AMELIA'S POVThe tranquility of the room was severed by the filtering noise emanating from the television. The regular evening news report was being aired. I sat there with my face glued onto the screen, but my mind was faraway. Distant. Only the faint sound of the whole thing sieved through my sense of hearing. The living room had been an unfamiliar territory to me because I had rarely sat there ever since I arrived here, staying in my room had become an obsession for me. It was now my safe haven. My comfort zone. But this time, I couldn't fathom why I stayed glued to the spot. My eyes ran over the intriguing aesthetics of the sitting room. The influence and presence of wealth could easily be felt. I couldn't deny the fact that Nelson was wealthy. A fucking billionaire. Just then, the creaking sound of the door opening filled the air. Nelson came in, his eyes looked very tiny, they were almost invincible and distant beneath his eyelids. His steps also looked strange and distorted
AMELIA'S POVAs the sound of the knock came again my heart skipped a beat, my confusion heightened. Everything felt strange, like it was programmed. As he walked towards the door, my sight suddenly became blurry. I could no longer see things clearly, as if a veil was covering my sight. And then bit by bit, my eyes drifted apart. As I slowly opened my eyes, the clear images of dream lingered still in my mind, clear as crystal. I had been with Nelson, an intimate moment, filled with ecstasy, pleasure and desire. I felt a strange feeling of lust wash over me as the scenes from the dream played in my mind nonstop. I half never seen Nelson in such a state before. It had always been his arrogant and imperious self. He even went as far as proposing marriage before the knock came in the dream. I blushed. As I pulled the sheets away, I felt a warm sensation between my thighs. Slowly, my hand found it's way down there, making me realize I had been dripping as a result of the dream. Arrg
ROSE'S POVThe silence in the room was as good as suffocating. I sat on the edge of the bed, my fingers tracing around the fabric of my nightgown. The glow from the bedside lamp penetrated into my eyes, causing me to blink continuously. Nelson's voice rang in my mind, causing my heart to falter from the ache within. "You'll have to move to a separate room now, this is supposed to be my personal room." He had said the previous night. "But Nelson, I haven't..." I tried to protest but he cut me short. His voice thick with authority. "You'll do as you're told. This is my house."I used to think Nelson had trusted me from the first instance and that was why he had allowed me into his room, little did I know it was a test of my loyalty. I tossed my phone aside, the screen flashing with several calls and messages from Linda.I couldn't pick. I couldn't let her know how bad the situation was. I couldn't tell her that Nelson's attention was now being diverted to Amelia. I kicked my
NELSON'S POVI sat in my office, a file clutched to my hand, but I wasn't seeing it. My mind was somewhere else, occupied with distant thoughts. Drifting back to Amelia. The captivating look on her face as I handed the dress to her earlier. I had expected nothing other than a polite "thank you" from her. But immediately her face lifted up to meet mine, her smile seemed to illuminate the entire room. I had seen Amelia a hundred times, but recently, every little thing about her seemed to attract me. To pull me in. The way her hair, a perfect blend of fashion and beauty passed behind her hair. The soft wave of excitement that rushed over me when she said my name. Fuck! What the hell is wrong with me?I shook my head, trying to waiver the thoughts aside."Focus, Nelson," I snapped. The problem was clear, I didn’t want to admit what was happening. I didn't want to admit that I was falling for Amelia. Or maybe I wasn't actually. Maybe it was an illusion. A sharp knock on the door sev
ALEX'S POVI stared blankly at the door, my mind racing with every passing second each time someone comes into the expensive coffee hub. Anticipation settled on me, like a bird into its nest. I kept myself beyond the shadows, my heart beating in sync with the rhythm of the bustling city sounds. The old cup and chatter at the corner of the street was dimly lit, a perfect ground for a meeting like this, soaked in secrets. A part of me expected him not to show. Maybe he had changed over the years or grown more cautious the more. But then, a figure loomed at the entrance, lurking around in confusion. Then, after their period of confusion seemed to have expired, they settled for a seat at the farthest booth, exactly where I had instructed over the phone. Finally, he was here. As expected, he walked in with an air of confidence, that quiet arrogance that had always made me despise him. I watched him from my hiding place as he brought his phone, shortly my phone buzzed in my pocket. He
NELSON'S POV"We need to see right away, there's a problem,"I said, my voice as firm as it could. "How soon?" Joan asked, his voice husky as always.I hesitated for a minute, inhaling. "Just a few minutes and I'll be at your place."I ended the call, turning to Bryan. "Drive to Joan's."The drive to his place averaged 20 minutes but it felt like eternity. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. Reminiscing on the twists and turns of life. Alex was back. Another problem to deal with. Only then did I understand the reason for the message I received recently, telling me about the arrival of some people.Slowly, like a chaff before the wind, my mind blew to that fateful day. At the pool, with him. Alex, my brother. A picture of him gasping for breath and as my strong arm pressed him down the waters. The lifeless look on his face after his final struggle which failed, sent guilt into my heart. 'You have done this, Nelson. You need to be strong.' I remembered snapping myself out of my g
