044. Amber felt uncomfortable as they walked into the elevator together. The door to the elevator closed and Amber's heart began pounding. Fuck, she was in the same elevator with Axel. Axel! Alone. Axel turned to look at her and noticed how she fiddled with her fingers. He smiled, tempted to pick on her but he had to control himself. Why was she so nervous? They were only going to his private cafeteria to have lunch. "So," Axel began, his voice smooth and controlled. "I've noticed you seem a bit uneasy." He cocked his head to one side, a playful smirk on his face. "Not used to being alone with the boss, huh?" Amber bit her lip, embarrassment flooding through her. "I'm fine," she replied, her voice higher than she intended. "Just not used to...you know, private lunches. With the CEO." she rolled her eyes, her tone sarcastic. Axel chuckled, his dark eyes dancing. "Relax, Ms. Smith. It's just lunch." Amber let out a shaky breath, trying to calm her racing heart. "Right. Just l
045.KING'S MANSION "Are you making any progress?" Kevin asked Axel, who was seated opposite him with his back leaned on the couch.Axel sat up with a sigh as he bent and steepled his fingers. "I think so, but I think I need a little push," he said, his tone laced with frustration. "It's been a week working with her, Dad. And aside the fact that she doesn't look at me coldly anymore, there isn't really much I can attest to and claim that I've won her trust. I catch her staring from time to time, but sometimes I see confusion in those cat eyes of hers; sometimes inquisitiveness like she's studying me or something.""I understand your plight, son," Kevin said and stood to his feet. He walked to his son shelf, took a bottle of one of his expensive wines and two glass cups. "Amber is a sweet girl. I feel like she's just curious to know if you'd hurt her again or you really meant it when you said you've changed and want her back," he poured the wine into the glasses and gave Axel one.Axe
046.Maverick rushed out of the office while Axel walked to where Amber stood. "You're going on a business trip?" he asked, tucking his hands into his pockets.Amber nodded. "Yes, sir," she answered and he arched an eyebrow. "It's a conference in Los Angeles for Mainland Tech. It's just for three days and I wanted to talk to you about it. My magazine chose me to represent them."Axel nodded with a smile. "Impressive," he walked to his desk and took a seat. "It's your work. Why do you need my permission?"Amber sighed, sitting down as well. "I'm just being formal and polite. After all, I work for you too. And it wouldn't be respectful of me if I just go without telling you anything. Besides, it's going to eat into my work time here. So, I wanted to let you know." she explained, taking a close look at him.Axel nodded and crossed his legs. "Sure. That's cool. You can go."Amber smiled. "Thank you, Mr. A," she typed something into her keyboard. "Also, I'm done typing out the interview I
047."How's that possible?" Amber whispered, her heart pounding in her chest. "How did he get PTSD?" she turned to face Maverick. "What caused it? Something must have given him anxiety and depression. What's that?" Amber asked, forcing back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.Why was she feeling sorry for him? She couldn’t understand.Maverick sighed. "I don't think it's in my place to tell you, Ms. Amber," he replied, not daring to look into her eyes incase he'd be tempted to blurt it all out. "He is the one that can tell you everything.""Tell me everything? Just talk to me. I want to know why he's like this," she demanded but Maverick didn't say anything. Amber sighed. "Okay, fine. How long has he had it?" Maverick bit his lower lip. "He's had it for five years now. The PTSD is a recent thing. And... And he's been going for therapy, so-""Five years?" Amber arched an eyebrow. "Five years? Again?" she took a deep breath and walked back to her table then took a seat. M
048.Amber said nothing and just allowed him to stay in her arms. Axel had his eyes closed while she just stared at him; his flawless face, eyelashes, hair and everything seemed to mesmerize her at this point. It's been a while since she got a closer look at him like this. Most times, he was flirting with her and she couldn't concentrate on his looks, but this time, he was right here in her arms, looking even more dashing than she gave him credit for. The boy she had loved during her teenage years was now a man; a successful man. Unfortunately, he has PTSD, and it makes her so worried about him. "What exactly did you go through, Axel?" she whispered, more to herself than him, but Axel heard her. He wasn't asleep. Infact, he felt the way her heart was beating wildly in her chest and his she'd try fighting to keep it at bay.But was he ready to tell her everything now? Was he ready for her reaction? Telling her meant he'd finally have the courage to face this anxiety, and it might als
049.Next Morning...It was a Saturday morning and Amber's rest day. Axel had begged her to stay, but not trusting herself and the foolish things her heart has been doing lately, she refused. The previous night, Axel had been a gentleman. He didn't flirt with her, and his food was absolutely amazing. She knew he was a good cook, but he'd improved and was the best at it.At first she had been nervous falling asleep, but then that was the most relaxing and peaceful sleep she'd ever had. Not to mention how she'd sneak into his room to check up on him and know if he usually got nightmares, which she was correct.She ended up spending the night in his room. They arrived at Amber's apartment and Amber was shocked to see Jack standing in her porch. "Thanks for the ride, Mr. A. Happy weekend" she got down from the car and walked to him.Jack rushed to her. "Where the heck have you been?" his eyes darted to the car, shock flashing in his face when he saw Axel. "Don't tell me you spent the nig
