Sometimes, the people you serve the most are the ones who will turn around to cause you your deepest pain.Michael had just left the grocery store when he met something outside that was about to change his life forever.Then came the soft hum of a well-tuned engine, followed by the smooth glide of a sleek black luxury car pulling up beside him. The windows were tinted so dark it looked like a void had parked next to him.Michael slowed his steps, wary but too polite to walk away completely.Sweat lined his brow, but he paid it no mind. His life had taught him to ignore discomfort.He had adjusted the bag handles in his palms and began walking towards the cracked sidewalk that led home; a place that barely felt like one.The door opened, and a woman stepped out with the quiet confidence of someone used to commanding authority. She was dressed in a tailored grey suit, her heels tapping softly against the pavement.Every detail about her; the gold trim on her cuffs, the posture of her sp

Michael stared at Henry, unsure if he heard him correctly.Become the head of the Donovan family?The words echoed in his ears like a distant drum, growing louder, heavier with each beat. He blinked, searching the old man’s face for a sign of humour; anything to prove this was just a cruel joke pulled in a hospital bed.But Henry’s face was calm. Serious.Michael lowered his gaze. “Sir… I don’t think I understand.”Henry’s hand, frail but still firm, gripped his. “You heard me.”Michael shook his head gently. “All I want is for you to get better,” he said quietly. “That’s all that matters to me. Please don’t talk like this.”But Henry didn’t smile. He didn’t let go either.Instead, he let out a slow breath and stared at the ceiling for a long moment, as though trying to gather the right words from the air.“It wasn’t an accident,” he said finally. “Pairing you with Sophia.”Michael’s eyes snapped back to him.“What?”Henry looked at him again, eyes sharp despite the weakness in his bo

“Drag that thief out!” Victoria screamed as two of the estate’s uniformed security men held Michael by the arms, dragging him like a criminal across the marble floor of the Donovan villa.He didn’t fight. His face stayed calm, almost too calm for a man being thrown out of the place he’d once called home.The humiliation wasn’t new, but this one bit deeper.“What did I even steal?” Michael asked quietly, trying to look up.“Shut up!” Victoria barked. “You’re lucky I don’t call the police. Next time, you’ll learn not to touch what doesn’t belong to you.”The staff looked on, some shaking their heads with pity, others pretending not to see anything.Just then, a loud hum pierced the air. The sound of a powerful engine approaching.A black Rolls-Royce Phantom, sleek and majestic, rolled through the front gates and into the compound. Victoria’s face changed immediately. She squinted, her mouth slowly falling open as the vehicle came to a smooth stop.“Jesus…” she muttered, eyes wide. “It’s

The moment the lawyer dropped the final line—“Sophia must still be married to him,” the room exploded.Sophia’s hand flew to her mouth. She staggered backwards, eyes wide with disbelief. “No… no… no, this can’t be true,” she mumbled, her voice breaking into sobs.Victoria jumped to her feet like something had stung her. “What rubbish are you reading?! This is a joke, right?” she barked, pointing at the lawyer. “You’re lying! You people have planned this with him! That boy must have paid you off, this is nonsense!”The lawyer adjusted his glasses calmly, unshaken. “Madam, this document was signed, sealed, and witnessed by two senior partners of our firm. Your father gave these instructions himself. Everything was done legally.”Sophia sank to the couch, still shaking her head. “I divorced him. I signed those papers. I… I didn’t know…”Bohemia looked from Sophia to Michael with disgust. “So I’ve been wasting my time,” he muttered under his breath, rising to leave the room.Michael stood

“Yes, I’m about leaving the house now. I’ll be there shortly,” Sophia said as she ended the call, grabbing her brown leather handbag from the dining table.Today wasn’t just another working day, it was the day. The one that could change everything. Her heart fluttered, but not from fear, from the pressure of what this moment meant.Since she took over Donovan Industries as the new CEO, today’s contract approval would be her first major deal. A single signature today could push the company into the front pages of the most influential business newspapers in the city.It had been a week since Michael was chased out. His presence erased from their lives. His name never mentioned again.Sophia had started to walk in her new role with pride—her name already buzzing in media articles as the rising face of Donovan Industries. But beneath the smile on her lips, a strange heaviness sat in her chest. It was quiet, unsettling. She couldn’t explain it, but it clung to her spirit.She said a silent