AMELIA'S POVA familiar wave of acknowledgement washed over me as I pressed forward, my heels clicking gently against the creak floor. The air around me thickened with a smell that felt familiar, something I was once used to. I looked around, beaming with amusement. The environment still looked the same even after months of not being here, except for a few new designs at the entrance of the house, nothing really changed. I clenched my fists, my heart raced as I made an attempt to knock on the door. It was a surprise visit and I wanted every bit of the suspense to count. "Who's there," her voice came from within. As usual, thin and friendly. "Someone who needs help," I responded, making my voice firm and unrecognizable as much as I could.I heard the sound of the key twisting in the lock and that made a rush of excitement wash over me. "Amelia!"Clara jumped on me immediately and her eyes landed on me. Her whole body rested on me and the weight of her body almost made me collapse
AMELIA'S POVMy mind reeled with the implication of what I had just said. Why did I call him husband? I could have slapped myself hard on the face if Bryan wasn't there. But it was not possible right now. My thought drifted back to the money, my heart skipped a beat at just the mere remembrance of it. I had never received such a huge amount all my life. Then Nelson's voice rang in my mind again. "It's fine. Just make sure you get yourself something nice and beautiful, I'll check it out okay?"What was I going to buy? "Take me to the boutique," I said to Bryan. "A classic one."The ride felt extraordinarily longer. I couldn't wait to get into the store and pick up a classic cloth that befits my standard. Of course, I hadn't been a fan of sophisticated dresses, but that was the price of being a billionaire's wife and maybe I was ready to pay. And also enjoy the luxury. "Here you go," Bryan declared as the car came to a halt, and he opened the door. "Don't come with me, I'll be
AMELIA'S POV My head pressed against the window as the car drove away. A mixed emotion swirled within me as the city light blurred in the distance against the windshield. But my mid was elsewhere, entangled between the pleasure of victory and the weight of my own plans. It had been a very long day with thousands of unexpected events. From the news about my daughter's health, to the meeting with Nelson and then Alex's appearance like a thief in the night.Nelson had been easy, too easy. He had walked right into my hands, swallowing the same medicine he had dished out for years. It had been satisfying, watching him in his helpless situation- knowing he was not in control when, in truth, and the strings were mine to pull.But Alex...I exhaled sharply, pushing my head tighter on the backrest as that was where it now rested. With Alex, it wasn’t pleasurable. It wasn’t the same game. He had forced me into something I never wanted to do. But I would play along. I was ready to play s
ALEX'S POVAccomplishment.Revenge.The words echoed in my mind as I walked away, my footsteps firm against the pavement. Behind me, Amelia moved toward her car, or maybe she just stood there, watching me go.I didn’t turn to check.The night air brushed against my skin, cool and sharp, as if trying to strip away the weight pressing on my chest. Guilt still lingered, stubborn and unshaken."This isn’t how you treat someone you claim to love, Alex."The thought came persistent and uncounted, slicing through the satisfaction I should have felt.But what choice did I have?Amelia wasn’t making this easy. Every attempt I made to fix things, to bring her back, had met a dead end. She resisted, fought me at every turn, as if she couldn't see the truth buried beneath my actions. As if we didn't have anything together in the past. I wanted her to understand. To believe that everything I did was for the best. It wasn't my fault. But she wouldn’t.She refused to see past the walls she had bu
AMELIA'S POVA feeling of restlessness rushed over me immediately he left. I paced to and fro the office, my mind reeling with uncertainty. What if it wasn't an empty threat?What if Alex meant everything he had said?Someone who was able to get informations about my whereabout even when we haven't seen in years could as well be upto something terrible.I clenched my fist, my thought spiraling. The weight of everything was unreal, yet overwhelming. My mind reeled with doubt and possibility. Fear crawled in slowly.What if Alex carried out his threat?What if I ended up losing everything?I needed to act fast, to do something. But what could I do?“Instruct the security unit to restrict Alex's exit," I put a call to my secretary immediately my senses picked the point.But my heart sank when she called back a few seconds later. “He left before they got the instruction, ma." Then my phone buzzed, a message from the same number Alex had used in calling me earlier: "Check your mailbox. Y
