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FROM ASHES TO BILLIONS. Chapter 16: Run
Layla stared at the text in her phone, her heart pounding vigorously in her chest. Her hands shook slightly as she scrolled through the message again —Blurry photos of her and Nicholas exchanging parcels of illegal drugs. Her anger boiled over. These threatening photos meant only one thing.Someone with evil intentions knew about her secret business.She slammed the phone down on the kitchen counter, pacing the room as her mind raced. Her business with Nicholas was supposed to remain hidden and she had taken procedures in carrying out all of their deals in remote locations, so how?“Adrian…Could he be...?” She whispered, then shook her head fiercely. Just because Adrian messed up her project event didn't mean he knew everything about her. He was no superhero.It had to be someone else, but who…? Her mind raced. She had spent years building her reputation as a successful business woman, but behind that mask was the reality no one knew about –the offshore accounts, the money laundering
FROM ASHES TO BILLIONS. Chapter 17: You Must Pay For What You Did
Layla leaned closer in growing panic, refusing to allow her brain register his words. Her hands trembled as it ran over his face, trying to access the level of damage. “Tell me…who did this? What went wrong?! Why didn't you call the boys for backup?"“R-u-n-” Nicholas repeated through broken lips. “It's… not safe for you…in here…”Layla turned around to scan the small room for any dangerous or threatening movement, but it was empty, just the two of them. She turned to him while wondering why he wanted her to run.“I'm not leaving you here!” She insisted, rushing to the back of the chair. She dipped her hand into her purse and brought out a short knife to cut the heavy ropes. “What the fuck happened?!”“He messed with me, that's what happened,” A calm voice replied, so low that it sounded almost like a whisper.Layla paused, her brows arched. That voice didn't belong to Nicholas. It belonged to…Slowly, she lifted her head to look into those amber eyes. It was Paige, Adrian's sister!
FROM ASHES TO BILLIONS. Chapter 18: An Eye For An Eye
“Why?” Lucian chuckled. “You cannot do it?”“Do you have evidence?” Layla said, panting. “There's no evidence that I had a hand in your sister's kidnap! You cannot force me to do your biddings just because you feel wronged!”In response, Adrian brought out his phone and played the evidence of Layla's several mistreatment of Paige. At the sight, Layla winced and looked away.“The media would celebrate over this valued piece of information, don't you think?” Adrian smiled.“How did you get your hands on that?!” Layla screamed, frustration building up inside her. How had Adrian uncovered the secrets she had carefully hidden for years? How long had he been watching her? How much did he know?!This jerk was driving her crazy!“That look on your face tells me you're convinced,” Adrian tsked. “Tell the media the truth yourself. I'm giving you an easy alternative, but again, you can pick your poison. Should I release the video or you'd do the confession yourself,”Panic clawed at Layla and sh
FROM ASHES TO BILLIONS. Chapter 19: A Doom Greater Than Doom.
Felix knocked on the door gently and upon permission to enter, he stepped into the broad room with a tray containing coffee. “Is she okay?” Felix asked, placing the tray in front of Adrian. His brows narrowed at the sight of Paige asleep on the large bed.“She had a panic attack,” Adrian replied slowly, but the anger in his voice was thick. “She had a fucking panic attack!"Felix shifted closer, his hands reaching out to touch Adrian, as if doing that would flush away the reality of the situation. “She'll be fine…”“She's been talking in her sleep too and crying,” Adrian said, a bit of trembling in his voice. “They broke her,”“She's safe now,” Felix whispered. “We have to bring her to accept that she isn't on the run anymore,”“How about the trauma she faced in the hands of that bitch? How long would it take for her to heal?” Adrian said, shaking his head. “it could take years,”“As long as you're always by her side, then it wouldn't take that long. You have to give her the affectio
FROM ASHES TO BILLIONS. Chapter 20: To Tame A Tiger.
