Clarence's POV. Finally, everything concerning the launching ceremony had been wrapped up yesterday. Now, it was time to shift my focus back to work so I would be able to achieve all my set goals within the slated time. I had barely entered my office when Olivia came in after me with her iPad, “Your schedule for today, do you want me to read it out?” She asked, scrolling through her iPad. "No thanks, I went through the mail you sent to me last night but still, I would appreciate your five minutes heads up.” "I gotcha.” She smacked her lips and then took her leave. Plopping on my chair, I pulled out my laptop to start working. It was at this moment that a soft knock came through, causing me to let out a low sigh. When it was time to work, I hated interruptions as I found it hard to return to my full zone of concentration after it. After knocking for the second time, the door creaked open and the first thing I saw was a bouquet followed by Kristiana. What is going on here
Clarence’s POV. “Ms. Clarence, it’s inspection time," Olivia called out to me with a cheerful voice. It was two hours since I arrived at work the next day. “A minute, I need to document this before I forget," I replied, typing furiously on my laptop. A few minutes later, I grabbed my phone off the table and pulled myself to my feet. With Olivia walking next to me, we made our way towards the elevator and then the section for fabrics. Midway through the inspection, I was overwhelmed. The amount of progress we had made within a short time was so overwhelming that my heart wouldn't stop bubbling with joy. “You have a call," Olivia said, passing my phone to me. The moment I saw Julian's name on my screen, I hung up and then resumed my inspection. Our last conversation still lingered in my head so I wasn't mentally prepared to talk to him anytime soon. When he wouldn't stop calling, I reluctantly received his call. “Check the internet." He said these strings of words and
Clarence's POV Seconds turned into minutes, but still, he wouldn't say a word, increasing my worry and frustration at the same time. Julian and I were the only ones with the copy of the loan. Fully aware that it was confidential information, I kept it away and I believed Julian would have done the same too. How come is the document now making rounds on the internet? The leak must have occurred from his end, I can't be so careless to allow the outside world to see that document. — I thought, tugging my hair in frustration. “Julian, please say something." I cried out but he was unmoved. After a while, he pushed his hands into his pockets, turning his back on me but I was quick to make my way to his front, halting him from making any other step. Placing my hand on my chest to show the extent of my seriousness, I said, “I didn't leak the document, believe me Julian. I'm not stupid to do something of that sort.” I added the last part when he still wouldn't flinch. It was dis
Clarence's POV. Kristiana was long gone but her words still lingered in my mind; not her offensive words as I had discarded them, but instead, Julian’s sacrifice. Groping my way towards the wall, I placed my back against it with my eyes tightly shut. “Julian." I mumbled, momentarily forgetting the scandal and all of my troubles. When he didn't give me an immediate response when I initially requested his help, I concluded that he didn't want to help me. Since then, the thought had been lingering in my head and so whatever he did, I always attributed it to his reluctance in helping me at first. Unknowingly to me, he was weighing the options. “I'm sorry, I badmouthed you earlier without realizing you were planning on going all extra mile for me.” I spoke like we were having a one on one conversation. For more than half an hour, I remained in the same position. At intervals, I would hear the sound of approaching footsteps, a halt and then receding footsteps. The next tim
Julian's POV. The splashing of water against the floor in the bathroom was not enough to conceal the voice of Kristiana who was yelling for reasons I couldn't fathom. She was mad after the news was published on how I took an illegal loan for Clarence. Hurriedly, I pulled my towel off the rack and strapped it tightly around my waist as I stepped out of the bathroom. Kristiana had her back on me but I could see the phone that was against her ear. I should have known she was on the phone—I said, drying my wet hair with the drier. Her conversation was slowly getting intense with her partner receiving the dead end of it. At this point, I needed no one to tell me it was Clarence on the other end of the phone. At first, I didn't make a move but when she wouldn't stop yelling, I had no choice but to walk up to her. Snatching the phone she was gripping tightly to, I ended the call, tossing the device to the side. “What do you think you are doing?" She yelled, her eyes widened as
Clarence's POV. Though Julian's response wasn't what I expected, I didn't take it personally. Overall, I was grateful that he didn't flare up like Kristiana, instead he gave me a chance to say whatever I wanted and he was patient with me. During the three days he asked me to stay off the company, I remained indoors, watching the news just in case something regarding the loan was mentioned but nothing of that sort popped up. Several times, I was tempted to tag step mom and Damon to be responsible for this mess but there was no strong evidence against them. All they knew and cared about was that I had resurrected my mother's company, nothing else. They wouldn't have found out about Julian’s help, I'm sure of that. And even if they did, a week was not enough for them to pull that off so easily. “It must be someone nearby that did that.” I spoke with much conviction but I couldn't picture the face of who the person was. Each time I recall the humiliation and embarrassment Kri
