Mag-log inShare
CHAPTER 9: GOING PUBLIC
Petsa ng paglalathala:
2026-06-13 13:02:04
Pinakabagong kabanata
BREAKING THE RULES UNEXPECTED ALLY
EVELYNThree days after the custody hearing, I'm working in my new office when my assistant buzzes me."Miss Hart, there's someone here to see you. Anthony Blake."My stomach drops. "Tell him I'm not available.""He says it's important. About his father."I hesitate. After everything that's happened, the last person I want to see is Anthony. But if it's about Christopher Blake's plans, I need to hear it."Fine. Send him in."Anthony walks into my office looking terrible. He's lost weight, there are dark circles under his eyes, and his usually perfect hair is messy."Thank you for seeing me," he says."I'm only here because you mentioned your father. You have five minutes."He sits down across from my desk. "I know I'm the last person you want to talk to. I know I don't deserve your time. But my father is planning to destroy Richard and I can't let that happen.""Why do you care?""Because despite everything, Richard has been good to me. He believed in me when my own father didn't. And
BREAKING THE RULES CHAPTER 13: FIGHTING BACK
RICHARDMy lawyer, Marcus, sits across from me in my office, looking grim."Melinda's case is stronger than I'd like. She has statements from people claiming you've been distracted, missing calls with Grace, canceling visits.""I've missed two calls because I was in meetings. And I've never canceled a visit.""She's twisting the truth, making it seem worse than it is. And the publicity around your relationship with Evelyn doesn't help. It makes you seem reckless, like you're having a midlife crisis."I lean back in my chair, trying to control my anger. "So what do we do?""We build our own case. Show that you're still an involved father, that Grace is happy and healthy, that your relationship with Evelyn is serious and stable, not some fling.""How do we prove that?""Character witnesses. Documentation of your time with Grace. Maybe even have Evelyn testify about the relationship.""I'm not putting her through that.""Richard, if we want to win, we need to show the court that this rel
BREAKING THE RULES CHAPTER 12: NEW BEGINNINGS
EVELYNThe first week of running my own business is harder than I imagined. I work from my apartment, hunched over my laptop, sending cold emails and making calls to potential clients.Most don't respond. A few are polite but not interested. I try not to get discouraged but it's hard.Tonia comes over on day five to find me surrounded by crumpled papers and empty coffee cups."Okay, intervention time," she announces. "You look terrible.""Thanks.""When's the last time you ate something that wasn't delivered?""I don't know. Tuesday?""Evie, it's Friday. Come on, we're going out.""I can't. I have work to do.""No, you have emails to send that probably won't get answered for days. Come on. Fresh air, real food, human interaction. It'll help, I promise."She is right. I have been working nonstop and it's making me crazy.We go to a little cafe in Silver Lake. As we are eating, my phone rings. Unknown number."Hello?""Miss Hart? This is David Chen. Richard Westwood gave me your number.
BREAKING THE RULES CHAPTER 11: CHOICES
RICHARDI watch Evelyn get ready for her meeting with her boss, noting the way her hands shake slightly as she applies her makeup. She is nervous but trying to hide it."You don't have to do this alone," I tell her. "I can come with you.""No. I need to handle this myself.""At least let me drive you."She turns to look at me. "Richard, I appreciate everything you're doing but I need to prove to myself that I can stand on my own two feet. Okay?"I do not like it but I understand. "Okay. But call me as soon as you're done.""I will."She kisses me goodbye and leaves. I pace my penthouse, trying to focus on work emails but unable to concentrate. After an hour, I give up and call Benjamin."Tell me you have something on Christopher Blake.""I do. He's been meeting with three board members from your company. I think he's trying to orchestrate a takeover.""Let him try. We have majority shares. He can't touch us.""Maybe not but he can make things difficult. Create doubt, spread rumors abo
BREAKING THE RULES CHAPTER 10: THE INTERVIEW
EVELYNThree days later, I am sitting in a television studio, waiting to go on camera for the biggest interview of my life.Tonia is with me in the green room, helping me fix my makeup."You look beautiful," she says. "And more importantly, you look confident.""I don't feel confident. I feel terrified.""Fake it until you make it, babe."Richard is in the hallway, on the phone with his lawyers. We decided to do this interview together, to present a united front. The producer promised it would be fair, that we would have a chance to tell our side of the story.A production assistant pokes her head in. "Miss Hart? We're ready for you."I take a deep breath and stand up. Tonia squeezes my hand."You've got this. Just tell the truth."I walk out to the studio where Richard is waiting. He takes my hand and we walk onto the set together.The interviewer is a woman named Sarah Chen, known for being tough but fair. She shakes our hands and we sit down on a couch facing her."Thank you both f
BREAKING THE RULES CHAPTER 9: GOING PUBLIC
RICHARDBenjamin walks into my office without knocking, holding his tablet."Have you seen the response to the article?""I've been trying not to look.""Well, you should. It's not all bad."He hands me the tablet. The article has thousands of comments. Some are cruel, calling Evelyn a golddigger, saying she slept her way to the top. But there are others, defending her, pointing out that she is a talented professional with a solid track record.One comment catches my eye: "Why is everyone attacking this woman for dating someone successful? Maybe they actually like each other. Novel concept.""See?" Benjamin says. "Not everyone is buying Sylvia's narrative.""It doesn't matter. Evelyn's firm put her on administrative leave. They're investigating her for ethical violations.""Can we help? Provide documentation that the relationship started after the professional one?""Evelyn wants to handle it herself."Benjamin raises an eyebrow. "And you're okay with that?""No. I want to fix this fo
BREAKING THE RULES CHAPTER 3: RECKLESS
EVELYNRichard's car is exactly what I expected. A sleek black Mercedes with leather seats that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe. A driver opens the door for us, and I slide inside, very aware of how short my dress is.Richard climbs in next to me, maintaining a careful distance. The driv
BREAKING THE RULES CHAPTER 8: DAMAGE CONTROL
EVELYNI make it to my car before I completely break down. The tears come hot and fast, blurring my vision until I have to pull over in a parking garage just to breathe.This cannot be happening. Not again. Not when I finally started to feel happy again.My phone rings. Tonia. I almost do not answe
BREAKING THE RULES CHAPTER 2: BROKEN GLASS
EVELYN"Get out." The words come out of my mouth, but they do not sound like my voice. They sound cold and dead.Anthony scrambles out of bed, wrapping the sheet around his waist. "Evelyn, wait, let me explain.""Explain what? Explain how my fiancé is sleeping with my cousin? In our bed?"Sylvia st
BREAKING THE RULES CHAPTER 1: THE SURPRISE
EVELYN"So then the model trips on the runway, right in front of Vogue's editor, and I swear my life flashed before my eyes," Tonia's voice crackles through my phone.I try to focus on what she is saying but my mind keeps drifting. The taxi weaves through Los Angeles traffic, and I clutch the gift
Maaari mong magustuhan
The CEO's Addiction To Love
Moonlight City955.4K viewsOnce a Doormat, Now Untouchable
Lean1.3M viewsOne night with Ex-Husband
Anjaani542.4K viewsDivorced My Cheating Husband, Married A Billionaire
LiLhyz832.9K viewsLove on Thin Ice
Esther 84 viewsMidnight Sins: 30 Shades of Filthy Forbidden Desires
Pen Addictress22 viewsMy Tattooed Nemesis
Omams 83 viewsThe Wrong Bride Returns
Julie Mosco108 views
