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,
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
“Good evening,” Nicole Abrams said, forcing her voice to stay steady as she approached the receptionist at the Monarch Hotel’s sleek, gleaming front desk. “I have an appointment with Mr. Martins Grant.”The receptionist didn’t bother hiding her curious smirk as she sized Nicole up, then typed briskly into her computer. “Ah, yes. He’s expecting you. Take the elevator to the fifth floor. When you exit, turn right, and it’s the second door on your left.”Nicole nodded, thanked her, and headed toward the elevator, feeling her pulse quicken.This whole meeting had come out of nowhere, courtesy of her mother-in-law, Veronica Fury. Veronica had never been subtle about her dislike of Nicole and had questioned her motives ever since she’d married into the Fury family. So, when Veronica called her this morning, proposing that Nicole handle a “small favor for the family business” to gain her approval, Nicole had agreed without hesitation.She wanted nothing more than to ease the tension betwee
Tears trickled down my face as I sat on the narrow cot in the holding cell, staring up at the cold, gray ceiling. How had my life unraveled so quickly?One moment I was running what I thought was a simple errand for my mother-in-law, Veronica Fury, and the next, I was being accused of embezzlement.The memory of that officer snapping handcuffs around my wrists still burned into my mind, each flashback filling me with humiliation and anger.I hugged my knees to my chest, trying to hold back the tears, but the shame and disbelief were too much.Taylor, my own husband, had allowed this to happen. He hadn’t just doubted me; he’d acted as if I was nothing more than a criminal to him.And Veronica… I had no doubt she’d orchestrated the entire thing. Yet here I was, locked up, my life crumbling around me.A hollow ache settled in my chest. How could Taylor, the man who was supposed to know me better than anyone, turn against me so easily?How could he believe his mother’s word over mine? Ver
I noted how the lawyer kept referring to me by my maiden name, as if I and Taylor were already divorced. I stepped out of the lawyer’s office, clutching the divorce papers in my hand.My heart sank as I realized that the only person I had to lean on was Sarah. I rummaged through my bag and pulled out my phone, dialing her number.The line rang once, twice, before her familiar voice finally answered."Nikki?" Sarah's voice sounded tense, worried."Sarah," I choked out, my voice thick with emotion. "I... I'm out. They dropped the charges, but...""Oh, Nikki, thank God!" Sarah said, her voice filled with relief. "Are you okay? I mean... I was so worried."I took a shaky breath. "No. I'm not okay. Taylor... he sent his lawyer with divorce papers, Sarah. He wants nothing to do with me."There was a momentary pause on the other end, just long enough to make my stomach twist with unease."Sarah?" I prompted, frowning.A sigh drifted through the receiver, one so faint it was almost swallowed
The room fell into complete silence. It was so still I could almost hear each heartbeat, and every pair of eyes fixed on me. But I only cared about Taylor’s reaction. His jaw clenched, his nostrils flaring as he stared at me, searching for any sign that I might be lying.“Yes,” I whispered, my voice trembling as I looked straight into his eyes. “It’s true. I found out yesterday. That’s why I called you so many times. I wanted to tell you the news, but you didn’t pick up. And when I texted, I said it was something important. That’s what I wanted to share with you.”My heart pounded as I waited, hoping, praying that he’d believe me. His gaze softened, just a fraction, as he scanned my face, and I dared to hope. Maybe, just maybe, he’d see the truth in my eyes.But before he could respond, Veronica’s voice cut through the room, dripping with venom. “You can’t actually be falling for this, Taylor. After everything this woman’s done, do you really think you can believe a word out of her m
The silence that filled the room was suffocating, but I barely noticed it.All I could see was Nicole, standing there, her voice quivering as she announced her pregnancy. I’d always dreamed of having children one day, of building a family together. Yet, hearing this now, my mind spun in a hundred different directions, each one darker than the last.I tried to read her face, to understand if any of this was true. I wanted so badly to believe her, but how could I?The evidence, the betrayal, the lies, it all weighed heavily on me, too much to just ignore.My gaze hardened, but deep inside, I felt a crack. For just a moment, a part of me wanted to trust her again. Maybe I was wrong.Maybe she wasn’t lying, and I was about to throw away the woman I loved and our unborn child.But before I could even consider it, my mother’s voice cut through my thoughts. “You can’t be falling for this, Taylor! After everything she’s done, you actually believe her? She’s lying! Can’t you see she’ll say any
“That’s her, isn’t it?”The voice was loud enough to pierce through the haze in Nicole's mind, which stirred her awake. The sterile white ceiling above seemed to spin, and her nostrils were filled with the faint scent of disinfectant. Slowly, her surroundings came into focus and the harsh whispers of nurses standing by the door filtered in."The so-called Nicole Fury. Can you believe it? After all that drama in the news, she shows up here looking like that.""You mean after being thrown out by her husband? What a disgrace."The words were sharp, digging into Nicole like daggers. Her throat was dry, and a dull ache spread across her body, but nothing compared to the sting of their mockery. "We heard she'd been stealing from her husband, diverting funds to secret accounts..." The dark-skinned nurse said."What a shame!" The second nurse added. "I believe that was why she was arrested. Yet, the kind husband still bailed her."Nicole clenched her fists weakly, willing herself to stay c
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