Sarah looked smitten. She felt like she'd lost a trophy. Jeremy was back on his feet, he still had his company and he had defeated Big Margaret. He was even married; happily even. But she was stuck with Conrad who seemed to be heading nowhere in life.What would become of her? She couldn't be with Conrad anymore. He was a failure. Only the sex was good, but he couldn't give her the life she deserved.She kept turning uncomfortably on the bed, lost in her thought, until Conrad came in to play with her.When Conrad touched her, she flared up in anger. Conrad could see the disdain in Sarah's eyes when she looked at him. “Are you okay, babe?” He asked.“I'm fine. I just had a bad day,” Sarah said, frowning her face.“Then, let me help cheer you up,” Conrad offered, moving closer to her and touching her, but Sarah stood up abruptly.“I said stop!” she yelled, her voice sharp as a whip. I'm not in the mood for this, please,” she said firmly.Conrad could see the intensity of hate and anger
“Good heavens!” Leah exclaimed, her voice trembling with disbelief. “How could you keep something like this from me, Noah?”Noah's brain swam for a minute. He looked at Leah steadily, not knowing how to explain to make her understand. He had expected her to understand.“I told you, Leah. You were away on that trip with Jeremy. The night I learned of the incident, you were so happy, I didn't want to break any news to you that could cut short your joy. I just thought I'd wait for you to get back before I told you,” Noah explained, calmly, in bits, enough to allow Leah grasp and reason with him.But Leah just looked at him disappointingly. Noah shook his head in frustration. “Okay. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you. Forgive me?” Noah asked with a weak smile.Leah looked away. “I don't know. I'm sorry for snapping like that. I just… anyway,I mean, I can't even cry. We've thought he'd been dead thesenoast years before we learned he was actually still alive, and, and…. suffering, a
“Hey, are you alright?” Jeremy asked Leah, seeing her brooding on the balcony where she sat, arms folded, staring into the night sky.Leah barely moved, her head tilting slightly in acknowledgment of his presence. “Yeah, I'm good,” she replied, her tone flat and unconvincing, looking up to see Jeremy holding a bag. “What's good?”Jeremy stepped closer and handed the bag to her. “I got these for you,” he said simply, his voice warm.Leah took the bag, her brows furrowing slightly as she opened it. Inside was a matching designer bag and shoes, the kind that would make any woman’s eyes sparkle with excitement. She looked up at him briefly before setting the bag aside.Jeremy was buying her gifts more often but she didn't want to read any meaning into it. Unless he came out openly to say that he loved her, she wouldn't assume anything, to avoid having her expectations cut short, and getting hurt. Perhaps he was buying her those things to ensure she kept looking like the Billionaire's wife
"You're fired, Leah! I don't want to ever see you here again.” Her boss' words struck her like lightning. She had just lost the only job that fed her and her family. Hot tears threatened to leave her eyes as she stood in front of Mr. Michael, trembling. “Please, sir. I- this is my only source of income. You know how it is ever since my dad-” “Enough, Leah! You should have just continued to be the obedient girl that you were.” He cut her off, his voice sending a chill down her spine, as she glanced around to see people staring at her. All she did was refuse the advances an annoying customer had made toward her. Her boss had queried her because of the several reports he had gotten from their top customers on how she snapped at them. He said she was being rude to their big customers and was likely pushing them away to their competitors. He urged her to just play along when they flirted with her. “You don't have to go to their houses and get in their beds, Leah. Just play along h
“Mr. Harper,” Leah called out steadily.Jeremy turned around swiftly and Leah saw him face to face for the first time. Yes, people had described him to be very wealthy and commanding and good looking, but no one ever described how he looked perfectly. Pictures of him on billboards didn't even do justice. This man was dripping in finesse.“How can one man be this good-looking?” Leah wondered.“Leo, is it?” Jeremy asked, his piercing blue eyes scanning her from head to toe. He was a very classic man.Leah swallowed her nerves, deepened her voice and answered, “yes, sir.”“You start tomorrow,” he said, dismissing her with a wave of his hand.Leah almost skipped out of the mansion. She'd done it. The job was hers.On reaching home, she saw that her mother had been discharged, and it was Noah who had taken care of the hospital bills. Her mother had been in a myasthenic crisis but was doing better after receiving treatment at the hospital. She only had to keep taking her medication, avoid
“Ugh! My head aches so bad. Leo! Leo!” Jeremy called out, gripping his head and groaning.“Yes, sir,” Leah rushed in as if she had been waiting to be summoned. She barely had enough sleep the previous night, wondering if Jeremy had found her out or not. She was uneasy.Jeremy just looked at her and mumbled, “lousy man.”“Make me some lime juice, for my headache. I'm having a hangover from last night.”“What? Last night?” She asked even though she had heard him clearly. She was terrified. She had been careless last night and she could've sworn that he heard her. Oh God! She prayed silently in her heart.“Are you deaf? You better hurry!” “Yes, sir!” She hurried out and came back with a glass of the lime juice.“Sir, I have arranged the clothes you'll wear. Will you have breakfast downstairs or should I bring it here?” Leah asked.“You aren't my babysitter, are you? I'll let you know when I need something. Get lost!” He snapped at her. Leah couldn't understand why he was so difficult t
