Suzanne's pov:The next morning, I stirred awake, my body still aching from the intensity of the night before. A lazy smile played on my lips as I stretched, reaching across the bed, expecting to feel Dominic beside me.But the bed was empty.My smile faded as my eyes fluttered open. The space beside me was cold, as if he had been gone for a while. I sat up, my gaze scanning the room, only to hear the faint sound of running water.The bathroom door was slightly open, and through the gap, I saw Dominic step out, a towel wrapped loosely around his waist, droplets of water still clinging to his chiselled chest.His dark eyes met mine, but there was no softness, no trace of last night’s passion. Just the usual unreadable expression.“Good morning,” I said hesitantly, watching him as he ran a hand through his damp hair.He barely acknowledged me. “Go to your room.”My heart sank, but I masked it quickly, nodding stiffly before slipping out of the bed and making my way to my room.A short w
Suzanne's pov:He didn’t answer immediately, just watched me with those dark, unreadable eyes. Finally, he said, "I told them to leave."I swallowed hard. "Why? What is going on?" I strode a little towards him.He stepped closer, his gaze never leaving mine. "Because I wanted us to be alone." A chill ran down my spine, but it wasn’t fear. It was something else. It was, confusion.My breath caught as his hands reached for me. I tried to resist, my mind still reeling from what I had seen at the café, but his touch was too familiar, too intoxicating. My body betrayed me, melting under his touch even as my mind screamed at me to push him away.I felt his breath ghost over my skin, his fingers tracing slow, deliberate patterns on my arms, and my waist. "You’re mine, Suzanne," he murmured, his voice laced with something dark, something possessive.“If I am yours, then why do you see other women?” I blattered out. I could see the shock on his face as he pulled backwards. “What do you mea
Dominic’s pov:Seated properly on the bed, I exhaled, my eyes locked onto hers. "I haven't been with anyone since we got married. I’m telling you the truth."Suzanne remained silent, her expression unreadable. I leaned forward slightly, my voice steady but firm. “And I'm not ready to talk about Rachel. I would really appreciate it if you could just trust me and let me handle things."I waited, watching the emotions flicker across her face. Finally, she sighed. "Okay."Before I could say anything else, the door creaked open, and Kai walked in, rubbing his sleepy eyes. I smiled at him, giving Suzanne one last look before standing up and leaving the room.Suzanne's pov:"Hey, baby," I said, my voice softening as I pulled Kai onto the bed beside me. "What have you been up to lately?""Well," he drawled, a sleepy grin spreading across his little face, "my new dad has been buying me a lot of toys. He even got me the LEGO I asked you for last Christmas!"I froze, my breath catching as I lis
Dominic’s pov:Dinner at home was always very quiet. Not because it had to be, but because I preferred it that way. I ate, I left. Suzanne never tried to force conversation. She had learned quickly.But tonight was different.Tonight, I wanted to talk.Suzanne sat across from me, focused on her plate, as usual. Kai sat beside her, swinging his legs, too distracted by his new toy car to eat properly.I leaned back in my chair and set my fork down, the sound made Suzanne glance up. I missed the way her shoulders stiffened slightly, like she wasn’t sure what to expect.“I’ve made arrangements for Kai’s school,” I said.Suzanne blinked. “What?”“A private school,” I continued, keeping my tone even. “One of the best. He’ll have a personal driver, a bodyguard, and a nanny to ensure his safety.”Her fork hovered over her plate. “You… you already arranged everything?”“Yes.”She looked stunned. “Dominic, that’s—”“The best option for him,” I interrupted. “Security is non-negotiable.”She hes
Suzanne's pov:Tavon had posted a picture of me.My face was all over the internet, accompanied by words that made my blood run cold.“Meet the biggest gold digger and whore. My ex-wife, who wasted years of my life, now suddenly married to none other than billionaire Dominic Khan. Guess she finally hit the jackpot. The funny thing is, she’s still legally my wife. So tell me, Suzanne, when did bigamy become legal?.”The comments were a mix of shock, judgment, and crude speculation.I gripped my phone tighter, my vision blurring at the edges. And then I saw the worst part.Tavon had named Dominic. He had exposed my marriage.Everyone knew now.A shaky breath escaped my lips as realization sank in. This wasn’t just a social media scandal... This was war!!!My hands trembled as I scrolled through the comments, my breathing uneven. The screen felt like it was burning in my palm. The message he sent wasn’t enough, and now this?Pacing the room, I could barely think straight. My name was ev
Chapter 12: “Rachel Is Out Of The Country”Dominic's pov:I stilt, my ears alert to what Desmond was about to say. “My team discovered that Stella had made a post on the day of your wedding day.”An awkward silence lingered on both sides before he continued. “She wrote that her bestie was now Mrs Khan.” my forehead creased and my jaw twitched in anger and disappointment. “I really thought there was a spy in your household, but thankfully there isn't.” He added.“Alright then, thank you for being competent and reliable once again,” I complimented him, and ended the call before he could say another word.I decided to take a stroll into the big garden in my courtyard. Walking out through the hallways of my mansion I heard a soft moan which made me halt.Taking a sharp breath I walked towards Suzanne's room, where I suspected the sound to have come from. When I neared her door I heard another moan but this time there sounded like sobs, so I pushed in without thinking about knocking.“Za
