VENITA:As I walked through the dark corners of my street on my seventeenth birthday, a heavy ache of loneliness weighed on me. My parents were once again engrossed in work in the depths of their mysterious lab. More than anything this year, I yearned for their company. I wanted them to care about me and my presence rather than work. Sadly, that wasn't the case. They were distant figures in my life, their work consuming them and leaving me to find solace in the company of stray animals I saved and cared for.Something else bothered me beyond their absence. At the stroke of midnight today, my parents had woken me up for an absurd conversation."Venita, we hope you can understand what we did," my mother had said, her voice filled with regret and sorrow, shadowing her usual vibrant tone when speaking to me."What did you do?" I asked curiously."It was to make you healthy, sweetheart," my father had added. "No matter what, when the time comes, protect it with your life.""What are you bo

LANDON :I have always had a thing for kids. They warm my heart. Their innocence and purity made me want to linger around them consistently. It made most of my charity work go to everything that had to do with them. Months back, when Peter, my assistant suggested I do an image damage control by spending a whole day at one of the local schools to which I frequently donated, I quickly agreed. The thing was, the press made a terrible headline about my establishment abusing and unjustly firing my workers because I dismissed a large number of incompetent employees. They made me look like the bad guy. To create a diversion, Peter put this charity piece together, which was also great for my kind.I took a moment to observe the locality of his choice, and it wasn't a bad one. The school needed work. But, also, required accountability as to where all the fund has been going. With the chunk of cash I gave, there wasn't a reason for this school to have a bad structure and ugly-looking roofs. I w

LANDON:“Mr. Kurt, the papers. Review them.” One of my business associates motioned towards the stack of papers in front of me. I gave a sharp nod, adjusting my suit as I began skimming through the pages. The more I pondered, the more perplexed I became. Never did I imagine a day when I'd be engulfed in frustration over an inexplicable situation. I wrestled with it all night, analyzing every possibility, but the puzzle pieces refused to fit. A child isn't conjured out of thin air. It's the result of intimacy between a person with eggs and another with sperm. So, how did I end up with one? "Mr. Kurt?" Peter called for my attention. "It seems Mr. Kurt isn't focused on this meeting," Anthony chimed in. Slamming my hand on the conference table, startling everyone, I spoke calmly. "Anthony, do you want to tell me how to do my job? Please, be my guest." Anthony was one of the snakes on the board who couldn't wait to drive me out of my position, so he could take over. If there was a way

VENITA:"I'm telling you, doctor, something is wrong with me. I can smell things that are insignificant to others, hear even little things as whispers, and see almost invisible things. It seems as if I'm going crazy."The doctor sighed and rubbed his head, reading my medical report. "Experienced this before, Miss Lowell?" he inquired, glancing up.The doctor, around forty and a bit chubby, sat at his desk looking tired. His face had lines that showed he had seen a lot. His hair was thinning on top. He wore glasses, making it clear he spent a lot of time reading medical stuff. Despite being tired, he tried to handle things professionally, even though he seemed a bit impatient.It was the first time I bothered to observe his office. The place was neat and organized, with shelves of medical books and files neatly arranged. A diploma hung on the wall, showing his accomplishments. The room had a few potted plants, trying to bring in a bit of life."No, first time," I relaxed in my chair, at

VENITA:My mind was in chaos, rendering comprehension of my surroundings or even coherent thoughts nearly impossible. All I knew was an overwhelming desire, an urge to be close to this man. It felt like an addiction, a craving I couldn't ignore. Caught in this dilemma, torn between my principles, self-respect, and this irresistible attraction, words failed to form in my mouth.He leaned in so close that the tip of his nose brushed against mine, the proximity electrifying. "I'll make the choice for you then," he declared, a teasing tone in his voice as he pulled back. A frustrated whimper escaped me just as I heard the car's engine roar to life, indicating our uncertain journey.'Stop him, Venita. Say something, girl!' my brain scolded. Yet, I remained quiet, stealing glances at him as he sped away. My eyes were fixed on the veins that branched from his hands, tightly gripping the wheel, their vividness straining against his skin all the way up to his elbow where his white shirt was ne