The older woman nodded. “Of course, Honey. I’m very okay” She lied, turning back to the table in her room. She picked up one of the earrings that she was with earlier and she slowly out it on. It was a silver earring that dangled and was long enough to touch her neck.Recently, Susan had developed an insane love for dangling jewelries to the point that each time she went out of her house without any sort of dangling earring on, she always felt empty—or, more like naked.She would not be at ease until she got home and grabbed an earring from her favorite collection of dangling earrings. She loved the distraction that she felt each time the dangling earring touched her lower neck or her neck bone whenever she was lost in thoughts.And then, the beauty. Her jewelries were always stunningly beautiful that she loved to revel in the admiration that she usually got from people around who couldn’t hold themselves back from complimenting her.“Okay, Mum. I’ll be going to school this morning” E
Richard had no idea what she was talking about because of how he was engrossed in his thoughts. He waited for her to continue but she seemed to have finished talking.Elise watched him from the corner of her eyes, “Are you okay?”He nodded.“Okay” She said. “Let’s go then. I presume that the driver is outside waiting for us.” She started walking towards the entrance of the living room. Richard waited for her to go out before he went out too.It was late noon and the three girls were at their favorite table In the school’s cafeteria. There were trays of food and drinks in front of them but instead of eating, they were having an heated conversation. It was about Elise’s relationship with David that had just ended.“Are you saying that you won’t take him back ?” Stacy said as she sipped from her can of juice before she reached out to pick up the little glass jar of candy from where it was at the middle of the table.She sighed. “Your relationship had always been the perfect one. It was w
She rubbed her lips together and stared at the food on front of her. It wasn’t long before her stomach began to growl. The only food which she had eaten that day was the bread which Richard had surprised her with that morning.Even when she was seated at the cafeteria with her close friends in school, she did not touch the tray of food which she bought. Instead, she left it the same way and went to class. Now, she was beginning to get hungry.As she waited for her mother to join her in the kitchen, her wandered away slowly. She was thinking about the announcement that one of her course lecturers had given in class earlier that day. The lecturer had announced that they had to carry out group projects for his course and he grouped them all into threes. Richard had gotten paired with Judy, his casual friend from school who never skipped a chance to greet him at school, and the new exchange student that had just joined their Department.The course had been an extra difficult one for Elise
He shared a look with Judy who was smiling at him.“I’m sorry, Elise. We should go in now” He said.Both girls agreed and they all went into the library together.Over the next few days, Elise and her project partners—Richard and Judy—spent an hour every evening in the local library.They rented one of the study rooms exclusively for themselves. Elise had offered to pay the rent fee as she assumed that she was the wealthiest amongst the three of them but Judy and Richard immediately kicked against it and they all contributed equal amount to rent the study room for three weeks.During their sessions, Richard would always teach the two ladies and ensure that they managed to cover a good part of their target outline for the project.It was during the prep sessions at the library that Judy started to develop a certain fondness for Richard. At first, she assumed that it was mere infatuation but over the days, she realized that it was something stronger. Something she couldn’t explain seem
. He did not have to guess who the intruder at the door was because the intruder spoke again and he immediately knew who it was..“Elise!” The intruder at the door bellowed “Get out of here right now!”Elise picked herself up and duster off her gown, then she left the basket ball court.A sly smile formed on David ‘sl lips and he turned around to face Richard.“I must commend your new found level of confidence and audacity these days.” He mocked.Richard ignored his statement and said, “If I ever see you as close as one inch close to Elise, I’ll show you why some people don’t get to live long on earth. Trust me” Richard said and left the doorway as he went after Elise.David was left in an astonished state after Richard stormed away. He didn’t know what to make of Richard’s new found attitude to challenge him without any iota of fear. What even disturbed him the most was how Richard was so quick to stand up Elise and defend her almost every time he tried to get at her. David stood alo
Her eyes were still closed when she heard Richard’s voice. It was deep and husky. She opened her eyes slowly and blinked at him.Richard folded his arms on his chest and he smiled at her awkwardly. “Did you hear what I said?”She shook her head. How could she hear him when she was too scared to listen. Rather, she was thinking of the thousand things that could go wrong if Richard decided to end their friendship in anger.But, he wasn’t angry, was he?There was a strange look on his face. She smiled back at him and clenched the pen in her hand tightly.Richard was quiet for some minutes. He had his eyes on her and she wasn’t saying anything either. Then, she broke the silence. “What did you say? I’m sorry, I wasn’t listening” She said.He sat up on the chair and leaned close to the study table. Then, he placed his two hands on the table.“Judy” He Called “I never expected this from you. I mean, you are a very attractive young lady and every reasonable man will be proud of having you in
