Nathan POV:
"Another one, Señor Richards?"
The voice, soft and accented, barely registered over the roaring in my ears. I looked up, blinking, trying to focus on the man standing before me.
It was Manuel. Aldo De Rossi’s assistant. What the hell was he doing here? And how did he even find me?
"Sure," I mumbled, pushing my empty glass across the rough, concrete surface. "Why the hell not?"
The 'bar' was a joke. A couple of crates stacked on top of each other in the corner of this abandoned warehouse, a pathetic collection of half-empty bottles its only sto
Nathan POV:A price. Of course. There was always a price."What price, Manuel?" I asked, my voice a low growl, my hand tightening into a fist, my mind racing, calculating, weighing the risks against the potential rewards.He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of ambition and… something else. Something darker. Something… dangerous."Let’s just say… a partnership, Señor Richards,” he said, his voice a smooth, persuasive hum. “A mutually beneficial arrangement. You help me… and I help you. We both get what we want.”“And what is it you want, Manuel?” I asked, my voice a challenge, my gaze unwavering
Agatha POV:My office at NexGen felt alien, cold. The sleek, modern furniture, the panoramic city view – it all seemed to mock the turmoil churning inside me.The space, once a symbol of my ambition, my newfound power, now felt like a cage.The memory of that confrontation, of Charles standing right where I was, his carefully constructed mask of concern cracking to reveal the anger, the possessiveness beneath… it replayed in my mind, a chilling loop.The documents, spread across this desk, the evidence of his betrayal…I ran a hand over the smooth surface of my desk, as if I could physically feel the re
Agatha POV:The walls of the conference room seemed to spin around me, the voices of the board members fading into a distant, muffled hum. I gripped the edge of the table, my knuckles turning white, my body swaying precariously."Ms. De Rossi, are you alright?" Sarah's voice, sharp with concern, cut through the fog in my brain."I… I just need a moment," I stammered, my voice a shaky whisper, my hand reaching up to my forehead, trying to steady myself, to push back the wave of dizziness that threatened to overwhelm me.But it was no use. The room tilted, the faces around the table blurring, the floor rushing up to meet me. And then, darkness.I woke up to the insistent beeping of a machine, the scent of antiseptic stinging my
Charles POV:The city lights, usually a comforting panorama from my penthouse windows, felt like accusing eyes tonight. Each twinkling point of light was a reminder of the precariousness of my position, the crumbling foundation of my carefully constructed world. And Agatha… she wasn’t here. Not anymore."Damn it, Richards," I muttered, swirling the amber liquid in my glass, the ice clinking a discordant rhythm against the silence. I hadn't even bothered to turn on any music. What was the point?Nathan's disappearance had thrown everything into chaos. One moment, he was a broken, defeated man, a ghost haunting the edges of Agatha's life. The next, he was… gone. Vanished.And the vultures were circling.The
Agatha POV:Unexpected. That was one word for it.Catastrophic felt more accurate.I stared blankly at the pamphlet on prenatal vitamins she pressed into my hand. It felt heavy, alien, like an artifact from another dimension. Charles’s baby. The thought slammed into me, stealing the air from my lungs, making the room spin.Somehow, I managed to navigate the elevator, the lobby, the revolving doors, moving like an automaton. The city noise hit me as I stumbled onto the sidewalk, I needed… I needed Lena. My fingers fumbled with my phone, slick with a nervous sweat I hadn’t realized was there.Her name swam in my contacts list. I pressed call, my brea
Agatha POV:FlashbackThe bathroom floor felt cold beneath my knees. Another negative pregnancy test lay stark white on the tiles.Hope, that fragile butterfly, had fluttered its wings for two long weeks, only to crash and burn again. Tears stung my eyes, hot and familiar."Aggie?" Nathan's voice came from the doorway. He stood there, already dressed in one of his perfect suits, impatience etched on his handsome face. "Are you ready? We're going to be late for the brunch."I quickly wiped my eyes, scrambling to my feet, hiding the test behind my back."Almost," I choked out, forcing a smile that felt like broken glass. "Just… touching up my makeup."
I stood in shock, staring down at the papers scattered across the floor. Divorce papers, with Nathan's signature already scribbled on the line. He couldn't even look me in the eye as he uttered those heartless words. "You should start packing. Only take what you came with." The pounding of my heart drowned out all other sounds. This couldn't be real, it had to be some twisted joke. I searched Nathan's face pleadingly, hoping to find even a hint of remorse or regret. But his eyes remained cold and distant. "Nathan, please...we can talk about this. What happened to make you want this so suddenly?" My voice cracked with emotion. Three years of marriage, three years of giving everything to this man, and his lavish lifestyle, meant nothing to him now. He sighed in annoyance. "Don't make this harder than it needs to be, Agatha. It's over. I've already filed the paperwork. Now just pack your things and go." White-hot anger swirled within me now, battling with the remnants of grief and
As the taxi pulled away from the mansion, I let the tears come that I'd held back for so long. All the stress and heartbreak of the past hours came pouring out of me in gut-wrenching sobs. I was finally free to mourn the loss of the life and identity I'd clung to for three years. My mind drifted back to happier times when Nathan and I were carefree college students. I saw him on the rugby pitch, his powerful form weaving effortlessly between opponents. Even then he had a swaggering charisma that drew people to him. Drawn to his confidence and charm, I'd eagerly accepted when he asked me out after a game. It was the first real act of rebellion against my father's expectations. Aldo De Rossi wanted me safely tucked away, continuing my studies without distraction. But Nathan made me feel alive and passionate in a way I never had before. For a while I let myself get swept up in the fantasy, pretending we could live a normal life together after graduation. Of course, it all came crash
Agatha POV:FlashbackThe bathroom floor felt cold beneath my knees. Another negative pregnancy test lay stark white on the tiles.Hope, that fragile butterfly, had fluttered its wings for two long weeks, only to crash and burn again. Tears stung my eyes, hot and familiar."Aggie?" Nathan's voice came from the doorway. He stood there, already dressed in one of his perfect suits, impatience etched on his handsome face. "Are you ready? We're going to be late for the brunch."I quickly wiped my eyes, scrambling to my feet, hiding the test behind my back."Almost," I choked out, forcing a smile that felt like broken glass. "Just… touching up my makeup."
