Thank you for reading. Merry Christmas, everyone!
Celeste’s triumphant smile froze, her eyes widening in shock as Jason’s rejection echoed around the conference room. “What do you mean you’re not interested?” She yelled, her voice a mixture of panic and anger. “This is your chance to take control of the company, Jason!”“You mean it’s your chance to gain power?” Jason asked, looking at his mother. “I know what you’re up to, Mother, but it won’t work. I’ve never been interested in the company anyway. I only tried to fight for it to please you!” The room fell silent after that. Shareholders exchanged confused glances, their earlier relief now replaced with growing concern. “That’s nonsense! I only wanted you to take over for your sake. It’s your birthright as a Kingsley! You deserve the position. Do you want Ryan to take everything away from you? He already took your father away from you… you had to grow up away from us because of him,” Celeste yelled, no longer concerned with pretending to be a kind person. Jason pushed his chair b
Ryan narrowed his eyes at Jason. He asked, “Did Celeste tell you about the kidnapping? Or you did a background check on me?”“I found out about it myself. I’m offering my help only because I don’t want the culprit to keep hurting people for her own gains,” Jason replied.“Her?” Ryan remarked, arching an eyebrow. “You know the culprit?”Jason clenched his hands into fists. He said, “Trust me, I wish I didn’t.”“Who is it?” Ryan asked although he already had an inkling.Jason’s troubled expression told him it was someone close to him. If so, was Jason really going to help him catch the culprit? Or did he want to get involved to protect the culprit?“I can’t tell you right now. I need to find proof first. Once I do and it’s proven that the culprit kidnapped you and attempted murder, I’ll lead the police to capture them myself,” Jason proclaimed.Ryan studied Jason’s face again. His brows were furrowed, his jaw tight and his fists clenched.Arching an eyebrow again, Ryan asked, “Are you s
“Congratulations, you're pregnant!” Larisa seemed a little absent-minded tonight... all she could think about was what the doctor had said to her that afternoon. "What are you thinking about?” Ryan asked as he unbuttoned his shirt. Looking at Ryan's sexy chest, Larisa blushed. They had been married for three years, but every time she saw Ryan's nakedness, Larisa couldn’t help but be shy. Without waiting for Larisa's answer, Ryan turned and went to take a shower. When she heard the shower go on, Larisa opened the drawer and pulled out a pregnancy test report.In the afternoon, she had gone to the hospital because she was unwell. She thought it was an ordinary stomach ache, but the doctor told her that she was pregnant. Finally, after three years of trying, she was finally going to have a baby!She beamed and held the report to her chest as she waited for her husband to finish his shower.They had been married for three years, however, their marriage remained a secret to the outsi
In the morning, Larisa got up and went to the company on time although she didn't sleep all night."Have you seen the news? Ivy Williams has returned!" Tatiana Jenkins, one of the employees at the Kingsley group, remarked.She was talking to her friend while they waited to get into the elevator. Behind them, Larisa kept quiet as they continued to talk about her as though she was invisible.“You mean that jewelry designer?" The other colleague, Judy Brooks, asked."Yeah, she's not just an ordinary jewelry designer, she's also the only girlfriend our boss has ever admitted to dating in public. I heard she's his first love.""Wow, but isn't it rumored that our boss and Larisa have some-?"“Of course, not! She was just a mistress!” “Haha! What a failure. She thought sleeping her way to the top would make the boss fall in love with her. Now that the woman that he loves has returned, I’m sure she’s not only going to lose her position as the mistress, she’s also going to lose her job.”Lari
“What the hell is going on?” Ryan asked Ivy after the doctor attended to her. Guilt crept into him as he looked at the bandage on her forehead. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why Larisa has changed. She used to be so kind.” When he went to the parking lot, he thought he saw Larisa pulling Ivy out of the wheelchair. He got so nervous that Ivy would get hurt. After all, she hurt her legs because of him. He wouldn’t want her to get hurt because his wife got jealous. “I hope you can forgive her. She usually doesn’t get worked up,” Ryan added. They were in a VIP hospital room with Ivy lying on the small hospital bed since they had left her wheelchair. Ivy smiled and grabbed Ryan’s hand, saying, “Hey, don’t get it wrong. This is not Larisa’s fault. I fell on my own… it seems my wheelchair has some problems.” Ryan’s eyes widened slightly. He asked, “Are you saying Larisa didn’t push you?”Ivy shook her head, biting her lower lip. She replied, “No, she didn’t push me. Please don’t blame her f
A divorce?Ryan couldn’t believe his ears. That wasn’t a word he was expecting to hear coming out of Larisa’s mouth. He took a look at the documents in his hands and sure enough, they were divorce papers and Larisa’s resignation letter. He glared at Larisa and questioned, “Are you throwing a tantrum because of what happened earlier today? Is that why you’re giving me these documents?”Larisa shook her head and replied, “It’s not that. I’ve been wanting to have a divorce for a long time now. Now that Ivy is back, you can freely be with the woman you love.”Ryan scoffed. He tore the documents in half, making Larisa gasp. “Why did you do that? You don’t love me, why won’t you divorce me?” She yelled. There was a desperation in her voice that even she was aware of. Her heart was racing and aching at the same time.This was because, in their three years of marriage, Ryan never loved her. He had never opened up to her or showed her any affection.Larisa was madly in love with him and t