Suzanne's pov:I stiffened as a voice came from behind me.“What is going on here?”I turned sharply, my heart still racing from the secretary’s strange reaction. Standing there, arms crossed and watching me with an amused smirk was Desmond.“Desmond,” I breathed out, still trying to process everything.He stepped closer, glancing at the nervous secretary before looking back at me. “What are you doing here?”I squared my shoulders, forcing myself to sound casual. “I came to see Dominic.”Desmond’s smirk deepened. “Let me guess, this was Stella’s idea?”I let out a small laugh, shaking my head. “It was more of my idea. Stella just gave me the motivation.”He chuckled, shaking his head. “Figures.”Before I could say anything else, Desmond gestured toward Dominic’s office. “Come on, then. Let’s go see the boss.”We walked in together, still laughing at our little exchange, but the second I stepped into Dominic’s office and saw him sitting behind his massive desk, the laughter died in my
Dominic’s pov:As we stepped out of the office, the cool evening air barely registered. Suzanne was saying something, her voice soft, and casual, but the words blurred together, drowned by the storm in my mind.Why did I let the secretary go? Why did I listen to her?That wasn’t me.I didn’t listen to anyone. I didn’t bend. Yet the moment Suzanne spoke, something in me… hesitated. I should’ve been furious, should’ve made an example of that idiot for interrupting me. But instead, I let him walk away.Because she asked.My jaw tightened. I hated how easily she had swayed me. Had it been anyone else, I wouldn’t have given it a second thought. I would have issued the punishment without blinking. But with her? It was different.Dangerously different…I barely noticed when we reached the car. She slid into the passenger seat, her silk dress gliding effortlessly against the leather. I forced my eyes forward and started the engine. The low purr of the car filled the tense silence as I pulle
Dominic’s pov:I didn’t realize how long I’d been sitting in that chair.The office was dark now, painted in shadows, the only light spilling in from the city skyline beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.The once-busy hum of staff had long since faded.Phones stopped ringing. Emails went unanswered. Even the steady ticking of the antique clock on the wall felt like it was echoing louder than it should.I hadn’t moved since the ruling.My fingers were still clenched around the edge of the armrest, knuckles bleached white. I felt detached from my body, like I was a ghost hovering above myself, watching the slow unravelling of a man who’d never been allowed to lose before.My heartbeat thudded in my ears like war drums, but everything else was quiet.Too quiet.The courtroom played like a reel in my mind, frame by brutal frame.Linda’s entrance is like a queen returning to a throne that never belonged to her.The judge was already in her pocket.The smug politicians, their loyalty boug
Dominic’s pov:The courtroom wasn’t unfamiliar to meI’d been in and out of them for years, lawsuits, zoning battles, acquisition disputes.But this one was different. This wasn’t about money, or concrete, or blueprints.This was personal!!!I walked in, flanked by Peter Black and Ford.The weight of tailored silence followed me.My presence was enough to make heads turn and mouths shut. Cameras lined the marble corridor outside. Linda wanted the media circus. She wanted the public eye. She was probably somewhere smiling already.My eyes scanned the room.She was already seated, radiant in a navy pantsuit that hugged her curves like sin, her golden hair pinned in a deliberately messy chignon that made her look effortlessly powerful.Her lips curled when our gazes locked like this was a game and she had the upper hand.I didn’t blink. I didn’t give her the satisfaction of a smirk or a glare.The judge entered, an aging man named Harold R. Linley.I’d met him years ago. Back then, he w
Dominic’s pov: The envelope wasn’t hand-delivered. That would’ve been too loud. Too messy. Too traceable.Instead, it came folded in thick ivory paper, nestled inside a black leather folder and passed to me by Desmond, who looked as if he’d seen a ghost.“It’s from her,” he said grimly. “Linda.”I took it. No expression. No words. The weight of it was heavier than the folder itself.I cracked it open, my hands steady even as my heart slammed against my ribs.A formal letterhead. A lawyer’s name I recognized was Greaves & Hanley. One of the most vicious corporate litigation firms on the East Coast.I scanned the first page. Then the second. My jaw tightened with every line.She was filing for administrative control over Khan Architectural.Citing “neglect of fiduciary duties,” “executive mismanagement,” and “shareholder endangerment.”Bullshit. Crafted, polished, and loaded with legal jargon, but still bullshit.Desmond was already pacing behind me. “She’s aiming for a hostile takeo