Damon’s POV. I was at the office, sitting through another dull meeting, barely listening to what the team lead was saying when my phone buzzed. I almost ignored it until I saw Gina’s name flashing on the screen. I slipped it under the table and picked it up. “Guess what?” Her voice was way too excited for something casual. “Come on, guess!” I sighed. “What is it?” “She’s finally been busted!” she squealed. “Clarence. There’s a scandal all over the internet. Illegal loan or something. It’s everywhere!” For a moment, I just blinked at the wall. My brain didn’t quite register what she said. Clarence? Involved in an illegal loan? That didn’t sound like her. She was many things—calculating, stubborn, prideful—but reckless? Not really. I lowered my head, pretending to read something off my tablet, and quickly pulled up the news on my phone. And there it was, the top headline on three major sites. “Clarence Gilbert Involved in Suspicious Financial Dealings.” It was real. I let
Clarence's POV. “Julian will be joining the company? Why?” I was in doubt as I stood before him. It's been thirty minutes and I still couldn't wrap my head around the reason he left medicine to save the business. Was that the reason he asked me to take a day's break, it was so he could prepare and join us. “Won’t Kristina be more than mad on this development?” I wanted to speak up, but Julian's dismissive attitude made me realize it was best to leave, even though his presence at the company bothered me. I wondered if asking him about it would be pointless since he wouldn't tell me anyway. "I'll just head back," I announced, turning to leave. Julian didn't react or look up, which wasn't surprising given his behavior. As I walked out of his office, I sighed, wondering when his silent treatment would end. I knew I was the one who ruined everything in the past, and he now had a fiancée. While that didn't justify his treatment of me, I couldn't complain because I deserved it. After all
Julian’s POV. The air in the meeting room felt tense as if everyone was holding their breath, waiting for something to happen. The scandal had been dealt with, swept under the rug but the unease still lingered like a bad aftertaste. I took my seat at the head of the table, glancing around at the team. Clarence sat at the far end, her back straight and her eyes fixed on the screen of her laptop. She kept tapping her fingers against the table, a soft, steady rhythm that betrayed her nerves. I was about to start the meeting when the door swung open, slamming against the wall. Kristina walked in without so much as a glance at anyone, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. All the conversations going on earlier stopped, heads turned and the tension in the room thickened, hanging heavy in the air. Clarence’s eyes narrowed as she watched Kristina walk across the room and take a seat without a word. “Kristina,” Clarence called almost immediately, looking irritated. “We’re in
Julian’s POV.The air in the meeting room felt tense as if everyone was holding their breath, waiting for something to happen. The scandal had been dealt with, swept under the rug but the unease still lingered like a bad aftertaste.I took my seat at the head of the table, glancing around at the team. Clarence sat at the far end, her back straight and her eyes fixed on the screen of her laptop. She kept tapping her fingers against the table, a soft, steady rhythm that betrayed her nerves.I was about to start the meeting when the door swung open, slamming against the wall. Kristina walked in without so much as a glance at anyone, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. All the conversations going on earlier stopped, heads turned and the tension in the room thickened, hanging heavy in the air.Clarence’s eyes narrowed as she watched Kristina walk across the room and take a seat without a word.“Kristina,” Clarence called almost immediately, looking irritated.“We’re in the midd
Julian’s POV. I didn’t have the luxury to sit and pick apart Kristina’s words—not now. As much as they lingered in my head, like a faint ringing I couldn’t quite locate, I had to push them aside. There were more important things at hand. I got into my car and continued heading straight to Paul’s place. Paul had been the one helping me trace the email—one thread in this whole mess that I could still tug on. When I arrived, he didn’t waste time. He clicked open a file on his laptop and turned the screen toward me. “There,” he said simply. “That’s the couple.” My heart stilled a little. I recognized them immediately—the same people who had harassed Clarence at the grocery store that day. Their faces were as clear as daylight now, no more guesswork, no more vague suspicions. I stared at the footage longer than necessary, absorbing every expression on their faces, every movement they made. “They’re not in the country,” Paul added, leaning back slightly. “They left a few days ago. B
