JAYDEN’S POV I sat in my cousin’s bar, staring into my glass of whiskey, letting the alcohol slowly numb the frustration that had been eating at me for days. I was still in my work clothes, my tie loosened, and the last thing I wanted was to go home. Home didn’t feel like home anymore. All I got there was my mother’s nagging about pressing charges against Flora for supposedly stealing her jewelry. I had already told her a thousand times to drop it. Pressing charges would be a PR disaster, and honestly, it wasn’t worth it. Then there was Melissa. She had a new request every five minutes, each one more ridiculous than the last, and she blamed everything on her pregnancy hormones. I didn’t want to admit it, but my life had been spiraling out of control since Flora walked out. It felt like a part of me had gone missing, and what really pissed me off was how everyone else seemed to move on like nothing happened—except me. I had done everything in my power to get Flora to come back a
FLORA’S POV The house was strangely quiet when I returned. A different kind of quiet—the kind that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. I had expected to see the eviction crew or at least hear the heavy thud of footsteps and the banging of boxes, but when I stepped inside, it was just... still. “Where did they go?” I asked, frowning at Sasha and my mother, who were seated in the tiny living room. They exchanged a look, and Sasha shrugged. “Got a call,” she replied, gesturing vaguely toward the front door as if the answer lay somewhere out there. “One minute, they were muttering about getting things done ‘swiftly and efficiently,’ the next minute they packed up and left like their pants were on fire.” I blinked, trying to process that. Jayden’s men were never that easy to get rid of. I knew him too well—he was the kind of narcissist who loved to dangle power over people like a puppet master yanking strings. This was his favorite kind of game: to push until you felt
FLORA’S POV Alexander Bennett. Mr. Bennett stood there, in all his intimidating, finely-tailored glory, with the air of someone who owned the world—or at least, a very large portion of it. His sharp gaze was fixed intently on me, making my heart hammer in my chest like a malfunctioning drum. For a moment, I felt completely rooted to the spot, words utterly failing me. “I—Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” I finally blurted, my face flaming red as I scrambled to set the tray down, reaching instinctively for napkins or, better yet, a hole in the ground to disappear into. Just when I managed to find a napkin and handed it to him, Ms. Anderson swooped in like a hawk spotting a mouse. “Oh my God, Sir!” she shrieked, somehow materializing beside me in an instant. “Look what you’ve done, you clumsy, good-for-nothing—how could you spill coffee on the chairman of all people?!” I shrank under her withering glare. “I’m so sorry,” I muttered, my voice barely more than a whisper. But Ms. Anderson
JAYDEN’S POV 'I love you so much, Jay.' Flora’s soft, melodious voice floated into my sleep like a distant echo. It was a phrase she used to say every morning without fail, and I didn’t usually respond when she said this to me, but today… today, I felt elated. It seemed like something was different, and my heart was filled with warmth. “Wake up, wake up, wake up,” she continued with a gentle persistence. “Your bath is ready, and I’ve picked out your outfit. I promise you’ll love this color. It goes really well with your tie.” I groaned, rolling over in bed, refusing to open my eyes. I could almost see her, sitting beside me, her radiant smile brightening up the room. I had been exhausted after my trip last night, and the last thing I wanted was to get up early and head to work. But then, the blare of my alarm shattered the illusion. I flinched at the shrill sound, feeling a surge of annoyance. Why wasn’t Flora turning it off like she always did? I squeezed my eyes shut, stu
JAYDEN’S POV “Are you going to talk, or do you want me to escalate this?” I demanded, my gaze shifting sharply between the two women standing before me. My mother sighed, the sound exasperated, like she couldn’t believe I was making a fuss over something so trivial. “I did what I had to do to save us from that woman and the trouble she was bound to cause.” “What the hell did you do!” I roared, taking a menacing step forward. My sudden outburst sent a flash of panic across her face as she flinched, disbelief widening her eyes. It was probably the first time I had ever raised my voice at her, and the shock of it hung thick in the air. “Jayden, watch your tone!” she snapped back, her composure barely holding as her gaze turned icy and hard. “I’m disappointed in you. Where’s your backbone? You were supposed to be a businessman. Did you think the Kensingtons built this empire by indulging in pathetic sentiments?” “I don’t give a damn how Kensington got here!” I shouted, my voice
FLORA’S POV I had searched the entire house for my sketchbook, but it seemed to have disappeared into thin air. Panic had slowly settled in my chest. I couldn’t afford to lose it—not now when Vicky was giving me a rare opportunity to showcase my talent. Over the years, sketching had been my solace, something I poured my heart into during those long, quiet hours at the Kensington estate, it was a quiet rebellion against a world that kept telling me to stay small. It was the one thing that belonged to me. I remembered once, early in my marriage, when I had dared to show Jayden one of my sketches. I had been so eager to impress him, so hopeful. I had poured hours into that piece, excitedly detailing every seam and curve of the design, ready to show him that I was talented and capable of joining the family’s business. But he hadn’t even glanced at it for more than a few seconds before dismissing it like a used tissue and told me I was wasting my time on irrelevant things. “Who would wear
