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2024-11-12 18:08:23Jeremy settled into the couch in his friend's modest apartment. While it wasn't the most spacious place, it had all the essentials.
He'd rather stay anywhere, even here, than live with the woman he called his wife. She felt more like a stranger—or worse, a mistake. But he knew this arrangement couldn’t last; his friend would be back in a few days, and he’d have to figure out his next steps soon. Having only a few bucks left in his pocket, he didn't bother to think of what to eat for dinner, instead he sat in front of the little television and hoped to get sleepy sooner. Ding! His eyes turned to look at his phone, the bright light illuminating from it. The unannounced interruption had Jeremy silently questioning, "Who would have the audacity to intrude on my peace at this hour?" His mood was far from accommodating, given the recent challenges he had faced. With a sigh of resignation, Jeremy reached for his phone on the stool, reluctantly opening the message that had appeared on his screen, despite his unwillingness to communicate with anyone. His eyes shut open upon seeing who it was, panic washed over him and he immediately adjusted the brightness of his phone to read its contents. [Mr. Xavier, this is to inform you that your employment has been terminated. We will no longer be requiring your services. Please refrain from returning to our premises or reaching out to any of our staff.] Jeremy rubbed his eyes with his palms, thinking maybe he must be seeing things. What would warrant his boss to send such a disturbing message? Jeremy’s work ethic had always stood out among his colleagues, as he tirelessly dedicated himself to his tasks, and it was only a short while ago that his hard work had finally been acknowledged and appreciated. Promptly, Jeremy initiated a call to his Boss, and by the time of the third ring, he had already answered the call, eager to address the situation at hand. "Mr Peter, you sent me a message, I...I think you must have made a mistake." Jeremy said with a nervous laugh, silently praying in his heart for all this to be a dream. "Do I sound like a joker to you? You are fired, Jeremy!" "But_" "But nothing! After all that you have done, we can't afford to have a man like you working for us. Our demands will decrease if you do as much as stepping your feet in our company." Peter said into the phone with an icy tone. "I have worked my ass to ensure that our service is the best. What did I do to deserve this demanded politely treatment?" At least, he should know the reason why he was being fired. All this was too much for one day. First, his wife cheated on him and now his boss decided to sack him. Did he commit a crime to be treated this way? He had always been dedicated to his wife and his job, giving them all his time and attention. But what did he get in return? Betrayal and a sack letter. Jeremy gulped down the lump in his throat, Peter had been silent for a while and he feared to say a word. Wondering what Peter had to say next. "Haven't you seen the video? Don't pretend like you don't know what's happening." He heard Peter yell angrily and his face went pale in shock as he thought about what video he was talking about. "What video? I'm in the dark here, tell me what this video is all about." The next he heard was a beeping sound signifying that his boss had ended the call. Several messages popped on his feed after and he immediately opened the video, wanting to see what was going on. The message from his boss read, [This is the video, watch and see for yourself.] The moment he tapped on the video, Jeremy heard the familiar voice. "He used to cheat on me, beat me up till I couldn't walk. For months I endured all that he did to me, because I love him. I was blinded by love, I was so stupid that I forgave him everytime he cheated." When Jeremy heard the words that Hailey said on a live interview, he balled his fist in anger. She dared to put the blame on him during a Live interview, how shameless! As Hailey finished her speech, she received a lot of heartwarming messages from the social media users. "You married a greedy monster!" "Get out of that marriage fast before he destroys you!" "Cheaters should be burned alive." "We love you!" "Wink if you are in danger" "Please divorce him, he doesn't deserve you at all." "Stay away from Jeremy, he isn't worth your love. He is nothing but a pauper who yearns for your wealth." Jeremh read the comments, it was not surprising to see that they all believed her and blamed him. Afterall she played the victim and made him the villain. Jeremy dropped the phone on the table, the video still playing. What had he done to deserve this? Meanwhile, Hailey smiled happily as she read the comments while in the car with Charles. It was a good thing that Charles came up with a lifesaving idea, else she wouldn't have known what to do. "Thank you darling, the public is buying it." Hailey giggled happily, she couldn't take her eyes off her phone screen. Some comments read. "Let him be burned alive” "No woman should ever go near him" She grinned with joy, happy to know that she had successfully saved herself from the shame and disgrace. Right from the start, she never had the intention of loving him, he was a fool to believe that she truly felt something towards him. The only reason why she married him was to establish her family's business but he didn't seem to prove useful. "Quit reading the comments and give me a kiss. I have a surprise for you." Charles said, exposing his crooked teeth. To the normal human, they would have been disgusted by the sight of it but to Hailey, beauty doesn't matter as long as there is money. She didn't care if the man was as ugly as a pig, all she wanted was money and gifts. Hailey inched closer and gave him a long lasting kiss, they ended the kiss and charles had a satisfied smirk on his face. He brought out a necklace from the drawer and showed it to her. Seeing the huge diamond on the necklace, her eyes shone with greed. Only Charles could treat her like the princess she was born to be.
