NicolasI stood at the head of the conference table, my eyes facing the room filled with the company's top executives. I had called this emergency meeting to address the future of the company; now that my grandfather was gone and with his condition filled, I was taking control.“As you are all aware, my grandfather's passing has left me in charge of the company now.” I begin pausing to take in their facial expression.However, just as I was about to continue my speech, one of the senior executives spoke up."Excuse me, Mr. King," he said, his voice hesitant. "But didn't your grandfather say that you had to be married before you could take over the company?"I felt a flicker of annoyance, but I kept my cool. I glanced over at Giovanni, whose face had held a frown.I didn’t miss the shock on his face when he saw the resume work this morning.What was he expecting? He wanted me dead by now, and he should be the one in my position now, ready to take over.I wasn’t going to rip him off hi
Riley’s POVI stirred on the bed, groaning in pain as memories of previous events came rushing back to me. Monica, the kick she threw in my bump... it all came flooding back.I panicked, bolting upright and clutching my stomach. "My baby!" I cried out, tears accumulating at the brim of my eyes.No, please.It can’t be gone.I couldn’t lose my baby; I’d never be able to forgive Mr. King if anything were to happen to my baby.Fear of miscarriage clouded my thoughts, knowing the pain Mr. King’s psychotic girlfriend caused me. Just then, Mr. King walked into the room, a look of concern etched on his face. "Riley, thank goodness you’re awake," he said, rushing to my side.Frustration brewed within me as the tears slipped. "Your psychotic girlfriend killed my baby!" I burst out, more tears streaming down my face.Mr. King's expression changed, his eyes widening in alarm. "Riley, the baby is fine," he said, trying to reassure me.But I wasn't listening. I was too caught up in my anger and
Riley’s POV It had been a week since the accident, and I had barely seen Mr. King. He would leave for work before I woke up, and by the time I fell asleep, he was still not back. It was like we were ships passing in the night, never intersecting.And for some reason, it bothers me, even though it shouldn’t, but it does.Although Mr. King still managed to make his presence felt. He would leave me sweet notes on the bedside table every morning, telling me to take care of myself and the baby. He would also send me random messages on my phone, asking me how I was doing or if I needed anything.These little gestures made me feel...seen. They made me feel like I mattered, even when he was busy with work. Mr. King was slowly making me loosen up to him. I could be a tough one, but he’s making modeling me easy.It’s like he knows what to do without being told what to do; he just knows the right thing to do.My phone ringing snaps me out of my train of thought. It was Mr. King. I bit my bot
Nicolas’s POVI excused myself from my meeting, expecting to see Riley waiting for me with the files. I felt bad for making her go through the stress of bringing them to me.I could have just sent Ryder to get them instead, but I wanted to use that as an excuse to see her. Her soft scent, a blush whenever I threw compliments, was one I looked forward to.God, she was my salvation.As I marched to the reception, I was met with a scene that made me pause, making me clench my fist, and my blood boil.Riley was standing by the receptionist's desk, her face pale and her eyes wide with fear. And standing in front of her, his face twisted in a sneer, was Asher.My rage was instant. I could feel it burning within me, threatening to consume me whole.How dare he. How dare he harass my wife?“Let go of me, Asher; you have no business with why I am here,” Riley defends, her voice shaky.He gripped harder on her arm, leaving a bruise. “You dare speak to me like that!” He shouts, looking around, m
Riley’s POVI pulled away from Mr. King's hug, wiping my tears with the back of my hand. He looked at me with concern, his eyes scanning my face.The fear and hurt are still lingering. No matter how hard I tried to deny it, I was deeply hurt by Asher’s actions today. It made me wonder if he ever had any ounce of respect and love towards me, or if he had been pretending.If anyone told me my life with Asher would take a drastic turn, I’d probably laugh it off his or her face."Did he hurt you?" Mr. King asked, his voice low and husky.I shook my head, trying to reassure him. "No, I'm fine," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.Mr. King's protectiveness towards me made my heart swell with a hint of fear; his words were dangerously intimidating.Mr. King's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched in anger. "I'll kill him," he muttered, his fists clenched at his sides.I placed a hand on his arm, trying to calm him down. "It's okay, really," I said. "Firing Asher wasn't necessary."Mr. King's
Riley’s POVI sat comfortably on Mr. King's office chair, playing a game on his computer while away time as I waited for his meeting to be done. Maybe I should have allowed Ryder to drive me home. I thought the house was boring but the office? It is much worse.Was it because I wasn’t used to an environment like this? Playing housewife has taken a deep toll on me, that is for sure.I had been waiting for what felt like hours, and I was starting to get overly bored.The door bursting open had me looking up, my hands running cold at the figure.“You again?” Monica fires, walking in, and behind her is Amber, the last person I expected to see.Of course Amber works here; she’s Asher’s assistant. It wasn’t a surprise seeing her here, but my heart clenched every moment I stared at her. I was reminded of my ex-husband’s infidelity towards me.Monica was the same girl who had almost caused me to lose my baby; seeing her reminded me of the pain she caused me the other day.If anything had hap
