The Nicholas-Scott villa was bathed in a warm, golden glow as the morning sun streamed through the windows. Ethan and Emma were playing with their dog, Milo, in the expansive yard while Cassie sat on the terrace with a hot cup of tea. Their laughter, which always made her heart sing, reverberated in the clear air.Bringing two dishes of breakfast, Nicholas came out of the home with his hair still wet from the shower. Leaning down, he kissed Cassie's temple after setting one in front of her.With a deep rumble of adoration, he replied, "Good morning, beautiful."Cassie smiled at him. “Greetings, Mr. Scott. You're feeling quite happy right now.”Nicholas smiled contentedly as he sat down on the chair next to her. "Why wouldn't I be? The foundation is flourishing, the children are content, and I'm enjoying breakfast with my significant other. There isn't much finer life than this.”Squeezing his hand, Cassie reached across the table. "It doesn't."“The charity just opened its tenth cente
It was a Saturday morning, and the house was unusually quiet. Nicholas read the newspaper while Cassie sipped her coffee on the kitchen island. Outside, Emma and Ethan were having fun as their quiet but reassuring laughing could be heard in the distance. Milo, periodically wagging his tail in satisfaction, was cuddled up next to the hearth.Cassie had grown to treasure the moment, which was a picture-perfect moment of household bliss. She felt a thrill of appreciation for their progress as she looked at Nicholas, who was reading with a tiny frown on his face."Is there anything intriguing inside?” She pointed to the newspaper as she inquired.Nicholas folded it carefully and grinned. "A typical mix of gloom and doom with a dash of sports." “This quiet morning is not worth disturbing.”Cassie chuckled and opened her mouth to reply as the doorbell rang throughout the house.Nicholas got up from his chair and said, "I'll get it."A weird sensation settled in Cassie's chest as she watched
The following morning was gloomy and cloudy, the type of day that could chill even the coziest house. The folder Whitman had handed him the previous evening was the object of Nicholas's blank stare as he sat in his study. Though his mind was racing with contradicting ideas, one question stood out above the others: Why now?He had lacked the bravery to disclose to Cassie the contents of the folder fully. Yes, she had read the essentials, but there were other details he hadn't yet been able to articulate—dark facets of his father's empire that might still have an impact on his life.He was startled by a knock on the door.With a hoarse voice, he said, "Come in."With a cup of tea in hand, Cassie intervened. Even though she was dressed casually, she looked stunning, yet there were worried lines on her face."You didn't get any rest, did you?” She placed the tea on the desk and asked.Nicholas let out a sigh. "Very little."Sitting opposite him, she examined his face. "Are you concerned a
After Nicholas hung up, there was a lot of tension in the air between them. With a pale face and slightly shaking hands, he turned to Cassie and put the receiver back in its cradle.His voice was hardly audible above a whisper when he replied, "It was Angela." "She desires to meet."Cassie took a while to reply. Her normally friendly eyes were clouded with a mixture of hurt and doubt as she stared at him.“Cassie?” He took a tentative step in her direction and asked gently.In a protective move, she crossed her arms, which only made the gap between them wider. "I want the truth, Nicholas, and I have a question for you. Everything.”He nodded despite the knot in his stomach. "Ask me anything you want.""Were you aware?" her voice trembled as she asked. “Were you aware that you might have another child out there, and you chose not to inform me?"The question struck him hard. "No," he firmly said. "I promise you, Cassie, I didn't know," Angela said nothing and vanished. Had I known...? I
Although the morning sun shone through Nicholas's study's windows, the coldness that was coursing through him was not much lessened by its warmth. Staring at the letter that had turned his world upside down, he sat at his desk. He was unable to ignore the puzzle that its cryptic words had become.Do you recall the decisions you made at the time? Someone does, and it's time for you to accept reality.As though it might reveal their secrets, he traced the words with his fingers. He had already spoken with the top private investigator in the business, Derek Shaw, and given him the assignment to find out where the letter came from. When it came to his family in particular, Nicholas was not one to leave anything to chance.Cassie entered as the door creaked open. With her arms encircling her body, she appeared uncertain. "Is there anything new?"Nicholas gave a headshake. "Derek is investigating." “He promised to call you as soon as he had anything.”With a troubled expression, Cassie sat
Cassie sat in her car outside the small gallery where Valerie used to work, now boarded up and deserted. She had been contemplating whether she had the courage to do whatever she intended to do for more than twenty minutes. She did not have the time to wait for confirmation, nor did she want to watch her life unravel.As she held onto the steering wheel, her thoughts were racing, recalling the picture Nicholas had given her. There was nothing wrong with Valerie's narrative, but there was no denying the boy's likeness to him. Why did Valerie wait more than ten years to bring this to light if she was so worried about her son's welfare?She kept her arrival a secret from Nicholas. Cassie needed to hear Valerie's side of the story without any intervention, but he would have insisted on taking care of it himself. She had to face the woman and find out for herself what was going on.As she got to the small townhouse where Valerie now lived, she took a deep breath and smoothed her jacket bef
