Laura's POVSilence hung in the air as we waited for the footsteps to fade, but they persisted. Another knock echoed through the room. Fernando rolled his eyes and glanced my way, raising an eyebrow. I pretended to be okay with him going to check who it was. We could indulge ourselves later; time was on our side.He moved to the edge of the bed and got to his feet, still fully dressed, which was fortunate. I stood up and hastily buttoned my trousers, uttering quiet curses under my breath. Whoever dared to disrupt our moment had better have a good enough reason for doing so.Fernando opened the door and peered outside."What is it Peter?", he called out, his voice tinged with fury."I... I'm sorry for disturbing you, boss," the man stammered, his voice shaky. "Your father has just returned and wishes to see you," he finally managed to explain. He appeared extremely tense, standing before Fernando, who scrutinized him with a furious glare.I hadn't witnessed this side of Fernando before
Laura's POVI was not taken aback that he recognized my name, as Fernando had already informed me that he had mentioned me to him. The individual standing before me, contrary to what Fernando had conveyed, did not seem enthusiastic about meeting me.I approached them and offered a greeting, saying, "Good afternoon, sir.""Good afternoon, my dear. You are most welcome," he said, casting a glance at Fernando and then at me. "My son has spoken highly of you."Now that I was in close proximity, I couldn't help but notice the shrewd demeanor he exuded; he carried himself like a no-nonsense individual. How can I describe it? Almost akin to a leader among tough characters. Fernando, on the other hand, bore no resemblance to him. He possessed a multitude of attractive features and stood tall, a clear reflection of his mother's influence."I have some matters to discuss with you, son," his father stated, casting a meaningful glance in my direction. I already grasped the implication; there was
Nicholas POVThe person standing before me was not the one I had anticipated. I had expected Laura to appear, perhaps having noticed our arrival and coming down to greet us.We had made the effort to journey to her father's residence, so I couldn't help but feel disheartened that she hadn't come down to meet us."Don't jump to conclusions, Nicholas," my inner thoughts cautioned. "She might be out with one of her uncles. Remember, she's now a highly occupied individual, responsible for running her father's billion-dollar empire. She could simply be engrossed with her new responsibilities."Indeed, that was entirely plausible. The woman before me was none other than Elderly Mrs. Dickson. Although I had never met her in person, her reputation preceded her. Rumor had it she was the mastermind behind her son's successful business empire. Despite her frail appearance, there was a certain hidden power about her.I smiled warmly and remarked, "I can see you're already familiar with who I am."
Nicholas' POVI gazed at her in surprise. Was she genuinely claiming that Laura had called her just the day before? How could that be possible, especially when Laura's phone had been unreachable all this time?Mrs. Dickson continued to glare at me. She had posed a question, inquiring about what I might have done to Laura that led to her cutting off communication with me.I needed to provide a convincing response, making it clear that I wasn't the only one Laura had stopped communicating with. So, I didn't believe it was due to something I had done to her.Turning to Sonia, I asked, "Have you received any messages from Laura in the past few days?""No, I haven't heard from her. Initially, I thought it might be because she wanted some quiet time with her late father's relatives," she glanced at Laura's grandmother, "but now, knowing she's not here and hearing that you spoke with her yesterday has made me more concerned. What if she's in trouble? Did she sound panicked when she called? D
Nicholas' POVThe line abruptly went dead as soon as she recognized my voice."Urghhh!" I screamed in anger. I had to figure out who the person was that she had run off with. Who had taken my place in her life? The mere thought of her being with another man tore my heart apart.After all we had experienced together, was this how she chose to repay me? By running off with someone else and completely severing ties with me?"I told you I sensed there was more to it, and now she's spilled the beans. You cheated on her, Nicholas!" Mrs. Dickson exclaimed, her voice filled with distress."That's not how it went down! It was all a setup, and I explained everything to her!" I retorted with frustration."Set up? Oh, please, do enlighten me," she remarked sarcastically. I had my doubts about whether it was worth trying to explain the whole situation to her, as it seemed clear she wouldn't be inclined to believe me. However, I decided to give it a shot."I was framed by my ex-girlfriend," I began