Layla ran a hand through her thick, disheveled hair as she stared at the mirror. Her reflection stared back at her as if mocking her —a scrawny old woman with a dirty aura and a repulsive face.After the press conference, she had locked herself inside her room for days, refusing to come out or to see anyone. The voices of the taunting crowd still played in her head and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get rid of it.Was this how she fell?From a popular queen in her queendom to a worthless butterfly?“No!” She screamed, throwing everything on the vanity table. “No! I refuse to go down like this…! No…no…”Blood roared in her ears and her stomach clenched like it was refusing to accept her words. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears, almost like it was trying to break free from the bleakness of her future.The humiliation.The national disgrace.Adrian's mocking eyes, that bastard!A click sounded as the door pushed open forcefully. Layla jumped as she turned to look at the in
FROM ASHES TO BILLIONS. Chapter 21: Adrian's Weak Spot.
Sir…I know you told me not to disturb, but I'm afraid there's something urgent that requires your attention,” Adrian sighed as he looked up from his desk to stare at his secretary. Then he let out a short-lived smile. “This information had better be worth it, Rose,”“Yes sir. There's a man at my desk causing a scene. The same man that you forbade from seeing you for two months. The securities are trying to get him out, but he won't budge. He insists on seeing you,”Adrian scoffed. “John is here?”“Sh…should I call the police, sir?” “No, tell the security to let him in,” Adrian said, a sly smile tugging at the corners of his lips.Rose bowed in response and walked out of the office. A few seconds later, the door opened to reveal Ryan standing at the entrance. His collar was rough and there were few bruises on his lips. He looked pissed.Adrian grinned. “You of all people should know that every company has rules. I won't apologize for my guards decision to throw out a piece of trash
FROM ASHES TO BILLIONS. Chapter 22: Plans X Capture.
Adrian wiped off the bead of sweat that had gathered on his forehead with a frown. Climbing into his limousine, he briefly closed his eyes, as if doing that would erase some of the tiredness in his bones.Soon, his mind shifted to Ryan and he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness, not for Ryan, but for his adoptive parents. After the divorce incident, they had cut off all traces and connections with him, and never visited him in prison even once, claiming that he had ruined their image.Despite his several attempts at a reunion, they had brutally rejected him —no doubt as a result of Ryan's influence. Right now, he missed them and wished they had allowed him to explain things.His fists clenched unknowingly as he recalled the painful memories. Ryan kept taking things from him. He seemed to be involved in every misfortune that came his way —like an incurable airborne plague.But not again!He won't sit back like a fool and let anyone take what belonged to him anymore. He had done so
FROM ASHES TO BILLIONS. Chapter 23: Oops, Adrian is Dead!
Silas swallowed nervously and opened his mouth to speak but snapped it shut when nothing came out. The air in the room had shifted into a chilled, dark aura that made him almost want to piss in his pants.His palms became clammy as he stared into Adrian's fierce blue eyes. He swallowed repeatedly as cold sweat broke on his face. Damn, he was in deep shit.“Don't hurt me, please…” Silas started, his teeth clattering. “I was only doing my job,”Adrian scoffed. “Job? You call attempting to murder people a job? Yeah, that speaks so highly of you,”Silas shook his head. “I didn't attempt to murder you. Honestly, I don't even know what the fuck you're talking about! You're mistaking me for someone else. I only happened to drive on that street, just when your car crashed. Please, just…just let me go,”Adrian let out a humorless laugh. It was the audacity for him. His chest burned with anger and he grabbed Silas’s chin, digging his fingers into his cheeks. Silas groaned in pain and thrashed a
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- FROM ASHES TO BILLIONS.
Chapter 33: Who Pierced The Tyres?
The manager accessed the situation for a moment before frowning at Sophie. “Don't you know that this is a business center and not a playground?! Why is there so much noise in my company?”Sophie bowed her head. “I'm sorry sir, but this man came in here with such rudeness that couldn't be tolerated. He insulted me and called me all sorts of names. I had to involve you,”The manager turned to Adrian, his eyebrows raised into a tight scrutinizing look. “Who are you to come in here to harass my staff?” He directed an angry look towards Sophie. “Call security to throw him out and make sure you don't allow riffraffs like this into my shop again!”“How very professional of you to throw blame,” Adrian replied, his tone twisted with dark sarcasm. “Don't you have any CCTV around here? You can check it out and see who is truly in the wrong,”The manager flinched at the sharpness in Adrian's tone, but Sophie quickly interrupted. “Can you hear the sauciness in his voice, sir? That's exactly what k
- FROM ASHES TO BILLIONS.
