2025-03-04 18:36:50
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From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. Author's Note
Hi." "Hi, do I know you? You look kinda familiar." "Me? Oh I don't think so. I've lived here all my life." "Oh… then you're not the one. My bad." "Not at all. You're the wife of the man who lives down at the beach house, right?" Ivy was surprised because she didn't know who the other lady was, or how she knew who she was. "Um … yeah?" "There's no need to look so concerned. I live around and I love going to the beach a lot. I've seen you and your… husband?..." Ivy nodded and she smiled. "Okay. I've seen you two around a couple of times." "Oh okay. Nice to meet you." "Same here. The reason I approached you today was because I wanted to be friends. I've been thinking about the right way to go about it but nothing seemed right so…" "It's totally fine. We can be friends. It would be nice to have at least one friend before I leave." "Leave?" "Yeah. My husband and I are just here for our honeymoon." "Ah, then I guess I should have approached you much more earlier." "Hehe. It's fi
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 128. Change of Heart
Ivy and Van were taking a stroll through the beach when they noticed a painfully familiar face. It had been a while since they had seen her and Van hoped that would be the last time. "I know you might not want to hear anything I have to say but please, all I need is five minutes." She begged, standing in front of Ivy. "Sorry, our time is precious and I'd rather not waste it with the likes of you." Van started to walk away when Ivy stopped him. "You have five minutes." She said. "Really Ivy? This is a bad idea." Van protested. "We should just go.""I know, but it wouldn't hurt to hear her out. We're in a public place, so she can't pull anything stupid this time."He sighed and plopped down on the sand. "Fine."Normally, Ivy would have just walked away without even acting like she said her, but there was something about her that seemed…. different. The Cynthia she knew had this aura of confidence surrounding her and she was always smiling like she was posing for a picture or some
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 129. An Outing
"Hey ladies." Ivy almost jumped out of her seat when she heard Chris's voice. She had hoped that she would be able to avoid him for a while before hearing his annoying voice again or seeing the psychotic one sided smile he always wore. She pretended like she didn't hear or see him, but he don't go away. Instead, he sat on the vacant chair at their table, his gaze brushed over Cassie's profile before he turned his attention to Ivy. "You know, running away from the Millers like that was a terrible thing to do. You had them worried sick.""Hiring a fake couple to act as my parents was also a terrible thing to do.""Fake? Don't tell me they're not your real parents? But I did thorough research before I decided on them. I'm really sorry Ivy darling, I had no idea they were fake." Anyone would have fallen for his fake apology but not Ivy, she knew how sly he could be. "Yeah sure you didn't. I can't believe I trusted you, I feel so stupid.""Really, I didn't do it intentionally. Okay, you
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 130. It Turned Pink!
"Wait, all this is just -""Far fetched? Probably. But we don't know these peoole that well, and the only thing we can do to keep ourselves safe, is to be cautious around them. I don't believe that Cynthia is on our side either. If you recall, she said that she and Cassie used to date, what if they're still together? Or what if she's just doing all this to get on her good side?If truly, she wanted to get back at Cassie for breaking her heart, she would have tried to look a way to harm her, but instead she's targetting Chris as well. It all makes sense when you think about it, Cassie claimed she doesn't know who Chris is and she just wants to punish him for your sake, but yet, she knows he has a cousin he likes. She even said she would convince Fiona to stay with Chris. I didn't really put much thought into it before, but how is a stranger supposed to do that?I mean, let's just imagine for a second that you're Fiona, and I'm Cassie. We have never met each other, right? You come in
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 131. The Arrest
As Cassie slowly made her way to Chris's place, she couldn't stop thinking about Ivy. She was pregnant. Ivy was pregnant. The image of the stripe kept popping up in her mind, no matter how hard she tried to forget. She remembered the amount of times she had purchased the same stripe from that same pharmacy and prayed for the same result Ivy got on a platter of gold. Why?Why was she always so unlucky in her life?No matter what she did, or tried to do, it never went her way. Right from her childhood days, everything had always been difficult for her. She always had to work hard for everything. She had to sacrifice a lot of things just to please others. Even after she grew up, she was still working like a dog just so she could wear nice things and live a life of comfort. Yet, it was an entirely different story for Ivy. Her life was utterly perfect. She had the best husband who was kind and affectionate to her. He patiently waited for her even after she left him because of Chris. I
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 132. The Community Station
"You told Cynthia to help you find them right? She came to me for help. And now I've found them for you." He said with pride. Ivy stayed still, she didn't shut the door but she didn't turn to Chris either. Her first instinct was to turn around and hear him out. But the rest of her wanted to tell Chris that she wouldn't fall for his tricks anymore and slam the door in his face. The chances that he was actually telling the truth was below ten percent, and she would be an idiot to risk her marriage again just for that. As much as she wanted to find her foster parents, Ivy had made a promise to herself that she wouldn't let it ruin her current life, her relationship with Van and her family. Without turning back, she shut the door and made her way to the station, ignoring Chris's calls for her. ★★★When Ivy arrived at the police station, Boyd was already there. She walked up to him and tapped his shoulder to let him know that she was behind him. "Oh hey, you're here." He said. "Yes.
