Sean flung another glass sculpture against the penthouse wall with a guttural cry. It exploded into glittering shards, littering the marble floor alongside the shattered remains of vases, frames and other debris forming a wreckage trail in his wake. Chest heaving, he spun to face Tate.His brother reclined calmly on a leather sofa, scrolling news feeds on a tablet.“Feeling better?” Tate deadpanned without looking up.“No I am fucking NOT!” Sean grabbed a modern art canvas off the wall and launched it Frisbee-style. It crashed upside down behind the sofa.“In case you forgot, we just lost EVERYTHING! Our family, our empire - GONE!”Tate finally raised his eyes. "You think I'm fine with that?" His voice held an odd detachment.For once, the bruising on his face from whatever run-in he refused to explain wasn’t the most damaged thing about him.Sean fisted hands in his hair, breathing hard. “I just can’t believe none of our connections warned us. That merger data was untraceable! How t
Lloyd hesitated at the door to the penthouse suite, steeling himself. He couldn't blow this. Too much depended on keeping his cool despite the pressure Sean and Tate surely intended to apply.Drawing a breath, he entered to find the exiled brothers draped in terry robes, room service carts laden with booze bottles scattered about. They both swiveled to fix him with glares that could melt steel."It's about damn time," Sean growled, swirling amber liquor. "I was about to come myself and beat your ass for taking so long."Lloyd shrugged with feigned casualness. "Hey, you asked for every shred of dirt that could exist on Mr. Reynold Sheens. Not my fault the man is apparently squeaky clean."Tate's eyes narrowed. "Nobody is that clean. What did you uncover?" Lloyd affected an embarrassed wince. "Nothing substantial unfortunately. Sorry to waste your time..."Sean lunged to his feet. "Bullshit! I know you're holding out." In two strides he closed in, grasping Lloyd's shirt and yanking him
Lloyd was his apartment, weariness and frustration boiling over. Mimi seemed to be currently out of the place.He was out of moves - refusing Sean and Tate's demands could get him im big trouble… but revealing Reynold Sheens’ explosive secret could destroy everything for the poor guy, and what about Kayla too? He cared so much about Kayla. Trapped between two tough decisions to make Lloyd was lost for a few seconds.Unless... A dangerous idea flickered. Since Sean had been done away with, the pillars of power amongst his siblings were Kayla and Hamish.Hamish was a no go area, they barely even talked. Kayla on the other hand…?She’d even been aiming to topple her brothers a few days ago. If Lloyd offered up his intel as a bargaining chip instead…She was definitely going to accept it. A part of his mind agreed to that idea, but he also had to remember that Kayla had dealt a very good lesson to Sean. She could be hesitant still. ‘...no, she wouldn't’He sank onto the leather sofa, tem
Reynold bowed respectfully to his opponent before settling into ready position, grounded foot forward, weight centered evenly between legs.He inhaled calmness, letting awareness spread through his body. Master Ray always stressed allowing techniques to flow intuitively from a peaceful core when sparring."Begin!" Ray clapped once, sharp in the hushed gym.Reynold's opponent, a lean muscular youth named Dalton, immediately lunged. But Reynold was already turning, redirecting the forceful punch with one bracing arm while the other swept down, brushing fabric as his hand sliced by the young man's ribs.A light touch that would have numbed or broken if fully landed.Dalton pressed the attack, kicks and elbows launching ruthlessly.But Reynold pivoted and yielded, adhering to Tai Chi's core principle - meeting hardness with softness.Effortlessly he guided elbow jabs just shy of their mark, leaving only air displaced.He stepped beneath a vicious roundhouse kick, patting his opponent's pl
Kayla's hands trembled, clutching the flash drive after leaving the cafe.Explosive secrets about her genteel husband's past?What had Lloyd uncovered?Fear and fury warred within at the thought of Reynold deceiving her. After years under public scrutiny, she deserved pure truth in her own home. Safely sequestered in her sleek Mercedes, she jammed the drive into her tablet. Breath suspended, Kayla selected the lone encrypted file and unleashed revelations Lloyd deemed too dangerous to share openly. What she saw stole that breath completely. Police reports, hospital records, even crime scene photos spilled across the screen. All tied to a violent assault during Reynold's university days a decade prior.Kayla scrolled in disbelief through debriefings with a battered, stone-faced Reynold after he had apparently ambushed and savagely attacked three fellow students. The malice in those photos contrasted radically with the caring husband she knew. Reynold - her gentle giant - pummelin
Reynold gazed out the apartment window, breath fogging the glass in rhythmic waves. The nondescript dwelling felt sterile, bereft of memories or meaning.He focused on the rituals of push-ups, sit-ups, hydrating - anything to still the tempest within. Jovian's concerned hovering only tightened Reynold's chest further."I apologize for burdening you like this at home..." He tried for a reassuring tone. Jovian's sympathy somehow made the loss sharper.Jovian frowned, his features creasing. "What? Burdening me. The only burden is that I wished you would have told me about all of this.”Reynold smiled a little, “I am sorry. Even if I wanted to I don't think I would have had enough courage to do so.” He took a short pause, breathing.“Those days were one of my worst. I am not proud of them, they were days I discovered shades of my personality that I never knew I had. As an honor student, the university worked hard to cover it all up… the families all made an agreement to let it go since
Mei's plane touched down late in the evening. The dark airport cast long shadows as she made her way through the arrivals hall.Exhaustion lingered on her face, but she couldn't wait to see Kayla after several weeks burying their experiences together.The air was crisp, and Mei felt a mixture of excitement and weariness as she stepped outside, scanning the area for Kayla's familiar face.Amidst the sea of people, she spotted Kayla standing by her car, her eyes fixed on the arrival gate. Mei approached, and their eyes met in a silent exchange of joy. Hugging tightly, the two friends exchanged pleasantries before Mei noticed a subtle emptiness in Kayla's gaze.As they drove through the quiet city streets, Mei couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.The air inside the car was heavy with unspoken words. Mei was a very perceptive young lady, she couldn't abandon the idea that someone was wrong with Kayla, and so she gently probed, "Kayla, is everything okay?"Kayla hesitated,
Mei stood in the kitchen, a canvas of culinary possibilities spread out before her.The tantalizing aroma of spices filled the air as she began her dance with the ingredients, each movement deliberate and precise.Her fingers gracefully wielded the cleaver, an extension of her culinary prowess.She started by meticulously washing fresh bok choy, the emerald leaves glistening with droplets of water. Her hands moved with a seasoned grace, slicing the vegetables into uniform strips.The rhythmic sound of the knife hitting the cutting board echoed in the kitchen, a symphony of preparation.Next, she focused on the tender slices of chicken, marinating them in a blend of soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. The aroma intensified as she gently massaged the flavors into the meat, ensuring every piece absorbed the essence of the marinade.Mei's hands moved like a conductor guiding an orchestra, each motion a harmonious contribution to the culinary composition.As the ingredients marinated, Mei turne