Tears trickled down my face as I sat on the narrow cot in the holding cell, staring up at the cold, gray ceiling. How had my life unraveled so quickly?
One moment I was running what I thought was a simple errand for my mother-in-law, Veronica Fury, and the next, I was being accused of embezzlement.
The memory of that officer snapping handcuffs around my wrists still burned into my mind, each flashback filling me with humiliation and anger.
I hugged my knees to my chest, trying to hold back the tears, but the shame and disbelief were too much.
Taylor, my own husband, had allowed this to happen. He hadn’t just doubted me; he’d acted as if I was nothing more than a criminal to him.
And Veronica… I had no doubt she’d orchestrated the entire thing. Yet here I was, locked up, my life crumbling around me.
A hollow ache settled in my chest. How could Taylor, the man who was supposed to know me better than anyone, turn against me so easily?
How could he believe his mother’s word over mine? Veronica had despised me from the start, but Taylor… he’d been my partner, my confidant.
Now he was the one who’d put me here.
I pressed my hands to my face, feeling the weight of the cell’s silence pressing down on me. It was quiet here, just the low murmur of guards outside.
Each second stretched on painfully, with nothing to distract me from the thoughts that stormed through my mind. What if this was how things ended for me alone, accused, forgotten?
The sound of keys rattling jolted me back to reality, and I looked up to see one of the officers standing outside my cell.
“On your feet,” he barked. “Let’s go.”
I scrambled to stand, hope flaring for the first time since I’d been locked up. Maybe Taylor had realized the truth and come to set things right.
Or maybe Sarah, my best friend, had finally been allowed to see me.
Anyone would have been a relief, but I wanted... needed Taylor to be the one waiting for me.
The officer led me down the narrow hallway, my heart thudding with anticipation and fear. But as we reached the front lobby, I looked around and found it empty.
There was no one waiting. The chairs sat vacant, and the officers looked past me indifferently.
I turned to the officer, my voice coming out smaller than I wanted. “Where’s the visitor?”
The officer shrugged, barely hiding a smirk. “Guess they decided not to stick around. Get your belongings and sign out,” he said, nodding toward the front desk where my purse and other personal items lay.
I swallowed hard, disappointment flooding me. With shaky hands, I walked over, retrieved my things, and signed the release papers.
Before I could even begin to process what was happening, the officer gestured to the door.
“This way,” he said, already moving toward the exit.
I followed him outside, my confusion deepening when I saw an unmarked car parked at the curb. The officer opened the passenger door and gestured for me to get in.
“Where are we going?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
He looked at me, raising an eyebrow. “Just get in the car. You’ll find out soon enough.”
I hesitated, glancing back at the building, wondering if I had any choice.
But reluctantly, I slid into the passenger seat, and he shut the door before climbing into the driver’s side.
We pulled away from the station, and I couldn’t help but watch as familiar streets disappeared behind us.
After a few tense minutes, I couldn’t stand the silence any longer. “Where are you taking me? This isn’t the way home.”
The officer stayed quiet, his eyes fixed on the road. I pressed him again, and he finally muttered, “You’ll see.”
His words sent a chill down my spine, but I held my breath, waiting.
Eventually, we turned down a quiet street lined with office buildings, and the car came to a stop in front of a small building with a polished sign: William Strickland, Attorney at Law.
The officer opened my door and gestured for me to get out. “Inside. Mr. Strickland is waiting for you.”
Unease settled in my stomach as I climbed out of the car and looked up at the modest building. Why was I here? Why did Taylor send me to an attorney’s office instead of coming himself?
Inside, a receptionist directed me down a short hallway to an office at the end.
I took a deep breath before pushing the door open, finding myself face-to-face with a man seated behind a polished desk. He looked up as I entered, gesturing to the chair in front of him.
“You must be Mrs. Abrams,” he said, his tone businesslike but cool. “I’m William Strickland. Please, take a seat.”
I sat down slowly, my stomach twisting. “Mr. Strickland? Why am I here? Where’s Taylor? Why didn’t he come himself?”
Strickland offered a tight, polite smile, one that barely masked his indifference. “Mr. Fury asked me to handle your release, under specific conditions, Mrs. Abrams. He couldn’t be here today, so he sent me in his place.”
My heart sank. “So… am I free to go home?” I asked, my voice wavering with the desperate hope that maybe, just maybe this was all a mistake that could be fixed.
Strickland’s expression didn’t soften as he picked up a stack of papers and slid them across the desk toward me. “Not quite. Mr. Fury has decided to drop the charges against you, but he has stipulated that this matter ends with your cooperation. He’s arranged for your release, provided you sign these.”
I glanced down at the papers, my stomach flipping when I saw the bold title at the top of the page:
DIVORCE PAPER.
My hands shook as I clutched the edges of the paper. I couldn’t believe what I was reading. “No,” I whispered, my eyes darting up to meet Strickland’s.
“This… this can’t be real. Taylor hasn’t even spoken to me. Why would he send divorce papers without even hearing my side?”
Strickland’s gaze was unwavering. “I’m simply here to facilitate Mr. Fury’s request, Ms. Abrams. Taylor’s decision is clear, and he’s asked that you sign these to avoid further complications.”
Complications? I couldn’t believe this was happening. I’d spent hours in that cell, terrified and alone, only to find out that my own husband didn’t even want to talk to me. “Taylor needs to know the truth. Veronica is the one who set me up, I didn’t do any of this. He has to hear me out.”
Strickland’s face didn’t change. “Mrs. Abrams, Taylor’s family has provided him with evidence they believe is compelling. He’s already made his decision.”
A lump formed in my throat as the reality sank in. “I’m his wife,” I said, barely keeping my voice from breaking. “He owes me the chance to explain. I deserve that much.”