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The payback of Jeremy Xavier 4
Jeremy stared into space, the weight of his life’s recent blows pressing heavily on him. Today, he had discovered his wife’s infidelity, found out she was pregnant, lost his home, and was fired from his job—all in a single day. The sadness in his heart was overwhelming. From his pocket, he took out a small box containing a necklace he’d bought for Hailey’s upcoming birthday. He had worked day and night to afford this $400 necklace, wanting her to feel cherished. Now, the irony made him sick, because of her, he had just lost his job and had his reputation had just been damaged. His hand trembled as he opened the box, looking at the delicate chain he had once thought would symbolize his love. He regretted ever buying her that necklace, he could have used that money for something practical—to chip away at his mounting debt, and now he has lost his job, his only source of living, but instead, he’d poured himself into a gift for someone who had thrown him away “Hailey, you will reg
The payback of Jeremy Xavier 5
"One, two, three... Eight, eight zeroes! One hundred million!" Jeremy'smouth slightly open as he checked the sender, confirming it was indeed the bank. The last message he received from this line was the debit alert he got after the transaction he did the previous day to buy the necklace for Hailey. Jeremy's heart began to beat fast. 'Oh my God! How could this be? I must be daydreaming! Or am I dead? Could this be some kind of advanced hacking technology?’ Different questions raced through his mind as he glazed at the phone. With trembling hands, Jeremy began pacing, occasionally glancing down at the screen as if the numbers would change. He hesitated before Finally dialing the bank’s customer service number. His hand shook as he pressed each digit, feeling like each second took an eternity. When the call connected, a sweet female voice chimed in, “Hello, how may I help you today?” Jeremy swallowed and tried not to sound so nervous. "Hello. Well, I want to check my ac
The payback of Jeremy Xavier 6
The park was as noisy as a market a second ago, but now, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. All the onlookers were too stunned to speak. They couldn't believe that the poorly dressed man in front of them was actually rich. "Are they acting in a movie?" someone broke the silence. What was happening looked like a movie scene, but he quickly dispelled that idea. Each of the cars in the convoy was worth about ten million dollars. Moreover, they had run the red lights all the way here, which was an offense. Ordinary people didn't dare to do that, fearing they would be arrested by the police. It was obvious that these people didn't give a damn about the traffic signals or the punishment for flouting them. All these pointed to one thing: this young man must be very important and wealthy. The onlooker put two and two together. Now, Jeremy was a little worried and shy. He had thought Stefan was going to come here in a low-key manner. He didn't expect him to bring this
The payback of Jeremy Xavier 7
As soon as they entered the suite, Stefan turned to Jeremy with a thoughtful gaze. “Young Master, you should freshen up first. I’m sure you’d want to look your best when you meet her.” Jeremy glanced down at his rumpled, dirt-streaked clothes, his cheeks warmed up with embarrassment. “You’re right,” he admitted. “I don’t exactly look the part right now.” Stefan gave him a reassuring nod. “I’ll make sure everything you need is sent to your room. In the meantime, I’ll go speak with Miss Zella and let her know you’ll meet with her soon.” Jeremy felt a strange sense of relief at the delay. He wasn’t ready to face Miss Zella just yet—whoever she was—and the idea of cleaning up sounded like a small gift. He was exhausted, both physically and mentally, and a hot shower and some food might give him the strength he needed to process everything. “Thank you,” he said softly, feeling oddly grateful for Stefan’s attention to detail. Stefan gave him a final nod and left the suite, leaving
The payback of Jeremy Xavier 8
