Having her curiosity eat her up, Leia picked up the documents and took a glance at the first page.
Her eyes went wide and her lips parted at the content.
Instinctively, she turned to the second page and third but with each turn, every document was a bomb thrown at Leia.
With that many, she decided to take her time reading the documents while she waited for the staff.
At last, it was 10 am, and by this time everyone had arrived, but she was so caught up in the document that she forgot about their arrival, including her address to them.
Knock! Knock!
"Huh!"
She sent her gaze towards the door and found a formally dressed woman outside, most likely her secretary.
Looking past the woman, her eyes dropped to the lively environment outside and realized she had lost track of time.
Quickly she hurried out, right after putting the documents where they belonged.
Standing before the many serious faces staring at her with not much expectation, Leia sucked in whatever fear she had while chanting Rachel’s words in her mind and smiled.
"Some of you may have already heard the news,” she began, making sure she kept eye contact.
“However, my husband being arrested will not affect my job here. And since I was nominated for the position of CEO, I will do my duty diligently until the election is over.”
She gave a brief pause to let her words sink in.
“I trust that you would work together as a team to achieve the best sales because I'll be in your hands and need your support. Together we can achieve greater heights and take this company to the top. Thank you for your future cooperation and good luck.”
It was the shortest and simplest of speech she could think of while trying to remain strong and bold.
However, before anyone could make a comment or even clap, a voice hollered from behind.
"Leia, what are you doing?!"
Keeping her smile professional, she turned only for her gaze to land on her stunning mother-in-law, Claire, who was fuming with rage.
"I came to do my duty.”
“Excuse me?”
“I hate letting people down and I know Kasen would be unhappy if he discovers that I remained holed up in a corner rather than doing something he trusted me for.”
That pleased smile was on her lips again with a hint of humour laced in her dazzling blue eyes.
“So, from today, I will be working in this company," she replied fiercely.
Claire frowned at her and scoffed.
She itched to give the vile small-town girl a piece of her mind but she couldn't do that, not with the many eyes watching.
Her chest rose with great effort as she clenched her jaw and stormed off, leaving Leia to her business.
A sigh escaped her lips right after. Regardless of her tough nature, she was quite frightened by Claire but did not want to show it.
It'll be difficult for them to accept her but she wasn't going to sit back and do nothing.
“You've kept me in a difficult position Kasen.” She mumbled to herself.
‘You shouldn't have left the company in my hands in the first place. That way I wouldn't be concerned about both you and the company.’ She lamented in her mind.
Reaching for her wedding ring with her right hand, she rubbed on the diamond ring, hoping to soothe and gain support from it.
‘If only you were here, Kas. My heart can only hope you are okay wherever you are.’
Her shoulders slouched a little bit when a thought came to mind.
‘No, I should visit him today once I leave this place.’ She concluded inwardly as she beamed with happiness at the mere thought of seeing him.
******
"You'll be having a meeting with the board members tomorrow, followed by one with the shareholders. It'll happen at exactly 9 am so to set a record and show them that you're serious it's best if you arrive ten to thirty minutes earlier."
Julia, Kasen's appointed secretary for Leia, briefed her on her responsibilities and duties.
After seeing her schedule and comparing it to her husband’s, she came to the conclusion that he was a workaholic.
She had not begun but it was already draining for her.
"I can't do this," she uttered in defeat.
"Ma'am?!" Julia called for her attention, snapping Leia back to her senses.
Still, her secretary could tell what that look on her face meant.
She couldn't pressure the woman any further, she had promised her employer that she would take good care of his wife.
"That'll be all, the next list of activities can be held next week," Julia announced.
"Really?" Leia asked, unable to believe it at first, but the excitement on her face told too much of her expression, that it had Julia smile slightly.
Knowing she made a mistake she cleared her throat and reverted to boss mode.
"Alright, have the car ready, there's somewhere I need to go," she announced.
Julia nods, acknowledging her effort while under pressure.
