Zoe was lost in thoughts of what ensued in the kitchen with Audrey, and the words she had spoken momentarily without thinking about it. And the manner in which it ended, she couldn't help but be confused about what she heard. “You couldn't do it when you were both married. How do you want to do it now?” Were words she heard clearly which shocked her to her bones. “You couldn't do it, and now you are both getting married, how do you want to do it now?” Were the words Audrey claimed sternly that she had said with a sudden charming smile, which made Zoe confused about what she truly heard. ‘And she and Malcolm. Getting married to one another before? Was that even possible?’ she reasoned again, even if it was hard to convince something in her mind, that she was not yet satisfied with the answer. However, that was probably the least of her problems, because, the short conversation she had with Audrey, made it clear that they didn't want her around and that it had to do with her remembe
There was a little hubbub at the Meyers mansion because of the unexpected visitor that had entered their homes, since it had been a very long time since they last saw him in person. It was Mac Meyer, the grand-patriarch of the family, who was the father to their dead father. Every member of the family came down as soon as they were informed that he was around, because it was a great surprise that he even visited them in the first place. He was a man who was rarely around in the country because he was busy traveling, and maintained a great distance from his family. However, his authority still stood in the family. He was the older version of Malcolm when it came to dealing with business and people, but was more outspoken, blunt, and humorous. “Malcolm isn't home?” Mac questioned no one in particular as he sat in the huge living room, where every member of the family had converged to see him. He and Irina maintained the greatest means of distance as his son's wife, and his grandchild
“Zoe!” They all heard the fierce, sharp voice call so powerfully as everyone's heads turned collectively, to see him storming powerfully towards where they were as he stood in front of Zoe instantly. “I will be back grandfather,” he said to the old man, who was a little surprised by the sudden outburst of his grandson after his unexpected appearance. “Let us go,” Malcolm turned to Zoe sharply, as he grabbed her arm firmly, and pulled her away from the prying eyes and suffocating scrutiny of everyone. Everyone was evidently taken aback by Malcolm's sudden outburst and the way he stormed in to disrupt everything, when they were yet to get over the surprise of Zoe suddenly acting like she didn't remember her grandmother. “What are you doing?” Zoe exclaimed with shock and confusion as she stumbled to keep up with his forceful stride. Seeing that she was trying to struggle with him, he swept her off her feet and carried her in his arms up the stairs. “Put me down!” Zoe fought with a fr
“What is wrong with Erin's granddaughter?” Mac questioned his grandson, Malcolm, as he stood impatiently in the private living room on the top floor, his eyes twitching with suppressed worry about what was going on. “Zoe is doing fine,” Malcolm answered sharply, hoping in his heart that she had not too much impression that something was truly wrong with her. “She asked who her grandmother was. Like she didn't remember her or something,” Mac mentioned, just in case Malcolm had no idea what he was talking about. “She has gone through so much these days. Pretending that her pain doesn't exist is her coping mechanism. I hope you understand,” Malcolm defended instantly, his voice low and convincing, in such a way that his grandfather would not go back and forth about the issue. “Is there something like that?” Mac muttered to himself with heavy contemplation, not seeming impressed by what he was hearing. “Why have you come to see us, grandfather? It is unlike you,” Malcolm questioned i
“Something must really be wrong. Is she pretending on purpose?” Irina asked no one in particular as she pondered on what had just gone down in the living room with Zoe and Mac the previous day, barely eating any of the breakfast that had been served to them. “What about the way he praised only her?” Audrey cut in bitterly, still feeling so bad for her son from yesterday, “He belittled everyone.”“Something is off. Even the way Malcolm overreacted and took her away instantly was suspicious,” Irina mouthed again and turned to Isla, “What do you think?” “I don't have much in mind. We will find out everything that is going on soon,” she responded calmly, not wanting to speak too much. Out of everyone, she was more and greatly disturbed even if she never showed it. The secret that Zoe found out about her was too destructive if it got out. ‘She couldn't allow her.’ “Perhaps their remarriage is true? Maybe for Malcolm, though. He seems invested in everything about her these days,” Audr
“Why do I have to do this?” Zoe questioned her grandfather on the phone after Gary came to the Meyers mansion, and put him on for her. “There is no time, Zoe!” He snapped angrily, hating that he had to explain himself to her when he wanted to save her ass from being canceled, “Leave with him now and do what is required. Else, your life might be over if people find out that you are mentally unwell!” Those were the very short words she had in a conversation with her grandfather, in the early hours of the morning, when she demanded to know why she was being asked to suddenly leave the country together with Malcolm. The news of her losing her mind had taken over the internet, and the front of the major company, other subsidiaries, and the Sinclair mansion were swarming with reporters, wanting to know the validity of such news and if she was indeed crazy. However, the fastest solution that Francis could think of was for her to go with Malcolm in his private jet to Canada as fast as poss
