“Gerald?” she whispered, her voice thick with disbelief. But the line was silent. Only the sound of static mixed with the soft, persistent rainfall could be heard. “Gerald?” she repeated, a little louder this time, as though speaking louder might make him respond. The fear that it might all be some cruel hallucination gripped her chest. After a long pause, a voice finally cracked through the silence. It was familiar but strained, like a memory clinging to life.“I see you have moved on. Or maybe not. Why are you crying?” he asked, his voice breaking through her head and melting her heart. Her tears tripled. “Gerald I… I’m… Gerald I…I’m sorry,” Racheal choked out, her voice cracking as her emotions surged uncontrollably. She sank back into the chair, clutching the phone tighter as though holding it would somehow pull him back from the abyss. “I never wanted to hurt you... I never wanted any of this.” Her words were tangled in the rawness of the moment, each syllable carrying the

And then she saw them: Enrique, Donald, and her mother, Vivian, standing in the doorway. Enrique’s hand was extended, a gun smoking in his trembling grip. Her head throbbed, not just from the shock of the gunshot, but from a deeper, more primal fear. Her gaze locked on her brother, the smoking gun, the raw terror in his eyes, and a wave of nausea washed over her. What had he done? And suddenly, she looked outside and… yes. Her nightmare came true. The man her heart was bleeding for, just a few seconds ago was lying there under the rain. Yes, Gerald was… motionless. He was gone. Rachael’s breath caught in her throat as her mind raced to piece together what had just happened. The raindrops blurred her vision, but she didn’t need clarity to see the dark crimson pooling around Gerald's body, mixing with the water and disappearing into the cracks of the pavement. "No!" she screamed, her voice ripping through the storm as she stumbled forward. Her legs finally moved, propelling her ou

Vivian shrugged. "He left me no choice." Lightning split the sky. The revelation, though not entirely surprising, still hit Anita like a dagger to the heart. "You’re a monster," Anita whispered. Vivian chuckled, finally stepping back. "And you? You’re still my daughter. No matter how much you run, my blood runs in your veins. You can’t escape it." A heavy silence fell between them, only broken by Rachael’s continued sobs in the background. Enrique sighed impatiently, dragging Rachael up by the arm. "Enough of this drama. We have a flight to catch." But before he could move another step, Anita pulled something from her coat pocket and aimed it at him. A gun. The entire family went still. Vivian’s smirk widened. "Oh, Anita… What exactly do you think you’re going to do with that?" Anita’s hands trembled, but her grip on the gun was firm. "I think it’s time to end this nightmare." Vivian scoffed with a hint of approval etched into her soft smirk. “Impressive. You have learnt ho

“We, the citizens of London are dispirited and demoralized to announce the passing away of our loved one, the most loved, mysterious man, Samuel Langford.” The newscaster began, her face a blue melancholy. Etched into her very face was a dispirited look. It was like she had a personal relationship with the Langfords family. She continued, “He was declared dead today at 6:16 pm after battling with a sudden and fatal health poisoning. The details of his death remain uncertain, but reports indicate he suffered an unexpected seizure while en route to an urgent meeting. Medical experts at the Royal London Hospital did everything they could, but he succumbed to the complications.” The broadcast played over massive digital billboards across the city, illuminating London with the grim announcement. The Langford family crest stood tall behind the news anchor, a symbolic reminder of the empire Samuel had built. The streets of London were eerily silent, as though the city itself mourned his p

Vivian, Enrique, Donald, Rebecca, and their two boys, along with Racheal, walked into the airport like a dark cloud taking over a beautiful summer sky. Rachael’s face was swollen and red from crying all night. Her face was so bloated that she had to wear a mask. Her black gown put no contrast to what she was feeling deep inside her soul. The image of Gerald, her husband, Anita her sister, the image of the both of them lying on the ground under the rain, blood pooling beneath them, their lifeless eyes staring into nothingness—Rachael couldn’t erase it from her mind. It was burned into her soul, haunting her with every step she took. Her hands trembled as she clutched her purse, the mask covering her face doing little to hide the sorrow etched into her features. The others walked ahead, their presence heavy, powerful—untouchable. But she? She was a broken woman trapped in their shadows, suffocating in grief. Vivian walked beside her, her steps measured, calculated. She hadn’t shed a