The morning sun cast a golden hue over the city as Raymond walked Hawthorne Enterprises, his presence commanding attention and respect as usual. His mind, however, was anything but calm. His parents had been asking about the wedding preparations and if he was sure about Michelle being his future wife. The Davenports were scheming again, and to top it all off, he had an insane amount of work waiting for him. It was going to be a busy day. Meanwhile, Michelle also had a busy morning. The construction site was bustling with activities, she had to oversee several projects and she had to ensure everything was running smoothly. She had just wrapped up a meeting with one of her clients, Mr. Wallace, a middle-aged man with an impressive but questionable mustache. He seemed to enjoy Michelle’s stress more than the actual project, constantly making dramatic sighs and vague philosophical statements about architecture and giving her a hard time. This building should be… an experience,” he sai
The next morning, Michelle barely had time to breathe as she rushed to her office to finish some last-minute adjustments to the project she was working on. Between back-to-back meetings and reviewing blueprints, she hardly noticed the hours flying by because she was so busy. Meanwhile, at Hawthorne Enterprises, Raymond was also dealing with a different kind of problem—his so-called friends, Damian Whitaker and Sebastian Vaughn, had decided to pay him another unexpected visit. "You know, Ray," Damian smirked as he leaned back on the office couch, "if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're actually enjoying this whole engagement thing. You haven't even thrown a single tantrum or complained about anything since you got engaged to Michelle.. Are we witnessing a change in character?" Let's not forget the fact that she's not the type of woman that Raymond would normally give a second glance. Sebastian cut in. "I mean. Raymond Hawthorne? In a committed relationship with someone below h
Raymond sat in his office, his fingers tapping against the mahogany desk as he read through one of the ridiculous articles that had been circulating online. His lips curled in irritation and anger. The media had been having a field day with him ever since his engagement was announced, but this was different. One of the headlines read: "Billionaire Raymond Hawthorne Trapped in a Loveless Marriage? Sources Claim He’s Being Forced!" He scoffed. Forced? The only thing forcing him right now was his own patience—forcing him not to hunt down whoever started this nonsense. "Felix!" he barked. His assistant walked in, looking far too scared to get close to Raymond . "Yes, boss? Saw the article? You’re famous. Again." Raymond shot him a glare. " Shut up and Find out who’s behind this. Now." Felix shuddered . Whoever is behind this, it wouldn't end well for them, he thought before he spoke up. "Sir , I have already started working on it. But if you ask me, this reeks of Millie and her
Raymond adjusted his suit and cufflinks as he stepped out of his car, his sharp gaze scanning the entrance of the prestigious Silver Oak restaurant as he opened the door for Michelle. It was a place reserved for only the most powerful and influential people in the city, and tonight, it was hosting an exclusive business gathering. Michelle, standing beside him, fidgeted slightly in the stunning dress he had forced her into. It wasn’t that she didn’t like it or it made her uncomfortable in any way—if anything, it made her feel confident—but the thought of being paraded around as his fiancée in front of everyone was unnerving, it made her nervous and she didn't know what to expect. "Stop squirming," Raymond murmured, placing a firm hand on the small of her back as they walked inside. "I’m not squirming," she whispered back. "I’m trying to adjust. There’s a difference." Raymond smirked but didn’t reply. As they stepped into the grand hall, hushed conversations started as everyone’s ey
Raymond entered his office early that morning, setting his briefcase and phone down and loosening his tie slightly. The moment he sat at his desk, he pulled up the latest project proposals, skimming through them with keen eyes. He had barely settled into his routine when a notification popped up on his iPad—an email from Felix, his assistant. His jaw tightened as he clicked on it. It was the result of the investigation he had ordered Felix to do previously. Gerald had done a thorough job, highlighting everything and left no room for doubt. CONFIRMED SOURCE: DAVENPORT FAMILY BEHIND THE ARTICLES. Raymond’s fingers drummed against the desk, his expression cold. So it was true. Michelle’s family was behind the ridiculous articles spreading online. He scrolled further and saw a note that was added—Millie had been stalking them. She had sent the photographer who had taken their pictures outside the restaurant the previous night. His eyes darkened. Just how far was that woman willing to
Raymond arrived late at night , but Michelle was still awake, waiting for him in the living room. When he entered the house, she finally looked up from the book she was pretending to read, he set his briefcase down and loosened his tie. "You're late," she said, closing the book. "I had a long day," he replied, walking toward her. "We need to talk." Michelle frowned slightly. "Talk about what?" Raymond sat down beside her, his expression unreadable. "I got a full report from Felix today. It confirmed what we suspected—the Davenport family was behind those articles." Michelle exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "I knew they hated me, but why this? Why are they trying to ruin me? What did I ever do to them? She asked, her voice trembling as tears threatened to spill , a storm of emotions swirled Inside her. Raymond took her hand, squeezing it gently. It's ok, I'll handle them, but it doesn’t stop there. Millie sent a reporter to stalk us. The photographer that took our picture outsi
