Outside the apartment was crowded with even more reporters and news crews as the seconds turned into minutes, and no one seemed willing to give up and leave. In the dining hall, Gary, Fallon, Ryan, Mrs Gilbert, and James sat around the table, in silence, eating their breakfast, and occasionally stealing glances at each other. When Fallon looked at her mother, she could tell that she was getting increasingly concerned, and she looked over at Gary, looking away from his eyes when he caught her stare. “Do you still have Sandra’s number?” Fallon said after a few moments had passed, her voice low. Raising his gaze, Gary fixed his eyes on her, but she refused to meet his stare. Taking a deep breath, Gary took a long look at her and asked, “Why do you need it?” “To end this nightmare,” Fallon muttered, her eyes glued to the table. Everyone’s gaze was now focused on her as her mother asked, her voice filled with uncertainty, “What are you talking about now?” Slowly, Fallon lifted her h
“Get off the premises! Now! Get in your car and drive off!” A guy in a police uniform with a megaphone shouted at the reporters. Some of the news crew were still confused while others were already driving off because they were afraid to get arrested for trespassing or get removed by intense force. “Why is the chief constable here… Isn’t Gary just a nobody?” A journalist whispered as the cameraman packed up their equipment. “Maybe it’s Fallon. She's Hayes… after all, and her family name is quite powerful.” The cameraman said. “You think? I thought after her father got kicked out of the Hayes Family house, they lost the right to such power and influence.” “She shares a bloodline with Henry Hayes. Of course, the power and influence are still there… if she knows how to harvest it.” “Will her step-grandma even allow her to do that? I heard Mr. Hayes’s will has never been read, and his lawyer was never given the go-ahead from his mistress to read what his dying intentions were.” Afte
The sound of her hotel door opening made Sandra raise her head and look at Cloe, the reporter that Gary punched. His nose had a bandage on it, and it was still swollen, and Sandra’s brows snapped at the sight of him. “What are you doing here?! I told you to call me. Not show up in my face, and not without warning me!” Sandra said, resting back in her bed, crossing her arms against her chest and narrowing her eyes as she stared at him. “I just got laid off from my job!” Cloe said as he sat in the empty seat in front of her desk. A look of confusion filled Sandra’s face as she cocked her right eyebrow, waiting for him to explain further. “The news I covered about Gary and your rival was pulled down from the media,” Cloe said, making her look at him in shock. “What?!” Sandra exclaimed, her voice cracking as she spoke through clenched teeth. “Who would dare cross me and my family like that?!” “My boss said the news offended someone powerful and he couldn’t risk us getting involved w
In less than a second, security came rushing towards Gary and this dude because of the commotion this guy was creating, and Gary quickly stood in a defensive position, ready to take care of whoever dared to attack him if things went awry. “What is going on here?” The security guard asked angrily as he stopped right next to Gary. “This thief stole someone’s invitation to the club and is using it to get access and benefits of the membership. I suggest that you arrest him!” The guy barked, pointing an accusing finger at Gary. “Sir, you are.” “We all know he’s Sandra’s, cheating, good for nothing, ex-stay-at-home husband. There’s no way he can afford to get into such a club… Hell, I have been trying to get into that club for years now.” “Just-” And you think this idiot here can get in?! He must have stolen that from someone else or he used a fake one. Either way, I demand the arrest of this criminal!”Frowning, Gary clutched his fist as he glared at the man, then mumbled beneath his
The room was quiet for a while, and Gary studied Bryan’s eyes, wondering if he was someone he wanted to risk the act of working with.He had only arrived in South Hill a few days ago, several things had happened. And now a guy right in front of him who had showed up at the supermarket was asking him to work with him.The same guy had claimed knowing Gary, but then Gary never knew him.For a moment, could it be a set up?With the new life he was building with Laura, he wanted nothing at all to destroy it.After a brief silence, Bryan broke the silence.“Understandable, and I respect your decision… But if I am not involved in some deep shit?” Bryan asked, arching a brow challengingly. His thoughts revolving around his reputation again, Gary hesitated, but then he remembered something, furrowed his brows slightly, faced Bryan and said, “Then you got yourself a deal.” “Well, I can drink to that,” Bryan said with a small smile as he picked up Gary’s glass and reached it out to him.Howev
The sound of hums echoed from the kitchen as James bobbed his head to the beat of the music in his mind while frying the eggs.“James, I feel healthy enough now to cook for you guys. My pains have disappeared and I’m whole. So I can cook.”“You shouldn‘t be in the kitchen.” Mrs Gilbert concluded as she walked toward him with a smile on her face.“I know… I might be rich, but at least I'm not married yet, so I can still handle my own meals.” He turned towards her and said, “Let me remember to add this, I'm also a chef.”, I was a chef…” James blurted out.“You are wealthy, but why then should you be working on cooking your meals? Aren't you supposed to have a number of people currently working and attending to your meals?” Mrs Gilbert was surprised. Never had she witnessed such a level of humility. Those who were rich always made sure they trampled on the poor. But so far she witnessed between Gary and his friends, it had been a lot of humility. “Yea, you can say that again Mrs Gilber
A frown crossed Mrs Gilbert’s face when she snapped out of her shocked state and mumbled stiffly,” Sandra… What are you doing here?”Of course, she wasn’t excited about seeing her since the incident at the hospital. Someone who had created a scandal with her daughter's name.Mrs Gilbert looked around in fear, trying to look for anything she could lay her hand on just in case, Sandra raised any mischief.“Can I come in?!” Sandra asked impatiently, seeing that Mrs Gilbert was blocking her way. Although she wasn’t someone who liked confrontation, she knew if Fallon knew Sandra is here, it would stress her daughter up, and the fact that she was sick, the last thing Mrs Gilbert wanted was to see her daughter upset or her headache worsen.“I am sorry… but whatever you have to say, tell it to my face, right out here.” Mrs Gilbert uttered firmly, trying to sound as intimidating as possible because she didn’t want Sandra arguing with her about this.But just like the brat that she was, a fain
Sandra sped through the huge open gate, and drove through the yard, into the garage, and then Sandra hit the brake pedal hard. She had to hit the available flight back to North Hill just to get some issues settled.Her little interaction with Gary had her in all her feelings, and her mood was a mess as she pushed the car door open and stepped out onto the concrete of the front walk. In front of her was a two-stories, enormous fancy mansion with glass panes and a white wraparound porch. Palm trees were lining the driveway and an immaculate flower bed was along the side. It showed how much the Larson had put into renovating their building in the recent time. However, to her, none of that concerned her if not for the pending issue she had at hand.The frown she had on didn’t leave her face even after she got to the front door of the mansion and hit the doorbell.As she was about to ring it for the second time, someone opened the door, and she was met by a tall man in his late sixties