Chapter 4

The party was in full swing, celebrating the engagement of Atlas and Nathalie.

Everyone seemed thrilled for the happy couple, though I couldn't help but find the pairing repulsive. I had expected a grander venue, but Atlas chose to host it right here at his villa.

I was upstairs in his bedroom, sitting on the edge of his bed.

I had come prepared to finally confess my feelings to the arrogant, cold-hearted CEO.

More importantly, I held a brown envelope containing my positive pregnancy test. He deserved to know the truth it was his fault, after all.

He was the one who had been giving me those "vitamins" that were clearly meant to ensure I conceived.

Hearing footsteps, I panicked and scrambled under the bed just as the door swung open.

To my horror, it was Atlas and Nathalie. Please, Lord, I prayed, let them just talk no sex.

Don't let anything happen while I'm pinned down here.

“I didn't hurt Maya anymore,” Nathalie’s voice rang out, sharp and possessive.

“But you know me, Atlas—I won't let anyone take you from me. Not some random girl, and certainly not Maya.”

I heard the creak of the sofa as Atlas sat down.

“No one is taking me from you, Nathalie. I’m yours,” he replied, his voice devoid of emotion.

“As for Maya, I only stepped in because I didn't want the company’s reputation tarnished by bullying rumors. Now that things are settled, leave. I’ll be down in a minute.”

My chest tightened, a sharp ache blooming behind my ribs.

So that was it.

All this time, his protection wasn't out of care—it was PR management.

What a cruel joke.

Once Nathalie left, I crawled out from under the bed, my joints stiff and my heart shattered. Atlas looked up, and our eyes locked.

There was no warmth there, only that familiar, icy arrogance.

I clutched the envelope tighter, but I didn't hand it over.

I wouldn't tell him. Not tonight, not ever. If he wanted to play games, we could play hide-and-seek with the truth.

One day, Atlas, I thought, staring into his cold eyes, you’ll regret breaking me.

You’ll be the one kneeling at my feet, begging for a second chance. But by then, the woman you met at that bar will be long gone

“uhmm about the contract, I think we needed to stop this, you're getting married I don't want be a mistress”. I gently said at him while I feel my heartbeat going faster and faster my hands shuddered not with coldness but pain of love, he handed me a paper and demand me to sign it when I read it it's renewal contract,

“I’m not renewing my contract with you, Atlas,” I said, my voice hoarse and trembling.

“If you want to avoid a scandal, then set me free. Let us become strangers again.”

His reaction was explosive.

In a fit of rage, he slammed his fist against the wall and grabbed the vase I had once gifted him, shattering it against the floor. I froze. I knew he was cold, but I had never seen him this unhinged.

He began to approach me, his movements slow and predatory.

I stepped back until the cold wall pressed against my spine. With nowhere left to run, he pinned both of my arms above my head, trapping me.

He leaned in, pressing his forehead against mine, and whispered a broken, “I’m sorry... I’m so, so sorry.”

Despite everything, my heart betrayed me. My body still craved him, aching for his touch.

In an instant, his lips crashed against mine.

I yielded, the kiss deepening into a desperate, familiar hunger.

Clothes were discarded in a blur of frantic movements and hushed breaths.

As he laid me down on the bed, taking his pleasure from my body, tears silently traced paths down my cheeks. It hurt—a deep, hollow ache knowing that the man I loved was hours away from pledging his life to someone else.

I knew this was our final intimacy after tonight, I would vanish from his life forever.

When he was finished, the vulnerability from moments ago was gone.

He dressed quickly, his demeanor shifting back into the frigid businessman.

“Ten million dollars has been sent to your account,” he said, his tone icy and arrogant once more.

I simply nodded, refusing to give him the satisfaction of another word. I would watch him get engaged tonight, and then I would disappear for good.

The crowd erupted into applause as Atlas’s parents officially announced the engagement.

Standing there, they exchanged vows of a golden future.

If I hadn’t been born into poverty, that should have been me. I should have been the one standing by his side.

But as the saying goes, heaven and hell can’t coexist.

Atlas was the heaven—high, unreachable, and divine—while I was the hell beneath his feet. He was the throne, and I was merely the footstool. In this life, we were never meant to be. I was destined to look up at them forever, but a small, vengeful part of me wished that one day, the roles would be reversed.

Unable to stomach the jealousy and pain any longer, I turned to slip away from the villa.

I was almost at the exit when Nathalie’s voice boomed over the microphone, cutting through the music.

