LOGINClaire stood outside the towering glass building of Sterling Solutions and stared up at the sleek modern structure with her chest tight.Her company. She thought and the words made her throat close up with emotion.Howard had shown it to her years ago when he offered but she had declined because she felt she had taken too much from him but he had promised to keep it running for her and right now, she was glad he kept it for her and the gratitude made her eyes sting with unshed tears. She is now a CEO and she would make sure she put everything in place because she owed Howard that much and so much more.The paperwork and everything was in place and Solomon Webb has been informed that she would be coming today.A lot had changed about the company from when she first saw it and more would change because she didn't plan on failing Howard and the thought of disappointing him even in death made her stomach clench with anxiety.Her heart was steady and her mind was clear as she walked throug
Jeff sat in the hospital waiting room staring at his phone and watching his life explode in real time.His video was everywhere in the Internet, Irene accusing him of being the cause of Zane's accident.The first article had appeared two hours ago and now they were everywhere."Tech CEO's Son Critical After Accident - Wife Blames Husband's Obsession With Dead Woman""Jeff Anderson's Family Crisis: Child Hit By Car During Domestic Dispute""Is Jeff Anderson Fit To Lead? Sources Say CEO Prioritized Ghost Over Living Son"His hands shook as he scrolled through headline after headline and each one felt like a punch to the gut.He felt like screaming in frustration because he was damn frustrated. social media was tearing him apart and his company's stock had already dropped three percent.His phone rang and Thomas Park's name flashed on the screen and Jeff answered because ignoring his biggest investor would only make things worse."Thomas.""What the hell is going on, Jeff?" Thomas's voi
Claire's phone rang and she frowned, who could be calling with unknown number?She picked up immediately."Hello?""Is this Amber Clark?" A man's voice, professional and calm."Yes. Who is this?""My name is Richard Grey. I'm Howard Anderson's attorney."Her heart stopped."Howard. Is he okay? Please tell me he's okay.""He's awake and he's asking for you. Can you come to the hospital?"Relief flooded through her so fast it made her dizzy."He's awake? He's really awake?""Yes. But he's asking of you, he says that he needs to discuss something with you and it's urgent.""I'll be there as soon as I can." She replied quickly. She had a strange feeling about this.She hung up and pressed her hand to her chest.Howard was awake.He was alive."Mama?" Adrian appeared in the doorway. "What's wrong?""Nothing's wrong, baby." Her voice shook. "Grandpa Howard is awake. I need to go see him.""Can I come?" He asked, blinking up at her."Not this time, sweetheart. But I'll tell him you love him.
The sound of the impact would haunt Jeff for the rest of his life.The screech of brakes too late and the sound of metal hitting flesh.Time stood still and his pulse pounded in his ears."ZANE!" He screamed, eyes wide in horror. Zane landed hard on the pavement and didn't move.Jeff dropped to his knees beside him and his hands were shaking so badly he could barely touch him."Zane. Zane, buddy, look at me."Blood was pooling under Zane's head and his eyes were closed and his small chest wasn't moving right."No no no no." Jeff's voice broke. "Please, baby, please wake up."He pressed his hand to Zane's chest and felt the faint flutter of a heartbeat and it wasn't strong enough and wasn't regular enough."Someone call an ambulance!" He screamed at the people gathering around them.A woman was already on her phone and her voice was shaking as she gave the address.Jeff pulled Zane into his arms carefully and Zane's head lolled back and more blood soaked into Jeff's shirt."Stay with
The door closed behind her and she stared at Adrian, “go on and use the bathroom sweetheart”. She instructed and watched him leave.Claire leaned against the door and slid down to the floor.Her whole body was shaking and she couldn't breathe right and her chest hurt so badly she thought something inside had broken.She pressed her hand over her heart and the tears came.They poured down her face and she couldn't stop them and didn't try to because no one was watching and she could finally let herself fall apart.She spent five years trying to get over him and becoming someone new. She even convinced herself that she was over him.And one look at his face had shattered everything.The way he'd looked at her with those grey eyes full of shock and hope and desperation.The way he'd hugged her and whispered "Thank God you're alive" like she was something precious he'd lost.The way his voice had cracked when she pushed him away.She hated him.She hated him for what he'd done to her and
Jeff stood in the middle of the park watching her go. His mind was spinning and his chest felt like someone had reached in and squeezed his heart until it stopped beating.His eyes fell on the little boy walking beside her.The boy was four years old, which meant Claire, if that even was Claire, had gotten pregnant a full year after she died and had moved on and built a whole new life without him."Jeff." Irene's voice cut through his thoughts. "We need to go."He didn't move and couldn't stop staring at the spot where she had gone."That could be her." He whispered almost to himself."Don't be ridiculous." Irene's laugh was too sharp and too loud. "Claire is dead. We buried her five years ago. That woman just happened to look like her."Right, that was where he was confused, he had watched Claire being buried, how can one have such a striking resemblance to another?"You're seeing things because you feel guilty." Irene continued in a softer voice that almost sounded sympathetic. "It'







