«LAYLA»Finally, I was done for today... Or more like for now since I would still have to conclude the rest of the day's work once I returned to the mansion. I took the elevator down and phoned Jonas to pick me up.I walked past the front desk and outside the building. The red ferrari was already parked. Jonas leaned against the car waiting for me. Either the black camo outfit and dark shades was part of the uniform or he just enjoyed the in-between look of an underground gangster and a black belt ninja.“Milady,” He straightened and bowed as I approached.I acknowledged him with a nod. He opened the back seat for me.“Your driver is here.”True enough, I sighted a stranger at the wheels. His well ironed navy blue suit glinted in the sunlight. “My credentials,” He said offering me his license. Gloves, I noted. As well as a British accent. I glanced at the card and shrugged sitting down. I wasn't the fucking sherif anyway. Jonas closed the door and walked around the car, sitting at

«NICOLE» “Mom I'm home,” I called entering the house. I walked up the front porch where she sat enjoying the view and the cool evening breeze. “You usually come home at noon,” She noted without looking up from the sweater that she was knitting. It was a habit she couldn't get rid of even after dad bought her a machine she could use, she always preferred to keep her hands busy the hard way. She was still young and pretty compared to her college friends. In my terms, she should have been dressing up to going out to parties and drinks with friends. Not sitting here like a woman from the 90s, pretending to knit while secretly monitoring my movements. “I had some matters to attend to.” I waved my hands signalling it was nothing worth looking into. “There's red wine fragrance on you.” She pointed out. “That's because I had some drinks before I came. Any thing else detective Victoria?” I rolled my eyes entering the manor. I still hadn't forgiven her concerning Layla's wedding to the m

«LAYLA»I didn't see Ethan the whole of last night. He ordered me to come home then didn't bother speaking to me at all. At some point I suspected he had left the mansion all together. I curled up into bed miserably that night. Instead of telling him about our honeymoon, maybe I could propose a divorce.At breakfast, America told me the usual story. The master wouldn't be joining me.Jonas drove me to the company. I was eager to resume work as that was the only thing that managed to keep my mind occupied.“Aren't you going down,” Loveth asked. I looked up with a frown. Just because everyone seemed to be heading downstairs didn't mean I wanted to leave my precious work. “Whatever for,” I asked resuming my typing. “The CEO is here,” She said looking incredulous that I didn't even know. Well I wouldn't know, he didn't exactly tell me after all. “Oh,” I shrugged. “Run along then, you don't want to miss his glorious appearance.”“So... You're not coming?”“Must you bother me?” I look

«Ethan» What was I thinking? I stared at the phone with a mixture of feelings. Why would she want to have a conversation with me... Why would I even want to talk to her? I thought more disgusted with myself than ever. Granted, it was about the problem my father created for me by claiming I had to go on a stupid vacation with her but honestly, I didn't have to seek her opinion on the matter, I could just command an answer from her. I was getting soft. I thought in distaste. “Never mind,” I texted back staring daggers at the phone. I shouldn't mistake her for her sister with whom I was more familiar with. “Penny for your thoughts?” I glared across the table at Violet who was as normal, giving me that cheeky lopsided grin which I had grown to despise. “I'll give you a thousand and one dollars for you to keep your mouth shut,” I sneered my voice laced with sarcasm. “Oh really, is that how you reciprocate kindness?” She pouted managing to look innocent. I laughed humorlessly. “

«Nicole»The car was parked and I felt someone carry me down. I was made to move through a winding path and up and down some stairs and around passages before finally my hands were untied and the polythene bag was removed from my head.I stood face to face with Sedar Maxwell, a slight glint in his eyes as well as a smirk at the edges of his lips.He spread out his hands. “Welcome to my humble abode. Sorry for the inconvenience.”His chest bulged out of the thin black that he wore as usual, blinding me once again with his unimaginable number of gold chains. How did someone even manage to wear two belts just to prove he had a thousand gold belts?I glared at him. Heck next up he'll show up with diamond teeth. “You better have a damn good reason.”“Please, make yourself at home.” He smiled fully now, revealing sparkling diamond false teeth that made a one-two-three pattern with his normal teeth. What the fuck... This was oppression!“This is the dark side.”I looked around and sat down