Linda’s pov:The rooftop bar was empty, private, exclusive, and overlooking the glowing skyline.The kind of place reserved for power plays and whispered betrayals.A steady wind tugged at my silk coat as I crossed the deck toward Tavon, who sat alone in the corner booth with a glass of whiskey in hand like a man planning a revolution.I didn’t sit immediately.I stood at the railing, overlooking the city as if it were mine to command.In a way, it still was. These buildings, these men, these stories? I’d been part of their foundations long before they started pretending I didn’t matter.“Took you long enough,” Tavon muttered, not even glancing up.I finally turned, sliding into the seat across from him like I owned the night. “I had to make sure I wasn’t followed. Dominic’s hounds are everywhere these days.”He smirked. “That’s because he knows someone’s playing chess with his life. I crossed my legs, fingers toying with the gold chain at my throat. “He will soon.”“What’s this meet
Dominic’s pov:The conference room was silent, eerily so.The only sound was the soft hum of the AC and the occasional click of Desmond’s fingers flying across his laptop as he mirrored the contents of the flash drive onto the secure screen.Everyone watched the black window flicker to life, revealing what looked like simple folders. Just names. Some were labelled “Suzanne.” Others, “Dominic K” One was marked Contract in bold.My jaw clenched.Desmond’s eyes narrowed. “Something’s wrong.”Ford stood from the corner, arms folded. “It’s too clean. Too organized. This wasn’t put together by Linda.”Desmond nodded slowly, fingers halting over the keys. “It’s a decoy.”I stepped forward. “Open it.”“I’m not sure that’s a good—”“Do it,” I ordered. My voice echoed in the room, hard as steel.He clicked.At first, the folder opened like a normal file.A few documents popped up, screenshots, edited contracts, and old bank records that meant nothing. But then Desmond’s entire screen flickered
Dominic’s pov:The boardroom was filled with chatter, screens glowing as Ford gave his report. I sat at the head of the table, my gaze unreadable, jaw tight, arms crossed.The room buzzed with low voices, papers rustling as updates rolled out, but my mind wasn’t fully in it.Not after the message Desmond forwarded earlier this morning, an anonymous tip about a possible breach in our private server.I’d already ordered the team to trace the source. My gut told me it wasn’t random, not with how quiet Tavon had been lately.And Suzanne… the way she looked last night, wrapped in my sheets, clinging to sleep like it was her only safe place… I couldn’t get it out of my head.She hadn’t said much this morning, but her eyes said everything. She needed peace. And I would burn the whole world to give it to her.“Dominic?” Ford asked, catching my attention.I blinked once. “Continue.”The glass windows overlooking the city reflected a pristine skyline, one I had built, piece by piece. Brick by
Suzanne’s pov:I was curled up in the armchair beside the balcony doors, one of Dominic’s throw blankets wrapped around my shoulders… The soft rumble of distant waves rolled through the partially opened doors, the morning sun casting faint golden streaks across the marble floors.I wasn’t reading. I wasn’t scrolling. I was just… sitting. Letting the quiet be enough.Everything about last night still lingered, his hands, his breath, the way he looked at me like I was the only thing in the world that made sense.After everything that had shattered between us, something felt stitched back together, like some part of me that had gone numb was warm again.Still fragile, still trembling at the edges, but healing.My fingers traced slow circles over the fabric on my lap.I hadn’t spoken to Dominic yet this morning.He’d gone to handle some business, or so he’d said when he left our bed at dawn.But he didn’t leave like a man escaping. He kissed my forehead, tucked the blanket around me, a
Tavon’s pov:The text had come at dawn. No name. Just a number I hadn't seen in months. But I knew that tone. Sharp. Calculated. Dangerous.“We both know how much your pride matters. But if you don’t pick up my call, I’ll send your precious videos to your mother first. Then your church group.”Fiona.I stared at the message for a full minute, my mind still foggy from the restless night before.The audacity. She really had the nerve to crawl back from whatever cave she’d vanished into, after ruining everything and leaving me like a fool.I let the phone ring twice when she finally called. Just to let her wait.Then I answered. “You got some balls, showing up now.”Her voice came in cool, unbothered. “You always did like my balls better than your own.”I chuckled bitterly. “Still a bitch, I see.”“And you’re still a fool. So nothing’s changed.” She didn’t laugh. “But let’s not waste time with banter. You know why I’m calling.”I slumped deeper into the leather seat of my rented apartme
Dominic’s pov:The morning light seeped through the curtains like a silent witness to the night before. Golden slivers danced across the sheets, casting faint shadows over the woman lying beside me.Suzanne.Her breathing was soft, steady—peaceful in a way I hadn’t seen in a long time. Her lashes fluttered slightly, lost in whatever world sleep had drawn her into.I sat up slowly, careful not to wake her. My hand braced against the mattress, muscles tensing as I watched her for a long moment. There was something sacred about this quiet. A rare pause in the chaos.But peace had never been mine to keep.I brushed a thumb across her cheek, lingering just long enough to memorize the softness there. And then I rose from the bed. The cold air met my skin like a jolt back to reality, to everything I’d tried to bury in the heat of last night.Tavon.That bastard’s voice still echoed in my head. “Let’s see how loyal he stays when he sees the real you…”I clenched my jaw, grabbing a clean s