It was 7pm when Ansel arrived at the Castillo mansion. The sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the estate. Feeling exhausted and hungry, Ansel trudged his way into the kitchen. He rolled up his sleeves. His eyes became heavy as he searched for something to eat. In the kitchen, he was greeted by an unusual sight. The housekeeper rested her head against the cold metal surface of the fridge.Instantly alert, Ansel rushed to the housekeeper's side. His hand placed on her forehead as he checked for any signs of fever. Ansel's concern was evident as he spoke. "You need to rest, that's an order," he said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I'll handle things from here. Go to your room and get some sleep, okay? You'll feel better by tomorrow." The old housekeeper flinched at Ansel's sudden touch, her body stiffening in surprise. She quickly regained her composure, mustering a weak smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "No, no, Mr. Ansel. I'm fine, really," she said, her
Thora sat there, eyes wide, mouth agape. She quickly brought her hands to cover her mouth in an attempt to stop herself from screaming.Ansel picked up the fallen towel. Series of curses ran through his mind as he berated himself for not drying off properly before leaving the bathroom.His cheeks flushed with embarrassment and he quickly wrapped the towel around his waist.Ansel walked to his wardrobe and pulled out a fresh shirt. He quickly put on a plain t-shirt and shorts.All while he was changing into his nightwear.Thora couldn't stop staring at him.She had never really paid attention to her husband’s before, but now she couldn't help but notice the bulging muscles and toned physique. And as her eyes drifted lower, she couldn't deny the presence of a certain, "package." He was like a real-life Greek god, with a body that any man would envy and any woman would appreciate. How had she missed this before?Her cheeks burned with embarrassment as she recalled some naughty thoughts
After greeting grandfather, Claire went ahead to greet other members of the family, ignoring Ansel and Thora who she barely noticed.‘Of course she's still the same,’Thora thought to herself, unsurprised by Claire's coldness.In spite of the rumors of Claire's mother's affair, resulting in Claire's illegitimate birth, Thora always tried to be civil with Claire. But Claire's disdain for her remained the same and Thora was used to it by now.Years back, the Castillo's agreed to have a DNA test done, and the results confirmed what people suspected. Claire wasn't actually related to them. This truth was now undeniable.Even with that knowledge, the Castillo family accepted her into the family but never treated Claire and her mother like a true Castillo.Grandfather Kian had ordered that she and her mother be thrown out of the house years later but Thora had secretly begged grandfather Kian to let them stay.But what did she get in return?Claire had accused her of trying to get rid of he
The dark clouds caught Grandpa Kian's attention. He cleared his throat, drawing everyone's eyes to him. "We should head inside. Looks like it might pour any minute.”Everyone nodded in agreement, but suddenly, Claire let out a dramatic wail. All heads turned towards her, their eyebrows raised in question."Grandpa," she whined, putting on her best puppy-dog eyes, "There are some super expensive presents here. I should take them inside with me. It'd be such a shame if the rain ruined them." She finished with an exaggerated pout, as if she was auditioning for a soap opera.Thora couldn't help but roll her eyes at Claire's over-the-top performance.She couldn't believe the nerve of this girl, claiming gifts from the L Company CEO as her own. The CEO didn't even know who Claire was!For a split second, Thora wondered if maybe, just maybe, the CEO did have a thing for Claire. After all, Thora was married to Ansel, and surely the CEO wouldn't go after a married woman.But she quickly shook
It was the morning after the disastrous gift-giving incident at the Castillo mansion. Claire plopped down on the edge of her bed, still feeling the sting of humiliation. The L Company butler had returned the elaborate gifts, claiming the Castillo family was unworthy. She could hardly believe it. It was obvious that the CEO of L group had a thing for her, so why did he change his mind all of a sudden?As she sat there brooding, her mother, Sophia, walked into the room with a huge smile on her face. "Claire, what are you doing moping around? You need to get up and get ready." Claire looked up, puzzled. "Ready for what?" She said dryly.Ms Sophia gave a sly smile, amused by her daughter's ignorance."You're going to the L Company today, of course. I have a feeling the CEO has taken quite a liking to you.". She announced proudly, eyeing her daughter up from head to toe.Ms Sophia wasn't going to let all that happened yesterday slide by so easily.She was going to prove to everyone in
Ansel and Grandpa Luther walked into the L Company building, heading straight for the elevator."Sorry I am late, I had to deal with some issues back home, it's nice to see you again, grandson." Grandfather Luther said, patting Ansel's back. "I will definitely make sure that the new general manager and all those clueless newbies get fired."Ansel sighed. "I should have paid more attention to the company…but I have been busy at the Castillo's"At the mention of the Castillo's, Grandfather Luther felt the need to challenge Ansel about his hidden status.He was still surprised that he hadn't told Castillo's about who he really was.Grandfather didn't know why Ansel was doing it but he also didn't want to be the one to tell grandfather Kian about Ansel.If Ansel was ready to handle all the affairs of the companies home and abroad then it would make him extremely happy.At least, he could get to see his grandson do great things before he died.Grandfather Luther cleared his throat."How is
