Author's POV
The Benjamin mansion stood tall, nestled in the embrace of nature—a fortress of wealth, tradition, and subtle power. Guards patrolled discreetly across its sprawling grounds, their presence more symbolic than necessary. Inside, the air was alive with quiet activity. Servants bustled through the halls, carrying out their tasks with practiced ease, the harmony of routine giving the mansion a heartbeat of its own.
In the expansive living room, framed by wide windows and white velvet curtains, three women lounged on a plush sectional sofa, a bowl of fruit between them. The sun filtered in, dancing off crystal vases and polished floors.
Ava tossed a grape into her mouth and glanced sideways at her mother, Mrs. Jane Benjamin, who sat unusually quiet, her fingers absently plucking at the hem of her silk blouse.
"Madam Jane, why are you so solemn?" Ava asked, arching a perfectly shaped brow.
Jane leaned forward, her voice low. "What do you think?"
"About what?" Ava asked, mildly confused.
"What do you think about the family Richard's fiancée is from?" she clarified, her tone calm but tinged with concern.
Ava scoffed, sitting upright. "Oh! Her mom? That woman would make any fairy-tale stepmother look like a saint. You saw how she dissed Madison right at the dinner table, all while pretending to be humble. The hypocrisy was sickening."
"Exactly." Jane's voice sharpened. "She belittled the very girl she adopted and raised. Isn't that emotional abuse?"
Richard's grandmother, who had been quietly peeling an apple, chuckled. "That girl stopped being a child a long time ago. Still, I don't disagree."
"She must've been mistreated for years," Jane continued, frowning. "I wonder if she was even fed properly. That's probably why she's as thin as a stick."
The room fell silent. Jane suddenly looked up to find both Ava and her mother giving her mischievous looks.
"What?" she asked, defensive. "What's with the looks?"
Ava leaned forward with a teasing grin. "Wow, Mrs. Jane. Have you already given Madison your heart?"
Jane scoffed, reaching for a slice of mango. "As if. I'm just slightly bothered, that's all."
"Compassion is something you feel for a stray cat you found on the street," her mother teased. "Not your daughter-in-law."
"It doesn't matter," Jane huffed. "We can say what we want, but Richard won't care. He's so into her, he's completely lost his mind."
"Lost his mind?" Ava laughed. "That's rich coming from someone who raised him."
"As if Ava ever thought of us as older brothers," came a deep, playful voice from the hallway.
All three women turned to see Lucas, Richard's stepbrother, walking into the room. Tall and broad-shouldered, his frame was lean but powerful, even as he leaned slightly on a sleek ebony walking stick. At 37, he was the current CEO of his father's pharmaceutical company, a position he held with quiet authority.
"Brother, you're home!" Ava jumped up to hug him.
"Welcome, my lovely grandson," Richard's grandmother said fondly.
Only Jane didn't speak. Lucas turned to ava,sitting beside her on the sofa and asked playfully
"YOU… Did you quit your job or something? Why are you always at home these days?" he asked, gently rubbing her head.
"Hey!" Ava protested. "Don't be mean. Haven't you heard? Working from home is all the rage now."
He chuckled. "So… how did the dinner with Richard's girlfriend's family go?"
Ava pursed her lips. "The girlfriend seems decent, but her mother… I can't stand her."
"Really? What about her?"
"I just don't like her," Ava replied curtly.
Ava raised a brow to her mother. "So you approve of Madison?"
Jane looked away. "It depends."
"Don't even try to lie," Ava said, laughing. "I heard Madison registered for your cooking classes just to get closer to you. That's not nothing. She's determined."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Jane said stiffly. "And if you're going to continue spewing nonsense, you can leave. Go back to your house."
"Alright, alright," Ava said, sulking as she popped a grape in her mouth.
Next to her, Lucas had gone quiet, his face unreadable. No one could tell what was going through his mind.
Richard's POV
The conference room was quiet except for the sound of papers shuffling and keyboards clicking. Around the long, polished table sat my executive team,heads of finance, marketing, editing, and at the end, William. His presence was like an itch I couldn't scratch.
He looked smug as always, his gaze daring me to react. As the chief editor of my publishing division, he had every reason to be in this meeting,but if it weren't for his skills, he'd be long gone.
"I called you all here because there is a manuscript I want us to publish," I began, voice calm but assertive. "I want to know if this will conflict with any current schedules or delay any upcoming projects."
The finance team leader stood up first. "Sir, no offense, but this will strain our current budget. If we try to manage both, it could lower the quality of our publications and harm our image."
I nodded, appreciating his honesty.
"Any other concerns?" I asked.
The marketing director rose next. "Sir, we've been planning a major book-signing event for one of our authors. Taking on this new project now will delay that event, which has been in preparation for months."
"Understood," I said. "Here's my proposal: I will allocate additional funds to finance, and the marketing team will be split into two. Yes, there will be overtime, but those who contribute will receive heavy bonuses."
Eyes lit up around the room at the mention of bonuses.
Then came William. "I still think we should focus on the current project," he said firmly, the room quieting again.
I smiled faintly. "I understand. But do you want to work on just one project for the rest of the year?"
"Of course not. But we can't pursue a new project just because you want to. This isn't a corner store."
I leaned forward slightly, voice even. "If I can't run my company the way I want, why am I CEO? Maybe I should open a corner store."
The tension crackled like static. All eyes were on me.
"Are you saying you doubt your staff's judgment?" William challenged.
I nodded. "Yes. Especially yours. You couldn't even tell the difference between a good woman and a bad one."
Gasps echoed softly.
Greg, my secretary, took that as the cue to end the meeting. Everyone filed out silently, casting wary glances at William and me.
Once we were alone, I leaned back.
"Quit dragging work into it, and speak frankly, Mr. Williams."
He clenched his jaw. "I've served this company loyally for five years. I gave it everything. And now you're with my fiancée. You're crossing a line."
I raised a brow. "If I recall, you two had already broken up when I met her."
"That's not true. We were working things out."
"Well, she made her choice after 'thinking things through,' and she chose me."
His face twisted with disbelief. "I doubt she's sincere."
"Do you really think you know her better than I do?" I asked calmly.
"I know how much she loved me. I know how complicated she is. That's why I'm trying to understand what she's doing now,and it's quite unfortunate cause she's just using you."
I tilted my head. "That's unfortunate. But even if she is using me… I don't care."
His eyes narrowed. "What?"
"I fell so hard for her that I don't mind being used." I stood and walked over to the window. "One more thing,I hate hearing her name come from your mouth. It makes me want to rip your tongue out."
William stared, stunned.
"Mr. Richard, what do you even plan on doing with her?"
I turned back to him. "The usual. I'll love her, trust her, and support her. So she can finally be who she wants to be. Something you never let her do."
He clenched his fists.
"Now get out," I said coldly. "There's nothing more to discuss."