"Ladies and gentlemen," He began with a serious voice. "It appears our bidder for the bracelet could not pay. Therefore, as per the rules, she is hereby fined one thousand dollars."Daniella felt the weight of the room's eyes upon her, and the murmurs of the crowd grew louder. Her face was flushed with embarrassment.She could hear someone whisper. "I'm sure she can't even pay for the penalty fee."Deep down, Daniella knew that the person was saying the truth. The fact was that she didn't even have the money for the penalty fee, let alone fifty thousand dollars for the bracelet."Isn't her fiance supposed to be wealthy? Maybe he had gone broke." Another person added.Desmond began to feel embarrassed. Daniella was about to ruin his image in front of everyone. He knew how bad it would be if he don't react. He stood a chance of loosing investors if he doesn't act. They would think he had gone bankrupt. He had warned her earlier but she choose to drag his feet out.To avoid future shame
After the auction, Sylvester escorted Anabel out and offered to take her to a nearby hotel for a relief. "Maybe next time. I need to get back home." Anabel turned him down.."What about coming to my house? You know....you have never visited my house.""Is it necessary?" Anabel asked."I think so. You know.... we've been friends for a good time now. So i think it will be nice to spend some time together in my house. At least, you will know where I'm living." Sylvester replied."Alright, i think you are right. Just send me your address. I will check my schedule for this week and make out time." Anabel replied."That's great. I will send my address once I get back to the house." "So, I will be going now." Anabel said and headed to her car. Sylvester watched her enter and her driver drove away. Once she was out of view, he smiled, "Just a few steps to have you for myself." He said and walked up to his car....Anabel got home and her mind flashed back to Sylvester. She didn't trust Sy
Sylvester was surprised that Vanessa could pull that. Her action was already making things easy for him. He couldn't believe that she could be so smart and talented."She's a friend. A very good friend. Her name is Anabel." Sylvester replied."Oh! Anabel. So she's the one. The lady you are always talking about." Vanessa added as if she was surprised."Yeah." Sylvester replied and turned to Anabel. "Anabel, this is Vanessa, my cousin sister. She came to visit me."Anabel smiled and extended her hand for a handshake, "Nice to meet you, Vanessa." "Nice to meet you too, Anabel." She shook her hand and gave her a light hug. "I'm so happy to see you. I've been looking forward to see you. And..... You are not looking bad as he always talk. I will like to borrow your dress some day."Anabel smiled, "You don't have any problem. Just tell me when you need it.""Anyway, My visit may be a bit surprising and unexpected. I didn't mean to intrude. I just wanted to surprise Sylvester. I hope I'm no
"I said water. Why are you bothering yourself with the fruits" Anabel said. "It's an error to come to my house for the first time and drink only water." Sylvester said. "At least take some fruits." He served it on a small mobile table and pushed it close to her. Anabel hesitated and took a bite of the apple. "Thank you very much." "It's nothing." Sylvester replied. As they continued to chat, Vanessa seamlessly slipped into her role as Sylvester's cousin, sharing stories from their supposed childhood together. She was so convincing that Anabel found herself relaxing, her initial suspicions slowly fading away.Vanessa's laughter was infectious, and she had a way of making Anabel feel included in the conversation. At one point, Vanessa excused herself to use the bathroom, leaving Anabel and Sylvester alone for a moment. Anabel turned to Sylvester. "You never mentioned Vanessa before. She seems lovely." Sylvester shrugged. "She's jovial and friendly. We don't see each other often, b
Daniella was in the middle of the living room, her heart pounding as she zipped up the last bag. She was packing her stuffs to threaten Desmond of leaving. Desmond had arrived from work and was on his way to the room. Daniella had arranged everything and was waiting for him. For the past few daya, Anytime Daniella remind Desmond about the wedding, he would found some excuse, some reason to delay. Desmond walked into the room just as Daniella was about to drag the luggage out. He was surprised. Daniella didn't tell him that she would be going anywhere. And looking at how she was prepared, he could tell that she was planning to spend a long time in wherever she was going. She literally packed all her belongings. "I don't understand. What is happening? Where are you going with your bags?" He asked. His voice was laced with a mix of surprise and concern. Daniella looked up at him in anger. "I'm leaving, Desmond. I'm tired of getting used. I'm done waiting for you to make up your
The next day, Desmond arrived at his family home. The familiar sight of the large storey building, with its well-tended garden and the comforting scent of his mother's cooking wafting through the air, gave him a fleeting sense of nostalgia. He took a deep breath before stepping inside. "Mom? Bella?" Desmond called out as he closed the door behind him.His mother sauntered from the kitchen while wiping her hands over the apron. Her eyes lit up when she saw him. "Desmond, my son! It's been a while," she said, pulling him into a warm embrace. Desmond had thought she would be angry at him but she wasn't. She was happy to see him. Even though he had not been visiting them, he had been sending money for their upkeep. "It's good to see you, Mom," Desmond replied, hugging her tightly. Bella, his younger sister, bounded down the stairs with her usual exuberance. "Desmond! You are here!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. "I thought you won't visit us again." Desmond chuckled.
