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
The excitement in Wendy's voice was infectious as she gathered her daughter-in-law Leila and granddaughter Sabrina for the shopping spree. The next morning, after breakfast, Wendy could not wait any longer; after all, she had already mentally listed everything that they would need—not only for Sabrina but for the baby as well."Come on girls, Wendy cheered, applauding with outstretched arms and beaming with excitement. Today is all about new beginnings! We are going to pack this house with all the love and joy that comes with preparing a baby. We're going to get you some clothes, Sabrina, pick up everything the baby will need, Leila and get you some lovely things, things you deserve!"Sabrina smiled to herself in bewilderment at the depth of her grandmother's enthusiasm, feeling a warmth in the middle of her chest. It was far removed from when she had started to feel so isolated and alone. She was surrounded now by the loving arms of Wendy and Leila, so she was ready to face the new c
Benedict sat in his office, staring blankly at the mountain of papers he had to get through. His mind was churning with increasing dilemmas over his company: whispers and murmurs had filled the boardroom with tension-filled conversations—a presentation of financial strain and uncertainty that grew more raucous day by day. Benedict was a perfectionist; it was the pride he took in his ability to maintain control and be efficient.The final blow had come from an unsuspected quarter—a member of his board of directors had been embezzling funds. However, the control he had once exercised over circumstances slipped through his fingers, and he was powerless to stop it.It was a shock and a betrayal. Benedict had placed his trust in the individual, never for a moment suspecting that they had been siphoning off large chunks of money from the company accounts for months. The company faced massive debts, but now its reputation was at stake as well.Now, what used to be the measure of success and p
Benedict stormed into his office with his fists securely clenched at his side. The events of the previous hours had left him, and certainly placed him, in a roaring fit of rage. His mind whirled with the enormity of the infidelity by one of his board members and the irresponsibility of his accounting staff, which had failed to notice the discrepancy now threatening to bring him and all his business crashing down. Every fiber within him wanted to scream at that moment, but he needed to remain calm. He closed the door behind him, now feeling the room even tinier, more claustrophobic. His assistant, Elena, was standing by the door, her lily-pure complexion evident on her pale face because she knew he was about to show rage through his eyes."Mr. Thompson, I—I called an emergency meeting with the accounting department," she said softly, her voice laced with hesitation."Cancel it," Benedict snapped, his tone sharp and dangerous. "This isn't something we need to discuss. This is something
With the place hushed, as he stands in his office, thoughts start to sway in the mind of Benedict—ideas, plans, desperate attempts to find an outlet to crawl out of a mess that threatens to consume him. His mind recalled the long hours he had dedicated to this company, the relationships he had sacrificed, and all the things he had put aside. He clenched his fists, regretting more than just his business, as it also cut deep into his personal psyche.At that moment, Benedict's phone vibrated on the table. He reached to pick it up, thinking it might be another update from Darren or the accounting team. But when he opened the screen, he felt a shock in his heart upon seeing a woman he did not want to talk to—a woman who might unsettle him again: his mother, Teresa. He hadn't called her in days, ashamed of how much of a mess his life had become.He hesitated for a moment before answering, "Hi, Mom.""Benedict," her voice was warm but laced with concern. "Are you all right? You sound tired.
Benedict was standing in a boardroom that was now vacant; silence settled around him like a heavy weight. It was a moment to contemplate what was going to happen next, the outcomes of today's decisions, and the reality of some damage that had been done. So much needed to be repaired, and he was very clear it was about trust, integrity, and a way to mend the broken parts of life. He knew that nothing he could do now would simply undo the situation. The company, after all, was already in shambles, with heavy losses incurred not only financially but also in human terms. People had been harmed by what he hadn't done, or even by what he had done. But Benedict was not one to give up on a challenge. It really hurt to lose it all, but it was not just the company that hurt him; it was the people he knew as part of his life—employees, his team, and maybe Sabrina. He thought of her—Sabrina, the one he had let slip through his fingers, the one he had turned away from when she needed him there
William spat out a bitter laugh. "Luck had nothing to do with it."The doctor hesitated. "You need rest. Pushing yourself—"William's glare cut him off. "I don't have time for rest."The physician huffed but nodded and left the room.William beside him, he placed a call on his phone.A mechanical voice answered. "Yes?"Harper in steel tones. "I want them all killed."There was a man in a suit beside him, tension in his shoulders. His voice even, controlled. "Understood. But. Your son, sir, is Nathaniel."William's fists were fists. Searing pain lightninged across his side, but he didn't care. He'd been shot once. He'd bled before. That wasn't paining him.Betrayal was.His own blood betrayed him.His own son.William's lips twisted into a sneer-grimace. "Not anymore."The man staggered. "Sir—"William's tone was icy. "I do not care how much it costs. I want them dead. All of them."There was silence. Then finally, a gentle, "Understood."The door closed with a crash.William took a sh
Nathaniel Harper stood in the dark of the hospital room, his fists clenched.The doctor had closed them into this small space, forcing them to confront each other in the intimate light of the bedside lamp.Years of their past hanging between them like a gauntlet.Damian spoke the first word softly."Trust you?" His voice was harsh, from pain and anger. "After all your family's done?"Nathaniel didn't blink. "I did not choose my name."Damian snorted with a bitter laugh. "No, but you damn well profited for years on it."Nathaniel's breath came harshly. "And now I'm suffering for defying it."Damian's glacial stare cut through him, searching for deceit.He was seeking to uncover a coward.A traitor.But what he did uncover instead?A man who'd lost everything.Nathaniel's voice lowered, a rough tone edging in. "William won't quit. You know that."Damian's jaw was locked. "Yeah. I know."Nathaniel paused, then moved closer. "Then let me help."Damian laughed. "Help? The last time I trust
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