“Divorce?” Thora’s voice dripped with disbelief. “Who do you think you are, telling me what to do?”Claire’s nostrils flared as anger surged through her, and in a swift motion, she grabbed the glass cup sitting on the table and slammed it down. The glass shattered against the floor with a loud crash, shards scattering everywhere. It wasn’t until she heard the satisfying sound of the glass breaking that her anger felt even remotely manageable. She turned back toward Ansel, a sneer on her face, and then shifted her glare toward Thora.“I’m not blind. I can see clearly that he’s nothing but a stain on our family!” Claire spat out."Our family?" Thora corrected calmly.The sight of the broken shards of glass scattered on the floor infuriated her but she managed to maintain her cool."You can leave my office now, Claire. I have important matters to attend to."Claire felt like she had just heard the most insulting words of her life.She stammered as she tried to come up with a reply."Are
Ansel checked the time on his watch. Two hours until the office closed, and the medical department was peaceful. No patients needed attention.At the end of the street, Anthony waited in the car. Ansel's expression was tight, and Anthony noticed that the young master didn't seem to be in a good mood today.He climbed into the car, shutting the door a bit harder than necessary."Is everything alright, Young master Ansel?" Anthony asked, glancing at Ansel in the rearview mirror.Ansel shook his head. The message from his assistant was still flashing before his eyes. His father, who had abandoned him and his mother years ago, was planning to sell her company. The same company he had taken from her before she passed away.Ansel could hardly believe that his father would dare to do that.But what was he expecting from a man who resulted in dirty tricks to get what he wanted?Anger boiled in Ansel's chest. He suddenly remembered his mother's tears, her desperation as his father's underhande
"Father-in-law Luther," the older man’s voice cracked. He stood a few feet away with his shoulders slouched, looking smaller than anyone had ever seen him. "I wish... I wish I could bring her back, I really do. But I can’t. I know that now. It's all my fault and i apologize for my past mistakes." His eyes darted from grandfather Luther to Ansel. "Please, just let me prove I’m sorry. I want to be part of this family again. We need to live together as one. I want to be with my children again."The memories came flooding back for him. He remembered the day he had pushed his family out, standing there with his new wife and acting like he had won. He had believed he had everything under control, that with Ansel’s mother’s wealth, he could live a life of luxury. It was only now that he realized how much he had truly lost.If he had been patient enough, he would have gotten to find out that grandfather was a rich man. Even the car behind grandfather cost almost a hundred million dollars.M
Ansel stepped out of the courthouse, the cool breeze of early morning ruffling his hair. The property that rightfully belonged to his mother was finally his again.He could still hear the judge’s voice echoing in his head in a calm but authoritative tone, “The court rules in favor of Ansel Luther, granting him full ownership of the property.”His lawyer had done exactly what Ansel had hired him for. No surprises there. With a lawyer of his caliber, victories like this were highly expected.But the image that stuck with Ansel the most was his stepmother’s face as the verdict was announced. She had fought hard to keep what didn’t belong to her, using every underhanded trick in the book, but now it was over.Another thing that was satisfying, though, was watching his father and stepmother's faces as reality hit them.As Ansel approached the garage, a sly grin tugged at the corner of his lips. He could still see the look of shock and outrage on his father’s face, too. His father's su
The morning sun passed through the tall windows of the courthouse, casting long shadows across the polished floor.Ansel stepped through the door, his polished shoes clicking softly as he walked down the aisle toward the front of the courtroom. He had chosen his outfit carefully, a tailored suit, crisp white shirt, and a dark tie that made him look every bit the man he had grown to become.As soon as he entered, heads turned, including those of his father and stepmother, who were seated across the room.His stepmother's brows furrowed when she saw him, her lips pursing in disapproval. Ansel didn’t acknowledge them. Instead, he walked toward the plaintiff’s seat with a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. The kind of smirk that said he had been waiting for this moment. His father, seated a few rows behind the defense table, leaned over to whisper something to his wife. He noticed how his stepmother hissed under her breath, clearly displeased.‘They think I spent my last
