Chapter 44: JacobMIAIt’d been days since I last went to Sophie's place and called the police to check up on her. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with Sophie, every call and text I sent went unanswered. She was my best friend, my gossip partner and the silence was deafening. I knew something wasn’t right, and I couldn’t sit around doing nothing anymore.I decided to head to Sophie’s apartment. Maybe she needed space, I told myself, but deep down, I knew it was more than that. Jacob had wormed his way back into her life, and I couldn’t forgive myself for letting her slip away without a fight.When I arrived at her building, everything seemed normal—too normal. The curtains were drawn, the lights were off, and there was no sign of life. I walked around the block a few times, hoping to catch a glimpse of her or any clue as to what was going on. Nothing.I made my way up to her apartment and stood by her door, listening for any sound. The silence was deafening. My h
Chapter 45: Out of comaETHANThe phone rang just as I was pouring myself a drink. I sighed, placed the glass down, and picked up the call. “This is Ethan Blake,” I said, already annoyed by the interruption. “Mr. Blake, this is Dr. Larson from St. Andrew’s Hospital,” a calm voice responded. “I’m calling about your aunt, Margaret Blake. She’s just come out of her coma.” he added.For a moment, I was silent, processing the words. My aunt had been in a coma for months after her car accident, and while I had hoped for this moment, I hadn’t expected it. “How is she?” I asked, my tone sharper than intended. “She’s stable but weak. It would be good for her to see you,” the doctor said. “I’m on my way,” I said without hesitation, ending the call. Margaret had always been the only person in my family who genuinely cared about me. She didn’t see me as the ruthless lawyer or the calculating man others did. To her, I was just Ethan, her nephew. Immediately I walked into the hospita
Chapter 46: Awaking from the nightmare SOPHIE When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was the sharp smell of disinfectant and the low sound of hospital machines. My body ached all over, and it felt like I’d been run over by a truck. My head hammered, my ribs screamed with every shallow breath I took, and my arms felt too heavy to move. It took a moment for me to piece it all together. The last thing I remembered was Jacob beating me up, his fist connecting with my stomach, the blinding pain, and seeing darkness. I blinked against the harsh lights, my vision slowly focusing on the pale green walls of the hospital room. I was alive. Somehow, against all odds, I was still here. The tears came before I could stop them, rolling silently down my cheeks as relief and fear tangled in my chest. I had been so sure I wasn’t going to make it this time. I had been so sure Jacob was finally going to kill me. My thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice outside the door—a voice I hadn
Chapter 47: Welcome back!MIAIt's been a few days since I got discharged from the hospital, Sophie was getting discharged today and I planned to go see her at her family house then I'll take her out to take her mind off the recent happenings.I got to her place and headed to her room immediately.“Welcome back from the hospital girl.” I announced as soon as I saw her.“Hey! My head is still throbbing.” She laughed.“Sleep…over…” I dragged, hugging her tightly.The night at Sophie’s place had been just what we needed. After everything she’d been through, seeing her finally out of the hospital, laughing and smiling, felt like a small victory for me.We ordered way too much pizza, stayed up binge-watching trashy reality TV, and I let myself believe, for a moment, that life could go back to normal. The next morning, as per tradition, we decided to hit the shops and then grab brunch. Shopping with Sophie was always a highlight, she was always entertaining to watch whenever she shopped.
Chapter 48: I didn't sleep with himSOPHIEI couldn't believe that any of this was real, Mia always did this—betray my trust. This particular betrayal hit me harder than I expected. After everything I had been through—Jacob, the hospital, fighting to rebuild my life. All the while I was trying to protect my “bestfriend” from Jacob, she was busy screwing Ethan, the man I loved. The same man we swore to stay away from.I sat on my couch, my mug of cold coffee in my hand as my thoughts wandered. My chest ached from the weight of it all. How could Mia, my best friend, the one person I thought I could count on, go behind my back like this? We had agreed. Ethan was manipulative, toxic, the kind of man who broke people and left them to pick up the pieces. I’d warned her. I’d told her how he’d used me, discarded me like I was nothing. And yet, she had still gone there. The memory of her face at the restaurant was etched into my mind. The way she’d looked so guilty as that woman exposed he
Chapter 49: Another videoLIAMMy head was pounding as I thought of a way to get out of the mess I put myself in. The video they had of me with that woman wasn’t just a threat to me. It was a time bomb ready to destroy everything, including my father’s spotless reputation. If this got out, my dad’s political career would crumble. And if he went down, I’d be dragged with him. Not that I had much left to lose, after he had bailed me out of my mess I had with the bank, he’d seized everything I owned, leaving me with just the house. No money, no freedom. I started seeing Mia because she was my last chance at redemption, my way back into his good graces. She was Mia Evans, the daughter of John Evans the billionaire. If he found out about this, that I had something to do with another woman, I’d be finished, he would see me as useless—the man who couldn't keep one woman.I needed that video gone. My mind raced, trying to think of a way out. And then it hit me, my dad’s election fund. T
