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302. The Weight Of The Truth
Author: Kayysemiu023
last update2025-06-27 16:27:14

The morning after the storm broke, Ivy stood at the kitchen island with a cup of tea she hadn’t touched.

The Everest mansion was unusually quiet.

No housekeepers. No nannies. Even Fred had excused himself after breakfast with a polite nod and a knowing glance that said: I’ll be nearby, if needed.

Van hadn’t come down yet.

The world was still spiraling, and Ivy was starting to understand just how lonely the center of a storm could be.

She sipped the now cold tea and tried to steady her hands.

It wasn’t just the media frenzy. Or the board meetings. Or the fact that a thousand reporters were now asking her— her— if she had known. If she had helped hide it. If she had married into a dynasty of secrets willingly.

It was that this was her life now.

And it might never be private again.

Van appeared at the edge of the room quietly, like he was trying not to disturb anything. His shirt sleeves were rolled to his elbows. His tie was missing. His eyes were rimmed with exhaustion.

But he still lo
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  • 332. Sweet Space

    The breeze rolled in early, lifting the white curtains of the balcony and carrying with it the soft scent of the sea. Isadora sat cross legged on the floor with her sketchpad resting against her knees, charcoal smudges on her fingertips, the image of Brandt — walking ahead of her down the village path — slowly emerging in strokes and shadows.He wasn’t in the room.She liked it that way, sometimes.Solitude wasn’t something she feared anymore. But she still hadn’t told him that part. That she often needed space the way others needed touch — not as rejection, but as breath.She’d planned to explain it this morning.But when Brandt returned from the café downstairs, holding a small paper bag with two guava pastries and a thermos of coffee, her chance slipped through her fingers.“You weren’t there when I woke,” he said lightly, setting the pastries down. “Thought you vanished.”His tone was teasing. Warm. But there was something behind his smile — a flicker of something she couldn’t qui

  • 331. The Shape Of Tomorrow

    The soft hush of the Cuban morning was already curling into the room, warm and gentle, when Isadora woke.She didn’t open her eyes right away. Brandt was still asleep beside her, breathing slow and steady, one arm draped across her stomach, his hand loosely curled against her ribs like a weightless promise.They hadn’t stayed out late after the club. But something about dancing with him under strings of golden lights had left her feeling full. Saturated. Like every quiet chamber in her heart had been seen and touched.Still, there was something else now — a question she’d tried not to name the night before.What happens when paradise ends?She opened her eyes.The ceiling fan spun lazily above them. A bird trilled in the tree just outside their balcony. Brandt shifted slightly, pulling her a little closer in his sleep.Isadora swallowed.She’d never been good at keeping good things. That was part of why she always ran first.But maybe — just maybe — this time could be different.★★★L

  • 330. Cuba and Love

    The curtains swayed in the lazy breeze spilling through the balcony doors, and golden sunlight crept slowly across the hotel room floor.Isadora was already awake.She lay on her side beneath the cool sheets, her face turned toward the man beside her. Brandt slept with one arm sprawled across the bed, the other bent near his chest, face slack with the deep, peaceful kind of sleep that came only when life had finally slowed down.It had been a week since they arrived in Cuba.Seven days since she’d stepped off the plane, into humidity and color and air that tasted like freedom. Seven days since she’d said goodbye to everything complicated — family politics, heavy silences, long stares. Seven days since she let herself admit it: she was in love.And he was still here. Still beside her. Still steady.Brandt stirred, blinking awake, his blue eyes finding hers instantly. A soft smile curved his lips.“Are you that in love with me?” he teased, his voice rough with sleep.Isadora didn’t blu

  • 329. The Decision

    The city had shifted since the truth came out.The media storm faded into murmurs. The Everest name was no longer a weapon or a wall — just a name, worn honestly now, like a coat patched at the elbows but loved all the more because of it.Four months had passed since Van stood at that podium. Four months of quiet reconstruction — not of buildings or wealth, but of meaning. Of mornings filled with pancakes and messy art projects. Of therapy and transparency and apologies that turned into routines.And now — in the golden haze of a Sunday morning — life was blooming again.Literally.“I've decided on what I want the first thing I want to do.” Isadora suddenly announced as they had drinks together. “Really? And what's that?” Van was very happy that she felt with living with them and the kids, but deep down he always wished she would venture out into the world and do things, experience new things. But he didn't know how to tell her that without it sounding like he was chasing her out

  • 328. After

    The news didn’t just echo—it thundered.Within hours of Van’s press conference, every major media outlet had his name front and center. “Everest Legacy Shaken by Scandal— CEO Comes Clean.” “Van Everest Uncovers Father’s Secret Past, Declares Full Transparency.” “Truth Over Empire: The CEO Who Refused to Hide.”Some outlets praised him. Others questioned his motives. A few called it performative. But all of them agreed on one thing:He had done something no other Everest had ever done.He told the truth.The mansion phones rang nonstop the next day. Journalists. Board members. Old family “friends” who hadn’t called in years.Ivy watched Van pace the study with a quiet tension in his jaw, fielding questions with poise but no warmth.“No, we didn’t plan a rebrand,” he said to the receiver. “We planned a reckoning. There’s a difference.”She stepped in gently, touching his arm. “You need a break.”He met her eyes— and for a moment, all the strength he’d carried cracked. His shoulders sagg

  • 327. The Reveal

    The Reveal The auditorium was silent when Van stepped up to the podium. Cameras clicked instantly. Flashes burst like lightning. Phones were already streaming; reporters leaned forward, pens and recorders in hand. The Everest family name had always drawn attention — but today, the crowd wasn’t there for power. They were there for confession. Van adjusted the microphone and took a breath. Not to steady himself, but to acknowledge the weight of what he was about to say. No cue cards. No teleprompter. Just a man standing in front of the world with everything to lose and everything to gain. “My name is Van Everest,” he began, voice strong, steady. “For more than a year and half, I’ve served as CEO of the Everest Group. I'm still pretty new in the business world, but I'm sure few of you know me as a businessman, a philanthropist, and the son of Marcus Everest.” He let the name hang in the air. The room responded with perfect stillness. “I’ve spent the last few months digging through

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