MABEL’S POVI had the name. The truth was staring right at me, printed in crisp black letters on the documents Stephen had sent over. Carlos Monti. I stared at the name, my fingers tightening around the edge of the paper as a slow, cold realization settled in my chest.It really was him. I had suspected it the moment I saw the photos of Bella’s so-called “mystery man,” but a part of me refused to believe it. How could he have returned after all these years? I had destroyed him. Buried him. Stripped him of everything. And yet, he had not only survived, he had thrived.A slow, bitter smile curled at my lips. “So, you found a way back to the top, didn’t you, Carlos?” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. Ethan’s voice followed immediately after. “Mabel, open up. We need to talk.”I exhaled, smoothing down my silk robe before strolling toward the door. When I opened it, Ethan stepped inside without hesitation, his expression tense.“D
EDWARD’S POVThe moment my assistant, Lucas, informed me that the rumors had begun to die down and that our stocks were stabilizing, I knew it was time. Ethan had thought he could destroy me, paint me as the villain in Bella’s story, and walk away unscathed. But he had underestimated me. I had waited for the perfect moment, allowing the chaos to settle just enough before delivering a blow so devastating that Ethan would never recover.I leaned back in my chair, a slow smirk forming on my lips as I stared at the screen before me. The evidence I had gathered over the years: photographs, conversations, and undeniable proof of Ethan and Mabel’s affair was neatly compiled into a single, devastating package. With one click, I could unravel everything.But first, there was one person I needed to call. I reached for my phone and dialed Bella’s number. She picked up after a few rings, her voice cautious but steady.“Edward?”A small chuckle escaped me. “You sound surprised. Were you not expect
EDWARD’S POV I had finally won. For the first time in my life, I had truly won against Ethan and he couldn’t anything about it. Ethan was surrounded and helpless this time, he should’ve have seen it coming. The moment the police picked up the case, everything moved faster than I expected. The evidence I had meticulously gathered, the autopsy report, the financial transactions, the witness statements that had been buried was now in the hands of the law and public. There was no escaping this. Not even Ethan could buy his way out of murder. I stood in my office, the city lights stretching before me like a kingdom I had just conquered. My assistant, Lucas, was beside me, eyes fixed on his phone as he monitored the media frenzy. “They’re calling for his arrest,” Lucas said, scrolling through the headlines. “The public wants blood. The company’s board is already discussing removing him as CEO. Stock prices are taking a hit, but with Ethan out of the picture, you could finally take yo
BELLA’S POVThe morning felt different. Lighter. For the first time in a long time, I woke up without the crushing weight of fear pressing against my chest. It wasn’t complete peace, at least not yet but it was something close.I stretched under the soft, warm sheets, the scent of fresh linen wrapping around me. Carlos had kept his promise. Ethan was arrested, Mabel had disappeared, and though the world still whispered about me, the noise had quieted. I had Edward to thank for that.A part of me knew I should reach out, should say something more than just a simple “thank you” over text. But I couldn’t. I knew what his message had meant. He was expressing his feelings and I couldn’t give him what he wanted.Edward was Ethan’s brother. No matter how different they were, no matter how much he helped me, he was still a reminder of my past. A past I wanted to leave behind. I sighed and pushed the thought aside. Today wasn’t for dwelling on what I couldn’t change. Today, I wanted to do some
MABEL’S POVThe world had turned against me. One moment, I was untouchable and powerful, the woman who could manipulate kings. The next, my name was smeared across every headline, my reputation dragged through the mud like I was some cheap scandal-ridden mistress. And all because of Edward. That little rat.I sat on the velvet chaise in Stephen’s private penthouse, sipping on a glass of blood-red wine. The heavy curtains were drawn, blocking out the city. Outside, the world was still burning from the chaos Edward had unleashed. Inside here, I was safe and Stephen made sure of that.He sat across from me, his sharp blue eyes burning with something dark, something possessive. He had always been protective, but now? Now, there was something else behind those eyes, something dangerous.I set my glass down on the marble table between us, crossing one leg over the other. “You’re awfully quiet,” I mused, tilting my head. “That’s not like you.”Stephen exhaled slowly, running a hand through h
ETHAN’S POVI stared at the document in my hands, my vision blurring with unrestrained fury. My fingers tightened around the crisp paper, the edges crumpling under my grip. Edward had given everything to Bella.I threw the papers across the room, sending them scattering over my desk. My assistant flinched but didn’t dare speak. The silence in the office was suffocating, thick with my barely contained rage.“She owns it?” My voice was deathly calm, but I could feel the burn of my anger simmering beneath the surface, ready to explode.My assistant swallowed hard. “Y-Yes, sir. Edward willed his entire company to Bella before he…before his passing.”I ran a hand through my hair, gripping the strands tightly. That bastard. Even in death, Edward had found a way to spit in my face.“How the hell did this happen?” I roared, slamming my fist against the desk. My bodyguards standing by the door tensed, but no one dared move.My assistant hesitated. “We…we believe he finalized the transfer weeks
