2024-04-07 23:51:27
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
CHOSEN AS THE TRILLIONAIRE'S HEIR OPENING STATEMENT
Just like Marcus had stubbornly agreed, there began a court feud between him and his father, Mr Cyrus. Marcus hurriedly hired a council and alerted his lawyer of the legal battle on ground, and they got prepared for war. One would commend Marcus for the bravery he had, to take things up with his father at court when he knew that he was in the wrong. Days passed, and the day for the first hearing came along. The two men prepared themselves and went to court. The hushed murmurings of the courtroom were abruptly silenced as the heavy wooden doors swung open. All eyes turned towards the entrance as the principals in the legal conflagration made their way inside. Leading the procession was the towering, imperious figure of Mr Cyrus, the family patriarch, corporate titan, and the implacable plaintiff bringing these proceedings against his own son. Mr Cyrus strode forwards with measured, deliberate steps, his aristocratic features set in a mask of stern determination beneath his swept back
CHOSEN AS THE TRILLIONAIRE'S HEIR EXTENSION
"We would concede to all that the plaintiff's attorney has said, if not that they were lies fabricated to give a bad impression of the truth. However, Your honor, we on the defence council would not sit back down and let lies be woven on our heads. Was my client upset about his father's choice over him? Of course any normal human being whose right was taken from him and given to someone else would be upset. But we cannot just run to conclusions, can we? But to say that a father trying to bring justice to his own violated daughter is as a result of a grudge of some heirdom that has no value in comparison to his daughter's life is the height of delusion. Your honor, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, in these proceedings, the defence council would show you that the defendant is innocent, and only just a father who loves his child, unlike some other fathers who may throw theirs for total strangers."The lawyer shot Marcus a sidelong look after he spoke, hoping that his client had followed
CHOSEN AS THE TRILLIONAIRE'S HEIR SURPRISE WITNESS
Randall Dickens spent the break working deep into the night, poring over Mr Cyrus's evidence like a forensic archaeologist. He meticulously sifted through the accumulated evidence to unearth any inconsistencies or potential landmines that could weaken his case. His client, Mr Cyrus remained stoic but emotionally drained. Having his family dragged out into the glare of public scrutiny had been agonising enough, even though he wanted to teach Marcus a lesson. But to endure the coming trial-by-fire of dissection on the stand promised to inflict a whole new brand of psychological problems. For Marcus Royale's defence team, however, the break amounted to little more than a brief opportunity to find lies and excuses to weave on their case. From the outset, they'd been outdone, and thoroughly routed by Dickens's withering arguments. Their only realistic hope was to gain some miraculous traction in the crucible of cross-examination. And they were not exactly big on miracles. They were lazy,
CHOSEN AS THE TRILLIONAIRE'S HEIR HIS WIFE TESTIFIED
Jackie drew a steadying breath, steeling herself as she prepared to drop her answer she was sure would implicate her father. She didn’t want her father to go to jail, but she just couldn’t bring herself to tell such a big lie against Ellis. She wasn’t a perfect person, but lying against Ellis in this way was a line she just couldn't cross. "Yes," she replied, enunciating each syllable as if savouring the opportunity to commit these words to the immutable official record. "He forced me to lie about being raped by Ellis for a reason I am not aware of."The resentment she had against her father was evident in Jackie's voice. She hated how her father had treated her for the past days since the allegation against Ellis was made. The jury visibly shook at the bluntness of this final admission, her statement resounding across the courtroom like a thunder-clap. On the opposing side, Marcus stared at his daughter with what could have been mistaken for a penetrating glare, were it not for th
CHOSEN AS THE TRILLIONAIRE'S HEIR ENOUGH EVIDENCE
Mr Cyrus was given the opportunity to level his evidence against Marcus. Mr. Cyrus took a deep breath as he approached the witness stand. The courtroom fell silent as he was sworn in. Across the aisle, Marcus sat stone-faced beside his lawyer, undoubtedly concocting another pack of lies to wiggle out of this predicament. But not this time. This time, Mr. Cyrus had ammunition that would blow Marcus's house of cards to nothingness."Mr. Cyrus," the prosecutor began. "Please show to the court the evidence that you claim to have against the defendant, Mr. Marcus Royale and go on to tell us how you got the evidence."Mr Cyrus nodded, as if to show that he understood the question. Then he began. "First, I approached Jackie. I had to be sneaky about it because her father was keeping her sequestered away. I spoke with her to confirm her side of the story, and worked to secretly have her brought here to testify publicly. But I still have a recording of our conversation from that night.”He br
CHOSEN AS THE TRILLIONAIRE'S HEIR THE FINAL SENTENCE
