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On seeing the most unexpected man about to enter the elevator that Zoe was just coming out of, time seemed to slow down as their gazes met, and at that moment, memories both bitter and sweet flooded her mind. Her eyes, which were once filled with love and vulnerability, held a glint of restrained fury, with every fibre of her yearning to unleash the pent-up frustration and resentment in her. But she remained composed with a stoic expression, hiding the tempest of emotions raging within her as confidence surged from nowhere in her body. Not knowing how to react to such an infuriating situation of suddenly seeing him, she decided to ignore him the same way they always did even when they were living together. 'Afterall. They rarely spoke to one another in the past.' "People are looking around desperately to see you make a mistake and put it out for the whole world to see," she remembered Francis' words to her. She didn't even need the words anyway. She already knew that she could n
A black, sleek car glided to a graceful halt in front of the huge ANCLAIR corporation, and the bustling reporters that were hanging around all day for the entrance immediately swarmed around, their cameras flashing brightly in anticipation to capture the sight of the lady they were waiting for. She was nervous about facing such a spotlight which she had never had the chance to ever be in her life. It felt so overwhelming to know that she, who was always someone of no significance to other people, was being sorted by many. Gary had told her that there had been so many emails being sent to the CEO's seat to those that had private email for the CEO's table, ever since her being named the heiress. The chauffeur that had gone to pick her up that morning in a different car, stepped out of the car, and walked up to the right side of the car where Zoe was sitting. He opened the door to prepare her for what was next. "Ready, ma'am?" He asked her, blocking the bright flashes of the camera fro
"Should we just release the news about how she was treated here? Tell the truth that she's been hired by Francis Sinclair and that her family lives in the poor countryside," Ivy blurted out suddenly, the moment she thought of what they could do to have Zoe wrapped around their fingers. They were eating breakfast at their private dining, and it was just the same old lame food they had to manage after hiring numerous chefs in just two weeks. The taste of the food had never been the same, and the service could never be the same either, if they wanted to have breakfast at their usual early hours. Most times, Audrey had to agree to eat the same food as Ivy, while Irina and Isla ate the same meal. Aaron had no choice but to eat whatever he was served too, and had to wear his clothes regardless of how the maids had ironed them. He didn't like the new way of things, and he missed Zoe's way of doing his things so much, even if he could never speak of it. "We would just say she was a maid, no
Zoe was standing on the balcony of her new-storey apartment leaning against the intricately carved railing, as she stared at the beautiful surroundings of her new home. The gentle morning breeze swirled through her flowing gown and her silky hair, as she tilted a cup of sizzling coffee to her lips and drank from it. A mischievous smirk suddenly tugged at the corners of her lips in satisfaction, as she recalled what happened at the party the previous night, and her mind replayed the events like a well-choreographed play while she revelled in the sweet taste of victory."Do I know you?" She asked Sasha, when she demanded what she was doing at the party, to recognize her as the daughter-in-law in the home of Meyers. Realizing that things might go wrong with her lips, she decided to deny her to the extent that she would question her sanity. "What…. What?" Sasha stuttered confusedly at the lady standing before her, wondering if she had too much champagne to drink and had seen the lady sta
The mood at the Meyers seemed more vibrant than usual, as they arrived to sit around the dining table to have breakfast at their usual hours. However, rather than the normal full table with different varieties of dishes, the food was served with minimalism according to the breakfast theme which was planned by their newest chef. They seemed to be in a good mood regardless of whatever preference they had in mind, because they had also seen the news that aired early that morning, and how it attacked Zoe as the heiress to ANCLAIR corporation. There was anticipation in the air as they all tried to settle down first, before taking time to tear her into pieces with their words. "I'm so glad! Seems like we are not the only ones trying to pull her down, and bring the truth about her to light," Audrey finally broke the silence as soon as she served Irina's food, which had been her job to do ever since Zoe left. "It was the most shocking news that popped into my notification this morning. Tha
A palpable tension hung heavy in the air of ANCLAIR corporation with a sense of unease and apprehension. Whispers of the news that was aired about the new CEO permeated every corner, spreading like wildfire through the corridors as every worker talked about it on their way into the elevators and offices. In the break rooms and hallways, employees huddled in small groups with hushed voices, as they exchanged whispers and speculations. They all wondered if Zoe was indeed fake. As the stocks plummeted, the sharp ring of telephones echoed through the room with each call coming from all directions of worried investors to confirm if the news was true. Executives in their spaces contacted one another with their faces etched with worry, as they strategized on damage control and potential solutions, all while blaming Zoe endlessly. "It is all because of that lady that came from nowhere, barely a week, and her news is all over the internet. That incompetent granddaughter of his!" John Mac sp
