Clinton’s heart raced as the chairman fixed him with an unreadable gaze. The boardroom, once filled with congratulations, was now thick with tension. Lydia stood at the center of it all, calm and composed, watching the pieces fall exactly where she wanted them.The chairman turned to the executives. "Open the file. Read it aloud."A senior board member adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. “This document contains evidence of financial discrepancies within the company specifically in projects under Clinton’s management.”Murmurs erupted. “What financial discrepancies?” one executive demanded.The man reading the file flipped a page. “According to these records, funds were funneled into offshore accounts under false project expenses. Large sums of money vanished under Clinton’s supervision.”Gasps filled the room.Clinton froze.How? How the hell did Lydia get this?“That’s impossible,” Clinton snapped. “Those reports are fake!”Lydia looked at him “Are they?”The executive igno
Clinton’s phone beeped, and a message flashed on his screen.“I want to see you. Now!” It was from his grandfather.“Shit!” Clinton cursed, he threw his phone in annoyance. He exhaled sharply, adjusting his tie before slipping on his blazer.“Where are you going?” Kelly asked as he stepped out of the house.“To see Grandpa.” “I’m coming with you,” she said, jumping to her feet.Clinton halted, giving her a pointed look. “I’m not waiting for you to take hours putting on makeup.”“I won't trust me.” She dashed upstairs, reappearing in minutes, dressed in a knee-length gown, her hair tied into a neat bun, and only a dab of lipstick on her lips.Clinton checked his watch and scowled. “You took twenty minutes.” “I didn't even do makeup!”“Whatever, let's go.”It was a thirty-minute drive from Kelly reassuring Clinton that everything would be okay, but Clinton barely heard her. Clinton faked a smile; deep down, he was anxious and nervous. His grandfather wasn't a man of patience or mercy
Clinton sat in his study, phone in hand, scrolling through the unread messages he had sent Lydia. No response. "Damn it."He tried calling again. Straight to voicemail.He typed another text.Clinton: Lydia, please. Just hear me out.No reply.Frustrated, he tried again. Clinton: Can we see just for a moment?Message blocked.He slammed his fist on the desk.She had cut him off completely.***Meanwhile, in the Zander mansion, laughter filled the kitchen. Lydia, Rowan, and Mrs. Zander were in the middle of preparing dinner, the air filled with the rich aroma of spices.Rowan held up a poorly shaped dumpling. "Alright, tell me the truth, this looks terrible, doesn’t it?"Lydia burst into laughter. "It's not that bad”“Not that bad?” Mrs. Zander chuckled as she stirred a pot. "Rowan, dear, just stick to tasting."Lydia’s phone vibrated from the pocket.Clinton, again.She sighed.Mrs. Zander raised a brow. "Who is that? Your phone has been vibrating for some time now."Lydia quickly
Lydia's heart raced as the man lowered his tainted window. “Get in,” he said to her.Lydia hesitated, She glanced over her shoulder. Behind her, inside The Verona restaurant, Clinton was on his seat staring at the door she had just exited.“Why should I?” Lydia asked, adjusting her purse strap.The man chuckled. “Still as sharp-tongued as ever.” His fingers drummed lazily against the steering wheel. “Come on, Lydia. You and I both know you’re not walking away from this.”Her jaw tightened.He was right.Taking a breath, she entered the car.The car moved smoothly, and Lydia finally spoke. “I assume you didn’t show up here just for small talk, Mikhail.”Mikhail Ivanov. He is a Russian businessman. He is ruthless and powerful.“And I assume you already know why I’m here.” He smirked.Lydia’s fingers curled against her lap.“Your name is causing quite the commotion,” he continued. “First, you shake up your father’s empire. Now, you disrupt the board meeting of one of the most influentia
