The morning of the international expo dawned bright, but the knot in my stomach was far from easy to ignore. This was the day—the event that could make or break my standing as the acting CEO of Bermudez Group. I had meticulously planned everything, left nothing to chance—or so I thought.Lucia and I arrived at the venue early to oversee the setup. The expo hall was buzzing with energy, a sea of booths and displays from companies all over the world, each vying for attention. Our booth was supposed to be a showstopper, with the centerpiece being a cutting-edge 3D design that Javier from the procurement division had been responsible for. It was crucial to our presentation. But, of course, things rarely go as planned.I stared at the empty display where the 3D design should have been. My phone clutched tightly in my hand while I listened to Javier’s stammered excuses on the other end of the line.“What do you mean it’s going to delivered late?” I snapped, pacing back and forth. My heart
A moment later, the panel judge arrived—a middle-aged man with sharp eyes and an air of authority. He approached the booth with an appraising gaze, and I stepped forward to greet him.“Good morning,” I said, offering a warm smile. “I’m Bridgette Martinez, acting CEO of Bermudez Group. Thank you for taking the time to visit our booth.”The judge nodded, his eyes sweeping over the setup. “Mrs. Bermudez, I’ve heard a lot about Bermudez Group. I’m looking forward to seeing what you’ve brought to the table.”I gestured to the LED screens, where our promotional videos played in a seamless loop. “We’re showcasing our latest projects and inno
With the 3D design finally in place, our booth transformed into something breathtaking. The LED screens lit up with vibrant images of Bermudez Group’s latest projects, and the 3D model projected an immersive view of our most ambitious real estate developments.Lucia and I stood back for a moment, admiring the setup. It had come together better than I had hoped, given the rocky start.“Wow,” Lucia whispered, her eyes wide. “It’s amazing, Madame CEO. I knew we could pull it off, but this? It’s stunning.”I nodded, feeling the same sense of pride. “Yeah, definitely, we
Days after the expo…The mood in my office was light, even buoyant, as Marcus popped the cork off the bottle of champagne. Lucia cheered, and I couldn’t help but laugh as bubbles fizzed up and spilled over the edge of the bottle.“To our fearless Madame CEO!” Marcus said with a grin, handing me the first glass. “You really pulled off a miracle at the expo.”I raised my glass, trying to suppress the modest smile tugging at my lips. “I couldn’t have done it without the two of you. If anyone deserves a toast, it’s you both. You kept everything together when things almost went off the rails.”Lucia shook her head, pouring herself a glass. “Come on, Madame CEO. You’re the one who kept us calm. If it weren’t for you, I’d have probably been a nervous wreck the moment that panel judge showed up early.”I laughed, recalling how pale Lucia had gone when we’d been told about the judge’s sudden appearance. “Well, I might’ve been panicking on the inside, but outwardly, I had to keep it cool.”“And
I stormed out of the boardroom, my head spinning with everything Charles had just thrown at me. This couldn’t be real—he couldn’t just walk in here and claim the chairman position without any warning, without Thiago saying a word. As I made my way through the halls of the Bermudez Group building, I pulled out my phone, my hands trembling with a mix of anger and disbelief. Thiago. I needed to hear from him. I didn’t bother sending a text; I called him directly, pacing in the corridor as the phone rang, each unanswered buzz only fueling my frustration. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Thiago answered."Hello, wifey," he greeted in that calm, almost teasing tone he often used, but this time, it only grated on my nerves.“We need to talk,” I snapped, not bothering with pleasantries. “Right now.”There was a brief pause before he answered, his voice softening. “What happened? Are you okay?”Completelyh ignoring his question, I immediately replied, “I’m coming over to your plac
The next morning, I arrived at the office earlier than usual, still feeling the lingering weight of my conversation with Thiago the night before. His reassurance had settled some of my nerves a bit, but not all. Charles Bermudez was still a problem, and I wasn’t about to let him keep disrupting my work.When I stepped into my office, however, I instantly felt something was off. My desk that was usually spotless and way too well put together was now messed up. My personal files were usually in a controlled state of chaos, but everything now looked disorganised and unsightly. That’s when I noticed him—Charles—sitting casually in the chair behind my desk, rifling through my paperwork as if he had every right to be there.That was when my blood boiled.“Excuse me,” I said, my voice sharp as I stormed into the room. “What the hell do you think you’re doing in my office?”Charles glanced up from the files with that same smug, arrogant smile he’d worn at the board meeting yesterday. “Ah, goo
Lucia walked further inside my office, closing the door behind her and pulling up a chair beside my desk. She began helping by arranging those files and documents that Charles had messed around earlier.Following that, she then looked at me with her usual supportive, yet curious, expression."Let me guess," she said, folding her arms. "Charles isn’t going away quietly, is he?"I let out a long sigh, rubbing my temples as I tried to calm the frustration bubbling inside. "No, he’s not. He was in here this morning, Lucia—like inisde my office, going through my files like he had every right to be here."
