Eureka stepped into the master bedroom and saw Raymond buttoning his dress shirt in front of the mirror. She had slept in the guest room after their fight. Her cheeks were red, and her eyes puffy from crying. She moved to his side.
“Good morning,” she greeted, but he ignored her.“I want to tell you something,” she said.Raymond turned and gave her a once-over. “I also have something to tell you.”“You first,” she said, leaning her hips against the vanity table.“I want a divorce.”His voice was calm, but the weight of his words struck Eureka like lightning. She was about to announce her pregnancy, only to hear that he wanted a divorce. She stood frozen in place.“Okay…” she said slowly, urging him to continue.“How shameless can you be, Eureka? You’ve been sleeping with Harvey behind my back!” he growled, throwing some pictures at her. They showed Eureka and Harvey in seemingly intimate positions.Eureka sighed, placing the pictures on the table.Raymond marched into Harvey's house. His father’s words had hit him hard, leaving him no choice but to look for Eureka. He never expected her to leave. He thought she would beg him, but her reaction had shocked him to the core. “Where’s my wife?” Raymond demanded, grabbing Harvey, who had just opened the door. “Where is she?” “You’re an idiot for asking me such a stupid question,” Harvey retorted, pushing him back. “What gave you the nerve to barge into my house, demanding Eureka?” “For the last time, Harvey, where is my wife?” Raymond growled, his eyes narrowing at Harvey, who stood unfazed. “Use the door,” Harvey replied calmly, trying not to escalate things per Eureka’s wishes. As he turned to walk back to the living room, Raymond cocked his gun. “Tell me where she is, or I’ll blow your head off.” “You really want to know where she is?” Harvey spun around, struggling to contain his anger. “She left the country because of your foolishness.” Raymond stumbled back, unable
It had been over two months since Melissa was disowned by her mother. Life hadn't been kind to her. She had also been kicked out of the hotel. Her mother refused to listen to her unless she agreed to abort the baby, but Melissa was unwilling. She couldn’t bring herself to do it.“I won’t kill my baby, Mom," Melissa had told her the last time she visited. “I don’t care what the world throws at me, but I’ll stand by my child. I promise to make you proud by becoming the woman you always wanted me to be. Even if you never accept me back, I owe you that. I love you," she said and walked out of the house.She thought she had friends to turn to until they proved they were never truly her friends. “You were with me because of my wealth?" Melissa cried when Linda refused her entry into her house with shallow excuses.“It’s ridiculous you’re only realizing that now," Linda scoffed. “You have no place with us anymore, Lisa. You’re no longer the famous Rachel de Leon’s daughter. You’re a nobody n
Raymond sat behind his office desk, going through some files when the door creaked open. He looked up at the intruder, who turned out to be Jared. Jared moved closer, his face long and shoulders sagging. Without a word, he sank into the chair opposite Raymond and removed his sunglasses."What's up?" Raymond asked, resuming his work."I thought you said she was a call girl," Jared said, his voice tinged with disappointment as he fixed Raymond with a sharp stare. He had been investigating what Raymond had told him about Melissa after she slapped him for calling her a prostitute."We're supposed to be friends, man. How could you say something like that? And to think I believed you—it makes me an idiot.""What are you talking about?" Raymond asked, his tone calm as he put the files into a drawer. "What did I tell you to do?" He leaned forward, interlacing his fingers on the desk as he met Jared's stern gaze."You told me Melissa was a slut," Jared said, his voice tightening as he struggle
Melissa crouched in the living room, cleaning the center table while humming a song. “I wish I knew how to sing like Eureka," she mocked herself, laughing.“Melissa?" Mrs. Cargill called, entering the living room.“Yes," Melissa replied, turning to face her.“I’m going out. The cook said she won’t be back today either. Can you fix dinner before I return?" Mrs. Cargill asked, adjusting the hem of her dress.“Cook?" Melissa exclaimed, surprised.“Why? You don’t know how to cook?"Melissa looked away, fidgeting. “Um, I… yes, ma’am.”"Yes, you don’t know how to cook?” Mrs. Cargill’s tone made Melissa’s stomach twist."No, that’s not what I mean. I mean I can cook well. What should I cook?” She lied."Fix spaghetti Bolognese. Don’t use red pepper flakes—use black pepper instead. Can you do that?"“Perfectly, Mrs. Cargill," Melissa replied with an awkward smile, scratching the back of her neck.“Alright. See you when I get back," Mrs. Cargill said as she walked out.The moment she left, Mel
