ELSA ELKINS' POV,My eyes flew open, even as I jerked up from sleep that morning to the brightness of the day. The ray streamed into my room, a reminder of my goal. Panic set in as I snapped off my grogginess, glancing at the clock in an alarm, which read 7:30am.I had been determined to wake up as early as I could, and strike a deal with Leonard before he left for work, but I had slept off Immediately my back had hit the bed.With a newfound determination, I threw off the covers, and scurried out of my bed, the sorrows of the previous day had gone with the night. I sprang up to my feet, even as my determination propelled me forward, my heart racing with the fear of missing Leonard.I descended the staircase in a fierce intensity. Pounding on them with the same determination that coursed through my veins. The sound from my steps echoed off the walls, but I cared not. I had just one goal - to get to Leonard before he left.I knew I had to start as soon as possible, so that I could pay
LEONARD KISH'S POV,Upon hearing her words, I realized she wasn't as ignorant as I had thought. I had wanted her to pay for the humiliation I had felt that day. I wanted to subject her to everything that would make her anything, but less than my wife, but as I stood right there with her, I realized it wasn't going to be easy, even though there was no way I was going to allow her to go scot-free.She spoke again, steady and resolute, even as she gaze at me defiantly."You had workers paid for those jobs, why must I do them without compensation? What do you think I am? A slave?" Her teeth clenched, and her eyes glinting with a fierce determination to get through with her bargain.My lips curled upwards in a grimace, as I stared into her eyes. Deep within me, I was engrossed in a thorough calculation, my mind reeling with ideas about how to make it advantageous to me, since I had realized she wouldn't give up until she had struck a deal.I was not the type to give in to people's whim, e
RICHARD YUKA'S POV,My eyes flew open as I listened to my personal assistant James. From the urgency in his voice I could perceive his panic,He had called to inform me of Leonard's move, which had taken me off guard. The fact that he was talking about J.K corporations, made me grit my teeth, and sent my mind reeling with countless thoughts.I gripped the phone tightly, my knuckles whitening as I asked, "Has he made any significant steps towards the partnership?" My voice tumbling out in a rush. My mind raced with the implications as I listened to his response, but my patience wore thin with each passing seconds, since the board of directors had discussed venturing into furniture, I couldn't sit still."Not quite Boss!" He responded, making me heave a sigh of relief as the tension seeped out of my shoulders. Although the feeling of uncertainty still lingered, I knew I still had a chance.Judging from Leonard's personality, I could tell he wouldn't take any chances this time around, w
RICHARD YUKA'S POV,Everyone was already seated by the time I entered the boardroom with James. A thick silence hung in the air, as every gaze except Leonard's lingered on me, his expression - a mask of indifference."I'm so sorry I'm late," I said, swiftly apologizing as I settled into my armchair. I knew I had to project good behavior in front of the shareholders, to win their support and confidence.Mr. Gerald - the fourth largest shareholder let out a grunt, his eyes rolling in disgust, his expression a palpable manifestation of his displeasure. I wasn't surprised by his attitude towards me, since he had always been loyal to Leonard. As if that wasn't enough, he continued,"You young stars tend to forget the essence of time," a stern look on his face as he spoke, his voice firm and disapproving, "It's a luxury that should be spent wisely. Being late to a meeting like this only reveals how little you esteem your position and how poorly you value our time." He lectured, his voice h
LEONARD KISH'S POV,As I walked back to my office, I felt a renewed sense of energy coursing through my veins, invigorating my entire being. With each step, my determination grew, and I felt a greater vitality to pursue my goals with renewed passion and focus.My satisfaction at gaining the shareholders' support was evident in my strides. Although I'd never doubted my abilities, I couldn't help but feel a hint of skepticism, solely due to Mr. Ricardo's consistent and vocal opposition. His contrarian stance made me wonder if he'd ever truly agree to my proposal.No sooner had I settled into my armchair than I knew I had to tie up all loose ends regarding the deal. With the contract signing deadline looming, I felt a sense of urgency to finalize every detail, ensuring everything was in place for a smooth and successful conclusionWith the shareholders' permission secured during the meeting, I was eager to lay the groundwork, particularly in terms of finance. Since Richard was the head
ELSA ELKINS' POV,I emerged from the room to find Leonard standing right at the entrance, the look on his face was that of surprise mixed with shock, which amazed me.As I descended the staircase I felt his gaze lingering on me which made me wonder why he was staring at me. Unlike before, a barely noticeable smile softened his stern and hard features,But as I drew closer to where he was standing along Nanny Ruth, his expression turned grave as he seemed to snap out of his daze, his eyes - icy cold, and jaw - clenched, with an obvious frown masking his features,He walked away, his strides long and purposeful as his legs carried him upstairs. I wasn't surprised by the change in his expression since I was already getting used to his angry face,Without reading much meaning to it, I scurried towards Nanny Ruth whose face was radiant with a warm smile - a contagious smile that soon spread over my features."I'm glad you're beginning to feel at home," She said as the distance between us d