050. "No way! You actually told her that? Bro, she's gonna assume you broke up with her!" Trent snapped, taking a seat on the couch, facing Jack who had his face buried in his palms. Jack looked up, his expression showing frustration. "What do you expect me to do? I was so pissed at her. She fucking passed the night at his place. Did she miss him that much?" he asked, standing to his feet and pacing the living room, his emotions all over the place. Trent leaned back in the chair and crossed his legs. "Jack, you know Amber too well. You know she wouldn't sleep at his side if she had a choice. You're just mad that she's spending time with Axel, and it's making you lose sight of the main person you should be winning - Amber. Look, Axel is her boss for now. Don't you think she's doing this for the sake of her job?" Jack scoffed. "What stupid job would make her sleep over at his place? What is professional about spending the night with your ex because of a stupid job?" Trent shook his
051.GLAM MAGAZINEMs. June went through the article and smiled. "It's great. And you say Mr. A approves of it?" she asked.Amber nodded with a smile. "Yes, he did."Ms. June sighed and crossed her legs. "Very well then. Publish it on the feature," she said and Amber bowed with a smile. "How has working with Mr. A been, Amber? Any issues? Observations?" she asked.Amber raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask, Ms. June?"Ms. June leaned forward. "What? Can't I ask anymore?" she raised an eyebrow at Amber. "Our journalist is working with A.A Entertainment. I want to know if she's comfortable there. Why do you ask like I'm trying to pry into your personal life?"Amber took in her lower lip. Ms. June was right. This was work, and she shouldn't have asked that. "I'm sorry, Ms. June," she replied and Ms. June nodded with an amused expression on her face. "It's been great working with him. A.A Entertainment is a very fun and conducive place to be. The employees are nice, and the CEO himself is..
124 ~ Penultimate ChapterA Day Later…Axel’s eyes fluttered open and the first set of eyes he met were those cat eyes he fell in love with. As he stared into those eyes, everything came rushing back to him and a small smile played on his lips.“Cat eyes,” he called weakly and she hugged him, but was careful not to hurt him.“Oh, Axel! I’m so happy you’re awake!” she burst into tears, a flood of relief washing over her. When she saw him get stabbed, it was almost like her world had come to a halt. She’d panicked and gotten angry that she had to inflict the same pain on Jack without even thinking twice.Axel winced slightly as Amber tightened her embrace, but he smiled. “I’m sorry I worried you,” he whispered. “But I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”Amber pulled back, her eyes bright with tears. “How are you feeling?” she asked, smoothing his hair back with a gentle hand.“Better, now theat you’re here,” Axel replied, a weak but genuine smile on his face. “Are you okay?”Amber snif
123.A.A Entertainment…That same night, Larissa had fallen asleep in the employee’s lounge while resting. Her eyes suddenly snapped open, and she checked her wristwatch to see that it was already late into the night. She tried to call Axel, but his number was not going through. She couldn’t get Maverick either.Her eyes darted to the glass of juice she had taken. Something didn’t feel right. She wasn’t one to sleep this long and in the company for that matter. She stood up and quickly rushed to Maverick’s office, but he had just woken up too.“This can’t be a coincidence. How did we fall asleep at the same time?” Larissa asked.Maverick was about to answer when they heard a sound coming from Axel’s office. They both exchanged worried looks. “Quick, call the nearby police station. I’m sure it’s either a thief or someone I’ve been suspecting for days now.”Maverick nodded and went to make a call while Larissa snuck into the office. There she was, standing with her phone placed on her e
122.Amber stumbled backwards, feeling like a knife had been pierced through her chest. In that moment, the words of Friedrich Nietzsche which says “Betrayal hurts more when it comes from someone we trust. And the pain is reminder that our trust was misplaced and our love was blind.”She couldn’t believe the one person she had trusted with her life during her time of pain was the same person that caused her the pain to begin with?Ironically, it was like a twisted game of chess where she had been nothing more than a pawn, manipulated by a mastermind who had disguised himself as a friend and confidant. It was a cruel irony that only added to the bitter sting of betrayal.Amber swallowed hard, the ache in her heart intensifying. “How could you?” she asked, her voice shaky. “I trusted you. Melissa trusted you. Cole, my parents, we all did.”Jack didn’t have an ounce of remorse on his face. “I did what I had to do to get you, Amber,” he replied. “When I confessed my feelings in college an
