“Hey dream girl! your break is over. Time to get back to work" a loud voice sounded through the small break room, waking the lady who slept on the couch up. She groaned as she realized that her little sleep session had come to an end, and the next time she will be sleeping in is at home late at night. Standing up, she rushed to wipe the beads of sweat on her forehead and pulled out a comb from her bag on the couch. She then proceeded to remove the sanitary hair net and re-comb her hair.Pulling her hair into a firm bun, she reached for a box containing new hair nets and wore one. She walked up to the mirror and looked over her light green uniform, ensuring she was not out of place, she walked out to meet the owner of the voice who called her. She walked to the middle-aged woman who sat at the desk; the woman had a firm face that looked like she won’t tolerate nonsense. “Miss Ashleigh Hartman, once again you have overslept” the woman said, giving her a judging look. Ashleigh ran up t
Tyra immediately dropped the bat. Her minions who were also recording, turned to see a bunch of men and women staring at them. The man in the middle walked up to where they stood, each step echoed loudly in the room. They felt the coldness exude off him as he neared them and instinctively stepped back. He slightly hovered over them. His frame seemed to be so well built it almost popped through the suit and his proportions were amazing. His handsome face has the coldest look currently as he stared at Tyra and her friends. However, that was the least of Tyra’s worries at the moment. “Who the hell is this man" she drooled in her mind, lusting after him. As she drooled over him in her mind, she also feared for her life, she watched as he walked up to where Ashleigh was tied and untied her hands, and how Ashleigh fell into his embrace. “This opportunistic skunk ” she mocked, as she looked at the both of them. Ashleigh on the other hand, let out a huge sigh of relief as she held onto t
Adrian Cagliari stood at the top of the food chain of technology industries at 27 years old. He was one who had a keen eye for good innovations, he separated himself from the family business and built his dream company Tixton from the ground up. Tixton is now one of Cagliari's major successful businesses, and he became a force in the making. Building and maintaining his family's legacy requires a firm hand, so he was rather firm and disciplined, overseeing all matters both in Italy and America, as well as other branches in the world. He was domineering, assertive and principled, ensuring everyone was at the edge of their seats when working with him. It was like a curse and a reward. As he discussed with the investors, his secretary and his personal assistant was outside mentally preparing himself to interrupt the meeting. Turner then walked into the spacious office with a phone in his hands. Pausing the call, he raised his eyes to his secretary who felt a chill run down his spine. "
"Adrian, if it is okay I would like to have dinner with you sometime next week. Your mom told me you're around for the week" she proposed, looking at him with a hint of eagerness in her eyes. "Yes Adrian, I feel you guys should have lunch and catch up with each other. It's been a while" Caelia's mother spoke up, looking to Eleanor for support. Adrian looked at his mother who made a gesture to agree and then looked at his uncle who had a neutral stance. "I apologize Caelia, I will not be able to join you for lunch. I have a lot of matters to settle here during the week" Caelia's face reddened in embarrassment and she bit her lips. "I will ask my secretary to arrange for an appointment for you, just tell him where you want to go" he added, signalling to his secretary who came forward. Caelia was about refusing but he gave no room for rebuttal, he stood up to leave. Eleanor placed her hand on her back encouraging her and she nodded obediently. "I will discuss with him later" she whis
She wondered why Mr. Cagliari wanted to see her as Mr Turner pressed the button to open the private elevator. "Are you sure? I can take the stairs" she suggested but he stood firm and she entered; as they made their way up her mind ran in circles as she thought of what could make the CEO want to see her. She has had no complaints so far and had no reason to see him as well, she would only know when she gets there. Once again, she found herself on the fourth floor of the company, which was known as the executive floor. This was where the office of the president was here and his vice president, although he has never met him before. They walked past the conference room to the end of the hall where a door was labelled CEO in gold. "You may go in" he gestured as he opened the door and she walked in. The space was wide, and it was furnished exquisitely with Italian furniture, she was astonished at how wide a room can be. Her eyes roamed around the place before landing on the couch to see
"Whatever I want to know about my parents I can find out myself" she retorted and he chuckled at her. He truly admired her courage and naivety, thinking she would be able to find out about her parents so easily. "My dear..." he drawled, running his hands through her hair playfully. "Be my guest. You would be dead at the first try. Your Aunty Smith knows this very well, your case is not as simple as you think it is" he continued. Her fiery gaze tugged at his heart string wildly, he liked her little acts of defiance even though she is a shivering leaf. "I am the only one that can guarantee your safety. You can only walk naively around this world for long but they are lurking in the shadows, waiting for you. Once you step out of your shell, trust me your head would be in your hands. But don't take it from me though, find out for yourself how long you can survive out there" he drawled, gesturing for her to leave. Ashleigh was filled with fear at this point, she looked at Mr. Cagl
