LOGINmrs DianeIt had been days since I last heard from Renata, and the silence had begun to eat at me in a way I could not shake. I sat by the window most evenings now, phone in hand, staring at a screen that refused to light up with my daughter's name. Since the surgery, everything about her had shifted. The girl who once could not fall asleep without calling her mother first, who used to phone just to complain about the smallest things, a bad day at work, a fight with a friend, the weather, was now barely home at all. I felt it in my bones before I could put words to it, that quiet, gnawing dread that only a mother carries, the kind that whispers something is wrong long before anyone confirms it.I was sitting at my kitchen table, a cup of tea warming my hands, lost in thought, when a knock sounded at the door. I set the cup down and made my way over, and the moment I pulled the door open and saw Edwina standing there, my whole face lit up."Edwina, sweetheart," I said, pulling the girl
RenataI walked in with my head held high, my heels striking the marble floor in a rhythm that matched the pounding of my own heart. I let the intensity burn through me, unfiltered, unapologetic, until my eyes landed on Payton and Marcus. I watched the shock bloom across their faces the moment they saw me standing there, alive and unbroken, and for a fraction of a second I almost laughed. Even I was a little stunned that I had found the nerve to come back.But I steadied myself. I was not about to back down now, not after everything. I had made Drent a promise, that while he was gone I would make sure Marcus never got his hands on the empire he had spent his whole life building. It was not complicated. It was not some grand, heroic mission. It was simply me keeping my word, even if it meant risking my life to do it.And after what Payton and Marcus had done to me, after the betrayal that still lived in my bones, this felt like more than duty. This felt like the perfect revenge. I stra
PaytonI sat beside Marcus, listening to him recount every detail of his conversation with his father, the satisfaction dripping from every word. "He as good as handed it to me," he said, swirling the drink in his hand. "If Drent doesn't show up tomorrow, the empire is mine. He said it himself."I laughed, raising my glass to meet his. "To tomorrow," I said. "To finally winning."We toasted, the sound of our glasses clinking together sharp and celebratory in the quiet room. "I spoke to your father earlier too, you know," I said, arching a brow at him. "Planted a few seeds of my own. You could give me a little credit."He chuckled, leaning back. "The deal stands, Payton. The moment that empire is mine, you get your fifty percent. I don't go back on my word."I smiled, satisfied, and he excused himself to take a call, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the last of my drink.I let myself sit there for a while, savoring the quiet triumph building in my chest. After everything, after ye
Mr. ColeAll my life, I had wanted this company to pass into the hands of one of my sons when I was gone. That desire had shaped every decision I'd made for decades, every late night at the office, every sacrifice my family had quietly absorbed without complaint. I had raised Drent and Marcus to compete, believing that whichever of them proved himself worthy would be the one to carry the empire forward. It had seemed, for most of their lives, like a fair enough system.Now Drent, my firstborn, lay in a hospital bed recovering from an accident that had nearly taken his life, and I found myself questioning everything I had built this competition on.I left the business meeting the moment I received the update and told my driver to take me straight to the hospital. On the drive over, my mind kept circling back to Marcus, to the timing of it all, to how conveniently this accident had occurred right as the presentation drew near. I suspected him. I had suspected him since the moment I hear
RenataI woke to a pounding headache that throbbed behind my eyes like a second heartbeat, and beneath it, a deep, wrenching pain twisted through my stomach. The room around me was empty, quiet except for the steady beep of a monitor somewhere beside me. My mouth tasted foul, bitter and metallic, and before I could even fully process where I was, my stomach lurched violently and I retched over the side of the bed, my body still trying to purge whatever poison remained inside it.Everything hurt. My throat burned raw, my limbs felt impossibly heavy, and even lifting my head sent the room spinning. I had never felt anything close to this, not even after the worst fights I'd taken in the ring. This was different. This was my body having fought, quite literally, to keep me alive.A nurse rushed in moments later, followed quickly by a doctor, and they moved around me with practiced urgency, checking monitors, adjusting my IV, murmuring to each other in clipped medical terms I only half und
Marcus"Did you do this?"My father's voice cut through the quiet of my office like a blade, sharp and accusing, his eyes fixed on me with a suspicion I hadn't seen directed at me in years."No," I said, keeping my voice level, my expression carefully arranged into something between confusion and offense. "Why would I have anything to do with that?"He was talking about Renata, of course. The poison had worked exactly as planned, taking hold of her almost the moment it hit her system, dropping her right there in front of half the room. The crowd had scattered into panic, gasping and shouting as she collapsed, and the entire event had been forced to a complete stop while they rushed her out on a stretcher. I had watched from a careful distance, my expression schooled into shock along with everyone else's, though inside I felt nothing but quiet satisfaction. Everything had gone exactly as I'd intended."It's suspicious," my father said, stepping closer, his jaw tight. "The moment I anno
RenataI waited for Edwina outside the class. I had stared at the flyer for so long that if someone handed me a computer, I could recreate it without looking.The bell rang and the students pushed through, rushing out. My eyes strained as I searched for Edwina. When she finally appeared, I dragged
Renata"You will never be a boxer, Renata." The coach screamed it so loud that it echoed through the hallway. My heart sank. This had been my dream since I was six, to be a professional boxer. But the school system seemed dead set on the fact that it was a male sport, and it had always been."Wait,
DrentThe applause soon faded, the unexpected kiss between me and Renata had amused everyone. I didn't know we had the attention of everyone, and most especially, my father, who seemed to stand from afar with a smile of approval.That alone made me feel so close to getting the company than ever, bu
RenataAfter three straight days in the hospital, I had not taken calls from anyone. I had stayed off social media, away from school, and away from everything else. Just sitting beside my mom and watching over her, hoping she would be alright.I had applied for a job at Tinnies, a fast food spot ne







