TRISTIN'S POV"Oh, look who decided to show up," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she glanced at Eva. "And she brought a friend."I forced a smile. "Yes, Aaron. He's helping with the project."Livia’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she quickly masked it with a sweet smile. "Well, it's always good to make new friends. Right, Tristin?""Right," I muttered, turning my attention back to the party.Throughout the evening, I found myself acting cold towards Eva, barely acknowledging her presence. It was childish, but I couldn’t help it. Every time I saw her with Aaron, laughing and talking, it felt like a punch to the gut.I was talking to some colleagues when I overheard Sophie and Eva chatting nearby. Sophie, ever the meddler, was clearly trying to lighten the mood."So, Eva," Sophie said loudly, "Aaron seems great. You two make a cute couple!"I could see Eva's cheeks turn pink as she stammered, "Oh, we're not... I mean, we're just working together."Aaron, standing next to her,
TRISTIN'S POV"I'd like to make a toast," she announced, her smile wide and triumphant. "As most of you know, Tristin and I have been engaged for a while now. We've finally chosen a wedding date, and I'm thrilled to announce that we will be getting married in two months!"There was a collective gasp from the crowd, followed by a round of applause. My mind raced as I processed her words. Two months? We hadn't discussed this. At all.I plastered a smile on my face, trying to keep my composure. I noticed several guests pulling out their phones, recording and live streaming the moment. Great, just what I needed.Livia continued, "Preparations have already started, and we can't wait to share this special day with all of you!"She raised her glass, and everyone followed suit. I forced myself to lift mine as well, though my hand felt like it weighed a ton. "To our future," I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside."To your future!" the guests echoed, cheering and clinking glasses.
TRISTIN'S POVI couldn't leave any stone unturned.The next morning, I got up early, intent on making a plan to deal with everything at once. The house was eerily quiet, the sun barely peeking above the horizon. I walked outside, looking around cautiously before heading inside. It was too early for anyone to be awake yet.I wanted to go for an early morning jog to clear my mind, and I decided that the best route would be to head toward the nearest park. Since the roads were mostly empty and there weren't many people on the road, I figured the fresh air would do me good.My feet pounded against the pavement as I ran down the street, my thoughts drifting back to my engagement with Livia.I knew I shouldn't have agreed to get engaged to Livia but both our parents wanted it for their businesses, it was great for the company but I did not love Livia, and she wasn't someone I had met recently anyway so why should I bother? I knew it didn't work because the marriage wasn't serious enough,
TRISTIN'S POVI crossed my arms and stared defiantly at him through the windshield. I wasn't a fan of rude strangers staring at me. "I'm not doing anything."His eyebrows shot upwards. He leaned forward, pressing his lips together and cocking his head slightly. "Oh really? You don' look like you're doing nothing. You look kinda freaked.This jerk. Who does he think he is to assume he's entitled to tell me what I look like? "And who the fuck are you, anyway?" I snapped.He opened the door, grinning. "I'm the guy whose gonna call the cops on you because you're suspicious to be jogging so early in the morning."I narrowed my eyes. "What gives you the right to call the police on me just for walking in the wrong direction?"Before I could react, he'd swung out of the truck, closing the door behind him. He was wearing a black leather jacket, dark jeans and brown boots. He reached for the handle of the passenger side door, but before he couldhe began calling the cops on me. In a matter of
TRISTIN'S POV"Sophie, this isn't funny!" I snapped, frustration bubbling in my chest. "You need to come down here and help me out. Bring Eva too. Maybe she can talk some sense into them."Sophie finally stopped laughing, sensing the seriousness in my tone. "Alright, alright. We'll be there as soon as we can. Just hang tight."The officer led me into the station, his grip on my arm firm. The other officers eyed me curiously as I was escorted to a small, dimly lit interrogation room. I sat down in the cold, metal chair, my mind racing with a million thoughts.After what felt like an eternity, the door opened, and a stern-looking detective walked in. He had a file in his hand and a look of determination on his face."Mr. Tristin, do you know why you're here?" he asked, his voice calm but authoritative."I have no idea," I replied, trying to keep my composure. "I was just jogging. Is that a crime now?"The detective flipped open the file and pulled out a photograph. He placed it on the t
TRISTIN'S POVThe room fell silent. I could feel Sophie and Eva's shocked gazes on me, but I couldn't look at them. Murder? This had to be some kind of sick joke."Detective, that's absurd," Eva said, her voice trembling slightly. "Tristin would never—""Calm down, Miss," the detective interrupted. "We take these accusations very seriously, especially when there's evidence to back them up.""What evidence?" I demanded. "Who would accuse me of something like this?"The detective pulled out another file and spread the contents on the table. There were several documents, including the wanted poster. My face stared back at me, with bold letters proclaiming me as a wanted man."This poster was created illegally," the detective explained. "We're still trying to track down its origin. The report filed against you was anonymous, but it contained detailed information about your movements and alleged connections to the crime."I shook my head, feeling dizzy. "This is insane. I've never killed a
TRISTIN'S POVThe detective returned to the room with a stack of papers and a serious expression. "Mr. Tristin, we've been looking into the origins of the wanted poster and the anonymous report. It appears that the report was filed through a proxy server, making it difficult to trace back to the original sender. However, we found something interesting."He laid out several documents on the table, including a forensic analysis report. "The poster was created using sophisticated software that's not widely available. It suggests that whoever did this had technical expertise or access to specialized tools."Sophie leaned forward, her brow furrowed. "So, someone deliberately went to great lengths to frame Tristin."The detective nodded. "Exactly. And based on our initial investigation, we've identified a possible suspect who matches the profile of someone with both motive and means."He slid a photograph across the table. It was of a man in his mid-forties, wearing a stern expression. "Thi
TRISTIN'S POVThe detective leaned forward, his expression intense. "That's what we intend to find out. In the meantime, we'll need to gather more evidence, interview witnesses, and trace the origin of that wanted poster."Eva spoke up, her voice determined. "Detective, Tristin wouldn't harm anyone. He's not capable of murder. There has to be another explanation."The detective nodded, jotting down notes. "I appreciate your input, Miss. We'll investigate every lead thoroughly."As the interrogation stretched on, I couldn't shake the feeling of dread. If someone was trying to frame me for murder, they were doing a damn good job of it. But why John? Why now?The detective listened intently as I recounted my recent interactions and conflicts with business partners. After a moment of reflection, it dawned on me. "Detective, there was someone I had a falling out with recently—Simon Hayes. He was a former business partner who felt betrayed when I decided to go a different direction with the