“Maya? Where are you going? The celebration isn't over yet.”

I didn't turn back. I couldn't bear to see their happy faces while I was drowning in agony.

“Everyone, look under your tables,” Nathalie added, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness.

“I’ve prepared a surprise gift for you all.”

The room fell into a rustle of paper as guests opened the envelopes. My heart stopped. It was a copy of my contract. How had she gotten her hands on it?

“As you can see,” Nathalie announced, her gaze locking onto mine with venomous intent,

“Maya is nothing but a whore. She sold her life for 730 day two years of being a common slut. A low, cheap prostitute.”

The humiliation was instant. Hundreds of eyes turned toward me, heavy with judgment and disgust.

“Stop!” I screamed, my voice cracking.

“I am not a prostitute!”

I scanned the room frantically, searching for Atlas, but he was nowhere to be found.

“If you’re looking for Atlas, he’s already left for a business meeting,” Selena sneered from the crowd. “No one is coming to save you now.”

As if on cue, the sky broke into a torrential downpour.

Nathalie grabbed me, dragging me through the crowd and out toward the villa gates.

I begged for help, I pleaded for mercy, but the guests only watched with cold indifference.

Once we reached the street, she shoved me with all her might. I hit the wet pavement hard, my dress soaking up the muddy rainwater.

“That is exactly where you belong for trying to steal what was already mine,” Nathalie hissed.

“Atlas...” I whispered his name one last time, my voice failing me.

The world began to spin. My vision blurred as the cold rain numbed my skin.

Through the haze, a pair of headlights cut through the dark. A sleek Porsche pulled over, and a man stepped out.

I couldn't see his face, but he carried an aura of immense power and wealth.

He reached out a hand toward me, but before I could take it, the world turned to darkness.

I woke up in an unfamiliar room, surrounded by luxury.

The sheets were made of high-thread-count silk, the room was vast, and the hum of a high-end air conditioning system filled the air.

I knew one thing for certain this didn't belong to Atlas.

I slowly made my way toward the door, only to be startled by a tall, handsome man standing in my path.

"Remember me?" he asked.

I blinked, confused. I didn't recognize him at all, yet he spoke with the warmth of an old friend.

"Who are you?" I stammered.

Without a word, he handed me a small black box.

"Open it."

Inside, I found a collection of old childhood photos from my time in California. My breath hitched.

"Josh? Josh Sezin?"

He pulled me into a tight embrace. Josh had been my childhood best friend, but we had lost touch years ago when his family migrated.

"Remember high school?" Josh asked with a smile.

"We used to dream of being rich—millions, billions of dollars."

He had made that dream come true I hadn't.

Shortly after he left, my life shattered. My parents were killed during a bank robbery while trying to protect us.

It was a tragedy that left me alone to care for my younger brother, Leo.

"How did you find me, Josh?" I asked.

He took my hand gently. "Atlas Volkov and I are business partners. He’s looking to invest in the Sezin Holding Group. If you're up for it, I want you to be my PA."

I let out a dry chuckle. "A Personal Alalay ?"

He laughed, shaking his head. "Personal Assistant, Maya. Not a servant."

"Same thing," I teased, before turning serious.

"I'll do it. But there’s something you need to know, Josh. Atlas and I... we have a past. It wasn't a normal relationship. I was his sex slave."

The color drained from Josh's face. "What? Are you serious?"

I told him everything.

If I was going to work for him, he deserved the truth for the sake of his company. He listened intently, then stood up with a determined look.

"Then you need a complete transformation, Maya. Makeup, designer dresses, heels—I've already bought everything for you."

"Wait, seriously?" I asked, stunned.

"Go to the next room. Everything is waiting for you."

When I walked into the guest suite, my jaw dropped.

It was filled with expensive couture and luxury items. It was a world away from the girl who had been pushed into the mud the night before.

"Can I bring Leo here?" I asked hopefully.

Josh didn't say a word, but his firm nod was all the answer I needed.

I rushed to the hospital to check on Leo. For the first time in a long time, he looked vibrant.

"He’s cleared for discharge," the doctor informed me.

"I’ll set up a schedule for his follow-up check-ups."

"Did you hear that, Leo? You're finally coming home!"

I cried, hugging him.

After settling the hospital bills, I brought him to Josh’s mansion. We would only stay until I could afford a place of our own, but seeing the joy in Leo’s eyes as he explored his new room made every struggle worth it. Next month would be his 21st birthday—his debut—and I was going to make sure it was a celebration he’d never forget.