RichardThe sun was just beginning to rise when I woke up, the soft light was creeping in through the curtains.The peaceful and quiet hum of the city outside was barely noticeable, but it was certainly there, a very subtle reminder that life was goinf to keep on moving forward. I quietly slipped out of the bed moving carefully not to disturb Emilia, who was still sleeping soundly beside me. I could never quite get over how peaceful she looked when she slept. There was something so calming about the way her hair spread across the pillow and the way she breathed so steadily. It made me want to protect her even more, as if nothing or no one would dare to touch her. It was always nice to wake to wake every morning and watch her sleep peacefully by my side I made my way to the balcony of our bedroom, stepping outside into the cool morning air. The view from out here was breathtaking, with the city stretching out in front of me, bathed in the soft golden light of dawn. I definitely pi
EmiliaThe time was exactly 7 pm when our car came to a smooth halt in front of the venue. Richard opened the door and came out first, then he turned and calmly reached out his hand to me. I placed my hand on his, giving a small sigh as I stepped out into the cool night air.We arrived veru early at The Golden Crown Hotel and Towers, one of the most luxurious hotels in the city. It stood tall and elegant, its glass walls shimmering right beneath the city lights. The entrance was beautified with silver drapes, white daisies, and long strands of neon lights. There was even a red carpet rolled out from the steps of the building to the parking area. Photographers and reporters were already swarming the entrance with cameras flashing like stars all around.As we made our way, side by side on the red carpet, I could practically feel hundreds of eyes on us. I looked down for a moment, a little shy, I hadn't gotten used to any of this, but Richard squeezed my hand gently, giving me the drive
JaydenThe moment Elena and I moved away from Richard and Emilia, I could feel the tension I’d been holding onto all evening starting to fade. I looked over at Elena. That soft, confident smile was still sitting perfectly on her face. It was like she’d just won something, and in a way, she had.“You did well,” I said quietly, not wanting anyone else to hear.She gave a small laugh, the kind that felt practiced and sure. “Of course I did. That’s just the beginning.”I watched people from the corner of my eye as they continued whispering and glancing in our direction. Good. That was exactly what we wanted. Attention. Disruption. Confusion. That was how we started shaking things up. All it took was a dramatic entrance, a few well-placed words, and one million dollars to make the room talk. And it had been worth every penny.Elena reached out and grabbed a glass of wine from a passing waiter. I followed her lead, taking one too. The taste didn’t matter much to me, but I figured it was a g
EmiliaThe morning after the fundraiser, everything felt like a blur. I was still trying to process the events of the night before. The fundraiser had been full of surprises, from meeting new faces to the sudden arrival of Elena Smith. The way she had stepped into the spotlight and o was now sure that she planned to take over her father’s position at Kane Group. The fact that she was Katherine’s sister and Marcus Smith’s daughter made it even more complicated.Something about her presence made me uneasy. I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more going on than I could see.The day started like any other, or at least it should have. We were heading into a board meeting, a usual part of Richard’s routine, but today felt different. It was about the expansion of Kane Group, a big deal for the company, but I couldn’t focus. There was too much on my mind. Maybe it was because of her sudden appearance, or perhaps it was Jayden's presenceWhatever it was, I couldn’t shake the sense
EmiliaAfter my brief little talk with Elena, I said to myself I wasn’t going to let her get under my skin. I had already had enough of everyone who were trying to intimidate me just because they had a fancier last name or a bigger title.I wasn’t here to play games or prove anything to anyone, no not anymore. I had my husband's support, I knew what I was doing, and if I am being honest, I had enough on my head without having to worry about Elena Smith and her quiet threats.So I took a very deep and long breath, straightened my composure, and pushed everything she said to the back of my head. If she wanted a fight, she’d have to come a bit harder than that. I wasn’t backing down, not now or ever.As I made my way across the hallway, I walked by one of the newer employees, a shy young guy from the finance department. I actually recalled his name, Daniel. He looked like he was trying to decide whether to talk or just keep moving.“Good morning, Daniel,” I greeted him with a little smil
RichardThe office felt weirdly tense and the air was thick with the weight of the discussions that had already taken place. I sat at the large wooden table in Elena office, across from her and Emilia was present as well. She seemeda bit odd, I assume I had something to do with my mother'sunexpected visit. The tension between Elena and Emilia was subtle but not unnoticeable, a quiet clash of strong wills that neither of them even tried to hide. I couldn’t blame Emilia for being wary of Elena. After all, Elena was a Smith and Katherine's sister and she hasn't had much fun with that family.“Richard,” Elena began withher voice smooth and controlled, “as we look at expanding the company even further, I think we need put some focus on streamlining our resources. Some departments need restructuring if we want to scale properly. This isn’t just about growth, it’s also about stability.”I nodded, my mind already processing the details of her proposal. “I agree. The new subsidiary needs to
