As the applause subsided and guests resumed their own conversations, Benedict didn't hesitate to pull Sabrina aside. The phony smile he'd donned during their dance was gone within an instant, exchanged for a look of icy indifference. They stepped out of the ballroom, away from the crowd, and into a quiet corner of the reception hall. No warning, of course-just leaned and caught her by the arm, his fingers digging into her skin as he turned her to face him.
"You succeeded," Benedict spat, voice low but full of venom. "You managed to marry me, but don't for one second believe you'll ever have my heart.".
She felt her eyes grow wide with the bitterness in his tone. Now she knew that he did not love her. But this was different-he said it all. On their wedding day, too. A sick feeling was in her belly as tears threatened to well up inside her once again. She bit down hard on her lip and kept them from falling.
"I don't love you," he continued, his eyes dark and unfeeling. "And I will never love you.".
Each word was like a hammer coming down, crushing her into little pieces. She had always dreamed of these moments her whole life. She had imagined how it would be when marrying her childhood sweetheart. But this. this is a nightmare. Sabrina couldn't look up. She kept her head down, the tight chest squeezing the pain through her as she tried to hold onto her tears. She couldn't breathe. Tears fell hard beneath her eyelids; she couldn't hide them anymore. She did not want to cry in front of him, didn't want to give him an opportunity to see the depth he was speaking, but it was too much pain.Save your tears," Benedict sneered, watching her as she wept with contempt.
"They won't change a thing.". Having said that, he let go of her arm and walked away while Sabrina stood there, broken and alone.
The laughter and feasting from the reception of the wedding echoed in the background-an irony of the emptiness inside. This was a day when she should have seen happiness; it was the day she let go of her heart-the damage the result for destruction. After the ceremony, Benedict could hardly stay until he carried out the obligatory greetings. Just after the reception ended, he simply got up and left without a word from the house. Sabrina did not know where he was headed, but she knew better than to ask. She stood in the hollow mansion, still dressed in her wedding dress, and around her, silence was a crushing thing. The weight of all that had befallen her that day seemed to press upon her breathing.
She was a ghost in her house, forgotten and deserted.It was some hours since Sabrina had removed her dress to put on an easy nightgown. She sat beside the window, glancing outside into a night that seemed darker than anything before. How had it all gone so wrong? She had married for love and yet he hated her. What had she expected? That man to wake up one morning and, just because they were saying 'I do', suddenly fall in love with her? She knew Benedict was cruel, but the coldness in his eyes earlier was the worst of it.How long did the night drag on before he returned?No response.It wasn't until early morning hours when she heard the slamming of the front door that Sabrina's heart had racing. Her mind, immediately in discredit, fixed on Benedict. She quickly got up and rushed downstairs and found him staggering into the living room, reeking of booze.He was drunk.Benedict's eyes bloodshot, his feet unsteady as he kicked off his shoes and slumped onto the couch. Sabrina stood there a beat of hesitation then, watching him from the doorway, unsure what to do. " Benedict?" she called softly into the room, stepping in. "Look at this, look at that," he slurred, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "My lovely wife. Aren't you just the picture of perfection?"Sabrina swallowed hard.Her heart felt a dull ache to see him like this. He wasn't the Benedict she had once adored. The man in front of her now was bitter and cruel and broken.
"Don't you ever touch me!" he bellowed at her in fury, jerking his arm free from her reach when she had instinctively gone out to steady him. "I don't need your fucking help!"
She winced at the bruskness of his voice.The waves of tears started flowing over her again. It was as if every word was a thorn that pierced through her soul, laced with unkindness. "I only want to—""What?Take care of me?" Benedict cut in, his voice dripping with disgust. "You think you have the right now to mother me because we are married? You do not own me, Sabrina. You never will."
Sabrina clamped her mouth shut to keep the tears at bay once more. "I'm not trying to own you, Benedict. I'm just—"
"Just what?" he cut her off again, rising unsteadily to his feet and glaring down at her. "You think just because we are married now, everything's going to be all right? That I'm going to forget how you conned me into this?"
