Jared stormed out of Dylan’s office, slamming the heavy oak door behind him. His mind was reeling with disbelief, frustration bubbling just beneath the surface. “Dylan has really gone mad!” he muttered under his breath as he briskly walked down the corridor, his footsteps echoing on the marble floor.This wasn’t like Dylan. Jared had worked with him for nearly a decade, pouring his heart and soul into the F. Newspapers and Magazines Company. He knew the man well—or at least, he thought he did. Dylan had always been sharp, a strategic thinker, and a leader who could handle the intense pressures of the media world with grace. But lately, something had shifted. The decisions he was making were erratic, nonsensical even. He’d become unpredictable, lashing out at staff, making absurd demands, and issuing orders that seemed to contradict every business strategy they had carefully crafted over the years.Jared paused by the large glass window that overlooked the bustling city below. The late
Jared stormed out of Dylan’s office, slamming the heavy oak door behind him. His mind was reeling with disbelief, frustration bubbling just beneath the surface. “Dylan has really gone mad!” he muttered under his breath as he briskly walked down the corridor, his footsteps echoing on the marble floor.This wasn’t like Dylan. Jared had worked with him for nearly a decade, pouring his heart and soul into the F. Newspapers and Magazines Company. He knew the man well—or at least, he thought he did. Dylan had always been sharp, a strategic thinker, and a leader who could handle the intense pressures of the media world with grace. But lately, something had shifted. The decisions he was making were erratic, nonsensical even. He’d become unpredictable, lashing out at staff, making absurd demands, and issuing orders that seemed to contradict every business strategy they had carefully crafted over the years.Jared paused by the large glass window that overlooked the bustling city below. The late
15“Well… I’m not sure though…” Chloe replied, her voice trailing off as she stared at the floor. The light of the room flickered softly, casting shadows on the walls. Samantha leaned back on the couch, eyes fixed on Chloe, waiting for more.Chloe’s mind began to wander, back to the painful realization she had come to accept—that Dylan would never be hers. Not now, not ever. A dull ache settled in her chest as she thought of him. It felt unreal, like something out of a bad dream she couldn’t shake off. Dylan was about to marry her, Kaye, the woman he had chosen. The woman who now clung to life, fighting a battle Chloe couldn’t even imagine.“I mean… you’re precisely correct that I shared my admiration towards Dylan, but…” she paused, her words hanging heavy in the air. She could feel Samantha’s eyes on her, sharp and inquisitive.“But you know I’ve already accepted that he couldn’t be mine,” Chloe continued, her voice steady now, though the pain underneath it was unmistakable.Samanth
Dylan Forteros stood in his expansive office on the top floor of F Newspapers and Magazines, gazing out over the sprawling cityscape. The late afternoon sun cast a warm glow across the skyline, illuminating the glass towers that mirrored the ambition he felt coursing through his veins. At twenty-five, Dylan had carved out a formidable reputation in the publishing world, rising from a junior reporter to the CEO of one of the most influential media companies in the industry. His striking looks—dark hair perfectly styled, piercing blue eyes, and an athletic build—often drew attention, but it was his dedication, integrity, and strategic acumen that truly defined him.He turned away from the window, taking a deep breath as he prepared for the meeting ahead. The company was at a crossroads, navigating a rapidly changing landscape as digital media began to eclipse traditional print. Dylan had always embraced innovation, and today he was set to unveil a bold new initiative aimed at expanding
Aki Salamanca stood in the small living room of her apartment, her heart racing as she faced Larry. The late afternoon light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow on the mess of scattered books and unwashed dishes. She couldn’t believe they had come to this point, but the betrayal was too fresh, too raw.“Five years, Larry! Five years, and this is how you repay me?” Her voice trembled, but she forced herself to hold his gaze. “I sacrificed everything for you—my time, my money. I thought we were building something together.”Larry leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his expression a mix of irritation and indifference. “Aki, you’re making this sound dramatic. I’m just having fun. I’m still a teenager.”“Fun?” Aki echoed, disbelief flooding her tone. “Is that what you call it? Cheating on me with someone else? What kind of fun is that? Did it ever occur to you that your actions have consequences?”He shrugged, a dismissive gesture that felt like a slap to her face. “You’r
Aki’s eyes fluttered open, her mind heavy and foggy as she struggled to make sense of her surroundings. The room was dim, lit only by a small window high on the wall, its panes crisscrossed with iron grills. She blinked a few times, trying to remember how she got here, but her thoughts slipped away like water through her fingers.She sat up slowly, her gaze drifting across the room, and despite the eerie silence that pressed in on her, she found herself mesmerized by the sheer elegance of the space. The walls were draped in rich, velvety fabrics—deep reds and purples that shimmered faintly in the soft light. Golden threads were intricately woven into the patterns, forming elegant shapes that wound their way up toward the ceiling, which was vaulted and adorned with delicate carvings.Aki’s breath caught in her throat. The design was unlike anything she had ever seen before, a perfect blend of opulence and artistry. Even the furniture, though sparse, was made from the finest materials—d
