Anthea's heart raced as Rayan's piercing gaze locked on her. She maintained a composed exterior, but inwardly, a storm of emotions churned inside her. Silas, sensing the tension, subtly stepped closer to her side, offering a silent support that eased some of her apprehension.Rayan's secretary shuffled uncomfortably, exchanging glances with the executives, sensing the palpable tension in the air. The way the two of them were staring at each other didn’t look normal at all. Anthea, however, maintained her gaze with unwavering determination, refusing to be intimidated by the man who once held a significant place in her life. Did he really think he could intimidate her with those cold looks?Breaking the silence, Rayan spoke, his voice cold and detached."Ms. Morin, we meet again." His words hung in the air, laden with unspoken history. Silas shot a quick glance at Anthea, silently trying to convey a message of encouragement. The small act didn't escape Rayan’s eyes, as he had been obser
When Rayan ordered everyone to leave the room instantly, Anthea didn't refute it; instead, she stood on her ground calmly while observing everyone hurrying to leave. Silas, however, was hesitant to leave her alone.“I'm not leaving you here alone with him.” He announced it as his face mirrored the seriousness in his voice. Both Anthea and Rayan turned to glance at him at the same time. Rayan’s blue orbs held a glare directed towards him, while Anthea just smiled at him calmly.“It’s fine, Silas. Let me hear what Mr. Allen has to say.” Anthea assured him, stepping a bit in his direction. Silas pressed his lips in a thin line as he narrowed his gaze at her.“Anthea!” He warned her, making Anthea shake her head slightly before heaving a sigh.“Please excuse us, Silas.” Anthea requested calmly, yet her voice held strong authority. Silas was aware of her stubbornness, and there was nothing he could do about it. So he heaved a dejected sigh before shifting his eyes to Rayan, who was looking
“Then tell me, why did you send the bouquet of black roses with that card?” Rayan asked furiously without letting her go. For a moment, Anthea was slightly taken aback, as she didn't expect him to question her about that out of the blue.“Cat got your tongue? He mocked her with a scoff when he noticed Anthea was caught off guard by his words. Anthea recovered from her shock before pushing him away with a hard hand. Rayan didn't expect the sudden move, which made him stumble backwards while he let her hands go.“What made you believe that I would waste my time and efforts on you?” Anthea scoffed while crossing her arms over her chest as she denied his words.“Did you really think that I wouldn't figure it out? I get a bouquet of black roses delivered to my office, and the next day I find my ex-wife back in New York. What a weird coincidence!” He responded with pure sarcasm."Well, it might be.” Anthea chuckled as she crossed her arms. Rayan looked at her with an unbelievable expression
Two days ago, Allen EnterpriseRayan stood confidently by the opulent office window, his sharp features complemented by the soft glow of city lights. The tendrils of smoke from his cigarette danced in the air as he waited with an air of anticipation after checking the expensive wrist watch. There were still a few minutes left. From the moment Nathan sent him the picture of her, his whole mind had been wrecked with thoughts related to her. He didn’t expect to receive a sudden blast from the past. Five years after their tumultuous divorce, his ex-wife suddenly appeared back in the city. The shock is palpable, and emotions are resurfacing as he contemplates the unexpected reunion after her mysterious disappearance. Why did she suddenly return here?Meeting Lily Wesley nine years ago wasn't in his plan. Falling for her and then getting married to her was something he had never expected he would do; however, everything happened like it was out of his hands, including the divorce.She came i
Three days passed since the day Anthea had a heated confrontation with Rayan in the conference room. Since then, she hadn't heard anything from him or his company regarding the project. However, only after a day had passed had Anthea begun to realise how foolish she had behaved that day. She literally ruined the plan she had worked so hard on just because of her anger and hatred. Anthea didn't realise her negative feelings for him would overpower her and make her lose her usual calm and composed demeanour. She needed to work with him to trap him and destroy him. She couldn't just walk away and cancel the deal with him. It was a foolish move from her side. What if he didn't agree with her and cancel the deal? Anthea let out a frustrated groan as she threw the papers she had in her hands on the wooden desk before leaning on her chair. “Should I just send someone and tell him that? I’m with his idea." Anthea thought to herself as she tried to think of ways to save the deal. “He wouldn
"Samuel, is everything prepared?" Anthea inquired urgently as she entered the lobby of her floor, already running late for the crucial meeting. “Yes, Ms. Morin. I was waiting for you to arrive,” Samuel replied, rising from his seat, files in hand. “Alright. Give me five minutes, then we will leave."She responded briskly without glancing back, disappearing into her office. Samuel nodded as he checked the files for the last time. The meeting with Rayan Allen loomed in half an hour, the project's finalisation hanging in the balance. The meeting was initially supposed to take place in the morning, but Anthea had some emergencies, which made her postpone the meeting to the afternoon. Inside her office, Anthea wasted no time, heading straight for the attached washroom. She walked in front of the glass mirror before staring at her dishevelled reflection. She couldn’t help but let out a sigh, realising she looked like a total mess. Faded makeup and unruly hair stared back at her, reminding
