Zoe stood in front of the dresser in the master bedroom of the private suite she was staying in, her eyes staring conceitedly at her reflection in the reflective glass before her, and her heart swirling with the weight of the big decision she was finally making that night. She had spoken with Marcel two days before, and he had given her a sad reply that his father was unwilling to release his private jet to him because they were still not on good terms, even if he had no idea what she wanted to use it for. However, she told him not to worry anymore because she would still be able to use that of ANCLAIR’s conglomerate in the meantime, till her grandfather would probably decide to finally cut her off from the benefits as the CEO if he found out what she was planning. She finally told him why she had requested that of him. Earlier in the morning, she asked that Aaron be discreetly transported to Zara's house, and asked that the dutiful secretary take care of him till evening, kno
THREE MONTHS LATEROn the last day at the jewelry company, clusters of office workers lingered by their desks and in the hallways, talking in hushed, worried voices. An eerie feeling and a weird hollow quietness settled in the surroundings of each office, as if amplifying the uneasiness everyone was overwhelmed by. Brown boxes that belonged to them lined the floors, filled with items from their desks and cubicles, and the once-glittering display cases where sample pieces of exquisite jewelry sat proudly were now empty. It was not a shock that everything finally came to that, because for the past months the company, Hila Jewelry had been struggling more than it had since the beginning of the year, and a few of them who got a better offer, or even less good offers from other companies, left as fast as they could before they soon became at the mercy of joblessness.While faced with the fear of all of them being laid off since an employee buyout might not happen, their voices rose in co
The presence of the woman that made her way into the boardroom radiated a chilling, and self-assured elegance as she sauntered across the room, her piercing gaze locking onto Isla for a brief, almost taunting second. Dressed in a sharp, immaculately custom-made white suit, her movements were graceful, calculated and classy, like a predator closing in on prey, her stunning white heels clicking ostentatiously on the marble floor. Isla felt the blood drain from her face instantly, as she stared in shock, unable to process the sight before her. “How…?” she barely whispered to herself, too stunned to speak louder, her heart nearly stopping, “How……” She could barely keep herself composed as her eyes narrowed on the woman, who stood confidently before her, with a smug smile settling in the corners of her mouth. Desperately trying to make sense of the unraveling events, Isla's voice trembled as she forced herself to speak, “Zoe?” she called out, her voice trembling with fear, unable to b
The atmosphere in the boardroom was tense as the meeting finally began, and Isla was still reeling from Zoe's revelation, gripping the edges of her chair, forcing herself to sit up straight despite the humiliation twisting inside her. Every eye in the room now focused on the man at Zoe's side, who was the host of the meeting. He was a tall, polished secretary with the most dashing look, and he exuded great appearance. He cleared his throat with a crisp authority as if calling everyone's attention to him, and began to speak, “Ladies and gentlemen,” he greeted politely, “I understand this is a day of difficult transition because of the sudden disruption, but it is necessary to review the reasons the shareholders are being advised not to honor Ms. Isla's requested payout before the transfer of ownership rights is completed,” He glanced down briefly at his papers before him, and then backed up, his eyes locking with each shareholder. Isla felt a pang of dread as he continued, her hear
Sitting in the comfort of his office, which was nothing short of sophistication and opulence, a gorgeous man, calm and composed, his suit impeccable, his perfectly waxed hair neatly in place, had just ended a conference call with the company headquarters in China. His mind was still basking in the serenity of the silence around him while refreshing his email with the hope that he had gotten a reply, when the grand door to his office suddenly flew open without a knock, as a fuming man stormed in, barely able to contain his fury.“What the hell, Malcolm?!” he snapped, voice filled with anger as he crossed the room, his face twisted with fury, and his fists clenched at his sides, “Why did you reject my proposal? Again?" His voice was a low growl, though it trembled with a barely contained rage.Without sparing him a glance, Malcolm remained calm as he switched off his computer, and he settled back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other with practiced ease. When he finally looked
The grand front door of the Meyer swung open with force and rattled against the wall as Isla stormed into the grand lobby, and then the stairway, her heels striking the marble floors with a force that echoed through the long hallway, revealing the intensity of her anger. Her face was scrunched up in anger and despair, and her voice was loud and quivering with frustration, as it dissipated into the air before anyone had even noticed her arrival, knowing she would definitely find them there. “She is back!” she cried out in frustration, as her fists clenched her sides, and her body quivered with anger, as she strode into the living room where her mother and brother sat, “Zoe is back, mother!” Ever since Andre returned home and the family ended up dividing, the only person who was not shocked by the announcement or new arrangement was Isla. It was as if she had known what had been going on behind the scenes before the plan finally became public, and couldn't help being bothered like
