"Where's your bag? We have to leave." As soon as Alex returned from the owner's office, he sat down and informed Emily."We have to leave?" she scoffed."What do you mean by that?""Apparently, your boss has granted you permission to leave with me early." He told her.Just then, the owner showed up and confirmed that he had indeed granted her permission to leave early.But she was still reluctant to leave there, as she wondered what Alex could have told her boss."What are you waiting for?" He glanced at his wristwatch."We are running late already. We still need to make a stop before reaching our final destination."With reluctance, she grabbed her bags, and they walked out of there together."Where did you say we would be heading to before going to the event?" She asked him.His eyes flicked to her, then back to the road ahead. A mischievous grin played on his lips. "You have to turn some heads tonight, so we need to find you a dress that will leave everyone speechless."She felt w

"What Mr. Thornton did shows that he truly loves you." Santiago smiled.After the three of them were left alone, he turned to Emily and mused, "He's really trying to impress you by competing over something so trivial. But don't forget what I told you earlier: don't get involved with a loser."However, Isabella was furious about Santiago's ridiculous pride. Before Alex could intervene, she decided to confront Santiago directly."You are not to tell me what is right and wrong. Besides, I'm always acquainted with a victor, not a loser." She chuckled."I hope that tells you something."Alex could not believe such words could come out of her mouth, as he was amazed and impressed by them."With a woman like this with me forever, I could surely take over the world if I wish to." He thought inwardly as a smile plastered his face while he momentarily stared at her.Santiago's lips curled into a sneer. "You call him a victor?" His eyes narrowed as he leaned closer, his voice dropping to a mena

"All you need to do is reveal the mission to the public." Alex told Derek."What?! I can't do that." Derek refused. He shook his head. "No, I can't."His blatant rejection despite the control Alex held over him stemmed from a deep-seated fear: if he carried out Alex's plan, Santiago would surely come after him.Alex intentionally stayed silent for some seconds with a smile plastered on his face, much to Derek's surprise."Are you sure you can't?" He scoffed. "I have a question for you...""How long until the agreement expires?" Alex asked, his tone sharp.Derek's eyes dropped to the floor, shame colouring his voice. "Five days," he mumbled.Unexpectedly, Alex let out a dry chuckle. Derek's head snapped up, meeting Alex's gaze with surprise."Five days?" Alex's voice dripped with derision. "And here, I thought you were clever just moments ago."Confusion clouded Derek's face until Alex leaned forward, his eyes boring into Derek's. "The contract, you fool. The original deadline. T

Since Alex had achieved his goal for the day, he finally decided to visit Emily at her house, as she still refused to pick up his calls or reply to his messages.But when he got there, he didn't find her.He then strode to Amara's room to ask about Emily's whereabouts, but was surprised when another person emerged from behind the door."Who are you?" Alex arched his brows, remembering that Emily had told him Amara had no relatives and that Emily was the only person Amara was close to."You are the new tenant?" He could not believe it when the woman told him she had just rented the apartment a few weeks ago."What happened to Amara...the former tenant?" he asked the woman."How am I supposed to know?" The woman shut the door on his face, to his surprise."She definitely didn't know who I am." He muttered as he strode from there to his car. Knowing that Emily would likely be either at school or the mall—though he didn't know the mall's location—he decided to head to the school.As he d

Alex's mind raced as he drove aimlessly through the dimly lit streets, seeking solace in the familiar rhythms of the city. With Henry out of town, his usual confidant was unavailable, leaving him adrift in a sea of troubled thoughts. The local bar, his typical refuge in times of distress, seemed like an empty solution tonight. His problems required more than the numbing embrace of alcohol. Almost unconsciously, he found himself steering towards Emily's house, drawn by an inexplicable pull. As he parked across the street, his eyes locked on Emily's window. He sat motionless, his hands gripping the steering wheel, as a war waged in his mind. "She thinks I'm weak already, and I'm yet to convince her that I'm not," he muttered, his voice barely audible in the quiet car."Won't going to her for consolation make her think I'm vulnerable?" A heavy sigh escaped his lips. "I should head back home or anywhere else." He decided, reaching for the ignition. His hand froze midway as anot