10

"Babe?” Abby called out to Antonio, her voice soft and low, as her arms lazily looped around his neck.

“What’s wrong? You wanted me so bad before I stepped into the bathroom…” she murmured, her lips brushing his ear.

Antonio didn’t move. His chest rose and fell slowly, as his eyes stayed locked on the wall ahead.

“Get your hands off me, Abby,” he uttered in a calm but firm voice, like his words had been waiting behind his teeth all night.

Abby’s fingers froze. “W-what did you just—” she stuttered out, blinking and pulling back slightly.

“Don’t make me repeat myself, Abby. You heard me vividly.” Antonio warned in an unwavering tone.

Abby hesitated but slowly peeled her arms away, her heart now beating a little faster as she covered herself.

Right after, Antonio, unhurriedly, stood up from the bed with an unreadable facial expression, his bare feet touching the cold marble floor.

“I want everything that belongs to you out of this house before dawn,” he suddenly declared, and strode over to the walk-in closet.

Abby sat upright, the bedsheet falling away from her chest. “You’re kicking me out?” she asked, disbelief thick in her voice.

Antiono didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he picked out a black button-down shirt from the rack, and then turned slightly toward her.

“Forget we ever met. I’m tired of you,” he uttered coldly, and the room went still.

Abby stared at him, stunned into silence. With her mouth parted slightly, she couldn’t decide whether to scream or cry.

But Antonio didn’t spare her another glance. He tossed on the shirt, grabbed his car keys from the dresser, and then walked out of the room like she never existed.

It was nearly midnight when Antonio pulled up outside the upscale rooftop club, his black Maserati gleaming under the dim streetlight. The city pulsed beneath him, but his mind was lost somewhere else—somewhere hazel-eyed, sharp-tongued, and draped in crimson silk.

As he stepped inside, he brushed past the crowd like a ghost and slid into a private corner of the bar. The music was loud, the laughter louder, but none of it reached him.

Ten minutes later, Steve arrived.

“Hey, man,” Steve greeted casually, sliding onto the stool beside him.

Antonio didn’t look up. “Hi,” he said curtly.

“You look too good,” Steve said with a smirk and nudged him lightly.

Antonio knew he was joking, of course. Steve could clearly see he looked like hell, with his hair slightly tousled, collar askew, and a strange heaviness hanging around him.

“I’m not here for jokes tonight, Steve,” he finally let out a short breath.

Steve raised an eyebrow, instantly alert. “Alright, talk to me. What’s going on?”

Antonio’s eyes stared straight ahead, unfocused. “It’s Adriana,” he confessed.

Steve let out a small groan and leaned back in his seat. “Oh boy.”

“I can’t stop thinking about her,” Antonio said quietly, his voice nearly swallowed by the music.

Steve blinked. “Since when?”

“Since I saw her at the launch with him,” he replied, his jaw clenched.

“I launched my tech just to draw her out, just to confirm if it was true. That she really married him,” he added, making Steve fold his arms.

“You’re telling me you pushed out a multibillion-dollar AI launch just to see if your ex-wife would show up with your enemy?”

Steve asked, looking so devastated, but Antonio didn’t answer.

“That’s insane, Tonio,” he added.

“I know,” Antonio muttered with a sigh.

“Seeing her again—it messed me up. I haven’t been able to focus on anything else. Then today, I saw a press release... she and Eros just opened a new company together. As if the marriage wasn’t bad enough, now they’re business partners too? I just want her all to myself again, Steve. I hate seeing her with that failure.” He continued.

Steve scoffed at his words and shook his head. “You had her, man. You had a woman who would’ve built the world with you, and you let her go because you thought you didn’t love her anymore.”

“I made a mistake,” Antonio cut in and admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

Steve leaned forward, his expression hardening. “No, Antonio. You didn’t just make a mistake. You made a decision. I told you not to divorce her. I warned you not to hurt her, but you went through with it anyway. You broke her. And now? You want her back just because Eros got to her first?”

Antonio flinched slightly at his friends’ words but didn’t back down.

“This isn’t about ego,” he chimed in.

“Oh really? This sure sounds like you miss the power of owning her, and not the woman herself, Tonio.” Steve shot back.

Antonio’s knuckles tightened around his glass. “What if I told you it’s not just about having her all to myself?” he said after a pause, but Steve’s expression remained disapproving.

“What if I told you I don’t want her just in my bed—I want her in my life. Forever.” He added, but Steve stared at him for a long second. “I’d say you’re lying just to get my support.”

“I’m not,” he insisted.

“I’d say it’s too little, too late,” Steve added, swirling his drink. “She’s not the same Adriana anymore. She’s stronger. Smarter. And this time, she’s not going to break just because you decided to come back.”

Antonio looked down, the weight of his past choices pressing heavy on his shoulders. “I always get what I want, Steve. You know that,” he said, his voice bold.

“Not this time,” Steve said, sipping his whisky, unbothered.

