70-year-old Agnes miraculously survives an attempt on her life, narrowly escaping with a broken leg. One night, while lying still in her bed, she notices her son-in-law sneaking into her room and approaching her bedside.
In the quiet of the night, a soft rustling stirred 70-year-old Agnes to be as cautious as a hawk on the hunt. She peered out from under her blanket at the shadowy figure of her son-in-law, Chris, rummaging through her nightstand.
Beads of sweat broke on Agnes’s forehead. She’d been waiting for this moment. With a flick of her wrist, she turned on the light.
“Caught you, you conniving scoundrel! Your unquenchable greed has finally unmasked you…Time to say goodbye to my daughter and surrender your freedom to the cops.”
“A-Agnes??” Chris stammered. A look of agitation and surprise washed over his face. “I thought you were…DEAD.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
A few months ago…
Agnes and her 45-year-old daughter, Grace, entered the Silver Grande Cafe to meet Chris, Grace’s boyfriend of six months.
“Hello, Mrs. Xavier. It’s a pleasure to meet you!” Chris rose for a handshake.
Grace had told her Chris was 13 years her junior, but Agnes never thought he would be so charming. He was also oddly familiar. The trio sat down, and Agnes immediately started giving him the third degree.
“I recognize you… Have we crossed paths before?” Agnes asked.
“I don’t…think so.” Chris stared Agnes evenly in the eye.
“Oh, Mom! I’m sure you’re mistaken.” Grace pushed a plate of lobster toward Agnes. “It’s getting cold. Let’s eat.”
Dinner continued as awkwardly as could be expected and with much frustration on Agnes’s part. Every time she posed a question to Chris, Grace would chime in to answer. When the bill arrived, Agnes watched in disbelief as Grace took out her wallet to pay.
“So your beloved lady pays for your dinner, young man?” Agnes asked Chris.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“Chris’s Grandpa left him a huge inheritance, but he can’t access it until the paperwork clears. He’ll have more than enough money to care for me then, okay?” Grace said, jumping to Chris’s defense yet again.
Flapping his blazer, Chris rose from his chair and hugged Grace. “Thanks for the dinner, darling. I have to give a presentation to an important client from Japan, and I’m already running late.”
Once Chris left the restaurant, Grace admonished her mother for being so rude to Chris.
“I don’t know how to sugarcoat things, Grace. I only know to ask in the face. Because I deserve to know the truth. Let’s go home now.” Agnes got up.
Grace hailed a taxi for her mother, saying she had to meet a friend in the theater. Grace stared idly out the cab window as the driver navigated traffic. Just as the taxi crossed a lane, Agnes noticed Chris entering a costume rental store with a bag in hand.
“Stop the car, driver!” Agnes instructed the cabbie, and the taxi came to a halt on the roadside.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
Agnes lowered the window. Her sharp eyes weren’t deceiving her; that was Chris! A few minutes later, he exited the store looking terrible. Gone was the crisp blue suit from dinner, replaced by shabby trousers, a faded hoodie, and badly scuffed shoes. This was definitely not suitable attire for an important business presentation!
Agnes could only assume he’d lied to her and Grace. She asked the cabbie to follow him, but moments later, Chris entered an alley with insufficient room for the car. She followed Chris on foot. Soon, Agnes realized she was in a shady neighborhood notorious for criminal activities.
She watched in disbelief as Chris slipped into a run-down house. She crept closer, careful not to be seen or caught, and peered through a cracked window.
Her jaw dropped when she saw a familiar picture of herself wearing a $400 000 diamond necklace that had been in her family for generations.
As she pondered where Chris got the photo, some dark memories rushed back, jolting Agnes like a thunderbolt.
“That’s why Chris seemed so familiar,” Agnes whispered.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
15 years ago, a young man named Larry, who looked exactly like Chris, had tried to steal the necklace. He claimed it was his family heirloom that was stolen by Agnes’s ancestors. A legal battle ensued, but Larry was eventually sent to prison, where he died in a fire.
Agnes remembered seeing Larry’s younger brother in the courtroom. In a flash, she realized that young man was Chris and that he must’ve sought Grace out so he could get revenge for his brother’s tragic death.
But Grace would never believe her without proof. With trembling fingers, Agnes aimed her phone’s camera at Chris’s living room. She accidentally triggered the flash while trying to click a picture of him staring at the photo of the necklace.
Chris spun round to face the window. Agnes fled. She watched Chris appear on the doorstep from her hiding spot behind a trash can. He looked up and down the street, then went back inside. Agnes sighed with relief. With her heart racing, she escaped from the alley and hailed a cab to take her home.