FLORA’S POV I took a step back, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it would leap right out of my chest. I needed to think, and I needed to think fast. There had to be a way out of this mess—a way that didn’t involve being manhandled out of here by Jayden’s goons. An idea hit me like a lightning bolt. It was risky, but if I pulled it off, it just might work. As one of the bodyguards closed the distance between us, I did the most unexpected thing—I laughed. Loud and clear. The sound echoed through the office, making everyone freeze in confusion. The guards stopped, their expressions a comical mix of shock and suspicion. Even Jayden blinked at me like I had suddenly sprouted a second head. I pulled out my phone from my pocket and tapped on it frantically while still laughing. “What’s so funny?” he demanded, his voice a mixture of irritation and bewilderment. “Oh, Jay,” I said, shaking my head like I was talking to a misbehaving child. I held up my phone for them to see. “I kn
ALEX’S POV What the fuck is wrong with me? It’s been a week, and I still can’t get the image of Flora kneeling in my office out of my head. I keep telling myself to forget about it, that it was just an embarrassing misunderstanding. But it’s like my brain didn’t get the memo. Her wide, uncertain eyes are seared into my thoughts, resurfacing at the most inconvenient times—during meetings, phone calls, and even in the middle of the night when I should be dead asleep. I’ve tried everything. I asked David to line up more Subs, hoping to distract myself. He delivered, of course—each girl more stunning than the last, all eager to please. But no matter who walked through my door, none of them felt right. And it’s not like I even know what “right” is supposed to feel like anymore. All I know is that none of them were her. So, I did the only thing I could think of: I avoided her. I kept a careful distance at the office and stayed away from her department. Out of sight, out of mind, right? W
JAYDEN’S POV The bright lights from the cameras nearly blinded me as I adjusted the microphone. The room was packed with reporters who were eager to pick apart every word I said. I took a deep breath. This wasn’t just about me; this was about doing what was right. "Good afternoon, everyone. I won’t take much of your time, but I felt it was necessary to come here today and address the speculation surrounding Kensington and my personal life. First, Kensington is facing challenges, and I won’t sugarcoat that. There are a lot of rumors going around, and while I can’t control what is being said, I can tell you this—we are doing everything we can to resolve these issues. We have a strong team working around the clock, and we are fully cooperating with the authorities in every way possible. "Also, I know my name has been dragged into several personal rumors about my past marriage, my relationships, and my choices. So today, I will answer your questions truthfully, once and for all, so w
JAYDEN’S POV Melissa was sitting by the vanity table when I walked back into her bedroom. She looked like she had a good cry. Good, because she would be shedding more than tears soon. I couldn’t believe all that Levi had told me, and all that I had found out in these past few days. After Levi spilled the truth, I didn’t waste a second. I dragged him straight to Oregun to confirm it. I had contacted my lawyers mid-flight. My security team had flown with us too, just in case Levi tried to pull something. The whole way there, I expected him to back down; to admit he was lying just to get money out of me. But no. if anything, he looked excited to expose her. Melissa glanced at me through the mirror, then quickly looked away like she wasn’t ready for any conversation with me. I had left Rockshire for days without telling her, after all. “You’re back,” she muttered, voice low. “Mhm,” I responded, not moving from where I stood. I was still trying to figure out where to start with her. I
MELISSA’S POV “You’re just good for nothing, aren’t you?” my father’s voice boomed through the phone. His tone was razor-sharp. “Why do you always act so impulsively? Did you expect me to hand you a round of applause after this nonsense?” I gritted my teeth, holding the phone tighter than necessary. “You wanted this,” I snapped back. “I just grabbed the opportunity!” “Can you hear yourself?” he shot back with disdain. “What about your damn wedding to Jayden? This was supposed to come after the wedding. You’re supposed to marry him first, then bring them down. Now you’ve gone and thrown the whole plan out of order!” That was when it hit me, like a slap across the face. I had screwed up. Big time. I had been so consumed by my obsession with ruining Flora that I completely forgot the wedding was supposed to come first. I shut my eyes and let out a shaky exhale as reality sunk in. How could I have been so stupid? Jayden wasn’t even going to talk about any wedding until this investigat