Dylan Forteros stood in the dim hallway outside the small, cold room where Aki was being held, his breath coming in ragged, uneven bursts. His fists clenched at his sides, nails digging into the flesh of his palms. His whole body trembled, a violent storm of emotions threatening to explode. The thought of Kaye, his fiancée, lying in the hospital bed, tubes connected to her fragile form, made him sick with rage.It had only been a week since the accident, but to Dylan, it felt like a lifetime. His life had been torn apart in an instant. One moment, he was standing at the altar with Kaye, her smile lighting up the room as they planned their future together. And then came the accident. A single, senseless moment. A mistake. One he couldn’t forgive.And it was all because of Aki.The weight of it pressed down on him, suffocating him. He wanted to scream. He wanted to break something. Most of all, he wanted to make Aki pay for the devastation she had caused. He wanted her to suffer. But he
Aki’s fingers trembled as she touched the door that Knight had slammed shut just moments ago. The sound of the heavy lock turning echoed in her ears, reverberating in the suffocating silence of the room. She was alone now, trapped in the cold, dimly lit space, the truth crashing over her like a tidal wave. Her breath came in shallow gasps, and her knees threatened to buckle beneath her.Her mind spiraled, replaying the moment over and over—the accident. The screech of tires, the jarring impact, the sickening crunch of metal against metal. She had caused it. She had been careless, distracted, and now someone was lying in a hospital bed because of her. But not just anyone—Kaye. Kaye, Knight’s fiancée. The realization hit Aki like a punch to the gut, and a wave of nausea swept through her.“No…” she whispered, shaking her head violently, as if denying the truth could make it go away. “No, no, no…”But it didn’t go away. The reality only grew sharper, more terrifying. She had hit Kaye, th
15“Well… I’m not sure though…” Chloe replied, her voice trailing off as she stared at the floor. The light of the room flickered softly, casting shadows on the walls. Samantha leaned back on the couch, eyes fixed on Chloe, waiting for more.Chloe’s mind began to wander, back to the painful realization she had come to accept—that Dylan would never be hers. Not now, not ever. A dull ache settled in her chest as she thought of him. It felt unreal, like something out of a bad dream she couldn’t shake off. Dylan was about to marry her, Kaye, the woman he had chosen. The woman who now clung to life, fighting a battle Chloe couldn’t even imagine.“I mean… you’re precisely correct that I shared my admiration towards Dylan, but…” she paused, her words hanging heavy in the air. She could feel Samantha’s eyes on her, sharp and inquisitive.“But you know I’ve already accepted that he couldn’t be mine,” Chloe continued, her voice steady now, though the pain underneath it was unmistakable.Samanth
Jared stormed out of Dylan’s office, slamming the heavy oak door behind him. His mind was reeling with disbelief, frustration bubbling just beneath the surface. “Dylan has really gone mad!” he muttered under his breath as he briskly walked down the corridor, his footsteps echoing on the marble floor.This wasn’t like Dylan. Jared had worked with him for nearly a decade, pouring his heart and soul into the F. Newspapers and Magazines Company. He knew the man well—or at least, he thought he did. Dylan had always been sharp, a strategic thinker, and a leader who could handle the intense pressures of the media world with grace. But lately, something had shifted. The decisions he was making were erratic, nonsensical even. He’d become unpredictable, lashing out at staff, making absurd demands, and issuing orders that seemed to contradict every business strategy they had carefully crafted over the years.Jared paused by the large glass window that overlooked the bustling city below. The late
Jared stormed out of Dylan’s office, slamming the heavy oak door behind him. His mind was reeling with disbelief, frustration bubbling just beneath the surface. “Dylan has really gone mad!” he muttered under his breath as he briskly walked down the corridor, his footsteps echoing on the marble floor.This wasn’t like Dylan. Jared had worked with him for nearly a decade, pouring his heart and soul into the F. Newspapers and Magazines Company. He knew the man well—or at least, he thought he did. Dylan had always been sharp, a strategic thinker, and a leader who could handle the intense pressures of the media world with grace. But lately, something had shifted. The decisions he was making were erratic, nonsensical even. He’d become unpredictable, lashing out at staff, making absurd demands, and issuing orders that seemed to contradict every business strategy they had carefully crafted over the years.Jared paused by the large glass window that overlooked the bustling city below. The late
