-- Alexander --The tension in the air was heavy as I marched through the hallway. My jaw was tight alongside every muscle in my body. The anger simmering in me was on the cusp of boiling over. Grizelda had taken it too far this time. Sabotaging my business was one thing but she crossed the damn line when she decided to harass my mother.Anger and desperation has never been a good combo and it wasn’t a good look on me but I didn’t care. All I knew was that I needed answers, and I was going to get them.The receptionist barely stammered and mumbled as I pushed through to her office. I banged on the door. I couldn’t care for formalities.Grizelda sat behind her sleek desk. She was the poster of composed power. Her dark hair were over her shoulders, and her blue eyes locked onto mine. It seemed she had been anticipating this confrontation for a while.“Alexander, To what do I owe this unexpected visit?”“Cut the crap. You know exactly why I’m here.” She leaned forward, interlocked her
-- Grizelda --The air still felt taut after Alexander stormed out of my office. His accusations about the texts were ridiculous. The look on his face when he realized it might not have been me seriously unnerved me.The speed at which he fled, as though some sick realization had struck him, remained in my mind longer than I cared to admit.I got up from my desk and walked to the window. I needed the city skyline to ground me.I walked over to the table and pressed the intercom button.“Please reschedule all my appointments for the rest of the day.”“Yes ma,” came the curt reply.I went back to the window and stared out at the horizon.The view always made me feel like I was in control. I was the Empress staring down at the blessed view of the empire I had reclaimed. However, even the towering skyscrapers couldn’t calm the nagging unease gnawing at me.There was a wildcard out there that I didn’t account for in my plans. This person, what were their motive and goals? Where did it be
-- Alexander --I was restless in my office. I felt gripped by a constrictive mix of rage and helplessness. There were so many missing pieces and the puzzle was still…a puzzle.The unknown number had been toying with me for days. I kept receiving cryptic texts that had made my skin crawl. My mother was rattled. My company was on the verge of crumbling. And every bone in my body told me that Jax Grey had a hand in it all.It just had to be him. It’s the only thing that made sense. I could feel his smugness during our last confrontation. Add that to his proximity and feelings for that are clear as day for Grizelda and Leo and you have a clear winner.Yet, why does my gut still say there is more to this whole charade that I’m seeing? That I’m yet to see the whole picture?Well, whole picture be damned. I’m going to do something with the pieces I have.“Nicholas.” I tapped the intercom button on the telephone.My Personal Assistant appeared in the doorway within seconds. He was a poster
-- Grizelda --The morning sun gleaned off my skin as Leo and I walked down the cobblestone street. I rarely took days off from work but today I made an exception. I decided today was for my son. He deserved my full attention after the events of the past week. This was my way of making it up to him.There was an almost full ice cream cone in one hand as he held my fingers with the other. I smiled as I watched his golden blonde hair catch the sunlight.“Can we go to the bookstore, Mom? I want to get some new comics. You haven’t gotten the new collection I asked you for.” He asked as he looked up at me with those puppy eyes.He looked so much like his dad that I felt a pang course through my chest.“Of course, sweetheart,” I replied and I gave his hand a loving squeeze.How could I tell him no. I couldn’t even if I tried.We turned the corner toward the car park where my car was. My peripheral vision caught something and I turned, when I realized who it was, my entire body went limp.Luc
-- Alexander --I could hear the sounds of Spencer’s laughter echo around the house as I sat in the living room. I nursed a half empty glass of whiskey. The bottle was half empty.Yeah it was that kind of day.The storm raged on in my head. I took a swirl of whiskey from the glass and grimaced a little as it made a fiery path down my throat.The alcohol did little to numb the storm that brewed inside me.I hadn’t for the life of me been able to figure out who had been sending those texts. All my leads had led nowhere. I couldn’t do anything to convince firms to partner with my company. I was barely managing to keep the remaining partners I had.My company was almost on the edge of collapse, my enemies circled like scavengers, waiting to lay their hands on whatever piece of my empire they could snatch for themselves. To top it all, there was Grizelda. Always Grizelda. It always came back to her.I heard Lucy’s heels clicking hard against the floor long before she even entered the room.
