The entire morning proceeded like nothing happened. Ashley still filmed smoothly without retake. If there were changes in it, it would be the additional presence of a small dumpling shuttling across the set like a fish in the sea.Right after the lunch, Ashley took one last scene before she accompanied Scottie to take a nap. She did not forget to set her alarm to 2:25 PM.The sound of the alarm woke up Ashley’s light sleep. Looking back at her son, seeing him sleep soundly, she let her wavy hair slid behind her back—messy and sexy. Before she went out, she made sure to use her just bought hot red lipstick.Instead of coffee, Ashley opened the specially prepared Laffite 1980 which she took secretly from Jaxon’s wine cellar before. Never thought that she would use this today to celebrate something evil.As someone who had walked straight out of hell, Ashley was no saint. Instead, she was no hypocrite. And she would do anything to pave a way for her son.And today, she would witness such
“We’ve been filming for two months. Thanked goodness ‘Youth 1990’ pushed forward the taping schedule or else, we’re done.” Dylan used his usual exaggerated tone as he slumped next to Ashley who was busy packing her things.“You better wash up. You stink.” Ashley was the first one to excuse herself in the film’s celebration party. As someone who had seen too many dark shits in the industry, drinking was a ticket to tabloids.With this in mind, Ashley decided to symbolically toast with the crew, ate her dinner, and faked an illness which worked perfectly fine. This time, she was in a hurry to pack her things because tomorrow was the day that she would start the first step of the many ones in building an empire of her own—Rosemary Jewelry Store’s grand opening.The trademark of the brand was finally registered along with the corporation name which was still Rosemary. Rosemary Jewelry Store was the first company of the many she was planning to establish. Ashley knew what industries would
The stock market crash of this year was yet to reach its peak. Soon, reports of suicide cases from losing too much would start to surface. Many relied on staking their entire wealth or leaning to the loan sharks, thinking about becoming rich overnight. After all, many folks who earned their first pot of gold in the stock market this year posted their achievements online.Ashley already knew the enterprises and companies that would rise sharply and fall sharply. This time, Ashley bought those that would rise sharply before Christmas. She would use this as a startup capital for many businesses she wanted to enter.Wearing her disguise once more, Ashley entered the Stock Exchange Building of the Capital City. Instead of going to the desk to withdraw or to buy stocks, Ashley chose a corner and observed the large screens above with clear green and red designations.All the stocks she bought were all rising. As per her memory, these companies that rose sharply were the reason why people fra
After many years of being the CEO of Elijah Consortium, even when the time when he first became one and many questioned him, this was the first time that Jaxon Elijah was stumped by a question. And the person who left him speechless was his son who could barely reach his waist.“Who told you that?” Jaxon immediately thought of the child’s mother. “Did your mother talk nonsense again?”Scottie’s innocent eyes blinked and still stared straight at Jaxon’s eyes. “I called Mom because…because…I’m sad. Daddy leaves Scottie alone again. I called Mom. Scottie always saw that sick auntie with Daddy…always with Daddy.” He paused as if he hesitated for a moment before he continued. This time, Scottie’s eyes were slightly red. “Daddy, my friend said that his Daddy and Mommy are filing for divorce because of another auntie. Am I…am I going to be like my friend?”Jaxon finally stood up. He closed the meager amount of distance between him and his son. It only took him three steps, but at this moment
Losing control was the worst outcome for someone who held control as the Holy Grail.Growing up, Jaxon was groomed to be the heir of the giant enterprise called Elijah Consortium. He was taught that there was no room for any mistakes or it would make the huge business empire to crumble—a great sin for the ancestors of his family.To do that, control was the key to eliminate any mistakes. If he eliminated variables, focused on taking ten steps more advance than the others, he needed to control everything around him.His friends were all on the basis of interests. His business acumen revolved around iron-clad means. Even the emotions shown for his family members were precise. It was as if he regarded himself a machine without any weakness.The first out of control variable in his life was his drunken mistake with Ashley. Marrying her was never part of his plan. He had already a candidate for his wife—Talia.Talia was the daughter of his father’s subordinate who sacrificed himself to sav
The stone cutter master picked up the wool that Ashley pushed. This was the apple-sized wool that Ashley first discovered which was surrounded by thick white smoke to the point that it was barely visible for him when using the Jade Eyes.“How to cut it?” asked the stone cutter master. With the way he moved, it was shown that he was an expert in this field.Seeing that there were at most ten wools in her cart, the people who were still leisurely choosing and observing the wools had become interested and crowded the stone cutting area. This place was located at the innermost part of the store but it was only a few steps away from the display area of the wools.Ashley did not mind the crowd. In her eyes, they were all his money bags. Instead, she focused on the apple-sized wool. With the use of her lucky physique, she was able to determine how to solve the wool without damaging the jadeite inside it.“Grind it.”The sound of the tool used for grinding wools resounded. Grinding was differ
