As the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a warm golden glow across the sprawling estate, two luxurious Mercedes-Benz cars pulled up to the grand Stanford's mansion. The cars were impeccably clean and polished, and their sleek lines shimmered in the fading light. Two imposing bodyguards emerged from the first cars, and with a brisk nod to each other, they made their way to the last car. The car's door opened with a soft hiss, revealing Marcus and a Serena. “We're finally home," Marcus said, his voice tinged with a hint of excitement.
Serena, on the other hand, was visibly anxious, nervously rubbing her hand. Sensing her apprehension, Marcus took her hand in his and spoke confidently, "It's gonna be okay. Dad isn't angry anymore." With a deep breath and a forced smile, Serena tried to calm her nerves as they both emerged from the car.The sound of their footsteps echoed through the entrance hall. The opulence of the surroundings was overwhelming, with intricate chandeliers and ornate decorations adorning every corner of the mansion. The air was filled with a sweet fragrance of fresh flowers, and the sound of classical music played softly in the background.Serena couldn't shake off her nervousness. She was worried about facing her father, who had been angry with her for a long time. Marcus, sensing her unease, squeezed her hand gently and led her inside.As Serena approached the main door, she braced herself for what awaited her on the other side. With a sudden push, the door swung open and there he stood - her father, the Great Raymond Stanford. He is the CEO of Standford Co-Operation, a company that ranked third in the business industry worldwide. His powerful presence commanded attention and respect, and Serena couldn't help but feel a twinge of nerves as she met his gaze.Serena studied her father expressionless face, trying to determine whether he was pleased or displeased to see her. This uncertainty only served to make her more nervous, and she began to second-guess everything she had been told by Marcus .Suddenly, Raymond's face broke into a warm smile, as he extended his arms towards Serena, eagerly waiting for her to come into his embrace. His eyes beamed with love as he looked at his daughter, who was visibly emotional at the sight of her father. Without hesitation, Serena rushed into his arms, feeling the warmth and comfort that only a father's hug can provide. “my princess,” Raymond whispered, his voice filled with happiness . At that moment , nothing else mattered to Serena except the love and safety of her father embrace .Serena's eyes were moistened with tears as she hugged Raymond tightly, seeking his forgiveness. "Please forgive your imprudent daughter. I'm so sorry," she said, her voice choked with emotion. Raymond pulled away gently and looked into her eyes, his own expression softening as he saw the pain and regret in her face. He reached up and wiped away her tears with his thumb, his touch gentle and comforting."I forgave you a long time ago, Serena," he said, his voice soothing. "I knew you were just blinded by love. You made a mistake, but you've learned from it. That's all that matters." His words were kind, but there was a hint of bitterness in his voice as he spoke the last sentence. "If I hadn't forgiven you, then I wouldn't have given that prick the opportunity to invest in his company," he added, his tone turning sharp. It was clear that he still harbored some anger towards the person who had caused Serena so much pain.Raymond's gaze lingered on his daughter, taking in every detail from the crown of her head to the tips of her toes. His heart clenched with pain as he noted the stark differences between the Serena he remembered and the one standing before him. Her hands appeared to have been through a rough journey, with bruises and marks marring her skin. Her hair hung in disarray, with no sign of recent care or attention. Raymond couldn't help but wonder when was the last time Serena had taken the time to visit a salon.Raymond muttered bitterly, "Lord knows how much pain you've been through in that house."From behind, Marcus revealed the shocking news: "Serena was pregnant." Raymond's hands dropped from Serena's cheeks as he stormed off to his room in a fit of anger. Serena and Marcus were left stunned and perplexed, wondering what he could be up to. However, their questions were soon answered when Mr. Stanford, Serena's father, came down the stairs holding a pistol, his expression inscrutable. Serena's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at her father, trying to make sense of what he was up to.Raymond's fists clenched as he bellowed, "Guards!!!" The sound reverberated through the spacious living room, sending a shiver down serena's spine."What's going on, Dad?" Marcus asked, his eyes scanning the room for any signs of danger.Raymond glared at him, his face twisted with rage. "I'm getting rid of those bastards who made my daughter go through hell," he said, his voice low and menacing.At that moment, a guard entered the room, his footsteps silent as he approached Raymond. He bowed respectfully, his eyes trained on the ground."Get the cars ready," Raymond ordered, his voice booming through the room. "I'm going to make that scumbags pay for what he did."The guard nodded, his face Impassive, and quickly left the room to carry out his orders.Marcus, in a panic, lunged forward to snatch the pistol away from his father, desperate to prevent him from making a grave mistake. But Raymond was too fast for him, deftly sidestepping Marcus's attempt and keeping the weapon firmly in his grip.