-- Grizelda --The quiet hum of the evening filled the house as I perched myself on the couch. There was a cup of tea in my hands.Leo was upstairs. Most likely he will be immersed in one of his books or quietly playing with his toys. The house was calm, but my mind was far from it.My head kept replaying the chanced encounter between Alex and Leo in school today. He knew. I saw the way he’d looked at Leo… I saw how the spark of recognition came to life in his eyes. My stomach tightened into several knots as the memory replayed.This was all because of Leo. I turned him to stop being friends with Spencer but he wouldn't listen. Now this!A knock at the door broke the tranquility of the stillness and made me jump.I frowned as I dropped the cup of tea on the coffee table, thankful it didn't spill. It was already late; I wasn’t expecting anyone.So who could it be?I made my way to the door. I stood there for a moment before I pulling it open.And there he was.Why wasn’t I surprised?A
-- Alexander --I checked my wrist watch as I rested against my car.Any moment now.The school bell finally rang. The chime echoed through the air which signaled the end of another school day. Children flooded out of the building in a rush of backpacks and laughter.I shifted against my car. My gaze was fixed on the school gate. It was the same routine I had grown used to over the past few weeks but today, there was a flutter of anticipation in my chest.I was here for Spencer. Not entirely.Don’t get me wrong. I cared about the boy. I couldn’t bring myself to treat him as anything less than my son. My newfound enthusiasm for picking him up from school stemmed from someone else entirely.Leo.His hazel colored eyes mirrored mine. His hair was blonde as mine. There was something about him that drew me in, an invisible string pulling me closer. Each time I saw him, I felt a connection and warmth I couldn’t quite put my finger on. It was undeniable now. He was my son, though he didn’t
-- Grizelda --I barely registered the slight buzz of the television as I sat on the couch. I had a book in my laps as I watched Leo play with his building blocks. He was unusually quiet today, though I didn’t press him about it. He had these moments where he would just stare vacantly into space and be completely lost in his own little world. I had learned to let him come to me when he was ready.“Mom,” his voice cut through the silence.“Yes, sweetheart?” I concentrated my gaze on him.He placed a block carefully on top of his tower with more concentration than was needed. I could see his hesitation. Whatever he wanted to tell me was obviously a big deal to him.“I don’t think Spencer is Mr. Kingston’s real son.” His voice was low and deliberate.I blinked as my heart skipped a beat. “What? What will make you say something like that?”Leo shrugged as he maintained his concentration on the blocks. “They don’t look alike. Think about it.” He glanced at me briefly. His hazel eyes shone
-- Alexander --I sat in my office chair, staring daggers into my laptop screen as it played the video in front of me; Jax Grey and Vicky Townsend. I finally reached forward to pause it, unable to take it anymore. One part of me was satisfied for sure.I had made a huge progress.The audio file was open, paused just when whoever was listening to it would have heard enough. Vicky Townsend’s voice was the loudest of course, dripped with malice. My fingers still lay on top of the play button, not pressing it yet as I replayed their conversation in my head. I had watched it over and over again.“You're saying she agreed to your proposal?!” Vicky laughed in the recording. “If only she knew this was just to get rid of her once and for all. I can't believe she'll finally be gone for good this time. I don't know how else to thank you, Jax. I thought when she found out about me, I was done for.""No, I should be the one thanking you, Vicky." Jax's disgustingly cheerful voice came next. "I woul
-- Grizelda --One last time.I told myself as I sat waiting for Jax to show up for dinner at an upscale restaurant the next day.One last time to figure out if he was still worth it or not.I knew I missed Vicky. But the Vicky I knew was gone. Maybe she never even existed.I was tired of people stabbing me in the back. I was yet to trust Alexander himself. If only I didn't need his assistance in all of this, I would have preferred he was at a safer distance from me.I replayed my conversation with Jax on the phone. How I'd texted him for us to meet again. How his reply came too fast.I felt disappointed. He was too eager. There had to be a reason I never found Jax to be a potential suitor. Definitely not because I'd fallen for Alexander. I'd known Jax all my life. I had just...My eyes finally caught a glimpse of him then someone blocked my view. I sat up straight, readying myself before he came into view again. I took in a deep breath until he came closer and I stood as he greeted m
-- Alexander --Grizelda didn't repeat her words. She didn't need to. I'd heard her clearly.I dropped my gaze, my hand closing tightly around the fork I held, my head pounding for absolutely stupid reasons. This was stupid. Why had I just reacted that way?Like I was angry? No, like I was surprised?This game of chasing was over, remember? I had no right to be mad? Or surprised. There was no me anymore. There was just Grizelda and other men now.I swallowed. "What did you say to him?" I asked before raising my head again."I told him I needed time to think. Look Alex..." She shook her head. "I'm sorry, okay? You were right about Vicky and I shouldn't have fought you over Jax. No matter what your accusations were, I had every right to be smart about it. Be sure you were wrong first, but you know what? I don't know what to believe anymore. I find him suspicious and I don't like that I do. For once in so long I was glad that everything else was going smoothly even if other parts of my l