It was impossible to miss. The newest, grandest mall which stood in gleaming glass and steel splendor of great luxury and opulence, with its gigantic structure, stretched so wide, and covered an almost unimaginable number of square meters. The intricate details in its architecture whispered of wealth and exclusivity, and every floor was rumored to be filled with unique boutiques, lavish dining experiences, an indoor oasis lined with lush greenery and trickling water fountains, an entertainment area with a cinema of virtual reality lounges, and a rooftop garden overlooking the city below. The construction of the mall had been shrouded in secrecy for months after the redevelopment of the area was instantly announced, and now its opening and launching event was the talk of the town, flooding every news outlet and social media platform. Everywhere, people wondered what conglomerate owned the huge work of art. #Mall of century #Biggest in the city #Magnificent Mall #Top entrepreneu
The golden air at the moment, which held an air ambiance that opened the world of grand luxury and sophistication, filled the nooks and crannies of the new mall where its launching event was being held, whose name had just been announced a few hours ago. ZOELVATop elites began to saunter into ZOELVA mall, where every inch was polished with fine marble, and was designed with mind-blowing architectural expertise that exuded grandeur, designed to leave them thoroughly marveling and awed by the sight that stole breath from their lips. The glass walls had clear panes that were interspersed with opalescent beams that captured and reflected light in all directions, and giant tiers of diamond chandeliers hung in the main atrium, each crystal strand swaying subtly with a familiar melody, while casting the most artistic light pattern on the marble floor below. The huge ballroom for the event was alive with whispers, laughter, and small talk from the elites that were in attendance, ranging fr
Tension fell into the air as soon as Zoe's rigid voice pierced through the atmosphere, and demanded from her grandfather, the question he was not sure he had ever imagined that he would be asked. Francis Sinclair, a little taken aback even if he didn't show it, turned his head to look at her, as if wanting to decipher the reason she asked him that question just by looking at her face. “Why that question?” he responded with a question, and it made Zoe's heart tremble even more with bated breath when she had waited to hear just the truth. “Just answer!” Words slipped out of her lips weaker than she intended, as her voice trembled in the fear that he would say no, “Truthfully,” she whispered, with a silent plea in her eyes. As much as she resented him so much in her heart, she couldn't bear to hear that he wasn't her grandfather. That had manipulated the DNA results to save face, and that she was not his son's daughter. She feared that she would totally be alone in the world withou
Ever since the previous day after the art exhibition ended, Andre Meyer had been restless. He had seen Zoe at the closest distance for the first time, and even if he didn't get to talk to her, he didn't like the aura she radiated. It was almost as overbearing as Malcolm's. Intimidating. Without wasting further time, he had called for his lawyer to see him as soon as possible the next day, and had waited impatiently for him to arrive at his office by canceling almost all his schedules for the day. At the arrival of the lawyer, Andre ushered him to take his seat on one of the leather couches in his huge office, as he sat across from him with signs of desperation and restlessness visibly written on his face. “Concerning what you inquired about last night, Mr. Meyer,” the man began, as he pulled out some files in his briefcase and placed them on the table. “I need to know, Harris,” Andre interrupted almost immediately, “Can I fight for custody of my son and win?” His eyes studied the
The executive team of the ELVA was seated patiently in the conference room awaiting Zoe, who entered just right in time with a sullen expression on her face, as she signaled they would begin the agenda of the meeting without saying much. Each head of the team presented updates on the plan for the launch of their latest jewelry collection in two days, which included detailed market strategies, production timelines, and promotional campaigns that she had demanded of them. But as they each shared their insights and strategies through the hologram before them, her mind was elsewhere. Even if she was staring at everyone as if she were listening, her mind was far away from the room. Her head was melting and floating at the same time. The message she read from the previous night thoroughly shook her bones, that they tightened so hard and painfully with trepidation at the processing of it. Her head expanded with the dire gravity of what she had read. ‘How? How on earth? Just how much did
