“Good morning, sweetheart,” Derek kissed Gemma’s forehead.The duo had ended up spending the night at the orphanage and had just woken up. Actually, Derek woke up first and had been staring at Gemma ever since.“Good morning,” Gemma mumbled, rising from the bed.“What time is it right now?” she mumbled“Just a little past 8am,” A smiling Derek answered.Upon hearing him, Gemma sprang off the bed like her pants were on fire. “What’s wrong?” Derek was startled by her sudden action“Mr. Hughes will appoint me as the COO today. I have to be there early. Wait, don't tell me you forgot,” she narrowed her eyes at himDerek cleared his throat.“I didn't,” he muttered, not looking at her face.“Is that a smile I see on your face?” Gemma glared playfully at him.“What! My face is always like this,” he defended himself, smiling even more widely.“Seriously, Mr. Ferguson?” Gemma gave him another narrowed look.Derek slowly got off the bed and approached where she stood on the other side of the b
Gemma had to take a shower and change her dress before she shows up at the company that day. For that reason, Derek drove back home first so she could get ready. They had taken Andrea along with them. According to Derek, it was so she could get familiar with the place so she doesn't get lost when she moves in.Gemma didn't object, knowing he was doing it for her. But then she was kind of worried about what the other family members would say.Once the car pulled up inside the property, they alighted. A stunned Andrea couldn't stop her mouth from falling open.“I'll show you to your room, Drea. I need to head to the company,” Gemma took her hand, leading her into the house.Once the door to the living room was pushed open, she came face to face with a sleep deprived Logan. She didn't bother saying a word to him and side stepped him, walking further into the house.Logan didn't really care about her. His entire focus was on a grinning Derek walking towards him.“I called you all night, D
Derek had gotten a phone call earlier. It was from the person he had contacted to look into Gemma’s actual ties with her family. The information he got wasn't really what he was hoping for, but at least it did set somethings straight. He spent the next minutes on the phone and by the time he was done, the meeting was over. Walking into the meeting room, he couldn't find Gemma. He was about to walk away when he heard the people in there congratulating a familiar woman. “Mr. Hughes,” He called out to the man once he realized what he had done.“What do you think you're doing?” he was furious.“I believe Gemma isn't ready to take on such a tasking position yet. She is too young and…”“Who are you to decide?” Derek was furious.“I'm the CEO…”“Only because I made you one. I can push you out of that position with just a snap of my finger.”The exchange between the two drew the attention of the other parties in the room with them. James being part of them was happy. Even though he didn't get
Gemma was sprawled on the floor vibrating with anger. Her fist was clenched and her teeth gnashing. Just yesterday she was celebrating a win, only for things to go south again. At this point, she was getting nowhere and was literally back to square one Rising from the floor, she dusted off her clothes.“Where the fuck was Derek!” She was so annoyed that she could punch a hole right through the face of the next person that annoys her.“You look like you belong there on the ground,” one of the company's employees and Elena’s minion said from the side. From the sound of her voice, Gemma knew she was the same person that had put fear into her by screaming about the liquid being acid.“That's right. And I won't mind dragging you down here with me. Only difference will be you being six feet beneath me and inside a woddencontainer too,” Gemma countered.Her response was by far not what the lady anticipated. She scurried away muttering curse words.“Fools,” Gemma cursed.She pulled out her ph
Gemma was furious, not just at the fact that Elena had turned the entire happening around and accused her of attacking her. She was more mad at the fact that Derek once again kept important information from her. First it was about him purchasing shares and making Hughes the CEO, now this. What the heck was wrong with him for God’s sake.“Your company has CCTV, right?” Gemma threw a random question at Hughes.“What has that got to do with what I just said?” Hughes asked.“Since you can’t see my reddened face, then maybe you should ask your employees where I threw acid on Elena. Then go watch the footage…”“I'll send a friend over here tomorrow, give her a nice position. Her credentials are pretty outstanding,” Despite all that had happened today, she didn't forget she had promised to secure Andrea a position here. Saying this, she walked away.“What about the photo shoot?” Hughes called out to her.“Not now, Hughes. I've wasted a lot of time here today,” she waved him off.Gemma knew wh
After the little drama with Daniel, Derek was on his way to Gemma after he got information that she was in the photo studio. He had gotten to the door of the studio when his phone rang. “Didn't we just finish speaking barely an hour ago?” He asked impatiently. He needed to find Gemma to know how she was feeling. Hughes' betrayal was almost unexpected. “It's about your wife, sir. I think you should come here in person. It isn't something we can discuss over the phone,” the caller said Hearing that it was all about Gemma made him change his route. Hanging up, he sent Gemma a text saying he was going for an urgent meeting and will be back to pick her up later. Outside the company, he got into his car and sped off to meet his caller. It was the lady he had put in charge of uncovering Gemma’s real identity. “Good afternoon sir,” she greeted on seeing him. Derek nodded, signaling her to hit the hammer on the head. “Your wife is indeed a Braun,” the woman told him. Derek was stunned