-- Grizelda -- With one hand still holding the black box, Jax brought his hand back to mine from across the table again, his fingers still feeling irritatingly cold around mine.The open black box sat between us. The diamond ring inside sparkled like a precious jewel, waiting to be taken hold of.My eyes glued onto it.Slowly, my head began to make sense of what was going on.Jax had come prepared. For all I knew, he had seen this coming. All the questions I was asking him. All the sense of untrust towards him, and then he thought to make his final move to get it all over with.A checkmate.If I agreed to marry him, then it would all be over.He was planning to lock me into his world.It was the answer I failed to admit all along.Once again, Alexander was right.I was bound to leave Williams Corporation behind. It was just the perfect reward Vicky was getting out of Jax. Or rather, the reason Jax was willing to work with Vicky. She was the perfect bait to make his plans work. If onl
-- Grizelda --I saw Leo off to his room and stayed a little while before he slept.I returned to mine after with the same heavy heart I carried inside, sat down at my desk, pulled my laptop closer and unfolded it. I pressed the power button while I watched the screen brighten up immediately.I waited, logged in and finally began typing. It wasn't work I was doing.I was prying.I couldn't get Jax’s issue of betrayal off my chest. So, that was exactly what I was finally about to take care of. To uncover the truth myself.I had access to every major business database, and I knew exactly how to look for discrepancies. Jax was smart. That, I could admit. But not if he was thinking he could outsmart me.I began looking well into his recent transactions, searching and cross-checking them with rapt attention.At first, I missed anything that seemed suspicious. Nothing seemed out of place. His investments were clean. His companies' activities were nothing different from the ordinary.But th
-- Grizelda --Alexander's words refused to leave my head.His warnings.His claims.His insisting.His proofs.I stood in my bedroom, my legs just agreeing to walk away from the window side as I'd been staring out into the vast decorated surrounding of my mansion for far too long, although of course, my mind was trapped elsewhere.I sat on my bed, grabbing the glass of wine from the bedside drawer. I took a sip, the liquid running down my throat, instantly making me feel nauseous. I winced. Everything was unbelievably messing with my head.I wanted to cry again. I dropped the glass of wine back onto the bedside drawer and closed my palms over handfulls of my hair.What if Alexander was also right about Jax?It wasn't making any sense.All this while.I'd never expected to have enemies in my own circle.This was insane.My phone vibrated endlessly on the bed and I picked it up."Mom?""Hello, sweetie."Besides my mother’s voice, there was another voice in the background. It was my fat
-- Alexander --Anxiety grew by the second. Oxygen was far, patience was scarce and what was worse?The fact that I couldn't concentrate on anything else!My phone sat on my desk, face-up, the screen dark. Grizelda hadn't called, hadn't reached out.This was bad. She was wasting my time.I couldn't be more wrong than what I was thinking; she had lied to me. Made me think she was believing my every word, made me think she truly was going to confront her sister on the matter but turns out she hadn't planned to at all, had she?I drummed my fingers restlessly on the desk.I had waited for her feedback in vain.I covered my face with one hand and snatched my phone from the desk with the other.I exhaled, pressing my fingers against my temples as I dialed her number on my phone.I waited. It rang a few times and eventually, it got declined. I gritted my teeth, proceeding to text her instead."We need to talk.""No, please. Leave me alone, Alex. I'm tired, okay? I just want to be left alone
-- Grizelda --The folder felt heavy in my hands as I stepped through my front door. I already had Margaret Kingston's custody case on my table but I assuned life was unwilling to spare me with more problems.Now this?I hoped to God that the content of the folder wasn't true.My pulse thundered in my ears.Only one way to find out.I pulled out my phone and texted Vicky. "Dinner at my place?"Vicky's response came swiftly back to me. "Sure! That sounds nice, really. When do you want that?""How about right now?" I asked."Right now? You're missing me that much?" A smiley emoji was attached to the message."Very much. I just crave a little time with you.""Alright, I won't be long. Give me a few minutes and I'll be knocking right at your door.""See you soon." I was glad she agreed to come.But my heart refused to stop racing and my palms refused to stop sweating.The woman whom I had bonded with for years. My sister in all but blood. The woman who I seemed to have loved more than eve
-- Alexander --I fumed with serious anger as I hopped behind the wheels of my car and twisted the key into the ignition.I glared at the road as I headed back to take care of business at my office. It had been so long since I was genuinely happy. It had just been one frustrating day and another.A hell of a week!I gripped the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white. My knuckles couldn't count how many times it had to go through that routine.I shook my head.Why was it so hard to just get things done and over with once and for all?I had expected Grizelda to be stubborn. To have thought otherwise would have been me lying to myself. Yet it was hard to resist the anger that made my heart thump hard in my chest.Jax Grey.It was such a disgusting romantic moment I had caught them in.She trusted the people closest to her with unwavering loyalty. Blind to nothing but the truth.And Vicky Townsend? She was certainly the most difficult to get rid of. She had been in Grizelda's