The air in the room grew thick with tension. Nathan reached out, gently taking her hand. “I feel it too, Vanessa. But… we need to be careful. This is our workplace.” He said, gulping down an unhealthy amount of saliva. Nervousness? Fear? She nodded, but didn’t pull away. “I know. But sometimes, you have to take a risk to get what you really want.” Nathan stood up, closing the distance between them. “You’re right. But let’s make sure we’re doing this for the right reasons.” Vanessa’s breath hitched as she looked up at him, her hand gently reaching the surface of his chest, “And what would those reasons be?” Nathan cupped her face in his hands, his thumb brushing her cheek. “Because it feels right. Because we both want this.” Finally, their lips met in a soft, tentative kiss, the spark between them igniting into a full flame. Was Nathan in his subconscious mind? Was he aware that he was engulfed and fully wrapped in the bosom of another lady? A lady he was not dating? His collabo
“Fred. why are you here? It is almost midnight. You should be with your family!” Nathan asked, dodging Fred’s clear and precise question. Fred sighed deeply, already knowing what Nathan had gotten himself into. But he was more angry at Vanessa for being so foolish and ungrateful. Where did she have the guts to walk in to a Reed’s office and seduce him? He had always known better than to trust Vanessa. So was her intent to get pregnant for the head of the Reed empire? Oh, she must be Harley Quinn. “Young master. I understand you might be interested in Vanessa, and I can’t do anything about that. But what I cannot stand is seeing the head of the entire Reed empire stoop so low to..” “Enough, Fred,” Nathan interjected in a commanding tone. “Nothing transpired between us. Yes, I did go far, but nothing more. And whether I chose to love my inferior or not should not be your bone of contention now, should it?” But Fred was not backing down so easily at the smell of danger. It was
The next morning, Nathan found himself freezing himself with cold water from the shower. After what transpired last night at the office, he decided he had to boost his testosterone levels. A low testosterone might have been the reason for giving in too quickly to Vanessa. After an excrutiatingly cold shower, he had breakfast, a mixture of Chicken Burrito, Rice Balls, green soup for vitamins and some fruits all spread richly on the dining table. Again, just like other days, he was eating alone. Nathan had gotten used to the loneliness that engulfed him every damn day. He had learned to stay alone, besides, he was always busy and so, he had no time to feel sad or lonely. His sister came around during weekends and they spent quality time together. After graduation from college, Marcus travelled out of London. He wanted to breathe African air. Neil stayed back. Nathan offered him the position of CEO in one of his Agro companies. Although Neil was sceptical about working under his
Nathan stepped out of his apartment looking all elegant and handsome. His entire outfit from head to toe screamed wealth and opulence. Even some of his neighbors who were walking by could not resist. They had to coax him to take pictures with them. Nathan felt good about today. It was going to be a splendid day and all his meetings would go just fine and smoothly as he had planned it out. All he needed to do was sit back and relax. With Vanessa by his side, he had nothing to be afraid of. “Hello, sir Reed.” His driver bowed to greet him as soon as Nathan’s presence was visible under the sun. Nathan nodded. “Your legs ready huh? You will drive your waist to a crack!” Nathan smiled. “I am ready for anything doable, sir. It is my job.” The driver said with a little bit of humor that made Nathan smile. Just before Nathan entered the car, he saw Rose and her sister, Amber, Brad's daughter. They quickly walked up to him, ensuring they were conscious of even the slightest movement
Immediately, the whole room went dead silent. No one said any more words. Fred’s commanding tone shut their confidence right up. His words were like a representation of Mr. Reed’s and so, it carried a serious amount of weight. “Do you all know your places in this project? You were given tasks to do, projects to work on and you failed woefully. The project is having major setbacks and what do you do now? Rely on a lady who barely joined us in this project for advice? Do you not feel ashamed?” Fred blurted out angrily. There was thick tension in the room. No one understood why Fred was so angry. Did he have personal issues with Vanessa? The proposals they presented were candid and really valuable. Why did Fred quickly kick against it? Or was he only voicing Mr. Reed’s words? Finally, Vanessa spoke up. “Sir Fred, I do not wish to create chaos or dis-organisation in the ongoing project. Whatever I said or did today was in no way intent on disobeying direct orders or creating tension,
“No, young master. And that is the point. I do not know her. We only know a little about her business background and just a brush of her family background. Nothing more. How can you be so trusting that you go ahead and giver her a position that may be daunting to your own place in this project?” Fred posed his question, still reeling in anger and disappointment. "I understand your concerns, Fred," Nathan began, his voice steady. "But Vanessa has proven herself capable beyond doubt. Her insights and contributions to the Genesis project have been exceptional, you know that Fred." Nathan tried to calm him down. Fred scoffed incredulously. "Exceptional? Young master, forgive me for speaking frankly, but you're letting your emotions cloud your judgment. Your father said those same words to me. This isn't about her capabilities; it's about mistrust. I've served the Reed family faithfully for decades, and I know what it means for someone to be so trusting. It never ends well. It did not