Two days later, Lydia sat in the back seat of a sleek black car, her fingers toying with the silver ring on her middle finger. The date with Mikhail was happening, despite her father’s disapproving frown when she was leaving the house.When she arrived, Mikhail was already waiting, lounging back in his chair at the rooftop restaurant. A lazy smirk played on his lips as he gestured for her to sit."Finally," he said . "I was beginning to think you'd stood me up."Lydia rolled her eyes but took her seat. Mikhail poured her a drink. "Let’s skip the pretense. What do you really want?" she asked.His smirk widened. "To keep Clinton’s secrets. If you marry me, that is."Lydia’s stomach twisted. "And how do you know he’s behind all this and the kidnapping, attempted murder?” Mikhail raised his hands in mock surrender. "I don’t have to be sure," he said, laughing. "I just need to drop the files at the police station. They’ll find out on their own."His laughter was light, playful but there
"Warning: This chapter contains graphic and disturbing content, including kidnapping, physical assault, and beating. These scenes may be triggering for survivors of trauma, abuse, or violence. ***The next morning, Lydia had just had breakfast Lydia sipped the last of her coffee, flipping through the financial reports on her tablet. A sense of unease settled in her gut—today was important. Something about it felt... off. when she got a call from Ben's company. Today is the day they would select the new CEO. Something felt wrong.Then her phone buzzed.She picked it up, she frown when she saw a message from Clinton.Lydia clicked on the notification, and her blood ran cold.Two pictures appeared on her screen. Pictures of Ryan hugging her. The angles were intimate, misleading. Her hands trembled as she scrolled down to the message beneath the images:“Make me CEO, or I will expose this to the board. The world will believe you’re secretly dating Ryan—cheating with a married man. The
TWO DAYS BEFORE THE MEETING Kelly opened the iron bacade, humming softly.La la la mm mm.In the dark small room, Susan harry was lying on the filthy puddle soaked floor. Her face was bruised, her lips cracked. Her once-glossy hair was matted with dirt and dried blood.Kelly’s shadow fell over her.“Hey, sunshine,” she said, her voice laced with faux sympathy. She gave Susan a kick, not too hard, but just enough.Susan groaned and weakly lifted her head.Kelly crouched beside her, smiling. “Good news. You’re getting out today.”Tears welled in Susan’s eyes. “A-are you serious?” she asked, voice barely above a whisper.Kelly’s grin widened. “Of course. But only if you do something for me.”Susan recoiled instinctively. Her instincts screamed danger.Kelly stood, crossed her arms. “You’ll go to Ben’s company and tell everyone that Lydia kidnapped and tortured you.”Susan’s eyes widened in horror. “No. No, I can’t. That’s a lie. It’ll ruin her!”“Oh boohoo,” Kelly sneered, pacing slowly.
The sun blazed high above the pristine golf course—lush green stretching endlessly, surrounded by whispering trees swaying gently in the wind. Mr. Zander adjusted his stance, lining up for the final putt. He exhaled and tapped the ball. It rolled clean, sinking into the hole.Before he could smirk, his PA, Mark, hurried toward him.“Sir, it’s urgent.” He extended the phone, his hands trembling slightly.Zander collected the phone with a frown. “Yes?”“WHAT?! Lydia was arrested?!” He yelled, Nearby golfers turned.Zander’s club clattered to the ground.“Get the car. Now.”AT THE POLICE STATIONThe station buzzed…telephones ringing, officers pacing in boots, murmurs of unresolved cases filled the air. Due to her status, Lydia was kept in a locked office room instead of a cell. The air was stuffy, dim. One bulb flickered above. Her hands were clenched into fists.The door burst open, Mr. Zander stormed in like a cyclone.“Dad,” she rose quickly.Before another word escaped her lips, he