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 133. Vindicated
After Ivy called Boyd, he suspected that it wouldn't be so easy to get Van out of the station even though he was innocent, so he decided to call his supervisor. "Welcome, Inspector Dan." He smiled. Inspector Daniel Thompson was a senior investigator at the station, even Chris didn't dare offend him because he was one of the very few who wouldn't hesitate to arrest him and have him face the law. The last time they met, Chris had tried to assault a young girl, and luckily for her, she was related to inspector Daniel, and he made sure that Chris was punished for it. Chris who believed that he was untouchable- especially at his father's place- was shocked to the max when the inspector marched into his father's mansion and placed him under arrest for attempted rape. At the sight of the inspector, the two officers who arrested Van couldn't help but to shiver. If, after the investigation was complete and Van was found innocent, they could receive huge penalties, or worse, they could los
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 134. Old Acquaintance
Ivy and Van headed out of the station and made their way to the bus stop, where they would take the bus back to their place. As they walked hand in hand, Ivy couldn't stop thinking about what happened at the station. The only way Chris would have known that she was pregnant was if someone told him, and asides from her, Van and Boyd, the only other person that knew she was pregnant was Cassie. Was she really that pissed that Ivy was pregnant that she had to tell Chris?, even though she knew that it would expose her connection with him. What was going on?"Hey, are you okay?" Van asked, squeezing her hand gently. "Yes." She said without looking at him. "Are you sure? You have that 'I'm worried about something' frown on your face. Talk to me." He urged with a smile. Ivy smiled at him. "It's Cassie.""What about her?""I wonder what possessed her to tell Chris about my baby. Does she hate it so much that she didn't mind me finding out that she was working with Chris? I don't understa
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229. Regrouping
The sedan rolled to a stop at the docks, wheels crunching over loose gravel.The old warehouse loomed ahead — rusted, half-abandoned, but still standing.Safehouse Two.For now.Van was the first out, scanning the shadows.Nothing moved but the water lapping against the pilings.It was good... for now.Boyd staggered out next, coughing from the smoke that still clung to his lungs.He looked back at the road, half expecting black SUVs to come roaring around the bend.None yet.But he knew it was only a matter of time. They all did. Inside the warehouse, Carla flicked the light switch. Nothing. It was obvious that power was long dead here.She cursed and grabbed the old lantern from the shelf, sparking weak yellow light into the gloom. "Great. We’re living like rats now," she muttered.Dan slumped against a wall, wincing as he peeled back the bloody cloth from his arm. The wound was deeper than he let on but no one had time to properly check on him yet. Louisa stood frozen in the midd
228. Counterstrike
The first sign came quiet. Too quiet.Carla’s laptop froze mid-search.The screen flickered once, then died.She cursed under her breath, smacking the side."That’s not normal," she muttered.But by the time she turned to call Van, the lights in the safehouse cut out too.Dark.Total dark.Van's instincts snapped awake.He grabbed Boyd by the collar, yanked him back from the window."Down. Now."A second later, the glass exploded inward — a single sniper round carving through where Boyd’s head had been.Dan was already rolling for the back door, weapon drawn.But he barely made it two steps before the walls shuddered — an explosion outside, close enough to rattle the whole building."They're here!" Dan bellowed."Barron's men — they’re hitting us now!"Louisa screamed, clutching the flash drive like it was her last tether to life.Carla grabbed her arm, dragging her toward the back.Her voice was sharp but tight with fear."Move! Go! Go!"Van grabbed the rifle from under the couch — o
227. The Leak
By dawn, the first leak was already live.A small, half-forgotten blog out of Riverside — City Watchdog — dropped the bomb.No flashy headlines. No screaming sirens.Just cold facts: financial records, timestamps, and the name of a sitting state senator wired half a million from one of Barron’s shell companies.No context. No accusation, just enough to light the fuse.Van watched the post go viral in real time.At first, nobody cared. Then, somewhere around seven AM, a bigger account picked it up — a political gossip page with just enough clout to make people squint.By noon, national blogs were calling it "The Slush Fund Scandal."At around two PM, the senator’s office released a frantic denial.That’s when Van knew they’d drawn blood.Boyd let out a bark of laughter when the news hit the TV in the safehouse."Look at them squirm! Man, they thought they were gods. Now they’re crying on camera like school kids who were caught cheating."Dan just grunted, never looking away from the wi
226. The Accountant's Secret
