"We can't just sit here!" Elena finally exploded, her voice sharp with frustration. "That humiliation was totally unbearable!""What exactly do you propose we do?" Bennet countered, his voice tight. "March down to the company and demand our dignity back? You saw how everyone was looking at us. We're social pariahs now."A sly smile crept onto Margaret's face. "Actually, that might not be a bad idea."Both Elena and Bennet stared at her, surprised. "What are you on about, Mom?" Elena demanded.Margaret cackled, the sound devoid of humor. "Remember that old friend of mine, the one who used to work with Mark's father?"A flicker of recognition dawned on Elena's face. "Aunt Martha? The gossip columnist?""Exactly," Margaret confirmed, a glint in her eyes. "She has a way of twisting things… turning truth into scandalous fiction. With a little nudge, she can spin a good story about Mark's 'unhinged' behavior. Public opinion can be a fickle thing, you know."A slow smile spread across Elena'
The ride home flew by so fast that Mark had to be wakened up by the time his limo arrived at the Darius estate. "Mr. Darius, we have arrived at the estate sir," Johnson, the driver, announced as he switched off the engine of the automobile."Oh, okay. Thank you, Johnson," he responded, wiping the remainder of whatever sleep still lingered in his eyes, then he came out of the car and began walking towards the entrance of his mansion.Walking back, the events of the evening's meeting kept pouring back into his mind. Initially overcome with anxiety and tension, Mark's eyes darted from side to side, taking in the room around him as the first round of questions started rolling in."Relax, son, you got this," Gabriel, his father, said reassuringly, placing a gentle arm on his shoulder. And as if he cast a magic spell, all the anxiety and tension he felt was gone in an instant."Now, young Mr. Darius, can you please give your account of what allegedly transpired between you and the group of
"A picture," Sarah said, taking a deep breath. "It's by Elena and Bennet."Mark's eyes widened. "Elena? What is she doing in the picture?""She's leaving a motel," Sarah revealed cautiously. "With a young man."The air crackled with tension as Mark's expression hardened. This was a bombshell. "Are you sure it's not a mistake?""I don't think so," Sarah shook her head, pulling out her phone and showing him the picture. It was clear and undeniable.A sense of grim satisfaction washed over Mark. Elena and her cohorts had been trying to destroy him with lies, and now he had a weapon of his own. "This changes things," he said, a dangerous glint in his eyes.Meanwhile, across town at the Bennet residence, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Elena paced back and forth across the plush living room, her face contorted with anger."This is unbelievable!" she shrieked, throwing her hands up in the air. "How could that article not have worked how we expected it to? How is he still CEO?"Brown
Mark adjusted his tuxedo, the fine fabric shone in the thousands of lights that glittered from every corner of the room. The weight of the stress of weeks of tireless work was heavy on his shoulders. The barrage of press conferences which he had tackled with all the calmness and resolve that he could muster, and the countless employee meetings he had to attend to. Despite all the preparations though, via the late-night strategizing sessions with David, he still felt a sense of unease. Unbeknownst to him, the gala he had spent weeks planning and organizing held a cheeky surprise ahead for him.Smiling and exchanging pleasantries with the countless dignitaries and proposing toasts, Mark navigated his way through the sea of people with an air of confidence that he never knew he possessed and was determined to use the socialization as a means of escape from the apparent trouble he had been dealing with for the past few weeks.Across town, however, in the home of his adversaries, there rad
"They plan on going with the offensive". David suggested. "They are going to paint you as the desperate one who is resorting to dirty tricks to maintain control, just for them to win public favor.Mark gritted his teeth. "They won't give up, will they?" Mark added, stroking his chin."No, Mark". David said firmly. "But neither would we. We have a plan of our own".Over the next few days, a silent war unfolded in the media. Whilst the former’s PR firm launched a smear campaign, painting Mark as a ruthless business executive willing to stoop to any level. They portrayed the leaked financial documents as fabricated lies.Mark, however, countered with a strategy of transparency. He held press conference after press conference, addressing the accusations head-on. He admitted to leaking the documents, but only after careful verification by a team of independent auditors."These documents raise serious questions about their past business practices," Mark declared, his voice firm. "The public
The air in the room shifted noticeably as Mark’s attention stood piqued by David’s latest revelation.“What do you mean ‘She's vanished’?” He asked again for good measure.“Mark, my friend, you know something about accusations, especially when they’re false, they happen to disappear into thin air once there’s a counteracting measure of good. People are easily moved by what they hear". David launched into a round of explanation as he settled comfortably into the seat across from Mark’s.“But that still doesn't shed any light on Toni’s disappearance". Mark maintained, his eyes still crinkled at the corners with confusion.“Well, clearly, she wasn’t working on her own, as I’m pretty sure you’re well aware of that, already. You see this game you’ve begun playing with your adversaries, it’ll be naive of you to think that they’re willing to play nice and fair.There’s only one thing to do: to be five steps ahead.” David took a pause and looked into Mark’s eyes, giving him time to process th
Bennett sat in his office, swiveling on his executive seat as he nursed a glass of whiskey. Jennet and Brown sat across on the other side of his desk. Margaret and Elena who, for reasons as flimsy as going to the spa, weren’t physically present at the meeting. Bennet mentally rolled his eyes, bemoaning his ill-fate of being cursed by the sorriest lot of the bunch. What did I ever do, universe?He sighed and placed his now empty glass on the table for a refill. As he poured himself another drink, he could tell even without looking that Jennet’s wayward little bastard son followed the movement of his hands with hungry eyes.Bennet had already made it clear that not even a tiny drop of his liquor would touch the tongue of the unruly fellow. He was yet to see another human being like Brown, who, yet being so inadequate and incapable, felt entitled, and stupidly so. Men like him ought to be castrated and shipped off to an island somewhere far away from the rest of civilization. Of course,
“Would you sit your silly ass down in that chair this instant, Brown Kelce!” Jennet screamed in Brown’s face.“Even you too, mum?” He asked, his face contorted to a mask of hurt. Jennet found it childish that he was about to throw a tantrum in Bennett’s office.“I am a Darius too, mum! He married you into his family, and you put in work while you were both married. I don’t care if you just had to smile for a couple of stupid cameras". Brown continued his rant.“This is not the way, son. We will have our revenge. No one is allowed to kick us to the sides, especially not Darius’ little idiot of a son. I will personally make sure he stops to kiss your feet when the time is right. But for now, we must do what we must". Jennet successfully withheld her son from his sudden outburst and gently helped him to settle in the chair.“Now, you would apologize to Bennett.”“That’s impossible, mum,” Brown began in protest, his faced scrunched up in a scowl. His lips were purses in a pout, giving him