JESSICA ANNA YUKA'S POV,Coming to Leonard's place was my first step towards registering my presence in Elsa's heart. Since I had known Leonard's union with her was strictly business, I was ready to leverage on it.Elsa's indifference was a confirmation of Leonard's words, and the fact that Leonard didn't introduce her to me, made my heart swell with excitement. It was a testament of the relationship that existed between them, making me realize I had the upper hand.Right in Leonard's room, my laughter echoed loudly off the walls as we reminisced the past. Since Leonard had told me she occupied the opposite room, I wanted her to hear me. I wanted her to know that I was closer to Leonard than she was, and the only woman that could be in Leonard's life.Leonard led me to his cozy bar, where I settled onto a stool facing the cabinet that was stacked with an array of wines and spirits. The dimly lit room enveloped me in a warm embrace, setting the pace for a beautiful evening. I had plan
RICHARD YUKA'S POV,I came home that evening to find Mr. Ricardo sitting in the living room with my father. My eyes lit up at the glimpse of hope as a renewed surge of determination coursed through me.After the shareholders' meeting the previous day, I had been greatly disturbed by the look I had seen on Mr. Ricardo's face, especially since I was yet to know his stance. Given that he was a man who favors his own interests, the thought of his support faltering had been a pang in my heart, filling me with a great sense of uneasiness.The atmosphere was lively with the sound of their laughter echoing off the walls, and as I drew closer to them, I realized their discussion was about the company.Seizing the opportunity right before me, I took long steps towards them, my determination to uncover his stance propelled me forward.As soon as my father saw me, his voice rang out with a cheerful excitement, "Aha! You're back." He exclaimed, as if he had been waiting for me all along, although
LEONARD KISH'S POV,As far as I was concerned, Mr. Gustavo's words were a deliberate attempt to mock me, he had chosen his path and had made it known to me, but the fact that he had only called to say that to me greatly infuriated me."Boss!" Sam's vouce broke into the fog of anger that had surrounded me, "What do we do now?" He asked, his brows furrowed in concern.Since Mr. Gustavo had decided to go down the drains, I was going to assist him in that, and not just him - I was going to pull down everyone who had been a stumbling block in my path."Have you found out who Mr. Gustavo has been in contact with?" I asked, my voice tight with determination as I stared into space.Deep within me, I was seething with fury, but I had decided to pour all of it into my actions instead.'This time around, I'd leave him with nothing!' I swore within myself."Yes Boss... I was informed during the meeting earlier...but I haven't been able to inform you," Sam responded, his voice dripping with cautio
LEONARD KISH'S POV,My lips curled into a small smirk as soon as I heard Sam's words, and satisfaction stirred within me.Deep within me, I thought Mr. Gustavo was beginning to feel the heat of my pressure, and had called to talk about my request.I collected the phone from Sam and placed it against my ear. "Hello!" I answered, my voice echoing the calmness that had seeped into my heart."Leonard!" Mr. Gustavo's voice came from the other end of the phone, cold and weary. "Have you been well?" He asked, making my lips curl further.From his voice, I could hear the exhaustion that had settled in his heart. The ever-vibrant Mr. Gustavo was now as cold as an icepack, which only added to my conviction that he was ready to discuss the deal."Yes, Mr. Gustavo, I've been well," I answered firmly, my words dripping with pride as I spoke in a high and mighty tone. Mr. Gustavo sighed deeply, and then went silent for a few seconds, but I wasn't in a hurry to hear what he had to say since I knew
LEONARD KISH'S POV,"You didn't ask her, Boss; you forcefully took her away after inflicting injuries on the person she just had lunch with," Sam replied calmly, his gaze fixed intently on me, his brows slightly furrowed.As soon as I heard his words, I couldn't stop myself from scoffing in disbelief. 'Did he just mean Richard?' I thought, I couldn't believe he was talking about Richard like that when he didn't need anyone to remind him of how dangerous Richard was."Do you mean Richard? Are you justifying him now?" I asked, my words ringing with disbelief as I stared at him,"No Boss! That's not what I meant; I was only trying to be rational," he responded calmly, as he pulled his gaze from me, making me scoff and rolled my eyes."As far as I'm concerned, he deserved it, and I wished I had given him enough beating," I said, "I only hate the fact that I had bent so low to his level, but I wished you didn't restrain me," My jaw clenched as soon as the words left my lips, and as the s
