Roderick gave a small nod and replied calmly, “I’ll handle it tomorrow, sir. I have to finish up the other matters today.”Ezekiel turned to him with a sharp look and said firmly, “Don’t forget, Roderick. I want to know everything about that boy.”“I won’t,” Roderick replied with assurance, tucking the phone into his breast pocket.Zane, still burning with pride and bitterness, turned and walked off without another word, his shoes tapping briskly across the tiled floor as he stormed up the stairs.Meanwhile, back at the villa she had once proudly called home, Sophia stood by the doorway, her expression a mixture of disbelief and frustration. Her hair was neatly styled, and her makeup still flawless—but her pride had taken a brutal hit. With no choice left, she dragged out two large travel bags stuffed with her clothes, struggling slightly as she loaded them into the trunk of her car.The men who had been sent to carry out Elijah's orders stood nearby, arms folded, watching her every m

“This is Sophia. We met a few days ago at the hotel that night, remember?” her voice came softly through the speaker.Felix, still half-asleep, furrowed his brows. The voice was familiar, but groggy as he was, he couldn't place it instantly.“Hello? Who’s this again?” he asked, his tone still waking up.“Sophia,” she repeated, more clearly this time. “The night at the hotel…We talked. I even—”She paused, letting it linger in the air.Felix’s eyes widened a bit as the memory rushed in—her perfume, her boldness, the way she kissed him.“Oh… yeah, yeah. Sophia.” He cleared his throat, sitting up. “Wasn’t expecting a call from you though. What’s good?”Sophia let out a weary sigh. “I’m good… I mean, not really. I’ve run into a bit of a situation and I was hoping you could help.”Felix sat still, his attention now fully caught. “Help? What’s up? Let me know.”Sophia hesitated briefly before speaking. “So… the house I was renting got sold out suddenly. The new owner came and threw me out.

Elijah’s expression didn’t soften. His eyes held nothing but cold disinterest as he took a single step closer. “What’s your business?” he asked sharply. “Why do you care whether I own this place or not?”Sophia blinked, caught off guard by his harsh tone. “Calm down,” she said softly, her voice dipping into a pleading rhythm. “Why are you being so harsh, Elijah? I’m just as surprised as you are. Are you… still mad at me?”Elijah sneered. “Mad?” He gave a short, mocking laugh. “No. I just don’t want to see you in my house. You understand that? I guess things are going downhill for you, so now you want to act all sweet for favors, right?” He tilted his head with a cruel smirk. “Oh, let me guess—job gone. Damian’s in a cell. House? Evicted. Oh my…” He burst into a sarcastic, hearty laugh. “Life’s really dealing with you now.”Sophia’s smile vanished. Her lips parted slightly in shock. “Wait… how did you know about my job and… Damian?” Her voice trembled slightly.Felix, standing off to

For a second, they both stood frozen in place, eyes wide, disbelief painted across their faces.Sophia blinked hard and rubbed her eyes slightly, as if trying to clear away an illusion. Her heart skipped. Was she dreaming? How was Damian here, out in the open, seated and eating casually like he hadn’t been locked up for the past week?But… wasn’t he supposed to be in cells? she thought, her pulse racing. I thought he was still in custody… how… when did he come out?She stared at him again, her eyes narrowing slightly now. Damian was very real, seated across the restaurant with a man in a suit—probably a lawyer. Her mind started spinning in circles. Was he bailed? Was he released without her knowing? How? Who helped him? And how long has he been out?Sophia’s lips parted in disbelief as she slowly took a step forward, still trying to process it all. Damian’s cold eyes never left her. Sophia slowly stepped forward, her voice soft and cautious as she approached Damian’s table."Damian?

Meanwhile, Elijah, unaware of the brewing storm quietly igniting within the Halden household and the grudge Zane had begun to nurse, finished rinsing the last drops of water off his Prado and BMW. He coiled the hose neatly, wiped his hands with a nearby cloth, and headed back into the house. The scent of food still lingered from the early morning meal Sierra had made before heading to school. He made his way into the kitchen, uncovered the pot, and dished out some jollof rice and grilled chicken into a plate, then sat at the marble counter to eat.Just as he took his second bite, his phone began to ring, vibrating against the table with a soft buzz. He picked it up, glanced at the screen—and raised a brow slightly.Celestine Valencia.He stared at the name for a second, chewing slowly before wiping his lips and answering the call.“Hello Ms Valencia?” he said, setting the fork down.Celestine’s elegant voice came through the phone, calm and composed as always. “Good morning, Elijah.