Nathan POV:
“I’m on my way, Agatha. Don’t worry. Everything will be alright.”
The words tasted like ash in my mouth, a hollow promise I wasn’t even sure I could keep.
But they were what she needed to hear. Desperate, vulnerable Agatha, finally turning to me, finally seeing me as something other than the villain in her story.
A surge of something close to… triumph, maybe even hope, flickered within me. This was it. My chance.
My opportunity to rewrite our ending, to prove to her, to myself, that I could be the man she needed. The man she deserved.
I hung up the phone, the click echoing in the cavernous emptiness of my office. A bitte
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
The past continued to resurface in my mind, no matter how hard I tried to push it down. I remembered the countless dinner parties where Nathan and his social circle would belittle me for my supposedly humble upbringing. "Fetch me another drink, would you dear?" Nathan would say, smiling that dazzling smile that no longer fooled me. As I walked away, I could hear the snickers and whispers behind my back. "Really Nathan, a farm girl? I thought you had higher standards than that." "She must be a terrific lay if you're willing to marry down so far." I endured it with a stoic smile, not wanting to give them the satisfaction of seeing me upset. But inside, the comments chipped away at my sense of self-worth. If the guests weren't bad enough, Nathan's mother Josephine was ruthless in her criticism of me. Though I had graduated top of my class with a business degree, in her eyes I was nothing more than the help. "Agatha, why isn't this floor polished to a shine? I thought I taught yo
As Lena's car pulled away, I turned to face my father sitting beside me on the veranda. His stern features had softened as he watched me, seeing the turmoil still evident in my eyes. "My dear, I know this ordeal has cut deeply. But you must not lose hope - you have so much wonderful life still ahead of you." He patted my hand gently. I sighed. "It's just so hard to imagine moving on when the wound is still so fresh. " My father nodded understandingly. "Which is why I think a change of scenery could do you good. There is a gala this weekend benefiting one of NexGen's philanthropic partners. As my daughter, your presence would be appreciated." I pondered his words as a reminder of my true identity swirled in my mind. NexGen Technologies was no ordinary company. Under my father's leadership, it had grown into a global powerhouse known for developing groundbreaking innovations that shaped the world. The patents my father had created were worth billions, yet he remained a quiet reclus
As the car glided smoothly through the streets, I turned to study my companion more closely. "Forgive me, I don't believe I caught your name." He smiled politely. "Charles Campbell, at your service. I'm the CSO of Campbell Enterprises." My mind raced as I placed the name. Campbell Enterprises, the banking giant. I did recall Nathan mocking Charles and his family's company during heated debates with colleagues. "An upstart trying to muscle in on our territory. As if he has any idea how to run a real business," Nathan had sneered. "I apologize, I don't believe I introduced myself. I'm-" "Agatha De Rossi. Daughter of Aldo De Rossi, of NexGen Technologies. I recognized you from the moment we collided." His eyes held no judgment. I noticed his use of my maiden last name. "You know who I am?" "The heiress to the illustrious De Rossi dynasty? It would be difficult not to, in my circles... Though I admit, up close your beauty far outshines any descriptions." His smile was kind, without
I waved off the security guards helping Nathan into a waiting car, tired beyond words. Charles eyed me with worry but I waved him off weakly. "I'll be fine. Thank you, for acting when you didn't have to."Before he could speak, a strong voice called out, "Agatha! Are you alright, my dear?" I turned to see my father walking towards us, worry written on his noble features. Dread swelled in my guts at the discovery of this disaster. Would he blame me for the scene Nathan caused?"Father, I-" But he had already noticed Charles at my side."Charles! As I live and breathe! It's been far too long, my boy." They hugged warmly.But Charles simply smiled. "The pleasure is mine, Mr. De Rossi. Your daughter was just showing me what a great host you've been."I watched in disbelief. My father, fraternizing so familiarly with the man at the center of my mess of an evening? Doubts whirled until Father turned to me, face stern but eyes soft with care."Are you hurt? That man always did have a nasty