Raymond’s day was packed with back-to-back meetings, reviewing contracts, and handling business matters. However, despite his busy schedule, he still found time to call the wedding planner Evelyn, making sure that the preparations for the wedding were expedited. He had decided to move the date forward for some reason, and everything needed to be in place. He also spoke to the wedding coordinator to finalize some key details. Meanwhile, Michelle was also immersed in her work. She spent an hour at the office working on a recent design before heading to the construction site to oversee Mr. Wallace’s project. She meticulously checked the progress, making sure every detail aligned with the design. After a stressful but productive day, she finally wrapped up and headed back to the office to pick up some documents before calling it a day. At the end of the workday, Raymond also finished up his work, went to Michelle’s office to pick her up. The moment she got into the car, she sighed in ex
The next morning, Raymond arrived at the office as usual, diving straight into his workload. Meetings, calls, signing documents, and a mountain of paperwork filled his schedule, but amidst the workload, he had one pressing task—informing his friends about his decision to bring the wedding forward. He invited Damian and Sebastian to his office for a chat, and as soon as they arrived, he leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands together. "I’ve decided to bring the wedding forward. Two weeks from now." Why? Are you sure about this? Damian asked. I thought you wanted to have it one month from now. Yes , that was before. But now I've decided to bring it forward, I have my reasons. Raymond replied. I guess you can't wait to marry Michelle huh? Sebastian teased , only to get a knock on his head. “Ouch!” He exclaimed dramatically . What was that for? That's for running your mouth, Raymond answered while Damian Chuckled in amusement. Alright, let's be serious. Raymond said, his ton
Michelle sat at her desk, tapping her nails against the table as she stared at her phone, stuck between whether to call or not. After a moment of hesitation, she finally dialed a number she hadn't dialed in a while. The call barely rang twice before an excited voice answered. "Michelle? Oh my God, is that really you?"How long has it been? Michelle chuckled. "Hey, Chloe! How have you been?It's been a while." "A while you say? Girl, it's been years! I don't even remember how long it's been. I was starting to think you'd joined some secret organisation and disappeared off the face of the earth." "Not exactly," Michelle laughed. I'm doing great , and from the sound of your voice, I can tell you're doing great as well. “Duh.. obviously”, Chloe answered, and Michelle Chuckled. She hadn’t changed one bit— still as playful as ever. Chloe Bennett was Michelle’s best friend from college. They met in their first year at the university and became inseparable ever since, bonding over their
The next morning, Raymond arrived at the office as usual, diving straight into his workload. Meetings, calls, signing documents, and a mountain of paperwork filled his schedule, but amidst the workload, he had one pressing task—informing his friends about his decision to bring the wedding forward. He invited Damian and Sebastian to his office for a chat, and as soon as they arrived, he leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands together. "I’ve decided to bring the wedding forward. Two weeks from now." Why? Are you sure about this? Damian asked. I thought you wanted to have it one month from now. Yes , that was before. But now I've decided to bring it forward, I have my reasons. Raymond replied. I guess you can't wait to marry Michelle huh? Sebastian teased , only to get a knock on his head. “Ouch!” He exclaimed dramatically . What was that for? That's for running your mouth, Raymond answered while Damian Chuckled in amusement. Alright, let's be serious. Raymond said, his ton
Raymond’s day was packed with back-to-back meetings, reviewing contracts, and handling business matters. However, despite his busy schedule, he still found time to call the wedding planner Evelyn, making sure that the preparations for the wedding were expedited. He had decided to move the date forward for some reason, and everything needed to be in place. He also spoke to the wedding coordinator to finalize some key details. Meanwhile, Michelle was also immersed in her work. She spent an hour at the office working on a recent design before heading to the construction site to oversee Mr. Wallace’s project. She meticulously checked the progress, making sure every detail aligned with the design. After a stressful but productive day, she finally wrapped up and headed back to the office to pick up some documents before calling it a day. At the end of the workday, Raymond also finished up his work, went to Michelle’s office to pick her up. The moment she got into the car, she sighed in ex
