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“Lawrence, take down the trending news right now,” Ryan ordered his assistant on the phone. He cut the call and drove to the Williams’ mansion. Although he had ordered the removal of the news, the damage had already been done. Anger that he could barely contain rushed through him.His heart clenched painfully, an ache that had become all too familiar every time he thought about his past. That night… he saw the warehouse explode before his eyes, enveloping Larisa and drowning her in a sea of fire. There was nothing left… No body, no bones… all that was left of his beloved wife were her ashes. She must have died resenting him, thinking he had abandoned her… Ryan blinked and a lone tear rolled down his cheek before he quickly wiped it away. He laughed at himself self-deprecatingly. He didn’t deserve to cry for her… not after he failed her. However, he wouldn’t let anyone drag her name through the mud. The least he could do was protect her memory. As he drove up the driveway leadin
It was the weekend and Lora had just finished reviewing some reports in her study when her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and a smile crossed her lips when she saw Jason’s name. “Hello, Jay,” Lora answered. “Hi, Lora… or should I say Miss L now since the cat is out of the bag?” Jason teased on the phone. “You keep being in the limelight and now, there’s no day that goes by without the media houses talking about the highly talented designer, Miss L. Perhaps I should be good to you in case meeting you becomes so hard in the future… You’re more popular than idol stars now.” “Oh, stop it, Jason,” Lora said but her voice was light with mirth. “You’re exaggerating! I can’t be more popular than idol stars.” “Are you sure?” Jason remarked. “I’m afraid you’re going to need security soon because a lot of your fans will be flocking to you for autographs. With that said… can I be the first in line? Can I have the honour of inviting the talented designer to lunch today? I’ll get your a
Ivy’s hands trembled when she looked at the photos in her hands. Anger and hatred flashed through her eyes as she yelled, “No! No… it can’t be!”Her eyes were wide with shock as she went through the pictures. After realising she was losing Ryan to Lora, Ivy hired someone to follow Lora so that she could find out something she could use against her. However, what she received shocked her to the core when she saw photos of Lora with two children by her side. “Lora has kids?” She whispered to herself. Gulping air, she went through the photos again and studied the kids’ faces. The little girl resembled Lora, however, it was the little boy’s face that made Ivy’s heart sink. He looked so much like Ryan Kingsley. “What’s going on? How could Lora’s child look like Ryan? Unless…”“No! No, it must just be a coincidence!” Ivy squashed her thoughts immediately. She didn't want to think of the possibility. However, she couldn’t deny it… the evidence was right in her face. Both these kids had a
“Grandpa, what’s going on? What’s the emergency?” Ryan asked worriedly when they got to Charles’ study. Charles cleared his throat. He sat back in his chair and said, “Before we get to that… there’s something I want to ask you. As Lora’s work partner, what do you think of her?” Ryan frowned, not knowing why his grandfather asked that question. He replied, “Lora’s very talented, Grandpa. Her skills are unlike anything I’ve ever seen before… It’s a pity our partnership ended, she would have been a great asset to our Jewelry company.” Charles studied his grandson, a knowing glint in his eyes. He knew his grandson so well and knew that Ryan was already seeing Lora in a new light, although Ryan himself was unaware of this.He smiled and remarked, “Knowing how it’s not easy to impress you, you must have a high opinion of Lora Davis for you to speak so highly of her.”Ryan shrugged and said, “Well, she’s good at what she does, Grandpa.” Charles let out a chuckle. He grinned and replied,
“Can you stop pestering me? So annoying!” Lora’s cold voice rang in Ryan’s mind and her harsh words kept replaying in his mind like a broken record. Her attitude confused Ryan to the core. He couldn’t take her off his mind. This was new to him, after all, he was used to women throwing themselves at him and no one had ever dared to reject him. Lora Davis being the exception. Ryan sighed internally as he swirled the amber liquid in his glass. He was seated on a leather couch in the VIP section of his club and soft music played in the background. After that call with Lora, he had been in a bad mood and needed a drink to calm down. “.... Davis’ daughter is so proud. She needs to be put in her place.” Ryan’s ears perked up when he heard that. His eyebrows creased as he turned his head to glance to the right side of the club. A few old men were playing pool while others sat on an L-shaped leather couch, smoking cigars and drinking expensive whiskey. ‘Davis’ daughter? Are they talking
