Emily stood tall, her eyes blazing with tears and anger, as she confronted her father. "How could you do this to us?" she screamed, her voice trembling with rage. "You secretly married another woman, who already has a child, without even telling Mom! And now, when Mom and I need you most, you're abandoning us? You're choosing your new family over us, your own flesh and blood!"Mr. Vincent stood there, his face expressing no remorse at all. “I don't even understand why you decided to yell and why are you making it a big deal? Don’t you get it? I made a mistake with you and your mother. What do you want Emily?”“Dad, please...have mercy! Mom's condition is deteriorating rapidly, and despite my multiple jobs, It’s not enough to cover the medical bills. The bills are piling up, and I'm desperate. I've already lost you, Dad; your love and support, I can't bear the thought of losing Mom too. I'll do anything, just please help me cover her hospital expenses. I'm begging you, Dad, don't turn
As Emily trudged through the front door, exhausted and drained, she was met with a hostile reception. Her stepmother, Monica, glared at her,Emily, already exhausted, seemed pretty uninterested, eagerly wanting to get back to her room and rest, till her stepmother half-yelled… “Where the hell do you think you’re going...!!”Confused Emily responds somewhat bewildered ‘Uhmm....my room? Emily walks in regardless of the deathly glares from Monica, her stepmotherElated to finally be alone, Emily stepped into the bathroom for a refreshing shower. The warm water cascaded down her weary body, momentarily soothing her frazzled nerves. Afterward, she trudged back to her bed, collapsing onto the mattress with a deep sigh. She lay flat on her stomach, yearning for the escape of sleep, but her restless mind refused to quiet. Thoughts swirled in her head like a vortex, taunting her with worries and fears, making sleep seem like an unattainable luxury. Despite her exhaustion, Emily's mind remain
As Emily’s shift was about to end, she was approached by one of the VIP playboys- Devin, Lucas’s friend.“Hey, beautiful…, looks like you had a long day,” he said with a sly smile. “I doubt you are being paid well as a waitress… What do you think about doing a strip performance when I visit Nexus next? Emily responded with a disgusted look. “What do you think of me?… huh… a stripper?”“Chill girl, I’ll pay for your service. $300,000? or more if you want” he said with a playful smile.Emily’s eyes widened in shock, her mind ran wild. This is almost exactly what I need for my mother’s surgery. She thought in her mind.“I’ll think about it, Sir,” she said with a hint of embarrassment.Devin responded. “Not bad… Don’t overthink it though that’s a lot of money you’d never get working as a waitress you know and it’s Devin, not Sir. He winked at her before making his way out of Nexus.Unbeknownst to Emily, Lucas had already taken a keen interest in her and instructed Leo to run a background
Emily's mind buzzed from the lingering effects of the alcohol, and drowsiness began to set in. She swayed slightly, trying to process the shocking proposal.Lucas's words echoed in her mind: "Marry me...fake marriage contract...one year...terms and rules..." It all seemed surreal.She looked down at the card in her hand, her vision blurring. Lucas Cole's name and contact information stared back at her, a harsh reminder of the bizarre offer.As she stood there, the room began to spin, and her eyelids grew heavy. The softness of the bed beckoned, and she stumbled towards it, collapsing onto the mattress.The last thing she remembered was Lucas's piercing gaze and the sound of the door closing behind him, leaving her with a decision that could change her life forever.About an hour later, Emily's phone rang, piercing the silence and jolting her awake. She scanned the room, finally spotting her phone on a dressing table. But before she could reach it, the ringing stopped.She picked up t
Hours later, Emily sat still, her gaze glued to the emergency room door. The lights finally went off, She lunged forward from her seated position, her vision blurry from crying the entire time.Emily approached the door and almost immediately the doctor walked out with a concerned countenance, but with Emily being too eager she missed that look.“Doctor? How did it go? Emily questioned with pleading eyes that whatever came out of the doctor's mouth was the good news she had been hoping and praying for”.Doctor? Emily probed...The doctor’s expression remained unreadable “The surgery was a success Emily”, he said solemnly, “but...”Before he could continue, Emily released a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding in. She collapsed to the ground, all her fears dissolved into relief, tears streaming down her face.“Thank you, doctor,” she repeated sobbing. Thank you so much.”Doctor Maxwell’s expression softened, he stared at her, torn between delivering the rest of the news and allow
Emily left to her own thoughts decided to head back to the hospital. She found herself missing Margaret’s warm presence, maybe it’s cause spending time with her had helped her forget her situation for a while.She got to the ward and didn’t find her mother there, panic set in. She raced to the doctors office.A soft knock on the door from Emily and she heard Doctor Maxwell’s voice. “Come in”.She turned the door knob slowly and stepped in, trying to calm her frazzled nerves, she swallows hard, “Uhmm...Doctor? My mother, I....I came and she wasn’t there, did something happen?”“Oh Emily,” he said. Don’t fret, “Your mother’s doing well, she has been transferred to a VIP room and all the medical bills have been cleared, didn’t you know this?”Emily’s stunned silence betrayed her confusion. Lucas’s involvement was unmistakable, it had to be him, she thought. Memories of the contract she had signed without reading flashed in her mind.She wasn’t in the mood to worry about that anyway. Her