Stacy laughed as she read Elise’s reply. Sometimes, the things that Elise did really surprised her. It was recently that Elise had opened up to she and Juliet that the tall creepy guy from their Department who usually followed her about was her bodyguard. It took lot of convincing before either if them could believe that Elise had an idea who Richard was all along but she kept pretending as though she was surprised whenever they noticed him around them at different locations.That evening, around 4pm, Elise texted Stacy after she had gotten home. She was seated at her favorite spot which was at the back of her house.She explained to Stacy that she felt angry over something and she still did not understand why she felt that way. That was when Stacy encouraged her to open up about her feelings so they could talk things out.Some minutes later, Elise sent a five minute long voice note to her. Elise told her that she was unhappy that she told Judy, her project partner, to carry out her
She only noticed that he was lost in thoughts.Richard, on the other hand, was thinking about Judy’s behavior on their date the previous night .she had announced to the waitress that served them at the restaurant they went to that Richard was her boyfriendAnd, also , when one of her friends from school ran into them that night just as they were leaving, Judy clung close to him, wrapping her arms around him as she announced with a wide smile and an insane level of confidence that she was his girlfriend. Richard, as usual, played along to avoid hurting her feelings but he saw that she was fast becoming attached to him.After Elise’s driver dropped both of them in school, Richard told Elise to go ahead to the lecture theatre for their first class of the day and he gave an excuse that he wanted to see one of their lecturers in his office.Elise noticed how unconvincing he sounded and ran up to him after he had walked a few meters away from her. They were both standing outside the medica
The next few days went by in a whir of emotions for Elise and Richard. As Richard drove down the sunny road, Elise’s nerves were palpable. She fidgeted with her fingers and sighed deeply. “Are you okay?”Elise spoke up, her voice laced with worry. “My Mom is going to be disappointed in me, she had always envisioned something else for me.”Richard turned and met her eyes. “We have nothing to lose, Elise. We love each other, and that’s all that matters. Elise, don’t worry. It’ll be okay. We’ve got this.”“I just don’t want her to be disappointed in me. I feel like I should have told her before now,” Elise replied, her voice wavering.Richard took one hand off the steering wheel to reach over and take Elise’s hand.“She loves you, Elise. She’ll be happy for you once she sees how happy we are.”Elise squeezed Richard’s hand and smiled. “You’re right. I’m probably just overthinking it.”As they arrived at the residence, they were welcomed by the high gates that led to the luxurious mansi
James’ wife, Susan, had been sitting quietly during Richard’s announcement, but as soon as he spoke the words “Hûlio is my father,” her eyes widened in shock. She had always assumed Richard was a lost cause, coming from a poor family and with no connections to speak of. But now, it seemed, he was from a wealthy bloodline.Susan’s first instinct was to make up for her previous bad character by offering something valuable to Richard. “Richard, my daughter Elise is also unmarried. I propose that you take her as your wife,” she said, smiling sweetly.Richard was taken aback by the sudden proposal. He had been secretly dating Elise for months, but Susan didn’t know that. He shook his head, declining politely. “Thank you for the offer, but I cannot accept. I have other plans.”Susan’s smile faltered for a moment before she put on a gracious façade once again. “Of course, I understand. We will do everything we can to help you reconnect with your family,” she said, still trying to make up for
The rich office of Hûlio was a grand affair, decked with lavish furnishings and ornate decorations. The walls were adorned with artwork and photographs of his family, giving a glimpse into the life of luxury that he lived. A large mahogany desk dominated the center of the room, on which sat an array of expensive gadgets and trinkets.Hûlio sat at his desk, pouring over old family documents when Rue entered the room.“Sir, I received a rather peculiar email today,” she said.Hûlio looked up from the papers and raised a questioning eyebrow.“It seems that an anonymous person claims to have found your lost son,” Rue continued.Hûlio’s eyes widened in surprise. “My son? But he was kidnapped when he was only 10 years old. How could he be found now?”“That’s what the sender of the email claims, sir. They are requesting a meeting at an open field to prove their claims,” Rue explained. Hûlio leaned back in his chair and lit a cigarette, his thoughts racing. Could this be real? Could his long
