Just the next morning, Bethany wakes up as early as she always does and heads downstairs to make breakfast for herself and Arthur, what she did not expect is that she'll meet Arthur down there already, making bacon and eggs."Good morning." She greets, standing by the door.He turns around and smiles. "Good morning, please come have a seat." His eyes wander down to her hands and he suddenly rinses his hands in the tap and comes over to meet her. "You took off the bandage?""It was long overdue..." She massages the back of her palm where the bandage had been wrapped around from the coffee burn. "It's going to scar though.""I won't let it." He walks over to the living room where Beth peeks after him but he soon goes out of sight and then returns with a small lotion in his hands. "I had gotten this yesterday but I had forgotten to give it to you. They say it works quite well to clean burn scars. Maybe you should give it a try?""Tha... Uhm, I will."Arthur chuckles. "I see you're gettin
Her words spark a reaction in everyone in the lobby, including the receptionist who immediately rings up Jade and exchanges a few words with her.Alexa smirks at the reaction she's able to get from the people as they start to gather and to murmur amongst themselves. "Oh, you're wondering if it is true? It is completely and totally true. I received an anonymous tip this morning that my husband, who did not come home last night has spent the whole night with this whore."The elevator opens and out comes the tall, black haired secretary, Jade.She simply looks at the door and the men nod immediately, reading the meaning in her look.With the aura she possesses, as she walks to meet Alexa in the middle of the large hall, the people standing in her way part so she can walk through to the front."Are you sure about this claims?"Alexa turns to her immediately, completely thinking something else. She definitely has the look of a reporter so Alexa thought she's reached out so she can get an e
"When I was three years old, some of you have got children that age or maybe even less, either way, I went missing as a child. Still don't know how that happened but I disappeared when I was three. When I became conscious of myself and my surroundings, I discovered I didn't have parents and was living in an orphanage run on charity... Things were tight. Even that I had to do after school jobs and all of that just to make ends meet."By now, the whole hall is silent and hanging on to her every word while she mentally accesses the situation before her.Daisy is there, waiting to lay a bait so that all these reporters that line up the front row on the other side will have something to drag her for but if she wants to have a successful life, she must avoid online conflicts by all means, and even if they do happen, it must be in her favor...And what's better to bring a person to the right side than a sob story? True story, but sob all the same... "When I turned eighteen, I was turned out
Back in the office, Bethany breathes a heavy sigh of relief as she grabs her bag off the couch. "We can leave now.""Sure." Arthur opens the door for her and she heads out first.Jade is standing right there in the doorway. "You had informed me that you won't be around for most of today so most of your meetings have been rescheduled between tomorrow and the day after.""Thank you very much Jade.""Also, I wanted to ask if we should blacklist Daisy Worth?""Yes please. John Worth too, even though he has not come here yet. That's practically the whole family.""Noted ma'am. Have a nice day."Bethany nods her thanks and walks past with Arthur nodding slightly at the secretary as he passes her by.Jade keeps her expressionless eye on the duo till the elevator doors close before she turns around and walks into her office, setting to the work.At the lobby, people bow in greeting and voice their greetings each as the duo walk by."You're cool ma'am." Someone says and she laughs, forcing the
The kiss lasts for about three minutes before he pulls away, trying to catch his breath. He then chuckles."What's funny?" She asks, breathlessly."I just thought of something.""What is that?""You take my breath away, literally."She rolls her eyes and laughs lightly, the earlier tense moments forgotten. "We are here." He announces as he looks out the window to see the tall gates that he's starting to get familiar with. The gates open right when they get to the front.Bethany does not fail to notice the blinking cameras at the top of the gate pillars that are turned their way.The car drives by and enters into the large estate. Not a compound, an estate. It's so large that there are acres and acres of vineyards stretched on both sides of the road and at the end of it is some scattered apartments and homes for members of the staff to live in so there is no shortage of staff around.Right smack in the middle of the large expanse of land is a castle like building. Complete with the si
Just about ten minutes later, dressed fully in a suit and long deep blue coat, Mason comes down the staircase, stopping to see the trio in the living room."Good afternoon. Hi Mum..." He comes in and pecks Martha on the forehead."Can't you have just one day off? You're always off to work."Mason chuckles and shrugs. "What can I say? You gave birth to a man who's a doctor and is a capable boss at the same time, so he's pretty busy." He sends a slight wink to Bethany and then his eyes land on Arthur.Arthur, equally, looks right back at him as well. His lips turned up in a small smile and his eyes daring him to do or say something out of turn."Good afternoon, Mr Worth.""Good afternoon, Mr Campbell. How are you doing today?"Both women exchange glances, feeling the chill in the air."I am quite alright. Ah, I have been meaning to invite you to get a glass of coffee with me, how does that sound with you?"Arthur shrugs, his smile deepening. "Sounds good. You just let me know when and w
Outside the tall medical building, John gives a small whoop as he calls his driver to come pick him up out front.He turns around and admires the glowing name out front. "Who would have known he was such a chill person?" He mutters to himself. His phone vibrates in his pocket and he picks it out."Hello?""How did it go?" The caller asks immediately, slight excitement in the voice."It went really well. With all of the rumors about how wicked and cruel he can be, he was actually pretty cool headed with me.""That's exciting news. So where are you headed now?""I don't have plans, how about we meet over some food, and then I can go shopping for the missus with your help.""You know I could never turn you down even when you bring up your wife."John rolls his eyes, a lilting smile on his lips. "Come on, it's a happy day, don't be moody. Should we meet at Eclipse?""Give me an hour.""I'll be waiting." He hangs up just as the car comes around, his exuberance is visible to everyone that h