"Ashleigh!" the voice shrieked and she jolted out of her seat to see James laughing his head off.She hit him repeatedly as she tried to still her heart and after a while he started apologizing when her hits became more painful."You went missing after that call from the secretary so I came to find you" he said, sitting on the chair which she finished dusting."I'm sorry James, I just have a lot on my mind right now" she muttered as she wiped the desk down with a wet rag."Why? What was the meeting about? You just left with the hot secretary and didn't give us the tea after" he complained and Ashleigh stopped what she was doing. She spun to face in him surprise."Wait.... James!!" She exclaimed as James scratched his hair sheepishly."Well... he looks fine but he's always out of it anytime I see him" he admitted and Ashleigh laughed loudly.She had only a few interactions with Mr. Turner and they were very polite and sho
The next day at a private law firm, Adrian Cagliari stood in a private lounge provided to him by his lawyer. The room was moderately sized and had been moderately furnished; with a window that stretched from one wall to another with a view of the gate, one could see who was entering and leaving but someone standing outside couldn't see in. Adrian stood at the window wearing a blue coloured suit with a black shirt, his hair slicked back gel and he had a chilly aura around him. This devilishly handsome man peered at the window, sipping the coffee in his hands slowly. "Boss, I just spoke with the driver you sent, he mentioned that Miss Ashleigh refused taking the car and said she will make her way here by herself" Turner reported and Adrian glanced at his watch, frowning deeply as Ashleigh was already an hour late . Adrian's major pet peeve was lateness and people who came late; he was of the opinion that everything had a particular time at which it should happen, this makes the o
The scent of blood and dampness clung to the air, thick and suffocating. Desperate cries echoed off the stone walls as the restrained men struggled against the ropes biting into their skin.“P-please! Talk to your boss..... We’re not the ones he’s looking for." One of the men pleaded, struggling against the ropes. A figure emerged from the shadows, and the man’s heart momentarily leaped in hope. But as the dim light revealed the sharp, cold features of Mr. Turner, hope was crushed into dread.“You’ll only speak to my boss when you’re ready to tell me who your leader is.” Mr. Turner adjusted his glasses, his tone calm yet laced with authority.The man before him was a mess: his face swollen from repeated blows, blood crusting at the corner of his lips. Mr. Turner gave a nod of approval to the guards standing on either side, silently acknowledging their efficiency.“You’ve been here for a day now,” he continued, his gaze sweeping over the other restrained men.“Yet none of you have rev
Waves crashed against the gazebo's wooden pillars, sending sprays of salty water over the deck. Alana barely flinched as droplets landed on her legs. She lay stretched out on a beach chair, swirling the last of her wine in her glass while watching Diane, Cameron, and Samantha snap pictures at the edge of the platform. Music drifted from the speakers, mingling with the sound of the sea. The suggestion for a short vacation from her friends came suddenly, but she embraced it as she needed the break. School had been suffocating, and now that the source of her tension had been permanently removed, she could finally breathe again. Until Samantha’s sharp gasp shattered the moment. “What!” Samantha shrieked, eyes glued to the phone. Cameron, who had been holding Diane’s waist, immediately let go and moved to her side. “What is it, Samantha? You’re not saying anything.” Samantha hesitated, glancing at Alana before swallowing hard. “It’s a message from the department head on the faculty gro
The conference hall fell into stunned silence as Adrian’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. His presence alone was commanding, but his words sent an even stronger shockwave through the room. Ashleigh’s grip tightened on the edge of her chair, her heart hammering as she watched him walk toward the panelists with unshaken confidence. He’s here.The chairman, clearly unsettled but attempting to maintain control, cleared his throat. “Mr. Cagliari, this is a formal hearing. You cannot simply barge in and disrupt the proceedings.”Adrian’s lips curled into a smirk, his posture radiating quiet authority. “And let you pass judgment based on incomplete, biased information?”Murmurs rippled through the panelists, uncertainty flickering in their eyes. He strode to Ashleigh’s side, taking the empty seat beside her. His presence alone shifted the energy in the room, making the panelists exchange wary glances.Mrs. Cartwright however kept expression sharp, and leaned forward. “That’s a bo
