ALEX The entire room was spinning as I lost my footing and then rolled down the stairs. A sharp pain ran through my back and head, I felt something wet running down my face. It was blood but my entire body was too numb to move an inch. Everything happened so fast to comprehend. “ Chloe,” A low groan tried to leave my lips to call for help, but there was no one, and slowly, everything turned dark. **** The slight beeping sounds of a machine caught my attention. A low groan left my lips as my eyes slowly pried opened but I was forced to shut it back again due to the bright lights. "Fuckin hell," I cussed, pressing my eyes together before I blinked it again, trying to adjust my eyesight to the bright lighting. The first thing that came to my sight was the clear white ceiling then my eyes slowly darted around the room to realize I was in a hospital. How did I get here? I wondered. "Chloe," I muttered, remembering we had an argument, but what happened after that? I
ALEX Luckily I didn't have to stay in the hospital for long before I got discharged. I only sustained some injuries on my head due to the fact Chloe broke a bottle on my head, and the craziest part was during my stay at the hospital, she didn't even visit me once. "You are cleared to leave, just make sure to clear all the discharge documents." The doctor informed me, adjusting the glasses on her nose bridge. After giving some advice, the doctor left, closing the door behind her; I had a lot on my mind. I have been absent from the office for days. Although my assistant seemed to be handling things there were still some things I had to handle myself. The loud ringing tone of my phone caught my attention; I quickly reached out for it, thinking it was my assistant, Jonathan, wondering if there was an emergency at work. My brows pulled together, and I was immediately displeased to find out it was Uncle Donald. The last person I wanted to talk to right now.
REYNA I was speechless; that is exactly how he left me. I have never met someone as annoying as him. Veins popped on my forehead. ' Calm down, you have a board meeting to attend.' I chanted in my head over and over again. Reyna: Stop stalking me, Alex. Unknown: I am not stalking you all I did was send flowers to my dear wife. With the nerves he has, I took a deep breath to relax. Reyna: I am not your wife. Unknown: last I checked I didn't sign any divorce documents. . That was it; the truth was that Alex and our divorce was not finalized and what happened between Theo and I was a short-term contract, but unfortunately, he died. Why love life was fucked up? The last thing I needed was an annoying ex-husband. Reyna: Don't you ever contact me again and stay the hell away. He was still typing, and I knew whatever he was about to reply would definitely get on my nerves. I blocked his number immediately. My grip on my phone released and I muttered some calming words to
Chapter 12: Reyna's POV: Sitting across from Mr. Orlov in the stone-walled conference room, I asked. "How did you know Alex?" Mr. Orlov’s lips curled into a half-smile, the kind that gave nothing away. "From a lot of places." He replied. I waited for more, for even a crumb of elaboration, but he offered nothing. Just silence and that unsettling smile. My mind raced. Barely five people knew about my wedding to Alex. It was the most private ceremony—no grand ballroom, no paparazzi, just us whispering vows in a secluded chapel. So how did Mr. Orlov know? I forced the thought aside. I was here for business, not to dissect ghosts of my past. Alex had consumed too much of my mind lately, and I needed to break free of that. I needed to focus. "Right.” I cleared my throat, opening the black folder on the table. "As I mentioned earlier, this collaboration could benefit both our companies significantly. Your distribution channels and my firm's innovative product lines are a perfect ma
Chapter 13Alex:For days now, I couldn't find peace. It was as if my mind had turned against me, conjuring memories of Reyna at every turn. I couldn’t walk down the halls of my home without hearing her laughter echo against the walls. The kitchen still smelled faintly of her vanilla and jasmine perfume, and my bed—our bed—felt cold.It was my fault. All of it.Losing Reyna was a mistake I could never forgive myself for. I betrayed and shredded the trust that she had given to me so freely, and for what? A fleeting moment with Chloe? For days now, I have been following her. Pathetic, I know. But what else could I do? I didn’t have the courage to approach her, not after what I had done. So, I settled for watching her from afar. However, today, I finally mustered up the courage to face her. To say something, anything that might lessen the weight in my chest. And bring her back to me.I drove to her company, rehearsing apologies and explanations under my breath, but the moment I saw
Chapter 14Reyna's POV:I laughed. No, I scoffed—loudly. It burst out of me, loud and unrestrained, echoing through the empty hallway of the conference room. "Escort me home?" I mocked. "You want to escort me home like you care? Like you ever cared?" "What's this, Alex? A sudden fit of morality? A redemption arc? Do you think holding back a scumbag like Orlov makes you a hero? You pathetic little bastard." I spat the words out. "Where was this savior act when I was drowning in your lies? When I begged you to choose me, to love me, to at least see me? Oh, but no, the only thing you saw was your ambition, your precious company, and my own best friend—but never your wife."I took a step closer, watching him as I circled him like a predator. "And now, here you are, dressed in your expensive guilt, thinking a jacket over my shoulders will erase everything? Do you think I'm that stupid?"His mouth opened, but I didn't give him the chance. "Stay away from my life, Alex. I don’t need you.
