Lena's POV I couldn’t stop smiling. This was everything I’d ever dreamed of. The fancy gala, the people, the prestige. My parents were sitting proudly in the front row, watching me like I was the crown jewel. And tonight, I was. The Reynolds family, once modest and humble, was now a top-tier name, thanks to me, Lena Reynolds, soon to be Lena Wells. “Lena, the board is already discussing the upcoming mergers,” my father said, his voice filled with pride. “Grant has done wonders for the company, but now that you're engaged, we’re seeing even bigger deals come through.”I nodded, trying to suppress my grin. “Everything’s falling into place, Dad. This is just the beginning.”My mother, Barbara, chimed in, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She'd always been a party lover. “You’ve made us so proud, darling. And that ring,” she said, taking my hand, "it’s stunning.”I smiled and touched the diamond ring on my finger. It sparkled under the lights. Everything was perfect. Until Verena ap
Lena’s POV“Lena, that went incredibly well,” Damien’s voice was full of pride as he walked beside me, matching my pace. I smiled, still riding high from the successful meeting. “It did. The Asian market is tough to break into, but we nailed it.” “You won them over without even trying hard,” Damien said with a grin. “How could they not sign the deal? You were brilliant in there.” I smiled. Damien wasn't economical with his compliments. I shrugged, smiling. “That’s what I’m here for.”His eyes seemed to sparkle as he glanced at me. “Speaking of which… How about we celebrate tonight? Dinner? You know, something to unwind.”I swallowed and paused. “Damien, I appreciate the offer, but I’ve got a lot of unfinished work on my desk to think about something else. ”He chuckled softly, not backing down. “Come on, Lena. You work too hard. You need to let loose sometimes. What harm could a dinner do?”“I’m sorry,” I replied, my voice firm. “I’m not ready for such distractions just yet. We sti
Lena's POV I walked into the office the next morning with a straight face. The kiss with Damien never happened. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself. This was business, nothing else. Quietly, I sat at my desk, flipping through the papers from yesterday’s meeting. There was a knock.“Miss. Reynolds?” It was Grant’s secretary, holding a file in her hands and wearing that annoyingly polite smile.I didn’t look up. “What is it?”“Mr. Wells asked me to deliver the final draft of the contract. He’s very eager to hear back from you.”I sighed, finally glancing at her. “Tell Mr. Well, that I’m not interested in the partnership.”Her smile faltered. “But, Ms. Reynolds, this deal is very beneficial—”“I’m not inclined to take any business advice from you, missy,” I cut her off with a stern voice. “Now, unless you have something else, I suggest you leave.”The secretary blinked, taken aback, then she gave a tight nod. “Very well, I’ll let him know.”As she walked out, I sighed. This wa
Lena’s POV The next morning, I woke up with a splitting headache. I was on the couch with a blanket over me, pretty warm. I grabbed my phone from the table, a series of missed calls and messages on my phone, most of them from Damien. Why was my phone on silent? “Grant!” I snapped, crossing my arms. “Why did you put my phone on silent? Why didn’t you tell me Damien was trying to reach me last night?”Grant was casually sipping his coffee, scrolling through his phone like everything was normal. “Oh, that? I didn’t think it was important. Besides, you looked too exhausted to take calls.”I stared at him in disbelief. “Are you serious? It wasn’t your decision to make, Grant! I would’ve taken his calls.”“Would you?” he smirked, leaning back in his chair. “Look, Lena, you were half asleep by the time you had that coffee. There was no way you were talking to anyone coherently. I did you a favor.”I clenched my fists. “I don’t need your favors, Grant! Damien’s calls were my business, not
Lena's POV “We knew you'd do the right thing, honey.” Those were my mother's words, and they have haunted me since yesterday.As I stepped into my office, Damien was already there, leaning against my desk, his arms crossed and his expression stiff.Damien rarely looked pissed. Today, he was furious. His gaze was fixed on me. "So, it's true?My heart skipped a beat. "What are you talking about?"Don't play dumb, Lena. I know about the partnership with Grant Wells."I flinched. "Damien, How did you know that?He shrugged, his jaw clenched. "I have my resources. You think you can just agree to something like that and keep me in the dark?"I sighed, my head dropping slightly. "Damien, this is for my family. I didn’t expect you to understand.""Oh, I understand, alright." His voice was sharp, almost accusing. "You’re making a deal with him for your family after refusing to take the deal for Mega Hawke, do you have any idea how that looks?”It’s not like that!" I shot back. "It’s…it’s comp
Lena's POVI stood there, staring at Damien, who was now kneeling down in front of me full of hope. My heart raced. There were several onlookers and most of them had their phones out with their lenses trained on me, ready to capture what they thought would be a great moment. But all I felt was chaos and guilt in my heart.“Lena,” Damien started and, for the first time, he almost pleaded, “I know things have been rough. But, I love you and do not want to lose you. Will you marry me? Let us pack up everything and start over.”As he said this, I could feel the heat rising from my neck to my cheeks as everyone held their breath. The scene of Damien proposing was something straight out of a fairy-tale, the kind of fairy-tale every little girl dreams about. And yet, here I was, so bitterly disappointed, because deep down I already knew the truth. I knew what happened last night and Damien would never know. He didn't know my mistakes, the structure of the agreement I had signed, the trust I
