Ben had already woken up before the sun fully stretched across the sky. He was dressed sharply, his tie perfectly knotted, his shoes polished to mirror shine, ready for another long day at work.
Ella, on the other hand, had just freshened up. Her hair still damp, the scent of her lavender soap filling the air. Wrapped in her robe, she stepped into the dining room for breakfast. The silence in the house was almost too loud.
The moment their eyes met, both froze for half a heartbeat, then quickly looked away, pretending the other didn't exist. The air between them was thick with unspoken words from the night before.
"You look good," Ella said softly as Ben opened the door to leave. Her voice was gentle, not flirty, not forced, just honest.
He paused for a second, his hand still on the doorknob, but didn't turn to look at her. Without a single word, he walked out, the sound of the closing door echoing through the hall.
Ella exhaled quietly. For once, she didn't feel the usual heaviness in her chest. She took her seat, had her breakfast, and even hummed along to her favorite songs. The melodies filled the house, wrapping her in a calm she hadn't felt in months. She smiled to herself. Things felt… peaceful. The kind of peace that comes when you stop fighting your own thoughts.
But peace never stays long in Ben's world.
Later that evening, the silence of the house was broken. The loud slam of the main door startled Ella. Ben and McDon had just returned. Their steps were hurried, their voices low but tense. They walked straight into Ben's home office, their movements restless like men being chased by something unseen but terrifying.
Ella's curiosity burned. She'd never seen Ben look that lost. Without thinking twice, she tiptoed toward the office, her heart racing. She leaned closer, pressing her ear gently against the door.
Inside, she could hear McDon's voice trembling. "No! This can't happen. Not now… not ever!" His tone carried both fear and disbelief.
Ella's brow furrowed. What can't happen? she thought, pressing closer to the wooden door, listening harder.
What she heard next made her heart pound faster.
Karma had finally come for McDon. The investors; the same ones who had once admired his power and followed his leadership had begun to see through his lies. They discovered the truth: he was the villain, the greedy man who ruined others for his gain.
McDon had been stealing from his own company, using funds to gamble, trade illegally, and chase after quick wealth. His greed had blinded him. He never saw how his actions were slowly poisoning everything he built.
Now, the investors had had enough. They demanded their capital back; every coin, every interest, every return from the years of deceit. And if he couldn't pay, prison awaited him. Everything he owned, every shred of his reputation, was on the line.
Inside that office, McDon was panicking. His voice cracked as he spoke, and Ben's was low but firm, trying to calm him. "You should have stopped when you could," Ben said.
"I was this close to fixing it!" McDon snapped, his voice breaking. "You think I wanted this? You think I wanted to fail?"
But Ben didn't answer. He just stared at his father; the man who had taught him power, pride, and ruthlessness now trembling like a child who'd lost his way.
The truth was, McDon had built his empire not with skill, but with luck. He had no real understanding of business unlike Maleek, Ella's father, who had built success with wisdom and patience. McDon's world was built on chance, gambling, and deceit. And now, the luck had run out.
He had lost everything.
Outside the door, Ella stood still, her heart racing. A deep satisfaction ran through her veins, but it was tangled with shock. She wanted to burst in, to tell him who she was, the daughter of the man he betrayed, the woman whose life he ruined.
But she didn't.
Instead, she leaned back slowly, a small, knowing smile forming on her lips. She whispered to herself, "Karma never forgets."
Then she walked away quietly, her heart pounding; not from fear, but from the cold satisfaction of watching the mighty fall.