Alexander’s POVI pressed the phone to my ear, my jaw clenched so tightly it ached. The dial tone rang once, twice then Victor answered.“Alexander?” His voice was sharp, concerned. “How is it going?”I exhaled heavily, pinching the bridge of my nose. “The meeting, was a goddamn disaster.”There was silence on the other end before Victor spoke carefully. “What happened?”I ran a hand through my hair, my frustration boiling over. “I don’t know. I was fine, Victor. And then suddenly, during the meeting, I—I couldn’t think straight. My words were slurred, my head was a mess. I looked like an incompetent fool in front of everyone.”Victor cursed under his breath. “That doesn’t make any sense. Are you sick?”“No,” I snapped. “I felt perfectly fine until last night. I had one drink at the bar, then everything became hazy. I woke up this morning feeling like I’d been hit by a truck.”There was a brief pause before Victor spoke again. “Was anyone with you?”My fingers tightened around the pho
Alexander’s POV“Elena, it’s just a final authorization,” I said, my voice calm but firm. “It ensures that Spears Manufacturing is secured permanently. Your father’s company will be safe.”Her fingers tightened around the pen, but she didn’t sign right away. “And this is the last step?”I nodded. “The last step.”There was a moment of silence, then finally she exhaled and signed her name. My eyes lingered on the elegant strokes of her handwriting, a strange mixture of satisfaction and something else something heavier settling in my chest.Elena set the pen down and studied me. “Now that it’s done, tell me. What happens next?”I leaned back, fingers drumming against the table. “Now we move forward, and Spears Manufacturing remains protected.”She didn’t look fully convinced. “If you say so, anything for my father right?”My jaw clenched. “Ofcourse.”“You don’t have to Look so serious” Elena murmured watching me carefully.I forced a smirk “you know me, I don’t take things lightly”She
Elena’s POVThe room was deathly silent. All eyes were on Victoria, whose expression flickered between shock, rage, and disbelief.“You can’t be serious,” she said again, her voice sharper this time.Alexander remained composed, his fingers steepled together as he leaned back in his chair. “I’m always serious, Victoria.”One of the executives, an older man with a salt-and-pepper beard, cleared his throat hesitantly. “Mr. Wells, if I may—this is a rather abrupt decision. Could we at least be given some insight as to why?”Victoria straightened, regaining some of her composure as she looked around the room, seeking allies. “Yes, I think we all deserve an explanation,” she said smoothly, though her voice carried an unmistakable edge.Alexander exhaled slowly, his patience thinning. “This decision was made after thorough investigations,” he stated, his voice even but firm. “The details, however, remain confidential.”Victoria scoffed. “Confidential?” She turned to the board. “You’re all j
Victoria’s POV “Knows what, exactly?” Adrian asked I exhaled sharply, my fingers trembling. “Everything, Adrian. He kicked me out of the company. He knows about the missing painting, Elena’s disappearance that night, the blackmail. Everything.”There was a long silence on the other end. When Adrian finally spoke, his voice was slow and calculated. “Are you sure?”I scoffed. “Of course, I’m sure! The company sent me a mail stating why I eas kicked out.” My throat tightened. “I can’t believe he actually did this to me.”“That boy has always been a bastard,” Adrian muttered bitterly. “Yet you still chose him over me. Sacrificed so much for him. And now? Betrayed twice.”I clenched my jaw. “I didn’t call for a lecture, Adrian.”“No? Then why did you call?” His voice dripped with mockery. “To cry about the man you lost? Or are you finally realizing that you backed the wrong horse?”My grip on the phone tightened. “I’m not ready for this conversation.”“Oh, but you’ll have it eventually,
Mia’s POVMy heart pounded in my chest. I had been careless.Lorenzo’s head tilted, his sharp eyes narrowing. “Did you hear that?”Alexander barely reacted, but I saw the subtle shift in his posture tense, alert. “It sounded like someone was talking”My pulse skyrocketed. I dropped into a crouch behind the cabinet, pressing myself against the cold wall, praying neither of them would come closer.Lorenzo and Alexander exchanged a look before they both rose from their seats. Lorenzo walked toward the doorway first, his expensive loafers clicking against the marble floor. Alexander followed, his movements controlled, but I could feel his suspicion thickening the air.I squeezed my eyes shut. Please don’t find me.Lorenzo peeked into the hallway. “There’s no one here.”Alexander’s gaze swept over the room, lingering for a moment longer near my hiding spot. My breath hitched. Does he see me?Seconds passed. Then he turned back to Lorenzo. “Probably nothing.”Lorenzo chuckled, shaking his h
