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Chapter 49: A New Identity
Last Updated:
2024-12-24 04:38:51
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In The Smoke-Filled Room Chapter 50 A New Lease on Life
Thick tension filled the air as Clyde paced the sterile corridor of the hospital; the sharp echoesof his footsteps reverberated from the cold wall. Hours had passed since the surgery, and eachminute felt like an eternity. His father, Richard, was in the hands of the best surgeons money couldbuy, but he was also the cornerstone in Clyde's life and the West Media empire. Still, the feargnawed at Clyde's resolve.The operating room's double wooden doors finally opened, and Dr. Harris emerged, yanking hissurgical mask off his face. His face was calm and reassuring. Clyde sprang upright at once, his heartbooming against his rib cage."Dr. Harris," Clyde said, stepping into his office. "How'd it go?Dr. Harris gave a slight smile. "The surgery went well. We were able to resolve thecomplications, and your father is stable. However, he'll need time to recover, and the next fewweeks will be critical."Relief swept over Clyde's body, and he let out a deep breath. "Thank you," he said wi
Last Updated : 2024-12-24In The Smoke-Filled Room Chapter 51: A Knock on the Past
The afternoon sun filtered through the curtains of Violet's modest apartment, casting warm,golden rays across the room. She sat on the couch, a steaming mug of tea in her hands, lost inthought. For months, she had carefully hidden herself, changing her last name and leavingbehind the chaotic life that once had tethered her to Clyde. She thought she'd left it all behind.A sudden, sharp knock on the door broke her reverie. The suddenness of it made Violet's heartjump. She seldom had visitors in this quiet town, and no one from her past knew where shewas. Setting her mug down, she walked hesitantly toward the door, her pulse quickening witheach step.She froze as peering through the peephole showed her Clyde standing on the other side,commanding in presence. His chiseled jaw was determined, while his piercing eyesseemed to scan through the door as if they could see right through it.She slowly opened the door, and her breath caught in her throat."Clyde," she whispered, her voic
Last Updated : 2025-01-02In The Smoke-Filled Room Chapter 52: The Cooking
Determined to make her a breakfast she’d remember, Clyde rolled up his sleeves and got towork.Clyde was cracking eggs into a bowl when he heard the soft padding of footsteps behind him.Before he could turn around, he felt slender arms wrap around his waist.“You’re up early,” Violet murmured, her voice still thick with sleep. She pressed her cheekagainst his back, inhaling his scent.I wanted to surprise you," Clyde said, his voice warm, setting the bowl down and swiveling toface her, his hands coming to rest lightly on her hips. "But I guess the surprise is ruined now."She cocked her head, lips curling into a sleepy smile. "Not ruined. Just… interrupted.Clyde chuckled, leaning down to brush a kiss against her forehead. "Well, since you're alreadyhere, how about you keep me company?"Violet stepped back, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Only if you let me help.""You? Help?" he teased, raising an eyebrow. "Do you even know how to cook?"She playfully swatted his chest. "I'm
Last Updated : 2025-01-02In The Smoke-Filled Room Chapter 53: An Evening of Intensity and Love
The evening air felt thick with the promise of security and closeness. Clyde and Violet sat closetogether on the couch, talking softly about the earlier scare. A dimmed lamp cast soft light ontheir faces; however, nothing could dim the spark that seemed to build up from the momentthese two had been reunited.Violet leaned into Clyde, her head against his shoulder, his arm around her protectively. Thetouch of his warm skin, the soft sound of his breathing, and the lingering memory of him dashingto save her combined with an upsurge of emotion she couldn't pretend didn't exist.Her fingers made soft circles on his chest. "You're always there for me," she said, her murmurlow. "How did I ever deserve someone like you?"Clyde leaned her chin up, and his dark eyes locked to hers. "You don't have to deserve it," hewhispered. "You just have to let me love you.The tension in the room shifted and became electric. Violet's lips parted as Clyde's thumb strokedher cheek. She felt her heart
Last Updated : 2025-01-02In The Smoke-Filled Room Chapter 54: The warehouse