Sylvester arrived at Akylace restaurant thirty minutes early. He had a date with Anabel that evening. He had planned to convince her to be his girlfriend. He was dressed in a crisp white shirt and tailored suit. Looking at him, one could easy say that he was a gentle man. He looked every bit the gentleman he wasn't. He had choosing a secluded corner table that offered some sense of privacy. Sylvester called one of the waitress. "Can I have a bottle of LA. Tache and two glass cups?" Sylvester asked. "Right away, Sir." The waitress replied and went to get it. A couple of minutes later, the waitress arrived with the bottle of the red wine and two glass cup. "This wine costs three thousand dollars. Should I go ahead and open it?" The waitress asked. "Do I look like someone that cannot afford it?" He asked. "Go ahead and open it." "I'm sorry sir. I just found the need to let you know." The waitress said and went ahead to open it. She pop it open and poured a good amount in the gla
She had been hurt before, and the idea of opening herself up to someone new was daunting. But Sylvester's words were convincing, and his sincerity seemed genuine. "I don't know, Sylvester." she said quietly. "It's a lot to consider." "I know it's a big decision. I understand how you are feeling." Sylvester said tightened his grip on her hand slightly. "But think about it. I will show you how it feels like to be loved. I will show you the love you always fantasize. I will cherish you and your baby. We could be a family and live happily ever after." Anabel's mind began to race, thinking about his confessions. She had to admit, the idea of having someone to share her life with, someone who would care for her and her child, was appealing. But she couldn't shake the nagging doubt that gnawed at her. "Sylvester, I need to be sure that this is what you truly want." She said with a mean voice. "I can't go through another heartbreak." Sylvester's heart began to pound in his chest. H
The room went silent. Everyone was surprised. At this point, they knew they were all in trouble if she eventually became the CEO. Kane stared at the broken remains of his phone. He never dreamt of having such a bad day. The employees around him remained silent. They looked scared and surprised. Mr. Barnard, meanwhile, stood smugly to the side. He had his arms crossed as though he had already won. He knew that what she did was bad, but since he wasn't affected, he was satisfied. "First, I don't care who you are. You are going to buy a brand new phone for me. Secondly, I’m not leaving, not until the CEO comes and explains himself. He’s the one who hired me, and only he has the right to kick me out." Kane said but Daniella only smiled. "It won’t change anything, Kane. Don’t you understand? By tomorrow, I will be taking over this company. I will be the new boss, and my decisions will stand. Your days here are already over. You can pick up the pieces of your phone and leave." "That ma
"That’s not true, and you know it! I was the one who stayed up all night working on the system. You left, leaving me here all alone." Kane said, but unfortunately for him, no one could stand up for him. Mr. Barnard and Kane were the last persons to remain in the office. No one knew the person who slept and the one who stayed behind. This morning , they came to work and met both of them in the office and also learned that everything has been fixed. "Kane, let’s not make this more embarrassing for yourself. The truth is, I’m the one who restored the system functionality. I’ve been monitoring the situation closely, and it was my intervention that resolved the issue. You are new here, and clearly, you know you are not even qualified to handle something like that. You are just here because the CEO employed you." "That’s a lie!" Kane shot back in frustration. "I was employed here because you couldn't handle all the tasks. I've saved your ass a few times, and you know it. Yesterday, you
Kane stood up slowly to defend himself. "I think there has been a misunderstanding here." He began. "I didn't know when I slept off. Besides, I wasn’t sleeping because I’m lazy. I’ve been working all night to restore the system after it was attacked by hackers. I finished fixing it very early this morning and must have dozed off." He finished, but Daniella crossed her arms to show she was unimpressed or even buying his stories."Do you really expect me to believe that excuse? Sleeping while work is going on is unacceptable, no matter how you try to spin it. Your incompetence is very clear, and you are done here.""I don't think so. This company needs me here to function properly. Mr. Desmond needs me. You can't just fire me like this. I stressed myself to restore things to order, and you want to pay me back by kicking me out? That's ruthless.""Do you want to tell me you are better than everyone here? Just pack your personal belongings and leave. I won't repeat myself. Leave when you