Chapter 32: Delusional.
Adrian scoffed, placing a hand on the counter while staring at Sophie like she was some piece of bug that just shat on his face. “Look here, don't you think you're a little too old for this kind of immature behavior? Security? No, I think you should call the manager, let him explain why he employed an irresponsible staff,”Sophie's face reddened with mad rage. She opened her mouth, stuttered, then snapped it shut again before stomping a hand on the counter. “W…hat did you just call me?”“I didn't mince words. If you were responsible, you wouldn't be picking a fight with a customer who was minding their business,”“I don't blame you. Give me some time and I'll make sure Layla locks your pathetic ass in prison once again. You won't get to see daylight ever again,”“It'll take the whole of Layla's minions put together to pull out a strand of my hair, talk more of inventing another stunt to land me in prison,” He chuckled, flipping his hair back. “Oh, you didn't know? At the mention of my
- FROM ASHES TO BILLIONS.
Chapter 31: Trouble At The Car stand.
At the sight of the beautiful cars on display, Paige wrapped an excited hand across her mouth with a gasp. “Wow! Y…you want to get a car?”“For you, yes. Even when you cannot drive,” Adrian teased.“And who told you I can't drive?” She replied with a small smile, her eyes roaming the place. “That brat forced me to learn a lot of things including driving a car,” Then she jumped dramatically, wrapping an excited hand around his broad muscles. “Big brother with the funds! Thank you for planning this beautiful surprise for me! I feel so seen, I won't even lie,”Adrian scratched her hair lovingly. “I want to make your day special, my princess, so focus your thoughts on me and me alone,”“Yes, please. My thoughts belong to no one else but you today,” She chuckled, and they both laughed, walking to the sales counter where a plum brunette lady was writing something on a piece of paper.“Good morning. Please I'd like to buy a car. The black Bugatti over there,”“Oh, yes sir. Welcome. Which of
- FROM ASHES TO BILLIONS.
Chapter 30: Taking The Bull By The Horn.
At the words, Cyrus's face twisted into a mask of fury. “That bastard? I thought you had gotten him to know his damn place,”Ryan gulped down alcohol before releasing a low belch. “I swear, he's doing the most. We need to get him out of the way or at this rate, he'll end up dragging us down to hell,”Cyrus expression changed into that of rage. His blood roared in his ears and his fist curled into a tight ball. “Because of his family, my mum abandoned and left me to rot. Can't he read the fucking room and stay out of our way? After I kill him, then I kill my mother. Case closed,”“Are you still pissed with Elizabeth? It's been such a long time and you're obviously doing well without her,”“She fucking lied to me!” Cyrus glared. “She lied to my face about coming back for me. Do you know what I had to endure living in that bloody orphanage while waiting for her? She pursued her greed and never showed up, not even once! What now? I should just forgive her?”Ryan waved his hands. “Whatever
- FROM ASHES TO BILLIONS.
Chapter 29: Meeting With An Ally.
Adrian's hands reached out for the mug of coffee before him and he took a quick sip. A gentle sigh escaped his lips and he groaned before looking up to Felix whose face was squeezed into a petty frown. "Hey, you wanted to say something earlier. I'm listening,”Felix expression was tight as his frown deepened.“That's weird, don't you want to concentrate on your work anymore?"“I'm the boss. I can do whatever I want,” Adrian smirked, his aim to provoke the other man further.“The information was urgent and I came in here with a lot of vibes. You killed the excitement when you asked me to wait until you were done with work,” Felix growled, his lips pulled into a feigned pout. “Sorry, but the mood is gone. Can I leave now?”Adrian chuckled. “You're being petty,” He sighed. “Look, just accept the fact that you came in at the wrong time. I was attending to some international clients,”“That couldn't wait?” Felix said, sounding like a jealous lover. “Well, you'll have to bribe me to spill
- FROM ASHES TO BILLIONS.