The street was dark, lonely, and eerie, but Melissa’s feet carried her far from the house. She didn’t spare a moment to look back; she just kept running, the pain in her abdomen growing worse. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the cold ground, bruising her knee in the process.“I hate my life!” she cried, crawling to the pavement to examine her knee. “What is this? Is this some kind of nightmare? Why am I in this mess? What did I do to deserve this?” Her wailing pierced the quiet night. She curled up, burying her face against her knees. As if nature itself conspired against her, rain began to fall lightly, quickly turning into a downpour. There was no shelter nearby, no place to go.“Fine!” she shouted, her voice lost in the rain. “Punish me all you want. I deserve it anyway. If only I’d listened to my mother and kept my legs closed for that bastard, I wouldn’t be in this situation! And why haven’t I terminated this baby yet? Of what use is a child to me? I can barely take ca
“Wakey, wakey,” Jared said, placing a tray of breakfast on the bed as Melissa stirred awake. “Good morning, sweetheart. Hope you slept well.” He sat on the edge of the bed.“What’s good about the morning, Jared?” she hissed, stretching and yawning. “Anytime I wake up and see your face, I know I should prepare for another awful day. What new surprise should I expect from you today?”“Come on, Mel. Can we move past our differences, please? I hate fighting with you. I want to make up for everything I’ve done. We can go beg your mom to take you back. If she doesn’t, I’ll take care of you. Maybe when you give her a grandchild, her heart will soften toward you,” he explained, hoping to calm her down.Melissa snorted. “Easy for you to say, isn’t it? I was already on thin ice with my mom before you showed up and made me fall into her trap. She’s not just punishing me because I got pregnant, but because it’s with you—her business rival,” she said. “Of all the people in the world, you had to pi
Melissa sat in the living room, munching on cookies and watching an action movie when the doorbell rang. “Why would Jared knock before entering his own house?” she muttered as a servant went to answer the door. The visitor turned out to be Cassandra.Melissa leaped to her feet, anger surging through her at the sight of Cassandra. “What are you doing here?” Melissa demanded as Cassandra walked in, scanning the room like she owned it.“Is Jared home?” Cassandra asked casually, brushing back her, and moving over to a couch.“Why are you looking for him? You have no right to be here. Leave this house!” Melissa pointed angrily at the door.“Oh, please,” Cassandra said dismissively, sinking into a couch and dropping her handbag beside her. “Tell the maid to get me a drink. I’m thirsty.”“You’ll die of thirst, Cassandra!” Melissa snapped. “Get your despicable self off that couch and leave!”“What are you even doing here?” Cassandra asked, leaning forward on the couch. “The last time I was he
After running a long distance, Melissa’s feet buckled beneath her, tears streaking down her face. She crouched beside a row of trash cans in a small alley, her body trembling from both pain and anger. She didn’t want it to hurt. She understood what Eureka went through, seeing her husband cheat openly, but she never knew it would hurt so much. The voice of Cassandra moaning Jared’s name clouded her mind. It felt as though she was losing her sanity as she clamped her head, wailing. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, drumming in her ears like an incessant beat.“Bloody bastard!” she yelled, punching a trash can with all her force. Her knuckles cracked as blood began to spill. She didn’t care. The pain in her heart was far worse than the throbbing in her hand. “I was a fool to think you loved me! Why does it have to be Cassandra of all the women in Beverly Hills? You don’t have taste, Jared. How can you share that tramp with your best friend?” She tossed her shoes aside, sat on the c
