The cab came to a halt, and Norah jumped out without waiting for the driver to turn off his car engine. She tried to reach the burning house, but the area was crowded with passersby and firefighters running helter-skelter, attempting to extinguish the blaze.

She maneuvered her way through the crowd as gently as she could until she managed to break free. Norah hurried towards her house, lucky to encounter her neighbor waiting outside. She was the one who alerted the firefighters when the fire started.

“My parents, where are my parents? Please, don't tell me they are inside.” Norah struggled to speak, her sanity slipping away as she witnessed the chaos. She wished it were all just a bad dream that her house wasn't engulfed in flames.

“I don't know; I'm not certain, but your parents weren't outside when the fire started. I was about to leave when I heard screams coming from inside.” The lady replied, holding Norah back as she attempted to run towards the burning house.

“No! No! Please let me go. I have to get my parents out. We can't lose them both; they are all we have gotten. We have to save them.” Norah cried bitterly. This was her worst nightmare; she never imagined a day like this would come where she had to watch her parents cry for help, but there was nothing she could do.

As she tried to break free from the lady's grasp, her sister appeared out of the blue and held her closely, shaking her to bring her back to her senses.

“Where are Mother and Father? Please tell me they weren't inside when the fire started?” Amber's eyes welled up, but she fought to hold back the tears. This isn't the time to be crying.

“Amber, we have to save our parents. Please, let's do something. Father is in there; we can't let them die.” Norah pleaded profusely, clinging to her sister's shirt.

Amber quickly released her grip from Norah and grabbed one of the firefighters, stopping him in his tracks. He looked in her direction with a perplexed expression marred on his face.

“Where are my parents? What happened to them?”

“They are inside, and if you don't let me go, we won't be able to bring them out alive.” He responded, and she quickly let go of him. Amber sank to the ground, while Norah burst into even louder sobs.

“Your parents will be fine; you don't have to keep crying. They will bring them out.” The lady consoled them, tears streaming down her cheeks. She was coercing herself to stay strong for them.

Ten more agonizing minutes passed, and the firefighters continued their efforts. Amber struggled to stay strong for her sister, but she was slowly crumbling. A single tear escaped her eye, and she hastily wiped it away.

She slowly rose from the floor and turned to her left, scrutinizing the precinct when her gaze fell on a figure she recognized that minute. She approached Norah and whispered something in her ear.

“Did you call him?” Amber asked, still staring in his direction. Norah went mute, followed her gaze, and just then, she locked eyes with Liam.

Memories of the earlier threats crept into her mind. The chilling words about harming anyone just to be with her played on repeat.

Norah's legs felt heavy as she approached him, tears streaming down her face. She stopped in front of him, staring at him with fury.

Liam stared back, unsure of what to say to her. This wasn't what he had expected when he received a text message from an unknown number. He was pleased coming over to her house, only for him to get here to witness something agonizing.

“Is this how you planned to marry me after killing my parents? What do you want from my family? I turned you down months back; why are you back?” Norah's voice trembled with rage and sorrow.

He remained silent, knowing she wouldn't believe him even if he denied it. There was no point in defending himself.

“I'm talking to you, murderer. What did you do to my parents? Why are you so cruel?” She roared, drawing the attention of strangers nearby.

They began to murmur, pointing fingers at him. A lot of them recognized him that instant; he had been out of New York but had to return years back. He is rumored to be an ex-convict who murdered his wife in Spain. Liam is the son of the late,late prestigious Walter, another top influential and powerful family in the entire New York.

They are into finance and investment, handling diverse portfolios, including stocks, bonds, real estate, and private equity. They are known as the top three most influential families in New York, known as Empire Capital Group.Liam quickly turned to his car to leave. He hopped inside and drove off without a word from him.

Norah collapsed to the ground, crying uncontrollably, uncaring of who might be watching her. Amber felt a pang of pain in her heart as she approached her sister and helped her up from the floor.

“We won't rest until we get our revenge. If anything happens to them, he will pay for it.” Amber mumbled in a shaky voice.

Norah slowly raised her head up, guilty of what is happening to her parents. If only she had not gotten wasted and kissed him that night, they would never have had to cross paths, she thought. But unbeknownst to her, this was their fate.

“Are you saying he's involved? He threatened me earlier, but I never thought he would go this far.” Norah said, her voice trembling with disbelief." She just couldn't comprehend how much he loves her to go to such an extent just to be with her. Or perhaps this was his way of dealing with her after what she did to him.