No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than my phone rang with an unknown number. My breath caught in my throat - could it be him already? "Hello?" "Miss De Rossi, I hope I'm not disturbing you. It's Charles Campbell." His smooth baritone was unmistakable. "I was wondering if you might join me for lunch today, to further discuss the events of last evening." Intrigue and suspicion warred within me. Against my better judgment, I heard myself reply, "Very well, Mr. Campbell. I accept your invitation. Where shall we meet?" "Excellent, shall we say 12:30 at Bistro La Rue? It's a casual little place just around the corner from my office." My mind raced as I tried to understand Mr. Campbell's intentions. Why had he insisted on escorting me last night, and why was he now asking me to lunch? Still, my curiosity got the better of me. "Bistro La Rue at 12:30 works well for me. I'll see you then, Mr. Campbell." I hung up, my thoughts a swirling storm. What could this man possibly want fr
There was an intensity between us, an attraction I couldn't ignore. Charles was clever and unlikely to expose his genuine intentions at once.After dessert, Charles escorted me to the front of the restaurant's outdoor space. "Thank you again for meeting me today," he said, holding my hand and pressing his lips across my knuckles. "I look forward to continuing our...discussions."I offered him a subtle smile. "So do I. It was an honor, Mr. Campbell."As I turned to go, his fingers softly grabbed my wrist. "Please, call me Charles." His thumb caressed the sensitive flesh within my wrist, causing an involuntary quiver.I caught his focused look and noticed a desire hiding there. "Very well...Charles," I said. With a little wink, I removed my hand from his clasp and went away. Two people might play this flirty game.I had just returned home, exhausted after my experience with Charles, when my phone rang. I didn't recognize the number provided and responded cautiously."Hello?""Agatha, it
Nathan POV:“I’m on my way, Agatha. Don’t worry. Everything will be alright.”The words tasted like ash in my mouth, a hollow promise I wasn’t even sure I could keep.But they were what she needed to hear. Desperate, vulnerable Agatha, finally turning to me, finally seeing me as something other than the villain in her story.A surge of something close to… triumph, maybe even hope, flickered within me. This was it. My chance.My opportunity to rewrite our ending, to prove to her, to myself, that I could be the man she needed. The man she deserved.I hung up the phone, the click echoing in the cavernous emptiness of my office. A bitte
Agatha POV:“This can’t be right.”I stared at the document on my screen, my heart hammering against my ribs. The words swam before my eyes, a jumbled mess of legal jargon and financial figures that, when pieced together, painted a terrifying picture.My fingers trembled as I scrolled back to the top of the file, rereading the heading for what felt like the hundredth time.De Rossi Family Holdings – Confidential Internal Audit.Confidential. Internal. My father never mentioned anything about an internal audit. He was always open with me about NexGen’s finances, about every aspect of the company.So why was this hidden? And why did it feel lik
Agatha POV:“You’ve been awfully quiet, my dear. Something on your mind?”Dad’s voice, though weakened by his illness, still held its familiar sharpness, cutting through the silence that had settled between us.He was propped up in his hospital bed, looking frail against the crisp white sheets, but his gaze was as perceptive as ever.I forced a smile, my fingers tracing the edge of the worn, get-well card on his bedside table.“Just thinking about NexGen, Dad. The board meeting next week…”“Ah, the sharks are circling,” he said, a dry chuckle rumbling in his chest. “Don’t you worry about them, Agatha. You’ll handle them. You’re a De Rossi.”“I know, Dad. But it’s a lot. And with you here…” My voice trailed off, the unspoken fear hanging heavy in the air. The fear of losing him, of facing this battle alone.He reac
Nathan POV:I stood outside Aldo De Rossi’s hospital room, my hand hovering over the door handle, my resolve wavering.What was I doing here?Did I really think that facing Agatha’s father, the man I’d wronged, the man whose company I’d nearly destroyed, would somehow make things right?Agatha’s words, spoken weeks ago in the sterile confines of the hospital cafeteria, echoed in my mind: “You think this… ‘noble sacrifice’ makes everything okay? You think it erases everything else, everything you’ve done?”She was right.My actions, my desperate attempt to sabotage Xing Enterprises, to protect NexGen, to protect her… it didn’t erase the past.It didn’t change the fact that I’d betrayed her, hurt her, thrown away our marriage like it was nothing.But I had to try.I had to do something. Not for her, not anymore. But for myself. To prove to myself that I wasn't the same selfish, arrogant bastard I used to be.Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door and stepped inside.The room was d
