The tires screeched against the pavement as the car came to a jarring halt."Shit! She jumped out!" the man cursed, slamming his fists against the steering wheel as they came down from the car.The girl’s eyes burned with fury. “We need to get her before—”She stopped mid-sentence. Headlights sliced through the darkness, a black SUV speeding toward them.“Damn it!” the man growled. “We have to retreat.”He backed away cautiously, keeping his eyes on the unmoving form of Olive. The girl spat out a curse but wasted no time. They both rushed to the car, slamming the doors shut.The SUV skidded to a stop just a few feet away from Olive’s crumpled body.“Olive!” Raymond’s voice cracked as he leaped out of the car, his feet pounding against the asphalt. He dropped to his knees beside her, his hands trembling as he reached for her. She was pale, her skin icy to the touch, and blood pooled beneath her, staining the ground red."Follow them!" he barked at his men.His men were already in pursu
The bar was dark, smoky, and filled with the scent of alcohol and sweat. Music played in the background—low, sultry beats that made the room feel heavy. The air was thick, and the dim red lights gave everything a dangerous glow.A man sat in the corner, his cigarette burning between his fingers. He was deep in thought, his jaw clenched as he remembered Mia’s words."You let her escape?"His fingers tightened around his glass of whiskey. He had never failed a job before. Never. But tonight, Olive had gotten away. Raymond had gotten to her first. And Mia… she was furious.A long drag of smoke filled his lungs as he exhaled slowly."This isn’t over," he thought.His gaze flickered to the entrance of the bar. The door swung open, and two women strutted in. Their hips swayed with confidence, their stripeless outfit clinging to every curve. They were meant to be distractions. Beautiful, dangerous distractions. The blonde one locked eyes with him, a slow smirk curling on her lips.She walke
The hospital room was silent except for the steady beeping of the heart monitor. Olive lay still, her chest rising and falling in a rhythm that felt too fragile, too uncertain. Her skin was pale, almost translucent under the harsh fluorescent lights, and her dark lashes rested against her cheeks like delicate feathers.She looked peaceful, but the stillness was unnerving. It had been four days since she slipped into a coma, and the clock was ticking. In two days, the court hearings would begin, and her lawyer, Mr. Henry, was growing worried. He hadn’t been able to reach her since their last conversation about providing proof of surrogacy. After that call, he never heard from her again.Raymond sat by her bed, his usual composed demeanor fraying at the edges. His suit jacket was draped over the back of the chair, his tie loosened, and his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He hadn’t left her side in days, neglecting his duties as CEO of his vast empire. His fingers were tightly wrapped a
Raymond's eyes narrowed as he listened to the voice on the other end of the line. "Oh, Raymond, Raymond," the voice on the other end of the line was dark, taunting, and dripping with malice. Raymond’s grip on the phone tightened, his jaw clenched."Nice to hear from you, Raymond," the voice crooned, almost mockingly. "You say you want death? Huh?"Raymond's pulse quickened, but he refused to let it show. His voice remained cold, calculated. "Thirty billion worth of orders. Send them now to my warehouse. You have one hour."Without waiting for a reply, he ended the call with a sharp press of his finger. His heart pounded in his chest, but outwardly, he remained composed, his eyes fixed on Olive, still lying on the bed before him.She looked fragile. Too fragile. His mind wandered back to the troubles of the last few days, all of it pressing heavily on him. But his focus snapped back to the present. Ezra. His rival. The one person who always stirred up trouble for him for no reason, and
The day of the court hearing had finally arrived, and the courtroom buzzed with anticipation. Olive’s lawyer, Mr. Henry, stood confidently in front of the judge, while Frank’s lawyer sneered at him from across the room.Olive, however, was nowhere to be found. Her lawyer kept glancing at the door, hoping she would walk in at any moment. But as the minutes ticked by, it became clear that she wasn’t going to show up.A heavy silence settled over the room. All eyes were glued to the judge, who was poised to begin the proceedings.Frank adjusted his cuffs, glancing around the courtroom with a smug expression. The tension in the air was thick, but he thrived on it. His lawyer stood tall, ready to present his argument—an expertly crafted tale of a man deceived, abandoned, and seeking justice.Delilah, sitting beside Frank, could barely contain her excitement. Every moment spent in court brought her closer to taking Olive’s share of their father’s properties. She could already envision a lif
"Since Miss Olive is here, we can proceed with the case," the judge said, his voice calm but firm.Olive’s lawyer, Mr. Henry, stood up with quiet confidence. He cleared his throat, and the room fell silent, waiting for his words.He looked over at Frank, who was still trying to process the reality of Olive’s presence. Frank’s smirk had faltered, replaced by an edge of anxiety."My Lord," Mr. Henry began, his voice steady. "There is no doubt that my client is pregnant," he said, causing gasps to escape from several mouths in the courtroom.Mr. Henry paused, allowing the weight of his words to sink in. He glanced at Olive, who sat motionless in her wheelchair.Then, he continued, his voice rising slightly, "But Miss Olive here was mistakenly infused with semen when she went to the hospital for a test, experiencing feverish symptoms. She was mistaken for Olive Madison, the original surrogate for this case. My client is Olive Bennett, which caused the mix-up."Frank’s face drained of colo