Clyde exited Violet’s apartment with a heavy heart, his mind racing with thoughts of Olivia andthe danger surrounding her kidnapping. He pulled out his phone and quickly dialed his driver.“Get the car ready. I’ll be down in five minutes,” Clyde instructed, his voice firm andno-nonsense.“Understood, sir,” the driver replied before ending the call.Clyde paused for a moment on the curb and looked down the peaceful street. It was hoursbeyond midnight; city lights laid long, disjointed shadows in streaks across the pavement. Hehitched at his coat and strode toward the parked car, unconscious of covert eyes that watchedevery movement.From the darkness of an alley a couple of blocks down, two shadowy men in black attireexchanged glances. A large, muscular figure had a scar running down his left cheek. He spokeinto his small earpiece."He's on the move.""Follow him. Stick to him like glue," a cold voice replied over the line.They disappeared into a black car that had been parked
Last Updated : 2025-01-06In The Smoke-Filled Room Chapter 55: The trap
Clyde stepped into the dimly lit warehouse, his footsteps echoing against the cold concrete floor.The space was immense and eerily quiet, with scattered crates and metal beams casting longshadows under the faint glow of flickering overhead lights. His sharp eyes darted around,searching for any sign of Olivia."Olivia!" Clyde's voice rang out firm but cautious.No response.He moved more inward, his hand instinctively brushed against the concealed weapon tucked athis side. There was something unreal about the silence. Clyde's instincts were screaming at himto turn back, but the thought of Olivia being held here kept him moving forward.He saw a chair near the middle of the warehouse with leather straps dangling from thearmrests. It was empty, but his heart shivered at the sight.He went low to his knees to peer at the ground. Scuff marks and a smudge of what appeared todried blood sealed his suspicion that someone had been here recently."Darn it," he whispered to himself.Sudde
Last Updated : 2025-01-06In The Smoke-Filled Room Chapter 56: The Leo Levine
She fetched a light jacket and slid into her sneakers, not making any sound. Violet eased up tothe apartment's back door, her heart suddenly loud in such a rhythm she was sure that would bewhat gave her away.She slowly opened the door, wincing as the soft groan of the hinges seemed to scream throughthe hallway. Stepping out into the hall, she moved toward the fire escape. Every step was agamble, every sound magnified in her ears.The men's voices were muffled now as they moved through the front of the building."She has to be in there. Let's move in soon," one of them said.Violet's breath caught. She quickened her pace, slipping out through the fire escape and into thenarrow alley behind the building.The cool night air hit her face as she crouched low, scanning the area. The men hadn't spottedher yet, but she couldn't let her guard down. She moved quickly, keeping to the shadows untilshe was several blocks away.Finally, she saw a small park with a bench secluded away and pu
Last Updated : 2025-01-06In The Smoke-Filled Room Chapter 57: The Escape Attempt
Leo grinned, shoving the phone back into his pocket as he hung up. He turned to Clyde, anexpression of mock pity on his face. "Don't go anywhere, Clyde. Though, I suppose you don'thave much of a choice."Clyde glared at him, his jaw clenched tightly. "You won't win, Leo. Whatever game you'replaying, it'll come crashing down."Leo chuckled, straightening his suit jacket. "Oh, Clyde. You still don't get it, do you? I'm notplaying a game. I've already won. You and your father just haven't realized it yet."With that, Leo strode toward the warehouse door, pausing only to address one of the burly menguarding the room. "Make sure our guest doesn't leave prematurely. I'll be back shortly."The guard nodded, cold and emotionless.Leo disappeared into the night, his footsteps still echoing.The wheels in Clyde's head spun wildly. He had to be out of here before Leo did whatever it wasthat he and this other man were planning. His hands wriggled and yanked against the ropes,chafing raw re
Last Updated : 2025-01-06
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In The Smoke-Filled Room Chapter 70: Olivia escape
