2025-07-10 23:16:22Esther’s eyes widened the moment she noticed the familiar black car pulling into the estate.
Her husband was back.
Ezra had returned from the hospital far earlier than she expected. She hadn’t even had time to fully process the news of the divorce between Jordan and Zoe, much less prepare herself for his reaction.
Without hesitation, she turned sharply to Jordan who was still standing by the corridor, calm and unbothered.
“You, go back to your room this instant,” she hissed. “You don’t need to be seen here. Not now.”
Jordan looked at her, his gaze steady, almost unreadable. Then, without saying a word, he shook his head.
Before she could snap again, he walked past her and headed straight for the front entrance, where the car had stopped.
Esther stared after him in disbelief.
Was this the same Jordan who used to lower his head whenever she walked past? The same man who used to stammer apologies even when he wasn’t wrong? Now, he was ignoring her orders like they meant nothing.
She watched from the balcony as Jordan reached the car door and opened it.
Ezra stepped out slowly, supported gently by one of the family drivers. He still looked pale, the hospital stay having drained him of much strength, but there was a calm determination in his movement.
Jordan held him by the arm, steadying him as he walked.
“Thank you,” Ezra said quietly, patting Jordan’s hand.
Esther turned away, furious.
*********************************
Not long after Ezra settled in, one of the maids went around informing everyone that Mr. Bennett had asked to see the whole family in the living room. That included Jordan.
Esther frowned deeply at that.
Even now? After the divorce? After all that happened?
Still, she said nothing.
They all gathered in the wide, elegant living room, the chandelier above casting a warm but serious glow. Ezra sat on the long couch near the centre, flanked by his lawyer and doctor.
His health was still fragile, but there was a certain fire in his eyes that hadn’t dimmed.
Zoe walked in with David right beside her.
Jordan stood by the wall, quiet, watchful.
Ezra’s gaze immediately moved to the unfamiliar man seated beside his daughter. His brow furrowed slightly. The face seemed a bit familiar but he was really curious to know who he was.
“Who are you, young man?” Ezra asked, voice calm but firm.
David straightened, about to speak, but Zoe cut in quickly.
“He’s just a friend,” she said. “He came to spend some time with us. Nothing more.”
Ezra’s eyes lingered on David for a moment longer, as if trying to place him.
David Grant—son of the billionaire, Nathaniel Grant, one of the wealthiest oil tycoons in the city. Known for his father’s empire and his own reputation in elite social circles. A name that came with power, but also scandal.
Ezra didn’t press further. His instinct told him something wasn’t right, but he simply nodded and turned back to Zoe.
“Can you ask him to excuse us for a while?”
Zoe hesitated. “Daddy—”
“Now,” Ezra said, firmer this time.
She forced a smile and turned to David. “I’ll come find you later.”
David scoffed a little under his breath, stood up, adjusted his wristwatch, and left the room without a word.
As the door closed behind him, Ezra leaned back slightly, took in the room again, and cleared his throat.
“I asked all of you to come because there is something I need to say,” he began, voice steady despite his weakness. “Something that cannot wait anymore.”
Everyone leaned in.
Jordan remained still.
Ezra continued. “You all know how much Bennett Industries means to me. I built it from scratch, through sweat, risk, and sacrifice. And now, with the way my health has been going… it’s time I made a final decision on who takes over.”
Esther sat straighter.
Zoe blinked but kept her face unreadable.
Jordan lowered his eyes, unsure of what was coming.
Ezra reached for a folder beside him, the same one his lawyer had brought. But just as he tried to open it, his hand froze mid-air.
A cough escaped his lips.
Then another.
This time, stronger.
His body tensed and he leaned forward, gripping the armrest tightly.
“Daddy?” Zoe called, her voice sharp with fear.
Ezra coughed again, this time, violently and a stream of blood shot from his mouth.
Gasps filled the room.
“Daddy!” Zoe screamed, rushing forward.
The lawyer and doctor jumped to their feet as Jordan was already beside Ezra, holding him steady.
“Call the ambulance!” someone shouted.
Ezra’s face was pale, his lips trembling, and blood stained his shirt.
The room turned to chaos.
