Saben paced a vexed hand through his hair. "This is no laughing matter, Eliana! I'm warning you, stay away from him. Don't let your defenses down. Don't trust him."Eliana's eyes flashed with mutiny. "I never said I trusted him. But I'm not going to hide from him either.""You should," Saben bit out. "For your own safety."She didn't know what to say before someone else interjected."Well, well. Talking about me behind my back already?"Both of the kids spun around.There, leaning against a marble column, was Nathaniel Harper.They were crinkled with amusement, furrowed at the edges, a broad smile spreading from his mouth. "I didn't know I'd impressed you that much Eliana."Saben bristled immediately, standing watch over Eliana. "What in the devil are you still doing hanging around here?"Nathaniel took a slow drink of his whiskey."I was leaving, but someone called out my name. Figured I'd stay for a little while."Eliana stood around Saben, planted firmly in front of Nathaniel. "You'
Eliana sat cramped in the back of the family's luxury vehicle, her arms crossed as she stared out the window. Lights from the city whizzed by, but her mind was taken up with the one thing—Nathaniel Harper.That egotistical, condescending asshole.He believed she was fragile. He believed she would break beneath the strain.She gripped her fists.Let him believe that. For when the moment arrived, she would show him—and everyone else—otherwise.As the vehicle arrived at the Thompson Estate, Benedict stepped out first, his stance stiff. Saben got out next, looking at his sister before heaving a sigh."Eliana," he grumbled, shaking his head. "I recognize that expression. Don't be foolish."She got out, her heels clicking on the ground. "Define foolish.""Taking on Nathaniel Harper without a clear plan," Saben retorted. "He's not some entitled rich kid pretending to be a businessman. He's merciless, and he doesn't lose."Eliana smiled. "Neither do I."Benedict spun round, his face impassiv
The high-ceilinged conference room of Sabrina Ultra was heavy with tension. The firm's strongest board members occupied the gleaming, mahogany table, their eyes keen and critical as they examined the young woman before them.Eliana Hope Thompson.Daughter of Benedict Thompson and Sabrina Auburn, heiress to one of the largest luxury brands in the nation.But was she really up to it?That was the question hanging over all of us like a sword in the air waiting to descend.Sabrina was quietly tall and statuesque, standing beside her daughter, whose anger, like the swirling tongues of fire, raged left and right, backward and forward, across her face. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are today at the turning point for Sabrina Ultra. You all know I have been the head of this company for many decades, and I have taken it to what it stands now. Today is the day, however, to bring in the future. The future of the company—the future leader—is my daughter, Eliana Hope Thompson."Murmurs spread among boa
The instant Eliana entered the Sabrina Ultra boardroom the following morning, she felt the burden of the glares. Some were hopeful, some were cautious, and some, such as the in-your-face Jonathan Fields-one of the longest-serving board members-were downright hostile. She had scarcely sat down at the head of the table when he had his mouth going, speaking in a condescending tone."Miss Thompson, I'm not going to sugarcoat anything.". Your fellow board members have serious concerns about whether you have what it takes to head this company."Eliana restrained a sigh. Of course. Here we go. She put aside her tablet, putting her hands together on the table. "And what are those concerns, Mr. Fields?"Jonathan snorted. "Experience. You've never run a company in your life. You've never negotiated high-stakes deals or managed corporate disasters. Why in the world would you think you can occupy that seat?"Eliana smiled coolly. "Because my mother does. And if the woman who constructed this empi
Eliana walked out of her vehicle and across the massive door of Thompson compound, weariness on her shoulders. The session had tried every fiber of her patience and calmness, and here she was to deal with another battle—the one at home.She was just going to enter the living room when she heard the voice of her father."Tell me I misheard, Eliana." Her gaze settled on the faces of her parents, Sabrina and Benedict, with Saben, her eldest brother, waiting for her. There were no indications on their faces as to what they were thinking, but she could tell just from their rigid posture and the atmosphere itself from the tension that she was dreading to find out everything.The first voice to speak was that of her mother. Her sharp brown eyes narrowed. "You are collaborating with Nathaniel Harper?" Eliana inhaled deeply. "I wouldn't say a partnership. More of. a business arrangement."Benedict's laughter cut short, his head shaking. "A business arrangement? With him? Of all men?"Saben ad
