Sarah noticed the growing tension and awkwardly chuckled. "Okay, that's okay for now, Damian. I need you and your guys to join Lily and Robert at their own table. I will send someone to set a table right next to that one."She walked forward and grabbed her sister's ear. "This boy is so hot! I really didn't see him at first, and he is into you so much. Don't even dare lie to me! Is he the one fucking you?" she whispered.Lily didn't know when her eyes widened at her sister's words. "Come on, Sarah! No, we are not. We are just..." Before she finished her words, Sarah quickly covered her mouth to avoid her from spilling more than required."Shut the fuck up, sis!" She was stunned. She quickly let Lily go and rushed out from there immediately. She didn't want her sister to spill their small little secrets.Lily blushed, and she rolled her eyes shyly since everyone was now looking at her, including Robert."My instincts tell me I am the topic of discussion!" Robert said.Lily was stunned t
CHAPTER.Sarah's lips twitched into a wide grin as she walked back to the custom-made chair that was made for the celebrant. She was both curious and excited about what Damian had in store for her; it must be something very expensive and unique.Meanwhile, Robert rolled his eyes at Damian's boastful behavior. A few minutes later, Sarah got hold of the microphone and gave a little thankful message to some people. The whole place went silent; everyone wanted to hear what she had to say. Cameras were in action, ready to take video records of Sarah.She smiled graciously and said, ”I really don't know what to say, but I want to say a very big thank you to everyone that made it possible from their busy schedules to come here tonight. Thank you all; I really appreciate it. And a special thanks to Damian for his support. Actually, he took care of this hall.” Hearing this, Damian was proud, but internationally, he downplayed it and said. ”Oh Sarah, no need to call me out, especially since
She quickly acted like nothing happened, but Damian's face said it all. It was plastered with a frown, and his fists were clenched in rage. Looking at how Robert just flirted with Lily, and she was very uncomfortable with it, made him angrier. As Lily turned to leave, he quickly rose up from his chair and blocked her path."What was that?" He asked, his tone stern.Lily was surprised. "What do you mean, Damian? What is that?" She asked him.Damian scoffed, "Now you've got amnesia, right? You've totally forgotten what just happened between you and that scum a minute ago?"His eyes were burning with rage at how she was okay with the flirt. She even flashed him a smile after he let go of the knife, but when he held her hand, she was trying so hard to pull away from him like he was a plague. But in Robert's case, it was the reverse."Lily, don't tell me you don't know what I'm talking about. He was flirting with you, and you're even happy with it!" He spat.Lily was taken aback. What was
Their voices were beginning to get much louder with each passing minute and everyone in the room had adjusted their attention to the ongoing scene. Damian was boiling in anger, hearing what Robert and Lily had just said to him. He couldn't believe he had done all he had done when Lily wanted to study in Asia and got an entry, but her father refused. In reality, her father was a staunch and strict Muslim man who wanted to make the best choices for his children, but Lily turned out to be the black sheep and decided to go all out to Asia to study for her masters and PhD since she also had some side jobs to get a degree in language.Back then, after she decided to go through with it, her father made sure to block her cards and even tried to make sure her application was revoked, but Damian stepped in and had his family sponsor her education since his family had a major conglomerate down there in Asia. Well, not really sponsoring her whole education on a platter of gold, they did give her
CHAPTERSitting so close to Lily, Damian could feel how angry she was. At this point, he quickly regretted his actions. He shouldn't have done it or said all of those things to her. However, after some time, the tension in the room dissipated. Damian gracefully walked over to Sarah. When it was time for him to present his gift, he was excited to give it and make a fuss about it."Happy birthday, Sarah," he said, handing her a wrapped box. "Thank you for being a great friend and always being there."Sarah blushed as she hugged him. "Thank you for coming despite your busy schedule. I really appreciate it."She slowly pushed the gift to her side, but Damian proudly insisted, "Hey, unwrap it now! Let's see what's inside.""Of course!" she exclaimed, eager to see the contents.As Sarah unwrapped the gift, her eyes widened in astonishment, and a bright smile spread across her face. The box revealed a stunning lady's watch, its diamond-encrusted bracelet glinting in the light. The watch's
CHAPTER."Who knows if it might be a fake one," Damian argued. "A lady's Rolex watch is always limited annually."At first, no one paid attention to the fact that the watch might actually be a fake one. Just as Damian said, the watch was actually always a limited one. Only 12 pieces were released every year.Lily quickly suggested, "You can check the validation number on the company's website to see if it's real or not!"Sarah sighed, "That's not needed. Robert wouldn't have brought in a fake watch here." She chuckled, "This is so real, can't you see the diamonds on it?"With a giggle, she tried to push the narrative of a fake watch away. Deep down, she didn't know if it was fake or not, but she just didn't want them to go through the stress of checking. This was supposed to be a happy gathering, not a competition over the authenticity of a gift.But Damian felt like his ego was bruised and wouldn't let it go. He slipped out his phone and quickly logged into the Rolex website. "Okay,
