Once Harry was gone, the room was a stifling hush. His sarcastic words kept echoing in Anita's ears, progressively poisoning her thoughts with each phrase. Nathan stood there, his jaw so hard, his hands balled into fists, and she could feel the muscles beneath his skin tensing up. He hadn't moved much since Harry left, but Anita sensed the storm brewing within of him. She should have become accustomed to the hushed words that lingered and the icy tension between them. But this night was different. Harry had started something tonight that neither of them had expected.Anita's throat was dry as she swallowed. What did he mean, Nathan? How much does he know about my dad? With a harsh, inscrutable look, Nathan's eyes met hers. She briefly believed that he would not respond and would continue to keep her in the dark, as he always did. Then, though, his eyes softened a little. Nathan said in a calm, low voice, "I don't know how much he's found out." However, it indicates that H
As Anita's automobile raced through the streets, her head aflutter with a flurry of ideas, the city lights became blurry. Harry's words clung to her like unbreakable chains, reverberating in her mind like a menacing whisper. "I want you to help me take Nathan down." Her fingers whitened as she gripped the driving wheel more tightly. He had skilfully set up his trap, dangling the one thing she had been frantically seeking—answers regarding her father. However, the amount he asked for was excessive. Betray Nathan.The notion ought to have been absurd. She wasn't a blindly loyal wife to a husband who hardly gave her a second thought. Their marriage was based on a commercial agreement, a contract, and feelings had no place there. Nevertheless, the idea of siding with Harry made her stomach turn. Nathan had been cold, aloof, and cunning. However, he had also shielded her from harm—from Eleanor's humiliation to Stacy's attempts to discredit her and Harry's mockery of her backgrou
Anita woke up the following morning with a strong feeling of dread. She had been replaying Nathan's comments in her head for the whole of the night. "We play the game better than him." The game did not frighten her. No more. She was aware, however, that Harry wasn't playing by himself. Harry had allies, but Nathan had the authority. She also needed to know exactly who she was up against if she wanted to live. It was not long before she received a response.It was a tense breakfast. Anita hardly touched her lunch while the housekeeping crew walked in silence, setting dishes in front of them and refilling cups. With an enigmatic expression, Nathan sat across from her, browsing through his phone. Then the room was filled with the sound of a gentle chime. Nathan put the phone down after taking a quick look at his screen. He said in a casual tone, "Tonight, Eleanor is hosting a private event." "She anticipates our presence." Anita froze. Eleanor. In the confusion caused by
Silence shrouded the ride home from Eleanor's celebration. Anita's imagination reenacted every exchange, every subliminal threat from Harry, and every cautionary look from Eleanor as she gazed out the car window, the city lights flickering by. Nathan sat next to her, his presence like a building storm. She sensed the strain in his shoulders and the weight in his eyes. She knew it was coming even though he hadn't yet pressed her for answers. Nathan eventually spoke as soon as they entered the mansion. "What was said to you by Harry?"Anita let out a breath and carefully took off her earrings while turning to look at him. "What makes it important?" Nathan clenched his jaw. "Because his goal was to enter your mind." You also allowed him to She laughed resentfully. "Oh, you're concerned now?" Nathan's face became gloomy. "Don't begin that, Anita." "No, we should discuss it." She looked directly into his eyes while crossing her arms. "You avoid me when it's convenient for
Anita sat stiffly in the grand living room, her mind racing, while Nathan stood near the fireplace, talking softly with his head of security; Anita could feel the storm. The aftermath of the night's events had hardly been cleared up when Nathan's security team began patrolling the grounds for any signs of an intruder, but the note—Harry's ominous warning—remained like a black cloud over the mansion, and Anita couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.While Nathan stood by the hearth, speaking softly with his head of security, Anita sat rigidly in the large living room, her thoughts racing; she could feel the storm. When Nathan's security team started searching the grounds for any indications of an intruder, the aftermath of the previous night had barely been cleared away, but Harry's menacing warning in the form of the note hung over the mansion like a black cloud, and Anita couldn't get rid of the feeling that this was just the beginning.With a clipped tone, Nath
It had never seemed so oppressive in the mansion. In Nathan's office, Anita sat with her fingers gripping the chair's arms. While Nathan paced behind his desk, his thoughts already planning their next move, Gregor stood close to the window, his face lined with worry. Sophia was troubled by her warning. "Soon, you’re going to wish you had walked away when you had the chance." Anita's gut told her that something horrible was about to happen. At last, Nathan stopped pacing. "We must ascertain Harry's intentions before he takes action."Gregor folded his arms. "I can exert pressure on my connections to find out if anyone has been contacted." Anita let out a breath. Sophia claimed that he was collaborating with risky individuals. This indicates that family conflict is no longer the only issue. Nathan's face grew serious. "Therefore, we cannot afford to wait around." They all turned as there was a knock on the door. A maid reluctantly came in. "A woman is at the gate, ma'am.