The following day.Tension hung heavy in the boardroom.Eliana remained seated in one of the chairs by the very long, polished mahogany table, her clenched fingers tightened together in a small fist. Nathaniel Harper stretched out in front of her, an exasperating blend of relaxation and restraint.They had been here on the first day of something that neither of them had wanted but had to tolerate nonetheless.Sabrina Ultra and Harper Global directors sat in chairs surrounding them, patiently waiting.Eliana pulled her shoulders back. She was not going to let him have the upper hand.Nathaniel's smile broadened. "Shall we begin, Princess?"Her jaw hardened. "Let me clarify something for you, Harper. We are not friends. We are not friends. We are not friends." She slowly emphasized the final word, her rage blazing from her eyes so that Nathaniel's smile creased further.Nathaniel's smile spread wider. "Whatever it is that lets you sleep better at night."Eliana ignored him and turned to
A few weeks from now. Eliana stepped into Sabrina Ultra's high-ceilinged, sleek design studio, her heels clicking briskly on the marble floor. The whole department was in a sunny hum.Gridded ranks of seated designers, seamstresses, and textile specialists were bent over drawings and swatches of fabric, their faces lighting with imagination.This was her war zone.This was where Sabrina Ultra would carve its niche in the international arena.As she approached the lead designer, Amara Vasquez, a tall woman with an elegant presence and decades of experience, she felt a swell of pride. This was the dream she was building."Ms. Thompson," Amara said with a nod. "All is set for the global launch. The designs are done, and we're waiting for the final quality inspection before we send them to production."Eliana smiled. "Show me what we have."Amara gestured with her hand towards the giant glass table centering the room, where the most desirable, high-end items were displayed. The new Sabrina
11:47 PM – Sabrina Ultra HeadquartersEliana slumped over in the dark design room, exhaustion gnawing at her body. The glowing screens reflected off her face as she strived to recreate every minute detail of the ruined designs.She would not allow Nathaniel Harper to win.She had spent hours undoing the damage. Making calls to suppliers. Conducting meetings with designers. Keeping the Sabrina Ultra Worldwide Collection perfect as the legend that everyone knew.Everything mattered.Her mother's honor hung in the balance. And better than that—her own credibility.Eliana rubbed her temples, telling herself to stay focused. The battle was far from lost.Then her phone vibrated.She breathed deeply, knowing even before a glance who stood on the other end.Mom.With a weary groan, she answered."Eliana Hope Thompson, where are you?!"She flinched at the full-name treatment. Her mother only employed that when she was angry—or concerned."I'm at the office, Mom."A curt pause. Then:"At this
The courtroom was charged. Journalists slouched forward, pen tips hovered above notebooks. Cameras clicked quietly, capturing every concerned face. The air reeked with the scent of waxed wood and unspoken gravitas.Eliana sat on the plaintiffs' side of the bench, putting her hands over her lap. Bruises on both cheeks had lost their color, but the cuts from what she had endured were still pink and raw-looking. Her attorney, Margaret Lin, to her right, pored over papers with deliberate purpose.Across the aisle, William Harper sat, stone-faced. Leaning forward before him, whispering into his ear, was his attorney, Mitchell Crane. William remained silent. His eyes were on Eliana, a tempest brewing behind them.Judge Ramirez appeared, and the courtroom rose. She sat, gavel tapped once to bring the court to order."Be seated," she commanded.Margaret stood and pushed her glasses up. "Your Honor, the prosecution would like to bring Eliana Thompson forward as a witness."Eliana stood from he
Beneath the chilly gust blowing onto her cheeks, Eliana did not realize that she had been crying thus far.Sufficient to say, outside the courtroom proper, in the hallway, there were whispers between reporters and lawyers, and whisperings suspiciously filled the air. Cameras clicked outside of her peripheral vision, but she glided through them all like a ghost in her own existence."Eliana!" a voice shouted.She whirled around to see Benedict approaching her, his expression white with anxiety. For someone who was renowned for keeping emotions sequestered behind a closed vault, his eyes betrayed him now—fear, remorse, heartache."I ought to have predicted this," he muttered, clasping her shoulders firmly. "I should have known they would aim at you.""You couldn't have stopped it," she murmured, but her voice shook. "He hates you, Dad. And he used me to hurt you.""I did this. Paul Harper's destruction was at my hands. His son's fury—it all stems from what I did.""You didn't ruin them.
