It had been a week since the dinner, and the tension that remained in the mansion was clearly visible.Alison and Travis have been on edge, with their anxiety levels skyrocketing with each passing day. Travis's phone rang nonstop, with calls from various stakeholders, all wanting a piece of him, the men of the press calling each day for an interview Travis wasn't willing to grant. Alison, too, was feeling the pressure, her nerves stretched to the breaking point.“Trav, I don't think we can keep doing this.” She mumbled, laying across his chest,and listening to his fast and loud heartbeats.Travis's eyes snapped to hers in shock. “What do you mean?” Getting no response from her, he sighed in exasperation and sat upright. “This is not about the scandal right? Alison we are getting over it already, please just hold on a little bit more.” Alison shook her head, and sat upright. “That is not even the case Travis.”“Then what? You are not leaving me right?” He asked and for a moment, Al
“And finally, look who is on his knees, I have not gotten interrupted in the last few weeks.” Bruno smirked and sipped from his wine glass. “Mum, this has got to be one of the best things that's ever happened.“Honestly I really feel relieved. I am sure that by now, Mrs. Rodrigo is somewhere there mourning her son's downfall.” She grinned, malice clear in her eyes.“This should teach them a lesson, never to mess with just anyone.” Bruno smirked.Bruno was basking in the glory of his victory, surrounded by his loving family. His mother, Mrs. Francisco, beamed with pride as she watched her son celebrate with her grandson, Theo. “Daddy, what is the celebration all about?” Theo asked and Bruno smiled at him.“Daddy is really happy. You don't want to know why,” Bruno replied, taking another sip from his drink.“You don't want to tell me why!” The boy asked with a big smile on his face, although he had no idea why, his father's happiness gladdened his heart.“Your daddy has conquered a ver
As the luxurious cars navigated through the city streets, accompanied by a convoy of guards, Alison gazed out the window, her mind still reeling from the press conference. Travis, sensing her restlessness, turned to her and asked, "Hey, where's your mind at? I hope you aren't thinking about us being watched?”Alison's thoughts were interrupted, and she turned to him with a hint of excitement. "It's nothing like that. I was actually thinking, can we go see Megan and Carlos?" The possibility of spending time with her aunt and her Aunt's Man who have been standing by them the whole time, brought a welcome peace from the intensity of the day.Travis's expression softened, and he nodded without hesitation. "Of course, we can. Why don't we go together?" His eyes sparkled with amusement, and Alison's heart skipped a beat as she realized how much she enjoyed his company.Alison's face lit up, and she smiled. "That would be great. I honestly didn't think you'd want to come, I mean, most of th
Bruno kept pacing around the living room thinking of a way out. “Honestly, this is no good.”Mrs. Francisco sighed, staring at him from the couch she was seated on. “So, what do you intend to do? Bruno, you know we have to stop her, right? We can't let that stupid manipulative witch bring our reputation into shambles.”Bruno chuckled at her words, because clearly she seemed not to know what was at stake. “Mum, this is way beyond our reputation, if that was the case I wouldn't be this worried…” he trailed off.“Then maybe you should explain it to me.. what do we stand to lose?” She asked softly.“Everything, mum…” he started. “If the illegal dealings get out, then I'm losing my empire and everything I have ever worked for. And if everything we.. I mean what you did to Alison, we would both end up losing custody of Theo and landing ourselves jail terms.”Mrs Rodrigo froze at the revelation, never in her wildest imagination would she have imagined a day like this would come. “Bruno, we c
“He suddenly wants to meet up, and in a hotel.” Layla smirked as she dropped the call with Bruno. “I can't believe he thinks he can manipulate me.”“Who is that?” Spider asked as he watched Layla take her hands off her keyboard. “You should guess,” she replied with a loopsided smile. “The one person who has the ability to get me disappointed and amused at the same time.”“Let me guess… Bruno Francisco?” Spider asked with a mock-chuckle.“Exactly.. I really don't know what the deal is with that dude, he's crazy.” She whispered, and then her phone dinged a notification. “Imagine he is asking to meet up, after disappointing me countless times.”“You are not going to meet him, right?” Spider asked, visibly shocked as he watched her get off her chair.“Oh.. well, I'm going to see him. For him to have called me, he definitely has something important to say, besides he still has some explanations to make… And look, he just sent me his location.” She said showing him her phone's screen.“Do
“And so what if you know who I am?” Layla cut him off angrily, before he could finish pronouncing her name. “Look, Marco, dont get involved In a battle that is not your own.”“What is that supposed to mean?” Marco asked her and she chuckled loudly.“My enemy here is Bruno and not you… the only thing you think you have against me is my name, but guess what?” She asked and paused. “I have your secrets all on my palm, and with just a button, you're ending up in jail. Choose wisely.”“L…Layla, you should know I really meant no harm, I.. I.. was j..” he stuttered, visibly shaking as he tried to get the right words.“Save your stuttering tongue, old man!” she cut him off. “Stay out of my business, and be safe. If you try to act funny, then however this ends, you would have yourself to blame.”“I..it has not..”He was still saying when she ended the call. “Whatever he thinks he is.”The remaining drive to the hotel did not take much time, as Layla arrived in less than ten minutes.She parked
