She quivered in her voice but stood firm. "You left him. You left us. Do you have any idea how many times I wished to know my father's family? Longed to feel part of it? And now you just appear as if everything is fine."Tears started flowing from her eyes, for every single word seemed to hit her very soul, bringing forth hurt and anger at the same time. She felt utterly wronged that after all these years, Wendy was there, proposing that they could just fix everything as if time could erase itself.Wendy's eyes lowered, her hands shaking as she bound them together. "I don't ask for forgiveness, Sabrina. I don't expect it. I only wanted you to know that despite how I've failed, I'm here now for you. I came to make amends, whatever that means."The room grew quiet, save for the ticking of the clock. For one moment, nothing seemed alive in that room except that ticking. Sabrina gazed at Wendy, noting that even in this stiffness of posture, there was weakness. She could feel her own walls
And so Wendy stood outside Leila's small home, her hand shaking a little as she raised it to knock on the door; but it opened before she could do that, and there stood Leila, her eyes wide with surprise and a touch of wariness." Wendy," Leila said quietly, flicking a quick look down at Sabrina, who was at play on the floor of the living room playing with a doll. "Leila, I… I came uninvited," Wendy's voice quivered as she clutched her purse tightly, her knuckles white."I just… I need to talk to you both." Leila hesitated but nodded, stepping back to let Wendy inside. Wendy looked at Sabrina, who looked up before quickly returning to her doll, her face expressionless, almost guarded. "Thank you, Leila." Wendy gently spoke, her voice almost a whisper as she settled on the edge of the couch. It was a small, simple space, so different from the life she was used to. It no longer mattered to her now though.She was here for something that money couldn't give back to her. Leila sat across
Benedict looked out of the great office window, allowing the blurred city skyline to converge with his thoughts and memories of Sabrina. With each passing day, the absence was felt more, though a part of him did not want to acknowledge it. Sabrina loved him. He knew that. She had stayed with him all these years, through everything he had done in order to give her reason to leave. She was loyal, resilient, forgiving – everything he had ever taken for granted.She had left, and every nook and corner of their home felt empty without her warmth, without her soft laughter and gentle presence."No, no," he muttered to himself, his hands in fists. "She'll come back. She loves me too much to be away for so long.".He slumped back in his chair, fighting off the growing ache in his chest. Remembrances of the last time he saw her danced through his head - the hollowing of her eyes, drained of that quiet light he always admired, even though he hadn't admitted it. But he'd pushed it aside. He hadn
Teresa knocked on her son's mansion door. Her excitement made her heartbeat feel like it was going at an extremely fast pace. She had already prepared a small bag of gifts-some supplements and treats-she wanted to bring to her son for his daughter. She could hardly contain her anticipation as she knew that in just a couple of months, she would finally hold her first grandchild in her arms. The thought of Sabrina's gentle smile as she thanked her was enough to make Teresa's heart feel a little warm. She was so glad for her son and for his bride, though she realized that her son had his… limitations.As she reached out and up to open the door she called out, her own voice filled with delight, "Sabrina! Sabrina, are you home?But before she could knock, the maid, hastily opening the door, looked tight inside her face with a worrisome, wringing hands, and kind of confused appearance about what she had to say."Madam Teresa," she replied lowly, averting her eyes.Teresa immediately picked
But as Teresa left the room, a heavy silence settled over Benedict. There he was alone and in the midst of the mess he had created, and the love he had smashed to pieces. The walls convulsed inward on him, presenting vivid reminders of how the emptiness Sabrina's presence once filled. His heart twisted painfully, now pressed with the weight of his mistakes that, at last, allowed him to finally break.Benedict was looking at a bottle of supplements. The truth of Sabrina's pregnancy was like a punch to his chest-she was carrying his child. I did not remember the last time he showed her kindness, and more so, love. Now, the mother of his child, the woman who had stayed by him through everything, was gone.A desperate hope flared to life within him. He had to set things right. He had to prove to her that he could change, even if it was going to take years to regain her trust. He could see now, in jarring clarity, just how much he had hurt her, how much she'd given him, and how callously h
Every day that passed, Benedict's heart grew heavier. He had spent all his waking hours searching for Sabrina, visiting every possible place she might have gone. He revisited the cafés, the quiet parks she often frequented, and even the hospital where they first met. All those searches proved futile, and the desperation in him only grew more with each day that passed. He even reached out to his mother, Teresa, hoping to connect with her as a mother figure. But Sabrina's phone number was disconnected, and the hometown she spoke of long ago seemed to have vanished from Teresa's memory. All he clutched for light was nothing but sand slipping away.One evening, Teresa discovered him sitting alone in the dimly lit study, staring blankly at a photograph of Sabrina he had kept on his desk. She laid a soft hand on his shoulder and looked into his face, filled with sympathy and concern. "Perhaps she doesn't want to be found right now. People need their space sometimes, don’t they?" she whisper