Nicola’s POVI walked into my office, looking forward to seeing my wife after a long and draining meeting that didn’t want to end.I was met with a sight that made my stomach twist into knots. Riley and Noah were sitting on the couch, and Riley was laughing.Her laughter was like music to my ears, but it was the fact that Noah was the one making her laugh that didn't sit well with me.As I cleared my throat to announce my presence, Riley's laughter came to an abrupt end. She turned to face me, a hint of a smile still playing on her lips. Noah, on the other hand, looked like he had been caught red-handed, his eyes darting back and forth between Riley and me.Before he smirked, sending me a wink.I glared at him, huffing a groan.Noah and I have been pals throughout our lives; we went to the same high school and college and are now working together.He is running his father’s company, which I hold some shares with my company.I didn't like the way Noah was looking at Riley, like he had
Riley’s POVI stepped out of the closet dressed in a comfortable silk nightie, preparing for bed. The sound of running water from the bathroom notified me that Mr. King was still running a shower.He had offered for me to join, but I declined; I was not comfortable sharing a bath. The things he makes me feel felt strange.Noah had told me stories of their days in high school, keeping me entertained and learning about sides of Mr. King he didn’t look like someone had.Noah asked me not to be too hard on Mr. King and that anything Mr. King does for me, I should be rest assured that it was from the bottom of his heart.He mentioned that he hadn’t seen Mr. King so interested and invested in a relationship, I had asked him about Monica, and he told me the same thing Mr. King told me.I didn’t know if I was to trust Noah, but I felt he wouldn’t lie to me, and just maybe I was being too hard on him.Snapping out of my train of thought, I begin to pack my hair into a bun, my ringing tone sudd
Riley’s POVMr. King excused himself to talk to a business acquaintance. After today’s confession, I’ve been unreasonably clingy, almost like he wasn’t real and would disappear if I let him go.I let him go, allowing him to enjoy his night and celebrate his achievement, he deserved as much, and I used that as an opportunity to slip away unnoticed.The room was crowded and noisy, and I felt a sudden need for some fresh air, feeling a little bit too much suffocated.I made sure Mr. King didn’t have his attention on me, or he wouldn’t let me leave; that I was so sure of.I finally reached the French doors leading out to the poolside and slipped outside, closing the doors behind me.I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding as the cold night air brushed on my skin.I walked to the garden, relishing the sensation.I hear hush tunes as I approach the garden.I noticed two figures standing in the shadows, near the pool house. They were arguing in hushed tones, but I could tell it was a
Riley’s POVIt's hard to believe it's been two months since I got divorced and remarried to Mr. King. It feels like just yesterday I was at the hospital ready for an abortion and then Mr King walked to me soaked with blood.Time has flown by, and our relationship has only continued to blossom. Mr. Kikg has been nothing but a sweetheart, and now I can say I have fallen in love completely with Mr. King.And although I still haven’t said the words to him as he does with me, my gestures were too obvious to hide the truth.As I stand in front of the mirror, I look at my reflection, admiring the elegantly beautiful dress and king had gotten for me. I rubbed slightly on my bump, a smile spreading on my lips.I couldn’t wait to birth the bundle of joy; I can imagine how much happiness it would bring to our lives.The woman staring back at me is nothing compared to the woman I was after getting my heart broken by Asher. I’ve struggled to put my past with Asher behind me, and I’m glad I did.I
Riley’s POVAfter I registered what was happening, I pulled back, trying so hard to compose myself and not give in to his comfort.I needed to leave, or else I wouldn’t be able to control myself or my emotions. I didn’t want him to know how much effect it had on me seeing him kissing Monica.I tried to walk past Mr. King, who was still standing in front of my office door, his arms crossed over his chest. But he didn't budge."Excuse me," I said, trying to sound calm, but my voice trembled.My eyes were stinging with tears; I bit on my bottom lip, trying so hard not to break down, but he was making it impossible.He didn’t want to move out of my way, and that annoyed me.His gaze was blocked, more intense, and filled with so much guilt. "We should talk, Riley. What you saw wasn’t as it is, c’mon Riley, you—“I shook my head. "There's nothing to talk about. You should go back to Monica. After all, you two were enjoying each other’s company, and don’t worry about me. I think who you shou