Chapter 28: Playing To Win.
Ryan tapped a nervous knuckle on the desk of his office. With his left hand, he flipped a cigarette expertly and hissed as the light smoke trailed into the air. His brain was whirling, the thoughts muddled and scattered all over the place.He had to do something to revive his almost bankrupt company before it was too late. He couldn't afford for everything he had ever worked for to go down the drain, and most importantly, he couldn't risk letting Adrian win.That would mean suicide.Straightening his back, he felt a sharp pain course through him and he hissed. The place where Adrian's men had beat him up that day still hurt, like a motherfucker.Mixed with the pain, he felt raw fury travel through his body. Gosh, he had never felt this vivid in his entire life. He wish he had some sort of super powers to blot out this poison that was slowly crippling him —Adrian.“It's okay, Ryan…it's okay. Take a deep breath,” He whispered to himself, his fists clenched. “It's not your fault. You wer
- FROM ASHES TO BILLIONS.
Chapter 27: Fake Make-up Artist.
Elizabeth scoffed, and then she stuttered like she hadn't heard him well. “W…hat the heck did you just say?”“You need evidence?” Lucian replied with a light chuckle, brandishing his phone in the air. “I can show you if you want,”“Don't play games with me, Adrian. I'm warning you,”“No, I think you started the games first. Why blame me now that it's blowing up in your face?”“What did you do to Layla? l swear I'll kill you, you slime! Don't you dare mess with me!”“So it's okay if you mess with me by trying to kill my sister? Haven't you done enough?” Lucian chuckled dryly. “I see you twisted the law of retributive justice to suit your sick psychotic behavior, so why froth at the mouth when I'm returning your vibes? Isn't it aura for aura again?” Lucian asked, his voice a bit raised. He shrugged when she didn't reply. Then he walked up to trace the lines around her face. She shuddered, trying to push him back, but his fingers dug deeper. When he saw her wince, he released her and w
- FROM ASHES TO BILLIONS.
Chapter 26: Paige in Danger.
Adrian walked into the VIP section of the hotel where he was to meet with Elizabeth. He tapped the small, nearly invisible buds on his ears and said softly.“I just arrived, and I think she has my sister in there. Whatever we do now must be to ensure that Paige is safe,”“Yes, young master,”“Alright, I have to go now, these bastards are up to me,” Adrian said as two hefty men walked up to him. “Adrian Lancaster?” One asked roughly.“Didn't your boss give you a detailed description of me? What's with the stupid question? Do you want to lose your tongue?” Adrian snapped in irritation. “Where the hell is my sister?”“You have to cooperate for things to go well, Mr Adrian,” The man replied, scanning the environment to ensure there was no danger lurking around. He turned to Adrian. “Surrender yourself to be searched,"Without giving him a chance to respond, the two men proceeded to pat him down roughly before leading him to a private lodge.Inside the room, a shudder ran through his spin
- FROM ASHES TO BILLIONS.
Chapter 25: A Requirement For Saving.
Adrian sat in the lobby of the hospital waiting room, his hands resting on his chin. His thoughts were in disarray, shambled, like the after remains of a war.Felix sat behind him, wanting to speak, but couldn't. The atmosphere was gloomy and reeked of tension. Maybe it was the uncertainty of the poor driver's survival, or maybe it was the young master's creepy silence.“Keep an eye on Ryan to make sure he doesn't try anything funny. I don't know if I'll be able to stop myself the next time he provokes me,” Felix nodded. A lump gathered at the back of his throat and he swallowed hard, feeling uneasy.“What is it, Felix? I know you want to say something, so say it,” “Umh…” Felix cleared his throat. “There's something you need to know, young master. I mean I'm not sure how you might react to the news, considering everything that has been happening in the last few days,”“Speak,” Adrian commanded.“Your father…” Felix started slowly. “He isn't your grandfather's only son. You have an u
