{What plans do you have in place to deal with Hamilton?} Lily huffed as the treadmill came to a stop. She picked up a bottle of water from the counter and downed it as she tried to catch her breath. Ever since her first meeting with Henry and Williams Hamilton, she has had to be getting more agitated than usual. Lily wiped the sweat from her brow, her mind buzzing with calculated schemes as she finished the water. She placed the empty bottle back on the counter and stared at her reflection in the gym mirror.The anger in her eyes was a familiar fuel, one she'd grown accustomed to since regaining her memories. Even then, the anger had increased since she met them again. The mere thought of their smug faces made her blood boil.In her previous life, they'd stripped her of everything—her dignity, her dreams, and her very life. But this time, she wouldn’t be the helpless victim."I'm going to take everything away from them; I'll break them piece by piece," she gritted out. "They'd wish
"Who are you?" Lily asked, confused. "Where's Alana?"Lily asked as she walked into Alana's office, surprised to see a dishevelled woman sitting behind the desk, surrounded by piles of paperwork with eye bags covering half of her face.Alana rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. "I'm Alana," she replied dully, making Lily's eyes widen in shock. "Oh dear me!" She exclaimed. "How did you become like this?" "How do you intend to get married in the future when you are already like this at such a young age?" She continued to fuse as she walked close to Alana. The closer she got, the more she realised how much of a mess the whole place had become since the last time she had visited.Not only were takeout boxes and plastic coffee cups littering the whole place but even used tissues were discarded everywhere. "What in the name of disaster happened here?" She asked. Before Alana could reply, the door was pushed over to reveal a similar-looking Avon pushing in a mobile cloth rack. "Even you?"
"I guess it's time the chase began." Lily sat at her desk, her gaze fixed on the detailed web of plans displayed across her home office walls. Strings of red, blue, and yellow connected the faces of her enemies, forming a network of schemes that only she understood.The Hamiltons might have thought themselves untouchable, but to her, they were nothing more than flies in a web she had spent every waking day of her new life spinning.She picked up a pen and tapped it against the open file on her desk. The Greys were her first stepping stone, but her ultimate target was the Hamilton empire. Destroying them would require careful consideration, patience, and a plan so seamless that not even their sharpest minds would see it coming.Her phone buzzed again—a message from Mr. Wallace.“The next shareholders’ meeting is in two weeks. Henry is already spreading whispers about acquiring another tech start-up to bolster their portfolio.”Lily smirked. Henry’s greed would be his undoing. He was
"Damn it! Who does she think she is?!" He grated out. "How dare she order me around? I'm going to show her the power of the Grey!" Arthur sat in his car, gripping the steering wheel tightly, his mind filled with anger and frustration. Who did this woman think she is? He had dealt with plenty of threats before, but none like this.She wasn’t scared of him. Worse, she had him cornered.It was obvious from the way she had led the conversation and pulled him along that she was someone dangerous with enough evidence as she had claimed.Yet, every time his mind wandered to the condescending look in her eyes, he had the urge to tear off that look and see her grovel at his feet. He slammed his fist on the dashboard, letting out a curse. Titan Freight. Messing with them could easily blow up in his face.Their CEO, Victor Haynes, was a notorious shark in the business world. People who crossed him didn’t just lose their jobs—they disappeared.Arthur rubbed his temples and tried to think. Mayb
Arthur walked into his office the next morning, bleary-eyed and nursing a headache from the previous night's whiskey. The fluorescent lights seemed harsher than usual, and every sound pulled on his nerves.His assistant, Clara, looked up from her desk. “Good morning, sir. Your 10 a.m. call with Mr. Hayes has been confirmed. Also, there’s an urgent package on your desk.”Arthur froze. “Package? From who?”Clara shook her head. “It was delivered anonymously this morning. Security scanned it—nothing dangerous.”Arthur muttered under his breath and walked into his office, shutting the door behind him. On his desk was a sleek black box with no markings. He opened it cautiously. Inside was a single photograph.It was a picture of him sitting in the bar last night, phone pressed to his ear. Beneath it was a note:“Careful, Arthur. You’re being watched.”Arthur cursed, crumpling the photo in his fist. This wasn’t Lily—this was someone else.Family competitors?Or someone working for 'him'? Ei
"What did you say?" Williams gritted out as he glared at his assistant. "The delivery from Tristan has been cancelled; they are willing to pay the cancellation fees." The assistant replied with his head bowed, his hand trembling lightly as he prepared for the impact of whatever was coming towards him. Instead, William frowned, his finger holding his chin in a thoughtful expression. "That doesn't make sense; there is no way they could just cancel and pay that huge amount as a contract-breaking fee. It makes no sense whatsoever." William's frown deepened, and his hand slowly dropped from his chin. His piercing gaze locked onto his assistant, who flinched under the scrutiny."Who’s their new client?" William demanded, his voice low and icy.The assistant swallowed hard, sweat glistening on his forehead. "We haven't confirmed, but rumours say it's... Ryder Technologies. They're offering twice the price you negotiated."The room fell silent, the weight of the revelation suffocating. Wil
