"Yes," I said finally, my voice strong and commanding. "Gideon Grayson is my ex-husband. Emphasis on ex." I leaned forward by just a little, my eyes sharp as needles. "And that's all he'll ever be. A mistake I left behind, just like the old me."Nicolai angled an eyebrow up, his relaxed posture just a little at odds with the interest simmering in his eyes. "Not exactly the type of response I was expecting," he said with an easy flow, though I could feel the admiration lurking beneath his words. "I thought there was still some unresolved business between you two.".I laughed. Short and cold. "unfinished business? With him? " I said, letting a deadly edge creep into my voice. "He tried to break me. But he failed. " A smile danced at the edges of my lips. "I'm here for my reasons, not his. If I attend that party, it's because I want to go. He's nothing to me."Is that why you're going? To prove something? " Nicolai's voice was still questioning, his tone sliding with the hint of curiosit
"Of course," Victoria said confidently. "I found the perfect fashion designer for you. Ms. Amari is renowned in her line of work—her dresses always turn heads, and she's well-connected in high society. She'll make sure that no one can take their eyes off you at Grayson's party.""Good," I said, sitting down in my chair and tapping my fingers on the desk. This was where it all came together in my plan, and nothing could be more glorious than everything. "And I don't have the time to go to her studio or run errands. I need her to come to me."There was a pause on the other end. "To your house? I'm not sure if—""She will come to my house," I interrupted firmly, leaving no room to negotiate for or against. "I'll pay whatever it takes. If she's as talented as you say, she'll know how to deliver exactly what I need without making me compromise my time. I'm not going to waste a single second driving to some designer's office when I could be preparing for far more important matters. I expect
And then my breath catches in my throat. "What?" I barely whispered the word. The words seemed to hang there like a threat, sharp-edged and pointing the way into the unknown.Lucas's face smoothed into an emotion I couldn't find a label for, but more like sorrow and bitterness. He straightened up again to let the heaviness of his revelation settle in before continuing on. “Yes. My mom, Sarah died, because of your mom. She committed suicide and it was not an accident,”I stepped back, my heart pounding in disbelief. My whole life, my mother was nothing more than a mystery—a ghost I never knew, defined by the fragments Eleanor had shared. Now, to hear she had been responsible for someone's death? It couldn't be right.That was Eleanor, silent, her composure broken. For the first time what felt like a lifetime, she appeared fragile, fragile to the point where it was as if the truth Lucas introduced to the room would snap everything."Why would my mom be involved in something like that?"
I slumped back into the plush chair, determination coursing through my veins. "I'm going to make a splash at the party, and draw attention to myself, and turn some heads—or rather, lots of them—starting with Gideon."“Being a date escort of Nicolai Montero.” I added.Lucas raised an eyebrow as skepticism speared through the air. "And you think Nicolai is going to help you with that? He’s not exactly a pawn in your game."I shook my head, a sly smile forming. "No, he's not. He's a knight, and now he's my best asset. With him by my side, I can orchestrate the chaos I need."Just as I thought that was going to be a great end to our little trip for the day, Ms. Amari finally walked into the room, commanding the air with her presence, and warmly smiled at us as she approached us."Excuse the interruption, but I'm here to start fitting your dress for the party, Ms. Amadeus,”I smiled at Lucas, playful glint in my eye. "Looks like it's time for me. I need to make sure everything is fine."He
I leave for home around 8 PM spent and drained by the events of the day. As soon as I enter, I smell that familiar perfume -my grandmother- and I realize I'm actually home. I see her climbing the stairs, her silver hair glinting in the faint light."Goodnight dear! Good luck for the party tomorrow!" she called up warmly, encouragingly.“Thanks, Grandma! I said with a smiling back at her, feeling appreciated by my persistence.That night, I spent a long time in the hot shower in my room wrapped by clouds of steam and washing away the tension that built inside me during the whole day. The water pounded on every part of me like a balm against the whirlwind of emotions inside. Emerged from the shower and finally put on a warm towel wrapped around the body and gazed in the mirror at myself with a thrill beginning to build inside me for what this night was to hold.Soft crepuscular rays from the sun woke me up gently, directed right at my curtains, which softly stirred me up the next mornin
GIDEON’S POVThe room draws in even tighter, still beaming with applause, congratulatory smiles, and clinking champagne glasses, as I announce.But this is different tonight. Tonight, it feels hollow. My chest constricts as I allow my view to wander through the faces, those beaming smiles dripping with accolade, and I realize that my mind isn't here-not anymore.It's on her.Amy.The quiet, unassuming wife who blended into the background of every event, who followed me without question, without protest. But tonight, she stands out like a spotlight has been cast on her, illuminating everything I somehow never saw before.I watch her, that confident sway in her walk, the effortless way she commands attention. The dress she's wearing—god, she's never looked like this. Not for me. Never for me. It clings to her like it was made for her and her alone, shimmering under the lights, highlighting every curve in a way that has the room stopping to stare.She is speaking with Nicolai Montero-one