As the two stood before the splendor of the estate, Sabrina smiled tentatively down at her mother, Leila.She was Wendy Taylor, the new person in their lives, who revealed herself as Sabrina's grandmother. She was providing them with much more than just a roof over their heads; she was offering them an opportunity to heal, rebuild, and start anew - without the hurt and disappointments the past represented.There stood Wendy, the powerful magnate known for her empire of real estate and lending companies across America, with her head held high but her gaze soft. In a warm voice, she addressed both of them. "This is your home now," Wendy said gently, squeezing Sabrina's hand as she reached out. "I should have been there for both of you sooner—for my son and for you, Leila and Sabrina. I can't change the past, but I can give you a future—one with security and peace that was never meant to be enjoyed by my son. You both deserve nothing less." Sabrina breathed deeply. Her mother's hand ste
It was just one quiet morning, with sunbeams streaming through the kitchen windows as they took their seats around the breakfast table. Sabrina suddenly felt a wave of nausea, her stomach turning over in shock as she covered her mouth, paling. It wasn't that either of them couldn't tell, even from across the table. Wendy's eyes narrowed to slits immediately, with a mix of concern and curiosity written all over her face."Do you think you might possibly be pregnant, Sabrina, darling?" Wendy asked softly, putting down her teacup. Sabrina's face flushed, and her eyes looked down at the plate, unable to confront her grandmother. She sat patiently, and after a few seconds of silence, Sabrina nodded softly into her plate. "It might work. Things were crazy with Benedict, but I got out before it became clear."With a deep sigh, Wendy reached over, her hand resting warmly on Sabrina's. "Well then," she said, "now it's my turn to hear everything. I want to know about life with the Thompsons an
There was an awe stricken silence that swept over the room.Sabrina's breathing, too, had ceased. "What?"Eliana's mouth was dry. "He planted the bomb at the convention. And when that didn't work, he tried to kill me. If not for Nathaniel and Damian." she broke off her voice,".I would not be alive."Benedict's expression turned cold. "That abomination."Saben wasn't swallowing it, however. He was cold with anger. "And we're doing this on his word? He's a Harper. His father attempted to kill you. And now we're going to accept his word that he defected from his father?"Nathaniel's voice cut across him, hard but controlled. "I'm not my father."Saben snarled, advancing as if to hit him. "You carry his name, don't you?"Before this was allowed to go further, a third individual appeared in the room.Tap of cane on marble floors.Wendy Taylor.Leslie Auburn, Sabrina's mother, behind her. The two women who managed the families entered the room, their white faces contorted with horror and a
His own son—his own blood and flesh—had betrayed him.The treachery blazed hotter than the fires receding in the horizon."Shut up, Nathaniel," William snarled, striking his fist into the metal belly of the airplane.Seated across from him was one of his most dependable men, Marcus Steele, wiping blood from his mangled lip. "Sir, we should rethink. The Thompson family is not going away. They have money, they have connections—William's glare was toxic. "I don't care what they've got." Dead, deadly tone. "Eliana Thompson stole everything from us. And now my own son has the decency to be standing with her?"He spun on his pilot. "Faster. We have to get out of the city before the authorities surround it."Marcus hesitated before continuing. "Sir… Nathaniel can still be of some use. Maybe we could—"William pulled Marcus by the collar, dragging him towards him, inches from Marcus's face, his breath smelling of rage. "Nathaniel is dead to me. Hear me? DEAD."Marcus gulped hard, wide-eyed,
The centuries' weight—of blood and greed and war—hung heavily in the air.William chuckled, spinning the glass of whiskey in his hands. "You think you're superior to me? Different?"He approached closer, his voice as icy as cold water. "You bear my blood. You can fight it all you can, but you'll never be anything else but my son."Nathaniel's jaw snapped shut. "Then I'll spend the remainder of eternity denying you."William's eyes blazed with something—disappointment? No, anger.He slapped the whiskey glass on the table, and it broke. The sound echoed through the big room. "Then you leave me no choice."Nathaniel stood up. "What do you mean?His father's face hardened, his own face hard and unyielding. "You want to be allied with the Thompsons? You can. But listen to this, Nathaniel… from this moment on, you are not my son."The words cut deeper than a knife.Nathaniel's breath was trapped, but he strained himself up. "Then that makes two of us."For the first time in his life, he did