It had been so long since he sat open in the serenity and basked in its beauty, that he had even forgotten how to do that. He had forgotten how it felt to sit comfortably in the repose of his mind, without having to think of anything at that moment. The sounds of rustling leaves, the distanced chirping of birds, the beauty of flying fireflies, the buzzing of distant insects, and the humming of a cold evening breeze all created a beautiful backdrop that seemed to catch Malcolm's attention, as he sat back on the reclining chair in his garden, his right hand wrapped around a half-empty glass that contained the scotch whiskey he was drinking. As he stared at the swaying of the beautiful flowers in his garden, with their branches fluttering with soothing sounds, he wished he had heard sooner. It had taken him years to sit in this peace, and finally understand the bondage he had been plunged into. He couldn't understand why he had spent so long living in a mansion he was barely at peace
“Excuse me,” Zoe walked away from the company of those that she found herself in at the moment, “Will be back in a jiffy,” she informed with a smile. She sauntered away elegantly and made her way into the nearest ladies’ bathroom as she entered the place. Sticking her hand under the faucet which detected her presence immediately, she watched her hands delicately in water for a few seconds. Right in the moment, the air around suddenly became heavy as someone made their way inside behind her, and instantly scanned through the entire bathroom to be sure no one was there. Standing rigid, Isla's arms crossed tightly against her dress, her voice dripping with contempt, “What the hell are you doing here?!” she demanded, her gaze burning with a fierce intensity that could scorch Zoe on the spot. Zoe paused as a smile curled her crimson-painted lips, while staring at Isla through the mirror that was facing her, as her eyes danced with amusement, “How are you, Isla?” “I asked what yo
Meanwhile, Isla, who was the last to catch sight of what was going on as she was too engrossed in her explanation, froze momentarily the moment her eyes came in contact with Zoe. Instantly, the bright smile on her lips died and her eyes widened in bewilderment. She never in her entire life would have expected to see Zoe attend her art exhibition, since the last time they met was the day she took over her company through Mason's help. The memories of their past encounters, rivalries, and deep-stemming hatred flared in her mind as her heart skipped so hard. ‘What was this bitch doing here?! Why was she here?!’ Isla almost lost it on the spot as her entire body began to shake uncontrollably, while her fists clenched hard in anger the more she stared at Zoe from where she stood. As their eyes locked for a few seconds, Zoe paused, just long enough for Isla to savor the effect of her presence, with amusement dancing in her gaze, before she tore her gaze away and channeled her attention
It was RINASHONE’s first art exhibition of the year, and the halls of the grand hall of the huge art gallery which was shining with the beautiful lights that radiated from the crystal chandeliers off the polished marble floors, were abuzz, and filled with A-list socialites that had been invited for the grand event. All perfect preparations had been made in the space of a few weeks after Isla became the new director, and all that was left for the art exhibition was to be a wonderful and satisfying one where both the host's and guests' needs would be met. The walls of the huge art hall were lined with bold splashes of abstract colors, still life paintings, and realistic portraits of serene landscapes by renowned popular artists, which garnered attention from the guests. They were amazed by the beauty of each wonderful painting, while muttering a few words to one another and exchanging pleasantries, only to be interrupted by the host of the exhibition, who had a big smile on her face.
Unable to sleep the entire night, Zoe ran through her whole schedule for the day and the ones for the next few days, as she worked tirelessly with a virtual assistant she also hired remotely. The next morning, Dylan was already waiting outside the house for her together with the chauffeur this time, and they barely said anything to each other except exchange pleasantries. “Thank you, Dylan,” Zoe finally remembered as she sat back in the car, while going through her schedule for the day which Zara had forwarded already. It was almost like she hadn't gone through a mental breakdown the previous day. “For yesterday,” she added after pausing for a few seconds, as if trying to process the remainder of the information she wanted to pass across to him even if she knew what she wanted to say. “It is my pleasure, ma'am,” Dylan answered, unsure if he should be appreciated for that. It wasn't an obligation. He just wanted to do it. “It is Zoe. Just Zoe,” she corrected for the nth time, even
Nothing made sense even more after the curiosity that took Zoe back to her home led her to hear new information, and she had to confirm using whatever unnoticeable means she could to get information about the two legendary friends. Her mother, Emily, and her friend, Jasmine. ‘Was Jasmine really pregnant as rumored then?’ She wondered, ‘But the other aged people she asked said Jasmine returned to the countryside after the rumor and lived there for about three more years, but they saw no child with her? What then happened?’ She was restless in her thoughts. Dylan drove the car while she sat at the back, silent and still, her heart aching with even more confusion. She sat back against the car seat and stared blankly outside the car, unable to even think properly if she wanted to. More than anything, she felt so lonely. She felt like she had no family or anyone to turn to. As much as she thrived and was happy at her magnanimous success in the eyes of others, her heart felt no warm