Ben woke up feeling lighter, more alive than he had in weeks. For the first time in a long while, he had made a decision that felt right, a choice that belonged to him and him alone.
"Good morning, sunshine," Ben said, a broad smile spreading across his face as he gently pecked Ella on her cheek.
Ella's lips curved into a shy smile, her heart fluttering at his rare warmth. Ben suggested they freshen up together, wanting to carry the positive energy into the day, and Ella, smiling softly, agreed.
Before they could even rise from the bed to make their way to the shower, a knock sounded at the door.
"Sir, you have a visitor," the maid announced politely, her tone hesitant as she waited for a response.
Ben exhaled, bracing himself. "Sign… okay, a minute," he said.
When he stepped into the lounge, his mood shifted immediately. There she was, Rita, his ex-girlfriend, standing with that infuriatingly calm, manipulative smile. A surge of anger and disgust rolled over him; she had arrived at the worst possible moment, threatening the calm, beautiful day he had been building with Ella.
"What do you want?" Ben asked, his voice sharp, arrogant, and edged with barely contained fury.
Rita ignored his question. She stepped closer, letting her fingers graze his shoulders lightly.
"Don't you miss me? Because I do… a lot," she murmured, her tone sultry, calculated.
Ben froze for a brief second, torn between surprise and revulsion. His hands shot out, forcefully removing hers from his shoulders.
"I never sent for you. Get out of my house. You don't belong here, and you never will," he spat, each word laced with controlled anger.
Rita blinked once, hiding the sting of hurt, and quickly replaced it with a manipulative glint in her eyes. "You think you can ignore me? I know everything… everything about you, Ben. And I'm not afraid to use it," she threatened softly, the words designed to pierce him like a blade.
"Hey! Shut up!" Ben roared, his patience finally snapped. He had endured enough threats and manipulations; he was ready for whatever she dared to throw at him.
"How… how can it be?" he muttered under his breath, his jaw tight, his mind racing as adrenaline surged through him.
He stormed off toward his room, leaving Rita standing there, momentarily frozen. Ella watched silently, steady and composed, her gaze following him.
Their plan to shower together was now ruined. Ella let out a quiet sigh and excused herself, heading to her own room to take her shower. Afterward, she prepared herself for breakfast, her movements graceful but tinged with the subtle frustration of interrupted plans.
Days passed, and Ben began noticing alarming changes in his company. Some of the most reliable staff resigned unexpectedly. Key investors withdrew their support. Profits dipped sharply, sending the empire into precarious uncertainty.
"What's happening?!" Ben screamed, pacing the room, his frustration and panic mixing into a tangible tension. At first, he tried to convince himself it was the result of poor decisions, but the persistence and consistency of the disruptions told him otherwise. His gut knew, either his father or Rita was behind it.
He dialed his father's number, hands trembling slightly, his heart pounding with a mix of dread and anger. The voice on the other end confirmed his fears. McDon admitted without hesitation that he would ruin Ben if he didn't act to save the empire, a veiled threat that carried the weight of decades of manipulation and control.
Ben clenched his fists, the tension in his jaw visible. Rage, frustration, and determination battled within him. The calm, alive feeling he had woken up with was now buried under layers of conflict, but he could not let anyone take away what he had started to build.