In 30 days

REIGN'S POV

I groaned as I grabbed the side of my head. It felt like the whole world placed a heavy load on my head. I turned groggily before sitting up, my hazel eyes blinking rapidly to get rid of the fog.

My eyes met a chandelier that obviously cost more than anything I'd ever make and I was on a sofa. ImThen, all the memories hit me. I was kidnapped in the parking lot. I gasped and searched my body before sighing in relief when I sensed no sign of assault.

Where am I? I thought, feeling fear envelop me. It looked like I was in a fancy hotel room. Whoever kidnapped me should know no one would look for me.

“ I thought you were going to sleep forever. " The deepest voice I had ever heard reverberated from across the room or closer, I was too dizzy to pinpoint where exactly. My head snapped up before clashing with grey eyes that looked bored but sinister. I moved back in fear, my back hitting the back of the couch. There was nowhere for me to run.

Recognition finally dawned on me and I gasped once again. Ivan fucking Hamilton was the one that kidnapped me and he was seated right across from me. Anger started to override my fear.

“ You…are you the one that kidnapped me? ” I spat out.

“ Well, I wouldn't use that word. ” he shrugged casually like we were best of friends. “ I simply invited you over to talk. ”

“ Invited? ” I sneered. “ I was drugged. ”

“ If you know what you've gotten yourself into, you wouldn't be so outspoken. ” Ivan said, crossing one leg over the other.

“ What….what do you…you mean? ” I stammered, my bravado fading.

“ There's no need to waste time telling you what you did. You and I are very much aware. ” He started. “ I am here to settle scores with you. ”

“ I only reported what I saw. ” I refuted, refusing to back down even though I was intimidated. Ivan was one hell of an intimidating man and despite the tensed up situation, I could not help but marvel at how handsome he was. I had seen Ivan several times in photos and magazines though I had only seen him in real life once at the garden and now, up close. None of those pictures did him justice. He was breathtakingly and sinfully handsome, his grey eyes that were now filled with murderous intent trained on me.

“ Did you bother investigating whether what you saw was true or not? ” He asked, bringing me back to the present and reminding me of the trouble I was in.

“ I was right there. She clearly kissed you. ” I insisted, scared of where this was going.

“ I guess you have no idea about the manipulation of angles. ” Ivan said, nodding his head, as if deciding I was stupid. “ Check the tablet on the table. ”

I hesitated. Because a part of me knew I was not going to like whatever was in there but it was not like I had a choice. I reluctantly stood up and moved towards the table separating us and picked the tablet up.

A video was set up on it so I just pressed the play button. I instantly recognized the video, after all, the scene had played in my head several times. It was a video of Ivan and the woman from another angle, from the side so their actions were clear, well, except the woman's face. Although, I felt like her side profile looked very familiar.

Just as I had seen from my angle, the woman leaned up to kiss him but unlike what I saw, their lips never touched. Ivan’s hand came up to block their kiss. I looked up at the man in question to see a smirk on his face. He was probably thinking of many ways to ruin me. I turned back to the video and watched as Ivan started speaking to the woman. The video has no sound but her demeanor showed that whatever Ivan was saying was not pleasant.

I dropped the tablet on the table and turned to Ivan with my hands crossed in front of me, like a criminal waiting for a verdict. While Ivan looked composed and every inch of the powerful man that he was. The difference in our standing left a bitter taste in my mouth.

“ Your reckless actions have cost me quite a lot of things. ” Ivan said, lightly tapping his hand on his lap. A very sturdy lap, I must stay.

I stifled the urge to curse out loud at myself. How was I even noticing things like that in a situation like this?

“ The stocks of my company fell, my reputation is forever stained and…..my fiance broke our engagement. ” he said slowly and my heart dropped with every revelation before finally sinking to my stomach at the last one.

I was doomed.

“ I simply cannot let it go. ” He said, locking eyes with me once again. His eyes filled with the intent to make me suffer and I almost fell to my knees.

“ I..I..I am sorry. ” I said, the trembling of my voice betraying the fear I tried to keep hidden.

“ Sorry? ” he chuckled. “ What am I supposed to do with that? What is that going to change? ”

I have heard stories about how scary Ivan was but I never believed it, not until it was directed at me, not until I was at the receiving end and my fate depended on the wave of his anger.

“ What do you want me to do? ” I asked, grateful that my voice was steady. “ I would release another write up confessing that I made a mistake. I would admit it, I swear. ”

“ Don't be naive. People would just think I threatened you. ” He said, clicking his tongue in anger.

“ Then….then… ” I fumbled for words. “ We can release the CCTV footage. It would solve everything. ”

“ No. ”

“ What? ” I almost screamed. “ Why? That is obviously the easiest way out. People would believe as long as there is evidence. ”

“ That's exactly why I don't want to use it. ”

“ What? ” I said again. He was not making any sense to me.

“ It is way too easy. You'd come out unscathed and I don't want that. ” He said, smirking evilly.

“ Unscathed? ” I screeched. My career would be totally ruined by it and everything I have ever worked for will crumble to the ground but he called that unscathed? The urge to jump on him and bite his head off started to grow in me.

“ Why? ” he smirked. “ Do you feel wrong? You think it's unfair? ”

I felt tears fill my eyes at his words. I hated how easy it was for me to cry. If I was sad, I would cry. Angry? Cry. Happy? Cry. Overwhelmed? Cry. And I had never hated it as much as I did in that moment, especially when my oppressor looked delighted at the sight of my tears.

I hate this man.

“ What do you want me to do? ” I asked, admitting defeat. There was no need to hold on to hope that was not there. Ivan was not a nice man and it was my mistake for thinking otherwise.

“ Good, that's what I want to hear. ” he said, standing up and burying his hands in his pocket.

I resisted the urge to take a step back as he walked closer and closer till he was right in front of me. I was not a short woman by any means, therefore I was surprised that I still had to crane my neck to look into his stormy eyes. I barely reached his shoulders. I shook my head to get rid of unnecessary thoughts. I wondered how he always managed to distract me with his appearance despite the severity of the situation.

“ What I want from you is quite simple. I don't really care about what people think about me. But there is one thing I do care about. ” He said, cocking his head to the side.

“ What is it? ”

“ My fiance. Thanks to your reckless actions, she ended our engagement and I can't have that. So here is your task—” He said and I waited with bated breath. “ You get my fiance to accept me back within 30 days and make our wedding go through at the end of the month, like it was supposed to. ”

It was safe to say I was doomed.