India descended the stairs gently, her face looking gloomy as she headed down to the living room. Her usually vibrant features were now etched with a patent melancholy, a stark contrast to the radiant smile that had graced them just two days prior. Each step she took down the grand staircase seemed to weigh heavier on her soul, as if the very weight of her thoughts threatened to drag her down. Immediately, Maria saw her and sprang up from the plush sofa, hurrying to her daughter's side. India had locked herself in her room for several hours, making all the family members worried and anxious about her well-being. Maria's brow was furrowed with concern as she reached India, placing a gentle hand on her arm. "India, my dear, what's wrong?" Maria asked, her voice laced with motherly worry. "We've all been so worried about you. Why have you been ignoring us? Why did you shut us all? I am your mother, you can always share your problems with me but I don't know why you just don't." Indi
Seeing her daughter's abrupt departure, Maria rushed forward, her hand grasping India's shoulder in a firm, yet gentle grip. "India, what the fuck do you think you are doing? Why are you being so rude to Mr. Malakai? Do you even know who he is? He can buy out the Avendano empire and it won't even affech him in anyway," she scolded, her brow furrowed in dismay. "He has taken the time to come here and speak with us. The least you could do is hear him out." India's gaze hardened, her jaw set in a stubborn line. "I don't care who he is or why he's here, Mother," she shot back, her tone laced with a hint of defiance. "I'm not in the right frame of mind to entertain this right now." "India, darling, please don't be rude. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and you need to take it seriously. If you don't know, you are Lady Avendano already and you can't let your emotions control your decision making. Gone are the days you make bad decisions, this time around... You ne
Maria placed a comforting hand on India's arm, her wide smile conveying a sense of maternal warmth despite the unease evident in India's posture. Maria didn't have any idea what Malakai would want to discuss with India, but she knew definitely that it wouldn't be an easy feat. "Remember, dear, be on your best behavior for Mr Malakai - He holds the key to our success. If you impress him, he could take us anywhere we want in the business world. We can meet the top people and we wouldn't have to ever worry about going broke ever again," Maria murmured, her voice low and soothing. India nodded gently, her expression resolute. "I've got this covered, Mother," she replied, projecting a confidence that belied the turmoil swirling within. Maria glanced over her shoulder at her husband, who stood a few paces behind, his expression unreadable. With a subtle nod, the couple turned and made their exit, leaving India alone with Mr Malakai who couldn't stop smirki
Nicholas emerged from the lab, peeling off his lab coat as he made his way to the adjacent room where Ryan waited anxiously. The fluorescent lights overhead cast a clinical glow on the stark white walls, the sterile atmosphere heightening the tension in the air. Ryan's head snapped up as Nicholas entered, and he strode forward, the questions already spilling from his lips. "Finally, Nicholas... How is the examination going on? Are you guys done? What did the doctors have to say about this?" Nicholas exhaled a weary sigh, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "I don't even know, Ryan. It doesn't look good, that much I can tell you. The doctor are still there, doing their thing." Ryan ran a hand agitatedly through his hair, the motion betraying his growing unease. "I don't understand. Why do I feel so scared?" he murmured, almost to himself. "If Wraith loses his memory for real, I will not forgive myself for not killing him when I had the opportunity. He bette
Wraith gently sat up on the bed, his eyes darting around the lab. He took in the sterile environment, the various medical equipment, and the three doctors standing around him. Confusion and fear flickered across his features as his gaze flitted from Nicholas to Ryan and back again. These were the men he kept seeing each time he opened his eyes and the doctors behind him were the one who Injected him with God knows what. His breath shook as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. One could see the trepidation in his eyes as he straightened up, every muscle tense and ready to spring into action if need be. Quietly, the older doctor, his graying hair and kind eyes exuding a sense of calm, walked up behind Wraith and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Wraith immediately jerked away, his eyes dilating in alarm. "Don't touch me," he said, his voice laced with apprehension. "Don't even try it." The doctor sighed and raised his hands in a placating gesture
Wraith closed his eyes, his brow furrowed as he tried to process this information. A single tear escaped, trickling down his cheek, and he opened his eyes, his gaze filled with a mixture of anguish and desperation. "I don't want to hear this anymore. Can I at least go home to meet my daughter and wife? I can come back when I finally cool my head and if I keep staying here, I might run mad because it's a lot to take in. That doesn't mean I believe you, hope you know that?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Nicholas sighed, his expression pained as he tried to find the right words. "You have to believe us actually because I'm not even sure you have a daughter or a wife somewhere," he said, his tone apologetic. "You probably have a family as Joseph Riverdale, but not a family as Rankford." Wraith scoffed, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. "What are you talking about, Nicholas?" he said, his voice rising with each word. Nicholas leaned in, his gaze earnes
Nicholas paced back and forth in the sitting room, his shoes clicking against the polished hardwood floors. He ran his fingers agitatedly through his neatly-combed chestnut hair, the usually perfect strands now slightly disheveled as he tried to make sense of everything that had been going on. Firstly, it was Wraith losing his memory and having no idea who Nicholas or even what the RMI was, making him a very innocent person, plus he didn't even remember there was something called Coronavirus that almost took down the whole world. Secondly was Wraith having an entirely different name and sharing same surname with Nicholas because Malakai expunged his memory. And now, the person who had been wanting him dead all these while was his uncle and he didn't even know that. Everything just suddenly felt surreal, like a dream he couldn't quite wake up from, as he struggled to put the pieces together. Ryan who had been watching him from the raiser he sat on, approached
Imran cleared his throat, the sound cutting through the tense silence that had settled over the surveillance room. All eyes turned to him as he tried to catch his breath, his chest heaving. "Mr. Rankford is missing, sir," he managed to say, the words tumbling out in a rush. "What? Rankford?" Nicholas and Ryan exchanged a startled glance, then sprang into action, rushing out of the surveillance room with Imran hurrying to keep up behind them. What on earth would want to make Rankford run away? They thought they've been able to convince him that he had no family no where. Ryan and Nicholas hurried downstairs, hoping to find him anywhere along the hallway. In the living room, the three doctors, Corer and Rookson stood clustered together, their faces etched with worry and stress as though they've been running around all day long. Nicholas approached them, his brow furrowed. "Where is Mr. Rankford?" he asked, the urgency clear in his voice. The doctor