Alexander was dragged out of the building. On the way out, the numerous security men laughed as they punched and kicked him while holding him down forcefully. Finally, they almost stripped him naked as they tore his uniform off his body. Alexander looked down at his tattered uniform in anger and frustration. “How could you guys do this to me?” Alexander coldly gazed at the mocking faces of the security men in front of him. “We’ve worked together as coworkers for years, and now, you guys are treating me like your worst enemy.”The security men glanced at each other and they burst into laughter. “Shut up, and quit asking such a stupid question.” One of the older security men got angry and kicked Alexander in the chest, watching him fall to the ground. “Ever since you started working here, none of the female cleaners in this organization has paid any attention to us.” He pointed an accusing hand at Alexander. “To them, our looks couldn’t hold a single candle to yours.”Alexander sudde
The audience was beyond stunned by Fisher's actions and words. They began whispering to each other, wondering what was happening.“What?!” Edmund’s body froze as his eyes widened. “Mr. Fisher, do you realize what you’re asking of me?”“And I won’t ask twice.” Fisher’s voice dropped to a much colder level, clarifying that this was a threat. “Apologize to Mr. Alexander Cross right now, or lose everything.” He pushed the sales director a few steps back, releasing his collar in the process.Fear spread on Edmund's face and he could tell that his superior was dead serious. He couldn't help but wonder why Fisher was suddenly on Alexander's side. After a few seconds, a thought crossed his mind. Alexander must have offered his gorgeous wife to Fisher, and now, the general manager had become Alexander's willing puppet.“That whore.” Edmund muttered under his breath as he cursed at Lola Blaine. Everyone watched as Edmund slowly turned towards Alexander. “I…am sorry.” He spoke with a tight voic
Alexander stood by the entrance in silence as he stared at his wife’s face before moving to Kelsey, his little daughter. The weak-looking child had a tube down her throat and an oxygen mask on her face. She was still attached to a machine to keep her body system functioning.Lola glared at Alexander. “Didn’t you hear me? Why did you take so long? You only went to submit your letter of resignation, didn’t you?”Alexander wondered how Lola knew about his resignation, as he had only told her that he needed to go back to the company to resume his work.Lola noticed the inquisitive expression on Alexander's face. "My coworkers at the office told me." She looked down at her phone in confusion. "Though, they later bombarded my phone with calls, and I would have answered it if my phone didn't suddenly run out of battery."If she had picked up one of those calls, she would have found out about how her closest superior, Edmund Porsche, had been ridiculed by the general manager and forced to bow
Fiona was livid. “How dare that bastard try to sell me a lie this huge? I regret the second I decided to ask him for help.”“Mom, calm down, okay!” Lesley stared at her mother with concern. “Getting worked up over a scumbag like Alexander is not worth it in the least. Let’s just go now; I don’t even like being here.”The two decidedly left the hospital without even bothering to pay a visit to Lola or the sick Kelsey.Meanwhile, Alexander was on his way back to his wife and daughter when he called a number. Luckily, he was alone in the elevator, so he could speak without caution."Young Master Cross, how may I help you this time?" Dorian's voice conveyed his pleasant mood. The old CEO was very happy that the Cross' heir had needed his help more lately.“Dorian, I need you on a very urgent search. Can you handle that for me?” Alexander went straight to the point.“Of course, I believe there’s nothing you need that the Cross family’s name and global influence can’t obtain. Please, state
After Alexander delivered the meal for both him and his wife, they settled in silence as they stared helplessly at the frail state of their unconscious daughter. It was early that evening when Kelsey finally opened her eyes and both parents rushed over with worry. They tried talking to Kelsey but she didn’t say a word, merely glancing around her surroundings until she became unconscious once again. This has long been the cycle of their daughter. She rarely opened her eyes, and it was always brief before she returned to a state of unconsciousness. The doctors claimed that this was a sign of Kelsey's body trying to fight her ailment.Lola decided to speak first. "So, how are you going to make a living now? You've quit your job, and what I earn as a sales manager at Styleon is not enough to feed you and me while trying to save up for the next batch of medications that Kelsey will need once she runs out of the current one.""Don't worry about that." Alexander finally looked up at his wif
It's been two months since Kelsey had her bone marrow transplant. During that time frame, she finally woke up and cried out when she saw her parents. Alexander and Lola were left an emotional wreck as they hugged their daughter. After this, it took two weeks of proper monitoring before the doctors officially discharged Kelsey.The family of three had never been happier when they returned home that day and ate together. Lola had even allowed Alexander to sleep in the bedroom, so they could both snuggle with their daughter.Meanwhile, Lola was getting furious with Alexander. Every time she tells her husband to find a job, Alexander simply claims that he has enough money to take care of all of them. As days turned into weeks, Lola saw that despite the amount of spending that Alexander was indulging in, he had not run out of money even though he was currently jobless. Unfortunately, this only ended up making Lola Blaine even more scared, as she still believed that Alexander had gotten th
