LOGINMONIQUEHis voice turned almost mocking.“Meanwhile, the other woman had two healthy children. Made Ryan a father and me a grandfather.”A pause. “And guess what happens to Marcus's empire when the two of you are gone?”His eyes locked onto mine.“Ryan’s children....the Bennetts....inherit everything.”Silence. And then, I couldn’t help it. A laugh slipped out of me. The sound surprised even me. A soft laugh at first… then a little louder.Mr Bennett frowned, clearly not expecting that reaction. B“You think that’s funny?” he asked, his tone sharpening.I shook my head, still smiling, though there was nothing amused in my eyes.“No,” I said. “I think it’s pathetic.”His expression darkened.“All of this,” I gestured between us, “this entire speech, this whole… performance. You came in here thinking you had something..... Something that would shake me, something that would make me fall apart.”I took a step closer “And that’s what you chose?” I asked quietly. “My womb?”His jaw tighten
MONIQUEI didn’t respond. I didn’t need to.The air between us grew heavy, thick with tension. I could feel something like danger coming off Mr Bennett. He looked pretty damn serious and confident about whatever this was.Mr Bennett kept watching me before he suddenly burst out laughing. But I didn’t even blink. I just kept watching him, a blank expression settling on my face.“You’re going to be the destruction of the Bennetts, aren’t you?” he said. “Your anger isn’t just about Ryan. It’s about all the Bennetts. And you’re determined to make us fall.”He stepped closer.“You’re here to bring back your father’s empire. I can see it in your face.”I said nothing.“You don’t love Marcus,” he went on. “You never did. You have always loved Ryan. I watched you, running after him, the way you would look at him as if the sun rose and fell from his ass.”His voice hardened.“And you can’t tell me that a love like that would just die in a single night just because you found out something fooli
I frowned.“What do you mean?” I asked, feeling like I was about to lose it entirely.“I have been more than patient with you, Mr Bennett, and you have wasted enough of my time. I am not going to play riddles with you. If you are done… please leave.”Mr Bennett merely smiled, looking mighty comfortable as his gaze went all over the office.“This is exactly why Marcus shouldn’t have trusted you with his empire.”I narrowed my eyes at him, and his smile grew brighter before he straightened and got more serious.“To run such a huge company requires patience and wisdom. You can’t be prone to anger every few minutes when someone tells you the truth…”I interrupted him. “What do you want, Mr Bennett? Say what you need before I call security on you.”He stood up, and I could see the mean streak that Ryan always had on his face when he got angry. For a second, I was scared.He straightened and started walking around the office as if he owned it.“I am Marcus’s father. His blood flows in my ve
MONIQUEI wasn’t her anymore.“You have changed,” Mr Bennett finally said.A light, almost humourless smile slipped onto my lips. “That tends to happen after betrayal… from the people you trusted the most in the world.”His jaw tightened slightly but He didn’t deny it. Instead, he said, “Ryan died, you know.”“Yeah,” I said, my voice calm, my face giving nothing away. “I know. The police told us when they came to take our statements”“I expected you at the funeral,” he continued. “We all did. More people thought you would come. After all, you had been married to Ryan for ten years. That had to mean something.”I let out a quiet breath.“Yeah, well,” I said, “I’m sorry that he tried to kill the man I loved, the man I was taking care of, the man I was praying to God to bring back. The funeral of the man meant to kill him was the last thing on my mind.”I leaned forward slightly, my eyes locking onto his.“So I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings by not coming to his funeral… because he almo
MONIQUEHis hands moved, warm and familiar, like he was trying to remind me of everything we hadn’t had time for.... But I pulled back gently.He looked at me.That look.Half amused. Half frustrated.“Come on,” he said, his voice low. “It’s been like a hundred years.”I crossed my arms slightly, trying not to smile.“Doctor’s orders,” I said. “Until they say you’re fully recovered and can handle… exertion, we are not going there.”He stared at me unapprovingly. Then let out a dramatic groan as he fell back against the bed.“I can’t believe you.” he groaned.I laughed. I couldn’t help it. Because he was alive. He was here. Arguing with me. Smiling. Healing. Everything felt like it was finally, slowly… falling into place.Little did I know that the next day I would go to work at the office, and I would have a surprise waiting for me.*The next day started normally, as it always did, with Marcus trying to get me to stay in bed with him. Of course, him trying to get into my pants and me
MONIQUEThat made me pause.“What should I do?” I asked quietly.“Let me help,” Nadia said simply. “Start with that.”I exhaled slowly.“Go to work. Just half a day. Delegate the rest. That’s why Henry is there.” she added.I let out a small, humorless laugh.“I want to know everything,” I admitted. “Every detail.”“And you will,” she said. “Just not all at once.”I finally nodded. I knew She was right.“Thank you,” I said softly. “I think I needed that.”Her expression softened.“You’re doing better than you think,” she said.I shook my head slightly.“It doesn’t feel like it.”“That’s because you’re comparing yourself to Marcus,” she pointed out. “He didn’t wake up one day and become who he is today. He failed. He built again. He learned.”I looked down at my hands.“You’ve been doing this for what… a week?” she added. “And you’re still standing.”That hit something deep inside me. Before I could stop it, my vision blurred, I stood up abruptly and walked around the desk. Nadia didn
The BENNETTSAfter a while, Mr Smith started laughing.“Okay, fine. Please do it. Why don’t you call everybody you know? Pull all the resources you have. You’re rich, right? I mean it..... do it.” He leaned back in his chair, smirking. “You came into my office to threaten me over something that I h
MONIQUEMr. Smith slid the envelope toward me slowly.No one spoke.I couldn’t even bring myself to touch it.My name. Written in my father’s handwriting. Right there on the front.And I just couldn’t take it anymore.I cried.“I’m so sorry, my child…” Mr. Smith said as he stood up from his seat, r
MONIQUERyan’s fingers tightened on my thigh.“No, it’s okay. You can just… say whatever it is in front of Ryan,” I finally muttered.I was facing Mr. Smith, but I still couldn’t look him in the eye. My gaze stayed locked on the polished table surface, my fingers curling tightly together in my lap.
THE BENNETS A few weeks ago. Ryan. The minute Ryan saw Monique and her aunt step into his office, he knew something was wrong. Terribly wrong. His chest tightened, and before his mind fully caught up, he was already moving. He stormed out of the office, down the hallway, and straight towards his







