Turning back to the car and reviewing all the steps in his head once again, he could not help but look her way. How had he let her go? How could he have been so blind to everything she brought and all the love she showed him? The yearning for the creation of an empire had snatched from him the desire to prove himself to this world, making him forget one thing that meant the whole world to him: her. He remembered how she used to smile at him, full of hope and faith, even though he had been cold and unmoved; pushing her away was exactly what he did when she needed him most. Benedict realized that ambition was the mask he wore to hide from his vulnerabilities. Yet, it had been this shield with which he lost everything: Sabrina, his values, and now the company. As he opened the door and drove off to the office, a shiver ran through him. But it wasn't just the loss of a woman; it was a part of himself that he had lost. He was going to fight back for everything that was still there: the
Benedict sat alone in his dimly lit office, heavy silence pressing into him like a weight. He rubbed a hand over his hair as he sat there weighing his reality. His company was once an empire, stretching tall and proud, built from the ground up. It was now on the verge of collapse. Left his board members' embezzlement had left his company drowning in debt, and with the forged accounts now exposed, investors were rapidly pulling their support. Every report, every statement he reviewed seemed to confirm the worst. His chair squeaked with a soft protest as he leaned back and stared blankly at the ceiling.. No one ever knew his thoughts for himself. But in a situation like this, when frustration boiled in his stomach, people only heard his groans and cursing. The door to his office creaked open then. He turned to Elena, his trusted assistant, who stood in the doorway with worried eyes on her face. "Mr. Thompson," she started softly but with determination, "we need to talk about tomorrow's
Elena's hand paused over her notepad, and she looked up, a flicker of surprise crossing her usually even face. "Find…Sabrina?" she repeated, her tone careful."Yes," Benedict said, his voice firmer than before. "It's time I confronted what I've done—what I've lost." He paused, collecting his thoughts. "She deserves to know what's going on here. And…she deserves an apology."Elena scrutinized him; she could feel the weight in his voice. It was a different Benedict - one she hardly ever saw - shedding off armor."Understood, Mr. Thompson," Elena said softly. "I'll make contact with all contacts that might be able to help us find her. Do you have any idea where she might be?"He shook his head slowly, frustration chafing at regret. "Not exactly. Last I knew, she'd gone to stay with her mother. But I don't even know if she stayed there. I pushed her away so completely."His voice thickened, and he looked away, jaw clenched. "But if anyone can find her, it's you, Elena."Elena nodded, feel
Wendy returned to Texas with a heavy heart after an intense meeting with Sabrina's husband. She didn't tell Sabrina what transpired during her encounter with Benedict Thompson, and remained silent, carrying a heavy heart in unspoken words.Before meeting Sabrina and her daughter-in-law, Leila, Wendy already knew that Benedict was married to her lovely granddaughter. Assailed with a mix of anxiety and resolve, she was burning to know the actual reason for the shards that had broken Sabrina's heart. Who was the reason for her granddaughter's sorrow? This weighed a lot within her, fueling up the desperate endeavor for answers.Wendy Taylor sat silently inside her private jet, the mumble of the engines not really audible as she gazed into the windowpane at the spread metropolis below. Her thoughts were a million miles away, not on the flight she was on but on the memories of her granddaughter, Sabrina. Years had passed since Benedict Thompson had broken Sabrina's heart, the man who had on
She sat listening to him with an intent expression, her eyes holding onto Leila as she weighed carefully each word. "Benedict Thompson." The name hovered between them like a shadow, a reminder of a past long buried but never fully forgotten. More, much more, than she was letting on, Leila thought, but Wendy knew better how to read the lines in between. She heard the reluctance in Leila's voice, the unwillingness to revisit wounds that had, in many ways, never healed.Wendy curled her hands over her knees, fingers locking together noiselessly as she contemplated the man who had once broken Sabrina's heart. She felt his pain, that unuttered grief, which fed a burning curiosity that seemed to grow more fervent with every lie she heard about Sabrina and Benedict. "Complicated," Wendy said softly, as if testing the word on her tongue. "Complicated is never just a simple answer, Leila." She leaned forward slightly, her eyes sharpened. "Tell me, what kind of man is he? Really, is he that w
Wendy stood in the stillness, her own weight settling upon her like a heavy fog. The room seemed colder now, and the echo of Leila's footsteps retreating past carried away even the sound of her desire. Wendy was left alone with her thoughts and Sabrina's heart.She didn't want Sabrina to suffer, didn't want this girl of hers to face one more drop of the poison that a world of hurt could be, how often it tore at the people they loved. But nothing like this had ever pushed her to intervene before. Certainly not since the past and the man responsible for hurting Sabrina were no longer the reasons. No, this was about the future.She truly believed that whatever was to happen in this moment would decide the rest of life for Sabrina for years to come, and she couldn't afford to let her granddaughter face another heartbreak. She cried for her hopelessness, knowing that what was going to be would be only torture if Sabrina's happiness was not handled with care.When emotions run so high, talk
At the tail end of the meeting, Wendy rose from her seat to extend a stiff but appropriately calm smile towards Benedict, covering both layers of thought. She had sown the seed of redemption within him, but it was for Benedict to determine whether he would take the change or continue on the road of destruction. With thanks and an exit out of the room, Wendy stayed seated and watched him leave while her brain whirred on with calculations of what might come next. He remained aloof. Benedict was no slacker when it came to business sense, and he instinctively knew who someone was, but she knew that was as much as he did. Wendy had determined she was not going to reveal she was Sabrina's grandmother - not yet, at any rate. There was weight to that, and a delicate balance to be struck. She knew that once Benedict learned the truth about her association with Sabrina, everything would change. Would he see it as a manipulation of sorts? Would he be driven to prove himself to her, or would he
