CHAPTER 5-
The tension in the room was palpable as everyone watched Henderson’s secretary bring up the contract for the villa. The air was thick with anticipation, and a smug smile played on Rachel’s lips as she watched her new boyfriend, Michael, hesitate. "The villa is not less than fifty million dollars," Henderson announced, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "Are you sure you want to go through with this, Matthew? It’s a hefty price for someone like you." Michael shifted uncomfortably, his confidence wavering as the reality of the situation began to sink in. Fifty million dollars was an astronomical amount, far beyond anything he had imagined. But as he glanced over at Matthew, he convinced himself that this was all a bluff. Surely, Matthew would back out at the last moment, saving him from having to make such a large purchase. Yvonne, standing beside Matthew, looked up at him with concern etched across her face. "Matthew, please," she pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper. "You don’t have to do this. You’re still in debt, and you need to pay Rachel her compensation. This… this isn’t worth it." But Matthew’s expression remained resolute, his eyes fixed on Henderson and the contract that lay on the table. "I’m buying it," he said simply, his voice steady and unwavering. Henderson’s smirk widened as he handed the contract to Matthew, his gaze flicking over to Michael, who was still grappling with his own uncertainty. "You don’t need to fake it, Donovan," Michael sneered, trying to regain his composure. "You can back out now if you don’t have the money. No one will blame you for admitting you’re out of your league." Rachel snickered beside him, her arm looped through Michael’s as she boasted, "That’s right, Matthew. Why don’t you be honest for once? Michael is more than capable of buying this villa for us. He’s a real man, not like you." But Matthew didn’t even flinch at her words. Without a second thought, he picked up the pen and signed his name on the contract, his signature bold and decisive. The room fell silent, the only sound the faint scratching of pen on paper. Matthew then handed the contract to Michael, who hesitated for a moment before steeling himself and signing as well. As they both finished, Henderson’s secretary stepped forward with a card reader, ready to process the payments. Matthew handed over his black card without hesitation, his expression unreadable as he waited for the transaction to go through. Michael, on the other hand, felt his palms begin to sweat as he handed over his own card. He kept his eyes on Matthew, still convinced that the other man’s confidence was nothing more than a façade. Rachel, emboldened by her boyfriend’s apparent success, leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, darling," she purred, "for buying the house for me. I knew you were the right man for the job." But just as the air seemed to fill with their self-satisfied smugness, the secretary returned with a pale expression on her face, her hands trembling slightly as she held up the card reader. "One payment has been successful," she announced, her voice shaking. "But the other… the other card doesn’t have sufficient funds." A stunned silence followed her words, and all eyes turned to Matthew and Michael. Rachel’s smile faltered, confusion flickering in her eyes as she looked from the secretary to her boyfriend. "What do you mean?" Rachel demanded, her voice rising in pitch. "Who doesn’t have the money?" The secretary swallowed hard, her gaze darting to Michael before she spoke again. "Mr. Donovan’s payment has been processed successfully. But Mr. Michael’s card… it was declined. There isn’t enough money in the account to cover the purchase." Rachel’s expression quickly twisted into one of horror as she realized what had just happened. "What? No, that can’t be right! Check it again!" But the truth was already out, and there was no taking it back. Michael’s face had gone ashen, his bravado crumbling as he realized the enormity of his mistake. He had assumed that Matthew was bluffing, that there was no way he could afford such a purchase. But now, it was Michael who had been exposed. "Call the guards!" Rachel shrieked, desperate to regain some semblance of control. "Get him out of here! He’s trying to humiliate us!" But before anyone could move, the door to the office flew open, and Henderson’s boss, the head of the company, came rushing in, his face red with anger and panic. He made a beeline for Henderson, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him aside. "Are you out of your mind?" the boss hissed, his voice barely contained. "Do you know who you’re dealing with? You’ve just made a huge mistake!" Henderson blinked, confusion and fear mixing in his expression. "What are you talking about?" The boss glanced nervously at Matthew before turning back to Henderson. "Matthew Donovan isn’t just some random guy. He’s part of the Donovan family—the same family that owns half the