Regret was all Amber could feel; this was the same man she asked her sister to give a chance to love her better. The same man who had to threaten her with her parents, the same man their father would probably not consent to her being with.

Amber cupped her sister's face in her hands. “Listen, father and mother will be fine; let's wait until they put out the fire.” Norah just nodded and pulled her into a hug.

Mrs. Kate, who has been standing watching the both of them, marched forward and pulled them in for a hug.

“They will be fine.” She muttered.

FIVE HOURS EARLIER BEFORE THE FIRE INCIDENT

As soon as Norah walked out on him and headed to her car. Liam followed her with his gaze, and stood there for the next ten minutes until she was out of sight. He then entered his car and asked his assistant to follow her to the company.

While his assistant followed her, heading towards the company, they eventually arrived, and at that moment, Liam spotted her father exiting the parking lot.

“Wait, isn't that Ms. Norah's father?” He inquired, watching him drive his way out.

“I believe so; that's one of his frequently used cars,” Jerry responded with a nod.

“I should introduce myself and express my intentions regarding his daughter.” He sounded like this is the first time he is meeting her father. They have met a couple of times at events and even exchanged pleasantries.

“He must be heading home; should I go after him?” Jerry was sure he wouldn't decline. He has been wanting to meet Mr. Anthony, but because Norah has refused to accept him, after the kiss, he kept postponing it.

“I don't think…” He paused momentarily and continued. “Be cautious.” He added, and the figure followed him home.

Fifteen minutes into their journey, they arrived at his mansion, but Liam instructed his assistant not to park closer to his gate.

As soon as her father drove into the house, it didn't take long; they drove to the gate, and his assistant honked. The security guard emerged, looking at the tinted car. He walked to the driver's seat and locked eyes with Jerry.

“Whom do you seek, sir?” He inquired.

“Please inform your employer Mr. Liam is here to see him. We don't have an appointment with him, but convey that it's vital.”

The security guard hesitated at first, but then spun around to leave, presuming whoever is in the car must be someone prominent.

“Boss what if he doesn't return?” Jerry questioned, receiving no immediate response.

Liam was convinced he would return, and just then the gate to the mansion flung open, inviting them inside.

The security figure guided Liam to the living room and offered him a seat in the room. He took a moment to admire the opulence, observing the picture frames on the wall.

“Good day, Mr. Liam.” He heard a lady's voice and turned to behold a beautiful woman in her mid-forties. She looks exactly like Norah, from her long brownish hair to her full, plump lips and hazel eyes. This marks the first time he is seeing her.

“Hello! Good day, ma'am!” He greeted politely, rising from the couch. Just then, Norah's father marched into the living room.

“Mr. Liam, good day. Please have a seat.” Norah's father, who's familiar with him, acted like they hadn't crossed paths before.

“Thank you, Mr. Anthony.” They shook hands and proceeded to take a seat.

“I will go get you something to drink.” She offered, and excused herself out of the room.

“To what do I owe this visit? The security man said it was something urgent, and I know it's not business-related.” Anthony sounded stern, but that didn't move Liam. Though, he was certain things wouldn't end well.

“Yes. I came regarding your daughter, Norah. I'm in love with her, and I want to make her my wife.” Anthony instantly stared at him in disbelief; that wasn't what he was expecting to hear. He doubted it was business, but still anticipated it could be business-related.

“Norah?” He queried with raised brows and continued. “Are you saying you want my consent before you go ahead and date my daughter?”

“She's aware I'm coming over to the house. I spoke to her first before coming over.”

Anthony stayed quiet at first; he was at the office, and Norah did not tell him they would be having a guest, and besides, she had a boyfriend.

'Is there a reason behind why he wants to make her his wife? Is he here to marry her, just to maltreat her? We all know what happened to his wife in Spain' Anthony thought inwardly.

“Mr. Liam, my daughter must have told you she has a boyfriend. There's no way she would ask you to come see me unless she's in love with you.”

“She never agreed to it..." He was cut off even before he finished.

“Then I'm sorry, I can't consent to you coming to see her. We should respects the decision she's made. I want my daughters to be happy, even when I'm not here.”

“Your daughter never said she.....” He was swiftly interrupted again.

“Mr. Liam, please, you should leave; I wouldn't want her to come home and find you here.”

Liam rose as soon as he said the word leave. He is the type of man that respects people's decisions.

“I will take my leave, but I promise I will be back. Have a wonderful evening.” He turned on his heels, exiting the room.

