CHAPTER 41       Everybody is tiptoeing around the boss. Since, the death of his wife, Chris Duvier had changed drastically. He was constantly working like he was driving himself to destruction. The stress level had affected the company. They are growing exponentially but they have more employees resigning because of the stress and demands of Chris Duvier himself.      He never smiled too. He never goes out to date and lost interest in women. He dropped a lot of weight and his eyes have dark circles around them. He was practically like the ghost of a man. David Bern was so worried about his friend that he moves back and work with Chris Duvier again.      It was a gloomy time for the company. Joan Rogers, his secretary, had faithfully worked for the man but she too, was on the brink of giving up. She doesn’t know when he will return to normal.      When he strode into th

CHAPTER 43         Autumn had arrived in Riverside. The trees have turned into a fiery glow of orange, yellows, and reds. It’s Lina’s favorite season and her son, Adam. They would go out in the afternoon and play underneath the maple trees in their backyard. She would pretend to shovel Adam inside a pile of leaves. Her son would growl and try to catch her while she pretended to be afraid. Their peals of laughter would ring the backyard. Later, Rita would call them back for a snack of muffins and warm milk.      She felt at ease now. The money from their investor had been pouring on their bakeshop and she paid her bank loan diligently. Joan Rogers visited her every week to check on the progress of the business. She also brought a lot of consultants and big players in the food industry business to help her set up the bakeshop. Lina has started building a commissary near her first bakeshop and she was hiring more

CHAPTER 45         The man put down the dossier of Lina Summers in front of the billionaire, Chris Duvier. The private agent which was hired months ago was surprised with the request and thought, he hit the jackpot. And he did. He cannot believe what he found out about Lina Summers---he has no doubt who she was.      “Everything about her was in that document. The real Lina Summers died when she was very young. Ms. Agnes Duvier just took her name.”      “Changing one’s identity was expensive and few correct connections. Agnes cannot do that. Even if she was a Walden, her connection cannot reach that point. How did she do it?”      “Barbara Barry pulled all the strings.” The detective said gravely. “Her connection was enough to cover up your wife’s supposed death. The boat was her personal property and the reporter who broke the first news was her people.”

CHAPTER 47  Agnes pulled down the hooded jacket to cover her face. She was embarking n a surprised if not most unpleasant decision of her life --- to visit her sister in the hospital. She had been hiding from her past until now when she saw her sister rushed to the hospital. Even her aunt and Barbara did not know that she was going to make this trip back to her old world. Yet, the idea of Lea being sick drove her with worry. Her sister was always healthy and she was not known to get sick easily. She wondered what drove Lea to get sick. She just wants to take a look at her secretly and disappear afterward. The hospital was surrounded by reporters and onlookers. All waiting for the news of the famous star. She can see flowers on the entrance filing up and letters of well-wishers. Agnes stopped. She wondered how to get inside without being noticed. The chance of her being seen was high yet only when she can see her sister would make her feel at peace.

CHAPTER 49   Agnes looked at David with eyes brimming with tears. Her beautiful green eyes looked like the misty forest of Winshord Castle moors. She was seating across from him inside a small cafe that operated twenty-four hours a day near the bus station. The cafe was deserted, except for the sleepy worker of the establishment and an aged man snoozing at a corner. Her hand was twisting the yellowed table cloth, as she nervously face David. “It’s okay if you will not forgive me,” Agnes said without preamble as the silence stretched between them. “You cause so much pain to your family and friends. I’m not sure whether I should wring your neck out of madness or just hugged you out of relief that you are still alive.” “David, I will not explain why I disappeared, only that I have a very valid reason that I cannot reveal.” David's jaw tightened in anger. “How could you say that Agnes? You of all people should know that what you