The days following the investigation had been tense, but in the end, the truth prevailed. The forensic team had meticulously combed through the financial records, and after an exhaustive review, it was confirmed that Michelle had been framed, and that she was innocent. The transactions were traced back to a dummy account linked to an offshore entity, and the supposed security footage had been manipulated using advanced AI-generated imagery. Whoever was behind this had gone to extreme lengths to ensure she took the fall and destroyed her reputation, but they had underestimated Raymond’s determination to prove her innocence. When the news broke that Michelle had been cleared of all accusations, a wave of relief washed over her and she felt a little better. But the victory was bittersweet. The damage had already been done—her name had been dragged through the mud, and despite being proven innocent, some people still whispered, still doubted her. The weight of the scandal lingered, but M
Raymond sat in his office, staring at the latest headline on his phone. His grip on the device tightened as he read the accusations against Michelle. The evidence was damning—too damning. Someone was orchestrating this with precision. But who? Could it be his mother? Raymond thought to himself. His gut told him Eleanor was behind this and his instinct was never wrong. But there was a nagging thought in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but think—what if Michelle was actually involved? It was irrational, he knew that, but he still didn't know what to believe. She had just saved the company with the international deal. Yet, he had spent years trusting no one, building walls that even Michelle had struggled to breach. His head throbbed. The woman he had fought to protect was now the center of another scandal, and this time, the accusations were even worse. "Sir?" Felix’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. His assistant stood at the door, an urgent expression on his face. "W
Michelle sat at the long mahogany dining table, her laptop open before her as she sifted through every financial document she could find in the company records. She had spent hours working with Felix to trace the origins of the false transactions. If Eleanor wanted a fight, Michelle was more than ready to give her one. Her fingers moved swiftly over the keyboard as she compiled her defense, pulling up every records, bank statements, and financial reports she could find. Raymond sat beside her, watching in silence like a good kid who just got treats. She was still mad at him. He had already apologized—twice—but she wasn’t in the mood to listen to his apologies. Felix entered the room, placing a file on the table. "I gathered everything we need to prove your innocence. These are records tracing the embezzled funds back to Eleanor. We can use this. The transactions were made using an alias linked to her offshore accounts." Michelle picked up the file, flipping through the pages. Every
Michelle felt the weight of Raymond’s gaze pressing down on her as she stared at the video on his phone. The grainy footage played continuously, showing her in a tense argument with a tall, handsome shadowed figure. Her heart pounded violently, and she clenched her fists, knowing she could no longer avoid the truth. She needed to tell Raymond the truth. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. "His name is Richard Smith." Raymond's expression was cold, but his grip on the phone tightened. "And who exactly is this Richard Smith?" Michelle hesitated, forcing herself to meet his eyes. "He was my ex-fiancé." But it was a long time ago. My father wanted me to marry him but it wasn't what I wanted, so I rejected him. The room fell into a heavy silence. Michelle could see the flicker of emotions behind Raymond's cold, calculating gaze, but he didn’t interrupt. He was waiting for the full explanation. She swallowed hard and continued. "It was an arranged engagement. My father set it u
Raymond’s grip tightened on his phone as he processed Sebastian’s warning. His mind worked at lightning speed, piecing together the puzzle Richard Smith had been crafting in the shadows. What is Richard up to? He thought to himself. “This isn’t just about business,” he murmured, more to himself than to Sebastian. “It’s about Michelle.” Sebastian sighed. “Exactly. Richard has been playing this game for a long time, and if you don’t move fast, he’ll gain the upper hand.” Raymond exhaled sharply. “I won’t let that happen.” He ended the call and immediately called Felix back to his office. Within minutes, Felix arrived, his face tense, already sensing the urgency. “We need to dig deeper,” Raymond said, flipping open the file Felix had given him earlier. “I want a full breakdown of every deal Richard has been involved in, every collaboration, every investment he has made, every business, every contact. I want to know where he’s going to be before he even gets there.” I want to know w
The night at the gala had barely ended, yet its repercussions were already unraveling. Raymond sat in his office the next morning, his fingers drumming rhythmically against his desk, his gaze cold as he waited. Felix stood nearby, his expression grim. “He’s here,” Felix announced. Raymond’s jaw tightened. “Send him in.” The door swung open, and Richard Smith strode inside with the same arrogant confidence he had displayed the previous night. He took a seat opposite Raymond without permission, stretching his arms and legs like he owned the place, his smirk firmly in place. “You certainly don’t waste time,” Richard mused, adjusting the cufflinks on his tailored suit. “I admire that.” Raymond’s eyes remained hard. “Cut to the chase.” Richard chuckled, leaning forward. “Fine. I’ll be direct. Michelle owns something I want—an estate that’s far more valuable than she realizes. If she signs it over to me, I’ll stop my... interference in Hawthorne Enterprises.”Richard wasn't actually i
