In the Franklin group, Benjamin is in a very good mood. He is smiling brightly. "Derek, you did a great job. It's a very good beginning for you as the new CEO of the Franklin group. You managed to out-smart the Woods group and snatch the contract from right under their noses. How did you do it?" Benjamin asked curiously. He looked really proud of his son. And the shareholders and the directors of the Franklin group are happy as well. It's so far the biggest contract for the Franklin group and their share price also went up over night. Derek smiled mysteriously. "Dad, this is just the beginning. I am going to snatch more than this contract from Xavier. He is going to go down so fast that he would be left reeling in the aftermath. I will replace the so-called king maker" he said arrogantly. His intentions are not good, and he was not just talking about the business. He also wanted to take Sierra away from Xavier too. Benjamin clapped excitedly. "That's the spirit, my son. I am rea
"What do you mean by You lost your job?" Derek demanded the manager over a call. After his father left, he tried calling the manager, but all his calls went unanswered. But after a few hours, the manager called back. "Sir, how can I not lose my job? I sabotaged a very big contract. So they kicked me out" the manager lied. He didn't dare to tell Derek that Xavier found out about what he did and the manager had to reveal everything about Derek. The manager is scared that Derek might hurt him. Derek punched the air angrily. "So you are not working in the Woods group any longer?" Derek demanded. The manager sighed with regret. He is still regretting the job he lost. "Yes, they handed over all my things to me and even replaced another person in my place" he shared feeling bitter. Derek rubbed his temples feeling irritated. "I need a copy of that bidding file again. The NS group of people somehow lost it. And they requested another copy. Can you ask someone in the company to get a
"Mr. Sanders, the contract which the Woods group prepared was selected, but I am afraid the contract was awarded to the wrong person" Xavier revealed. Sanders looked confused. "What? But we didn't receive any Bid from the Woods group. I was in fact waiting for it. I had to follow the protocol, so we had to announce this bid to play fair and pacify my directors. If not, I was interested in cooperation with the Woods group" Sanders explained. He still looked confused about what Xavier spoke. 'Woods group contract was selected?' he is mulling it over in his head. Xavier gave him a small mysterious smile, but didn't try to explain what he meant. "Nice meeting you, Mr. Sanders" with that said, Xavier walked away. Sanders could brush off Xavier's words as if it's nothing. But he couldn't. Xavier speaks less, but when he does, it means something. So if Xavier is saying that the Woods group's bid was selected, then that means it's true. The Franklin group bid was selected. If I go b
"She is permanent, unlike you who is temporary" Esther snapped at Sierra. Sierra smiled at her words. But deep down, she felt as if she couldn't breathe. 'She is his only female friend? So she is important to him. What am I to him? Am I not important enough? Then will I become another good friend in the future? Or worse, will I be discarded?' she thought feeling insecure. She felt suffocated. Compared to Renee, she is not anyone special. But she pushed down her insecurities when she remembered how much Xavier cares for her. "I don't want to offend anyone. This lady here offered me money, so I am making sure that I am not being cheated upon. How can I trust the words of a woman who doesn't work and live upon her father's money?" Sierra replied innocently. Renee became so angry, that her face turned red. "You, who do you think you are? Do you think Xavier will support you just because you saved him? Snap out of your delusional world. Let me show you whom Xavier will support now. I
In the NS group, Derek delivered another bidding file, but it's not the same as the file he stole from the Woods group. The bidding quote is the same, but not the categorisation of which item is quoted for which price. Everything is messed up, and it's not hard for anyone to notice it too. First, Nash Noticed it, and soon he personally sent the file to his brother's cabin. "Brother, We received another copy of the bidding file from the Franklin group. But, something is different this time. Here, take a look" Nash informed his brother. Sanders is already suspicious, especially after his little chit chat with Xavier. So he was eager to review the file once again. He accepted the file and started to look into the details of the file. It didn't take him more than a few seconds to notice the difference. This is not the same file they reviewed and selected. "Why does the details in this file look so different?" Sanders inquired of his brother. Nash settled down in a chair opposite the
"Are you insane? How can you raise your hand at her like this? She is of your mother's age. Atleast respect her age" Sierra scolded Renee. Esther walked up to them and stood beside Renee. "What? You are comparing this mere low life with my mother? You are all the same. You come from nowhere and when you see riches and rich people, you will try to leech upon us. You will try to take as much as you can. No wonder one low life is supporting the other one" Renee insulted Sierra. Sierra had enough of her nastiness. "You know what? You are not welcome here anymore. Please leave" Sierra decided that she had enough. Esther and Renee gasped with outrage. "How dare you? Who do you think you are to kick us out? Xavier allowed you to stay here, that doesn't mean you are the mistress of his house. Not me, but you have to leave. Get out of here before I throw you out" Renee spoke arrogantly. Sierra stood her ground. She sized up Renee from head to toe. "I don't know why you think you
"I didn't, until recently. But after she came, she changed my perspective of many things" Xavier replied honestly. Renee felt like she was looking at a different person altogether. He is not the same person whom she left two years ago. The Xavier she knows would never look at a woman the way he is looking at Sierra. His love for her is very evident in his gaze. And everyone who has a pair of eyes can see it. "You changed" Renee said. It came out as an accusation. But neither Xavier nor Sierra seemed to care about her opinion. They looked like they were lost in each other's eyes. That only made Renee feel bitter. 'When I finally managed to convince my father for my marriage with Xavier, he fell in love with someone else' she thought feeling angry. "I came here to personally invite you to a party which is hosted by my father" she placed the invitation on the tea table between them. Despite being separated by just a table, she is feeling like he is much farther from her than that.