Chapter 15Alex’s POV:Leaning back in my chair, with fingers steepled under my chin as I stared blankly at the wall of my office. The sound of my phone buzzing broke my thoughts.My assistant, Samuel's voice came through. "Sir, we received a call from Ms. Reyna’s assistant."My grip tightened around his phone. Reyna?"She had all the roses thrown out and… uh... And… there’s talk of a restraining order if you keep being ‘stubborn.’"I clenched my jaw. I wasn’t surprised, not entirely. Reyna was furious, and she had every right to be. But a restraining order? That was low—even for her."Sir? What should I—"“Cancel my meetings.” I interrupted. “I’m heading out.”I ended the call, grabbed my car keys, and strode out of the building.Soon, I was driving out of the parking lot. With one hand on the steering wheel while the other tapped a restless rhythm against my thigh.I wasn’t the kind of man to dwell on emotions, but as I drove through the streets, my mind kept circling back to her.
Chapter 16Reyna's POV:Walking out of my office, I kept my strides steady. But inside? My heart pounded loudly.Alex had tensed the moment Chelsea mentioned my visitor. The flicker of fury in his eyes was brief but unmistakable. That alone sent a twisted sense of satisfaction curling through me.Let him stew in it.If he thought he could bulldoze his way back into my life with flowers and unexpected visits, he was in for a rude awakening.What I didn't expect, however, was for Richard Fontaine to actually show up.The moment I stepped into the waiting area, my eyes locked onto him.Dark suit. Polished shoes. That same infuriatingly self-assured posture.Richard turned just as I appeared, his lips stretching into a smirk. “You’re a hard woman to track down, Reyna,” He said smoothly, as if this were some grand reunion instead of an unwelcome intrusion.I folded my arms. “I wasn’t hiding, Richard. I was avoiding you. There’s a difference.”Richard Fontaine. CEO of Fontaine Enterprises.
Morgana's POV I pressed my hand to my forehead in the hope to alleviate the headache that I was having at the moment. This was why I hated drinking. My hangover is always bad. “Here is the coffee you asked for.” Sasha, my assistant said, placing my favorite mug cup in front of me. “Thank you Sasha.” I muttered as I gulped down the first one. “Careful. It's h…hot.” But I was already almost done with it. “Oh.” “Yeah, oh. I had a bad night the other day.” “It's obvious. You don't need to say much. Hope you didn't do this in public? You're a public figure right now whether you like it or not.” She pointed out.“You don't need to say. I know. Even if it's something I don't want.” I said bitterly. “We cannot always choose what we want. You of all people should know that.” She said in her strict no nonsense tone. As if telling me to get myself together. “Yeah.” I muttered to myself. I closed the folder in front of me and handed it over to her. “Take that to the HR. They know what to
Xavier's POV “Fuck.” I muttered, slipping my hand through my already disheveled hair. I need to blow off some steam. If I don't, I'd do something I'm not meant to do. Like blowing off the head of that bastard. How did this even happen? I've been in love with that woman for years now and did not do anything about it. So, why now that her good for nothing ex showed up? Why am I feeling as though if I don't end him by myself, I won't feel at peace? “Hey man.” I raised my head up to see Derek's annoying face in front of me. “What's up?” I asked. “I've been here for a couple of minutes now, but you seem to be in your own world. Care to tell me what's got your panties in a twist?” I stared at him like he had two heads. “Is that even an expression that you're meant to use for a fellow man?” I asked him in a bored tone, leaning back into my chair. “As long as you understand what I mean. I'm good. So, please, tell me what's up. As much as I don't like you, I don't want a bestie that w
Morgana’s POV I didn't mean what I told him earlier, but there was no point in him knowing the truth. Since this is us trying to hurt each other, I might as well up my game at doing it. I've made a lot of bad decisions in my life before and this will not be the last one. Sitting back in my chair, I wiped the tears that fell from my eyes angrily. These days, I wish we went back to the days where we didn't have any issues and lived cordially with one another. I mean, we lived together for the past five years without any hitch. And I won't agree that all this is happening because of the fact that I wanted to show myself in public. There was a knock on the door that jolted me out of my thoughts. “Come in.” My assistant walked in without any worry in the world. I rolled my eyes internally at the act. “Ma'am, I looked through the new partnership, and checked through all the portfolios of the investors, there is nothing out of the ordinary there.” She said in her firm voice. I raised
Chapter 14Morgana's POV:“What the hell are you doing here?” I snapped.Simon leaned back in the chair like he belonged there, like the past didn't happen, like I didn't crawl out of the grave he helped put me in.“I missed this fire,” He said with a nostalgic smile that made my stomach churn. “You always lit up a room when you were mad.”I took a step forward, fists clenched. “I said, what are you doing here?”“I came to talk.” He shrugged. “You know, clear the air. Things didn’t end well between us—”“You mean you didn’t get to finish destroying me? Is that what you’re here for now? To finish the job?”His smile didn’t falter. “Relax. You’re doing well for yourself. I just thought… with everything going on, maybe you’d want someone who understands.”I scoffed. “Understand me? You never even tried to. And if you think I’ll let you mess with my life again, you’re more delusional than I thought.”Simon stood up slowly, walked around my desk, and perched on the edge like he used to ba
