ALICE'S POVAs William stepped out of my room, I heard Jocelia’s voice. "Where's Alice? Is she back yet?""Yeah, she's inside," William replied."Get inside, we have things to discuss," she said, her tone urgent. They both entered my room, and I could see the determination on Jocelia’s face."Alice, we’ve got to talk about how to evict Sylvia," she said without preamble."Have you found out where she's staying?" I asked, sitting up straighter."Yes, I have," Jocelia confirmed. "And I also found out where her company is renting space. I asked around and got the details."I nodded, feeling a mix of relief and anticipation. "Good. So, what's the plan?"Jocelia sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling out a small notebook. "We need to apply pressure from multiple angles. First, we can start with her lease. If we can convince her landlord that she's a problem tenant, maybe we can get her evicted.""How do we do that?" William asked, leaning against the doorframe."We spread rumors," Joceli

GRAYSON’S POVI glanced at her briefly, nodding in acknowledgment, but didn't say anything. My thoughts were elsewhere."You seem distracted," she continued, her tone probing."I'm just thinking about some work stuff," I replied, turning back to the TV.Alice sighed and took a seat at the table across from me. "You know, Grayson, you should really take some time to relax. All this stress isn't good for you."I gave a noncommittal grunt, my attention still on the news ticker scrolling across the screen. Alice's attempts at small talk were as transparent as glass. She had her own agenda, and I wasn't in the mood to play along.Maria placed a steaming plate of food in front of me. "Here you go, Mr. Grayson. I hope you enjoy it.""Thanks, Maria," I said, giving her a genuine smile. The food looked delicious, but my appetite was dulled by the weight of my concerns.As I took a bite, my phone buzzed on the table. I picked it up, hoping it was Stewart with some news. But it was just a notifi

WILLIAM'S POVIt had proven difficult to find the Marlons. They must have figured out that someone might be looking for them and gone into hiding. The school was my last hope; maybe they could offer some information on where the Marlons went. I needed to tie up this loose end before Grayson’s wrath came looking.I parked my car and walked into the school, trying to look as casual as possible. The hallways were starting to empty out as parents picked up their kids. I approached the front desk where a tired-looking receptionist was typing away at her computer.It had proven difficult to find the Marlons. They must have figured out that someone might be looking for them and gone into hiding. The school was my last hope; maybe they could offer some information on where the Marlons went. I needed to tie up this loose end before Grayson’s wrath came looking.I parked my car and walked into the school, trying to look as casual as possible. The hallways were starting to empty out as parents p

SLYVIA'S POVI arrived home with the kids, but my mind was still stuck on the image of William entering the school. What was he doing there? Seeing him again after all these years stirred up so many conflicting emotions. When I first saw Jocelia at the restaurant with the kids and Grayson, I didn't feel like this because I never considered her a friend. But with William, it was different. I had confided in him when Grayson and I were having problems, welcomed him as an in-law and a friend, and he ended up lying to me and betraying me in the worst way possible. The hurt still ran deep within my soul."Mum, is everything alright?" Zendaya asked, looking up at me. I realized I had been standing there, lost in thought, without unlocking the door."Oh, sorry. Just thinking about grown-up stuff," I said, shaking off the memories. I unlocked the door, and we all entered the apartment. "Take off your uniforms first," I instructed the kids.I dropped my purse on the counter, trying to push awa

GRAYSON'S POVI was hunched over my desk, papers spread out in front of me and my laptop glowing in the dim light of my room. Jocelia was fast asleep on the bed behind me, her breathing steady and soft. The clock on the wall showed it was well past midnight, but sleep was a luxury I couldn't afford right now. The stakes were too high.My phone buzzed on the desk, breaking the silence. I glanced at the screen and saw Stewart's name. I picked it up quickly, my eyes darting to Jocelia to make sure the noise hadn't disturbed her. She shifted slightly but remained asleep. Deciding it was best to avoid any chance of waking her, I slipped out of the room and stepped into the hallway."Yeah, Stewart, you got anything for me?" I asked, keeping my voice low."Grayson, I found the Marlon family," Stewart said, his tone grave. "But there's a problem.""What kind of problem?" I pressed, my gut tightening with a sense of foreboding."They were killed a few hours ago, before I could get to them. The