Big Margaret was dressed in a way that disguised how she looked. She wore dark sunglasses and a plain black face cap, pulling it low to cover her face. She adjusted her oversized trench coat, its bulky fabric concealing her figure. Anyone passing her by would think she was just another shadow in the dim light of the early evening. She called Noah and asked him to drive her somewhere discreetly.“Okay, ma'am. Where are we going?” Noah asked.“You'll find out. Just get ready,” Big Margaret said.“Alright, ma'am,” Noah replied, his voice unsteady.Noah opened the door for her, and she slid into the backseat of the car, saying nothing as he started the engine.He drove through the lonely streets, his heart beating fast. Big Margaret was usually scary, but she was acting unusually strange that day. Noah peeped through the rearview mirror to read Big Margaret's expression, but couldn't observe anything.“Park here,” Big Margaret said abruptly, her voice cutting through the silence like a b
Leah stood in one of the aisles of the pharmacy, carefully examining the list of medications her mother needed. It had been a long day, and all she wanted was to purchase the items and head home. As she moved towards the counter, she froze. Sarah was there.Was Sarah sick? Or did she have someone who was sick she was caring for? That was very unlikely. With Sarah, one had to always be suspicious. She was always up to something, to further her own ends.Leah was going to hide and find out what Sarah wanted in the pharmacy, but Sarah caught a glimpse of her and called out to her.“Hello, Leah,” Sarah greeted, her voice cheerful and warm.Leah was caught off guard by Sarah's warm greetings. She furrowed her brows. “Hello,” she replied, forcing a police smile.“I really wanted to thank you for taking care of my Jeremy while he recovered. I must commend you for doing a great job,” Sarah said, an uncharacteristic smile plastered on her face, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness.Lea
“I'm telling you, Leah. She was acting so strange. She had me parked in the middle of nowhere and trekked a long distance until she vanished out of sight,” Noah narrated.“Whoah. You don't mean it. What kind of secret could she possibly be keeping. We have to go there and look around. We may find something,” Leah said.“To be honest, I was scared for a minute.It’s like she’s always ten steps ahead of everyone,” Noah confessed.Leah's voice softened with concern. “I am always scared for you, Noah. What's your police contact saying?” she asked.“He said they're unto her with a full force, and it won't be long before they get her in a way she's never able to escape, even with all her influence,” Noah said, his voice tinged with both hope and exhaustion.“I really hope that’s soon enough,” Leah replied with an edge of frustration. “I just want all this to be over already. It feels like we’ve been walking on eggshells forever.”Noah nodded, though she couldn’t see him. “I hope so too.”Le
It was a beautiful Thursday morning. The sun was still rising, casting a soft, golden glow over the city. Workers were in their offices, students were immersed in school activities, and business people were already handling their affairs. The cool, calm atmosphere promised a peaceful day ahead, or so it seemed.Big Margaret asked Noah to drive her somewhere. Noah was shocked when Big Margaret gave him the address. It was Leah's house.He knew that Big Margaret knew Leah was in Jeremy's house. That only meant one thing. It meant that Big Margaret wanted to see Leah's mother. But why?Noah was uncomfortable about it. At first, he wondered how he'd act around Mama as Big Margaret's driver. Then he remembered she already knew. He then looked at the bright side. It could have been another driver. Leah wouldn't be home, he'd be at work and Mama would be home alone because Keira and Ivan were in school. He was thankful he was the one driving Big Margaret there. He'd get to protect Mama if ne
The car ride back to Big Margaret’s home was suffocatingly silent. Noah kept his eyes on the road, but his mind was racing. Every glance at the rearview mirror revealed Big Margaret staring out the window, her lips pressed into a tight line. Her face betrayed nothing, but Noah could sense the storm brewing within her.As they arrived at the mansion, Big Margaret finally broke the silence. “You’ll drive me to the office later, Noah. Be ready.”“Yes, ma’am,” Noah replied, his voice neutral.As she disappeared into the house, Noah exhaled heavily. He pulled out his phone and called Leah.“She’s gone now,” he said the moment Leah picked up.“Good. Mama’s shaken, but she’s okay. Noah, what did she say in the car? Did she mention anything?” Leah asked anxiously.“No, nothing. She’s not the type to explain herself, you know that,” Noah replied. “But Leah… whatever she’s looking for, it’s serious. She’s desperate.”Leah sighed on the other end. “I know. I’ll talk to Mama and see if she rememb
Noah sat in his dimly lit apartment, his headphones on, listening intently to the conversation coming through the bug he had secretly planted on Sarah. His pulse quickened as he heard her voice.“Jeremy,” she said softly. There was a pause. She sighed, clearly frustrated. “Pick up, damn it.”The line went dead, but Sarah muttered to herself loud enough for the bug to pick up her words. “I’ll show up at his place and act like I’m stranded. Surely, he’ll take pity on me. That’ll be my chance to get close to him.”Noah’s hand hovered over the phone. Should he call Leah and warn her? But if he did, Leah would inform Jeremy. He thought about it for a while. She’d go back to the mansion and see Sarah there and then maybe, just maybe, things would unravel in a way that forced Leah to finally leave Jeremy. Noah clenched his jaw. It was a gamble, but he decided to let the events unfold without interfering.– – – Sarah arrived at Jeremy's mansion, pretending to look dejected. She was crying,