Kaiden was in the principal’s office when Eureka rushed in. The principal had insisted that his mother be present before giving his verdict.“Son, what did you do?” Eureka asked.“You should have called me. You didn’t have to hurry,” Kaiden said nonchalantly, reclining on the visitor’s chair like he was the vice principal.“Good day, sir,” Eureka greeted the principal.“Good day, Miss Bennett. Please, have a seat,” the principal offered, and Eureka sat beside Kaiden, glancing at him to see if he was hurt.“Are you okay, son?” she asked, just to be sure.“I’m okay,” he replied.Aveline was sent for, and she returned with her arm strapped after visiting the school’s infirmary.“Look at what your son did to my daughter a couple of minutes ago,” the principal began, pointing at Aveline, who took a seat as her legs buckled.Eureka gasped. “What? Kaiden, why would you do that?”“He should be happy she’s not comatose,” Kaiden said as he glanced at Av
Kailani waited at her usual spot for Kaiden. He had promised to meet her there during lunchtime. As she was engrossed in her chemistry textbook, jotting down some compound names, Aveline and her two minions marched up to her, seized her book, and tossed it into a nearby trash can."What was that for?" Kailani snapped, though her soft voice didn’t make her sound irritated."How many times do I have to warn you to stay away from Kaiden?" Aveline groaned, arms akimbo. "You’re too daft to listen, aren’t you?""I don’t know what you’re talking about," Kailani denied, standing up to retrieve her book when Aveline yanked her hair, dragging her back in front of her."You don’t dare walk out while I’m still talking!" Aveline’s harsh voice echoed."Let go of me, you’re hurting me!" Kailani cried as Aveline’s grip tightened."Girls, take her to the female restroom," Aveline ordered her minions. "I need to teach this bitch a lesson.""I didn’t do anything to you. Let
Eureka sat behind her large office desk, her eyes fixed on her laptop as she reviewed the collections sent by her lead designer. The telephone rang, distracting her. As she picked up the call, her secretary’s voice came through.“I don’t need visitors, Ruth. What is it?” Eureka snapped. “When I give instructions, I expect you to follow them.”“I’m deeply sorry, Ma’am. He’s insisting on seeing you,” Ruth said.“And who the hell is that?”“Mr. Blackwood, Ma’am.”Eureka’s stomach twisted at the mention of the name. She sat in silence, pondering what to do.“Are you there, Ma’am?”“Send him in,” she finally said and ended the call. She took a deep breath, brushed her hair back with her hands, sat upright, and glanced at her reflection in the mirror. “Now you’re being self-conscious,” she muttered, recalling her words to Kaiden, prompting a small smile.“Come in,” she responded to the soft knock on the door.“Hello, Miss Bennett,” Raymond greeted, walk
Kailani stood by the window of her room, staring up at the sky. Her expression was downcast, her eyes puffy from crying. She had just endured another beating from Delilah, who claimed the tea Kailani prepared wasn’t tasty. Her back was on fire, yet she managed to maintain a calm appearance. Since her father died, her life had spiraled into a nightmare, one she desperately wanted to wake up from. She thought leaving her deranged mother would make things easier, but now her life only seemed more complicated.She winced as her clothes brushed against the bruises on her back. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she blinked them away.“I wish you were here, Dad. The world is so cruel to me. Why didn’t you take me along? I would have been fine with you up there,” she sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks.“I’m here, Kay.”Raymond’s voice startled her, and she turned to look at him.“Good evening, sir,” she greeted, quickly wiping her tears.“Good evening, dear. Why are you crying?” Raymond a