“We aren't leaving now?” Zoe's eyes jumped in surprise to hear different news from Malcolm, as she tilted her head in anticipation of a reason from him. “Yes,” Malcolm answered her, already observing how irritated she was by his answer. “Why?” her eyes narrowed at him, her lips curving to her deep frown. “It has been a while since we have been on a trip together. We could take this opportunity.”“I have no time for all this. I have to be back home,” Zoe dismissed with a much deeper grimace etched upon her face, as she turned away from his sight and began to strut out of the building, only to find out that no one that she recognized seemed to be there. “What have you done?!” She turned to Malcolm, who was coming behind her when she realized what was going on, her eyes blazing murderously at him. ‘She truly didn't have time. She was yet to find out anything, and this man was talking to her about a trip?!’“The workers were all hired for an hour at most. They left after doing thei
Zoe stayed in the bedroom of the suite the entire time till evening, while Malcolm left with Edward for some business around, and returned late in the evening to see Zoe a little busy with some work too. A little uncomfortable by their silence, he ordered dinner to be brought in later, so that both of them could eat together at the same table.“Why are you not eating?” Malcolm noticed the entire time they started eating, that Zoe found it hard to stomach more than five spoons. “I do not have an appetite,” she answered him, suddenly feeling suffocated when she realized that his heavy gaze was on her. “You haven't eaten anything since I left. Aren't you famished?” He questioned, his questioning eyes gazing at her as his forehead wrinkled in surprise. “It doesn't matter how famished I am. I still cannot eat even if I want,” she picked up a glass of water and drank a little from it. “Since when has it started?” Malcolm questioned, his face wrinkling in worry about her. “That means yo
“Oh, you think you can give me anything I want?” She had shot a mocking look at him, and laughed hysterically the moment, each intensifying by each passing minute causing Andre to stiffen in anger the more even if he struggled to hold himself while clinging tightly to the suit he was wearing. “Giving me what I want is not something you can do, Andre Meyer,” she suddenly got angry.“Then why are you threatening me?!” He demanded, unable to suppress what he was feeling, “You must want something, don't you?” Isla sighed dramatically, as if expecting him to ask her that, as she leaned back tiredly, “I would not have come this far if Mum treated both of us equally anyway,” she spoke calmly as if trying to savor the intensity of her words, “But seeing you paranoid makes me happy,” she chuckled. “You are evil!” He blurted lividly. “Is that so?” She laughed, as she suddenly began to waltz carefully around the room, her fingers brushing through the tip of everything unnecessary, “I want
Still lost in thought back at RINASHONE gallery, Isla's lips curled into a slow, wicked smile as the echoes of that delicious moment replayed like a favorite melody, the moment blood drained from her brother's face when she mentioned his nemesis. “Yes, you bloodthirsty fool! You murdered your wife, and just had to ruin my plans, did you not? Or do I have to remind you?!” she had yelled at his face. ‘Oh, how she wished she had captured his expression on camera. The way he went pale, and struggled to pretend like he didn't understand what she was saying. The delight he had given her when she taunted him more after sensing the quick, almost imperceptible stiffening of his shoulders.’She loved how her unexpected accusation had struck him like a whip, and how he blinked rapidly, his throat working as he tried to force a denial past his dry lips, as if he had misheard. His entirety had trembled with the shock of his life, and his eyes widened astonishingly, when he struggled to hide th
Meanwhile, at the MEL-CO headquarters company that morning, every worker scrambled quietly to get to the main building to clock in for the day with their employee’s card, where they could stuff themselves into the elevator and get to their respective offices before their working hours for the day would begin. Inside the private elevator which led instantly to the CEO's office was Malcolm standing without a word, and beside him was Edward, who was shuffling through a neatly organized tablet of notes, completely unaware of the storm awaiting them as the elevator went up with the speed of light. Reaching the top floor of the office building, the elevator doors slid open with a quiet dinger, and Malcolm stepped out, his polished leather shoes blending with a silent click against the marble floor. He was dressed in an impeccable dark navy blue suit, which perfectly complemented the crisp white shirt beneath, and the black tie that knotted his neck. Expecting to see the usual bustling
