fingers interlocked as she stared down at the folder Elias had placed in front of her. The room was quiet, thick with tension, like the moment before a storm breaks. Van leaned against the wall, arms crossed, while Ivy’s aunt sat beside her, eyes locked on Elias. No one quite trusted him yet—not fully—but the truth he carried was too valuable to ignore. “This,” Elias said, tapping the folder, “is everything I’ve collected in the last two years. Bank statements, shell company registrations, falsified contracts. All of it leads back to Richard Wilson and, unfortunately, to other family members—some dead, some still very much alive.” Ivy hesitated before opening it. The last time she’d opened a file like this, it had nearly gotten her killed. “This isn't just about your company, madam Ivy,” Elias continued. “Richard’s reach was broader than you think. He used Wilson Enterprises as a laundering hub—for dirty money, offshore investments, even human
175. Unexpected Face
Ivy explained to her aunt that she had discovered an embezzlement scheme within her company—one that led directly back to their own family. Her voice trembled as she spoke of the financial records she’d uncovered, the falsified invoices, the offshore accounts... and how, to her disbelief, her own grandmother and uncle were tangled in the corruption. What began as a quiet suspicion had grown into a storm of secrets. Ivy recounted the long nights, the whispers, the close calls. She told her aunt how she had nearly died—more than once—while chasing the truth. Someone hadn’t wanted her to find it. Her aunt listened in silence, her face pale but unreadable. When Ivy finally stopped speaking, there was a long pause. “The Wilson family,” her aunt said slowly, “has always had its darkness. But I never thought it ran this deep.” Ivy sat back, exhausted. Her hands trembled as she held her glass of water, trying to steady her nerves. Her aunt continued, her voice low and brittle with memory.
174. An Aunt??
Two days had passed since Ivy’s conversation with Van, and in that time, she had made a decision. The weight of it pressed down on her chest, but it felt necessary. She had to rid herself of the past, of the memory, of the complication. Van had told her to trust him, that things would get better, that she had a chance to start anew. At first, the idea had terrified her, but now it seemed like the only path forward. She was ready. Ready to take control of her life. When she walked into Van's office that morning, her expression was determined. He had been going over some papers, his focus entirely on the documents in front of him. He had not been expecting her. "I’m ready," she said simply, her voice steady. There was no hesitation in her words. “Ivy hey,” he raised his head from his work and smiled at her. He didn't have to ask before he understood what she meant by her statement. “You sure?” “Fairly.” He chuckled slightly at her response. He knew it wasn't easy to let go of some
173. A Hard Decision
Ivy paced back and forth in her dimly lit bedroom, her mind racing as the weight of the past few weeks pressed down on her. The soft hum of the city outside her window did little to soothe her nerves. It was late—too late—but sleep had become a stranger to her. Her mind kept returning to the same thoughts: the endless trail of deceit, the shocking revelations about the company she had worked so hard to build, and the people who had manipulated her life from the shadows.She had thought the detective's advice to stay home was logical at first, but now, in the silence of her room, it felt suffocating. How could she sit here, in the safety of her home, when everything around her seemed to be falling apart? There was a gnawing sense of guilt deep inside her, as if by hiding, she was putting her family in more danger. She should be doing something —anything— beyond waiting. But what? The police had their hands tied, and the deeper she dug, the more dangerous the situation became. The web