Norah's mother walked into the room, and frozen, her eyes widened. She looked from left to right but didn't see him.

“Where is he? And why is your face like that?”

“It's nothing serious; I will take my bath and come downstairs.” He responded and turned on his heels.

“It's nothing? You expect me to believe that?” He didn't respond to her, and just walked off.

PRESENT

Liam arrived home and stormed into the living room. He discarded his car keys, not caring where they fell, and began to pace profusely, staring at the screen in front of him.

He struggled to comprehend the event that transpired an hour earlier on his way back home. Liam had remained at the office to finalize his tasks. He had a lot of papers to review and needed to get them done before the new day.

After taking his time to finish up, he left the office heading home when he got a message from an unknown number, and he thought it must have been her father since they never exchanged contact.

He was perplexed because the text asked him to come over to the mansion, stating he changed his mind and needs to talk about his intentions towards his daughter.

It was strange that her father told him, but instead of pondering, his determination to make her his didn't make him think much about it.

Upon arriving at the mansion, he found it ablaze. He was in the middle of his thoughts when his stepmother strode into the living room with a questioning look on her face. He seems to be devastated, and it made her ponder if something had happened.

“Did something happen? Why are you pacing profusely?” She queried but got no response.

She looked at the screen, his eyes were glued to it, and back to his disheveled state.

“Liam, I'm talking to you. What happened? Why are you pacing in such a state?” She thundered.

He snapped back to reality and turned to look at her. She knitted her brows while staring at him, waiting to hear why he's agitated.

“I told you about the girl from the party, the lady who mistook me for her boyfriend.”

“Yes, the lady who turned you down months back. I thought you said you were meeting her parents. Have you?”

“Yes I did earlier today, but her father was pissed about it and asked me to leave. And just this evening on my way back home, I got a message from him asking me to come, only for me to get there, and the house was on fire.”

“What? Someone wants to defraud you. I will advise you forget about her and get someone else. You know what happened in Spain.”

“That's in the past mother. I want her, and I will stop at nothing to have her, even if I have.....”

She looked at him, knowing his determination; she realized he would pursue his objectives regardless. He had wanted her before, and despite her rejection, Liam would stop at nothing to claim her. He doesn't take no for an answer.

“Excuse me, mother.” He said, and marched out of the room. As soon as he stepped outside, he called his assistant and placed it to his ear.

“Where are you? Come over to the house; there's something you have to do.”

“I'm almost at the house; I will be there in the next five minutes.” He responded, and Liam hung up.

'Was I not careful? With all this discretion, what happened this time?' He mumbled.

Liam has always been secretive about his move, but this time, they caught him using the girl he was determined to make his.

The following day arrived, with heavy clouds hanging over Norah and her sister as they sat in the police station, anticipating the sheriff's arrival. Their hearts heavy with grief, they replayed the events of the previous night in their minds, each moment etched with painful clarity.

The previous night, after the fire had been extinguished, their parents lifeless bodies were discovered on the floor, bearing only minor fire-related injuries.

The limited burns perplexed everyone, raising questions about how such a tragedy could occur. They were rushed to the hospital, and the sheriff asked them to come to the station to give their verdict, a night spent sleepless since the grim discovery.

Fifteen more minutes into waiting, the office door was pushed open, and the sheriff strode inside, with a heavy heart. Mr. Anthony was his close friend, it hurts that he had to lose him like this.

"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting, the doctor just called me, I think we should all head to the hospital." He announced, casting a sympathetic glance at the sisters.

Norah, trembling since laying eyes on her parents lifeless forms, found it challenging to articulate her thoughts amid the shock.

It has been difficult for her to open her mouth to utter a word due to the sudden shock. She never pictured a sad day like today.

Amber let out a sigh, and stood up to help her sister up her feet.

"Please lead the way, sheriff." She responded, her voice steady as she offered Norah a supportive hand. With a nod, the sheriff gestured for them to follow as he exited the office.

They all march to the parking lot, where a van was waiting for them. They hopped into the car, and the driver drove off. A few minutes later, they got to the hospital, and stride to the doctor's office.

Upon arriving at the entrance, they met the doctor striding out of his office.

"Sheriff, I was about to call you for the third time." He said, extending his hands to shake him.

"I had to bring his family with me. These are two of his daughters, Norah, and her eldest sister Amber." He introduced.

"Ms Norah, sheriff, please come with me to the morgue." The doctor requested, directing his gaze toward them. They fell in step behind him as he led the way.

