ADELE'S POV The day I lost my father and brother, my world paused. The days bled into nights. But I had my mother. There was hope.Today I lost her too. Where do I go from here? Something inside me is dead. I sat rigid in the doctor's office, Julian by my side. I gripped his fingers so tight, desperate to feel something. The room was cold, like it had moved on. The doctor was saying something. My ears struggled to tune in. It doesn't matter anymore anyway. Nothing matters.But I just saw her. My nerves tingled with a strange feeling. My gut twisted. I had to know.“What exactly happened to her? Because I was with her just before…” Just before she died. The words hung in my throat.“We performed the autopsy, and erm…there were some anomalies”I sat up straight. Julian rested a tentative hand on my back. What anomalies? Julian echoed my question.The doctor shifted uncomfortably and adjusted his glasses on his round nose.“Well erm… your mother died of a heart attack, but it wasn
ADELE'S POV The hospital loomed over me ominously.I stepped out of the car and signalled the driver to find a secluded parking space. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow on the glass doors as I approached them. My heart beat faster with each step I took. I haven't seen my mother in months. So much has happened. Despite the 90% board vote that made me Co-CEO, I walked around with a hole in my chest.Julian and I had become strangers. Distant, formal, cold. The kind of silence that echoes. We barely spoke to each other, save for board meetings and public events.That's the way it's supposed to be, but I can't help but feel a longing for what we once had, no matter how fake it was. Pushing it all to the back of my mind, I pushed through the glass doors and the smell of antiseptic and air conditioning hit my nostrils, pulling me into that sterile quiet only hospitals have. Too clean, too still, too full of ghosts.I froze in front of my mother's ward, my hand hovering over t
JULIAN'S POVThe boardroom was still reeling.I stood frozen at the head of the table, the echo of Adele’s declaration ricocheting off the walls. Her perfume still lingered in the air, daring anyone to speak out of turn. But nobody did.The board members exchanged cautious glances. Alexander leaned forward, clearing his throat."Julian, I wasn’t aware you had made such a…dramatic decision. Co-CEO? That’s quite the surprise."I forced a smile while my insides turned to lava. "We were discussing her involvement more deeply. Adele is well-qualified. She has an MBA, a Master's in Accounting, and a solid track record at Lustré Interiors before her... hiatus."He arched his brow. "And the appointment? It wasn’t cleared with us."I could feel the storm building."We’ll arrange a formal vote next week. For now, treat it as a transitional leadership role. She’s here to help navigate the Satoshi merger."Adele stood tall, chin raised, smile polite but razor-sharp. She wasn’t intimidated. Not a
ADELE'S POV The house was quiet. Nobody was home.I woke up with a smile on my face, which was new considering the shitty week I'd had. Memories from last night flashed through my mind as I danced around the house, ignoring my throbbing knee. I made myself fresh coffee, still in last night's clothes. The smell of eggs and bacon filled the house as I fixed myself breakfast. Julian must have left for work early, but that's okay. He certainly made up for it when he rented that mall for the day. The fact that he wanted to buy it made me feel warm and fuzzy inside.I chowed down my food with renewed hunger. Tonight I'm going to do something nice for Julian. A homemade dinner was the only thing that came to mind. I scrolled through my phone mindlessly, looking up different recipes, then I saw it. My mouth went dry. “CEO or HUSBAND OF THE YEAR? JULIAN HAWTHORNE RENTS OUT MALL FOR MOVIE DATE WITH WIFE”Several other headlines carried the same news.Then I saw the pictures. Me in Julian
ADELE'S POVI slipped on my way out of the shower.My foot skidded on the wet tiles, and I caught myself against the sink.I'm still getting the hang of walking without the chair. I shouldn't be in such a hurry, but my phone has been ringing non stop and I'm getting worried.I stood in the middle of the room dripping water all over the floors. “Girl where have you been? Everyone's worried”Ronnie's voice blasted through my speaker. I hadn't called her ever since the scandal, ever since Julian came home looking several years older. The rumors spread like wildfire. I didn't want to believe them, but I couldn't shake the eerie feeling in my gut. Something was off.“Don't worry about me, Ron. I'm fine” I lied. My nights were ridden with nightmares. It's always the same. I'm trying to escape my burning room and someone shoves me out the window.Ronnie wasn't buying it.“Did he actually hurt you, Adele? I need you to answer me honestly” “No. Julian will never hurt me” but that sounded
Julian had barely opened his mouth to make his opening speech when the double doors to the boardroom swung open with force.Every head turned.The slapping of cane on tiles pierced Julian's ears, going straight for his heart.The air stiffened with tension.In walked Lord Alistair Hawthorne.The silence that followed wasn’t out of courtesy. It was rife with discomfort.Richard adjusted the cuffs of his dark navy suit, his presence demanding attention as he strolled to the end of the table like he owned it. Because once, he had. And in many ways, he still believed he did."How generous of you all to start without me," he said coolly, eyes on Julian.Julian rose from his seat, jaw clenched. His father barging in was one thing. Demanding a seat at the table was another."You’re not on the board anymore. You retired.""Retired, yes. Irrelevant? No. Especially not when my legacy is at stake."Frustration rose in his lungs.Julian inhaled slowly. Around the table, several board members exc