Jared stood rigid, fists clenched at his sides, glaring at Dylan. The walls of Dylan's office were adorned with accolades and framed covers of past issues—reminders of the success they had both built from the ground up. The company had grown exponentially under Dylan’s leadership, but now, it felt like everything they had worked for was in jeopardy.Dylan, sitting behind his massive oak desk, his usually composed demeanor shattered, had just delivered news that Jared found impossible to accept.“Really, Dylan? After everything we’ve done. After everything we’ve been through!?” Jared’s voice trembled with anger as he spoke. “We planned this all along, Dylan. We spent time and effort, we spent our resources just to make sure this project wouldn’t fail, and now, all of a sudden, you’re going to abort it? What’s wrong with you?”Jared’s frustration was palpable. This project was more than just another publication—it was the culmination of months of work, meetings, and negotiations. The Ho
"What do you mean?" Chloe’s voice held a tone of cautious curiosity as she hovered near Dylan's office door. Her brow furrowed, and her hands clutched the things she carried. As his secretary, she was used to getting straight answers from him—especially when something felt off. Today, everything felt off.Dylan didn’t look up from the paperwork spread across his desk. He hated how much he needed to control himself right now. The office was quiet except for the ticking of a wall clock that seemed to count down his seconds to respond."It's nothing," Dylan finally said, his voice clipped, dismissive. He didn’t mean for it to sound so sharp, but he had to shut down the conversation quickly. He knew that Chloe was perceptive, and if he wasn’t careful, she’d start asking more questions—questions he had no intention of answering.Chloe wasn’t satisfied, but she knew when to back off. Working for Dylan had taught her that. There were times when his silence spoke louder than his words. This w
Dylan glanced back at Chloe, who was standing there in front of his desk, her posture tense, her lips slightly parted as though she had something more to say. Her blue eyes held a flicker of confusion, and he could feel the weight of her unspoken questions. But he didn’t give her the chance. With a deliberate, controlled motion, he stood from his chair, shoulders squared, conviction solidifying within him."Abort the project," Dylan said, his voice devoid of hesitation.Chloe blinked, clearly startled. She held a thick folder of documents, the finalized paperwork for the publication of Hotel de Montemayor. The project was in its final stages. The launch was scheduled. Everything was set. And yet here was Dylan, tossing it aside.“Wait… really, Dylan?” Chloe stammered, taking a step closer to his desk, her confusion growing by the second. “I mean, we’re almost there. The press is lined up, the promotional materials are printed. Besides—” she hesitated, her voice softening—"this is the
Dylan Forteros adjusted his cufflinks, the smooth fabric of his black tuxedo gleaming faintly under the morning sun as he slid behind the wheel of his black sports car. The sleek, low-slung vehicle growled to life, and he effortlessly guided it out of his lavish driveway. It was early, yet the day was already filled with the energy of the city that never slept. The rhythmic pulse of the streets, the hum of traffic, and the distant clamor of people beginning their routines set the stage for what promised to be a busy day.As he sped down the main boulevard, the city skyline rising ahead of him, Dylan’s mind was already on his company. F. Newspapers and Magazines was one of the largest media empires in the country, and he was its driving force. His reputation as a sharp, strategic thinker had earned him respect in an industry that had no patience for hesitation or failure. Today was particularly important, and though his outward appearance was as calm and collected as ever, his thoughts
Dylan sat in the grand living room of his mansion, the warmth of the afternoon sun casting long shadows across the hardwood floors. Despite the elegance and comfort of his surroundings, he felt a tightness in his chest, a gnawing sense of unease that refused to leave him. His thoughts were tangled, consumed by the words of his lawyer, Mr. Belgeorence, who had just left the mansion.Dylan could still hear the lawyer’s words ringing in his ears, heavy with legal jargon and the weight of unfortunate reality. It wasn’t that the news itself was unexpected; it was that it came at a time when he was least capable of handling it. His fiancée, Kaye, had been hospitalized for over a days now, recovering from a car accident that had shaken him to his core. The accident had happened so suddenly, so unpredictably, that Dylan hadn’t yet been able to fully grasp its impact. Seeing Kaye lying motionless in the hospital bed, wires and tubes surrounding her, had made him feel utterly powerless. And now
I've already taken care of the accident, Dylan,” Mr. Belgeorence began, his voice smooth yet laced with an undertone of danger. “It was free from the knowledge of the media and the police, and I've silenced the necessary parties.”Dylan, seated at the opposite end, gave a slow nod, his fingers tracing the edge of a whiskey glass without taking a sip. He wasn’t entirely surprised by Belgeorence’s words. The man was known to have a reach far beyond legal confines, though it wasn’t something spoken about openly. It was the unspoken truth that made Belgeorence both powerful and dangerous.“I offered them enough money to shut their mouths up,” Belgeorence continued, pacing slowly across the room. “All witnesses have been handled. I deleted footage from every source. The traffic cams, the nearby buildings—anything that could possibly identify the accident is gone.”He stopped in front of Dylan, leaning down slightly as if to make his point clearer. “It’s as though it never happened.”Dylan