2022-12-04 17:13:27"Hey Lindsey, be careful please." Karen called out, her voice filled with concern, as she watched her friend climb up the tree.
Lindsey balanced herself on the branch, reaching out to pluck the red apple. "I've got it!" she called triumphantly as she carefully made her way down to the ground.Karen sighed in relief as she saw her friend safely on the ground. "You always make me worry, you know that?" she chided with a gentle smile, knowing that Lindsey's adventurous spirit always got the better of her.Lindsey flashed a mischievous grin, "But that’s what friends are for, to keep you on your toes."Karen rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah. Come on, we need to get back home. Your parents have been searching for you.""Ugh, they worry too much," Lindsey grumbled as they made their way back. "But I guess it's nice to know they care.""Exactly," Karen nodded, "You're lucky to have parents who care so much.""I suppose you're right," Lindsey conceded, looking over at the picturesque cottage they called home before letting out a contented sigh."Well, you need to show them and at the same time tell them," Karen advised, looking at her best friend with a look of understanding."I will," Lindsey replied with determination, nodding in agreement. "Come on, we need to get inside before they come out," she said, holding out her hand towards Karen."Too late," Karen said with a smile as she took Lindsey's hand, the both of them looking at the door where a middle-aged woman stood with a handsome yet broad man, his hands wrapped around the woman."Mom... Dad!" Lindsey called out with joy as she ran towards her parents, dragging Karen along."Lindsey!" they both exclaimed happily, with smiles on their faces as they embraced their daughter."Good day, Mr. and Mrs. A****n," greeted Karen as she bowed towards them."Oh, Karen, stop with the formalities," Martha said, pulling Karen in for a hug. "Since you don't want to call me 'Mom,' then call me Martha.""No, ma'am, I don't want to impose," Karen replied humbly."You are not imposing," Derek boomed. "And you can also just call me Derek.""How do you expect her to call you Derek when you have a scary look on your face," Martha muttered to her husband."It's not a scary look," Derek retorted, earning a playful glare from his wife."Let's go inside. I made casserole, you must be hungry," said Martha, pushing the girls inside and walking in behind them.The inside of the cottage was even more beautiful compared to the outside. The parlor had a magnificent chandelier that added to the beauty, along with a big flat screen and a lovely fancy couch. There was a zigzag stairway that led upstairs. The parlor had a homely vibe, with pictures of Lindsey from when she was little to now, and a picture of the happy family decorating the walls."Come on," ushered Lindsey as she walked to the dining table. Derek was already seated at the head, and different foods were placed on the table, such as casserole, lasagna, and spaghetti and meatballs."I thought your mom said she made casserole?" asked Karen quietly as she looked at the table once more."She did," Lindsey replied with a shrug. "But you should know her by now.""I do, but that doesn't mean I won't be surprised every now and then," muttered Karen as she watched Martha dishing out the food into four different plates, customizing them to each person's taste, and setting them on the table. Martha then walked over to her seat, which was beside her husband."Let's dig in," Martha said as she grabbed her fork."This is delicious, ma'am," said Karen after taking three spoons of Martha's homemade casserole."Thanks, dear. I'm glad you are enjoying my food," Martha said as she dug her fork into her plate of spaghetti and meatballs, rolled it, and then put it in her mouth. "Delicious," she moaned as she carefully chewed her food, already digging her fork for more."Wow, Mom, this is the best lasagna I have ever tasted," Lindsey said with her spoon pointing towards her plate of lasagna."Thanks, darling, even though you say that about all my cooking," replied Martha with a smile."That's because it's true," Lindsey drawled, already taking another spoonful of lasagna."Eff Efff Efff," coughed Derek as Martha quickly got a glass of water. "Here," she said, giving him the water. "Careful.""Thanks," replied Derek as he drank the water in one gulp."I said careful," yelled Martha, worriedly."It's okay, dear, I'm fine. It was just a cough," he replied, placing a calming hand on his wife's hands, which were on the table."Done," Lindsey yelled as she stood up, carrying her empty plate to the kitchen sink."Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. A****n, for the meal. It was delicious," Karen said as she also made her way to the kitchen with her plate in her hands."Wow, they sure do eat fast," Derek said, looking at the kitchen."Or maybe we eat slow," Martha said as she smiled at her husband."Well, your food is delicious and needs to be savored, not rushed," Derek said as he slowly ate his."You're the only one who thinks that way," Martha said with a laugh."Then I guess we still have a lot of teaching to do," stated Derek as he pushed aside his empty plate, wiping his mouth with a towel. "Thanks, darling, for the meal," he said as he kissed her softly."You're welcome," she replied with a blush on her face as she hurriedly cleared the table."You know what," she said, wiping her hands, "I'm glad we decided to come to Texas." She continued walking over to her husband as she sat on his legs with her legs on either side."Same here," murmured Derek as he wrapped his hand round her waist, hugging her tightly. "Work in New York, my family matters most," he said with a kiss to her forehead.
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Chapter One Hundred: Epilogue....
