Tension tightened the air around her, making each breath feel laborious as she scrutinized Jake's face. Though her initial panic was subdued when she realized the wound was no more than a superficial scratch, concern still pulsed through her veins. “He realized I was tailing him,” Jake gritted out, frustration evident in every word. “Can you believe the bastard even landed a blow on me?” Sliding into the car, he continued, “I'll give him credit. He's definitely skilled. Dodged a good portion of my moves.” Her anxiety only deepened. “So, what’s our next move?” she asked, rummaging through her purse to pull out a bandage. “Here, cover that up, and later see a doctor. You wouldn't want to damage that handsome face of yours.” He gave her a playful smirk. “Do I look that bad? I always thought women had a thing for rugged guys sporting battle scars.” She gave him a disapproving look. “Now's really not the time for jokes, Jake. Besides, you might want to double-check that reflection if yo

Elenora’s gaze was firmly fixed on Christine, a mixture of suspicion and distrust evident in her eyes. She couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that her stepdaughter had arrived with the intention of sabotaging her plans. Every instinct told her to be cautious; her features hardened and her stare intensified, as though trying to penetrate Christine’s thoughts. Curiously, her eyes darted to the item Christine cradled in her arms. The package emitted a pleasant aroma, reminiscent of baked goods. Surely, it couldn’t be a dessert, could it? ‘This can’t just be a mere coincidence. She must have a specific reason for being here.’ Martha, ever the outspoken one and often prone to imprudent comments, was about to chime in. However, her mother shot her a cautionary glance, clearing her throat as a signal. Heeding the unspoken warning, Martha chose her words more carefully. “Mommy, perhaps she’s here for a job interview and is too embarrassed to admit it.” She turned to scrutinize Christine wi

The air seemed to grow cold, as if the temperature had plummeted to an icy zero degrees, while the intense staring contest between Elenora and Christine persisted. Cold shivers cascaded down Martha’s spine, making her more anxious by the second. “Mommy, let’s go! We’ve done all we can here for today!” Martha implored, her voice tinged with concern. Elenora, her mother, knew that her daughter was speaking the truth. She needed to withdraw for now, lick her emotional wounds, and regroup to strategize anew. Christine may have triumphed in this small and seemingly insignificant battle, but Elenora was determined to emerge victorious in the final war that loomed ahead. “Yes, you’re right. Let’s go. The air in this room has turned poisonous,” Elenora hissed, her words seeping with venom. “There’s a treacherous snake before me, and I have no intention of letting it bite me.” Once she had stepped out of the building, Elenora swiftly fished her phone out of her purse and composed a pointed

When Christine hesitated for a moment before responding, Ethan eagerly stepped in to speak on her behalf. "Mommy and I have only recently returned from living abroad, Mister! I highly doubt you've had the pleasure of meeting her before." James took another, more lingering look at her. "Ah, I must indeed be mistaken," he conceded reluctantly, his eyes continuing to study her with an intensity that betrayed his words. 'Yet, there's this unshakable feeling that we've crossed paths before,' he thought, tilting his head to one side as if doing so would unlock a hidden memory. Ethan, noticing James' scrutiny, became defensive. "My Mommy is extraordinarily beautiful; there's no one in the world quite like her! It would be rather offensive to insinuate that she resembles someone else." Christine leaned over and tenderly kissed her son's forehead, whispering softly in his ear. "Ethan, sweety, let's remember to be polite." 'He won't recognize me,' Christine mused inwardly. 'It's been over f

Elenora could vividly recall the scandalous tale of Isabella and Miguel Fernandez, as it was almost impossible to forget. The intense media frenzy erupted just about two years ago and had captivated the attention of the global audience, with prying eyes and gossiping mouths scrutinizing every development. Tabloids voraciously devoured each fragment of information, disseminating it to an audience that was equally ravenous for salacious details. Miguel Fernandez, a magnate with a formidable presence in the oil industry, had infamously betrayed his strikingly beautiful wife, engaging in an affair with a student. The scandal permeated headline after headline, captivating the global audience, all of whom were dissatisfied when the full truth of the matter remained shrouded in mystery. Immersed in the narrative, individuals felt they were deserving of the complete story, even though the intimate details of the couple's saga should have ideally remained their own. Nonetheless, once the stor