Frederick McCullough stood in front of the window of his office, gazing down at the bustling streets of Los Angeles. His mind was racing as he pondered his next move. Rylan had just made a bold and strategic move that cost him his autonomous control over the company. As a co-owner, Rylan was now a looming threat to take over the rest of the company. Frederick's heart sank at the thought of losing control of his life's work, his greatest achievement, and his investment in other companies. The mere idea of Rylan taking over completely sent a cold chill down his spine. He knew he had to act fast and find a solution to prevent this from happening. Yet, despite his best efforts, he couldn't seem to come up with a solution. His mind was blank, and he felt lost and overwhelmed.Frederick turned away from the streets and faced his office once more. He could remember vividly the day he had fired Rylan. Rylan had pleaded with him to reconsider, but he hadn’t listened. Karen had advised him to b
“Are you kidding me?” Karen asked. “You think I’d joke about something like this?” Frederick replied. Karen sighed and placed her hands on her hips. They were losing the battle to Rylan. It seemed he had finally gotten to her dad, but Karen wondered how. What did Rylan have on her father that would force him to sell the company? It didn’t make any sense. Frederick wouldn’t just accept defeat unless it was something serious. Whatever it was, it had Federick in a chokehold. “What did Rylan say to you?” She questioned. “And why would you even think about doing something like this?”Frederick had his hands on his eyes. He was thinking of what to do. He couldn’t bring himself to tell his daughters about what he had done. If they found out that he had been involved in a drug trafficking scheme, they’d never trust him ever again. Especially Eve. He had done so much wrong to her that he felt guilty any time he looked into her eyes. It was hard to purge away the guilt. Everything he tried d
Rylan Daystar marched into the hallway that led to Frederick’s office. Today was the day he would get his revenge. His retribution was now at its peak. Besides him was Leah Marcher who had a black briefcase in her hand. She was like a bodyguard to him with the shades she wore. Rylan was dressed in his usual black suit and white undershirt. His dark brown hair was combed neatly and his amber eyes lit the hallway. He dressed perfectly for the occasion. Leah who was beside him was similar to him. They arrived at Frederick’s door and were met by Martha, his secretary.Martha went to them as she watched them arrive at Frederick’s door. She wasn’t surprised to see him here. Judging from the telegraph he had sent, Martha knew something was wrong but she kept her lips sealed. Only she knew the dark secrets of the company and thus was going to be one of them. It came with the job. “Mr. Daystar. I believe you’re here to see Mr. McCullough?” She asked. Rylan nodded with a smile.“Yes. If you d
How many years had Edward been away? Seven, or eight years? No matter how long it was, it didn’t matter to Eve anymore. Why? Because her brother was coming home. It was only a matter of time. She couldn’t remember the last time she had seen him. During the period of his absence, she had gotten married, divorced, and traveled around the world. So when she saw his car pull up into the estate, a smile appeared on her face. Eve could feel her heart thumping hard against her ribs. She was excited to see Edward again. Staying in France for almost ten years would have surely affected him in one way or the other. Eve thought about it. Perhaps his intonation would be different than before. The black SUV pulled over at the mansion and the back door swung open, propelling a figure to step out of it. It was Edward McCullough. Edward McCullough was a tall man with dark hair which glistened under the morning sun. He had familiar blue eyes and a perfectly shaved mustache. He looked like a combinat
In the darkness, Edward's senses were heightened as he heard the faint sound of engines running in the distance. His arms and legs were restrained, but he remained composed. He knew that he had been taken against his will and brought to an unfamiliar location, but this was all part of the plan he had devised. Despite the circumstances, he felt a sense of calmness wash over him. He had no reason to panic because he had anticipated this moment. This was the only way he could save his family from harm. The stakes were high, and he had no choice but to take a risk. Edward couldn't believe he was about to negotiate with his captors. It was a desperate move, but he was willing to do whatever it takes to protect his loved ones. However, he was well aware of the danger that lay ahead.They had been going for about twenty minutes now, and Edward was relieved when the car came to a final halt. The engines were caught off and he could hear the sounds of car doors slamming. Footsteps were also pa
Leah Marcher walked through the hallway of Daystar Industries as she headed toward Rylan’s office. In her hands were a couple of papers. The papers were good news. News that Rylan would love to hear. She arrived at the office and was met by his secretary, Mrs. Clifford who was a brunette woman in her early forties. “Mrs. Marcher. Welcome,” she greeted. “Thank you, Mrs. Clifford. Is he in there?” Leah asked. Mrs. Clifford nodded. “Okay. Thank you,” Leah said and knocked on the door. Without waiting for a response, she swung the door open and stepped into the office. Rylan was leaning against his chair lost in thought. He was in his white undershirt with his sleeves folded. On the chair hung his suit jacket. Rylan was thinking of what to do with Federick’s company now he owned it. He could merge it with his and make it one, but that seemed like a bad idea. The weight of the company would be too cumbersome in the market. But if he made both of them go in the opposite direction, th