And as soon as Marcus left, I grabbed my phone and dialed Thiago’s viber. I needed to inform him about the things that his cousin was doing behind our back.The weight of everything—Charles’ meddling, the betrayal within the company, and the looming threat to Bermudez Group—hung over me like a dark cloud. I needed to seek help, and of course, the only person I think that could help me now was no one else but Thiago. I needed him now.It rang a few times before Thiago picked up, his voice calm and collected as usual. "Wifey, what’s going on?"I didn’t bother with pleasantries. "We need to talk. Please, Charles is snooping around in our financial files in secret, and he’s not doing it alone. Someone in the company is helping him, and I need to know if you’re involved."There was a pause on the other end of the line, and for a moment, my heart pounded in the silence. When Thiago finally spoke, his voice was firm but a little colder than usual. "Wifey, I’ve already told you—I have noth
The jet cut through the night sky, its engines humming beneath us like a beast biding its time. I sat stiffly in my seat, staring out the window at the endless black void below. The reality of what was happening still hadn’t fully settled.My mother was alive.And she was in Spain.I turned my head, watching Thiago from the corner of my eye. He had leaned back, fingers tapping against his glass in slow, measured beats. His eyes were on me, as if he was waiting for me to break the silence.I refused to give him that satisfaction.Instead, I asked the one question that had been burning in my mind since we took off.“How long have you known?”Thiago’s tapping stopped. He didn’t look away, didn’t flinch. “A few weeks.”A sharp breath left my lips. “A few weeks?” I repeated, my voice cold. “You let me believe she was dead for weeks?”“I didn’t let you believe anything,” he corrected. “I was gathering proof. If I had told you too soon, you would have gone straight to your father and gotten
The private jet hummed softly beneath us, a stark contrast to the storm brewing in my chest. Spain. My mother. The words still didn't fit together in my mind. For years, I had assumed she was dead, lost in the wreckage of my father’s games. And now, she was suddenly alive? Hiding in another country?I gripped the armrest, my nails digging into the leather. “How long have you known she was in Spain?”Thiago didn’t hesitate. “A few weeks.”A sharp, bitter laugh escaped me. “And you just decided to tell me now?”He swirled the last of his drink before setting the glass down with a soft clink. “I told you when it mattered.”“When it mattered to you.”His jaw flexed, but he didn’t deny it. Of course, he wouldn’t. Thiago Bermudez wasn’t the kind of man to offer apologies.I crossed my arms, my body tight with frustration. “You should have told me the moment you knew.”His dark eyes settled on mine, unreadable but heavy with something that made my breath catch. “Would it have changed anythin
Thiago’s words lingered long after he pulled away, their weight settling like lead in my chest.You should have let me handle it.I clenched my fists, refusing to let his voice take root in my head. I had spent years fighting my battles alone, carving my own path despite my father’s suffocating grip. And now, for the first time, I had won. I had backed him into a corner, forced him to sign away what he had stolen.So why didn’t it feel like a victory?I forced a deep breath, turning away from Thiago. “I need a shower.”“Of course you do.” His voice was smooth, calculated. He leaned against the suite’s bar, watching me with an unreadable expression. “You always run when you don’t want to deal with something.”I froze mid-step but didn’t turn around. “I’m not running.”“No?” I heard the ice clink in his glass as he poured himself a drink. “Then look me in the eye and tell me you don’t feel it.”Feel what? The suffocating tension? The invisible noose tightening around my throat? The way
My heels clicked against the polished marble of the lobby, my heart still hammering in my chest. The rush of adrenaline hadn’t worn off yet, but the weight of what had just happened was starting to settle.I had won. I had finally backed my father into a corner, made him sign away the power he had stolen.So why did it still feel like a hollow victory?I pushed the thought away and focused on the present.Thiago followed a few steps behind, silent but watchful. I could feel his gaze on me, tracking every breath, every twitch of my fingers. He was still angry. No, not just angry—furious.And I wasn’t in the mood to deal with it.The moment we reached the car, I yanked the door open, but before I could slip inside, his hand shot out, slamming it shut again.I turned to him, fire flashing in my eyes. “Don’t.”Thiago stepped closer, his body blocking mine from the street, from the world. “You’re shaking.”I clenched my fists. “I’m fine.”His gaze swept over me, slow and calculated, readin
The silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. My father’s fingers tapped against the rim of his whiskey glass, his mind working through the implications of what I’d just said. He was a master manipulator, but this time? He had backed himself into a corner.“You don’t have proof,” he said finally, but there was something uncertain in his voice.I leaned against his desk, forcing a smirk. “Oh, but I do.”Lucia’s voice crackled in my earpiece. “We have everything, Bridgette. His authorizations, timestamps, and even the IP addresses he used. All trace back to him.”I didn’t break eye contact. “I have enough to bury you in court. Fraud. Embezzlement. You’d be finished.”His jaw clenched, and for the first time, a flicker of unease crossed his face.Thiago, standing just behind me, chuckled lowly. “She’s not bluffing, Martinez.”I felt the heat of his presence at my back—solid, unwavering. And I hated that some part of me found comfort in it.My father exhaled slowly, setting his
I stormed through the ballroom doors, my heels clicking against the marble as I pressed a hand to my earpiece."Lucia, where’s Victor?" My voice was sharp, betraying none of the unease curling in my gut."Already on it," she replied. "He's pulling up transaction records now. But, Bridgette—""Just tell me."Lucia hesitated. "It looks internal."I froze mid-step.Internal?A chill swept through me. This wasn’t just some competitor hacking our accounts. This was someone inside Martinez Holdings.I pushed forward, ignoring the glances thrown my way as I made my way toward the exit. I needed to get to my office. Now.But then—A hand closed around my wrist.Firm. Possessive. Familiar.I turned sharply, my gaze colliding with Thiago’s. His eyes—dark, unreadable—searched mine."Let go," I said, my voice colder than ice.He didn’t. Instead, he studied me like I was a puzzle he was piecing together."Someone stole from you," he murmured. It wasn’t a question. He already knew.I yanked my wris
The world still saw me as Bridgette Martinez, the woman who clawed her way to the top, but behind closed doors, I was fighting battles that no one could see.Thiago's encroachment wasn’t just financial. It was personal. Everywhere I turned, he was there—at high-profile investor meetings, in the whispers of board members questioning my next move, in the shadow of every deal I tried to secure.And worst of all?He was still in my head.I sat at the head of the table, my expression unreadable as Lucia and Victor debriefed me on the latest developments.Lucia tossed a report onto the table. "Thiago's now the second-largest shareholder in Martinez Holdings."Victor leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. "At this rate, it won’t be long before he’s in a position to demand a seat on the board."A chill crawled up my spine. I had spent years making sure no one—not my father, not Cynthia, not any man—could take my power away. And yet, Thiago was tightening his grip without ever raising
I woke up tangled in silk sheets, the ghost of Thiago’s touch lingering on my skin. The city skyline stretched beyond the glass walls of the penthouse, bathed in the pale hues of dawn. For a moment, I let myself savor the illusion of peace.Then reality sank its claws back in.Cynthia was gone, but her words still echoed in my mind. You’ve only traded one cage for another.I turned my head slightly. Thiago was still asleep, his features relaxed in a way I rarely saw. But even in sleep, he exuded control—one arm draped possessively over my waist, his grip loose but firm.Carefully, I slipped out of bed, moving toward the floor-to-ceiling window. The city buzzed below, alive with possibilities and dangers.I wasn’t naive.Thiago’s offer of a merger was strategic, but it wasn’t just about business. He wanted control. Over the empire I had fought to build. Over me.And the worst part?I wasn’t sure I minded.A soft rustle behind me made me tense. “You’re thinking too much.”I turned to fi
…me a knowing look. “Doesn’t matter. It’s about perception.”I sank into the chair across from him, exhaling sharply. “So, what’s our move?”He smiled.That slow, dangerous smile that always meant trouble.A Week LaterCynthia was gone. Her empire, shattered. Her name, tarnished.But the world didn’t pause for my victory. The moment she fell, new threats emerged—rival companies trying to swoop in, investors questioning my leadership, and whispers in the dark from people who had once feared Cynthia but now saw an opening to take me down.And then there was Thiago.Always watching. Always waiting.It was late when he finally cornered me in my office, his presence stealing the air from the room.“You’ve been avoiding me, Wifey.” His voice was smooth, but there was something sharp underneath it.I didn’t look up from the contract I was reviewing. “I’ve been busy.”Thiago chuckled, low and knowing. “Bullshit. You’re running, and we both know why.”I exhaled slowly, finally meeting his gaze