ROBERT'S POV
Ariana and Margaret gasped in unison when the gun hit the floor, the shock evident in their wide eyes. I stepped forward, trying to maintain control over the situation. Bending down, I used the envelope to wrap around the gun carefully before placing it on the table.
"Margaret," I said gently, "go to bed. Tomorrow, we'll inform Sylvia and figure out what to do next."
Margaret looked at me, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and uncertainty. She nodded slowly and made her way upstairs. I turned to Ariana and took her hand, leading her back to our bedroom. We were both exhausted, and as soon as we reached the bed, we collapsed onto it.
ARIANA'S POV I felt a surge of anger the moment Josh announced that Odette had put some of the company's assets up for auction. But before I could voice my outrage, Sylvia cut in, her tone sharp and authoritative yet dismissive of this new information from her fiancé. "Odette has no right to put up the company's assets for auction," Sylvia stated firmly. "The merger between Elite Enterprises and Vanderbilt Holdings has not been finalized. Legally, Ariana, you are Richard's heir, and even though his will hasn't been read, for now, you hold the shares."I knew Sylvia knew what she was talking about but I was angry regardless. I knew nothing about my late Billionaire father and my app
ROBERT'S POV The moment the man in black bolted down the hallway, I was torn. Every instinct told me to chase after him, to find out who he was and why he seemed to evoke such a strong reaction in Ariana. But when I looked at her, breathing fast and on the verge of a panic attack, I knew I couldn't leave her side. Not now."Ariana," I said softly, taking her hands in mine. "Breathe with me, okay? In and out, nice and slow."She nodded, trying to follow my lead. I could see the tears glistening in her eyes, her distress etched on her face. It reminded me of the episodes she used to have after the miscarriage. "I don't know who he is," she whispered, her voice shaky. "But I know him, Rob. I know him.""It's okay," I reassured her, gently wiping away a tear that had escaped.She took a few more deep breaths, her breathing gradually returning to normal. I kept my eyes on her, my concern deepening with every passing moment. Her face was pale, and I could see the strain in her eyes. Gent
ARIANA'S POV I stood there, watching Robert and Detective James exchange tense words, my mind a whirl of confusion. Robert's agitation was written all over him, and it only served to heighten my anxiety. Detective James must have sensed the urgency in Robert's demeanor. He reached for a folder and laid a photograph on the table in front of us. My eyes were drawn to it almost involuntarily. As soon as I saw the face staring back at me, a wave of dizziness hit me like a tidal wave.Cold gray eyes. My body felt numb, and a cold sweat broke out on my forehead. It was like all the blood had rushed to my head, leaving me lightheaded and on the brink of collapse. I gasped, reaching out to steady myself on the table before sinking into a chair."Ariana?" Robert's voice was distant, as if coming from the other end of a tunnel. "Is this the same man you saw leaving the elevator?"I managed a weak nod, unable to find my voice. The room seemed to spin around me, and I focused on my breathing, tr
ROBERT'S POV The news hit me like a punch to the gut. Richard's fingerprints. It felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room, leaving me gasping for breath. Since Richard’s death, life had been nothing short of a relentless whirlwind. First it was Odette trying to seduce me and get me to betray the Vanderbilts, then it was Ariana's disappearance and subsequent amnesia, learning of Richard’s blackmail, the gun, and then LaSalle. It was a roller coaster I couldn’t seem to get off. How do I solve all our problems? What do I do to make things right again?I steadied myself, forcing a calm façade. Ariana needed me to be strong. They all did. “I'm going
ARIANA'S POVI gasped, feeling as though the floor had been ripped out from beneath me. I had not been expecting this despite my mother's reactions."Murdered?" I whispered, barely able to get the word out. "How do you know it was murder?"Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. "Anita was gunned down in broad daylight," she said, her voice hollow and distant.Rob stood up abruptly, running a hand through his hair as he began to pace. "This only proves that Richard was involved in something big," he said, agitation clear in his voice. "And Anita was taken out because she knew too much."
ROBERT'S POVI was happy. Tonight was the best night of my life. Inside of me I was feeling happiness I had never imagined possible. Ariana and I had finally had one passionate night together without Flora's ghost looming over us.Her head lay on my chest, her breathing soft and rhythmic. I ran my fingers through her hair absentmindedly, lost in fantasies, my mind running wild with passion. The memories of the last time we had made love like this suddenly surged up in my mind, unbidden. I could still remember vividly had quickly everything had turned sour because of my silly mistake. I had whispered the wrong name—Flora. I shook my head now to clear that away from my mind, willing th
ARIANA'S POVJosh looked shocked at my question, his mouth opening and closing as if he couldn't quite find the words. He stammered, “Yes... yes, that's the number. How do you know that?”Rob was on his feet instantly, rushing to my side. “Ariana, how do you know it?” He demanded, his eyes filled with a mix of concern and excitement.Everyone in the room seemed to be holding their breath. I could feel sweat beginning to form on my forehead, my palms clammy. I swallowed hard, trying to gather my thoughts.“I... I remember driving down there,” I said slowly. “I got out of
ROBERT'S POVI stood frozen, Ariana's words echoing in my mind. “It was because of you, Rob… it was you… I drove to Maple Street because of you!” The room seemed to close in around me, the air thick with a mixture of shock and confusion. I couldn't move, couldn't speak. My heart pounded in my chest, a painful thud against my ribs. Finally, I managed to find my voice, though it came out as a whisper. “Ariana, what do you mean by that? Why did you drive there because of me?”She took a shaky breath, her eyes locking onto mine. “I remember it clearly now. I received a call from someone. They said if I didn't