The evening skyline burned with hues of orange and gold as a black SUV wove through the city’s traffic. Inside, Adrian flicked his gaze to his watch, then to the black envelope resting between his fingers. The insignia embossed on it caught the dim light, a silent reminder of the night’s purpose. Mr. Turner sat in front, assisting the driver in navigating towards the hotel.A low vibration from the phone interrupted the quiet, and he handed it over to Adrian."Mr. Cagliari, how is everything going?" Beau’s voice came through the speaker. Adrian exhaled, his tone smooth but unimpressed. “I’ll update you when I get there. I’m still en route.”Beau huffed. “Ashleigh and I went through a lot to get that card into your hands, so kindly make it worthwhile, sir.”Adrian’s fingers traced the insignia on the card, recalling the bank’s call from earlier. A smirk flickered across his face. “Must’ve been quite the ordeal. The bank took notice, after all.”“Oh, it was,” Beau replied. “Your wife s
Ashleigh stepped out of the car and Beau followed suit, looping his hand around hers with a witty grin.“Are you ready to put on a show?”She exhaled lightly, gazing at the Gold card in her palms. The weight of it felt heavier than it should but she didn’t hesitate. If Adrian wanted to meddle in her world, he ought to feel the consequences.She slipped the card into her clutch and met Beau’s gaze, her expression cool.“Let’s make this count.”Beau chuckled, sliding on a pair of designer sunglasses. “Now you’re speaking my language."They walked in through the glass door being held by a door man and the minute they stepped in, the atmosphere shifted. The boutique dripped elegance as walls were decked with paintings and high ranking celebrity autographs and perfumes were presented like a work of art. The air was filled with various exotic fragrances as a few customers milled around quietly testing the scents andAshleigh immediately understood what Beau meant.A woman in a sleek black
The weight of the day’s task pressed against Ashleigh’s chest as she sat at the dining table, dulling her appetite. Her mind churned with everything she needed to do today—tracking down the perfumer before her panel meeting tomorrow, smoothing things over with Arthur, Fiona, and James.She needed their support now more than ever. Beau on the other hand, was carefree as ever. He hummed under his breath, tapping his fingers idly against his plate as he ate.“Babygirl, you’ve barely touched your food.” He commented, and Ashleigh looked up to find him and Susan both watching her with concern. Ashleigh clenched her fork and stabbed a piece of pancake, exhaling sharply. “I can’t eat right now. There’s too much on my mind.”Susan stepped forward, likely about to insist she eat, but Ashleigh raised a hand to stop her. “Don’t bother, Susan. I’m not eating until we get that person.”Susan hesitated before stepping back, defeated.Ashleigh turned to Beau, bringing her glass to her lips. “Do yo
Ashleigh barely noticed her hand trembling until Susan spoke up.“Miss you’re trembling, are you okay?” Her gaze dropped from the scenery outside to the car seat where her hands quivered. She clenched them into fists, forcing herself to take deep slow even breaths.“I’m fine, Susan.” She mumured lowly, willing herself to believe herself to believe it was true.But she wasn’t fine. Not after what happened at the cafe. Meeting James and Fiona unexpectedly disrupted all she had planned to discuss with Arthur, and left her with more built than clarity. And there was Adrian, who’s texts drew more suspicions due to her actions. It seemed to her that it was on purpose, and her jaw tightened as they pulled into the Cagliari mansion.He was going to answer for it.Ashleigh stepped out of the car and walked into the mansion burning with frustration. She was ready to confront Adrian, until she saw who was sitting beside him.She stopped in her tracks. “No way.......”A sharp, knowing grin stret
Ashleigh felt the world around her blur into silence. The café, once a warm haven of familiar scents and quiet chatter, now felt suffocating. Across the table, three sets of eyes burned into her—Fiona’s sharp, unwavering stare, James’s disapproving frown, and Arthur’s cool, assessing gaze. The weight of their scrutiny made her throat tighten, but the real pressure came from the phone resting on her lap, as heavy as a brick. Adrian’s name glowed on the screen, his text burning into her mind. Why aren’t you responding? I hope you haven’t lied to me again. Her fingers curled tightly around her phone, flipping it facedown before anyone noticed. But Arthur did. “Who was that?” His voice was neutral, but there was something unreadable in his expression, something sharp. “No one important,” she answered too quickly. His eyes narrowed. “Still lying, Ashleigh?” He let out a quiet sigh, shaking his head as he leaned back. “You’re insufferable.” Ashleigh swallowed, her grip tightening on he
The room was drenched in darkness, save for the flicker of a single bare bulb overhead. The silence was broken by the shuffling of chains and the faint drip of water pooling somewhere unseen. Tristan and Jake knelt behind the iron bars, their once-proud postures now bent with shame and fear. Adrian sat in the corner, cloaked in shadow. His piercing gaze cut through the dim light, fixed on the two men who had failed him. His fingers drummed against the armrest of his chair, the rhythmic tapping the only sound besides their labored breaths.“Boss, please,” Tristan started, his voice hoarse. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, evidence of the earlier punishment. “We didn’t expect the attack to happen then. We—”“You didn’t expect,” Adrian interrupted softly, his voice calm but laced with menace. “That’s the problem, isn’t it?” Jake flinched, his trembling hands gripping the bars.“We’re sorry, sir. We’ll make it right. Just give us another chance.” Adrian rose slowly, his impo