Chapter 47

NADIA'S POV

"Dennis’s man found out you were there to collect a phone," Max said, his voice quieter now, almost conspiratorial. "Apparently, one of my men had repaired it for you."

I clenched my fists, trying to keep my expression neutral, but I knew Max could see right through me.

"And then," Max went on, "Dennis saw you talking to the young man who fixed the phone you stole from me, that reminds me you were the one who posted that video by the way let's leave that one and come to the present.

He was just being polite, wasn’t he? A kind, unsuspecting soul. But you…oh, you had other plans, didn’t you?"

"Shut up, Max," I hissed, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Oh, I’m not done yet," Max said, raising a hand dramatically. "You see, the moment Dennis described the scene to me, I knew I had to act fast. I told him to start recording immediately. You never know when something interesting might happen, right?"

My breathing quickened. My mind raced back to that day, piecing together the details Max had just laid out.

"And then, the grand finale," Max said, his grin now a full-blown sneer.

"You took the phone from the young man, didn’t you? Looked around to make sure no one was watching. But oh, poor Nadia, you didn’t see Dennis hiding in the shadows, recording everything."

I felt a bead of sweat trickle down my temple as Max’s words played in my head like a nightmare.

"That’s when you struck," Max said, leaning even closer now, his voice barely a whisper. "You pushed him. Just like that. No hesitation, no remorse. And then, you walked away like nothing happened."

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Max tilted his head, studying me like I was some fascinating creature he’d just discovered. "What’s wrong, Nadia? You look… surprised. Did you really think no one saw you that day?"

I stared at him, my heart pounding so loudly it drowned out every other sound.

"And now," Max said, holding up the phone one more time, "this little treasure is all mine. Just imagine what I could do with it. What would Richard think if he saw it? Or better yet, the police?"

My hands trembled as I tried to form a response, but Max wasn’t waiting for me anymore. He was in control, and he knew it.

"You see, Nadia," he said, his tone suddenly turning cold, "I always win. And now, you’re going to do exactly what I say."

I stared at the screen, the image frozen on the moment I’d tried so hard to forget. My vision blurred as Max’s words echoed in my mind.

And then, with a final smirk, Max stood and pocketed the phone. "Think about it, Nadia. We’ve only just begun."

He turned and looked away as he sipped from his wine, leaving me seated there, paralyzed with fear and fury. How did it come to this? And more importantly, how was I going to get out of it?

“Do you also want to know how I got the other videos?” Max leaned back in his chair, his smirk as sharp as a blade. “It wasn’t difficult, really.”

I glared at him, my pulse racing, but I stayed silent. He wanted me to lash out, to lose control. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

Max leaned forward, his voice dripping with smugness.

“You see, Nadia, people like Richard Garrison may think they’re untouchable, but everyone has a weakness.

All I had to do was pay the right people, grease a few palms, and voilà! The security footage was mine.

You should’ve been more careful when you slipped that sedative into his drink. And the cleanup job? Sloppy.”

I clenched my fists, feeling the heat rise in my face. The restaurant seemed smaller, suffocating. I wanted to scream, but I forced myself to stay composed.

“You’re lying,” I said finally, though my voice wavered. “There’s no way you got those tapes legally.”

Max chuckled, a dark, low sound that made my stomach churn. “Legally? Who said anything about legal? The point is, I have them. And that puts me in control.”

I couldn’t speak. The weight of his words pressed down on me like a boulder. My mind raced as I tried to figure out a way out of this mess, but Max wasn’t done.

“Now, here’s the deal,” he said, his tone turning cold.

“You don’t have a choice, Nadia. Either you do exactly what I tell you, or I take these tapes to the police.

Imagine the headlines: ‘Nadia Morale….The Woman Who Drugged a Multi-Millionaire and Has Blood on Her Hands!’

You’d be locked away for the rest of your life. And not just the police, Nadia…the whole world will know. Your reputation will be destroyed.”

I felt my chest tighten as his words sank in. He was playing this game too well, and he knew it. The smug satisfaction on his face made me want to punch him, but I couldn’t. He had me cornered, and he knew it.

“You’re a bastard,” I hissed, my voice trembling with anger.

“That’s not the response I’m looking for,” Max said, leaning back in his chair. “I want to hear you say that you’re in. That you’ll do whatever it takes to destroy Richard Garrison and Tammie’s relationship.”

I stared at him, my jaw clenched so tightly it hurt. It was written all over my face…I was furious, trapped, and helpless. Max had played his cards perfectly, and I had no choice but to play along.

“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth. “I’m in. I’ll do whatever you want.”

Max’s grin widened, and it took everything in me not to slap it off his face.

“That’s more like it,” he said, his voice dripping with mockery. “See? I knew you’d see things my way. Now, let’s get down to business.”

“I want to start immediately,” I said, cutting him off. I hated the sound of my own voice, agreeing to this twisted plan, but I couldn’t let him see my hesitation. “What’s the plan to scatter Richard and Tammie?”