Agatha POV:Unexpected. That was one word for it.Catastrophic felt more accurate.I stared blankly at the pamphlet on prenatal vitamins she pressed into my hand. It felt heavy, alien, like an artifact from another dimension. Charles’s baby. The thought slammed into me, stealing the air from my lungs, making the room spin.Somehow, I managed to navigate the elevator, the lobby, the revolving doors, moving like an automaton. The city noise hit me as I stumbled onto the sidewalk, I needed… I needed Lena. My fingers fumbled with my phone, slick with a nervous sweat I hadn’t realized was there.Her name swam in my contacts list. I pressed call, my brea
Charles POV:The city lights, usually a comforting panorama from my penthouse windows, felt like accusing eyes tonight. Each twinkling point of light was a reminder of the precariousness of my position, the crumbling foundation of my carefully constructed world. And Agatha… she wasn’t here. Not anymore."Damn it, Richards," I muttered, swirling the amber liquid in my glass, the ice clinking a discordant rhythm against the silence. I hadn't even bothered to turn on any music. What was the point?Nathan's disappearance had thrown everything into chaos. One moment, he was a broken, defeated man, a ghost haunting the edges of Agatha's life. The next, he was… gone. Vanished.And the vultures were circling.The
Agatha POV:The walls of the conference room seemed to spin around me, the voices of the board members fading into a distant, muffled hum. I gripped the edge of the table, my knuckles turning white, my body swaying precariously."Ms. De Rossi, are you alright?" Sarah's voice, sharp with concern, cut through the fog in my brain."I… I just need a moment," I stammered, my voice a shaky whisper, my hand reaching up to my forehead, trying to steady myself, to push back the wave of dizziness that threatened to overwhelm me.But it was no use. The room tilted, the faces around the table blurring, the floor rushing up to meet me. And then, darkness.I woke up to the insistent beeping of a machine, the scent of antiseptic stinging my
Agatha POV:My office at NexGen felt alien, cold. The sleek, modern furniture, the panoramic city view – it all seemed to mock the turmoil churning inside me.The space, once a symbol of my ambition, my newfound power, now felt like a cage.The memory of that confrontation, of Charles standing right where I was, his carefully constructed mask of concern cracking to reveal the anger, the possessiveness beneath… it replayed in my mind, a chilling loop.The documents, spread across this desk, the evidence of his betrayal…I ran a hand over the smooth surface of my desk, as if I could physically feel the re
Nathan POV:A price. Of course. There was always a price."What price, Manuel?" I asked, my voice a low growl, my hand tightening into a fist, my mind racing, calculating, weighing the risks against the potential rewards.He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of ambition and… something else. Something darker. Something… dangerous."Let’s just say… a partnership, Señor Richards,” he said, his voice a smooth, persuasive hum. “A mutually beneficial arrangement. You help me… and I help you. We both get what we want.”“And what is it you want, Manuel?” I asked, my voice a challenge, my gaze unwavering
Nathan POV:"Another one, Señor Richards?"The voice, soft and accented, barely registered over the roaring in my ears. I looked up, blinking, trying to focus on the man standing before me.It was Manuel. Aldo De Rossi’s assistant. What the hell was he doing here? And how did he even find me?"Sure," I mumbled, pushing my empty glass across the rough, concrete surface. "Why the hell not?"The 'bar' was a joke. A couple of crates stacked on top of each other in the corner of this abandoned warehouse, a pathetic collection of half-empty bottles its only sto
Charles POV:"Get me Thompson on the line. Now!"My voice, usually a smooth instrument of persuasion, was a ragged bark, echoing through the sterile emptiness of my office.I paced, the expensive Persian rug a blur beneath my feet, my hands clenched into fists, my mind a chaotic storm of anger, fear, and a desperate, gnawing need for control.Agatha.Her face, her voice, her rejection… It was a relentless loop playing in my head, a constant reminder of my failure, my… vulnerability.She knew. Somehow, she knew. About Xing, about the manipulations, about… everything.And she'd thrown me out. Dismissed me
"Agatha, please,"Charles whispered, his voice choked with emotion, his eyes pleading, his hands reaching out, trembling, as if to touch me, to hold me, to pull me back from the precipice."I… I can change. I can… I can get help. Just… just give me another chance. Please."His vulnerability, so raw, so unexpected, almost broke me. For a fleeting moment, I saw a glimpse of the man I’d thought he was, the man I’d wanted him to be.But it wasn’t enough. It couldn’t erase the lies, the manipulations, the betrayal.“No, Charles,” I said, my voice firm, my gaze unwavering, my heart aching with a pain that was both a release and a devastating loss.