Alex left the Graylash mansion and headed straight to the Hawthorne mansion.When he arrived, he stood before the Hawthorne mansion, his heart heavy with a sense of foreboding. As he approached the entrance, he was met with a sight that made his blood run cold. The once-grand mansion lay in ruins, the walls cracked and crumbling, the windows shattered. But it was what surrounded the mansion that made Alex's heart sink. Graves, dozens of them, stretched out across the lawn, each one bearing the name of a member of the Hawthorne family.Alex's eyes scanned the graves, his mind reeling with the thought of so many lives lost. He stumbled forward, his legs trembling beneath him, as he searched for the one name he hoped not to find. But it was inevitable. His eyes fell upon a grave, and his heart shattered into a million pieces. Serah's name was etched into the headstone, and beside it was another grave, Leah's.Alex collapsed to his knees, tears streaming down his face as he gazed upon

Today was supposed to be a beautiful day as the sun cast its warm rays upon the Graylash estate, illuminating the lush green gardens and the elegant fountain that stood tall at the center. But Effie, dressed in a beautiful white gown, sat nervously in the living room, fidgeting with her hands.She looked over to the corner, her mum giving her a thumbs up. She rolled her eyes.‘Why me?’ she asked herself.‘Alex where are you?’ her worries increased.In Alex's absence, her family, particularly her grandfather, Mr. Rogers Graylash, had been keen on setting her up with Rick Flare, the second son of the influential Flare family which was one of the big four families.As Effie waited, Rick Flare walked into the room, flashing a charming smile. "Effie, my dear, good to see you.” He said with a smile which looked fake.But Effie remained Silent, and refused to speak, her anger boiling inside of her.Rick noticed this and sighed. “I know you're still holding on to Alex, but let's be realistic

"Ah, James...I mean, CEO Saint Terra...I was just...ah...conducting a meeting with these...people."James Saint Terra's eyes narrowed as he took in the scene. "I don't think so, Mr. Robert. It looks to me like you're trying to kick them out. And that's not acceptable behavior in my corporation."James turned to Alex and asked what was going and Alex explained. James was shocked and pissed that his managing director was such a person.Mr. Robert became humbled and filled with fear, and he wanted to clear the air before thighs got out of hand, but James didn't give him a chance to speak. "You're fired, Mr. Robert. Effective immediately."The guards immediately moved to escort Mr. Robert away, but he went down on his knees, begging for mercy."Please, Sir James...I'll do anything...just don't fire me… I have a wife and kids waaaaaah haah haah…" he cried out.But James was unmoved. "You should have thought of that before you tried to take advantage of my friends. Now, get out of my sight

The next morning, the atmosphere at the Graylash Mansion was tense. Effie's family gathered at the breakfast table, their faces gloomy."You're still here? You haven't filed for a divorce?" Mrs. Lizzy said, her voice laced with disappointment as she gazed at Effie. "I thought you had more sense than to stay with him."Effie sighed. "Mother, please. We've been over this.""But you were so close to freedom," Mrs. Lizzy continued, her voice rising. "And now, because of Alex's cleverness, you're stuck with him."Effie's grandfather cleared his throat. "Enough, Lizzy. We have a more pressing matter to discuss."He turned to Alex. "Now that you've secured the contract, I suppose you think you can stay here forever."Alex shrugged. "I hadn't thought about it.""Well, I have," Effie's grandfather said. "And I've decided that it's time for you to get your own place. You and Effie can leave the Graylash Mansion and start your own life."Effie's eyes widened in alarm. "Grandfather, no! Where wil

The dimly lit room at the Graylash mansion was thick with tension as Effie's parents, Mrs. Lizzy and Mr. Larry, sat together with Effie's grandfather, Mr. Rogers. The air was heavy with anger and frustration.Rogers, a stern-looking man in his late sixties, spoke up first. "It's clear that Alex will never leave Serah the way things are going," he said, his voice low and menacing.Mrs. Lizzy, a petite woman with a fiery personality, slammed her hand on the table. "Damn it! The nerve of that church rat!" she exclaimed. "I promised to make him rich if he left my daughter, and he turned it down. He's still deciding to stick with her."Mr. Larry, a tall, slender man with a worried expression, asked, "So, what should we do?"Rogers' eyes narrowed. "There's only one thing left to do."Mrs. Lizzy and Rogers exchanged a knowing glance, and nodded in unison. Mr. Larry's eyes widened as he realized what they were implying."Isn't that a little bit too far?" he asked, his voice laced with concern