Sabrina had been so focused and determined in entering the new chapter of her life. The pregnancy news was a surprise, but it gave her clarity she never had. She knew whatever awaited her regarding the future and no matter how tough it was, she would face it straight in the face, more so because she was about to chase her biggest dream - she became a fashion designer.She's always been passionate about design, but creating something entirely her own—building a brand from the ground up—is now at the top of her mind. Months of sketching designs, curating ideas, and looking for the best materials have resulted in something she believes is now closer to reality. Part of her wanted to prove it to herself as well as to those around her that she was capable of so much more than just being Benedict Thompson's wife. She wanted something of her own and to create something lasting—something meaningful, separate from her past.Wendy, the always protectively and supportively gentle grandmother,
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
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
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
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'
At the same time, Nathaniel Harper was not your average businessman—he was the son of Theodore Harper, one of the erstwhile board members of BMX Estates, who had been charged with money laundering by no less a person than Benedict Thompson himself.That scandal had threatened to bankrupt BMX Estates back in the old days. Whereas Benedict had defended the company tooth and nail, the Harper clan had been gaining strength behind the scenes, benefiting from the pandemonium.The acrimony between the Harpers and the Thompsons was more than professional—it was personal.Nathaniel sipped his whiskey slowly, observing Eliana across the ballroom. She had the same spark as her father, the same resolve as her mother.Interesting.He smiled to himself.So this is the girl they are counting on to lead Sabrina Ultra?She was young, too young. Regardless of how poised she seemed in that instant, Nathaniel knew business was ruthless—a war where only the fittest remained.And if she believed she could
The mood was still tense as Nathaniel Harper melted into the crowd, his departure leaving behind a lingering sense of unease. The party went on, but to the Thompson family, the evening had turned dark. Saben looked at his sister, his face stern."True, Eliana. All of my business ventures in BMX—some of them have failed due to him." His tone was clipped, laced with irritation."Nathaniel Harper is merciless. He does not just want to win—he wants to destroy his competition. Eliana, You have to be careful. And whatever you do, don't be taken in by the way he appears."Eliana crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not easily distracted, Saben."Saben grinned. "You should. Because men like him? They don't play fair."Sabrina, who had remained silently present, spoke at last, her tone level but unyielding."The Harper family is an eyesore, yes." She shook her head, sighing. "But that's competition, my dear. That's business. But you must have your principles and be humble. No matter how ruthl
18 years later. Sabrina Auburn Thompson leaned against the balcony railing of their large estate, observing the sun set below the horizon. The golden colors of the sunset caught the reflection from the large gardens where her adult children had as toddlers played with abandon.Sabrina sighed in satisfaction, her back against the warmth of Benedict's body. He encircled Sabrina's shoulders with his arms and bit gently at her hair."What do you think about, my love Sabrina?" he asked in his deep, comforting voice.Sabrina smiled, leaning back against him. "Just thinking how fast time passes… One minute, we were rocking them to sleep, and now… they're all grown up."Benedict laughed. "And they're both great. We must've done something right."Actually, their kids had turned out to be great young adults.Saben Thompson, 26, had become the CEO of BMX Estates, the billion-dollar real estate empire that had been in their family for generations. Intelligent, ambitious, and charming, he had inhe
Leila crossed her arms. "Benedict, do you want the baby to be born in the back of your car?"Benedict turned pale. ".Mom, you're driving."They got Sabrina into the car as quickly as possible.Benedict sat behind her, holding her hand tightly as she clutched it with surprising strength. "You're doing great, baby. Just breathe. In, out—""IF YOU TELL ME TO BREATHE ONE MORE TIME, I SWEAR TO GOD—"Benedict swallowed hard. "Okay. Shutting up now."The entire drive to the hospital was wild. Sabrina's contractions were getting closer and closer together, and she moaned through all of them.Saben, sitting in the front seat, plugged his ears. "Mommy is scary when she is in pain."Leila stroked his head. "Welcome to childbirth, honey."They finally arrived at the hospital. Nurses and doctors were already standing outside with a wheelchair.As they rolled her in, Sabrina clung to Benedict's shirt. "You better not pass out on me, Benedict Thompson!"Benedict, sweats bullets or not, smiled. "I wo
As the evening wore on, Sabrina nestled against Benedict, observing their family and friends giggle and spin to the twinkling fairy lights. The house had never felt more festive.Saben hurried toward them, his small fists still bunched in a tight pink confetti ball. He grasped at Benedict's elbow. "Daddy, will she have princesses or dinosaurs?"Benedict grinned, dropped down on one knee next to Saben's row. "Why decide? Perhaps she'll be a wee princess warrior who loves tea parties and dinosaurs."Saben's eyes widened in excitement. "Whoa… that is so cool! I'll show her all about dinosaurs! And—and I'll let her play with my toy T-Rex!"Sabrina smiled, tousling Saben's hair. "You'll be a wonderful big brother."Saben smiled proudly. "I know! But, Mommy, does the baby hear us?"She placed his small hand against her belly. "She does. And I think she's waiting for you too."Saben breathed deeply as if listening to the expected reply of the baby. "Hello little sister! Your big brother Sabe