Claire stepped into her room with a smile on her face. Her mother stared at her with a puzzled look. "Where have you been, Claire? I called, I texted, I went to Bruce's suite. He was not available, which is not unusual. But, you should know how worried I was to consider doing that." Claire twirled a lock of her hair and stepped slowly towards her mother who was sitting on a couch. Her mother's face looked stern and serious."I went on a tour of the Forbidden City… with Bruce." Claire said, with a glint in her eyes. Her mother looked confused."Bruce? We have our own tour guide and how did he even agree to go on a tour with you? What did you do, Claire?" Her mother asked her. She stood up from the couch as she said this."I did not do anything. Just a few things, anyway. I found out he was going in tours too and not just stuck in his room attending to his company. I had to find a way to join his team." Claire shrugged and went to get a cup of water for herself. Her mother's voice trai
Maria was going to do all she could to save herself. No one would do it for her. Not her brother. Not Aurora. Not anyone. She was going to do as Steele had ordered and she was going to stuff her conscience at the bottom of the Mississippi river if she had to. She stepped out of her room. It was midnight and everyone was in their rooms except Nene. Nene liked to stay in the reading room and flip through children stories. Lee said it helped her find some sleep. Something about her grandchild who used to live with her, but died in her sleep after Nene had read her a bedtime story. Nene had so many conspiracy theories about those children stories after that tragic loss. The doctors said it was an aneurysm. These things just happen, they had said. But Nene knew of all the things to happen, it could not have been a brain aneurysm.With the knowledge that only Nene could possibly awake at this hour, she had approximately three hours to find the young master's office so she could get the infa
"Hmm, so?" Nene asked, suspicion casting a different glow to her eyes. Maria squirmed a little and tried to act awkward. "So what?" She asked."So, what are you doing out here?" Nene asked, it looked like her patience was beginning to run on a short fuse. Maria nodded, as if in understanding."So, I was… I am going to be honest. I have not been keeping track of my you know…" Maria acted like she was too shy to mention what it was. Nene edged closer to her slowly. "Are you… are you pregnant, Maria? Were you planning to run away?" Nene's eyes widened with each word she said. It felt like she was reaching a conclusion by herself. Maria felt compelled to go with Nene's assumptions. But what would she say when there was no growing bump, no water breaking, no miscarriage, even worse no baby. She thought against the idea."Uhm, no. I am not pregnant. I needed sanitary pads because I am well… I had no idea where they were."Nene's face went from suspicion to sympathy in a split second. "O
Claire went to the door to find out who could be knocking at their hotel room. She threw a glance at her mother who was reclining on the couch. She had a blank expression on and Claire could not figure out if she was scared or just nonchalant. Claire swung the door open and there stood Nick.Her mouth fell open, his eyes looked like it would fall out from it's sockets. They both recollected themselves and acted like everything was normal."Well well well, hello stranger." Claire greeted him and he nodded with an easy smile. This felt really awkward for Claire, she wondered if he felt the same. He strutted confidently towards Claire's mother with the bouquet of white roses in his hand. Her mother could not help the rosy glow that spread through her cheeks. Claire rolled her eyes. This all felt like a play."Hello baby." Nick said to her mother. Claire could not help the scoff that escaped her lips. Her mother shot her a look that could be interpreted as "back off, lady." Claire lifted
Aurora looked like a deer caught between headlights. She knew she was in a compromising position. Her mind was going a million miles per minute, trying to figure out what to say or the right explanation to give. "What are you doing in my room at this time of the day, Aurora? Cat got your tongue?" She approached her slowly like a predator approaching prey. The way her eyes darted wildly around Aurora, Aurora knew then that if she got out of that room unscathed, then it was a big streak of luck that fate had sent her way. "I know how this looks." She said in a quiet tone. Maria cocked her head in a direction."You think?" "I know. I was not snooping or anything." "Then, what were you doing in my room when I was not there?" She asked, her fear that she might have found out something was being drowned out by the anger that came with the blatant invasion of privacy. "I was looking for something I misplaced. It has to be here, it got missing from the day I came to see you." Her confiden
"You and Maria would be spending a while together. We need to sort out the library. The young master wants the organization system to be rearranged. He sent details as to how to order the books. No worries, ladies. This will be fun, I promise you. Seeing as a friendship is already blossoming, this might fasten the process." Nene said this without looking to see how Maria and Aurora were throwing daggers at each other with their eyes. Nene finally faced them with an infectious smile and held both of them with her hands. "The library is on the third floor, so you have to take the elevator. The elevators are in the hall that comes before the dinner room. It might not be so easy to spot, but I am sure you two are very smart women. You will definitely figure it out." Nene said with a smile and led them out of the room. They both walked in silence to the hall Nene had described. "What is going on here? There are no elevator doors anywhere here." Maria said this impatiently, she stormed he
