The judge looked down at the papers on his desk, then up at the people once more. "My ruling is..."He paused again as he turned his attention to the individual parties. His steely gaze settled first on Santiago before he shifted it over to Alex. His expression remained unreadable as their eyes met.“It is the ruling of this court that the defendant, Mr. Santiago Hernandez, is acquitted and not guilty on all charges brought against him in this case by Thornton Screen and Stage. This court case is decided and resolved in Mr. Santiago's favor. He is therefore cleared of all the accusations.”The courtroom erupted into pandemonium the moment the judge's verdict sank in. Shouts and congratulatory whispered ricocheted off the walls from Santiago's supporters, celebrating his legal vindication, while they shot Santiago disgusted and mocking gazes.Alex's stomach seemed to drop through the floor as the reality of those words reverberated through his brain.The defendant...Santiago. That m
Alex sat in his study room, surrounded by the comforting shadows that shielded him from the harsh reality outside. For two days, he watched helplessly as his company's rating plummeted, unable to devise a solution to reverse the downward spiral. Under mounting pressure, he resorted to deceiving everyone except his loyal secretary, telling them he had gone abroad for a vacation to give the impression that he was unaffected by the turmoil engulfing his company.He could hear the muffled voices of reporters clamouring for a statement outside his mansion, their presence like vultures circling prey.The weight of failure pressed heavily on his shoulders, suffocating him with each passing moment. In the meantime, he retreated into the confines of the study room, seeking solace in his secluded sanctuary, where he remained as elusive as a ghost. He avoided interactions with Isabella and Derek, immersing himself in solitude as he desperately searched for a solution to his predicament. Des
The following morning, Alex woke up brimming with fresh vitality. He recognised that encountering rainy days is inevitable in life, yet he was determined to conquer them, as he always did. Despite not yet finding a solution to his current challenge, he made a conscious decision not to allow sadness to engulf him as he got dressed.As he did, Isabella could not help but smirk because she already had a plan to ruin his day that seemed to be a perfect one. "He would know how crazy I am today." She thought inwardly, chuckling silently.He stepped out of the bedroom and out of the mansion without saying a word to her.Her distasteful words still echoed in his mind as his disdain for her intensified. As Alex stepped out of the gate, a swarm of reporters descended upon his car from all sides, their cameras flashing and voices clamouring for his attention. The cacophony made it nearly impossible for him to manoeuvre his vehicle, and frustration mounted within him. He was shielded behind t
“So you could show up." Emily scoffed upon seeing Alex appear at her doorstep.As if you weren't anticipating my arrival." Alex scoffed in return.Her hand was stretched across the doorframe.“Won't you let me in?" Alex asked her.“Why? Didn't you decide not to see me?" She furrowed her brows. “Before I forgot, were you with your parents again yesterday? Is that why you hung up the phone on me?”He smiled briefly because he had expected that. "Not again...please.”“I'm not joking." She replied, her expression stern."I'm sorry. I was just not in the mood to have a conversation-"“With me?!" Her eyes were widened.“No..no… I believe you are aware of what happened. The verdict really broke me down."“That means it was because of the text you called. If I hadn't, you wouldn't have called. Will you?"She didn't expect him to answer the question. Did she?Ignoring her, he bridged the distance between them, their breaths mingling in the silence, drawing them closer."I miss you, Em." He wh
Just as Isabella had hoped, Alex took Emily to a serene garden popular with lovers. When she saw him get out of his car wearing a baseball cap, she scoffed. "You won't be needing that in a few minutes.” Her plan was to confront them, just as Emily had ignorantly advised her, in order to expose their secret affair. She had meticulously planned this day as she beamed with a confident smile, certain that things would go her way. Some minutes after they had walked inside the garden, she alighted, but with the intention of drawing attention to herself. As soon as she stepped out of the car, some people recognised her and swarmed around, asking for pictures, which she gladly accepted. It was all part of her plan—to draw people's attention to witness what she had in store. She missed the public attention and the feeling that came with it since she was rarely seen in public anymore. "I love how your skin is glowing. I bet Alex is taking good care of you." Someone commented fr
For a moment, Alex was paralysed by indecision, his mind a battlefield of conflicting emotions. He looked back at the path where Isabella had walked out and then glanced at Emily, who stood there patiently with wide eyes, filled with a mix of hope and fear, waiting to hear him explain everything that was going on—still not believing what she had heard.He felt a pit of guilt and panic in his stomach."Fuck it," he muttered, sucking his teeth, the weight of his decision heavy on his tongue. The words felt like a betrayal as soon as they left his lips. "I'm sorry, Em. I need to go..." He walked closer to her, his heart pounding with every step. Whispering so that only she could hear, he said, "I'll explain everything to you later. But believe me, it's not what you think." With that, he dashed out, hoping to catch Isabella before she left with guilt clawing at his insides.He had seen the hurt in Emily's eyes, the trust shattering like glass. He had promised her the world, yet here
As Emily got home, her heart was still shattered into a million pieces as she replayed the afternoon's events over and over in her mind. She still could not believe what she had witnessed, even though each memory felt like a dagger stabbing at her."How could he be engaged? How could he lie to me?" She muttered, her voice trembling. Her heart ached as she remembered their moments together, now tainted with betrayal. "There’s probably a misconception, a place where I got it all wrong.” She tried to reason with herself, but the certainty of Isabella's pregnancy shattered any hope she clung to.The certainty that Isabella was pregnant with Alex's child led her to conclude that Isabella and him had a romantic relationship."Their relationship is probably a sneaky link," she thought.This conclusion made her wonder if Isabella had approached her intentionally, despite her denial. She could not bring herself to believe Isabella."She definitely did that out of jealousy." She chuckled. "F
As Isabella sipped her juice, a sudden flash from Derek's phone caught her attention. He had just ended the recording, and the light from the kitchen drew her gaze, curiosity sparking in her eyes. "Derek?" she called, a note of suspicion in her voice. For a moment, he thought he had been caught. He walked out from behind the kitchen door, his face downcast. Unknown to him, she didn't grasp what had happened. "Did you hear the conversation between Alex and me?" she asked, her tone inquisitive. His mind raced. Should he tell her the truth? What if she reacted badly? What if she threw him out because of it? He desperately wanted to confirm something about her pregnancy but struggled to find the right words. The question had been gnawing at him since he heard the news from the kitchen. He needed to know. "Don't lie to me," she added, sensing his hesitation during the brief silence. "Yes," he nodded. She smiled, expecting him to congratulate her. "What?" Her eyes w