I stumbled into the house, slamming the door behind me harder than I intended. The echo reverberated through the foyer, but I didn’t care. My head throbbed from too much alcohol, but it wasn't the whiskey swirling in my system that had me boiling inside—it was her. Amy. Or, as she had the audacity to introduce herself tonight, Amethyst Amadeus. The name twisted in my gut like a knife, sharp and unfamiliar.I tugged at my tie, the pressure around my neck adding to the suffocation I felt. My chest was tight, seething with irritation, humiliation even. How could she stand there with him? Nicolai Montero—my investor, grinning like the smug bastard he was, with his hand on her back like he owned her.“She’s mine,” my mind screamed. But, she wasn’t anymore, was she?My fists clenched at my sides as the scene replayed over and over in my head. Amy, or Amethyst, laughing with Nicolai Montero like she didn’t have a care in
Reaching out in frantic scramble of limbs to the phone, panic clawing its way through my innards. "Agnes, get me a meeting with Robert Ford. Now," I demanded, my voice crisper than I'd meant to, sharp and staccato. I couldn't lose him—not now, not when everything felt like it was slipping right through my fingers."I'll try, but—""No," I cut her off. "Get it done. I need to know what's happening.".I hung up the receiver and then ran my hand through my hair as I sought to calm the racing in my chest. The whiskey from last night was pressing on my stomach, but the thought of losing the contract sent another wave of nausea through me.I rose from the couch, lurched toward the bathroom, and slapped cold water onto my face. In the mirror was a mess, or to be more graphic: redshot eyes, mussed hair, gnawing dread that will not let go. I looked like a man on the brink of losing everything and perhaps am.Now, as I dressed, the awful shadow of Amy returning to my life, weighed once more upo
The wedding day began with a haze of tension and forced smiles. Amethyst's heart hammered in her chest as she sat in the limousine, the fabric of her wedding gown pooling around her. The air felt stifling despite the car's air conditioning, and every passing moment seemed to pull her further into Nicolai’s trap.Her phone buzzed. The screen flashed with a breaking news alert, the banner at the bottom reading:"LIVE: BOMB THREAT REPORTED AT AMADEUS ENTERPRISES BUILDING."Her breath caught in her throat. The screen displayed shaky footage of employees evacuating the building. Police cars were parked outside, their lights casting ominous flashes of red and blue. Amid the chaos, the camera zoomed in on a familiar figure entering the building: Gideon Grayson.Amethyst's pulse raced as fear clawed its way up her throat. Gideon was going into the building—a bomb-rigged building—and she was on her way to a farce of a wedding."No!" she whispered, clutching the phone tightly. Panic surged as s
Nicolai's words echoed in my mind like a constant drumbeat, each syllable reminding me of the precarious position I was in. The bomb, the ring, the wedding—everything felt like a twisted game he was playing with me, and I was caught in the middle. But beneath it all, a fire still burned in me, refusing to be extinguished.As Nicolai went on, detailing every intricate aspect of the wedding plans, I forced myself to focus. His voice became a hum in the background as my thoughts began to shift inward. I couldn't let him think he'd won. Not yet.He paused, waiting for me to respond to something he had said. I snapped back to reality. "I'm sorry, what?" I asked, feigning distraction.He frowned, his sharp gaze assessing me. "Are you even listening, Amethyst?" His tone was suddenly colder, suspicion creeping into his voice."Of course," I replied, offering a strained smile. "I just... I'm trying to imagine everything. It sounds perfect." The words felt like acid on my tongue, but I forced t
Nicolai’s smirk returned, but it was tinged with something cruel, something that made the air in the room feel heavier. He moved closer, his presence suffocating, until he stood mere inches from me. “You still think this is a negotiation, don’t you?” he said, his voice low and mocking. “That you have some kind of choice. But let me show you just how wrong you are.”Before I could react, he grabbed my wrist and yanked me toward the center of the room. I stumbled, barely catching myself as he dragged me to a small table I hadn’t noticed before. On it sat a sleek black device—unassuming at first glance, but the red light blinking steadily on its surface told me it was anything but ordinary.My blood ran cold.“What... what is that?” I asked, my voice faltering for the first time.Nicolai’s smile widened, predatory and triumphant. “This,” he said, gesturing to the device, “is the key to your compliance.”He pressed a button on the side, and a small screen lit up, displaying a digital map