city! You’ve just humiliated yourself in front of one of the most powerful men in the country, and you’re going to pay for it!" Henderson’s face drained of color as the realization hit him. The room was deathly quiet, everyone frozen in place as they processed the gravity of the situation. Rachel, still clinging to Michael, stared at Matthew in disbelief, her mind struggling to catch up. "This can’t be happening…" But it was happening, and there was no escaping the consequences. Henderson’s boss turned to Matthew, his expression filled with a mix of fear and respect. "Mr. Donovan," he said, his voice trembling slightly, "I’m deeply sorry for the way you’ve been treated here today. Rest assured, Henderson will be dealt with immediately." Matthew didn’t respond at first, his gaze sweeping over the room, taking in the shock and disbelief on their faces. Finally, he looked at Henderson, who was now trembling, his earlier arrogance shattered. "You’ve underestimated me," Matthew said quietly, his voice carrying a weight that silenced any remaining protests. "And you’ve underestimated what I’m capable of. Let this be a lesson to all of you—never judge someone by what you see on the surface." With that, Matthew turned and walked out of the office, leaving behind the chaos and the people who had tried to tear him down. He had proven his worth, not just to them, but to himself. And as he stepped out into the daylight, he knew that this was just the beginning of a new chapter in his life—one where he would no longer be underestimated, where he would claim what was rightfully his. As he made his way down the street, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw a message from Yvonne, asking if he was okay. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he typed out a reply. "I’m more than okay. Let’s meet up later—I’ve got a lot to tell you." And with that, Matthew continued on his way, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, knowing that he was stronger, smarter, and more determined than ever before.CHAPTER 6- The office was buzzing with tension as Henderson, still trying to comprehend the events that had just transpired, looked at his boss with a mix of desperation and confusion.“What did I do wrong?” Henderson asked, his voice shaking slightly. “I thought the card that paid for the house belonged to Mr. Donovan, but he’s just some low-life who couldn’t even scrape together enough money for his ex-girlfriend’s compensation. How could he have bought that villa? It doesn’t make any sense!”His boss, clearly frustrated and still reeling from the realization, shot Henderson a sharp glare. “You’re not listening, Henderson! The problem wasn’t with the payment—it was with who made it. You’ve been barking up the wrong tree this whole time. The payment didn’t come from Rachel’s boyfriend, Michael—it came from Matthew Donovan.”Henderson’s face paled as the truth began to dawn on him. “But… but that’s impossible! It was Rachel’s boyfriend, not Donovan! There’s no way he could afford som
As Matthew stepped out of the office, Yvonne quickly followed him, her eyes filled with curiosity and concern. “Matthew,” she called out, catching up to him, “how could you afford such an expensive house? Where did you get the money?”Matthew paused, taking a deep breath before turning to face her. He knew he couldn’t reveal the truth just yet, not when so much was at stake. “It wasn’t me,” he lied smoothly, his voice steady. “It was my boss. He bought the house and used my card to make the purchase. He sent me to buy it on his behalf.”Yvonne’s eyes widened in surprise, relief washing over her face. “Oh, thank goodness. I was so worried about you. Thank you for saving me from the boss. You didn’t have to do that.”Matthew gave her a reassuring smile. “You don’t need to thank me. I couldn’t just stand by and let him treat you that way.”Yvonne nodded, her expression softening as she looked at him with genuine gratitude. “Matthew, maybe it’s better if you pay off the compensation to Ra
chapter 8- The tension in the air was palpable as Matthew Donovan stood at the entrance of his newly acquired villa, watching the confrontation between the guards and the intruders—Rachel, his ex-girlfriend, and Kevin, her brother. The guards, who had been a silent but imposing presence until now, suddenly moved with purpose, catching Kevin by the arm and firmly blocking Rachel’s path.“Let go of me!” Kevin barked, struggling against the iron grip of the guard. Rachel, her face a mix of shock and fury, tried to yank her arm free from another guard's hold.“This house doesn’t belong to you,” the lead guard said, his voice calm but carrying an unmistakable authority. “It belongs to Mr. Donovan. You have no right to be here, and if you don’t leave immediately, you won’t have legs to walk out on.”Rachel’s eyes widened in disbelief, and Kevin’s expression darkened with a mix of fear and anger. “You think you can scare us?” Kevin spat. “I’ll call up the security head of this locality! He’