Ashley successfully returned to Allen’s home. When she came back, they were done preparing for dinner.“Mommy! Did you sleep well?” Like a cannon ball, Scottie welcomed Ashley with a big warm hand paired with his sweet voice.“Yes…so, what did you prepare for dinner with Aunt, Scottie?”All her tension vanished. Yes, the higher she climbed, the more dangerous the fall. Although she considered it already before she made a decision to turn against the giant company Elijah Consortium, this was the first time that she was truly chased by people with malicious intentions.Until she hugged her son, her startled heart finally eased a lot. This was the price she should pay in order to be with her son openly in the future. She would get used to the blood, hidden conspiracies, and more betrayals the longer she fought this protracted battle.Allen’s family reluctantly bid their farewell as Ashley drove her car to the house she bought in this city. When morning arrived, Ashley simply went grocery
Every raw jade stone with a thick white smoke surrounding it was selected by Ashley. It all came in different sizes and shapes but the quality inside—only Ashley knew that each one was more valuable than the other.There were raw wools as big as a fist while there were as big as a human torso. Common raw jade stones were as big as a football or as huge as a human head.Three hours later, all the carts were filled with raw jade stones. Secretly, the sales guide could not help but think that the customer was a prodigal for buying so much without the guide of an expert. The sales guide even concluded that maybe the store where Ashley was working was short with money that was why they were pushed to the point of relying on luck. Unbeknownst to the sales guide, all the wools contained jadeites which were high class category!When the truck of Ashley’s processing plant came, she watched for a few minutes before she proceeded to the other nearest supply points. Just like the first one, she a
Ever since their first fight, life had not gotten any easier for Talia. If anything, it had become even harder.Lucas, once patient and composed, had grown irritable and restless. He hated being weak, hated relying on her, and the frustration bled into everything he did. He snapped more often, his words sharper than he likely intended, but the damage was done each time. And Talia—Talia, who had already carried so much weight on her shoulders—chose to step back instead of fueling the fire.Not for herself, but for Tasha.Their daughter, still too young to understand the depth of their struggles, had always been a bright spark in their darkest days. Talia refused to let that spark fade.So when Lucas’s voice took on that cold edge, when his temper flared over something as small as her adjusting his pillow or offering to help him sit up, Talia swallowed her own frustration and let it go. She bit back the pain, the hurt, and the urge to lash back. She stepped away before Tasha could see,
The days had turned into months, and Talia had settled into a relentless routine.Between taking care of Lucas, working at the library, and making sure Tasha had everything she needed, there was never enough time. But today—today was different. Today, something miraculous had happened.Lucas had woken up.After months of watching him waste away in his coma, after months of feeding him, cleaning him, speaking to him without response—he had opened his eyes. He had whispered her name in a voice so weak and fragile that it had nearly broken her. But he was awake. He was alive.“W-Wife…” He whispered.Talia froze in shock for a split second before she cried out in surprise and happiness. “Lucas?!”And for the first time in what felt like forever, Talia saw hope.She had spent the day by his side, holding his hand, talking to him, helping him sip water from a straw. His body was weak, too weak to even sit up on his own, but he was there. He was present. It was more than she could have ever
The days blurred into an endless cycle of exhaustion.Talia barely slept anymore.Between tending to Tasha at the hospital, checking on Lucas at home, and working at the library to keep them afloat, there was no time to rest. Every hour of her day was spoken for, every moment accounted for. It was a delicate balance, one that she couldn’t afford to lose, but the weight of it pressed down on her like a vice.Her body was slowly giving out.Tasha’s fever had finally broken, but she was still weak. The doctors wanted to keep her in the hospital for a few more days to monitor her condition. Lucas, on the other hand, had taken a turn for the worse. His body was growing frailer by the day, and without proper medical intervention, she feared the inevitable. She knew he needed professional care, but there was no money for that. Every cent she had went into keeping a roof over their heads and putting food—what little she could afford—on the table.She had no one to turn to. No allies. No suppo
The apartment was small—too small for three people, especially when one of them needed around-the-clock care. Talia stared at the single bed pushed against the wall, where Lucas lay unmoving, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm, unaware of the world around him. In the other corner, her daughter, Tasha, sat cross-legged on the floor, coloring with the few crayons she had managed to bring from their old home.Talia let out a slow breath, exhaustion pressing against her shoulders like an invisible weight. She had lived many lives, died twice, and yet, nothing could have prepared her for this.Her old lives had been filled with power, darkness, and control. She had never known the taste of struggle, not like this. It was absurd, really. Once, she had commanded armies of men, had resources at her fingertips, had struck fear into the hearts of people with nothing but her name. And now, she was in a rundown apartment with peeling wallpaper and a rickety heater that barely worked.
