Held at one of Elijah Consortium’s hotel in the capital city, before the party even started, many dignitaries, politicians, businessmen, and even families from military families started to arrive. Vehicles arrived at the entrance of the hotel; one car was more expensive than the other.Ladies showed off their luxury bags, couture clothes were constantly being compared, and jewelries were being adored. For men, business and women became their topic. For middle-aged men, business and wealth were the topic while the younger males talked about women.But most of all, everyone was talking about the birthday host—Vulcan Elijah. He was the helmsman of the Elijah Consortium. For three generations, he supported the Elijah Family, making the Elijah Family the top family among the higher echelons of the country—the elite among the elites.The side branches of the Elijah Family already arrived one by one, now, they were only waiting for the main family.Two minutes before the said time, a Rolls R
The party was in full swing the entire night. Ashley noticed that there was no shadow of Talia. Remembering her clarification post, she reckoned that Talia might be feeling aggrieved right now; hence, she did not attend the party. Ashley felt that it was a pity. Though she did not really like the announcement of the Old Man to her son’s inheritance right, she also wanted to see Talia’s reaction.Ashley was curious how Talia, who dreamed to be the future Madam Elijah and bear the heir of the Elijah Consortium, would react if her dream about carrying-the-future-heir was shattered by this formal announcement.Ashley only felt a trace of pity for a good minute before she shoved Talia’s matter at the back of her mind along with Jaxon. Now, what she was concern about was the Old Man’s motive. This did not happen in her past life. Thinking that it might be because of the butterfly effect of what she had done in this life, Ashley sensed a crisis coming.She did not like this feeling. But what
Ashley was absentminded as she stared at the figure of her son who was talking and giggling with her workers in the store. What her son said yesterday echoed in her mind. And she hated this feeling more than anyone else.Years of feelings…the accumulation of simple admiration which gave birth to hope and expectations only to be shattered after decades of patience and love…She thought she could shove it easily at the back of her head like she usually did whenever it was related to him.But now, no matter how she hypnotized herself while she reminded that tragic day in her previous life, Ashley could not lie to herself that she did not care. It may not be the same as before, but that tinge of pain…it was there.It was not as intense as before, but she could not deny that it was not there. Ashley still cared about him, but her desire to live happily with her son was bigger.“Boss?” The manager of the processing plant interrupted her train of thoughts.Ashley shook her head and smiled pro
Five minutes before the amusement park opened for the customers, two silhouettes mixed among the crowd. One was slender and tall while the other barely reached the waist of the former. Amid the dazzling sun and bustling crowd, the two did not utter a single sound of negativity, especially the small one.The unsuspecting duo was no other than Ashley and Scottie. They wore simple tee shirts paired with jeans and comfortable shoes. They had something in common—they both wore pink. Ashley was sporting a baseball cap and sunglasses while Scottie was wearing a hat and a face mask.From time to time, the two would glance at their watches. Ashley was not that obvious compared to Scottie who almost glued his face against his robot watch.“Mommy, is my watch defective?” Scottie asked his mother for the nth time.Ashley never got tired of answering. She showed her watch to her son with a smile. “It’s not late, little treasure. Look! We have the same time, see?”Cute pouty lips answered Ashley, m
The person walked towards the mother and son. Every step was decisive but the air of nobility never wavered even when the haggard face became clearer as the distance between them became smaller.Ashley remained standing on her spot. She was frozen on the spot. A part of her wanted to turn back while another part of her wanted to rush to him and slap him hard. In the end, Ashley could only hug the child in her arms who was yet to know the presence of the person before them.He stopped a meter in front of Ashley. At the same time, Scottie noticed that they suddenly stopped so he twisted his body around and asked his mother.“Mommy, why did we—Daddy?!” Scottie’s eyes widened. His small body stiffened upon seeing the familiar man who was blocking their way. Doubts flashed in his mind, but he was still a child after all. In an instant, his mind was filled with grievances because his father was later and with happiness because his father did not break the appointment, although late. What ma
The sound of the door closing made Ashley looked back. She met his eyes that once mesmerized her so. She walked to the couch and made herself comfortable as she crossed her legs and said: “Where’s the divorce papers? You brought it, right?”After what happened today, Ashley was more resolute in divorcing him as soon as possible. She saw the deep schemes in Talia’s eyes and the snake-like gleam that flashed across her eyes when she glanced at Scottie. For Ashley, Talia was a ticking time bomb.Bombs should be eliminated as soon as possible.Sitting upright like always, his sharp eyes scrutinized Ashley openly as if he really wanted to see if this divorce farce was only to get his attention or she was really serious. Immediately, Jaxon got his answer.He coughed slightly, his fist covering his mouth as he averted his gaze to hide the emotions that quickly flashed across his eyes for a split second. He did not like this new side of him—the indecisive side that seemed to hesitate divorcin
“Mommy, where’s Dad?” Scottie, who just woke up, rubbed his left eye as he walked towards his mother. He expertly sat beside his mother and curled like a cat against her arm before he used his mother’s lap as pillow.Ashley, who was drinking her coffee, caressed her son’s ruffled fluffy hair with a gently smile on her lips. “He went back to the Capital City last night, little dumpling. Your father still has a big company to manage, you know.”‘He is being a coward again,’ Ashley thought with a scoff.But she could not possibly tell her son these words, seeing how attached he was to his father. Though this realization made her comfortable, she knew that it was bad if her son harbored bad feelings to his father. The arguments of the adults should belong to the world of the adults. As parents, Scottie was their common ground that they could not taint no matter how painful it was. As a mother, she wanted to protect this save place for her son.Scottie was already satisfied when his father
There was a moment in her life in that distant past when Ashley followed Jaxon Elijah secretly to Country M. She did not mind that the place was chaotic. All she had in her stupid brain was the fact that Jaxon came with Talia. She followed them secretly to a casino where she met a disaster that almost killed her. Ashley was lucky enough to escape but she met a wounded unconscious man near a garbage can. She saved him.One night of sheltering him in her hotel room paired with the medicine she bought along the way became a ticket for her to have the connection for the so-called Triad or Black Society. It turned out that he was the leader and he was betrayed by a traitor that time when she saved him.Ashley was given a card that contained his personal contact information, something that many people would scramble for. She used it once for Jaxon’s sake when he was kidnapped by his business enemies. She called the number the second time when Scottie, at the age of thirteen, left him secret
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