"You are looking relaxed and happy. Any good news?" Lily asked with raised brows as Celina walked into her living room. "Of course I am," Celina chuckled. " I'm a lot more free now that the family is busy with preparing for the official appointment of the heir.""It's happening soon?" Lily asked and Celina hummed."It has dragged for too long," she replied. "Everyone knew since Mark became the President of Alpha Tech that he would be taking over as the CEO. The long period of constant battle was for the others to fight for the next best title." Lily leaned back on her plush sofa, a small smirk playing on her lips. "Let me guess—COO or CFO?"Celina nodded, setting down the steaming cup of tea Lily had handed her. "Exactly. The board insisted on announcing all the appointments at once to avoid unnecessary drama, but you know how it goes. Behind closed doors, it's a mess. Alliances, betrayals, bribes—Watson has turned it into a spectacle.""Sounds exhausting," Lily commented, though he
"Did you think about what I asked of you?" Frederick asked calmly, his hand buried into his pocket as he relaxed against his car. Lily narrowed her eyes, feeling annoyed at his appearance, but she managed a small smile. "What a coincidence; I didn't know you visited places like this, too." Frederick’s lips curled into a confident smirk as he straightened, his suit perfectly tailored and exuding his usual arrogance. “Don’t change the subject, Lily. I asked you a question.”Lily tilted her head, feigning a thoughtful expression. “Oh, you mean that ridiculous proposition about betraying Mark? I’ve been thinking about it.”“And?” Frederick asked, his eyes filled with hope.“And I realised something,” she said, stepping closer, her tone icy sweet as she emphasised the end. “You’re more desperate than I thought. But desperation isn’t a good look on you, Frederick. It’s... pitiful.”The hope in his eyes flickered, replaced by irritation. “I’m offering you an opportunity, Lily. Do you have
"Care to explain what is going on with the production and overall business lately?" Victor Hayes sat at the head of the long conference table in Tristan Freight’s corporate office. The room, usually buzzing with activity, was now thick with tension.His sharp green eyes surveyed his senior staff, each looking increasingly uneasy under his gaze. The sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows cast harsh shadows across the polished mahogany table, adding to the oppressive atmosphere.“Who’s behind this?” Victor’s voice was calm, but his words carried threat and anger.The silence that followed was deafening. No one dared speak as everyone shared subtle glances. Victor’s patience thinned, and his fist slammed onto the table with a loud thud, making several people jump.“Do I need to repeat myself?” he barked. “In the past two weeks, three of our biggest clients have cancelled contracts, shipments have been delayed due to ‘mysterious’ technical issues, and now our suppliers
"The new owner of Ryder?" Henry echoed in surprise. "When did Ryder change ownership?" "Almost a month now," Henry replied. "It's not public news yet, and in that one month, Ryder has swallowed three companies on the same level as itself." "Their expansion rate is alarming; it's like a virus spreading. From the investigation I did, they are moving to the next target soon. And the most annoying thing? Nothing about the new boss could be found." "It's like the authority didn't change. I'm honestly not sure they are the ones targeting my company since I have another suspect." Victor explained."Another suspect?"Victor paused, deliberating whether or not he should give the information since he knew Henry might disagree. However, after a moment of deliberation, he decided to say it, wanting to see if Henry was also in the know. "It's the Greys. I found traces of them during my investigation. Nothing too glaring, but they are also involved."Henry leaned back in his chair, his expressi
"Would you like to have lunch with us?" Henry asked, his lips curled up in an inviting smile as his eyes remained fixed on Lily's. "I would love to get to know you better, not the things written on the internet. Those are usually false or exaggerated. What do you say?" Lily hesitated, her lips parting as if to decline politely. "Oh, I wouldn’t want to intrude—""Nonsense!" Henry interrupted, his tone cheerful but firm. "William and I would be delighted to have your company. Right, son?"William nodded with a charming smile. "Absolutely. It’s rare to meet with you in person, Miss Lily. Please, join us."Lily’s gaze flickered between the two; without needing to be told, she could tell they were both up to something evil. But she masked her suspicion with a soft smile. "Well, if you insist... I suppose a quick lunch wouldn’t hurt."Henry clapped his hands together. "Splendid! You won’t regret it."They made their way to an upscale restaurant nearby, the atmosphere exuding quiet luxury.
