Alex woke up and found Brielle lying next to him, fast asleep. He focused on her face, the face that had captivated him. Ignoring her nakedness, he got up and put on a shirt. As he stood, Brielle woke up and put on a robe. They both locked eyes and stared at each other.
"Sorry about last night, I shouldn't have done that," Alex apologized. Brielle burst into laughter.
"Oh my god, you're such a wimp, Alex. I was the one who initiated it, remember?" she said. Alex nodded and walked into the main room. He poured himself a glass of vodka and sighed with satisfaction as he drank it. He poured another glass and downed it quickly.
"Can I join you?" a voice asked. Alex turned to see Amelia looking at him, her usual haughty expression softened.
"No," Alex replied, in a bad mood and not wanting any trouble. He didn't trust Amelia. "Go away," he said, tilting the vodka bottle to his mouth and finishing it. The alcohol seemed to help him forget his problems.
Amelia's soft hands found their way to his chest, but Alex knew better than to fall for her tricks. He grabbed her hands and pushed them away. She smiled.
"Why are you so loyal to Brielle? She doesn't even like you. Brielle only uses you for her own pleasure. I like you, Alex. Come with me," she purred. Alex's green eyes stared at her as he shook his head slowly.
"I don't trust you, and I never will. You've almost gotten me into trouble too many times," Alex said, plopping down onto a couch. Amelia smiled and sat beside him.
"That's true, but I did it because I want you for myself. And I promise you, you'll find me better than Brielle. Let's just go to my room and you'll see," she said, kissing him. She moaned as their lips met, tasting the lingering liquor on his mouth. His kisses were the best she had ever experienced. Alex's eyes widened, and he pushed her away.
"Jesus Amelia, why did you do that?" He whispered, and she smirked.
"It's because I like you, damn! Brielle is missing out, your lips are like heaven," she said, starting to unbutton her robe. However, Alex quickly grabbed her hands.
"Don't you dare try that," he growled, pulling her into her room, pushing her in, and closing the door behind her. He could hear her chuckling from inside.
"Sooner or later, Alex, I'll make sure you're mine," she said. Alex sighed and ran out of the house. He headed to the parking lot and sat on the pavement, wondering why his life was so messed up. From one problem to another, he still preferred dealing with Brock's anger over Amelia's schemes. Amelia was a schemer, always coming up with disastrous plans that would only get them into trouble.
"There you are," Brock's voice interrupted his thoughts, and Alex rolled his eyes. Brock was a constant pain, always trying to provoke him. "What's up, loser?" he asked, placing a hand on Alex's shoulder. In one swift move, Alex judo-flipped him, causing Brock to crash onto the floor.
"I've told you, Brock," he said, his voice filled with anger. "Don't you ever lay a hand on me." Brock grinned, seemingly amused.
"Showing your true colors, huh?" Brock smirked as he stood up. "Pretending to be docile when you're actually a damn fighter."
Alex cursed himself for revealing his skills to Brock.
"What do you want?" Alex asked, his tone filled with annoyance. Brock smiled.
"Who said I want anything?" Brock replied, sitting on the hood of his car and glaring at Alex. "I want you to divorce my sister," he continued, his voice dripping with disdain. Alex smirked sarcastically.
"I wish I could," Alex said, his voice laced with bitterness. "But you know what Grandma wants. Are you telling me you're not aware of your family's code?" Alex questioned, and Brock scowled.
"We don't believe in divorce," Brock stated firmly, and Alex nodded.
"I tried to request one yesterday, but Brielle reminded me of that," Alex explained, and Brock's scowl deepened.
"Then she's damn stupid. We don't keep codes for a loser like you," Brock growled, and Alex shrugged.
"Tell that to grandma," Alex remarked, and Brock nodded in agreement. As Brock walked away, Alex let out a tired sigh. He was exhausted and thought maybe he should grab another drink.
Just as he stood up, his phone started ringing. Irritated, Alex scowled at the caller's persistence. He didn't want to answer, but after the twentieth call, he was ready to give them a piece of his mind.