“I want 90% of his properties,” Olive declared, her voice steady and unwavering.A stunned silence gripped the courtroom. Gasps echoed from every corner. Even the judge momentarily hesitated, his gavel pausing mid-air.Frank felt the world tilt. Ninety percent? His heart pounded so hard it felt like it would burst from his chest.This can’t be real.His hands trembled as he clutched the edge of the defendant’s table. His entire world had just collapsed. His lawyer, who had walked into the courtroom with confidence, was now drenched in sweat, unable to form a single word in his defense.He turned to Delilah, expecting some sort of support, but she was already shaking her head in disbelief, her mascara-streaked tears running down her face. She had lost everything. Her mind replayed the moment she had eagerly transferred a huge portion of her wealth into Frank’s business, believing she was securing their future together. Now, it was gone.The gavel came down with a deafening bang!"Mr. F
The hum of the private jet faded into the background as Olive stepped into Raymond’s penthouse. A month had passed since the court case, and while her body had grown stronger, her emotions remained tangled in a web she couldn’t quite unravel.The moment she entered, she noticed something—Mia was gone. The absence of the woman who once claimed to be Raymond’s fiancée left the place feeling strangely peaceful. Olive pushed the thought aside. It wasn’t her concern. She wasn’t here for Raymond. She was here because of the child growing inside her.After showering, she settled into bed, but sleep didn’t come easily. The doctor’s words echoed in her mind:"You need to be intimate with him for the baby's health."She turned onto her side, staring at the dim ceiling. How was she supposed to do that? Dealing with an unexpected pregnancy was already overwhelming, and now she was expected to surrender herself to a man she barely knew?The thought made her stomach churn.Raymond hadn’t returned t
Sophia sat across from Ezra, her fingers tapping lightly against the cold surface of the table. She wasn’t here to beg. She wasn’t here to explain. She was here to end Olive, once and for all.Olive had taken everything from her—her pride, her future, and worst of all, the love of Frank.Sophia scoffed at the memory of their last fight. Frank had stood in their apartment, his jaw tight, his voice devoid of the warmth he once had for her.“I can’t do this anymore, Sophia. You’ve ruined me.”Ruined him?Her nails dug into her palm as she recalled every hateful word he had thrown at her. Frank blamed her for his failures, his losses. He called off the wedding, leaving her humiliated and alone. But she knew the truth—Frank was still deeply in love with Olive.That girl had been a thorn in her side for too long.Not anymore.She had imagined this moment a hundred times—the moment where she finally proved to Frank, and to herself, that she wasn’t weak. That Olive had always been beneath her
"What's the way?" Raymond asked. The officer adjusted his cap. “There’s a private security firm a few blocks from here. They have high-resolution cameras covering this entire district.” Raymond exchanged a glance with Daniel. “I think you could check there,” the officer added. Without wasting time, Daniel pulled out his phone and called the other guard stationed at the hospital. “Bring the car now. We’ll need it.” Minutes later, headlights cut through the dimly lit street as the vehicle screeched to a halt. Raymond and Daniel jumped in. The driver didn’t need directions—he floored the gas, heading straight to the security firm. When they arrived, the building was closed, its shutters down. A few people remained inside, visible through the tinted glass. Daniel knocked hard. A security man peered out through a side window. “We’re closed. Come back tomorrow.” Raymond stepped forward. His voice was sharp. “We don’t have time for tomorrow.” “Business hours are over,” the ma
“Can we see the hospital’s CCTV footage?” Daniel asked.The staff hesitated for a second. Within minutes, Daniel and Raymond were led to the security room.“Pull up the CCTV footage,” Raymond requested.The technician got to work. Raymond stood behind him, arms crossed, his face cold. The footage played on the screen, showing the hospital’s entrance, patients, and nurses going about their routines. Daniel fast-forwarded, his eyes scanning every frame.“Stop,” he ordered. “Rewind.”The footage rolled back. Then, the moment appeared.A doctor in a white coat entered Olive’s ward. His head was slightly bowed, making his face unclear. Daniel’s gut twisted. “Zoom in.”The technician adjusted the feed, sharpening the image. The man’s face came into view.Daniel’s breath hitched. His vision tunneled.No. It couldn’t be.But it was.He had seen that face before—six years ago at the crash site.That day had been burned into his memory. Raymond’s car, mangled beyond recognition. Blood pooling o