JaydenI walked into Elena’s office, the meeting alongside a feeling, a familiar mix of both annoyance and frustration. I wonder, why do i even have to be here in the first place.The last thing I needed to do today was sit through another one of these boring corporate discussions. I didn’t care about the bloody expansion. I didn’t care about the company’s long-term goals or whatever. All I cared about was getting what I want and only what I want.I looked around as I entered the room. Richard sat at the head of the table, his usual intimidating presence filling the space. Beside him, Emilia sat quietly, looking just as perfect and composed as always. I could feel the tension between them, but I wasn’t here for that. I was here to do my part. I had to, whether I liked it or not.But the way Richard just stared at me, like he was questioning me, it bothered me. It was very subtle but I could tell. He had been giving me that look lately like he was trying to figure me out or something,
Emilia"Is everything set?" Richard’s voice echoed from the kitchen, louder than usual."Yes, the table is set!" I called back making sure my voice was loud enough so he could hear me.I stepped back a little and took a moment to admire the dining table. I had put in a lot of effort, and it definitely showed. The table looked beautiful it was almost like something out of a magazine. There were red roses placed on both sides, giving the whole setting a soft, romantic feel. Each plate, white marble with a smooth shine was surrounded by silver spoons, forks, and knives, all lined up perfectly. The dining towels were red too with a shiny gold stripe running down the middle. It felt fancy, like the kind of setup rich people like Richard probably grew up with.But one thing kept bothering me, why was Richard always the one cooking?He had a housekeeper, but she never touched the kitchen. Every time we had guests or even when it was just the two of us Richard insisted on doing it all himsel
EmiliaI sat at the far end of the table, as far away from Richard as I could manage without being obvious about it. My heart felt heavy, and I knew exactly why, Richard’s mother was sitting right next to him on his right side, while Jacob sat beside him on his left. Elena, always playing the perfect part, was seated beside his mother, the perfect picture of someone who belonged.The food in front of me seemed like it would never end, but I forced myself to keep eating. I stabbed at the turkey on my plate, cutting a piece and putting it in my mouth mechanically. The same process over and over again. I could feel the weight of Richard’s family bearing down on me, but I refused to look up or say anything. If I just kept eating, maybe they’d stop looking at me. Maybe, just maybe, they’d leave me alone.But that wasn’t the case. I could feel Richard’s mother’s eyes on me, a constant, piercing gaze that seemed to judge every move I made. I cut another piece of turkey, but before I could
Emilia"Is everything set?" Richard’s voice echoed from the kitchen, louder than usual."Yes, the table is set!" I called back making sure my voice was loud enough so he could hear me.I stepped back a little and took a moment to admire the dining table. I had put in a lot of effort, and it definitely showed. The table looked beautiful it was almost like something out of a magazine. There were red roses placed on both sides, giving the whole setting a soft, romantic feel. Each plate, white marble with a smooth shine was surrounded by silver spoons, forks, and knives, all lined up perfectly. The dining towels were red too with a shiny gold stripe running down the middle. It felt fancy, like the kind of setup rich people like Richard probably grew up with.But one thing kept bothering me, why was Richard always the one cooking?He had a housekeeper, but she never touched the kitchen. Every time we had guests or even when it was just the two of us Richard insisted on doing it all himsel
JaydenI walked into Elena’s office, the meeting alongside a feeling, a familiar mix of both annoyance and frustration. I wonder, why do i even have to be here in the first place.The last thing I needed to do today was sit through another one of these boring corporate discussions. I didn’t care about the bloody expansion. I didn’t care about the company’s long-term goals or whatever. All I cared about was getting what I want and only what I want.I looked around as I entered the room. Richard sat at the head of the table, his usual intimidating presence filling the space. Beside him, Emilia sat quietly, looking just as perfect and composed as always. I could feel the tension between them, but I wasn’t here for that. I was here to do my part. I had to, whether I liked it or not.But the way Richard just stared at me, like he was questioning me, it bothered me. It was very subtle but I could tell. He had been giving me that look lately like he was trying to figure me out or something,
