It was Guinevere Cross.She stood across the room, watching Lauren.What was she doing inside Madeline Carter’s house?Lauren narrowed her eyes. “What are you doing here?”“I should be asking you that!” Guinevere shot back. “Do you know how long I’ve waited for this moment?”Lauren gave a sly smile. “You’ll get us both sued if you don’t leave.”Guinevere’s hands trembled. “Did you… did you find anything?”Lauren smirked. “That’s for me to know.” With that, she walked away.Guinevere’s knees buckled, and she sank to the floor. “What if she finds the video evidence?” she whispered to herself. Panic set in, and she tore through the house, searching.The sound of the door unlocking froze her. Madeline and Ken stepped in, startled to see her there.“I need the video evidence. Now!” Guinevere demanded.Madeline slapped her hard. “How dare you break into my home!”“Give it to me! Lauren was here looking for it.”“Lauren?” Madeline frowned. “She doesn’t know anything about a video. Did she
"How long have you known about us?” the man shouted, his voice trembling with anger.Ethan’s lips curved into a cold, almost sinister smile. “I’ve been watching Ann for some time. And I decided to use her… as bait.”The other man’s fists clenched. “You’ll never get away with this.”Ethan’s gaze hardened, unwavering. “I’m curious. Curious to see how long you all knew about my secret tech organization.”“You won’t escape what’s coming next,” the man warned, teeth gritted.Ethan leaned forward slightly, eyes glinting. “Listen carefully. If I discover you had anything to do with the fire in Los Angeles… I promise you, you will pay.”A cold, calculating grin spread across the man’s face. “And what if it all traces back to Jonathan Monroe?”Ethan’s smile didn’t falter. “If it does… you won’t even admit it.”The man’s grin widened, dangerous and mocking. “And if we bring proof that Jonathan had a hand in the accident?”Ethan’s expression remained calm, almost playful. “Then… bring it on.”**
Harris froze as he watched the video.The car didn’t just pass Charlotte...it swerved straight into her and crushed her. His stomach turned. He knew that car. It was Danielle’s.The footage was too blurry to catch the plate number, but Harris was certain. He hurriedly threw on his clothes. He needed confirmation. It was almost too hard to believe.Amy’s eyes followed him, curious. “Where are you going?”“The night Danielle and I fought… that was the same night Charlotte Warper was killed.” He saw Amy gasp but pressed on. “The next morning, Danielle came to work with a different car.”Amy replayed the video and shivered. “Are you saying Danielle killed Charlotte?”“Charlotte arranged our contract wedding. That night, Danielle found out I loved you. She wanted me to accept her proposal, but I refused.”Tears filled Amy’s eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you reject her?”“Amy, how could I lie about something like this? Marriage is for life. I love you.”Her voice broke. “I lo
The long table stretched across Blackspire’s boardroom, polished like glass, reflecting the tense faces of directors, shareholders, and executives. Graphs and figures lit the screen at the far end, red numbers sloping downward.“Quarterly profits have taken a hit,” one director said sharply. “Declining by nearly 11% in Europe alone. If this trend continues, Blackspire risks losing its grip on the Geneva Link negotiations.”Whispers rippled across the room.Raymond Whitmore’s gaze was cold, steady. “This company has stood through worse storms. My concern is not the dip—it’s the response. We cannot afford weakness.”All eyes shifted to Ethan. He sat forward, his hands clasped loosely, his calm presence drawing silence.“Losses are not always a sign of failure,” Ethan said evenly. “Sometimes they’re a sign of transition. Europe’s infrastructure is shifting. Competitors like Monroe Holdings are forcing losses to look worse than they are by cutting margins aggressively. Instead of match
Madeline’s eyes narrowed as the door clicked shut behind Lauren. She swung her glare toward Caleb, fury trembling in her voice.“Is she for real? Tell me, Caleb—are you truly going back to her?”Caleb gave a humorless scoff, leaning lazily against the arm of the couch. “I didn’t expect you of all people to ask me that. Who else do you think I’d go back to? You?”Her throat tightened, tears pricking her eyes despite her pride. “Why not me? Why is it never me? Is there something wrong with me, Caleb?”His jaw clenched, his voice cutting like steel. “Do you want the truth? You made Lauren’s life a living hell in high school. You dragged my ex all the way from Los Angeles just to torment her. You manipulated and schemed until she lost her Atelier—her dream! No man in his right mind would choose someone like you.”The words broke something inside her. Madeline swallowed, her lips trembling before she managed a pitiful nod. “You’re right… Caleb.”She turned and walked away, her heels clic
Fisher’s voice quivered as he finally spoke, eyes darting to the fire as though it might swallow his words.“Lauren Whitmore had pictures pinned on the wall. Dozens of faces—staring back at me from a giant collage. Each marked with bold red ink, every name linked to her accident.”Jonathan’s gaze sharpened. “What did she write?”Fisher swallowed hard. “Jonathan Monroe—‘Rival of Blackspire. Revived through Preston Carter, Monroe Holdings, and NovaCorp. Motive: corporate rivalry?’” He hesitated before continuing. “Madeline Carter—‘Released from prison a day before the hit-and-run. All possessions seized by Preston Carter. Motive: revenge?’ Caleb Monroe—‘Called me the day of the paternity test. Could have been following me?’”The words tumbled faster now.“Pearl Whitmore—‘After our confrontation in the garden, the accident happened. Wants Amy Grant for Ethan. Motive: remove me.’ Raymond Whitmore—‘Also pushing Amy toward Ethan. Would gain from my absence.’ And…” Fisher’s voice fell almost