Lily grabbed her phone, scrolling through her contacts until she reached Mark's name. She tapped it and brought the phone to her ear, waiting as the line rang."Hey, love," Mark’s smooth, warm voice came through, a welcome contrast to the tension that had been building all day. "Calling to check up on me?""Something like that," Lily replied, her tone light but hurried. "I just got a strange message from Alpha Tech. They’re claiming they weren’t informed about the reason they weren't included in the new product distribution." Mark sighed, a weary edge to his voice. "I received the email. Sent by your manager, I informed my team about it since we are preparing for the next item launch. Could you send me a copy of the email you received?""Of course," Lily replied, already skimming through the company's inbox. "Give me a moment, and I’ll forward it to you. It struck me as odd, so I figured it was better to address it directly with you.""Smart move," Mark said, his voice steady. "Frede
"I've been coming here a lot lately, don't you think?" Lily mumbled under her breath.{You are a young business owner; where else would you be if not in your company?}"At home?" She replied with a smug smile. "Since I already employed people to do the work and you are here to make sure they don't mess it up." {No, I'm here to ensure you get your revenge.}"Same thing," Lily replied. "Without this empire, my revenge would be a lost dream. So see, we are on the same page." Lily sat in her sleek office, scanning the details of her schedule on the tablet Mr. Wallace had left behind. Her gaze lingered on Amelia Grant’s profile as she waited. The young actress’s clean record and rising fame made her an ideal candidate, but Lily wanted to meet her in person to ensure the numbers matched her personality."I love her work ethic; everyone who has worked with her in the past has praised her," she muttered approvingly.{Are you sure it's not because she's hated by your love rival?}"Roseline i
Roseline stood in the middle of the movie set for The Luna's Lost Halo, draped in an elegant silk robe, her hair styled to perfection. She held her phone at arm’s length, broadcasting live to her millions of followers.“Oh, you all are the sweetest,” she cooed to the screen, flashing a dazzling smile. “Your support means the world to me. I can’t wait for you to see this project come to life,” she said happily."We all have put so much effort into this movie and we hope that it will be pleasing to the audience," she continued with a chuckle as she flaunted her hair and makeup portraying her character. Her assistant, a young woman with glasses perched on her nose, hovered nearby, clutching a clipboard. She glanced nervously at Roseline as a message pinged on her phone where she was following the love broadcast.“Miss Roseline,” the assistant whispered with a bit of urgency in her voice, “your followers are inquiring about the costumes from Lily’s Fashion. Should I…?”Roseline’s smile t
"Given the report received about Frederick Watson's involvement with both Anderson and Hamilton family. An investigation has been launched against him. However, our latest report says he is currently in hiding and possibly out of the country." "Search parties will be sent out to go after him, and the local authorities will be collaborating with international authorities to bring him to justice.""In the meantime, after the case with the Andersons had been settled, the internet users speculated about how Mark had gotten close to Roseline for his revenge.""And although there has been no statement agreeing or disagreeing with the people's speculations, Mark had officially proposed to the beautiful, raiding star in the business sector, Lily Turner—a lady who has been an enigmatic figure since her first appearance in the fashion competition. And has further spread her wings.""To commemorate their beautiful engagement, Lily and Mark had announced a new product they worked together on. Th
Destroy It From The Inside Out"You know?" Lily muttered as she stood by the large window of her bedroom, looking down at the bustling city night. "I never really figured out how my mum was able to know I would be reborn." "I had hoped that gathering all her work in one place would provide me some answer. I thought she would leave an explanation behind," she said while swirling the wine in her hand. "With everything she left behind, she was sure I would be reborn as Lily Turner. Yet, I can't figure out how she know and how she did it." {...} The system remained silent as it listened to Lily's rant. "There has to be something I'm missing right? She's never one to leave me this confused and lost about anything," she continued. "I mean, since you are involved in this you should know better right?" {That was your goal from the beginning wasn't it?} The system asked with a knowing sigh. {You want to know how I came to be?}"Yes." {I already told you when we first met. I'm not from th
Lily sat at the dessert store, her fingers lightly drumming against the table as she stared out of the window. The bustling streets outside felt distant, a blur compared to the storm in her chest. The message from Mark replayed in her mind."Can we meet up?""I'm an idiot, I know, but we really need to talk."She had almost ignored it. Almost.She wanted to make him desperate, but somehow, she found herself picking the most sexy dress in her closet and dressing up to meet up with him.The sound of a chair scraping across the floor snapped her out of her thoughts. Mark stood there, hesitating, his usual confident demeanour replaced by uncertainty.“Hey,” he said softly.Lily didn’t respond immediately, her gaze steady and unreadable. “You’re late,” she said finally, her tone flat.“I know,” Mark admitted as he sat down. “Thank you for coming.”She crossed her arms, leaning back slightly. “What do you want, Mark?”"You didn't tell me anything; I found out through the news, and then you
"We received a tip from an anonymous sender," the news anchor announced. "Evidence of crimes committed by a certain family whose name has recently been on the internet where a certain banquet video was uploaded." "This evidence includes the cause of both Mabel and Victoria Hamilton's untimely deaths. As well as many other criminal cases that would ultimately lead to the downfall of the prestigious family." "At the same time, we got news that the leadership position of the corporation owned by this family has changed hands. For now, this particular news has not been confirmed." The following morning, chaos erupted. News outlets were flooded with breaking stories about Henry and Kate’s crimes. Social media exploded with outrage as videos and documents went viral. Law enforcement agencies were forced to respond, launching immediate investigations."Oh goodness! Why are all the big corporations and names getting exposed this year?""Is justice finally coming out into the open?! My moth
"It's turned on," Lily reported to Bryan over the phone as the other asked about the computer that was delivered to him. "And I've confirmed that it really was the one that has been sending those messages to Hamilton.""It's connected to that AI-powered robot in the vault." She continued. "And to top it off, all evidence of Henry's misdeeds was recorded in it. Including notes written by my mother." "Are they enough to send Henry out?" Bryan asked "Yes, and his wife too." Lily replied. "There are several videos of Kate poisoning my mother while she was still pretending to be a housekeeper. And also a clear video from my last moment as Victoria." Bryan's voice grew tense. "Lily, if we release this information, it won't just end Henry and Kate's hold on the Hamilton family. It could ruin Hamilton completely.""It won't," Lily breathed out. "At first I just wanted to ruin everything and get it over with, but now I want to cherish my mother's hard work and the legacy she left behind."