Clinton stared at his phone, hands trembling slightly. The walls around him suddenly felt suffocating.He had seen that pain in her eyes too many times—brushed it off like it was nothing, ignored it like background noise.He grabbed the phone, thumbs flying over the keys, words pouring out like a confession he could no longer bury: “Lydia… I don’t deserve to ask how you’re doing. But I saw you yesterday. And I realized—I never knew the woman I married. Not really. You were always powerful. Brave. Beautiful… in ways I was too blind to see."A pause. He deleted, and rewrote, his pulse hammering. "I was cruel. I define you when you were always priceless. I don’t expect forgiveness. But wherever you’re going, whatever storm you’re walking into—remember this: I was a fool to let you go, and I'm sorry for everything.” His thumb hovered over SEND. One tap. It didn’t undo three years of silence.It didn’t erase the bruise on her heart or the ache in her soul.It wouldn’t undo the dam
The sun blazed high above the pristine golf course—lush green stretching endlessly, surrounded by whispering trees swaying gently in the wind. Mr. Zander adjusted his stance, lining up for the final putt. He exhaled and tapped the ball. It rolled clean, sinking into the hole.Before he could smirk, his PA, Mark, hurried toward him.“Sir, it’s urgent.” He extended the phone, his hands trembling slightly.Zander collected the phone with a frown. “Yes?”“WHAT?! Lydia was arrested?!” He yelled, Nearby golfers turned.Zander’s club clattered to the ground.“Get the car. Now.”AT THE POLICE STATIONThe station buzzed…telephones ringing, officers pacing in boots, murmurs of unresolved cases filled the air. Due to her status, Lydia was kept in a locked office room instead of a cell. The air was stuffy, dim. One bulb flickered above. Her hands were clenched into fists.The door burst open, Mr. Zander stormed in like a cyclone.“Dad,” she rose quickly.Before another word escaped her lips, he
TWO DAYS BEFORE THE MEETING Kelly opened the iron bacade, humming softly.La la la mm mm.In the dark small room, Susan harry was lying on the filthy puddle soaked floor. Her face was bruised, her lips cracked. Her once-glossy hair was matted with dirt and dried blood.Kelly’s shadow fell over her.“Hey, sunshine,” she said, her voice laced with faux sympathy. She gave Susan a kick, not too hard, but just enough.Susan groaned and weakly lifted her head.Kelly crouched beside her, smiling. “Good news. You’re getting out today.”Tears welled in Susan’s eyes. “A-are you serious?” she asked, voice barely above a whisper.Kelly’s grin widened. “Of course. But only if you do something for me.”Susan recoiled instinctively. Her instincts screamed danger.Kelly stood, crossed her arms. “You’ll go to Ben’s company and tell everyone that Lydia kidnapped and tortured you.”Susan’s eyes widened in horror. “No. No, I can’t. That’s a lie. It’ll ruin her!”“Oh boohoo,” Kelly sneered, pacing slowly.
"Warning: This chapter contains graphic and disturbing content, including kidnapping, physical assault, and beating. These scenes may be triggering for survivors of trauma, abuse, or violence. ***The next morning, Lydia had just had breakfast Lydia sipped the last of her coffee, flipping through the financial reports on her tablet. A sense of unease settled in her gut—today was important. Something about it felt... off. when she got a call from Ben's company. Today is the day they would select the new CEO. Something felt wrong.Then her phone buzzed.She picked it up, she frown when she saw a message from Clinton.Lydia clicked on the notification, and her blood ran cold.Two pictures appeared on her screen. Pictures of Ryan hugging her. The angles were intimate, misleading. Her hands trembled as she scrolled down to the message beneath the images:“Make me CEO, or I will expose this to the board. The world will believe you’re secretly dating Ryan—cheating with a married man. The
Two days later, Lydia sat in the back seat of a sleek black car, her fingers toying with the silver ring on her middle finger. The date with Mikhail was happening, despite her father’s disapproving frown when she was leaving the house.When she arrived, Mikhail was already waiting, lounging back in his chair at the rooftop restaurant. A lazy smirk played on his lips as he gestured for her to sit."Finally," he said . "I was beginning to think you'd stood me up."Lydia rolled her eyes but took her seat. Mikhail poured her a drink. "Let’s skip the pretense. What do you really want?" she asked.His smirk widened. "To keep Clinton’s secrets. If you marry me, that is."Lydia’s stomach twisted. "And how do you know he’s behind all this and the kidnapping, attempted murder?” Mikhail raised his hands in mock surrender. "I don’t have to be sure," he said, laughing. "I just need to drop the files at the police station. They’ll find out on their own."His laughter was light, playful but there