"Lex," the caller said, causing Alex to choke on his outburst. Only one person called him that.
"Sir Martins?" Alex managed to say, recognizing the voice of his father's PA.
"Please, don't hang up," the frail voice pleaded from the other end. Alex felt guilty for ignoring the calls all this time.
"Are you still there?" Martins asked, hoping for a chance to talk. Guilt washed over Martins as he remembered when he had kicked Alex out eight years ago, following the instructions of Alex's grandfather, Theodore. Theodore despised Alex because he believed his son had impregnated another woman randomly. However, Alex's mother had been Edward's childhood lover and had gotten pregnant for him. Pa Theo resented Alex and his mother, and when she passed away, Alex was thrown out of the Styles mansion.
The memories of the harsh treatment flooded Alex's mind, and he remembered how Martins had heartlessly thrown him out without looking back. He understood that Martins was just following Pa Theo's orders, but he had wished Martins had shown him some compassion that cold, scary night.
"I'm sorry, Sir Martins, I have to go," Alex quickly said, about to end the call when he heard the statement that stopped him in his tracks.
"Edward Styles is dead..."
"Huh... What?" Alex exclaimed, shocked by the news of his father's death. Despite his deep-seated resentment towards them, he couldn't help but be touched by the news.
Edward Styles was his father, a highly influential figure in the city. The news of his death must have spread far and wide, yet Alex was the last to hear of it.
"Please, Alex, there's more to this, and I would like to meet you. Lux Resort, 2 p.m. tomorrow," the old man's voice crackled through the phone before the call ended.
Alex remained perplexed as he processed the news, walking into a room where the headlines screamed the truth he had yet to fully grasp: "Liam Styles, the new CEO of the Styles Consortium." His father had been dead for over two weeks, and Alex was only just finding out. Regret flooded his mind for not answering the anonymous call earlier.
As he absorbed the shock, the television droned on in the background, broadcasting the voice of Brock, who had just walked in. "What a perfect time to partner with the Styles’, after the death of that arrogant man," Brock's words pierced through the air like a knife, fueling fierce anger within Alex towards the disrespect shown towards his late father.
With clenched fists, Alex struggled to contain his emotions, his heart burdened by grief and indignation over the derogatory remarks aimed at his father.
Alex woke to find the bed empty; he knew Brielle must have gone to get some groceries. They were still on break because of Grandma's birthday. Sighing, he sat up and stared at the mirror before him. His dark hair had fallen to his temples, and his eyes still looked hungry for sleep—he damned well needed one.Yawning, Alex walked out to the bar stand, where he now always resorted to drinking to clear his head. He grabbed a bottle of liquor, poured it into a glass, and took a sip.“This is becoming a habit. Do you know how much it costs to maintain this lifestyle?” someone said, and Alex nearly spilled his drink in surprise.“Amelia,” he said, his voice deep, something that made her observe him closely. “Good morning,” he added nonchalantly, and Amelia smiled at him, a grin plastered on her face as she walked up to him.“Should you be drinking this early? This lavish lifestyle, I hope you know your meager salary can't fund it,” she mocked. Alex frowned, and the liquor turned sour in his
Alex entered the extravagant resort and was greeted by a swarm of people. He couldn't help but wonder why the place was so packed and why Martins had chosen such a crowded spot to meet.Feeling confused, Alex scanned the area for Martins, but it was difficult with all the noise and commotion. Deciding to step outside, he inadvertently collided with a red-haired lady, causing her to drop her bag."Are you blind?" she snapped at Alex, who quickly apologized and bent down to pick up her bag. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you coming," he explained, handing her the bag. She snatched it from him suspiciously, giving him a disdainful look."You're a thief, aren't you? I hope you haven't stolen anything yet. Is this how thieves behave?" she accused, scanning her bag for any missing items. Alex wasn't surprised by her reaction; people in the city often looked down on those they perceived as poor. He didn't dress like a wealthy person, so it was easy for them to judge him."There's no need to make a