"Is that Mark's private car?" Lily asked with a frown as she watched the video gotten from the camera close to the factory address sent to her.{The plate number index matches that of Mark's private car. However, this video was made about three weeks ago.}Frowning, Lily replayed the video again. It was a car driving on a highway in the middle of the night. Seeing the date, she recalled she had a date with Mark that night and after he had hurried off. All through their time together, it was even more restless than usual. "Is this all you found?" {There is a similar video of him returning back to the city. But he hasn't gone back to the factory after that.}She jumped off her chair, got changed into a comfortable sweatshirt and pants, and a black sneaker. She picked a small hiking backpack from the closet and her wallet as she exited her apartment.{You are going to the factory?}"Yes," Lily replied calmly. "I at least need to figure out why they sent the note even if I don't know w
"Can you arrange a meeting with Annabelle Wilson?" As she sent the message, Bryan replied almost immediately. Lily glanced at Bryan's text and smirked. "De Ox tonight, between 8 PM and 9 PM. Perfect."She quickly tapped out a reply: Thanks. It's such perfect timing.Bryan: Need help?Lily: I'll be fine on my own. With her plan in motion, Lily pulled up the files containing Henry's promiscuity, one she had meticulously prepared for Henry’s misdeeds. Photos, text messages, and financial transactions—everything she needed to plant the seed of doubt in Annabelle’s mind was compiled neatly in a folder.At exactly 8:15, Lily walked into the dimly lit lounge, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor. She gave off an air of confidence, dressed in a sleek black dress that hinted at authority and poise. Her eyes scanned the room until they landed on Annabelle Wilson—a striking woman in her early forties, elegantly dressed in a champagne-coloured gown.Annabelle looked up as Lily a
"I think now is the perfect time to get the computer," Lily announced over the phone. "Given the news about his wife's scandal, Henry and William will be too busy to guard the company like a guard dog." "You want me to send people in there pretending to be electricians to retrieve the computer?" Bryan asked, and Lily hummed. "It will be a bit difficult for me to retrieve it at the moment." Lily replied. "Heard you've not been out of your apartment since the announcement. That's a week ago; that's unhealthy." Bryan sighed. "I'll come pick you up later today, and then we can discuss whatever your plans are." "There won't be a need for that," Lily gritted out as she worked away on her laptop. "I can't afford to be distracted right now.""Is this about Mark's engagement to Roseline?" Bryan asked, making Lily pause as her eyes narrowed at the screen of her laptop. "This has nothing to do with Mark or his engagement." She breathed out, massaging her forehead as she felt her eyes stingi
Lily walked into the living room with an extra sway in her hips as she remembered the event from the previous night. A small smile played on her lips, feeling giddy and excited about the news from the previous night's banquet. She picked up the remote and turned on the TV while waiting for the news with a warm cup of tea in hand. However, instead of the scandal she was expecting, she was met with Mark and Roseline's red carpet photos. Frowning, she turned up the volume just in time for the reporter to announce:"Next on the line of news is Mark Watson, the newly appointed CEO of the Watson Group. The genius businessman has finally announced his engagement with Roseline Anderson, the popular A-list actress."Lily’s smile froze, the warmth from her tea doing little to quell the chill that spread through her chest. Her hand tightened around the cup as she stared at the screen, unable to believe what she was hearing.“Engaged?” She whispered, her voice shaky. “That’s not possible.”The