Chapter Forty-TwoHenry woke up to the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. The empty side of the bed told him Jasmine had already left. He sat up, stretching, when his eyes caught a note left neatly on the nightstand.*Gone to work. Have a great day. Love you.*He smiled, shaking his head in admiration. Even though she had barely slept after yesterday’s chaos, she had still risen early to take on her new responsibilities as chairwoman of Woods Empires. He knew how much this meant to her, but he also knew the toll it would take.Jasmine was determined, no doubt, but the staff at Woods Empires weren’t going to make it easy. He had overheard them yesterday—disrespectful whispers, cold stares, and blatant disregard for her authority. They didn’t see her as the powerful woman she was. But instead of reacting, she had buried herself in her work, focusing on the mountain of documents and laptops that covered her desk.Henry admired that about her. She didn’t let anyone get und

Chapter Forty-FourThe ride back from the mall had been quiet until Henry’s mother-in-law’s phone rang. She picked it up with a quick, irritated motion, glancing at the screen. When she saw the caller ID, her eyes narrowed."What is it now?" she muttered before pressing the phone to her ear. Her face quickly shifted from annoyance to shock as she listened."You’re telling me all of it is gone?" Her voice cracked. "How could this happen?"Henry kept his eyes on the road, pretending not to listen, but it was impossible to ignore. His mother-in-law’s face drained of color as she continued the conversation, her fingers gripping the phone so tightly her knuckles turned white.It seemed the elite women’s association had just discovered that their overseas investments, which they had poured their money into, had been part of a scam. This was their prized "get-rich-quick" scheme, a way to fund their lavish lifestyles, designer bags, and shoes. The news hit her like a freight train."Turn the

Chapter Forty-SixAs the black limousine returned, the crowd of women perked up, hoping for another chance to be graced by the presence of the Prince of Dubai. But when the door opened, a chubby, middle-aged Arabian man stepped out. His face was round and flushed, and he appeared uncomfortable in his ill-fitting suit. His eyes darted nervously around the crowd, but he tried his best to maintain composure."Good afternoon, ladies," he began, his voice shaky. "The Prince of Dubai sends his deepest apologies. A national issue arose that required his immediate attention, but he has sent me in his place to assist with your concerns."The women exchanged disappointed glances, sighing in unison. One of them muttered, "He’s too nice for that silly behavior, running off like that."Henry’s mother-in-law, however, didn’t miss a beat. Her face morphed back into its usual arrogant expression. She puffed out her chest, standing a little taller, and said with pride, "I told you all! The Prince wi

Chapter Forty-EightThe room had fallen into a tense, frozen silence the moment Mr. Anderson walked in. His presence alone had commanded the kind of respect that even Don Volko couldn’t ignore. Henry immediately understood the signal from Mr. Anderson, glancing toward him for just a second before averting his gaze, pretending not to know him.Don Volko, on the other hand, was visibly rattled. He knew who Mr. Anderson was—everyone in the business world knew. Mr. Anderson was the right-hand man of the most powerful and mysterious figure on the continent, a man whose mere whisper could change the course of a nation’s fate. The man behind the prestigious HEXAGON CONSORTIUM, a multi-billionaire so powerful, rumors swirled that he could pick and choose who became the president of the country with just a phone call. Volko, who considered himself a big player, suddenly realized he was nothing more than a speck of dirt in front of someone like Anderson. His hands began to tremble, and sweat

Chapter FiftyJasmine buried herself in her work, her mind racing as she flipped through countless documents and reports. The company wasn’t doing well—not by a long shot. Whoever had been managing it before her had done a terrible job. The financial records were a mess, deals had fallen through, and the reputation of the company was slipping. She was determined to make things right, even if it meant working long, grueling hours. She spent her day on her feet, running from one department to the next, trying to get a grip on the situation. Every meeting, every report, seemed to reveal more damage. She didn’t understand how things had spiraled so badly out of control. There was no sense of order, no accountability. And as she sifted through the accounts and finance documents, her frustration grew.That’s when she saw it—a huge, unaccounted million dollars sum of money missing from the company's reserves. Her heart sank as she read through the reports. Jasper. Her brother. He had ta