Luke leaned forward, his gaze piercing into Kourtney's soul. âThe Allen corporation is on the verge of collapse. We need help, and you can provide that, Kourtney.ââAnd what does that have to do with me? You didnât even let me work there anyway, so how on earth am I supposed to help?â Kourtney's gaze hardened with contempt as she locked eyes with her father.Her dreams of contributing to the family legacy, of proving her worth within the walls of their company, had been mercilessly dashed time and time again.Luke's excuse after her graduation had been a cruel twist of fate - her degree in events management was deemed unworthy of the family business, while Kathlyn, who pursued that of a scientific field, was deemed more suitable and had been lauded and supported to join the company.She had been relegated to the sidelines while Kathlyn was ushered into a managerial position in the Finance department.The hypocrisy of it all made Kourtney's blood boil, but she swallowed her anger, bury
Woods Corporation.Inside the boardroom meeting, Sebastian kept looking at his $3.9 Million Patek Philippe 5004T wristwatch almost every 60 seconds, impatiently waiting for the time to strike 6 pm.He found himself missing his dear wife and couldnât wait to be out of this boring, annoying-ass meeting!He also kept tapping his pen against the mahogany table, his mind drifting to the fact that he used to relish staying in the office until 11 pm daily, tirelessly working on deals and projects. Back then, his mansion was empty and devoid of life. There was really nothing to go back home to, so why bother?But now, all he could think about was heading straight home to his wife, Kourtney.This time, he had someone to go back home to.It's crazy how things changed so fast and so unexpectedlyâŠâŠ..The memory of her slipping out of bed that morning, leaving him alone with nothing but the faint scent of her, brought a wry smile to his face. Kourtney had practically abandoned him in his sleep an
Kourtney's eyes widened in a mixture of guilt and shame as she tried to turn away, hiding the evidence of her pain."It's... itâs nothing, just a little accident," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.Sebastian's heart clenched at her obvious distress, a surge of protectiveness and worry flooding through him. To think he was rushing home to see the pretty face of his wife, not knowing it had already been messed up and bruised.The raw agony etched on her features hit him like a punch to the gut. Even her swollen eyes meant she had been crying for long, and the sight pierced through his heart like a knife, seeing his vibrant wife reduced to a shell of herself.Her cheeks were inflamed and discolored - a stark contrast to her usual radiance.âWho did it?â he rasped.âUh??âI said, who did it?ââUhmmmâŠ. It's no one. No one did it, okay? I... I said it was an accident!â Kourtney stammered a lie through her teeth.She had assumed the man would be back home late and probably woul
The next morning dawned with the harsh light of consequences and a storm of chaos for the Allen family. The entire household, along with staff, sat in their lavish living room, watching in horror as their stocks plummeted in real-time on the screen, a visual representation of their downfall.The atmosphere was tense and suffocating!News of their cooperation crumbling, investors fleeing, bankruptcy looming, and debts piling up like a mountain spread like wildfire across every TV station. Reporters didn't hold back, their words sharp as knives."The once-mighty Allen family is now on its knees, a warning tale of greed and mismanagement,â one business reporter on TV barked."The Allens are no longer among the titans of the industry they once were. It seems the golden facade of the Allen empire is finally cracking. Is it finally over?" one anchor declared openly.Another reporter ridiculed, "Investors are in a frenzy, trying to salvage what's left of their investments. The Allens are in
Sebastian, seated behind his desk, regarded her coolly. "Ah, my dear Wife. Always a pleasure to see you, especially under such... dramatic circumstances."âWhat did you do to my family? This... this sabotage. It's your doing, isn't it?" Kourtney wasted no time for pleasantries and cut straight to the chase.Sebastian leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips. "My, my, such accusations. And here I thought we were starting to get to know each other better."Kourtney gritted her teeth at his obvious childish banter during a serious confrontation.âYou⊠Just cut the crap. You know exactly what I'm talking about.âSebastian's smirk widened. "Ah, yes. The little incident with your father that you refused to tell your HUSBAND about. Quite the scene. Wasn't it? But rest assured, my dear, that was merely a taste of what's to come."âThatâsâŠ. That's what all this is about? You're destroying everything my family has worked so hard to build just because my father lost his temper for a
"Thank you, Ted. Please inform my wife, Kourtney, that we have visitors," Sebastian instructed smoothly, his voice a mask of composure.The old butler bowed and swiftly made his way to deliver the message, leaving Sebastian to contemplate the chessboard of power and emotions that lay before him.He strode out of his study, each step purposeful, his footsteps echoing off the polished marble floors, and then he stopped at the top of the grand staircase. From there, he could oversee the entrance and observe the Allens' approach.The door creaked open, and they came, one by one, in a straight queue, like sacrificial lambs entering the lion's den.Sebastian smirked, enjoying the view.This was the Allens, his supposed in-lawsâa once proud and formidable family, now shadows of their former selves.His gaze lingered on them, calculating and detached. He observed the tension in their stance, the flicker of hope in their eyes as they shifted about, unsure of where to stand. Their steps were he
