The tension in the room was suffocating. His eyes fixed on mine with an intensity that made my pulse race. He had just asked me a question that I had no idea how to answer—one that felt like it had the weight of the world on it.I opened my mouth to respond, but the words were stuck. My mind was a whirlwind of confusion and fear. I didn’t know what I was doing, and I didn’t know how to make him understand. His gaze was unwavering, a mixture of frustration and something else I couldn’t quite place. His patience had worn thin, and it was clear he was waiting for me to make up my mind.But I couldn’t.I couldn’t bear to let him down, to disappoint him after everything he had done for me. Nicolai had stood by me through the chaos of the past few days, supporting me when no one else did, and now he was asking me to take another step forward—toward something I wasn’t sure I was ready for.Engagement? The word echoed in my mind. It was too much, too soon. Yet, in the depths of my heart, ther
Gideon’s shoulders stiffened at my words, and for a moment, he didn’t respond. The tension between us was palpable, thick enough that I could almost taste it in the air. His eyes remained locked on mine, searching, probing, as if he were trying to figure out what I was truly thinking.“I’m here, Amethyst, because I need to apologize,” he said, his voice quieter now, but filled with an edge of desperation. “For everything. For Alexa. For what happened. For the hurt I caused you.” He paused, the words clearly weighing on him. “I know it won’t fix anything, but I need you to understand that I never meant for any of this to happen. I never meant for you to be dragged into the mess that was my life.”I couldn’t suppress the small laugh that escaped me. It was bitter, mocking, and entirely reflexive. “You think this apology changes anything?” I asked, leaning back in my chair, crossing my arms. “You think this makes it better, Gideon? That your words will erase the damage done?”His express
Gideon’s presence at my window startled me, and for a moment, I just stared at him, trying to process what was happening. My heart raced, and I could feel my pulse in my throat.“What the hell are you doing here?” I snapped, keeping the window locked, but I didn’t feel the usual sharpness in my voice this time. There was just an odd tension in the air. His presence felt both too familiar and strangely out of place.He glanced down at the phone in his hand—my phone, the one I’d left on the restaurant table when I’d stormed out. His fingers tightened around it as he spoke, voice low but clear.“I’m here to return this,” he said. “You left it behind, and I figured you’d want it back. And... I also saw your car from the road. It looks like it’s having trouble.”I tried to hide the flush of embarrassment that crept up my neck. Of course, he’d seen me stranded here. The universe really had a cruel sense of humor. “I didn’t ask for your help,” I muttered, my tone more defensive than I meant.
When I arrived, I slammed the car door shut and pulled the collar of my jacket up, trying to shield myself from the lingering chill of the rain. The downpour had finally let up, but the air was still thick with the remnants of the storm. My boots splashed in the puddles as I walked toward the front gate of my house, cursing under my breath. I hadn’t planned on this kind of day—not with the car, not with Gideon. But here I was, standing in front of my house, trying to process the bizarre chain of events that had led me to this point.He stood by the car, his posture rigid, almost as if he had been waiting there for a while. His dark, wet hair stuck to his forehead, and his shirt clung to his skin, still soaked from the rain. He looked out of place, standing in front of my house like he had a right to be there. My stomach twisted. I hadn’t even heard him pull up.He spotted me as soon as I stopped, and his eyes softened with a hint of concern, the way he always looked when he was trying
He blinked, as if trying to process my words, before nodding and taking a hesitant step toward me. His eyes flickered briefly to the stairs before returning to my face, a mix of uncertainty and curiosity in his gaze. I didn’t give him a second thought as I turned on my heel, striding toward the staircase with purpose.I couldn’t afford to think too much about what was happening. This wasn’t a moment for reflection or weakness. I had my rules, my boundaries, and I wasn’t about to let anyone—especially Gideon—break them now.As I reached the top of the stairs, I glanced back over my shoulder, only to find him standing a few steps behind, looking somewhat out of place. It almost amused me how hesitant he seemed, as though the world I’d built around myself was foreign to him now.I pushed open the door to my bedroom without a word, stepping inside and letting out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. I needed to get away from his presence, to create some distance—physically and men
“I don’t miss him,” I snapped, my words harsher than I intended. “You’re wrong, Marta. You have no idea what you're talking about.”She didn’t flinch or back away. Instead, she walked closer, her gaze softening with an almost motherly warmth. “I may not know everything, Madam,” she said quietly, “but I know you. And I know when your heart is in pain, even if you try to hide it.”I felt my throat tighten, and for a fleeting second, I almost let the tears that had been threatening to spill over break free. But I swallowed hard, pushing them down, refusing to show any more weakness. I wouldn’t let myself fall into that trap.“I’m fine,” I repeated, though it sounded less convincing this time. “I’m just fine, Marta.”She nodded slowly, but I could see the concern still lingering in her eyes. She didn’t push me further, though I knew she wanted to. Instead, she gave me a small, understanding smile, one that spoke volumes without saying a word.“I’ll take care of everything, Madam,” she sai
I couldn’t help but smile as Victoria approached, practically glowing with excitement. "I’ve got amazing news!" she practically burst out, her voice practically vibrating with energy.I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What’s going on?""Our sales have skyrocketed! We're up by 50%! Can you believe it?" Victoria’s eyes sparkled as she spoke, clearly elated. "I had to tell you immediately—this is huge, Amethyst!"I felt a wave of pride rush through me. It had been a tough few months, but this—this was a victory. "That’s incredible! I honestly didn’t expect it to happen so quickly, but this is huge!""I know, right?" She was practically bouncing on her heels. "We need to celebrate!" Her grin grew even wider. "Lunch? Maybe that new place you mentioned? What do you think?"The idea of a celebration sounded perfect—especially after everything that had happened. "Actually," I said, an idea forming in my mind, "Nicolai invited me to lunch earlier. He said he wanted to take me to this fancy rest
I could feel the breath catch in my chest as I saw Gideon sitting at the table. His presence was like a storm cloud hanging low in the room, darkening everything around it. The cool, detached look in his eyes as they flickered toward me didn’t help matters—it made the air feel even heavier.For a moment, I thought about turning around, walking out, pretending I hadn’t seen him. But Nicolai, always alert, must have noticed my sudden pause. He glanced in the direction I was staring and then at me, his expression unreadable.“Is something wrong?” Nicolai asked, his voice smooth but laced with a hint of concern—or was it curiosity?I took a breath, forcing myself to regain control. “No, nothing. Let’s just go,” I said, plastering on a smile and trying to ignore the knot in my stomach.But Nicolai didn’t budge. Instead, he tilted his head slightly toward Gideon, eyes narrowing. "That’s... unexpected. He’s here."I shrugged, my smile not quite reaching my eyes. "I’m sure it’s just a coincid
The door clicked shut behind me with a finality that echoed in the stillness of the house. I leaned against it for a moment, my head resting on the cool wood, as the weight of the confrontation with Gideon settled over me like a heavy cloak. My breath was shaky, my heart still pounding in my chest. I had said everything I needed to say, everything I’d been holding back for years, but it still didn’t feel like enough.The anger that had fueled me outside still burned, but beneath it, there was a deeper, more painful exhaustion. I’d closed the door on him, but something inside me felt like it had been left open.I pushed off the door and stepped into the foyer, the dim light from the hallway casting long shadows on the walls. My hands were trembling, my mind racing with thoughts of Nicolai, Gideon, and the unshakable feeling that something was coming—something I couldn’t outrun.I walked into the living room, only half-aware of where I was going. My eyes drifted over the space—pictures
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,