Back in Margaret’s mansion, safely escorted home by Mike, she replayed her time with Emily over and over again, and each time she smiled from ear to ear.Lucas drove to the front of the gate, and it opened almost immediately, recognizing his car. He chided himself for taking care of the health and safety of his grandmother; she had always been his greatest support.He pulled up front and parked, impatient to reach the garage. “Joey,” Lucas called to the mansion’s butler.“Yes, sir?” Joey replied.“Where’s she?” he asked.“You mean the chairwoman? She’s in her room sir,” Joey responded.Lucas sprinted to her room. “Grandmother?” he called.“Come in, Lucas,” she responded in a I’m-not-so-pleased-to-see-you tone.He stepped into the room and met his grandmother’s sulking expression; he couldn’t help but smile, anticipating her usual tantrums to evade being scolded for wandering off without anyone’s knowledge.“My sweet grandma,” Lucas coaxed. Only around her did he show his vulnerability
Emily stepped out of the hospital, her emotions in turmoil. Her mum had finally fallen asleep after several attempts to send her home. She kept reminding Emily to tell her father that the surgery was a success and he could come see her now.Emily’s heart felt heavy, Her mother hadn’t completely recovered. It’ll be painful to tell her that the same man she happily spoke about had kicked her daughter out of the house and had not shown any concern when she was on the verge of losing her life.Emily sighed in exasperation, she wouldn’t do that, she would rather Mum remained in oblivion.Emily found herself dialing the same number that had texted her with instructions earlier. She wasn’t ready for what was to come but what choice did she have?She sighed resigning to her faith. “Hello?” she whispered.“Good day Mrs. Cole,” the person she presumed to be Lucas’s assistant readily responded.She was tongue-tied for a moment there. Mrs Cole? Had she heard correctly, she thought.“Mrs Cole?” L
Emily sat at her study desk, lost in thought. Despite having her life under control, a nagging feeling persisted. She couldn't quite put her finger on what was missing. Frustrated and exhausted, she dropped onto her bed, sighing deeply.Just as sleep beckoned, her phone beeped with an incoming message. "Hey, Em! I hope you're doing okay." Emily's gaze drifted to the screen, not so interested until she saw the sender's name: Kayla.She shot up from the bed, screaming, "OH MY GOD, KAYLA!!!" Grabbing her phone, she dialed Kayla's number. After several rings, the call connected.Emily felt a surge of guilt. She had neglected her best friend for far too long. Her voice softened as she whispered, "Hey, Kayla...""How are you, Emily?" Kayla's voice carried a hint of hurt, despite her attempts to hide it.Emily's words caught in her throat. She had no idea where to begin. "I'm so sorry, Kayla. Really, I am." The line hung with uncomfortable silence.Kayla's response came slowly, "It's been su
The campus of Lumina Arts and Fashion was a hive of creativity, filled with students rushing around with fabric swatches, sketchbooks, and mannequins. Emily adjusted her bag strap as she stepped into the main building, marveling at the energy in the air. It was worlds apart from the chaos of her past life. Here, she felt a spark of hope, an opportunity to redefine herself. She entered her fashion illustration class, choosing a seat near the back. A girl with dark curls and warm brown eyes slid into the seat beside her, offering a friendly smile. “Hi, I’m Kathrine,” she said, extending her hand. Emily smiled back and shook it. “Hi, I’m Emily. Nice to meet you.” The two quickly fell into an easy rhythm. Katherine's bubbly nature helped ease Emily’s nerves, and by the end of class, they were chatting about their shared interest in sustainable fashion. During a break, Katherine leaned closer, her voice dropping. “So, Emily, you’re new here, right? What’s your story?” Emily he
Joel's eyes lingered on the door, his mind swirling with doubts. Could she be right? Was someone close to him betraying him? He shook his head, refocusing on the task at hand.The next morning, Lucas received an update on Vincent Media's financial status. The embezzlement allegations had sparked a frenzy among investors, and Joel's company was on the brink of collapse."Sir, it's getting ugly," his assistant, Leo reported. "Vincent Media's stock has plummeted, and there are rumors of a takeover."Lucas's expression turned thoughtful. This could be the opportunity he had been waiting for. He had watched how Emily was treated in that family and had vowed to return the favor, without Emily’s knowledge of course."Prepare a team to review Vincent Media's financials," Lucas instructed. "I want to know exactly what's going on and who is responsible.”Meanwhile, Emily's mother was making steady progress in her recovery. That evening, Emily finally got the call she had been waiting for. Emil