121.Amber exchanged worried glances with Cole and the rest. “It can’t be, right?” she whispered, her chest tightening. “Jack can’t be Don. It’s not possible. He would never hurt anyone.”“Amber is right. Are you sure you checked the address correctly? Maybe there was a glitch or something?” Melissa asked. She might be mad at Jack for everything he had done, but she knew him too well. He would never hurt anyone. He wouldn’t stoop this low.Cole looked uncertain, but he was sure this can’t be a mix-up. He was a computer expert, and there was no effing way he would have gotten the wrong address. “As much as this might sound shocking, it might actually be true. Think about it, Jack is the only rival Axel has now. He used to date Amber before Axel returned. And according to what I’ve heard him say, he’s loved Amber since College.”Axel nodded. “Cole is right.”Amber shook her head. “No, this can’t be right,” she began pacing, her heart pounding in her chest. “I know Jack might be temperam
120.Axel felt like a thunderclap had just sounded in his head the minute he saw the message. Cole leaned close to Axel so he could take a look.“Whoa!” Cole exclaimed. “He caught the bait. But what the heck is Amber doing outside?”Axel sighed. “I can’t break up with Amber, Cole. She would be devastated,” he massaged his temple as he thought of a plan. “Devastated,” he repeated. “That’s it!” Cole arched an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” he gasped. “Don’t tell me you’re going to really break up with her? Axel, Amber might faint, and I will beat you up! It’s not a threat, it’s a promise.” Cole warned.“Relax and hear me out,” Axel said and Cole took a deep breath to calm himself down. “I am going to break up with her, but it’s not going to be a real breakup. We have to find a way to let in on the plan.”Cole seemed to get it and nodded. “Don’t worry. I know how to do that,” he said and Axel raised an eyebrow.“How? We can’t inform her through calls or texts. Our phones might be connecte
119.“Uh… I was…”Larissa folded her arms, her expression stern. “What are you doing in Axel’s office and why are his files scattered on the desk?” she asked, her eyes running over the mess Candice had made.Candice knew she needed to find a way out of this mess. “Uh… it’s not something serious. I just,”“You just what?” Larissa asked, her voice getting hard. Last time she checked, employees weren’t allowed in Axel’s office, especially when he wasn’t in. Coupled with that, Axel didn’t even like Candice to begin with, so there was no way he would ask her to get anything from his office for him, not when she and Maverick were around.“I was looking for the file I submitted to Mr. Axel,” she began, her heart beating frantically in her chest. “I mean, my resume and stuff. I don’t know where I kept the original anymore, and I need to check something urgently, that’s why I came here to find it.”Larissa scoffed. If Candice thought she was going to believe any of those lies, the lady was cle
118.The reporter’s voice echoed through the television in a serious, breaking news tone, “This just in: The only son of the world-renowned billionaire, Kevin King, has taken to social media to announce that his wedding to renowned journalist Amber Smith is soon, with the date being kept a secret.”The news spread like wildfire. Within minutes, the entire nation was buzzing with excitement, speculating about the date and location of the wedding. But underneath the glamour and excitement, a darker force lurked in the shadows.As the days passed, Amber and Axel played their part, lavishing each other with affection in the public eye. Every post, every picture, every tweet seemed to fuel the media frenzy and the anger of the dangerous underdog.Meanwhile, Cole and Axel worked tirelessly to track the mysterious Don. But despite their best efforts, they kept coming up short. The spyware was immune to every hack they tried, and the location remained hidden. It was as if Don were a ghost, sl
117.After the dinner, Amber, Larissa and Melissa stayed back to help Loris clean. Kevin talked over wine with Mr. Smith while Axel felt like his world had been tilted. Cole walked to him and held his hand, leading him upstairs to his room.Maverick, who had also noticed the distressful look on Axel's face had to follow them as well. They got to Cole's room and he locked the door then turned to face Axel.“Spill it. What happened back at the dinner? Your phone beeped, you checked it and all of a sudden, your mood changed. You haven't been yourself since then,” he said and Axel let out a sigh. “You might not married to Amber yet, but you and I have been friends long enough to be called family, and I won't appreciate it if you decide to hide this from me.”“I don't intend to hide this from you, Cole,” Axel said, his tone low. “I'm just worried. I might not be as scared as I was years ago, but I'm worried. Don is back.”“What!” Maverick and Cole exclaimed at the same time.“How is that p
116.A week later…THE SMITHS…When Amber and Axel arrived, Amber turned to face Axel. “Do you think your father will be able to make it? He's busy and all. He might not want to bother himself with our humble dinner.”Axel raised an eyebrow at her, wondering where that idea was coming from. He took Amber's hand in his. “This isn't just any dinner, Amber. This is family, and I'm very certain my father will make it. He might like wealth and influence, but he doesn't take family for granted. You don't need to be extravagant to please him. Besides, this dinner is all about us.”Amber smiled and nodded, feeling at ease. “Welcome, my sweet couple,” Loris stepped out of the house with a smile.Amber facepalmed. “Mum, don't make this awkward.” she muttered.Loris chuckled. “Oh please! Today is a happy day,” she turned to Axel, her face beaming with smiles. “Welcome home, my son-in-law. I told you that was going to be the best proposal, and you did wonderfully well.”Axel walked forward and L