“I don't like Miss Bernard!” Rissa said, pouting.Adrian just smiled knowingly “Is that jealousy I am sensing?” he questioned playfully.“Didn't you see how she was literally drooling all over you earlier today?” Rissa said, rolling her eyes.“She already said her word was a slip of the tongue, she didn't mean it”, Adrian said defensively.“And you believe that?” Rissa said in a disbelieving tone.Adrian didn't respond, he loved her jealous tone.He was enjoying himself at the moment.“By the way, how did you know his school?” Rissa asked curiously.“Mandy told me, I called her when you weren't picking up my call”Adrian responded as an unsaid pain laced his mesmerizing eyes.“I am sorry, Adrian; I shouldn't have shut you off from your parental rights”, Rissa said apologetically.“It is fine; I wasn't upset, just disappointed; I am glad we sorted it out”, Adrian simply responded.Rissa hugged Adrian lovingly, she busted into tears as she reminisced over the memory of it all.If Adrian
“Mr Grey, were the pictures real or photoshopped?” The interviewer questioned swiftly.Rissa bit her finger nervously as she watched Adrian's countenance shift from the screen of her laptop.Adrian adjusted on his seat, doubling up his domineering aura.“They were real," he responded.Breathes were drawn from millions of viewers, Rissa included.“You mean you have an illegitimate child?”The interviewer questioned again taunting him.“I do not approve of my son to be called that, although I wasn't aware of his existence for six years now, he is my son”Adrian responded sternly, stressing out his last sentence.“My apologies, Mr Grey, but are you aware that said mother of your child turned out to be an ex-wife of Liam Hickson of Golden Fingers, your business competitor?”.“I am aware”, Adrian responded dismissively.The interviewer was taken aback by it so were millions of viewers.“She cheated on him”, the interviewer said coyly.Liam stared intently at the screen of his phone desper
Abraham rushed out and turned the car around.He was sweating profusely despite the winter night it was.Stella screamed out loudly accentuating his uneasiness.Abraham rushed back to her side and held her waist.Stella's phone rang loudly but Abraham yanked it out of her grasp.He gently carried her into the car and zoomed off hastily.Rissa felt the air at the nape of her head rise.“I thought it wasn't time?” She questioned feeling unease.“It isn't; the doctor said it was preterm labour”, Abraham said hastily.“How is she?” Rissa asked, pacing nervously.“She has been wheeled into the theatre”, Abraham responded.Rissa's heart thumped loudly in her chest; carrying a twin pregnancy at fifty-eight was a great risk.Rissa's phone chimed and Adrian's message came through.“How is my queen doing tonight?” he asked seductively.“I am tensed; my mum is in preterm labour”, she typed back hastily.Her phone rang immediately and she picked up.“Is she okay?” Adrian questioned worriedly.“I
“That's my father”, Adrian responded bewildered.He turned to the excited old man and raised a questioning brow.“Oh my! You look just like him”, the farmer responded hastily “Where is he now?”.Adrian felt confused, but obviously, the old man seemed acquainted with his father in the past.“He is late, he died ten years ago”, Adrian responded.The farmer’s countenance dwindled.“I am sorry, he was such a good man”, the farmer affirmed.“How are you acquainted with him?”, Adrian questioned curiously.“I had a contract with his father, your grandfather’s company back then, I supplied raw fruit for processing until the company grew bigger and grew their own farms”, he responded sincerely.“Oh! It is great to meet you; I actually took over the company now; my grandfather is late too”, Adrian said regretfully.“My condolence to you young man”, he responded.“Thank you. I am Adrian”, he hastily responded.Rissa joined in their little discussion before the old farmer left.Luke and Anabelle
“Rissa was just a victim”, Liam responded.“Wow! This is huge, Mr Hickson”, the interviewer said, adjusting to her seat.“It is, she trusted the wrong people, and we hurt her”, he added with pent-up emotion.“So you mean Mr Grey's lack of disclosure in his interview was to save himself?” the interviewer questioned suspiciously.“Yes, admitting to raping my woman wouldn't have worked well with his image”, Liam responded confidently.“This is a lot to take in, so your wife orchestrated the whole ruckus?” the interviewer further questioned.“True, my ex-wife Diane Donaldson hired Adrian Grey to ruin my marriage to Rissa”, Liam said, acting remorseful.“I feel terrible for getting played and succumbing to their game”, Liam added hastily.Adrian threw his phone to the wall as he watched the interview with Rissa who was shivering.“That scumbag! He is trying to amass public sympathy, I will sue him for defamation of character”, Adrian fumed angrily.Rissa found it all difficult to take in;
Adrian's phone kept blaring endlessly but he kept ignoring it.Rissa felt uncomfortable but kept quiet pretending to be focused on dressing Caleb up.“He is all ready”, she said, patting Caleb's shoulder who was excited to visit an amusement park with his father.Returning to Los Angeles earlier than planned was important the moment Liam Hickson revealed their backstory to the media.“Mum, aren't you coming with us?” Caleb questioned pleadingly.“Sweetheart, Mum has to take care of some things”, she responded with a smile on her face.“Okay, I will enjoy it with Dad”, he said, pecking Rissa's cheek and rushing towards Adrian, who watched them with pure love.“We will be back soon”, Adrian said and smiled warmly at Rissa who responded with an affirmative nod.She watched them leave and heaved a sigh of relief.She sank into the sofa and rested her troubled head.“What am I supposed to do?” She soliloquized.Adrian had been acting unaffected despite the negative backlash he was getting
