The bar was dark, smoky, and filled with the scent of alcohol and sweat. Music played in the background—low, sultry beats that made the room feel heavy. The air was thick, and the dim red lights gave everything a dangerous glow.A man sat in the corner, his cigarette burning between his fingers. He was deep in thought, his jaw clenched as he remembered Mia’s words."You let her escape?"His fingers tightened around his glass of whiskey. He had never failed a job before. Never. But tonight, Olive had gotten away. Raymond had gotten to her first. And Mia… she was furious.A long drag of smoke filled his lungs as he exhaled slowly."This isn’t over," he thought.His gaze flickered to the entrance of the bar. The door swung open, and two women strutted in. Their hips swayed with confidence, their stripeless outfit clinging to every curve. They were meant to be distractions. Beautiful, dangerous distractions. The blonde one locked eyes with him, a slow smirk curling on her lips.She walke
The hospital room was silent except for the steady beeping of the heart monitor. Olive lay still, her chest rising and falling in a rhythm that felt too fragile, too uncertain. Her skin was pale, almost translucent under the harsh fluorescent lights, and her dark lashes rested against her cheeks like delicate feathers.She looked peaceful, but the stillness was unnerving. It had been four days since she slipped into a coma, and the clock was ticking. In two days, the court hearings would begin, and her lawyer, Mr. Henry, was growing worried. He hadn’t been able to reach her since their last conversation about providing proof of surrogacy. After that call, he never heard from her again.Raymond sat by her bed, his usual composed demeanor fraying at the edges. His suit jacket was draped over the back of the chair, his tie loosened, and his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He hadn’t left her side in days, neglecting his duties as CEO of his vast empire. His fingers were tightly wrapped a
Raymond's eyes narrowed as he listened to the voice on the other end of the line. "Oh, Raymond, Raymond," the voice on the other end of the line was dark, taunting, and dripping with malice. Raymond’s grip on the phone tightened, his jaw clenched."Nice to hear from you, Raymond," the voice crooned, almost mockingly. "You say you want death? Huh?"Raymond's pulse quickened, but he refused to let it show. His voice remained cold, calculated. "Thirty billion worth of orders. Send them now to my warehouse. You have one hour."Without waiting for a reply, he ended the call with a sharp press of his finger. His heart pounded in his chest, but outwardly, he remained composed, his eyes fixed on Olive, still lying on the bed before him.She looked fragile. Too fragile. His mind wandered back to the troubles of the last few days, all of it pressing heavily on him. But his focus snapped back to the present. Ezra. His rival. The one person who always stirred up trouble for him for no reason, and
The day of the court hearing had finally arrived, and the courtroom buzzed with anticipation. Olive’s lawyer, Mr. Henry, stood confidently in front of the judge, while Frank’s lawyer sneered at him from across the room.Olive, however, was nowhere to be found. Her lawyer kept glancing at the door, hoping she would walk in at any moment. But as the minutes ticked by, it became clear that she wasn’t going to show up.A heavy silence settled over the room. All eyes were glued to the judge, who was poised to begin the proceedings.Frank adjusted his cuffs, glancing around the courtroom with a smug expression. The tension in the air was thick, but he thrived on it. His lawyer stood tall, ready to present his argument—an expertly crafted tale of a man deceived, abandoned, and seeking justice.Delilah, sitting beside Frank, could barely contain her excitement. Every moment spent in court brought her closer to taking Olive’s share of their father’s properties. She could already envision a lif
"Since Miss Olive is here, we can proceed with the case," the judge said, his voice calm but firm.Olive’s lawyer, Mr. Henry, stood up with quiet confidence. He cleared his throat, and the room fell silent, waiting for his words.He looked over at Frank, who was still trying to process the reality of Olive’s presence. Frank’s smirk had faltered, replaced by an edge of anxiety."My Lord," Mr. Henry began, his voice steady. "There is no doubt that my client is pregnant," he said, causing gasps to escape from several mouths in the courtroom.Mr. Henry paused, allowing the weight of his words to sink in. He glanced at Olive, who sat motionless in her wheelchair.Then, he continued, his voice rising slightly, "But Miss Olive here was mistakenly infused with semen when she went to the hospital for a test, experiencing feverish symptoms. She was mistaken for Olive Madison, the original surrogate for this case. My client is Olive Bennett, which caused the mix-up."Frank’s face drained of colo