Michelle’s fingers trembled slightly as she clutched the legal document, her mind struggling to process Damian’s words. "I don’t understand," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "How is this possible? I don’t recall any distant relatives who would leave me such a massive inheritance for me." Damian leaned against Raymond’s desk, his expression thoughtful. "That’s because this relative wasn’t directly in your life. But legally, they had ties to your family. The inheritance was sealed under a confidential clause. It was only unlocked now because of Richard’s recent moves. Raymond’s grip on Michelle’s hand tightened as he exchanged a glance with Damian. "Meaning someone wanted this hidden. And now that it’s surfaced, Richard is desperate to get his hands on it." Michelle exhaled sharply, forcing herself to stay composed. She had been manipulated before, but she refused to be a pawn again. "Who was this relative? And why was I chosen as the heir?" Felix handed her another
The tension in the office was palpable as Michelle processed Charles’s words. Her inheritance was being contested, and Richard wasn’t the only one involved. But who else was pulling the strings? Was he working with Eleanor? Do they even know each other? She couldn't find answers to the question. Raymond remained beside her, his presence steady and unwavering. "We need to find out exactly how deep this goes," he said, his voice firm. "If Richard thinks he can take this from you, he’s severely underestimated who he’s dealing with." Michelle nodded, determination settling in. "I want to know everything. If someone is backing him, I need to know who." Felix, always prepared, stepped forward with his tablet. "I did some digging into Eleanor’s sudden involvement. And you’re not going to like what I found." Michelle's stomach twisted. "What is it?" Felix swiped across the screen, pulling up a series of old legal documents and confidential files. "Eleanor has known about your inheritance
Michelle and Raymond rushed into the hospital, the sterile scent filling her lungs as they approached the reception desk. Michelle’s fingers clenched into fists, her heartbeat hammering in her chest. She wasn’t sure if it was anxiety over Vivian’s condition or the lingering bitterness she still carried toward her mother. The nurse at the desk recognized her immediately. “Ms. Davenport, your mother is in Room 312. She collapsed suddenly, but she’s stable for now.” Michelle barely nodded before heading in the direction the nurse indicated, Raymond following closely. The past few hours had already been overwhelming—Richard’s schemes, Eleanor’s manipulation, and now this. Her mother’s health had never been something she concerned herself with too much, mainly because Vivian had never truly been a mother to her. She had always favoured Millie. Reaching the hospital room, she hesitated at the door. It was strange standing here, knowing that if the situation were reversed, Vivian wouldn’t
The tension in the office was palpable as Michelle processed Charles’s words. Her inheritance was being contested, and Richard wasn’t the only one involved. But who else was pulling the strings? Was he working with Eleanor? Do they even know each other? She couldn't find answers to the question. Raymond remained beside her, his presence steady and unwavering. "We need to find out exactly how deep this goes," he said, his voice firm. "If Richard thinks he can take this from you, he’s severely underestimated who he’s dealing with." Michelle nodded, determination settling in. "I want to know everything. If someone is backing him, I need to know who." Felix, always prepared, stepped forward with his tablet. "I did some digging into Eleanor’s sudden involvement. And you’re not going to like what I found." Michelle's stomach twisted. "What is it?" Felix swiped across the screen, pulling up a series of old legal documents and confidential files. "Eleanor has known about your inheritance
Michelle’s fingers trembled slightly as she clutched the legal document, her mind struggling to process Damian’s words. "I don’t understand," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "How is this possible? I don’t recall any distant relatives who would leave me such a massive inheritance for me." Damian leaned against Raymond’s desk, his expression thoughtful. "That’s because this relative wasn’t directly in your life. But legally, they had ties to your family. The inheritance was sealed under a confidential clause. It was only unlocked now because of Richard’s recent moves. Raymond’s grip on Michelle’s hand tightened as he exchanged a glance with Damian. "Meaning someone wanted this hidden. And now that it’s surfaced, Richard is desperate to get his hands on it." Michelle exhaled sharply, forcing herself to stay composed. She had been manipulated before, but she refused to be a pawn again. "Who was this relative? And why was I chosen as the heir?" Felix handed her another
