There was a long moment of silence between the father and son before Rome replied, "I knew someone would. Besides, you needed to learn a lesson about the kind of world you've stepped into. It's not a game, Rene."Suppressing his anger, Rene closed his eyes, trying to process his father's words. "And what lesson am I supposed to learn from being accused of stealing from my wife's family?"Sounding almost disappointed, Rome's voice turned stern again. "That you're in over your head. That family will eat you alive if you don't learn to navigate their games. I have paid a lot of experienced people over the years who taught you how to survive... You have had lessons from the best of the best. But now it's time for you to learn how to adopt."Rene let out a sharp breath, tension brought on by the weight of his father's expectations settling on him once more. "So what now? Maria's friend dropped the charges. Where do I go from here?""First, find out who set you up," Rome advised. "Someone w
Gunnar sat in his cell, staring at the wall with a blank look. He was thinking about his mother and just how desperate their situation had become. The weight of allegations against him was upon his mind, like a great chain, binding each move he made.A key scraping around in the lock jerked him out of his thoughts. The cell door slid open, and a policeman stood there, expressionless. "Your mom's posted bail for you. You're free to go.""She what?" He muttered under his breath."Don't think you are in the clear just because you are a free man today. The fact that your mother has this kind of money to spend has only proven our suspicion further. There's no way she had fifteen thousand in savings as she claim. We are watching you, and the moment you slip up, we will lock your ass up for good.""Fifteen thousand?"Gunnar stood speechless, his eyes blinking. Slowly, he got to his feet and began to follow the officer down the hall, through processing, and finally into the lobby. There, stan
Suddenly, Rene stopped laughing, and his expression turned serious. "You're right. I have no idea what you've been through. But what I do know is that people like us... those who have fought for everything they have... we have to be smarter. I've been set up myself, accused of things I didn't do. I'm telling you this because I know how easy it is to get caught in traps set by others."Taking aback by those words, Gunnar's anger cooled slightly, curiosity replacing his initial rage. "What happened to you?"Not sure if he could trust him just yet, Rene hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I married into a wealthy family, and now I'm being accused of stealing from them. It's all a setup, by this lady at work and a teller at the bank... I know if I can just get the teller to confess... ahh... but doing that is going to be tough... So, I kinda know how it feels to be caught in a situation where the odds are stacked against you.""Did you though... steal from them... your wife's family?
As silence settled between the two, Gunnar studied Rene with an intensity that gave Rene almost a little discomfort. Though he was widely experienced with people and could read them easily, without a doubt, it was clear that Gunnar wasn't one whom a person could fool easily."Since you refuse to tell me your true identity, then will you at least answer me this much: do you have a plan?" Gunnar finally asked, breaking the silence.Rene leaned back, his fingers tapping out a rhythmic pattern on the table. "The plan is simple: get Erica's confession. She is, of course, the key to clearing my name and exposing the real thief."Gunnar's eyebrow rose. "And you think I can help with that... how?"Rene nodded. "Unless I'm wrong, you have connections, and your presence can be... very persuasive. And what I want to do here is for her to sweat without feeling in danger enough that she'd want to turn to the authorities."A slow smile spread across Gunnar's face. "I can do that."Rene felt washed
Opening his eyes, Rene felt a deep ache in his back, and he rose, stretching out his bones as he stared around the living room of Ruby's home. Although it was the worst sleep he had had in his life, he was grateful that the old lady allowed him to stay the night when he asked."You are awake?" Ruby's sweet voice floated in from the kitchen, followed by the comforting aroma of fresh coffee and sizzling bacon.Rene smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yes, ma'am. Sorry for the intrusion last night. I really appreciate your hospitality.""Nonsense," Ruby said, appearing in the doorway with a tray of breakfast. "Any friend of my son is welcome here. Besides, it’s been a long time since we’ve had guests."Rene's eyes lit up at the sight of the food. "Thank you, Ruby. This looks amazing."Ruby set the tray down on the table, beaming with motherly pride. "Eat up. You look like you could use a good meal."After digging into his breakfast, Rene paused two bites in and asked, "Where is Gunnar
The room went quiet as Gunnar looked around, taking in the bloody men on the floor and Rene’s unreadable expression. Then he rushed over to Ruby, his protective instincts kicking in. "Mom, are you okay?"Ruby, still shaken but relieved to see Gunnar, nodded. "I'm fine. Kia... he took care of them."Gunnar looked at Rene with a mix of curiosity and concern. "Who are you?"Rene didn’t answer right away, keeping his focus on the nervous loan shark boss. The boss, clearly losing his earlier confidence, shifted uncomfortably and said, "I don’t know who you are, but... I’ll give you my account number. I don’t think you can pay, but here it is."The boss quickly gave Rene the account details, which Rene noted down. He pulled out his phone and began transferring the money. The room was tense as they waited.When the transaction was complete, Rene turned to the boss, who was still staring at the phone in shock."Check your account," Rene said coldly.The boss checked his phone and his eyes wid
As the morning slowly went by, Erica Sullivan sat in the quiet corner of the bank, reviewing some documents. Just then, her phone buzzed, displaying an unknown number. Annoyed, she ignored it and continued with her work.Moments later, a message notification appeared on her screen. Curiosity got the better of her, and she opened it. Her blood ran cold as she saw a recent picture of herself sitting exactly where she was now. Her heart pounded, and the unknown number called again. With trembling hands, she answered."Who is this?" she demanded, trying to keep her voice steady.The voice on the other end was chillingly calm. "Hello, Erica Sullivan. Age 34, born in Brookfield. Daughter of Thomas and Linda Sullivan, sister to Claire Sullivan, mother of little Jamie."Erica's breath hitched. "What do you want from me?""You've been a bad girl, Erica, lying about someone innocent. Now, since you like playing games with people's lives, let's play a game ourselves."She felt a surge of fear and
