“My mother’s company,” Chloe began, her voice low, “has been drowning in debt—massive debt. Over six hundred million dollars.” She glanced at Chance, gauging his reaction, but pressed on before she could lose her nerve. “I only just found out. The Bernards—Charles Bernard in particular—have been circling like vultures. They want to take over Regal Motors, fold it into their empire. And I have less than seventy-two hours to come up with the money or…” Her voice faltered. “…or it’s gone.”Chance’s lips parted, but no words came out immediately. His gaze searched hers, and there was no judgment there—only the quiet, steady weight of someone who understood the pressure of impossible deadlines.Wilfreda spoke first. “Six hundred million?” she asked, her tone disbelieving, but not unkind.The debt was massive, and there was no doubt about that. Six hundred million dollars isn't just some peanut snack pocket money, and on a more serious note, it wasn't the kind of money that any one could ra

Gary stayed rooted to the spot, his gaze locked on the woman who looked so much like the mother he’d lost decades ago.Brenda eased into one of the high-backed velvet chairs near the fireplace, crossing her legs with the elegance of someone used to being in control of every room she entered. Her eyes never left him.“Your mother’s name was Susan,” she began softly, “and she was my other half. We were born only minutes apart, Gary—inseparable from the moment we opened our eyes. We shared everything. Clothes. Secrets. Dreams.” She gave a small, bittersweet laugh. “We even planned our futures together… until Philip Banks walked into our lives.”Gary’s eyes shot up in perplexity. “My father.”Her lips curved—not in amusement, but in something darker. “Yes. Your father. He had a charm about him, I’ll give him that. But underneath? He was… ambitious. Too ambitious. He saw Susan, saw her beauty, our family's connections, and decided she was the piece he needed for whatever grand designs he w

Chance hadn’t slept more than a handful of restless hours. His bed had felt like stone, the silence of the night too loud, pressing down on him. Every time his eyes fluttered shut, the same images replayed—Julia’s face cold and unyielding across the kitchen counter, the sharp sound of porcelain cracking against wood, coffee spilling across the table like blood from a wound. And her words.We are mourning Gary, Chance. And the least you could do is respect that.Those words had burrowed into him, deeper than he’d admit, echoing in his skull until he could hardly think straight.Now, as he stood at the tall window of his study, the early morning light spilling over the perfectly manicured lawns, he pressed his forehead against the cold glass. Respect. That was what Julia demanded—respect for grief, for silence, for the dead.But what about the living?He could still see Chloe’s face from the night before. The faint tremble in her voice. The desperation she fought to hide, even as her wo

Charles Bernard sat in the high-backed leather chair of his penthouse suite, one ankle crossed over the other. The entire Bernard Tower—named after his family—seemed to hum with life beneath him, yet inside the room it was quiet. Too quiet.On the glass table beside him, a Rolex ticked steadily. Each second that passed fed into his anticipation. His lips curled into a smug smile. The deadline was almost here. Chloe Martins had less than three hours left. By nightfall, Regal Motors would belong to him, and the Bernards’ chokehold on the automobile industry would tighten until even the O’Connors would be forced to kneel.His coming back from overseas to take over the Bernard's chain of businesses as the eldest son was to make it clear to the entire business community that the Bernards could match up with the O' Connors and he was determined to make it so.For too long, the O' Connor's name has been sung with too much praise. Every paper, every media outlet, every business summit kept s

Roland Kwan didn’t waste time before calling for an emergency meeting with other key members of the O'Connor board. Within the hour, the heavy oak doors of the conference room closed behind a gathering of the company’s most influential decision-makers.Though the agenda hadn’t been circulated, the tension in the room was unmistakable. Secretaries hurried in and out, setting down documents and glasses of water, while the board members sat stiffly in their high-backed chairs, their eyes narrowing at Roland, and Harold who were more less the pioneers of the meeting.“Ladies and gentlemen,” Roland began. “Myself and Harold convened this meeting because there’s a matter too urgent to wait. Young Chance O’Connor has been making… moves. Independent moves.”He slid a file onto the polished table and tapped the cover. The members leaned forward as the details were revealed—the acquisition of Regal Motors.The silence broke almost immediately.“You’re saying,” one older member muttered, “that t