Alex found himself in a dimly lit room, but to his surprise, he wasn't being treated roughly. Instead, he was kept in a tidy room. Before long, a servant girl entered the room, accompanied by two burly men who resembled the ones who had kidnapped him. The girl placed a tray on the table in front of Alex and then bowed slightly before leaving.Confused, Alex watched as the servant girl walked away. He couldn't understand why he was being treated so nicely when he clearly remembered being kidnapped and brought here. His gaze shifted to the meal in front of him, and the delicious aroma made his stomach growl.Curiosity got the better of him, and he cautiously lifted the lids of the covered plates. To his delight, he discovered seared filet mignon with truffle sauce, along with his favorite roasted potatoes and steamed vegetables. The anticipation of the mouthwatering meal made his stomach churn, but he couldn't help but be cautious."What if it's poisoned?" he silently questioned himself
The following day, Alex and Martins arrived at the company in a sleek, dark BMW. As they parked the car, Alex couldn't help but feel a rush of nostalgia as he gazed at the impressive and modern architecture of the building. Memories of his time spent here with his father and Sir Martins flooded his mind, and even after fifteen years, he still admired the luxurious and sophisticated atmosphere."You still remember what the company looks like," Martins remarked, impressed."Just a little," Alex replied, clapping his hands together and feeling slightly out of place in his casual attire. Despite Martins arranging a fitted tuxedo for him, he insisted on wearing his own clothes."Are you sure about this?" Martins questioned, gesturing towards Alex's choice of clothing. "We can do this another time, you know." Just then, one of the security guards opened the car door, and both Alex and Martins stepped out."Yes, I prefer it this way for a fresh start," Alex affirmed, determined to wear casua
Brock felt uneasy, his stomach churned as sweat formed on his forehead. This business proposal was his opportunity to keep his secrets hidden. The profits from the deal would help him cover his tracks.Unfortunately, yesterday he had a major loss at the casino, completely ruining his plans. He had a feeling that something was off because he had insider information for a sure win. "Baby, can we please get out of here? They can all go to hell," Sophie complained, gripping his hand tightly. In a fit of anger and frustration, Brock forcefully pulled his hand away from her."Find your own way back," Brock shot at her, sliding into the driver's seat and slamming the door shut. "Baby, I'm sorry," Sophie lamented, attempting to open the car door, but it was already locked from the inside. Brock started the car and sped away, leaving Sophie behind."Babe... Bab..." Sophie's calls were drowned out by the sound of the speeding car. She was now breathing heavily, her anger growing. She knew Broc
Alex was pacing back and forth as beads of sweat formed on his forehead and he moved restlessly."What do we do?" Martins asked as he stared at Alex who looked really restless.Of course, he should be. His wife had been kidnapped and he had no idea what would have been going on with her right now.This was something he had never imagined in all of his lifetime. That there would be a time when he wouldn't be able to save his wife from all these troublesWhat if her captors had already done away with her at this point?Had they hurt her already?Why had her captors not made an attempt to reach out to him yet.That was a point where he didn't even want to venture in. He didn't want to think of that because if he thought of that, he could possibly have a heart attack.."I have no idea, I'm as lost as you are." Alex said as he clenched and unclenched his fist gritting his teeth."I'm really confused and I'm trying to think on what to do but my head is falling to pieces." Alex stated as he
Alex saw the way Martin's lips curl in distaste at the way and he didn't bother to ask why. "So what do I do?" He inquired from the kidnapper. The kidnapper smacked his lips, he had Alex where he wanted him and was very happy that things were going in his direction. He adjusted his mask to cover his eyes and his mic so that no one would be able to guess that he was the one who was behind it. Meanwhile, Brielle watched her kidnapper grinning, it was obvious that Alex had agreed to the deal and she heaved a sigh of relief before being overcome with a deep sense of gratitude. Never would she have imagined that he would agree to such a crazy deal. At least, she knew that she wouldn't do it if reverse was the case hence her appreciation for what he did. "You will hand over the rights of the company to me. Then, will we talk about what next to do." "Great." Alex replied. Then a thought suddenly struck his mind. What if he was being pranked or lied to? There was no way that he was going