In front of the bar, two bulky bodyguards stood with arms crossed, their eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of trouble. The KKK(Kool kat Klub) Bar had a reputation, and they were there to make sure the wrong kind of people didn’t get in without paying for access.Ansel walked up to the door, handed one of the guards a few bills, and received a curt nod in return. They stepped aside, letting him through without a word. He pushed open the heavy door and stepped inside.The place was exactly as it was rumoured to be. The lights were dim, casting a reddish glow over the room.Music pumped through the speakers, loud enough to make his chest vibrate. Girls in skimpy outfits danced on platforms, their movements drawing the attention of the men partying below with drinks in hand and their laughter filling the air.Ansel wasn’t here for the party. He was here for Kael.He scanned the room, his eyes moving quickly from face to face. Kael had a habit of showing up in his bar.Ansel came pre
The group of men rounded the corner, dragging a bulky, heavy-looking bag between them.Ansel’s instincts kicked in the moment he caught sight of them. The stench of powder still lingered in the air from earlier, and it wasn’t hard to piece it all together. This wasn’t cleaning equipment…it was something far more sinister.The men faltered when they saw him and the guy he’d pinned just moments ago, still on his knees and visibly rattled. Their steps slowed, unsure of what they’d just walked into.Ansel loosened his grip on the man he was holding and pushed him aside, stepping forward toward the group. His eyes flicked to the bag they were carrying.“What’s in the bag?” His voice was steady, calm, but his gaze locked onto their faces, looking for any hint of a lie.The man on the floor stammered again, “It’s… it’s just cleaning stuff, I swear.”Ansel sneered, his patience wearing thin. He wasn’t in the mood for more nonsense. He moved closer, his presence alone enough to make them twitc
★★★On their way back, they passed by the MPK building, its towering structure silhouetted against the darkening sky.The government rewards were secured in his bag. Most notably, the key to the advanced medical equipment he had been given. Ansel leaned back in the car seat, his eyes distant as he recalled his stepmother’s chilling words about his sister.He clenched his fists. But now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. There were more pressing matters at hand.“Anthony,” Ansel said, his voice breaking the silence, “Take me to Grove Street. I need to check on something at the warehouse.”Anthony glanced at him through the rearview mirror. “Are you sure? It’s pretty late.”Ansel nodded, his gaze still fixed out the window. “I won’t be long. Just need to make sure everything’s in place.”It was already late at night, and the streets were quiet. The city’s usual noise had died down, and the dim street lights cast long shadows on the empty roads. They made their way through the dark streets
Ansel’s father’s mocking words echoed in his mind, pulling him into old wounds, but the sharp sound of heels hitting the cold marble floor snapped him out of it. He didn’t need to look up to know who was approaching—his stepmother’s presence was always announced by the clinking of her flashy jewelry.She strode into the room with her head held high, diamonds glinting at her neck, wrists, and ears. Ansel didn’t move. His face hardened as she came closer.“Well, well,” she said with a voice laced with false sweetness. “Look who’s back. Here to ask for money again, Ansel?”Ansel slowly looked her over, a cold sneer twisting his lips. His eyes locked on the woman who had torn his family apart so many years ago, the woman who had driven a wedge between his parents, ultimately destroying the family. He felt that familiar surge of anger rising, but he kept his voice level.“Keep. My. Name. Out. Of. Your. Mouth,” he said sharply, his words cutting through the air.His stepmother didn’t flinch
Ansel checked the time on his watch. Two hours until the office closed, and the medical department was peaceful. No patients needed attention.At the end of the street, Anthony waited in the car. Ansel's expression was tight, and Anthony noticed that the young master didn't seem to be in a good mood today.He climbed into the car, shutting the door a bit harder than necessary."Is everything alright, Young master Ansel?" Anthony asked, glancing at Ansel in the rearview mirror.Ansel shook his head. The message from his assistant was still flashing before his eyes. His father, who had abandoned him and his mother years ago, was planning to sell her company. The same company he had taken from her before she passed away.Ansel could hardly believe that his father would dare to do that.But what was he expecting from a man who resulted in dirty tricks to get what he wanted?Anger boiled in Ansel's chest. He suddenly remembered his mother's tears, her desperation as his father's underhande
“Divorce?” Thora’s voice dripped with disbelief. “Who do you think you are, telling me what to do?”Claire’s nostrils flared as anger surged through her, and in a swift motion, she grabbed the glass cup sitting on the table and slammed it down. The glass shattered against the floor with a loud crash, shards scattering everywhere. It wasn’t until she heard the satisfying sound of the glass breaking that her anger felt even remotely manageable. She turned back toward Ansel, a sneer on her face, and then shifted her glare toward Thora.“I’m not blind. I can see clearly that he’s nothing but a stain on our family!” Claire spat out."Our family?" Thora corrected calmly.The sight of the broken shards of glass scattered on the floor infuriated her but she managed to maintain her cool."You can leave my office now, Claire. I have important matters to attend to."Claire felt like she had just heard the most insulting words of her life.She stammered as she tried to come up with a reply."Are