Alexander looked at the staff members with surprise and a bit of annoyance. “Why are my daughter and I being forced to return the dress when we clearly picked it up first?”The middle-aged woman glared hatefully at Alexander. “How dare you? Are you accusing my daughter of stealing that dress from your daughter?! The audacity of your deceit!”“You!” The middle-aged man pointed a finger at Alexander. “Do you even have any proof that your daughter picked up the dress first?”Everyone, including the staff members and some other customers who had noticed the commotion going on here, turned their gaze to Alexander. They were waiting for his answer.Alexander raised an eyebrow with a slight smirk. "Of course, I can prove it. Have you forgotten that this establishment has CCTV cameras? I'm sure one of them must have a video. Let's see who's lying between the two of us."The aloof expression on the middle-aged couple's faces crumbled slightly as fear gripped their hearts. In reality, they know
Everyone watched as every single piece of clothes on the aisle was packed up by the boutique’s staff members. Once everything was settled, all the pairs of eyes turned to Alexander.“Well, the clothes have been packed for you.” The middle-aged man raised a skeptical eyebrow at Alexander. “It’s time for you to pay.”Alexander sneered before digging into his jacket pocket only for his hand to touch a space. His smile dropped in place of a confused expression as he turned to his jeans pocket only to find that his card was missing. That was when he recalled that he had left his premium black card at home. He had been so excited to spoil Kelsey for the day that he had actually forgotten to take the one thing he needed."What's the matter, you low-life scum?!" The middle-aged woman glared hatefully at Alexander. "The staff is waiting for you to pay." There was a moment of silence as everyone waited for Alexander to say something. On getting nothing but silence from him, the middle-aged woma
Final Act: Present Day The gala gleamed with luxury. Chandeliers emit a warm golden glow throughout the room, reflecting off the crystal goblets and shiny marble floors. It was a festivity of victory, not only for Ashlyn Bennett but for a legacy revived. The tables were filled with the elite of the business world. Conversations hummed with curiosity, admiration, and whispers of awe over the events of the International Business Summit. The Ashlyn Bennett Foundation’s launch was the talk of the night, and at the center of it all stood Ashlyn herself, poised but undeniably powerful.Richard Knight rested against the bar's edge, swirling his drink. His gaze remained fixed on Ashlyn, who was engaged in a conversation with a distinguished man dressed in a pinstriped suit. “She’s something, isn’t she?” Steven White remarked, sidling up beside him. His voice carried a mix of pride and regret. Richard smirked. “Something? She’s everything. Hard to believe she pulled all of this off in one l
Veronica sat opposite Isabella, a serious expression on her face. "So," she began, her voice low. "Tell me everything."Isabella hesitated, her fingers nervously tracing the outline of the Gemini Heart pendant resting against her chest. "It's... complicated," she began, her voice hesitant."I've dealt with complicated things before," Veronica replied, her eyes steady. "Try me."Isabella took a deep breath. "My name isn't Isabella," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's Jennifer. Jennifer Clarke."Veronica raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. "Jennifer?" she echoed. "But... you look exactly like Isabella.""That's because... we switched bodies," Jennifer explained, her voice trembling slightly. "Our souls... they swapped."Veronica stared at her, a mixture of disbelief and curiosity in her eyes. "Switched bodies?" she repeated. "How is that even possible?""It's the necklace," Jennifer said, touching the Gemini Heart. "It happened wh
"I missed you, Alexander," Sophia cried. "Ever since Isabella came into your life, you've been... different. Distant. I felt like I was losing you.""So you decided to sabotage my relationship?" Alexander asked, his voice filled with hurt and anger. "To lie and manipulate me into turning against the woman I love?""Sophia cried as she expressed, "I didn't mean to cause you any pain, Alexander." I simply... I desired for everything to return to normal. Prior to her arrival and I was scared of losing another family member like we lost dad.""Nothing will ever return to how it used to be, Sophia," Alexander said firmly, his voice unwavering. "You've completely changed everything. You have shattered my trust and my belief in you." Sophia's cries grew stronger, her body trembling with sadness. She had nothing left - her brother's faith, connections with her family, and the man she had fought hard to win back were all gone. Alexander observed her, feeling a weight of sorrow and disill