"Young Master, this is Lady Vivan," Stefan introduced, forcing Jeremy to blink uncontrollably in awe. He couldn't believe he was standing in front of the reputable and wealthy Lady Vivan. He had heard some things about her but never believed he would see her in person. Actually, it was the first time he was seeing Lady Vivan, and the most shocking thing was that she addressed him as her son. Was she drunk? How could that be possible? Jeremy thought, but upon taking a close look at her, he looked away as her face became familiar. "Jeremy…my boy ..." "Er, sorry, ma'am, but I think there's a mistake here. I am not your boy. In fact, I don’t have parents. I guess there must be some mix-up. Pardon me, I thought Stefan was… I'll take my leave now." "You have to listen to me, Jeremy." Lady Vivan caught him by his arm, stopping him from leaving, tears dancing freely from her eyes. “No, my boy…you are my son, I know you are. You might not be able to recognize me, but I do remember you
The payback of Jeremy Xavier 9
Lady Vivan took a step back with her hands clasped together as she watched him. “I understand, Jeremy. Take all the time you need,” she nodded, understanding the turmoil he was facing. Jeremy backed away slowly, not daring to look back at her. The weight of the revelation crushed him with an intensity he had never felt before. Without another word, he turned and hurried out of the room. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths, trying to anchor himself to reality. But every time he opened them, the words from the report flashed in his mind: *99.9% match.* “What do I do with this?” he muttered to himself, his hands trembled as he gripped the paper. He wasn’t feeling happy despite discovering he was the son of a wealthy family. His mind was clouded with the betrayal of his wife, the shocking confession of his real mother, and the struggle to accept the truth because he thought his real mother was dead. He stumbled down the street, He needed something to numb the chaos inside hi
The payback of Jeremy Xavier 10
Jeremy woke up, squinting against the bright lights. His whole body ached, and a steady beep sounded nearby. As he tried to sit up, a nurse gently pushed him back down. She smiled warmly and adjusted his IV line. “Take it easy,” she said. “You had a rough night.” Jeremy rubbed his forehead, struggling to remember. “What... happened?” “You got into a fight,” she explained, her eyes sympathetic. “A woman stepped in and stopped it from getting worse. She’s the one who brought you here.” “A woman?” Jeremy repeated, confused. The nurse nodded. “She seemed really worried about you.” As she spoke, memories came flooding back. Just yesterday, his world had fallen apart: he had caught his wife, Hailey, cheating. To make it worse, she was pregnant—and not by him. He’d lost his job and his dignity, and his long-lost mother had suddenly shown up, claiming him as her son. It was too much for one day. Then he remembered the woman who had helped him last night. He wished he could at least than
The payback of Jeremy Xavier 11
“That’s enough,” Lady Vivan’s voice was cool and sharpas it filled the hall. Her gaze was fierce as she focused on Hailey, and each of her steps felt deliberate. Watching this woman sneer at Jeremy—her son, whether he acknowledged it or not—filled her with a sense of duty. This girl has gone too far; she needs to understand what it means to respect another human being and be taught a lesson.Hailey looked at her, frowning in irritation. “And who are you supposed to be?” she sneered.Lady Vivan didn’t flinch. “Someone who has no tolerance for spoiled, mannerless women,” she replied coldly, “I’ve been watching you, and I must say, I’ve never seen such blatant disrespect.”Hailey scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Do you even know who you’re talking to?”“Oh, I know exactly who I’m speaking to,” Vivan replied smoothly. “A woman who not only betrayed her husband but is shameless enough to mock him afterward. It’s a wonder you weren’t taught any better.”Charles put a hand on Hailey’s arm, mutte
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As the program was about to begin, Vivian, along with the other guests, took her seat in the open garden. The gentle hum of conversation filled the air as everyone settled in, the soft rustle of leaves providing a serene backdrop. At the far corner of the garden, Tyler and Hailey quietly slipped into their seats. Their movements were subtle, calculated to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. Yet, a few heads turned their way, ...curiosity evident in their glances. Tyler's reputation often preceded him, and Hailey's striking presence added to the intrigue. Vivian noticed the stir but chose not to look directly, focusing instead on the stage where the program host was now stepping up. The host, a middle-aged man with an easy smile and a resonant voice, welcomed everyone warmly, his words flowing effortlessly. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here tonight to celebrate not just the art of storytelling but also the power it holds to bring us together." Jeremy immediately sighte