Lena's POVHe turned over, inhaling terribly with the effort of collecting himself again. After what felt like an eternity, he looked at me again in silence, his face giving away nothing.“Right now, I need a little bit of time to process this,” he said in a low voice. “Lena, this is not something in my life I can pretend has occurred and then go on with my life. It is a massive game-changer.”I understood and hated the helplessness that incurred seeking anything further and nodded. “I comprehended. Take all the time you require."Damien nodded once before turning away and exiting the room, leaving me standing there. An unbearable pain rose in my chest and I stood there, knowing all too well that I might have just lost the one person who cared for me.I walked back to my office somewhat in a daze and was hardly cognizant of my environment. On my desk was a message from Grant.Grant: Dinner? Let’s meet tonight. We have things to discuss.Willing myself to calm down was of no use as I i
Lena's POV I averted my gaze, embarrassed. “Because I thought I would be able to manage it myself. I didn’t want you to think of me as a pathetic person who needed to be rescued. I believed I was strong enough to handle it all, but I was mistaken. I hurt you, and I hurt myself.”Damien let out a long sigh and stared at his palms. “Lena, I appreciate that there was pressure on you, but I need you to know that it is not true. There is no need for you to bear the burden all by yourself. I wanted to help you… if only you allowed me to.”It was a moment of stillness, and I felt my eyes begin to get watery. “I understand, and I apologize so much. If it were possible, I would turn back the clock and act in a different manner. While I do not ask you to simply let it slide, I wish you to understand that I am motivated to compensate you in any way I can, as best as possible.”He breathed out, if only to soften that rigid look a little in what seemed to be a pitying way. “Lena… I am not sure th
Lena's POVMorning light filtered through the folds of curtains that lavished a golden hue upon the room. I blinked it in; my body was heavy with exhaustion but wrapped in a warmth I had not known for many years. The wash of the ocean outside calmed me; the gentle crash of waves against the shore matched with the slow ebbing of my breath.For a moment, I lay still, suspended between sleep and wakefulness. Then the memories of the previous evening began flooding in, and my cheeks flushed as the actions played out in vivid detail. Grant's hands, rough yet achingly gentle, exploring every inch of me as if he were mastering me all over again. The way he whispered my name, his voice thick with emotion and need, as though I was the only thing left in the world. It was not simply physical; it was deeper than that. Every touch, every kiss, every moment was so raw and intense that it made me feel naked and cherished all at once. He took his time, speaking the words we were too scared to say
Lena's POV The steam curled around us warm and suffocating, and my heart raced as Grant stepped closer with his eyes fixated on me. His shirt stuck to him, wet from the rain, and beads of water rolled down his jawline like streams. "What are you doing?" I barely breathed, whispering the question."Staying." The response was simple, his voice steady but soft, as though he had suddenly become afraid any loudness might scare me away.I wrapped my arms around myself instinctively even though I had already shed clothes. "You can't just walk in here, Grant."He stepped closer, his earnest gaze piercing into me. "You could tell me to leave if that's really what you want, Lena, and I'll go. But I think we both know you don't want that.”I did hate it. It was not fair that he could read me so well. He had never been. I had built walls so high, so thick, for years, and here he was, breaking them like glass."You think you know what I want?" I said, a ton sharper than I meant.He paused, an ex
Lena's POV And just like it was, the evening seemed to fall like a dream, one that I had not realized was in me all along. After a long time, I actually started feeling free-free from the expectations that had shrouded her like a cloud, free from all those endless moments when she had to prove herself worthy, free from the hurt that had pierced her heart for so many days-and where I owe it all to Grant.As the sun lowered into the horizon, filling it with currants of amber and pink, he leaned back amply into his chair, watching me with pleasant eyes and a soft smile, as if everything he had said were true, as if it pained my heart as well."You are staring," I said, arching my brow at him, although I was playfully accusing him. "Can you blame me?" To that he returned in a warm, teasing voice. "You look...happy."I held my breath; the fork suspended above the final bite of dessert. Was I happy? The fearsome, cautious part of me wanted to say no, but, unfortunately for me, it was true