Jeremy seemed to be watching Leah closely after the previous night and Leah could feel it. She became extremely careful. She had told herself that whether she was alone or not, as long as she was in the mansion, she was “Leo.”She did her work swiftly and avoided him like a plague. She couldn't risk getting caught. Her life depended on retaining that job and getting her monthly salary.Thankfully, a month flew by, and payday arrived.She received her salary and got a bonus too. Her boss wasn't so bad, after all.Her once-a-month weekend leave had arrived, and she was eager to go home and be herself again.“Mama, how have you been?” She greeted her mother, kissing her cheeks.Her siblings, Keira and Ivan, welcomed her warmly, arguing over who would carry the groceries she brought. Their playful bickering made Leah and their mother laugh.Leah cooked Noah's favorite dish, porridge, and invited him over. “Noah, I appreciate all that you do for me. You're more like a brother to me than a
Jeremy looked dashing in his navy-blue suit, polished shoes, gold wristwatch, and the faint scent of designer cologne. Stepping out in style, he was driven to the office, where his arrival created a buzz akin to a presidential visit. As the company’s president, his presence commanded respect. Everyone welcomed him with warm smiles. He shook hands with a few colleagues, and wheeled his chair to his office. It felt good to be back. Everything was in place. His secretary walked in to brief him on the things that had been going prior to his resumption. She expressed how happy she was that he survived the accident, and said that she was optimistic that he would walk again. He cut her short. He didn't like talking about the possibility of walking again. Having high hopes and expectations cut short wasn't something he was ready for. Jeremy, however, quickly changed the subject. He wasn’t ready to entertain false hope. Thanking her for holding the fort, he instructed her to prepare the
“Hey, are you alright?” Jeremy asked Leah, seeing her brooding on the balcony where she sat, arms folded, staring into the night sky.Leah barely moved, her head tilting slightly in acknowledgment of his presence. “Yeah, I'm good,” she replied, her tone flat and unconvincing, looking up to see Jeremy holding a bag. “What's good?”Jeremy stepped closer and handed the bag to her. “I got these for you,” he said simply, his voice warm.Leah took the bag, her brows furrowing slightly as she opened it. Inside was a matching designer bag and shoes, the kind that would make any woman’s eyes sparkle with excitement. She looked up at him briefly before setting the bag aside.Jeremy was buying her gifts more often but she didn't want to read any meaning into it. Unless he came out openly to say that he loved her, she wouldn't assume anything, to avoid having her expectations cut short, and getting hurt. Perhaps he was buying her those things to ensure she kept looking like the Billionaire's wife
“Good heavens!” Leah exclaimed, her voice trembling with disbelief. “How could you keep something like this from me, Noah?”Noah's brain swam for a minute. He looked at Leah steadily, not knowing how to explain to make her understand. He had expected her to understand.“I told you, Leah. You were away on that trip with Jeremy. The night I learned of the incident, you were so happy, I didn't want to break any news to you that could cut short your joy. I just thought I'd wait for you to get back before I told you,” Noah explained, calmly, in bits, enough to allow Leah grasp and reason with him.But Leah just looked at him disappointingly. Noah shook his head in frustration. “Okay. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you. Forgive me?” Noah asked with a weak smile.Leah looked away. “I don't know. I'm sorry for snapping like that. I just… anyway,I mean, I can't even cry. We've thought he'd been dead thesenoast years before we learned he was actually still alive, and, and…. suffering, a
Sarah looked smitten. She felt like she'd lost a trophy. Jeremy was back on his feet, he still had his company and he had defeated Big Margaret. He was even married; happily even. But she was stuck with Conrad who seemed to be heading nowhere in life.What would become of her? She couldn't be with Conrad anymore. He was a failure. Only the sex was good, but he couldn't give her the life she deserved.She kept turning uncomfortably on the bed, lost in her thought, until Conrad came in to play with her.When Conrad touched her, she flared up in anger. Conrad could see the disdain in Sarah's eyes when she looked at him. “Are you okay, babe?” He asked.“I'm fine. I just had a bad day,” Sarah said, frowning her face.“Then, let me help cheer you up,” Conrad offered, moving closer to her and touching her, but Sarah stood up abruptly.“I said stop!” she yelled, her voice sharp as a whip. I'm not in the mood for this, please,” she said firmly.Conrad could see the intensity of hate and anger