“Leah, dear, please come out,” Mama called softly, knocking gently on Leah's door.There was no response, only the faint sound of muffled sobs. It pained Mama so much. Leah who had left home that morning to go back to the mansion returned moments later with all her luggage, looking pale and exhausted and broken, even though she'd said nothing. And now, her silent sobs could be heard from inside.Mama hated to see Leah like that. It broke her heart.“Leah?” Mama tried again, her voice tender, almost pleading. But despite her attempts to reach out, the sobs inside only grew louder. Mama sighed deeply, wiping at her eyes as they began to glisten with unshed tears. Perhaps it was best to give Leah some space.“I’ll check back later,” she whispered to herself, reluctantly wheeling her chair away.Noah soon came around. “Mama Bear,” he called out softly after he knocked and pushed the door open.His calm presence usually brought a sense of ease to the house, but today, the tension hanging i
“If I ever see you here or anywhere around me, I'll hurt you,” Jeremy threatened as he threw Sarah's bag and pushed her outside.“B…baby,” Sarah managed to call out as she fell on the floor.“I should have known you were up to no good, you wench,” Jeremy cursed. “What did you do? Tell me. You must've added something in the water,” he said as he tapped his forehead hard aggressively.“I love you, Jeremy. We're meant to be together. Didn't last night mean anything to you?” Sarah asked dramatically.Jeremy looked at her with so much hatred and anger. “Thank God I don't remember anything. You're such a whore, jumping from bed to bed. Get out of here!” Jeremy ordered and slammed the door.“It's done,” Sarah muttered to herself. She stood up and arranged herself, smiling victoriously. Jeremy had no clue what was coming next. Sarah felt like she had won a lottery. Her goal was close to being achieved. In fact, it had been achieved.Inside, Jeremy was sulking. He felt so stupid. How couldn't
The trap had been set perfectly.As it had been predicted, Clara made her move. And she didn’t waste time.While Jeremy and Leah were at the penthouse, still trying to find out where Maggie, Mama, Ivan and Keira were, the clock started ticking toward a confrontation that would define the future of everything they had fought for.Inside the boardroom of HARPER CORPORATION, Clara was already executing the plan.Foster, Jeremy’s trusted man stationed inside the surveillance control room, caught sight of it happening through the cameras. His heart skipped a beat when he saw Clara standing confidently at the head of the polished, obsidian conference table, facing the assembled board members.Without hesitating, Foster grabbed his phone and started texting furiously.—Foster: Sir, she’s here. It’s happening. Boardroom. Emergency.—Foster: She’s gathered everyone. She's making a move.—Foster: Live feed showing now. Urgent.Jeremy's phone buzzed in his pocket. He had strictly instructed Fost
The low hum of the airplane filled the silence between Jeremy and Leah. The private jet flew through the night, taking Jeremy to a challenging situation he wasn't sure he could handle. He stared out the small oval window, watching the dark clouds swirl and the endless black stretch before him. His mind was filled with worrisome questions, none with answers he liked.His father.Alive.The man Jeremy had mourned, idolized, defended even when others accused. The same man who had once filled his childhood with warmth and strength… yet had also, in hidden shadows, betrayed his mother with Big Margaret — the woman who had caused more havoc than Jeremy could have ever imagined.If he had been alive all these years, why hadn't he reached out? Why had he allowed Jeremy and Maggie to suffer, to believe he was dead, to build their lives on lies and pain? Why had he joined forces with Margaret, forming something as monstrous as Ares Protocol?Jeremy closed his eyes briefly, exhaling slowly throu
The phone slipped from Jeremy’s fingers. He barely caught it before it hit the floor. His heart pounded violently against his ribcage, a deafening rhythm in the stillness of the office. He looked at Leah, his face expressed disbelief—shock. Perhaps he was hoping that she might confirm that this wasn’t real, that it was some cruel illusion crafted by his stressed mind."I... I don't understand you," Jeremy said finally, his voice rough and uneven, still battling the reality Maggie had just thrust upon him.Maggie's voice trembled through the speaker. "It's true, Jeremy. He's here… at the penthouse in Japan."Jeremy's lips parted, but no words came out. His hands tightened into fists at his sides. His wide, unblinking eyes stared through Leah, through the walls, through everything.His head was filled with thoughts.How?And if true, why?Why had the man stayed away all these years?Was he here now out of love and loyalty or was he plotting something sinister with those who had been tr
