Chapter 76 – Shattered Hearts, Burning Ambition

On the other side, Leonel remained frozen behind the steering wheel, his gaze clouded by tears pooling in his eyes. The pain in his chest was unbearable, so sharp that he could no longer hold it back.

Jeslyn… your words cut me deeper than any blade. Why? he thought.

Without realizing it, tears streamed down his chiseled jawline. The man once feared by enemies, the mafia leader whose name carried dread and respect, now looked fragile—all because of one woman.

His hands gripped the wheel so tightly that the veins on his arms strained, his breath ragged and uneven. He bowed his head, eyes shut tight, fighting against the storm threatening to explode from within.

“Why does it have to be Jefran?” His hoarse voice trembled, almost like a broken plea meant only for himself. “Why must it be another man?”

In his mind, Jeslyn’s face kept flashing before him—her smile, her once warm gaze, and now the hateful look she had just given him. Each one pierced sharper than a bullet.

Leonel started the engine, yet his foot refused to press the accelerator. His hands trembled, caught between two wars—whether to let go or to fight with everything he had left.

Inside the villa, Jeslyn sat on the cold floor by the door, her sobs still breaking uncontrollably. Her body shook, not only from the icy chill but from the wound that had been ripped open again. She clutched the box of steamed cakes she had bought, pressing it to her chest as though it could give her even the slightest warmth.

“Why did it have to be you, Leonel? Why was it you… who killed my brother?” Her whisper was faint, almost lost in her sobbing.

The snow outside fell harder, muffling the faint hum of Leonel’s idling car in the distance. Two wounded hearts were now trapped in their own prisons—one inside a cold villa full of memories, the other behind fogged car windows streaked with tears.

“Sir, the car is ready?” Blade greeted Leonel the next morning, as he prepared to leave for work. Today was his first day as the new President Director of Clovies Corporation.

“Blade, find out whether Jefran is coming to work today. If he’s still absent, call him. No matter what, he is the CEO of this company, and he must fulfill his responsibilities,” Leonel ordered firmly. His tone was sharp, void of expression. “And contact Miss Jeslyn as well. She’s the company’s manager—too many tasks have been left unfinished because of the two of them.”

“Yes, sir,” Blade replied crisply, quickly jotting the instructions into his phone.

Leonel stepped out of his house, the wind tugging at the hem of his long black coat. His face was calm, but his eyes still burned with an unquenchable fire.

Once inside the car, he sat tall in the back seat. “Today, I don’t want a single mistake, Blade. I want everyone to know—I’m not just sitting in the President Director’s chair. I will take full control of Clovies.”

Blade glanced at him briefly through the rearview mirror, then nodded. “Understood, sir. But… regarding Miss Jeslyn, are you sure you want to involve her directly in office matters?” His tone was cautious; he knew every time Jeslyn’s name was mentioned, Leonel’s aura shifted.

Leonel’s eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening. “She is part of the company. I don’t care how much she hates me. As long as she’s still employed at Clovies, she must fulfill her duties. If she dares to skip work—” his voice halted as his fist clenched against his thigh, “—I will fetch her myself.”

The car rolled out of the villa’s snowy driveway. Inside, the tension was thick. Leonel’s gaze was fixed straight ahead, his mind torn between his new role as President Director and the old wound that refused to heal.

Blade’s phone vibrated with a new message. He read it quickly and swallowed hard.

“Sir, a report just came in. CEO Jefran is absent again today. The morning finance meeting has been postponed.”

Leonel’s anger ignited at the mention of that name.

I love Jefran. Jeslyn’s words echoed, slapping him all over again.

“As I expected. He thinks by doing this, he can make me look like a failure in front of the board?” Leonel’s tone was cold, cutting.

“Shall I call the CEO directly?” Blade asked carefully.

Leonel was silent for a moment, his piercing gaze fixed on the misted window. “Call him. Tell him if he doesn’t show up within an hour, I will come and drag him there myself. No compromises this time. Unless he truly wants to abandon the company.”

Blade quickly typed the order, but before sending it, Leonel added, “And don’t forget Jeslyn. She’s more elusive than Jefran. Make sure she comes!” His voice dripped with restrained fury. The thought of those two names together made his chest burn.

The mention of Jeslyn once again weighed on him. Her face appeared vividly in his mind—her emotional stare, and her words that cut deeper than knives.

Blade studied his master’s expression carefully, then said softly, “Sir, if you keep forcing Miss Jeslyn, won’t that only make things worse between you two?”

Leonel closed his eyes, taking a long, heavy breath. “Our relationship is already destroyed, Blade. There’s nothing left to make worse. She’s the manager. She must be professional.”

When he opened his eyes again, they gleamed with ruthless determination. “The only thing left now is Clovies. And I won’t let anyone take it away from me.”

The car accelerated through the snowy streets. From the outside, it looked calm. But inside, ambition and vengeance were gathering into a storm, ready to strike Clovies without mercy.

***

Chapter 77 – A Clash of Thrones in the Boardroom

As soon as the car stopped in front of Clovies’ building, the staff who had been waiting immediately bowed their heads in greeting. Leonel’s icy aura made anyone hesitate to look him in the eyes for too long. His black coat swayed as he strode into the main lobby, his steps firm and without hesitation.

“The President is here,” whispered a few employees, holding their breath.

The elevator doors slid open, and Leonel entered with Blade at his side. All the way up to the executive conference floor, his mind was consumed by two names that haunted him—Jefran and Jeslyn. Two people who had become the deepest wounds he had to face every single day.

The boardroom doors opened. Several directors were already waiting, some restless because the agenda had been delayed. Leonel took the main seat, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room.

“Where is Jefran? Where is Jeslyn?” His tone was flat, but heavy.

One of the finance directors gathered the courage to speak. “Sir, it seems the CEO has yet to arrive. Neither has Manager Jeslyn. Without them, the budget planning documents remain incomplete.”

BANG! Leonel slammed his hand on the glass table.

The sharp sound froze the entire room.