The emergency board meeting that was set up a few hours after the scandal broke out had just ended, as the heavy wooden doors of the conference room swung open, revealing a palpable air of disappointment that permeated the space. The board of directors came out one by one with their heavy footsteps grazing against the floor, with disappointment and frustration visibly written all over their faces. Whispers of discontent and frustration floated through the air as they moved out in twos and threes, accompanied by the occasional frustrated murmurs that they had failed, once again, in usurping Zoe's position as the CEO of the ANCLAIR corporation. Listening to her give a short speech after the entire ruckus of asking her to explain what her controversy was about, made them more pissed than ever, like she was rubbing their failure in their faces. Throughout the meeting till when she gave her speech and left, her emotions threatened to spill over and make her lash out angrily, but she fou
"It is you, right," the guy smiled and said to her, and she strode past him like she didn't even hear him say anything. 'Geez! Who was he anyway and what was he doing there? It would not do her any good if he recognized her as the heiress from the party,' Zoe wondered furiously, as she tried not to roll her eyes disdainfully. "Hi, it is me. Remember me from the party?" He asked her again with a bubbly and bright smile, as he turned and followed after her instantly so as to get her attention. "I don't know you," she murmured under her breath and gritted her teeth, while thinking of possible ways to get him off her neck as she continued to walk away. Even the sweet scent of his cologne made it hard to get angry effectively because it smelled so soothing. "Hunhhh. Your face tells me that you remember me," he smiled at her again and walked beside her so elegantly, looking like they were perfectly matched to one another. Her mind remembered the same thing she had seen rich people do, w
Her shortcomings. That had been her concern all afternoon. Not the great news Hepzy went back and forth about. Rather than the joy and excitement that usually came with it, she just felt relieved. Relieved that she was doing well. She wasn't happy about it. There was nothing to be joyful about. As she sat at her desk surrounded by neatly stacked reports and a laptop screen glowing with financial projections before her, the numbers stared back at her. Poor and unproductive in her dictionary. As much as it looked impossible, she had always aimed for every venture she had mapped out in the mall. It wasn't just a mall. It was an empire. The one that billions had been finished off on, and it would end up swallowing more if poured into it. Pulling off something that huge had taken so much willpower and mental strength even if every social psychology quotient of hers was always fluctuating. The ice skating rink and the luxury car exhibition space were doing the lowest. 8% returns was all
The faint aroma of herbal tea lingered in the air of the office, where Zoe sat uprightly behind her table, with her poised demeanor betraying no sign of the turmoil that had lingered over her for the past few days even till the night before.Across from her, Zara, who was holding a notepad clutched to her chest, continued to stare at her so overtly, while wondering what kind of woman she was. “You have been watching me like a hawk,” Zoe, whose gaze was fixated on what she was looking at on the tablet that was before her, “Spill it.”Zara hesitated before speaking, as she stared at her, with a concerned expression, “I don't want you to say I bother too much, but I really cannot help but be so worried. I mean you suddenly made me book a flight after the launching, and then left. You came back and told no one. You came in looking so sick and pale, and now you are doing so much work already. You are asking if things you've never……..”“Can you catch your breath, Zara?” Zoe cut her off ins
It was so dark in the night already, and barely anything could be heard around the estate anymore except the branches of trees moving in the movement of the wind, and the sound of crickets that buzzed amidst the gardens that were around. Malcolm was seen returning to Zoe's house after he had left many minutes ago, with big bags in his hands as he made his way to the front of her mansion. Slipping in through the front door now that he knew its password, he stepped in casually and locked the door behind it. Since he left the other inner door that led to the living room open without closing it when he left earlier, it was easier to just enter on tiptoe without disrupting her. Catching a sight of her still sleeping on the couch in her living room, he dropped the bag he was carrying on the cold, marbled floor, and walked over to her side to feel her temperature. He noticed that she was still burning with a fever. Carefully, Malcolm carried her the same way he had done the previous day,
