She stood in front of the elevator, waiting for it, when her phone vibrated. Arabella quickly reached for it, thinking it might be a call from Mason. She certainly did not want to talk to her husband, but she knew that ignoring Mason's calls had disastrous consequences.However, upon looking at the caller ID photo, she saw that the person calling her was Banks.For a moment, she thought about not answering. It would be better for her disturbed mind. Because after hearing his husky voice, the part of her that was attracted to that man would not let her think clearly."Hi," she suddenly found herself answering.She could not not answer!"Are you busy?" the man's voice had exactly the effect Arabella feared.It was as if her senses were trained to identify the sounds that Damon's mouth uttered. Arabella breathed in and out before responding because she knew the chances of stuttering were high."Not anymore.""Then tell me. How about dinner tonight?" he pressed."It would be nice to get o
Arabella was curious to know more about that family, but contented herself with the information Dora was willing to provide."It was good for Damon too," Dorothy murmured.The matriarch seemed to drift off as she slid her fingers across the glass of the dining table. Those words were more for herself than for Arabella. She was glad to have a listener, as her husband and son were men of few words, and Arabella was polite enough to be interested in all subjects."I am sure he missed you.""He had to deal with a lot of problems," Dora looked at Arabella with a faint smile. However, her eyes could not deny the weight her heart felt."Problems?""Yes. George and I traveled and left a huge mess for him to sort out."The lovely lady did not want to use Dora's moment of vulnerability to interrogate her, but it was impossible to control her curiosity. "You had your reasons.""Nothing justifies it. We did not have the right to run away from our responsibilities.""He handled the mess well. You
"I was young when my mother died. All she left us was an almost bankrupt company. My father was a sad man for a while, but I think he got tired of the too-empty house..." Arabella began, but she needed to pause to breathe. "So he remarried, then Angel was born. We practically grew up together, but we were never really friends. In fact, I think we were enemies most of the time."Damon had no immediate reaction to the moment."But we were a family. We took care of each other... I think. My father tried to take care of the company, be a good husband and father, pay the bills. But he failed," she continued. "He failed miserably. We did not have money, but we had a name. We were still the Collinss in town, and that meant something." Arabella paused, looking up. "Then a proposal came that could change everything. An arranged marriage. The wealthy son of the Donovan family apparently had an interest in me. He wanted me because I was beautiful, educated, from a good family..."Banks covered
Damon's mind was cluttered. All Banks wanted was to live his life. Not the life he could have, but the life he wanted to have.Damon approached Arabella. He still felt he was too dirty to touch her, so he just got close enough to smell her perfume. He wished he could have that woman forever, but he knew that wasn't an option, not for him."I promise by all that I am, Little Angel. When things go wrong, you won't be with me. I will be the only one to pay for the secrets I've chosen to keep," Damon wished he wasn't so rooted in that feeling. He wished he could simply shut it off, as he had done before. He wanted to extinguish the flame in his heart, but he could not. It was too late not to feel, even though it was too dangerous to feel."When you find out who I really am, I hope you've forgotten my name," the man could not resist. He ran his fingers through Arabella's hair, unaware of how intense the touch was for her. Then, Damon hugged her. The woman's back was pressed against his che
FOLLOWING DAYArabella awoke to the weight of exhaustion pulling at her eyelids, her eyes swollen and sore from the tears that had plagued her throughout the night. Toc. Toc.Each knock on her bedroom door felt like a jolt, sending her heart racing as she hurried to open it.Standing on the other side was Mason, his presence a foreboding shadow in the dim light of her room."Surprise?" he asked, his tone dripping with cynicism and irony as he stepped into the room, a predator entering his lair.Arabella, clad in a robe, wrapped her arms around herself protectively. She knew all too well that Mason's unexpected appearances seldom brought anything but trouble, especially for her."What do you want?" she demanded, her voice laced with tension.Mason strode purposefully towards the door of Arabella's bathroom, his movements deliberate and calculated. "I saw the security footage. Damon paid you a visit."Arabella's stomach churned at the mention of Damon's name, a reminder of the tangled
Spencer opened the top drawer of his desk and pulled out a folder. He opened it and took out the top photo from the stack, extending the paper for Arabella to see. It was a printed image of a well-preserved man, in his mid-sixties, well-dressed, accompanied by an elegant woman."I've been investigating this man for years, but his record is cleaner than distilled water. The Banks family is above suspicion," he continued."So why keep investigating?" Arabella questioned."My intuition never fails. I know something is wrong. But the CIA never wanted to get involved in the investigation because if we're wrong, this family will be against us," Spencer commented, looking melancholically at the photo."I need to understand better.""I do not want you to be an undercover spy, Arabella. I just want you to... observe Damon. I want you to be my eyes where I can't be," Spencer said."And what if you are wrong?" Arabella questioned, never ruling out the possibility."If I am wrong, then we will fo