Emily couldn’t sleep after hearing the news. Her mother was awake. It was a miracle she had barely dared to hope for, and now, it was her reality. Every few minutes, she found herself looking at her phone, as if the call had been a dream. She would wait for that video call, but she already felt lighter, as if a weight she’d carried for years was finally lifting.Lucas noticed her restless energy as he came home that night. He set down his briefcase, watching her pace by the window, her eyes distant.“Emily?” he called softly, and she turned to him, her face alight with emotion.“Lucas… my mom’s awake,” she whispered, her voice trembling with joy.A smile spread across his face as he walked over, pulling her into a tight embrace. “Emily, that’s incredible news. She’s really okay?”“She’s recovering. Dr. Maxwell said she’s still weak, but… she’s awake.” Tears brimmed in her eyes, and Lucas gently brushed them away.“Then we’ll go see her as soon as she’s ready. I’ll arrange everything,”
At Vincent’s media company Vincent sat in his office his eyes scanning documents, he was rarely at the office and had a lot to approve, especially after signing a new business deal.Ryan, Joel’s trusted assistant and the company’s finance officer knocked on the office door, his expression grim."Sir, there’s something you must know about"Joel looked up from his computer, his eyes searching Ryan’s worried face."What's wrong, Ryan?"Ryan hesitated. "I've noticed some unexplained financial activities. Transactions that don't add up, payments to unknown vendors... I think we might be having a serious problem."Joel's expression turned serious. “How’s that possible? And why am I only hearing about this now?” He bellowed, his tone laced with undeniable anger."Get the board together. We’re having a meeting. Now!”The conference room filled with worried faces. Joel Vincent, stood at the head of the table, pacing to and fro every now and then."Gentlemen, ladies, It has been brought to my
Emily couldn’t remember the last time she had felt this nervous. Standing in the middle of campus, surrounded by students hurrying between buildings, she clutched her new books against her chest, inhaling deeply. The familiar scent of paper and ink filled the air, mingling with the crisp autumn breeze. She’d dreamed about this moment for so long, but now that she was finally here, it felt surreal.Her phone buzzed in her bag, and she fished it out to find a message from Lucas:“How’s it going, college girl?” She smiled, feeling her nerves ease a bit as she typed a reply. “Overwhelming, but good. Thanks to you, Mr. Cole.”“I’m proud of you, and I’ll see you later. You’ve got this.” He messaged back.Slipping her phone back into her bag, Emily took a steadying breath. She knew she still had a lot to learn, not just academically but about how to fit into this new world. But she reminded herself she had fought for this opportunity, and now it was hers.Back at Colecrest, Lucas prepared h
Emily's thoughts swirled as she lay in bed, Lucas's words echoing in her mind. College? Could she really do it? The excitement of possibility warred with doubts and fears.The next morning, Emily found Lucas in the study, sipping coffee and scanning documents. "Hey," he said, looking up."Hey," Emily replied, sitting beside him. "I've been thinking... about college."Lucas lifted his face. "And?""I want to do it," Emily said, her voice firm. "But I’m not sure, I’m scared. I don't want to fail."Lucas set his coffee down. "You won't fail, Emily. You're talented and smart. I'll support you every step of the way, I promise."Emily's heart swelled. "Thank you, Lucas. That means a whole lot."“Is there any specific one in mind?” Lucas asked her.“No, not exactly. I’ll just make some research.” Emily responded, thoughtful.Lucas nodded, his eyes gentle. “I’ll be here if you need anything.”Emily returned to her room, researching prestigious fashion design schools, exploring her options and
The faint morning light seeped into the mansion, casting a cool glow through the large windows. Emily sat at the breakfast table, her eyes fixed on her phone as she scrolled through messages. She hadn’t heard back from Lucas since last night, and his absence felt like an ache she couldn’t quite ignore. Though she understood his dedication to his work, she longed for a moment to talk to him, to share her thoughts and plans.A soft knock pulled her from her thoughts, and Janet entered, setting down a freshly brewed pot of coffee. “Good morning, Mrs. Cole,” Janet greeted with a gentle smile.Emily returned the smile, grateful for the familiar comfort of Janet’s presence. “Good morning, Janet Ma.”“Did Mr. Lucas return late last night?” Janet asked, a touch of concern in her voice.Emily shook her head. “I don’t think he came home at all. He must have stayed at the office.”Janet’s brow furrowed. “He’s been putting in such long hours lately. This transition has been tough on him, especial
The Landry ResidenceThe night lights cast long shadows across the opulent living room as the Landry family returned home after the tense dinner meeting with Grandma Margaret.Claire slammed the door shut, her face twisted in anger. "That your mother, she has lost her mind. Handing everything to Lucas?"Landry's eyes blazed with resentment as he poured himself a whiskey. "She's always favored him, Claire. But this is a betrayal, I’m clearly the one who inherits the company yet she handed the business over to her grandson?"Claire paced across the opulent living room, her heels clicking on the marble floor. Landry sat on the couch, his expression nothing close to calm, his eyes burning with resentment."How could she do this to us?" Claire demanded, her voice laced with frustration. "Handing the entire empire to Lucas, without even considering our family's interests?"Landry's gaze never wavered. "It's not just about us, Claire. It's about the company's future. She believes Lucas is th