As Rylan and Leah strolled towards their car, a sudden flash caught them off guard. A camera which concealed the face of a figure standing a few cars away, had just taken their picture. The figure, who was wearing a black overcoat, slowly lowered the camera, revealing his face. He watched Rylan and Leah intently as they climbed into their shiny Lamborghini, his eyes never leaving them until they raced away down the street, leaving him standing alone in the huge parking lot. When they were gone, he looked at the images he captured of them. He had taken quite a few and they all seemed perfect. That was all the evidence he needed. He was sure that his client would be delighted to see this. With a smile on his face, he walked back into the casino. ***In a room with a large table sat five men and a woman. They were all looking at each other in rage. The air that surrounded them seemed tense. However, they didn’t seem angry at each other but angry at something way different. Seth Manne
“To Rylan Daystar!” Leah said, lifting her glass. “To Rylan Daystar!” The whole crowd said after her. There were sounds of glass clinking together before the music in the background was brought back higher. Rylan who was sitting at one of the couches in the dimly lit club smiled as he watched the crowd call his name. He didn’t fancy any of these, but Leah had compelled him to come here. They were celebrating his success in overpowering Federick and also the build-up to the factory’s debut. Rylan had a glass of liquor in his hand as he watched the whole club go wild. He had bought the club a few years back, a rare addition to his collection. He had done it just for fun but had grown fond of it after a while. This was where he came to relax after having tough days, but those days seemed to be slowly fading away. He was now on course for a three-over-three victory. All he had to do was get the casino owners to understand and compensate them before letting them leave. After that, his w
VENICE, ITALY6 MONTHS LATER. “Stay away from me!” The man yelled as he ran through the dim streets for shelter. Behind him, a man dressed in a black suit with a black mask was running after him. In his hand was an FN 5’7. The man in black pursued him endlessly. When the Italian man stopped for shelter, he pulled out his gun from the pockets of his leather jacket and aimed at the man in black. “Rylan. Watch out,” Williams called in his ear. “Holy shit!” Rylan yelled on his breath as the man pointed the gun in his direction. Two shots were fired and Rylan managed to dodge the bullets before they could hit him. “Are you sure this is our guy?” Rylan asked. “Affirmative. Dominic De Rossi,” Williams replied through the comms. “I just hope you’re right.”“When have I ever been wrong?”Rylan rolled his eyes and fired back at Dominic. The shot whizzed past Dominic’s head and he scrambled to his feet immediately. Rylan saw this and decided to go after him. They were on the main stre
“They let you in?” Jain asked. “Of course they would.”Jain sighed and drank her cappuccino. They were both seated at a table in the cafe. It was at their favorite spot—the table by the window. It had been two days since Rylan had spoken to Frederick. He could still remember the shock on his face when he told him he had forgiven him. It wasn’t something that Frederick had expected. Frederick was aware that he despised him, but there was no need to keep that grudge anymore. The battle had been won. The best thing he could do now was move on and that was ok his agenda. Jain shook her head in disbelief. She was baffled that they would let Rylan into the prison to speak to Frederick McCullough. Well, he was Rylan Daystar. “So what did you tell him?”Rylan lifted his cup of cappuccino and took a sip from it. His eyes went to the parking lot outside the window. The morning sun washed all the cars there with its glorious light including his black Audi. “I told him that I forgave him.”Ja
The door opened and a figure dressed in suit stepped into the facility. The sounds of footsteps echoed through the hallway as the figure made its way toward the door. When it arrived, a guard was waiting by the door who was heavily armed. He opened the door and stepped forward. He had a grim look on his face. “Welcome, Mr. Daystar.”Rylan smiled at him and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Where is he?” He asked. “Waiting for you, sir.”Rylan nodded and stepped forward. He was in a prison facility, one of the most dreaded in the country. Rylan was here to see someone special to him. He would call it a mockery, but there was something he would love to say. This was the last thing on his bucket list before he could tag this mission as a success. They arrived at a room and the guard opened the door for Rylan. Inside the dimly lit room, a figure was sitting at a table dressed in orange. Rylan clenched his jaws and stepped into the room. He turned back to the guard who was still sta