TWO YEARS AGO“What the fuck is wrong with you, Rachel! Why do you keep pissing me off every single time!” Derek yelled, glaring at Rachel.“I only took your money, Derek. I'm your damned girlfriend. It's my right. It's not like I took your life!” Rachel clapped back.“You invested my money on a collapsing business! I gave you access to my black card just so you can shop with it. I never said you can invest the money in there! You just wasted millions of dollars for Christ's sake!” “How was I supposed to know the company would fail? They seemed very promising, so I invested.”“And you didn't think to discuss it with me. I mean it's my money for fuck’s sake!” Derek was so pissed off that he walked away slamming the door shut.This has always been his problem with Rachel. Her over spending was killing him. Every single time, she spends his money on something unreasonable. He used to ignore her irrelevant expenses but this was the height of it. When he received a debit of over $10 milli
“So, you walked off alone because of that?” Derek growled. “Why do you keep jeopardizing your safety! Do you fucking think you'll be given another second chance if lose your life again!”“What? How do you know about that?” Gemma was stunned, she stared at Derek, waiting to hear a reasonable explanation from him. Her entire anger, her fears and every single thing, forgotten. All she wanted to know was how the fuck Derek knows she was given a second chance.Derek balled his fist, looking away from her.“How did you know about my second chance, Derek?” She pressed.“Don't push it, Gemma. Let's just go home. We've had enough drama for just one day,” Derek mumbled.“You see! This is the problem with you. You wave off my questions. You keep every single thing away from me, even the details of my own freaking life! I'll ask you once again. How the heck do you know about my second chance!” Gemma was now agitated. She wasn't going to let Derek go until he told her how he got to know about it.
ABOUT FIVE YEARS LATER “Gemgem!” “Gemgem!! What's taking you so long in there!!” Derek yelled from inside their bedroom. Gemma was inside the bathroom and was taking too long to get done and come outside. “Mom, daddy and I will leave without you!” Little Melina shouted from Derek's arms. “Mummy!!” She yelled yet again. Derek didn't bother trying to call out to Gemma again. Since Melina had taken over, he knew Gemma would be out in a minute or two, she doesn't joke with their little princess. “Dad, go check what mummy is doing in there…I'll go check if Aunt Esther is ready,” Melina said, getting off Derek's arms. She ran over to the door and just before she ran out, she suddenly halted. “Dad, don't waste any time in there, get mommy and meet us downstairs,” Melina warned. “Emmm….that's exactly what I'm going in there to do, I'm already dressed up,” Derek smiled at her. “Good, cause I don't want you two doing adult things in there, it takes way too much time,” Melin
“Congratulations, sweetheart!” Derek smiled broadly, proudly patting Gemma's head. It was though his words brought sudden realization on the faces of the executives. Those in favour of Gemma had proud smiles on their faces, while those against her murmured in dissatisfaction. “Congratulations!” Logan quickly hugged Gemma, also smiling broadly. “Thank you, big bro,” she laughed. “Say that again!” Derek said aloud, not minding the presence of other people in the room or the fact that they were live on air. “Big bro,” Gemma laughed. Logan smiled broadly, winking at Derek. “Hear that?” He raised a brow. Derek laughed, shaking his head. But then he was very happy. Gemma didn't have just him, she has Logan and Victor too. “Where is Victor?” He asked the moment he recalled that Victor was supposed to be up here. “He is having a party with the reporters downstairs,” Gemma laughed, recalling how they ditched him barely an hour ago. “You devils!” Victor's loud voice rang. “You left
“The person we've all been waiting for is finally here. Let's begin,” Derek announced.Inside the meeting room, seated around the enormous table were the executive members of the company with voting rights.“The entire country is curious about what is going on here right now, to keep the company's prestiges and reputation, I suggest we air the voting live,” Derek spoke.His words were met with both acceptance and rejection and soon the meeting room became noisy with everyone debating his suggestion aloud.Gemma stepped further into the meeting room, taking a stand right next to the vacant CEO seat.“We will air the voting!” She announced loudly, bringing the stop to the arguments.Most of the executives began to murmur in displeasure.“I won't have a woman tell us what to do?” One of the executives openly expressed his displeasure.“A woman you say,” Gemma didn't bother hiding her own displeasure.“Mr. Darlington, what are the qualities of a great CEO?” Gemma threw an unexpected quest