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Chapter 62: Between Love and War
The office felt colder that morning. The moment Jordan walked in, every staff member knew something was off.His expression was calm, but his eyes carried that quiet storm, the kind that warned of an incoming reckoning. Jenna saw it too.She had seen it before, years ago, during the worst of the Bennett trial.He called for an emergency meeting with the executive team. The room filled quickly — department heads whispering nervously, laptops open, files spread across the long table.Jordan stood at the head, hands clasped behind his back. “The breach we faced last night was not random,” he began. “It was deliberate. Coordinated. And personal.”Silence gripped the room.“Evidence points directly to ZB Consulting,” he continued. “Which means Zoe Bennett has declared war again.”Murmurs erupted. Jenna’s sharp voice cut through them. “The security division is doubling our firewall defenses. Every internal device will be audited. Anyone found in contact with that firm, even casually will be
Chapter 61: The Games People Play
The first email came on a quiet Monday morning. Jordan was reviewing financial reports when Jenna walked in with her tablet. “You should see this,” she said.It was from Zoe. The subject line read: “A Proposal for Healing and Collaboration.” The message was polished, diplomatic, almost tender. “A chance to show the world that we’ve both moved past old wounds,” she wrote. “Let’s rebuild something positive from the ashes.”Jordan stared at the screen for a while, expression unreadable. “She wants to collaborate?” he said finally.Jenna folded her arms. “It’s a trap. She’s testing the waters, trying to see if you’ll still open the door.”He nodded slowly, but said nothing.For two days, the email sat unanswered. Yet, somehow, it lingered in his thoughts. He didn’t know why; maybe curiosity, maybe unfinished business, maybe the stubborn part of him that always sought closure.On the third day, Zoe sent another message. “I understand your silence, but I’d still like a chance to speak in pe
Chapter 60: The Return of Shadows
Zoe’s reappearance began like a whisper, not a storm.It started with small headlines — “Zoe Bennett: The Woman Who Lost Everything but Found Herself.”Another read, “From Scandal to Second Chances: Bennett’s Path to Redemption.”Each piece painted her as a misunderstood woman rising from ruin, not the cold manipulator the world had condemned.Behind it all was a new publicist she hired — one of the best in the industry. He had a simple instruction from Zoe: rebuild my image and make people remember my name without fear or hate.Soon, she was appearing in quiet interviews, charity events, and podcasts about rebuilding after loss.Her voice trembled when she spoke about her “mistakes” and her “journey toward self-forgiveness.” It was rehearsed, calculated, but effective.People began to soften. The same audience that once cursed her name started saying maybe she had suffered enough. That maybe prison wasn’t the only punishment a soul could endure.Zoe played the part well — gracious, h
Chapter 59: Old Wounds, New Fires
Jordan’s days became a blur of meetings, calls, and new beginnings. The storm that once clouded his life had cleared, leaving room for purpose.Jefferson Group was thriving again. Investors who once doubted him now fought to be part of his projects. His name carried weight — not from pity, but from respect earned through scars.Bennett Industries, the empire that once tried to bury him, now stood reborn as Bennett–Jefferson Holdings. The name was intentional. A message that the past had been redeemed, not erased.The offices buzzed with energy; the employees worked with new hope, knowing leadership had changed hands for the better.Through it all, Jenna was beside him. She had become his steady rhythm — the voice that calmed him when pressure grew, the face that reminded him that peace was possible after pain.She knew how to balance him — when to challenge him, when to stand silent, and when to push him to live outside the walls of his office.They spent long hours side by side, revi
Chapter 58: Sparks of Healing
The weeks after the judgment passed quietly, though the city still whispered Jordan’s name. The media had moved on to newer scandals, but remnants of the Bennett story still lingered in business columns and social chatter.Everywhere he went, people looked at him differently, with respect, some with awe, and others with silent envy.He had become a symbol of survival, of justice, of power reclaimed. But when the cameras turned off and the applause faded, he found little peace in it.Most nights, he sat in the dim light of his penthouse, unable to sleep. Victory had its noise, but silence after it was deafening. He often stared at the ceiling, his thoughts drifting back to Ezra — the man who had believed in him when no one else did.The man whose trust had cost him his life. “You’d have wanted better for all of us,” Jordan muttered one night, his voice barely a whisper.The city lights blinked below him like scattered stars. He reached for a glass of water but paused midway, realising
Chapter 57: Lines of Control
By sunrise, the Bennett building was no longer theirs. Court-appointed auditors arrived early, a convoy of cars pulling up in front of the glass tower that once symbolised arrogance and wealth.They came with sealed orders, escorted by court officers and a handful of Jefferson Group security men.Inside the building, staff whispered nervously as the lead auditor, a tall woman named Mrs. Adisa, addressed them. “We are acting under the authority of the court,” she said firmly. “All departments will cooperate fully. Every document, every transaction record, every contract — we go through everything.”Jordan and Jenna stood in the lobby as the process began. The auditors moved from one office to another, tagging assets, securing files, and collecting devices.Some staff members looked relieved, others defiant.Hensley briefed Jordan quietly. “This is the full charge order. The judge gave them unlimited access to the company’s records. For the next thirty days, Bennett Industries reports d
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