"I didn't trick you," Sabrina said softly, her voice shaking. "I have loved you for years, Benedict. All I have ever wanted is to be with you."
He laughed harshly, the sound cruel and mocking. "Loved me? You don't even know me, Sabrina. You fell in love with some fantasy, but I'm not that man. I will never be that man."
"I know who you are," she whispered - low and, for the first time, shaking with tears. Every tear felt like a release, carrying the burden of her heartache as well as the truth she could no longer hide. "And I still love you." Benedict's eyes pinched together. His whole face rearranged into angry lines. "Well, I don't love you," he said, his voice spiky and serrated. "And I never will. So stop this pathetic fantasy you've built up in your head." Sabrina's heart shuddered at his words, but she found her courage. "I don't expect you to love me right away," she whispered above a whisper. "But can't we at least try?" "Try?" Benedict sneered, stumbling a little as he drew closer to her. "There's nothing to try, Sabrina. This marriage means nothing to me."He moved closer still, so close that his face was inches from hers, and for an instant, Sabrina thought he might relent.
Then his mouth hardened into a harsh line, and the next words were a slap in the face."You'll never have my heart, Sabrina," he told her harshly. "And the sooner you realize that, the better."
Sabrina's chest compressed, her breathing instantaneously slowing. She looked up at him. She knew this man once, this stranger who'd held her love in his arms for so long. She'd hoped-prayed-maybe things'll get better after the wedding. But now she knew. This is her life now. A marriage built on pain and rejection.Without a word, Benedict turned and stumbled up the stairs.Sabrina watched him walk down the hall, her face wet with tears, her heart splintered to bits. She knew one thing: she was completely and utterly alone.Sabrina stood as a statue in the dim lit hall, her heart a racing and tears flowing ceaselessly down her cheeks. His curt words kept ringing in her ear; each syllable in his speech a burning hole reminding her of the schism between them. She slapped her hands on her chest, trying to hold herself inside."I will never have his heart," she whispered to herself, feeling the weight of his rejection settle heavily on her shoulders. "What did I expect? That love would conquer all?"That reality struck her like a chilly wave. The man with whom she had wished to spend all of life had just crushed all those hopes into pieces with a few brutal words. Wiping away tears, she heard the approach of footsteps.It was Teresa-the mother-in-law-whose expression seemed both full of concern and disappointment. "Sabrina? Okay?"Sabrina smiled, though it felt like shards of glass were lodged in her throat. "I'm fine, just. tired."Teresa narrowed her eyes. She didn't believe it. "You don't look fine. Where
And so she'd walked away, his words stabbing her ears as they struck home."You think you can just waltz in here and play like you're good enough to have my love? You'll never have it, Sabrina," he had sneered, the disgust spewing from him like acid that cut into her heart. Every step was hard as she moved through the grand house now that had become a cage of gilded bars and memories bitter with the poison of anger.She was lost in this world he created, full of resentment and anger. "Why even bother?" he had shouted at her, his face distorted in rage as she tried to reach out to him. "You're just a reminder of everything I hate about my life!"Yet still, she gave in . Deep down, there was still some love from her side of his body that seemed mutually less, but still true love between two souls. She had still not given up. Still catching for breath, "I'm not giving up on you," she could still stare at tear-stained mascara and tears, and hurt etched upon her face staring back from the
Morning sun spilled into the expansive dining room as Sabrina set the table for breakfast that took her hours to prepare. She had cooked all his favorites: scrambled eggs with chives, perfectly crispy bacon, and freshly squeezed orange juice. It was her silent way of showing Benedict she cared, despite the poison he threw her way every chance he got. She longed to bridge the distance separating them, compel him to look past his revulsion at her. Stepping back from the stove and the last plate, Benedict had entered the room; and certainly, his face showed no softer countenance for traversing it. He darted his look across the table; and then faced about and settled back in the chair with an irreverent huff of discontent. "This is all you had ready? " he snapped, pushing the plate aside as if it were insulting. "A good breakfast, and this is the best you could do?" Sabrina pulled up a small, tight smile. She clung to the side of the chair she leaned on to balance herself. "I — I prepared