Right then, a dangerous glint flickered in Antonio’s eyes. He reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and started dialling.

“What are you doing?” Steve asked.

Antonio’s lips curled slightly, his thumb hovering over the screen. “Proving you wrong,” he replied.

Steve leaned back against the velvet booth, his grey eyes narrowing as he watched him dial the unknown number.

“Who are you calling?” he asked, even though he already suspected.

Antonio didn’t answer. The phone only rang a few seconds when he finally reached his caller.

“How dare you still contact me, Antonio?” came Eros’ unmistakable sharp and venom-laced voice.

Antonio smirked. “Aren’t you hell-bent on running my business? Thought I’d give you a real chance.”

“Stop bluffing,” Eros snapped. “You don’t joke with your empire, and we both know that.”

“I hold 65% shares across all my companies,” Antonio said coolly. “If I transfer 30% to you, you only need 5 more to surpass me. That’s enough to put you in a position of power. Maybe even CEO.”

Across the table, Steve straightened up, his brows rising with shock. But Antonio stayed relaxed, tapping the side of his glass as though he were negotiating a poker game, but not the keys to his legacy.

“Name your price if you’re serious.” Eros said after a beat, his tone unreadable.

“I want to become a shareholder in your new company with her. I want full rights to walk into the company whenever I want,” Antonio said, his voice unwavering, as his jaw clenched so slightly.

Eros chuckled on the other end, a low, knowing sound. “One would think you’d never let her down, hearing how far you're willing to go just to be close to her.”

“That’s none of your business. Deal or not?” Antonio bit out.

There was a long pause before Eros spoke.

“You’re so sure you can win her back, aren’t you?” He asked quietly but got no response.

“I think there might be something you don’t know... we have children together, Antonio. Two, actually. Beautiful. Smart. My Riana moved on years ago; she built a life without you. Are you still willing to chase what you once threw away?”

Eros emphasised, and the silence on the line stretched. Antonio didn’t speak. His eyes blinked slowly, absorbing the blow—children?

Of course he didn't know they had children together. He had none. So…who would have thought that Adriana already had kids? This hit him harder than he expected.

Steve watched the emotion flicker across his friend’s face—surprise, regret, and then determination. He knew him; he had never been the one to walk away from a challenge.

“I’m still pushing forward. The deal goes through—only if she agrees to partner.” Antonio finally said, his voice steady again.

And just like that, he ended the call and dropped the phone onto the table.

“Told you,” he said, looking over at Steve with a crooked smirk.

Steve just stared at him, his expression flat with disappointment. “You’re out of your damn mind,” he said.

“It’s better than being out of the game. And don't you worry, he will never get the remaining five percent share.” Antonio replied, and raised his whisky glass.

Later that night at 8:02 PM, Adriana lay curled under her silk sheets. Her eyes fluttered shut, but sleep suddenly danced just out of reach.

Then, a gentle knock sounded at her door.

She sighed and dragged herself up, tightening the robe around her waist. When she opened the door, Eros stood there, his blue eyes sharp under the low hallway light.

“It’s late,” she mumbled, squinting up at him.

“It’s about Antonio,” Eros said simply, his voice low but steady.

His response made Adriana step aside without another word and close the door behind them.

“What is it this time?” she asked, already bracing herself.

“He called me and offered me a chunk of his legacy. Thirty percent of his company shares, just to get his foot in our new company.” Eros said, sliding his hands into his pockets.

Adriana’s brows knitted. “What?”

“He said he wants to be a shareholder. Wants the right to walk in and out of our company whenever he wants,” Eros continued.

Adriana stared at him in disbelief, then slowly exhaled. “So this is it. His next move?”

“I’m guessing he’s desperate. And judging by his tone, he hasn’t accepted that he’s lost you. Not really.”

Adriana rubbed her temple, the headache forming at her temples. “And what did you tell him?”

“I told him it’s up to you. But if you ask me, keeping our enemy close may speed up our plan. And I don't trust him lurking from the shadows.” Eros replied.

Adriana remained silent for a while, then shrugged, in a tired voice. “Fine. If that’s what it takes to make him break emotionally, then go ahead. But don’t expect me to sit in meetings with him like we’re friends.”

“You can always dismiss him.” Eros replied, and Adriana gave him a nod before moving toward the bed, ready to curl back into her cocoon of pillows.

But instead of leaving, Eros took a seat on the edge of her bed and leaned back on the board.

Adriana froze, then narrowed her eyes. “What are you doing?” she asked.

“Planning to spend the night with you,” Eeos replied swiftly.

“Not here, you’re not doing that.” Adriana snapped, sitting upright.

But just then, Eros suddenly looked serious, his gaze seeming to pierce into her soul.

“Don’t stare at me looking like that,” Adriana blurted out, her gaze locked onto his.

“What if I told you I'm in love with you, Riana?” Eros suddenly declared, and the room stood still in silence.