“Nevaeh! What are you doing here?” Rayan asked, his voice matching the surprise on his face. The little girl hugged his legs while giggling excitedly. Rayan slightly bent down before picking her up in his strong arms with a swift motion. “Surprise, Daddy.” The little girl responded in her cute baby voice while showing her the back of her palm, where the small fake sunflower tattoo was drawn. “She wanted to show you the tattoo Ms. Allen drew on her and had been waiting since noon. But since your meeting was postponed and you couldn't come home, she became really upset and refused to eat her lunch till you came. That's why Ms. Allen instructed me to bring her here to meet you.” The nanny explained quickly when Rayan glanced at her questioningly. Rayan sighed before nodding his head at her. “It’s beautiful, just like you.” Rayan smiled at his daughter before kissing her hand, where the fake tattoo was designed. Nevaeh let out a giggle as she hugged her father’s neck. Her eyes slowly se
Anthea thanked Samuel, who drove her home before getting out of the car. She directly walked into the elevator and pressed the button on the penthouse before taking a step back. The silence in the void of the elevator matched exactly what she was feeling inside. Empty. As the elevator reached the top floor, Anthea slowly got off the elevator while clutching her handbag to her chest in a tight grip. As soon as she reached the entrance of the penthouse, she rang the bell with a shaky hand. In just a few minutes, the door pulled open before Emilia came into her view. “Thea! Is everything alright?” Emilia asked worriedly as soon as she opened the door. Just a glance at Anthea’s face showed she already knew something terrible had happened. The bag in Anthea’s hand fell with a thud on the floor as she looked at Emilia before throwing herself in her arms, catching her completely off guard. Emilia stumbled on her steps slightly while still managing to wrap her arms around Anthea somehow. “Th
"Why are we here, Rayan?" Anthea asked the moment she realised where Rayan had brought her! This was the place she dreaded coming to the most.Her father’s grave! Anthea’s mind went blank just thinking of this place. She had never visited this place in the last six years. She just couldn’t go there. Never. It had given her so many memories, sorrows, and pains, along with happiness. "Just trust me, please, baby.""But Rayan, you know I can't." Anthea shook her head; her voice sounded broken and vulnerable. Rayan quickly hugged her, rubbing her back to calm her down. "I know it's hard. But you have to be strong. You are strong. It's high time, Anthea; you need to let this heartbreak go and confront your fear. He's waiting for you, baby," Rayan encouraged while caressing her hair lightly. "You know I can't. It's too painful. I just can't face him, Rayan. How am I going to answer him? He's mad at me, I'm sure. Anthea let out a sob as tears slowly started to fall from her eyes. "Don't
“How did it go?” Anthea asked anxiously as soon as Rayan stepped into the living room. He smiled at her before pulling her into a tight hug. “Everything went well. I have already submitted all the evidence and they are taking the case directly to the court. He wouldn't be able to escape this time.” He answered while burying his face in the crook of his neck, trying to relax. Anthea let out a sigh of relief. “Thank god! You should have taken me with you.” She expressed it heartily while hugging her arms around Rayan’s back. “No! I don't want his dirty eyes to land on you, even for a second. I will take care of everything from here while you just stay here and take care of Nevaeh and our family.” Rayan raised his head and shook it before speaking. Anthea sighed again, totally understanding his concern. “I'm glad finally it's over with the Jones and we can relax.” Anthea smiled, changing the subject as they broke the hug while walking towards the couch. No one was present in the livi
Sebastian just got out of his car and was about to enter the Jones Corporation when a few men walked towards him before blocking his path. “Mr Jones.” One of the men called him before flashing him his ID card. Sebastian, who was surprised by the sudden unwanted visit, looked at the ID card of the man and realised they were from the Central Bureau of Investigation. “What brings you here, Officer?” Sebastian asked, trying to smile politely at them, but deep down he already had an ominous feeling rising inside his chest. “You are under arrest. Please raise your arms and cooperate with us.” The officer announced this loudly, grabbing some passersby’s attention who let out visible gasps while witnessing the scene. Sebastian was quite startled too, as he didn't expect some CBI officer to suddenly appear and tell him that he was being arrested. “What?” He looked at the officer in confusion, not understanding what was going on. “Handcuff him.” The officer ignored his words as he gestured
