Aubrey's pov ;I stormed through the office doors, my heart thundering in my chest. The sun had barely risen, but I couldn't wait another second. My designs, the ones I had poured my heart and soul into, were gone.And the wedding—the wedding of the year—was just days away."Sophia!" I called out the moment I entered. She was waiting for me by the reception desk, her face pale and anxious."Aubrey, I'm so sorry—""How could this happen?" I cut her off, my voice sharp and frantic. "How could the designs just go missing?""I don't know," she said, wringing her hands together, "but I've checked everywhere—""Clearly not everywhere!" My tone was harsher than I intended, but I couldn't help it. The panic had wrapped itself around me like a vice, tightening with every second that ticked by.She flinched but held her ground. "I did check. We've searched all the offices, the archives, the backup files—everything's been wiped clean. I even tried restoring old files from last week, but they're
Aubrey's pov ;I didn't knock. I didn't even hesitate as I barged into Ryder's office, my heart pounding in my chest, my mind a furious blur of anger and desperation."Why the hell did you do it?!"I spat the words, not caring that there were already people seated in his office, all of them turning to stare at me in shock.But I didn't care. Nothing else mattered but getting the truth.Ryder looked up from his desk, his brow furrowed in confusion, his icy blue eyes locking onto mine. "What the hell are you doing, Aubrey?"I ignored the stares, ignored the tension in the room. All I saw was him, and the rage bubbling inside me. "You did this, right?! You called one of my assistants, and now my designs are gone!"He blinked, his expression shifting from confusion to irritation. He turned to the people in his office and, with an annoyingly polite smile, said, "If you could all excuse us for a moment."The room cleared out in seconds
Aubrey's pov :I stormed back into the office, frustration radiating from every pore. Sophia was waiting near the entrance, her eyes sharp with anticipation. The second she saw me, she rushed over."What did Ryder say?"she asked, scanning my face for any clues.I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "He didn't do it."Sophia's brow furrowed. "Are you sure? He might be lying."I shook my head. "No, if Ryder had done it, he wouldn't hide it. He likes to brag about what he can do, not play games like this."Sophia pursed her lips but didn't argue further. We spent the entire afternoon combing through every inch of the office, questioning everyone from the janitor to the assistants, but nothing came up. It was as if the designs had simply vanished into thin air.We were getting nowhere. Sophia slumped down on one of the chairs in frustration. "What should we do now?"I bit my lip, staring out the window as my mind raced. "
Aubrey's pov ;After the designers left, I sat in my office, staring at the phone, feeling a strange mix of gratitude and guilt swirling inside me.Ryder sent the most sought-after designers in the industry to fix the mess I was in, and despite everything I knew about him—the arrogance, the manipulation—I couldn't deny that part of me was starting to feel indebted to him.But I quickly pushed that feeling aside. Ryder Wolfe was still a bastard. He had a habit of complicating my life in ways no one else could.Sophia peeked her head into my office, raising an eyebrow. "You should thank him, you know."I glanced at her, biting my lip. "I was thinking of calling."She shook her head with a knowing smile. "No, you should do it face-to-face. Trust me. A gesture like this deserves a proper thank you."I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I was ready to face him again after I lashed out on him. But Sophia's encouraging smile gave
-----------------Ryder's pov-----------I was at my desk, reviewing contracts, when my secretary buzzed through the intercom."Mr. Wolfe,"she said, her voice calm and professional as ever, "there's someone from Aubrey's company here to meet you. He says he has a very attractive proposition."My brows furrowed, curiosity piqued. What kind of crap is this? Aubrey's company was in trouble—no doubt—but for one of her people to come directly to me? Something didn't feel right."Send him in,"I said, leaning back in my chair.Moments later, a man walked in. He was dressed smartly enough, but there was something slick and untrustworthy about him. He had the kind of face you wouldn't trust to watch your dog, let alone handle business."Hampton,"he said, extending a hand toward me. I ignored it, motioning for him to sit instead."What great deal do you have for me, Mr. Hampton?"I asked, my voice cold and busi
Ryder's pov :Moments later when I was about to calm down.Sage walked into my office, her face beaming with a smile that could've lit up the room—if only it didn't irritate me right now. I set my pen down, looking up from the stack of papers I'd been attempting to focus on."Sage," I said, trying to keep my voice neutral. "What are you doing here?"She sat down across from me, her eyes wide and innocent, like always. "Ryder," she began sweetly, "I wanted to talk to you. Did you hear? Aubrey…she stole our company."I frowned, glancing at her. "And?"She clasped her hands in front of her, leaning forward slightly. "You know, the one that was under you. How could she take it? Did she…trick you?"I rolled my eyes but held my tongue. Sage and I had known each other for years, ever since high school. She had always been…fragile, both physically and emotionally. Her parents coddled her because of her health, and I'd always found myself doing the same. She used to tell me how Aubrey would pi