“Stop it, dad! Don't do this," Marcus pleaded, anxiety creeping into his voice."Don't you dare try to stop me," Raymond growled.Serena was in a state of utter distress, her whole being shaking with fear . Tears streamed down her face, blurring her vision as she tried to compose herself. She knew the true nature of her father and feared for the safety of the entire Archer family. She couldn't shake the feeling that if he wasn't stopped soon, the entire Archer family would be gone in a matter of hours.The guard appeared and informed Raymond that the car was ready. "Watch over your sister. I will be back," Raymond instructed Marcus before exiting the living room. Serena rushed out, calling out to her father, desperate to stop him from making a terrible mistake.The guard opened the door, and Raymond was about to enter the car when Serena stopped him. "Dad, please. Let them be," she pleaded, her voice full of emotion. Raymond glared at Serena with a mixture of anger and pity."I'm doing this for you. Why are you trying to save the person who made your life a living hell?" Raymond raised his eyebrows. "Don't tell me you still have a soft spot for him?"Serena shook her head, and wiped her tears filled eyes "I don't want to stain your hands with the Archer's blood," Serena took a deep breath, her voice firm and resolute "I'm the luckiest person to have a father like you, but this is my fight. Rick caused me so much pain and deserves to pay, but death is a much worse punishment. So please, dad. Let me handle Rick."With a fierce determination laced in her voice, Serena looked at her father in the eyes and said “ I will make Rick pay , and he will regret ever messing with Serena Stanford “.Serena slowly opened her eyes to the sound of birds chirping and the gentle light that filtered through her window. As she yawned and stretched her body, she felt the warmth of the sun on her skin. Sitting up in bed, she took a moment to let her eyes adjust to the brightness of the morning light.Feeling rejuvenated, Serena got up from her bed and walked over to the window. She drew back the curtain, allowing the fresh morning breeze to fill her room. As she took in the beautiful scenery outside, she felt a sense of peace and tranquility wash over her. The world seemed to come alive around her, and she couldn't help but smile at the beauty of it all.Serena made her way back to her bed and plopped down wearily, reaching for the TV remote. She aimlessly flipped channels, trying to find something to distract her from the events of the day. Suddenly, a news anchor's voice caught her attention and she stopped changing channels. The anchor's tone was excited as he announced, "Georgina Spar
Four guards stood at the front and three at the back, preventing the reporters from getting too close. Marcus's hand slides around Serena's waist as the cameras keep clicking away. Serena flashes him a warm smile, and they both catwalk to the hall with reporters flocking behind them. Gina and Rick are forced to move out of the way to avoid being pushed by the reporters trying to get more pictures before the entrance hall closes.Gina angrily stomps her feet to the ground. "I hate this. Today was supposed to be my day. The attention should be on us, not your ex-wife," she says, her face contorted with anger."I'm sorry, love," Rick replies. "Don't worry, I will make sure she leaves this place in shame." Gina's face suddenly softens. "Are you sure, baby?" Rick nods his head. "I will make everyone here aware that she is a lowlife," Rick mutters with determination. Saying those words makes Gina excited, and she can't wait to see what Rick has in store for Serena.With that, they make their
A new voice rang out in the huge hall, "300 billion dollars!!" Everyone turned, their gazes fixed on Serena, who was sitting calmly with her card raised high. The auctioneer looked stunned for a moment, before resuming the countdown. "Going once, going twice," he said, but no one was able to match Serena's bid. Finally, the auctioneer declared the item sold. Rick's face turned purple with rage as he clenched his fists, his eyes blazing with fury. He couldn't believe that a lowlife like Serena could outbid him, the almighty Rick Archer. With a scowl, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Boss," the receiver said. "Matthew," Rick replied. "Yes, boss," the receiver answered. "I will send you a picture soon. I need every bit of information you can find on that guy. Both business and personal life," Rick said, cutting off the call. "Wait," Serena got up from her seat and made her way towards the auctioneer, with Marcus trailing behind her. "I want this necklace to be placed on