Scowling at her cousin, Maria rolled her tongue around her teeth, her patience hanging by a thread. She didn't reply but took a deep breath and continued walking toward the elevator. Jason’s threats hung like a dark cloud above her head, but she couldn't let them deter her, and she entered the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby.Minutes later, Maria entered the lobby, her heart pounding with confusion. As soon as Erica saw her, she rushed forward, dropping to her knees and resting her head on the cold tiles. Tears and snot ran down her nose, her body trembling."Maria," Erica sobbed, her voice barely audible. "I lied. Kia... I mean, I lied on your husband's name... he deposited the full amount. I didn't register it in the system. I... I'm so sorry."Dumbfounded, Maria felt her frustration grow, a surge of anger coursing through her veins. "Why would you do this, Erica? Why would you want to ruin Kia's reputation? What were you thinking?"Squeezing her eyes shut, Erica's so
Drawing a deep breath, Rene sat back in his leather chair, casually leaning his elbows on the armrests, eyes scanning the office around him. Across from him, Marco stood, hands still tucked into his pockets, his expression as deadpan as ever. René glanced at him and then, with a small grin, spoke in his calm, collected voice."Marco, I need you to understand something. This whole job I hire you for... it doesn't run on loyalty to anyone else. It runs on loyalty to me. I need to know everything that’s going on in this building. You get me?"Locking eyes with him, Marco nodded, his gaze steady. "Yes, boss.""And that means," René continued, leaning forward slightly, "you don’t take orders from anyone unless they come directly from me. Not from Mr. Rossi, not from my wife Maria, not even from my so-called in-laws." He paused, giving Marco a pointed look. "Your loyalty is mine and mine alone.""Understood, boss." Marco’s tone didn’t waver. His dead-eyed stare might have been unsettling
Drawing a deep breath, Alejandro stood in the middle of his destroyed office, his breathing heavy, fists still clenched, when the knock on the door came again.For a moment, he ignored it, staring at the shattered remains of the vase, the overturned coffee table, and the scattered papers. He wasn’t in the mood for company, and whoever was at the door was the last thing on his mind.The knock came again, a little more insistent this time.With a growl of frustration, Alejandro wiped a hand over his face, trying to collect himself. “Come in,” he barked, not bothering to hide the irritation in his voice.The door creaked open, and in stepped a timid figure... a man Alejandro immediately recognized. It was Derek, the guy his grandfather had laid off earlier this morning. He was dressed simply, his face pale and anxious, clearly not expecting to find Alejandro amidst the ruins of what used to be a pristine office.The second Derek saw the mess and Alejandro’s furious glare, he froze in t
As the silence dragged on, Jessica sat there, still on her knees in front of Carlo Rossi's desk, her breath catching in her throat as she tried to hold onto her fragile mask of vulnerability. Her heart raced, hoping that the call Carlo just made would secure her place in the company again, that everything would go as she planned. She waited for the door to open, fully expecting to see Rene walk in.But when the door creaked open, it wasn’t Rene.It was Alejandro.Jessica’s stomach dropped the moment their eyes met.Standing in the doorway, Alejandro’s face twisted in anger the second he saw her kneeling on the floor. His dark eyes narrowed, and his lips pressed into a tight, furious line as he stormed into the room, the tension in his body unmistakable.“Grandfather,” Alejandro greeted, his voice tight, barely masking his rage. “What’s this about?”Quickly, she scrambled to her feet, heart pounding, and brushed off her skirt. She opened her mouth to speak, to explain herself, but th
Without sparing a second glance at Rene, Jessica stormed out of the office, her heels clicking against the marble floor as she clenched her fists at her sides. HHer mind was racing, fury bubbling just beneath the surface as she thought, 'Fired? Just like that? I don't think so."As she reached the elevator, she took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. She was going to fix this. She knew exactly where to go.The elevator doors opened, and Jessica stepped inside, tapping the button for the executive floor. A plan was already forming in her head. She knew how to play her cards right... after all, she had been working in this family’s empire long enough to know how things worked.When the elevator dinged on the executive floor, Jessica straightened her posture, letting her face soften into a look of vulnerability. She walked briskly to Carlo’s secretary’s desk, her expression shifting from anger to desperation.“Hi, I need to speak with Mr. Rossi. It’s urgent,” Jessica said, her vo
The doors of Rossi Enterprises slid open with a soft hiss, and in walked Rene. He wore a sharp black suit, perfectly tailored to his lean frame, with a crisp white shirt and no tie, giving him a mix of sophistication and rebellion. His dark hair was swept back neatly, and there was an effortless swagger in his step. But what really turned heads was the guy trailing behind him—a cocky-looking dude with dead eyes, like he had seen too much and cared too little. His expression screamed "try me," and his hands were casually tucked into his pockets. Whispers started almost immediately as René strode through the lobby.“Is that… Maria's husband?”“That’s Kia. You know, the guy who-”“Yeah, I heard. He destroyed the Lelands last night... used Mr. Gunnar to get them down on their knees.”“Wait, isn’t he taking over Alejandro’s position? How did that even happen?”As their faint whispers brushed against his ears, René’s lips curved into the faintest hint of a smirk, like he knew exactly wha
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
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
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 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