Chapter 1: Shattered Trust

“I’ll do as you say,” I said, clutching the phone tightly. “I’ll come back to take over the company, but you can’t interfere with any of my decisions.”

The line was silent for a moment before the authoritative voice on the other end responded. “Fine. As long as you come back, the company is yours to run.”

I ended the call, my hand trembling as I set the phone down. I smiled bitterly as the events of the afternoon replayed in my mind, sharp and vivid.

My boyfriend was a billionaire who really knew his stuff, operating on generational wealth that earned him respect. I used to feel so proud to be by his side but not until rumors of his unfaithfulness got to me.

Just this afternoon, as I made my way through the executive corridor of Pierce Enterprises, I carried a stack of reports, my free hand brushing lightly against my abdomen—a habit I’d developed ever since I found out I was pregnant.

The past few weeks had been a careful balancing act. Between running the Marketing Division and keeping my pregnancy a secret, I felt like I was constantly walking a tightrope. But the thought of Justin Pierce, my boyfriend of eight years, kept me going. Once he found out we were finally having a baby, I believed everything would fall into place.

That hope was the fragile thread holding me together.

But lately, Justin had been distant. Detached. The nights he spent at the office were stretching longer, and the warmth in his eyes seemed to fade more with each passing day. Sasha Holt, his new secretary, was always by his side. Too close, I thought. But doubt was a dangerous thing, so I pushed it down, convincing myself that our history was enough to keep us strong.

Now, I stood outside Justin’s office door, taking a deep breath before twisting the handle and stepping inside.

The door swung open soundlessly, and the first thing I noticed was the unmistakable scent of perfume—too sweet, too familiar. My heart twisted, and the reports slipped from my grasp, tumbling to the floor.

Then I saw them.

Justin’s dark-haired head was bent low over Sasha’s neck, his hands gripping her waist as she perched on the edge of his desk. Her blouse was unbuttoned, and her red lips curled into a satisfied smile.

Justin’s head snapped up, and his icy blue eyes met mine, widening slightly. He didn’t look guilty. He didn’t even look surprised. Just annoyed.

"You’re early," he said coldly, gently pulling his hands away from Sasha’s waist.

My chest tightened, making it hard to breathe. I couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. I just stood there, staring, realizing that my suspicions had been true.

Sasha cleared her throat and slid off the desk. She knew exactly who I was to Justin, and her guilty expression made no attempt to hide her discomfort as she quickly buttoned her shirt. "Excuse me," she muttered as she brushed past me, her shoulder deliberately knocking into mine.

I turned my attention back to Justin, who was now straightening his tie, his expression indifferent. "You shouldn’t come in without knocking, Liv."

Liv. The nickname that used to sound like affection now felt like a knife to my heart.

"How long?" I finally managed to ask, my voice trembling.

He sighed, like my question was more of an inconvenience than anything else. "Does it matter?"

Tears blurred my vision, but I quickly blinked them away, my stomach twisting with nausea. "I thought we... I thought you—"

"Don’t make this dramatic, Olivia." He walked past me, grabbing his suit jacket. "It’s nothing serious. You really should’ve knocked before coming in."

Something inside me snapped. A deep, aching pain rose in my chest, choking me. My voice shook as I forced out the words, "I’m pregnant, Justin."

He froze, his back still to me. For one fleeting, desperate second, I thought he might turn around. That he might say something—anything—to heal the rupture in my heart.

But he didn’t.

His shoulders tensed, and he turned slightly. "Is it mine?"

My breath caught in disbelief, then pain, sharp and sudden, tore through my abdomen. I bent over, gripping my belly as panic surged through me.

"Justin…" My voice broke. "Something’s wrong."

He turned, his eyes widening in alarm, but before he could reach me, my legs gave way. I collapsed and was quickly surrounded by darkness.

————-

I awoke in a room I didn’t recognize, white walls surrounding me. The sharp smell of antiseptic told me I was in a hospital.

"Miss Monroe?" I heard the nurse's gentle voice. "I’m so sorry, but… you lost the baby."