Lily stylishly grabbed Robert's arm, urging him to let Damian off the hook. He was smart to notice what she was trying to say.Robert smiled understandingly and didn't bother to taunt Damian further. The tension in the room dissipated as Lily's intervention diffused the situation. Damian rubbed his sore arm, his expression sheepish as he walked back to join his friends at the table."Thanks, Lily," Robert said, his voice laced with gratitude as he walked hand in hand with Lily. "I guess I overreacted."Lily smiled sweetly. "It's okay, Robert. We all get a little crazy sometimes. Besides, Damian started it all."They both smiled as they headed to the table.The music started again, and the party resumed its lively pace. Guests laughed and chatted, oblivious to the brief altercation. Damian and Robert shook hands, putting the incident behind them.As the night wore on, the atmosphere grew more festive. The lights dimmed, and the room glowed with a warm, golden light. The air was filled
She knocked again and this time Robert finally calmed down and whined down his glass to hear what she had to say."Didn't you hear what I said?" She asked with a soft smile playing at the corners of her lips. "My name is Rachel," she extended her hand for a handshake.Robert couldn't help but smile - she surely didn't know it was him, the same Robert she had mocked back in high school. He wanted to burst out laughing at how the tables had turned, but he held himself back and intentionally shook her hand."Well I am Robert Edward!" He announced and held onto her hand as he removed his sunglasses.Rachel's eyes widened in shock as she recognized him. Her mind raced with memories of their high school days, and she felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. She tried to pull her hand back, but Robert held it firmly, a sly grin spreading across his face."Rachel, Rachel, Rachel," he said, his voice dripping with amusement. "It's been a long time. You're looking...different. What do you ha
The company, once vulnerable in the wake of Madam President’s death, was now regaining its footing under Robert’s guidance. But his journey had only just begun, and he knew that he needed to be vigilant, for there were still enemies lurking in the shadows.His mother’s funeral, though somber, had not only been a farewell but also a declaration to the world that Robert was no longer the boy who lived in his mother’s shadow. He was stepping into his role with a newfound sense of purpose, and he would not be undermined.In the weeks that followed, Robert spent long hours at the company’s headquarters, pouring over documents and familiarizing himself with every intricate detail of the empire his mother had built. His butler, an older gentleman named Alfred who had served the family for decades, became an indispensable ally. Alfred had known Robert since he was a child, and he had seen the boy transform into the man standing before him.One evening, Alfred found Robert still working in hi
Madam President, as she was fondly known to the world, was a woman of unparalleled influence and charisma. Her life was a tapestry of triumphs, woven from years of building her empire and leading her company with a firm but compassionate hand. She had overseen countless business successes and was a beloved public figure, admired for her resilience and business acumen.But even the strongest of leaders are not invincible. Behind closed doors, the indomitable Madam President had been battling a relentless illness. The diagnosis had come suddenly and without warning, sending shockwaves through the lives of everyone who knew her, especially her only son, Robert. Despite her physical decline, she never let her illness dim her spirit or her drive to oversee her company’s affairs. Robert often marveled at his mother’s sheer determination, even when she was confined to her bed, issuing orders and signing documents with the same unwavering authority.The family spared no expense in providin
The air in the room seemed to grow heavier as the final figure was announced. Lila’s heart pounded in her chest, her mind reeling at the sheer audacity of it all. How could this be happening? Robert was supposed to be the pauper here, the one barely scraping by, not the one making extravagant purchases without a second thought.Meanwhile, Anita’s smile grew even wider, a mix of disbelief and glee painted across her face. To her, it felt as though she had won the jackpot, her wildest dreams unfolding right before her eyes.Robert, however, merely smiled sheepishly, his calm demeanor unshaken by the staggering total. He turned to Anita and said, "I hope you’re satisfied with your picks. Let’s get these wrapped up."At the same time, When the assistant called out the total—$350,000—the shock on Lila and her companion’s faces was almost palpable. Lila’s eyes widened in disbelief, her carefully calculated confidence beginning to unravel as she processed the staggering figure. The man besi