“Are you sure you received all the shipments for this month?” Lora asked one of the personnel at the port. She had received a lead earlier but it turned out to be a false lead. That was when she realised someone was deliberately trying to lead her in the opposite direction. So, she decided to go to the port and check for herself whether the shipment was missing or not. The personnel looked through his records and confirmed, “Yes, all the shipments arrived safely. None was lost at sea.” “Ok, did anyone from Davis & Co. sign a release document for shipment XXXXX?” Lora questioned seriously. The man appeared to hesitate. He gulped and said, “No, Ma’am. No one has signed yet. It seems they couldn’t find the shipment.”Lora frowned. “But you said all the shipment arrived.” “Yes… but yours mysteriously disappeared and no one signed for it,” the man said. “Ok… I’ll search for it myself,” Lora remarked, she was about to turn around when she heard a familiar voice. “Lora!” Lora froze wh
Ryan was about to reply but he paused when Lora’s words echoed in his mind. He smiled at Lora and asked, “Are you jealous?” “What?” Lora was bereft of any words, she stopped walking and glanced at Ryan in disbelief. How did he come up with that conclusion?"Well, you seem so angry that I have a fiancee... the only explanation is that you're jealous," Ryan said with a smirk. "You-" Lora glared at the man. Ryan’s smile only grew wider and Lora felt the need to correct him. She firmly said, “I’m not jealous! There’s no reason to be.”However, Ryan was convinced Lora was jealous. Why else would she be so angry that he was flirting with her when he had a fiancee?His heart felt light for some reason. He smiled and stated, “I’m taking you to the hospital for a checkup.”Before Lora could tell what was happening, she was swept off her feet. Being carried unexpectedly, she instinctively wrapped her arms around Ryan’s neck. When she realised what he had done, she began to kick her legs, dem
Meanwhile, Ivy's phone buzzed and she checked the message she had received. Her eyes turned vicious when she saw the photos on her phone. She dug her nails into her palms, anger bubbling up within her. The private investigator she had hired just sent her photos of Lora. However, she didn’t expect to see Ryan in those photos. ‘Ryan, why do you keep following Lora around? She’s not working with you anymore…’ Ivy thought in her mind. Deep down, she knew the reason Ryan couldn’t stay away from Lora. It was because Lora looked like his late wife. Perhaps like her, Ryan also wanted to confirm Lora’s identity. Ivy couldn’t have that. She had to find out before Ryan so that she could get rid of Lora and her kids. After enduring for many years, waiting for Ryan to finally marry her, Ivy wouldn’t give up so easily. Hatred flashed through her eyes as she muttered to herself, “I can’t afford to lose Ryan… Not to that bitch, Lora!” …The next day, Lora was in her office when Hannah knocked o
“Ryan, I found something,” Adan said on the phone. “What did you find?” Ryan asked, his heart racing. "Who's the one who saved me?"“Well, um... let me send it to you so that you see it for yourself,” Adan replied.Adan cut the call and a few minutes later, Ryan received a text message from him.Ryan narrowed his eyes as he read the document that his friend sent to him. His heart skipped a beat when he saw Larisa’s name on the document.He had asked Adan to investigate and find out who had saved him all those years ago. From his findings, Ryan realised that Lora was the one who saved him when he was a child and a few years ago when he was kidnapped. How come Lora never mentioned this? Could it be that she had lost her memory? Ryan didn't have the answers to his questions, so he waited until Lora visited him to ask if she recalled anything about the past.However, his heart felt at ease to find out that the woman who had saved him was actually his darling wife.It seemed they were
It didn’t take long for the news of Celeste’s arrest to spread through the city like a forest fire. At the Williams' mansion, David looked at his wife and instructed, “Celine, pack what you can, we have to leave, now.” Celine’s eyes widened. She asked, “Why do we have to leave?”David walked to the window and peeped through the curtains, fear evident in his eyes. “The police will be here soon. We have to leave before they come. Celeste has been arrested. I know we are next.” “W-What?” Celine’s voice trembled. “So, we are screwed? Where will we go? We sold everything to acquire the Kingsley group.” David ran a hand through his hair, frustration coursing through him. He said, “We can leave the country with the cash I have right now. I can buy a house somewhere far where no one knows us.”“What about Ivy? Are we never going to see her again?” Celine asked worriedly. “Do you want to join her in jail?” David questioned. “Hurry, we need to leave now. That foolish Celeste got us into tr
Hours earlier…After leaving the Kingsley Group building, Jason called his sister, Isabella and offered to take her for brunch. When Isabella arrived at the restaurant, her face lit up. She took a seat opposite Jason and said, “This is new. Did you invite me for lunch to celebrate our win? I take it you’re now the CEO of the Kingsley Group, congratulations, bro.” Jason didn’t respond to those words. He opened a bottle of champagne and poured Isabella some into a glass before handing it to her. “How well do you know our mother, Isabella?” Jason asked. Isabella happily received the glass of champagne. After taking a sip, she replied, “I know her very well. We are like best friends. She shares most of her plans with me.” Jason narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists. He remarked, “I see.” Isabella didn’t notice Jason’s grim expression. She continued to sport a huge smile on her face as she remarked, “So, bro, what position will I have in the company? I want to be the Director of F
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