The next morning, Bethany joins them down at breakfast, a bit disgruntled. "You two are so against me. Why would you two make breakfast?"Arthur looks up while taking off the apron. "What breakfast?"Bethany cocks her head to the side. "Really?" She shakes her head in the direction of the apron that he only just discarded."Oh that? I was just helping to cut veggies."Martha rolls her eyes. "Fine then, if you're angry with being left out, help us set the table.""Finally, something to do."Martha and Arthur watch her go."She still hasn't gotten over feeling responsible for everything and every work that should be done?""I think that one will take a while. The first week of us living together, she woke up four am every morning without fail. She'd go cleaning, washing, mopping, makes breakfast and then I'll wake up to see all of that. I have staff to do all those things but she did it without fail.""Wow. That's as a result of...""When you do that for two to three years, it's bound t
“Your vote doesn’t count, Kevin Fitzpatrick.” Bethany starts simply. “You’re not a director anymore.” She pulls her eyes over to him, giving him the scariest death stare he has ever seen in his whole life as a man and as a business man. “Your presence here does not count either, you, here, is like a speck of dust, unwanted but can’t be gotten rid of. That, is who you are, Kevin. Nothing more than a leech, sorry for the language to everyone but Kevin…” She clocks her head to the side in a forty five degree angle and looks right into his eyes. “You are a dumb thieving mother fucker.”Bethany’s words hang in the air, and Kevin stands frozen in place, his face drained of color. His eyes dart between Bethany, Martha, and Mason, searching for something for him, an escape, a defense, any sign that this isn’t happening.The directors are also judging him with their eyes, the ones he blackmailed especially staring at him in disdain.But the reality of the moment hits him like a tidal wave. He’
The glass doors of the boardroom swing open, and Jade walks in with Martha’s bag in her hands.The room goes silent as everyone stands, rising to their feet. The directors, except Mason and Bethany, are caught off guard by the presence of the matriarch of the Campbell family.Technically, Bethany did not just attain the post of CEO in hindsight, she is a member of the founding family and Mason had chosen by himself to focus on the hospital alone as seeing the whole conglomerate will be too much work for him considering he is a surgeon as well so Bethany, upon arrival, had automatically taken the baton.Martha, elegant and composed, moves gracefully toward the head of the table. Bethany steps aside without hesitation, vacating her seat for her mother. Martha sits down slowly, her eyes scanning the room.There is a powerful, or should we call it an intimidating silence that fills the boardroom as she looks from face to face, director to director and they look back at her, her gaze linge
The five days left on their self planned mini vacation pass quickly for the duo, especially and mostly for Bethany, but she’s ready. She’s not dreading the board of directors' meeting, not in the slightest.In fact, there is an absolute calm sense of control in the air as she heads in her car to the company from her mum’s place, it’s the last day there anyway and she knows that whatever Kevin Fitzpatrick has up his sleeve, she’s more than prepared.Much more prepared than the money grubbing doofus could ever be.By now, the media is buzzing about the meeting, the entertainment and business world, news and tabloids about companies and private corporations and even some random enthusiasts are all aware of what is happening at the company, thanks to Kevin’s constant whispers to the press. He has been pretty busy making sure everyone knows he expects to walk out as the new CEO of Campbell Conglomerate, the man who finally toppled Bethany from her throne or at least, be the one who will mak
The afternoon air was cool as the man in black stepped out of his car. His brow furrowed as he watched the taillights of a vehicle pulling out of the parking lot, the sight strangely familiar. He stared after it for a moment, but once it disappeared around the corner, he shrugged it off as the car of another wretched individual coming to check up on another wretch living in the building ahead of him.He turned his attention to the run down building in front of him, its once strong structure now crumbling at the edges. The perfect example of age tearing down a place. The faint flicker of a streetlight nearby cast long shadows along the cracked pavement. Without a second thought, he began walking toward the entrance, his footsteps slow and deliberate.He knew who he was looking for but the exact room, he hopes on luck to find it because if he does not end the madness today, he does not know when he will.Inside, the building was just as bleak as its exterior. The walls were stained with
Bethany Worth stood silently in the hospital room, unsure of what to say or do. Daisy had just arrived, her eyes red and puffy from crying, and the air between them felt thick with the tension that had always existed. Despite everything, Bethany found herself wanting to comfort Daisy, even though she knew that Daisy had never been particularly kind toward her.For a moment, Bethany hesitated, unsure of whether she should say something or just leave. Instead, she sat down quietly beside Daisy, not saying a word but offering her silent support.Sometimes, just being there was enough, even though she has no idea why the older woman had bee crying or why her eyes were that red shade of puffy.Daisy wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, her breath shaky. For once, she didn’t push Bethany away. She let herself cry, and Bethany remained beside her, not knowing what else to do but just listen to the almost silent sobbing.Her heart just won’t let her get up and leave her in that state.