The drive back to the Thompson estate was tense. Eliana was in the backseat, her thoughts racing with Nathaniel's threat."There's another attack coming. Tonight."Damian was beside her, his face a mask as he checked his gun twice. The atmosphere was tense, heavy.Eliana addressed him. "Do you think he meant it?"Damian didn't look up. "Does it matter?"She frowned. "Of course, it matters."."No, Eliana." He finally met her gaze, his tone tough but soft. "The thing is, we have to assume he's lying. Because if he is, and we don't act, people die."She didn't appreciate that he was right.Eliana breathed in, smoothing out her hair. "If his father is involved, he won't stop until he gets what he is after."Damian leaned into the seat. "Then we don't let him have his way."His determination made her heart pound.For once, she wasn't alone in having to cope with this.Benedict Thompson stood in the security room, watching the live feed of the grounds of the estate. His jaw was clenched as
Nathaniel Harper did not look back when he left his father. Each step he made felt heavier, as though the burden of his family's transgressions was finally coming to catch up with him.He had spent his entire life attempting to validate himself before William Harper. Attempting to meet the standards of a man who regarded emotions as frailty, ethics as folly, and strength as the only concept worthy of consideration.Benedict Thompson stood before the fireplace, his fists gripping behind his back. The instant he discovered about the altercation at the commercial convention, he instructed for heightened security on the estate.He wouldn't let them have another attack.Sabrina sat facing him, her face set. "Are you certain about this, Benedict? Provoking them could create a greater problem."Benedict took a hard breath. "And doing nothing will leave us target practice. I won't sit idly by for that to happen."Wendy Taylor, Eliana's great-grandmother, struck her cane on the floor. "He's co
Damian took position beside her, his presence unbending. His hand was resting uncomfortably close to his gun, and Eliana knew that if she even moved her finger, he'd kill this man dead.But she was not going to let William have the pleasure of watching her lose control.She smirked. “That’s funny, Mr. Harper. Because from where I’m standing, you’ve already lost.”A muscle clenched in William's jaw. "You really believe that, don't you Eliana?""I don't believe. I know Mr.Harper." Eliana crossed her arms, her tone icy. "Your son is losing hold of his own conscience. Your empire is disintegrating. And soon enough, everyone will see you for what you actually are—a desperate old man holding on to whatever power he can still command."The room hung in silence. Everyone stared.Nathaniel sighed beside his father. He wasn't with William, definitely. He wasn't going to get himself caught up in things, though.William smiled, low and threatening. "Always had a quick mind, Miss Thompson. Too bad
The following day,The grand ballroom of Tokyo International Business Convention hummed with marble floors. CEOs, industry leaders, and investors walked around the room, sipping champagne glasses and making high-stakes business deals. Golden lights of chandeliers reflected against shiny marble floors, with a power and richness.Eliana Thompson pushed through the throng, demanding the notice of all present. She dressed in simple but elegant black that complemented her toughness, but under the coarse exterior smoldered fire. She did not come to make deals—she came to fight.She was not looking for this meeting.Nathaniel Harper stood in the middle of the room, talking to foreign investors. Wearing a well-fitted blue suit, he showed careless charm, his trademark smirk etched on his face as he shook hands with foreign investors.Eliana's fists clenched. Her own heart thudded in her ears as she stepped between them.Nathaniel hardly had time to react when she strode up to him, eyes blazing
Nathaniel closed his jaws. The words stung, betraying pain he had struggled to keep hidden all these years."Grandpa Paul suicided because he wanted to, Dad," he stated stubbornly but his voice did tremble with emotion. "Yes, the Thompsons were in the wrong, but both of them weren't he perfect. He himself well knew what he was letting himself in for when he fought it out with them.".William's eyes went black. "Don't you ever apologize to them! We were ruined by Benedict Thompson and his family! They sullied our name, they robbed us of all we had, and you—my own son—are here questioning me?Nathaniel balled his fists in his hand. "I'm asking you because I don't wish to be like you." His chest strained to fill the air for the effort of his words. "I don't want blood on my hands. And I sure as hell don't want to begin where a war should have ended after Grandpa Paul.".William's laugh was brutal and not amusing. "You do believe in peace? You actually think they're going to forgive and f
Wendy's head nodded in confirmation. "Exactly so. We don't have to spill blood to kill him—just cut him, in pieces."Benedict ran his hands through his face, the frustration percolating just beneath his placid surface. "This is risky. You all realize that, don't you? Once we go down this path, we can't turn back."Eliana remained steadfast, despite the burden of the impending war. "We crossed that line when they tried to kill me and Saben."Silence filled the room.Wendy breathed deep, holding on to her cane. "Then it's settled. We fight."Silence filled the room.Wendy breathed deep, holding on to her cane. "Then it's settled. We fight."Sabrina swallowed, holding Benedict's arm and she spoke again. "I just do not want to lose any of you."He softly said; in that instant she knew exactly what he meant. "I understand that feeling so well. I know the tears of this place will chase us out someday, but if it has happened, why should we let everything go while crying?"Eliana moved toward