As Elise stepped into her room, she closed the door behind her, making sure that her boyfriend Richard’s palm tree-patterned shirt was folded and placed beside her bed. The dim light from the bedside lamp created a peaceful atmosphere that made her feel relaxed. The apartment was small but cozy, with walls decorated with various paintings of the sunset, flowers, and the Eiffel Tower. She walked towards the mirror, and she could see her reflection, appreciating how her olive-toned skin glowed. She was wearing a cream tank top and her hair was tied in a bun.As she began her skincare routine, she applied her favorite cleanser in circular motions, ensuring it was thoroughly massaged into her skin. A faint fragrance of lavender from the lotion she was using soon filled the room. She enjoyed the calmness of the room as the music from the speaker on the shelf played softly in the background.As she continued massaging her face, her phone rang. Elise hesitated, assuming it was probably her
As Elise cuddled close to Richard, she felt the warmth of his body and the softness of the blanket they shared. They made small talk about the movie, commenting on the plot and the scares. Despite the creepy atmosphere, they both felt relaxed in each other’s company.However, as Richard stayed up after Elise went to bed, the mood in the room changed. His thoughts turned to the stranger he had bumped into at the airport, and the picture of his face kept flashing in his mind. The news about Sly being a direct heir of Hulio Adiento added to the sense of unease in the room. The image of Hulio’s face on the TV screen sent shivers down Richard’s spine as he tried to make sense of the coincidence.Lost in thought, Richard eventually headed to bed with a sinking feeling, wondering what the next day would bring.As Richard stepped out of his house, the sun was shining brightly in the sky, and a cool breeze blew across his face. He closed the door behind him, took a deep breath and started walk
It was not long before avoiding his work calls and watching the news in fear that he might be wanted by the police. His room was dark and messy, with clothes piled up on the floor and empty bottles scattered around. He didn’t care about anything anymore, not even himself.His thoughts were disturbed, swirling around in his head like a storm. He couldn’t believe what he had done, and he didn’t know how to face the consequences. All he knew was that he was a monster, and that he deserved to be punishedAfter two days of locking himself in his apartment he decided to speak up about what he has done and he visited his family house very early the following morning.One thing that had always in endeared him to this house where he spent most of his childhood was that it reeked of wealth. Sly’s family home was a mansion surrounded by lush green gardens, a swimming pool, and a fleet of luxury cars parked outside. The front door was adorned with a grand entrance, and the marble floors shimmer
It took a while before he could lift her off the wet ground and trudge through the quiet woods to the main road where his police vehicle had been parked. He carefully opened it up and out her in the back seat before he ran over to the other side of the car and got into the driver’s seat.He took her to the hospital immediately, where she was treated for her injuries and given a rape kit.As she lay in the hospital bed, Elise’s mind was consumed by the horror of what had happened. She couldn’t believe that Sly, someone she had trusted so deeply, could have done something so vile.The following morning, Hanna laid on the hospital bed, her body feeling violated and her mind consumed with the memory of the brutal attack. Her eyes were closed, but she wasn’t asleep – she was lost in thought, replaying the incident over and over in her head.The room was quiet except for the soft hum of medical equipment. The walls were painted a pale blue, and there was a small window that looked out onto
He tugged harder on her belt, her body pressing up further against his. He grabbed her hair in his fist and balled it up. He drew her head back and looked at her. She began to cry, to plead.“Please don’t,” She said. “Please.”“Shut up.”He kissed her again and this time, he inserted his tongue in her mouth. By pleading, she had left herself open to this. Again he pulled her head back roughly. “Kiss back,” he said.And I did.When he was satisfied, he stopped and tried to work the latch on Her belt. It was a belt with a strange buckle and he couldn’t figure it out. To have him let go of her, for him to leave her alone, she said, “Let me, I’ll do it.”He watched her.When she was done, he unzipped the jeans she wore.“Now take off your shirt.”She had a cardigan sweater on. She took that off. He reached over to help unbutton her shirt. He fumbled.“I’ll do it,” She said again.She unbuttoned the oxford-cloth shirt and, like the cardigan, She peeled it back from her body. It was like
He stated down at her with so much intensity in his eyes.It terrified the hell out of her as crossed both legs over her and sat on her thigh.“What are you trying to do? I need—” She got cut off as his strong palms came heavily on her mouth, sitting out her voice. “Hanna!” Sly growled. “Can you not see that I am madly in love with you?” He said His voice reverberated through the woods and bounded back to them.Cold sweat trickled down the Hanna’s neck as she locked eyes with himShe was numb.He released his hand from her mouth.I screamed. Quickly. Abruptly.The struggle began. She rose her feet in difficulty.He covered her mouth again. He kneed her in the back of her legs so that she would fall down. “You don’t get it, Hanna. I have fallen in love with you and if I don’t taste you first I will not be happy when I leave the island” He said in a bitter voice She struggled some more, trying to push off his weight from her almost tired body.His threat rang out into the air. It was