—-------Ryder's pov—-----When I walked into the house in the evening, I wasn't expecting anything particularly different.Aubrey always kept to herself, her cold shoulder was nothing new. But tonight…it felt different. The air was thicker, the silence sharper. She wasn't just cold, she was icy.I closed the door behind me, the soft click echoing in the quiet space. Aubrey sat on the couch, her back straight, her posture tense as she focused intently on her phone. She didn't even glance up as I entered, which—again—wasn't unusual, but today it stung for some reason.I cleared my throat, hoping to catch her attention. "Hey," I started cautiously, "rough day?"Nothing. She didn't flinch, didn't move, didn't even blink. It was like I wasn't even in the room. I tried not to let it bother me, but hell, it did.I ran a hand through my hair, walking further into the room. "Aubrey, seriously, what's going on?" I pressed, my voice edging on frustration.Still nothing.Is she too stressed by th
Ryder's pov ;A deep urge swept over me as I looked at her. The anger in her eyes, the way she tried so hard to push me away, made me want her even more.There was something intoxicating about her resistance, something that stirred every possessive instinct I had. She was fire and ice, and the more she pulled away, the more I wanted to pull her closer.I wanted to kiss her, taste her, and show her that no matter how hard she fought, she couldn't escape me.So, I gave in to the impulse. Leaning in, I pressed my lips to hers. But as soon as I did, she turned her head away sharply, pushing me with enough force that I stumbled back."Don't!" she yelled, her voice trembling, and I froze in place. I blinked, momentarily stunned, watching as her chest heaved with anger, her eyes brimming with tears she was fighting to hold back.Shit. What did I just do?"I'm sorry," I began, but she cut me off, her voice laced with hurt and bitterness."Why?" she spat, glaring at me with those tear-filled e
Aubrey's pov ;One year later, life felt different—full of possibility and hope. The dark days were behind us, and in their place was a steady rhythm of love and success. I'd found my footing not just as a wife, but as a businesswoman.Balancing work and life had been a challenge at first, but now, as I stood in front of the crowd, delivering another speech at this business event, I felt confident and proud.I glanced at the audience, scanning the room as I spoke about leadership and resilience, and then my eyes found him—Ryder. He stood near the back, looking as handsome and supportive as ever, his smile wide, his eyes full of pride.Even from across the room, I could feel the warmth of his presence, the way he always made me feel like I was the centre of his world.It had been a year since we got back together, and everything was perfect. I couldn't believe how far we'd come, how much love had grown between us. I was so glad I'd given our marriage another chance, and Ryder—he had pr
-----------------Aubrey's pov-----------------I kissed him once more, softer this time, letting the taste of his lips erase any lingering doubts. And for the first time in what felt like forever, I let myself believe that maybe, just maybe, there was a way back from all of this. That we could find our way back to each other, no matter how broken we were.That love really was stronger than any pain.Without breaking the kiss, he lifted me up into his arms, carrying me to the bedroom, our lips never parting.I ran my fingers over his chest, his shoulders, his arms, trying to re-memorize every little detail.My back hit the mattress, and a rush of nerves and adrenaline made my skin feel hot and prickly, as if it was too small for me. As if the tiniest thing could make me burst into a thousand pieces.And then he was there. Above me.The only one who could hold me together.His hands trailed over my hips and thighs, slowly, so slowly. Like he was trying to memorize every little part of m
--------------------------Aubrey's pov----------------------I stared at my packed bags sitting on the floor. The sight of them made my stomach twist with dread, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I needed to leave. My heart was heavy, weighed down by too many emotions—grief, guilt, love—and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make sense of any of it. I thought leaving would make it easier, but standing here now, it felt like I was suffocating.Two days ago, Ryder and I had come back home, bruised and messed up. The cops had called today and they told me Sage's body had been found. My sister was—dead.I should have felt something more. Shock. Pain. Something. But all I felt was a strange numbness creeping through me.Sage had been meandering for so long, I always feared something like this would happen, but hearing it was real now…it was like I was caught between relief and guilt. And somewhere deep inside me, I knew it was better this way. The kind of things Sage did, the path
