Chapter 56 Sage's POV Theodore was seated on my chair with a laid-back expression when I walked into the conference room. I frowned immediately and shot him a warning glare and he chuckled standing up. I know he missed the power he once had but he could go relive the memories in someone else's office, not mine. He could use Alex's company as well. Violet had given me a rundown of a few things on our way here and I got to know that Alex had given him a manageable position at his company. It's probably the reason why he was confident enough to come here. "Sage..." He started coming towards me and I held out my hand to stop him "What are you doing here, Theodore?" I asked, my voice icy. He stopped walking and frowned. "Is that how to speak to your husband after so long?" I glared at him with so much hate and anger. How dare he come here and proclaim himself to be my husband? "Theodore, I don't want to remind you that we no longer have a relationship again the next time we meet"
Chapter 57 Diego's POV "Sir, we have been negligent and didn't see this coming" The head of HR, Troy muttered with his head bowed slightly as he spoke, "The team and I are willing to take any punishment" I've always known Troy to be a hardworking and dedicated man which was the reason why when I became the CEO, he was made the head of one of the most important departments. He still is as dedicated as before, but now, his words are making my mood worse. I was furious and almost boiling over with rage. What had happened wasn't his or his team's fault and the sooner he left my sight, the better it was for him. "Mr. Batcher, you may leave" Mark stepped in quickly as though he could sense the turmoil in my mind. Troy turned and left immediately with my CFO, Raphael, trailing after him. He seemed to have a lot to say but he knew better. After a few minutes of sitting in silence with white noise humming in my mind, I rose from my chair and stormed out of the conference room. Mark follow
Chapter 58Diego's POVAs I stepped into the dimly lit bar, the smooth sounds of jazz enveloped me like a warm blanket. The air was thick with the scent of fine whiskey and the hum of hushed conversations. The decor was sleek and sophisticated, with polished wood and rich leather accents that seemed to glow in the soft light.This was one of Nick's bars, he'd purchased it a few months ago and had it redesigned to suit his taste which I'd say was impeccable. I'll give that to him.I made my way to the bar, my eyes scanning the room for a familiar face and when I finally spotted him, my lips twitched unpleasantly. He was seated in a booth in the corner of the room with a woman stuck to his side.He said something into her ear that made her giggle and place a kiss on his cheek. I'm sure he promised her a night with him. He'd never change. Suddenly, he raised his head and his eyes locked onto mine. He grinned and waved me over."You came!" He smirked, the fucker sounded surprised I made t
Chapter 59Sage's POVI had been working for so long and trying to stay awake for no apparent reason at all. I could get these done at work tomorrow but I was still here. My eyes darted to the wall clock again for the umpteenth time and my chest stung when I saw how late it was.Diego wasn't home yet.I didn't want to admit but I was going through all this trouble because I was waiting for him to come home. However, it seemed like he wasn't going to and the realization hurt more than I imagined.Getting up from the couch, I cursed as I limped towards the kitchen to refill the empty jug. Goodness, my ankle hurt like hell. I don't remember the last time, I felt such crude pain. Internally, I hauled curses at Theodore as it was his fault that I was in this condition.Bastard!I refilled the jug and as I made my way out of the kitchen and dining area, I heard the door gently open and when I saw Diego's frame step in, my heart skipped a beat. I was pleased that he was back, however, wary o
Chapter 60Sage's POVWhen I blurted out my need for him, and his kiss, I didn't get a reaction. His face was still inches away from mine and the back of my neck was still trapped in his hold. His eyes, however, were glued to me searching deep into my soul.It kept me excited and nervous at the same time. What did this mean? What was he looking for?While I had lots of thrilling thoughts as to why he was taking his time, I couldn't help thinking negatively as well. What if he got up and walked away? Had he suddenly found me unattractive and was having a rethink?The last thought hit me hard and before I knew it, I began to recoil, fighting to break from his hold and there was a flash of hurt in his eyes that automatically made me still."Diego..." My voice cracked and his eyes narrowed slightly. I darted my gaze away from his, trying to hold back the tears that had started forming in my eyes, "Let me go""Why?" He questioned, his voice hoarse and annoyingly seductive. It awakened ever