“I want 90% of his properties,” Olive declared, her voice steady and unwavering.A stunned silence gripped the courtroom. Gasps echoed from every corner. Even the judge momentarily hesitated, his gavel pausing mid-air.Frank felt the world tilt. Ninety percent? His heart pounded so hard it felt like it would burst from his chest.This can’t be real.His hands trembled as he clutched the edge of the defendant’s table. His entire world had just collapsed. His lawyer, who had walked into the courtroom with confidence, was now drenched in sweat, unable to form a single word in his defense.He turned to Delilah, expecting some sort of support, but she was already shaking her head in disbelief, her mascara-streaked tears running down her face. She had lost everything. Her mind replayed the moment she had eagerly transferred a huge portion of her wealth into Frank’s business, believing she was securing their future together. Now, it was gone.The gavel came down with a deafening bang!"Mr. F
The hum of the private jet faded into the background as Olive stepped into Raymond’s penthouse. A month had passed since the court case, and while her body had grown stronger, her emotions remained tangled in a web she couldn’t quite unravel.The moment she entered, she noticed something—Mia was gone. The absence of the woman who once claimed to be Raymond’s fiancée left the place feeling strangely peaceful. Olive pushed the thought aside. It wasn’t her concern. She wasn’t here for Raymond. She was here because of the child growing inside her.After showering, she settled into bed, but sleep didn’t come easily. The doctor’s words echoed in her mind:"You need to be intimate with him for the baby's health."She turned onto her side, staring at the dim ceiling. How was she supposed to do that? Dealing with an unexpected pregnancy was already overwhelming, and now she was expected to surrender herself to a man she barely knew?The thought made her stomach churn.Raymond hadn’t returned t
Raymond led her to the edge of the balcony, where a small table was set up, complete with a candlelit dinner. The food looked delicious, but Olive's attention was drawn to the small box sitting at the center of the table. Her breath caught in her throat as Raymond picked it up, holding it out to her.Raymond reached for the box, his fingers steady, his dark eyes locked onto hers."Open it," he said, his voice thick with emotion.Olive’s breath hitched. Her hands trembled as she picked up the box, slowly lifting the lid.Inside, nestled in a bed of silk, was a ring. The breathtaking diamond caught the candlelight, sparkling like the stars above them. Her vision blurred with unshed tears as she looked up at Raymond in shock."Raymond, I..." she began, but before she could gather her thoughts, he dropped to one knee, reaching for her hand."Olive," he said, his voice steady yet filled with emotion. "I know we barely know each other, but these past few months... you've taken up space in m
"What’s that?" Olive asked, her voice quiet but steady as she stared at the phone. Her eyes weren’t puffy like before, and though her mood was far from cheerful, the tears had mostly stopped. There was still an ache in her chest, but the storm had passed—at least for now.Raymond didn’t answer immediately. He just handed her the phone, his expression unreadable.Curious, Olive took it from him and looked at the screen. Her breath hitched.It was a photo gallery.Photos of a house. Not just any house, but a breathtaking one. Modern yet warm. Big glass windows. A wrap-around porch. White walls with soft grey stone accents. A flower garden with bright tulips and roses. It looked like something out of a dream.She blinked slowly, her fingers swiping through the photos as if her mind needed help believing what her eyes were seeing.“It’s beautiful,” she managed to say, voice hoarse but honest.Raymond gave a faint nod. “I had it built for you.”Olive looked up, startled. “For me?”He smile
"You say you want to heal... what about me?" Raymond asked, his voice low and raw. His eyes were red, not from anger but from pain. "Don’t I need healing too?"Olive stood a few feet from him, clutching her luggage like it was the only thing keeping her grounded. Her lips quivered, but she said nothing."Dear, you need to listen to me," Raymond pleaded.More tears slipped down Olive's cheeks, her chest rising and falling with every shallow breath. Her eyes looked empty, lost in a world full of pain. Raymond stepped forward, his voice softer now."Or did I do something wrong too?" he asked.She shook her head gently, not trusting her voice to hold. Slowly, she dragged her luggage closer to herself."You can’t tell me it’s nothing, Olive," Raymond said, walking to where she stood by the door. The desperation in his tone made her lips tremble. "Why? Please, just tell me why."He reached out and gently took her hands in his. Her skin was cold. She was trembling, but she didn’t pull away.
