“Mom, I don’t think now was the right time for him to ask me to get married to him; I still need some time; I am still getting to know him,” Karina hoped that her mom would understand her now.“For how long, Karina? For how long?” Mrs. Blackwood sighed as she sat on the edge of the bed next to Karina.“What do you mean for how long, mom? I still need time to get to know Alex more; we don’t get to see that often; marriage is a lifelong commitment; I wouldn’t want to divorce him down the line just like I did with Nathan.”Hearing this, Mrs. Blackwood now felt that she understood Karina’s worries a bit better. “So what are you going to do now? Because Alex told me that he’s willing to give you one last chance to accept his proposal,”Karina felt that this was the perfect way to find a way to get more time. “Why don’t you ask Alex to give me some time to consider his proposal?”"Alright, baby, I will do that for you.” After that, Mrs. Blackwood got up from the edge of the bed and went out
***The late afternoon sun filtered through the blinds, casting long shadows across the sterile hospital room. Josh lay on the bed, his face contorted with pain and his body still bearing the marks of the recent attack. Mike sat beside him, his jaw clenched with anger and his eyes blazing with fury at the thought of someone daring to harm his brother and partner in crime. Josh was still unconscious, receiving all the treatment that he was receiving. Mike was patiently waiting for him to wake up so that he could question him about the person who attacked him and go after them.Moments later, Mike groaned as he opened his eyes.“Where am I?” Josh asked in a state of confusion.“You were beaten up badly and left at a roadside; you got brought into the hospital for proper treatment." Josh quickly recalled everything that happened to him, including where he was left on the street by those mysterious men."Who attacked you, Josh? Who were they?" Mike's voice was low and dangerous.Josh winc
Mike stroked his chin. "Who else would know he's alive except for us and our men?"“I think Nathan was the one that abducted you.”Josh nodded; his expression grim. "That's what I thought too, Mike. It has to be Nathan behind this, because apart from us, and our men no one else knows that he’s alive."A dark cloud of anger descended upon Mike's features. His mind raced with thoughts of revenge, but he wanted to be thorough with the whole thing, he first of all wanted to know if their men were the ones who perhaps told anybody outside that Nathan was alive before concluding that Nathan himself was the one behind the attack. "I'll summon our men," he declared, his voice a steely promise. "We'll find out if anyone leaked the secret if anyone dared to betray us to outsiders or Nathan himself."Josh's hands curled into fists at his sides, his fury matching Mike's. "I can't wait to get my hands on him," he growled, his voice thick with rage. Josh was looking forward to killing Nathan and wh
Inside the house, Mike prepared to leave, his thoughts consumed by the impending meeting with Josh at the hospital, he wanted to inform Josh about the meeting he had with the men and what he has discovered. He checked his watch, his heart pounding with a mixture of apprehension and determination.As he reached for the doorknob, a sudden movement outside caught his eye, his senses snapping to attention as he registered the dark figures lurking in the shadows.Before he could react, the door exploded inward with a resounding crash, splintering into a thousand fragments as Nathan and his men stormed into the foyer."Mike!" Nathan's voice rang out, sharp and commanding, cutting through the chaos like a blade. "Don’t try to resist and just come with us!”Mike's heart pounded in his chest as he faced down his adversaries, his mind racing with a desperate resolve. He had no idea who the mask men were, but he could tell that they knew him."What do you guys want from me? Is it money? What do
***Nathan arrived at his apartment, he laid down on his bed with his gaze focused on the ceiling, his mind was still ablaze with unanswered questions and the searing intensity of his determination.Lost in his thoughts, ‘Who was behind the attack on me? And who killed my parents? If Mike was certain that I was the one behind the abduction of Josh that means Josh would also know that he was the one, since both know that I am alive doesn’t that mean one of them was the one that came after me? Or does other heirs also know that I am alive?’Nathan had no idea whether it was Mike or Josh who was behind killing his parents, but he could tell that their intentions for knowing that he was alive were sinister, he doesn’t regret killing Mike, he felt that was a curious part of his plan to get to the bottom of the truth. But now he needs to abduct Josh for a second time to question him about everything to be sure if they were the ones behind his parent’s death and whether they were the ones th
***As the clock struck midnight, the hospital corridors fell into a hushed stillness, illuminated only by the soft glow of the overhead lights. Josh lay on his bed, the sterile scent of antiseptic hanging in the air around him. Two imposing bodyguards stood sentinel at his side, their eyes scanning the dimly lit hallways with unwavering vigilance.Frowning, Josh glanced at the time on his phone for what felt like the hundredth time that night. Where was Mike? Mike had told him that he was coming to the hospital to see him and be by his side while he told him how his investigation went. Yet, as the minutes ticked by, there was no sign of him. Josh's worry gnawed at him like a persistent itch, refusing to be ignored.With a heavy sigh, he punched in Mike's number, the screen casting an eerie blue light in the darkness of the room. One ring. Two rings. Three rings. But there was no answer, only the hollow echo of his own heartbeat pulsing in his ears.A knot tightened in Josh's stomach.
***The afternoon sun cast a warm glow through the windows of Nathan's modest apartment as he settled on one of his couches, his heart racing with anticipation. With trembling fingers, he dialed Karina's number, the soft hum of the phone echoing in the quiet room. He was anxious to speak to her because he had missed her and hadn’t spoken to her since he left his old apartment.After a few rings, Karina's voice filled the line, vibrant and full of warmth. "Who is this?" she exclaimed, her tone tinged with excitement.Nathan's throat tightened at the sound of her voice, a rush of emotions threatening to overwhelm him. "Hey, Karina, it’s me, Nathan," he greeted, his voice laced with a mixture of relief and longing. "I'm sorry for disappearing like that. There's been a lot going on."Karina was surprised as she realized that it was him. Her concern was evident, and her voice was soft with understanding. "It's okay, Nathan," she reassured him, her words a soothing balm to his troubled soul
***The hospital corridors seemed to stretch endlessly as Josh and his two bodyguards made their way to the exit, his heart heavy with worry for his missing brother, Mike. Every step felt like a lead weight dragging him down, a relentless reminder of the uncertainty that loomed ahead. He had been discharged from the hospital, and he was now heading straight to the police station.With determination etched into his features, Josh told his bodyguards to head straight to his mansion and wait outside for him to tell them he was going to meet them there. After that, he hailed a cab and made his way to the nearest police station, his mind consumed by thoughts of Mike's safety. As he entered the bustling precinct, he squared his shoulders, steeling himself for the daunting task that lay ahead.Approaching the front desk, Josh fixed the officer with a steely gaze, his voice firm and unwavering. "I need to report a missing person," he declared, the words ringing out in the quiet of the station