Her eyes darted from one corner to the next. The adrenaline coursed through her veins, andevery instinct screamed at her to keep moving, to find an escape before anyone noticed shewas gone. But as she reached the end of the corridor, her hopes began to falter.The door she had been heading toward, the one that she had thought might be her salvation,was locked—just like the others. Her fingers fumbled with the handle, desperate, and she pulledon it again, then tried to force it open. It was no use.Frustration surged through her, and for a moment, she wanted to scream, to give up. But shecouldn’t afford that. Not now.She looked around, trying to assess her surroundings. The hallway was eerily silent. There wereno guards in sight, but that didn’t mean she was safe. She needed to think quickly.Her mind raced. There had to be another way out. Perhaps there was a window or another doorhidden somewhere. She couldn’t let herself get trapped now, not when she was so close.As she tur
In The Smoke-Filled Room Chapter 69: Voilet recovery
Mathew’s expression darkened slightly, a hint of sadness flickering in his eyes. "That’s mydaughter," he said softly, taking the photo from Eva’s hands. "She’s been missing for severalyears now."Eva’s heart clenched. "Missing? What happened?"Mathew sighed deeply, his gaze fixed on the picture. "It’s a long story, but I’ve recently comeback to find her. That's why I’m here.”Eva reached out and laid a comforting hand on his arm. "I'm so sorry, Mathew. If there'sanything I can do to help, please let me know."Mathew gave her a small, grateful smile. "Thank you, Eva. Your support means more than youknow."Violet continued to recover until the doctors were able to discharge her from the hospital. Clydewas always there by her side, seeing to it that she had everything she needed. As they cameout of the hospital, Violet inhaled deeply of the fresh air, feeling free and relieved.Upon arrival, the staff welcomed Violet with warmth; Clyde helped her settle down, and as theywere walk
In The Smoke-Filled Room Chapter 68: Leo Levine re
These days in the hospital soon became endless, all filled with physical pain and emotionalturmoil. The fall had not taken from Violet any more than a broken arm, but much morepriceless a loss that floated in the air around her. The nurses were in and out, giving hermedication and taking vitals, while Clyde sat beside her whenever he could, offering what littlecomfort he could.Yet within her frail frame, Violet refused to become a weak soul. She startedphysiotherapy to get her arm functioning again, but while doing all this-her heart was the onethat felt heavier. The hospital became a place of healing, not only for her body but also for herspirit.Meanwhile, Clyde was in the middle of all the chaos that engulfed the company. Despite Sharon and Leo's efforts to block his attendance, the meeting he had attended was just thebeginning of the war. The company was in disarray, and Clyde knew that unless he moved fast,the empire his father built could crumble.He spent hours in the
In The Smoke-Filled Room Chapter 67: The Bad News
"Trying wasn't enough," Leo snapped. "Now everything is falling apart. We can't afford any moremistakes, Sharon. If Clyde stays on top of this, we'll lose the whole game."Her face flashed with anger as Sharon's heart began to race. "Don't put this all on me, Leo. I'vebeen doing everything I can while you've been playing your games. Maybe if you had a betterbackup plan, we wouldn't be in this mess."Leo’s voice lowered, cold and dangerous. "We don’t have time for your excuses. Fix this,Sharon. Or you’ll regret it."The call ended abruptly, leaving Sharon fuming. She stood there for a moment, her breathcoming in sharp, shallow bursts. The pressure was mounting, and Leo’s anger only fueled herown.Sharon didn't so much as glance backward toward the entrance of the hospital as she spun onher heel and strode away. Her heels clicked sharply against the pavement, echoing thefrustration as she headed toward her car. She needed a new plan, and she needed it fast. Leowasn't going to g
In The Smoke-Filled Room Chapter 66: The frustrating moment
Violet smiled politely, but her eyes never left Sharon's, sensing the undercurrent of tension."That's very kind of you, Sharon."Upstairs, Clyde entered the bedroom, his mind already on the board meeting ahead. He movedwith purpose, selecting a sharp suit from his wardrobe as his mind played out the possiblescenarios at the office.The tie was correctly done, and his phone went off with the reminder of his meeting.Down the stairs he went, to rejoin Violet, who waited at the door. "I will be back before you knowit," he said, clasping her hand one last time."Be careful," Violet whispered, her eyes shaded with concern."I will," Clyde promised, his tone firm with conviction.Sharon thought quickly, trying to find a way to ensure Clyde wouldn't make that important boardmeeting. She had to think fast, and she knew just the thing to engage him-Violet. An almostdiabolical smile curled Sharon's lips as she contrived her plan.Sharon quickly ran into the kitchen and brought back a bott
