The moment seems to be frozen in place. I can’t budge from my position at the end of the staircase and my eyes are glued shut. The gunshot still reverberates in my head, but the sound is gradually fading out. Startled hearing the sound of footsteps, my eyelids lift and his face comes into my view. Chiselled jaw, lips thinned in anger, and his electric blue eyes staring into my petrified ones. He crosses the few inches between us in a long stride and grabs my forearm. He drags me behind him upstairs without care or concern. “Stop!” My voice breaks. Is he really a murderer? Did I just witness him kill someone? Will he kill me too, to erase the evidence? He turns around and faces me in a swift move. My arm in his grip hurts. He’s sure to leave his hand imprint on me. “What are you doing here?” He yells at the top of his lungs. His high-pitched tone makes me tremble and turn into a puddle of scared mess. Gone is the calm and easygoing CEO Denzel Flynn and the man who stands before me

Chloe looks at me, dumbfounded. Her countenance looks similar to a child who was told that Santa Claus doesn’t exist. I can tell she’s having a hard time believing what I just said. None of us thought in our dreams that I’d ever deny her of a wish. But I suppose that’s what you get when you put faith in your sibling with your eyes closed. “Wh-what do you mean?” Her eyes turn glossy and red from all the crying and disbelief shines in them like the moon on a Purnima night. I won’t fall for them anymore. “Do you know who this kid is? About his family and relatives? His name?” “His name is Benjamin, and he’s a fatherless child. After learning about his tragedy, I have a stronger will to take him in.” “Why do you think he needs someone else? Maybe he’s happy with his mother alone.” “C’mon Den! The world is so cruel to orphans. Have you forgotten how we’re treated? Without a father, Ben’s basically an orphan like us!” The rage in her voice propels me to take a step back. However,

Naomi West ****** I arrive at the cafe in my neighbourhood after receiving Myra’s text. It’s been a while since we got together and chatted like old times, so we decided to make up for it today. I was the one to approach her, of course. With Ben being with her kids and husband at home and Denzel being out of state, I guessed it’d help kill my boredom. He left a day ago and I’m already out of ways to indulge myself without getting bored. It’s one of my flaws. I get fed up quite easily. Of course, with a bit of determination, I could stay at my apartment and write the next chapter of my novel. Yet here I am, leisurely scrolling through the reels on Instagram—laughing at silly cat videos and relating to the miserable life of a full-time author and sometimes googling the meaning of random words. “You’re early.” I lift my view from the phone screen and stare at my high school friend. Yes, Myra and I’ve been friends since high school. She’s the only one I’ve been in contact with eve

Denzel Flynn ****** My blood boils at the sight of her happily chatting away with another man. It isn’t her shy smile that bothers me though, it’s the way I catch that man undressing her with his gaze. Little rose doesn’t understand his stare and mistakes it for an innocent glance. That man is anything but naïve. The two of them turn to look at me at the sound of my footsteps. Little rose seizes me up from head to toe, worry shining in her eyes. All the joy and relaxation on her face from earlier vanishes into thin air whilst the man slyly expresses his displeasure at the sight of me, grimacing. Without delay, I take little rose’s hand and lift her off her seat, dragging her behind me. A moment later, my grip lightens on her wrist when I faintly see a red imprint of my fingers on her pale skin. Without saying a word, I shove her in my car and lock the door. Getting into the driver’s seat, I let my fury take over and drive like a maniac. “What was that about?” She asks with fury.

Naomi West******As we park outside the gigantic building, I second guess my options. It’s been a long time and no one apart from Jacob knows of my existence.Why does it still feel like I’m invading his private space?“Text him. If he’s had breakfast, we won’t go see him.”Ben looks a little demotivated but does as he’s told and texts Denzel. The Devil replies in less than five seconds. Does he really have so much free time?“He hasn’t eaten breakfast. Let’s go.”Ben enthusiastically jumps out of the car and if I hadn’t caught him and pulled him back by his wrist, he would’ve barged straight into the entrance.“Behave. Don’t announce to anyone who you are. Understand?”Ben nods as if he actually understands the trouble we would be in if the media were to find out that Flynn Enterprise has a mysterious heir.