Charles stumbled back, clutching at his reddened cheek and the blistering pain on his legs. His face twisted with fury, and with whatever strength he could muster, he lunged toward Nicole, intent on intimidating her into submission.But Nicole wasn’t that woman anymore.Her fingers wrapped around the knife that lay on the counter, its blade glinting in the kitchen light as she raised it between them. The tension was cut by her voice, low and unshakeable. "Try me, Charles. You take one more step, and I'll make sure you rot in hell where you belong."Charles froze, his breath heavy with suppressed anger, but her unwavering stance forced him to retreat slightly. His lips curled into a snarl. “You’re going to regret this, Nicole. Mark my words.”…………………………………………………………………………………Nicole’s POVThat wasn't me, or at least not the version of me that the world used to know. That woman was soft, easily manipulated, too trusting for her own good. Life had taken me down to barely skin and bone,
The restaurant was a masterpiece of ambiance, a symphony of soft lights, clinking glasses, and smooth jazz that seemed to cocoon Sarah and Taylor in their own little bubble. The tables were dressed in white linen, candles flickering faintly atop each one, and the smell of freshly baked bread wafted through the air. It was perfect, every detail planned to ensure tonight would be unforgettable.She had spent hours preparing for this. From choosing the perfect navy dress that clung just right to curling her hair in soft waves framing her face, she'd gone all out. And as Taylor walked slightly ahead of her toward their table, his presence towering, calm, and collected, she couldn't help but feel a spark of nervous energy.For a man who had agreed to dinner more out of obligation than interest, Taylor still managed to look effortlessly handsome.His charcoal suit seemed to blend with his skin, and his crisp white shirt was unbuttoned at the collar to add just that touch of casualness ne
When Sarah arrived home after the dinner, her heart was still racing. She couldn’t stop smiling, her cheeks hurting from how wide her grin stretched. She smirked. “Now, Nicole can finally rot in hell for all I care.”She was replaying the way Taylor had smiled at her, really smiled, in her head over and over. So brief, so fleeting, but it was real.She had seen it, felt it.She clasped her purse against her chest as she closed the apartment door behind her, leaning against the door for a second to catch her breath.“God, what is wrong with me?" she muttered frowning, shaking her head, but the warmth blooming across her chest would not be denied.Kicking off her heels, she padded across the room and plopped onto the couch, her thoughts racing. Tonight had gone better than she could have imagined.She'd seen a side of Taylor she hadn't thought existed, human, relatable even a little bit playful. It had taken everything in her not to swoon when he'd promised to call her.Her fingers it
Taylor sat at his desk, eyes scanning the cluttered papers in front of him. The soft glow of the late afternoon sunlight filtered through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm hue over the sleek, minimalist furnishings of his office. It was already past five, and the clock on his desk showed no mercy. The minutes had dragged themselves along, each heavier than the last.He knew he should have left a long time ago, but work had a way of finding him, pulling him deeper into its relentless current.Sighing, he leaned back in his chair, the muscles in his neck tightening. He glanced at his watch-five minutes past five-and pushed the chair back with a sharp creak.He closed the open files across his desk with a quick, habitual movement and reached for the note he had left to his secretary that he would be back later. The thought of facing her questions-the little smirk she always wore whenever she asked about Sarah-made him roll his eyes. He didn't need that today.“Taylor
Back at the Abrams Mansion,Leo stood there, baffled by the chaos unraveling in front of him.Bella’s insistence, the harshness in her tone, the hostility aimed at Nicole; it all felt surreal. Just days ago, he had seen them laughing together, exchanging light banter like lifelong friends. There was a newfound friendship between them that had put him at ease, thinking things were finally settling down. And now, here they were, standing in the middle of the living room, with Bella practically yelling for Nicole to be thrown out. What could have possibly happened to change things so drastically?He ruffled his hair, tension building up in him. It is quite unbearable to watch when Bella lost her temper. Yes, she could be whimsical but this was not whimsicality, this was strategising. She was full of hatred, not just in the words they had exchanged a minute ago. Leo however shifted his gaze to Nicole, she looked as confused as she was angry. She was standing tall and rigid, her hands
The mansion was in a whirlwind of panic as the ambulance arrived less than ten minutes after the grandmother had collapsed. The wailing sirens echoed through the estate, cutting through the tension that had consumed the family. Two medics rushed into the house, carefully lifting the elderly woman onto the stretcher while the staff followed behind, trying to be helpful amidst the chaos.Leo and Bella climbed into the ambulance; both were visibly shaken. Bella sat by her grandmother's side, holding her hand tightly, while Leo settled on the opposite side, his face a mask of worry.Nicole began to follow them, but Bella spun and forcefully pushed her away. "Don't you dare go near her! This is all your fault!" Bella's voice was shrill with anger and grief.Nicole's breath caught in her throat as she stumbled backward. The sting of accusation of such vile acts, coupled with the futility of seeing the only person to ever show her a shred of kindness lying unconscious, clouded her vision