Claire's mother stared at Claire for a while. Then, she started laughing. She laughed for a while. Nick plastered a false smile, as though his nerves were not dancing around like baby snakes. Claire stared at her mother, with confusion. She wondered what could be funny in what she had just said. Her mother calmed herself down and then decided to speak again."I know you always like to play tricks on me. This one, this one has to be the funniest so far. There is no way you could have dated Nick."Her mother said this with a strong kind of conviction. Claire shook her head sadly. She had not even sounded like it was a thought she had considered. "I do not understand. Why do you have so much certainty that I have never really dated him?" She asked, wanting more clarity. Her mother smiled calmly, she did not seem like someone who could be made to agree with Claire on this matter."Because my baby has never been to the big city. And i promised to invite him over one of these holidays when
"What do you mean by 'where is the rest of it'. Whatever you found in the bio is everything there is. There is nothing else." Maria tried to defend herself. She knew Aurora suspected her of something, but she did not think she would go as far as doing a background check on her to confirm her suspicion."I know you. I have observed you these past few days and I know you are much deeper than Maria, a drop out and salesgirl. Before anyone finds out there is a vacancy in Ace Residence, it takes a pretty long time. You just appeared immediately your predecessor before you left. You did not even leave a contact in the staff information logs. Nothing to connect your life before to what it is now." Aurora explained all of this and Maria began to see sense in all of it."Are you this observant or did this observance just start because of me?" "I have always been this observant. Trying to find the mysteries in people and trying to figure them out. It is always fun and sometimes it is not.""L
"My Dad? How is that possible? How did he know that I was here?" Jade looked at Bruce, wondering if he had a hand in what was going on. "Did you know he was coming?" She asked Bruce and he shook his head. "Bring him in," Bruce ordered. "Yes, sir." The butler left and he had no time, she returned with J. J. Fulton. Jade gasped when she saw her father. His clothes were faded. His hair and beard were unkempt. He had lost a great deal of weight too. She wondered what was wrong. He had enough money to take care of himself even without working. He could only lack money if he lost everything in a gamble and she knew that her father would never do such. Jade actually expected more from her father. Sure expected him to multiply the money he had. Or, was he this way because he missed her? Jade wondered. "I'm sorry for how I treated you, Jade." He turned to Bruce and placed his palms together. "Please forgive me for having a hand in your parents' death. I don't deserve your forgiveness, bu
"She'll be there all her life?" Jade's mouth hung open as Bruce and Archibald broke the news to her. She was packing to leave for Beijing and hence had little time to be at Claire's trial.It's been weeks since Claire got arrested. She was sentenced to stay imprisoned for life."I think she deserves it," Jade added and Bruce nodded in agreement."She threatened to throw her child off a tall building. Of course, she deserves something worse than a life imprisonment," Bruce said."And her mom?""She's going back to her hometown. I gave her some money to take good care of herself. She has her flaws but Claire's mother does not deserve the pain her daughter caused her.""Jade, tell me you're not still thinking of going back to Beijing," Mr. Archibald chipped in. "I thought both of you got married."Jade and Bruce exchanged looks. Mr. Archibald was right. They were once married and have never had a divorce."You can go back first. I'd prepare the divorce papers," Bruce said and Jade nodded
"Sir Archibald-" Bruce's voice trailed off. He was short of words."What is it now? Don't tell me you're not happy to see me."Bruce looked at Jade and then at Mr. Archibald and smiled. "Of course not. I'm very happy to see you."Bruce got out of the chair, rushed to Mr. Archibald, and gave him a hug. "I was scared that I would never get to see you again.""You were scared and you did not bother to call me.""You told me not to. That you wouldn't answer even if I did. I'm sorry."Mr. Archibald smiled. "You're like a son to me. I will always answer whenever you call."Bruce pulled away from the hug and smiled. "I was so dumb not to have realized that much earlier.""And I should not have tried to force you to marry Tricia." He turned to Jade and smiled. "I should have forced you to find Have instead."Jade smiled nervously. "We don't intend to get back together. I'm leaving immediately my work here is done and that is to make sure Bruce gets his properties from Claire.""And, how does