The courtroom hummed with anticipation, all the seats filled to capacity by witnesses whose mutters and papers shuffling created the atmosphere. The front bench symbolized the same justice most of them had arrived anticipating today's verdict to render.Eliana Thompson sat poised on the witness stand, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Nineteen years old, she was placed in a situation older than her years, but her eyes were steadfast, her voice unflappable.In the corner of the room, William Harper sat at the defense table, his face impassive. Paul Harper's son, a disgraced former board member of BMX Estates, William's presence was a harsh reminder of previous betrayals and the extremes to which revenge could propel a man.The prosecution lawyer, Delgado, walked up to the stand."Miss Thompson," Delgado started, "can you tell us about your relationship with the defendant?"Eliana nodded. "We went to the same university. Our encounters were brief—friendly nods, nothing more.""No ro
"Acknowledged," Judge Ramirez answered.The courtroom heard. William's voice echoed in the room."You think your family's above the law? I'll demonstrate power."Sabrina held Benedict's hand. Saben's fists were balled.Eliana's voice on the tape shook as she pleaded with him to stop.The courtroom was silent when the audio stopped.Mitchell rose. "Miss Thompson, isn't it a fact that you two had a history together?"Eliana blinked. "We went to school together. That's all.""No romantic history?""At all.""Maybe he misunderstood your relationship."Eliana gave him a glare. "No. He knew what he was doing."Mitchell took a step back.Then the detective, then the medical team. Each described a picture of meticulous planning, evidence, and motive.The defense final witness was a psychiatrist."Mr. Harper has unresolved trauma and delusions. Although he knew right from wrong, his emotions clouded his judgment."But Delgado stood up and asked one question."Did he know what he was doing when
The acrid odor of antiseptics wafted on, sterile and heavy. It hung in well-lit passageways in St. Martin General Hospital, echoing off tiled floors scrubbed spotless. Nurses rushed through, their soft-sold footwear barely making any sound as they blazed through doors to a room, bringing medication and checking vital signs. There was a single passageway that differed.Two uniformed police officers stood outside Room 312 like granite statues, staring and unblinking. They loomed oppressively over the otherwise antiseptic air. Within, the man they were instructed to protect lay unconscious, strapped to monitors and IVs.William Harper was in no way the towering figure the world was used to having beforehand. He was pinched and gaunt to the face, lips dry and cracked, and a wide bandage across his forehead. There was the soft beep of the heart monitor, slow. He breathed, but little else.Detective Arthur Payne stepped into the room with a determined but even gait. His black overcoat moved
Not anymore.Stepping out of the police station into the chill of early dawn, Sabrina wrapped her coat around herself and glanced at Benedict."We are not going home straight away, are we?" Sabrina asked."No," he said. "We are going to the hospital.""Eliana has to rest—""She's going to be lying in front of that motherfucker Harper in a hospital bed," Benedict growled. "I will have to contend with him.""Dad." Eliana attempted.But Benedict was already off, jaw set.They went in two cars. Damian drove with Saben and Eliana and Sabrina in the rear of the second car with Benedict. There was tension. There was an atmosphere of oppression all around them and a heavy buildup of tension.Within the vehicle, Damian addressed her. "You had do well to avoid the hospital for the moment, El."Eliana raised an eyebrow. "Why?""Because Benedict Thompson and William Harper at the same location? That's not a family reunion I'd care to have front-row seats to."Saben growled, "He's correct."Eliana
INT. POLICE STATION – NIGHT TO EARLY MORNINGSA hum of quiet voices echoed in the tiny police station. A sweet chemical scent of metallic disinfectant hung in the air, mixing with the acrid scent of old coffee. Soft hums filled the air from fluorescent lights overhead.Eliana sat still on a bench beside the corner, wrapped in a rough gray blanket an officer had provided. Her cheek was bandaged, bruised just below her jawline. Her own hands shook a little tighter, though she had them concealed in her lap.Damian leaned against the wall across from her, arms crossed and blood still congealing on his sleeve from a cut on his forearm. Nathaniel stood further off, alone, his face pale, his shirt covered in soot and gunpowder. He'd hardly uttered a word since he made his statement.The double doors of the station burst open with a creaking crash."Eliana!"She shifted her attention rapidly. There they were — her family.Sabrina, lovely even when panicked, ran first. Her coat hung over one s
The door of the warehouse creaked open as she slipped within.The air reeked with sweat, metal, and danger.Fluorescent light buzzed overhead. Footsteps—quiet, measured—rang off metal beams.She glided like a phantom, every step measured. Over rusty crates and scattered trash, her breathing harmonized. She didn't recoil at the groans or distant clatters.Until—"Hello, Eliana."She stopped.A man emerged from behind the warehouse, out of the darkness. Tall. In a new charcoal suit. Thin, satisfied smile on his mouth.One of William Harper's finest enforcers."Mr. Harper sends his regards," he said, his voice silky with poison. "He thought you'd show up."Her teeth were gritted. "Of course he did. He always did enjoy the dramatic entrance.".The man laughed. "He said you were predictable. Guess he was right.""You've been chasing my family like it's a game.""Your father started this. Exposed a man who created legacies. Hospitals. Universities. You all pretend like you're the heroes, bu
But she turned slowly, so that he could see the hurt unfettered in her eyes.I never locked you out, Nathaniel," she whispered. "You just never came close enough to linger."And with that, she departed, the chill night air nipping at her skin. The darkness closed in around her like an old friend long forgotten.She did not glance back.Not when the world was weighed in the balance.The wind wailed as Eliana stepped outside onto the porch, the door slamming behind her like the last stroke on the end of a difficult page. But before she could put a foot beyond the stairs—"Leaving without me?"She faltered. Damian lingered by the edge of the cabin, moonlight glinting off of his dark jacket only accentuating the scar near his jaw more than ordinary. His face showed unreadable expressions, but his eyes-those burning, watchful eyes-were locked on her.The air caught in her throat.“Damian.”He took a step forward, hands in his coat pockets. “You said the extraction would be at midnight. It’