Andera's pov
I withdrew my outstretched arm, squaring up to Thane. He may be six foot four, but my boldness is taller, and the heels I'm on give me two extra inches.
I don't shy away from his menacing gaze, mine is confident and impenetrable.
" Shall we start our meeting, Mr Renihardt, or would you rather we remain standing? "
I cocked one brow at him, ignoring his outburst. He drew his head back in surprise and blinked at me.
Stunned, Thane? Just wait; you don't know what's coming for you, my dear ex-husband. I smirked.
Without waiting for his approval, I took a seat. Rosa sat next to me and the rest of my team followed suit.
Thane stood like a statue, with different emotions flicking in those gray eyes. Paul nudged his boss to sit down. The tension in the conference room was so thick, I could slice it with a blunt knife.
"Thank you for agreeing to partner with Auraspire Energies. " I gave him a sweet smile.
" Now all that's left is to discuss the terms and sign both our agreements. "
" I've reviewed your proposal, and my team and I are satisfied with your terms. We're ready to move forward,"
Thane's voice was clipped. One of his board members grumbled and tried to call his attention, but he didn't look his way. I slid the partnership agreement over to him, and he signed it swiftly.
" Excellent! Now that we're done with that, let's get to know each other, Ms Campbell" He dragged the last word.
I set my bag on the desk, taking my precious time to give him an answer. Thane clenched his teeth and I had to suppress a laugh. The fun's just starting and he's already agitated? Tsk tsk tsk
" So I'm guessing you married Mr Campbell. " He chided.
I couldn't help but snort; that's the best thing he could think of.
" My success story is the kind that brings tears to one's eye....."
I took glances at everyone before continuing; they seemed interested.
" Five years ago, I was accused wrongly, and the person who should have stood up for me didn't. Without even an ounce of sympathy, He threw me out of his home and his life. I was stranded, I had no family, no money, just a twenty-two-year-old girl wandering the streets of Seattle. "
Thane sat up, his eyebrows shot so high It could have touched his silky dark, almost black hair. He looked surprised, was that pain I saw in his eyes?
" That was when my miracle came." I continued "Before that, I had gone missing from my birth family as a child, and on that day, I was thrown out; my father, Mr Campbell, founder and CEO of Campbell's Technologies, saw me and knew instantly. I have an uncanny resemblance to my late mother, who unfortunately died some months after losing me.
My father carried out a DNA test just to be sure. After reuniting with him, I went to college again, took over as the manager of his affairs, and now, I have my own company, Auraspire Energies, where I aim to take renewable energy sources, energy storage, and smart grid technologies to the next level, not just in Seattle but the whole of Washington."
A clapping ovation followed and I could see the smiles on the faces of everyone, all except Thane; his gaze was still on me.
The meeting ended on an upbeat note; while my plan for partnering with Renihardt's Empire was for revenge, choosing them would also help my new company get the trust of the people. The Renihardt's are well-known and respected. This is good for my company and me.
A sly smile spread on my face when I shook hands with Thane. He held mine longer than necessary, and what's with that look on his face? Why did he look as if he was going to pass out the next minute?
" Can we talk? " He lowered his voice.
" I believe we have covered all grounds for discussion; whatever it is you want to discuss will wait till our next meeting. " I replied.
His eyes narrowed.
" Andera, we need to talk. It's important " he half ordered, half requested.
I huffed. Oh, Thane. The years when you could control me with your commands are gone. I'm the boss now, and the sooner you realize that, the better.
" Have a good day, Mr Renihardt. " I answer sardonically, straightening my cream-colored pencil skirt; his eyes follow the movement. I pulled my hair behind my ear, giving him one final smile; I sashayed out of his meeting room with Rosa and the rest of my team behind me.
The joy bubbling inside of me was enough to make me squeal like a high school girl. The shock on Thane's face when he saw me was priceless. For five years, I had dreamt of this moment where I would meet Thane face to face and give him a small dose of the bitterness he showed me.
I studied and worked, even with my pregnancy and, eventually, babies. I labored to be the best version of myself. And here I am today, no dream or fantasy of mine measured up to this.
" Andera Wait! "
I spun around in my heels; Thane was taking long strides toward me.
" Go on, I'll be behind you. " I told my team members. Rosa seemed reluctant, but she finally budged.
" What? "
" Andera, I never knew you were out on the streets; I thought you must have gone to Pa Eugene's relatives. If I had known you didn't have a home, I would have..."
" You would have what, Thane?
Believed me when I said I didn't steal anything, gave me a home, loved me back?"
I snap, eying him with disgust.
He opened his mouth to talk, but I raised my palm to cut him short.
" If it wasn't the heirloom, it would have been something else. Whether or not you knew I had a home isn't the issue. It was you, Thane. "
I stepped closer to him, hoping he could feel my resentment.
" Thank you for not believing me, for breaking my heart, for never once in your life loving me back! I owe who I am today to it."
I turn my back towards him, take two steps, and then stop, tilting my head to my side, and my voice drops low.