It was lunchtime at school, and as always, Kaiden insisted on buying Kailani lunch. She hardly came to the cafeteria, but now she did, and she usually shared a table with him."You haven’t given me your number yet. I noticed you weren’t using your laptop like everyone else. What’s going on?" Kaiden asked.Kailani met his gaze briefly. "I don’t have one," she replied simply.Kaiden found the reply amusing and laughed. "Is that supposed to be a joke?""You don’t know there are people who don’t own electronic gadgets?" she tilted her head, wondering where in the world he was from.Kaiden shrugged. He was raised by a wealthy mother and attended a private high school in Gisborne with only rich kids. He wasn’t used to the other side of the world. "This is my first time," he admitted. "How come you don’t have a gadget? Everyone in our class does. Did you break yours?""It’s a complicated story, Kaiden. Can we not talk about it?""If you’re uncomfortable talking
Eureka sat on her bed, her back leaning against the headboard as she scrolled through her social media pages. She would have preferred her assistant to do it, but since she was on leave, she had to handle it herself. A faint knock landed on the door.“Miss Bennett?” she heard Mildred call.“Come in,” Eureka permitted. The doorknob turned, and the woman walked in, closing it gently behind her. Eureka stared at her until she settled down, clasping her hands behind her back.“Um, Miss Bennett, you have a visitor,” Mildred announced.“Who is it?”“He said his name is Raymond Blackwood.”The name rang a bell, but Eureka didn’t remember where she had heard it. Mildred waited patiently, unsure of Eureka’s silence.“Do I know him? What does he want?”“I’m not sure. Should I tell him to leave?” Mildred replied, lowering her gaze to the floor.“No, I’ll meet him. Tell him I’ll join him shortly.”Some minutes later, Eureka descended the stairs, dressed in a casual red short gown, her hair swept
“Mom, what kind of school is that?” Kaiden whined, dumping his backpack on the couch. Eureka was sketching in the living room when he returned. “It was so annoying. The students kept crowding around me, trying to be my friends. They don’t respect boundaries! I’m not going back to that school. Get me a home tutor instead,” he complained, dropping beside her.“You’ve only spent one day in your new school, Kaiden. You’ll get used to it in time. You’re an influencer. You don’t expect them to ignore you, do you?” Eureka said, turning her attention to him.“I don’t like that. Does being an influencer mean they can touch me? Who knows where those hands have been? I need to sanitize myself!”“I understand how you feel. I’ll talk to the principal about keeping some distance between you and your classmates. But you should also make it clear that you don’t like being touched. If they persist, report them or remind them you’re a Bennett,” she told him.“You’re right, Mom. Why di
The ballroom sparkled under the golden glow of chandeliers, buzzing with the voices of fashion elites, celebrities, and business tycoons. Glasses clinked, laughter rang out, and photographers darted through the crowd, capturing the grandeur of the night. At the far end of the hall, Kaiden stood near a floral backdrop, selfie stick in hand, adjusting the camera angle just right.“Yo, what’s up, guys! We’re live at my mom’s launch party!” he grinned, tilting his face to catch the best lighting. His Instagram flooded with comments almost immediately.“Looking sharp, Kaiden!”“Your mom is a legend!”“Show us the outfits!”Chuckling, he took a few selfies before refocusing on his audience. As he spoke, he didn’t notice the man approaching until a deep voice cut through the noise.“Excuse me.”Kaiden lowered his phone and turned. Standing before him was a tall man in an expensive, perfectly tailored suit. Golden-brown hair, piercing gray-blue eyes, a strong jawline. There was something oddl
The soft hum of a jazz playlist filled Raymond’s office, blending with the quiet tapping of his fingers against his desk. The floor-to-ceiling windows of his corporate tower overlooked the Los Angeles skyline, but his mind wasn’t on the view.His assistant, Logan, stood by the doorway, a tablet in his hand, shifting uneasily. Raymond barely glanced up. “If it’s about the board meeting, push it to tomorrow. I don’t have the patience for their nonsense today.”“It’s not about the meeting, sir,” Logan said, taking a step forward. “It’s about… Miss Bennett.”“And who the hell is Miss Bennett?” Raymond snapped. The past few days had been unbearable for him. He thought he had overcome his anger issues, but lately, everything was resurfacing. Small things irritated him, he snapped at everyone, and he preferred to be left alone. Coming to the office felt like a burden he had to endure daily. If the company weren’t his, he would have disappeared by now.“Have you lost yo