1 year later
"It's been over a year since Sean Nguyen, son of Cameron and Kathryn Nguyen, went missing after a plane crash just outside of Kansas City. No new reports have come in about what was found at the scene and if their son is even alive."
"Samantha Davis was able to speak with the headmaster of the private school the young boy was attending before they sent him, and a few others, back home. Samantha, it's all you."
"...Headmaster Yang, I heard you spoke with the family just hours after you heard about the crash. Would it be too much to ask what you told him?"
"I told him to stay calm about it and I'd tell him if they found anything about him. If not, then he was to call the police and anyone who could be of better service. I am still distraught that their son couldn't walk down the aisle with their rings last year."
"Were you able to find out anything more about what might have happened?"
"As I've said before in other interviews, it was odd that he was the only one to go missing while the rest of the children were able to get home safely. If anyone knows anything, I'd love to inform his family. They deserve some closure with this fight."
"Were there any children attending your school with powerful parents? Like children of leaders or rich parents?"
"Yes. There was the Prime Minister Avery's son and President Allaire's twins. I thought maybe it could be for ransom, but Monsieur Nguyen isn't the type to flaunt. I feel like someone is holding a grudge against him and his family, so they took his son."
"Thank you, Headmaster Yang, for joining us again today."
"Anything to help a friend."
"Jeffery, back to you."
"...Thank you, Samantha. Bestselling author, Serene, just released a statement on her most recent book, The Other Side. TV reports show that, in no time, The Other Side will be fully casted for a movie later in the year."
"And if anyone knows Serene, you know she's been going through a lot with her family and writer's block. We all hope she'll get to direct the movie herself. If she directs as well as she writes, it should be a hit in no time."
⭕⭕⭕⭕⭕
Sha'Kayla refused to be the one to report on what happened to Cameron Nguyen's son. No one knows what might have happened to him. No one knows if he made it back to his parents and they had something to do with his disappearance. With them busy taking care of their newborn like nothing happened, it was possible they did have something to do with it.
She focused on something else instead. Luca was out of prison. His probation started no less than a week ago. Sha'Kayla was thinking he wouldn't come and see her. She was thinking she'd have to go and see him. She didn't mind, but if he really loved her, then he'd make the trip and find her. Not unless he was still interested in making Lexi's life more difficult than it already was.
To be honest, Kayla didn't like that Luca was so clingy. Not in a way that was annoying, but very unhealthy. Who would have thought someone as organized and as sneaky as Luca would be stuck like glue to his? Sha'Kayla didn't believe it was the kids keeping him around. She knew he could care less about them. Lexi has something he wants and he's going to do whatever it takes to get it from her.
"Please," she begged. "I promise it'll never happen again. Like why would I go back to him? He won't do me any good a third time."
"When was the first?" Sha'Kera asked.
"...You don't want to know."
Of course not. Sha'Kera not only feared for her safety at this point, but the safety of her family. Hayden was super protective of them, but everyone was equally wary of Luca. He'd just gotten out of jail not too long ago. It was only a matter of time before he made his way back to the woman who embarrassed him in front of the entire world.
"Anyway, what do you want, KayKay?" Kera asked.
"Is it a good time to ask for forgiveness again?" She pouted.
Sha'Kera turned to her friends who were glaring at Sha'Kayla like poop on their shoes. They'd never liked her from the beginning. Said she was too uptight and felt like she had to have Sha'Kera all to herself. It was true sometimes. But when you've known a person for so long, it's like they belong to you. It's hard to let them go and be friends with people who express their dislike for you every chance they get.
"Should I, girls?" Kera asked.
"Mmmm...I don't know," Tamera muttered. "You like being friends with women who like going for married men?"
"It's not that serious," Abby agreed reluctantly.
"What's there to think about? It's not like you're not gonna do it to someone else."
"I promise I won't. Do you not know what it's like to be physically abandoned by your best friend? Kera, I've been acting stupid and losing you is the last thing I want to happen."
"You lost her when you left Queens," Tamera snapped.
"Tamera..." Sha'Kera warned. She loved her friends, but they were getting out of hand with this one. "Fine. As long as you promise you'll keep away from Luca and not do anything that involves him or his family in the future. That includes talking to Lexi."
"Really?" Sha'Kayla huffed. Her friend only stared. "...Fine. I'll do it. I'm not promising he'll find me."
"I'm just telling you to do your side of the deal. He finds you, then he finds you. It's not like you can't say no. Unless you're...weak."
Sha'Kayla hated being called weak. She wasn't weak. Just because she went for whatever she wanted and never said no didn't mean she was weak.
"I got it...But, I can't hang with you if they refuse to like me."
Tamera and Abby frowned. They'd never develop any type of affection for her. Even though Lexi wasn't their friend, they felt for her deeply. How could you get fooled by a man with two of your ex-friends? One of them is now more famous than her and the other is begging for forgiveness from the wrong person.
Sha'Kayla returned to her apartment like it was normal for her at that time of day. She was usually caught up in a story and was never home before noon. The lady in the front looked at her weirdly, but didn't say anything. Sometimes you just have to take a break from the outside. If Sha'Kayla was home early, she was either sent home, meeting someone, or simply not working that day. And all options were too odd.
The first thing she did when she entered her apartment was lock the front door. A routine that failed to be forgotten. She dropped her keys and purse off in the living room and went straight to her bathroom to start the shower. After a quick moment of silence in her room, she peeled off her clothing on the way back to the bathroom.
The water was warm and too comfortable and Sha'Kayla loved it. The worst was over today, but it had yet to come in the following days. Suddenly, a hand clamped over her mouth. Her eyes widened in fear at the thought of who may have gotten in her apartment. There were lots of guys who still had the key, but she hadn't been in touch with them for a long time.
"No one hides from me."