Amelia’s POV The hall buzzed with chatter and flashes from cameras, but it all seemed muffled to me, like I was trapped in a nightmare. Richard stood at the podium where he accepted the Certificate of Office as the winner of the city councilman election. My family and I now stood in the back, trying to blend into the shadows, hoping no one would notice us. The shame was almost unbearable. Applause and congratulations directed at Richard, and I couldn't tear my eyes away from him. His face was plastered with that smug smile I used to find charming. Now, it was a bitter reminder of the mistakes I'd made. "Honorable Richard Thorne, the new City Councilman!" The announcer's voice boomed through the speakers, followed by another round of applause.“We have to leave the city before Richard comes after us with hell. He now has all the influence to make sure of it,” Grandma White whispered urgently in my ear, her voice trembling with both urgency and fear. She glanced around the hall nerv
RICHARD'S POV The sun was barely up when Jenny shuffled into the kitchen, her hair tousled and her eyes still heavy with sleep. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the scent of frying bacon, waking me up more effectively than my alarm ever could. "Morning, sunshine," I greeted, sliding into a chair at the kitchen island. "Morning," she mumbled, her voice muffled by a yawn. "Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes." I watched her move around the kitchen, marveling at how effortless she made it all seem. Despite the chaos of the past few days, she brought a sense of normalcy that I desperately needed. Before I knew it, she set a plate of eggs and bacon in front of me, a broad smile forming her lips. “Eat up.” "This looks amazing, thank you, Jen. You didn't have to do this," I said, taking a bite and savoring the deliciously crispy bacon. "Well, someone has to keep you fed," she replied with a wink. "What's the plan for today?" "I need to find a new pla
RICHARD'S POVThe doors of the car burst open, and out stepped Senator Jonah Parker himself, flanked by a group of stern-looking men in suits. He had probably come with his arrogant son to meet the estate manager. He walked into the room with his aides, and Preston Parker followed, a triumphant smirk plastered on his face. Jenny was with me now, I had called her to come check out the place. I could practically feel the air shift. The senator’s imposing presence was undeniable, but there was something else—a sense of familiarity that whisked me back years. “Richard?” The senator’s voice boomed immediately he saw me, his eyes widening with surprise.“Jonah?” I responded, equally taken aback. We closed the distance between us in a heartbeat, and before I knew it, we were locked in a tight embrace. It was like being transported back to high school, where we were thick as thieves, inseparable.“Can’t believe it’s you!” Jonah exclaimed, his grin stretching from ear to ear. “After all th
RICHARD'S POVWe'd barely had time to settle into the new surroundings when Senator Jonas' first son, Alexander, started flirting with Jenny. And I had noticed his intentions right away. His eyes were those of a predator, scanning Jenny like she was a prize to be won. It irked me, especially since he had just met her that day.As the dinner went on, I watched Alexander closely. His charm was undeniable, but there was an undercurrent of arrogance that grated on my nerves. He monopolized Jenny's attention, steering the conversation back to himself at every opportunity. Whenever she tried to include me, he would subtly shift her focus back to him. "Jenny, have you tried the hors d'oeuvres?" Alexander asked, offering her a plate. "The chef here is world-class." "They Look delicious!" she replied, taking a bite and smiling. "You have such good taste, Alexander." "I like to think so," he said, his eyes flicking to me briefly. "It's important to appreciate the finer things in life." I bi
RICHARD'S POVThe air was thick with tension as Alex and I faced off, the crowd's anticipation palpable. I could hear the murmurs of the onlookers, the whispered bets and the rustle of excitement. Alex smirked, his confidence evident. I could see why; he was a formidable opponent, and the club members clearly favored him. "Ready to lose, Richard?" Alex taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Let's see who loses," I shot back, trying to mask my nerves with bravado. The referee called for us to begin. We began, and immediately, Alex took the upper hand. Alexander lunged first, his attack was sudden but predictable. I parried easily, our foils clashing with a sharp clang. His movements were swift, precise, leaving little room for me to counter. The crowd erupted in cheers for him and boos for me, their support a wave crashing against my resolve. "Come on, Richard! Don't make it so easy for him!" someone shouted, followed by mocking laughter. I gritted my teeth, focusing on Ale
RICHARD'S POVThe sun had already dipped down the horizon by the time I parked my car and walked towards the grocery store. I was really looking forward to getting home and putting my feet up after an exhausting day at the office. It had been a grueling day at work, filled with back-to-back meetings and endless paperwork. But now, as the automatic doors of the grocery store whooshed open and I stepped inside, my thoughts were on simpler things—like whether to buy whole grain or multi grain bread.My bodyguards, Tony and Marcus had just left to run a quick errand for me. They've been quite helpful ever since they were assigned to me by the government, as part of privileges that come with my new political office. The momentary freedom felt like a breath of fresh air.I was just about to grab a carton of milk when I heard a voice that I hadn’t heard in years. “Richard? Is that really you?” The voice was unmistakable: Debra. The last time I saw her, I was delivering clothes to her doorst
RICHARD'S POVDebra, sensing the tension, clung to my arm again, as if trying to stake her claim. I could feel my anger boiling beneath the surface. It took all my restraint not to lash out right then and there. Instead, I forced a tight-lipped smile in response, masking the seething resentment churning within me.Jenny's eyes flicked to Debra and then back to me, a flicker of hurt and confusion crossing her face. “Well, enjoy your dinner,” she said, her tone a bit colder than before. “Alex and I need to finish our shopping.”Alex's smirk widened, and he wrapped an arm around Jenny's shoulders. "Come on, Jen. We should get going.”As they walked away, I couldn't help but watch them, my heart aching with every step they took. Jenny looked back once, her eyes meeting mine for a brief moment before she turned away, leaving me standing there with Debra's arm still wrapped around mine.Once Jenny and Alex had left, I turned to Debra, my patience wearing thin. "You need to leave me alone, D
RICHARD'S POV I could barely focus on anything with all the distraction from the ongoing tension with Jenny. It consumed me so completely that I didn’t notice my stepbrothers, Jonathan and William creeping into my life like shadows. It wasn’t until I got the call from the hotel’s accounting department that I realized just how deep they had sunk their claws into me. They had been visiting the hotel, racking up a debt of over a million dollars. “A million dollars?” I said, my voice barely above a whisper as I stared at the spreadsheet on my laptop. The numbers seemed to mock me, each one a slap in the face. “Yes, sir. They’ve been staying in our penthouse suite for months now, charging everything to the room,” the accountant explained, her voice nervous. She probably expected me to explode. But I didn’t. Not yet, anyway. I knew what I had to do. I had to confront them. And I had to do it now. The drive to their company was a blur, my mind racing with anger and disbelief. How could