Nicholas and Cassie felt like they were under a thick cloud on the morning of the paternity test results. Tension tightened Nicholas' jaw as he sat at the breakfast table, hardly touching his coffee. Cassie, across from him, took turns looking at the clock and him.Neither had slept well the previous evening. The mysterious passage from the unidentified source had become ingrained in their thoughts, leading them to doubt everything. By "The boy is only part of the story," “what did they mean?"Finally breaking the silence, Nicholas remarked, "I keep thinking this is all a nightmare." "That it will be gone the moment I wake up."Reaching across the table, Cassie covered his hand with hers. "We'll deal with whatever comes up together."His face softened somewhat as he looked into her eyes. "You've persevered through everything. I don't know how you're managing.”She smiled slightly and replied, "I have no choice." "We've come too far to be destroyed by something like this."They were bo
Nicholas's home office was filled with floor-to-ceiling windows that let in the morning sun, which gave the room a golden glow. Deep in contemplation, a vision building in his thoughts, Nicholas stood beside his desk. Although the last several weeks had been taxing, they had also given him a deep insight: his background, his hardships, and his victories were all moving him in the direction of something greater.Cassie entered with two cups of coffee in tow, her demeanor gentle and soothing. She smiled teasingly and remarked, "You've been standing there for fifteen minutes." "What's happening in your brilliant mind?"With a serious yet enthusiastic gaze, Nicholas turned to face her. He accepted the coffee she offered and started, "I've been thinking." "After everything we've experienced—the lies, the scandals, the never-ending struggles—I don't want my accomplishments to define my legacy.” “What we can produce is what I want it to be about.”Cassie raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "I'm p
As a tutor, Nicholas Scott had never considered himself. His unwavering will to succeed, calculated risks, and sheer tenacity had allowed him to build his empire. He had to learn the hard way and claw his way to the top in a world where trust was a currency that could be quickly devalued because no one had mentored him when he first started.However, as the years went by, he transformed.Fatherhood might have been the cause. It may be the legacy idea.Or perhaps it was because he recognized in Lucas Caldwell a younger version of himself—a hungry, driven businessman at the beginning of what could be a spectacular success or a disastrous disaster.Nicholas had decided to ensure that it was the first.Twenty-four-year-old Lucas had just graduated from business school. With a creative mind and a heart determined to change the world, he was the founder of SolarTech Solutions, a modest but determined start-up dedicated to creating reasonably priced renewable energy solutions for marginalize
The colors no longer spoke to Cassie Scott as they once did as she stood in front of her blank canvas, brush in hand. The sole sound in the studio was the rain beating relentlessly on the window. Months had passed since she completed a painting, and she had lost the spark that once inspired her to create.She stepped back, exhaling. Her studio's once-tidy shelves were now a jumble of half-squeezed paint tubes and disused brushes. It was a cemetery of dead ideas.Her haven had always been art. It felt like a jail lately, though.She had to breathe.She threw on a jacket, picked up her luggage, and walked out of her apartment, lost in the streets. Cassie hardly noticed the neon signs and the distant buzz of traffic that filled the metropolis. She followed her feet till she came upon an unexpected object: an ancient, hidden art gallery.Warm light radiated through the windows despite its diminutive size and near-hidden position between two larger buildings. Something about it pulled her
Although there had always been an abundance of imagination and energy in the Nicholas-Scott home, there was an extra buzz this week. The twins' enthusiasm was infectious as they worked on a project for their school's next show.Students displayed their most excellent work, fusing technology, art, and science, at the esteemed exhibition. It was a competition with a scholarship reward for the best idea, so it wasn't simply about impressing their peers.Ethan had been brainstorming for weeks with his passion for robotics and engineering. Being an artist at heart, Emma wanted to add originality to everything they constructed. Combining their skills to create something original was the problem.One evening, they sat around the big wooden dining table with samples, notes, and sketches. Nicholas and Cassie observed their children's animated argument from a distance with a smile.Ethan persisted, drawing furiously, "It must be interactive." "Something that engages people. Like a smart AI assi