The next morning, representatives from both the woods group and the Franklin group were requested to attend a meeting with the representatives of the NS group. Xavier, Carlos and a few high level managers attended the meeting from the Woods group. Benjamin, Derek and a few managers attended from Franklin group. "Mr. Sanders, may I know why you called upon this meeting so urgently?" Benjamin demanded. He looked impatient and did not like the fact that Xavier is sitting on the other side of the table opposite him. While Sanders is sitting near the head of the table with Nash beside him. Sanders pushed forward the Bidding file which the Franklin group submitted the second time. "Mr. Franklin, my apologies for the inconvenience. But there is something which I felt should be addressed immediately" Sanders explained. Derek frowned while looking at the file which Sanders pushed forward. He recognised the file. It's the same file which he submitted to the NS group the previous day. It
"Do you think Derek killed his mother?" she whispered. From the moment she found out that the corpse with which she was locked in that room belongs to Esther. It came out as a shock. She didn't see or even speak with the person who kidnapped her. Everyone is saying that it's Derek. He had a motive to kidnap Sierra, but killing his mother is extreme, even to him. Xavier remembered how he felt when he saw his aunt in that state. An uncomfortable feeling made him feel bitter. "I don't know, and I am not sure. But nothing else makes any sense. It doesn't make any sense that you were locked up in the same room Derek booked and was found drinking. And aunt Esther was dumped in the same room alongside you. All the possibilities are pointing at Derek to be the suspect. Even If we imagine that anyone else is involved and killed aunt Esther, it seems to be not the case. That private room is filled with the scent and finger prints of only Derek and aunt Esther. So it proves that no one was in
"Derek, I am asking you something" Renee snapped at him when he refused to respond to her question. Esther's death came out as a huge shock to Renee along with everyone else. She couldn't believe it when she heard that Esther was dead, especially when she spoke to her just a few hours ago. Derek looked at her with grief and regret. He is still unable to wrap his head around the fact that he killed his mother. His ego got the best of him and he ended up taking the life of the person who gave him his life. "I...." he opened his mouth to reply. But he couldn't confess to her that he indeed killed his mother. Renee sat beside him when she saw his pain. "Derek, I know you are grieving her loss more than any of us. But you have to tell me what exactly happened there. Only then I can help you to get out of the mess you got yourself in. I will talk to dad. I am sure he would help you. Please Derek, tell me what happened" she asked him softly, telling him that she can understand his pain
"Dead body?" After Xavier and Nathan saw the dead body under the bright light, they were stunned to see to whom the body belongs. Even Sierra looked shocked. No one was expecting to find Esther's body there. "Aunt Esther?" Xavier murmured, unable to contain his shock and confusion. Everyone now knows that it's Derek who kidnapped Sierra. But it's a mystery as to why he killed his own mother. Derek was the only person who occupied this Private room, so it's impossible for anyone to come and kill Esther. Even if they did kill Esther, the reason why they killed her is unknown. "Inform my uncle about this" Xavier murmured to Nathan, who immediately pulled out his mobile and did the needful. The next one hour is a blur to everyone. Sierra refused to leave Xavier, while he was forced to stay back and hand over his aunt's body to his uncle. Some how, the media got hint of this news and they swarmed outside the pub like ants. The patrons of the pub who were oblivious to everything t
Outside the Private room, Derek cleaned the broken glass pieces and the blood. If one of the employees comes here, then they would definitely see the mess and the thick metallic scent in the air is unmistakable. He sprayed some room freshener and cleaned up everything nearly. He made a request to extend his private room reservation for two more days before leaving the pub. He needs time to think about his next move. And he also has to make arrangements to bury his mother. He is not worried about Sierra for the time being, because he was sure that no one can find her and she cannot be able to come out of there on her own. He quickly left the pub. On the other hand, Carlos and Adam returned empty handed. They didn't find anything in the hospital. "Xavier, she is not here" Carlos shared regretfully. Xavier pointed at the pub beside the hospital. "Is that the pub where you found Derek this morning?" he Inquired. When Adam and Carlos came to confront Derek, he pretended to be full
"Mom, I am so sorry. I am so sorry" Sierra faintly heard someone crying from outside the door. She felt like she heard this voice before. But she couldn't recollect whom it belongs to. "Hello? Someone there? Help me please" she banged on the door again and again to catch the attention of the person who is outside. But no matter how hard and how long she tried, the person on the other side didn't reply. But Sierra knows that someone is there on the other side. "Please, help me" she banged again. Now the sides of her palms are bruised and hurting. She doesn't know who kidnapped her and where she is. And no matter how much she tried, she couldn't find a way to get out of that dark room. Tears of desperation and uncertainty started to trickle down her cheeks. "Xavier, I am scared" she murmured to the dark room. Only silence greeted her. Her shoulders shook with her suppressed sobs of fear and uncertainty of her situation. She doesn't know why and who kidnapped her and where she is.
