Time flew by as Alex and Emily lost themselves in each other's company. Emily then decided to prepare for her upcoming exam by reading a book. Meanwhile, Alex, who was lying beside her while stealing a glance at her as she flipped through the pages, grew restless due to the silence that had settled in the room and decided to break the monotony by disturbing her.He noticed a stray strand of hair from her braid brushing against her cheek and saw an opportunity to lighten the mood. Without hesitation, he gently tucked the strand behind her ear, which sent a sudden surge of electricity through her body.She chuckled as their eyes met for a moment, a silent exchange that spoke volumes.“What are you trying to do, Mr Intruder?” A smile, like the first bloom of a rose, spread across her lips, crinkling the corners of her eyes in a way that made them sparkle.“I'm not trying. I'm intruding on your heart.” He blurted, beaming with smiles, prompting another smile to escape her lips.“But yo
While Alex was in his office, he received a notification on his phone about an interview with Santiago.He scoffed. "The media can't simply stop fawning over him." However, that was precisely what they used to do for him when he lacked formidable competition. They were always eager to spread information about him, even distorting some facts to suit their narrative.Yes, he had acknowledged Santiago as a worthy adversary, an unprecedented occurrence. Many had attempted but failed to challenge him. None had managed to get under his skin and affect him the way Santiago did.Santiago recognised that playing the pity card could be effective, and he decided to exploit it, which was working in his favour."I'm not surprised, since most humans are naturally inclined to sympathize and take the side of individuals whose stories depict a fall from grace, regardless of the actions that led them there.” Alex muttered.The interviewer commended him for his recent success and how he felt. "To be h
Since Isabella's father was keen on her marrying Alex, she decided to embark on and execute her second plan about Alex's secret affair with Emily, which was at the night bar where Emily worked.She knew that Emily would be on shift. She had thoroughly researched her schedules at her respective jobs.She walked towards the bar counter as she entered.That would be the perfect spot to carry out her plan.But Emily wasn't at the counter; only Sarah was. When Sarah saw Isabella sitting at the bar stool, she thought Isabella was there because of Emily's secret affair with Alex, her fiancé. "Two rivals meeting in the same place?" She felt gleeful anticipation about how the confrontation would unfold. She was happy that Emily would finally face disgrace for the affair. She believed Emily was fully aware of Isabella's relationship with Alex, which was why she did subtly insult Emily in the past, acting condescendingly because she considered her virtuous behaviour to be just an act—though E
On the day of the court ruling, as Alex entered his car to drive to the courthouse, his phone beeped.On checking the screen, he saw that it was a message from Henry. "Heyy. I think you were pissed by the last conversation we had, but I don't want to believe that it's the reason we haven't seen each other. You know, I've always supported you, and I will continue doing so. That was just what I thought. Regardless, I hope the ruling favours you. Let's meet today." Alex beamed with smiles as he read the message. "He is so expressive." He muttered, which was unlike him.Although the conversation did not go the way he had expected, it was not the reason he had not met with him. Henry was not a person he could stay away from. He couldn't think of what Henry could do that would prompt him to make such a decision.Alex replied to his text. "I wasn't. I have just been busy trying to put things in the right place. I'll call you after the ruling. Let's meet.”As he drove to the courthouse, a
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