Sheila's POV
The tension immediately eased, and suddenly, I wasn’t so scared of the crowd. I felt like I could handle anything with him by my side, just like it used to be. Even though things were a bit off between us, I still appreciated the fact that he cared.With him by my side, and with our hands entwined, I could confidently smile at the cameras before we finally made our way inside.As we entered the grand ballroom, the soft lighting and elegant décor seemed to catch the attention of everyone around us. Almost immediately, a few guests approached with warm smiles.“Mrs. Walker, you’ve truly transformed this place!” one woman exclaimed, glancing around at the décor. “Everything is just flawless. And Mr. Walker, it’s clear she had some great support.”Another male guest nodded, offering Andrew a friendly smile. “It’s a fantastic setup. You married a very talented woman, Mr. Walker.”I smiled, feeling a sense of pride swellAndrew's POVThe gala was in full swing, but my mind was occupied with business. I stood in the corner of the ballroom, talking with my business partners about the city's newest competitor that had burst onto the scene, aiming to take down established players—especially me. They were brazen, but not stupid. The way they targeted us was clearly calculated.“They're not just trying to compete,” one of my partners said, swirling his drink. “They’re coming for our market share, our clients, and they’re starting with you, Andrew.”I nodded, my jaw tightening. “They’re poking the wrong bear. I’ll make sure they regret it.”“We can’t afford to wait, though,” another partner added. “The way they’re expanding… if we don’t act now, it’s going to get ugly.”I knew they were right. Timing was everything in this game. My eyes drifted around the room, catching glimpses of familiar faces in expensive suits, all caught up in their own conversations. I wa
Sheila's POV I stood frozen in the driveway, watching as Andrew sped off into the night, leaving me behind. I still couldn’t make sense of Andrew’s outburst—the anger, the jealousy, and the hurt in his eyes. What had I done wrong? Maybe I had acted too friendly toward Simeon, but I had no idea Andrew would react so strongly. If I hadn’t slapped him, I was sure he would have said more things that would’ve hurt me even deeper. “Are you alright, dear?” a soft voice asked from behind, pulling me out of my thoughts. I turned to see Grandpa and Grandma standing there, both looking worried and concerned. Grandpa looked like he had aged overnight, his once upright posture now slightly hunched, as if tonight's events had drained him of a few years. Grandma gave me a gentle smile, but the worry in her eyes was clear. “Come, child,” Grandpa said quietly. “Let’s take you home.” I didn’t say
Andrew’s POVThe loud ring of my phone pulled me out of a deep sleep, making my head pound even harder. I groaned, feeling the effect of the bad decision I decided to make last night.After driving around the city for hours last night, trying to clear my head, I ended up at a bar. One drink turned into several, and before I knew it, I was knocking back whiskey like it was water.Now, I was paying the price. My head felt like it was splitting open, the dull ache turning into a sharp, punishing headache. Squinting, I glanced at my phone and saw my secretary’s name on the screen."Sir, I’m sorry to wake you, but you have an urgent meeting in about two hours time," her voice came through, too loud for my headache.I glanced at my watch. 11 a.m. How had I slept this long? “Okay, I'm on my way,” I said and hung up. I groaned as I tossed the blankets aside, forcing myself out of bed. My head was still pounding, and I needed t
Andrew's POVAs Grandpa walked out of my office, I sat back in my chair, still trying to shake off the thought of Simeon and his intentions by coming here. Before I could dwell on it any longer, my secretary knocked and peeked in."Sir, just a reminder—you have a meeting with Xeron Enterprise in about 30 minutes."I nodded, straightening up. This meeting was crucial. Xeron Enterprise was one of our top clients, and securing this contract would give us a major advantage in the market. I couldn’t afford to let anything distract me—not last night, and definitely not Simeon."Zane, get ready. We’re leaving soon," I called out, adjusting my tie and grabbing the necessary documents from my desk.Zane appeared almost instantly. "Yes, sir. The car is ready. Your team is waiting."Two of my key employees were also coming with me: Sarah, our Head of Business Development, and Richard, our CFO. Both were experienced and had been essential in
Phoebe's POVI sat across from Antonio, absently pushing my fork through the eggs on my plate as we silently ate our breakfast.“So,” Antonio began as he sliced into his sausage. “I’ve decided to get your father out of prison.”The fork slipped from my fingers, clattering onto the plate as I choked on my food. My eyes shot up to meet his, searching his face for any sign that this was some kind of twisted joke. But there was no humor in his eyes—just cold, hard seriousness.“Excuse me?” I sputtered, my voice shaky. “You’re joking, right?”Antonio’s gaze sharpened, as he leaned back in his chair. “I don’t joke about things like this, Phoebe.”I instantly felt angry and questioned him.“Why would you want to help him? After everything he did—to my mother, to me? He deserves to rot in that cell!” I angrily snapped at him, my mood instantly turning sour.Antonio’s eyes turned icy, and his voice dropped to a low, dangerous tone
Sheila’s POVI carefully scooped the warm soup we had just made into a flask, making sure it was sealed tightly. As I packed the flask into my bag, Grandma walked over, wiping her hands on her apron."Tell your mother I’m sending her my regards," she said warmly, her eyes full of affection. "And that I wish her a speedy recovery.""I will, Grandma," I replied, giving her a quick hug. "Thanks for helping me with the recipe. I’m sure Mom will love it."Grandma chuckled softly, her eyes twinkling. "Of course she will. And tell her not to worry—soon, she’ll be back home where she belongs, and won't have to stay in the hospital any longer."I nodded and headed out, as I muttered ‘amen’ to Grandma's encouraging words. It was so much better to spend the day with my mom rather than thinking about what happened last night.The drive to the hospital was quick, and as I entered my mother’s room, her face lit up when she saw me. She sat up s
Andrew’s POVI was packing my briefcase, preparing to leave the office and head to Grandpa’s house to apologize to Sheila and take her back home. Just as I was about to grab my keys, my phone rang. Glancing at the screen, I saw Charles Donovan’s name flash across it. Hours after our meeting, I hadn’t expected his call. I hesitated before answering, unsure of what he could possibly want now.“Charles,” I answered, keeping my tone neutral.“Andrew,” he began. “I wanted to reach out and apologize for the way things went earlier today. Inviting you to compete with the Lyons Group like that—it was unprofessional, and I regret it.”I remained silent, waiting for him to continue.“I’ve had some time to reconsider,” he said slowly. “After reviewing both your proposals, I realized that Walker Enterprises is the right partner for us. If you’re still willing, we’d like to award you the contract.”I immediately smiled when I heard
Andrew's POVWe walked in silence to the study, and as soon as we were inside, Sheila turned to face me.“Who is Evelyn?”My entire body tensed, and I felt my jaw clench. This was the one subject I never wanted to talk about. Why was she suddenly interested in Evelyn?“I don’t want to discuss this,” I said coldly, hoping she would drop it.But Sheila wasn’t backing down. It seemed she had prepared very well for this confrontation.“I have a right to know who she is, Andrew. Who is this woman, and what's your relationship with her?”“Sheila, I said just drop—”“Don't you dare tell me to drop it!” Sheila yelled angrily, raising her voice. “I've had enough of all this! You must give me an answer right now! I deserve to know who the hell Evelyn is!”My temper immediately flared, and before I could stop myself, I snapped. “You don’t deserve to know who Evelyn is.”Her eyes blazed with anger as she w