Elena’s POVI sighed as I kept dialing again, my fingers gripping it tightly. Come on, Mia. Pick up. But for the second time, my call went unanswered. My stomach twisted uneasily as I lowered the phone, exhaling sharply.Alexander emerged from the bathroom just then, steam curling around him as he stepped into the room, completely naked.I blinked. “Seriously?”He cocked his head, amused. “What?”I gestured vaguely at his body. “You’re just… out here, like that?”He smirked, stepping toward the dresser. “It’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”Heat crawled up my neck, but I rolled my eyes, determined not to give him the satisfaction. “Mia didn’t pick up.”Alexander frowned, running a towel over his damp hair. “Maybe she’s busy or something.”I nodded, worry still gnawing at my mind, but Alexander was now watching me with an intensity that made me shift in my seat.“What?” I asked.He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he dropped the towel and walked toward me with slow, deliberate ste
Elena’s POVI swallowed, gripping the phone tighter. “Alright. Where do you want to meet?”Mia exhaled sharply. “The coffee shop near the park. Café Aurora. Five o’clock.”I checked the time just past noon. That gave me a few hours. “Fine. I’ll be there.”“Good.” Her voice was clipped, like she had more to say but was holding back.“Mia,” I pressed, “what is this about? Did something happen to you?”A brief silence stretched between us before she muttered, “I’ll explain when we meet.”The call ended before I could push further, leaving a strange unease simmering in my chest. Something was off.I set my phone down, exhaling as I turned my attention back to Isla, who had been patiently waiting across from me, her fingers lightly tapping against the table.“Everything alright?” she asked, tilting her head.“Yeah,” I said, forcing a smile. “Just something I need to handle later.”She nodded, studying me for a moment before gesturing toward the paintings I had displayed. “Alright. Before w
Elena’s POVI swallowed hard, my feet rooted to the floor as I stared at my father. I had seen him tired before, weary from long days managing his business, but I had never seen him like this looking, crushed and defeated. His face was pale, his usually composed expression broken apart by lines of anguish.“Dad?” I whispered again, stepping closer this time.His head lifted slowly, eyes red-rimmed, as though he had been holding back tears for far too long. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out at first. He swallowed hard and then tried again. “It’s the company, Elena. Spears Manufacturing… it’s crumbling this time.”I frowned, my heart hammering against my ribs. “What do you mean? The business was thriving just months ago, especially with Alexander’s efforts. I don’t understand.”A hollow chuckle escaped his lips, but there was no humor in it. “Neither do I.” He rubbed his forehead. “It was moving really smoothly and at some point I knew we had been struggling, but I thought it wa
Alexander’s POV“I’ll sort Adrian out.”Victoria’s voice was steady, but I didn’t trust it. I folded my arms and leaned back against the leather chair in my office, watching her carefully.“You’ll sort him out?” I repeated, skepticism dripping from my tone. “Sorting out isn’t enough for someone who nearly destroyed my reputation and kidnapped my wife like a madman. You expect me to believe he won’t blackmail you again?”Victoria exhaled and stepped closer. “Alexander, listen to me. Adrian is obsessed with me, yes, but I know how to handle him now. I won’t let him come after me or the company again.”I scoffed. “And what exactly is your plan?”“I have my ways, just trust me please.”Her answer was vague, and I hated that. “That’s the problem, I can’t trust you Victoria.”She sighed, rubbing her temples. “Look, I know I messed up before, but I swear I’ve changed. I want to come back, and I want to make things right. You need someone you can trust in your company—someone who understands
Victoria’s POV“It’s time for what papa?” I asked, gripping my phone tighter. My father’s voice was calm but firm, carrying that heavy weight of authority that always made my stomach twist.“Since you refuse to come to Milan, I will come to Florida.”My heart nearly stopped. “What?”“I should have done this sooner,” he continued. “This situation has gone on long enough. Your silence, your avoidance—it all tells me there’s something you’re not saying. If you won’t come to me, I have no choice but to come to you.”Panic surged through me. “You don’t have to do that,” I said quickly, forcing out a small laugh as if the idea were ridiculous. “I mean, I’ve just been… busy. Things are under control, really.”“Victoria.” His voice held no patience for my excuses. “Enough.”I swallowed hard. “Dad, please. There’s no need to—”“I’ll be in Florida soon.”The finality in his voice made my chest tighten. “Dad—”The call ended.I let out a shaky breath, pressing my phone against my forehead. Shit.