Gemma and Victor were quick to get into Logan's car. Logan didn't bother saying a word and got into the driver's seat. And sped off to Braun's company. Soon, the trio arrived at the company which had already been overtaken by reporters, the number of reporters in front of the company was very overwhelming. The moment Gemma stepped out of Logan's car, they all rushed over to her. “You said your husband was putting on a show here, there is no sign of life out here,” one of the reporters said. “Did you lie to get us away from Ferguson's residence?” Another asked. “You deceived us, Mrs. Ferguson, how are we to believe a word you said on the national television today?” Another asked. “That's my husband's car over there,” Gemma pointed in the direction of a black Veyron. “How sure are we that that's his car. We all saw his car get crushed by a Mack truck barely an hour ago,” another person countered. “Are you blind or simply don't want to check the plate number?” Logan who had just
“Where is Derek Ferguson and his wife?” One of the reporters asked aloud.To Logan, the question didn't matter. The fact that Derek and Gemma were not inside the crushed car, made his heart leap with joy. It meant they were probably safe somewhere and to him, that's the best news.“I can find them later,” he told himself.Finally looking away from the car, his eyes met some of the press who were gathered around the Mack truck. Victor seemed to be the centre of attention, making Logan rush over to know what was going on.Due to his display for madness earlier, the press easily cleared the way for him to get up the truck. Once he got up, he saw Victor dealing out punches to a nearly lifeless James.“That’s enough, Victor,” he grabbed Victor's shoulder and pulled him away from James.“The police are here, they'll do the needful. Let him go,” he kept pulling a pissed off Victor.His words were met with a scoff from James.“Who did you do that for?” Logan glared at James.“You,” the fool r
Elena, whom Mr. Brown had dragged back home with him, was awakened by the noisy shattering of what seemed like glass in the early hours of the new day. She was tired and worn out from the previous night's strenuous activities Mr. Brown put her through. Dragging herself out of his bed, she found her way down the stairs, limping. After getting discharged, her father had failed to win against Mr. Brown and then the man took her home with him. Since then, she hasn't had a single day of rest. She was forced to share his bed with him, she was forced to do all sorts of things in bed with a man old enough to be her father. And it was all because of Gemma. She blamed Gemma for her predicament. If Gemma hadn't pushed her to the wall, she wouldn't have gone to the damn club that day and wouldn't have been married to the old monster. She cursed Gemma for her fate. Few weeks ago, when Gemma came to the hospital and acted like she wanted them to become really good and close sisters, she hated it,
Gemma took an extra hour to answer the series of questions the news anchor had for her. The truth was that after waking up to a new life, she knew she had to do something to deal with the people that messed with her. Appearing harmful only by her spoken words was the only way to keep them off her back. It was the only way she could dig out their dirty, rotten and disgusting secrets and affairs without them having any knowledge of it. When she woke up to a new life, she had started with James, gathering evidence of every single thing he had done to her. The evidence she submitted for his assault on her was from years ago. She had placed a video recorder on her room that day for fear of James eventually having his way with her. She had taken that recording to show Sylvia and Max that James was serious about having his way with her. But then after she complained to Sylvia about it the second time and she brushed it off as nothing, she had set the recording aside. She never knew it would
Daniel and Victor walked out the Motel and stood right out there, watching drag her luggage across the street. Once she was out of sight, Logan turned to Victor. “You did put the tracker on her, right?” He asked and Victor nodded. “We have to call Derek and update him,” Victor mumbled. “Not yet. We never planned on taking care of Daniel with him. Let's just speak to him later,” Logan told him. Victor, who had already pulled out his phone, sighed, nodding in understanding. “It's still 5am, I doubt he would even be awake now,” Victor muttered, about to press the power button to turn off his phone. But then, a notification popped up on his phone. “Look,” he tapped Logan. Logan, who was very invested in getting things done and done for all, didn't bother looking down at his phone, thinking it was one of his silly jokes. “It's Gemma,” Victor said in utter disbelief. That instant, Logan snatched the phone from him. Victor sighed and stood just next to him watching Gemma who was live
“Andrea said she met Rachel at Dalking street. Which means she is somewhere around there. That bitch isn’t wise enough to plan a full proof operation…” Victor was saying but was cut off by Logan.“I know all this, Victor. Where is Rachel right now?” he asked.“I don’t have her exact location but she should be in any hotel around Dalking street or that area. Rachel is in debt right now. That’s probably why she is in the slums…Dalking street is in the slums. She should be in any cheap hotel or motel around there…” Victor responded.“Well then, let's start with the cheapest one,” Logan suggested.Getting into Logan's car, the duo drove till they came to a stop at a public parking lot. The both knew it was probably not safe to take an exotic looking car into the slum. They would end up bringing unwarranted attention to themselves.Once they got out of the car, they found their way into the alleyway that led to slums. Both never said a word to each other again and simply focused on the tas