Edwin's POVI was already facing Nicole, looking at her quite sharply after learning of her actions before this. "Why would you do something like that, Nicole?"She shot someone with a gun I didn't even know she had.I thought I had ensured her security well all this time, sending some bodyguards or my subordinates to watch her movements, but apparently, I and the people around her had let their guard down.She can even do things that are entirely incautious for herself. Owning a gun and using it are two different things. Of course, it was OK for her to have it for self-protection, but actually, shooting another person was something that could endanger her.Her clothes and equipment at that time were inadequate, especially when she was seen being pushed in the CCTV footage I got from one of the bodyguards. His defenses must have been weak to not be prepared for a pistol shot's thrust force."I was just defending myself, Father." She finally said, her hands visibly shaking as her gaze
Edwin's POVTwo days later, I got a message from someone I didn't want to meet unless I had to. It was polite and arrogant, but I knew that even his usual demeanor was like that, so I didn't want to see him even more.Although I didn't like the idea of meeting without discussing the schedule first, I couldn't refuse the man's invitation to meet when he wrote Nicole's name. Ultimately, I still went to the appointment place according to his request, which I could have rejected outright.Christian Grant. The man had arrived first and sat down in front of me.He didn't mince words and got straight to the point. "Nicole cannot marry Matthew Thompson, Mr. Duncan."My gaze sharpened, already disliking the serious-looking man's topic of conversation, which didn't sound plausible at all.He had no connection to our family other than that we were businessmen. Still, even though it was never related to the family's internal affairs, outsiders like him were not allowed to interfere.Just saying t
Edwin's POV"You seem to know that?" He said when he saw me looking at him.I answered him without hesitation. "Of course, I knew. We had a healthy competition back then and Catherine became my wife."Benny and I became friends because of Catherine. She brought us together and made us partners until now. Although I could see that he was looking at a woman who was our age with a smile, and I was doing the same to my wife when we were younger, in the end, we had a healthy competition for her heart.It was a long time ago. I became Catherine's husband after we graduated and pursued our dreams as businessmen.I didn't know the purpose of this young businessman in front of me, which was to bring up our past. I didn't think much about it because Benny had found his heartmate and had Matthew as his son. I wanted to avoid getting carried away and thinking things out of order only to hear him speak again."You sound confident." He said in a tone I couldn't explain but also made me frown. "I've
Edwin's POVI was reminded of the past, precisely when my wife's death occurred, and it was the day of her funeral.I could see Benny at the ceremony from start to finish, but he didn't come near me. It was only at the end of the procession that he walked towards me, with no one around except a few bodyguards standing some distance away from where we were standing, near the wet soil that had piled up on my wife's grave.His face looked very sad, although I saw no trace of tears, then he spoke. "How did Catherine die, Edwin?"I paused, feeling the reality that my wife, the woman I loved, was no longer in this world from her words. I would never be able to see her smile, feel her warmth, or hear his voice by my side again. That made my eyes water again, and I tried to answer the man's question weakly."I... I don't know either...."I could only say that. A lot had happened in one day, and I wasn't even sure how I was still standing, going through the funeral procession while welcoming t
Chris' POVI felt shocked when I learned the information provided by Ezrah, the expert informant; I was the feeling I had felt all day while watching Nicole that day, and it had finally been proven.I exhaled, looking at the few sheets of paper scattered on the table, before looking at her again. "Is the information I asked you to find really like this? Not a hoax or just a rumor?""That's right, sir. I can't possibly give unsubstantiated information." He replied. "The information collected and handed over to you is what really happened."I stared at some clearly visible sheets of paper, most of which were written. Still, there were also blurry photographs that were enlarged several times and appeared dark due to poor lighting.He really was an expert. I now knew that Nicole had been kidnapped by one of the Armstrong Family's underlings when she was a newborn, as well as when the young baby had been taken by the Martinez Family after the kidnapping failed.All this time, I thought tha
Chris' POVI confronted the man when he had just arrived. He clearly wanted to get to Nicole when he saw that I was also here, and I couldn't possibly give him the chance to do that.Nicole joined us, looking at me and the bespectacled man in turn. "What do you want to do?""I just want to talk to him, Nicole," I said, looking at the bespectacled man who was also watching me with a piercing gaze.We changed places, but we were still facing each other and trying to intimidate each other. He clearly didn't want to lose to me despite our age difference, just like that woman.He adjusted his glasses with his middle finger. "Why did you show up here? Aren't you not supposed to show up here anymore since Nicole and I are getting married?"I ignored his behavior, focusing more on his words to me, which still sounded boastful. He did mention the name of the woman I loved, but from the way he spoke, he didn't show the way it should be done when talking about someone important in his life."Do
Nicole's POVI didn't like meeting Chris. At the time, I was already quite surprised to see him with my father, but they seemed to have been chatting for a while and hadn't finished when I greeted my father with Richard.My son seemed to be wondering about the existence of the man who only met him when they had their regular meetings. Still, both men seemed serious about the ongoing conversation, especially my father, who looked a little pale."Are you okay?" I asked, but he just smiled for a few moments at me and my son.The old man then patted the back of my hand lightly. "You're fine. Just relax with Richard while I talk to Mr. Grant."I looked at the man in front of my father, who hadn't spoken during my greeting, but then I felt my hand tightly grabbed by my son's hand. He spoke before I could say anything."Okay, Grandpa. I'll take Mom to play." He smiled at Edwin.My father nodded and patted my son's head with the same smile, and then my son dragged me in the other direction wi
Nicole's POVI felt an overwhelming urge inside me, seeing the man who was going to marry me keeping his mouth shut about the matter that had involved him and his father. I walked forward towards Matthew, while the bespectacled man stayed where he was.I clenched my fists tighter, already strengthening my voice to speak to the man when he could only look down. "Tell me, speak the truth, Matthew. Do you still think of me as Natalie?"He said I looked a lot like my dead brother, whom I'd never seen in person. Still, even before that, he'd mistaken me for Natalie, thinking of me as his first love even though I'd only returned to the Duncan family nine years ago.I swallowed, trying to hold back the wave of feelings that seemed to be about to strike me."Didn't I ask you about that first? I told you I'm not her, even though our faces are similar. You knew that, too, right?"The man still couldn't answer, nor did he direct his gaze at me. I beat my chest a few times, wanting to relieve the