As they approached their destination, Alejandro's phone buzzed again, prompting him to glance at the screen with a furrowed brow. "It's Queency," he informed Lindsey before answering the call."Hey, Queency. We're almost there," Alejandro spoke into the phone, his voice turning warm as he conversed with his sister.As the call ended, Alejandro briefly updated Lindsey on their plans for the evening, a sense of warmth settling over them as they approached their home. The prospect of reuniting with loved ones offered a glimmer of hope and comfort after the poignant visit to the cemetery."You ready?" Alejandro asked, his eyes meeting Lindsey's with a reassuring smile.Lindsey nodded, a fleeting sense of peace settling over her. "Yeah, I am. Thank you for being with me today."Alejandro's smile widened, his gaze filled with understanding and unwavering support. "Always."As the Tesla pulled into the driveway, the anticipation of reuniting with family softened the lingering ache in Lindsey
Chapter Ninety Nine: Carmichael's Arrest
After bidding Mrs. Katherine a tearful farewell, Lindsey made her way to visit Mrs. Amazon, her grandmother, who was surrounded by shadows of disbelief and remorse in her home. When Lindsey entered, Mrs. Amazon looked up at her with eyes clouded by the weight of her emotions."Lindsey," Mrs. Amazon's voice trembled as she spoke, "I am so glad that you are safe and sound. I can't believe that my own son could have been involved in such hurtful actions and I knew nothing about it. I feel so lost and overwhelmed."Lindsey sat beside Mrs. Amazon, wrapping her in a gentle embrace. "Grandma, I understand how hard this is for you, but please know that it's not your fault. You couldn't have known or prevented what happened," Lindsey offered words of comfort, her voice soft and soothing. "These are incredibly difficult circumstances, and you don't have to face them alone. I am here for you, and I want to help in any way I can."Mrs. Amazon nodded, her eyes brimming with tears. "I feel so helpl
Chapter Ninety Eight: The Search.
"Then, I guess it is alright with you if we searched your company." The superintendent stated, his finger firmly tapping the desk. Mr. Carmicheal's eyes widened, and he swallowed hard. He had known the superintendent was persistent, but this was more than he had bargained for. "I... I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that. My company has a lot of proprietary information that could be compromised if you search it. And I'm not even sure if you have the legal authority to do that."The superintendent nodded slowly, as if considering Mr. Carmicheal's words. "I understand your concerns, but we have evidence that suggests otherwise. I am not at liberty to share the details of our evidence, but I can assure you that it is credible and warrants a search of your company. We are not asking for permission, Mr. Carmicheal, we are informing you of what is going to happen." The superintendent's tone was firm and authoritative, leaving no room for debate.Mr. Carmicheal felt his heart sink as he rea
Chapter Ninety Seven: Involving the police.
As Alejandro and the group meticulously laid out the evidence, the atmosphere in the room was thick with tension. Alejandro, his brow furrowed, pointed to a series of photographs, his voice strong and commanding as he explained the significance of each piece of evidence. "This photo," he began, gesturing to a grainy image on the projector screen, "was taken at the port during the time of the kidnapped. It provides a crucial timeline of events that led to the incident." As he spoke, the intensity in the room grew palpable, the officials leaning in, absorbing every word.One of the authorities, a stern-looking man in a suit, interjected, "But how can we be certain of the authenticity of these documents and recordings?" His skepticism hung heavy in the air, causing a ripple of unease among the group. Without missing a beat, a member of the team, Emilia stepped forward, her gaze unwavering as she calmly explained the rigorous verification process they had undertaken. "Every document, pho
Chapter Ninety Six: Spilling The Truth.
As Matteo spoke, Carmichael could see the lies in his eyes, his despicable lies palpable in the air. Despite the gravity of his past actions, there was an undeniable determination within him to keep his secret to himself. Carmichael listened attentively, the lines of his face harding slightly as Matteo continued to lie about how he was coerce into betraying his clan and working with the Dragon clan. There was a moment of silence as Carmichael watched Matteo's words, his expression blank and contemplative.Matteo's smile slipped from his face, a pained expression replacing it. It was easy to lie to Carmichael, he realized, all it took was a grieved expression and a pause in his lies. Carmichael drew closer, his fist clenched and ready to strike. With one swift motion, Carmichael struck Matteo in the stomach. The blow knocked the wind out of Matteo, and he collapsed, gasping for breath and coughing up blood.Carmichael leaned down and grabbed Matteo by the collar, hauling him back into
Chapter Ninety Five: Truth Revealed II
Matteo could sense the tension weighing heavy in the room as Philip's words hung in the air, the gravity of the situation palpable. His inner turmoil was evident from the pained expression etched on his face, his heart heavy with the realization of the consequences of his actions.Standing by Matteo's side, Jake right hand held his shoulder tightly, preventing him from even moving. As Jeff spoke, offering a glimmer of hope for redemption, he could see a flicker of determination igniting within Matteo's eyes."Make sure you tell Carmichael everything, Matteo," Jake whispered softly, his right hand still on his shoulder. "I hope you get punished for betraying the clan all for your selfish interest."Matteo face paled, his resolve to tell the truth hardening, he looked ahead ready to face the difficult road ahead. As they waited for Carmichael to arrive, Jeff prepared a seat for him, knowing that the conversations he was going to have with Matteo's would be long and brutal, and hopefull
