The silence that followed Gunnar’s ultimatum stretched unbearably, pressing down on the room. Everyone was watching, waiting for the inevitable. Mr. Leland and Benjamin exchanged one last desperate glance, but they both knew there was no escape. The weight of humiliation bore down on them, their once-proud faces now twisted in agony. Finally, Mr. Leland sighed deeply, the sound full of resignation. With great reluctance, he lowered himself to his knees, every motion stiff, as though his pride were fighting his body. The room watched in stunned silence, unable to believe the sight of such a powerful man brought to his knees.Beside him, Benjamin hesitated, his face burning red with fury and shame. His jaw clenched so tightly that his teeth looked ready to crack, but after a moment, he followed his father’s lead, sinking to his knees. The proud heir of the Leland family, now kneeling in front of the very people he had tried to humiliate.Gunnar stood over them, his expression unreada
The crowd, already buzzing with whispers, grew louder at this revelation.“Is he really leaving ReF Inc.?” a man in the back murmured, his tone filled with disbelief. “That’s insane. No one sane will leave a company like that.”The revelation that Rene might be leaving ReF Inc. sent a wave of shocked murmurs rippling through the room.“He’s leaving ReF Inc.?” a man in the back repeated in disbelief, his tone hushed but incredulous. “That’s madness. Nobody walks away from an opportunity like that.”Juan Rossi, standing at the back of the crowd with his Antonio, shot a quick glance at him. “There’s no way Kia is that foolish,” Juan whispered, his tone sharp. “After what Mr. Gunnar just did for him? There’s no way he’s working for us.”Without a word, Antonio’s scowl deepened, his fists clenching at his sides as he watched Rene.'If Kia turns this down,' Antonio thought, his eyes growing tense, 'everything we’ve planned, all of our positioning… it’s going to fall apart.'His eyes stayed
Rene sat in silence, gripping the steering wheel as the car moved through the dark, quiet streets. The sound of the engine hummed softly, the only noise breaking the tense air between him and Maria. She hadn’t said a word since they left the party. Her arms were crossed, and she stared out the window, the reflection of passing streetlights flickering in her eyes.Even though they were far away from the resort, she could still feel the weight of everything that had happened, her emotions knotted inside her, a mixture of anger, confusion, and exhaustion. She wanted to scream, to tell Rene how reckless he’d been, how much his decision to leave Gunnar’s protection worried her, but the words wouldn’t come. Not yet.The silence between them stretched until something caught Maria’s attention. She furrowed her brow and glanced at the road ahead. They were no longer heading toward home.Her frustration boiled over into confusion. “Kia… We are going the wrong way?” she asked, her voice quiet
Rene paused, his hand hovering over the phone in his pocket, the persistent vibration pulling him back to the reality that had started to slip away in the serene space they’d found themselves in. But then, Maria’s voice, soft, broke through his hesitation.“Don’t,” she whispered, her breath warm against his neck as her fingers traced the fabric of his shirt, slowly making their way to the back of his neck. She pulled him closer, her voice barely audible, but the weight of her words was undeniable. “Not tonight.”Her request was gentle but firm, and it sent a shiver down Rene’s spine. He could feel the tension melting away between them, replaced by something far deeper, more intense. His hand dropped away from the phone, and he let out a quiet breath, turning his full attention back to Maria.Their eyes met, and in the flickering candlelight, the world outside felt distant, insignificant. The frustration, the anger that had been lingering between them, all of it dissolved as Maria m
The morning sun filtered through the soft curtains of the Rossi mansion, casting a warm glow across the master bedroom. Mr. Rossi sat on the edge of the bed, his brow furrowed, fingers tapping restlessly against his knee. He hadn’t slept much after the events of the previous night. Madam Rossi, still in her silk robe, sat at the vanity, brushing her hair. She glanced at her husband, noticing the tension in his posture, the way he seemed lost in thought.“They’re not home yet, are they... Maria and Kia?” Mr. Rossi asked, his voice low, though it held an edge of concern.His wife paused for a moment, setting down her brush before turning to face him. “No, they’re not,” she replied calmly, though there was a hint of curiosity in her voice. She noticed the way his shoulders were stiff, the way his fingers had stilled their tapping and now pressed into his palms.She frowned slightly, studying him. “What’s on your mind?” she asked, her tone soft.Mr. Rossi sighed deeply, running a hand
In the dimly lit study of the Rossi mansion, Jason, Antonio, Layla, and Bianca sat in tense silence, each of them processing the events of the previous night. The air felt tense with the weight of their unspoken thoughts, their faces betraying a mix of shock and uncertainty.Antonio sat at his desk, fingers drumming against the wood, his mind racing as he tried to piece together the next step. Across from him, Jason leaned casually in his chair, his eyes sharp and calculating, while Layla sat beside him, her expression unreadable. Bianca, meanwhile, slouched in an armchair near the window, her brows furrowed in frustration.Finally, it was Bianca who broke the silence, her voice tinged with bitterness. “Well, now that Kia doesn’t have Mr. Gunnar’s protection, he’s no threat anymore. We don’t have to worry about him.”Her words were met with a sharp glare from both Jason and Antonio. Jason shifted in his seat, his gaze hardening as he turned toward his sister.“Bianca,” he said, his to
The soft hum of the air conditioner filled the room as Juan paced back and forth in his study, his hands clasped behind his back. His children... Princess, Alejandro, José, Luis, and Luca sat in various states of boredom or concern around the long table. The dim lighting cast shadows across the study, making the atmosphere feel heavier than usual.Suddenly, Juan stopped, turning to face them. "You all understand what happened last night, right?"Princess, leaning lazily against the armrest of her chair, rolled her eyes as she let out, "Yeah, Dad, we get it. Kia embarrassed the Lelands, and now everyone’s acting like he’s some kind of genius.""Exactly," Juan replied, his voice carrying a tinge of frustration. "And if Father can take Alejandro’s position in the family and just hand it over to someone like Kia, what does that mean for the rest of us?"Alejandro, who had been sitting quietly in the corner with his arms crossed, looked up sharply. His jaw was tight, and his eyes glinted
Monday9:00 A.MAs his eyes hardened, Alejandro slammed the drawer shut, stuffing the last of his files into a black leather briefcase. The faint sound of his office door opening went unnoticed until the hurried click of heels caught his attention. "Morning boss... What's going on?" his assistant, Jessica, asked, her voice laced with concern. She stopped in the doorway, eyes wide, taking in the sight of her usually composed boss in the middle of packing his things. “Are you… leaving?”Reaching for another folder, Alejandro didn’t look up immediately, but the scowl on his face deepened. “It’s happening,” he muttered darkly. “That lowlife, that nobody, is taking my position.”As her brows drew together, Jessica’s heart sank. She had heard whispers in the office, but to see it unfold like this, right in front of her, made the situation all too real. "Kia?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. "Yeah, my so-called cousin-in-law," Alejandro spat, throwing another folder into his bri