The next day when Marcus and his assistant arrived, the company was a bit disorganized and frenzy which was a bit surprising because it rarely happens.“What is wrong?” Marcus asked his employees with a frown on his face.“The company has been hacked. I fear that some important documents will get stolen” The secretary immediately answered.Marcus's heart raced, and his breath caught in his throat. He stared at the secretary, disbelief clouding his mind as he processed her words. The office around him blurred, the hum of chaos fading as he grappled with the reality of the breach. “What? How did that happen?” He asked.The secretary was also clueless. She had no idea what happened either. “I don’t really know,” She answered with a helpless expression.Marcus frowned. “Have you called the company hackers to check it?” He asked her.The secretary nodded. “They are already in the office now,” She answered.Marcus frowned. “Lead the way,” He said to her.The secretary nodded and turned to w
“If you continue disturbing her, I will make sure all these information reaches your competitors email” The new message.A chill ran down Marcus's spine as the implications of the hacker's threat settled in. He sat frozen for a moment, the air in the room suddenly feeling thick and suffocating. Images of shattered reputations and lost trust flashed through his mind, each more daunting than the last. His hands gripped the edge of the desk, knuckling white as he fought against the swell of anxiety rising within him.Marcus tried to reply the email, but it says “Not sent”He wanted to ask who is the “Her” he keeps talking about. The only woman he has been with since was Lily. Then he immediately recalled Lilian. ‘Could it be her?’ He thought.Marcus shook his head, trying to dispel the nagging thoughts swirling in his mind. He pressed his palms against his temples, the tension building like a vice. The mere idea that Lilian could be involved felt absurd, yet the thought clung to him, r
Moses walked into the house, Lilian and Matt was sitting down on the couch watching television.Matt immediately stood up and ran to meet him. He hugged Moses, “Uncle, you are back” He said with a smile on his face.Moses hugged him and carried him up in his arms he nodded his head. “Yes, how was school today?” He asked him.Matt smiled, “It was fine” Lilian sprang to her feet, a bright smile lighting up her face as she stepped forward. She wrapped her arms around Moses, pulling him close. "Brother!" she exclaimed, her voice warm and inviting, as if the embrace alone could erase any distance between them. “How was your day? Hope you were not feeling too bored?” Moses asked her with a smile on his face.Lilian nodded her head. “Well, it was fine” She said.Moses sat down on the couch. While Matt went to sit beside Lilian back, so Moses was facing them directly.“How was the office today?” Lilian asked him. She was supposed to go with him but Moses said no, that she needs to rest afte
The next day, Lilian and Moses drove to work. They left early because they still needs to drop Matt off at his school.His school is a private and high security school, so no one could easily access him except Moses or Lilian.They arrived at the company and Lilian got down from the car. As Lilian stepped into the office, the familiar buzz of activity enveloped her. Heads turned, and friendly smiles greeted her like a warm embrace. "Hey, Lilian! How are you?" one colleague called out, concerned with threading through their voice. She offered a reassuring smile, but inside, she felt a flutter of uncertainty. "I'm fine, just needed a day to recharge," she replied.Lilian told them she was alright before she used the elevator to the office.She sat down in her office, it was very close to Moses’s office since she was his personal assistant anyways.There were some workload piled up in her desk she guessed it was probably from the secretary because she knew Moses will not leave those wor
Marcus got to the end of the stairs with his assistant. He was already tired from climbing the stairs. He wanted to use the elevator but the receptionist told him that the elevator only belongs to the CEO so he can’t use it. So he had no choice than to use the staircase.At the top of the stairs, Marcus paused and glanced back, catching sight of his assistant, breathless and struggling to keep up.Marcus turned. Marcus halted in his tracks, his heart racing as he registered Lilian's presence, surprise washing over him like a cold wave.“What are you doing here?” He asked her in shock.Lilian's eyes sparkled as she beamed at Marcus, her smile radiating warmth and confidence like Marcus was just a stranger Lilian's smile was warm but her eyes hinted at urgency. “The CEO is waiting for you. Follow me,” she urged, turning swiftly toward the office.Marcus opened his mouth to ask more questions, but Lilian was already striding ahead, leaving him with a knot of unanswered inquiries.. So
Hilary believed that if Marcus and Lilian were on good terms, what happened today would never happen.He was also there when Marcus started treating Lilian badly, but he is the boss so there is nothing he can do about it.Lily walked towards Marcus office ignoring his assistant, but Hilary immediately moved and stood in front of the door.“I’m really sorry Miss, but Bøss is not in a good mood” Hilary said with an apologetic tone.Lily frowned, she did not believe that. She instead believed that maybe Marcus and a woman is inside the office that was why he ordered his assistant not to allow her in.“Do you know who I am?” Lily asked with a cold expression.Hilary nodded his head. “Yes yes” He answered.“Move away now. I don’t have time for all this” Lily said.Hilary sighed. “I really want to but -“The office door was suddenly opened, Marcus was standing there looking at them.“Marcus” Lily called like she has been wronged.“What is it?” Marcus leaned against the doorframe, his jaw te