Taking her phone from her pocket and making calls while Leia gathered the documents from his office so she would leave with it.
"Hmm! I'll need to ask him about all this," she murmured.
Although the few issues in the report worried her, too much of it could lead to serious issues, and the many files Kasen had was more than enough to have that happen.
While she was a journalist she would usually spot a few things like this.
This was trouble and if something like this gets into the hand of the wrong person.
Another issue she had with documents was that the record was coming from the finance department and the people in charge of that department are none other than her lovely in-laws.
"Is this what you wanted me to find out, Kasen? What exactly do you want me to do?" She asked herself in confusion.
"Ma'am the car's ready." Julia phoned.
"Yes, and please tomorrow, find time to fix a separate meeting for me and my in-laws regardless of their departments."
She needed to speak with Kasen today no matter what.
Making haste, she took the elevator down and hurried past the receptionist, quicker than the speed of lightning.
"Have a nice day ma'am." The receptionist greeted but she had no time to listen as she headed towards the exit.
The door was opened for her by a man who was coming in.
Just as she was about to step outside, she retracted and turned around, recalling the appearance of the man who held the door for her.
The back of the man who walked past her with his hand in his pocket and a scarf around his neck was broad and big.
It felt like a familiar figure, a posture of a perfect someone with a walking style that was defined as elegant and high class.
Something in her stomach tingled.
Curious, she began following the man back inside.
"It couldn't be, could it?" She questioned, but the man walked too fast for her to catch up.
With boldness, she stopped and called out one name.
"Mark?!"
The man suddenly stopped walking and turned around. He took a good look at her.
"Is that you, Leia?" The man questioned.
Caught in a trance she had no idea what to do at this point, even if she called him first.
Her body stiffened and she was out of words.
Mark!
All memories of good, bad, and ugly floors upon seeing him.
Leia's first love, the man who abandoned her.
That Mark had returned
"Mark?!" As his name echoed in his ears, Mark stopped on his track. Spine straight, as he tilted his head, it took him two footsteps to turn around as he came face to face with Leia. Leia's body convulsed as she stepped back with a deep gasp for air. Her eyes widened while her jaw dropped, exposing her teeth that gnashed upon each other, and although she did try to cover up her mouth, her trembling arms were of no use. Caught in a trance, she’s puzzled with absolutely no idea what to do, and her mouth runs out of words although she was the first to call out to him. Others carefully watched her expression, she certainly didn't like the tall man before her. "I didn't expect to see you here Leia, or should I say, Mrs Kasen Sky, it's been a while”, he said with a charming smile, mixed with a bit of mockery that most would overlook because of his looks. "Are you that happy to see me, you looked like someone who just saw her husband after being away to war," he laughed. Her tee
“You knew, didn’t you?” she asked, wearing a serious face, one that he’d never seen her use on him before.Although he heard her question loud and clear, he remained quiet.He fondled his food so that his spoon continuously clashed with the place much to Leia's detests by the noise.nLeia stared at him wondering if this was the right approach seeing how unwilling he was to speak.“If I don’t ask him now, he’ll never tell me,” she said to herself.It was a now-or-never choice, besides, they were bound to visit the same topic again.Since he was going to eat, she too was going to keep talking.“Do these documents have anything to do with your arrest? Are you trying to cover for them?”“Your family haven’t even bothered sending a lawyer since you got in here, and believe me, it wasn’t easy finding out your exact locati