BELLA’S POVThe moment I stepped back into Carlos’s penthouse, my legs finally gave out beneath me. A shuddering breath left my lips as I leaned against the wall for support, my fingers trembling from the suffocating grip of Ethan’s presence still lingering on my skin.Even after everything he had done, the way he had destroyed my life, he still had the audacity to claim ownership over me. The way he had spoken, the way his eyes had darkened with twisted obsession, sent a deep, bone-chilling dread through me. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the memories away.“Bella?” My eyes snapped open as Carlos appeared from the hallway, his sharp gaze immediately locking onto mine. His dark brows furrowed in concern as he took slow steps toward me, his presence a stark contrast to the suffocating darkness Ethan left behind.“What happened?” His voice was firm yet laced with something softer, something close to worry.I forced a breath. “Ethan.” That one word carried all the weight of the encount
BELLA’S POVSleep had evaded me for days. The constant, chilling texts, the cryptic warnings, they all gnawed at my sanity like a slow poison. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the words flashing in my mind.“Enjoy your little victory while it lasts. Because soon, everything you love will be gone.”My hands gripped the sheets as I sat up, heart hammering against my ribcage. I couldn’t ignore this anymore. Carlos had been my silent shield through everything, standing by me in ways no one else ever had. If there was anyone I could turn to, it was him.Steeling myself, I got out of bed, wrapped my robe around me, and padded down the dimly lit hallway. The closer I got to his room, the more aware I became of my own hesitation. It wasn’t just the messages, it was the fact that Carlos made me feel something I wasn’t ready to face.Still, I raised my hand and knocked. A deep voice called out from inside, low and unbothered. “Come in.”I took a breath and pushed the door open, only to freeze
ELLA'S POVFear gripped me like a snake coiled around my neck and I couldn't help but look around in fear. What if the person was watching me right now? Were there cameras in the office?I managed to pick myself off the ground and sat on the chair as I took deep breaths to steady myself. Whoever was sending this was a girl, a girl that was very possessive of Damien.I just have to stay away from Damien, right? Then she'll stop following me. But I also wanted to find out who the person was and I was desperate to know who it was. Maybe we could talk things out and I would explain that I have nothing to do with Damien.My heart was pounding harshly as I wrote a reply to the unknown number.“The only relationship I have with Damien is that of a CEO and secretary. You're getting it all wrong.”My hands trembled as I pressed send and I locked the screen immediately while waiting for a response. Minutes passed and there was no reply. Was this person messing with me?Or… could this be another
ELLA’S POVThe call ended as soon as it rang. I had never expected him to reach out to me. Ever again.“Who is it?” Damien asked as he stepped closer to me and I turned around to see him staring at me in worry. I immediately plastered a smile on my face as I shook my head to show him that everything was fine.“It's probably a scam number. It was unknown and I have no idea who it was.” I lied but he looked at me with a skeptical expression as he approached me with worry all over his face.“Are you sure? You looked really scared just now. You know you can always talk to me, right?” He said with a reassuring tone and I smiled at him before nodding. He still didn't look convinced but he decided not to push it.“Do you feel better now? Should I stay longer?” He asked and I immediately shook my head as I held his hand in mine.“It's okay, you can leave now. I feel better. Thank you for coming to comfort me.” I replied and he let out a sigh as he placed a soft kiss on my head before pulling
DAMIEN'S POVElla's words had me broken at some point. I couldn't believe that she wanted space between both of us just because she was scared about what people would say. I watched as she hurried into her office but before I could go after her, she slammed the door and locked it shut.I ran a hand through my hair as I pressed the elevator button and it started going down again. I had to find a way to clear my mind because it was all jumbled and confused. A cup of coffee would do because I was never good with liquor.The employees greeted me with a smile as I walked past but I didn't even notice them. I tried to put myself in Ella's shoes. Maybe she was right. No one would dare say shit about me because I could easily fire them but her…No one gave a damn because she was just a secretary. She could easily be trampled on and she wouldn't even let me know what she was going through.I headed for the coffee shop, and I let out a sigh of despair. Maybe she was right to ask for some space.
