Some minutes later, Madam Victoria was seated on the plush couch in her living room. A soft knock came at the door before it slightly opened, and Lucas made his way inside."Good morning, ma'am," he greeted. "You asked for me, ma'am?""Yes, I did ask for you, Lucas!" She smiled before turning to the maids in the room. "Can I have a minute with Lucas, please?"Lucas's interest piqued as he watched the others leave, leaving just him with Victoria. Knowing her, he sensed he was in for a rude awakening since she had decided to clear the room.She stood up from the couch and slowly set her cup of coffee down.Madam Victoria's smile was deceiving as she gestured for Lucas to approach her. As he drew nearer, she suddenly turned and slapped him twice, her rings stinging his cheeks. Lucas's eyes widened in shock, his mind racing to comprehend what had just happened."What happened last night, Lucas?" she demanded. Lucas's eyes darted around the room, ensuring they were indeed alone before resp
Lucas's eyes widened in shock when he heard "bloodletting." He screamed, “No ma'am, you can't do that! You can't do that!” “We can find another way to deal with it. I'm sure there is another way! I'm very sure there's some other way to deal with it!” Madam Victoria remained adamant. “Lucas, that is final. It's been three decades, and nothing has changed. I have to save him from himself. This is the last option, Lucas. It can only be bloodletting.” Lucas's eyes widened in horror as he heard Madam Victoria's words. "No, ma'am! You can't do that!" he exclaimed, his voice shaking with urgency. "Bloodletting is barbaric! It's outdated and inhumane. You can't subject Mr. Damian to that!" Madam Victoria's expression remained resolute, her eyes cold and unyielding. "I've made up my mind, Lucas. This is the only way to save Damian from himself. Do you expect me to serve the board and the members of the table an insane leader?” Lucas took a step forward, his hands clasped together in a plea
Ivy's eyes widened in surprise as she heard Damian's voice outside her room. "Why is he here?" she mouthed to Leon, her voice barely audible. She quickly turned to Leon, her eyes wide with panic. "He has never come into my room before!" she whispered urgently. "Are you sure he didn't see you come in here?" she asked, her voice trembling. Leon nodded frantically, his eyes darting around the room. "No, I'm not sure. No one saw me come in here, I swear!" he whispered back, his voice laced with panic. "I need to hide somewhere; I can't let him see me here!" he added, his eyes scanning the room wildly for an escape route. "Ivy?!" Damian called out again from outside the door when he didn't hear any reply. "Are you in there? Is everything alright?" "Oh yes. Just a minute, I'm coming!" Ivy replied. Her face contorted in a mixture of fear and frustration. "Where are you going to hide?" she whispered, her eyes darting around the room. "There's nowhere to hide in here!" she exclaimed, he
After a few minutes, Damian stopped in front of a coffee bookstore. Breathing heavily, he said, “Let’s stop right here and have a cup of hot coffee. This is my favorite spot, and he makes the best coffee!” Ivy nodded in agreement. “Of course, let’s grab a cup here!” she said. Deep down, she was happy they were taking a break; she wasn't sure she could jog back to the house, but she was certain she might pass out any minute if she didn't get some rest. However, when they entered the coffee shop, she spotted a man in his late sixties. He had a bald head and used a stick to aid his movements, even though he appeared quite capable. Once he saw Damian, he quickly greeted him and offered them a special space where he served their coffee. As they sat sipping their drinks, Damian couldn't help but tease Ivy about her jogging skills. "I didn't know you were such a slowpoke!" he said with a grin. Ivy's face turned bright red as she laughed. "Hey, I'm just pacing myself!" she protested. “I’m
Ivy's heart raced with fear as she took a few steps back, her eyes fixed on the glass that was being lowered. She involuntarily shivered as she watched the glass descend gradually, only for it to reveal Lucas. Heaving a deep sigh of relief, she questioned, “Lucas, why are you here?” “Uh, uh,” he tried to think of a convincing excuse. “I was just passing by and decided to pick you up since you were waiting for a cab,” he lied. Looking around, Ivy hesitantly entered the car. She wasn't convinced by his excuse, but that wasn't any of her problems now. She just wanted to rush back to work since her fashion launch was less than forty-eight hours away. Revving the engine to life, Lucas hit the road, his mind swirling with thoughts. He wasn't sure Ivy really believed the lame excuses he had just given her, but he was willing to get his act together and not let her know he had been with them the entire time they were jogging. “So, where did Damian go? You both left together, but you're co
Leon’s eyes swept over her beautiful dress, and his lips curved into a deep smile. “You look stunning!” he admitted. “That dress really looks good on you, Ivy!” he admired, not trying to hide how much he adored her in that dress. Ivy rolled her eyes and responded, “Thank you, but that doesn't answer my question: what the hell were you doing at my door? You're supposed to be at your company already. You're the CEO!” He sighed. “I was waiting for you. I tried calling you, but your phone wasn’t reachable. Then my aunt told me that you jogged out with Damian.” “And why would you be waiting for me instead of going over to put things in order?” "I was waiting for you because I wanted to make sure you were okay after your jog," Leon said, his eyes still admiring her dress. "And I have to say, you look absolutely breathtaking. How can I concentrate on work without you being there?” Ivy raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical. "You were worried about me? That's sweet, but I think you
However, some hours later, the event was in full swing, and the hall was filled to the brim with dignitaries, celebrities, and other fashion icons who were invited to grace the occasion. Ivy stood in front of the hall where all of her designs were displayed on mannequins. She had a wide grin on her face as she looked at each one of them. She had endured sleepless nights and meticulous hard work to make it all possible. Looking around, she didn’t notice anyone in there; she quickly danced around the room, twirling and spinning with pure delight. It was less than ten minutes before she walked out and strutted down the runway before the models began to walk. Suddenly, the sound of the door opening snapped her from her dance. Once she looked and noticed Hailey, her smile faded almost immediately. Hailey walked up to her with a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. “Congratulations, Ivy!” she said. Ivy's eyes widened in shock as Hailey approached her, a small smile still
Ivy's heart raced as she pulled the doorknob again and again, but it wouldn't budge. She was trapped. Panic set in as she screamed for someone to help her, but her voice was muffled by the thick door. She banged on the door with her fists, pleading for someone to hear her. "Help! Someone, please help me! I'm stuck in here!" she cried, her voice growing hoarse from screaming as she continued to bang on the door. But no one came. The hall was eerily silent, and Ivy was left alone, trapped and helpless. She slid down to the floor, her back against the door, and buried her face in her hands. "Why is this happening to me?" she sobbed, feeling like she was in a nightmare. "I was supposed to be celebrating my fashion show, not trapped in a locked room." As she sat there, she thought about Hailey's strange behavior earlier. Had she planned this? Was she behind the locked door, or was it a coincidence? Maybe it was just a mistake, and no one knew she was in there. Ivy's mind raced with ques