RICHARD'S POVThe elevator doors slid open with a hush, ushering me into the sterile calm of the corporate floor. My steps echoed slightly as I made my way to the office, the weight of betrayal still a fresh wound. Jenny was already there, poised as ever, but her smile faltered when she saw my face. "Morning, Richard. Everything alright?" she asked, her voice laced with concern. "Not particularly, Jenny," I sighed, dropping my briefcase on the desk with more force than intended. "Have a seat. There's something you need to know." Jenny perched on the edge of the chair, her notepad ready. I leaned back, the leather of the chair cold against my shirt. "Yesterday, I found out that Amelia and her grandmother have been lying to us," I began, the bitterness in my voice sharper than I intended. "They claimed they were on the brink of bankruptcy, needed $35 million to cover their debts. Turns out, it was all a performance." Jenny's pen paused mid-air. "You mean they weren't bankrupt?"
RICHARD’S POVAs Jonathan and William stormed out of my office, the door slammed with a reverberating thud that echoed the tumult in my mind.The conversation had not only gone south—it had plummeted. Their faces had been clouded with anger, disappointment etched deeply into their expressions. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret. Had I been too harsh? No, I reassured myself, they needed to hear it.I leaned back in my chair, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Why? Just why can't things be straightforward for once?" I muttered to myself, staring blankly at the cityscape that sprawled beyond my window. I had assumed that Amelia was being honest with me, even considered for a moment that she had changed. Well, I guess it was too early to judge her. But I couldn’t understand my brother’s involvement with the situation and the reason for their reaction. But I take a wild guess.Their anger, their accusations—it all boiled down to one thing: the money. The damned money. How did they
RICHARD'S POVA prickling sensation crept up my spine, like the eerie feeling of being watched. Instinctively, I glanced around, my senses on high alert. There was something off about the atmosphere, a tension hanging in the air like a thick fog. As I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prickle with unease, I knew I had to act fast. Jenny needed to know where I was. At least someone who cared about me, needed to know. Whatever was happening, I needed backup, and fast.My hand automatically went to my pocket, where my phone rested. Without hesitation, I tapped out a quick message to Jenny, my fingers flying over the screen as I relayed my location and the urgent need for security. I knew I needed extra set of eyes, maybe a way out, but time was a luxury I no longer had. Before she could reply, the Line went dead, swallowed by a sudden, ominous silence that enveloped me. No sooner had I slipped the phone back into my pocket than four hulking figures emerged from their hiding spots. E
RICHARD’S POVThe revelation hit me like a freight train. Him of all people. It was almost laughable, the absurdity of it all. He stood there, a smug smile curling his lips, clearly enjoying the shock plastered across my face. "Well, Richard, never thought the mighty could look so... fragile," James taunted, his voice dripping with disdain.My heart pounded in my chest as I stared, dumbfounded, at James, the last person I ever expected to be my nemesis. He was my ex-wife Amelia's recent fling, hardly someone I thought had the nerve to pull off something so audacious. I squared my shoulders, trying to mask the turmoil inside. "James, you're the last person I expected to see orchestrating my demise. What's this all about?" James caught the shock on my face and Let out a Low, menacing chuckle. "Surprised, Richard? That was your first mistake—underestimating me." I struggled to find my voice, the ground beneath me feeling unsteady. "James, why are you doing this? What have I done to y
RICHARD'S POVAs Jenny and I walked to the waiting car, the police handling the cleanup behind us, I knew I had every reason to be very grateful. Not just because of the danger I'd escaped, but because of what had been sparked between Jenny and me under the most harrowing of circumstances. Tonight, I'd faced betrayal and death, but I'd also found an unexpected chance at something new. We entered the car together, hand in hand, the night’s earlier terror slowly fading like it was merely a bad dream. But the warmth of her hand in mine was real, solid, promising.The drive back to my house was a blur—a mixture of adrenaline and relief coursing through my veins. As soon as I arrived, I dialed the number of a private security firm. Within the hour, two stern-looking men in dark suits were stationed at my gates. Their presence was a cold reminder of the danger that had brushed so closely against my life. I was sitting in my study, trying to process the events, when the doorbell rang. Peer
RICHARD'S POVThe fluorescent lights hummed overhead as I walked down the sterile, echoing corridor of the county jail. My footsteps, though quiet, seemed to announce my presence with an authority I wasn't sure I possessed. At the end of the hallway, a guard waited by a heavy metal door, his expression unreadable. He checked my ID, then buzzed me through. The visiting room was stark, the kind of place that seemed designed to remind you of the bleakness of your circumstances. I took a seat at one of the tables, the cold metal chair barely moving on the polished floor. James was brought in a minute later. His orange jumpsuit was a stark contrast to the drab surroundings, and his hands were shackled in front of him. The guard led him to the table opposite me and then retreated to the back of the room, his eyes never leaving James. As soon as James saw me, his face crumpled. He stumbled forward, nearly tripping over his own feet, and collapsed onto his knees in front of me. His shackle
RICHARD’S POVThe courthouse was a theater of justice, its walls echoing the footsteps of those seeking redemption or damnation. Today, it was James's turn in the spotlight, and I, Richard SmithThorne, was there in the front row, an unmissable witness. Across from me, separated by the cold, impersonal space that the Law demands, sat James. His presence was a stark reminder of a chapter in my Life I wished remained closed- the day I caught him with Amelia.James now looked a wreck, his suit two sizes too big, his face gaunt, It was a stark contrast to the confident, calculating business man I once knew. Beside him, his lawyer, a nervous young man named Carter who was clearly outmatched, his suit rumpled, his tie askew. The suit he wore seemed to swallow him whole, and he fumbled with his notes more than once, casting brief, desperate glances towards James who sat with his head bowed, defeated.Carter repeatedly shuffled papers with trembling hands, his eyes darting around the room Like
RICHARD'S POV There was something about receiving an invitation from the mayor that Lifted my spirits, an unspoken acknowledgment of my significance in the city's business landscape. I needed that boost, especially with the dark cloud of familial betrayal and Legal threats looming over me. And as I dressed up in front of the grand mirror before heading out, I convinced myself that today was about possibilities, not problems.The venue was bustling when I arrived, a hive of the city's business elites. I adjusted my tie one last time before stepping out of the sleek black car. The crisp evening air was a welcome hideaway from the stifling tension that had been building up back home. Tonight, I would shake hands, smile, and pretend that my brother’s looming threat was just a figment of my overactive imagination. The city lights twinkled like distant stars as I made my way towards the grand entrance of the convention center where the mayor was hosting the business convention. “Richard!