The warningEven after he stormed out of the boardroom, Kane’s words continued to echo in her ears.For a moment, Sophia remained speechless, staring at the closed doors. Her hands were pressed to the long table’s edge and her jaw was clenched.She had worked extremely hard to get here, and she refused to be shaken by a disgruntled worker no matter how powerful. Since she was the CEO she would behave as such.She moved slowly to retrieve her purse from the other end of the table. The boardroom had a new appearance. It had been tense, judgmental, and full of voices just a few minutes ago.At this point the chairs were scattered, papers were abandoned and water glasses were only halfway full.The weight of the recent events made the air feel dense and heavy.“It's time for congratulations.”It startled her to hear the voice, Mr. Collins was approaching her when she turned around. He smiled kindly and walked with ease.Sophia calmed down a bit. “Without your warning, I won't be here.”Wi
The returnSophia got out of her car and entered Bennett Enterprise on Tuesday morning. Every step she took was powerful and steady, and she carried her head high and her shoulders firm.All eyes turned to her as she forced her way through the rotating doors.The workers halted their work. Their whispers lingered in the air like poison and their gazes followed her. But Sophia remained focused. She did not hasten her stride or bow her head.She faced them slowly. The room was frozen. Her eyes swept over the crowd as sharp and cold as glass.The whispers abruptly stopped.“Leave now if you’re tired of working here. It won’t be difficult to find a replacement.”They were astounded by how daring her words were. Nobody shifted. Nobody dared exhale too loudly. Her rage grew.“I thought as much. I’ll fire you right away the next time I see someone staring at me and whispering as though I took their organs.” She would not be intimidated by any employee, board member, or enemy.She would fig
**Hostile Takeover**More terrifying news.She needed to maintain a strong front to handle whatever news was coming, no matter how terrible it might sound.“You weren’t answering my calls, and you didn’t even reply to my emails,” Mr. Collins said, his voice laced with concern. “You got me worried. Well, I’m glad you finally answered.”A hard lump formed in her throat, and a wave of icy dread tied her stomach in a knot. She tried to come up with possible reasons behind his call but could think of nothing positive. Was the news so bad that he had decided to break it to her over the phone rather than waiting for her to return to the office?A terrible thought crossed her mind: if the Head of Partnerships himself was contacting her, it could only mean something negative. Perhaps more investors had withdrawn. Maybe a different partner had disengaged again. Her heart rate began to increase.She forced herself to lie, attempting to sound calm. “I… I’m sorry about that. I had a lot going on
A secretAdrian drew his bed’s heavy, plush covers back, allowing his body to sink into the cozy mattress.As he extended his long arms and legs. Every muscle in his body ached for genuine deep sleep, after days of travel.Sleep-deprived, he looked at his sister, Iris standing by the bedroom door.He saw the dissatisfied look in her eyes but he averted his gaze. He was too tired for an argument.His voice was low and raspy from exhaustion as he remarked. “You talk about Florence like she’s just some person we don’t know.”Iris said sharply and impatiently. “ That’s not what this is about Adrian.”Don't you see how your precious housekeeper disrespects your wife? Are we going to act as though we didn’t see it? She was clearly upset that you instructed her to take Sophia's shopping bags.”Adrian burst into a tiny weary laugh. It was a laugh devoid of joy. He closed his eyes and visualized what she had described. “This little drama was so typical of Florence. Sometimes Florence likes to
Truth or liesThe mansion was quieter in the east wing than in the other wings.It had a solid possessive feel as his arm snaked around her waist. Sophia did not resist his touch for the first time.Her heart was still pounding rapidly from the previous incident. She kept imagining Florence’s expression when Adrian told her to carry the shopping bags. It was total embarrassment. Sophia never thought he would publicly stand up for her much less in public.Her normally solemn face had a hint of brightness which was an uncommon sight.Florence was finally put in her proper place. It was time for someone to take action.In silence, they ascended the spacious staircase. Their footsteps softly reverberated on the marble as the only sound. They soon found themselves in front of her room’s hefty door.She hesitated a second as she was about to open the door.. She then raised her chin and gave a little laugh that was almost unnatural to her own ears. “I appreciate what you did today. You defe
The wife's placeThe vehicle raced through the congested streets. There was an oppressive silence between Adrian and Sophia.She would have preferred riding with Iris, her closest friend, sharing laughter and stories as they sped down the winding roads. But the opportunity slipped through her fingers, leaving her breathless amid the chaos that unfolded so quickly. Everything seemed to spiral out of control in an instant, and just when she thought she might be overwhelmed, fate stepped in. Those unruly teenagers, wild and reckless, were stopped just in time, preventing them from making a spectacle of her. A wave of relief washed over her, calming the storm that had brewed inside. Perhaps getting married to him wasn’t the mistake she had feared it might be. Just as the contract had promised, Adrian was stepping up, fulfilling his role with a grace that surprised her. In that moment, she began to see the glimmer of a partnership that could be more than just a legal arrangement.Sudd