ELLA'S POVI was bothered by Sylvia's words. Something in me wanted to believe that it was all a joke and that she would never break our friendship over something so trivial. But as I sat in that cafe with no signs of her returning, I knew that she wasn't kidding.She could end our years of friendship just because of Damien. There was something suspicious about Sylvia's obsession with getting her revenge on Damien.As I walked back to the office, I couldn't help but wonder what she meant by that. “There was no better place than by Damien's side.” What did she mean by that? Was she in love with Damien too?I walked into the elevator with my thoughts jumbled over each other as I tried to make meaning of Sylvia's words.She wanted to get revenge on him, yet she wanted to be by his side. What exactly was she trying to gain? And what was she hiding from me?“You seem so lost in your thoughts.” I heard someone say and I glanced up in shock to see Damien staring at me as he leaned against th
CARLOS’S POVI told her to leave. The words replayed in my mind with a bitter sting, sharper each time, but I refused to dwell on them. I meant it or at least that’s what I kept telling myself as I leaned back in the leather seat of my car, eyes fixed on the darkened city skyline. The drive home was long and silent, the streets empty save for a few stray headlights. My hands tightened around the steering wheel, knuckles white with the strain. There was a dull ache behind my eyes, exhaustion settling deep into my bones, but it was nothing compared to the hollow pit in my chest that refused to let me breathe right.I shouldn’t have said it, not like that. But what was done was done. Bella had no business knowing about Mabel, let alone getting involved. She’d seen one side of it and thought she understood, but revenge was never that simple. It was blood and ruin, and Bella didn’t belong in that world. I wouldn’t let her. But still, the look in her eyes when she’d left… it was burned into
BELLA’S POVWhen Carlos told me to leave, the words cut deeper than I expected. They replayed in my mind with every step, a cruel echo that refused to fade. My fingers trembled as I zipped my suitcase, breaths shallow and unsteady. I wasn’t crying, I wouldn’t let myself. But the tightness in my throat betrayed me, the sting behind my eyes a warning I refused to heed. I had to leave. I had to get out before the walls closed in and his voice drowned everything else.The penthouse was eerily quiet without his presence, every shadow stretched long and dark against the marble floors. I moved mechanically, folding clothes with numb fingers, slipping essentials into my bag, avoiding the mirror and the rawness I knew I’d find there. He didn’t even call. Didn’t even try to stop me.A bitter laugh slipped past my lips, hollow and humorless. Of course, he didn’t. Why would he? I was just a complication, another liability in his revenge-soaked world. Whatever connection we’d built was nothing mor
CARLOS’S POVRevenge isn’t a single strike or a swift blade. It’s a slow, grueling process, peeling back the layers of lies, tearing down the walls brick by brick until there’s nothing left but raw, bleeding truth. Truth is a weapon, and I intended to carve Mabel open with it.Her screams had died down to whimpers hours ago, voice hoarse and cracking, wrists red and raw against the zip ties binding her to the metal chair. The concrete walls of the basement were stained dark in places, the only light a single bulb swaying overhead, casting shadows sharp enough to cut.Mabel’s head lolled forward, blonde hair slick with sweat and sticking to her cheeks, breaths ragged and uneven. I leaned back in the chair across from her, fingers drumming idly against my knee, the silence heavy and suffocating. The smell of damp concrete and copper hung thick in the air, but I barely noticed. My attention was fixed solely on her, the way she flinched at every creak of the floor, pupils blown wide with
CARLOS’S POVSome say revenge is best served cold. I disagree. Revenge should be slow like poison slipping through veins, unseen and inevitable. It should seep into every crack and shadow, eroding peace and sanity until all that’s left is fear. Fear was the one thing Mabel couldn’t hide. Not anymore.The days bled together in a blur of shadows and whispers, my hours split between digging into Stephen’s empire and unraveling Mabel’s lies one by one. Lucas moved in silence, reports slipping across my desk like clockwork, financial records, surveillance footage, transcripts of hushed conversations behind locked doors.Mabel was good at hiding things. Always had been. But she’d gotten sloppy, comfortable behind Stephen’s walls and guards and the illusion of safety. A foolish mistake that would cost her. I leaned back in the chair, the office dark and quiet but for the soft hum of the city beyond the glass. On the screen, security footage flickered, the entrance of Stephen’s estate, guards
CARLOS’S POVSome days were harder than others. Today was one of them. The drive back to the penthouse was a blur of headlights and rain-slicked streets, my hands gripping the steering wheel hard enough to strain muscle and bone. Each turn, each stoplight, passed unnoticed as memories clawed to the surface unbidden and relentless.The date glared from the dashboard like an accusation. February 22nd. I didn’t need a reminder. My body already knew, muscles tight and lungs raw, the phantom ache blooming in my chest.Today would have been her birthday. If she’d been born but Mabel made sure that never happened. I shoved the thought down, jaw clenched tight enough to ache. Outside, the city sprawled dark and endless, neon lights bleeding into asphalt rivers. But all I saw was white, the sterile white of hospital walls, the cold metal of surgical tools, the blank lines of the form Mabel had signed without a second thought.Our daughter who could’ve been here was gone. Because Mabel had deci