ARIANA'S POV
Two days had passed since my mother's bombshell, and I was still reeling from the news. Bankrupt. The word echoed in my mind like a death sentence. How could this be happening? Vanderbilt Holdings, the company generations of Vanderbilts had built from scratch, was on the brink of collapse.
Even working could not calm my nerves. I went to the office each day and sat down blankly staring at the computer. As I sat at my desk, staring blankly at my computer screen, an email notification popped up. My heart skipped a beat as I saw the subject line: “Urgent: Board Meeting - Vanderbilt Holdings.”
I felt a sense of trepidation as I opened the email. The message was brief an
ROBERT'S POV The silence in the room was thick and one could have heard a pin drop in that large room. I saw Ariana's face turn an ashen colour and she kept her eyes on her father. I could not imagine what she was feeling at that moment.The CEO, Mr Thompson finally spoke up. “I think we should hold our horses before saying something like that Richard”.“Well, you and I know for a fact that it is true Thompson. The earlier we filed for bankruptcy, the better. We are in debts, stretched thin and losing money in the market every day”, Richard said, raisi
ARIANA'S POV As Odette introduced herself, the entire room seemed to pause. Who bears Odette anyways? I didn't like her. I knew that immediately. What kind of a CEO looked like that? She was stunning, with piercing green eyes and raven-black hair that cascaded down her back like a waterfall. Her skin was a radiant olive tone, and her full lips curled into a sultry smile. She stood tall, her slender figure accentuated by a fitted black dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. A gold necklace glimmered around her neck, and her stilettos clicked against the floor as she moved.I felt a pang of jealousy as Rob's eyes locked onto hers, his gaze lingering a moment too long. My heart tittered. This woman was trouble and I hated her all over again for it.“Hello, everyone,” she said again, her voice husky and confident. “I am the CEO of Elite Enterprises.”As she began to speak, her words were laced with authority and intelligence. She presented a proposal for a merger, outlini
ROBERT'S POV As I watched Ariana storm off, her face flushed with anger and embarrassment, I couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement. She was jealous, and that knowledge stirred something deep within me. I had thought our marriage was over, but now I wasn't so sure. If Ariana was still feeling jealous over me, then there was hope. I left the office building that day feeling elated for the first time in three months. At last, there was a silver lining in the cloud. I had been miserable without Ariana. I really hoped I would be able to win her back. Perhaps Odette wasn't such a bad idea. If her being around would make Ariana look at me again with love in her eyes, then I guess I could live with it.As I made my way to my meeting with Odette the next day, my mind was a jumble of conflicting desires. I wanted to reconcile with Ariana, to make our marriage work again. But another part of me was concerned about the danger of towing this path. Odette was obviously sultry and confiden
ROBERT'S POVI was consumed with rage, my anger boiling over like a pot left unattended. How dare Odette suggest such a thing? Did she really think I would betray my family, my father-in-law, for the sake of power and control? I was tempted, I won't deny it, but my indignation and anger won out. I pushed her away, my hands on her shoulders, and took a step back."Get out of my sight, Odette," I growled, my voice low and menacing. "You're not worth my time or consideration."With that, I turned and stormed out of her office, leaving her standing there, a look of shock and surprise on her face. I didn't care. I needed to get out of there, away from her and her toxic influence.As I drove home, my anger only intensified. I couldn't believe I had trusted Odette, that I had agreed to meet with her. What was I thinking? I beat myself up over it, my mind racing with thoughts of betrayal and deceit.As I walked into the living room, I was met with a sight that made my heart sink. Nate, my you
ARIANA'S POV I left the meeting feeling like a deflated balloon, my confidence and self-worth leaking out of me like air from a puncture. Odette's poise and composure had highlighted my own inadequacies, and I couldn't shake off the feeling of jealousy that had taken up residence in my heart. Why was Rob spending time with her? What did she have that I didn't?As I drove home, my mind was a jumble of conflicting emotions. I questioned everything - my feelings for Rob, the impending failure of Vanderbilt Holdings, and my own relevance in the business world. Years ago, I had been the one to save the company and expand it; now, we had to rely on Odette's cunning and ambition. It was a bitter pill to swallow. I was now faced with the possibility that I was obsolete and could no longer do anything to help our financial situation. What had happened to me? I was Ariana who had turned rooms cold! The next day, I woke up feeling particularly blue and lonely. I had still not gotten over the f
ROBERT'S POV I was taken aback by Nate's request, my mind racing with thoughts of how to respond. I deliberated on how to tell him the truth - that Ariana and I were separated, and I wasn't sure I could ask her if Nate could live with her. Yes, she loved Nate and he was her nephew but it wasn't that simple. I was shell-shocked, unsure of how to navigate this conversation."Nate, buddy, it's not that simple," I began, trying to sound calm and reassuring. "Ariana is not your legal guardian, and we're...separated."Nate's face scrunched up in protest. "But she's my aunt, Dad! And I miss her. I feel like she would make me feel better."Nate was just a child. What was I thinking? I could never make him understand the complexities of these things. I sighed deeply and stood up, I was tired and even beginning to fall asleep on my feet. With Nate here, the whole thing with Odette had even escaped my mind but just now, my body was starting to remember that I had had a trying day.I sighed again
ARIANA'S POV"What?" I shouted.I felt like I had been punched in the gut. My father, Richard, had a heart attack? I couldn't process it. I was still reeling from the argument with Robert and my mother's accusations. But this...this was too much.My mother's calm demeanor was unsettling. She seemed so composed, so collected, while I was falling apart. Nate burst into tears, and Robert sprang into action, grabbing coats and ushering us out the door.The drive to the hospital was a blur. I couldn't shake off the feeling of numbness. My father, the strong and stoic man I had always known, was lying in a hospita
ARIANA'S POVThe weight of grief descended upon me like a suffocating blanket, wrapping me in its icy embrace and leaving me gasping for air. My father, the rock of our family, was gone, leaving behind a void that no amount of tears could fill. I did not know how to react. I had only three months ago started to process Flora's death, it was like life was just being cruel. I sat down on that cold floor resisting Rob's attempts to pull me up. I was in a daze. Confused and lost. And slowly, I began to wail. It came from somewhere deep within me, loud and painful.As I sat in the hospital corridor, my mind numb with shock and disbelief, I watched my mother crumble before my eyes. My mother who had always been a pillar of strength now seemed small and fragile, her composed facade shattered by the weight of her grief. I wanted to reach out to her, to offer her comfort in her time of need, but I felt like I was drowning in my own sorrow, unable to find the words to express my pain. I didn't