But before she could make her escape, Mason's voice cut through the tense atmosphere like a knife. "Arabella," he called out, his tone cold and commanding. She froze, her heart pounding in her chest, and turned to face him, her eyebrows raised in silent question."I hope you won't forget everything we discussed today," Mason continued, his words laced with a veiled threat."How could I forget?" Arabella shot back, her voice tinged with bitterness. The memory of their conversation about her mission to destroy Damon Banks hung heavy in the air between them, a constant reminder of the dark path Mason had set her on.Mason's lips curled into a smirk, a cruel glint in his eyes. "Angel and I will spend some time out of the country. In the meantime, work," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.Arabella's fists clenched at her sides, her nails digging into her palms as she fought to keep her composure. She did not trust herself to speak, the weight of Mason's words pressing do
Japan was a country known worldwide for its successful lifestyle. The city of Tokyo, in particular, was the country's bustling capital, and combined ultramodern and traditional style, from neon-lit skyscrapers to historic temples.In the back seats of the SUV, Banks and her lawyer did the last work of the day after a meeting. The car slid through the streets of Meguro, the neighborhood where the businessman had an apartment. A beautiful landscape unfolded outside, with cherry blossom trees, but they were too wrapped up in their cell phones to notice.Banks's cell phone began to vibrate with the arrival of a call from his mother, Dorothy."I want Arabella's phone number, or her address" the matriarch said as soon as her son answered.Damon wanted to roll his eyes, but he just sighed. He knew his mother, and he knew that she was strong-willed enough to ignore any words contrary to her wishes. The man thought of the reasons why his mother wanted to contact Arabella, and he did not like t
The cold rain outside seemed to intensify the warmth emanating from the crackling fireplace. Arabella nestled herself closer to the flickering flames, her mind consumed by the storm of thoughts swirling within her."Here," Damon's voice, soft and soothing, broke through her reverie. He offered her a steaming cup, his eyes reflecting a silent understanding."Thank you," Arabella murmured, accepting the cup with a small, grateful smile. Though she held it in her hands, she seemed more drawn to the comfort of Damon's presence than to the warmth of the drink.As Damon settled beside her, Arabella felt a hesitant longing stirring within her. She turned towards him, their eyes meeting in the flickering firelight, and in that moment, words seemed unnecessary. There was a silent communion between them, an unspoken understanding of shared pain and solace.Without a word, Arabella leaned into Damon's embrace, seeking refuge from the tempest of emotions raging within her. His arms enveloped
ONE YEAR LATERThe atmosphere was as funereal as the situation itself. The sun hadn't visited that part of the city since the previous day, as if it were also in mourning. Heavy clouds and timid splashes of rain were present, which only made the day seem less happy.A white tent chapel had been placed in the mansion's garden. It was a large space, enough to accommodate the thirty people present. The dark wooden coffin was centered in the chapel, open so everyone could see Victor's limp, pale body.White chrysanthemums decorated the coffin. Those were traditional flowers at wakes, and they meant "Golden flower”, from the Greek.Three of Victor's friends were next to the coffin, crying softly and drying their tears with a tissue as they recalled their journey. They were long-time friends. Their suits were as dark as the sky, representing perhaps eternal mourning.That was the garden of the mansion that Arabella had bought months before. She barely had time to get used to the place.Anas
HOURS LATERAs Damon stepped into his city apartment, a heavy silence greeted him, amplified by the absence of any illumination. The darkness enveloped him like a heavy cloak, its weight pressing down on his shoulders as he traversed the familiar space. He made no move to flick on a light switch, preferring instead to let the shadows consume him, mirroring the desolation that gnawed at his insides.Approaching the drinks table, he reached for a decanter, his hand moving with practiced precision as he poured himself a potent measure of whiskey. The liquid glimmered faintly in the dimness, casting fleeting reflections against the polished surface of the glass. With a solemn sigh, he lifted the drink to his lips, the fiery liquid igniting a dull ache in his chest as it slid down his throat.Leaning against the window, he gazed out at the city sprawled before him, its towering buildings reaching up towards the inky sky like silent sentinels. The nocturnal metropolis seemed to pulse w