The following morning, Agnes rushed to her daughter’s apartment to save her and the family heirloom from Chris.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“Darling, I need to tell you something…it’s about Chris…last night I saw him going to this…”
Her voice trailed off when she saw Chris sitting on the couch with Grace. He looked up and smiled at Agnes.
“Mom, is everything okay?” Grace asked.
“We need to talk, Grace. And Chris, you need to hear this too.” Agnes settled down, her gaze fixed on Chris as she recounted everything that happened 15 years ago.
“Mrs. Xavier, you’re mistaken.” Chris shook his head. “I had no idea my brother had anything to do with your family necklace. I’m shocked myself. I was in the meeting, I swear. Not in some alley. Besides, If I wanted to rob Grace, why would I plan this?”
Chris reached into his pocket and removed a small velvet box. Agnes watched in disbelief as Chris got down on one knee and popped the question to Grace.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“But I have proof!” Agnes took out her phone to show the photo she’d taken. Although Chris’s face was visible, the photo of her and the necklace was hidden by a ball of light from the flash reflecting off the window.
Grace only had eyes for Chris. She forgot everything Agnes had just told her as he slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her.
Agnes was taken aback by the swiftness of the proposal. She suspected Chris knew she’d been snooping because of the phone’s flash and had orchestrated the proposal to divert Grace’s attention. Determined to thwart Chris’s plan, Agnes decided to act ahead of him.
“In that case, let’s do one thing,” she interrupted the couple. “Give me the family necklace, sweetheart, and there won’t be any more drama!”
Grace frowned. “The necklace is safe, and you gave it to me, remember? Why do you want it back now? I want to wear it for the wedding.”
“I loaned it to you, Grace, but it’s still mine. Wear something else for your wedding, not this necklace. Return it…now.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
Chris watched Grace remove the necklace from a hidden vault in the fireplace in disbelief. His face contorted with concealed frustration.
“Here, take your necklace.” Grace angrily shoved the case into Agnes’s hand. “I don’t want it.”
“I’m very happy for you both. Congratulations!” Agnes bitterly replied as she tossed the jewel case into her handbag. She then approached Chris and whispered:
“We’ll continue to play your wicked game, Chris…as long as you don’t run away! You’ll never get your dirty hands on this necklace.”
Agnes assumed Chris would disappear once she’d secured the necklace, but two weeks later, he and Grace tied the knot at a picturesque resort perched above the shimmering sea.
Agnes was shocked that Chris had taken his act this far. She couldn’t figure out his next move, so she was very vigilant. She stepped outside for a breath of fresh air on the restaurant’s balcony, 30 meters above the crashing waves.
Chris suddenly spoke behind her.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“You know, Mrs. Xavier, you were right about the necklace!” Chris stared balefully at Agnes as he approached. “It rightfully belongs to my family. I’ll do whatever it takes to get it back.”
Agnes craned her neck to see behind Chris, only to realize they were alone. Even if she cried for help, the music in the party hall was too loud for anyone to hear her. Agnes was…trapped.
“What are you doing?!” Agnes stepped back. “Don’t come any closer. Stay right there.”
“You shouldn’t have meddled in my affairs,” Chris sneered. “Everything was going according to plan…until you followed me home. You thought I didn’t see that flash by the window? You’re an obstacle on my path. So why don’t you just…” He lunged toward her.
“Chris, stop! Please…No!” Agnes shouted in panic.
But it was too late. Chris grabbed her shoulders and pushed her. Agnes tried to grab the railing, but her fingers grasped at thin air. She plummeted toward the ocean.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
The next day…
Agnes’s eyes fluttered open. Everything ached as she craned her neck and saw her leg encased in a bulky cast. She was in a hospital bed.
“Mom, you’re awake!” Grace rushed to her, teary-eyed. “It’s a miracle you survived that fall with minimal injuries.”
“Chris pushed me, Grace,” Agnes said.
Grace’s expression shifted from relief to anger. She refused to believe her and ended up storming out of Agnes’s room in a fury. Grace’s stubborn denial gnawed at Agnes’s heart.
Then, a haunting realization gripped Agnes—Chris had the perfect opportunity to steal the necklace and escape forever.
She called the nurse and asked to be discharged, but the nurse refused. Once she left the ward, Agnes hatched an escape plan. She limped out of her bed, changed her clothes, then eased herself into a wheelchair. She wheeled down the hall and into the elevator.