Malcolm had stood by the window of his mansion all evening after returning from work, with his fingers tapping idly at the corners of it which he had never noticed before, but was as sparkly as ever because the cleaning services that usually cleaned his house were perfect at their job. His eyes had fixed on the road outside as he waited restlessly, with his thoughts sinking into a tangled mess of concern and yearning for the woman he had been bothered about more than ever all day because of the articles that were published. And just at the moment when his eyes caught the sight of a car which rolled into view and drove past his mansion, his heart skipped in relief, before he instantly turned away from the window and hurried out. ‘She was back.’He walked fast, and even almost ran, hoping that he would be able to still meet her outside before she entered her house. In the opposite direction, her car drove past him as he walked, and he didn't even mind anything apart from her. His ey
“Please can you listen to me first?” Zoe instantly stood up from her seat and stepped forward in desperation, as her fingers curled slightly the moment she stretched her hand in an attempt to reach her, but dared not touch. Upon hearing her voice laced with desperation and a hint of something she couldn't make out, Jasmine halted on her steps, before she turned her face sharply. A sharp, bitter laugh escaped her lips, as she stared at Zoe's face, with a surfeit amount of emotions rushing through her at once, causing her to almost stumble on words, “If you are here to ask me about us, then I have nothing to say,” her voice trembled, “Did she say anything about me? Did she ask you to meet me? Her eyes burned with so much pain.With a heavy heart, Zoe spoke, unable to meet her eyes, “I am more interested in your side of the story, not Emily's,” she clarified.“What?” Jasmine's brow jumped in a high arch of astonishment, as she tried to make out the meaning of what she was saying, “Wha
An unease settled in Malcolm Meyer’s chest as he leaned back in his office chair, with his left fingers idly tapping against the polished wood of his desk, while his right hand incessantly tugged at the collar of his shirt that continued to feel clammy against his skin. He had barely slept the night before because sleep evaded him, and as a result of anxiety which clung to the darkest corners of his mind that were entangled in the thoughts of her.When he arrived home the day before earlier than he usually did because he was bothered, and hoped that Zoe would be home by then already, he noticed that the lights to her mansion had been off. It was not the usual ‘one’ light on, and the rest ‘off’ he usually noticed whenever he was home before he even knew she lived there. This time, it was completely off. There was darkness everywhere around her mansion, and it was unlike her. ‘Had she even come home at all?’ He wondered endlessly in his heart, seriously bothered that he didn't see h
“We met months ago at the oak tree in Montauk, when I was talking to your mother, Mrs. Carras,” Zoe quickly said while trying to jog up her memory, hoping she would remember, “I said she told me something, but you said there was no way she might repeat it even if it was true,” she quickly added as she stared at her eagerly, seeing that Jasmine was still finding it hard to remember. She also wanted to mention the fact that they had met before that too. That they had met the moment she gave birth to her twenty five years ago. That she had longed for her so much thinking she was dead. “Oh!” She finally remembered, and Zoe instantly heaved a sigh of relief, finally letting go of the breath she didn't realize she was holding, “I think I remember you now. Sorry for not realizing. I have a lot on my mind,” she quickly apologised.“I heard your mother died. I’m sorry,” Zoe quickly offered condolences, her heart somehow breaking so much at the flash realization that Mrs. Carras, who was dead
It was kind of the biggest five-star restaurant in the city. It has been rated the most luxurious, beautiful, and grand for the past six years, and its unmatched prestige made it one of the hardest spots to book too. MarLingTon. That was the name. Zoe had worked on connections to make a reservation at the place within the shortest time, and somehow she had managed to make it possible before the agreed date for her and Jasmine Carras to meet. The day she waited for with every breath of hers. MarLingTon had the most stunning infrastructure ever, and the CGI stunt of a huge butterfly preparing for its first flight in the grand lobby was the selling spot. Its display superseded every other down-to-earth interior that embodied the place, causing it to outshine the most astounding radiance ever. Sitting on the fourth floor which she had booked extravagantly for two hours was Zoe, who had gotten there thirty minutes earlier than the meeting hour and sat by the window, waiting patiently un
Andre had been enraged all day as he remained in his room and refused to come out, all while throwing objects angrily and scattering everything in his room viciously at any point in time he remembered that yet again, his email to Zoe's office remained unreplied for almost almost two days now. He had stressed and even paid to get her private desk email, and sent a message to her with an explosive heading and subduedly threatening content body that he had thought would leave her panicking and dying to talk to him immediately as soon as she saw it. However, the reverse was the case. It seemed like she didn't even care to check at all. “Damn her!” He cussed angrily the more he refreshed his email and realized that there was still no reply. Still no reply. His son's whereabouts seemed quite difficult to figure out, and it was almost like he wasn't on the surface of every place that had been searched thoroughly. ‘Where was he then? Had she done something to his son?! Was he locked up s