The interior of the vehicle was permeated with Banks's scent. He wore an excessively good perfume, not exactly strong, but rather striking. It was the kind of smell that only a person with a lot of money would have.The door was closed, and because she was in a complete trance, Arabella was scared. Christopher wisely remained outside so that he would not hear the conversation.Banks, with her naturally dark charm, twirled the ring on her middle finger while pretentiously ignoring Arabella. His gaze was directed forward, but so far away that it did not even seem like he was in that country.The woman moved closer to the door, as if it were possible to merge with the car. Damon noticed the movement, but did not bother to assure her that she did not need to be afraid. Because maybe she needed it."Everything is fine with you?" Arabella whispered so quietly that she wasn't sure she was heard, even with all the silence that surrounded them.Damon remained silent, and then he sank deeper in
And with that, everyone burst into prolonged applause. Some even stood up, but no one really knew the intention behind the speech. All that was left was for him to say Arabella's name, with each letter."Thank you all for coming. And if it's not too much to ask, be loyal. do not love me, but be loyal" Damon walked away from the pulpit and went down the stairs as he had gone up; ignoring all the eyes on you.In turn, the master of ceremonies returned to say a few words. "I am flattered by the opportunity to hear you, Mr. Banks. Now, for the entertainment of our audience, I would like to call to the stage Mr. Landwy, the evening's violinist."Arabella waited until the first chords of the violin sounded before muttering something to her father and standing up. People did not notice when she walked in long strides to the bathroom, as at this moment wine glasses began to be served throughout the room.Arabella thought that she could take refuge in that luxurious environment for the rest of
TWO DAYS LATER. NEW YORK.The dress shone when the few lights that filtered through the window touched it. The fabric was thin, sliding across the white skin with each subtle movement. The blue silk was a pure, almost innocent tone.Arabella was sitting in the backseat of the Bentley, and, next to her, Victor was also watching the view of the New York streets as the car passed through them. They were silent, as on many other occasions, but they were not uncomfortable. At least not with each other.Victor's treatment was having some effect. The best doctors in the city were taking care of him, at Damon's request, paid for by Damon.The father wore a tuxedo, the daughter wore a beautiful sky blue dress, along with long gloves in the same color. Her brown strands were tied into a high bun, with a few curls perfectly curled and loose.And when the car stopped in front of the Banks Nouveau building, the lady felt her hands sweat inside her gloves. There were countless photographers outside
Banks took a deep breath. Their brief moment of silence was enough to make Colton and Spencer's hearts race."You are up to your neck in this story, but she's not. Arabella's the only good part of this whole shit. Think about that before you backtrack," Spencer muttered, just in case.And to say those words did not reach Banks would be a lie. He felt them as if they were punches to his face, but he knew how to pretend to be careless. Because, deep down, maybe he agreed."I do not usually go back"Damon, seeing that the conversation had come to an end, turned his back to the inspector. He even glanced at Colton. Banks made a subtle sign with her index finger and the security guards returned to the car."But in any case, when you decide to join people in destroying me, find stronger allies" he muttered before entering the door that his driver kept open.The first car made a subtle maneuver inside the warehouse and slid out, followed by the second.And then, just then, Colton approached
TWO DAYS LATERThe lights of New York were known throughout the world. The city awakens, with people bustling around and never, ever stopping. It was a place famous for everything it showed, but few people knew what New York was hiding. Few knew the shadows of the most illuminated city in the world.The shadows were in the suburbs, in isolated areas that not even the sun could reach. Where the streets were muddy, buildings were abandoned and people cried without hope.In a less busy area, where the asphalt ended and the dirt streets began, there was an abandoned warehouse. It was an unfinished building, with exposed bricks and half-shattered pillars.The smell from the warehouse was unsanitary.Dust had dominated the four corners of the room, and everything that was there was abandoned. There were crates at the ends of the warehouse, covered with a dark, dirty tarpaulin.Spencer Davis was in the warehouse, sitting in a chair almost as old as the one he had in his office. Behind the ma
SOME HOURS LATERWith a graceful stride, Arabella entered the conference room, commanding attention in her ensemble — an elegant green dress complemented by sleek heels. Her hair, neatly pinned back, accentuated her sharp features, and as she walked, there was an air of confidence about her."Good afternoon, gentlemen," she greeted, her voice carrying a polite tone subtly infused with determination."Miss Collins," Louis Tompson, the lawyer, rose from his seat upon her arrival, extending his hand in a gesture of sympathy. "My condolences for the divorce?"Arabella's response was swift and resolute. "Not at all," she declared, dismissing any notion of condolence.Seating herself across from Mason, with Tompson positioned at the head of the table, Arabella's eyes met Mason's with a mixture of disdain and relief. Gone was the power he once held over her — she was free now, and she made sure he knew it."Now, the purpose of this meeting is to align the restructuring of the companies," th