"Dad, please... give me a chance. I can fix this," a woman in her late twenties pleaded.
"Sara," her stepmother, Marcella, interjected sharply in an icy tone. "You’ve nearly destroyed your father’s company. How could you possibly expect him to trust you again?"
Sara swallowed hard, her palms slick with nervous sweat, yet she forced herself to stand tall. "It’s not bankrupt... not yet. I have one more day to restore it to the glory it once held," she said with a determined gaze despite the turmoil developing inside her.
Sara Falcone, the eldest daughter of the prestigious Falcone family in Spain, had been groomed for leadership from a young age.
Four years ago, her father, Adam Falcone, had retired as the chairman of Falcone Industries and appointed Sara as CEO. Now, that very legacy she had inherited was teetering on the brink. Everything she had dreamed once was crumbling into pieces. Yet, she wasn’t ready to step down because for this position, she fought a lot more than anyone could ever understand.
"Shut up, Sara! You couldn’t handle Dad’s company when he entrusted everything to you!" her stepbrother, Diego, barked, his voice sharp with contempt. "Dad, you let a corrupt person stay in the company, and today, not only our reputation but everyone associated with it lies in ruins!"
He stepped closer as he continued. "Dad, it’s over. We need to sell it. That’s the only way we can repay the people who’ve dedicated forty years of their lives to this company."
"Nothing is over!" Sara snapped, her voice trembling with defiance. "I said there’s still a day left! I won’t step down as CEO. I will never bow to—"
"Enough!" Adam’s voice boomed in the room. For the first time, he raised his gaze to meet his daughter’s eyes directly. "I trusted you more than anyone... and this is how you repay me?"
"Dad..." Her voice broke, and tears pricked at her eyes. She could see doubt creeping into her father’s gaze. It hurt her more than any insult.
Diego and Marcella exchanged smug glances, certain they were witnessing the end of Sara’s reign.
Before she could respond, Adam’s secretary stepped forward, placing an envelope on the desk. Without a word, Adam grabbed it and tossed it toward Sara. "Read it yourself. This is the inquiry report against you!"
The envelope struck her face like a slap. Her hands trembled as she snatched it up and tore it open. The report’s words seemed to burn into her eyes:
"Miss Sara Falcone created a paper company to siphon funds, continuing this operation for three years. Her egregious actions did not stop there; she also sold critical company information to rival partners..."
Sara’s breath caught in her throat as she couldn’t read those words further.
She lowered the envelope, her fingers trembling as she clutched the damning papers like a lifeline.
"Forty years of my hard work... is put down the drain, Sara," Adam snapped, his patience breaking finally. For a month, he had been watching everything and trusting Sara that she would be innocent.
"If you don’t restore this company, I’m done with you as my daughter. You will no longer carry the name Falcone. I don’t need a disgraceful daughter tarnishing this family!"
Marcella and Diego’s faces lit up with satisfaction, the cruel triumph evident in their smirks.
Sara’s chest tightened as she met her father’s gaze, though, this time, he wasn’t looking at her. His eyes were filled with unyielding disappointment, and in that instant, Sara realized she had truly lost his trust.
Without another word, she turned on her heels, her mind made up. She wouldn’t give up this easily. She slid into her car and drove straight to the only person who could possibly save her now.
The skyscraper of the Augustino Group loomed above her, which was truly a symbol of power and intimidation. Sara stepped inside with her heart pounding in her chest and took the elevator to the topmost floor.
When the doors opened, she didn’t pause. She was going to meet its CEO, her fiercest rival, and the man she hated more than anyone in this world, Luca De Augustino.
She strode into his office without a care for knocking. But the room was empty.
"Where did he go?" Sara muttered, her eyes scanning the office. Her gaze fell on the desk, and she approached it, instinctively reaching for a file that looked all too familiar.
Before her fingers could close around it, a hand shot out and snatched it away.
"Ah, so now you sneak into my office like a thief," a sharp voice cut through the air. Sara froze as icy blue eyes locked onto hers. Luca De Augustino was standing before. His stare was piercing and almost accusatory. "And after destroying your company, no less."
Luca turned around and said, "I think we made it clear to each other seven years ago that we wouldn’t see each other even during death. So, leave before I call the security."
"Help me," Sara requested.
He heard wrong, didn’t he?
"What did you say?" Luca turned around and met her gaze once again.
"You heard me," Sara said, not blinking.
"For someone who is on the verge of losing everything, don’t you think you’re too arrogant?" Luca frowned, his expression darkening.
"Then, do you want me to get on my knees and beg you for your help?" Then, a second later, Sara knelt down and lifted her head. "Now, I’ve done this, so you must help me, Luca."
"You think I’ll help you just because you pathetically kneel in front of me!" Luca chuckled. "What happened to the woman who always held her head high in pride?" He didn’t stop mocking her.
"If you don’t want to help me, then just say so!" Sara raised her voice. Only she knew how tough this was for her. Standing up, she turned to leave when Luca grasped her hand, thus making her turn to him.
"Fine, I’ll help you. But there’s a condition," Luca pronounced.
"And what’s this condition?" asked Sara.
"Become Mrs. De Augustino. In short, marry me, Sara Falcone."