Harrison clenched his jaw, fighting the wave of fury and disbelief that washed over him. He picked up his phone and dialled Maxwell's number. His fingers shook as he waited for the phone to connect.
"Maxwell, you need to see this," he remarked in a hushed voice. There wasn't time for small talk; this was too big.Maxwell's voice came through the phone with a crackling. "What is it?"Harrison held out the folder and said, "This could ruin everything." "Your mother is involved in something far bigger than you know. This is more important than your father's legacy and the business. "Maxwell, it's a conspiracy."He could hear Maxwell's breath catch on the other end of the phone. "Send me everything of it. "Now."Harrison felt a cold understanding wash over him as he closed the file. He had been faithful to Maxwell for a long time, but devotion didn't mean anything when the truth was this bad. Harrison scratched his forehead to attempt toHarrison clenched his jaw, fighting the wave of fury and disbelief that washed over him. He picked up his phone and dialled Maxwell's number. His fingers shook as he waited for the phone to connect. "Maxwell, you need to see this," he remarked in a hushed voice. There wasn't time for small talk; this was too big. Maxwell's voice came through the phone with a crackling. "What is it?" Harrison held out the folder and said, "This could ruin everything." "Your mother is involved in something far bigger than you know. This is more important than your father's legacy and the business. "Maxwell, it's a conspiracy." He could hear Maxwell's breath catch on the other end of the phone. "Send me everything of it. "Now." Harrison felt a cold understanding wash over him as he closed the file. He had been faithful to Maxwell for a long time, but devotion didn't mean anything when the truth was this bad. Harrison scratched his forehead to attempt to
Sophia walked around the room, her mind racing. She had just heard Maxwell's confession, and the words were still ringing. He had said, "I love you, Sophia," in a voice that was raw and open. But the confession made her thoughts more jumbled. Could she trust him again? Could she be honest with herself and say that she still cared about him? Maxwell stood across from her, looking at her intently, and waited for her to say something. There was no doubt that he was there, yet uncertainties crept into her heart as well. Finally breaking the quiet, she muttered, "I didn't expect this." "But what does it mean now?" Maxwell moved closer, breathing shallowly, as if every step he took was a risk. "It means I've always loved you, Sophia." And I need you to trust that. Her chest was tight, and a mix of perplexity and want flooded her veins. Could she believe in him? Could she let go of the past, the pain, and let herself be weak again? She want
I watch her as if she were made of stone. The woman who once meant everything to me now seems like a stranger. Though I can't help it, she hasn't spoken in what seems like an eternity. I can no longer bear this burden, this suffering all by myself. I take a deep breath, and the air feels thicker than usual. "Sophia," I pronounce her name as if it were a prayer. Her eyes dance, but she remains silent. That quiet cuts like a knife into my chest. "I've been attempting to control the mayhem, to mend things... but it's all just a mask." Her eyes are cautious but not furious, and she raises her head slightly. That's an improvement, correct? Swallowing the lump in my throat, I say, "I have spent so many years hiding from the truth." "From my family, from you... from me. All the expectations, all the pressure... It was unbearable. I stop, attempting to stabilise myself. "I believed I could win if I played the role and maintained order throughout all", I believe
I'm pacing the living room, fingers tugging at the ends of my hair. The weight of everything, the falsehoods, the secrets, the media, the pressure, feels oppressive. Arms crossed tightly, Sophia stands near the door with an inscrutable expression. The silence between us is dense, like a storm about to break. "Maxwell," she begins, her voice like a whisper. Why didn't you inform me about the trials? Everything you have done previously? "Who are you connected to?" I stop. My heart racing in my chest. "You believe I desired this?" You think I meant to pull you into this chaos? The annoyance overflowing causes my voice to soar. I've done all I can to remedy it! Though her eyes narrow, she stands firm. "You believe you can simply return to my life and fix everything? After all these years, after all you put me through? Anger is rising in my breast, but I also sense something deeper: regret, suffering the sort I've held for years. I move toward her,
I couldn't even avoid the onslaught when it hit. The unrelenting buzz of my phone seemed like a swarm of bees swarming me. Every time I looked at the screen, I saw the same thing. News items. Every news source, every social media site, and every voice in the city had latched onto the same narrative. Sterling Family Scandal: Hidden Secrets and Illegal Medical Trials. The words burnt into my head as I grasped my phone, unable to process what was going on. More deafening than any explosion I had ever heard, the chilly, electrical hum of reality. I had to tell myself I was still standing and breathing. I continued to battle. Sophia had already gone to work, hoping to escape the turmoil, but the harm was already done. The media was unyielding. They were coming for all I had laboured for, and there was nothing I could do to prevent it. Harrison entered my office with an envelope, his face ashen, the door opening. He didn't even have to speak. Before
I hadn't seen Isabella in around four years. The kind of time that should have obliterated old wounds, but there she was, standing in front of me like a spectre from my past. The air surrounding us was dense with unspoken memories, heated. Her dark eyes met mine, and she smiled in a way that made me feel like I had just walked into a room she had never really left. "Maxwell," she whispered, her voice a gentle purr, causing an unintentional tingle down my back. I hesitated for a time, unsure of how to respond. I didn't enjoy going back to the past. Not with her, though. What brings you here? I sounded more raspy than I had anticipated. Isabella moved closer, her hips swaying with confidence, and all I could consider was the heaviness of her presence. "I believe you are aware," she said, her voice lighthearted but tinged with something more. Of course, I came to see you. Her aroma, familiar but pungent, enveloped me like an inescapable memory. I stepped back, attempting to recover