She knew working with Mark meant trouble, but never did she believe that the both of them would be working in the same office until it happened right before her very eyes, and now she had no other option than to be on guard around him. "Are you going to keep sighing like this, Mrs Sky?" Mark teased.Her heart jumped, “I’m allowed to sigh as much as I want," she fiercely replied.“Yes yes, you can sigh as much as you want to, I must admit, I did miss the way you reacted whenever you were tired or hated something,” he answered with a crooked smile.Tempted to tell him off she rose her head and met Mark's face with surprise, she didn’t even notice when he drew near.She felt her insides stir up like she had spun around for almost an hour, that sickening nausea erupted the more time she spent looking at his face."You disappoint me, my dear, to think you would abandon me, only to marry my cousin," his left hand stretched out to her as he caressed a lock of her hair that lingered at the f
“What am I going to do?” Leia cried alone in the bathroom.With her back against the wall, she gently slid down till she sat on the floor. “Ha~ I’m finished,” she laughed while she sniffled. With deep sighs, she folded her legs in, her head resting against the door as she closed her eyes. Leia began to ponder, “if I turn myself in, would he finally forgive me?” she asked herself, but she knew the answer to that question more than anyone else, to her, it was a definite, no.The day of the celebration was just a night away, the air of trouble lingered and the tension accompanied by it had her choked with confusion.If anything, her urge to watch him disappear only grew, and so did her fears.There was no one to confide in, her in-laws reeked of wickedness and hatred for her, her husband was locked away and she was all alone.Well almost.As the night drew near, the skies became swamped with thick dark clouds that overshadowed the moon and chased away the stars, even the street lights
Leia felt suffocated as her world and sanity crumbled with each passing minute. She felt chained to her dark past and talking about it would be the perfect solution to get help, if she just opened her mouth but…“She might hate me and want to settle ties,” the weight of her crimes upon her shoulders, was just too much for an ordinary person to overlook.Finally, her lips separate as she decides for herself.“He’s my ex,” Leia says.…"Are you sure he ain't stalking you?" Rachel asks with one brow pent upwards, staring at Leia through the mirror. Leia knew too well that stalking was not near enough to explain her situation, but since she was just feeding Rachel the icing on the cake, it didn’t matter.The girl wasn’t sure what to say. Whether or not he was stalking couldn’t still doesn’t erase the fact that she’ll want him off her back.“I mean if my ex did that to me, I would have called the police,” Rachel yelled. Her gaze couldn’t meet Rachel’s because she knew her version of the
Ah, she's always hated that devil. The way he smiled at her with his arm stretched out made her sick to her stomach, but as much as she craves to spit on his face, she was forced to put up with him and smile. With an umbrella, he leads her away from the rain and towards his black car, parked at the entrance of Rachel's house, while Rachel just watches from the window as her friend leaves. "What are you doing here?" He asks as soon as he gets in. Leia scoffs at his question as the answer is quite obvious. "I live here, and I plan to do so until my husband returns," she breaks the news to him. For a brief moment, there's a short silence as he drives with his eyes forward, giving the road his attention. Throughout their drive, he doesn't ask any other questions which seems to please her, because the thought of a prolonged conversation with her enemy has her fuming with rage. It isn't until a few minutes on the road that Leia realizes she has no idea where we're going. "What ab
"Bring the dress over here.""Where's her shoe!"The morning begins with everyone running as if the earth is coming to an end.Leia's room is crowded with people ready to assist her in her journey of getting ready for the grand event, as the day finally arrives.To Leia's surprise last night, the place Mark was taking her to turn out to be his house and she wasn't in the best state to argue with him. Sitting before the mirror, she feels her forehead, for a brief moment. Her fever hasn't gone down, but she continues to wave it off whenever she's been asked about her unusual temperature. "I'm fine," she tells them with a smile, and since employees aren't expected to meddle, they can only agree with her claims. "Would you prefer these?" One of the workers asks, presenting her with the boxes of jewellery. To Leia, It's disturbing to know that Mark remembers every detail about her, as everything before her was what she used to like before she changed her taste to become a new person.