Sage's POV"Why did Augusto choose to meet a week after there was turmoil in the company?" I asked Diego as he did the zipper of my dress. He looked so adorable as he focused on doing the zipper that I almost chuckled.When he was done, he took a step back looking accomplished. It's only a zipper, mister!I rolled my eyes and he seemed to have caught it because he smacked my ass hard causing me to yelp and spin with a pointed stare at him.The last week has been relatively comfortable between us, we were back to how we used to be before my silly breakdown occurred. I cringe when I recall that moment but I'm glad it's in the past now. I turned back to the mirror and wore my necklace to complete my look. Augusto had invited us over to his house for dinner and as much as I loved the offer because I'd get to meet Vivian, I dreaded it as much, something didn't feel right."What does he want to say?" I asked once I walked over to Diego who was waiting in the living room with his head dipped
Chapter 62Sage's POVMy spine went rigid and I blinked feeling embarrassed like a little child caught doing something terrible. The look on Diego's face had soured and so had mine. I thought it was Vivian but when the voice registered in my head, my face darkened and I swung my head to the side to meet with Hailey's glare.Her gaze darted between Diego and me in anger before finally resting on me. Diego didn't cast her a glance, he kept his hands linked with mine as he typed away on his phone. For some reason, I felt satisfied by the act."Don't you know it's wrong to interrupt a couple's intimate moment?" I snarked since she was still there, glaring at me. My eyes looked her up and my lips twisted in disgust when I saw what she was putting on. She looked like she was dressed to go to a club instead of a family dinner."It's wrong for a couple to do all that display in the living room without any shame, don't you two have a bit of decency left?" She whined, fuming as her gaze travele
Chapter 63Diego's POVI sensed Sage's worry when Franklin reentered the dining area. I shared her sentiment. There was something that didn't add up to this sudden meeting that Grandfather had hosted.He'd invited everyone, even the traitors so this was probably something huge and important. Hopefully, it wasn't going to be about mine or my mother's property anymore."Father, did you catch a cold?" Edgar asked when Grandpa coughed, violently. My mother was by my grandfather's side tending to him. Though I was worried, I could see that Edgar's supposed worry was out of pretense.Grandfather said nothing as he continued reading through the file Franklin had placed before him. When he was done, he swept his gaze through the room, an unreadable expression etched on his face."Lately, I have been having a few health problems as you all know. So I decided to call you all here so we could go over some things relating to the company. No one knows when the worst could happen" He addressed and
Chapter 120Diego's POVSage kept stealing glances at me throughout the ride back home. Once, I'd caught her and noticed there was a subtle blush across her face as she did. I couldn't help but chuckle at her sudden change of attitude. Usually, she would be bolder after we had sex or made out, but today, she was acting shy. I didn't mind the change, though, but it was new, and she looked fucking cute.I don't think she knew how cute she looked acting all shy. Watching her ride my fingers to find her release was one of the prettiest things I'd ever seen. And I know this was part of the reason she kept stealing glances at me. Had she felt embarrassed? Or was it because she wanted more? It had been there in her eyes when she stared at me but I couldn't take her now. Not when she was still recovering.I turned to look at her as she stared outside the window, frowning at the bandage wrapped around her head that had been replaced by a nurse before we left the hospital. I still wasn't comfor
Chapter 119Sage's POVDiego carried me to the restroom attached to my ward, and the moment he set me down, his lips crashed on mine, capturing them in a slow, sensual kiss that set shivers running through my body. My breath hitched as the warmth of his touch spread through my body, igniting my entire system.I sighed into his mouth, moving my lips desperately to match his pace. It was a rough and passionate kiss, different from the one we shared moments ago. His hands moved to the small of my back, rubbing his thumb in circles, and slowly, he pulled the knot that held the dress as a piece. I melted against him, moaning in pleasure, everything forgotten as that moment, it was just him and I.We broke from the kiss, both breathless but our bodies were ignited with the primal desire for each other. Diego stared deeply at me, his eyes holding a glint of dark desire as he rid my body of the hospital gown. He dipped his head, and kissed my shoulder blade, trailing up to my neck and chin.
