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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
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 135. The Shot
Flashback.Jasper woke up with a splitting headache, he couldn't remember what had happened the night before, and he was having a hard time getting his bearings.He looked around and noticed that he was seated outside a bar. "Ugh my head," he groaned as he tried to get up. "What happened?" There was no one to answer his question, so he just managed to drag himself up to his feet and practically staggered back to the Airbnb he was staying at with Macy. As he walked through the reception, he noticed that the women there were staring at him awkwardly, but thinking it to be just in his head, Jasper didn't pay much attention to it. He got in the elevator and headed up to the floor their place was. He turned the knob and the door came open with ease. So Macy was inside, that was good. He slumped on the bed, feeling exhausted even when he hadn't done anything. "Macy? Where are you?"When he didn't get any reply, he sat up and called for her again. Same thing. He took out his phone to c
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 136. An Attack
While he was on his run, Van bumped into Cassie. She was dressed like she had also gone out for an evening stroll, but Van saw it a little too convenient to be just a coincidence. He had spotted her from afar and intentionally made a detour just so he could avoid her, but somehow she managed to catch up with him. Remembering Boyd's advice to stay clear from all of hem, Van increased his speed by a little but he didn't act like he saw her. To make sure he was passing his message clear enough to her, he took out his earpiece, even though he wasn't listening to any song. He kept on going at a steady pace, still aware that she was behind him. If he didn't say anything, maybe she would give up and just leave. He recalled that he had promised Ivy he wouldn't be gone long, and if he stuck to that strategy, he would have to run longer that he had promised. He came to a stop and started to stretch, and he noticed that just a few feet away, Cassie had done the same. He decided that he wo
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 137. The Plan
The next morning, after they had breakfast, Van and Ivy decided that it was time to start packing up. Judging by the way he handled the issue the last time, the couple guessed that it would take nothing more than two or three days to iron out the issue since they were getting inspector Dan involved, so hopefully by Friday or Saturday, they would hop on a plane and head back home. Van took Ivy to get checked at a hospital, she said she was feeling fine, but he just wanted to take extra measures. He explained what happened to the doctor about her attack, and how she felt. A proper test was conducted to determine the specific age of the baby, and how her body was reacting to it. All in all, Ivy was healthy, and so was the baby, but the result of the test would be out in a day, so they were to go back the next day. By the time they were done, it was already past twelve, so the couple decided to head to the police station. It was better to be early than to be late as Ivy had always sai
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 138. Victory
When Ivy and Van called Chris's cousin, she wasted no time in posting a video online. She apologized to her fans and all those who had been anticipating her visit. She said as much as she would love to come down to the town, she was feeling unsafe as a woman continued to threaten to harm her in many ways. She even went an extra mile and said that the woman, Cassandra M that lived in her hometown-which she had the plan of visiting that week- said she would make sure she regretted the day she was born if she stepped foot at the Hawaiian airport. So as much as she hated to disappoint her fans and family, she had to prioritize her safety. Sandra sat at the cafe, watching the news with gritted teeth. "That bitch!" She slammed her fist on the table. "How dare she? When did I ever threaten her safety?" She chugged down the rest of her coffee, thinking about how she was going to deal with the situation. She wanted to make her pay for saying such a thing on social media, and she didn't even
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 139. Exposed
"Are you fucking kidding me?!! After two whole weeks of searching, you're trying to tell me you weren't able to find anything?!""Dude, calm down. I haven't called off the investigation yet, all I'm saying is that this guy is very private with all of his doings. I'm not telling you it's impossible, I'm telling you to be patient.""Be patient for how long? I need answers NOW!" "And I'm going to get them for you. So stopped calling me into your office every two days and scolding like I'm your teenage son who's not doing his homework." The only reason Greg was allowed to talk to Moses like that was because of the friendship between them. Otherwise his job would be as good as gone. What brought about the heated conversation was the same issue he and Moses had been fighting over for the last two weeks. Dev. Moses was hell bent on uncovering the identity of whoever he was, and as usual, the job was given to him. Now Greg wasn't complaining, he was more than used to jobs like that. The p
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 140. The Visit
That morning, when Ivy's grandmother said she was coming over to their place for an urgent discussion, Van wondered what she would tell him. Ivy was trying to convince him that he had nothing to be bothered about because she wasn't going to leave him no matter what she said. When she arrived, she refused to say anything to Ivy and instead focused all her attention on Van. "I am yet to accept you as a son in law of the Wilson family." She said firmly, a rigid expression on her face. "If I'm being completely honest with you ma'am, I have no intention of becoming a son in law of the Wilson family.""Oh? Then what do you want with my baby girl?""I want her.""To want her, you have to want to become a member of her family. Otherwise what you want is fleeting.""I'm going to have to disagree with you on that. I don't want to become a part of the Wilson family, and I don't think I ever will. But it doesn't mean that I'm not serious about my intentions with Ivy. I love your granddaugh