It has been a week already since the press conference and everything is already starting to get back to normal, Travis held the board meeting as his mother suggested and got issues ironed out with his stakeholders.Although a lot of them found the whole scandal messy, especially the tapes, their earlier decision and threats to withdraw from the conglomerate were averted.One would easily call it a relief, as Travis and Alison could now go about their daily lives and activities without having to fear the wagging tongues of literally all the citizens of Illinois, but it was really more than that.“Honestly Travis, I have never been more glad. Look, everything is almost over.” Alison said with a genuine smile as she sat on his thighs, curled up in his arms.It's weekend already, and so they're both at home, after collectively agreeing to spend the whole weekend together.“You can say that again, Princess.” He replied staring softly at her, before planting a soft kiss on her lips. “I know
After watching Alan's back, until he went out through the exit, Alison shook her head.“I really cannot believe that he left the comfort of his mansion, to come make trouble with his brother, because of that bitch, he calls a wife.” Travis shrugged. “Alan has always been like that… quite insensitive and utterly stupid, so I would not really blame him.”“I'm glad you're way better than that, I can't imagine myself calling someone that gullible, my husband.” Alison replied plainly. “He's easier to manipulate and fool.”“We're blood, but I can't agree less. Because of how much of a social media freak, and an attention seeker Delaney was, the entire America was aware of our relationship.” He said, with a difficult-to-read expression. “Yet, he stupidly believed Delaney when she said we were just business partners. Seems like he loves too much when he wants to.” Alison observed but Travis shook his head.“Alan is just gullible, and easily manipulated, didn't you see howquick his demeanor
“Hey, where did you get this photo from?” Alison asked, running after Travis.“Come on, I'm not posting it. I'm just taking a careful look at it.” He replied, taking his hands off. “Just stop running after me and I would let you have a look at it.”“No way! Trav.” She pouted and then hugged him tightly. “Just let me see it, please.”“You have always been beautiful, Alison.” He whispered, staring at the picture on his phone. “Look, we made the perfect match.”It was a picture of her and Travis in high school. A week had passed since the discovery of Raquel's involvement with the scandal, and both Alison and Travis were avoiding the subject.They knew that they were going to talk about it eventually, but they wer not interested in talking about it, at least not during the previous week.“Fine, if you're not going to show me, can you at least stop joking around?” She pouted.“It would not have been so much of a big deal if a certain person didn't have her arms wrapped around me…” he tr
“Ah!!” Raquel yelled and threw her phone against her standing mirror, shattering it. “How dare Travis! How dare him not trust me? How dare him reject my offer?”She ruffled her hair in frustration, wondering why Spider wasn't there yet. Her mind drifted to Travis once again and she shook her head. “How did he even find out? I don't want to believe that there is a mole in my circle, else it would not end well.”“Ah, I hate Alison! I hate Bruno! I hate all of them.” She yelled and grabbed a pillow and threw it at her table, shattering all the cosmetics on it.“You do not have to break things to prove that you're angry, Raquel, you do this every single time!” Spider snapped, walking into her bedroom. “They are obviously better ways of handling your emotions.”“Who the fuck do you think you are, Spider?” She snapped back. “You are not going to tell me how to act or react or how to live my life!” “And you think I'm interested in doing that? Look, Raquel, I'm starting to get sick of your
“Confront Raquel, and tell her what exactly?” Travis asked. “Hey, I know you've been trying to get rid of my woman, Alison and you conspired with the elite men, Bruno, particularly, and they went against you, to attack my wife, and not me?”“Exactly.” Alison replied and the room went dead in silence as they tried to make sense of her words. “How does that work, please?” Megan asked. “I mean, I've never heard that kind of advice, ever.”Carlos who was silent all along,and trying to picture the scenario Travis's word just painted, finally spoke up. “That's a good one.”“How?” Megan and Travis chorused.“I deal with criminals everyday, and Alison read law, we've all done criminal law at some point so take the advice well.” He started. “If you can let Raquel know that you're already aware of her plans, the chances of her plotting something against Alison will be slim.”“So, after the confrontation? What next?” Travis asked with a chuckle. “I know Raquel really well, and I can tell she is