Sage's pov ;The van's interior reeked of sweat and metal, and I could feel every bump and turn as we sped through the streets. My heart pounded in my chest, my mind racing with a thousand thoughts, but all of them boiled down to one thing—how the hell had everything gone so wrong?My wrists were tied behind my back, the ropes cutting into my skin, but I didn't dare show weakness. Not in front of these thugs. They were pissed off, and I could feel their eyes burning into me from the front seat. I could hear them muttering under their breaths, cursing me, blaming me for the whole mess.The biggest one, the one with the scar running down his cheek, twisted in his seat to glare at me. "You said the cops wouldn't be involved," he growled, his voice low and threatening. "Now look at us! We're on the fucking *wanted list*.""I—" I started, but another thug cut me off, his voice filled with barely controlled fury."Those guys who got caught? If they open their mouths, we're done for. And it'
Ryder's pov ;The moment I saw Aubrey, my heart nearly stopped. She was on the cold floor, her body trembling, clothes torn away, weak and exposed. Her eyes were wide with fear, and they locked onto mine and for a brief second, I saw relief in them the moment she saw me.But she was still in shock, and appeared too paralyzed to even move, too broken to understand that I was here for her now.Without thinking, I tore off my jacket and rushed to her side, wrapping it around her trembling body. "Aubrey…" My voice snapped, seeing her like this ravaged something inside me. I pulled her close to me to shield her from the nightmare that surrounded her right now.She clutched the jacket tight, but her hands were shaking. "R-Ryder…" Her voice was a mere whisper, barely audible over the pounding in my ears.I cupped her face, forcing her to look at me. "Are you alright?" I already know the answer. She was anything but fine but still I want her to stay something.She just nodded but I knew how h
Sage's pov ;"Do whatever you guys want with her before we kill her!"The scarred man held her wrists firmly, forcing her to stay still. The others in the room chuckled, their dark amusement matching my own. This was my moment, a long time coming."Stop! Don't touch me!" She cried out and looked extremely scared.I rolled my eyes, walking toward her, my heels clicking ominously on the floor. "Oh, stop pretending. Where's that filthy slut you used to be?" I sneered, grabbing her chin roughly and forcing her to look at me. "Now you're playing innocent?"I slapped her again, the sharp crack of my hand against her cheek making the others in the room snicker. "Dirty bitch, don't act like you're worth more than this."She whimpered as one of the men ripped her shirt, exposing her to all of us. I loved seeing her like this, powerless and afraid. I had waited too long for this moment, and I was going to savor every second of it. She had always thought she was better than me. She thought Ryder
Ryder's pov ;I sat in my office, the dim light casting long shadows across the room. The bottle of whiskey on my desk was nearly empty, the amber liquid swirling in the glass as I took another slow sip. The burn did little to dull the pain, to drown out the constant noise in my head.Aubrey's face kept flashing before my eyes—her pain, her anger. The way she looked at me when I tried to explain…like I was nothing. Like I wasn't worth her time anymore.I deserved it. All of it.The truth had come out, but it was too late. I should've listened to her three years ago. I should've believed her when she told me something was wrong. Instead, I let my arrogance, my doubt, destroy everything we had. Everything we could have been. And now, I've lost her.I exhaled sharply, the sound bitter in the silence of the office. The door creaked open behind me, and I didn't bother to turn around. I already knew who it was. Her perfume filled the air&mda
---------Ryder's pov--------"...fake," he said with calm certainty. "They've been heavily manipulated and photoshopped. Whoever did this knew what they were doing, but it's clear they're not real."Aubrey blinked, her face frozen in shock, as if the words hadn't fully registered."They're…fake?"she repeated.I turned to her, my chest tightening as I took in her reaction. "Aubrey," I said softly, stepping closer, "I told you. I never cheated. Sage did this to drive us apart, to make you believe something that wasn't true."She stood there, silent, her mind clearly reeling from the revelation. Her disbelief was evident, but so was the confusion that clouded her eyes. Slowly, she turned to face me, her expression unreadable.I took a deep breath, trying to reach her. "I'm sorry it took so long, Aubrey. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you before. But now you know the truth. Please…let me fix this. Let me make it right."
Ryder's pov ;I stormed into Aubrey's company, my heart pounding in my chest, barely able to keep my thoughts straight. The receptionist called after me, but I didn't care.I barged into the meeting room without knocking, ignoring the surprised looks of her colleagues as I interrupted whatever discussion they were having. Aubrey, seated at the head of the table, looked shocked, her eyes wide as they landed on me."Ryder?" Her voice was tight, confused. "What the hell are you doing here?"I was breathing heavily, my heart racing, but I didn't have time for formalities. "I need to talk to you. It's important, Aubrey. Those photos…they're fake."The room was dead silent, all eyes on us, and Aubrey's expression shifted to something between annoyance and exhaustion. She sighed, glancing around the table at the others. "Ryder, I'm in a meeting. We'll talk later.""No." My voice came out sharper than I intended, but I couldn't stop myself. I was desperate. "I can't wait. Come with me right n