Amethyst POVSitting at The Aurora, I absently fiddled with my glass of sparkling water, my heart racing with excitement and a hint of nerves. The upscale ambiance enveloped me, filled with low lights and soft music—perfect for the evening I had anticipated. I checked my watch again—Nicolai was running late.Just as I was about to text him, I spotted him striding toward me, his tall frame cutting through the crowd with undeniable charisma. A smile broke across my face, but I noted a slight flush of annoyance in his expression.“Sorry I’m late,” he said, sliding into the chair across from me. “I had a visit from your ex-husband.”The name sparked my interest. “Gideon Grayson? What was he doing there?”Nicolai leaned back, a smirk playing on his lips. “He came to talk about the contract with Robert Ford. Seems he’s worried about losing it. I couldn’t resist keeping him on edge a little longer.”I laughed, the sound bubbling up without restraint. “Good! He deserves every ounce of stress.
I was shivering when I stood there. Staring in my grandmother's lifeless hand in mine, this time thinking of her actions but how they seemed impossible given the coldness of machines and the now oppressive sterile white walls of a hospital room that felt ready to trap me inside, stopping me from breathing.Grandma Eleanor was gone. My anchor. My rock. The only one who had ever been there for me. She had pulled me from the ashes of my past and helped me rebuild a life I could be proud of. And now…. she was gone.It was a command, though, the last thing she ever said to me. It boomed louder in my mind than the sorrow that sought to consume me. "You owe it to your mother—and to yourself—to find the truth."I closed my eyes, gripping my grandmother's fragile fingers tighter. The weight of her words pressed down upon me, and for one instant, I couldn't breathe.It was different this time. Now, my grandmother was gone, and in her absence, questions like this came back with a vengeance. Ques
I gripped the phone, the voice sending waves of anger and terror rippling through me. "What do you want?" I snapped, my voice steadier than I felt."Amy, we need to talk," she said, her tone laced with a familiarity that made my skin crawl. "I know you're mad, and I want to explain—""Explain what?" I interjected, my pulse rising. "How you and Dad just neglected me while I’m in prison? How you support Alexa and Gideon’s betrayal?There was a thick silence, as if I could almost hear her scrambling for something to say. "You don't understand—""Understand what?" I bit back, feeling the sharp edge of my words with anger building inside of me."Amy, please. You're not thinking clearly. But you can't just shut me out like this. You need to hear my side.""Your side?" I repeated incredulously. "What could you possibly say that would change anything? I'm busy right now and will tell you when I'm free.""Amy, this is important—""Is it, though?" I interrupted. “I just can't deal with this now
Adrenaline ran through my veins as Atty. Johnson elaborated on the facts about my grandmother's estate. How could Eleanor have a stake worth fifty billion dollars in Grayson's firm? Fifty billion. All this heavy burden weighed upon me, but even more significant was the secret she carried with her."Why didn't she tell me?" I insisted in anger, my voice breaking. "Why keep this away from me?"I looked up at Atty. Johnson. His countenance softened, with a trace of regret. "Sometimes, people in her position prefer to keep certain investments private, especially when family dynamics are complicated. She might have thought it would protect you.""Or maybe she wanted me to discover when the time was right," I said, my chest aching with worry. The idea of Eleanor manipulating a dead man for a purpose from beyond the grave lit a small fire in my belly. "She knew Grayson was dangerous."Victoria entered the room just as Johnson opened his mouth to respond. "Is everything all right?"I nodded,
The morning light drenched through the curtain as I shifted slowly, my body heavy from what was left of last night's wine. Victoria and I had gone over every detail of the plan, though the wine had dulled my senses at the time. It sharpened my focus today, however. Today, I wasn't Amy Sanchez. Today I was Amethyst Amadeus. And today I took what was mine.I leapt out of bed and onto the cool floor, my feet on their way down even though my mind was racing ahead to what lay in store. The fifty-billion-dollar stake Eleanor had left me in Grayson Industries was my weapon—my means of control over Gideon's empire, the man who betrayed me and left me. Today, I would be taking my first step toward claiming that power.In the shower, I let the hot water cascade over me, washing away any lingering sleep. My thoughts were busy going around the meeting I had to hold with Gideon, the man who once thought I was nothing. He didn't know what I'd become. I wasn't that weak Amy he'd discarded. I was som
Drown out the soft hum of the elevator, because one slid open to reveal the top floor of Grayson Enterprises. The building reflected Gideon's design taste: sleek, efficient, untouchable, this cool modern design breathed a refreshing air. I took in a breath, filling my lungs, then stepped forward. My heels clicked sharply on the marble floor, but my stride was slow and measured.As I entered, the receptionist outside Gideon's door looked up and flickered with recognition; she immediately stood up almost a little too quick and awkwardly fumbled to declare my arrival. "Ms. Amadeus, Mr. Grayson is inside”Thanks, I said, maintaining a velvety smoothness in my voice. I threw her a great smile and proceeded to walk further, directly to Gideon's office.Every step was choreographed; this was for the audience watching me. I wasn't Amy Sanchez anymore; I was Amethyst Amadeus, here to handle her grandmother's investment and make an impression.T