Jeremy frowned as he dialed Maggie’s number for the third time. Again, the call didn’t go through. The automated voice repeated, "The number you're trying to call is currently switched off. Please try again later."He pulled the phone away from his ear, staring at the screen like it would change the outcome."Her phone is still off," he said, puzzled.Leah turned to him from across the desk, arching a curious brow. “Maggie’s phone is off?”“Yeah. It's weird. Her phone is never off,” Jeremy muttered, eyes narrowing. “Something feels off. She always picks.”“Try again?” Leah suggested, though her voice lacked urgency. Her gaze had shifted. Like she was less focused on the problem at hand and more on him.Jeremy was about to dial again, but when he glanced up, Leah was staring at him… differently.Her head tilted ever so slightly, her lips parted just enough to reveal a hint of a sultry smile, and her eyes darkened with unmistakable mischief. Slowly, she rose from her chair and walked ar
Leah could perceive the sweet aroma of freshly baked croissants and sizzling eggs as she stepped into The Maple Grove, a quaint yet upscale eatery nestled between two tall buildings on Eastbourne Street. The morning rush hadn’t quite begun, so the place felt warm, inviting, and quiet—just as she remembered. It was the kind of place that offered comfort in chaos, and today, she needed that comfort.The hostess greeted her with a soft smile and recognition in her eyes. “Ms. Leah! It’s been a while.”Leah smiled back, her voice a little strained from the weight of everything she’d been carrying. “Yeah, it has. Just stopping by for breakfast.”“Jeremy not with you today?” the hostess asked, leading her to their usual corner table by the window.Leah shook her head. “No, he’s at the office. I’ll be taking some breakfast to him, too.”The woman nodded knowingly, placing the menu before Leah. “The usual?”Leah nodded. “Yes, please. Two of everything.”As she waited, she looked out the window
The morning sun shone brightly, lighting up the Fisher estate. The living room was quiet—a calm before a storm everyone could sense but couldn’t see. Leah sat at the edge of the sofa, her hands folded across her lap, trying to hide her nervousness.Jeremy stood by the window, staring out with a pensive look, his jaw tight. His phone buzzed on the table, and he glanced at it before ignoring the call. His mind was elsewhere, calculating, preparing.He turned and looked at Leah, concern evident in his eyes.“Sure you’re strong enough to go with them to the airport?” he asked gently, stepping toward her.Leah looked up at him, offering a small but determined smile. “Yeah, I am. Don’t worry.”She knew her body wasn’t in top shape as she was still recovering, but her spirit, her will, wouldn’t let her stay back. Not when the people she loved were being sent into hiding, even temporarily. She had to be there. She needed to see it for herself—that they were safe, that they got on the plane, t
Outside of town, in a secretive, quiet place, a lady was standing; waiting, her arms folded across her chest, her breath coming out in even mists as the evening chilled. The only sounds were the distant calls of birds settling in for the night and the subtle crunch of gravel beneath approaching footsteps.Clara appeared moments later, dressed in dark jeans and a loose sweater, her blonde hair tucked beneath a cap. She moved quickly, glancing over her shoulder every few seconds. Her heart was beating fast, but not from fear—at least not entirely. There was something else pulsing through her veins: adrenaline, purpose, the knowledge of what they were about to set in motion.The lady had a striking resemblance with Clara. Their face, height, complexion, everything. They were mirror images. The only difference was that she had sharper edges and a colder aura."Update," the woman said, her tone brisk, as though she wasn’t interested in pleasantries. Even her voice echoed Clara’s, but wit
Morning light came through the curtains, casting soft lines on the walls. Leah woke up, still feeling the effects of the previous night. She lay in bed for a few seconds, enjoying the warmth and Jeremy's gentle breathing—the faint scent of him lingering in the pillows.Slowly, she got up from the bed, careful not to wake him. She yawned as she sat upright, her bare skin kissed by the gentle chill of the room. It was then she realized she was completely naked, her breasts still standing and pointed; sensitively alive, a sweet reminder of how passionately they’d expressed their love just hours ago.Last night had been more than sex. It had been soul meeting soul, a temporary sanctuary from the chaos that constantly clawed at their lives. With Margaret’s evil still echoing through the walls, with betrayal and secrets swirling in every corner of Empire Hub, and possibly Fisher Enterprise, they'd found comfort in the only place that still felt safe: each other.Leah slipped into her silky
Leah had gone with Jeremy to see Ivan. “Please wait for me. Let me go in alone,” she said to Jeremy.“Okay,” Jeremy said without any argument.He trusted Leah so much, more than himself even. She was extremely smart and her gut feelings were usually right.Leah walked in and the warder went to bring Ivan out.Ivan couldn't look at Leah. He bent his head, avoiding her gaze.“Look at me,” Leah said, her tone firm.Ivan didn't look up.“Ivan, look at me, I said!” She sounded authoritative this time.“I can't. I'm too ashamed,” Ivan admitted, crying softly.“You were brainwashed. Big Margaret was very manipulative. I don't blame you, Ivan,” she paused and stretched her hands to his. “I'm getting you out of here, I promise.”Ivan finally raised his head up and looked at her, surprised at her words. She would help him after everything?Leah nodded as if she could hear his thoughts.— — —Jeremy was still being troubled about Clara or Claudia or whoever she was. She was an infiltrator and s