Lydia's heart raced as the man lowered his tainted window. “Get in,” he said to her.Lydia hesitated, She glanced over her shoulder. Behind her, inside The Verona restaurant, Clinton was on his seat staring at the door she had just exited.“Why should I?” Lydia asked, adjusting her purse strap.The man chuckled. “Still as sharp-tongued as ever.” His fingers drummed lazily against the steering wheel. “Come on, Lydia. You and I both know you’re not walking away from this.”Her jaw tightened.He was right.Taking a breath, she entered the car.The car moved smoothly, and Lydia finally spoke. “I assume you didn’t show up here just for small talk, Mikhail.”Mikhail Ivanov. He is a Russian businessman. He is ruthless and powerful.“And I assume you already know why I’m here.” He smirked.Lydia’s fingers curled against her lap.“Your name is causing quite the commotion,” he continued. “First, you shake up your father’s empire. Now, you disrupt the board meeting of one of the most influentia
Clinton sat in his study, phone in hand, scrolling through the unread messages he had sent Lydia. No response. "Damn it."He tried calling again. Straight to voicemail.He typed another text.Clinton: Lydia, please. Just hear me out.No reply.Frustrated, he tried again. Clinton: Can we see just for a moment?Message blocked.He slammed his fist on the desk.She had cut him off completely.***Meanwhile, in the Zander mansion, laughter filled the kitchen. Lydia, Rowan, and Mrs. Zander were in the middle of preparing dinner, the air filled with the rich aroma of spices.Rowan held up a poorly shaped dumpling. "Alright, tell me the truth, this looks terrible, doesn’t it?"Lydia burst into laughter. "It's not that bad”“Not that bad?” Mrs. Zander chuckled as she stirred a pot. "Rowan, dear, just stick to tasting."Lydia’s phone vibrated from the pocket.Clinton, again.She sighed.Mrs. Zander raised a brow. "Who is that? Your phone has been vibrating for some time now."Lydia quickly
Clinton’s phone beeped, and a message flashed on his screen.“I want to see you. Now!” It was from his grandfather.“Shit!” Clinton cursed, he threw his phone in annoyance. He exhaled sharply, adjusting his tie before slipping on his blazer.“Where are you going?” Kelly asked as he stepped out of the house.“To see Grandpa.” “I’m coming with you,” she said, jumping to her feet.Clinton halted, giving her a pointed look. “I’m not waiting for you to take hours putting on makeup.”“I won't trust me.” She dashed upstairs, reappearing in minutes, dressed in a knee-length gown, her hair tied into a neat bun, and only a dab of lipstick on her lips.Clinton checked his watch and scowled. “You took twenty minutes.” “I didn't even do makeup!”“Whatever, let's go.”It was a thirty-minute drive from Kelly reassuring Clinton that everything would be okay, but Clinton barely heard her. Clinton faked a smile; deep down, he was anxious and nervous. His grandfather wasn't a man of patience or mercy
Clinton’s heart raced as the chairman fixed him with an unreadable gaze. The boardroom, once filled with congratulations, was now thick with tension. Lydia stood at the center of it all, calm and composed, watching the pieces fall exactly where she wanted them.The chairman turned to the executives. "Open the file. Read it aloud."A senior board member adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. “This document contains evidence of financial discrepancies within the company specifically in projects under Clinton’s management.”Murmurs erupted. “What financial discrepancies?” one executive demanded.The man reading the file flipped a page. “According to these records, funds were funneled into offshore accounts under false project expenses. Large sums of money vanished under Clinton’s supervision.”Gasps filled the room.Clinton froze.How? How the hell did Lydia get this?“That’s impossible,” Clinton snapped. “Those reports are fake!”Lydia looked at him “Are they?”The executive igno