Morning sun spilled into the expansive dining room as Sabrina set the table for breakfast that took her hours to prepare. She had cooked all his favorites: scrambled eggs with chives, perfectly crispy bacon, and freshly squeezed orange juice. It was her silent way of showing Benedict she cared, despite the poison he threw her way every chance he got. She longed to bridge the distance separating them, compel him to look past his revulsion at her. Stepping back from the stove and the last plate, Benedict had entered the room; and certainly, his face showed no softer countenance for traversing it. He darted his look across the table; and then faced about and settled back in the chair with an irreverent huff of discontent. "This is all you had ready? " he snapped, pushing the plate aside as if it were insulting. "A good breakfast, and this is the best you could do?" Sabrina pulled up a small, tight smile. She clung to the side of the chair she leaned on to balance herself. "I — I prepared
Sabrina jolted awake, her heart racing with a raucous laugh echoing down from downstairs. It was 1:00 AM by the clock on her nightstand, and something was creating an unsettling knot in her stomach. That kind of laughter made her skin crawl, an unsettling mix of joy and something darker. She crawled out of bed and rubbed her eyes for the sleep as she took steps one by one, with each one becoming a source of tension leading up to herself.Just as she was turning into the living room, that's when she first saw the sight. This tore apart whatever heart was still left for her. Benedict, her husband, lay sprawled across the sofa, surrounded by two beautiful women who laughed and leaned into him, their faces flushed from what Sabrina could only assume was alcohol. His laughter boomed out, and the warmth he had always kept for her was now being liberally dispensed upon these strangers."Benedict!" she shouted, working at keeping her voice even, though it shivered under the load of fear. "Wha
With newfound resolve, Sabrina brushed away her tears and took a moment to pull herself together. She could not let Benedict's words chip away at her self-esteem anymore. Deep inside, she knew she was better than just being a wife in a loveless marriage. She was a strong woman who could conquer any form of adversity.It made her blood boil as she walked back into the living room to find Benedict stretched out across the couch, laughing and flirting with the two women. She inhaled deep to let anger fuel her determination. "I deserve respect," she thought to herself, pounding in her chest."Benedict," she called, her voice strong and steady. He looked up, a flash of surprise crossing his face before it smoothed out into a smirk."What now, maid?" he returned dismissively, reclining himself, his arm loosely curved over Jenny's shoulder. "I thought you were on drink service."."I'm done being your maid," she said, moving forward on him, her heart pounding. "I'm not going to let you disres
The following morning, Sabrina woke up to a thumping vibration on the bed, by her bedside table-that of her phone. Her rubbing eyes went out looking for and retrieved it. What amazement she found seeing on the screen. 'Teresa Thompson', to whom she had talked once over the phone before entering into the company. For such important events, it required attending by all top rank officers of the firm Benedict owned."Hello, Teresa," Sabrina replied, trying to be as bright as possible, though the sting of last night still lingered in her head."Good morning, Sabrina! Hope I didn't wake you. I wanted to inform you that we are having a company event tomorrow evening at the Grand Ballroom. It's going to be a big deal, and we need everyone there—especially Benedict. It's important for the company image."Hope flared in Sabrina. "Of course, I'll remind him. He wouldn't want to miss it, would he?""He doesn't know how important this is," Teresa said vaguely. "He's been. distracted lately."Sabri
She found some strength to go to Benedict, and the laughter and the music faded into the background as she focused on the man who had become both her pain and, in the strangest way, her resistance. The longer she had been at the event, she realized she didn't need his validation but the thought of confronting him, standing up to him even in the smallest ways, felt like a much-needed long-overdue obligation.She came upon him as he played host to a small circle of admirers. They laughed a little too hard, their eyes flicking between him and Sabrina as she closed in on them. Her heart started racing, her hands closing tight around her clutch."Benedict," she said, her voice calm but firm. His gaze fell on her, and his smile died out, replaced by annoyance."What is it?" he said coolly, his voice laced with irritation."We need to talk," she said, forcing herself to meet his steely gaze. She could feel the eyes of the onlookers darting between them, sensing the tension.Benedict smirked,
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