When Anita saw the headline, her breath seized in her throat. SCANDAL: BILLIONAIRE'S WIFE Caught In A Web of Lies—Was It Always About the Money? Her photo was all over the screen, one from their wedding and another from that fateful night in the hotel room with Nathan. The grainy image was purposefully picked to make her appear guilty and enticing, as if she had engineered the entire situation to trap him. Her stomach twisted.Harry had moved fast, and worse—he had done it publicly. Nathan’s grip on the phone was so tight, she swore he might crush it. His jaw was clenched, his expression unreadable, but Anita knew this wasn’t just an attack on her. It was an attack on him. On his power, his name, his company. And that made Harry’s actions unforgivable. Gregor cursed under his breath as he read through the article on his own phone. “They’re twisting everything,” he muttered. “They’re painting you as a social climber, someone who seduced Nathan for wealth and influence.” Anita’s thr
It was oppressively quiet in Nathan's office. Every action now mattered since the video release had rocked the cornerstone of his empire. With his fingertips tapping the gleaming wood of his enormous desk, Nathan sat behind it. Even though Anita couldn't read his face, she could sense the tempest building inside. Gregor was seated opposite him, his face tense with worry. Sophia folded her arms and leaned against the bookshelf, appearing somewhat amused as though the drama amused her.However, Eleanor was furious. She spat, "This is not acceptable." "You're just sitting here while Harry plays dirty?" Nathan looked at her abruptly, icily. I'm not a sitter, Eleanor. I plan things out. Eleanor laughed. "While the reputation of your wife is being tarnished?" Her eyes were full of contempt as she turned to face Anita. "Did I not warn you? When you introduce outsiders into our world, this is what occurs. Despite clenching her fists, Anita maintained a composed demeanour. She
As Anita's remarks reverberated across the room, silence descended once more, this time more profoundly. It's time to invite those they never thought to invite. It's time to reverse the situation. At first, Nathan remained silent. He looked her, truly studied her, and his eyes narrowed, calculating. He was constantly aware of Anita's intelligence and fortitude. However, this? This was a very different matter. Instead of cowering in the shadows behind him, she was stepping into her own and daring to confront the machine that had moulded their world. "Who are they?" With care in his voice, Gregor asked in a low murmur. "We need details if we're going to take action. Right now.Anita averted her gaze from both of them and looked up at the glistening skyline. In addition to her face, the mirror in the glass depicted the woman she had grown into, one who had withstood manipulation, treachery, and a web of power struggles that would have destroyed anybody else. She whirled aro
The air was packed with unspoken words as they locked the doors of Nathan's private office. The slight bustle of the metropolis beyond the glass walls felt distant, replaced by an oppressive silence that hung between them. Nathan stood at the far end of the room, his back to her, hands clasped behind his neck, gazing out into the darkness. His figure was black against the lighted skyline, with the weight of leadership—and everything they had worked for—weighing heavily on him.Anita took a deep breath, feeling the chilly air on her skin as she stepped into the chamber, her shoes' heels clicking quietly on the polished marble floors. Despite the opulence of the setting and the vista, everything about this moment felt off. The tension between them was real, like an invisible thread about to snap. She had never seen him this remote, closed-off.She opened her mouth to speak, but the words died on her lips as Nathan turned around, his face determined. His gaze met hers, his face op
With the large estate in front of them softly lit by the moonlight, Nathan and Anita stood at the mansion's threshold during a tense night. Their brains were racing from the weight of what had just happened at the family meeting, and the air was heavy with unsaid words. After Nathan's audacious statement, the family-filled room had quieted down, but the situation was far from done. Now, as the night drew on, the uncertainty of what was ahead hung heavy."Do you think they’ll accept it?" Anita asked in a low voice that could hardly be heard above the gentle sound of leaves rustling in the breeze. She wasn't discussing the family. She wanted to know about the future Nathan had planned for them. the notion of restoring the family, dismantling Eleanor's poisonous authority, and forging something more resilient out of the ruins. It seemed like a huge undertaking that would call for more than simply assurances and words.As Nathan gazed off into the distance, his eyes darkened and h