"You are looking relaxed and happy. Any good news?" Lily asked with raised brows as Celina walked into her living room. "Of course I am," Celina chuckled. " I'm a lot more free now that the family is busy with preparing for the official appointment of the heir.""It's happening soon?" Lily asked and Celina hummed."It has dragged for too long," she replied. "Everyone knew since Mark became the President of Alpha Tech that he would be taking over as the CEO. The long period of constant battle was for the others to fight for the next best title." Lily leaned back on her plush sofa, a small smirk playing on her lips. "Let me guess—COO or CFO?"Celina nodded, setting down the steaming cup of tea Lily had handed her. "Exactly. The board insisted on announcing all the appointments at once to avoid unnecessary drama, but you know how it goes. Behind closed doors, it's a mess. Alliances, betrayals, bribes—Watson has turned it into a spectacle.""Sounds exhausting," Lily commented, though he
"Did you think about what I asked of you?" Frederick asked calmly, his hand buried into his pocket as he relaxed against his car. Lily narrowed her eyes, feeling annoyed at his appearance, but she managed a small smile. "What a coincidence; I didn't know you visited places like this, too." Frederick’s lips curled into a confident smirk as he straightened, his suit perfectly tailored and exuding his usual arrogance. “Don’t change the subject, Lily. I asked you a question.”Lily tilted her head, feigning a thoughtful expression. “Oh, you mean that ridiculous proposition about betraying Mark? I’ve been thinking about it.”“And?” Frederick asked, his eyes filled with hope.“And I realised something,” she said, stepping closer, her tone icy sweet as she emphasised the end. “You’re more desperate than I thought. But desperation isn’t a good look on you, Frederick. It’s... pitiful.”The hope in his eyes flickered, replaced by irritation. “I’m offering you an opportunity, Lily. Do you have
Frederick's finger tapped restlessly against the armrest, his clouded eyes narrowed towards the screen of the opened computer. He glared at Sinful's open chat, where he had sent multiple messages to the person in one week, with any one of them being replied to despite showing it had been delivered."This is annoying," he muttered as his finger hovered on the keyboard, trying to send another message.His eyes flickered towards the previous message and how desperate they all sounded. Gritting his teeth, he deleted them all and sent another.TechPronce: Hello. I was recommended to you by a friend. I am in need of your service. Money is not a problem, and you'll get as much room to work as possible. Please reply to me as soon as you get this. Thank you.Once the message was delivered, he pursed his lips and closed the webpage, knowing he wouldn't be getting a response any time soon.However, he couldn't afford to wait much longer.He needs some last-minute miracles to make his grandfathe
"Father..." Bryan trailed off as he caught sight of the intimidating figure in the doorway. Grandpa Roux stood silently, his sharp eyes surveying the scene with an unnervingly calm expression. His hand rested casually in his pocket, but his presence was intimidating. “Bryan,” Grandpa Roux said, his tone cold and devoid of emotion. "What are you doing here?" Without waiting for an answer, his eyes shifted to Lily, scrutinising her as he raised a questioning brow.“And you are?”Lily hesitated, her mind blank and restless after being caught in the act. She forced herself to meet his gaze, masking her nerves with a confident smile. “Lily.""Lily? Lily who?" "Lily Turner," she replied, and the older man hummed. His eyes narrowed as he took in her appearance. "How are you acquainted with my son?" "I... Uhm... He employed me to open the vault. So I'm a hacker," she replied while pointing to the laptop. Grandpa Roux’s brow lifted slightly, his expression unreadable. “A hacker, you say
Bryan pushed open the heavy oak door, and the two slipped inside silently. The office was magnificent, its elegance matching the rest of the estate.Dark mahogany furniture gleamed under the faint moonlight filtering through the tall windows, and the air smells faintly of aged books and old cigars.Lily’s gaze darted to the floor-to-ceiling bookshelf Bryan had mentioned. It spanned the entire back wall, filled with files, leather-bound volumes, and odd-looking arts and ceramics.“That’s it?” she whispered. Bryan nodded, already moving toward it. “The lock mechanism is hidden behind the third row from the top. Help me shift this ladder.”The two moved quickly; Bryan climbed up, feeling for the hidden panel behind the books. After a moment, there was a soft click, and a portion of the bookshelf slid aside, revealing a sleek metal door with a biometric scanner and keypad.Lily stepped forward, her heart skipping a beat as she took in the sight. “This... isn’t just any vault. It’s practi