The time ran quickly, waiting for no one. You either catch up with time or time slips from your palm. Being a busy city, everyone in London had to be as fast as the wings of a hummingbird. Many people staying in London had to work two jobs to be able to make ends meet. As a result, the city was always butsling, night and day. Nights were most busy and the traffic was not a pleasant one. Cheng bar remained the top pub in the city. It was a combination of a pub and an inn ingrained into one building. People who drank to stupor were sometimes coaxed to spend the night in one of the rooms so as not to create problems. This was one smart way they made money from customers, and it worked every damn time. Nathan pulled over with his simple car and stepped down. His dressing was not as elegant as a person of his status would have dressed. Perhaps he was trying to keep a low profile to avoid unnecessary attention? Or he did not want to be seen hanging out with Vanessa? He walked into
The eldest guy, Zach, swallowed hard, his bravado crumbling under the weight of Nathan's calm demeanor and the reaction on the other end of the phone. “You…you must be bluffing,” he stammered, trying to regain some semblance of control. At this point, he was confused. Why did his boss say he was dead? Was this Nathan guy truly an important person? Well, he still had to maintain his composure and steeze so he doesn’t appear like a scared coward before the guy he just threatened. Nathan simply smirked, saying nothing. His silence spoke volumes, creating an air of anticipation among the onlookers. “He looks so confident! How can he be so calm?” “What does this guy plan to do? He is saying nothing.” “I hope he does not regret his decision of being a good samaritan!” “Yeah! The streets ain’t friendly!” Within moments, Mr. Corner burst into the bar area, his face flushed with a mix of anger and fear. He scanned the room quickly, his eyes locking onto Nathan. Without hesitation, he
The sky was beautiful. It always had been, and it always would be. But today, Mr. Frost took some time to admire the sun. He sat quietly, crossed his legs, and let out a heavy sigh, sipping his cocktail, feeling the cool air brush his face. It was refreshing, but it only brought back memories—sad ones. He stared out into the vast horizon, wishing for something more, something to end the emptiness that had consumed him. Beside him were three empty chairs: one to his left, another to his right, and one directly in front of him. One was for Kamsi, the other for his wife, Candace, and the last for Fred—the only man who had ever been more than an assistant. Fred had been a father to him, a rock in his storm. They were all gone now. Kamsi, alive, but slowly fading, and Fred and Candace—probably watching him from the heavens. It had been months, even years. He had fought, fought with everything in him, trying to move on, but his life was far from happy. It was as if he were living someo
The girl didn’t flinch. “No, sir. But I know you’re someone who can afford to buy a pen. Maybe even two.” Samuel smirked, impressed by her quick wit. “Clever. Fine, I’ll take one. How much?” “Fifty dollars.” Chris nearly choked on his saliva. “Fifty?! For a pen? Is it made of gold?!” Samuel chuckled darkly. “Fifty dollars for a pen. Bold move. I like that.” He pulled out his wallet, handed her a crisp hundred-dollar bill, and waved off her attempt to give him change. “Keep it,” he said. “Consider it an investment in your entrepreneurial spirit. Or your acting career—whichever comes first.” The girl nodded, slipping the money into her pocket. “Thank you, sir. May your enemies always trip over their own feet.” Samuel let out a sharp laugh. “I like her.” He watched as she disappeared into the crowd. “Chris, remind me to hire her in ten years if she doesn’t end up running the world by then.” “Yes, sir,” Chris grumbled as he hit the accelerator. “And remind me to install tinted win
Samuel Langford sighed briefly. His driver could smell the anger under his breath, tapping his foot gently on the floor of his car. He was enraged, ready to tear Donald Aurthur open. He brought out his phone and began to record a message. “Donald! 48 hours was the only time you had. I have been a sheep, a calm man to you. But see, my dad taught me how to be a wolf where necessary. Brace yourself, Donald, I am on my way to collect what you owe. No more excuses, no more delays. And no, I am not coming with a peace treaty!" Samuel's voice was calm yet icy, his words dripping with controlled fury. "Your games end today." He paused the recording, his finger hovering over the send button. He clenched his jaw, in anger. His son had told him that this was exactly what was going to happen. But guess he was softener even than his own son. For too long, Donald Aurthur had taken advantage of his patience. It was time to remind the man who he was dealing with. "Drive faster," Samuel instruc