They walked inside and found two nurses tending to the body of their parents. Norah hurried to her father, overcome with grief.

"Father, please you can't do this to me, you promise to be here, this wasn't our agreement." She sobs.

"Ms Norah, you have to take heart. Sheriff, just like you suspected, their bodies were poisoned. The fire was just a way to cover things up."

The doctor's words pierced the silence, his voice cutting through the haze of grief. Norah, who was crying halted, when she heard the word poisoned.

"Doctor what did you just say? What do you mean they were poisoned? Does this mean someone did this to them?" Amber asked, the burning house, crept into her head. The house was set ablaze, she never envisioned her parents being poisoned.

"Ms Amber, when we found your parents on the floor, they were still breathing. As you can see, their body isn't that burnt. We thought they could make it, but when they were brought to the hospital, they passed away." The sheriff explained, and continued.

"The poison they gave them was something that kills slowly. The fire is a cover-up. Whoever was behind it, wanted them dead." He added.

"Sheriff what are you talking about?" Norah roared, making the nurses to quickly held her.

"I'm sorry things turned out this way. An autopsy was carried out. They had a drink, and inside was a substance." The doctor responded.

"No, I don't believe they are dead." Norah said, and scampered out of the room crying her eyes out. The sheriff nodded at her sister, who quickly followed her outside.

"Sheriff, I know this must be hard for you too. I'm sorry." The doctor apologized. The sheriff removed his glasses and wipe a drop of tear from his eyes.

"I will have to get back to work. I have a surgery in the next twenty minutes."

The sheriff just bobbed his head in response, while the doctor nodded before leaving. He turned to the body's in front of him, and close the space between them.

'I never thought things would turn out this way. What about our drink? It would have been nice to spend some time with you' He thought inwardly, and heaved a loud sigh.

"I will take my leave." The sheriff said, and excuse himself out of the morgue. He walked back to the waiting area, scanning the place for them, but did not find them.

He decided to check the car, and on getting there, he saw them inside seated. As they sat in solemn silence, the minutes stretched into an eternity of anxiety. Amber was consoling her sister, with each passing minutes. The sheriff ignored, and just hopped into the van.

"Take us back to the station." He ordered, and they left the hospital, with Norah still crying.

A few minutes later, they got to the station, and walked to the sheriff's office. He offered them something to drink, but Norah yanked the glass off.

"I can't watch my parents die without getting revenge. The house didn't completely burn down, we can get the footage and find out what happened." She said.

The sheriff closed the space between them, and placed his hands on her shoulders. It hurts him that he can't do anything to comfort the both of them.

"We checked the footage yesterday, after the flame was put off. The area where everything was supposed to be displayed got disconnected even before they were poisoned."

"Does that mean there's no evidence to trace who was behind it? No, there must be a way out of this." Amber said.

"I still don't believe this would happen. Father never had any rival nor a foe. Why would someone come after him?" Norah asked in between sob.

She has been trying to convince herself that Liam had nothing to do with their death, even after the threat. Even if he wanted them dead, it was too sudden, when he hasn't met with her parents. But unbeknownst to her, he met with her father before the incident.

"Without evidence, we can't point finger's at anyone, except a proper investigation is carried out." Amber said.

"Be rest assured, we will find out who is behind it. I have ordered some cop to get me footage from the street." The sheriff said, and Amber thought they could find the culprit. There are a lot of footage surrounding the mansion, that can be of help.

"I think we should just bury the both of them instead of keeping their bodies in the morgue. If we can't find any proof, there's no need to keep their bodies." Norah said.

Amber expression changed, why would Norah make such a statement? She thought.

"What do you mean? We haven't caught the people behind it, yet you want to bury them? Can you hear yourself talk?"

"I'm sorry, Amber, but what do you expect me to say? Things are getting more complicated than I thought. Why must it be our parents? Father never got into a fight with anyone, who would want him dead?"

"That's not enough reason for you to just conclude. Just like the Sheriff said, the footage around the precinct could help."

"The both of you, stop it right now. Your father would not be happy if he was here. I promise to get to the bottom of this, even if it cost me my life."

Norah dropped to the ground and held the sheriff's pant.

"Please you have to catch the people behind it. You need to prove your friendship to father." She sobs, heartbroken.

The sheriff squatted to the ground, and assist her up.

"I promise to keep my words, I'm the sheriff because of your father. Even if it has to take me months, I will find the murderer, I just need your cooperation."

Norah looked up to him, and pulled him for a hug. "Thank you." She murmured.