Camelia was still locked up. She woke up and found that her hair seemed ruffled up and the men were standing above her, waiting for her to stand up.She quickly pulled herself together and began to sob again.“My mother will be in search of me by now,” she pleaded. “Let me go home to my family,” she begged.“You are definitely returning today. We have been instructed to let you go because you have successfully done what was required of you.”This was the one who pointed a gun at her was speaking.She felt a pang of excitement and yet pain took over her when she remembered all that she had lost whilst she was locked away here.Just then, she heard her phone beep.She cast a doleful look at them, wondering if they would finally let her have her phone back.“That was my phone,” she whispered, fiddling with the hem of her blouse. “Can I atleast text my mother? Or maybe know who is on the text?”Without arguing, they handed her the phone and she took it with fear in her eyes.She opened th

Two weeks passed gently without noise and Camelia spent most of her time in bed, crying her eyes out in the day and laughing with her mum in the night as though all was well.Miss Amelia noticed that she and Marcus were no longer speaking that much and he barely ever visited. Whenever she tried to bring it up, her daughter would shun her and make her feel that all was well that she was being unnecessarily pushy.“Marcus is a man that buys and has a multi billion dollar company to run, mother. You cannot possibly expect him to spend every second of his life lying around my house.”“But he also had that business to run when he was always at the hospital to see me,” she nagged.“Urgh… mother. Let me be! I am sure he will make out time to come around sometime.” Sh was exhausted already by the regular questioning and wished that they could be skipped. She hated the fact that her mother was just too invested in everything that had to do with Marcus. She loved him so much and it broke her he

The entire crowd was gasping at the sight of him, no one really wanted to socialize with him. “You do not seem so pleased to see me,” Magnus spoke with a sarcastic gleam in his eyes, “I mean, I know we are rivalries but come on, we can put the past behind us, you know and move on.” Marcus was still gazing at him and now his anger grew to a seethed one. Marco could see the discomfort Magnus was causing for everyone and moved closer to the event to take the spotlight and salvage the situation. “You got me locked up with your twisted lies and you thought the law would keep me away forever, ain't it?” Magnus whispered through clenched teeth yet, everyone could his words. “Well, news flash, I still got out!” He groaned proudly and Marcus felt a sting in his heart. How was that even possible? He thought to himself whilst still trying to coin his words for a formal attack on Magnus. “Here you are, holding the mic and about to give a speech that would deceive people into thinking that y

Back at his mansion, Marcus prepared for Magnus’s event. He wasn’t going to let his enemy steal the spotlight again. This time, he had a plan—a dangerous, calculated gamble that could either restore his reputation or destroy him entirely.Marco and Mara watched him from the sidelines, both silently calculating their next moves. They knew Marcus was planning something big, but neither of them knew exactly what. And in a world where alliances shifted like sand, trust was a luxury none of them could afford.As Marcus adjusted his tie and stared at his reflection in the mirror, he allowed himself a rare moment of vulnerability. His mind drifted to Camelia—her laugh, her warmth, the way she used to believe in him. He’d thought he could forget her, but the memory lingered, gnawing at the edges of his conscience.For the briefest moment, Marcus wondered if he’d made a mistake.But it was too late for second-guessing. The game was already in motion, and there was no turning back.With one las

The sting of humiliation clung to Marcus’s skin as if it were a second layer. The once-grand ballroom now felt suffocating. Guests milled about in tight clusters, whispering behind half-raised champagne glasses, casting furtive glances in his direction. Magnus and Lady Theresa had thrown down the gauntlet in the most public, brutal way possible—and walked off the stage victorious. For the first time in years, Marcus felt like prey.Mara tugged at his arm again. "Marcus, let’s leave now. They’re not worth it."Marcus didn’t budge, his eyes locked on the empty stage. Fury boiled within him, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. Every part of him wanted to storm after Magnus, to rip the smug grin off his face and return the humiliation tenfold. But Marcus knew that reacting here, in front of everyone, would only deepen the damage Magnus had inflicted. He had to play this smarter.Marco appeared beside him, a mask of calm on his face, though Marcus could see the tension i