A sense of shock washed over Zane like an icy wave as he stood frozen, unable to comprehend the scene unfolding before him. His eyes widened, fixed on the figure of Jason, whom he had believed to be dead. The turmoil within him intensified as Jason and Deborah stopped just a couple of feet away.Then Jason's eyes bore into Zane's soul, a mix of anger, anguish, and madness swirling within them. Without warning, he tossed a gun towards Zane, the metallic object spinning through the air before landing with a thud at Zane's feet. "Take it!" Jason spat. "It's yours, Zane! Your thirst for revenge has ruined all our lives! So go ahead, pick up the gun, and satisfy your anger! End her!"Looking away from the gun and at his uncle, Zane's mind raced, his heart pounding in his chest. Confusion clouded his thoughts, and he found himself unable to form a coherent response, and he just stared blankly at Jason.Frustration and desperation radiated from Jason, his face contorted with rage. "Kill th
~~~~~*Two years later*~~~~~The sun casts a warm glow through the large windows of Zane's office, creating a serene and inviting ambiance. For a while, Yoko sat nervously on the plush leather couch, his fingers fidgeting with the delicate box hidden in his pocket. Then he stole a glance at Zane, who was engrossed in a stack of paperwork on his desk. Summoning his courage, Yoko cleared his throat, capturing Zane's attention. Zane looked up, his eyes filled with curiosity. Yoko could feel his heartbeat quicken as he slowly withdrew the box from his pocket, holding it delicately in his trembling hands. His palms were clammy.As the pen dropped from his grip, Zane's lips curled into a mischievous smile as he observed Yoko's gesture. Then he teased, leaning back in his chair, his words dripped with playful sarcasm, the glint in his eyes betraying his amusement, "Well, well, Yoko... I knew you were a charmer, but I already have a stunning wife." Chuckling, Yoko narrowed his eyes, and he
Dear Readers, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you. Your support for my novel has been nothing short of remarkable, and it fills my heart with joy to know that my words have found a place in your lives. Writing a book is a solo labor, but it's in the hands of readers like you that the magic truly happens. You have breathed life into the characters and explored the worlds I have created. It's your enthusiasm, your feedback, and your dedication that keep me inspired to continue writing. I'm humbled by the messages and reviews that you have shared, and I'm deeply touched by the personal connections many of you have made with the story. Your support is a writer's greatest motivation, and I can't thank you enough for being a part of this journey with me. For an author who struggled with their mental health from time to time, as I continue to write and create, please know that it's with you in mind, your support for authors like me is wh
The sound of laughter, chit-chat, and classical music echoed in Zane’s ears as he walked into the hall, behind Damion Briggs, his wife, Deborah Briggs, and his brothers and three kids. The moment they arrived and stepped inside, Zane could feel others' eyes on him, but he kept his gaze ahead, ignoring the whispers as people's eyes followed him. When they reached a couple of well-dressed guys, Mr. Briggs stopped, forcing a smile as he said, “Arthur, Cyrus, Theodore, and Christopher, it's good to see you four.” “You got an invite to Mr. Alfred's retirement party? How lovely,” Arthur said with a dash of sarcasm in his tone. Looking over at the Briggs family, a foreigner who had recently entered the country and established his company there, said with a genuine smile, “These must be your children-” “Yes. This is Theo, Sophie, and Leon Briggs.” Damion said with pride in his eyes. When Zane subconsciously locked eyes with Christopher, he sighed and calmly uttered, “Zane... I am Zane
The morning light met Zane sleeping on the hard, dirty floor of the mansion's front porch, hugging onto his body to keep warm.Suddenly, he felt someone kick his legs lightly once and then harder the next time, causing a sharp pain to run through his bone and he instantly jumped from his sleep, his face turning white.As soon as he woke up fully, he looked up and met with one of the mansion cleaners, Paul, and he earned a scowl from him.“You can't sleep here. You need to get up and go somewhere else.” Paul commanded, pointing at Zane with his broom in his hand, and he glared at him when he refused to budge even an inch. “Did the cold air lock your ear?! Move!”Frowning, Zane forced his aching body to stand up, wincing in pain as he put weight on the wrong foot while limping toward the front door.When he grabbed the doorknob and turned it, it was locked, and he turned to look at Paul, but the guard disregarded his stare and started sweeping.‘If you think this is going to make me giv
Embarrassed, Emma lowered her head, averting her gaze, her cheeks flushed pink when she subconsciously glanced at Zane, and he could see her holding back tears.“Miss Taylor, please tell us whatever you need us to do to fix this, we will do so without complaint.” The manager apologized after swallowing harshly.Glaring over at Zane, Ava snarled, “Kick him out! He’s sick and should not be among other people!”“I am not sick.” Zane tried to defend himself.But the Manager frowned at him and said, “You need to leave, now.”A look of disbelief settled on Zane’s face as the sound of faint mumbling grew around him from other customers, and a mixture of embarrassment and anger rose in him.“I am not sick,” Zane tried to explain. “I just sneezed-““Security, can you escort this guy out? He’s harassing a customer and making others uncomfortable.” The manager ordered.Stunned, Zane frowned, staring in confusion at the manager as the two security guards stepped forward, grabbing his shoulders ro
The looked of terror that settled on Zane's face when he realized that the old man was Mr. Alfred was raw. The guards immediately started panicking, and one of them spoke with his ego instead of his head, “You turned away Theo Briggs, so we thought you wouldn't want to see Zane either... After all, he is not someone worth wasting your valuable time on...” “You four are fired!” Mr. Alfred firmly said, and then he looked at Zane, continuing, “You... Get in the car. I am taking you out for dinner.” The guards were speechless as Zane was, and before they could get over their surprise, Mr. Alfred and Zane had gotten in his car. When they finally woke from that stunned feeling, the Modernized H2 Hummer had already sped up with the two security details SUVs, following it, and still, the four security decided to chase after the cars, knowing how much their pay was, and screaming, “Mr. Alfred, we didn't know he was someone you know!!” Soon they were chasing the cars’ dust because the thre
The wedding hall seemed crowded with hundreds of people, but none of these folks were there to cheer the groom or the bride on. They were people that Zane had no relation with, people that had nothing to do with him, and they were people that the Taylor family knew."Everyone, please stand for the bride's arrival." The officiator announced.Soon, everybody in the hall quieted down, then the guests woke from their seats, staring at the wooden door, waiting to see Emma.The news about her marrying the pathetic, illegitimate son of the Briggs family had been no secret for a week, and people were already gossiping among themselves. When she stood in the doorway and her grandfather didn't approach her, after a while, Emma's face remained as calm as always as she stared at the faces, gazing back at her, and her fingers tightened around the white roses and she marched down the hallway.A faint smile curved onto her face, although no emotion was in her eyes, as she kept her head high, headi