Daniella seemed entirely unfazed by the attention. That was what she was expecting. She love the way people stared at her. In her mind, she was already the CEO, and these employees were her subjects.The whispers grew louder as she continued down the hallway. "Isn’t that Mrs. Daniella?" one worker murmured to a colleague, trying to hide his voice behind his hand. "Why is she here?" "I thought she was just the CEO’s lover." Another worker replied quietly. "Why is she walking around like she owns the place?" Daniella overheard some of their conversations as she passed by and smirked to herself. She was enjoying the subtle power of being at the center of attention. It was clear that Daniella’s unexpected arrival had sent ripples through the company. Even at that, she remained entirely focused on her mission. To assert herself and make her presence felt. For her, every gaze was a silent acknowledgment of the authority she believed was already hers. Tomorrow, once Desmond signed t
As he was walking closer, his eyes were darting between Daniella and the security man.When he got to the entrance door, Daniella spun around to face him. Her demeanor shifted slightly as she realized someone in authority had showed up. Someone who may know who she is. "Finally," she said with exaggerated exasperation. "Someone who I know will have some common sense."The deputy manager frowned slightly as he looked at Daniella. He has not seen her physically before. Desmond has once shown them his woman on the phone."You must be Mrs. Daniella." He said cautiously. "The CEO’s wife.""Exactly! I know you will know who I am." Daniella snapped and pointed her finger at the security guard. "This man has been keeping me from entering the building, treating me like some kind of intruder!""Are you serious?" The deputy manager asked."Why will I be standing here if not that he's blocking my way? I went on to explain myself to him, and he went on to threaten that he will kick me out." Danie
She stared at him from head to his shoes before saying, "Who are you to ask me who I am?" "I'm the security officer here. I need to know who you are, or rather, an identification, before you can enter the building."Daniella stopped abruptly. She couldn’t believe the words she had just heard. "Identification?" she repeated. "Do you even know who I am?" She asked, and the guard shook his head. "I’m sorry, ma’am, but I don’t. That’s why I need to see some ID or confirmation of an appointment before I can let you in. It’s standard protocol for security purposes.""Standard protocol? Do you have any idea who you are talking to?" Daniella asked. "Anyway, let me tell you who I am because it's obvious you don't know who is standing before you. My name is Daniella, Desmond's wife and soon-to-be ex-wife. But more importantly, I am the new potential CEO of this company. This building, this business, it will all be mine by tomorrow." Daniella finished, but the security guard’s expression didn'
Vanessa smiled faintly but didn’t respond immediately. She took another slow bite of fruit before speaking. "It’s been... hard. But I’m trying to stay positive. I just want to get better." "You will," Anabel assured her. "You are strong, Vanessa. And you have me and Sylvester here to take care of you. Just make sure you adhere to the doctor’s instructions and don’t push yourself too hard." Vanessa nodded again. "I will." For the next several minutes, Vanessa continued to eat the fruit salad slowly, pausing every so often to adjust her posture or to make it seem as though she was in discomfort. Once it was ten minutes, Vanessa slowly dropped the food and laid back on the bed. "Sorry, you will be fine." Sha said and gave Vanessa’s hand a gentle squeeze before turning to Sylvester. "I will be going now. Take good care of her," she said and turned to Vanessa. "Remember—no overdoing it. Rest as much as you can." "I will." Thank you for everything, Anabel." Vanessa replied.
Few minutes later, Anabel got to the hospital and made her way down the bright hospital hallway. She was carrying the fruit salad she had bought for Vanessa. She believed it was what she needed and that it would help her recover faster. It was a way of showing how concerned and how caring she was. The few staff members that saw her the other day were confused. Some were assuming she was the billionaire lady look-alike, while others were believing it was the same person. When she reached Vanessa's hospital room, she hesitated only briefly before pushing the door open. She had grown comfortable enough during her visits to skip knocking. Besides, she was her cousin's girlfriend. When she stepped into the room, the sight that greeted her made her pause in her tracks, her brow furrowing in confusion. Vanessa was sitting on the edge of the bed. Her legs were dangling loosely, and she looked more comfortable than she had expected from someone who had surgery the previous day. She wasn't
Anabel couldn't help but laugh at Daniella's words. "This is so funny. I didn't know you were a comedian.""What's funny about what I said now? You should be thanking me for informing you on time. You should be grateful to me for letting you know." Daniella said."I’m not sure where you are getting your ideas, Daniella, but let me make one thing clear. I don’t need Desmond in my life anymore. I've found a man who will be a better father to my unborn child. I'm even wondering why you left the man you snatched from someone. He's no longer taking good care of you?"Well, let me give you the full picture, since you are clearly out of the loop." Daniella began. "I never wanted to marry Desmond and live with him forever after. My intention was to marry and divorce him, then take half of his wealth, and it worked. I never loved him, and he's not even the father of my baby.""You must be joking.""I'm serious. I have a boyfriend, and he's the father. We just used Desmond, and soon, we will be