The safehouse smelled like old coffee and fear when Louisa Martin finally showed up.She came alone, wrapped in a cheap raincoat two sizes too big, hair hidden under a beanie.Her eyes darted everywhere — ceiling corners, dark windows, even the cracks in the floor like they might bite her.Van watched her quietly from across the room, arms folded.She looked nothing like the sharp financial shark Keller described.This woman was frayed at the edges, like someone who hadn’t slept properly in months.Keller made the introductions. "Louisa. This is Van. Van — Louisa."Louisa’s voice was brittle as glass. "I know who he is."Her eyes flicked to Van, then away again like looking at him too long might get her killed.Van didn’t bother with small talk, time was blood now. "You worked for Barron, that means you know where the bodies are buried. You talk — I make sure you stay breathing.You stay quiet — and you’ll be next on his list."Louisa’s laugh was short and humorless."Sweetheart, I’ve
225. Next Move
By mid-morning, Van couldn’t step outside without seeing his own face staring back from every screen.Some called him a vigilante.Others spat the word criminal like poison.But the city was buzzing, and Barron’s name was finally dragged through the dirt alongside his own.Van didn’t care about the headlines. He cared about the numbers Carla showed him — accounts traced, shell companies linked, wires exposed like raw nerves.Money. That’s where they would cut next.She tapped the screen, her nail chipped and trembling slightly."See this? Phoenix Holdings. Looks clean on the outside, but dig deeper and it’s washing Barron’s trafficking money through luxury imports. Art, watches, cars—hell, probably gold toilets for his mansion."Van grunted. His mind wasn’t on art.It was on Lenny, still fighting for his life three floors up."You said we could burn him financially. How?"Carla smirked, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She looked as tired as he felt."We leak it. Quiet first — to the rig
224. First Blood
The attack came at dawn.Silent. Surgical. Cruel.Lenny never saw it coming. He was stepping out of his apartment, headed to meet Van at the old mill, when the van screeched up.Three men in black masks.No words — just steel pipes and fists.Neighbors heard the commotion but kept their doors shut.Everyone knew better. When Barron’s men came calling, you looked away.By the time the van peeled off, Lenny lay in a broken heap, blood pooling beneath his head.His niece’s picture, which he always carried in his pocket, fluttered to the ground, soaked red.★★★Van got the call an hour later.Nora's voice shook."They nearly killed him, Van. Lenny’s in ICU. Skull fractures, broken ribs. They meant to send a message."Van stood frozen in the middle of Keller’s living room, heart pounding like a war drum.Carla looked up from her laptop, face pale."This is escalation. Barron’s going full scorched earth now. If we don’t hit back hard—"Van was already moving.★★★At the hospital, Lenny lay
223. Raising An Army
Van’s phone buzzed just past midnight, it was an unknown number but he answered without hesitation.A familiar voice, rough and low, crackled through."You said if we ever wanted payback, we should call. Well, we’re calling."It was Lenny — an old cellmate from the prison days. A man who’d lost his niece to the same trafficking chain Bianca had just escaped.Van’s chest tightened."Where are you?""Abandoned mill off 43rd Street. And we’re not alone."Van grabbed his jacket and keys.This was the sign he’d been waiting for.★★★The mill was a ruin of rust and cracked windows, but inside, the air was electric.Dozens of faces turned when Van stepped in.Ex-cons, street runners and women with haunted eyes — survivors of Barron’s network.At the front stood Lenny, his massive arms crossed over his chest. Beside him, a thin woman with a scar along her jaw — Nora, who had once testified and then vanished from public sight.Van took it in: a gathering of the discarded and the damned.People
222. Barron Retaliates
The news broke before dawn. Grainy footage leaked online — flashing lights at the docks, bodies being loaded into ambulances, women wrapped in blankets, their faces blurred.The headlines screamed in bold:Human Trafficking Ring Busted in Dramatic Night Raid.But behind the headlines, in dark rooms far from the public eye, powerful men were already plotting their revenge.Van sat beside Bianca's hospital bed, watching her chest rise and fall. She was sedated, her body too battered and exhausted to stay conscious for long but she was alive.That simple fact kept him breathing.Keller stood near the door, on the phone with someone high up — probably trying to keep this operation from exploding into a political scandal.Carla scrolled through her tablet, her face grim."They’re already spinning this," she muttered. "Barron’s people are leaking stories that this was a rogue smuggling crew. Small-time. Not connected to him."Van’s jaw clenched."Typical. Burn the pawns, protect the king."
221. Final Hunt
The storm hadn’t let up by morning.Thunder rolled over the city like distant gunfire as Van paced the length of Keller’s safehouse, phone clutched in a death grip.The message replayed in his mind over and over:"Transfer complete. Barron expects the shipment before Friday."Today was Thursday.That meant they had less than twenty-four hours to find Bianca before she vanished — maybe forever.Carla spread a map on the table, jabbing her finger at different points marked in red."These are known drop sites tied to Barron’s network. Truck yards. Private airstrips. Warehouses near the docks. If they’re moving her, it’s through one of these routes."Van stopped pacing, leaned over the map."Which one?"Carla’s mouth pressed into a thin line."If I knew that, we’d already be on the road."Keller stormed in from the other room, phone to his ear."No, I don’t care if it’s off the books—pull every asset we have! She’s out there, and I want eyes on every exit point in this city!"He ended the