But all of those were now wishes. All he could do now as weep and wonder what kind of life Donald would set for his sister. Donald owed him and he had just 20 hours left. A dramatic event was about to happen. Donald would be exposed and the Langfords would finally end him. Other men, women and children who once admired Nathan Reed weeped at Mr. Frost’s emotional speech. The announcment of the grande reveal of the Genesis Project came with an intoxication of excitement and sorrow. Overall, it was the perfect speech. People were glad to know that the Genesis project was complete. Though it has not been opened and inaugurated, thousands of people were already waiting in line to invest, rent, buy and do anything possible to be part of a new life, a new city. And Kamsi? Her eyes were swollen and red. She had cut her hair in agony. She found herself crying in her room for her brother with so much enthusiasm. She had been planning on killing him, on taking her revenge on him. But now, sh
The camera zoomed in on him. His face was stoic, unreadable, a man who held the power of a thousand empires in his gaze. “And as for Nathan Reed,” Mr. Frost said, a shadow crossing his face. “I will honor him. I will honor the man who gave us this chance, who built the foundation upon which we will all stand. His legacy is my responsibility now. His dream is my reality.” There was a brief pause before he added, almost in a whisper, “And no one will ever forget Nathan Reed. He may be gone, but his soul lives in The Genesis Project. He will return!” Dave and Anastasia watched from their end, having mixed feelings. It was emotional, but they hated the fact that though dead, Nathan somehow found his way to rise above them. Dave had always hated Nathan. Perhaps it was time to let the hate go. Or maybe not. From the Davenport end, no one said a word as they all sat in silence watching as Mr. Frost spoke. Anita was no longer part of the family. She had found her trajectory in life, a
“Breaking News!” The reporter had a smile on her face. Her grin was wide enough to cover the entire screen. “9 years ago, a young genius came up with the most astute, revolutionary idea the world has ever seen. The late Mr. Nathan Reed was the mastermind behind ‘The Genesis Project,’ the world’s largest and most ambitious urban development to date. He partnered with Elon Musk’s Empire, bringing the idea to life with the help of his brilliant mind and vision. But today, we stand at the dawn of a new era. The project that started as a dream is now a reality — a mega city, capable of housing millions, designed with state-of-the-art technology, sustainability, and innovation at its core. In an astonishing turn of events, the project has now been completed under the leadership of the mysterious Mr. Frost, who has taken over from Mr. Reed’s legacy. Sources say Mr. Frost, who inherited control of Elon Musk’s empire, has personally overseen the final stages of the Genesis Project. Whi
Then, he pointed to some images of some really big and influential business men and women along with top tier kids with the X mark on them with a marker paint? Or blood? It didn’t matter. The message was clear. “Listen, Kamsi, the world is a gameboard,” Donald said, his tone cold and deliberate. “And every single player is either an asset or a liability. Those marked here…” —he gestured to the images with red Xs— “were liabilities. People who stood in the way of progress. My progress. And now, they’re nothing. Pew… Vanished like thin air!” Kamsi’s eyes scanned the board. She recognized some faces—politicians, CEOs, heirs to fortunes. People who, at one point, seemed untouchable. Yet here they were, reduced to mere trophies on Donald’s twisted scoreboard. “So, this is your playbook?” she asked, her voice laced with a mix of curiosity and disdain. “You decide who lives and who dies?” Donald smiled, a dark and knowing expression. “Not quite. I don’t kill for sport, Kamsi. I kill
“Where are you going child?” Asked Donald. Kamsi paused and turned around. “I’m going to kill Alex,” She said flatly. “Since you are not going to do anything even though I’ve told you all the things he did to me. So, I am going to take matters into my own hands!” Donald smiled and scoffed. He got up from his office chair, walked to the front of his table and sat on it. “Tell me how exactly you plan to do that child! You’re gonna just show up to his face and put a bullet through his skull?” He asked. “Well, yes. That is exactly what I am doing. I don’t think you understand the things he did to me. Every night for years I cried my lungs out! You’re becoming too weak and…” “Shh…” Donald shushed her and walked towards her. Then, he placed her head on his chest. “Let it out kid. Let it out.” “Now… now my fucking brother is dead and I was not the one who killed him. I deserved to be the one to take his life, Donald!” Kamsi's voice cracked as she buried her face in his chest. Her
“Who the fuck are you?” cried the dude in pain as he managed to pick himself up and ran away. Emily, seeing that their attack and defense system was weak, began to back off. “Fuck you! You are fighting for this ugly, bitch. This is not new to her, stupid. Her boyfriend does worse every day. Good luck saving her from herself and from her boyfriend. You are a fool!” Emily then ran along with the rest of them. Those words rang in Mr. Frost’s ear over and over again, ‘Her boyfriend does worse everyday!’ That explained so much. So much. Her innocent smile, the bag beneath her eye, the hesitation in her voice, and the way she deflected kindness—it all made sense now. Mr. Frost clenched his fists, his sharp mind processing every detail with surgical precision. He turned to Clara, who was slumped on the ground, her arms shielding her face as though bracing for more blows. “Clara,” he said softly, his tone stripped of its usual calculation, replaced with genuine concern. “It’s over. Yo