Gideon's features put the irritability to flight, replaced by amusement, his dark eyes for sincerity in mine. "Beloved ex-husband? You really like flinging that around, don't you?"I shrugged, keeping my tone light. "It has a nice ring to it. But let's not bother with our history, Gideon. I'm here for the company. My grandmother believed in this place, and now I'm determined to prove her right.".He just sat there for a minute, staring at me, turning something over in his head. Then his phone rang up from the top of his desk. He glanced at the screen, then back at me, annoyance flashing across his face for a fleeting instant."Personally hold that thought?" he said, reaching to answer his phone. "Be right back."I nodded as he stepped out of the office, leaving me behind to pretend to admire this almost sterile space. Skyline of the city pierced through the glass panes beyond. I was reminded at how far both of us had travelled.Moments later, Amethyst's phone rang in the silence. I pic
The air between us steadied itself, but the dim light of the restaurant cast shadows over the stare he gave me. My heart was pounding-with the thrill of holding the upper hand rather than out of fear. His plea hung heavy in the air and weighed upon him."Nicolai, let's be frank," I said in a calm, assertive voice. "I appreciate your feelings, but marriage isn't on my radar; I'm in the middle of rising up my company," and that had to come first.He hesitated, flickers of disappointment dancing in his eyes. "I know that, but—"No buts," I said tartly but politely enough, cutting him off as he was getting to the point. "I don't want to be pushed into anything. If you want to be in my life, you will have to respect my timeline."He leans back in his chair, really hearing my words. "I'll wait for you, Amethyst. I want to prove myself to you."Said I, looking up to meet his unwavering stare. But that's where this comes in: I wouldn't take anything less than what I could have earned. You're
The door to my office slammed behind Nicolai, his presence still lingering in the air like a storm cloud. I stood there, fists clenched, heart racing, as the sound of his footsteps echoed down the hallway. For a moment, I thought I might collapse under the weight of his words. “You owe me, Amethyst. You’re not getting out of this.”I tried to steady my breathing, tried to push the anger and frustration aside. I was done with him. Done.But even as I forced my thoughts to calm, I could feel the storm inside me building. Nicolai hadn’t come to talk—he had come to control, to make sure I stayed trapped in a deal I had made in a moment of weakness. He wasn’t going to let me walk away, but that didn’t mean I had to roll over and let him take everything.I grabbed my coat, my movements sharp and deliberate as I marched out of my office, my heels clicking on the floor with the same intensity that burned in my chest. As I reached the elevator, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Nicolai’s eyes
As the finality of the words echoed in my mind, I slammed the phone down onto the passenger seat, my breath coming in sharp, uneven bursts. The engine hummed louder in the quiet, but it did nothing to drown out the storm brewing in my chest. My grip on the wheel tightened until my knuckles were white, the car speeding through the dark streets as though the road could outrun my thoughts.Gideon. Nicolai. Both of them seemed to be haunting me, lurking at the edges of my mind, tugging at the threads of my past like they thought they had any claim to me. But they didn’t. I wouldn’t let them.I had promised Nicolai I would marry him. I hated how his words echoed in my mind, how they pushed into my thoughts no matter how hard I tried to ignore them. He had helped me bring justice to my mother, had fought alongside me when I needed it most. And in exchange, I had given my word—my promise—that I would marry him. A deal sealed in the chaos of a moment, but a deal nonetheless.I closed my eyes
As I drove through the empty streets, the cool night air creeping through the cracked window, I focused on keeping my grip firm on the steering wheel. The hum of the engine was a dull noise against the thundering thoughts in my head. My pulse still raced from the confrontation with Nicolai, but my mind was more preoccupied with the man who had shown up uninvited: Gideon.I shook my head, trying to clear the confusion swirling in my chest. It had been so long since I’d seen him, and yet, here he was, right when I least expected it.Gideon. I could still feel the weight of his gaze, the way his presence seemed to fill every space between us. But no matter how much he tried to be the hero in my life, I wouldn’t let him back in. Not after everything.The past was filled with too many scars, too many broken promises, for me to entertain the idea of letting him slip back into my life. What he did to me, what we had, couldn’t be undone. I wasn’t some helpless girl waiting for him to save me