AMELIA'S POV“You need to take caution, Alex. We're business partners not romantic partners," I said while we were outside.“You could have convinced me of that if your reactionh signified that you didn't enjoy it,” he smiled mockingly.Of a truth, I noticed the spark of jealousy in Nelson's eyes when Alex's hand rested behind me on my seat, and I could swear I never wanted the look to disappear. But I still needed to put Alex in place, to let him respect boundaries.“What do you mean?" I asked, feigning confusion. “Everything was clear from the onset, we're doing this because I'm entitled to fulfill my obligations to you and not because of any real interest.""Well, just so you know, I saw the satisfaction on your face when you sensed the jealousy in your husband's reaction, but If that's not the case, convince me so, next time.”Jeez!This guy was some freaking psychopath. How did he read my expression so fast despite how much I had tried to conceal it?“Sure, I will. But correctio
NELSON'S POV My fingers drummed against the smooth surface of the table in front of me. My eyes darting towards the entrance every passing minute. I had arrived early not because I was eager to discuss business, but because I needed to rehearse and compose myself before facing Amelia again. Five years. That was how long it had been since we parted ways. Since I let her go, convinced that I was making the right decision. I had told myself then that I had moved on, that I made the right decision by choosing Rose over Amelia. Amelia was just another chapter in my past, reason why I told her to get rid of the baby when are told me she was pregnant. I never thought I would be seeing her again. But sitting down here, helpless and frustrated, as the clock ticked and anticipation built in my chest, I knew he was lying to myself.Then, she walked in, causing me to blink severally in order to process what I saw. Amelia was stunning. She had always been beautiful, but now, she carried hers
AMELIA'S POV Immediately he left, I turned to Sophie, my secretary, snapping my hand to necessitate the urgency in my voice. The picture of Nelson looking both stunned and surprised replayed over again. Satisfaction coursed through me and I scoffed. Then I said to Sophie:"Right away, we need to start planning on how to bring a significant change to the company financial situation in the next few weeks.""The company financial situation is excellent at the moment, ma'am. We should only focus on creating a unique brand strategy that could easily convince individuals to buy shares in our company."I smiled, patting her on the back. "You're always full of intelligence, Sophie. But I was referring to Rango group.""oh! I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. What do you want us to start with?" she asked."First we'll need to get the record of past and recent financial situation from them, then we'll look into how we can improve the situation especially through networking."Getting at Nels
AMELIA'S POV"Is she awake?" I asked again when the nurse wouldn't give an answer. She kept moving until we were only inches apart, then she stood right in front of me. Her face was masked in professionalism, then she said, "Congratulations, she's awake now?"A wave of relief washed over me. I had thought it was going to be a negative response especially with the nurse's expressionless face. "Can I see her now?" I asked, already moving towards the room. "She's sleeping at the moment, and it would be better if you let her rest for now. She has lost so much energy and she needs to regain it. But..." she shrugged. "...if you think you really need to see her, I advise that you don't do or say anything that would wake her up."With that, I didn't wait to hear anything she had left to say. I dashed towards the room, and Cynthia crawled after me, scrubbing her feet against the floor. When I got into the room, my daughter was sleeping peacefully. She looked so exhausted and I couldn't h
NELSON'S POV"What?" I screamed, eye flipped open in bewilderment. "Why the hell would they think I will allow someone else share my position all in the name of a freaking partnership?"Emily and Benita sat across from me, their gaze both resting on me, making the pressure from everything sink deeper into my body. I hated the fact that I was in this mess of a situation. I couldn't contain the rage that bubbled within me as my secretary and CFO came with the report stating the condition attached to the partnership proposal. Operating as a Co-CEO means we are going to have almost, if not equal rights in the company and we would both be involved in the decision making. "What other conditions are attached?" I asked. "They must have thought so high of themselves and their goddamned company to think of such condition."But what more could an helpless CEO do? "No other condition. That was the only condition given. But as it is, they appear strict and not ready to amend the requirements,
NELSON'S POV"What?" I screamed, eye flipped open in bewilderment. "Why the hell would they think I will allow someone else share my position all in the name of a freaking partnership?"Emily and Benita sat across from me, their gaze both resting on me, making the pressure from everything sink deeper into my body. I hated the fact that I was in this mess of a situation. I couldn't contain the rage that bubbled within me as my secretary and CFO came with the report stating the condition attached to the partnership proposal. Operating as a Co-CEO means we are going to have almost, if not equal rights in the company and we would both be involved in the decision making. "What other conditions are attached?" I asked. "They must have thought so high of themselves and their goddamned company to think of such condition."But what more could an helpless CEO do? "No other condition. That was the only condition given. But as it is, they appear strict and not ready to amend the requirements,