Chapter 26%
Laughter filled the living room as I watched Angelo wobble toward me, his tiny legs still unsteady. His chubby hands reached out, eyes gleaming with excitement!
“Come here, baby,” I cooed, stretching my arms.
He giggled, falling into my embrace, his warmth melting away every lingering worry. This was my life now–peaceful, happy. complete.
I brushed my fingers through his soft curls, pressing a kiss to his forehead. As I glanced at the clock, I realized Johan was late. Again.
It wasn’t unusual–he had been busy lately. His new company was thriving, and we were finally building a future together without the weight of the Smith empire on his shoulders
Still, I missed him. With a sigh, I grabbed the remote and turned on the television, hoping for some background noise. The news flickered on, and my breath hitched.
Breaking News: The Fall of the Smith Empire
I sat up, gripping the armrest as the reporter spoke.
“Following recent investigations, the once–powerful Smith Corporation faces a catastrophic downfall. Reports confirm ties to illegal dealings, leading to a full–blown scandal. Former CEO James Smith is under investigation, with his elder son, Jack Smith, being pinpointed as the mastermind behind the fraudulent transactions that led to the company’s collapse.”
My heart pounded.
The reporter continued, “Despite the turmoil, sources claim that former Smith heir, Johan Smith, has remained distant from the controversy. As many remember, Johan was publicly banished from the Smith family months ago. It remains to be seen whether he will intervene or allow the empire to fall”
I felt a pang of guilt. Johan had been cast aside, stripped of his inheritance, forced to rebuild from nothing. And now, his father–the same man who had turned his back on him–was on the brink of losing everything
Before I could process it all, there was a knock on the door.”
I hesitated, standing slowly
It was late. Who would-
The door swung open, and my breath caught
James Smith
His face was pale, his once powerful presence diminished. His usual arrogance had been replaced with something I never thought I’d see in him.
“Anastacia,” he started, his voice low need your help.”
I stiffened. My help? After everything?%
Before I could respond, another set of footsteps echoed behind me.
Johan X
He stopped short at the sight of his father, his expression darkening.
“What the hell is he doing here?”
James straightened, attempting to regain his composure. “I have nowhere else to go.”
Johan scoffed. “That’s not my problem.”
I swallowed hard, glancing between them.?
James Smith–the man who tried to destroy me, who forced me to leave Johan. Johan–the man who suffered because of him, who had to rebuild his entire life because his own father refused to believe in him.”
I turned to Johan, my voice gentle. “Johan, he’s your father,”
Johan’s jaw clenched. “No. He stopped being my father the moment he chose his empire over his own son. And where’s grandfather? Throw you away after that mess?”
James flinched, but didn’t argue.X
I exhaled, my grip tightening on Johan’s arm. “Johan.. we always said we wouldn’t be like them. We wouldn’t let power and revenge dictate our lives.”
His muscles tensed beneath my touch. I looked into his eyes, pleading.
“You have the power to fix this,” I whispered. “To make things right.”
For a long moment, silence stretched between us.
Then, with a frustrated sigh, Johan ran a hand through his hair and turned to James. “Start talking.”
James inhaled deeply. “Jack was behind everything. The laundering, the illegal dealings, the offshore accounts–he set it all up. I
trusted him, and he ruined everything. Now, the board is coming after me, and if I go down, the company goes with me.”
Johan’s lips pressed into a thin line. “So now you need me?“&
James nodded, swallowing his pride. “Yes.“8
9:08 AM c
I could see the hesitation in Johan’s eyes–the war within him!
Then, after a long pause, he spoke.
“I’ll help. But I’m not doing it for you.” my family.”
you.” His gaze
flickered to me, then to Angelo, who was nestled against my chest. “I’m doing it for
James exhaled in relief.:
“But,” Johan added, his voice turning sharp, “when this is over, I walk away. I don’t want a seat at your table, and I don’t want your approval. I’ll clean up your mess and make sure Jack pays. But after that, we’re done.”
James hesitated, but nodded. “Agreed.”
The following days were a whirlwind.
Johan worked around the clock, digging through years of financial records, exposing Jack’s crimes, and strategizing a way to save what was left of the Smith empire.
He made sure that they would all pin it to Jack, after all, he was already in prison. All what’s left was to pay people who had been scammed because of it
It will take some time but I hope everything will be okay.
One evening, as Johan prepared to leave the office, James entered the room.
“I owe you an apology” he said quietly
Johan didn’t look up. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It does,”
James hesitated before continuing, his voice rough.” was wrong about you. About Anastacia. About everything.”
Johan finally met his gaze.
“I wanted so badly to control everything, to build an empire that would last forever.. but I forgot that power means nothing without the people who truly matter.”
Johan remained silent.
James exhaled. “I don’t expect forgiveness. I just wanted you to know–I’m proud of you.“!!
A long pause. Then, Johan nodded once
It wasn’t an acceptance. But it was enough.!
That night, Johan came home and found me on the balcony, watching the stars. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pressing a kiss to my temple. “It’s over”
I turned to him, searching his face. “Are you okay?”
He nodded. “For the first time in a long time… yeah, I am,
I smiled, leaning into his embrace.
Then, softly, I whispered, “I forgave your father.”
Johan’s grip on me tightened.
“He hurt us, but.. I don’t want to carry that anger anymore,” I murmured. “Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting. But it means moving forward,”
Johan sighed against my skin. “I don’t know if I can forgive him.”
I looked up, touching his face. “Then don’t. Not yet. But one day, maybe