Agatha POV:The cool night air was a welcome balm against my heated skin, a stark contrast to the stifling atmosphere of the ballroom.The charity gala, a whirlwind of forced smiles, polite conversations, and the clinking of champagne glasses, had left me feeling drained, emotionally exhausted.I leaned against the railing of the terrace, the cold metal a grounding presence beneath my fingertips.I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, trying to find a moment of peace, a sliver of clarity amidst the storm raging within me.The partnership with Campbell Enterprises was a success, a strategic victory that had secured NexGen’s future, or at least, bought us some time.But the triumph felt hollow, overshadowed by the personal turmoil that seemed to follow me like a shadow.Nathan’s desperate attempts to win me back, Charles’s increasingly possessive behavior, James’s cryptic warnings, and now Camille’s raw vulnerability and unexpected kindness – it was all too much, a tangled web of emoti
Nathan POV:The music was too loud, the laughter too bright, the champagne too bitter.Each clink of a glass, each polite chuckle, each congratulatory pat on Agatha’s back felt like a punch to my gut.I stood in the shadows, a ghost at this opulent feast, watching the life I’d thrown away unfold before my eyes.And there she was, the center of it all, radiant in a black dress that clung to every curve.Agatha.My Agatha.Laughing, smiling, her eyes sparkling with a joy that was no longer meant for me.And Charles. Always Charles.He stood beside her, a constant presence, his hand resting a little too comfortably on the small of her back, his smile a little too intimate, his gaze a little too possessive.He was a serpent, slithering his way into her life, whispering poison in her ear, blinding her with his charm and carefully constructed lies.Each time he touched her, a fresh wave of rage, hot and thick, washed over me, threatening to drown me in its intensity.Each time she laughed a
Charles POV:"Pathetic, isn't he?"Councilman Hayes's words, laced with disdain, cut through the polite murmur of the charity gala. I didn't need to turn to know who he was referring to.I followed his gaze across the room, a wry smile playing on my lips. Nathan Richards, the once-mighty heir to the Richards empire, was a shadow of his former self. He stood alone by the bar, his usually impeccable suit rumpled, his tie loosened, his hair disheveled, his gaze fixed on Agatha with a desperate, almost predatory intensity.He looked like a caged animal, pacing back and forth, his eyes darting around the room, a mixture of anger, frustration, and a raw, exposed vulnerability that was almost… painful to watch."He's losing it, Charles," Hayes continued, his voice a low, conspiratorial murmur. "The company's in shambles, his family's turning against him, and now… this."He gestured towards Nathan with a subtle nod of his head."Publicly begging his ex-wife to take him back? It's… embarrass
Agatha POV:The salty air whipped through my hair, carrying with it the rhythmic roar of the ocean. We were strolling along the beach, hand in hand, the setting sun painting the sky in hues of orange, pink, and purple. It was magical, a scene ripped straight from a movie, and a stark contrast to the sterile hospital rooms and tense board meetings that had consumed my life lately.Charles had been true to his word. He’d whisked me away on a spontaneous getaway, a much-needed escape from the pressures of NexGen, the lingering shadow of Nathan, and the ever-present questions surrounding James.He’d rented a secluded beach house, a cozy haven nestled among the dunes, with panoramic ocean views and the sound of crashing waves as a constant lullaby.“Remember the last time we were at the beach together?” he asked, his thumb stroking the back of my hand, a touch that sent shivers down my spine.A laugh escaped my lips, a light, carefree sound I hadn’t realized I was capable of making anymo
Charles POV:The boardroom buzzed with the low murmur of hushed conversations, the clinking of champagne flutes, and the scratching of pens against crisp, expensive paper.The air thrummed with a potent mix of relief, anticipation, and the subtle undercurrent of rivalry that always permeated these high-stakes gatherings.We’d done it. The partnership between Campbell Enterprises and NexGen was official. Signed, sealed, and delivered.My gaze drifted to Agatha, who was standing across the room, accepting congratulations from a gaggle of board members and investors.She looked radiant, her emerald green dress a vibrant splash of color against the muted tones of the boardroom.Her smile was dazzling, her laughter a melodic counterpoint to the dull hum of business chatter.But even from across the room, I could see the shadows in her eyes, the lingering sadness that clung to her like a second skin.The weight of her father’s illness, the messy drama with Nathan, and now the added pressure