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The D- Day was finally here. Today Jeremy and Hope was going to get married. Vivian paced the room, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. As Jeremy’s mother, today was one of the most significant days of her life, and though she was happy for her son, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the day was about to change everything, regardless of the fact that it was a business marriage.She glanced at the clock again. The ceremony was about to start, and everything had been meticulously planned. Guests had arrived, the garden was perfectly set up, and Hope was about to become part of their family. Yet, Vivian found herself lost in her thoughts, her emotions battling between pride, her only son, she had been absent away from his life most of his life and now….he was getting married. He was no longer the little boy who had come running to her for comfort. He was now a man, ready to start his own life with Hope. Taking a deep breath, she turned to look at herself in the mir
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Hailey sat in the corner of the cafe shop, she held the invitation letter as she keot looking at the spot where Hope had left, the weight and event felt overwhelming to her.She stared at the envelope, Her mind raced, she had just being invited by the famous and rich Hope?Tyler, sensing her discomfort, glanced over at her, his voice soft. “You alright? You’ve been quiet for a while.”Hailey exhaled slowly, trying to steady herself. “I don’t know... it just feels like too much, you know? Like a world I left behind is suddenly right in front of me again.”Tyler reached over, his hand warm and reassuring on hers. “I get it. But hey, think about it—this could be an opportunity. I mean, there’s going to be a ton of influential people there. It could help with the business. We could meet some people who might make a difference.”Hailey looked at him, his optimism both comforting and distant. She knew the world they were stepping into, the world where wealth and power made all the rules. Bu
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Jeremy furrowed his brow, his curiosity piqued but wary of what Hope could mean. “A surprise for Hailey?” he asked cautiously. “What are you talking about?” Hope's mischievous smile widened as she leaned against the edge of the desk with her fingers tapping idly on the wood. “Let’s just say... I’m good at handling loose ends. Hailey’s one of them.” Jeremy stiffened with a mix of apprehension and disbelief flickering across his face. “Hope, whatever you’re planning….” She raised a hand to stop him, her expression softening. “Relax, Jer. It’s nothing dramatic. I’m not sending her a box of snakes or anything.” She chuckled lightly, but her gaze held a sharp edge. “I just wanted her to understand that you’ve moved on. That you’re building something better—something real—with someone else. Even though this might be a business for now.” Jeremy stared at her, momentarily clearly at a loss for words. He hadn’t expected Hope to be so... bold. “Hope, I appreciate the sentiment, but Hail
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Jeremy took a deep breath, his hand lingered on the doorknob as he contemplated his next move. The house seemed quieter than usual despite the bustling preparations for the wedding downstairs. The faint hum of conversations and the occasional sound of laughter floated up, a stark contrast to the turmoil in his chest. He couldn’t do this. Not without talking to Hope. Sliding on a pair of soft loafers, Jeremy made his way down the grand staircase, dodging staff and family members along the way. Everyone seemed too preoccupied to notice him—or maybe they were just giving him space, sensing the storm brewing beneath his calm exterior. Hope was still standing in the corner of the ballroom when he found her. She looked radiant in a custom-made gown, the delicate lace sleeves and beaded bodice catching the light in a way that seemed almost otherworldly. But it wasn’t her beauty that stopped him in his tracks—it was the look in her eyes. She was nervous “Hope,” he called softly. S
