Mark's heart raced as he watched the head of security panic, his mind racing with the fear of getting caught. This wasn't part of the plan. He had orchestrated this whole scheme to frame Gabriel and now it seemed to be spiraling out of control. "Keep it together," Mark hissed, trying to quell the rising panic in his own voice. "We can't afford to lose our nerve now."The head of security's frantic babbling grated on Mark's nerves. He clenched his fists, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on him. "Shut up!" Mark snapped, his voice sharp with urgency. "We need to cover our tracks, and we can't do that if you keep blabbering. Just stay quiet and let me think." With a shaky nod, the head of security fell silent, allowing Mark to take control of the situation once again. But deep down, Mark knew that their chances of getting away with this were dwindling by the second."Alright, it's done," the head of security reported to Mark, wiping his forehead with a sigh of relief.
Upon leaving the company, Gabriel encountered his long-time friend, Andrei who started working in the company not so long ago. As Gabriel and Andrei exited the company building, they exchanged pleasantries and caught up on each other's lives. "It's been too long, Gabriel. How have you been?" Andrei asked, a smile lighting up his face."I've been good, just busy with work as usual," Gabriel replied. "But it's great to see you here. How's the new job treating you?"Andrei shrugged. "It's been challenging, but I'm getting the hang of it.”Gabriel nodded eagerly. "That's good to know. There's a nice café just around the corner. Let's head there and catch up properly. It's almost lunchtime anyway.”Andrei nodded in agreement. “That's good, Gab buddy." As they made their way down the street, they were suddenly stopped in their tracks by the sight of the antique shop owner and his men blocking their path. Gabriel's expression hardened as he recognized the familiar face. "Andrei, stay back
Andrei, noticing Gabriel's predicament, leaned in and whispered, "Let me handle this." Gabriel glanced at Andrei, recognizing the determination in his friend's eyes. Realizing Andrei's skill in martial arts, Gabriel nodded subtly, acknowledging Andrei's silent offer to handle the situation."Alright," Gabriel said, his voice low but firm. "You handle this."Andrei stepped forward, a confident smirk playing on his lips. "You heard him," he said to the shop owner, his tone commanding. "This is your last chance to walk away."The shop owner hesitated, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. He glanced between Gabriel and Andrei, weighing his options.But before he could respond, Andrei made his move. With lightning speed, he lunged forward, his martial arts skills on full display as he swiftly disarmed the shop owner and pinned him to the ground.Gabriel watched with satisfaction as Andrei expertly subdued the shop owner. With the threat neutralized, he turned to leave, a smirk playing on h
They were almost reaching the restaurant. Gabriel wanted Andrei to dine with him there and asked him to but Andrei hesitated due to the exquisiteness of the restaurant he mentioned for he didn't know that Gabriel was taking him to such a luxurious restaurant. "It's just dinner, Andrei," Gabriel insisted, trying to persuade his friend. "You don't have to worry about the restaurant. I've got it covered."Andrei hesitated, glancing at Gabriel with uncertainty. "I appreciate the offer, but I don't want to impose," he replied, his tone tinged with reluctance.Gabriel shook his head, a reassuring smile playing on his lips. "Trust me, you're not imposing at all," he reassured Andrei. "Besides, it's been too long since we've caught up properly. Let me treat you to something nice."After a moment of consideration, Andrei nodded, a grateful smile spreading across his face. "Alright then, I'll join you," he agreed, his reservations fading away. "But I'm warning you, I'm going to enjoy every bit
Gabriel tried to maintain his composure in the face of Nora and Aliyah's mocking. Nora raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Oh, meeting someone, are you?" she quipped, her tone dripping with sarcasm.Aliyah chimed in with a smirk. "And who might that be? Someone as fancy as this restaurant?" she teased, her eyes gleaming with mischief.Gabriel shrugged, refusing to let their taunts get to him. "Just a friend," he replied nonchalantly, though inwardly he bristled at their remarks.Nora and Aliyah exchanged amused glances before bursting into laughter. Gabriel forced a smile, trying to brush off their ridicule. Deep down, though, he couldn't shake the feeling of embarrassment creeping over him.His jaw tensed as Nora and Aliyah continued their mockery, their words stinging like barbs. "Pretending to be rich now, are we?" Nora sneered, her tone dripping with disdain.Aliyah chimed in with a smirk. "Yeah, like we're supposed to believe you belong in a place like this," she added, her words la
As Gabriel stopped the waiter, his tone firm yet polite, he requested her to summon the manager. The waiter hesitated for a moment, clearly annoyed by Gabriel's persistence, but ultimately complied with his request to call the manager. With a reluctant sigh, she made her way to the manager's office and relayed Gabriel's complaint, emphasizing her frustration with his lack of preparedness and insistence on accessing the private room without a membership card.Meanwhile, Gabriel remained composed, knowing he needed to address the situation promptly. He glanced briefly at Nora and Aliyah, who were watching the scene unfold with amusement and disdain.A few moments later, the manager emerged from his office, his expression neutral but curious. The waiter gestured towards Gabriel, silently conveying the reason for her interruption.The manager's demeanor shifted from impatience to surprise as recognition dawned on him. "Oh, Master!" he exclaimed, his voice tinged with disbelief.Gabriel n
At the house, Camella returned home with her daughter and slumped on the sofa. Jessie hurried off to get water for her mother.When she returned, Jessie handed her mother the cup of water, concern evident in her eyes. "Here, Mom. You look like you could use this," she said gently."Thank you, sweetheart," Camella replied, taking a sip and sighing deeply.Jessie sat down beside her mother, her brow furrowing with worry. "What's been bothering you, Mom? You seem really stressed lately," she observed.Camella hesitated for a moment before deciding to confide in her daughter. "Well, honey, I've been thinking a lot about my project at work," she admitted. "I have this opportunity to reach out to the Wellington Group, but I'm afraid they'll reject me because of the differences in our levels. It's been weighing heavily on my mind."Jessie reached out and gently squeezed her mother's hand. "I'm sure you'll do great, Mom. You're smart and capable, and you've worked really hard on this project
Gabriel leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his face as he considered Andrei's question. "Well, Andrei, influence isn't something that comes overnight. It's about building relationships, gaining trust, and proving yourself worthy of respect," he explained cryptically.Andrei nodded slowly, his curiosity piqued. "But how did you manage to do it so quickly? It's like you have the whole world at your fingertips," he pressed, his eyes searching Gabriel's face for answers.Gabriel chuckled softly, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Let's just say I have my ways," he replied mysteriously, a knowing smile playing on his lips.Andrei raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by Gabriel's cryptic response. "Well, whatever your secret is, it's definitely working," he remarked, a note of admiration in his voice.Gabriel nodded, a sense of satisfaction evident in his expression. "Thanks, Andrei. Just remember, influence is about more than just power. It's about using that power respon