"Good morning," Mark whispered as his hands wrapped round Lily's waist. Chuckling, she melted into his warm embrace while flipping the pancakes."Good morning, feeling better?" She asked, and he hummed. Lily flipped the pancake onto a plate and set it on the table, her eyes flickering toward Mark as he leaned against the kitchen table, his arms crossed as he watched her move around the stove. “Here,” she said, sliding the plate toward him and joining him at the table. “Eat up."Mark chuckled lightly, cutting into the pancake with his fork. “Thanks, Lily. I needed this.”“You’re welcome,” she said softly, watching him as he took a bite. After a few moments of silence, she set her fork down. “So, are you going to tell me what’s really going on? I've never seen you like that, and it scared me." Mark’s hand paused midair, his grip tightening slightly around the fork. He sighed, setting it down and running a hand through his hair. “It’s nothing. Just...a minor stress from work. I’ll fi
Mark paced outside the hospital room, his hands buried deep in his pockets. The sterile smell of disinfectant filled the air, mixing with the sharp tension that hung over him like a storm cloud. His mind replayed the argument with his mother over and over again, each word cutting deeper than the last.Michael stepped out of the room, his face drawn and tired. He rubbed his temples before glancing at Mark, who froze mid-step.“How is she?” Mark asked, his voice hoarse.“She’s stable,” Michael replied, though his tone was edged with exhaustion. “The doctor says it was a stress-induced episode. Her heart couldn’t take the strain.”Mark’s chest tightened. “I didn’t mean—”Michael raised his hand to cut him off. “Save it. This isn’t the time for excuses. She needs rest, not another fight.”Mark swallowed hard, guilt twisting his stomach. “I’ll apologise when she wakes up.”“You’d better,” Michael snapped. “But don’t think for a second that this is just about today. She’s been under constan
"Your mother wants to see you. When will you be available to come home?" Michael said, leaning back in his chair after his discussion with Mark."I'm busy," Mark replied without skipping a beat. "I won't be available to come over." "You are busy, or you don't want to meet with your mother?" Micheal questioned knowingly, making Mark let out a long sigh. "You know how it is. Every time I go there, it’s the same thing. She just—”“She’s your mother,” Michael interrupted, his tone firm but calm. “She’s been through enough, Mark. Between her condition and how stubborn you’ve been, she’s reaching her limit.”“I’m stubborn?” Mark shot back, raising an eyebrow as his hand clenched around the phone. “She’s the one trying to control my life! She doesn’t listen to me, doesn’t respect my choices—”“Mark.” Michael’s voice was sharper now. “This weekend. Come home. Talk to her. She’s throwing tantrums, and I’m not about to sit here watching her stress herself into a worse state.”Mark groaned, ru
{Why will you send that to him?}"What do you mean, why?" Lily replied with a raised brow as she brushed her teeth, preparing to go to bed. "Both of them are enemies, and it would be better if they both destroyed themselves instead of me dirtying my hands with their problems." "That way I can just focus my attention on Hamilton. Well... And helping Mark." She added with a smirk. "And yes, unlocking that vault built by my mother."{You’re playing with fire, Lily. If Victor figures out you’re the one who sent him that package, you won’t have the luxury of focusing on Hamilton—or anything else for that matter.}Lily turned off the tap and straightened her back as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her lips curled into a sly smile, the kind that revealed just how much she relished the chaos she had just unleashed.“Victor won’t find out. He’s too busy sharpening his claws for Arthur. Besides,” she added, tossing her toothbrush into its holder and turning to face them, “even if h
"What the hell is going on?!" Victor exclaimed, his face red with rage as he glared at his assistant. "What happened to the stocks? Why is everything going downward?" Victor’s assistant, Donovan, trembled under the weight of Victor's explosive rage. He adjusted his glasses nervously, clutching a tablet displaying a series of plunging red lines and alarming financial forecasts.“Sir, we’ve traced the anomalies in the market. It seems like someone has been deliberately shorting our stocks and leaking sensitive information to the media,” Donovan stammered."If you have traced the person, why is this still happening?" Victor seethed, "Why are they still not dealt with? Or do I have to teach you everything?!" Donovan swallowed hard, his hands shaking as he adjusted the tablet again. “S-Sir, we’ve identified patterns, but the issue is...the culprit is operating through proxies and offshore accounts. It’s taking time to—"“Time?!” Victor thundered, slamming his fist onto the desk. The soun
The shoot was in full swing, and while Roseline outwardly maintained her composure, inwardly, she was seething. Every detail of the day seemed to improve Lily’s growing influence. Roseline couldn't deny that the beautiful costumes caught everyone's attention, and she was losing control of the story she had carefully planned to discredit and pull Lily down.'Why does she not play according to the game?' she gritted out as she watched Lily get busy with the costume. 'Isn't she supposed to be angry? We didn't even send her a request for the costume!' Around her, actors and actresses walked about, adjusting their positions for the next shot. Their chatter filled the air, punctuated by laughter and occasional exclamations of delight as they inspected the costumes.“These designs are incredible,” one actress gushed, running her fingers over the intricate embroidery of Roseline's gown. “Lily outdid herself. The fabric feels like it’s made for royalty.”“It’s not just the look; it’s the fit