All eyes were glued to Marcus, who had gone utterly pale and clammy. He looked like a man already behind bars, the life slowly draining from his eyes as he understood his meticulously crafted lies were now worthless. The cocky sneer he had worn at the start of proceedings was nowhere to be found, and was now replaced by the haunted look of someone who knew they were out of moves.His lawyer didn't even bother trying to object. He simply sank back into his chair, looking as shell-shocked as his client. All his well-rehearsed arguments, all his grandstanding for the sake of bilking a rich client had all amounted to nothing in the face of such damning, unarguable proof. Meanwhile, Mr Cyrus couldn't help but feel a sense of grim satisfaction wash over him. All those sleepless nights spent agonizing over how to protect Jackie and bring Ellis's offender to justice had led to this decisive moment. He stole a glance over at Jackie, who was seated in the gallery with red-rimmed eyes, her sligh
CHOSEN AS THE TRILLIONAIRE'S HEIR UNREQUITED LOVE
Ellis's return back to the company made Zoey realize that she had missed him so much. She hugged him and cherished their every moment together because they could just easily go away as they had done before. She had been confused the first time when she heard the allegation that Ellis had raped someone. She had doubted the news because she didn’t think Ellis was capable of that. She was glad that Ellis had been declared innocent.Soon, it was more than just cherishing the moments. Zoey found out that she had begun to have feelings for Ellis. They had worked closely together before he had been arrested, set free on bail and had to stay at home before the trial. She looked forward to their time more, she also noticed that she was trying to look beautiful right before talking to Ellis. She knew what was happening, but she kept denying what was going on within her. It was just the familiarity, she would tell herself, but soon she couldn’t deny it anymore. She wasn’t after his money, but sh
CHOSEN AS THE TRILLIONAIRE'S HEIR HEARTBROKEN ZOEY
The Royale Company always had an annual office party where the employees were celebrated for their work every year. Different awards and prizes were given to diligent workers to encourage them to keep up the good work. This time, it was at the third quarter of the year as opposed to the previous year when it was at the end of the year. The party was a chance for all the different business units and departments to mix and mingle, and this meant for Zoey that Ellis would come around and they could mingle once again. She was looking forward to the party only because of Ellis.It was a warm summer evening and Zoey had arrived at the company's big annual office party, held in the elegant courtyard of the company's building's plaza. She made sure to dress to the nines just because of Ellis, hoping that he would be there to see her. She wore a body fitting dress that exposed a little cleavage. The black dress stuck to her skin and complimented her complexion. To match with the dress, Zoey ca
Latest Chapter
THE FINALE
The bell above the door jingled merrily as Ellis pushed it open, cradling his newborn son Derek in his arms. Zoey watched them both, her face glowing with joy and fatigue after the difficult labor. After the tumultuous path that had led him here - the battles with rivals, the crushing workload, the periods of self-doubt - he had truly found peace at last. His company was thriving, his beautiful wife was by his side, and now they had brought new life into the world. As he gazed down at Derek's tiny, scrunched-up face, Ellis felt a surge of fierce, protective love unlike anything he had experienced before. "Welcome, little man," Ellis murmured, leaning down to kiss his son's head. The click of stiletto heels on hardwood announced the arrival of Amelia, Ellis's indispensable executive assistant. Her usual brisk demeanor melted into a warm smile as she caught sight of the family. "Congratulations, you two," she said, placing a gentle hand on Derek's back. "He's absolutely precious." Zo
FORGIVEN
Emily nodded, finally finding her voice after reining in her tears. "Thank you, truly. I don't even know what to say beyond how grateful I am that you're both willing to start taking steps toward forgiveness," She paused, swallowing hard against the lump in her throat."I hurt you both in such an unfair, selfish way and I'll regret that forever. You didn't deserve that at all," Emily went on, her eyes glistening with sincerity. "But I hope I can show you both through my sustained actions and personal growth that I'm not that toxic, jealous person anymore who let obsession cloud my judgment so severely."Zoey gave her a sad smile, her eyes still holding remnants of past hurt. "It's going to take time, Emily. A lot of time. You have to understand how profoundly your lies and manipulation destabilized my relationship with Ellis.""I know," Emily replied solemnly. "And I don't expect your forgiveness or renewed trust to come easily at all. I'll need to prove myself over and over again. I'
A STEP FORWARD
As she drove away, Emily couldn't help but let the tears flow freely. She cried for the hurt she had caused and the potential permanent damage she may have done to their relationship. She cried at the thought of Ellis's disappointed look when he realized she had tried to take advantage of him and his vulnerability during his close breakup with Zoey. And she cried over the self-loathing and remorse she felt for letting herself become such an ugly, selfish person for a period of time due to her unhealthy jealousy.Deep down, Emily realized she may have permanently burned the bridge of friendship with Ellis and her based on her actions. While she desperately hoped she could prove herself changing through therapy and personal growth, the possibility that their close bond of trust could never be salvaged was very real. And she would have to live with that heavy burden knowing she had brought it all upon herself. Over the next several weeks, the silence and distance from Ellis and Zoey was
SHE SEEKS FORGIVENESS