Amid the hubbub that had filled the city’s media outlets, Isla sat in her office, with her legs crossed elegantly behind her desk. Her lips were curved in a satisfied smirk, as she sipped delicately from the porcelain mug filled with tea that was hanging between her fingers. She drew deep breaths in and out as she closed her eyes to savor the rich aroma of the tea incessantly before each sip, with her eyes glistening in the amusement of the exciting news that filled her ears that morning. The huge television that was always buried within the walls of her office and had always just served for aesthetics, played out its first purpose of displaying the scandal regarding the person, whose downfall she wished for desperately. Her lips curled in a derisive, wicked grin, as she muttered, “So many people want her ruined too,” Isla thought with delight, “It is not just me. How poetic,” she tilted her head as the anchor’s voice droned on about the chaos at the mall. To her, it sounde
Jasmine drove her car along the quite busy street that led to her flower shop in the morning after dropping Raine off at school, while tapping her fingers on the steering wheel absentmindedly, her thoughts still muddled from a restless and sleepless night. She didn't sleep well the entire night. She had too many worries buzzing around in her head, even if no one could tell just by looking at her merely. She looked as radiant as ever, her auburn hair loosely tied into a bun, and lips a perfect curve in the usual alluring manner. The tires of her car glided right across the front of her shop, and she pulled up outside it, the brakes letting out a faint squeak as the car staggered a few miles to the back before it finally came to a halt.Turning to the back to grab her bag from the passenger’s seat, she stepped out of her car and waited a few seconds before shutting the door behind her, as a brief weariness weighed against her heart.Jasmine drew in a deep, sharp breath and shut her ey
The drive to the mall had been a lot for Zoe, who was driving with the intensity that she wanted to solve what was going on in her company, only to be rammed with a memory she wanted to be very sure wasn't hers. She tried to block the absurd drunken memory that flashed through her mind out of her head as she drove and switched lanes aggressively, while jerking her steering wheel left and right. All through her drive, she was calling back a few of those who had called her incessantly to give them an order about what to do. “Come up with the fastest way to mitigate the effect of being sued by the victims, before we get to the bottom of this,” she informed the legal team. “Secure the footage for the past two weeks at the food storage and distribution centers, with the past few days in focus. Contact the heads and receive their logs for the past few days instantly, so that we can know what distribution unit brought it to the mall,” she told Hepzy, her general manager, whom she was sure
“What happened?” Zoe questioned, her voice calm and collected, even if her head was already conjuring up the worst case scenarios. “One of our food products….” Zara exhaled sharply, her head spinning with worry, “It landed three children from different homes in the hospital yesterday night. Severe food poisoning. A mother went public about it, and now it is everywhere on social media, and news outlets. The two other moms joined in too, and now it is a crazy business. The mall is being dragged through the dirt, and people are canceling their orders. Many people are saying a lot of trash, and calling for a boycott. It is crazy!” She narrated without taking a breath. Zoe's head almost tumbled hearing that, but she remained composed regardless, “Which store?”“The gourmet section. It is the new frozen chicken which was just added to the line. They said they all had it for dinner yesterday night, and that was the food they had in common. I truly hope that there will be no more casualtie
The morning sunlight filtered through the floor-length curtains of the living room which were usually barely opened, with its mild rays radiating heat against the body of the lady that was sprawled on the couch, her tightly shut eyes squinting endlessly. Unable to cope with the intensity of the sunrays, Zoe tried to turn to the other side the way she usually did on her bed, when her other hand suddenly landed on an open space causing her heart and eyes to jump open at the same time. ‘Shit. Where was she?’ she wondered, as her eyes which were initially struggling to open parted instantly from the shock that she landed on the floor from the chair. ‘She was sleeping in her living room and not her room?’ Zoe panicked, as she pulled her body up instantly, and looked around, wondering if it was truly morning already. ‘How long did she sleep?’ she wondered, her eyes scanning around as if she could tell just by that. She could tell from how she was feeling in her body that she slept a lot
“You know her?” Jasmine asked reflexively, before she shook her head, realizing what a weird question she asked, “I guess she is so popular that you even know her,” She shook her head again, “It is no news if a child born today knows her.” “Ye…es. Yes. Yes, I do,” Justine answered, almost stuttering, her voice and gaze a little distant as if she was getting lost in the thoughts of something else. Her face suddenly stiffened in a more deepened shock. “She is. She is somehow the daughter of my first love, and friend who betrayed me so terribly. It is crazy how life turns out,” she continued to rant endlessly, deeply bitter because she just couldn't help but wonder how. She ran a thumb along the rim of her glass, staring at the city as if the answers were out there somewhere, and continued to speak, “And I know that it is not the child's fault that all this happened, but I cannot help but be resentful,” she paused again, her head spinning. “Sometimes I get sentimental, which is