The words caused me to gasp in disbelief. I didn’t realize when tears slid silently down my face as I turned away, my mind replaying Justin’s betrayal again and again.

I glanced around the room, but Justin wasn’t there. He hadn’t come. He hadn’t cared.

I was truly, utterly alone.

But as grief consumed me, something cold and resolute settled in my chest.

I was done.

Chapter 2: Bitter Truth

The apartment felt cold when I stepped inside. The silence was suffocating, settling around me like a heavy blanket. I didn’t know what I expected when I came home, but it wasn’t this. It wasn’t the emptiness of it all. It wasn’t the absence of him. It was the fact that I’d sacrificed eight years of my life being loyal to a man who had no regard for me.

Justin hadn’t come to the hospital. Not that I was surprised. His driver had been the one to get me there when I collapsed. Not even the driver stayed by my side because Justin had ordered him to return to the office and take him somewhere. Justin had likely spent the rest of the day with her. Sasha. While I dealt with the pain of losing our baby.

I slammed my purse down on the table, and my hands shook as I ran them through my hair. The anger, the hurt, it all felt like a choking cloud inside me.

I went to the bedroom. I wasn’t expecting Justin to be home yet and that’s when I made that call to my brother. After the call, I noticed an earring on the bedroom floor. Just one piece. It wasn’t mine, but I recognized it as the one I had seen Sasha, Justin’s secretary, wear on several occasions.

I smiled bitterly as I picked it up and kept it away. I decided to get some rest because I was done crying.

Much later into the night, I woke up to a noise and quickly went to the living room to check it out. I saw that a bottle of whiskey was out, already half-poured into a glass, and there was Justin, standing at the counter like everything was normal. He didn’t even spare me a glance as he took a slow sip.

I stood in the doorway, unable to move, just watching him for a moment. I didn’t have the words. All I could feel was bitterness and hate towards the man I once loved.

He didn’t look up. Didn’t say anything.

I wasn’t sure I could even speak. But I had to.

"Donald took me to the hospital," I finally said, my voice flat.

Justin barely moved, the sound of his glass tapping the counter louder than anything else in the room.

"Yeah," he said, his tone distant, like he couldn’t care less. "I was busy."

I wanted to scream. I wanted to throw something at him. But I didn’t. I didn’t have the energy for it. Instead, I turned away, trying to breathe past the growing lump in my throat. I walked over to the couch and sank down, my eyes unfocused.

He didn’t come over. Didn’t offer an apology. Nothing.

The silence stretched on, until I heard him moving behind me. I didn’t turn. I didn’t want to.

Justin didn’t speak for a while. The only sound in the room was the swish of whiskey being poured into his glass and the slight clink of the ice.

A moment later, his voice broke the silence.

“Have you eaten?”

I didn’t respond at first. The question was so… trivial. So pointless, considering everything that had happened. I blinked a few times, trying to steady my thoughts, before finally speaking.

“No,” I said, my voice tight. “I’m not hungry.”

There was a pause, like he was waiting for more, but I didn’t offer it. I wasn’t about to give him any more than what he asked for.

“Why?” he asked after a beat. But his voice didn’t sound concerned, just… detached.

I kept my gaze fixed on the floor, biting back the anger that was bubbling up inside of me. “Because I’m not.”

I heard the soft clink of glass again and soon, he walked away. I smiled bitterly because he made no mention of my health, no “how are you feeling,” no “are you okay.” Not even a passing word about the baby. It was as if none of it mattered.

He didn’t care. I know that now.

A few minutes later, I heard the sound of his phone ringing. I didn’t look up. I told myself that I didn't care.

But then I heard his voice, low and affectionate, and something in me snapped.

“Hey, baby,” he said, his tone sickeningly sweet. “I miss you too.”

My stomach twisted in disgust as I listened to him. The way he said it, the way his words lingered with that softness… He was clearly enjoying his new found romance. It used to be that way with me. Justin used to speak to me like that—gentle, affectionate, as if I was the only one that mattered. But now, it feels like a cruel mockery. My heart ached, and an overwhelming anger quickly flooded in.

I knew exactly who he was talking to.

Sasha.

