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From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 94. Desperate
"Fancy running into you here."Cynthia almost choked on her soda when she heard Sandra's voice. The voice that had swept her off her feet. The voice she had completely fallen for. The voice that made her heart tremble when she heard it. "H-hey." She managed to say. "What are you doing here all by yourself? Shouldn't you be spending time with your friends?" She didn't give Cynthia a chance to reply before she went on. "Then again, I'm sure you don't have any friends. Just like back then, you're probably still a lonely weirdo, and that's the reason you agreed to take Chris's job. To while away your time. Am I right?The beautiful but lonely Cynthia was so bored of her ordinary, uninteresting life, so she decided to become a seductress. That way you won't have to be bored, and you can make a few bucks off Chris. It's sad. I don't blame you though. I can only imagine how tough your life must be. No friends, no lover. I mean, after everything you even failed to seduce just one man. I
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 95. The Encounter
"Yoo hoo!" Cynthia smiled and waved at Van, trying to get his attention. Van, who had already spotted her even before she saw him, pretended like he wasn't the one she was talking to. The second he laid eyes on her, he turned and started to rush off in the opposite direction. Cynthia was never one to take no for an answer, so she started to run after him. Just as he was about to get on the bus, she caught up to him and grabbed a hold of his sleeve. "Good morning." She said with a bright smile on her face. "What do you want this time? I'm honestly sick and tired of you randomly popping up out of nowhere and making my life difficult." He had a dry expression on his face as he spoke. "Oh come on, are you still upset about last time? Well don't be. This time I actually have something important to say to you.""Yeah, just like you did the last time too. Just leave me the hell alone, and stay away from Ivy as well." He started to walk away when she spoke up. "Aren't you tired of havin
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 96. Dangerous Criminal
Van paced around his bedroom, he still couldn't get Cynthia out of his head. There was no way she had been telling the truth, right?His gut feeling kept telling him that somethimg was wrong somewhere, he just didn't know where. Could she really have turn a new leaf and was genuinely trying to help he and Ivy? But if she were, why would she go as far as begging on her knees. If he was the one trying to help someone and they insisted that they didn't need his help, there was no way he would go as far as begging them. Chances are that she would just try to do something crazy again that would no doubt get him in trouble with Ivy. But what if she was actually being sincere? What if she could actually have some information that could help them deal with Chris once and for all. Their honeymoon would end on a sweet note. Still contemplating on whether his decision was a smart one or not, Van got dressed and made his way to the spot she said to meet her. When he came to stand in front of
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 96. Sandra
A FEW YEARS AGO. "Good morning Sandra, it appears we're on the same team for our project." Van said as he sat next to her. "Uh g-goo–d m-morning. I-I l-look forward to w-working with you.""Same here." "S-so I was thinking –""Hey Van! It's time to leave." "Oh okay, I'll be there in a minute." He got to his feet and smiled at her. "See you tomorrow then.""Huh? Hmm." She nodded and he walked off. As Sandra watched Van smile and joke with Bianca, she couldn't help but feel sad. She wished she was the one he was holding, she wanted to be the one he would smile at like hat. Ever since her highschool days, she never had any friends. Her parents were okay, but compared to the other students, she was poor. The only way she was able to attend such expensive highschool and university was because of the scholarship her father arranged for her. She had grown used to being the shadow in the classroom, that one person that no one else saw or interacted with, and she wasn't complaining. Sure
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 98. Trouble Brewing
Cassie smiled as she stared at herself in the mirror, finally she had the perfect face she had been yearning for. Ever since that day, since that moment, she knew she would have to do everything in her power to get what she wanted, and finally, she had it. She had waihed five long years for him, and when he finally came to her, she was still never given her chance. The world was cruel to her, too cruel. Then she realized something, if she wanted to have a happy ending, she would have to make it by herself. If she didn't take charge of her life, then rather than what she wanted, life would just give her anything it felt like. Luck seemed to shine down on her when she received a call from Chris saying that he had a very important job for her, and that job turned out to be her Van. She had finally been given her chance, and there was no wayshe was going to mess it up. ★★★"Cassandra Gardner," Van repeated the name, there was something very familiar about it. Almost like he used to
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 99. The Picture
When Van came around, he was in an unfamiliar room. He quickly sat up to scan his surrounding but that was a horrible mistake. "Argh!" A sharp pain shot through his head and his entire body felt weak. He looked down and was horrified to find that he was not putting on anything. With panic shooting through him, Van quickly got off the bed and put on his clothes and he rushed out of the room. Cynthia was nowhere to be seen and Van didn't know if he was supposed to be relived or angry. He was mostly angry at himself for letting her make a fool of him. He knew that it was a bad idea to see her, his gut kept telling him that something would go wrong, but he chose to ignore it, and now he was regretting it. He couldn't recall what happened between them–if anything had happened – but he knew that there was no way that Cynthia would have such an opportunity and not do something incriminating. Probably she took a picture of him and would try to threaten him with it in the future. He wonder
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 100. Reconciliation
"Hey,"Ivy immediately perked up as she heard his voice. "Van, hey, are you okay?""Yeah, I think so." He slowly sat up. "Were you here all night?""Oh is it morning already?" Ivy had lost track of time but she knew she had been sitting by his bed for a while. "Are you sure you're okay now?"He nodded. "Yes. My head isn't hurting anymore, and I feel okay.""That's good." she had been worried sick after he passed out the night before. "Hey, about last night –""You need your rest, we can talk about it later.""No, please hear me out."Ivy had almost forgotten about it and she didn't even feel angry anymore. But for her to completely forget about it, they needed to talk. "Okay.""Cynthia told me she could help in getting Chris to stop bothering you.""What?""I know, I know, it was stupid of me to believe her. But I just- I thought she was being sincere. Or at least I hoped she was. We went to this hotel, but we only sat by the bar. She told me that Chris hired someone to try to get b
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 101. The Club
After the doctor did one last check on Van, he was discharged and free to go home. They packed up their things, and Van was all set to leave. Since they had concluded that Cynthia had people that were monitoring him, Ivy decided to call Boyd for help. "This is what we're going to do," he started. "Since we don't know who those people are, or where they are. Van and I are going to switch our outfits, then I'll leave with Ivy and Van heads on a separate route to the hotel he wants to stay in. That way, people would think that I'm you, and they'd follow Ivy and I.""Wow, that's actually pretty smart." Van said after Boyd was done with his explanation. "Let's just hope it works. But why don't you want to complain to the police? I mean the drug she gave Van could have hurt him badly. You even have the test results to back your claims.""You're right, but Van and I came here for honeymoon. We don't want anything complicated like a police case. Besides, we don't know where she lives, we
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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
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
