This was the start.The coming months would be grueling, with long hours that would push through till the wee hours of the morning, as well as numerous lessons learned in the world of fashion design. Sabrina was well aware that it wouldn't be an easy journey, but she was prepared. She envisioned something that was more than just creating beautiful garments, but something that could stand for something much deeper. Her designs would represent strength, grit, and the loveliness born from the toughest of life's moments.Leila, ever the rock by her side, smiled softly as she watched Sabrina absorb all that Paris had to offer. There was something about this city that made everything feel possible, and Leila knew that her daughter-in-law would thrive here. Determination had always been the hallmark of Sabrina's life, and now it would lead her toward something even greater, within this city of dreams.But Wendy felt it too. She had seen her granddaughter suffer, her pain and doubt, but now
As Sabrina emerged from the conference room, she could barely hold herself in. Her heart pounded within her chest as she scanned the hall for Wendy and Leila. The meeting had gone better than she had dared hope for—she was officially accepted into one of Paris's most prestigious fashion schools. Her dream, once a far-off spark, was now almost within reach.She glanced in just beyond, holding her breath. Wendy's face alight as she caught sight of Sabrina coming into view; Leila leaped forward, her eyes raking Sabrina's face for the answer."Okay?" she ventured, her voice full of anticipating question. "How was it?"Sabrina took a deep breath. A large, shimmering smile burst forth on her face. "I got in mom," she said, her voice quivering with emotion. "They loved my designs. They said… they said I have potential."Wendy beamed, pulling Sabrina into a tight hug. "Of course you do, dear," she whispered. "I've always known you had it in you."Leila's eyes sparkled with pride as she reached
Meanwhile, Benedict sat in his office, the faint lights of the city casting shadows on the massive heaps of papers on his desk. The room was silent, except for the tick-tock of the clock, each tick singing of the growing pressure mounting against him. The company was at the point of impending doom - once a blooming empire now teetering on the point of collapse. Investors were pulling out, and employees were on their toes. But he had become so caught up in his work and in pride that he hadn't seen this coming.He sank back into his chair, the weight of fatigue pressing down on him like a stone. Still, it wasn't all this-all the chaos and the meetings, nights, and stress-that hollowed him out. It was an absence he hadn't acknowledged before, one that seemed to creep in during the quiet moments.Sabrina.And this memory of her name was like a knife cutting through him as he recalled, in vivid memory, the smooth contours of her face, the gentle smile she habitually wore, the way she would
Sabrina's days in Paris had blurred into one another, with classes, sketches, fabric swatches, and runway rehearsals consuming every waking moment. She was awakened each morning by early rising and deep breaths as the external city outside her window slowly came to life. She was not unaware of what she was up against—it was more than a career to which she was joining. This was her chance at building a future, for herself and for her unborn child.Despite the constant fatigue that came with being pregnant, Sabrina never lost her will to draw. Every design she made was a gesture of love — not only for the unborn baby but also for that which she would be crafting for the future. She learned to balance her dreams with her physical limitations, leaving her feeling exhausted yet pushing herself forward while still needing a lot of rest when necessary.There were days when the exhaustion threatened to consume her. She spent long hours sitting at her desk, going over and perfecting her design
Each passing day, Sabrina's reputation as a designer continued to grow. She threw herself into every project, creativity flowing through her with a fierceness that stunned her professors and peers alike. Her passion for fashion was undeniable, and with each passing week and growing baby bump, the fire inside her to create something that would make her and her child proud had grown just as fervently.There were moments when she couldn't handle it at all-when the countless hours spent in studio sessions and the burden of carrying a child became unbearable.. But every time, she'd think of what Leila said, of the promise she had made to herself and to her baby, and somehow, that's enough to keep her going.As time went by, Sabrina's designs started to stir the waters in the fashion world. Her name started to get whispered with other established names of the best up-and-coming designers in Paris. Rave reviews coupled with subsequent competition entry to make her more stable in the world of
Pregnant or not, Sabrina always joins her university's competitions. She never lets go of an opportunity to compete. Her hands lay gently on her baby bump under the soft lighting from her studio's single overhead lamp. Rain was drumming against the window in a soothing rhythm as she thought. In front of her lay a mannequin draped in the beginnings of her latest design - a gown which would be inspired by her journey. The fabric rippled like waves across the ocean she had crossed to start this new chapter in Paris. She smiled faintly, brushing her fingertips along the intricate stitching. "We did this," she murmured to her unborn child. "Every stitch, every sketch - it's for us." The baby responded with a soft flutter, and Sabrina laughed out in that quiet joy filling her. It was her sanctuary now, a place where creativity could breathe and dreams take shape. It's everything she wanted but never knew she needed-the simplicity, the focus of it-and yet, far removed from the life left beh
The next morning, she was awakened by the birds at the window chirping their melodies out into the air, spilling through the slats of blinds. Warm buttery smells of fresh-baked croissants drifted about the house, and a smile crossed her face. She stretched, yawned lazily, had the comfort of her bed, and then slid out to greet the day. Her dreams from last night lingered, filling her with a quiet determination.Wendy and Leila were already in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. Wendy was always going to be that matriarch, coordinating the perfect spread, while Leila softly sang in the background, sorting out a vase of fresh flowers in the table center."Good morning, dear," Wendy said, eyes lighting up upon seeing Sabrina come into the room. "How are you feeling today? Does the little one let you sleep well?"Sabrina nodded, touching her belly. "We slept well, Grandma. Thanks."Leila turned, holding a plate of warm pastries. "Sit down, sweetie. You've been working so hard lately; you des
The gentle knock at the bedroom door extracted her from the reverie. In the doorway was "Wendy." Her warm heart immediately saw written on Sabrina's face all the storm and turmoil that had raged behind those bright eyes. She crossed the room without a word and held her granddaughter close."It's all right to feel sad, Sabrina," Wendy whispered softly, her voice calm and soothing. "You have been through so much, and only natural that you would want things to be different."Sabrina leaned into her grandmother's embrace, letting the tears she had been holding back stream freely. "I just. I thought he might change. That he'd realize how much he meant to me, to us."Wendy drew back a little, her hands reaching to cup Sabrina's face. "Some people only see what is right in front of them when it's too late, though. That's not something you get to carry around, my dear. You've already given so much of yourself. Now it's time to pay attention to you and that gorgeous baby."Sabrina nodded, wipi
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