Larisa woke up and found herself tied to a chair. It looked like she was in an abandoned warehouse. She recalled having been hit by a sharp object before she lost consciousness. Could she have been kidnapped?Immediately, fear crept into her. She yelled, “Where am I? Help! Help me!”“Larisa, calm down. Shouting won’t help… trust me, I tried,” A familiar voice reached Larisa’s ears. She turned her head to the right and found Ivy tied to a chair just like her. Her eyes widened in horror. “What’s going on here? Why have we both been kidnapped?” Larisa asked, her heart racing wildly in her chest. In her heart, she was worried about the safety of the baby she was carrying in her womb. If anything bad happened to her, she could lose her child. “Good question,” a man’s voice echoed in the warehouse. Larisa turned to the source of the voice and her heart raced when she saw four thugs approaching them. One of the thugs who looked like the leader stepped forward. He had a bald head and
Six years later…The Moonstone City’s most prestigious events center was buzzing with activity.This was because the owners of the biggest jewelry company, Davis & Co, had returned to the country to introduce their long-lost daughter to the world.Jack Davis, a renowned jewelry designer, was a powerful man who had built his family's jewelry business and created wealth for himself. He had always led the fashion trends in the jewelry world. People were always raving about the jewelry he designed.However, he went abroad with his wife some years ago. People regretted that they lost the opportunity to form connections with the Davis family. Finally, the Davis family announced their return.Many of the distinguished men and women of Moonstone City wanted to rub shoulders with Jack Davis, the CEO of Davis & Co. They showed up in luxury cars and brought expensive gifts to impress the family. A reporter from KB Entertainment stood in front of the camera as she live-streamed the event.“Ladi
Ryan narrowed his eyes at Jason. He asked, “Did Celeste tell you about the kidnapping? Or you did a background check on me?”“I found out about it myself. I’m offering my help only because I don’t want the culprit to keep hurting people for her own gains,” Jason replied.“Her?” Ryan remarked, arching an eyebrow. “You know the culprit?”Jason clenched his hands into fists. He said, “Trust me, I wish I didn’t.”“Who is it?” Ryan asked although he already had an inkling.Jason’s troubled expression told him it was someone close to him. If so, was Jason really going to help him catch the culprit? Or did he want to get involved to protect the culprit?“I can’t tell you right now. I need to find proof first. Once I do and it’s proven that the culprit kidnapped you and attempted murder, I’ll lead the police to capture them myself,” Jason proclaimed.Ryan studied Jason’s face again. His brows were furrowed, his jaw tight and his fists clenched.Arching an eyebrow again, Ryan asked, “Are you s
Celeste’s triumphant smile froze, her eyes widening in shock as Jason’s rejection echoed around the conference room. “What do you mean you’re not interested?” She yelled, her voice a mixture of panic and anger. “This is your chance to take control of the company, Jason!”“You mean it’s your chance to gain power?” Jason asked, looking at his mother. “I know what you’re up to, Mother, but it won’t work. I’ve never been interested in the company anyway. I only tried to fight for it to please you!” The room fell silent after that. Shareholders exchanged confused glances, their earlier relief now replaced with growing concern. “That’s nonsense! I only wanted you to take over for your sake. It’s your birthright as a Kingsley! You deserve the position. Do you want Ryan to take everything away from you? He already took your father away from you… you had to grow up away from us because of him,” Celeste yelled, no longer concerned with pretending to be a kind person. Jason pushed his chair b
"I'm resigning as the CEO from now onwards and Jason will be the new CEO of the Kingsley Group," Ryan announced. Ryan Kingsley had been planning on how to step down from his position as the CEO of the Kingsley Group. Jason had not confirmed if he would take over as CEO, however, Ryan still announced it, hoping Jason was for the idea. A murmur swept over the room after Ryan announced that he would be stepping down. He looked at the shareholders’ stunned faces and asked, “Why the shocked faces? Isn’t this what you were all expecting?” Lora glanced at Ryan, confusion creeping into her. She didn’t know Ryan was going to hand over his position to Jason just like that.Why did he do that and when did he plan all this?Ryan sensed her gaze. He looked at her and gave her a small smile before he mouthed that he would explain later. Lora nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. Deep down, she knew why he did that but she didn't want to accept it. For her, there was still hope for Ryan to