Charles stepped closer to Bella, his eyes wide and brimming with desperation. "Babe, please. You have to believe me. That video… it’s fake!" His words stumbled out, shaky and frantic. Really? A fake video? Nicole and everyone else in the room could only stare in stunned disbelief. It was crystal clear, as plain as day, yet this man had the audacity to deny it?Before Charles could say a word, Bella's hand cut through the air with accuracy, slapping him across his cheek. It was a sharp sound in the hallway and brought about a moment of silence in its wake. "You god-forsaken bastard!"The rage in Bella's voice quivered, leading into the undertones of betrayal. Charles clutched at his cheek, the tears filling in his eyes, yet this was not the pain that hurt the most.His eyes never left Bella's face, as if imploring her silently to take back what she had just said. "You slapped me, babe?" he whispered hoarsely, the disbelief in his voice clear.Unfazed, Bella moved closer; her voice w
The hospital became eerily quiet after Charles stormed out, his footsteps echoing in the corridor as the door swung shut behind him. Nicole stood frozen, her emotions a tangled mess. Though her exterior remained calm, the storm within her raged. Bella avoided her gaze, her expression a mix of guilt and uncertainty. Leo, however, stood steady, his protective instincts evident in the way his fists clenched and his jaw tightened.From the hospital bed, the grandmother stirred weakly. Her voice, although no more than a whisper, held a strong appeal therein. "Stay together… family is everything," she murmured, her pale face creased with exhaustion.Leaning closer, Leo and Bella reached instinctively for her hands. Nicole hung back, a pace or so away from them, and watched the family to which she had never intended to belong.Teetering between feelings of awkwardness and connectedness, held together by some unseen tie.…………………………………………………………………………………….Back at the mansion, the drive home
Taylor's office, once a sanctuary of power and control, now felt like a cage. The walls, adorned with accolades and framed contracts spanning two decades of success, seemed to close in on him. Late afternoon sunlight filtered in through the floor-to-ceiling windows and cast long shadows on the Persian rug.The troubling recent protest, his removal and the unbelievable appointment of his wife, Sarah, as new CEO built up to the whirling dervish that threatened to consume him now. She came into the room, her movement sure and measured, heels ticking across hardwood flooring.She wore the expression of concern and determination; even her designer suit had emerged unscathed after the tension of the day. "Taylor, we need to talk," she began in a smooth, velvety voice laced with urgency that raised the fine hairs at the back of his neck.He looked up from his desk, and in his eyes, could be seen a mix between betrayal and disbelief; the wedding ring on his finger now seemed to feel heavi
Taylor entered the boardroom the next morning, each step heavy with dread. The atmosphere was tense, with board members seated around the imposing mahogany table, their faces stern and unyielding. At the far end, Veronica sat silently, her worry evident in her pale complexion.The chairman wasted no time. "Today, we will vote on whether Taylor Fury should remain as CEO of Taylons Enterprises."The votes were cast, and it would appear that Taylor's heart was leading the race, each ballot like a nail in his professional coffin. The announcement by the chairman only reaffirmed those deep-seated fears of his."The board has voted. Effective immediately, Taylor Fury is removed as CEO of Taylons Enterprises."The room was wrapped in stunned silence. Taylor's grip on the armrests of his chair tightened, the knuckles blanching. "You can't do this," he protested, tremors running through his voice."It's done," the chairman said with finality. "You're no longer in charge."Fluctuating upward,
The protesters had taken over the courtyard, their presence an overwhelming force that made Taylor's corner office feel like a cage. A sea of fury stretched as far as he could see, their chants battering the walls of Taylons Enterprises like a relentless storm. "Pay us now! Pay us now!" they screamed, their voices a cacophony of betrayal and desperation. Signs bobbed up and down in the crowd, each one a personal indictment of his leadership. There was thick tension in the air; the more one could choke from it, the more it grew deep in Taylor's chest, as if an anchor had been cast on his lungs, making breathing impossible.His assistant burst through the door. Her usually impeccable appearance told a different story now: her jacket awry, a few strands of hair hanging loose from their normally disciplined bun. "They have breached the gates," she whispered, shaking.The usually composed woman was now pale, her eyes darting from the window to Taylor. "We need to leave. Security says