I clenched my fists, digging my nails into my palms as the rage started to rise.

I had spent eight years with him, building something, something I thought was real, and he was… this?

He didn’t even have the decency to hide it. The betrayal in his voice was clear, like he wasn’t even trying to keep his affair hidden. It made my chest tighten and I closed my eyes, trying to block out the sound of his voice. But it was no use.

The jealousy, the resentment, the utter disgust with myself for ever thinking I meant more than his latest conquest—it all surged up inside of me.

The next morning, I woke up early and made breakfast for one. Just like everything else in this life now, it was solitary.

The penthouse was extremely quiet as I prepared a simple sandwich and brewed a cup of coffee. Justin entered the dining area just as I was finishing my coffee.

For a moment, he paused by the table. His gaze shifted to the empty spot where his breakfast used to be. His gaze hardened slightly, but he didn’t say anything at first.

“Where’s mine?” he asked, almost absentmindedly.

I blinked, then straightened. “I thought you don’t like black coffee,” I replied, my tone flat.

He didn’t react immediately, but I could see his jaw tighten. We both knew the truth. Despite his aversion to it, I always made him drink black coffee every morning before going to the office. I thought it would help him focus. But today? I couldn’t bring myself to care.

Without another word, I placed my plate in the sink and grabbed my bag.

I could feel him watching me, waiting for me to say something—anything. But I was done.

“I’ll take you to the office,” he said, his voice almost too smooth. But I knew better than to mistake calmness for care. It was just his way of controlling the situation, keeping everything on his terms.

I didn’t say anything as I walked toward the door, my heart heavy with the knowledge that things between us would never be the same. There was no more room for us in the same world. Not anymore.

Chapter 3: Exposed Affair

I didn’t wait for Justin’s permission as I walked toward the door, my hand gripping the handle with a sense of finality. I didn’t care about the subtle hints he might have thrown my way. His words, his gestures—they no longer mattered.

When I heard his voice offering to take me to work, I dismissed it as my imagination. To be honest, Justin had never bothered to share a car with me—not in years, anyway.

By the time I arrived at the Pierce Enterprises Headquarters, whispers had already begun to spread through the air.

Minutes later, Justin arrived. His black luxury car rolled up smoothly in front of the building, and I watched as he stepped out. Sasha, his ever-smiling secretary, followed behind him. The pair grabbed the attention of everyone, like they were some celebrity.

Sasha. The thorne in my side.

Whispers filled the air as Justin and Sasha walked side by side into the building. The company might’ve known that we were still a couple, but Sasha’s presence began to complicate things. She was slowly eroding whatever space I had left in Justin’s life.

He did things with her that he never did with me. He gave her rides, shared meals with her, took her to places I had once considered off-limits. Hell, he even let her into the most restricted areas of the office, places where only his closest confidantes were allowed.

But as their footsteps faded, I took a deep breath, pushing aside the rising jealousy and frustration. I wasn’t going to let them see that.

Ignoring the stir that followed them, I made my way to the public area, where the printer was located. It was a small, insignificant task, one I could do without drawing attention. But it wasn’t the printer I was concerned about—it was the eyes that followed my every movement. The silent judgment.

I was just copying documents, but I pretended not to notice the glances and whispers that followed me. The people here didn’t need much of a reason to gossip. A mere glance between me and Justin was enough to set off a chain reaction.

They always wanted a show. They wanted to see me crack under the weight of Sasha’s growing influence in Justin’s life, to see me stumble or show weakness. But I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction.

The voices grew louder as I passed two of the subordinates and I heard them whispering.

“Ms. Levy is too cold,” one of them muttered, just loud enough for me to hear. “Men like women who are delicate, like Sasha.”

They weren’t wrong. I wasn’t the delicate, soft type. I’d never been the kind of woman who played the game for attention. No, I played it by my own rules. I had learned early on that silence spoke louder than words, that strength showed in action rather than in the theatrics of a relationship.

By cold, they meant that I never gave them what they wanted. No gossip, no whispered secrets about my relationship with Justin. I never gave them the kind of show they craved. And that was exactly how I wanted it.