Brock held his jaw and his eyes widened in alarm when Alex's hand made contact with his cheek. Who could imagine that such a weakling like Alex could pack such a mean punch. "You hit me?!" He muttered incredulously and Alex nodded. "What an effrontery?! He replied angrily and Alex stared at him impishly. He didn't have time to reply to anyone that decided to be useless. "You don't want me to punch you more in the face, do you?" He retorted.Brock's eyes widened even considerably in shock. This man before him was different. He wouldn't imagine that Alex would tell him off. Such a weakling! He thought. It was impulsive of Alex to strike him across the cheek.Realizing that he was on the ground, and was at a disadvantage, he picked himself up. "You'll hear from my lawyers for assaulting me. I will make sure that you don't go Scot free."Alex scoffed at him, he didn't have time for the balderdash that Brock wanted to project to him. "I wish you all the best." "Are you kidding me?" Broc
It had been a week since the day that the final hearing had been adjourned. The judge had thanked Alex, Amelia, and Nikki for their help to the investigation. It was not something a judge would usually do but the whole situation that had brought them to the court was out of the ordinary. Alex and Brielle had been released from jail and the judge had ordered the immediate arrest of the real culprits after promising compensation to Alex and Brielle. Everyone sat in the courtroom, anticipating the beginning of the final hearing. There were reporters and people from the mass media all around the room and every single person who was involved in the case was present as well. Liam, his mother, their Lawyer who had helped their forgery, Brock, Sean and Martin. Alex, Amelia, Nikki and Brielle were also there to witness the final judgment so as to receive a form of closure for all of their efforts and the ways they had been deceived.Liam and his mother came into the courtroom first to hear th
After Alex presented all the evidence explaining his wicked brother's schemes, Liam saw that there was no way to hide anymore so he grinned again. "Yes, I meant what I said. I can't be the only one with hands pointing at me. I am just a little in number of people who are involved in this crime so as much as I would like to talk about certain things I also wanted to tell you that there might be some things that you want to change but don't have the power to. It's all in your head if you think that I won't carry out proper investigations." He said. The whole courtroom was astonished at his nonchalance. "Do you think that I would be afraid anymore? You don't even know half of what I've done. If you knew it, I'm sure that a lot of you would run mad but that won't help you one bit, instead it would dampen how fast this process should be and make you look like a fool." He spat. Temple signaled to him to stop talking so that he didn't reveal all the secrets but he refused. "The funny thi
The judge stared at him, wondering why three people were walking in."Barrister Nikki, what is going on here?" He asked when he saw close to five people walking into the room at the same time."I brought them as witnesses to help with the process, sir." She confessed and the judge nodded while motioning that she could go on. "I, Barrister Nikki, would like the court to allow us to begin the process again so that we can have a clear picture about what will happen soon." She replied.The judge was a bit perplexed but from the way the lady was speaking, she figured out that she probably knew what she was doing and was only biding her time.Liam glanced at his lawyer in fear hoping that they didn't make the mistake of letting anything slip out of his mind. Temple began to sweat because he knew that problems were about to arise and all he could do right now was to make sure that he was able to find a solution. "Let the proceedings begin." He replied."I have evidence that shows that my
In The CourtRoom. "According to the pieces of evidence before me I can boldly claim that the plaintiff is right in his suit." The judge spoke while adjusting the rim of his glasses so that it settled perfectly on his nose. Nikki rolled her eyes at the declaration. It was evident that he had been bribed hence the reason for him not properly dissecting the evidence before him and choosing to believe this man over Alex. "Objection my Lord." Nikki piped up with a smile while staring her boss in the eyes. Barr. Temple who watched her grapple with many sheets of papers as she tried to bring up more evidence. "Objection sustained." The judge granted her request Nikki adjusted her collar and smiled at the judge again. "I'm sure that everyone knows that these men are nothing but treacherous businessmen. At least that's what the tabloids say and not only that, we have a little evidence to back it up. May I show the court?"The judge nodded and she flicked on the remote which brought out im