Esther and Derek looked in the direction from where the knocking was coming from. Esther was confused to see that the knocking sound is coming from inside the Private room, and not from outside the door. "Someone there? Please help me" A faint feminine voice was heard over the background noise of the tv. Esther's whole body froze with panic and shock as she recognised the voice. "Sierra? Oh dear" she murmured with shock as the realisation of what this means settled in her gut. The fact is, Derek kidnapped Sierra, just like everyone else was thinking. Esther collapsed on the couch. Her limbs were shaking with fear, imagining the retribution they are going to receive once this comes out. Her whole frame started to shake with silent sobs of fear. "What is wrong with you Derek? Are you trying to bury our family alive? Are you not seeing how much people are already hating you? If this comes out, Xavier will not hesitate to kill you" she cried out in panic, still reeling with the s
"Did you check all the vehicles? I am sure she must be in one of them" Xavier demanded the cop who was still checking the vehicles that are passing by the intersection near Nathan's office. The traffic security cops indeed checked every vehicle that passed by the intersection. "Yes sir. We checked every vehicle. But we didn't find her in any of them'' the cop replied regretfully. Xavier is frustrated and angry. "How can it be? This is the only way which leads from the President's camp office. There is no other way. The kidnapper should have taken her only through this way. It's not possible to go anywhere else. Are you sure you checked every vehicle?" Xavier insisted. The cop frowned deeply, trying to remember if they missed any vehicle. That's when he remembered the ambulance. "Sir, we checked every vehicle, but an ambulance. There was a patient inside who needed immediate assistance. So we didn't check that ambulance" he replied. Xavier cursed. Adam and Nathan shook
"Is it you?" a new voice rang loudly, filled with anger. Both the lady and the assistant turned to face the newcomer. Augustine is looking livid and angry. He glared at his wife with displeasure. His wife Janine is the worst affected after their daughter became a vegetable who is living with the help of expensive machines without any hope of ever recovering. Janine started to hate the entire Woods family members with a vengeance. No one knows that it's Janine who killed Xavier's father by administering slow poison to the old man. After that, she started targeting Xavier. When Renee started to insist that she wanted to marry Xavier, Janine calmed down for a few years, hoping that Xavier might marry Renee. She didn't want to break Renee's heart like Gawin broke Maddy's. But when Xavier planned to get engaged to someone else, Janine hired someone to kill Xavier before his engagement. But it failed. Xavier's engagement was cancelled. Renee decided to go back and pursue him, but he was
"Aunt Esther, it's bad. Everyone is thinking that it must be Derek who kidnapped Sierra. You should see the trending topic now" Renee shared with Esther. Esther immediately opened the internet and was shocked to see the most trending topic. 'Is Derek Franklin a kidnapper now?' 'Is Sierra safe?' 'She showed everyone that women can destroy anyone if they try to harm them. She is the epitome of the strength of a woman. She should be safe' 'Oh my god, the Franklin family should take the responsibility for the actions of their son' 'Lets pray for Sierra's safety' 'Derek Franklin is a monster' The comments section is flooding with curses against Derek. "Oh dear, what is going on here? My son is innocent. Why is everyone thinking that he kidnapped Sierra? That wench, she is not letting us live in peace even after being kidnapped" Esther bellowed in panic. Renee frowned deeply. "Aunt Esther, calm down. Nothing is proved yet. We should be worried only if it proves that Derek is t