Rissa opened her eyes gently and was met by a pair of red worrisome ones.“Babe, are you awake?” Adrian called continuously.Rissa nodded slightly in affirmation and watched him heave a sigh of relief.“I shouldn't have left you at home alone, I am sorry”, Adrian said regretfully.Rissa noticed two other people and they were in a moving truck.“Relax, I called the ambulance van when you fainted, they are paramedics”, Adrian said reassuringly as if reading her thoughts.She tried to open her mouth but the words wouldn't come out.“Don't worry, Caleb is fine; he is home with Mandy; I left some competent bodyguards with them”, Adrian said reassuringly.Rissa sank back into the soft slab with her mind in shambles.What the hell was going to happen?They got into the hospital and Rissa was admitted to the VIP section as per Adrian's instruction.She winced slightly when the pin was inserted into her vein.God knows she hated hospitals totally.“I am fine, Adrian; I just got a little lighth
Rissa felt an occasional glance at her, but she ignored them totally.She had gotten accustomed to being treated carefully.Most of her colleagues walk on eggshells around her.Her head shot up the moment a leg in green heels walked towards her.“Miss Stonebridge, are you done with the proofreading?” the lady questioned rudely.Rissa stared intently at her caramel skin and excessive makeup.“You submitted it to me a few hours ago; of course, I need more time to go through it”, Rissa responded calmly but sternly.“I guess we need to bow to you now that you are the boss’s woman”, she said and walked away.Rissa stared at her departing back.She has gotten used to people turning their backs on her and walking aware.“Ignore her; she is only being envious because she couldn't win the CEO’s heart”, a nerd-looking colleague of hers said.Rissa felt surprised as the nerd barely interacted with others.“Don't look at me like that; I lack social skills, but that doesn't mean I do not talk”, s
She crushed the paper she was holding; anger brewed in her; she had to put up with that saucy bitch because of a mere slip-up from that wretched opportunist. Mr Denver's eyes shot up and her late husband’s stoic face from the wall frame bore into hers as if he was judging her harshly.Mrs. Denver hissed angrily, it was a marriage of convenience from the start so he couldn't have expected faithfulness from her, he never attempted to show her love either, he was busy frolicking with that coward bartender, but now the outcome had come back to bite her in flesh as Diane Donaldson, the thick-skinned bitch.She picked up her private phone and stared intently at it, the message was simple and clear enough, but can it be trusted? She had grown up with the knowledge of walking on eggshells around everybody else, just one slip could lead to one’s destruction.“Mrs. D, We can turn the table around; our mutual enmity could be put to good use; call me if it resonates with you.”Mrs. Denver could s
Rosa kept throwing occasional suspicious glances at Diane who was busy cementing her usual flawless makeup. She couldn't shake off the possibility of her finding out about their plan before they were able to execute it. She had desperately hoped that Diane hadn't tapped her phone as she did bug her car.With her sensitive discussion with Bryan, and their rebellious scheme to overthrow her or probably eliminate her for good, Rosa had made up her mind; she was going to risk it; how long was she willing to lick the floor that the bitchy woman walks on.From the day she had set her eyes on Diane at the organization, she knew for a fact that she was trouble, it was just unfortunate that men’s blind lust for her had cost the previous general, her bedmate his life, not that Rosa cared, after all, she had only taken to his bed to save her own miserable life.She looked down at her hand, and her eyes flicked over the tattoo in her hand, her lifesaver, which had ensured her survival all along,
“Told me what?”Adrian questioned suspiciously, his heart thumping loudly in his chest; he sincerely hoped it wasn't what he was thinking. If it turned out to be, it would make him a total jerk. He looked Rissa in the eye; she didn't blink, and no shift in her countenance scared him more.“Were you hoping she was pregnant for you Hun!” Bianca said sharply, cutting off the awkward silence in the room.Adrian couldn't hide his embarrassment; he tried to deny it, but the words proved difficult to say; he looked over at Rissa, who wore a disdainful look. She smoothed her expression and smiled warmly at Bianca who kept up with the nonchalantly. “I am planning to resign from my position after the competition ends”, Rissa said softly.Adrian's countenance dwindled, replaced by instant grief? Was Rissa planning to walk away from him? Her eyes spoke volumes; it didn't look like she was going to have a rethink; she was on the verge of making up her mind; confusion engulfed him; she hadn't give