After Eleanor left, the air had a strange feel to it, full with an almost tangible energy that Anita found difficult to comprehend. The family's long-standing barriers to control had crumbled, and the balance of power was changing in the silence that followed her departure. Everyone was trapped in the aftermath of what had just happened, and nobody appeared to move right away.For a few while, Anita remained motionless, her fingers still clasped together with Nathan's. Though it wasn't as strong as it once was, she could still feel the heat of his touch. She felt more confident since he now had a strength and a resolve that she had not seen before. She came to the realisation that this win was only the beginning, though, when the dust settled. There was still so much to discover. Nathan responded, "She’s gone," in a cool but slightly ferocious tone. "But that doesn’t mean this is over."Slowly, Anita nodded, her mind racing. There was still so much to accomplish, more to reve
NoAfter Gregor entered the room, the stillness felt oppressive. Eleanor, suddenly exposed, stood trembling, her poise broken. Years of manipulation, deception, and control had finally caught up with her, and she was at a loss for words.Anita froze, her heart pounding. For so long, she had dreamed of the day she would be able to reveal Eleanor for the monster she was. Now that it had arrived, however, the air felt oppressive and heavy, as though the entire planet was holding its breath in anticipation of the last blow.Eleanor's gaze shifted from Nathan to Anita and back to Gregor. Her eyes suddenly had a raw, frantic quality that had not been there before. The strong matriarch who had always had everyone enamoured with her was no longer her. For the first time, she felt defenceless as a woman standing in the ruins of her own empire. Eleanor remarked, her voice trembling but still tinged with indignation, "You're making a terrible mistake." "You believe that a few words can d
As Anita and Nathan were ready to face Eleanor, the sun was just beginning to peep over the horizon, creating lengthy shadows over the expansive estate. Once a representation of money and power, the home now felt like a prison—a chilly, inhospitable testament to all that had been done in the name of dishonesty and control. Anita gazed out over the great expanse of the estate as she stood by their bedroom's large windows, her hand against the cool glass. The weight of what was ahead weighed heavily on her. Eleanor was unaware of what was going to happen to her. Anita was prepared to finally put an end to all that had transpired, including the manipulation and falsehoods.Behind her, Nathan was a solid and comforting presence. As she gazed out at the world moulded by those who had long kept her in the dark, his gaze never left her. Though it was obvious he was standing his ground, he asked softly, "You’re sure about this?" in a worried tone. "This is going to be… brutal." With
Thick and oppressive, the words hung in the air like smoke. Anita gazed at Nathan, her thoughts rushing as though everything had stopped. Each beat of her heart was louder than the last, and it slammed in her chest with misery. She parted her lips, but nothing came out. She wasn't sure if the magnitude of what Nathan had just spoken could be processed by her body. Her voice was scarcely heard as she muttered, "Eleanor... is my mother?" With the weight of his words bearing down on him, Nathan's eyes locked with hers. With regret in his eyes, he nodded slowly. "Anita, I didn't want to tell you this. You deserve to know, but I didn't want you to bear that weight. Everything she did was done to keep you under control. to maintain your order. Anita retreated a step, her legs shaky, as though the earth had been torn from under her. However—how? Why was I not informed?Nathan's voice was thick with the realisation of the reality he had discovered during the last few days as he
As Anita and Gregor raced through the city, the silver SUV buzzing beneath them like a coiled beast ready to strike, the outside world was soaked in darkness. With every bump on the road, the cold metal of the flash drive dug into Anita's palm as her fingers gripped it. Though her thoughts were vivid, the city lights were blurry beyond the window. She had always thought of herself as only a pawn in someone else's game, but today she was taking the board. Like a guy who had nothing left to lose, Gregor drove. "First, we'll visit the media division of Walker Holdings," he stated. "Your grandfather used to keep digital backups on the servers there in a safe place. We can upload the file if it's still there. data to all major networks at once.”With a forceful voice, Anita nodded. "No more hiding. The world ought to witness his actions. What Eleanor continues to attempt to safeguard Gregor's jaw tightened as he added, "And Harry." I didn't realise how deadly he was. Eleanor's
The sirens of the ambulance blared into the darkness, yet the interior was eerily quiet. The echo of Nathan's blood was still fresh on Anita's skin as she sat rigidly next to his stretcher, her hands locked in her lap. He had whispered, "Always," and had not spoken since. He was alive, nevertheless. For now, that was enough. She watched the rise and fall of each heart as she gazed at the monitor. Her voice was raw from all of the screams she had suppressed, and her chest ached from holding back tears. Her voice was haunted by Eleanor's. "Every path ends at you." "Look for the things your father left behind." The question that had been ingrained in her was: What was Gregor concealing in that music box?Anita glanced at her phone. Two calls from Gregor himself and a dozen from Patricia were missed. She disregarded them. She needed time to ponder just now. to take a breath. to get ready for the storm that she sensed was building all around her. A group of top-tier medical