The moment they saw me notice, both of them fell silent, their faces flushing with embarrassment.

But I didn’t stop walking. My heels clicked sharply against the polished floor and I hoped it made it clear that I wasn’t afraid to be seen or heard.

Eventually, I made my way back to my cabin, the small office I had carved out for myself in this steel-and-glass fortress. It wasn’t much, but it was mine.

On my desk, my resignation letter and a black velvet pouch lay on the table. I slipped the pouch into my pocket along with the letter, the weight of both objects a reminder of how far things had gone.

I made my way to Justin’s office. Inside, Sasha was seated on Justin’s lap this time, laughing at something he had just said. But when the door swung open, her laughter died in an instant.

“Ms Levy, this isn’t—” Sasha started, her voice trembling.

“Out,” I snapped, my tone leaving no room for negotiation.

Justin’s eyes immediately narrowed, his face darkening with the hint of anger. "Liv, watch yourself," he warned, but his voice lacked the usual authority it once carried when addressing me. It was as if he had lost control of the situation—or perhaps, lost control of me.

Ignoring him, I reached into my pocket and retrieved the black velvet pouch, tossing it onto the desk with a deliberate flick of my wrist. It landed with a soft thud, the contents spilling out.

That single piece of earring.

I kept my gaze cold. "Next time you sneak into my house," I said to Sasha in a cold voice, "don’t leave your things behind."

Sasha’s face drained of color as she quickly took the earring from the desk, her hands trembling. "Th-thank you, Ms. Levy," she stuttered, her voice tight with embarrassment and fear. "I’ll be more careful."

She didn’t wait another second before running away. I didn’t look back at her. I didn’t need to. The door slammed shut behind her, leaving Justin and me alone.

I could feel the tension hanging in the air like a storm waiting to break. Justin sat still, his imposing figure casting a shadow over me as I stood quietly in front of his desk. His silence spoke volumes, but I was done listening.

Finally, he spoke, his voice low and dangerous. "What are you trying to prove?"

Chapter 4: I Quit

Without a word, I reached to drop the letter of resignation, in my possession, on his table. "Sign it" I told him bluntly. It sounded more like a command, but I could care less.

He studied my face closely for a while, as if trying to confirm if I was in my right senses. After a few seconds of staring at me, he afterwards, pulled the paper closer to himself, got hold of a pen, and signed the paper. "There you go."

His act of nonchalance caused a stir of annoyance deep down in my bones. But just as I had promised myself, I won't bother worrying about his cold attitude towards me anymore. I'm done and totally done with a disgusting beast like him. It's time I moved on. But just moving on would not be satisfying in any way. No, it wouldn't. He has to pay for his actions. Definitely.

"What are you still waiting for? Anything else? As you can see, you're interrupting my work." That stern voice of his, was what brought me back into reality. I was already so lost in the thoughts of squashing every single bone in his body, so that he would have to crawl on all fours for the rest of his life.

"There's one more thing I need you to do for me." I told him with a dauntless expression on my face. And with that, I put my hand into my pouch and took out another piece of paper. "Sign this too."

Once again, he studied my facial expression, even before looking at the content of the paper. "What's this?" He asked me.

After a few minutes of no reply from me, he decided to look into the content of the paper to check for himself.

He smirked.

A smirk? Really? He really just smirked? He wasn't surprised? Wasn't annoyed? He just had to react with a smirk? This guy is really the worst.

He took out his executive pen once again and scribbled his signature on the piece of paper. He seemed glad to do that. It was like he's been expecting this action from me and is really grateful I took the step first.

I wanted to react like the crazy type. To spit words like "You'll regret this", "I'll make you pay for cheating on me", "I'll hurt you a million times more than you've done to me", among others, but I just really had to restrain myself from doing that. That would be stooping so low to his lowly self. Whatever revenge I'll exert on him, he has to be the one to see it for himself. I was always not the woman of many words, but of actions.

