Miss Thatcher walked angrily around the manager's office, her back against the door as her legs moved frantically around the room when the door slammed open."Where the heck have you been? Explain where Ryan is," she yelled, thinking it was the manager.She looked back. "There he is..." She rushed to Ryan, her legs stamping the ground like she might break the tiles."You thief..." She yelled as she lunged at him, slapping and kicking him angrily. "Where the heck did you keep my money? Where is it?" she screamed loudly.Ryan didn't move. He didn't even respond to her kicks. He stood there like a statue, rigid as fuck, and let her do her thing.She was pissed. Who wouldn't be?The manager had already fucked him up. He was here because of that stupid man. His body was wrecked, his strength diminishing as he felt his whole bones acting like they could break."Where is my money! You starved goat! Where did you take it?" she screamed as she grabbed his clothes.An effort that tightened his

Ryan rolled on the floor. The cold cell had made his whole body feel weak.He looked at the other guy in the cell. They hadn't breathed near each other, much less talked. But Ryan heard he was also charged for theft.He remembered his predicament.The manager.Who was that man? How did he know about his past?Many unanswered questions lingered in his mind. He had thoughts colliding in him.As he wondered how he'd landed into this.Did Miss Thatcher know who she was working with?He used the last strength in him to hold the bars and began to shake them aggressively."I didn't steal the money. Just let me go. I'll tell you the truth.""You think they'll release you if you keep doing this?"He stopped when he heard the other inmate speak."Nobody fucking cares. Stop making noise in my ear!" The inmate was shaking, his fists clenched, eyes blazing, and Ryan felt suffocated instantly.Ryan was taken aback. Why the sudden yell?Then he understood. He'd just been locked up with a psychopath.

Jessica pulled the pillow closer for the millionth time since she'd locked herself up. Or rather, it was everyone's wish for her to stay put.*When was the last time I saw outside?*The thought roamed free in her mind, and honestly, it wasn't that much of a disaster.She chewed the cover of her pen, which had gotten flat with the amount of time her teeth made contact with it, as she scribbled on the paper in front of her.She adjusted the rim of her eyeglasses, her concentration on the laptop in front of her. A flash drive she'd stolen from her father's safe when he left to eat breakfast, thinking she was being sober in her room. He'd left his door totally unguarded.Thinking she was reflecting on her mistakes? She scoffed loudly.Let him continue being delusional.Magdalene Torres.Her mother's name.It was buried in the whisks of the earth, never to be found or surfaced again.But not when her daughter was alive.Jessica brought out the faded album she'd kept since she was a kid. Th

Alex couldn't rest in his room. The conversation he'd had earlier with Thomas and Xavier was eating him out.He decided within himself to go downstairs. Even if it wasn't for reconciliation, his room was suffocating him.He was halfway down the stairs when he kept hearing voices. He stretched his neck only to see the TV displaying things he didn't, or chose not to, understand.His vision blurred for a second, like he just couldn't understand what he was seeing."Emma?"Xavier looked back upon hearing his voice. Thomas kept his head straight, but it was evident in his eyes he was seething with anger.Alex missed his steps as he closed in on them. "What's going on?" His baritone voice came out now.His eyes blinked hard, like they couldn't see enough.And then he heard it."I'll take him as my husband."Emma said it with joy, her face holding a smile he didn't know was fake or not.Xavier swallowed a big lump. "No one saw this coming! No one did." He slammed the sofa hard. "They're gett

"I need to go." Alex grabbed the keys on the table, but Thomas stopped him halfway."Where exactly?" Thomas stood up. "To the wedding hall? To save who?"Alex couldn't believe his ears. "You're seriously asking me that? It's obvious Jessica got shot! Because of me!" He yelled, the only restraint he had left letting loose.He was terribly shaking, his eyes wide with anger. He couldn't think, couldn't understand what he was feeling, but all he knew was that his pulse was loud, too loud.He needed to get there. She needed him. To save her.He looked at Xavier to say something, to reason with him. But the man looked away."Thomas is right," Xavier said quietly.Alex gave them a betrayed look. "How could both of you think like this? Jessica's hurt. She needs help. You think Emma will ever get her to the hospital?""And that's why we must stop arguing and send someone to help her out. You can go, but you must not be seen at the venue," Thomas argued.Alex chuckled darkly, surprised at how T