RichardThe office felt weirdly tense and the air was thick with the weight of the discussions that had already taken place. I sat at the large wooden table in Elena office, across from her and Emilia was present as well. She seemeda bit odd, I assume I had something to do with my mother'sunexpected visit. The tension between Elena and Emilia was subtle but not unnoticeable, a quiet clash of strong wills that neither of them even tried to hide. I couldn’t blame Emilia for being wary of Elena. After all, Elena was a Smith and Katherine's sister and she hasn't had much fun with that family.“Richard,” Elena began withher voice smooth and controlled, “as we look at expanding the company even further, I think we need put some focus on streamlining our resources. Some departments need restructuring if we want to scale properly. This isn’t just about growth, it’s also about stability.”I nodded, my mind already processing the details of her proposal. “I agree. The new subsidiary needs to
EmiliaAfter my brief little talk with Elena, I said to myself I wasn’t going to let her get under my skin. I had already had enough of everyone who were trying to intimidate me just because they had a fancier last name or a bigger title.I wasn’t here to play games or prove anything to anyone, no not anymore. I had my husband's support, I knew what I was doing, and if I am being honest, I had enough on my head without having to worry about Elena Smith and her quiet threats.So I took a very deep and long breath, straightened my composure, and pushed everything she said to the back of my head. If she wanted a fight, she’d have to come a bit harder than that. I wasn’t backing down, not now or ever.As I made my way across the hallway, I walked by one of the newer employees, a shy young guy from the finance department. I actually recalled his name, Daniel. He looked like he was trying to decide whether to talk or just keep moving.“Good morning, Daniel,” I greeted him with a little smil
EmiliaThe morning after the fundraiser, everything felt like a blur. I was still trying to process the events of the night before. The fundraiser had been full of surprises, from meeting new faces to the sudden arrival of Elena Smith. The way she had stepped into the spotlight and o was now sure that she planned to take over her father’s position at Kane Group. The fact that she was Katherine’s sister and Marcus Smith’s daughter made it even more complicated.Something about her presence made me uneasy. I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more going on than I could see.The day started like any other, or at least it should have. We were heading into a board meeting, a usual part of Richard’s routine, but today felt different. It was about the expansion of Kane Group, a big deal for the company, but I couldn’t focus. There was too much on my mind. Maybe it was because of her sudden appearance, or perhaps it was Jayden's presenceWhatever it was, I couldn’t shake the sense
JaydenThe moment Elena and I moved away from Richard and Emilia, I could feel the tension I’d been holding onto all evening starting to fade. I looked over at Elena. That soft, confident smile was still sitting perfectly on her face. It was like she’d just won something, and in a way, she had.“You did well,” I said quietly, not wanting anyone else to hear.She gave a small laugh, the kind that felt practiced and sure. “Of course I did. That’s just the beginning.”I watched people from the corner of my eye as they continued whispering and glancing in our direction. Good. That was exactly what we wanted. Attention. Disruption. Confusion. That was how we started shaking things up. All it took was a dramatic entrance, a few well-placed words, and one million dollars to make the room talk. And it had been worth every penny.Elena reached out and grabbed a glass of wine from a passing waiter. I followed her lead, taking one too. The taste didn’t matter much to me, but I figured it was a g
EmiliaThe time was exactly 7 pm when our car came to a smooth halt in front of the venue. Richard opened the door and came out first, then he turned and calmly reached out his hand to me. I placed my hand on his, giving a small sigh as I stepped out into the cool night air.We arrived veru early at The Golden Crown Hotel and Towers, one of the most luxurious hotels in the city. It stood tall and elegant, its glass walls shimmering right beneath the city lights. The entrance was beautified with silver drapes, white daisies, and long strands of neon lights. There was even a red carpet rolled out from the steps of the building to the parking area. Photographers and reporters were already swarming the entrance with cameras flashing like stars all around.As we made our way, side by side on the red carpet, I could practically feel hundreds of eyes on us. I looked down for a moment, a little shy, I hadn't gotten used to any of this, but Richard squeezed my hand gently, giving me the drive
RichardThe sun was just beginning to rise when I woke up, the soft light was creeping in through the curtains.The peaceful and quiet hum of the city outside was barely noticeable, but it was certainly there, a very subtle reminder that life was goinf to keep on moving forward. I quietly slipped out of the bed moving carefully not to disturb Emilia, who was still sleeping soundly beside me. I could never quite get over how peaceful she looked when she slept. There was something so calming about the way her hair spread across the pillow and the way she breathed so steadily. It made me want to protect her even more, as if nothing or no one would dare to touch her. It was always nice to wake to wake every morning and watch her sleep peacefully by my side I made my way to the balcony of our bedroom, stepping outside into the cool morning air. The view from out here was breathtaking, with the city stretching out in front of me, bathed in the soft golden light of dawn. I definitely pi