LOGIN(Amara)I’m quietly walking down the stairs when my mother’s words drift back into my mind.“It’s nothing really, dear. Just an old friend who went missing.”She’d said it so casually.Too casually.Now that I think about it… why does it feel like a lie?Not just any lie.One she’d rehearsed long before that moment ever came.“Trust me, Amara. She’s not someone you should be bothering yourself about.”I remember the way she’d held my wrist as she said those words. Her gaze had been steady. Calm.But Father hadn’t looked calm.Not even once.I can still picture the faint irritation on his face, as though he wanted to be anywhere else except standing there listening to her.Was I imagining it?Or was I simply reading too much into everything?A quiet sigh slips from my lips.Maybe I’m overthinking it…I finally reach the bottom of the stairs and head toward the dining room when a familiar voice cuts through my thoughts.“So just because you’re not going to the office today, you’ve decid
(Amara)“We’ll call it a wrap for today.”The director’s voice rings through the room. Around me, everyone nods and begins packing up their equipment.Mina rushes over, a flicker of worry on her face.“What happened? I thought there was supposed to be a part where the model showcases our product by actually using it.”“There was,” she replied. “But there’s been a slight delay.”“Delay?”“The vehicle transporting the products broke down on the road. It won’t make it here today, so we’ll have to reschedule that part of the shoot.”“I see.”A quiet sigh escapes me.“Then you and your team can fix another date and let everyone know.”“Yes, ma’am.” She nods.I turn to Martha.“Let’s go. We need to head to the hospital. Maya’s being discharged today.”For the briefest second, something flashes across her face.Worry.No… maybe concern.Before I can make sense of it, it’s gone. She quickly forces a small smile and nods.“Sure. Let’s go.”I’ve barely taken two steps when someone calls my name
(Rayner)“Mom!”My voice tears through the room as I stride toward her.She sits there with one leg crossed over the other, calmly sipping tea as though she hadn’t just done something completely unforgivable.I stop right in front of her, glaring down at her.“How could you go around handing out invitations to a wedding I never even consented to?”“You don’t need to consent to a wedding before having one, dear.” She smiles lightly over the rim of her cup. “All you have to do is show up. I’ll handle everything else.”“Mom!”The word rips out of me in a growl. I can actually feel the veins straining against my neck.Slowly, she sets her teacup on the table before lifting her gaze to mine.“Rayner.” She sighs. “You should be grateful you have a mother who’s willing to go through all this just to keep her family together. Do you think every mother would?”“I’d rather you be one of those mothers who minds her own business instead of forcing your decisions on me.”She rises to her feet.“My
(Amara)“I’m here to personally give you the invite to Rayner and Stella’s wedding.”Helena’s voice keeps replaying in my head as I sit alone in my office.Could my mother really be right this time?Then my mother’s voice follows.“I’m sorry, Amara, but you shouldn’t believe Rayner. There’s nothing he can do anymore.”A slow breath leaves my lungs as I rake a hand through my hair. The ache behind my eyes only deepens.“Amara.”Martha’s voice pulls me back to the present.“Is everything alright?”I lift my head.For a second, I’d completely forgotten she was standing in my office.I press my lips into a thin line.“Yes, Martha. Everything’s fine.” I force a small smile. “I was just thinking about the campaign shoot. How far along are we?”“Almost ready.”She places a document on my desk.“These are the scripts for the campaign. I actually came to let you know we’ll be leaving soon. I thought you’d want to be there.”“Of course.”I open the folder.My eyes scan each page carefully, movi
(Amara)“Wha… what are you saying, dear?” My mother’s fingers wrap around my hand, gentle yet trembling. Disbelief floods her eyes. “You’re joking, right? You don’t mean what you just said.”“Joking?” I repeat, staring at her. “How can I joke about something like this?” I pull my hand away and rake my fingers through my hair before tilting my head to one side. “It’s the truth, Mom. I’m pregnant, and the father of my child is Rayner. Rayner Sinclair.”The color drains from her face.A low groan slips from her lips as her hand flies to the back of her neck.Then her knees give out.“Mom!”I lunge toward her, but Nathan gets there first, catching her before she hits the floor.“Nathan… she…” Her trembling finger lifts toward me. Tears blur her eyes as she struggles to breathe through the shock. Nathan snaps to me. “How could you do this, Amara? How could you let something like this happen?”I clamp my teeth together so hard my jaw aches.“She doesn’t care about Mom’s feelings.” Julian’
(Maya)“Wow, Maya. You should be given an award for Best Actress, you know?” Kelvin says as he sets the bag of fruit on the table.I glance at him for only a second before looking away.“Then you should’ve come with the award.”He chuckles.“I didn’t know awards are presented to people wearing hospital gowns inside hospital rooms.”“Tsk.” I scoff. “What an excuse.”He lets out a slow sigh.“So… how did it go?”My thoughts drift back to everything.To Amara.To the look in her eyes.To the way everything unfolded exactly as I wanted.A slow smile curls across my lips.“I’ve managed to shift her attention away from me.” Satisfaction warms my chest. “The moment Grace walked into the room, I saw it in Amara’s eyes. Doubt.” I let out a soft laugh. “There’s going to be a bombshell soon. Something extraordinary is about to happen.”I turn to him.“And it’s all thanks to you. If you hadn’t figured out who made that post… if you hadn’t uncovered the truth about Selina… I wouldn’t have the uppe
(Felix)***“How dare you hurt my sister and still claim to be her husband!”*****************My eyes flutter open.Pain greets me first.It spreads slowly, like something crawling under my skin. My head throbs. My body aches. My throat feels dry.I try to move.I can’t.My breath catches as awaren
(Felix)I am halfway to the car park when I hear my name.“Felix.”I stop.For a second, I don’t turn. Then I lift my gaze slowly.Nathan.My fingers curl slightly at my sides, my chest tightening in a way I don’t expect. Not fear. I have nothing to fear. He doesn’t even know anything. He can’t po
(Amara)“Why didn’t you tell me?”The words leave me the second I step into Rayner’s office.Rita’s and Olivia’s reactions replay in my head. The smiles. The excitement. The congratulations.Nothing like what I expected.Rayner doesn’t answer.He just stands there, his back to me, staring out the w
(Felix)“What were you doing at The Sinclair Group?”My voice cuts through the living room, sharp and controlled. Selina doesn’t even glance at me. She throws her legs over the table, as if I’m background noise.“Come on, Felix,” she says lightly. “It’s not my fault you went ahead and announced you