Lena's POV I shook my head, and the tears spread. "I can't, Grant. I can't trust you." "Then let me earn it," he said. "Let me prove to you that I'm not the same man who walked away all those years ago." I didn't answer. My heart was so full of doubt and fear. But staring into those eyes, I now saw something that I had not seen in a long time. And for the first time in years, I let the possibility of maybe, just maybe, things could be different cross my mind."Please, just give me till tonight," he pleaded, low in voice. "And I'll make you feel just like the first time we met."Arms crossed, I stared at him, narrowing my eyes, trying to read between lines. The first time we met? That seemed like ages ago when everything was brand new and fresh before everything fell apart. How in the world could he recreate that?"So much you're asking for," I said cautiously, words laced with doubt. "I know," he said, as he moved slightly closer. He was close enough that I nearly gasped, covering
Lena's POV The next day, I brimmed with the sound of waves crashing down on the shore. The rhythm of the sound puts the ocean both at ease and in confusion. For a moment or two, I forgot exactly where I was. The softness of the bed and the salty scent in the air drew me to a different location entirely. Then the realization slapped me: resort, rain, Grant. I groaned, rolled over, buried my face into the pillow. What have I gotten myself into? The memory of last night was blurry, but certain moments stood out with startling clarity: Grant carrying me to bed, the weight of his arms around me, the steady rise and fall of his chest against my back as I drifted off. I felt my cheeks flush in embarrassment and rage surged inside me like a thunderstorm. Not right. None of this. I sat up in bed, the duvet pooling around my waist, and looked around the room. Beautiful. This one was, of course. Grant always had a taste for luxury, but somehow it was stiffened. The oversize windows encapsula
Lena's pov I stared at Grant, my chest constricted by all that he had said. My feelings were in a tangle-they were worse than the storm outside my window. Part of me wanted to believe him and let him hope for another chance at something that had once been so beautiful. But the scars he had left behind had always remained fresh, raw, and they screamed to protect him, not let him in.“No,” I said, my voice shaking but firm. This is not happening, Grant. Whatever this is, whatever it is you're trying to do, it isn't going to work. I am not that naive girl anymore who believes in fairy tales and happy endings. I will not let you back into my life to go rampaging through it all over again."His face fell, the hope in his eyes dimming as my words sank in. For a moment, he looked like he might argue, but then he took a step back, running a hand through his hair in frustration."Lena, I'm asking for something that isn't a fairy-tale," he said, his voice low and raw. ''A chance-a real chance-
Lena's pov I turned around, unable to hold his gaze any longer. And whether my body trembled because of the cold rain or from a cacophony of emotions raging inside me, I do not know. My clothes stuck to my skin. And I wrapped my arms around myself, as though it might shield me from him and that gaze that measured into me as if he might still care.While I stood still as a statue, he spoke to me softly, whispering, "Lena, you do not need to do it alone anymore". Bitter laughter choked out of me when I shook my head and stepped back, trembling slightly. "What is it you want to know, Grant? " What exactly do you think I've been doing?" He turned at me, glaring fury into my eyes. "Oh no! You don't get to swoop in after years of silence, disrupt my life, drag me to some godforsaken resort, and act like you're my savior. That is not how this works."He ran a hand through his wet hair, frustration evident on his face. "You think I don't know how much I've hurt you? You think I don't reply
Lena's POV I walked straight to the door, it banged shut behind me by a sound that resounded around the whole house like the beating of my heart. All was a blur in my vision- a cocktail of rage and absolute disbelief. Grant's words seemed to ring loudly even being drowned by that sound; they cut through my defenses like a knife. As though everything he did to drag me away from his wedding and among some other guests at this lonely resort would fix himself for those years. In short, he was wrong. Very wrong.I hurried through the corridor, my steps heavy against the wooden floors. The air outside smells thick and humid, but as soon as I stepped outside, it felt like a release of breath. I wouldn't have cared where I was or how far he had brought me away from civilized areas. All I could think was that I had to be away from him. I needed space to think, feel, and breathe.It was the moment I pulled out my phone to call someone-anyone-that I realized there was no service. Of course. Wh
Lena's POV His words flooded over me like a tidal wave, threatening to pull me under. I wanted to be angry, to scream at him for his complete recklessness, but part of me-a small, fragile part-wanted to believe him. Wanted to believe he meant every word. "Just what do you mean by that?" I asked, my voice shaking. "You can't just get up and decide in the middle of your wedding that you want me." That's not how this works, Grant. "I know I messed up," he said, leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "I used to make so many mistakes, Lena." But not again will I be able to leave you.”I shook my head, as I could feel storm-like emotions swirling inside me. "Do you even know what you just did? This is more than just a thing between us, Grant. There are real and tangible consequences. Cassidy, your family, my reputation, how am I supposed to face any of those after this?" "I will fix it," he said positively, with blazing eyes. I don't care what it takes; I will do whatever is r