"Finally! It's the day we have all been waiting for!" The host announced. "It's the finals, and today, to get an overall winner, Wilson's fashion team will be going against Lily's!" Cheers of excitement erupted all over the hall as the fans of each team raised banners and lights to cheer the teams on. "I am as excited as you all are," the host laughed. "This year's competition has been the most exciting national competition in the fashion world so far. Not only do we get to witness talented individuals competing against one another, but we also get to witness some amazing drama. I can retire without regrets now." "Anyway, I don't want to bore you with my long talks. I can already feel all your impatience. So without wasting much time, we will invite both teams to the floor." He continued."The theme given by the team is a futuristic concept. We want our designers to bring the future into the present. We want to be carried away by the dreams and aspirations that involve the future,"
"Are you here to gloat about your victory?" Marissa sneered as Lily sat in front of her with a smug smile and a mocking expression."There's nothing to gloat about; even if I did gloat, I earned the right to do so," Lily replied, her posture elegantly relaxed yet domineering."How does it feel to be locked behind bars?" She mocked with a small laugh, "I'm sure you have never imagined yourself in your position right now. I also never thought there would come a day I would have to personally deal with the insignificant Smith family, but here I am," She chuckled mockingly, making Merrisa grit her teeth in annoyance."What do you want from me?" She sneered, and Lily shrugged. "I came to see your loser face, and it's hilarious just as I thought it would be, but then again, I came to inform you that you succeeded when you pushed Lily down those stairs." Lily's face dimmed as she said the last part.Merrisa's face paled, and the grip on her clothes tightened. "What do you mean?" She asked
"Congratulations on your big win!" Celina cheered as she walked into Lily's studio to see her buried knee-deep in paper-printed orders. "Oh my, did I come at the wrong time?""You came at the right time; I need a distraction from all these," Lily replied with a smile as she gestured to the papers scattered around the office. "How was your trip to London? Did you enjoy the break?" She asked, and Celina rolled her eyes before letting out a frustrated sigh."For the most part, I did enjoy the trip, but it's all work. The shoot for the magazine was so stressful since I had to film in several locations, and I just got a new assistant as my previous one got married. It's still taking time to get used to the new face." Celina replied."I watched your competition though, and I must say, I wish I met you earlier before you established your clothing line. At least I would have been able to get you to work for LAM," she teased, and Lily chuckled."Well, I guess I am glad we didn't meet earlier.
Lily froze up as she took in Mark's stunned expression. Her hands became clammy as her heart rate sped up. "I... Uhm... I was only talking to myself. I just remembered a scene from the novel I read online," she stuttered, hoping he never heard the parts where she had just outed herself. It took Mark several minutes to recover from his surprise, and by the time he did, she was already packing to leave.He grabbed her by the arm and raised a brow. "Leaving after you dropped such a bomb?" He asked, not knowing whether to be amused or angry."What bomb?" Lily asked, deciding to play ignorant. "It was a scene from the novel I was reading to pass the time," she repeated, and Mark rolled his eyes.As Celina returned to their table, she was met with a scene that was interpreted as two lovers arguing. “Oh? Did I come at the wrong time?” She asked with a raised brow as her eyes strayed towards Mark’s hand holding Lily's arm.“It's nothing, I was just leaving,” Lily replied with a flushed fac
"This is the list of people I would like to keep among the existing staff members," Lily voiced as she placed a big brown envelope in front of Mr. Wallace. "And these are the lists of people I want you to recruit for the new phase we are starting." She added before taking her seat opposite him."Apart from those people on the list, every other person in the company should be let off. I've done background checks on all of them and decided that keeping them will not be beneficial to the new developments," she explained."They are all just as corrupt as their former employer. I can't afford to keep them," she breathed out.Mr Wallace looked through the files with furrowed brows before nodding approvingly. "I didn't hear from you for a week after you gave the money for the refurbishment, and I thought you were leaving all the work for me," he remarked. "Who would have thought you'd be this thorough?" he chuckled.Lily shrugged as she took a sip of her water. "It's a start-up company, t
William stared at the computer screen, with his hands clenched to stop them from trembling. Ever since the first message he received from the hacking incident, he has been getting messages similar to that every week. And each time, the message gets even more detailed than the last. He let out a frustrated groan, unable to take his eyes off the picture on the screen. That picture sent him right back to that day.The supposed family dinner that triggered the beginning of his misery.It was a picture of Victoria's dying moment. The blood stains and the poison. All are vividly captured and turned into a painting on the canvas.At this point, it was no longer a guess about whether or not someone else knew about the incident. It is a confirmed fact that someone out there knows something.How much did they know was still up for debate? 'Was it necessary?' That was the note attached to the picture. And the question he had been asking himself as of late.Was it necessary? Was it worth it?
"Have you thought about it?" Bryan asked calmly, his eyes settling on Lily without any emotion.Lily let out a sigh, picked up the glass of wine, and took a sip. "I have thought about it. I mean, there is nothing much to think about anyway; hacking the vault is easy peasy. But I'm curious. Why do you want to break the Roux family vault?" She asked curiously."If I remember correctly, it is the most guarded part of the family. There's no way you'll be breaking in without causing a ruckus, which will lead to casualties. You've always been a careful one, so I'm curious as to why you'd risk your safety to break in there," she explained, and Bryan let out a groan."There's something in the vault that I need to get, and it's related to your mother. It was after she was sent away from the family that the vault became extra guarded, so I'm guessing there is something that belongs to her in there," he explained."Why would they keep her things in the vault after sending her out?" Lily asked w
Mark felt the weight of Frederick's gaze as he sat down beside him. The air around them grew heavy with tension, the clinking of silverware and glasses echoing through the silent dining room as the servants arranged the table for the family dinner. Frederick leaned closer, a triumphant smirk playing on his lips."I heard you got a partnership with a new company," Frederick taunted, his voice laced with contempt. "Aren't you insulting the Alpha Tech image too much? Of all the companies you could have chosen from, a new company.Michael, Mark's father, frowned, his eyes flicking between his son and Frederick. "It's a deal that would bring profit to the company. How is that insulting the image of the company?" He countered, making Frederick scoff as he turned away from Mark."Uncle might not be aware, but the company he's partnering with isn't exactly a startup. It's a company with a negative reputation among consumers. It's obvious they're just using him to sway public opinion." He poin
"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