FLORA’S POV I had completely lost track of time. Curled up in the corner of the sofa, as far from the window as I could get, I hugged my knees and tried to untangle the storm raging in my mind. I was confused, devastated, and absolutely terrified. My phone had been ringing nonstop until I finally turned it off. Right now, the only thing I crave is peace and quiet. I had cried so much that my tear ducts seemed to have staged a protest. Now, all that was left was this hollow ache in my chest as I stared blankly into space. My mind was running a marathon, a thousand thoughts vying for attention, but none of them was helpful. A loud bang at the door jolted me out of my thoughts. My heart nearly leaped out of my chest, and I scrambled off the couch, my pulse racing like I had just heard a gunshot. I quickly glanced at the video doorbell screen. Two men were struggling by my door. My stomach dropped. I inched closer to the door, my hands trembling. When I listened closely, I realized one
ALEX’S POV I sat in my car, parked across the street from Flora’s apartment, my knuckles white as I gripped the steering wheel. Reporters flooded the place like predators waiting to pounce on their prey. My pulse was pounding hard enough to make my head throb. This entire situation was a nightmare, ridiculous, fabricated, and blown completely out of proportion. This was precisely what I had wanted to avoid, the reason I insisted on keeping our relationship discreet for now, until she had stood her ground enough. But here it was, splashed across every news outlet, feeding the public a story so salacious it didn’t even matter if it was true. Flora was no “siren” seducing her way up the corporate ladder, as they so gleefully painted her to be. Yes, she had worked as my assistant, but Bennett Fashion wasn’t even under my direct control, it was my mother’s domain. Vicky had been the one to see Flora’s talent, to recognize her brilliance, and to reward her hard work with opportuniti
MELISSA’S POV I perched on the twin couch next to Lisette in the living room, feigning interest in her endless parade of wedding decoration samples. Her overly polished nails pointed at floral arrangements and seating charts while my thoughts danced gleefully elsewhere. My heart wasn’t racing from nerves, it was a pure mixture of excitement and triumph. Finally, Flora Roberts was getting the heat she deserved. And better yet, she was going down faster than I had even dared to dream. “Are you even listening?” Lisette’s sharp tone snapped me back to the present. I turned to her, unable to suppress the smug grin spreading across my face. “Have you seen the news this morning?” Lisette’s perfectly carved brows furrowed slightly. “Does it have anything to do with Kensington?” “Kind of, but it isn’t in a very bad light," I replied casually, savoring the moment. "It’s about Flora. The media’s tearing her apart, calling her out for the manipulative gold-digger she is. This is the per
FLORA’S POV I stepped out of the cab, clutching my handbag, and crossed the street toward our apartment building. Mom had called earlier to let me know she was off to work, so I knew I would have some quiet time to myself before heading to the office. It was a little past 8:00 a.m., on Monday morning, and I couldn’t stop smiling as I recounted my weekend with Alex. It had been a memorable weekend indeed. To think I had been skeptical when Vicky announced I would be going to the business conference in the company of Alex. I was practically dreading it. Now, I wish every work trip could be just the two of us. Business and... well, pleasure. The familiar dingy reception area greeted me as I walked in, exchanging pleasantries with the elderly caretaker before heading upstairs. Our apartment was on the first floor, making the elevator unnecessary, but as I climbed the stairs, my phone buzzed incessantly. I fished it out of my handbag and saw Jolly’s name flashing on the screen. Sighing
JAYDEN’S POV The city lights shimmered like scattered stars outside my hotel window. I leaned against the glass, my forehead pressed to its cool surface as I tried to untangle the mess of emotions. Sleep was very far from me tonight. Seeing Flora again wasn’t supposed to feel like this, like a sharp knife twisting in the wound of my own mistakes. How could I have been so blind? If only I had seen her potential back then. If only I hadn’t let class, status, and my family’s obsession with appearances dictate my choices. Flora could still have been my wife and the most celebrated, rising designer standing by my side tonight. The way people fawned over her tonight made me realize I had truly lost a good thing. But the way she smiled at me tonight gave me a ray of hope. Should I pursue her more? Maybe persistence would make her see me again. But regretting losing Flora was one on the list of my problems right now. I sighed heavily, looking back towards my bed where my laptop sat
FLORA’S POV Alex planted soft kisses on my forehead after another mind-blowing lovemaking session. I was thoroughly and completely spent, my body was a blissful heap, and I loved every second of it. Now, he held me in his arms, cuddling me. I couldn’t even tell how long we had been here, lost in each other. “Do you feel good, flower?” Alex murmured, his voice tender as he brushed his lips against mine. I nodded, as a lazy smile tugged at my lips. “I feel great.” “It’s time to take proper care of you,” he whispered into my ear before slipping out of me and getting out of bed. “Come,” he said, extending his hand. I placed my hand in his, and he pulled me upright before scooping me into his arms. My legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, anchoring me to him. I rested my head on his shoulder, letting out a contented sigh. Tonight had been intense, and my body was exhausted in the best way possible. Alex seemed to understand everything I was feeling without me needing to say a w