Jade stopped before a hotel."This is where I stay.""Why stay in a hotel when you have a family house?""It's sold.""No, it isn't. I bought it back.""You did?" Jade's face brightened, then it became dull. "Claire now owns all your properties, so it's hers now.""I bought it in your name," Bruce said dryly and got out of the car.Jade beamed. "Thank you."She was here because she wanted to give him his money, but knowing that Bruce still cared made her happy."Then we should go there, instead of staying in the hotel. I'll quickly go to my room and get a few of my things."Bruce got back into the car and Jade got out.She walked into the hotel. After about ten minutes, she came out with a traveling bag and dropped it in her boot.Jade handed out a debit card to Bruce immediately after she got into the car. "It has your five hundred million."Bruce took it from her and mumbled a thank you."What about Mr. Archibald?" Jade asked, breaking the silence that lingered between them as she d
Bruce's eyes flung open. His breathing was back to normal and his heart stopped beating fast. He felt everywhere was brighter too. He guessed right. The door was opened and he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion immediately he saw who opened it. "Jade?" "Bruce." She ran to him to check if he was alright, but when she touched him, Bruce slapped her hands away from his body. "What are you doing here?" "If I had not reached here on time, you would have died." "That's what you want, isn't it?" Bruce scoffed. Jade shook her head. "If I wanted that, I would not have risked my life to save you." "Risk your life? I know you're on Claire's side. Stop the pretense. I know you somehow found out that I had a mp3 player that could land Claire in trouble. You told her about it and like you wanted, she was not absent. As a result, the case was dismissed. " "That's not true," Jade said, defending herself. "I was the one who took the audio recording. I asked the old man to give you
"He is your son too. Are you seriously going to kill your son?" Bruce could not believe his ears.Claire scoffed. "He is your son. Not mine. According to the contract I signed, you did not need a mother for your son. You only wanted an heir. You planned on paying me off so I could leave the child I would give birth to with you.""He is your blood. Don't tell me you're this heartless.""You know what poverty is like. You know what being powerless is like and what being powerful is like. So you should understand when I say that I want power and money. I want to teach those who have ever looked down on me a lesson. I want to be able to get what I want whenever I want. I want people to look at me with respect. I want the kind of money you have without being at your mercy.""Claire, don't I give you what you want whenever you ask?""You can wake up one day and decide you don't want our marriage again. What should I do then? I refuse to be at the mercy of a man. I want to have your money. I
It's been two months since Bruce saw Claire. She was nowhere to be found. He involved the police, and his men and searched for her himself but he still could not find her.Finding Claire was the only exciting thing that had happened in the space of two months. He worked from 7 am till 9 pm, then from work, he would go to the bar.Once in a while, his eyes scan the bar for Jade. The night before his first trial was the last night he saw Jade. He never saw Jade again after that day.Bruce looked around his office. The furniture was sleek and modern. The floor-to-ceiling windows gave the office a good view. He placed his hands on the mahogany desk, his eyes on his phone.His phone rang and he picked up the call immediately."Have you found them?""Ava still lives in this city but Naomi has relocated," the caller said and Bruce Ace nodded."Text me Ava's address."The last time he saw them was the day Claire ditched him on their wedding day. He smirked, remembering how they had looked do
Bruce Ace sat on the wooden bench. His eyes moved around searching for any trace of Claire. The courtroom was filled to its brim. The judge was visibly annoyed at everything that was happening.Murmurs filled the air.It's been an hour since the trial should begin but Claire, the plaintiff, was absent.The judge finally raised his court to talk. "The plaintiff seems to be nowhere to be found. In this light, the case is therefore dismissed."Bruce Ace frowned.He was ready for her.He has something to prove his innocence. Something to show that Claire was the guilty one here.Bruce was fixed to his seat. Refusing to get up. If this was the case, everybody would think that he had paid her off to shut her up.They will think he was the cause of her absence. Not like he cared what they thought of him but he wanted to shut her up the lawfully way.He wanted everyone to get a glimpse of what he had to go through because of women.Bruce finally left his seat and headed for the exit. His body
"Claire?"Claire raised her head from her food to see who was calling her. Her eyes flew open."Jade."She frowned."Oh my! How have you been?" Jade asked, joining her at the table. "Where have you been?"Claire raised an eyebrow, wondering if Jade had no idea of the ongoing case between her and Bruce. The news was everywhere. How would she not know?"Are you talking to me?"Jade smiled. "I know we don't have a good past. The issue with my brother and Bruce and stuff like that, but now these people are no longer in our lives, so I think we should be nicer to each other now.""Have you not seen Bruce?""I've seen him." Jade's face fell. "I saw him in a bar yesterday. He only talked to me when he did not know who I was. When he did, he yelled at me and left. He was telling me something about his wife trying to kill him to get his property and that she had sued him for beating her up which is not true. Do you know how he has been?""You don't know who I am?" Claire asked, just to confirm