The chanting outside grew deafening, vibrating through the thick walls of Taylons Enterprises like a relentless drumbeat. Taylor stood by his office window, his expression unreadable but his clenched fists betraying the storm raging within him. Below, the crowd of protesters had swelled, their collective anger a palpable force. Workers chanted for wages, voices clear right to the executive floors. Placards waved above the sea of people, letters in bold facing him as an accusation: "Fraud!""Pay Us Now!""Taylor Fury Has Failed!"Company gates groaned with the surge of the crowd against them. Security guards were few in number and showed their anxiety, forming a shaking line to hold them back.Cues could be heard from some of the workers who had started to jingle the gate in frustration, boiling over into bouts of aggression. Taylor turned his face away from the window and faced his assistant, Samantha, who was standing ash pale, trembling at his desk. "Call the police," he ord
The tension in the air was suffocating, a heavy weight that pressed down on Taylor as he walked into the headquarters of Taylons Enterprises. The once-vibrant office building now felt eerily quiet, a reflection of the company's crumbling state. The security personnel barely nodded; the usual professionalism had been marred by the uncertainty hanging like a dark cloud over everyone. Taylor quickened his steps toward his office, his mind jumbled. It was a storm brewing that he wasn't so sure he could handle.As he entered the boardroom, he was met by the grim, tight-lipped face of William Sharpe, the company’s CFO. “Mr. Fury, we’ve hit rock bottom,” William began without preamble. His voice was low but urgent, each word laced with desperation. “There’s nothing left in the reserves. We’re out of time. Out of options.”Taylor gritted his teeth on the insistent drumming of fingers against the wood burr veneer. "Cut down unnecessary expenses," he said, far sharper than he'd meant to. H
Nicole sat on the plush velvet couch in Leo’s sprawling mansion, a steaming cup of tea balanced precariously on the small glass table in front of her. The late evening had settled into a calm rhythm, the crackling of the fireplace filling the room as Leo, Bella, and his grandmother joined her for what was supposed to be a relaxing night. The screen-size flat-screen wall TV flickered into life and flashed a news announcer excitedly articulating in voice crisp and distinctly clear, the latest news. "Breaking news tonight is the announcement made by the embattled CEO, Taylor Fury, of Taylons Enterprises, of his engagement to be married to the woman named Sarah Austins. Within the month, as stated, this wedding will finally happen and brings certain surprise twists amid the woes the family company is continuously facing."Nicole's fingers closed in a fist around the armrest of her chair. Her eyes remained glued to the screen as images of Taylor and Sarah, arm-in-arm, smiling for the pr
Sitting alone in his car, Taylor stared at his phone, scrolling through the countless headlines plastered across every major news outlet. "Taylons Empire on the Brink: Wedding Bells to Save It All?" one headline blared. Another read, "Taylor Fury: Business Tycoon or Scandal Magnet?" Each word cut, chipping away a little piece of the foundation of his carefully constructed image. His jaw tightened, and he tossed the phone to the passenger seat, the screen going black.Who could have leak such sensitive information? He wasn't just disturbed at how quickly the information went out, but also that it happened from his inner circle.Taylor drummed his fingers on the wheel as, replaying all the events of last week in his head. One of those closest to him had betrayed him, and he knew he had to find out who.The car's honing brought him back to reality. He let out a deep breath and turned the ignition, headed for the headquarters of Taylons Enterprises. As much as he wanted to retreat
The boardroom was silent as Taylor Fury entered, his expression grim and his shoulders squared against the weight of the crisis. The once-vibrant energy that had defined board meetings of Taylons Enterprises had been replaced by an oppressive tension. The faces of the remaining board members reflected frustration and desperation. Taylor sat at the head of the long, polished table, his tie adjusted with deliberate slowness, as if he waited for anything that could stay the inevitable. It was the head of finances, Mr. Caldwell, who cleared his throat first. "Mr. Fury, we have gone over the financial trajectory once more, and it is bleak. Unless we secure an enormous influx of capital within the next quarter, the company will…"He stopped, his voice dropping. "We shall have no option but to file bankruptcy."Taylor did not utter a word; his jaws were clamped.He looked up to the graphs on the huge screen behind Mr. Caldwell, the red downward spiral of the financial status of the compa
Taylor sat in the large leather chair of his office, staring blankly at the ceiling. The faint hum of the city outside his window blended with the echoes of his mother’s words to start preparing for a wedding.Over and over again, the phrase looped in his head like a cruel melody, tugging at the fraying edges of his sanity.He pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled sharply. Marrying Sarah. The very thought of it sent a cold shiver through him. How had it come to this? A child. His child. At least that's what she claimed, though every part of him wanted to reject it. Not because it wasn't possible but because acknowledging it meant facing a responsibility he hadn't asked for.But mostly, the image of Sarah's unwavering gaze was seared into his brain. She'd stood before him, shaking neither from his accusations nor breaking beneath the weight of his anger. "The baby is yours, whether you like it or not," she'd said. And deep, deep down, entombed beneath the scorching bittern