The days that followed were for Marcus a curse. He could not wait to get over the hurtful things that he had heard Camelia say to him.Also, he had gotten busy with his new secretary, Mara and he was loving her presence. It seemed to soothe the pain and the betrayal that he felt. He thought about Camelia every now and then but not as intensely as he would have if Mara was not in the picture.He and Mara had gotten so comfortable with each other and even touched a few times.Meanwhile, his pain was about to resurrect when one evening, his brother returned from his field investigations and came to him at the dining room with an envelope.“What's up?” He had asked and Marcus simply nodded.“I have got a bit aif a bad news for you again and it has to do with Camelia.”Marcus squeezed his face.“I really do not think that I want to hear anything about her anymore, to be honest man. I am over her.”His voice was filled with pain and he was sad.Marco sat down beside him and still went on wi
Two weeks passed gently without noise and Camelia spent most of her time in bed, crying her eyes out in the day and laughing with her mum in the night as though all was well.Miss Amelia noticed that she and Marcus were no longer speaking that much and he barely ever visited. Whenever she tried to bring it up, her daughter would shun her and make her feel that all was well that she was being unnecessarily pushy.“Marcus is a man that buys and has a multi billion dollar company to run, mother. You cannot possibly expect him to spend every second of his life lying around my house.”“But he also had that business to run when he was always at the hospital to see me,” she nagged.“Urgh… mother. Let me be! I am sure he will make out time to come around sometime.” Sh was exhausted already by the regular questioning and wished that they could be skipped. She hated the fact that her mother was just too invested in everything that had to do with Marcus. She loved him so much and it broke her he
Mara gazed through the window as the car drove her and Marcus through the streets of the elite streets of Los Altos hills. They were headed for the charity event that Camelia had organised on behalf of the Blackwood conglomerate and now, Mara was to bear the compliments that were meant for Camelia. “I'd like to specifically thank you for taking the necessary steps towards bringing this social event to a point of success. I mean, when Marco told me you were good with what you do, I thought he was being too confident and that I would soon be disappointed but I was wrong.” He flashed his smile and she smiled back. “Thank you Boss,” she chuckled and Marcus nodded lightly. Mara seemed to be filled with excitement that she was to be seen in social functions with Marcus and not the dysfunctional twin. Once they arrived at the event, the camera lights from the news media were rolling right at them as they stepped out of the car. Mara was leading ahead of him but Marcus tapped her wrist
The entire crowd was gasping at the sight of him, no one really wanted to socialize with him. “You do not seem so pleased to see me,” Magnus spoke with a sarcastic gleam in his eyes, “I mean, I know we are rivalries but come on, we can put the past behind us, you know and move on.” Marcus was still gazing at him and now his anger grew to a seethed one. Marco could see the discomfort Magnus was causing for everyone and moved closer to the event to take the spotlight and salvage the situation. “You got me locked up with your twisted lies and you thought the law would keep me away forever, ain't it?” Magnus whispered through clenched teeth yet, everyone could his words. “Well, news flash, I still got out!” He groaned proudly and Marcus felt a sting in his heart. How was that even possible? He thought to himself whilst still trying to coin his words for a formal attack on Magnus. “Here you are, holding the mic and about to give a speech that would deceive people into thinking that y
Marcus stood in the ruins of the event hall, staring at the scattered champagne glasses, abandoned tables, and the wilted bouquets meant for a celebration that never happened. The crowd’s murmurs of discontent still echoed faintly in his mind. His knuckles were white as he gripped the edge of a podium, glaring at the exit Magnus and Lady Theresa had smugly walked through. “Sabotaged right under my nose,” Marcus muttered to himself. Marco approached him cautiously, his brotherly façade barely concealing the growing frustration beneath. “They played you perfectly,” Marco whispered, leaning close. “But don’t let them see you like this. We’ve got damage control to handle.” Mara stepped beside them, her previously radiant face now painted with a mix of confusion and frustration. “What’s the plan now, Marcus? Do we release a statement, try to spin this?” Marcus exhaled heavily, pushing his emotions deep down where they couldn’t interfere with his next move. “No.” His voice was cold. Cal
Back at his mansion, Marcus prepared for Magnus’s event. He wasn’t going to let his enemy steal the spotlight again. This time, he had a plan—a dangerous, calculated gamble that could either restore his reputation or destroy him entirely.Marco and Mara watched him from the sidelines, both silently calculating their next moves. They knew Marcus was planning something big, but neither of them knew exactly what. And in a world where alliances shifted like sand, trust was a luxury none of them could afford.As Marcus adjusted his tie and stared at his reflection in the mirror, he allowed himself a rare moment of vulnerability. His mind drifted to Camelia—her laugh, her warmth, the way she used to believe in him. He’d thought he could forget her, but the memory lingered, gnawing at the edges of his conscience.For the briefest moment, Marcus wondered if he’d made a mistake.But it was too late for second-guessing. The game was already in motion, and there was no turning back.With one las
The rest of the evening was a blur of forced smiles and shallow conversations. Marcus moved through the crowd, shaking hands with investors and donors, but his mind stayed on Magnus. Every interaction felt like a distraction, a waste of time compared to the real threat lurking just across the room.Meanwhile, Magnus worked the crowd with effortless charm, spinning tales of his “unjust imprisonment” and painting himself as the victim of Marcus’s ambition. The guests, eager for gossip, lapped up his stories, their opinions of Marcus slowly souring with every word Magnus uttered.Mara stayed close to Marcus, her presence a steadying influence, but even she could sense the tide turning against them. Whispers followed them wherever they went, and the once-warm smiles of the guests grew colder, more guarded.“Marcus,” Mara whispered as they approached the bar, “he’s poisoning them against you.”“I know,” Marcus muttered, grabbing a glass of whiskey from the bartender. “But we can’t confront
The sting of humiliation clung to Marcus’s skin as if it were a second layer. The once-grand ballroom now felt suffocating. Guests milled about in tight clusters, whispering behind half-raised champagne glasses, casting furtive glances in his direction. Magnus and Lady Theresa had thrown down the gauntlet in the most public, brutal way possible—and walked off the stage victorious. For the first time in years, Marcus felt like prey.Mara tugged at his arm again. "Marcus, let’s leave now. They’re not worth it."Marcus didn’t budge, his eyes locked on the empty stage. Fury boiled within him, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. Every part of him wanted to storm after Magnus, to rip the smug grin off his face and return the humiliation tenfold. But Marcus knew that reacting here, in front of everyone, would only deepen the damage Magnus had inflicted. He had to play this smarter.Marco appeared beside him, a mask of calm on his face, though Marcus could see the tension i