LOGINAdele~The month of reckoning was finally here. The wait was excruciating, and at the same time, thrilling.Silver had gone to college. She had the highest score – 750 out of 750 – entering the world record as the youngest high school graduate in the world, top college entrance scorer, and the first student to ever get a perfect score since the national examination began.Even her father didn’t score 750. He apparently scored 749.My brilliant, fierce little girl had made history.The day the news broke, the entire resort had gone wild. Guests and staff alike were cheering her name, reporters flooded the gates, and I received more calls than I could count – from the press, and even from the Ministry of Education. But through all the chaos, I could only remember the look on her face when the results were announced.She was… uninterested.That’s right. What were you expecting?And Detroit.The man had been in an unusually good mood since after our wedding – three months ago – especially
That was kind of her, but something in me preferred earning access rather than borrowing it. I looked at the saleslady instead. “Is there another way to get the membership card?”The saleslady’s eyes flicked nervously between us. “Well… yes, technically. But it’s not common. Only shareholders of the parent company automatically qualify.”“Shareholders?” I repeated.“Yes, ma’am. There are only a few of them. The boutique is owned by Dodo Group, based in South Rivers. This store is their flagship in the country.”“Hmm.” I nodded slowly, then took out my phone. “Give me a second.”I called my assistant, calmly ignoring the whispers growing behind me. “Lucy, look into Dodo Group. Find out if there are any shares available for sale, preferably within the hour. Buy whatever you can.”There was a pause on the other end. “Understood, Ms. Adele. I’ll check immediately.”“Good.” I hung up and slipped my phone back into my purse.A snort came from behind me. “You’ve got to be kidding,” Co-chief
Ohoi, I should have worn a mask and oversized shades. At this point, it seemed I was more popular than A-list celebrities. Her excitement drew a few curious glances. Those who cared became just as excited as her, even asking for autographs. Some had even taken out their phones to record, while others minded their businesses. I wished everyone would just be like those few people. Despite myself, I smiled politely, keeping my voice soft. “Good afternoon.”“Good afternoon!” she chirped, straightening her blazer, clearly flustered. Even her colleagues who were attending to customers couldn't take their eyes off me. “We’re so honored to have you here. Please, this way. We’ll find just what you need.”I followed her deeper into the store, trying not to regret my impulsive decision. The interior was warm and minimalist, scented faintly with cedarwood and vanilla. Shelves of neatly arranged gift boxes lined the walls. They were curated sets meant for couples: leather items, perfumes, station
Adele~Today is a beautiful day. Wouldn't you find it pretty too, if you received unexpected guests with good news in the morning?Of course you would.Seated across from me were Remy Daza, Leila Omari, and Hara Knox – representatives from the Ministry of National Development.The first time the triads came to my resort was for the grand launch. They’d take several pictures, and complimented both the architecture and food like they were a national treasure. I had assumed that would be the end of it, but here they were again, this time, looking far more official.Remy cleared his throat softly. “Mrs. West—”“Adele,” I corrected him gently, smiling. “Please, just call me Adele.”He blinked, caught slightly off guard. “Of course… Ms. Adele.”My smile widened, but inside, I knew why I always drew that line. I didn’t want to be known by anyone’s name, not my husband’s, not my family’s. I had worked too hard to be recognized as one of the thousand Mrs. Wests. There were other reasons too.
Adele~In a blink of an eye, a month was gone, but it didn’t leave without drama. Amidst the cat-and-mouse play between Ryan and me, Julia and Roman put up quite a spectacle for the internet.Roman divorced Julia but wouldn’t let her take custody of Sophia. The court battle was messy, because Ryan denied being Sophia’s father when he was brought to court, accused Julia of mental instability, and Roman, of being a fraud and unworthy of being a father — he was even suggesting Sophia be sent to an orphanage.The tabloids had a field day. Trendle exploded as usual, and ‘innocent’ me was dragged into it. Not for bad reasons, of course, but to make sure I saw how my ex and his mistress were making fools of themselves.My friends and I didn’t care for gossip – ahem, absolutely not – but we watched with popcorn, like Zee World series, eagerly waiting for the next episode. I mean, update.And most of all, I was keeping an eye on Roman, on how he handled things. I wanted to know why he was so i
Roman~Adele…the name alone sent a chill down his spine. Who would have thought that the same quiet and peaceful Adele he once knew would be so ruthless to her enemies? She'd planned so meticulously to rid Ryan off his company and she succeeded – something he could never do. Roman glanced around the faces of the men sitting around the table with a smile on his face. He was here not because he had anything to discuss with the board members, but because Adele had told him to call a board meeting when he got the signal. She'd also made him tip off the auditors with fake reports, just to throw the company into a frenzy. Now that Adele had told him she'd succeeded, he was about to make excuses to end the meeting that hadn't even started when his phone rang.It was his home landline – scratch that, his former home. His brows creased. Was it Julia calling? On second thought, Julia wouldn't call him with a landline, so he answered the call. Before he could even speak, Sophia's voice sounde







