As they walked back to Alex's home, Simon couldn't shake off his disappointment. They had taken a lot of risks, and all for nothing. He couldn't believe they couldn't find anything incriminating about Roland. After walking in silence for a few minutes, Simon decided to voice his thoughts."That was a waste of time," Simon said, shaking his head. "We put ourselves in danger, and we don't have anything to show for it."Alex's eyes narrowed. "I know it didn't work out. But we still have to stay focused and keep trying.""How are we going to do that when Roland's on high alert? He knows someone's after him, and it's only a matter of time before he finds out it's us," Simon argued. He was getting frustrated. He had expected more from Alex - some sort of backup plan.Alex stopped in his tracks, turned to Simon, and put a hand on his shoulder. "I know it's not going how we planned, but we need to keep our head up and stay focused. We got past security once; we can do it again. The plan wi

Alex walked through the hallways with the sound of his shoes echoing in the silence. He couldn't shake off the moment with Simon from his mind. He had been betrayed before, but this one stung more than the others. It was partly because their plan was about to bear fruit and went to hell just before the final stage. But Simon was more than just an ally, he was family.He pushed open a wooden door and found himself in the living room, scanning its emptiness."How many of our guys are still in the estate?" He asked."One," replied Aaron, his assistant. "We had to withdraw most of them yesterday except for the lookout who might have seen something.""What did he see?""Not sure yet. He's still being debriefed.""Good. I need you to tell him to burn everything he has. No traces.""What do you want me to do about Simon?""Nothing," Alex replied with nonchalance. "He's a liability now. I'll deal with him myself."Alex crossed his arms and leaned against the table as he began to think about

The party continued late into the night as the Lafayette family and their guests mingled, laughed and enjoyed each other's company. The mansion was alive with music, chatter, and the scent of holiday treats.Seated at the head of the long oak dining table, Roland watched with satisfaction as his guests dug into the feast the cooks had prepared. From turkey and stuffing to cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes, it was a feast fit for a king. The table was also adorned with various desserts ranging from apple pies to chocolate cakes.Roland lifted his glass of red wine and stood up, commanding the room’s attention. "I propose a toast," he said, smiling at his guests. "To love, laughter, and friendship that never fades."His guests raised their glasses in unison and echoed his words. Seraphina looked at him in admiration as he held her hand tight."To new beginnings, learning from our past mistakes, and spending time with the people we truly care about," Roland added, cheers ringing out

Alex's phone rang again, and he hesitated before answering it.He knew who it was, and he knew he'd have to make a choice soon."Hello?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper.The woman on the other end of the line was a secret he'd been keeping from everyone, including his fiancé, and he knew that if Olivia found out, it would be the end of their relationship.But he couldn't resist his attraction to her, and this made him feel guilty and unsure of what to do."Alex, we need to talk. Now is the time to choose between me or your so-called love," the woman said, her voice husky and full of anger."I can't do this right now, and you know it," Alex replied, feeling trapped."Then when can you?" the woman demanded."I don't know, but I'll figure it out," he said, sounding defeated.The woman on the other end of the line hung up without another word, leaving Alex standing there, staring at his phone.He knew he was in deep trouble, and he didn't know what to do.Alex had worked hard to

Roland lay on the hospital bed, his chest heaving with each labored breath. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead, his body twitching with pain. The doctors worked frantically around him, their faces etched with worry."His blood pressure is through the roof," muttered a doctor, peering at his vitals. "We need to bring it down, fast.""His potassium levels are dangerously low," chimed in another, frowning at the results on the screen. "It's affecting his heart rate."They exchanged knowing glances. It didn't take a genius to figure out what had caused this sudden breakdown. Alex was really a pain on a neck and besides they agreed to be allies, after donating blood for their father, then he changed.His constant attack for power was really stressful for Roland and running the Lafayette Group as the CEO wasn't easy as well.He had neglected his health condition again.At some point, his body had simply given up."We've got to get him stabilized," said the lead doctor, barking orders to t