2025-08-05 19:56:07
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Chapter 23: The First Hearing
"Don't tell me you've already agreed to this ridiculous offer?" Michael’s voice thundered through the room, his eyes wide with disbelief and rage fixed on his lawyer.Nathan shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his eyes darting from Michael to Sophia and then back to the envelope in his hand."I haven't agreed to anything, Michael," Nathan said calmly, though his voice carried hesitation. "That's why I called you here. It is your decision to make."Before Michael could press further, Sophia leaned forward, her face red with frustration. "What exactly do you want from us, Michael? You want more than twenty percent? Should we give you everything?"Michael chuckled and turned slowly to her, shaking his head. "What I want is what your father wanted. I want the truth respected. I want his will, his real will, honored. Can you do that?"Sophia folded her arms and leaned back, her expression unreadable. “My father is no more, Michael. You should wake up to reality and stop chasing ghosts.”Mi
Chapter 22: The Offer
Michael was seated at the head of the table in one of the executive lounges of Ainsley Tower, surrounded by five prominent investors. Their conversation was intense, filled with figures, projections, and strategies that stretched across real estate, tech innovation, and international expansion.One of the men, a bald man with grey eyes, leaned forward. “Mr. Ainsley, this model you’re presenting, if it scales the way you say it will, we’re looking at doubling our returns within eighteen months.”Michael nodded, calm and confident. “Not just double, sir. If we lock down the licensing with eTitan before the quarter ends, the tech integration will boost our global reach by over 60%.”Another investor, a woman with short braids and glasses, tapped her pen on the table. “You’re saying your AI model can handle customer data, logistics, and international currency conversions seamlessly?”“We’ve been testing it across five continents for over seven months,” Michael replied. “So far, the data
Chapter 21: Reason for the Struggle
Sonia was not smiling.They had barely sat down at the reserved table inside the quiet lounge when she leaned forward, eyes fixed on Michael, arms crossed over her chest.“What really happened back there, Michael?” she asked, her voice firm. “Those women—the way they acted, the tension between all of you... what’s going on?”Michael sighed and glanced around. People were beginning to turn their heads towards them. Some recognized him, others just sensed something was off. But Sonia didn’t care. Her eyes remained locked on him.“Calm down, babe. Can we not do this here?” he said softly.“No. If we don’t do it now, I might explode. And I don’t want to embarrass you, Michael. So explain. I need to know.”Michael looked into her eyes. She was serious. Her tone, her body language, everything screamed she wasn’t letting it go. So he nodded gently.“Okay… I’ll tell you.”He leaned back slightly and began.“I was married to Sophia, as you already know, not out of love, but because her father
Chapter 20: The Petition
Sophia had barely slept the night before.The trending videos of her sister had gone viral. The internet was boiling. Every blog, every gossip page, every news outlet had one headline or another about the disgraceful display of the late Ezra Bennett’s daughter. And as expected, the company wasn’t spared.At the office, things were chaotic. The receptionist had already attended to four different newsmen before Sophia arrived, and security had been doubled to keep off intruders.Inside her office, Sophia held her head in her hands, scrolling through headlines that made her stomach churn.“Daughter of Late CEO Caught in Nude Scandal – Is Bennett Industries in Safe Hands?”“Shareholders Panic as Victoria Bennett Breaks the Internet… For the Wrong Reason!”“From Boardroom to Bar Top: The Fall of a Legacy.”She dropped the tablet on her table and stood to pace the floor. Her heart was racing, her thoughts a mess. She had spent years trying to protect the company. And now, in one careless n
Chapter 19: What Have You Done?
It was about 11:50pm when Sophia stirred from her sleep. Her throat felt dry, and her head ached lightly from all the overthinking she’d been doing since she came back from the auction. She got up and quietly walked to the fridge in the kitchen. As she reached for a cold bottle of water, a sound came from the front door.She paused.“Who’s there?” she asked softly, peering in the direction of the entrance.No response.Only the sound of someone breathing heavily on the other side.Her heart skipped a beat. She stood still for a few seconds, contemplating whether to ignore it or check. Against better judgment, she walked cautiously to the door, gripped the handle, and slowly pulled it open.There, right at the doorstep, lay Victoria, unconscious.Sophia gasped and knelt immediately beside her. “Victoria!” she called, shaking her gently. Thankfully, her sister was still breathing, but the foul stench of alcohol escaping her mouth told Sophia everything she needed to know.She tapped h
Chapter 18: Something He Knows
Outside the grand hall, Martha stood with arms folded, her lips pressed tight, while Sophia paced restlessly beside her. They had stepped out almost two hours ago, filled with rage, embarrassment, and shame, but they refused to leave.They waited.Waited for Michael Ainsley to come out.They didn’t care how long it would take or how many eyes were watching. They were determined to confront him.The cool evening breeze blew lightly across the marble tiles as guests gradually began to trickle out of the hall. Well-dressed men and women exited with smiles and soft conversations, many holding expensive souvenirs and auction certificates. But all Sophia and her mother could see was the man they wanted to pounce on.And then, there he was.Michael stepped out with his usual calm, walking with Pa Coleman on one side and Sonia on the other. They had smiles on their faces, and the way Michael held Sonia’s hand made it clear they were becoming something more than friends.From afar, Sophia’s
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