In The Smoke-Filled Room Chapter 65: The accident
Violet sat on the edge of the bed and watched Clyde pacing across the room while her eyesshone with apprehension. He looked tired but not beaten, and after reaching the wall, he turnedto face her and started to speak."When I got to the warehouse, I knew something felt off, but I went in anyway," Clyde began, hisvoice firm, yet laced with residual fear from the experience. The place was dark and quiet, tooquiet. I called out for Olivia, but nobody answered, so I realized it was a trap.Violet's heart sank, though she maintained poise and nodded for him to continue."Before I could react, they jumped me," Clyde said, his fists clenched at the memory. "Theybound me up, and that's when I met Leo Levine. He was there to gloat-to tell me how heplanned to take everything from my father, our family's legacy. He even bragged about how, bynoon tomorrow, he'd be announced as the new CEO."Violet gasped, placing her hand over her mouth. "Oh, Clyde…Clyde reached for her, taking her hands
In The Smoke-Filled Room Chapter 64: The Romance
The post-euphoria of their passionate encounter went away; the room slowly relapsed into itsquiet stillness, with their mingled breaths being the only sounds that Eva lay on his chest,tracing lazy circles on his skin while her mind remained blissfully blank and savoring theafterglow.But then, suddenly, the shrill ringing of her phone resounded through the stillness, placing themboth in a shocked stillness. Eva's heart went a miss as she reached for her phone lying on thebedside table. Looking at the screen, her breath caught-it was her mother."Mom?" she answered, still sounding husky from the exertion."Eva, where are you?" her mother's voice came through, laced with worry and urgency. "I needyou to come home. Now."The concern in her mother's tone was enough to snap Eva out of her blissful state. She sat upabruptly, clutching the sheet to her chest. "Is everything okay, Mom?"There was a pause, and then her mother said, "It's important, Eva. Please, just come."Eva's heart p
In The Smoke-Filled Room Chapter 63: The Night Heats Up
Eva continued to talk with the man; with every word, it was an affair. His hand brushed againsthers, sending a spark coursing through her entire body. The laughter between them softenedand gave way to lingering glances, a growing tension that neither seemed in any hurry to break.The music in the bar had shifted to a slower, more sensual rhythm, matching the simmeringenergy between them. Eva leaned closer, her breath mingling with his, her fingers playing withthe rim of her glass. She felt the pulse of desire growing, a magnetic pull that drew her towardshim.“You’re intoxicating,” he whispered, his voice a husky murmur that sent a shiver down her spine.His eyes locked onto hers, dark and intense, promising something that made her heart race.Eva didn't answer with words. Her gaze dropped to his lips; her own parted slightly in aninvitation. He caught that subtle invitation; his fingers reached out and gently traced the line ofher jaw, pressing her face higher. The gap between
In The Smoke-Filled Room Chapter 62: The Unraveling
Sharon burst into her penthouse and slammed the door shut with a force that sentreverberations through the silent apartment. Her heels clicked loudly against the glitteringmarble floor as she marched toward the expansive living room, her mind a maelstrom of angerand frustration.How did he get away?" she whispered, the words repeating in her mind like a mantra. "It wasperfect-everything, every eventuality.She threw her coat onto the sleek leather couch, her hands shaking with barely restrainedanger. She began to pace up and down, trying to put together how Clyde had managed to slipthrough their grasp. The guards were doubled and the warehouse secure, yet somehow, Clydemanaged to outwit all.Sharon stopped dead in her tracks, her beady eyes now set on her phone, which lay on thecoffee table. Snatching it up, she scrolled down her contacts to Eva's number in a jiffy. Eva hadbeen one of their inside players, an important part of their scheme. If anyone had informationregarding