Nicholas' POVHe narrowed his eyes to get a better look at the person I was referring to, his forehead furrowing as he stood upright upon recognizing the individual."That's Fernando, one of your employees," he responded sternly."I'm aware he's one of my employees. You're clearly the one who hired him. What I'm inquiring about is some background information on him and his job description," I retorted, irritation evident in my voice.I hired him as the gardener a month ago. He was in desperate need of a job when I first met him. After hearing his story, I brought him home and offered him a position as our gardener.""Where is he now?" I inquired."He came last week, seeking permission to travel home because he received information about his ailing father," he raised his eyebrows, "I granted him permission.""I see. Precisely, which day of last week was this?" I tilted my head to scrutinize his face as he spoke.He gazed at the ceiling, trying to recollect, "Wednesday! He came on Wedne
Nicholas' POVI stared at the image for an extended period, my mind consumed by thoughts. Doubting my own eyes, I called upon Abraham to inspect the image, fearing that perhaps my vision was playing tricks on me.Abraham approached, leaning forward to scrutinize the picture. Upon identifying the person depicted, his eyes widened, and he looked back at me."Do you recognize this person?" I inquired, gazing at him intently."He's very familiar; in fact, he's the same man captured in this CCTV camera footage. That's Fernando," he declared, shifting his attention back and forth between the photograph and the figure in the recording.Initially, I had my suspicions, but I desperately hoped they were unfounded. I genuinely wished it was all a falsehood. How could Laura prefer a mere gardener over me? How could she engage in an affair with my employee right under my nose?In frustration, I erupted, shoving everything off the desk where I had been watching the incriminating video. Objects cras
Laura's POVIt had been two months since I left Nicholas and eloped with Fernando. While there was no doubt that Fernando loved me, I couldn't help but grow suspicious of his recent behavior. He started leaving early in the morning and returning late at night.One particular evening, it was already 10pm and there was still no sign of him, I couldn't shake off my suspicions that there was something more his coming home late, so I decided to wait up for him. Instead of remaining in my room, I quietly sneaked into his. I desperately hoped my fears were unfounded, but I needed to know the truth.When he returned that night, he switched on the light in his room. The sight that greeted me left me gasping in shock. His immaculate white shirt was stained with blood, and my heart sank.I questioned him about the bloodstains on his clothes, and he smiled and claimed he had been in a fight where he injured the other person, and the blood was from that individual. He insisted it was an act of sel
Laura's POVHe beamed at the crowd, enthusiastically waving to them. For some inexplicable reason, our eyes locked from a considerable distance. At first, I assumed he hadn't noticed me.However, as I sensed his gaze lingering on my location for an extended moment, I decided to depart. My heart raced as I rose from my spot and maneuvered through the crowd, steering myself toward the exit.How could he possibly be here? Was this merely an eerie coincidence? I pondered intensely about how this situation had unfolded. I had just reached the exterior where the car I arrived in was parked when his haunting voice reverberated behind me."Laura, we need to talk."I found myself frozen, incapable of movement."There's nothing to talk about, Fernando," I snapped irritably. I wasn't pleased with how everything had unraveled. It wasn't entirely his fault; I shared the blame. If I hadn't succumbed to his advances, that heated moment at the club might never have occurred.Who knows, maybe Nicholas
Nicholas' POVThis just can't be happening again. Why has Laura decided to treat me this way? Why has she decided to betray me again? I had a security detail watching her every move. I just couldn't trust her again after what she did. I found out she had gone to a club with Sonia, where she met up with Fernando and engaged in sexual activities with him in a lounge.I was so irritated and furious. I picked up my phone and dialed her number, it rang and she didn't answer. "Damn it! Pick up your call, for God's sake!" I muttered underneath my breath.She didn't pick up. That infuriated me even more. I stood from my chair and rammed my fist into the wall in anger. Laura, how could you do this?I called Carlos, and he picked up almost immediately."We are leaving first thing tomorrow morning.""But boss, the meeting is in two days, we...""I said we are leaving tomorrow morning!""Okay, boss." He knew better than to keep bothering me when I was angry. I left my study and went to my room, k
Laura's POVI rose abruptly from my chair, determined to put an end to this ordeal once and for all. His persistence was becoming infuriating, even after I had left him. Considering how closely he seemed to be monitoring my life, he likely knew by now that I was married to Nicholas. I made my way towards the hallway, where the private lounges were located. These spaces were reserved for the wealthy and influential patrons who preferred seclusion, away from the ordinary crowd in the bar, seeking their comfort in the company of women.I continued past the first lounge and then the second. The door to the second lounge was slightly ajar, revealing a group of men and women inside. Each lounge had its own set of bodyguards stationed outside, presumably for the protection of those within. One of the men from the second lounge noticed me and began to approach."What's a beautiful woman like you doing out here all alone?" he inquired, attempting to grab my arm. Swiftly, I evaded his grasp."