The sharp sting in my wrist reverberated as I clutched it to my chest, glaring up at Nicolai. His smirk was infuriating, and his dark eyes gleamed with satisfaction. But I wasn't going to let him see my fear—not again."You’re wrong," I spat, my voice steady despite the tremor threatening to break through. "I’m not yours. Not anymore."He leaned in, so close I could feel his breath against my face. "You’ll realize soon enough, Amethyst. You belong to me. Always have. Always will." His tone was low, almost a whisper, but the venom in his words was unmistakable.The car jolted as it turned sharply, and I used the momentary imbalance to push against him with all my strength. Nicolai stumbled back slightly, his grip loosening just enough for me to lunge for the door handle. My heart raced as I yanked at it, desperate for an escape, but it didn’t budge. Child locks. Of course."You didn’t think I’d make it that easy, did you?" Nicolai taunted, his voice calm despite the chaos in the confi
The sharp pressure of Nicolai's hand around my waist was suffocating, as though his grip was the only thing holding me to the world. I felt the panic clawing at my chest, but I forced myself to breathe steadily. There had to be a way out. I couldn’t let him drag me back into his hell.As we stood there in the middle of my office, the sound of footsteps echoed faintly outside, but no one seemed to notice the tension thickening the air. Nicolai’s eyes locked onto mine with that same unsettling intensity, the familiar mixture of possessiveness and danger swirling in his gaze."You’re not going anywhere," he growled, his voice dangerously soft. "I’ve already taken care of the people outside. No one will know you’re missing. Not until I’m ready for them to."A cold shiver ran down my spine. How did he do this? How did he always manage to control every situation, every person around him? I could feel the anger and helplessness bubbling within me, but I needed to think. I couldn’t just let h
I gripped the phone tighter, my pulse racing as Nicolai's words echoed in my ears. "You think you can walk away from me? From us? You think you can just erase everything we've been through? No, Amethyst, you're not done until I say you are."I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "I don't owe you anything anymore, Nicolai. You had your chance, and you lost me. This is over."There was a long silence on the other end of the line, and for a moment, I thought the call had ended. But then Nicolai's voice returned, low and dangerous."You don't get to decide that, Amethyst. You're mine. And I'll remind you just how much you're mine."The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I could feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating, as though he was already close, watching, waiting. I wasn’t sure if it was just my imagination, but I could have sworn I heard the faintest rustle on the other side of the phone, like the sound of a door opening.Before I could respond, the call a
Days passed, each one slipping by in a blur of activity and emotions I couldn’t seem to shake. It was as though the weight of the past hung over me, suffocating at times, but the presence of Gideon beside me provided a semblance of stability.Yet even his reassuring presence couldn’t erase the constant unease gnawing at the edges of my thoughts. Nicolai’s shadow still loomed large in my life, and I knew that my decision to walk away from him hadn’t gone unnoticed. I spent those days trying to ignore the anxiety that tugged at my heart, trying to convince myself that everything was fine, that the past was behind me. But the reality of what I’d left behind was too real to ignore. Nicolai wasn’t the kind of man who let people walk away from him without consequences.I was standing on the balcony one evening, the cool breeze brushing my face, when Victoria—my ever-vigilant assistant and best friend—came to join me. Her face was etched with concern, and she didn’t need to ask to know what
The following days felt like a delicate dance—one where I was constantly aware of the fragile balance between what I wanted to believe and the lingering doubts that gnawed at the edges of my thoughts. Each moment with Gideon felt like a small victory, but the weight of Nicolai’s threat still loomed over us, unspoken yet present in the quiet spaces between our words.Gideon’s presence grounded me, and I found myself leaning on him more than I thought I ever would. But beneath the comfort, I couldn’t shake the nagging fear that Nicolai was still out there, a shadow hanging over everything, threatening to destroy it all. Nicolai wasn’t a man who took kindly to betrayal or failure. The moment I’d left him, the moment I’d walked away, I knew he wouldn’t just let it go. I wasn’t sure how, but I knew that he would find a way to make me pay.On one particularly cold evening, as the sun dipped low and the sky bled into hues of purple and gold, I found myself once again on the balcony, wrapped
The days that followed were a delicate balance of old habits and new emotions, a quiet dance between familiarity and the tentative trust that had begun to grow between us. Gideon’s presence was steady, unassuming, yet it grounded me in ways I hadn’t expected. It wasn’t just the words he’d spoken or the kiss we’d shared—it was the way he existed in my space without demanding anything more than what I could give.Still, my mind raced when I was alone, questions swirling in the silence of the night. Could I really let my guard down? Could I trust someone again, after everything that had happened? The answers weren’t clear, but I found myself drawn to him in ways that scared and soothed me all at once.On a brisk evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon and painted the sky in shades of amber and violet, I found myself on the balcony, wrapped in a blanket. The cool air nipped at my skin, but it was refreshing, a reminder that the world kept moving forward no matter how tangled my thoug