Chapter 50: I just want MiaETHANMia had been consuming too much of my thoughts lately. Not because I loved her—no, that wasn’t it. I didn’t believe in love, not really. But there was something about her. Maybe it was the challenge, the way she resisted me even though I knew she felt the pull. All I knew was that I needed to get her on my bed to get rid of these emotions.I picked up my phone and dialed her number. She answered after the third ring, her voice clipped. “What do you want, Ethan?” “Straight to the point, as always. I’m taking you somewhere. Get dressed.” “Not happening,” she shot back. I smirked, leaning back in my chair. “You don’t even know where yet.” “I don’t care where. The answer is no,” she snapped.“Do you even realize what you’ve done? A woman humiliated me at brunch because of you. Sophie’s mad at me because of you. My life is falling apart, and you’re the cause. I’m done, Ethan.” she responded, her voice shaky.Her words should’ve stung, but they did
Chapter 51: Five million dollars LIAM What the hell have I done? “What the hell are you doing here, Sophie.” I asked, my mind racing. A small smirk tugged at her lips. “Good morning to you, too handsome,” she said, her voice teasing. I didn’t respond. Instead, I got out of bed, grabbing my pair of boxers from the floor. My movements were hurried, panicked. “You need to go,” I said, my voice sharp. She raised an eyebrow, sitting up slowly and clutching the sheet to her chest. “Wow, no morning-after pleasantries? We could go another round.” She suggested, seductively. “Sophie,” I said firmly, glaring at her. “This never happened. No one can know about this.” Her smirk faded, replaced by something colder. “Relax, Liam. I’m not going to broadcast it to the world.” She got up, taking her sweet time to gather her clothes. I watched her dress, my chest tightening with regret. This wasn’t just a mistake—it was a disaster. With everything else I was dealing with, this was the l
Chapter 81: The CEOJOHN EVANSThe plan sounded simple, okay maybe not that simple. I thought as I sat in Ethan’s office, my fingers drumming against the armrest of the chair. Greg was pacing near the window, his usual arrogance replaced with something sharper—determination. Ethan, on the other hand, was unnervingly calm, his gaze fixed on the laptop screen in front of him."This has to work," Greg muttered, running a hand through his hair. "If Ryan catches on too soon…" "He won’t, he’s too busy gloating over his so-called victory. He won’t see this coming." Ethan interrupted smoothly as he leaned back, hands behind his headI exhaled slowly. "Walk me through it again. Every step." "We’re manufacturing a controlled market panic. We’ve already leaked insider reports suggesting Ryan’s reckless financial decisions. The key investors are nervous—once we push just a little more, they’ll start pulling out." Ethan said as he finally looked up, his expression unreadable."And when they d
Chapter 80: Tough luck, MarcusETHAN I sat in my office, staring at the stacks of documents spread across my desk. The final court hearing was tomorrow, and everything depends on what Greg would do. Would he actually follow through with the plan? Or would he let his arrogance get the best of him? I didn't trust him. Not fully. Which is why I had spent the last two nights digging up every possible loophole, inconsistency, and piece of evidence to shut Marcus down if things took a turn. If Greg backed out, I needed to be ready. Daniel knocked on my door and walked in without waiting for permission. "Boss, you need to rest. You’ve barely slept in days." He said, his voice filled with concern.I ignored him, flipping through another document. "Did you get the financial records I asked for?" He sighed but handed me the folder. "Yeah. Marcus’s case is weak. If Greg doesn’t do as planned, you can crush them with this.""Good. But let’s hope it doesn’t come to that." I nodded, fli
Chapter 79: A planGREG EVANS I should have known better.I should have seen it coming. Ryan played me like a damn fool, and now, here I was stripped of everything that should have been mine yet again. The company, the power, the influence—all gone because I was stupid enough to think Ryan would actually be loyal to me. I scoffed, swirling the whiskey in my glass as I leaned back in my chair. I thought the burn of the liquor would do something to soothe the anger bubbling inside me but boy was I wrong. I'm sure I was red as boiling lavaI had trusted Ryan, received his assistance with the thought that he just wanted revenge against John but boy was I wrong. He went behind my back and snatched everything.And the worst part? John was right.The thought made my stomach churn with disgust. That last family meeting had been a disaster, the moment I admitted to John and Cecilia what Ryan had done. I clenched my jaw as the memory played out in my head. The way John lunged at me