Kourtney's heart ached at her father's words, the pain evident in his voice. She could see the turmoil in his eyes, as she knew he was a proud man who barely ever admitted his mistakes. But nowâŠ. Now he was doing that in front of everyone.Taking a deep breath, she responded. âI forgive you, Dad. It's okay!âLuke visibly sagged with relief, his shoulders relaxing as he absorbed his daughter's words. He never thought it would actually be this EASY!So easy!!!He reached out quickly and enveloped Kourtney in a warm embrace, further proving their relationship was good again.Kourtney was taken aback at first. She couldn't remember the last time she hugged her dad. This man who had never truly cared enough to embrace her for as long as she could remember was doing so now in front of everyone.She felt bitter-sweet!Seeing Kourtneyâs compassionate response to Luke, the rest of the Allens present, except Kathlyn, started approaching, asking for forgiveness concerning the previous incident a
Kourtney's blood immediately ran cold on hearing Sebastian's brazen proposal.âUhh?â she asked, still in doubt of the extent of his demands.âYou heard me,â he replied proudly.His face was completely straight and unreadable now, which meant he was super-duper serious.Kourtney shrugged.âWhy does he always have to make everything so difficult⊠so complicated?â She thought to herself, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.This man⊠he always had to push boundaries!Naked in the shower⊠With him?How can he be so shameless?She had known Sebastian was a shameless fad, but this was a whole new level of absurdness.Ridiculously Unreasonable!!!She knew what he wanted, what he always seemed to want from her. Yet, she could never grow accustomed to his insane demands.âYou.. can't you just be reasonable and less vulgar for once?ââWellâŠWhereâs the fun in that?â Sebastian replied smugly, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her knees weak."He knows exactly what he's d
Ever since he had heard about his First Loveâs arrival yesterday, Kourtney had barely seen or spent time with her husband. For the first time since she moved in with him, Sebastian had been absent in their bed when she got up.And even in her deep slumber, she knew she didnât feel his warm embrace or presence last night. She was more than certain he hadnât spent the night here.She could feel it in her bones!Just as she was about to lose herself in her spiraling thoughts, she opened the bedroom door and stepped out, only to be met by the sight of two of Sebastianâs bodyguards waiting just outside.âGood morning, Mrs. Woods,â one of them greeted with a polite nod.âUhmm⊠where is he?â The question slipped from her lips before she could stop it.âMr. Woods had something to do at the company, so he left first,â the other bodyguard replied, his expression unreadable.Kourtney felt her heart drop. âHe left me here again to go to the company?â she thought as anger bubbled inside her.She w
Meanwhile, as Sebastian drove away, his mind raced.How could she just show up like that?He felt sick from the memories the woman stirred within him. The nights spent dreaming of what could have been, the love that had once filled his heart, now twisted into something dark and painful.God! She had turned him into a shadow of himself.Why had she returned?Was she here to stir up trouble?Sebastian was a clever man, quick to understand the intentions of others. She has to be here to cause trouble. Nothing more, nothing less.He gripped the steering wheel tightly as he navigated through the congested streets of Melbourne. The evening traffic crawled at a snail's pace, much worse than usual.Soon enough, he got to know there was a recent ghastly accident. A multi-car pileup around the scene had brought the main road to a standstill.Because of this, he was stuck in the traffic jam for hours with a throbbing headache pulsating at his temples.As Sebastian sat there, trapped in his sleek
âFine. Then letâs talk about that person you married... it was just for formalities, wasnât it?â Scarlet probed, her eyes glinting with curiosity.At her words, Sebastian chuckled darkly. âYou think you know everything, donât you?â Scarlet's heart raced as she saw a flicker of something glinting in his eyes the moment when she mentioned that person. He was smiling now! He even laughed!âHeâHe canât possibly have feelings for her,â she thought frantically. âNo! Not after everything we had.âHer eyes narrowed as she assessed him, taking in the wedding band that glinted against his skin.It was as if something suddenly snapped inside her. Consumed by a wave of jealousy, she rushed at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pressing her body against his. She had moved so quickly before his bodyguards could move an inch to stop her. She took them all by surprise.âI need you, Bastian,â she said with desperation.Her breath was warm against his skin. She wanted to feel the heat of