It had been an unrelenting few months. The calm closeness they had treasured had been buried under duties due to Nicholas's business expansion, Cassie's mentoring job, and their children's developing aspirations. Nicholas had noticed Cassie's tired eyes, how she slept off with a book on her lap but never opened the pages, and how she lingered in her art studio without painting.She wasn't alone. He sensed it, too.That's why he secretly organized this escape. They needed time to breathe, love, and just be.Cassie dropped her luggage at the door late that night and came home. Before she noticed Nicholas standing in the entryway, he put his arms around her waist and pulled her to his chest.Murmuring, "You look exhausted," he kissed her forehead.She let out a sigh to him. "I am. Today was a lot."With mischievous gleams in his blue eyes, Nicholas withdrew. "Good thing you're about to get a break."Cassie scowled. "What do you mean?""Pack your bag," was all he said. "We leave in an hou
Nicholas Scott's business was founded on honesty, foresight, and an unwavering determination to build a sustainable future. But Derek Langston's well-planned smear campaign destroyed his reputation in just a few weeks.The media had been relentless, and accusations of financial malfeasance were featured in the headlines. Partners left, investors paused, and even the public, who had previously been captivated by Nicholas's environmentally conscious vision, started to doubt him.However, Nicholas didn't allow other people to control his destiny.That was going to change tonight.Nicholas was in his home office with his top executives and son, Ethan, reviewing the most recent discoveries. Ethan had been crucial in exposing Langston's façade weaknesses and had inherited his father's keen business sense."Dad, this is it," Ethan informed him, tapping his laptop screen. "Derek's been funneling money through a web of offshore accounts. It's textbook money laundering, and he's been covering h
Nicholas sat in his private office, staring at the phone, Derek Langston's last words still echoing in his mind. "You don't know what's going to take place next." He felt a chill run through him. Derek was too familiar to him. The man's threats weren't baseless.With a strained attitude, Cassie walked inside the room. "I just hung up with Julia on the phone. Although the media is still quite active, public opinion is shifting back in your favor.Nicholas let out a sigh and put the phone down. “That's excellent. Derek won't be deterred, though. This was only his first tactic.”Cassie folded her arms. "After that, we must be prepared for whatever comes next."David Clarke, Nicholas's assistant, called as if on cue. He was put on speaker by Nicholas."We have a problem, sir."Nicholas gave his temple a rub. "Now what?"David spoke in a somber tone. "Someone just breached our company's servers. Private documents were viewed.Cassie's gaze expanded. "Who do we know?"David paused. "We id
It was a tidal wave of a storm.Nicholas Scott was scrolling through his phone in his office as a deluge of remarks, tweets, and news pieces arrived. The headlines were filled with accusations, portraying his company as unethical, exploitative, and crooked. The public outrage was increasing by the second, and the story appeared to have been picked up by every news outlet.With an expression that was a mixture of disbelief and rage, Layla rushed into the room. "Nicholas, have you seen this? They're saying you've been using offshore accounts to evade taxes and manipulating stock prices!"He put his phone down and let out a deep exhale. "I've seen it."His thoughts were immediately racing, trying to figure out where the leak might have come from. He had been making sure his business dealings were ethical for years. Someone had planned this attack to take him down, so it wasn't just any strike."This isn't just a smear campaign," Layla went on, pacing the room. "It's detailed. They have f
Sitting in her art studio, Cassie Scott gazed at the blank canvas. The air was filled with the familiar smell of oil paint and turpentine, which is typically reassuring. However, it felt oppressive today.The brush seemed heavy and unfamiliar in her fingers, as though she had forgotten how to handle it correctly.She hadn't painted anything for herself in weeks. She spent her days organizing exhibitions, teaching aspiring artists, and helping students on their artistic paths. She had pushed them to find their voices and supported them.However, she had lost her own in the process.She waited for the recognizable burst of inspiration as she pressed the brush's bristles on the canvas.Nothing arrived.With a harsh exhale, Cassie threw the brush on the table.What's the matter with me?This was the hardest she had ever struggled. Her passion and escape had always been art. But now she was just frustrated as she stared at the blank canvas.And anxiety.Cassie stood in front of her mentors
Nicholas Scott looked out at the skyline from his glass-walled office, high above New York City. Below, everything went according to its normal rhythm: buildings shining in the afternoon sun, cars honking, and people hurrying.However, anarchy was developing inside Scott Enterprises.His company was under siege. It had begun quietly, with a few unfavorable headlines and rumors of scandal. Then, it blew up into a major crisis.Breaking: Is Nicholas Scott's Eco-Initiative a Scam? Terra Vision is under fire.”Examiners looking into "unethical” business practices—TERRA VISION STOCK PLUMMETS.Nicholas's jaw tightened. Every one of the charges was false.And he was fully aware of its perpetrator. Langley, Victor.An old ghost. He once had a crush on a businessman. He had returned with a vengeance.Nicholas moved away from the window and spoke to his head of security, Daniel Reeves, and his public relations strategist, Cynthia Lawson, his eyes glimmering with icy resolve."Explain the comple