I grabbed the piece of paper while bestowing unto him a lengthy death glare. It was at this point that my phone rang out. My heart leaped for joy as soon as I saw the caller. It was none other than Sean. I picked up instantly. "It's ready? I'm ready as well… Okay, will get on board soon." I ended the call and walked out of Justin's massive office, out of his enormous mansion, out of his lowly life, deliberately stomping my feet on the ground as I walked, which gave the employees of the company, more interesting things to talk about.

While I was in the plane, I reminisced about the happy moments we both shared in the past. Happy enough to even make me leave my inheritance as the heir to Glitz, the number one ranking fashion company in the country. It was well known in the international business world too. It was initiated by my great grandmother, then passed on to my grand mother, then to my mother and it only makes sense it gets passed on to me, right?

But then, as I was blinded by love, I lost interest in taking over the company. I just wanted to be one thing, Justin Pierce's wife. I imposed it on my younger brother to run the company, stating clearly that I won't be going back to the company to run it. If Sean won't run it, I suggested selling the company out to the second ranked fashion company in the country.

And now, here am I, on my way to taking over the company I had once bluntly refused to. But what is different now is that, the desire to run the company is really burning inside of me with a very high degree. Was it because of the surge of anger I was feeling against Justin? Or the strong will in me to exert revenge on him and reduce him to worse than nothing? I wasn't really sure of the answer. All I know is that, I am going to take over the company , reveal myself to the world and completely trample over Justin Pierce Enterprise.

I arrived not too long ago. A car was waiting for me already. I got in and was taken straight to my family house. Scratch that, it was a mansion. As I stepped into the mansion, a feeling of deja vu rushed inside of me. Like I've experienced what was happening before. Well, I have. In. My. Dreams. I had had thoughts of returning back to my family mansion over and over again but I had just never thought I'd actually have a reason to. Well, after wasting eight good years of my life with a good for nothing bastard like him, here I am now.

Both Mom and Sean welcomed me with open arms. The joy in their faces was really evident. It couldn't be concealed in any way. I let out a smile. That action of theirs was enough to comfort me from the horrible experience I had just passed through. Dinner was already set and arranged by the employees in the house. I just had to go to the room prepared for me beforehand, take a warm and relaxing shower, before finally heading downstairs to join in the feast that had been prepared.

Over the meal, mom and Sean nearly choked me with series of questions. Mom was majorly after my well being. Sean, on the other hand,was all about how animalistic Justin was, and spoke on getting revenge on him for hurting me in that way.

"I already did a lot of digging up on him and you can't imagine how elated I am now to let you know, he has actually ventured into some dirty deeds that once they become exposed, it'll mark the beginning of Justin Pierce Enterprise downfall." Sean said, with a smirk, while munching on the piece of steak he had in his mouth, very slowly. "Well, it's tomorrow. Tomorrow is the day it gets revealed. Anticipate." He added dramatically and I smiled at that.

I was loving this.

Chapter 5: Start of a New Life

"When do you plan on revealing yourself as the Chairwoman of Glitz?" Sean asked me, while trying to slice the stubborn steak with his knife.

Mom lingered forward, feeling so eager to hear my reply. She seemed to have been really waiting for this day. Everyone seemed to. It was such a play of immaturity on my part, having to choose Justin over my family. I remember that moment so vividly. I even went as far as changing my surname from Donovan to Levy, so Justin won't know of my connections with Glitz at all. I didn't want anything to interfere with our relationship then. I really loved him then.

I sighed. Just a while ago, I was so enthusiastic about taking over the company and all that. But right now, I'm fazed by that question. Taking over the company, revealing myself to the world, Am I really prepared for all the glamour that comes with it? But then again, it's not something I can run away from forever. It's my responsibility and therefore, I refuse to avoid it any further. "Tomorrow."

I replied.

Sean snapped his fingers. "That's a good one, sis"

Mom smiled so sweetly at me and squeezed my hands tightly, as if trying to say "thank you for your decision."

"That being confirmed, could you meet with someone tomorrow? He's the CEO of Sparkles, the number one rival company of Justin Pierce Enterprise." Sean said to me, eagerly awaiting my reply.

I thought deeply about what he said. A rival company? That's just perfect, isn't it? Having someone like that on my side will play a huge part in getting back at Justin. "What is the purpose of the meeting?" I asked him.

