Two days had just passed and the morning sun stretched across the Texas horizon, reflecting over the sprawling estate as Kendrick paced the length of the study. He had spent the better part of the morning reviewing proposals for new acquisitions, but his thoughts kept drifting back to his father’s legacy and the growing threat that loomed over it. Sadiq’s rise wasn’t just a business challenge; it was a personal one. Kendrick wasn’t just protecting an empire, he was defending the very essence of his family’s place in Texas, a state that had been his father’s kingdom.He glanced out of the window and saw Bridget moving across the garden, her silhouette framed by the golden light. She was always there, her presence steady and grounding. Kendrick felt a pang of guilt, he had become so consumed with the fight for control that he had barely spent any time with her recently. The scholarship fund was important, yes, but he knew that there was still so much left unsaid between them, so much l

The gleaming walls of the Evelyn Peterson Medical Center seemed to close in around Katherine Rogers as she was wheeled through the hallways. Every step felt like it was leading her deeper into a world she had once scorned, a world she had fought so hard to keep out of her life. The quiet hum of machines, the soft shuffle of footsteps, and the occasional murmur of nurses and doctors only served to highlight the oppressive silence that hung over her. Katherine had been through many battles in her life. She had faced enemies, both personal and professional, and had always emerged victorious. She had built an empire, and she had maintained control over every aspect of her life. But now, she was at the mercy of a place she had always despised — Evelyn Peterson's hospital. As they passed through the corridors, Katherine’s mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. She was furious at herself for having to rely on her greatest enemy, and at the same time, she couldn’t help but feel a

Still in the hospital room. Katherine had spent three days already, the nurses and doctors had tried all they could but it seemed like the world was coming to an end for her. The room was still filled with the quiet sound of machinery and the faint scent that pierced through nostrils. The bright lights above flickered over the room. Katherine Rogers lay in the center of the bed, her frail body barely recognizable beneath the thin white sheets. She looked older, weaker than Maverick had ever seen her, and it stung him deeper than he cared to admit.His sister, Peace Churchill, stood at the foot of the bed, her face pale, her eyes clouded with something that could have been grief or guilt or a mixture of both. Maverick shifted uncomfortably, his hands pressed into his pockets. His gaze flickered to his sister, Blossom, whose eyes were red-rimmed from crying earlier. They stood in silence, the moment heavy with unspoken words and suppressed emotions.At the edge of the bed, Katherine’

Kendrick sat across from Peterson, his pulse hammering in his ears. The room around them was suffocating in its stillness, as if the very walls were holding their breath. The only sounds were the slow ticking of a clock in the corner of the mansion’s ageing air conditioning system.Peterson didn’t speak immediately, his fingers steepled in front of him as though he were trying to decide how to approach the conversation. Kendrick stared at him, trying to read the man he had known for so long the man who had once been his father in name only. Cold, calculating, always distant. The years of silence between them had been a relief, yet here they were again, face to face, about to untangle a past Kendrick wasn’t sure he was ready to confront.“You wanted to talk,” Kendrick said finally, breaking the silence. His voice came out sharper than he intended, the edge of impatience creeping into his tone. “What is it, Dad? What’s so important that you couldn’t just tell me over the phone?”Peterso

He leaned back in his chair, the buzz of the meeting room settling into a hum as the businessmen slowly filed out. Bridget remained at his side, her expression unreadable but her eyes gleaming with a kind of quiet approval. He could feel the weight of what he had just committed to the millions of dollars, the promises of scholarships, job programs, infrastructure improvements but more than that, he could feel the shift in how they saw him. It wasn’t just about the money, not anymore. It was about something deeper, something real.“That went better than I expected,” Bridget said after a moment, her voice calm and composed. She was always a strategist, a tactician never one to get emotionally involved. But even she couldn’t hide the flicker of admiration in her eyes. “You made them believe.”Kendrick shrugged, his mind already moving ahead. The meeting had gone exactly how he had envisioned it smooth, assertive, no room for doubt. But now that the ball was rolling, he had no intention o