Riley’s POVI ran out of Mr. King's office, my heart racing with hurt and anger. I couldn't believe what I had just seen. Mr King and Monica, kissing in his office. I felt like I had been punched in the gut.After having a long day like usual, I’d slip out from my office to his office to clear my head, but I should have seen his betrayal coming.I could hear him yelling my name, but I ignored it, rushing to my office, shutting the door behind me, and making sure to lock it with a kiss.I leaned against the door, trying to catch my breath, and the tears started flowing. I broke into sobs, feeling like my heart was shattering into a million pieces.Why had I trusted him? Why had I thought he was different? They were all the same, men who only cared about themselves and their desires.I felt so stupid, so naive.He used me for his own game. I should have listened to Giovanni; I shouldn’t have let Mr. King Ma’s deceptive ways get to me.After all, I wasn’t in his league; it was always Mo
Nicolas’s POVNoah and I were in the office discussing work-related important stuff when Ryder walked in.My brows furrowed knowing I didn’t call for him, which must mean an emergency; he may have found something.“What is it, Ryder?” I asked.“It’s Giovanni,” he responds instantly.“What did the motherfucker do now?” Noah growls.He cleared his throat. "We've received intel that he's been working closely with your father, Mr. King."I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Go on."He proceeds, his expression getting darker. "It seems that your father has been secretly building a case against you, Mr. King. They're working together to take away your property and business interests. With your grandfather gone, your father believes he is the sole heir to the King’s Enterprises."My jawline hardened at the audacity of my father. For all these years he turned his back on us, and now he's suddenly back, trying to take away the company?I’d be damned to let him do that."I see," I said, my voice ev
Riley’s POVThe ride to the mansion was a quiet one filled with tension. I should have known he’d find me; what was I expecting?As we drove into the house, he didn’t waste time in sliding out of the car, walking away when usually he opens the other side of the door for me, and we walked hand in hand into the house.My heart squeezed knowing I’d piss him off.“You shouldn’t have run out like that. Mr. King is very strict when it comes to security, especially you… The same thing that had happened to him when he got shot could have happened to you; your life revolves around him now, and you’re the only bait to get to him,” Ryder informs, snapping me out of my train of thoughts.“I—“ I stuttered, unable to form any coherent words.“I’ll see you tomorrow, Mrs. King.” He shortens the conversation, to which I nod, forcing a tight-lipped smile.I got out of the car and walked into the house just in time; Mr. King walked out of the kitchen holding a bottle of water.He barely gave me a five-s
Riley’s POVWe reached Sophia's apartment building, guilt still eating me up; I made sure to leave my phone behind to avoid getting tracked.I didn’t know if I was being fair to Mr. Ming, but I just wanted some time away.I had to be careful not to be seen by any of Mr. King's men, Ryder specifically, or Mr. King himself. Especially not with Sophia; I didn’t want to get her in trouble if we happened to get caught.Plus, if anyone saw us together last if investigations of my whereabouts are taking place, she’ll surely be involved.Sophia held on to my hand, seeing as I was lost in thoughts, “Hey! It’s going to be fine.”I forced a smile, nodding, “Thank you.”"Thankfully we could get out of the office without being seen," she said, glancing around nervously. "I don't think Mr. King would find it funny if he finds out you’re gone. Are you sure you did the right thing?” She tried to reason.“I don’t know; I just need a day or two to think. A lot has been going on, and it gets overwhelmin
Riley’s POVHe didn't notice my presence till I clicked the door; he turned his attention back to me with a smile, and there was something in his eyes that made me feel uneasy."Ah, Riley, settle down," he said, gesturing for me to take a seat. "We need to discuss something very important."For some reason, I sensed something wasn’t right, and I couldn’t trust this man; he didn’t seem like good news. What could he possibly want to discuss with me? I didn't know what Giovanni wanted to talk about, but I had a feeling it wasn't going to be good."Yes, how can I help?" I asked, trying to sound calm.Giovanni leaned forward, his eyes locked on mine. "Riley, I'm going to be transparent with you," he said. "You're like a daughter to me, and I wouldn't want you getting tied up in Mr. King's games."My brows furrowed in confusion as I couldn’t help but ask, “Games?" feeling defensive. And what did he know about my relationship with Mr. King?"With all due respect, sir, I don’t understand w
Riley’s POVI let out a sigh as I flipped through the documents. This was my life now, working back-to-back.Fatigue crept within me as I let out a growl. A knock came through my door, and I ushered the person in, composing myself.Amber walked in with a sinister look on her face.I felt the urge to hiss, knowing that she was here for trouble.“How can I help you, Amber?” I ask, leaning back on the chair.She sent me a glare. “You’re a horrible person, Riley. How can you even live like this knowing that you’ve stolen my Asher’s spot?”I rolled my eyes. “Please, I’m not in for a long talk; walk out of my office if you have nothing important to say. I cannot entertain nonsense.”Her nose flared, “How did you even do it? I mean, get to know Mr. King up to the extent of marrying him? Huh? I’ve always known you were with Asher for your motive. “It was the same thing over and over again; she sounded like a broken record.“Amber, I’m warning you now, walk out of my office or else—“She cuts