[Ryan Kingsley is in his last days and the future of the Kingsley Group remains uncertain.][The Kingsley Group’s stocks keep dropping following Ryan’s declining health. Could this be the end of the Kingsley Group?] [The Kingsley Group is on the verge of collapse as Ryan Kingsley approaches his end.] The news of Ryan’s deteriorating health spread through the city like an angry wildfire. Ryan was going through his phone, reading the headlines when Lora grabbed his phone from him. He was better now but to avoid getting another infection, he still stayed in the isolation ward. Lora was there for her daily visit when the internet went crazy with the news of Ryan’s condition. “I don’t think you should read the news. It will just stress you,” Lora remarked as she put the phone away. “It’s funny how quickly these reporters get wind of information about me. I’m guessing this is Celeste’s doing,” Ryan replied, his eyes turning cold at the thought. “She just won’t let this go until I make a
Jason stepped into the private room and found Ryan seated at the table. He was in casual clothes and his slightly pale face was illuminated by the soft glow from the chandelier hanging from the ceiling. “Is it ok for you to be out like this?” Jason asked as he took a seat. It was a bit awkward to meet Ryan like this. They had never had a decent conversation and with what happened with Lora, the air around them was a bit tense. “It’s ok… but I can’t be out for long hours. I’m more likely to get sick if I receive many visitors but being in the open like this is ok,” Ryan responded. Jason’s eyebrows furrowed and a complicated feeling coursed through him. He glanced at Ryan and asked, “Why did you want to meet me?” Ryan suddenly smirked and asked, “Can’t I ask to meet my little brother?” Jason scoffed. He replied, “We both know we are not that close.” An awkward silence fell between them. After a few seconds, Ryan reached for a file that was on his lap. He placed it on the table an
Jason had been laying low the last few days after his last encounter with Lora. Even though he had told her he would never give up on her, the resolute look in her eyes showed him that she would never love him in this life. That night, his mother had invited him for dinner, claiming there was someone who wished to meet him for business. Although Jason was no longer interested in fighting Ryan for the position of CEO, he still went to see what his mother was up to. To his shock, he happened to overhear something that shocked him to the core. As he stood outside the VIP room, his heart raced as he listened to the conversation between his mother and an unknown man. “Celeste, don’t try to act innocent in this. You wanted to get rid of Ryan, so you asked for our help. Now that I have nothing else to lose, I want to destroy the Kingsleys once and for all. I want Ryan to feel the pain of losing something precious to him,” a man’s voice came. “I’m not trying to act innocent, David. You we
Ivy had a smug smile on her lips when she left Ryan’s room. Her heart was leaping with joy. Finally, she had her revenge. Ryan was dying and Lora would be alone forever with her two little bastards. “Oh, Lora, you thought you could beat me… who’s the loser now?” Ivy said to herself and giggled. She entered the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor. Since Ryan was in a coma, she didn’t have to worry about being caught. He didn’t know she had sneaked into his ward and he would never know the truth about the past. The thought of Ryan still feeling a little guilty towards her thinking she had saved him in the past filled Ivy with joy. With a sense of satisfaction, Ivy waited for the elevator to reach the ground floor. When it finally did, she stepped out but her smile froze when she found two men in suits standing outside. Ivy was about to make a run for it when the police who were behind the men came forward and surrounded her. “Miss Williams, you are under arrest fo
“I thought I would have to work very hard to bring you down... who knew the heavens were on my side and did the job for me?” The woman said mockingly. "Look at you... who knew the great Ryan Kingsley could be so vulnerable?" The woman sneered as she looked around the ward. She wrinkled her nose at the scent of disinfectant and strong drugs. The sound of the beeping equipment irritated her to the core. "So, despite being a rich man, you couldn't save your life. Serves you right!" “I loved you, Ryan. But you chose that bitch, Lora over me. You even made me a fugitive! Now look at you! You’re a dead man! Haha! In the end, I won!”That’s right. The woman who had sneaked into Ryan's room was none other than Ivy Williams. However, she looked different from the Ivy Williams everyone knew. She had dyed her blonde hair black and she wore brown contacts to hide her green eyes. With her hair styled into a fringe, it was hard to recognise her. Especially by those who didn’t know her. Ivy had
“Mr Kingsley caught an infection,” Doctor Steve told Lora. He cleared his throat and added, “I asked if he had come into contact with someone who could have had a cold and he said yes. In his condition, he’s susceptible to infections. His immune system has been compromised and his body is struggling to fight off the infection. We will keep him isolated for now and monitor him.”Lora’s heart sank. She looked at the doctor and asked, “Does it mean I can’t stay by his side?”Doctor Steve shook his head and replied, “No, you can’t. You can see him only once per day and before you go into the ward, you need to disinfect your body and change your clothes. Your husband’s health might deteriorate if he’s exposed to more bacteria.”Lora bit her lip, worry churning her stomach. She had called for an air ambulance to pick Ryan up earlier that morning.To say the children were scared to see their father motionless is an understatement. They were horrified.It was shocking to see someone who looke