Lila and her companion stood frozen, their eyes locked on Robert. The confidence with which he moved, the calm in his demeanor, and the absolute lack of fear in his voice were all completely at odds with the image of him they had clung to for so long. Every word he spoke, every action he took seemed to defy the expectations they had so carefully built around him.Lila's breath hitched as she watched Anita wheel the overflowing cart towards the register. Her gaze darted to the items, her mind racing as she tried to calculate the worth of everything piled inside. Her heart sank as the numbers began to add up—thousands upon thousands of dollars. The realization was like a punch to the gut. Could this really be happening? Could Robert, the man she had always considered beneath her, actually afford this?For years, Lila had carried a deep-seated belief that Robert was a nobody, someone to be mocked and dismissed. But that belief was now crumbling under the weight of what she was witnessin
Robert let out a calm smile, his eyes narrowing slightly as a cold expression settled on his face. "You're right, why won't I?" he responded, his tone icy and composed.Lila's scorn was unmistakable. She threw her head back and let out a sarcastic laugh, her eyes gleaming with mockery. "Really? Robert afford a bag this much?" she sneered, her gaze landing on the $89,000 price tag of the bag Anita had been eyeing earlier. "You? A pauper like you? Trying to level up so bad—it’s laughable!"She continued, "You’re in way over your head, Robert. You’re just digging your own grave, pretending to be something you're not. This is going to put you in serious trouble one day, mark my words."Her words dripped with disdain, but beneath her confident exterior, a seed of unease began to sprout. She couldn’t shake the memories of her past encounters with Robert. She recalled their run-in at the Luxor Hotel—how she had expected him to be exposed as a fraud or a thief, yet, to her bewilderment, he ha
The words hit Lila like a slap to the face. Her eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in fury, her face flushing with a mix of anger and embarrassment. For a moment, she was rendered speechless, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled to find a retort. But soon, the anger boiled over, and she exploded into a furious rant."You—how dare you!" she sputtered, her voice rising in pitch. "You think you can talk to me like that? Do you know who I am? I’ve got more class in my little finger than you’ll ever have! Those bags—those bags are worth more than anything you’ll ever touch! You’re nothing but a lowlife, a pathetic little con man who can’t afford even a scrap of what I have!"Lila’s face contorted with rage, her voice dripping with venom as she continued to rant, her words becoming more disjointed and desperate as she tried to regain some semblance of control over the situation. "You’re the joke here, Robert! A joke! And as for you," she spat, turning her glare towards Anita, "
The tension in the air was electric, thick and oppressive like a storm cloud ready to burst. The other guests, who had been observing the escalating situation with a mix of curiosity and skepticism, began to murmur amongst themselves, their voices tinged with both anticipation and judgment."Serves him right," one diner whispered, barely hiding a smirk. "He must be out of his mind to go up against someone like Mr. Smith.""Foolish, really," another chimed in, shaking their head. "He’s asking for it. The manager’s going to toss him out on his ear, just wait and see."The whispers grew louder, with some even casting pitying glances at Robert, while others openly mocked him. "He has no idea who he’s dealing with," one person commented with a sneer. "Smith’s a regular here, practically untouchable. That guy is done for."Anita, sitting beside Robert, could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She was visibly fidgeting, her fingers nervously tapping on the edge of the table. The thought o
Robert remained unnervingly calm as Mr. Smith's voice escalated, his threats echoing through the luxurious hall of the VIP section. His demeanor was as steady as a still lake before a storm, showing no hint of the tension burning beneath the surface. The more Mr. Smith ranted, the less Robert seemed to react, his composed expression only further fueling Mr. Smith’s fury.Mr. Smith sneered, his voice thick with venom. "You act like you’re above it all, like you own this place, you think everyone else is just as deceitful as you?"The other customers, were now turning their heads, their curiosity piqued by the growing commotion. Some whispered among themselves, while others watched intently, their food momentarily forgotten.Robert, sensing the perfect opportunity to twist the knife, leaned back in his chair, his expression calm. "Well, Smith," he said with a casual shrug, "if you must know, I own this place."Mr. Smith froze mid-rant, his eyes narrowing as he processed what Robert had
As Robert and Anita left the lively birthday party, the evening air was cool, and the city lights glittered around them. Anita’s stomach growled audibly, and she burst into laughter.“Okay, that’s embarrassing,” she said, rubbing her belly. “But seriously, I’m starving. We’ve been surviving on potato chips, cupcakes, and candy all night. I need some real food—something warm and hearty.”Robert chuckled, nodding in agreement. “I hear you. I can’t believe they called that a party spread. You know what? Let’s go somewhere special. I know a place.”Anita’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Special, huh? Fancy or casual?”“Oh, very fancy,” Robert said, a mischievous smile playing at his lips. “Trust me, you’ll love it.”Curiosity piqued, Anita grinned. “Alright, lead the way. Just don’t make me wait too long; I’m already dreaming about a perfect, gourmet meal.”They drove through the city, the anticipation growing as Robert pulled up to an elegant, upscale restaurant. The establishment exuded s