CHAPTER 9- The next morning, Matthew woke up to the sound of his phone buzzing incessantly on his bedside table. Groggily, he reached for it, squinting at the screen as he saw the name of his assistant, Lexi, flashing across it. He answered the call, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.“Good morning, Mr. Donovan,” Lexi’s voice came through, professional yet warm. “I hope I didn’t wake you too early, but I wanted to inform you that everything is set for tonight’s party. It will be the official announcement that your family’s exile is over, and the beginning of your journey to build your business empire.”Matthew’s heart quickened at the news. He had been preparing for this moment, but now that it was finally here, the reality of it all was sinking in. The Donovan name, once revered and respected, was about to be restored to its former glory. And he, Matthew Donovan, would be the one to lead it into the future.“Thank you, Lexi,” he replied, his voice steady. “I’ll be there tonight.”As t
**Chapter 10** The aftermath of the explosion had left the grand ballroom in ruins. The once opulent space, adorned with chandeliers and intricate décor, was now unrecognizable, covered in debris and the remnants of shattered glass. The pungent smell of smoke lingered in the air, mixing with the acrid scent of fear that clung to the guests. Emergency responders had arrived swiftly, their flashing lights casting an eerie glow over the devastation. The lively chatter and music that once filled the room were replaced by the sounds of sirens, the cries of the injured, and the hushed whispers of those trying to make sense of the chaos. Matthew Donovan and Yvonne had managed to escape the immediate danger, but the night was far from over. They had sought refuge in a nearby alley, away from the scene of destruction. The narrow passageway was dimly lit, the shadows stretching ominously across the brick walls. The night air was crisp, and the adrenaline was still coursing through Matthew’s ve
**Chapter 11**The city’s skyline loomed in the distance as Matthew, Yvonne, and Lexi drove through the night, their breaths visible in the chill of early morning. The tension inside the car was palpable, each of them lost in their own thoughts about what awaited them. Victor Marlowe’s name was a dark cloud hanging over their mission, and the stakes had never been higher.As they approached Marlowe’s office building—a sleek, modern structure towering over the surrounding buildings—Matthew’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. He could feel the weight of the night’s events pressing on him, but his resolve remained unwavering. This confrontation could reveal the mastermind behind the attack and bring him one step closer to reclaiming his life and business.They parked and exited the car, their footsteps echoing in the empty street as they made their way to the building’s entrance. The grandeur of the lobby was a stark contrast to the chaos they had left behind, its polished floors and
**Chapter 12**The morning light was harsh against the polished surfaces of Matthew's office, illuminating the exhaustion etched into his features. The weight of the previous night’s encounter with Victor Marlowe had settled heavily on him, amplifying his sense of urgency. With Marlowe's threat looming, Matthew had no choice but to confront the chaos head-on.Yvonne and Lexi were already there, their faces mirroring the same determination that fueled Matthew. The three of them were about to delve deeper into Marlowe's plans, and the stakes had never been higher. Lexi had been tirelessly searching through Marlowe’s financial records, while Yvonne focused on gathering information from her network of contacts.“I’ve got something,” Lexi announced, her voice trembling slightly from both fatigue and adrenaline. She handed Matthew a thick folder filled with printed documents. “These are Marlowe’s recent transactions. I think they could lead us to his next move.”Matthew flipped through the
**Chapter 13**Matthew’s phone call with Lucas Marlowe was terse and loaded with tension. Lucas had requested a meeting to discuss “unfinished business,” hinting at insider knowledge that could be crucial for Matthew’s plans. Reluctantly, Matthew agreed, knowing the encounter could provide vital clues or unravel another layer of the conspiracy.The rendezvous was set for an upscale café known for its discreet ambiance. As Matthew and Yvonne arrived, the city buzzed around them, oblivious to the high-stakes game unfolding in their midst. Lucas was already seated at a corner table, his demeanor casual but his eyes sharp with a hidden agenda.“Matthew,” Lucas greeted, a smirk playing on his lips. “I’m glad you could make it.”Matthew took a seat opposite Lucas, his gaze unwavering. “What do you want, Lucas? I’m not in the mood for games.”Lucas leaned back, examining his polished nails with feigned disinterest. “Straight to the point, I see. Well, let’s just say I have a few things that