I've been incredibly angered since the events in Paris transpired. How could she? How could she terminate our unborn child? Did she ever truly love me? If she did, she wouldn't have made that choice, considering what we shared.It was deeply disheartening and agonizing to realize that I married someone capable of such an act. Some may argue it's not murder, as the baby wasn't fully formed, but I view it differently. Taking the life of your own child, even in the early stages, feels like a form of murder to me.Every aspect of her actions disgusts me, yet I acknowledge that deep down, I still have feelings for her. Right now, I need time to release my anger fully and eventually find a place in my heart to forgive her.It's a fact that people sometimes make regrettable choices. I had forgiven her for running away with Fernando, and I believe I'll eventually forgive her for terminating my pregnancy, but it will require time—oh, quite a bit of time.Suddenly, there was a knock on my door.
Laura's POVI was dumbfounded, rendered speechless by the abrupt turn of events. He took his briefcase and stormed out, leaving me behind in disbelief. This morning had taken an unexpected and hurtful turn. Instead of the passionate moments I had hoped for, we were now drifting further apart.As tears trickled down my face, I fell to my knees. I listened to the fading sound of cars as they left the house until it was replaced by an eerie silence. Nicholas had left for London, and I felt utterly shattered. My heart was broken into tiny pieces.Crying wouldn't solve the problem. I stood up, wiped my tears, and left his room, closing the door behind me. On my way downstairs, I met Sonia, who was just leaving her room.Upon seeing me, she called out, "Laura!" I walked sluggishly towards her, and she immediately sensed that something was amiss from my gloomy demeanor."What's wrong, Laura?" she asked, her tone filled with concern.I sighed heavily. "He just left for London on a business tr
Laura's POVI paid rapt attention, eager to hear the advice Sonia had to offer. I was desperate for guidance, something that could help mend my fractured relationship with Nicholas.Our current situation was unbearable. We were a married couple, yet we were sleeping in separate bedrooms. This couldn't continue, and I hoped Sonia had a solution to offer.She cleared her throat and began, "Laura, you bruised his ego by your actions. If you had truly loved him at that time, you wouldn't have gone through with the abortion."Her words hit me hard, as they weren't the advice I had hoped for, and her assumption was entirely wrong. I did love Nicholas then; I just believed our relationship was irreparably damaged."What you need to do now is offer a heartfelt apology," she continued, gripping my hand firmly.I pulled my hand away and got up from the chair. "You think I haven't already tried that?" I responded. "I've apologized to him, Sonia. He brushed it off with a simple 'It's fine' and th
Laura's POVThe message left me completely baffled. I had blocked Fernando's number, determined to sever all ties with him after uncovering his hidden secrets. Now, he was texting me from an unfamiliar number? At a time when I was still grappling with the consequences of my actions because of him? I swiftly deleted the message from my phone and tossed it aside.When we arrived at the house, I remained in the car, expecting Nicholas to come around and open the door for me, as he always did. However, this time, he didn't. Instead, he instructed the butler to bring our luggage up and proceeded straight ahead, leaving me to exit the car on my own.Observing the situation, the butler quickly opened the door for me. "Thank you," I muttered as I got out of the car, feeling the ache in my legs from wearing heels. I made my way into the house, and there I saw Nicholas heading upstairs. Abraham stood by the door, wearing a curious expression."What's going on?" Abraham asked, gesturing towards
Laura's POVHis expression appeared bleak, and I could sense his simmering anger. This couldn't be happening to me now. I didn't regret sharing what had happened, but I did regret waiting so long to tell him.What if I had just been honest when I returned? Would things be different? Would he be more receptive to it now than he is?I observed him, sitting on the couch, lost in his thoughts. He tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling.The desire to go to him, console him, and express my apologies consumed me. I stood up and walked over, taking a seat beside him on the couch.He remained unmoved, staying where he was. I considered it a positive sign; if he were angrier, he would have distanced himself further on the chair to convey his anger.I placed my hand on his, and he ran his fingers through his hair. "Oh, okay.""I am so sorry, Nicholas, for what happened. If I could turn back the hands of time, I would definitely do things differently," I sobbed.He looked at me for the firs
Nicholas' POV I had anticipated tears and declarations of her love for her son, expressing her desire not to be separated from him. Had she done that, I would have released her, as I had no intention of separating a mother from her child.Her response was quite the opposite. She readily agreed, solely to save herself, and declared that she wanted nothing to do with the child. She went on to describe him as a burden she had been dealing with for over two years. In fact, I later learned that she had only seen him once or twice a month. She had rented an apartment and left him there under the care of a nanny who took excellent care of him.It was disheartening that my son had to endure such an arrangement at the hands of his mother. I provided her with financial support, and she departed after taking an oath never to appear before me again.Laura and I were determined to raise him with all the love and care he truly deserved.After a memorable wedding day and with everyone settling into