Kyla packed up her things, ready to leave the office for the last time. Her heart felt heavy, but she knew she had to do this. Walking out of Reece’s world was the only way to save herself from more heartbreak. But just as she reached the door, her phone buzzed.
It was an email from HR. URGENT: Audit Review – Immediate Action Required Her breath caught. What the hell was this? Before she could even process, her office door swung open, and there stood Reece, looking sharp in his tailored suit, but his eyes were wild. "Kyla," he said, his voice calm but with a hint of urgency, "We have a serious problem with the company's audit. Something’s wrong, and I need you to handle it." Kyla stared at him in disbelief. “Now? I just handed in my resignation,” she said, keeping her voice steady. He moved closer, his presence filling the room. “Look, I don’t know what happened. Finance flagged some irregularities, and it’s bad, Kyla. If we don’t fix this, we’re talking millions. This could get ugly fast.” Kyla’s stomach churned. The company’s reputation, her job, everything could be at risk. She knew Reece was asking her to stay, but this wasn’t a game. She couldn't walk away knowing there was a crisis. Sighing, she placed her bag down and sat back at her desk. "Fine. I'll stay until the audit issue is resolved, but after that, I’m leaving for good." Reece smirked but quickly masked it. "I knew I could count on you." --- Hours stretched into days. Kyla worked tirelessly, going over endless files and documents. Something didn’t feel right about the audit. The mistakes seemed too deliberate, too well-placed to be accidents. She couldn’t shake the feeling that someone had set this up, but who? By the third night, Kyla hadn’t left the office. She was sleeping on the couch, barely getting any rest between work sessions. The smell of coffee lingered in the air, her eyes heavy with exhaustion, but she couldn’t stop. She had to find out what happened. One night, while scanning through another file, the door opened unexpectedly. Kyla looked up, expecting it to be Reece again, but instead, a tall, statuesque woman with sleek blonde hair walked in. She looked like she had just stepped off the cover of a magazine. The expensive designer dress she wore clung to her body, and her heels clicked sharply against the floor. Her lips curled into a fake smile. "You must be Kyla," the woman said, her voice dripping with superiority. "I’ve heard so much about you." Kyla frowned, confused. "And you are?" The woman raised an eyebrow. “Oh, I’m sorry. I assumed Reece had told you.” She stepped closer, her perfume strong and overwhelming. "I’m Vivian, Reece’s fiancée." Kyla’s heart stopped. Fiancée? The room suddenly felt smaller, her chest tightening as the word sank in. So, this was the woman Reece’s mother had chosen. "Fiancée?" Kyla repeated, trying to keep her voice steady. "Yes," Vivian purred, her gaze sharp as she looked Kyla up and down. "You didn’t think someone like him would settle for...well, this, did you?" Kyla clenched her fists, fighting back the urge to slap that smug look off Vivian’s face. The woman was everything Kyla wasn’t—rich, beautiful, and clearly from the same elite world as Reece. But she wouldn’t let herself be humiliated. "I have work to do," Kyla said coldly, standing up to walk Vivian to the door. But before she could get far, Reece stepped in. He glanced between the two women, tension filling the air. "Vivian," Reece said, his voice tight, "You shouldn’t be here." Vivian smiled sweetly, but her eyes were icy. "I just wanted to see the woman who’s been working so closely with my future husband." Kyla could feel the heat rise in her cheeks, embarrassment and anger mixing together. Reece moved closer to her, putting himself between the two women, his back turned to Vivian. "Kyla, I need you to stay," he said, ignoring Vivian completely. "This audit—it’s not what it seems." "I know that," Kyla snapped, feeling her patience fray. "But I can’t keep pretending everything’s fine, Reece. I can’t—" She paused, trying to gather her thoughts. "I’m leaving after this, and you need to accept it." Vivian’s laugh echoed behind them. “Looks like you’re losing your little pet, Reece.” Reece’s jaw tightened, and without looking back at Vivian, he said, “Get out.” Vivian’s eyes flared with anger, but she composed herself quickly. "I’ll see you at home," she said, her voice saccharine as she left, leaving the tension in the room suffocating. As soon as the door closed behind her, Reece turned back to Kyla, his face serious. "I paid someone off," he admitted quietly, running a hand through his wet hair. “To mess up the audit.” Kyla’s heart sank, realizing what he had done. "You...you set this up? So I would stay?" Reece stepped closer, his eyes filled with something she couldn’t quite place—desperation, maybe even guilt. "I can’t lose you, Kyla," he said, his voice raw. “Not like this.” Kyla felt her throat tighten, her heart aching at his words, but anger flared in her chest. "So you lied? You tricked me into staying because you couldn't let me go?" Reece’s face softened, and for the first time, Kyla saw vulnerability in his eyes. “Yes.” She slapped him, hard. The sound of it echoed in the room, and her hand stung from the impact, but she didn’t care. “You don’t get to control me, Reece. You can’t manipulate me into staying just because it’s convenient for you.” Reece looked at her, his cheek red from the slap, but he didn’t move. He didn’t yell, didn’t fight back. Instead, he reached for her, his fingers gently tracing her jawline. “I love you, Kyla,” he whispered, his breath warm against her skin. “I didn’t realize it until I thought I’d lose you.” Kyla felt her knees weaken at his words. This was what she had wanted, wasn’t it? But now, hearing him say it, she didn’t know if she could trust him. “You have a fiancée, Reece,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I don’t care about Vivian,” he said firmly. “She’s not you.” He kissed her then, softly at first, but soon it deepened, his lips moving against hers with a hunger that she had felt every time they were together. For a moment, Kyla let herself melt into him, her body responding to his touch, but then she pulled away, shaking her head. “This doesn’t change anything,” she said, stepping back. “I’m still leaving when this is done.” Reece’s face darkened, but he didn’t argue. “We’ll see,” he said quietly, watching her as she turned back to her desk, her mind spinning with everything that had just happened.Kyla’s POVThe moment Reece walked out of the mansion, my legs gave out, and I sank onto the cold marble floor. The sound of the front door slamming shut echoed in my ears, but the silence that followed was even louder. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to stop the tremors shaking my body.I wanted to run after him, to beg him to let me explain, but what was there to explain? I’d lied. I’d deceived him. No matter how much my feelings for him had changed, the truth remained—this all started with a lie.I stared at the suitcase Reece had angrily thrown into the hallway. It had been sitting there for days, untouched, because a part of me foolishly believed I could stay. But now, there was no escaping the inevitable.I wiped my tears and forced myself to stand. The room felt suffocating, and every corner seemed to hold a memory of him. His voice, his touch, his laughter—all of it was a cruel reminder of what I was losing.As I dragged myself upstairs to pack, the weight of the situa
Reece’s POVThe moment I left the warehouse, I couldn’t shake off the weight of Benedict’s words. My own mother, Mrs. Hastings, had stooped so low as to pay someone to hurt Kyla. The image of her—the woman I was beginning to care for—being used as a pawn in my mother’s twisted games made my blood boil.The drive back to the mansion felt like a blur. I could barely keep my hands steady on the steering wheel, gripping it so tightly my knuckles turned white. By the time I arrived, my head was pounding, and my emotions were a storm I couldn’t calm.Walking into the house, I didn’t bother to announce my presence. The sound of my shoes echoed through the grand hall, and the maids quickly moved out of my way when they saw my face. I didn’t stop until I reached the living room.Kyla was there, curled up on the couch with a book. She looked peaceful, completely unaware of the chaos raging inside me. When she noticed me, her face lit up with a warm smile.“Reece? You’re back early,” she said, c
Reece's POVReece’s Mansion “Good morning, beautiful,” I said, planting a gentle kiss on Kyla’s forehead. She stirred awake, her sleepy eyes fluttering open. Seeing her on my bed felt surreal. I could wake up to this sight every day. “I’m heading to work,” I continued, brushing her hair back. “Make sure you eat, and Boris will drive you home when you’re ready to leave.” “Have a nice day,” Kyla mumbled with a soft smile before pulling me closer for a quick kiss. As she settled back into the blankets, I couldn’t help but grin. Today was a big day. Last night was horrible, and now, the fallout from my decision to sever ties with the Choi Group was making waves. News about Hastings Empire cutting all business transactions with them had gone viral, tanking their stocks. They were scrambling to fix the damage, but I wasn’t backing down. As I got into my jet-black Ferrari, my phone buzzed. Seeing my mother’s name on the screen, I sighed before answering. “Hello, Mother. What do you nee
The night at Reece's mansion was magical, a stark contrast to the turmoil that had defined Kyla’s day. For the first time in what felt like forever, she experienced warmth and security in the arms of a man who loved her. Reece’s confession still echoed in her mind. She couldn’t believe it—this wasn’t just a one-sided infatuation anymore. The love she’d quietly nurtured in her heart was finally reciprocated.Dinner was intimate and playful, a balm to her fractured soul."I'm not a baby, I can eat on my own," Kyla teased, rolling her eyes with a smile.Reece smirked but continued feeding her, determined to spoil her."Fine! If that's how you want to play it, here!" Kyla said, grabbing a fork and attempting to feed him. He turned his face away dramatically, feigning disinterest, which made her pout.Just as she started to pull her hand back, he leaned forward, took a bite, and then surprised her with a soft kiss on her lips."I love you," he whispered, his deep voice melting her heart."
"Let me go, let me go!" Kyla screamed in her sleep. Her voice echoed through the mansion, alerting everyone. The staff exchanged worried glances, unsure of what to do. Reece and Boris dashed up the stairs to his room, their hearts pounding.Kyla was thrashing in bed, her face pale with fear. She kept shouting, "Let me go!" Reece wasted no time. He climbed onto the bed and wrapped her in his arms."You're safe now," he whispered softly into her ear. "No one will ever hurt you again."Kyla clung to him tightly, her small hands gripping his shirt as though letting go would mean losing him. Boris stood by the door, observing the scene. He understood her state and quietly exited, closing the door gently behind him.Reece held Kyla close, brushing a tender kiss on her forehead. Slowly, her screams turned into soft whimpers, and she seemed to calm down. Yet, her stomach growled loudly, breaking the silence.Reece glanced down at her and smiled. He carefully laid her back on the bed and reach
The night was a mess, more than Kyla could handle. She had thought the worst was over after the incident with Mr. Benedict Choi at the bar, but now, she felt like everything was falling apart. After the staff meeting, Mrs. Gina made sure everyone left in pairs. Kyla walked with one of the bartenders, her mind racing. She couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen. Her colleague's building was close by, just a few blocks away from Kyla's apartment. As soon as her colleague went inside, Kyla hurried down the quiet street. Suddenly, a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her into a dark alley. "Think you can embarrass me like that?" Mr. Benedict's voice was full of anger. He pushed her against the wall, his grip tight and painful. Kyla's heart pounded. "Let me go!" she yelled, trying to break free. "You need to be taught a lesson," Benedict hissed. He grabbed at her dress, trying to rip it. "Help me!" Kyla screamed, kicking and fighting. At that moment, a car scr