“All of these finally makes perfect sense.” Travis whispered, connecting the dots in his head. “First, Raquel shows up in Chicago, then she starts bumping into me everywhere, threatening me and swearing that if she cannot have me, nobody else would.”“So, you had your suspicions all along?” Carlos asked the obvious question and then sighed. “Anyway, the only issue here is that she did not successfully pull you and Alison apart, and most definitely she's going to strike, again.”Oscar and Travis shared puzzled glances before turning to Carlos. “Is the mess she created on his reputation not enough?” Oscar flared.“Well, although I have no idea about whatever is going on in her mind, I'm pretty sure she would strike again because even if the damage has been done, she hasn't gotten to her goal, so…” Carlos trailed off his mind drifting to the criminals he had to deal with, and whose direct confessions he'd heard.“So, what now?” Travis panicked. “Nothing much for now… except that were j
It's Sunday already, and Alison is still reeling from the nightmare she had the previous night, although she had no intention of telling Travis about it.They were both alone in the kitchen trying to make breakfast, when Alison's phone rang.She didn't take the first call, as all her attention was on the pancakes she was making. Her phone started to ring again, and left without a choice, she turned to Travis.“Please, pass me the phone.” He picked it up, and without checking the caller ID, he handed it over to her. “Who's calling?” She asked, her hands stained with flour.“I have no idea, you should check.” He replied and she nodded. Her heartbeat accelerated the moment she saw who the caller was. “Officer Carlos.” She muttered and took the call.“Good morning, sir.” She greeted, moving away from the cooker. “Morning Alison, how are you and Travis doing?” He asked and she nodded, forgetting that he couldn't see her.“Very well sir. How are you, and how is Aunt Megan?” Alison asked
After watching Alan's back, until he went out through the exit, Alison shook her head.“I really cannot believe that he left the comfort of his mansion, to come make trouble with his brother, because of that bitch, he calls a wife.” Travis shrugged. “Alan has always been like that… quite insensitive and utterly stupid, so I would not really blame him.”“I'm glad you're way better than that, I can't imagine myself calling someone that gullible, my husband.” Alison replied plainly. “He's easier to manipulate and fool.”“We're blood, but I can't agree less. Because of how much of a social media freak, and an attention seeker Delaney was, the entire America was aware of our relationship.” He said, with a difficult-to-read expression. “Yet, he stupidly believed Delaney when she said we were just business partners. Seems like he loves too much when he wants to.” Alison observed but Travis shook his head.“Alan is just gullible, and easily manipulated, didn't you see howquick his demeanor
It has been a week already since the press conference and everything is already starting to get back to normal, Travis held the board meeting as his mother suggested and got issues ironed out with his stakeholders.Although a lot of them found the whole scandal messy, especially the tapes, their earlier decision and threats to withdraw from the conglomerate were averted.One would easily call it a relief, as Travis and Alison could now go about their daily lives and activities without having to fear the wagging tongues of literally all the citizens of Illinois, but it was really more than that.“Honestly Travis, I have never been more glad. Look, everything is almost over.” Alison said with a genuine smile as she sat on his thighs, curled up in his arms.It's weekend already, and so they're both at home, after collectively agreeing to spend the whole weekend together.“You can say that again, Princess.” He replied staring softly at her, before planting a soft kiss on her lips. “I know
“And so what if you know who I am?” Layla cut him off angrily, before he could finish pronouncing her name. “Look, Marco, dont get involved In a battle that is not your own.”“What is that supposed to mean?” Marco asked her and she chuckled loudly.“My enemy here is Bruno and not you… the only thing you think you have against me is my name, but guess what?” She asked and paused. “I have your secrets all on my palm, and with just a button, you're ending up in jail. Choose wisely.”“L…Layla, you should know I really meant no harm, I.. I.. was j..” he stuttered, visibly shaking as he tried to get the right words.“Save your stuttering tongue, old man!” she cut him off. “Stay out of my business, and be safe. If you try to act funny, then however this ends, you would have yourself to blame.”“I..it has not..”He was still saying when she ended the call. “Whatever he thinks he is.”The remaining drive to the hotel did not take much time, as Layla arrived in less than ten minutes.She parked
“He suddenly wants to meet up, and in a hotel.” Layla smirked as she dropped the call with Bruno. “I can't believe he thinks he can manipulate me.”“Who is that?” Spider asked as he watched Layla take her hands off her keyboard. “You should guess,” she replied with a loopsided smile. “The one person who has the ability to get me disappointed and amused at the same time.”“Let me guess… Bruno Francisco?” Spider asked with a mock-chuckle.“Exactly.. I really don't know what the deal is with that dude, he's crazy.” She whispered, and then her phone dinged a notification. “Imagine he is asking to meet up, after disappointing me countless times.”“You are not going to meet him, right?” Spider asked, visibly shocked as he watched her get off her chair.“Oh.. well, I'm going to see him. For him to have called me, he definitely has something important to say, besides he still has some explanations to make… And look, he just sent me his location.” She said showing him her phone's screen.“Do