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187. The Hospital
Red and blue lights swirled through the rain-slicked street as the ambulance doors slammed shut. The metallic tang of blood lingered in the air, mixing with smoke and the acrid scent of ash. Firefighters and paramedics moved with urgent purpose, guiding Van and Ivy to the emergency vehicle. Ivy clung to consciousness, her body trembling, her breaths shallow. Van held her hand tightly, his shirt soaked in blood that wasn’t hers. His lips were pale, but his focus never left her face.“Ivy, stay with me,” he whispered. “You’re okay. You’re going to be okay.”Only when the paramedics began to cut open his shirt did Van glance down and notice the dark crimson stain spreading across his back and shoulder. The pain, which had been dulled by adrenaline and fear, now surged forward like a crashing wave.“You’ve been shot,” one of the paramedics said with a jolt of alarm. “Sir, we need to get you stabilized— you're losing blood fast.”Van blinked at him, confused for a moment. Shot? He hadn’t e
186. The Fire
When Ivy heard the first round of gunshots, she felt like her heart had stopped. A cold, paralyzing dread wrapped itself around her chest, making it hard to breathe. She knew she was supposed to run or at least try to hide, but her fear kept her rooted in place, her legs frozen, her mind screaming but her body refusing to respond.She saw Anae fall—her body jerking back with the impact, then crumpling lifelessly to the ground. Blood spread out beneath her like ink on paper. Ivy wanted to scream, to run to her, to do something—anything—but her limbs betrayed her. Tears streamed down her cheeks, silent and hot, blurring her vision. Her entire body trembled as the horror unfolded before her.She was afraid—more afraid than she had ever been. She had always known the risks, knew that pushing for the truth, for answers, would make her enemies among the higher-ups. But she had never truly considered what the consequences might look like. Not like this. Not in gunfire and bloodshed. Not in A
185. Set Up
It was obvious Anae was skeptical about helping them—Van could see it in her eyes, in the stiffness in her shoulders, in the way her fingers hovered near the concealed blade on her hip. Maybe she thought they’d been sent by the company to find out what she knew—and eliminate her, once and for all.But something about Van made her hesitate. Something about the way he stood, not too close, not too far. The way he spoke—not pushing, not demanding. And his eyes… they didn’t carry the coldness of a corporate enforcer. They held a kind of warmth Anae hadn’t seen in a long time. It made her want to trust him, even if her instincts screamed otherwise.Not only was he attractive—his perfectly lined jaw, the softness of his expression, the kind of eyes that looked like they'd seen too much—but he also had a way with words. He didn’t speak like someone trying to convince her. He spoke like someone who understood. After being isolated from people for so long, Anae found herself aching to feel hum
184. Anae II
The road to Albany was long and uneventful, and the silence in the car grew heavier with every mile they drove. Ivy couldn’t stop thinking about the name Anae Voss. There was something haunting about it—sharp and distant, like a forgotten memory trying to claw its way back.They arrived on the edge of the city just after ten AM, when the streets had started coming alive slowly. Van had a location: a converted warehouse on the outskirts, near the old rail yards. The neighborhood looked half-forgotten—graffiti-covered brick walls, boarded-up storefronts, old industrial fences rusting under the weight of years.“She's in there?” Ivy asked, eyeing the building.“She was, forty-eight hours ago,” Van said. “No guarantees. But according to the result of the extensive research we did, someone’s living off-grid inside.”Elias shifted uncomfortably. “She won’t like being found.”“Then let’s not give her a reason to shoot first,” Ivy muttered.They approached cautiously, parking a block away and
183. Anae
The hours crawled by.The city outside Van’s office never really slept, but up here on the twelfth floor, it felt like time was holding its breath. The room had settled into a heavy, anxious quiet. Van worked at one of his monitors, his face lit in ghostly blue. Ivy sat near Elias, trying to keep her mind from spiraling.She kept thinking about that moment in the car, the way the SUV had clung to their tail like a shadow. She thought about her aunt, about what might have happened if they hadn’t realized they were being followed. And she kept hearing Van’s words in her head:You have to assume they might have weapons.She hadn’t told her aunt anything. And now she couldn’t. Not until she knew it was safe. If it would ever be safe again.Elias had dozed off briefly, but his sleep was shallow and restless. He stirred often, his lips moving with unheard words. Ivy watched him, her heart aching. He looked younger like this. Softer. The fear and guilt stripped away for just a moment.Van br
182. More Secrets
“What?” Ivy thought she didn't hear him correctly. “It's okay. It's safe.” That was the only explanation he gave as he grabbed his jacket and headed out. They drove down the highway for a while before he swirled off to a street that Ivy had never been to. She thought about about saying something to lighten up the mood but eventually decided against it. They drove through the unfamiliar neighborhood for about thirty minutes before he parked in front of a simple looking building. On the door of the building, a ‘keep away’ sign was hanged, but of course it didn't keep Van from pushing the foor open. It was stark, utilitarian, but something about it felt like a bunker. A safe haven in a war zone.The three of them walked in, with Van leading. Seated on the couch was a dark skinned man with a cigarette in his mouth. “You weren’t followed?” he asked immediately.“I don’t think so,” Van said. “I was very careful on the way.”The man nodded, ushering them inside. “Lock the door behind
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