Archer's mansion.Rick stormed inside, holding Gina in his arms as he made his way to his bedroom. Rick sat Gina on the bed, her bandaged feet resting on a pillow. "Are you okay?" Rick asked, earning a glare from Gina.“Do I look okay to you?” Gina snapped. Her voice was laced with anger and frustration. “Today was supposed to be my day, but your ex-wife stole the spotlight. As if that was not enough, she won the bid and did this to me,” Gina said, pointing to her bandaged ankle."I am truly sorry, and I will make it up to you," Rick placed a gentle kiss on Gina's forehead. Just then, Rick's phone rang. Rick took out his phone and checked the caller ID. "I will be right back," Rick said to Gina as he exited the room."What have you got for me?" Rick asked with a hint of desperation as soon as he answered the call."I am sorry, boss, but I could not find any information about him," Matthew said from the other end of the line.Rick's anger flared. "How is that even possible!!?" Matthew
Rick felt like his world was crashing down on him at that very moment. His chest tightened, and his breaths grew shallow as he sat there, his hand finding its way to his head. He pulled at his hair, as if he wanted every single strand to be removed from his head. Sensing his distress, Gina gasped and immediately removed his hand from his head. "What's wrong with you? If something is troubling you, then please tell me. That's what partners do," she said, her voice filled with concern.Rick looked at Gina and scoffed, "Partner?" he asked bitterly and chuckled. "I was gone for more than four hours, and you didn't even bother to give me a call to know about my whereabouts. Instead, you were enjoying yourself.""I-I was going to call you," Gina stuttered, her eyes filling with tears.Rick stood up and started ascending the stairs. "Rick, I love you so much, and I'm so sorry," Gina called out after him.Rick turned back to look at her. "You can go back to your movie," he said flatly, before
Madison stormed to where Serena stood " You bitch, you framed me " Serena only smiled and looked at Amanda " You found the thief, what are you going to do now?" Amanda immediately called the security guard while the crowds kept taking pictures and videos. "Stop taking videos, stop it!!!" Madison yelled, trying to grab the crowd's phones, but they only mocked her more. "Is the necklace so expensive that the great Madison Archer couldn't afford it and decided to steal?" someone from the crowd said while the others laughed.Madison pointed her finger at the crowd and turned around, saying, "I promise you all, I will make you pay for talking to me this way." Someone from the crowd yelled back, "Keep your filthy threat to yourself, you thief."Just then, three security men arrived and grabbed Madison. She struggled to break free, yelling, "What are you doing? Let go of me! How dare you!! Do you know who I am?" " Yes, you are nothing but a thief " The crowds yelled and burst out in a fit
The chief of the police stood in front of Rick, holding out a pen and a document that required Rick's signature. "Your signature is required here," he declared in a firm tone. Rick accepted the pen and signed the document, returning it to the chief of police."Go fetch Madison Archer," the chief of police ordered one of his officers, who promptly left the room. A few minutes later, the officer returned with a disheveled and tear-stained Madison in tow. As soon as Madison saw Rick, she rushed towards him and enveloped him in a tight embrace, tears streaming down her face."What took you so long?" she cried, her voice trembling with emotion. Madison pulled away from the hug and Rick took a moment to observe her. Her left cheek was swollen and bore an evident five-finger mark that would take at least a week to heal. Rick gently touched Madison's cheek and she winced in pain. "Who did this to you?" Rick asked, his face contorted with anger."One of the inmates slapped me so hard. It's bee
Archer mansion.Rick parked the car .Madison hastily came out from the car, making her way to the mansion . "Madison, I'm talking to you," Rick called out, striding to catch up with her.Madison pushed open the door and was met with her mother's worried expression. "Mom!" Madison exclaimed, rushing into her arms for a hug."Oh, my baby. I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you," Rachel said, tenderly stroking Madison's hair. Rick entered the room with a scowl."I'm talking to you, Madison. What did you and Serene talked about?" he demanded.Madison pulled away from her mother's embrace and met Rick's gaze. "I told you, I don't want to talk about it," she replied firmly.Rick furrowed his brow with suspicion. "Are you absolutely certain that you did not pilfer the necklace?" Madison gasped, disbelief in her voice. ""What on earth are you insinuating? Why would I steal a necklace that I could easily afford? Your ex-wife set me up, and you witnessed her at the station, correct?" Rick's expr