"What are you doing here?" the voice was tinged with disbelief, framing the doorway with cautious curiosity.Olivia, undeterred by the skepticism, flashed a warm smile. "Hey, Jon, how are you doing?" Her greeting hung in the air, met only by Jon's unwavering stare.Sensing the tension, Olivia tried to lighten the mood. "At least invite me in first. Are you not happy to see me?"Jon's face twisted into a scowl. "And why would I do that? You show up out of nowhere, and now you want to waltz in like nothing happened?"Olivia, knowing Jon had every right to be upset, continued, her voice tinged with desperation. "I'm sorry, but please, I need your help."Jon, surprised by her bold move despite their past differences, replied, "And why in the seven hells would I help you?"With a deep sigh, Olivia continued, knowing she had nowhere else to turn. "I know we've had our differences over the years, but please, you know I wouldn't even come to you if it's not a matter of..." She paused, the tho
As they walked through the front door into the living room, Olivia couldn't help but admire the family pictures adorning the walls. Stopping at one that featured Jon's wife and their daughter, she couldn't resist the temptation to touch its frame. "I take it this is your daughter?" she inquired softly.Jon, leading the way, nodded affirmatively. "Yes.""What's her name?" Olivia asked, her voice filled with genuine curiosity.Jon's smile widened with pride. "Kourtney. Named after her grandmother.""What a beautiful name," Olivia remarked, her fingers lingering on the picture's glass. "She's pretty, just like her mom. And her eyes... she has her mother's eyes," she added, referring to Jon's wife's eyes.Jon nodded in agreement. "Yes, she does. She's a carbon copy of Hannah through and through."As they settled into the living room, Olivia took a seat on the couch. Jon, standing in front of her, asked, "Would you like to have anything?""I'm fine," Olivia replied.Jon went to the refrige
Hidden in the woods, Olivia watched as Carlos was pulled out of the old, decrepit warehouse. The sounds of frogs and crickets filled the air, and the first light of morning began to pierce through the darkness. Tears streamed down her face; her mission was accomplished. Although every atom in her body wanted to rush to Carlos as he was loaded into the ambulance and tell him how sorry she was for all he had suffered because of her, she restrained herself and quietly left the premises.'THREE WEEKS LATER'In the late hours of the day, Carlos sat on his couch in his Manhattan residence, his phone in his hands. Pictures moved on the large flat TV in the background as he scrolled through several unanswered messages he had sent to Olivia over the past weeks, trying to reach her to know if she was safe.Her safety was paramount to Carlos, and he felt responsible for Olivia. As he contemplated, he muttered to himself, "Something is definitely wrong. Why is she not responding to any of my call
As Carlos and his friends stepped into the restaurant, they were enveloped in a completely different atmosphere, like stepping into a new world. The scent of tantalizing Italian dishes filled the air, enticing their senses. Finding empty seats in a corner, they quickly settled in. A waitress approached their table, menu in hand, and greeted them warmly. "Welcome to R&S, my beautiful people. What will you be having today?" Toby, taken aback by her beauty, looked up and jokingly asked, "Do you come with the menu? Because I'll have you all day, all night." The waitress, smiling, flashed the ring on her finger and replied, "Sorry, I'm afraid not." Toby, disappointed but amused, responded, "That must be one lucky man." The waitress nodded in agreement, "Yes, he is." Witnessing the exchange, Carlos picked up the menu and politely interjected, "Give us a minute to go through the list. We'll let you know when we're ready to place our order. Thank you." "Of course, sir," the waitress ac
After a lengthy day in court, Carlos found himself sitting in his car amidst the evening traffic. The stars shimmered above as the night unfolded. Suddenly, a notification flashed on his car display, revealing Toby's name, his close friend and colleague from work. Without hesitation, Carlos answered the call, skillfully navigating the traffic with the city lights as his backdrop."Hey, man, what's up?" Carlos inquired, his attention divided between Toby's voice and the changing traffic lights.Toby, who had been awaiting Carlos's arrival at the club, raised his voice over the thumping beats of the background music, his concern evident. "Where are you? You were supposed to be here an hour ago. What's going on?"Stuck on New York's bustling highway, Carlos defended himself, the frustration palpable in his voice. "I'm sorry, I'm stuck in this traffic," he snapped, punctuating his words with three sharp honks, venting his mounting frustration.Empathizing with Carlos, Toby acknowledged th
"You don't have to be scared, pretty boy. I was just messing around with you," she said, touching her chest in a gesture of amusement. She continued, expressing a bit of disappointment in how quickly he had given up on the pursuit. "But you gave up too soon. Now I'm unsure if truly you meant what you said about my eyes, but yes, they are natural. Thank you."Uncertain of how to respond, Carlos stammered, "You know, it's... these days, with... everything going on, it's so easy to... to be accused of... harassment."She regarded him for a moment, her laughter subsiding, and then responded with a smirk, "I get it. But sometimes, you need to trust your instincts. Not everyone is out to get you."Carlos, now somewhat relieved by her unexpected change in tone, nodded in agreement. "You're right. I guess I let the fear of misunderstanding get to me."She extended a hand, finally reciprocating the gesture. "No hard feelings. I would've disclosed my name now to you, but I'll need more convinc
Unable to maintain her prank, she burst into laughter, revealing it was just a joke."Got ya! I was only messing with you. It's nice. Your facial expression when I spat the food out was priceless."After dinner, they settled on the couch, engaged in a light yet connecting conversation. Carlos, enjoying the unpredictability of the night, finally asked, "Can I at least know the first letter of your name? At least I made you laugh during the meal."The lady, with a mysterious smile, replied, "Sure, it's 'O.' But the rest I'll still keep a secret."Knowing the likely intention behind Carlos inviting her over, she changed the conversation. With a seductive, soft spoken voice and unwavering eye contact, "So, pretty boy, I know you want me, I want you too." Gently biting down on her lips, she leaned in closer to him. "Yes... I can see how you've been looking at me all night," she whispered, emphasizing her words with a pause as she undid her shirt buttons. Her perfectly shaped breasts becam
The following day, as Carlos settled into his office, the troubling encounter with the two mysterious men still lingering in his mind. Unable to shake off the unease, he decided to confide in his friends."You won't believe what happened yesterday, guys," Carlos began, his expression a mix of concern and determination. "After work, I decided to go in search of Olivia, as I couldn't get my mind off her."Trevon, leaning forward, curiosity evident in his eyes, questioned, "Olivia? The lady that left your apartment without saying goodbye?"Carlos nodded, continuing with a recount of the events that unfolded at the club. "Yeah, her. I just couldn't shake off the feeling that I needed to find her. So, I went back to the club where we met."Toby, intrigued, chimed in with a smirk, "Dude, you're starting to sound like one of those romantic movies."Carlos, with a wry smile, retorted, "Trust me, this is far from romantic." He shifted to a more serious tone. "Anyway, I went back to the club, as