"You can go look for her in the prison."Those words hit his grandfather like a slap."Prison?"The old man’s eyes widened, his face twisting in disbelief. His lips trembled as he pointed a shaky finger at Raymond."You took Mia to prison? On what grounds? Are you mad? You... you unfilial son!"Raymond didn’t flinch. His jaw tightened as he stood straight, chest rising with anger."You foolish grandson! You’re no different from your father!" the old man shouted, his voice echoing through the house.Raymond’s voice rose with pain. "Do you even care what Olive and I suffered because of Mia? Do you know what we’ve been through?""You think I care?" the old man scoffed."You’ve never cared about this family. All you care about is your company—profit, power, prestige. Huh? Answer me!"Raymond stepped forward, eyes blazing."I’m not surprised you don’t care. You’ve always been blind to everything but control. But don’t you ever compare my father to me. Respect the dead, old man.""Raymond,
“Okay, we’ll be there in a few minutes.”Raymond ended the call and slipped the phone into his pocket. His sharp eyes turned to Mr. Stones, who stood quietly in the corner, head low, avoiding his gaze.“You can leave now,” Raymond said, his voice calm but firm.Mr. Stones didn’t speak. He simply nodded slightly, turned around, and walked out. His footsteps were slow. He now regretted not telling Raymond earlier what he had been going through at the hands of Mia. He thought he could handle it himself, but he was wrong. By the time he realized nothing could be done, his daughter was already dead.Daniel, who had been standing silently all this while, stepped forward. His face was emotionless, but a part of him felt sorry for Mr. Stones.“Sir… what do we do now?” he asked, his voice low and uncertain.Raymond didn’t look at him at first. He stared ahead, his jaw clenched. Then he finally spoke, his tone cold and steady.“We’re taking them to prison.”“But sir… we shouldn’t have taken the
"Who's that?" Raymond asked, eyes narrowing as he stared at Daniel up and down.His assistant shifted uneasily. "Sir... it's Mr. Stones. He’s been working closely with Mia. We just found out—Mia had his family held hostage all this while. She used them to control him."Raymond’s breath caught in his throat."Last year..." the assistant continued, voice low, "his only child died. A six-year-old girl. She didn’t get proper food or care. They starved her, sir. And now, his wife… she’s not the same. The assistant went on, “his wife broke down. Mentally, emotionally—she hasn’t recovered. She hasn’t spoken a full sentence in months. She screams at night. Wanders the house in her daughter’s clothes. It’s bad, sir.”Raymond turned away and gripped the edge of the desk, grounding himself. His knuckles turned white. “Why didn’t Me stones say anything?”His initial thoughts were to have him jailed but now he's having a change of mind."After the girl died, Mr. Stones tried to resign," the assist
“No, Kain! You can’t do this to me!” Mia screamed, her voice shrill with panic. You could hear the fear in her tone, like someone whose hand was about to be placed on a burning flame.Kain was still crouched on the ground, his hand gripping the gun tightly. His face—twisted with pain and rage—was soaked with sweat. His finger trembled slightly on the trigger as he stared up at her. He felt no remorse for what he was about to do.“I never loved you,” he spat bitterly, his voice low and hollow. “All I ever wanted was your money… and the documents—just like my sister said. But you never gave me anything. Seems you were bad luck after all.”Mia’s face twisted even more as she shook her head. “No… no, Kain, you’re confused. You’re letting them manipulate you. We had something real—”Kain laughed. A broken, cold laugh that echoed with bitterness.“Real? You call that real? I traced Olive from the day she arrived in New York. Remember that? You made sure she had no home. You blocked every ap
“Nothing, Nurse Janet. I actually thought it was Miss Olive.”Janet tilted her head, curious. “No, she wasn’t the one. Wait a minute…” she paused, her eyes narrowing. “If Miss Olive is related to you, how would you not know she’s dead?”“Is that the reason you also came to the hospital today?” she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.Ezra turned his face away. “It’s complicated. Let’s not go there,” he mumbled, forcing a smile. “Tell me more about yourself.”Janet rolled her eyes. “What more do you want to know apart from the fact that I'm a nurse? And my full name is Janet Clinton. What about you?”“Well, I am Ezra.”“What about your surname?”Ezra hesitated. “Does that really matter?” he replied, twitching his lips and briefly glancing at her. Their eyes locked unexpectedly. A second too long passed before they both looked away as if they had not been staring at each other.“Hmmm. Really? If you don’t want to talk, no problem. I’ll just consider you a man with no surname,” she smi
“See Raymond, we’re thinking Olive might be our dead little sister.”Raymond scoffed, tilting his head. “Huh? Olive? Your sister?”Ethan nodded cautiously. “We know it might sound strange, so we wanted to do a DNA test on her… but unfortunately, she’s—”“She’s dead.”The words barely left Ethan’s mouth before Raymond’s fist crashed into his face.Ethan stumbled backward, clutching his jaw in shock.“You think she’s your sister and yet you wish her dead?” Raymond thundered.Ethan blinked in disbelief. Ethan spat blood to the side, still holding his cheek. “Isn’t she dead?” he stammered.Raymond’s nostrils flared, his eyes reddened with fury—a storm barely held in check.“If you ever say that word around Olive again, I swear I’ll have you killed,” he growled.“Raymond!” Ezra yelled, stepping forward, his temper breaking through. “We came here to make peace, not to fight. But from the look of things, it seems you—”“Hey, hey,” Ethan yanked Ezra back. “Enough. Remember why we’re here,” he
"Ezra, you're seeing things. Let’s get into the car," Ethan managed to say, steadying his voice even though his own heart was hammering.Ezra kept staring into the distance, like he was hoping she would reappear if he just stared hard enough. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, the muscles in his arms twitching with tension. He blinked a few times, swallowed hard, and finally dragged himself toward the car.He didn’t say a word as he climbed into the backseat beside Ethan. The door clicked shut behind him with a soft thud that sounded way too loud in the heavy silence.Their driver, a tall, quiet man dressed in black, gave a small nod and started the engine. He pulled out of the parking lot carefully, obeying every traffic rule like he had all the time in the world.Inside the car, the air was thick and heavy.Ezra stared out the window, his jaw clenched so tight it looked like it might snap. His fingers tapped an erratic rhythm against his thigh, his mind obviously still stuc