Arthur Worth stared at his phone earlier that morning, hesitating for a moment before pressing the call button. He had felt a knot in his stomach, but the call had to be made. With everything going on, it was time to take matters into his own hands, whether he took permission or not because who knows, Bethany might still want them to wait it out like mature adults.The phone rang a few times before a woman’s voice answered, sounding almost too cheerful for this early in the day.“Hello?” she said, her voice bright and eager, almost like she knew who it was that is calling her.Maybe she does, and has been expecting this call for quite a while.“Hi, this is Arthur Worth,” Arthur replied, trying to keep his voice calm and steady. “I wanted to know if you’d be available for lunch today. I need to discuss something important with you ma’am.”There was a brief pause, then a spectacular rush of excitement in her tone. “Of course, Mr. Worth! I’d love to, it’ll be my absolute pleasure. When a
Bethany Worth stood firm above him as she retreats her face, watching as Trevor doubles over in pain from the sharp kick she had delivered to his groin. His face contorting in agony as he crumpled to the ground, clutching himself in the lower part. He had used that same part of his body t hurt Quinn.She kicks him in the face again.For some reason, she is still not sated. He had used that part of him to hurt Quinn, a seventeen year old girl and then had the guts from wherever the fuck he had gotten them from, to come visit her in the hospital with a bouquet of flowers…The satisfaction she ought to get from seeing him so helpless after what he had done to Quinn, she ought to be filled with a sense of triumph she has not felt in a long time but the feeling is still missing.Maybe one more kick will do it.Raising the back of her heels, the pointy part, she places it inconspicuously on his curled toe.He yells all over again but Bethany does not remove the heel from his leg, a small sm
John looks around, agitatedly at all the people around him, gaping silently.Only Marsh seems to find it amusing though as Halloway finds his way out of the interrogating room, no doubt back to the other side of the two way mirror.John lowers his head as he silences the call. The same number had called him some few days before, asking him to come over to the police station. He had obliged and done so, but now, in a bid to save Daisy from getting unjustly accused, he has waddled almost willingly into his own trouble."I think we have to start over, go back and begin again from the start now, Mr. Worth. You said you did not know Sienna until those few days before when she called your wife and revealed herself as your estranged daughter. How about you start from the point you cheated? Who is her mother? Because sadly, we need to let her family know that she is no more."John hangs his head as he mutters almost inaudibly. "Her mother is dead. I don't know if she has any families left, ex
“You know,” Marsh begins, his tone shifting to something more serious, “for a man who just lost his daughter, you seem remarkably calm.”John Worth feels the room grow cold around him. His heart pounds hard in his chest as Marsh’s words echo in his ears. He freezes, unable to look at anyone, especially not Daisy, whose presence beside him feels like an unbearable weight. Even she can’t raise her head and look him in the eyes, her lips thinning guiltily.Marsh leans forward, his expression sharp and expectant. “So, Mr. Worth,” he says slowly, “care to explain your relationship with Sienna in clearer terms? It seems there’s more you haven’t told us, to find the one who murdered your daughter, we will need the truth… Unless you don’t want us to find out who the killer really is.”John glances at Daisy, whose gaze remains firmly fixed on the floor and her twirling fingers. She hasn’t cried, but her eyes are wet, her silence louder than any accusation.Guilt gnaws at him, but he can’t find