Five

Darian’s POV

I had always believed that power was absolute. That no matter how deep the pit, I would always find my way back up. But standing here now, watching my company crumbling made me realize how fragile that power truly was.

The company my mother had forced me to build, the empire I had once ruled without fear, was now hanging by a thread. And that thread was slipping fast.

Selena had arranged the meeting with J and F Corporation. I had never heard of them before, but if they had the capital to pull me out of this mess, I didn’t care who they were. Desperation was a bitter pill to swallow, but I had no choice.

“Are you sure about this?” Nelson, my bank manager, asked as we stepped into the Marriott Hotel. He had been handling my accounts for years, but even he looked nervous.

“I don’t have time for doubts, Nelson,” I muttered, adjusting my cufflinks. “I just need the damn money.”

He sighed, running a hand through his graying hair. “Just… be careful. J and F isn’t just any company. They came out of nowhere, but their influence is spreading like wildfire. Whoever owns it is powerful. Dangerous, even.”

I scoffed. “I don’t care how dangerous they are. If they can save my company, I’ll shake hands with the devil himself.”

The hotel staff guided us to a private lounge. It was well decorated. I looked at the intricate designs on the building and nodded but the moment we entered, I felt it. A presence.

Powerful.

Commanding.

The kind that made your skin prickle, I felt my goosebumps on my skin.

A single figure sat at the head of the long table, shrouded in darkness. The air in the room shifted, thick with tension, as if the walls themselves were bracing for what was about to happen.

I took a step forward, my eyes locking onto the silhouette.

And then the light shifted.

My heart stopped.

Camilla.

My lungs forgot how to breathe.

I blinked, once, twice, expecting the vision to disappear. But she remained, sitting there like a queen on her throne, exuding a quiet power that sent a chill down my spine.

No.

This wasn’t possible.

She was meant to be in prison

When did she get out?

I stared at the woman I had erased from my life.

But there she was.

Camilla Gomez, the woman I had tried to forget, the one I had pinned my murderous act on was now sitting across from me as if she owned the entire world.

And judging by the way she carried herself, she just might.

I forced my lips to part, to form words, but all that came out was a choked breath.

Camilla tilted her head slightly. I could see the amusement in her eyes. “Darian,” she said, her voice like silk, laced with something far more dangerous.

I clenched my fists, trying to ground myself. “You…” My voice faltered. I gritted my teeth. “You’re the CEO of J and F?”

Her lips curved into a slow, wicked smirk. “Surprised?”

I took a step forward, anger bubbling beneath my shock. “How the hell—”

“Did I survive?” she cut me off, her gaze fixed on me. “Did I rise from the ashes you left me in? Did I rebuild what you shattered?”

She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. “I always wondered if you ever thought about me after you threw me away. Tell me, Darian, did you?”

I swallowed hard.

All I ever cared about back then was to make her disappear but little did I know I was creating a far heater enemy.

I had tried to bury the memory of her, tried to pretend she had never mattered. She was supposed to be gone.

Not this.

Not richer. Stronger. Untouchable.

I forced myself to stand tall. “I didn’t come here for nostalgia, Camilla,” I said coldly. “I came here for business.”

Her smirk didn’t waver. “Of course you did.”

She picked up a glass of wine, swirling it lazily. “You need money, don’t you? Your company is collapsing. Your investors are pulling out. Even your mother is losing faith in you.”

My jaw tightened. “How do you—”

“I make it my business to know everything, Darian,” she murmured, taking a sip of her wine. “Especially when it concerns you.”

Her words sent a shiver down my spine, but I refused to show weakness. “Then you know why I’m here.”

She set her glass down, folding her hands in front of her. “I do.”

A pause.

Then she smiled, slow and sharp,“Don't worry, since you are here for business then I have an offer for you.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What kind of offer?”

She leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs gracefully. “J and F are willing to invest in Baldore Enterprises.”

My muscles tensed. This was it. The deal that could save everything. “And what do you want in return?”

Camilla’s gaze darkened, a dangerous glint flickering in her eyes.

“Everything.”

The air in the room turned suffocating.

I stared at her, my mind racing. “Everything?”

She smiled, but there was no warmth in it. “I don’t just want a share, Darian. I want control. Your company. Your assets. Your name.”

My heartbeat pounded in my ears. “That’s insane. Why the hell would I ever agree to that?”

Camilla rose from her seat, moving with a grace that sent a thrill of unease through me.

She stopped in front of me, close enough that I could smell the faint trace of jasmine and something far more intoxicating—power.

She reached out, running a single finger down the lapel of my suit. A touch so light, yet it sent a current of ice through my veins.

“You don’t have a choice, Darian,” she whispered.

I grabbed her wrist, my grip tightening. “You think you can control me?”

Camilla didn’t flinch. If anything, her smile grew wider.

“I don’t think, Darian.” She leaned in, her lips brushing against my ear as she whispered,

“I know.”

My breath hitched.

“Let me know when you have made up your mind. Mind you I am not going to wait that long.” Camilla said, getting up from her seat.

The door opened causing my attention to shift a bit. I saw a man in a sleek suit carrying a child.

The baby got down from his arms and ran towards Camilla.

“ Mummy!” She shouted with a smile.

It was then that it dawned on me.

What was Camilla trying to tell me that night I had her sent to jail?

Was she pregnant?

Is that my child?

“Mr Darian.” A masculine voice bellowed.

I looked up to meet his gaze. “You can leave now.” He said, showing me the way out.