Chapter 7

ROBERT'S POV

I sat at my desk, polishing the pistol that once belonged to my father. The metal gleamed under the soft light of the lamp.

I didn’t have much to my name, at least not officially, but power was something I’d always been able to grasp.

It was like an art form—knowing how to pull the strings, manipulate the right people. And I’d done it well, especially with Ryan.

I clenched my jaw and pushed the pistol aside, reaching for the old photograph of Jane on my desk.

Her face was soft, kind-too kind for this world. I used to think she was my anchor, the one thing that kept me grounded. But that was before everything fell apart. Before Ophelia.

I remember the day Jane died like it was yesterday. The doctors told me there was a choice-save the mother or save the child.

I knew what my answer was. Jane should have lived. She was everything to me, and that child, that wretched girl, was nothing more than a burden from the start. But Jane, sweet, selfless Jane, made the decision for us. She chose to save Ophelia. She chose to die for her.

I still remember her last words, weak but resolute, as she told me she wanted to save the baby. My baby. But Ophelia was never mine, not really. From the moment she was born, she was a reminder of what I lost.

I never forgave her for that.

Ophelia's birth destroyed everything. Jane was gone, and I was left with a child I never wanted.

Every time I looked at her, all I could see was the life I lost. The life that Ophelia took from me.

She had taken Jane from me, and as far as I was concerned, she should have been the one to go.

I turned the photo face down on the desk, trying to block out the memories. Ophelia was a mistake from the start, and if Jane hadn't been so foolish, she would still be here, and everything would be different.

But no. I was alone, left to pick up the pieces while Ophelia, the cause of it all, was probably out there, living her life without a care in the world.

I wondered what had become of her. She disappeared after Ryan and Vivian's wedding, but I knew better than to think she was gone for good. Ophelia had a way of surviving, of slipping through the cracks.

Part of me hoped she was dead, that she'd finally met the end she deserved. It would be poetic justice, wouldn't it? The child that destroyed my life, gone forever. I could finally put everything behind me and focus on fixing what was left of my life.

But deep down, I knew that was just a fantasy.

Ophelia wasn't the type to go down easily. She was weak, but she has her ways. And as much as I hated to admit it, I needed to know where she was, what she was doing. If she was still out there, she could ruin everything. Again.

Just as I was getting lost in my thoughts, my phone rang. I answered it quickly, already annoyed by the interruption. "What?"

"Dad," Vivian's voice trembled on the other end.

"It's Ophelia... she's back."

My heart skipped a beat, but I forced my voice to stay calm. "What do you mean, back?"

"Dad, Ophelia is back. She's a major shareholder now," Vivian continued, her voice shaking. "She's coming for the company, Dad, for Ryan. I don't know what to do.”

Of course. Of course, she found a way back in.

“Calm down,” I said, keeping my voice steady even though I could feel the rage boiling inside me. “Come home, Vivian. Nothing’s going to happen to your marriage. I’ll take care of it. I’ll talk to Ryan.”

“Dad, I’m scared,” she whispered, and I could hear the tears in her voice. “What if she takes everything from us?”

“She won’t,” I snapped, my patience wearing thin. I couldn’t bring myself to utter another word so I ended the call.

Ophelia was back. How had she managed to become a shareholder?

I knew she’d return eventually, but I never expected it to be this soon.

I need a plan.