Across town, Sebastian Woods sat in a sleek conference room, surrounded by his British investors. The mood was tense; the meeting had been called unexpectedly. They were supposed to arrive the next day morning, but their flight had changed, and now he had to face them early.It was annoying just sitting there for him. He hated urgent and unplanned business meetings like this, but he just couldnât keep these people waiting. He liked to treat his foreign investors well as they were important to the growth of his company. He had to be there no matter what.But, despite the urgent nature of the meeting, Sebastianâs mind was miles away.âPresident Woods?â one of the investors interrupted, waving a hand in front of him. âAre you with us?ââSorry, yes. Letâs continue,â he replied, shaking his head to clear the fog of distraction.He wanted to focus on work, but his mind kept wandering back to HER.It was funny how he kept glancing at his phone on the table, hoping for a beep, a call, or even
They both turned towards the voice. It was Edwin Woods.âWhatâs it to you? This is not of your business,â Micheal challenged.âIâll tell you what? Itâs every one of my business. Thatâs my awesome sister-in-law,â Edwin said stepping close enough to separate Kourtney from Micheal.âSheâs a grown woman. She can make her own decisions.ââRight. But stay away from her!ââYouâll never stop being Sebastianâs little sidekick, will you?ââBeing a sidekick feels much better than being the incompetent failure that you are,â Edwin scoffed.Kourtney watched as both men went head to head with scornful words flying around. She didnât ask for any of this drama. She only wanted to come here and cry, then probably inhale the fresh scent of blooming roses till she felt satisfied.What was this evening turning into?She could feel the tension crackling in the air between them, like a storm ready to break. It was hard to believe that these two men were cousins who grew up together, yet here they were, gla
Micheal grinned on hearing her positive response. âIâm glad youâre so interested in hearing what I have to say.âKourtney was getting impatient now, âYeah, so what is it?âIn truth, she only wanted to get the conversation over with so he could leave her alone.The man smirked, reveling in the power he held over her. âTrust me. It's a perfect solution that we can both enjoy.âKourtney's instincts screamed at her to be cautious. The way Michael leaned in, his expression shifting to something more intense, made her stomach churn. She didnât want to hear whatever twisted proposal he had in mind, but a part of her was suddenly curious, almost desperate to know what could possibly come next.âWhat exactly do want?â she asked again, her voice tinged with a hint of annoyance as she silently wished he would suggest something that wouldnât make her hiss with contempt.âHmmm. So letâs be real here,â he started, his voice low and steady, almost hypnotic. âBastian is clearly not committed to you.
âMaybe that's why he still refused to let go of their old memories,â Kourtney continued talking to herself.She knew these images would be etched in her mind for a long time, a constant reminder of the love that had existed long before she came into the picture. Tears threatening to spill gathered in her eyes as she squatted down to pick up the photos.But on second thought, she felt a surge of defiance. She decided not to pick them up. Somehow, she wanted Sebastian to know she saw them without having to confront him about it.Did she even have the guts to bring it up?How could she possibly question him about something so personal?The thought sent a shiver down her spine.What would she even say to him? âHey, Sebastian, I found a box of your ex-girlfriend's photos, and Iâm feeling a bit insecure about itâ? That would sound like the ramblings of a jealous, obsessive woman, and she was determined not to be that person.She didnât want to come off as the psychotic wife who couldn't ha
Kourtneyâs steps were light as she approached the ornate double doors to Sebastianâs study on the uppermost floor of the Woods villa. He had left immediately after lunch, saying he had some important work to handle.She hissed, still a little hurt just thinking about it.It was Sunday, and she wondered what was so important that couldnât wait till a work day.And how long would it take for him to handle the sudden emergency?She needed a breather from all the drama unfolding after the news of Scarletâs arrival. Since her husband had left her all alone to her fate in the hands of his wicked aunts and other relatives who hated her guts, Kourtney knew it would be wise to just stay in her lane and not go back downstairs till when necessary.She pushed the doors open gently, not wanting to disturb the sanctity of his space. It was built and designed just like the one they had at Serenity Villa.Seems like the man took his bland and boring style so seriously. There was not even a single bri
âSo you had no idea she was coming?â Edwin pestered.âI donât!âSebastian, who had been sipping his glass of whiskey, answered in his usual stoic tone.But beneath his composed exterior was a man in complete disarray.The name Scarlet Thompson sent a jolt through him, memories flooding back from a time when he was young and infatuated. She was his first love, the one woman who had held his heart captive all those years ago.He felt a pang of somethingânostalgia, perhaps?Or was it something deeper?But why now?What could bring her back after all this time?***********Later that day, at the grand dining room of the Woods estate, the smell of fresh savory dishes filled the air as the family gathered for their traditional Sunday afternoon brunch.Kourtney could feel the buzzing tension around the table.The familyâs whispers were like daggers.She could hear tiny bits of their discussions.It was still all about the Scarlet Lady.She felt like she couldnât breathe properly.And Sebasti