Nicolai groaned, shaking his head, clearly dazed from the punch. Blood dripped from his split lip as he glared up at Gideon, struggling to get to his feet. “You think you can just show up and play the hero? You don’t know what’s going on, Gideon.”“I don’t need to know the details,” Gideon shot back, taking a step closer to Nicolai, his presence towering over him. “I just know you’ve hurt her enough. And I’m not going to stand by and let it happen again.”I stood frozen, still reeling from the shock of the scene unfolding in front of me. Gideon. Gideon was the one who had intervened. It had been so long since I’d seen him, let alone spoken to him, and now here he was, protecting me—when I least expected it.Nicolai, still on his knees, wiped the blood from his chin and glared up at both of us, his voice dripping with venom. “This isn’t over,” he spat. “
“Meet me at Marble diner,” I replied.Later that evening, I found myself waiting in a quiet café downtown, the place I had arranged to meet Nicolai. It was a small, secluded spot—ideal for a conversation I had no intention of backing down from.My phone buzzed in my pocket. Nicolai’s name flashed on the screen. My thumb hovered over the notification for a long moment. Should I answer? Should I make him wait?Finally, I clicked open the message.I’m here.I took a deep breath and stood, my posture straight, my expression set. No hesitation. I wasn’t about to let my emotions get the best of me.It didn’t take long before he appeared, cutting through the crowd like he owned the room. Nicolai’s eyes locked with mine instantly. Despite everything, I could still feel the old pull between us—but it was no longer enough to make me falter.He reached the table, his usual confident stride faltering for a split second when he saw the steel in my gaze. I didn’t move as he sat down across from me.
Days had passed since that conversation with Nicolai. The days felt like a blur, a haze of conflicting emotions and unanswered questions swirling in my mind. Every time I tried to focus on something, my thoughts inevitably drifted back to the phone call with Gideon, and the way Nicolai’s voice had cracked with emotion when I’d confronted him.It was almost like I was living in two worlds. There was the world with Nicolai, where everything felt so close to being perfect, where I wanted to believe in us again. And then there was the world with Gideon, a world full of regret, accusations, and a past I couldn’t seem to outrun.I tried to push it all aside, to focus on the present. I had to move on. I couldn’t let Gideon’s words—or Nicolai’s mistakes—ruin everything.But when I arrived home that evening, something felt off.I pulled my car into the driveway, the sound of the tires crunching on the gravel a familiar comfort. I grabbed my purse and walked towards the door, my mind still tang
The days that followed were suffocating, each moment heavier than the last. Alexa moved through the house like a shadow, her presence only a reminder of what we had lost, what I had lost. She continued her routine—making breakfast, cleaning, pretending that the life we had built together was still intact. But the more I watched her, the more I realized it was all just a charade.I stayed distant. I couldn’t bring myself to be near her, not after what had been said, not after the truth had finally come out. I kept to myself, retreating into the silence of my own mind, where the weight of the last few days pressed down on me like a physical force. The house felt colder than it ever had before, as if it were rejecting me, as if I were rejecting it. And Alexa? She felt like a stranger now.One morning, I found her sitting at the kitchen table, the same spot where we used to share coffee and talk about our days. Her hands were wrapped around a cup, her eyes distant, lost in thought. I stoo
“Alright,” I said, the words slipping out like a vow I’d made to the devil himself. “But after this, it’s really over. No coming back. No regrets.”The relief that flashed across her face was brief, almost imperceptible, but I caught it. And then it was gone, replaced by the resolve that had brought her here in the first place. She pulled out the papers from the pocket of her robe and set them on the desk with a crisp rustle. The sound echoed in the room, loud and final. I glanced at them, the ink on the page both freedom and a death sentence.With a steady hand, she signed her name, the motion so deliberate, so final, that it made my stomach twist. My heart squeezed in a way that made no sense, as if the world were shifting beneath me, changing forever.“It’s done,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.The weight of those words settled deep into my bones, and I stood there, rooted to the spot, as she turned and walked out of the room. The silence she left behind was deafening,
The tension in my chest was suffocating as I stared at the bartender, the question ringing in my ears: Was it worth fighting for?My jaw clenched, the stinging ache of regret and desire coiling deep inside me. I took a deep, shaky breath and looked at the amber liquid in my glass, the fire of the whiskey biting at my throat, numbing the chaos in my mind.Amethyst. Her name brought an ache that felt like it would crack my chest open. She deserved so much better than me. And yet, the thought of losing her forever was unbearable.I knew it was stupid, reckless even, but I couldn’t stop myself. I would fight for her, no matter how many times Nicolai pushed his way into her life, no matter how many times I screwed up. She was worth every battle, every scar. But I was running out of chances, out of time.“It’s worth fighting for,” I finally admitted, my voice barely more than a whisper, raw and vulnerable. “But I don’t know i