The night at the gala had barely ended, yet its repercussions were already unraveling. Raymond sat in his office the next morning, his fingers drumming rhythmically against his desk, his gaze cold as he waited. Felix stood nearby, his expression grim. “He’s here,” Felix announced. Raymond’s jaw tightened. “Send him in.” The door swung open, and Richard Smith strode inside with the same arrogant confidence he had displayed the previous night. He took a seat opposite Raymond without permission, stretching his arms and legs like he owned the place, his smirk firmly in place. “You certainly don’t waste time,” Richard mused, adjusting the cufflinks on his tailored suit. “I admire that.” Raymond’s eyes remained hard. “Cut to the chase.” Richard chuckled, leaning forward. “Fine. I’ll be direct. Michelle owns something I want—an estate that’s far more valuable than she realizes. If she signs it over to me, I’ll stop my... interference in Hawthorne Enterprises.”Richard wasn't actually i
Raymond’s grip tightened on his phone as he processed Sebastian’s warning. His mind worked at lightning speed, piecing together the puzzle Richard Smith had been crafting in the shadows. What is Richard up to? He thought to himself. “This isn’t just about business,” he murmured, more to himself than to Sebastian. “It’s about Michelle.” Sebastian sighed. “Exactly. Richard has been playing this game for a long time, and if you don’t move fast, he’ll gain the upper hand.” Raymond exhaled sharply. “I won’t let that happen.” He ended the call and immediately called Felix back to his office. Within minutes, Felix arrived, his face tense, already sensing the urgency. “We need to dig deeper,” Raymond said, flipping open the file Felix had given him earlier. “I want a full breakdown of every deal Richard has been involved in, every collaboration, every investment he has made, every business, every contact. I want to know where he’s going to be before he even gets there.” I want to know w
Michelle felt the weight of Raymond’s gaze pressing down on her as she stared at the video on his phone. The grainy footage played continuously, showing her in a tense argument with a tall, handsome shadowed figure. Her heart pounded violently, and she clenched her fists, knowing she could no longer avoid the truth. She needed to tell Raymond the truth. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. "His name is Richard Smith." Raymond's expression was cold, but his grip on the phone tightened. "And who exactly is this Richard Smith?" Michelle hesitated, forcing herself to meet his eyes. "He was my ex-fiancé." But it was a long time ago. My father wanted me to marry him but it wasn't what I wanted, so I rejected him. The room fell into a heavy silence. Michelle could see the flicker of emotions behind Raymond's cold, calculating gaze, but he didn’t interrupt. He was waiting for the full explanation. She swallowed hard and continued. "It was an arranged engagement. My father set it u
Michelle sat at the long mahogany dining table, her laptop open before her as she sifted through every financial document she could find in the company records. She had spent hours working with Felix to trace the origins of the false transactions. If Eleanor wanted a fight, Michelle was more than ready to give her one. Her fingers moved swiftly over the keyboard as she compiled her defense, pulling up every records, bank statements, and financial reports she could find. Raymond sat beside her, watching in silence like a good kid who just got treats. She was still mad at him. He had already apologized—twice—but she wasn’t in the mood to listen to his apologies. Felix entered the room, placing a file on the table. "I gathered everything we need to prove your innocence. These are records tracing the embezzled funds back to Eleanor. We can use this. The transactions were made using an alias linked to her offshore accounts." Michelle picked up the file, flipping through the pages. Every
Raymond sat in his office, staring at the latest headline on his phone. His grip on the device tightened as he read the accusations against Michelle. The evidence was damning—too damning. Someone was orchestrating this with precision. But who? Could it be his mother? Raymond thought to himself. His gut told him Eleanor was behind this and his instinct was never wrong. But there was a nagging thought in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but think—what if Michelle was actually involved? It was irrational, he knew that, but he still didn't know what to believe. She had just saved the company with the international deal. Yet, he had spent years trusting no one, building walls that even Michelle had struggled to breach. His head throbbed. The woman he had fought to protect was now the center of another scandal, and this time, the accusations were even worse. "Sir?" Felix’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. His assistant stood at the door, an urgent expression on his face. "W
The days following the investigation had been tense, but in the end, the truth prevailed. The forensic team had meticulously combed through the financial records, and after an exhaustive review, it was confirmed that Michelle had been framed, and that she was innocent. The transactions were traced back to a dummy account linked to an offshore entity, and the supposed security footage had been manipulated using advanced AI-generated imagery. Whoever was behind this had gone to extreme lengths to ensure she took the fall and destroyed her reputation, but they had underestimated Raymond’s determination to prove her innocence. When the news broke that Michelle had been cleared of all accusations, a wave of relief washed over her and she felt a little better. But the victory was bittersweet. The damage had already been done—her name had been dragged through the mud, and despite being proven innocent, some people still whispered, still doubted her. The weight of the scandal lingered, but M