“I thought we were going to head back home?” Jain asked as they headed into their Airbnb. “Well, Los Angeles is a two-hour flight back, and my pilots are off duty for the night,” Rylan said, closing the door behind them. Jain sighed and rubbed her neck nervously. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been in a room alone with a man. That had been with Jacob; five years ago. Rylan took off his suit jacket and hung it on the cloth rag before folding his undershirt. “If this makes you uncomfortable I could get a different room for myself.”Jain turned to him. “You could do that?” She asked. “I mean, there’s no need for that.”Rylan arched an eyebrow at her as he folded his sleeve once more. “Okay. If you say so.”Jain nodded and proceeded to the fireplace. She was gazing at the crackling fire as she held her shoulders. It brought her soothing warmth. There was a center table in the small living room and on it was a bucket of ice with a bottle of champagne sitting in it. “Wou
WASHINGTON D.CRylan dropped his fork and reached for his napkin dapping his lips softly. Jain who was watching him had a glass of red wine in her hand. They were surrounded by people who also stayed in an expensive diner. One only Jain could dream of having. Rylan had changed her perspective on things over the last few days. She had managed to see the world through another pair of lenses; the expensive kind. Jain never knew that Rylan could be such a sweet person. She could vividly remember the first day she had met him. She and Stanley had been trying to solve the shootout that seemed to have happened to his club. When she had first laid eyes on him, she knew he was trouble. From the way he talked and moved, she assumed that he was as narcissistic and arrogant as the rest of all the billionaires in Los Angeles. But now as she sat across from him in an expensive diner, she couldn’t believe that she had been wrong the whole time. She had missed judging him, and that was fine by him
The party was lavish. There were lots of special dignitaries who filled the scene. The paparazzi wouldn’t stop flashing their cameras at them. This was the biggest party in the city. It was an awards party which would explain why there were so many famous people. A black Lamborghini arrived at the scene and halted on the red carpet. The door lifted and a figure stepped out of the car. It was Rylan Daystar who was dressed in a charcoal black suit with floral patterns and a shawl which was tied at his waist. He looked like a Frenchman. He moved to the other side of the car and opened the door. A woman stepped out of the car all dressed in a white gown. It was Jain, and she had a new look. Her platinum blonde hair which was always long was cut short now making her look dangerously beautiful. Rylan smiled as he watched her close the door of the Lamborghini. A valet came forward and Rylan threw the key to him. “Make sure you take good care of her.”“Yes sir,” the valet said, getting in
Rylan opened the door and stepped into the house. He had a grim look on his face. Arlene, who was seated on the couch engrossed with the television, looked up and saw him walk in. She immediately turned off the television and smiled at him. “Rylan. You’re back.”Rylan nodded. “Mom I’d like for you to meet someone,” he said standing aside from the door. Arlene raised an eyebrow at this. “Come in,” Rylan appeared to be speaking to the door until a figure stepped into the room.As Arlene saw the figure, she immediately flashed back. There was no way this was happening. He was real, and he was still alive. He was Paul Richmond. Arlene tried to speak but no words could converge. Paul looked at her and smiled. “Hey, Arlene,” he greeted. Arlene tried to look away but she couldn’t. His voice brought back so many memories. Like when Lauren had first told her that she was pregnant die him. Or when he had tried to combine her right outside the Vice chancellor’s office to come with him. Th
“I’m telling you son, the Los Angeles Angels might win this,” Paul said as he stepped out of Rylan’s Lamborghini. “Well, I hope you’re right, Dad. Because I have put a lot into this,” Rylan said, shutting the door of the car. Paul came to his son and wrapped his hand around his shoulder. “Trust me, son. You’ll see.”Rylan scoffed and they walked towards the entrance of the stadium. They had their seats reserved in the executive box. Rylan was here to watch his football team win the title. He was supposed to be here with Leah, but she told him she had some other pressing business to attend to. And so he decided to go with his father instead. There were now a few things left for Rylan before he could cross off his bucket list. Everything was going according to plan. “I saw you receiving the key to the city,” Paul said. “I couldn’t be more proud of you, Rylan.”Rylan turned to him. “You saw that? How?”Paul chuckled and patted his shoulders. “I was there.”Rylan’s eyes almost bul
“Do you have jitters?” Detective Jain Reynolds asked. Rylan turned to surprise. “Of course not.”“Well, you’ve been talking about your thigh for the last two minutes.”“I’m just anxious.”Jain turned to him. “About what?”Rylan kept silent for a few minutes to think about it. “About this, I guess?”Jain scoffed at his words. “You’ve been in front of a crowd a million times. This is the same thing.”“Well not exactly. I’ve never been in front of a crowd filled with police officers.”Jain laughed at his words. “Rylan Daystar is being intimidated by a crowd of police officers. Who would have thought?”Rylan rolled his eyes and placed his hands before him. They were both standing in a room alone. In a few minutes, they would be taken outside to be handed the key to the city. Rylan wasn’t exactly sure why he was there. When Jain had first told him about this at the cafe? He quickly declined the offer. The city saw him as a hero. But he wasn’t. He had so many flaws that would prevent