Five months had passed since Ashley and Jaxon decided to give their family a true second chance.Now, seated in the plush back seat of their luxury SUV, Ashley’s fingers traced over the financial reports on her tablet screen. The elegant logo of Rosemary Jewelry and Rosemary Real Estate gleamed in the corner, a reminder of the empire she had built with her own hands. At the time, these companies were meant to be her insurance, a safeguard in case she had to walk away from Jaxon and start anew. But now, things had changed. She had chosen to stay. To build not just a business empire, but a family.The numbers on the reports reflected her hard work.Rosemary Jewelry, a brand that had once been a small passion project, was now a name whispered among high society. Celebrities, heiresses, and tycoons adorned themselves with her pieces, and international boutiques clamored for exclusive contracts. On the other hand, Rosemary Real Estate was a rising force, acquiring prime properties and maki
The steam clung to Ashley’s skin as she stepped out of the bathroom, her damp hair cascading over her shoulders. A plush towel was wrapped securely around her body, but she hardly paid attention to the fabric covering her as she reached for the hairdryer on the vanity. The sound of movement near the closet made her pause.She turned her head—and then froze.Jaxon stood with his back to her, his broad shoulders flexing as he ran a towel through his damp hair. The dim lighting of their bedroom accentuated every ridge and valley of his toned muscles, the chiseled perfection of his body honed through years of discipline and training. But it wasn’t just the raw masculinity of his physique that stole Ashley’s breath—it was the dark, intricate ink stretching across his back.Her name was there.Ashley Elijah.Just beneath it, an elegant script detailed a date—one that sent an icy shiver down her spine. The date of her death in her past life.Her breath hitched in her throat, her pulse thrumm
Jaxon Elijah sat in his office, his fingers pressed against his temples as he listened to Harold recount the details of Henry Deneuve’s confrontation with Ashley. The more Harold spoke, the more Jaxon’s fury burned like an unrelenting inferno. His jaw clenched, his breathing steady yet deep—a dangerous calm before the inevitable storm.Henry Deneuve had dared to threaten his wife? To speak to Ashley as if she were some scheming outsider rather than the woman who had suffered and endured to reclaim her rightful place? Jaxon would not tolerate it. Not now. Not ever."Prepare the package," Jaxon finally spoke, his voice devoid of emotion but carrying an unshakable weight. "Everything we've collected on Henry over the years. I want him to see every dark secret, every skeleton buried in his past."Harold nodded without hesitation. He knew his boss well enough to recognize that this was not a moment for questioning. This was a moment of execution. The Elijah Consortium did not deal in empty
Ashley stood before the towering glass doors of an exclusive luxury boutique, her heart thudding in her chest. It was a strange sensation—one part excitement, one part apprehension. She had never done this before, never had the chance to bond with a mother over something as trivial yet meaningful as shopping. The mother she had known, the one who had raised her until she passed away, was a distant memory, blurred and bittersweet. And Camilla Connor, the woman who played the role of stepmother, had only ever used the idea of motherhood as a tool to manipulate and belittle her. But now, standing beside Uriel Deneuve, her real mother, Ashley was finally about to experience something she never had before.Uriel, graceful and poised, exuded the quiet confidence of someone who had spent her life in wealth and power yet carried an air of warmth that Ashley hadn’t expected. She reached out, gently squeezing Ashley’s hand. “Are you ready, ma chérie?” she asked in a soft voice, her foreign acce
Ashley stood in front of the grand estate, her heart pounding against her ribcage. The Deneuve estate was nothing short of magnificent, with its towering gates, sprawling gardens, and a mansion that exuded centuries of prestige and power. She had been through countless battles in life—both emotional and physical—but standing here, waiting to meet the people who had given her life, felt like the hardest thing she had ever faced.Jaxon stood beside her, his presence a solid wall of support. He hadn't said much on the way here, knowing that no words could ease the storm brewing inside her. Instead, he simply held her hand, giving her strength in his silence. Ashley squeezed his hand briefly, grateful that despite everything, he was here.The gates opened slowly, revealing a long driveway lined with aged oak trees. A butler approached them with practiced grace, bowing slightly. "Madam Ashley, Master Jaxon, welcome. Mr. and Mrs. Deneuve are waiting for you inside."Ashley took a deep breat