Everything looked perfect. The lights, the music, the delicious aroma that followed the butler around. Leia and Mark arrive at the hotel where the celebration is being held, and she marvels at the prestigious face she saw around her. Everything there was good. "You never thought you'd be in their midst one day, did you?" Mark whispers closely, tickling her ear with his breath. Leia flinches from surprise as she jumps back. Her brows curve in anger.He was right though, during her journey as a journalist, she always had to wait until she was called upon to attend such gatherings.When Leia did attend, she had to wait until she got the opportunity to be called upon to interview them. For a journalist, this was paradise. "If you had just stayed by my side a little longer, maybe you wouldn't need to wait for such occasions to speak with them," he said. The both of them stare at each other for a brief moment. Something was telling her to be on guard so she could never be comfortab
Leia clung to Opal, her body trembling as tears streamed down her face. Her friend lay in her arms, pale and fading, her life slipping away with each passing moment. The atmosphere seemed to close in around them, as if walls were pressing in on them, bearing witness to the tragedy that had unfolded.Amidst her heart-wrenching sobs, Leia's tear-blurred eyes rose to meet the gaze of the man who had just tried to take her life. It was the big boss, his face bruised and battered, his trousers stained with blood. He regarded Leia with disdain, his lip curled into a cruel sneer. He pointed the gun at her once more, his voice laced with a chilling determination."Second time's a charm," he hissed, his finger tightening on the trigger.Leia's world seemed to freeze at that moment. She closed her eyes, expecting the deafening gunshot to be the last sound she would ever hear. Death felt imminent, a crushing weight that pressed upon her chest.But then, the sound she heard was not the gunshot sh
Kasen and Leia stood in the dimly lit, small brick-walled room, their hearts pounding in their chests. The air was thick with tension, and the sound of trickling water echoed through the enclosed space, a chilling reminder of their predicament. Leia's eyes darted around, desperately searching for an escape route, but there were no windows, no doors, just cold, damp stone walls that seemed to be closing in on them. Her breaths came in short, panicked gasps as the water steadily crept up from cracks. She couldn't swim, and the rising water terrified her. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she began to cry. She sniffled a sob, trying to control her emotions. Kasen, determined to keep them both calm, reached out and gently touched Leia's shoulder. "Hey, Leia, listen to me," he said, his voice steady but laced with concern. "We need to stay calm and think this through. Panicking won't help us." Leia nodded, though her tears continued to flow. Kasen helped her press her back against t
Mark's eyes cracked open slowly, adjusting to the sterile, white surroundings of the hospital room. His head throbbed with pain, and every movement sent waves of discomfort through his body. He tried to remember how he had ended up here, but the events leading to this moment were a blur.As his vision cleared, Mark noticed two police officers standing by his bedside, their faces stern and unwavering. They were ready to question him, to unravel the web of events that had led to this tumultuous situation.Before they could begin their interrogation, the door to the hospital room swung open, and Kasen entered, his expression sombre. He walked over to the police officers and said something in a hushed tone. They nodded and reluctantly left the room, leaving Mark alone with Kasen.Mark tried to sit up, but the pain in his body made him wince. "Kasen, what's going on?"Kasen pulled up a chair and sat down, his gaze fixed on Mark. "I'll just talk to the inspector, it won't take long," he sai
The smell of gunpowder filled the air as bullets continue to whisk past them. Opal dove into the ground, escaping some shots merely by luck. "Retreat! Take cover!" She yelled, realising that in their current position, they could stand toe to toe against Mark's men.As they rushed backwards, a bullet sunk into the shoulders of one of Opal's men, ten impact making him to fall face down and roll. Opal quickly hopped over a rock, finding cover behind it as she rested her back against it, her chest heaving with exhaustion. She retrieved her gun and reloaded it, holding it tight with both her arms as she prepared for anything."Opal! I'm here, come out and fucking face me!" His voice resonated through the air, meeting her ears. He sounded like he was close, she wasn't sure how close, but close enough. Closer than he should be.She takes in a deep breath, "Fuck off!" She yelled back, hoping to deter him."Face me you coward!" He spat, his voice laced with anger."No!" She replied, her tone m
