Carlos sat upright in his hospital bed, the harsh fluorescent light casting a pale glow over the room as Toby entered. His face looked better, though the bruises from his encounter with Cedric still lingered faintly. His slow movements gave away the internal struggle, but he was getting stronger— strong enough now to walk around the room without assistance. Toby watched as Carlos took tentative steps around the room, his legs sluggish but determined, his breaths labored but steady."Looking better, man," Toby said, offering a small smile as he grabbed a chair and sat beside the hospital bed.Carlos chuckled weakly, nodding as he made his way back to the bed. He slumped into it with a tired sigh, wiping sweat from his brow. "Better is a relative term, but I’ll take it."Toby’s smile faded quickly as the weight of their conversation loomed over them. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, fingers laced together. "So, what’s the plan, Carlos? When you come back to the firm?"
'THE FOLLOWING DAY'Carlos lay on the hospital bed, his eyes fixated on the drip hanging over his head, the slow drip of the IV liquid almost hypnotizing. His body ached, not just from the physical wounds but from the mental exhaustion that seemed to pile on with every passing day. The faint beeping of the heart monitor and the sterile smell of the hospital seemed distant as his mind wandered through the chaos that had become his life. He stared at the ceiling, lost in his thoughts. First, it was Cedric— Cedric and his relentless vendetta at work. What had started as petty office politics had escalated into a full on war, with Cedric rallying Alisha and some other board members against him. He could sense their disdain, the way they whispered in corners, their eyes always cold and calculating whenever they crossed paths. Carlos had dealt with corporate sharks before, but something about this felt more personal.His brow furrowed as his mind drifted back further, to several months ago
'MOMENTS LATER'Carlos shifted in his bed, watching Abby glance at her watch. The cold light from the bedside lamp cast soft shadows on her face, accentuating her furrowed brow. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear before sighing. "I need to go," she said softly, her voice tinged with regret. "If I’m gone too long, my father might suspect I came to see you."Carlos nodded, a tight smile pulling at his lips. He could sense the unease behind her words. His fingers brushed against hers briefly as she stood up. "I understand. I’m just glad you came." His eyes met hers with warmth. "And thank you, Abby… for agreeing to move in with me."Abby’s expression flickered with doubt, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Don’t thank me just yet, Carlos," she said, pulling her hand away and stepping toward the door. "Let’s wait and see how my father takes this news." Her voice was firm, but there was an edge of fear, a knowing fear that the battle had only just begun.Carlos exhaled slow
Abby could feel her pulse thundering in her ears as she stood in the middle of the study, her father’s words hanging heavy in the air. "If you walk out of here and move in with him, don’t bother coming back....when your stupid actions consequence comes biting down on you." Her chest tightened, a suffocating heat spreading from the pit of her stomach up to her throat. She had expected a fight, had braced herself for it, but hearing those words... It still felt like a slap in the face.Her father’s face remained stone cold, hard, and unforgiving. Senator Gerald Stone had made his ultimatum clear— his words cutting through her like shards of ice. She stared at him, biting back the tears that threatened to spill, her eyes narrowing with a mixture of defiance and pain.Without another word, Abby stormed out of the room, her heels clicking sharply on the polished floor as she turned her back on her father. The suffocating weight of his disappointment pressed down on her shoulders, but she f
Abby rushed down the hallway, her feet barely touching the floor as her slides gently clicked against the marble tiles. Her chest was tight, her vision blurred from the tears threatening to spill over, but she held them back— just enough to get to the restroom. Her mind was racing, the sting of her father’s hand still fresh on her cheek, but it was the words he’d said, the venom in his voice, that crushed her spirit. She pushed open the door of the lavish restroom and immediately locked it behind her.Once inside, she collapsed against the door, her body sliding down until she was sitting on the cold floor. Her breaths came out in short gasps as the tears she had been holding back poured down her face. Abby buried her head in her hands, her shoulders shaking as sobs wracked her body. The enormity of everything hit her at once— the slap, the betrayal, the fact that her own father had turned against her in the worst way possible. It felt as if her heart was breaking in a million pieces,
'TWO WEEKS LATER'Moments before Carlos's and Abby's engagement party.“Carlos, I think that’s everything. What about the wine? Did you double check the bottles?” Abby asked, rushing past the living room, her eyes scanning the neatly arranged décor.“I’m on it, babe,” Carlos replied, flipping through the last minute checklist on his phone while quickly grabbing his watch. “The food’s ready too, right? Did your friend confirm with the caterer?”Abby nodded, pulling a hand through her dark curls in a rush. “Yeah, I spoke with her an hour ago. The catering's been delivered, and they should arrive any minute to set it all up.”Alison, one of Abby's friend who was helping with the readiness of the party then appeared from the hallway, holding a bag of ice with a wide grin. “And there’s more where this came from. Everything’s cool, Abby. Relax.”Abby chuckled nervously, walking to Carlos and adjusting his shirt collar. “I know. I just want everything to be perfect. It’s our engagement party
As soon as Carlos opened the door wider, Alisha slipped past him with an amused smile, her heels clicking loudly against the marble floor. Carlos froze for a second, his mind racing with panic. Why was she doing this? He quickly turned to her, grabbing her arm. "Alisha," he hissed under his breath, his voice tight with anxiety. "You can't just—"She pulled her arm away, her lips curving into a smirk. "Relax, Carlos," she said smoothly. "I’m just here to enjoy the party. Don’t make a scene, hmm?"Carlos gritted his teeth, watching helplessly as Alisha strolled into the apartment, blending seamlessly with the other guests. Her eyes scanned the room with cool confidence, and within seconds, she had joined a group of people, smiling warmly as if she belonged there.As she mingled, the room around Carlos seemed to pulse with unease. Several of the guests, especially those from the firm, noticed her presence immediately. Murmurs began to spread through the crowd. What was she doing here? Car
Carlos clutched Abby’s lifeless body tighter, his breaths ragged and desperate. Blood stained his suit, but he didn’t care. The world around him blurred, his mind too clouded by grief to register anything beyond the cold, dead weight in his arms. Abby was gone, and there was nothing he could do to bring her back.A murmur rippled through the room. The guests, once frozen in shock, began to stir. Some whispered to each other, others backed away, horrified. Toby and Derek exchanged tense looks, unsure of what to do next. Derek’s hands trembled as he pulled out his phone, dialing for help. But in the back of their minds, they all knew it was too late.The door to the balcony creaked open, and for a fleeting second, the fresh air felt like a cruel reminder that life was still moving outside, despite the horror unfolding inside. Alisha stood near the door, leaning against the frame, her eyes fixed on Carlos. Her smirk had softened into something more calculated, almost like a predator watc