LEONARD KISH'S POV,My jaw clenched tightly as we drove back to the company that day, despite the fact that I was angry, there was something more than anger that had settled in my heart; something I just couldn't lay my hands on.I loosened my tie, but I couldn't get rid of that unknown feeling that was surging within me. Guilt? Sadness? Hurt? Regret? I couldn't tell, Maybe a mix of them all.I puffed out a breath and said to Sam, more like an order, "Stop the car!" His gaze had been darting from the windscreen to the rearview mirror. I needed a breath of fresh air, but as soon as the words left my lips, Sam replied sharply, "Boss, you still have a meeting to catch up with," he said, but the caution that laced his words was unmistakable.I could see the concern etched on his face, and I knew he was considering the implications of defaulting the meeting, but at that moment, I couldn't think of anything else. How could I focus on the meeting when I was feeling like that? I needed to
ELSA ELKINS' POV,"Just in case you've forgotten Elsa, you're my property who was given away as a repayment for her father's debt!" Leonard spat! His words were a like sharp blades that pierced into my heart."And from now on, you're hereby grounded and forbidden from leaving this house. Your only job is to work hard for the freedom you so much crave and if I'm not satisfied enough, you'd remain stuck right here forever." He said, his words tumbling out in a fierce intensity.Every word he spoke stabbed my heart and my knees grew weak. My words felt stuck in my throat, and I couldn't get myself to say another word to him.Right then, I was reminded again of how it began, and I realized that in that whole world, there was no place I could turn to.My father wouldn't even accept me back for fear of the notorious 'Kish family', and as for my mother, let's not even talk about her.I realized again that in that wide world, the only thing I could do was to stay obedient in my supposed husba
ELSA ELKINS' POV,My heart skipped a beat as his grip on my arm tightened; his steps were heavy with determination as he dragged me on, leaving me scuttling behind him, but I refused to give in to his intimation. My resolve grew, and I leaned in, I bit his arm with every ounce of strength in me, directing all my resolve to the bite until I tasted blood.Leonard winced in pain and in that instant, his grip loosened, while I wriggled my arm free from his monstrous grip."Have you lost your mind?" I glared at him, my blood burning hot with a seething rage, my heart banging hard against my ribcage in a mix of fear and pain."Elsa, let's get out of here, now!" He said, his voice tight with an urgency that left me confused. As he stretched his hand towards me again, I tactically avoided it, my brows creased with the confusion that had settled into my heart. I wasn't going to leave until I got an explanation for his behavior.I couldn't understand what had gotten over him. His sudden chang
LEONARD KISH'S POV,My fists clenched tightly beside me, as my anger propelled me towards them. Each step I took was a deliberate attempt towards Richard, who was invested in his act of touching my property.The smile on his face greatly irritated me, not to mention the fact that Elsa stood frozen under his spells, her gaze fixed intently on him like a precious gem.As soon as I was close enough, Elsa caught sight of me, and her eyes widened in surprise, her jaw gradually dropping. The shock she had felt was evident on her face, which made Richard slowly turn towards my direction, with an annoying broad smile on his face.In that instant, my fist shot out, and my fury directed it towards his face in a fierce determination, "Bastard!" I cursed, my voice heavy with rage.A gasp of surprise escaped Elsa's throat as my punch sent Richard off balance, and her hands flew to her mouth to stifle the shock she had felt. Her eyes darted desperately from Richard to me, her fear clearly writte
LEONARD KISH'S POV,As soon as I got off the phone, Sam asked, "Boss! Is anything the matter?" His words dripped with caution, his concern etched on his face as he stared at me.The words had barely left his lips when I turned my phone to Sam and showed him the photo of Elsa and Richard, smiling cozily at each other in an eatery, and Sam's brows creased."Do you know where this is?" I asked, my gaze fixed intently on Sam, as I demanded an answer from him.He scratched his head, and hesitated a little. "I think it's close to her workplace." He answered, his voice a stark contrast to his initial determination.As soon as I heard his words, I pulled my gaze from him. "Do you know the exact location?" I asked, my jaw clenched in determination."Yes Boss!" He answered in a small, his tone ringing with caution."Judging from the surroundings, I'm certain it's Yucoco. An eatery close to her workplace that specializes in local dishes. It is said that she's a regular customer of that place and
LEONARD KISH'S POV,Following the setback with Mr. Gustavo, I had called for a meeting to discuss alternatives, but they insisted on getting his approval or terminate the project which was already in progress.I knew what that meant; it would mean I pay for the losses incurred, and then J.K would definitely ask for compensations, but that wasn't just it.The fact that it would put an indelible mark on my reputation and ruin my chances of becoming the next CEO greatly infuriated me.I could tell Mr. Ricardo was behind the scenes and had won the shareholders over, which was why they had unanimously agreed with the suggestions he made"What's the progress on Mr. Gustavo?" I asked Sam after a strained meeting with the shareholders that day.My steps were swift and heavy as they carried me back to my office."Just like you ordered, Boss," Sam said, in a matching intensity. "His invitation has been revoked, and he won't be able to attend the upcoming International Congress of Hoteliers." He