Chapter 13Morgana’s POV:I stirred awake to the faint buzz of my phone vibrating on the nightstand. It was still dark in the room, because the glow of the sunrise barely passed through the edges of our drawn curtains.My fingers blindly reached for the phone, and the moment I unlocked it, headlines filled the screen.“Netizens Want Xavier and Caitlyn Back Together?”“Old Flames or Just Business Partners? Caitlyn and Xavier Spotted Together Again.”“#Xaitlyn Trending Again as Fans Fuel Reunion Rumors.”My eyes widened, and the back of my throat burned as if I'd swallowed acid. My eyes darted to the side of the bed instinctively. Empty?Of course, it was. He had probably already left—early, as usual—off to the office to meet Caitlyn.Again.I sat up slowly, clutching the phone in both hands as if the force of my grip could erase everything I just read. The en-suite bathroom door clicked open, and I looked up to see Xavier walking out, towel around his waist, water dripping down his
Chapter 12Simon's POV:I paced near the window, with a glass of whiskey clenched tightly in my hand, its contents barely touched. The ice had long since melted, much like the patience etched on Marilyn's face as she stood with arms crossed."Simon." Marilyn began. "This has to stop. Ever since Morgana resurfaced and we discovered she's married to Xavier, you've been... different.”I scoffed, downing the lukewarm liquid in one gulp. "And whose fault is that, Marilyn? Every time I turn around, you're there, reminding me of what Morgana did to you, how she 'almost killed' you. It's like you enjoy playing the victim."Marilyn's eyes narrowed. "Playing the victim? Simon, she pushed me down a flight of stairs! I was hospitalized for months! Or have you conveniently forgotten that?"I slammed the empty glass onto the windowsill. "Of course, I haven't forgotten! But dredging up the past every time we have an argument isn't helping.""It's not the past if it's still affecting our present," S
Chapter 11Morgana's POV:For five years, Xavier and I had maintained a marriage that was more of an alliance than a romantic union. Our interactions were cordial, and our conversations centered around business and Noah. Intimacy was a concept we both seemed to sidestep, perhaps out of self-preservation.However, as we began collaborating more closely on company projects, an unexpected shift occurred. Late nights in the office led to shared dinners, where discussions of quarterly reports seamlessly transitioned into stories from our pasts. I found myself laughing more, the sound foreign yet comforting.One evening, as we wrapped up a particularly grueling meeting, Xavier leaned back in his chair, studying me with an intensity that made my pulse quicken. "Morgana.” He began. "There's an art exhibition this Friday. Would you accompany me?"Surprised, I met his gaze. "Are you asking me on a date, Xavier?"A wide smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Perhaps I am."The evening of th
Chapter 10Morgana’s POV:I could feel everyone’s eyes burning into my skin, waiting, wondering how I’d react. But I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction—not yet.Before I could clap back, her voice rang out again. “But isn’t it strange?” She asked. “That you sold off your ex-husband’s empire?”Someone cleared their throat, and chairs shifted slightly.Strange?What was strange was how deeply invested she seemed to be in something that had nothing to do with her.I glanced at her—well-dressed, with heavy pearls sitting proudly at her throat. She looked like the type of woman who lived for charity luncheons, gossip cloaked as “concern,” and scandal disguised as curiosity.I bit down on my inner cheek, trying to steady my breathing.BInstead, I turned to Xavier.His gaze was already on me, and I didn’t have to say a word. He knew. I needed him to handle this—for both our sakes.Xavier cleared his throat, then turned to her. “That’s enough, Mrs Howard.” He said, his voice calm but e
Chapter 9Morgana's POV:After Noah got better, I made the decision to finally start working officially at the company. It was overdue—long overdue.I was supposed to leave with Xavier this morning, but he had already gone before I woke up. Again.That made it three days in a row.Three days of waking up to cold sheets, three nights of falling asleep alone, and not even the sound of the room door closing behind him. He came and left like a shadow, just like I had asked for… unintentionally.‘You don’t have to be worried because he’s not your son.’ Those words had spilled out of me in a moment of anger, and now they sat in my chest like a stone. He didn't say anything, neither has be brought it up. But his absence screamed louder than any argument could.The truth was, Xavier and I never had a real relationship. Our marriage was a contract—two broken people agreeing to coexist, nothing more.At least, that’s how it started.But after a year… something changed. It became purely sexual