Julian’s POV.I didn’t have the luxury to sit and pick apart Kristina’s words—not now. As much as they lingered in my head, like a faint ringing I couldn’t quite locate, I had to push them aside. There were more important things at hand. I got into my car and continued heading straight to Paul’s place.Paul had been the one helping me trace the email—one thread in this whole mess that I could still tug on. When I arrived, he didn’t waste time. He clicked open a file on his laptop and turned the screen toward me.“There,” he said simply. “That’s the couple.”My heart stilled a little. I recognized them immediately—the same people who had harassed Clarence at the grocery store that day. Their faces were as clear as daylight now, no more guesswork, no more vague suspicions. I stared at the footage longer than necessary, absorbing every expression on their faces, every movement they made.“They’re not in the country,” Paul added, leaning back slightly. “They left a few days ago. But I ca
Julian’s POV.I’d been awake all night not because I was busy, but because I couldn’t stop thinking. I kept refreshing my mail every ten minutes, hoping something would change. Hoping the guy I’d sent the request to would finally say, “We found it. We got it back.” But that wasn’t what I heard.“It’s not that easy,” he’d said on the phone earlier. “The main source buried it completely. They made it disappear like it never existed.”I didn’t reply. I just ended the call and sat there. I didn’t have the strength to argue. I didn’t sleep, didn’t eat, didn’t move from the couch. My head had been pounding for hours, and even though it was already morning, nothing felt different. It felt like time was just dragging me through the day.Clarence called earlier. She tried to act calm, but I could hear it in her voice—she was worried. And she didn’t want me to know how much.She said she could try to handle it but I told her not to worry. I would take care of everything.I opened my phone aga
Kristina’s POV.I couldn’t sit still after I watched Julian leave and headed back to my ward to take some rest. The hospital room felt smaller with every passing second, the walls pressing in on me like they were trying to suffocate me. Julian was gone—he had left so suddenly after receiving a call without stating why he was leaving and I had no idea where he had gone. But something in my gut twisted, telling me he had run off to Clarence.I clenched my hands on my lap, my mind racing. He had been distant lately—more than distant and very cold even before we traveled back. And not in the usual way Julian could be when he was buried in work or annoyed. This time, it felt deliberate like he was tired of me for real this time and was ready to shut me out.I pushed the blanket off and stood up, wobbling a little before regaining balance. I didn’t care what the doctors said. I wasn’t going to sit in this hospital room like some helpless child while my head was full of thoughts of Clarence
Clarence’s POV.The next morning came quietly leaving me unsure, I hadn’t heard a word from Julian, not even a text after he helped me home yesterday and asked me to rest.The scandal was still online and everywhere, headlines still displaying everything in bold fonts, and faceless comments dragging my name like it was something dirty.I sat on my bed, my legs crossed beneath me, refreshing my screen every ten minutes like something new would pop up. Like maybe it would all disappear if I just stared at it long enough.I eventually gave up and called Julian when I couldn’t take it anymore. I knew he was probably busy, but I couldn’t keep sitting around doing anything while the whole internet was talking about the company like it was some sinking ship. His voice came through immediately after he picked up the phone, it was very calm and steady like there wasn’t something to worry about. “Julian,” I said, “what’s going on? It’s still everywhere online. Don’t you think I should do som
Julian’s POV.I was already on my way back to London when the weight of the past few hours pressed over me, filling my mind. I’d just finished confirming to both my parents and Kristina’s parents we were back as couples and I would push on with the marriage.They were convinced, and I could tell they were pleased with the news. My life, at least at that moment, seemed to be on a predictable path. I had to choose to be back with Kristina, after all, and that should’ve been the end of it. But then the phone rang, and everything shifted. Clarence’s name flashed across the screen. If only she had called earlier before I told everyone that I was back with Kristina.I didn’t even have to think before answering. There was something in her voice already—something urgent—that made my heart skip a beat. “Julian…” she started, but the words faltered. She was trying to keep it together, but I could hear the strain in her voice. She informed me about the chaos that was going on in the company and
Gina's POV.I stared at my wristwatch, my pulse dragging along with every second that passed. Damon would be home any minute. If he walked in now, I knew what would follow—the questions, the demands, and the expectations. Tonight was his event, one of those grand things he threw just to remind the world he was still relevant. And if I was in his house when he got back, I’d have no choice but to go with him.But Richard…He had called me several times today, then sent a message saying I had to come to New York so he could introduce me to his family. A big deal, considering how secretive he usually was. For once, I felt like something more than just someone he spent time with behind closed doors. And he said it so casually like it was nothing like it was already settled that I would be there or our relationship would have to come to an end.I was stuck.My heart beat faster as I paced the room. The weight of the two men pressed down on my chest. It wasn’t even about love—I wasn’t naive