A rush of anxiety and adrenaline washed over her as she escaped from the hospital and approached a taxi stand. At home, Agnes checked the safe and found the necklace intact. Chris hadn’t broken into her house yet, so she put out all the lights and crept into bed. She knew Chris would come for the necklace…and he did.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
Back to the present…
“You survived that fall?” Chris scowled and cracked his knuckles. “Guess I’ll have to get my hands dirty and send you off on my own!”
He was advancing towards her when the bedroom door burst open. A squad of police officers surrounded Chris and arrested him. Grace rushed to her mother’s side when she heard the news and apologized for not believing her.
“The truth always finds its way out!” Agnes said.
Agnes hugged Grace as they prepared to leave for the hospital to continue Agnes’s treatment.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pixabay
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«Josh Hartnett Hasn’t Aged!» After a Long Hiatus From Hollywood Fans Are Amazed by His Timeless Appearance
Fans of Pearl Harbor actor, Josh Hartnett, are in awe as the star makes a comeback, appearing as though he hasn’t aged a day since his last Hollywood appearance. Following a prolonged hiatus from the limelight, social media is abuzz with admiration for his seemingly ageless charm and impeccable style.
He’s been absent from movies for some time.
Josh Hartnett soared to stardom with blockbuster hits like Pearl Harbor and 40 Days and 40 Nights, solidifying his status as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actors. At the peak of his fame, Hartnett shocked fans and industry insiders alike with his abrupt departure from the spotlight.
Despite being on the brink of a promising career as a leading man in major motion pictures, Hartnett made the bold decision to step away from Hollywood. This unexpected exit left many wondering about the reasons behind his departure and what the future held for the enigmatic actor.
He has spoken about his hiatus from Hollywood.
Josh Hartnett has opened up about his hiatus from Hollywood, revealing that he initially had reservations about signing on for blockbuster roles. Despite his rising fame and the allure of big-budget films, Hartnett grappled with doubts. He admitted, «Am I just afraid that by doing Pearl Harbor, I’m going to enter a new category of filmmaking that I might not be ready for?»
However, he ultimately chose to take on the challenge, recognizing that turning down such opportunities would be driven by fear. Reflecting on his decision, Hartnett acknowledged that it shaped his career trajectory but also emphasized the importance of facing one’s fears.
In recent years, Hartnett’s relationship with fame has been a subject of interest in the media, particularly since he turned down multiple superhero roles and retreated from Hollywood life in the mid-2000s. Instead, he prioritized family life, moving back to his home state of Minnesota and later to London, where he focused on artier, more intimate projects while raising his family. Hartnett’s journey serves as a testament to the complexities of navigating fame and personal fulfillment in the entertainment industry.
Now he has to prove himself to get the roles he wants.
Josh Hartnett finds himself navigating a new chapter in his career, where he’s eager to showcase his talent in roles that hold personal significance. «I’m happy to be done with that era and to be making films that are more personal to me,» he shares, emphasizing his satisfaction in moving away from past blockbuster roles.
Directors are now approaching him for characters rather than hero roles, a shift that excites him creatively. Reflecting on the industry’s changes, Hartnett notes, «When I see a role now, I’ve got to fight for it.»
Despite the increased competition, he sees the challenge as rewarding, stating, «It’s actually more rewarding. Depressing when something doesn’t go your way, but only for a minute.» Hartnett’s journey underscores his resilience and commitment to pursuing roles that fulfill his artistic aspirations, marking a compelling evolution in his Hollywood career.
Fans are shocked by his recent looks.
Recently, Josh Hartnett has garnered attention for his role in the Oscar-winning film Oppenheimer, where his performance has captivated audiences. His appearance at the movie’s premiere has sparked admiration, with fans expressing astonishment at his recent looks. «If I had known Josh Hartnett was in Oppenheimer, I would’ve watched it a lot sooner,» one fan remarked.
Another fan echoed the sentiment, proclaiming, «I’m here for the Josh Hartnett Renaissance,» indicating a resurgence of interest in the actor’s career. Comments like «Josh Hartnett hasn’t aged» and «Josh still be looking fine to me» further attest to the widespread admiration for Hartnett’s enduring appeal and timeless charm. As his performance continues to generate buzz and reignite fan enthusiasm, Hartnett’s presence in Oppenheimer signifies a notable milestone in his career resurgence.
In a candid revelation, Hollywood heavyweight Mark Wahlberg opens up about a pivotal decision that led to his temporary departure from the glitz and glamour of Tinseltown: his children. The acclaimed actor and devoted father shares the deeply personal reasons behind his hiatus, shedding light on the sacrifices and priorities that come with parenthood in the spotlight.
Preview photo credit Supplied by Capital Pictures / East News, Vianney Le Caer / Invision / East News
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