Raymond arrived late at night , but Michelle was still awake, waiting for him in the living room. When he entered the house, she finally looked up from the book she was pretending to read, he set his briefcase down and loosened his tie. "You're late," she said, closing the book. "I had a long day," he replied, walking toward her. "We need to talk." Michelle frowned slightly. "Talk about what?" Raymond sat down beside her, his expression unreadable. "I got a full report from Felix today. It confirmed what we suspected—the Davenport family was behind those articles." Michelle exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "I knew they hated me, but why this? Why are they trying to ruin me? What did I ever do to them? She asked, her voice trembling as tears threatened to spill , a storm of emotions swirled Inside her. Raymond took her hand, squeezing it gently. It's ok, I'll handle them, but it doesn’t stop there. Millie sent a reporter to stalk us. The photographer that took our picture outsi
Raymond entered his office early that morning, setting his briefcase and phone down and loosening his tie slightly. The moment he sat at his desk, he pulled up the latest project proposals, skimming through them with keen eyes. He had barely settled into his routine when a notification popped up on his iPad—an email from Felix, his assistant. His jaw tightened as he clicked on it. It was the result of the investigation he had ordered Felix to do previously. Gerald had done a thorough job, highlighting everything and left no room for doubt. CONFIRMED SOURCE: DAVENPORT FAMILY BEHIND THE ARTICLES. Raymond’s fingers drummed against the desk, his expression cold. So it was true. Michelle’s family was behind the ridiculous articles spreading online. He scrolled further and saw a note that was added—Millie had been stalking them. She had sent the photographer who had taken their pictures outside the restaurant the previous night. His eyes darkened. Just how far was that woman willing to
Raymond adjusted his suit and cufflinks as he stepped out of his car, his sharp gaze scanning the entrance of the prestigious Silver Oak restaurant as he opened the door for Michelle. It was a place reserved for only the most powerful and influential people in the city, and tonight, it was hosting an exclusive business gathering. Michelle, standing beside him, fidgeted slightly in the stunning dress he had forced her into. It wasn’t that she didn’t like it or it made her uncomfortable in any way—if anything, it made her feel confident—but the thought of being paraded around as his fiancée in front of everyone was unnerving, it made her nervous and she didn't know what to expect. "Stop squirming," Raymond murmured, placing a firm hand on the small of her back as they walked inside. "I’m not squirming," she whispered back. "I’m trying to adjust. There’s a difference." Raymond smirked but didn’t reply. As they stepped into the grand hall, hushed conversations started as everyone’s ey
Raymond sat in his office, his fingers tapping against the mahogany desk as he read through one of the ridiculous articles that had been circulating online. His lips curled in irritation and anger. The media had been having a field day with him ever since his engagement was announced, but this was different. One of the headlines read: "Billionaire Raymond Hawthorne Trapped in a Loveless Marriage? Sources Claim He’s Being Forced!" He scoffed. Forced? The only thing forcing him right now was his own patience—forcing him not to hunt down whoever started this nonsense. "Felix!" he barked. His assistant walked in, looking far too scared to get close to Raymond . "Yes, boss? Saw the article? You’re famous. Again." Raymond shot him a glare. " Shut up and Find out who’s behind this. Now." Felix shuddered . Whoever is behind this, it wouldn't end well for them, he thought before he spoke up. "Sir , I have already started working on it. But if you ask me, this reeks of Millie and her
The next morning, Michelle barely had time to breathe as she rushed to her office to finish some last-minute adjustments to the project she was working on. Between back-to-back meetings and reviewing blueprints, she hardly noticed the hours flying by because she was so busy. Meanwhile, at Hawthorne Enterprises, Raymond was also dealing with a different kind of problem—his so-called friends, Damian Whitaker and Sebastian Vaughn, had decided to pay him another unexpected visit. "You know, Ray," Damian smirked as he leaned back on the office couch, "if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're actually enjoying this whole engagement thing. You haven't even thrown a single tantrum or complained about anything since you got engaged to Michelle.. Are we witnessing a change in character?" Let's not forget the fact that she's not the type of woman that Raymond would normally give a second glance. Sebastian cut in. "I mean. Raymond Hawthorne? In a committed relationship with someone below h
The morning sun cast a golden hue over the city as Raymond walked Hawthorne Enterprises, his presence commanding attention and respect as usual. His mind, however, was anything but calm. His parents had been asking about the wedding preparations and if he was sure about Michelle being his future wife. The Davenports were scheming again, and to top it all off, he had an insane amount of work waiting for him. It was going to be a busy day. Meanwhile, Michelle also had a busy morning. The construction site was bustling with activities, she had to oversee several projects and she had to ensure everything was running smoothly. She had just wrapped up a meeting with one of her clients, Mr. Wallace, a middle-aged man with an impressive but questionable mustache. He seemed to enjoy Michelle’s stress more than the actual project, constantly making dramatic sighs and vague philosophical statements about architecture and giving her a hard time. This building should be… an experience,” he sai