After the dinner ended, everyone was sitting around and casually chatting when Roman got up from his seat before walking towards Rayan, who was talking to Elijah. “Can I talk to you for a few minutes?” Roman asked Rayan after reaching him. He excused himself from Elijah before nodding politely at Roman. “Of course.” He answered, making Roman nod. Elijah excused himself before giving them some space to talk. “Let's go somewhere quiet.” Roman offered, making Rayan nod. They were about to walk out of the VIP dining lounge when Anthea’s sudden voice stopped them. “Where are you two going?” She asked, looking at them with a frown. Rayan was about to answer her when Roman beat him to it. “Smoking!” Rayan blurted out while trying to cover something from Anthea. The moment the answer left his mouth, Anthea’s eyes narrowed as she looked at her husband with a scowl. “Rayan! I told you to quit smoking.” She glared at him, looking totally pissed. Rayan sighed as he looked at her angry expre
“Anthea, Rayan!” Athena greeted her enthusiastically as soon as Anthea, Rayan, and Nevaeh stepped into the private dining room. “Hey!” Anthea smiled while walking towards her, while Rayan stayed behind her, holding Nevaeh. “We were waiting for you!” Athena said, smiling heartily. Anthea smiled back, her eyes shifting to Roman, Elijah, and Emilia, who were already sitting on the chairs. Emilia waved her hand slightly when she met Anthea’s gaze. “Oh my God! Is that our little princess?" Athena exclaimed in joy when she caught sight of Nevaeh, who was walking beside her father, looking like an angel. Athena was totally awestruck by the sight of Nevaeh. “Yeah!” Anthea nodded with a chuckle, while Rayan smiled. “Nevaeh, say hi to your uncles and aunts." Anthea turned around before instructing Nevaeh with a smile. She looked at her mother before looking at Athena, who was still looking at her with a smile. “Hi!” She grinned shyly while trying to hide behind her father. Rayan let out a
“You didn't tell me you were coming here.” Rayan asked in surprise when he met Anthea in the hallway of the hospital. He was just returning after checking in with his father. He thought she would be going to the office directly after meeting Silas. “Because I knew I would find you here.” Anthea replied with a barely visible smile on her face. Rayan already noticed her dim expression, causing him to frown in concern. “Is everything okay?” He asked, walking towards her before holding her hand. Anthea glanced at him before nodding her head slightly. “Yeah. How is Mr. Allen?” She asked, trying to change the subject. Rayan also realised it but said nothing. He quietly followed her back to the VIP ward. “Better than before. He will be moved to the general word tonight after they did some last inspection.” He replied while intertwining his hands with her. “That's good news.” Anthea nodded, a genuine smile spreading across her lips at the good news. It didn't even pass 48 hours and his c
“You know where. How could you forget what you went through because of him? If it wasn't for family and me, Silas didn't finish his sentence and stopped midway when he noticed Anthea's eyes glaring sharply at him.“So you really think that just because you helped me in my darkest phase, you have some sort of right over me?” Anthea asked, her eyes flashing with coldness at the sudden realisation. “Anthea!” Silas uttered, looking at her with a blank expression. Anthea couldn't read what was running inside her head but at the moment, she barely cared. “Answer me, Silas. Is that what you think?” Anthea pressed further, her expression remaining the same. At that moment, she was sure about one thing: Rayan didn't lie or misunderstand anything. It was she who was blind and delusional. She couldn't see the truth, which was already before her eyes. “Did Rayan tell you this?” Silas suddenly asked back, his expression hardening. He didn't expect that son of a bitch, Rayan, to vomit every sin
“Drop me at this address.” Anthea said this while showing Rayan an address on her phone. “Why? You are not going to the office?” Rayan, who was driving the car, asked before taking the phone from her hand and then glancing at the address. “No. I'm going to meet Silas.” Anthea answered with a sigh. She noticed Rayan’s face hardening as soon as the words left her mouth. For a moment, he didn't say anything. “Okay. I'm going to the hospital to check on Dad. Call me if anything happens.” He nodded after a moment of silence while focusing on the road. “Okay. How is your dad?” Anthea nodded back before inquiring about Benjamin. She didn't receive any news on him from the moment she left the hospital with Silas. “He's improving.” Rayan muttered while taking a turn. The address Anthea showed him wasn't far. “I'm glad to hear that.” She sighed in relief, knowing Benjamin was getting well. She just hoped nothing bad would happen and he would eventually recover. Last night, they talked, an
“Because Silas told me you were in his house and you were going to stay with him when he came to pick Nevaeh up.” Rayan answered, feeling angry and helpless. He shouldn't have listened to that bastard in the first place. He should have known better. “What the hell!” Anthea stared at him in shock. “You don't believe me?” Rayan’s face hardened as he noticed the disbelief in her eyes. She was unwilling to believe him, which meant she trusted that bastard over him. Anthea shook her head immediately. “No! It's not like that. Why would he say something like that?” She denied it before inquiring. Rayan’s expression changed again as he took a step back from her; however, his eyes never left her. “Because he wants to provoke me and create misunderstandings between us.” He answered while grinding his teeth. Anthea frowned as disbelief crossed her eyes. “What are you saying, Rayan? Silas would never do something like that.” She shook her head, trying to deny everything Rayan just said. Ther