Mark and Leia had been running for what felt like hours, their breaths ragged and their hearts pounding. They had stumbled upon this cave in a desperate bid to escape the clutches of the big boss and his relentless henchmen. Now, as Leia rested her back against the damp, rocky wall, her chest heaved with exertion. The darkness of the cave enveloped them, offering a sliver of safety in an otherwise perilous situation.Outside, the big boss had ordered his patrol to scour the area, leaving no stone unturned in their search for his fugitives. The tension in the cave was palpable as Mark and Leia strained their ears for any signs of pursuit."So what now?" Leia asked. "They're after us."Mark sighed, knowing that what she was saying was true. "I don't know. Maybe we can wait it out in this cave," he replied.Just then, Mark's sharp eyes caught a flicker of movement at the cave entrance. He nudged Leia, and she froze, her fear mirroring the uncertainty in his eyes. The henchman who had jus
Although they had gone far, much farther than they could imagine, Mark's fears still caught up with him as he constantly turned back to look of her was safe from harm or not. Luckily he was with his phone as he speed dialed for back up, he couldn't wait any longer and it was times to put his plans into actions. "Everyone will pay he murmurs to himself out of anger. He couldn't possibly tane note of all those who had wronged him but there were a considerable amount that he remembers and couldn't wait to get his hands upon, one of them was his dearly most beloved cousin. Finally he reaches his safe place the place he had agreed upon to meet with his mean I'm order to get things in order. Everything was far behind but he could still see the flames from afar and Leia still choking from having inhaled a huge amount of it was coughing repeatedly to his disappointment. Finally he makes a turn and has Leie get down as they would continue the rest of their journey on foot, and Leia althou
Leia's breath could hardly breathe as she gasps for air repeatedly, her resistance knows no bounds as Mark couldn't help but fear, still he couldn't let her loose because he knows what she's capable off. She struggles against the restraints binding her to the ornate bed frame to the point where she had begun to bleed due to the injury on her wrist. Mark couldn't help but feel guilty as he found no one but himself responsible for her behaviour. Her eyes flickered with a wild, haunted look as they darted around the dimly lit room. "Let me go, let me go right now you madman, just you wait, I'll kill you as soon as I get away from here!" She promises Mark much to his fear. He couldn't possibly believe the words coming out of her mouth and feared the worst. Now she's become dangerous to both herself and himself. Mark stood at a cautious distance, not knowing what to do, his eyes filled with a mix of concern and fear. "Please calm down Leia, everything is going to be fine, I'll get yo
It took more than a while to calm Leia down as she would continuously try to wiggle her way out until she was finally subdued by Mark and fell asleep. Everything looked like hell for Mark wouldn't couldn't help but hope for the best to happen as it pained him to see Leia in this pathetic state, so much so that he refused to leave her bedside when she fell asleep.Everything was a disaster at this point and he just couldn't take it anymore. "Boss," his subordinate called for his attention. Mark couldn't help but feel irritated and yet he couldn't simply ignore their request as he knows that there's more to this interruption. With a heavy sigh he rises from the chair and follows them outside to hear what it is that they have to say. His men look rather worries while he was getting angry and the mere thought that they refuse to speak after calling him out. "Are you mute, hurry up and say something," he yells at them. Finally one of them volunteers to do the talking to which he appr
Despite his happiness, Mark's worst fears were about to become a reality. He dashed through the hallway, shoving whoever dared get in his way as he hurried for Leia's room."Is she okay, how is she, is she in good shape, is it something serious?" Mark suddenly questions in a rush. He couldn't wait, especially not after waiting two days already for either of the ladies to wake up. His joy at the moment knows no bounds as he hurries to enter into the bedroom, the only stopping him is the doctor in his way. "Should I kill him?" Mark questions himself while he stares at the frightened woman who seems to repeatedly block each route he tries to take. "For god sake Mr. Sky you have to calm down," the woman yells. He couldn't possibly believe his eyes and eyes as he stared at the puny woman who seemed to lack a lot more flesh than Leia had. "It'll just take one twist and she'd probably pass on," he tells himself as she stares at her, examining what to do about this sudden disturbance.