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Jeremy had gone to his room to rest, the last night after he spoke to his mother. He had decided to sleep it through; he wasn't a baby that his mother could decide for, and when it came to Ethan and the likes, he knew what was best for him and how to handle them. The Next morning, The morning sunlight shone into Jeremy’s room, warming the cold, oppressive space he had been pacing in all night. He sat on the edge of his bed; he was going to accept the marriage. He had barely known Hope, but she seemed to him that she was someone who could be trusted, and since this was more like a business marriage, he was ready to go for it. He took his phone and stared at it. Hope’s name glowed on the screen, taunting him with the conversation he knew he needed to have. His chest felt tight, and his mind was a storm of conflicting emotions. It was acceptance, it was a decision to stop running and start facing the life being carved out for him. His thumb hovered over the call button. Just press
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Jeremy exhaled loudly as he walked around, his hands were deeply rooted in his pockets. His mind raced and if felt , tangled with frustration and doubt. He didn’t know where he was going, nor did he particularly care. He just needed to move—to escape the suffocating weight pressing down on him.When he finally drove home, the halls of the Sinclair estate loomed larger than his life, their grandeur cold and unwelcoming. Every detail—the gold-framed paintings, the towering pillars, and the elaborate chandeliers—mocked him, as if silently reminding him of the legacy he was bound to uphold. A legacy he hadn’t asked for.The echoes of his footsteps felt utterly deafening as he moved through the vast space, his chest tightened with every passing second. Eventually, his restless wandering led him outside to the garden o the soft glow of the morning.But it wasn’t enough.Jeremy raked his hands through his hair and sighed heavily. He needed to talk to someone. He needed to talk to his mother,
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Hope hurried to catch up with Jeremy as he stormed down the hallway, he was feeling extremely palpable.“Jeremy, wait,” she called softer than she intended.He stopped abruptly, turning to face her. His jaw was tight with his eyes flashed with anger. “What do you want me to say, Hope? That I’m fine with this? That I’m okay with your father and my mother playing chess with our lives?”Hope stepped closer, lowering her voice as she glanced back to ensure no one was within earshot. “I’m not okay with it either. This wasn’t my idea.”Jeremy let out a bitter laugh, raking a hand through his hair. “Then do something about it. You’re the one they’re trying to marry me off to. Tell them no.”“Will you calm dwon Jeremy?” she shot back, her tone sharper now. “TlDo you think you are the only victim here? The way i see it theye are trying to strengthen both families, especially yours, mainly for your sake because you are the heir. Heir to the Sinclair's group of companies without any experience
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Hope's mind raced as the weight of Vivian's words settled in. Her parents teaming up? It didn’t make sense—not in the way it usually did. Sure, her dad had always been a calculated man, but he rarely collaborated with anyone, let alone Vivian, who was more like a force of nature than a partner. “Believe?” Jeremy snapped, stopping in his tracks. “Vivian, I just walked out of a holding cell, and you’re asking me to have faith in some plan I don’t even know about?” “It’s not just a plan,” Vivian countered smoothly, her eyes narrowing. “It’s a solution. One that ensures Ethan doesn’t get to use his influence to destroy you.” Jeremy scoffed, crossing his arms. “Great. And what exactly does this ‘solution’ entail? A lecture? A slap on the wrist?” Vivian’s lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn’t answer. Instead, her gaze turned to Hope, who was watching the exchange in stunned silence. “Hope,” Vivian said quietly, “you’ll understand more tonight when your father explains ever