" I look forward to our partnership Mr Renihardt. It will be plenty of....... fun. "
ASHLEY'S P.O.VI fell asleep again I've been really sleepy since I got here, maybe it's the medication, or just the stress from the emergency I was in, but whatever it was, it dragged me into sleep soon after Kellan leftWhen I woke up, blinking against the white ceiling, I tried to think if the small voices I heard were in the room or just a part of my sleep-induced dreamI tried to sit up, pushing myself on one elbow when a strong hand slid into my back and held my other hand, gently guiding me till my back was against the bedI wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. “Kellan" I was half stunned to see him here.Kellan had changed out of the clothes I last saw on him, even his expression was somewhat different, he reached forward and pushed hair off my face “How are you, Ash?" He asked, still touching my face tenderly. I felt my heart flutter at that nickname.I managed a smile too, taking every detail of his unshaven, drop-dead handsome face down to the plain t-shirt he wore and
KELLAN'S P.O.VShe was a snake.A power-hungry, evil snake who cared about nothing more than herself and her legacy, not caring that they came at the expense of her daughter's happiness or her husband's life.The last time I had seen Genevieve was a few weeks after my marriage to Ashley, I'd never forget the look of disgust on her face. How she sneered at me and told me I didn't deserve Ashley.She called me a manipulator, saying that I deceived her with empty promises. Genevieve threatened to destroy my up-and-coming career; she said she'd make me suffer.I proved her wrong. I became successful, built everything she said I couldn’t. But the aversion I had towards her never changed.My steps were hurried as I marched towards Ashley's wards, July half running to keep pace with me.When I reached the floor of Ashley’s room, the sight waiting for me made my jaw tighten and my hands ball into a tight fistGenevieve Cece Harrington demanding that he let her into my wife's room.Good thing
KELLAN’S P.O.VShe caused everything.The cold wall outside Ashley's hospital room bit into my back as I watched the security officers I hired take their positions. Two stationed themselves outside her door. No one I didn't want to was getting close to Ashley and my daughter without my permission.My daughter.God, she was mine. She is mineAll this time, the child Ashley was carrying, caring for alone was mine. My own flesh and blood. My eyes prickled and a tight fist squeezed my heart, making breathing hard. I did, and would have loved that girl, but knowing that she's mine, changes everything.It changes everything.I was going to have a child. I closed my eyes tight just as pressure welled up in them again. Ashley had been asleep for hours. I spent those hours thinking, going over every time over the past few months where we had both hurt each other despite still being obviously in love with one another.I wanted it all to end. Even before coming back to Dallas, I wanted all thi
ASHLEY’S P.O.VI had lost a baby once.Then, I heard this slow, ominous beeping sound too.Beep. Beep. BeepI'd never get to see that Baby.The world was blurry when I opened my eyes. The ceiling above me was pale white and too bright.A hospital.My throat was tight, and I tried to turn, to shake my head to the side, but I couldn't feel anything. Not my fingers or legs, not my stomach Or even..“My baby." The word tore out of my throat, making me wince as I did. I tried to lift my arms, to rub over the curve of my belly, to assure myself that my daughter was still there, that she hadn't gone too But I couldn't feel anything. I couldn't moveI didn't feel her moving inside me“My baby,” I whispered, warm tears trickling down my face. What had happened? What happened to my daughter? I was supposed to meet her in five weeksDid I lose her too?No, God couldn't be this cruel, right?A big warm hand covered mine. I felt strong, sturdy fingers slide into mine. I felt a loving brush on th
ASHLEY'S P.O.VThe path he led us through was beautiful.Lined with flowers and soft grass, the scent of pine in the air. I didn't understand why Kellan was so tense. He's been like this since we woke up this morning.It's like something happened during the night that he didn't tell me.The last time I had seen Kellan this nervous was during our wedding, when I read my vows. Then, he watched me as if waiting for me to bail out and run away. I tried not to think of where he was leading us, or whatever was making him this taut. Kellan's steps were deliberately slow to keep with mine, his breath was ragged, like he was contemplating something, and even though he looked down at me and smiled every two seconds, I knew he was disturbed.The sky overhead was bright but not hot as we walked down the beautiful path, lined with trees and spring birds chipping in the air, and a house came into viewIt was beautiful.Surrounded by flowers and trees and soft grass that brushed my ankles, the hous
KELLAN'S P.O.VThis was the place my life began. Truly began.I had tears in my eyes that day.For some reason, the back of my eyes prickle now. It could be from too much laughter this morning while watching Dad wince and beg Grandma to reconsider this ‘whole escape’ of getting married again.I glanced at where Dad sat behind me, waiting for Gran with a frown. Dad's friends, two of whom insisted on attending his mother's wedding, teased him for having a stepfather at forty-nine.I smiled.While the idea of Gran getting married had been odd to me at first, I've come to accept it, admire it even. To make such a decision at this age, to go this length for one person...I understood.I understood it, too.The courtroom was filling with guests, mostly Gran’s and Bob’s friends from the community board games. Bob sat at the front in a tux that somehow fit.Dinner with him was... something. Bob laughed at his own jokes, smiled, and teased her till she smacked his hand and told him not to make s