Chapter 78: MarvinMIAMy heart jumped and I gripped the steering wheel tighter, my breath hitching in my throat. Slowly, I turned my head, my stomach knotting the moment I saw him. It was my brother— His eyes, eerily calm, met mine through the glass. I hesitated before rolling down the window just a crack. “What are you doing here?” “Relax, Mia. I’m not here to cause trouble. I just wanted to see you.” He responded, a small smile played on his lips, one that was almost… gentle. His voice held none of the usual sharpness, none of the unstable energy I always feared. My shoulders loosened slightly. Maybe… maybe he was okay. Taking a cautious breath, I opened the door and stepped out.“I’ve missed you so much Marvin,” I admitted softly, and before I could second-guess myself, I wrapped my arms around him. For a moment, he didn’t move. But then, his muscles tensed beneath my touch. His breathing grew shallow. A warning bell rang in my head—too late. I immediately felt a sh
Chapter 77: Don’t act like you’re some saintLIAMMia, cheating on me with Ethan.The words kept repeating in my head, over and over, my fingers curled into fists as I stared at the empty space where Mia had stood just minutes ago. She had left. Not even a single explanation. Nothing to deny Sophie’s claim. She didn’t even try. Sophie was still here, watching me, waiting for me to say something. But there was nothing left to say. "Are you seriously just going to stand there all night?" Sophie asked, arms crossed. I turned to her, my voice dangerously calm. "Get out. I need space." "Excuse me?" She blinked, feigning innocence. "You heard me." My jaw tightened. "Get. Out." "Liam, don’t act like you’re some saint. Mia’s not the only one who…" She scoffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder."I said, get the hell out of my house." I growled, as I took a step toward her, my patience running dangerously thin.Her smirk faltered, but she recovered quickly, rolling her eyes a
Chapter 76: The biggest joke of the centuryMIAEthan, in love with me? That had to be the biggest joke of the century.“What?” I asked as I bursted out laughingI stared at him, my heart pounding in my chest, my breath caught somewhere between disbelief and… something else. Ethan Blake doesn’t do love. And yet, there he was, standing in front of me, looking at me with those eyes that made my throat dry. “I’m in love with you, Mia.” His words echoed in my head, repeating endlessly, as if it were some cruel joke.“You don’t just wake up one day and decide you love someone, Ethan.” I said, shaking my head vigorously.“That’s not what happened.” He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.“Really?” I crossed my arms. “Then what did?” “It wasn’t just one day. It was spending every damn day thinking about you, spending every second fighting against it. And then, I realized I didn’t want to fight it anymore.” He responded, his jaw tightening.I blinked, my throat tightening. I hated
Chapter 75: ConfrontationJOHN EVANSI sat at the edge of my bed, my fingers tightening around the whiskey glass in my hand. Greg had been granted access to everything he had always desired and still lost everything. How could my own brother be so damn stupid? As if it wasn’t enough that he contested our father’s will, taking what should have rightfully stayed in my control. No, Greg had to go a step further. He let Ryan—of all people, double-cross him.Ryan. My teeth clenched. The man who had once been my best friend.I should have seen it coming. Revenge, that’s all this was to him. And now, he has succeeded. I exhaled sharply and set the whiskey glass down, rubbing my temples. I can’t let this go.Greg might be too much of an idiot to fight for the company, but I wasn’t. I refused to watch from the sidelines while Ryan sat at my father’s desk. I stood up and grabbed my suit jacket, sliding it on. Cecilia, who had been watching me silently from across the room, sighed l
Chapter 74: Fallen for youETHANI knew I had fallen for her. There was no point in denying it anymore or pretending that she was just some obsession or a challenge I was yet to conquer. It was already certain that no matter how much I tried to resist, I would keep coming back to the same damn realization. I was in love with Mia Evans.I let out a frustrated sigh, rubbing a hand down my face as I replayed this morning’s disaster. She had woken up in my bed and immediately assumed the worst. The anger in her voice, the way she had looked at me like I was nothing but a predator—it hurt as hell. I don't blame her to think that of me, after all, I have always been a womanizer hell, I even slept with her bestfriend and I have a lot of women as my booty call.But the fact was that I had done nothing wrong, the past me would have been so disappointed, afterall that's what I wanted, to have a taste of her pussy, but after she threw herself at me, I just carried her to my room and slept
Chapter 73: Everything, goneMIAWhere was I? I shifted under the covers, only to realize that I wasn’t in my own bed. The scent of expensive cologne, woody, masculine, and all too familiar—wrapped around me. I turned my head, scanning the room as realization hit me.This was Ethan’s room. I sat up abruptly, my heart beating hard. I was no longer wearing my night wear from last night, and that got me thinkingOh shit, he didn't…?I turned to the other side of the bed—it was empty. The door creaked open before I could finish the thought. Ethan walked in, freshly showered, dressed in a casual white shirt and dark pants, his hair slightly damp. His eyes flicked to me, surprise flashing across his face. “You’re awake,” he said, his voice smooth as ever. “You jerk! How dare you take advantage of my vulnerable state.” I screamed immediately I set my eyes on him, my jaw clenching.“What? I don't…” He responded.“Don't even say anything, I don't want to hear it asshole.” I seethed