Emily paced back and forth nervously in her living room. Tomorrow was Ellis and Zoey's first anniversary and she had finally decided it was time to come clean and apologize for the lies and manipulation she had put them through around the time of their dating some time ago. She knew that they may not listen to her, but she had found love with someone, and she was trying to turn a new leaf for him. She wanted him to see that she was serious about changing her spiteful character, and hoped to show her love for him that way. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. This was the right thing to do, regardless of how awkward or uncomfortable it might be. Ellis and Zoey deserved the truth and a sincere apology from her after everything that had happened.Emily thought back to how it had all started over a year earlier. She had been harboring feelings for Ellis, long before he had started dating Zoey. But thinkingback, she knew that she never truly loved Ellis. She had just been aft
DEFEATED THE EVIL
Meanwhile, in Ellis’ mind, he was in a chamber he didn’t recognise, standing alone. He looked around but he couldn’t find a way out of the place. There were no walls, no windows, no lower basement entrance. He tried touching the walls to see if there was a secret passage, but nothing happened. He called out several times, but got no response. He didn’t know what to do, and though he vaguely knew that it was a dream, he still felt a little weird, like it was actually happening. After several failed attempts to escape the weird chamber, he sat on the floor and began to meditate.He tried to reach for his aura deep within him, to see if it could somehow lead him out of there. He could feel the Qi, but it was not obeying his command. It was like it was locked down somehow. But he didn’t give up, he remained in a meditative pose, and calmed himself down till his heart rate slowed considerably. While in that state, he heard a voice. “Congratulations, you passed the test. I made the right c
HONEYMOON
For their honeymoon, Zoey was ecstatic when Ellis took her to the Maldives. She had always wanted to visit there. And not just that, Ellis had also purchased a private island in Zoey’s name, so she could always come there at any time. He planned to have a beach villa built there later so they could use it as a vacation spot, but for the time being, just a log cabin had been erected. The log cabin had modern amenities, like a hot tub, kitchen with up to date appliances, running water, a standby generator, etc. But it also had rustic features like a real fireplace with a chimney, an outdoor grill pit, a cleared out campsite, and a small lake instead of a swimming pool.The place was beautiful. They spent their first night there in bed all day, then they slept till afternoon. After waking, their meal had already been prepared by the local chef Ellis had hired. He didn’t want Zoey stressed out during the honeymoon, she would only cook if she chose to. Hehad so many activities planned for
WEDDING
As the months ticked by, everything slowly started falling into place. Zoey's dress was altered to perfection. The venue was booked and the menu tasting was complete — they selected a seasonal tasting menu with locally-sourced ingredients. The cake was a delicious vanilla sponge with tart lemon curd filling and a Swiss meringue buttercream frosting. One of Zoey's favorite touches was Gemma's idea to have a "coffee bar" at the reception with gourmet coffee drinks, flavored syrups and delicious accompaniments like biscotti and cannoli. She knew their guests would appreciate a delicious caffeinated pick-me-up after dancing the night away.In the last few weeks leading up to the wedding, Zoey was a bundle of nervous excitement. She tried her best to get enough rest and stay hydrated, knowing she needed to be in top form for the biggest day of her life. Ellis, on the other hand, seemed to take everything in stride. His calm, steady presence was invaluable for keeping Zoey grounded when she
PROPOSAL
Ellis took a deep breath as he looked across the candlelit table at Zoey. Her eyes sparkled in the flickering light and her dark hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders. After so much time together, he knew this was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He reached across the table and took her hand in his. "Zoey, we've been through so much together these past several months. You've supported me every step of the way as I took on the challenging role of CEO at Royale Company. You're my partner, my best friend, my everything. I know some people may find it too soon, or some may say that you’re after my money. But I know in my heart that what we have is real. " He paused, his heart pounding in his chest as he got on one knee, and brought out a custom made diamond ring that cost a hundred million dollars. Zoey gasped. "I don't want to imagine my life without you by my side. Zoey, will you marry me?"Zoey's eyes went wide and she brought her hands up to cover her mou
IN JAIL
George, for his part, saw his gilded life come crashing down in what felt like an incomprehensible nightmare. Gone were the bravado, the vainglorious sense of entitlement, the belief that he could indulge in whatever impulse struck him without consequence. His charmed existence had been brutally ripped away, replaced by the sullen, emasculating confines of a jail cell and the prospect of an incarceration looming ahead. Just like his brother, Marcus. Stripped of his identity, his wealth, and the support system that enabled his wanton ways, all George was left with was to reckon with his shattered sense of self. None of his party friends even visited, or tried to help him. He thought they would have his back, but now his eyes had cleared.His thoughts often drifted to Lisa, the wife whose unconditional love he had so wantonly discarded in pursuit of shallow gratification. Was it truly worth sacrificing everything — his marriage, his family, his father's pride and the staggering family f