Strickland sighed, pulling a pen from his desk and sliding it toward me. “I understand this is difficult, Ms. Abrams. However, Taylor’s stance is clear. You’re fortunate to be walking away without any legal consequences. All you have to do is sign, and you’re free to go.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My hand hovered over the pen, my heart clenching with a mixture of pain and defiance.
I wanted to scream, to tear the papers apart, to refuse. But that would only make things worse.
I pushed the papers back and met Strickland’s gaze, my voice shaky but firm.
“No. I’m not signing anything until I speak to him. He needs to look me in the eye and tell me this himself.”
The ENDNicole sat behind her desk, staring out the large glass window of her office, lost in thought. The morning had been a blur of meetings and paperwork, but her mind was elsewhere. The past weeks had been stormy: their victory against the Fury family, reclaiming what she lost, and finally getting justice from the wrongs done to her. Yet deep down, she knew there were still loose strings to tie.A soft knock at her door pulled her out of her musings. It was Emilia peeking inside. "Ma'am, you have a visitor.""Who is it?" Nicole asked, assuming some other business partner or yet another journalist looking for an interview.Emilia hesitated. "It's Taylor Fury."Nicole's breath hitched. Taylor? Here? Of all people?"Let him in," she said, though her voice did not reflect the sudden turmoil that had risen in her chest.The door swung open, and Taylor walked in, his usual arrogance replaced with something unfamiliar -- humility.He looked different, almost worn down, as if the weight
The evening air was crisp and filled with the comforting hum of city life as Nicole stepped out of the car, her heels clicking lightly against the pavement. The weight of the past weeks still weighed upon her shoulders, but tonight she was determined to try to escape it, if only for a few hours. She adjusted the coat draped over her shoulders and nodded at the bodyguards on either side."You're dismissed for the night," she said. "I'll be fine here."Collins hesitated. "Boss, are you sure? We can wait outside."Nicole gave him a small smile. "Go home. You both deserve the rest. Come back in the morning."Carter exchanged a glance with Collins before giving a reluctant nod. "Alright, but call if anything happens...""Thank you, Carter," Nicole said, cutting him off. "Nothing will happen. See you both in the morning."With that, she turned and made her way toward the entrance of Leo's home.Warmth enveloped her as she stepped inside to the delicious smell of roasted chicken and spices
The courtroom was packed, the air thick with anticipation. Journalists lined the back row, their pens ready to capture the final moments of a trial that had gripped the city. Mumbles went throughout the audience in hushed tones as everyone threw theories on what the verdict was. Some actually felt Veronica Fury would get to walk free while others believed that for once, the woman would pay her due time in prison. Nicole sat at the plaintiff's table with an unreadable expression on her face. In her elegant, yet simple, black suit, she was a vision of confidence, but deep inside her, there was a tempest going on.She had fought for this day, spent years gathering the strength to bring Veronica to justice, and now it all came down to this -- the final decision. Her lawyer, an astute woman, rose from her seat and made her way to the center of the courtroom. She squared her shoulders, adjusted her glasses, and took a deep breath before she began her final statement."Your Honor, ladi
The Fury mansion was shrouded in an eerie silence as Taylor and Sarah sat in the dimly lit living room, their eyes fixed on the television screen. It had drained them for these past few weeks, the feeling in the room, that of defeat, hung in the air heavy. Veronica sat back in one corner, her expression unreadable, with a firm clasp on the leather chair's armrest. The evening news was on, first with politics, current events of interest around the world, when the voice of the news anchor changed.To their most shocking scene,was the declaration of the sale of Taylons Enterprises to its new owner. The company, which suffered serious financial setbacks, has been acquired by no other person than Nicole Okeke, Chief Executive Officer and President of Okeke Group.On the screen was a clear shot of Nicole, standing right in front of the headquarters of the company; the newly installed Okeke Group logo was emblazoned above the entrance. Her poised figure and calm demeanor seemed to say a
Nicole descended the courthouse steps with practiced grace, her expression unreadable as the mob of journalists and reporters surged forward. Cameras flashed like wildfire in the gray sky. Facing them, stream of voices went hysterical, with every other reporter screaming their questions louder than the last. "Ms. Okeke, do you really feel the court will be on your side?" "Ms. Okeke, are you just out to get the Fury family out of personal revenge?" "How do you reply to claims that this case has absolutely nothing to do with justice but it is, in reality, a personal vendetta?"Carter stepped in front of Nicole, the chaotic crowd pushing in against him as Collins held open the car door only a few feet away. The bodyguards' security at this moment was fierce."Back off!" Carter barked, his voice firm as he pushed a microphone away from Nicole's face. Nicole, however raised a hand to call off her bodyguards. "It's ok," she said, voice calm, but commanding. The reporters now reduced
The courtroom was unusually quiet that morning, the weight of the trial bearing heavily on everyone present. Nicole sat at her table, fingers intertwined, and watched as the judge took his seat. Her lawyer was looking over the day's agenda, but Nicole was elsewhere. She was preparing herself for yet another painful revelation. She barely knew what was coming. The prosecuting council stood up and called their next witness: "We would like to call Sarah Fury to the stand."Veronica's eyes quickly widened in shock. How was this possible? Nicole's head snapped up, and her eyes shot wide in incredulity. She leaned to her attorney, who avoided her gaze but just fidgeted with her notes. "Sarah?" Nicole whispered with a hint of confusion and accusation. "It was their decision," her lawyer said very quietly.The lawyer finally looked back at her. Her expression cautioned her. "They came to me days ago, and I thought it best to let their testimonies speak for themselves."Before Nicole co