"I have no idea. He was the one who requested for a meeting with you." Sean replied with a shrug.

That had me baffled. He requested for the meeting? "With me?"

He nodded briskly. "Yes. He personally requested for a meeting with you, in particular. It was as if he knew that you're the true heir to Glitz."

"Wow!"

That was such a surprising thing to know. I mean, not many people know about me being the true heir to Glitz. That triggered the eagerness in me to meet with this Viktor Edmund, CEO of Sparkles.

The next morning, I had my bath, got dressed and descended the stairs, straight to the dining room. My mom was in there, having a simple breakfast of pitta bread, scrambled eggs and lemon tea. The employees came around almost immediately and got my own meal ready.

Mom scrutinized me slowly and carefully, while chomping on the crisp part of the pitta bread, starting from the top of my hair to the black stiletto heels I had on. She then shook her head in disapproval. "Your dressing doesn't give off the vibes of a Chairwoman. How do I put this? You look… too ordinary."

I wasn't surprised at her remark at all. I was in fact, already expecting her to condemn my dressing. My mom was the kind of person that liked to live a flamboyant ostentatious lifestyle. She had always tried to inculcate that in me ever since my teenage years, but I had always argued it out with her. I had always been this simple and quiet person that hated to be noticed in anyway. Instead, I had always preferred to do my own thing quietly, without drawing too much of attention.

But just in few hours from now, that aspect of my life is going to take turns for the complete opposite. I'm going to be noticed. I'm going to be interviewed by the media. I'm going to be known, Nationwide.

"We'll be stopping at a hair salon before heading to the company. Also, I already got the outfit you're to wear today ready. After you're done styling your hair, you'll put on the outfit. We'll afterwards head to the company." She said to me.

"Okay." I replied.

She gawked at me. I knew at once, what was running through her mind. For the first time in my life, I agreed to her decision, without throwing a tantrum. It's just that, now that I have decided to become a new person entirely, I can't keep living the same way I've been living, up until yesterday. Everything had to change. I even destroyed my previous phone and changed my contact, just as how Sean had suggested to me. Now, it'd be difficult for those who had known me, up until yesterday, to reach out to me. Most especially, Justin.

I, Olivia Donovan, am a new person entirely now. No longer the Olivia Levy, I used to be known as.

The way and manner by which my hair was styled in the hair salon, gave me a satisfactory feeling. It gave me an appearance that commanded respect. Even I, was in love with this new version of myself. I got into one of the inner Chambers of the salon, already prepared for me, and got changed into the outfit my mom had prepared for me. The outfit was indeed complimentary.

A strong wave of accomplishment swept through me as I gradually admired my new look in the full length mirror in the salon.

My mom snapped her fingers, followed by three resounding claps. "This is it. This is what I'm talking about. Now, you look like the Glitz chairwoman indeed. We can now proceed to the inaugural ceremony. I've been receiving calls that the media are there already, awaiting your grande entrance." She said. I could see the excitement bubbling up her forehead.

By the time we arrived at Glitz, the whole entrance had already been covered up by lots of reporters who must have also gotten the information on the inaugural ceremony. It was my mom's secretary that had to come to us and help us get through the other entrance that's not so well known to others.

Stepping into Glitz was like stepping into the presidential office. It was so huge. How on Earth could I have forsaken this luxury owned by my family, with me being the true heir?

Like a magnet, in the midst of metals, my entrance began to glue the attention of the people in the company at that time, to myself. I could literally feel all their eyes on my skin.

Chapter 6: The Shocking Revelation

The employees of Glitz, began to gather themselves in twos, threes, four, the hot topic was me. I could hear some of them say things like "Wow! Is she really the new Chairwoman?" "The chairwoman's daughter is really pretty." "Do you know how much that necklace she has on costs? It costs a fortune." "Her outfit is amazing."

I smiled. Getting all the attention wasn't as bad as I had initially thought.

Soon enough, some sets of people gathered around me, with cameras shuttering, lights flickering.

I guessed immediately, and I figured they were from the media. Upon seeing different microphones with the name of the media station on them, I was now completely sure that they were indeed—the media.