Nikki tapped her feet in the car impatiently as they waited for Brielle to come out of Sean's apartment. They had gotten someone to set a camera inside the house to watch what was going on so that they knew the next step to take Amelia also tapped her fingers against the window as she counted one to ten in her head. The plan was simple, Brielle was to go in, seduce Sean and get him to confess to many crimes that he committed so that they could present in the court in three days. "What could be keeping her too long?" Nikki murmured angrily. They still had a lot of places to reach before midnight. Shs wanted to make everything done and over with so that she could take a nap but this was not going the way she wanted."She's not even in the line of vision. We told her to remain in the living room so that we could capture the real footage and present unmistakable evidence." Amelia muttered, their initial ire forgotten.Nikki rubbed a hand across her face as she kept on waiting for the fo
Nikki's eyes wandered toward the duo who were staring at her eagerly like she was bringing salvation to them."I feel weird." She chuckled nervously but their stares continued."I know, right? We have been waiting for you all day, why don't you get some juice in the fridge? I made it specially for you." Brielle suggested so that she didn't feel weirded out.Amelia on the other hand tapped her foot impatiently as she tried to understand what might be going on."Do you realize that we have a lot to do and I would really appreciate it if we get right into it." She muttered impatiently."Right. I guess we can dive right into the topic. So why are you here, Amelia?" Nikki challenged her. Amelia scoffed at the audacity that this lady possessed to challenge her about her presence in her cousin's house. "You're just a friend but that's beside the point. Now, why I called is to inform you that there will soon be a party, the culprits would be present so we need to be fast about it." She said
"Why don't you stop by my house later tonight?" Brielle inquired from Nikki the next day. She has something very improved to tell her that required that they brainstorm.Nikki glanced at her watch and realized that there was a problem. It was almost three p.m. and she still had a meeting to cover before she could call it a day. However, since Brielle needed her, it was high time that she agreed on what to do."Okay, I'll be there. I hope you have food though because I'm famished," She replied. "Yeah, you don't need to worry, I just need to put some things together, that's a little repayment for your time and energy," Brielle responded half-heartedly. She wasn't really in the mood to cook but had no choice anyway since that was what her beloved friend wanted. "You don't need to stress yourself to prove a point, I could order but I feel like having a home-made meal. You know what? Why don't I make a quick stop at home so I don't stress you out? I could also bring some for you. Whatcha
“I’m here to see Alex.” Amelia told one of the prison wardens who stared at her as though she was speaking Greek. She returned a matching glare not wanting to be intimidated at all. They had nothing on her."Who are you and why do you think that you have the right to see him before visiting hours?" He asked her."I don't know why I don't have the privilege to see my in-law, last time I checked, this is the visiting time or is there something you don't want me to know about?" Amelia replied angrily. She had no respect for people who were after their bellies. The warden was tapped by his colleague who nodded to allow her in. She was a family member who was not restricted from seeing him. The first warden didn't just want to allow her in like that. There needed to be peace and orderliness. “Who are you?”“Amelia.”“Wait in the visitors room, I’ll call him for you.”Amelia was seated as she looked around and waited patiently for Alex to be brought to her. It was minutes and minutes wer
Nikki still didn’t want to give up even if Martins was so too good at covering up his tracks. She knew that he wanted to cheat Brielle and she wasn’t going to let that happen. Apart from the fact that he and Brielle were friends, she knew she was also a lawyer and it’ll be very easy for her to sue him if she got any evidence at least.She knew that they’ll be no one to give her the information that she needed so she decided to take matters into her own hands. She decided that she would follow Martina for some time as she knew that eventually, he was going to slack off and leave some of his tracks Uncleaned.It was going to be stressful but she was willing to do anything for the sake of Brielle. She was pregnant too and she didn’t want her bothering herself.She knew that her father’s condition was already affecting her and she was trying her best notTo act like it and Martins was barely adding to her problems. She hated everything about Martin including his guts and how selfish he