Alexander’s POVLorenzo met my gaze, his jaw tightening. “I want answers.”I let out a sharp laugh, shaking my head as he reached for the glass of whiskey he’d abandoned earlier. “Answers?” He took a slow sip before setting the glass down. “To what, exactly?”I leaned forward, bracing my hands against the desk. “To this mess, Alexander. To the way my name and yours is being dragged through every damn blog and media outlet. To the way the showcase was sabotaged. To how exactly I got tangled in all of this.”My eyes darkened. “You think I wanted this?” My voice dropped, the underlying anger in it barely restrained. “Do you think I enjoy waking up to headlines splashing my name across the internet like I’m some fucking criminal?” I scoffed, shaking my head. “I was supposed to be the shadow, Lorenzo. The one pulling strings from behind the scenes, not the one thrown into the public eye like a circus act.”I studied him for a moment. For all his arrogance, there was a layer of genuine fru
Elena’s POVVictoria stood near one of the displayed paintings, arms folded across her chest, a smug smile curling on her lips the second her gaze met mine.“Well, well, well,” she said, her voice dripping with mockery. “Look what the cat dragged in.”Isla, beside me, exhaled softly but said nothing. My eyes flickered to her briefly, but her expression was unreadable—calm, indifferent. She made no move to acknowledge Victoria, and Victoria, in turn, acted like she didn’t see her. But something in the way Isla stiffened ever so slightly didn’t sit right with me.“You seem surprised to see me,” Victoria continued, stepping closer, her heels clicking against the polished floor. “I figured after that… spectacle you put on at the showcase, you’d be too busy hiding under a rock somewhere.”I squared my shoulders, refusing to let her get under my skin. “Funny. I was thinking the same about you.”Victoria let out a laugh, sharp and taunting. “Oh, darling, please. Unlike you, I don’t crumble u
Mia reached into the box and picked up the bracelet, her eyes widening as she turned it over in her palm. It wasn’t just any bracelet—it was expensive-looking, delicate yet striking. A thick, silver band wrapped around itself in an intricate woven design, almost like intertwining vines. The metal had a polished gleam, catching the dim light in the room, and at the center was a locket charm. Mia clicked it open, revealing a tiny, hand-painted portrait of Elena inside.“Oh, wow,” Mia breathed, holding it up to the light. “This is some real Romeo shit.”Elena said nothing. Her fingers curled around the edge of the box, heart hammering against her ribs.Mia turned the bracelet in her hands again, tilting her head as she examined the artistry. “Look at this detail. This isn’t some basic mass-produced jewelry; this was customized. The way the edges are carved? The way your picture’s been hand-painted and set into the locket instead of just printed? Girl, Victor did not play around with this
Elena’s POVI blinked, sure I had misheard him. “What?”Victor’s eyes remained steady on mine. “I think Isla might be involved.”I let out a sharp laugh. “You think Isla—my assistant —is involved? Are you even hearing yourself?”Victor sighed, leaning back slightly. “Elena, I need you to listen—”“No, you listen,” I snapped. “You don’t get to come in here and start pointing fingers at someone who has been nothing but good to me.”Mia, who had been silently munching on her fruit, straightened up. “Wait. I’m gonna need some context for this one.” “Who’s isla again ?”I turned to her “Isla Kerrington, she’s my personal assistant and her reason why I got on that showcase”“Oh that’s nice , so mr Victor, why is she your suspect?”Victor exhaled. “Look, something happened in London when Alexander was away.”I crossed my arms. “I know that’s where Alexander met Isla for the first time.”“Right,” Victor nodded. “But what you don’t know is that something strange happened to Alexander during t
Elena’s POV“You won’t at least take the flowers?” he asked, tilting his head slightly.I stared at them again. I had no reason to accept anything from him. Yet, something in the way he was looking at me, almost as if he was pleading, made me reach out and take them.“Fine,” I muttered, plucking them from his grasp.Victor’s lips twitched into a small smile, but I turned away before I could acknowledge it. I walked into the living room, setting the flowers down on the coffee table before sitting on the couch. Victor followed, sitting across from me.The air between us was thick, unspoken words sitting on both our tongues. Before either of us could say anything, footsteps sounded behind us.“Well, well, well,” Mia’s voice was laced with sarcasm as she strolled into the room, arms crossed. “Look what we have here, the Romantic lawyer himself .”Victor chuckled, shaking his head. “Always a pleasure, Mia.”Mia smirked. “Flowers? Gifts? What’s next, a violinist playing love songs outside
Isla’s POVI grabbed the phone and answered immediately.“Elena?”“Isla,” she breathed, her voice quiet but urgent. “I need to talk to you.”I frowned, my grip on the phone tightening. “Are you okay? How are you doing ?, sorry I didn’t reach out to you after I left the hospital”There was a brief pause before she sighed. “It’s fine Isla.”Something in her tone put me on edge. “What’s wrong, you don’t sound fine”.Elena hesitated, as if she was weighing her words carefully. “I don’t know Isla, the whole thing from the showcase, my name being on blogs, has put my career on the line and I’m just so overwhelmed.”I exhaled, sinking into the chair. “I know Elena, but don’t worry about it, soon something else would take over from this and the bloggers would move on. Besides, I reached out to the sponsors and PR team of the showcase already ““Really?” I could feel the excited in her voice “Yes Elena, you have nothing to worry about for now”“For now?” She asked “Yes, they would have to ge
Victoria’s POV“Who the fuck is this?”The words flew out of my mouth before I even processed the call. I wasn’t comfortable having this phone call while I was still at Alexander’s premises. Then, silence. A beat too long.And then“Are you fucking serious right now, Victoria?”Victor, I realized.I blinked, my grip tightening on the phone as recognition settled in. “Oh.” A slow smirk crept onto my lips. “Victor, darling, didn’t expect to hear from you so soon. What, miss me already?”His voice was ice, laced with barely controlled rage. “You set me up, you crazy bitch. Right ?”I rolled my eyes, already bored. “Oh, please. Set you up? I did you a favor.”“A favor?” he spat. “Are you out of your damn mind?”I sighed dramatically, looking around cautiously before responding “Think about it, genius. Now that Elena thinks Alexander’s some bitter, conniving snake, guess what? She won’t go running back to him anytime soon.” I let that sink in before adding, “Which means you have the perfe