Questions from here and there started to fly around. Questions like "Ma'am, are you going to be the new Chairwoman of Glitz?"

"I heard you've lived in hiding all your life, what was the reason?

“Why did you decide to reveal yourself just now?"

"Where have you been before now?”

The security guards gathered around and tried to get the media away from me. They were too close. They should at least give me a breathing space, shouldn't they?

As soon as they were few inches away from me, I summoned the courage to speak. "Yes. I am Olivia Donovan, the first daughter of the Donovan family. I am indeed the true heiress to Glitz and yes, I have come to take over and run the company. I am going to be the new Chairwoman." I replied them.

As I spoke, those taking videos were doing so, those taking notes, were also doing so. I was sure this was being broadcasted on live television and I imagined how Justin's reaction whenever he saw the news. He would never have imagined his little Liv would actually be the heir to a company like Glitz.

When I felt I had given them enough answers, I signalled to my mom and she led me to the elevator. But then, the reporters weren’t about to give up. No matter what answers I gave, they kept coming up with more questions but of course, they were stopped by the security guards.

NARRATOR’S POV

Justin ran his hands through his hair, looking so frustrated than ever before. The news had just gotten to him. The news of his exposed secret dirty deeds in his company and also that of his affair, everything was out on the internet. That played a huge part in the crumbling of the company he had struggled hard to build. Everyone was talking about it everywhere on the internet. The stocks and everything, began to go down.

"Why the hell are the board members not here yet?" He yelled angrily at his secretary, Sasha.

Sasha was taken aback by his tone. Justin had never raised his voice at her before. He had always spoken to her in a soft, calm, sweet and flirty manner.

"I… I… they… they'll be here… in a moment." She stuttered.

And soon enough, the board members and other prominent employees of Pierce Enterprise, began to arrive. The meeting kick started at once.

"What do we do about this? How do we get out of this mess? Why have you not been able to take down the news surrounding the scandals?" He yelled. He was in so much rage.

"Sir, trust me, we've tried all we could to get the news off the internet but all efforts to get that done, has proved abortive. It seems like it was uploaded by no average person. The person must be a high ranking person in this country. Because the sites where the news were uploaded wouldn’t budge, no matter the amount of money offered to them." Dave Anderson, the head of the technical department, explained to Justin.

Justin’s nose flared as he listened to the man. He was infuriated.

"I think I have a solution to this." One of the board members spoke up.

"And that’s exactly what we need—a way out of this mess." Justin said.

"There's this company I know of that can help us out in getting rid of that news on the internet. They have really skilled technicians and are well known in this country." The member suggested, the other members nodded, urging him to continue,

"Are you referring to Glitz?" Justin asked with raised eyebrows.

They all nodded.

"Okay, good. Then get to work immediately. Contact them and give them any amount they request for. They're really the only ones that can help us now. I remember, there was once a time they helped us too. Wasn't it like eight years ago?" Justin asked. He looked calmer now

"But sir… I just saw on the internet that a new Chairwoman has just been appointed." One of the heads of the departments informed him.

"Chairwoman? Really? I didn’t know the Donovans had a daughter?" Justin said thoughtfully. This was news.

"Apparently, she's been living her life privately, until recently and now, she has revealed herself." The head of the analysis department explained.

"Turn on the television. Let's see the News." Justin said to Sasha.

She complied, hating how she was being ordered around. The first thing that popped up was the inaugural ceremony of the new Chairwoman of Glitz.

And then, it arrived. No one knew where it had come from—an overwhelming wave of silence that enveloped the entire board meeting room, seeping into every nook and cranny.

Justin suddenly felt a tightness around his neck, as if he was on chokehold. Instinctively, he loosened his tie, his mind struggling to process the shocking images on the TV.

Sasha had to rub her eyes to confirm her eyes were not deceiving her.

Every person in that room experienced a shock more intense than an electric jolt. For Justin, it was the most profound shock of his life. "Liv?"

He staggered, his legs became weakened and could suddenly not remain on his feet again, he slowly lost balance, and down he went, unconscious.