It was 8pm on dot, Lilian started packing her things and arranged the desk before leaving. When she was done , she carried her bag and the car key, it was with her and she left her office.She got to the reception desk. The receptionist smiled when she saw her, “You are ready to go ?” She was surprised because everyone was working overtime.Lilian nodded. “Yes,” she said with a smile on her face. “Alright then, Miss Stephan, once I’m done I will drop the files on your desk before tomorrow” The receptionist said with a smile on her face.“Alright, thank you” Lilian said “Good night,” the receptionist said.“Good night” Lilian waved at her before she walked out of the company.Lilian drove home, the weight of the day pressing down on her like a thick blanket. Her mind drifted as she navigated the familiar streets, the hum of the engine barely registering.She felt the fatigue settling into her bones, each traffic light an unwelcome pause that made her wish she could close her eyes jus
Lilian started working on the files on her desk immediately she walked into her office. She wondered why Moses was not here yet but she did not really think too much of it.KnockSomeone knocked on the door, Lilian raised her head and looked at the door.“Come in” Lilian said in a bit loud tone.The door was pushed open and an employee walked in to the office.“Hello Miss Lilian” Jane said as she walked into the office, she was the one who was gossiping with the receptionist downstairs before.“Hello.” Lilian said as she put down her pen.“These are the files from the personnel department” She said.“You can drop it” “Can you really handle it? Because it is the CEO who works on these files” Jane asked like she was actually concerned but she was just mocking her.Lilian's eyebrow arched in disbelief. Is she really questioning me? “You can drop it” she replied, her voice steady but edged with irritation, signaling that she wouldn't tolerate any more condescension.Jane shivered when
Matt blinked innocently at the question, his expression earnest. “We only met Grandma Clara, and she took us to the shopping mall. She bought me some toys before we went to the restaurant,” he said, carefully leaving out everything else that had happened.Lilian glanced at her Eldest brother, her lips lifting into a faint smile. “I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about me.” She tried to sound convincing, but deep down, she understood why they were concerned. They cared about her—it was as simple as that—and that thought melted her heart.“Why wouldn’t we worry about you?” Noah said, his voice tinged with both affection and exasperation. “You’re our only sister.”Lilian let out a soft laugh and nodded. “Yes, yes, I know,” she replied, brushing off their concern as gently as she could.Moses, the quieter of the two older brothers, gave her a small smile. “Just be careful,” he said, his tone firm but caring.Lilian met his gaze and nodded again. “I will, I promise. It’s just that Aunty C
Lily felt awkward. She had wanted to see a pained, vulnerable expression on Lilian’s face—something to prove her presence still affected her—but Lilian’s features remained cold and indifferent, as though she were looking at nothing more than a passing stranger. That wasn’t the reaction Lily had hoped for, and it gnawed at her.“We’re leaving,” Clara said, her voice firm and crisp. She turned to Marcus with a look that brokered no argument. Without waiting for a response, she grabbed Matt’s small hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Let’s go,” she added, nodding toward Lilian.Lilian nodded silently, her expression neutral, and rose to her feet. Without a glance back, she followed Clara out of the restaurant. Her movements were slow, deliberate—steady in a way that seemed to irritate Lily even more.Left behind, Lily turned to Marcus with wide eyes, playing up her confusion and innocence. “It seems Aunty Clara still doesn’t like me,” she said softly, her tone carefully layered with
They started eating in silence. Clara seemed more focused on Matt than ever before, her attention unwavering as she carefully observed him. Lilian couldn’t help but feel a warm sense of happiness at how well Clara treated her son. The tenderness in Clara’s actions brought comfort to Lilian’s heart.Clara kept putting food into Matt’s bowl, making sure he had enough to eat. Then, suddenly, Marcus picked up a piece of fish and placed it in Matt’s bowl as well.The table fell silent. Everyone froze.Lilian blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected gesture. It felt strange, an odd shift in the air that unsettled her. Across the table, Lily’s face darkened, her expression turning sour as she frowned deeply.Matt, noticing the fish in his bowl, frowned too. For a moment, he stared at it as though unsure of what to do. Then, without a word, he picked it up and placed it into his mouth, chewing silently.Marcus smiled faintly when he saw Matt eat the fish, the small success lighting up his
