Gina’s POV.“Can you hurry up with dinner? I am expecting my mother,” I said to the chef.“Yes ma’am. I’m almost done,” she replied with a bow as she hurried off to the kitchen.I was sitting in the living room scrolling through social media. Richard was out and I had peace. I have been worried because I haven't heard any update from Damon and Kristina nor have I seen the scandal as I was supposed to.Then I got a pop-up notification that showed Damon and Kristina in cuffs. I opened it to see that they were arrested leaving me in chills. I was still trying to breathe when I read the report where they confessed, mentioning me as an accomplice.My hands trembled, my eyes darting over the words I had been praying not to see. They said my name in an interview. Kristina and Damon both—dragged me into the mess like I was the mastermind. Like I had nothing to gain from that disaster, I was just being a help to her and once things had gone south, she didn't hesitate to mention me as an acc
Clarence’s POV.I sat on the edge of the bed, wrapped in the oversized robe Julian had brought out for me earlier. The fabric was soft and warm, but my skin still felt cold underneath. I couldn’t stop shivering even though I wasn’t exactly cold. My body was trying to calm down, but it wasn’t succeeding. The warmth around me didn’t match the unease crawling through my chest.Julian hovered nearby. He had been like that ever since we got home. He didn’t ask too many questions at first. Just made sure I took the pills he had handed me, kept his tone calm, and never panicked, even though I could see something behind his eyes. Worry, restrained carefully like he didn’t want it to overwhelm me.He watched me take the last bite of dinner he had prepared. Something simple—grilled fish, mashed sweet potatoes, and steamed vegetables. I hadn’t tasted any of it, but I forced myself to eat because he needed me to. He needed to know I was still functioning.“Did you finish it?” he asked softly.I
Julian’s POV.The day had been long with medical meetings back to back, faces blurring into one another, and documents piling up on my desk faster than I could process them. I had tried to stay focused, pushing through the weight of deadlines and the constant buzz of conversation, but my thoughts kept drifting. It had been over an hour since I last heard from Clarence. She had texted earlier, saying she was busy and would talk to me later. That alone should have been enough to calm me, especially since she had mentioned the dinner event. I remembered her excitement about it just the night before, remembered how carefully she chose what to wear, how she would stand in front of the mirror turning slightly from side to side, asking if the coat made her look too serious.I had told her she looked beautiful because she was indeed beautiful and I have always felt so proud of having her by my side. Now sitting at my desk, watching the hospital slowly empty as my colleagues who were done
Clarence’s POV.I was about to continue working when my stomach started growling, reminding me that I had barely had anything to eat that day. I had skipped breakfast to rush to work.I left to grab lunch in a nearby cafeteria where I ate silently with my mind not particularly thinking of anything. The past days have been calm and I have never seen or heard from Damon after that day he made his way to my house. I was glad he had finally seen he wasn't welcome back into my life.When I was done, I headed back to the office to resume working for the day.*The email came late in the evening, just as I was about to close my laptop for the day. It had all the right things—proper grammar, clean formatting, and a corporate logo I recognized from a previous event. The sender introduced themselves as a representative of a luxury wellness brand looking to partner with select women-led companies. They were hosting a discreet pre-launch dinner the next evening for potential collaborators, and
Clarence’s POV.I re-watched the press conference from my office. The screen was muted, but I didn’t need the sound. I had already memorized the shape of her words, the way her eyes stayed downcast, the slight pauses that made it all feel rehearsed. Kristina was good at playing the part, I’ll give her that. Almost convincing. Almost.She sat in front of a plain background, no makeup, no entourage, looking like someone who had just woken up from a long nightmare. She said the right things—she lied, she was emotional, she was sorry. I didn’t believe her, but the world did. And for now, that was enough.I leaned back in my chair, hands folded on my lap. A few days ago, my face had been everywhere, every news blog calling me a husband stealer, a social climber, and a liar. My company’s inbox had been filled with angry messages, brands pulling out, and contracts suspended. But now, after one video, everything was shifting again.It was strange how fast people moved on. The same mouths t
Julian’s POV.I stood in front of the hotel room door, hands in my pockets, my heartbeat steady. I wasn’t nervous. Just... focused. There was a kind of quiet that came before doing something final—something that couldn't be undone. I knocked once, firm and clear.Kristina opened the door like she had been waiting. She was wearing a silk robe, her hair tied back like she didn’t have the world burning behind her. She smiled, like she was the one holding the upper hand.“You came,” she said, stepping aside to let me in.I walked past her without a word, heading into the suite. It was luxurious, over the top, but that was Kristina—always needing to feel bigger than everyone else.“Drink?” she asked, gesturing to the bar.“No.”She let out a small laugh. “You’ve gotten colder.”I turned to face her. “You’ve gotten bolder.”Her eyes narrowed a little, but she didn’t drop the act. “I assume you’re here to make a deal.”“I’m here to end this.”Kristina crossed her arms and leaned against the