The meeting was getting too long and boring, but the board of directors kept clamoring for a solution to their fears, a problem whose solution date was long past. Adrian wished he could bail out but he imagined his grandfather throwing dagger shades at him for running away like a coward.He kept on nodding in agreement, urging the agitated bald man, whose ferocious behavior was well known, to keep up with his analysis. With one look at his phone, he was tempted to pick it up; Rissa had dropped him tons of messages that he didn't open, and the last one caught his attention: the kiss emoji.The unmistakable glint in his eyes had urged the speaker, unknown to him, that Adrian had fallen into the world of his fantasies. Another message surfaced on the notification bar that got him hooked.“Guess who decided to stop by?”Adrian had always known Rissa didn't bluff; he hastily picked up his phone, and to the director's displeasure, he mouthed a quick apology and hastily dialed her number; be
Amber's eyes never left Diane's; she had confidently walked into their home as if she owned the place; of course, she was once the lady of the mansion, but that was all in the past; her tenure was long gone. An unpleasant memory flickered in Diane's eyes; she was throwing glassware on the floor to appease her rage, and Amber was standing there with fear in her eyes, holding tight to her son, Rowen Hickson, shouting back at her. That very day, she had lost something important, her very first and only pregnancy.A feeling of loss took over her heart; she tried to shake it away, but it proved abortive; Diane had sat there for about ten minutes cross-legged. The awkward silence in the room unsettled her; Liam looked more composed than she had ever seen him in all the years they spent together in the past. He looked like a man with rational reasoning rather than his initial gullibility.“To what surprise do we owe this unpleasant visit?” Amber questioned sarcastically, glaring at her.Dia
“Is that a teardrop Adrian?”Embarrassed was an understatement of what he felt; he had hidden his emotions well enough, but Rissa still managed to catch a glimpse of his weakness. Adrian smiled warmly, hiding his feelings; he hugged Rissa, who was still shocked by it but decided not to question him.The day went by slowly and uneventfully until Mrs Denver decided to make a press release stating her stance on her late husband’s illegitimate daughter. To the nation’s surprise. Diane had shown up alongside her at the conference room.The countenance she wore had given the world a clue that they had reached a consensual agreement, only that Mrs Denver needed to pronounce it publicly. Mr Smith threw his phone across the room as he watched the live conference.This had not been his intention when he sent Diane the DNA result; he had tried to set up three strong parties against her, hoping one of them could take her down. Liam Hickson had rejected his offer, and Adrian Grey's stance was stil
Rissa pouted angrily. Was this all a sick joke to him? Three years of commitment and all she got was a casual proposal! She was about to turn him down bluntly and state a thousand reasons why she thought he was inconsiderate when Adrian's phone rang.He had to excuse himself to pick up the call and Rissa sat there sulking like a rejected teenager. Liam Hickson, in the past, had made her a grand proposal that melted many hearts, including the envious Diane Donaldson. Rissa ruffled her hair, she didn't want to think about it.The comparison of both men wasn't healthy; she knew that Adrian might be an inconsiderate jerk sometimes, but she was certain of his true affection for her. Her phone chimed, and Camela’s video call request came through; she picked it up, and it turned out to be a conference call.“Hi Rissa”, Camela and Mandy chorused “Let me guess, you are in Mr Grey’s office; the background is…. exquisite”, Mandy taunted, and they all laughed.Rissa blushed sheepishly; she had a
Diane alighted from the car, and the paparazzi rushed after her; she smiled inwardly but managed to maintain her facade of hurtfulness. Mr Denver's wife had watched her display from the CCTV footage, but she kept her composure, barely giving off any emotion of weakness.The first day she had read the anonymous blogspot about the bastard girl, her heart had almost given out; her late husband had promised her in the past that he was certain he had tidied up all his loose ends, but here she was, back in one piece.The uneasiness she had felt twenty-seven years ago when the news of the burnt house didn't record the child’s corpse had come back to haunt her in the form of a stronger force to reckon with. If her suspicion was right, she was dealing with a devil’s playmate.Beatrice had grumpily told Diane about what she had heard about her before she left the orphanage, the strange man who had dumped her there with a lump sum of donation had firmly insisted she must never be adopted by any
“Mum, we are building a sandman”.Caleb's enthusiasm melted Rissa's troubled heart, she sat in the far end of the beach house dressed in a sexy teal green bikini and a slightly draped kimono. They had put off the beach visit for too long, fearing attacks; their lives had been at a standstill for too long, and unwinding turned out to be the best idea.She looked over at the all-powerful CEO of Perchy Peach packing some earth with his bare hands; he looked too happy doing it that Rissa scoffed inwardly; his authoritative aura had been replaced with a childlike look; she was glad they had taken Mrs Robinson’s weird advice.With one look at the peacefulness of the ocean, Rissa wished she had such a life, but unfortunately, hers was filled with too many dramatic encounters and dangerous turns that she barely remembers what it felt like to be at total ease.She kept on glancing at their phones that had laid helpless on the floor, Adrian had come up with the idea that they switch off their p