Chapter 118Sage's POVWhen my eyes opened after what I believed to be an hour later, they fell on Kian's burly frame in the middle of the room, and before him was Diego, ruffling his hair.I blinked, my eyes taking in his angry expression as he ordered Kian to find someone. Who was he talking about that made him so angry? Kian looked equally agitated, I could see that with the way his shoulders tensed.What were they talking about?"Diego," I called out almost gagging as the scent of hospital seeped into my system, filling my lungs. Gosh! I can't stand the scent of the hospital anymore. I just want to go home.Diego turned to me and the angry expression on his face earlier wore off, replaced by that of worry as he covered the distance to me. My brows shut up, worry filling my system as I thought of what it could be that had been bothering him."Did we disturb your sleep?" He asked, gently as he took my hand. I motioned to my bed and he nodded in understanding, helping me sit up. I sm
Chapter 117Diego's POVSage's lips were moving but my mind was focused on the way her face was scrunched up in faux annoyance. A small smile twisted my lips, when last had I seen her this close and freely? I'd fucking missed her and heaven knows, I would have lost my mind if she wouldn't have survived this.This time, I wasn't going to let her go no matter how much she objected. But I doubted she would, she had said nothing but smile when I told her that. That fucking smile! It had stirred something within me that I hadn't felt in days. God, whatever she had done to me, I liked it. No, I loved it."Diego!" She snapped, her voice cracked but enough to get me out of the trance she'd trapped me in. I blinked, shaking my head slightly and giving her an inquisitive lookThe frown on her face deepened. "Did you hear what I just said?""No, sweetheart. I heard nothing, can you say that again?" I smirked, raising my brows and she gave me an eye roll that made my heart jump."Stop flirting wi
Chapter 116Sage's POVIt was all a daze.I thought I had heard Diego whispering to me but my brain couldn't process a thing. I only knew that somehow, I was safe and still breathing. Still alive.*****My eyelids felt heavy as I attempted to pull them apart. My whole body felt like I was being held down by weights that kept pulling me down no matter how much I tried breaking free. This left my system numb but for some reason, I kept pushing to open my eyes.And I did.I winced painfully as the bright light penetrated my sour and tired eyes. It was as if someone was pointing a flashlight directly at my face. I snapped my eyes shut, my entire system now adjusting to the environment and before I opened them again, my nose had picked up the strong smell of chlorine and bleach, a typical smell of the hospital.I almost gagged at how strongly it invaded my nose.My blurry gaze ran through the room and then to the IV drip inserted in my hand. My head felt heavy and from it came a pang of pa
Chapter 115Diego's POVAs I sped through the highway, my heart pounded in my chest, and my entire system burned with rage. If anything happened to Sage, I would lose it. It felt as though the car chose to drive at its pace and it was getting on my nerves.It was barely two minutes after the call with Sage, but it felt like an eternity, and all I could do while cursing my luck for not being fast enough was hope. Hope that she had fought Theodore. I had heard it when she gasped out his name. How had he gotten inside? How did he breach all that security I placed around her house?I clenched my jaws and my grip tightened on the wheel as a thought hit me. Could one of my men have betrayed me? I cursed under my breath, punching the steering wheel like it were his face. If it turned out that one of the guards helped in, he would have a companion on his way to hell.My mind reeled as I finally got to the estate, Sage's apartment was located and in a minute, I was pulling over roughly before
Chapter 114Sage's POVMy heart pounded in my chest, fear coursing through my being as I squinted in the direction of the figure to make out who it was. The statue looked like that of a man and, somehow, familiar, but I couldn't place out who it belonged to. However, knowing it was familiar, heightened my fear."W.. who are you?" I asked, taking a step back as I flickered my gaze to my phone on the floor. Diego was still on call and he could help me.The person chuckled and I froze on the spot, eyes widening as recognition flowed in. I opened my mouth to speak but he stepped forward, a predatory grin lingering on his lips as he stared at me.I scrunched my face in annoyance and disbelief, gasping. "Theodore!"He smirked, then picked up my phone, ending the call abruptly. My eyes widened as he tossed the phone across the room. Dread settled in the pit of my stomach when he looked back at me. He seemed different and it was terribly. There was an unhinged look in his eyes, like he could
Chapter 113Diego's POVI watched with an intense stare as one of my men tortured the man who had harmed Violet. His face was bloodied and so was part of his body. My lips twitched, satisfied as his screams of agony cut through the air.Initially, he wanted to play it cool like the sadist he thought he was but he had underestimated my men and their methods. They could break the strongest of men with the cruel way they tortured. Most of them had served in the army while others were the finest retirees from the most dangerous mafia families I had connections with.Most people who knew the kind of men I had hired thought of me as some maniac, hence my widespread reputation of being spineless. It wasn't a lie, but only those who crossed me encountered my wrath. But these men were only part of my crew because of my grandfather's close relationship with the mafia and I'd only salvaged this relationship to my benefit.I narrowed my eyes when the man lost consciousness and hung his head. He h
Chapter 112Sage's POVI spent the rest of the afternoon binging a series I found on TV. After the call with my father, I felt less suffocated and in need of alcohol, so the brandy had been set aside and replaced with four big bags of chips and yogurt.I meant to ditch the brandy after the second glass before the call anyway; that stuff was damn bitter. It made me wonder how Diego managed to drink it.‘Thinking about him again?’ The voice in my head treacherously snarked and I scrunched my face. The thought of him has been crossing my mind sparsely whenever a commercial came up and I was back to seriously feasting on my chips.I found it quite infuriating as I had decided to end things. Thinking about him – his hot and ripped body, lips, hands – everything, would just stick with me then. It was a great deal and it was fun while it lasted. However, despite my decision, I couldn't help the subtle tug in my chest that made me wince occasionally. Coming to that conclusion had been heart-w