Clara, Lilian, and Matt left the shopping mall promptly after Clara paid for their purchases. Lilian had offered to pay, but Clara shut her down immediately with a dismissive wave of her hand.“Not today, Lilian. This one’s on me,” Clara said firmly, a small but satisfied smile on her face.“Alright, fine,” Lilian relented, shaking her head slightly. “Thank you, though.”Clara simply smiled, her attention quickly shifting to Matt, who was already preoccupied with staring out the window of the car, waiting for it to move.Once they were all settled inside, Clara glanced back at her grandson through the rearview mirror. “Are you hungry, sweetheart?”Matt, still fiddling with his seatbelt, immediately perked up at the question. He looked up, his eyes bright with excitement. “Yes, Grandma! I’m really, really hungry,” he said earnestly.Clara chuckled lightly as she started the car. “Well, let’s fix that, then. We’ll get something good to eat.”The drive was quiet and comfortable. Lilian s
When Lilian arrived at where the commotion, her brow furrowed at the sight before her. Her son, Matt, stood stiffly near a brightly lit toy display, his little fists clenched at his sides. Beside him stood another boy, roughly the same age, though his posture was far less composed—one hand on his hip, the other gripping a toy car. Facing them both was a woman Lilian didn’t recognize. The tension in the air was palpable, and all three wore expressions that hinted at a brewing argument.“What’s going on here?” Lilian asked, addressing the store attendant nearby, her voice edged with concern.Before the attendant could respond, Matt turned sharply at the sound of her voice. Relief washed over his small face, and he immediately ran to her side. “Mom!” he said, his voice a mixture of urgency and relief.The woman scoffed, folding her arms tightly across her chest. Her expensive-looking jacket crinkled as she shifted, her glare unwavering. “Oh, you’re his mother?” she said, her tone sharp a
“Yes, that is Moses,” Lilian said softly, her tone tinged with both surprise and reflection.Clara, seated in the driver’s seat with her hands loosely gripping the steering wheel, raised an eyebrow. “Oh,” she muttered, as though trying to process this bit of information. Then, shaking off her curiosity, she smiled warmly and said, “Well, get into the car so we can go.”Her voice was cheerful, coaxing Lilian into movement.Lilian nodded and turned to Matt, holding out her hand to guide him. “You first, buddy.” Matt clambered into the backseat, his little legs barely reaching the car floor. Lilian slid in next to him, securing his seatbelt before settling into her own spot.Clara waited until Lilian had closed the door before starting the car. The engine hummed softly as she backed out of the driveway and onto the main road. The three sat quietly for a moment, each lost in their thoughts, until Clara glanced at Lilian through the rearview mirror.“The mall’s our first stop,” she announc
The next morning, Lilian emerged from her room and walked into the living room. The house was already alive with small movements. Moses was seated at the far end of the couch, engrossed in his laptop, the light from the screen reflecting on his focused face. Meanwhile, Noah was sprawled comfortably on the other couch, casually munching on a bag of snacks.“Good morning, brothers,” Lilian greeted cheerfully, her voice light as she walked into the room.Moses looked up, the corner of his mouth lifting into a smile. “You’re finally awake? How was your night?”“It was okay,” Lilian said with a nod, taking a seat near Noah. “What about yours?”Moses leaned back slightly in his chair, stretching his arms before answering. “I woke up feeling a lot better today,” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips.Lilian smiled back. “That’s good to hear.” She looked over at his laptop. “You’re not heading to the company yet?”Moses let out a small sigh, shutting the laptop for a moment. “I will, but
Finally, they were done.Clara and Lilian stepped out of the restaurant, ready to call it a night.“Do you want me to drop you off?” Clara asked as they walked toward the parking lot.Lilian shook her head, offering a smile. “No, we came with a car.”Clara nodded, smiling back. “Oh, that’s true.”She would’ve said yes if she hadn’t driven her own car there.They walked toward Lilian’s car, and Clara waited until Lilian pulled out of the parking space and drove away. She watched the taillights fade into the distance before walking over to her own car.Lilian and Matt finally arrived home. Lilian opened the front door, and they stepped inside to find Moses and Noah sitting on the living room couch.A smile tugged at Lilian’s lips when she saw them.“Welcome back,” Moses said, raising an eyebrow playfully.Lilian chuckled under her breath. “Brother,” she muttered warmly as she closed the door behind her.Matt broke into a run toward Moses. “Uncle!” he shouted, throwing his little arms ar
Lilian smiled when she heard Clara’s voice. She nodded slightly, acknowledging the unspoken truth—technically, it made sense. Clara and Mrs. Thompson were practically the same age.“Oh,” Matt murmured when his mother confirmed it. His expression shifted, brightening into an innocent, radiant smile. “Grandma,” he said, his voice cheerful as he looked up at Clara.Clara froze for a moment, her lips parting slightly in surprise before breaking into a warm smile. The word lingered in the air, filling her chest with a strange, comforting joy. She could feel her heart soften at the little boy’s words.As she looked at Matt—his round cheeks, curious eyes, and bright expression—Clara couldn’t help but wonder how her sister would react. Her sister, who hadn’t even heard the word “Grandma” from her own grandson yet. Oh, what a story this would make, Clara thought with a sly smile tugging at her lips.Clara seated herself across from Lilian and Matt, her smile lingering as she took in the sight