Sophia's confident expression wavered, shifting to a glimmer of astonishment. "I have no idea what you're referring to," she replied, pretending to be innocent. Isabella snapped at Sophia, "Don't act shy with me. I listened to it all. The picture, the falsehoods, the scheme to tear us apart. It all originated from you."Sophia's calm facade finally shattered. "Who cares if it did?" she snapped, her eyes filled with rage. "He is too good for you. You are just an opportunistic Bennet."Isabella stated angrily that it was untrue, her voice filled with emotion. "You are only jealous. Jealous of our joy, jealous of the love we have for each other.""Feeling jealous?" Sophia laughed with contempt. "Don't be dumb. I am simply trying to defend my brother from a deceptive witch such as yourself.""Protect him?" Isabella echoed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "By framing my father? By feeding Alexander lies?""Your father was a criminal," Sophia insisted, her voice rising. "He deserves ev
As night descended, they snuggled on the couch, watching a movie, their bodies wrapped around each other. A feeling of routine came back, a pleasant break from the disorder in their daily lives. Isabella whispered softly, leaning her head on Alexander's chest, "This is nice.It just the two of us." "Yeah," Alexander agreed, tightening his arms around her. "Just us."While they enjoyed their renewed bond, they couldn't shake a persistent feeling of unease. The sensation of being observed, of something feeling off. While carrying Isabella to bed, Alexander noticed a sudden movement outside the window. He looked quickly, but noticed no one. He brushed it off as just his imagination, yet the sense of unease lingered. Later that evening, while Isabella was fast asleep in his embrace, Alexander couldn't rid himself of the sense that something was wrong. He rose from the bed and approached the window, gazing out at the darkness. The road underneath was empty, with only the soft buzz of t
Veronica's eyes grew wider. "Monica?" Do you really think that's a wise decision? Isabella was adamant about needing to hear it directly from her. "I need to find out the truth." Veronica nodded. "Okay. I'll go with you."They found Monica at the same luxury hotel, lounging by the pool, a smug smile playing on her lips."Ah, I see," Monica sarcastically uttered. "If it's not the betrayed wife. What reason do you have for this visit that caught me by surprise?"Isabella advanced, her fiery gaze fixed ahead. She expressed a desire to discover the truth, her voice vibrating with rage. "Tell me the truth about you and Alex's alleged child." Monica arched one eyebrow. "And why do you believe I will share any information with you?" "I know for sure that you are not telling the truth," Isabella stated, her voice getting louder. "I am sure that this is all planned. I am going to find out one way or the other."Monica chuckled, emitting a rough, scraping noise. "You are out of touch wit
Alexander paused, his face briefly showing a hint of uncertainty. He said with a strained voice, "I... I can't bring myself to believe it. The way he behaved... the gleam in his eyes while revealing the safe code... it seemed like he was aware of something we weren't."Isabella suggested that, "perhaps he was simply concerned," although a hint of doubt had been instilled in her thoughts."Perhaps," answered Alexander, though uncertainty still lingered in his tone. The upcoming days were a flurry of inquiries, questioning, and allegations. The intense media hype about Monica and Daniel kept going strong, further escalating the situation. Every discussion, every exchange was tainted with a sense of doubt. "David, have you found anything else about James and Uncle's whereabouts?" Alexander asked over the phone, his voice sharp with impatience."Nothing concrete yet," David replied. "Sterling has vanished. Cleaned out his accounts, disappeared without a trace. And James is in Europe.
Three days laterThe opulent office, once a symbol of Romano power and success, now felt like a prison. The silence hung heavy, broken only by the occasional muffled sob from Mr. Romano."I... I can't believe this," Alexander said, his voice hoarse. "How could Sterling do this? We are family."Isabella sat beside him, her hand resting on his. "I know," she whispered. "It doesn't make sense."Alexander looked up, his eyes red-rimmed. "He was always... different. Ambitious, yes, but this..." He trailed off, shaking his head."We need to figure out why," Alexander said, his voice firm. "There has to be a reason beyond simple greed.""What about Monica?" Isabella asked. "And the child? How does that fit into all of this?"Alexander ran a hand through his hair, his face etched with frustration. "I don't know. But I intend to find out."He stood up and began pacing the room, his mind racing. "James said he manipulated the marriage agreement. We need to see the original document.
Monica ended the call before Alexander could answer. His thoughts were racing as he gazed at his phone. He had never encountered a woman named Monica, much less had a child with her. This must have been some sort of error. The following day, the news spread like wildfire through the press. Headlines blared, "Secret Love Child of Romano Heir!" Photos of Monica and a young boy, prominently displayed in newspapers and websites, sparked the controversy. The media frenzy escalated dramatically, with reporters constantly following and harassing Alexander and Isabella. "Mr. Romano, is that accurate? "Do you possess a hidden son?" "Isabella, what are your thoughts on your husband being unfaithful?" "Are things turbulent in your marriage?" They were overwhelmed by the incessant barrage of questions, leading to a tornado of disorder and bewilderment. "This is absurd!" Alexander shouted as he made his way through the crowd of journalists. "I have no idea who this woman is