Leah saw Jeremy standing beside Caroline. She hugged him tightly, excited to see him, hale and hearty. She had been worried sick.“You're okay!” she exclaimed, her voice trembling with excitement. “I was so worried.”Jeremy’s arms encircled her, and he smiled softly. He was standing? Didn't he say he'd put on a charade for as long as possible? Maybe, he'd finally figured out how to defeat Big Margaret with the help of her twin, Caroline, and their lives would go back to being normal again.The tension in the room was palpable as the two women locked eyes, the weight of their shared history hanging heavy between them. Leah stood off to the side, her mind racing as she watched the confrontation unfold.For the first time, Big Margaret looked genuinely unnerved. Her smirk faded, replaced by a flicker of uncertainty. Caroline, however, remained composed, her gaze unwavering.“You thought you’d gotten rid of me,” Caroline said, her voice calm but laced with steel. “But you were wrong.”Bi
“Hello, Mrs. Harper?” Elizabeth greeted over the phone.“Hello, Elizabeth,” Leah said steadily.“I've been trying to reach Mr Harper but he isn't answering. Please, is he close?” Elizabeth asked politely, though her tone carried a hint of urgency.“Uhm…he's not close at the moment. Is there a problem?” Leah asked.“I hate to disturb you, ma'am, but there's an emergency and we need Mr Harper in the office urgently,” Elizabeth replied, her voice trembling with growing panic.“Isn't it something you can handle, Elizabeth? Leah asked, trying to sound composed, though worry began to creep into her thoughts.“If it was, I wouldn't have called you,” Elizabethtown said frankly, yet respectfully.“I understand. Thank you, Elizabeth. I'll try to reach him,” Leah said before ending the call.She set the phone down and sighed, her heart beginning to race. Where had Jeremy gone? He hadn't mentioned any plans to her this morning. And she was supposed to visit her family today. Leah looked around an
“Breakfast in bed? Wow,” Leah said as she sat upright, fluffing the pillows behind her. She couldn’t help but smile at the tray Jeremy carried.“Yes,” Jeremy said, smiling as he dropped the tray on the bed. “Only I didn't make it.”Leah laughed, her voice light and cheerful. “Of course. Still, this means so much. Thank you.”Jeremy looked at her, unable to hide the admiration in his eyes. “You look beautiful this morning, Leah.”Leah blushed. She looked up slowly and gave Jeremy an appreciative smile. And then she rubbed her hands. “Let's see what we have here.” She opened the food and was surprised. “Smoked Fish Platter. It's one of my favorites.” Leah gave Jeremy the first bite. “Have some.”“Hmmm. Delicious,” he said with an exaggerated tone, making Leah giggle. “I was going to have Pancake Towers, but I've changed my mind,” Jeremy said, chuckling.“Your sense of humor is growing, huh?” Leah said, shaking her head as she laughed.“You've influenced me so much, it's only a matter of
Leah's phone beeped and as she picked up the phone, she read the text message Jeremy had sent her.“Meet me at the balcony.”Curious and slightly intrigued, Leah quickly tied her hair into a loose bun, slipped on her house slippers, and headed toward the balcony. Her heart raced with anticipation. Jeremy wasn’t the type to call her out for trivial things.When she got there, she saw Jeremy standing in front of his wheelchair. Her eyes beamed with surprise and joy. Jeremy took a step, and then another, and then another. Leah covered her mouth with hands in awe. Jeremy walked to her and Leah couldn't hold herself back. She hugged him tightly, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks.“You’re walking!” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.“I am,” Jeremy replied softly, his lips curling into a proud smile.“Since when?” She asked, curious.“Today,” Jeremy said simply, his tone humble yet filled with joy.““You have no idea how happy this makes me. I told you this day would come, did
Big Margaret stood in the dimly lit room, the faint sound of crickets from outside the only thing breaking the silence. It was a secluded space, old and decrepit, much like the man lying on the floor before her. Her expression was cold, her tone filled with venom as she glared at Henry.“Everything is rightfully mine. Mine, Henry. You were the illegitimate child, but he loved you more. He treated me like a scumbag,” Big Margaret said scornfully.Henry's body was weak and he was trembling from exhaustion. He tried to sit up. His face was pale, his eyes weary. Yet, his voice held a trace of defiance as he replied, his voice shaking from weariness. “He loved us all. All three of us. You just turned into something indescribable. What happened to you, Margaret?” Big Margaret gave Henry a hot slap. The slap came so fast Henry didn’t see it coming. His head snapped to the side as the sting spread across his cheek. “How dare you? You accepted to be the CEO and took over. You sidelined me. Me
“Leah, I have a plan,” Jeremy said in his room, his voice low but steady.Leah's eyes sparkled with interest. She was leaning against the doorway, her arms crossed. “Tell me about it.”“I told you Dr. Albert had called, right? He has referred to a therapist outside of town.” He paused, his expression conflicted. “I wasn't going to go, but I think we should go now, and monitor things from there,” Jeremy said.Leah nodded thoughtfully, smiling. “That's smart. They'll be wondering where on the planet we have gone to, while we watch them from there and plan our next move,” Leah said, her tone filled with optimism.“Yeah,” Jeremy agreed, his lips curling into a faint smile.Leah hesitated for a moment, her expression softening. “And the doctor can help you too. I long for the day you'll be jumping and running, Jeremy. I hope it's before the contract is over,” Leah said, looking downwards, her voice laced with concern.Jeremy smiled. “Thank you, Leah. I hope so too.”There was a moment of s