Ezra’s thumb pressed the button.A sharp, blaring alarm exploded through the hospital halls. Red emergency lights flashed, and a computerized voice blared through the speakers.“Emergency alert! Fire detected! Please evacuate immediately!”The response was instant.Doctors, nurses, and patients rushed in all directions. The once-quiet corridors erupted into chaos. Gurneys rolled, doors slammed, voices shouted over each other. Some staff tried to maintain order, while others abandoned their stations in blind panic.Kain watched from the corner, calm amidst the frenzy. The fake emergency was working exactly as planned.He moved quickly.Slipping through the commotion, he entered Olive’s room. She lay motionless, the sedative still keeping her under. Without hesitation, he unlocked the wheels of her hospital bed and began rolling her toward the exit.The hallway was a mess, people darting past in all directions. No one paid attention to him moving a patient. It was the perfect cover.Jus
Raymond strode into the hospital. He had no time for distractions. The moment Daniel’s call came through, he’d left Mia behind."Sir, Miss Olive has refused to eat. She received an anonymous message. It said, ‘Raymond and I are getting married. Don’t expect him to be with you.’ Since then, she hasn’t spoken much. You need to come right away."The words had stuck with him, leaving a sharp edge in his thoughts. Now, standing at the entrance of her ward, he pushed open the door without hesitation.Olive sat propped up against the pillows, her arms resting over her stomach, her entire frame tense. The tray of untouched food sat beside her, the silverware unmoved. Her gaze remained fixed on the wall, lost in silence.She didn’t turn to him."Olive."No response.Raymond moved closer. "Look at me."Still nothing.Her fingers curled into the sheets, her grip tight.Raymond sat at the edge of the bed, studying her carefully."Eat something," he said.A dry laugh escaped her, lacking any real
Ezra leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he stared at Ethan with cold determination. His expression remained unreadable."You want me to abduct Olive?" he repeated, his voice dangerously low.Ethan smirked, lifting his whiskey glass to his lips before taking a slow sip. He savored the burn before setting the glass down, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the polished surface of his desk."Not just abduct," he corrected, his voice laced with amusement. "You’ll be working with Mia’s assassins. They’re skilled, precise. No loose ends."Ezra scoffed. "Mia?" He shook his head. "She’s blinded by her obsession with Raymond. You really think she’ll follow through once she has Olive in her grasp?"Ethan’s grin widened. "That’s the beauty of it, little brother. Mia thinks she’s running the game, but she’s nothing more than a pawn. Her hatred for Olive will make her reckless, and that’s exactly what we need. Let her believe she’s in control while we take what truly matters."
Raymond’s phone rang, breaking the silence in the hospital ward.The sharp sound pulled him from his thoughts as he sat beside Olive’s hospital bed, his fingers resting lightly against hers. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the phone and answered without looking at the screen."Hello, sir," Daniel’s voice came through, steady but laced with an undertone of unease. "Sonia is no longer there."Raymond didn’t react immediately. Instead, a slow smirk crept onto his face."Leave them," he said, his voice was calm. "There’s an ambush waiting for them."He ended the call and slipped the phone back into his pocket, his expression unreadable.It wasn’t surprising. He had expected this.Sonia thought she was smart. She thought she had slipped away. But what she didn’t know was that he had planned for this exact moment. He had felt someone tailing him last night when he entered the dark room. Their presence had been obvious, their movements too cautious, too calculated. He had ignored th
Sonia scoffed, her lips twisting into a smirk despite the raw pain on her face. She tilted her head slightly, letting her disheveled hair fall to one side as she regarded Raymond with defiant amusement."Because you don’t have the guts to hurt me. Because you love me very much," she beamed, her voice laced with mockery. "You act like a beast, but deep down, you're just a scared little boy hiding behind power."Raymond’s gaze darkened, his patience wearing dangerously thin.In a single, swift movement, his hold on her jaw tightened, his fingers pressing into her skin as he forced her to look at him."Even if the real Sonia comes, I won’t give her any damn attention," he said coldly, his grip tightening slightly before he abruptly shoved her head to the side, making it snap back. "Let alone a fake like you."Sonia laughed. It was a wicked, high-pitched sound, grating and mocking. The defiance in her eyes burned brightly, as if she truly believed she had control over the situation. She b
“Oh, Raymond, you haven’t welcomed us well,” his grandfather said, his deep voice carrying both authority and expectation.Raymond’s fingers tapped against the armrest of his chair, his jaw set tight. Across from him, Mia sat beside his grandfather, her body angled slightly toward the old man as if seeking shelter in his presence. Her expression was laced with mock innocence, but the smug glint in her eyes didn’t escape Raymond’s notice.“She must have missed you so much,” his grandfather added, and Mia tilted her head playfully.“Yes, Grandpa! Only you understand me,” Mia cooed, slipping her arm through his grandfather’s as if she were a beloved granddaughter, cherished and protected.Raymond scoffed, as he look at Mia with Irritation. His gaze shifted to his grandfather, “what are you doing in New York?” His voice was firm, void of warmth.His grandfather exhaled slowly, leaning back against the chair, his fingers intertwined on his lap. “I didn’t know I needed to inform you before