CHAPTER ONE

Audrey could feel the pain clutching her chest while she got away from the bed trying not to let Carter see her face that was filled with tears.

But she was his wife, the only woman he has ever loved and although she said a few words, he could see right through her.

They had just finished making love after he took her to an abandoned house to stop her from being killed by those gunmen trailing her.

Carter trailed behind her to the window where she stood clutching the blanket firmly to her bare chest.

He placed a soft kiss on her bare back causing her to shudder as she felt that warmth she had longed for six years.

“ Carter… Please… Stop” her voice broke while her heart shattered into tiny pieces, after all these years, she thought that she was stronger.

And could withstand anything that had to do with Carter, but just a few kisses from him got her whimpering in his arm a few hours ago.

But all it took him to get her to bed was just a kiss, he still had so much effect on her, and that pains her.

“ You keep pushing me away and yet I know you want me as much as I do, talk to me Audrey, what is happening? ”.

“ I am getting married to Oliver, and I need you to sign the divorce paper”. She wipes the tears away from the corner of her eyes.

Audrey peeked a glance at him from the corner of her eyes to see his reaction, but instead, his lips cornered into a smile as he place another kiss on her bare back, his hands slowly creasing her blonde hair.

“ Why would you marry someone you do not love? ”.

“ Who told you I do not love him? ”.

“ If you do, you won't be here with me”.

“ I felt nothing for you when I married you, what makes you think that I won't do it again”.

“ Because this time it is different, you love me, so why are you running away, tell me Audrey why are they after your life”.

“ It is none of your concern, please just sign the divorce paper and set me free if you ever did love me”.

“ I did love you, and I still do and that is why I can not let go of you”.

“ I abandoned my baby during childbirth, I am cruel, don't you see it”. She voiced out while her voice kept shaking.

He held both her arms and swirl her around, his gaze piercing at her that Audrey felt she was going to melt.

“ If you do not want to tell me what is going on, it is fine by me, but please get a security detail or I will do that for you ”.

“ I am fine, all I need is for you to unmerge with J. and J and give back the company to me”.

“ That I can do, but I am never divorcing you”. He exclaimed but she gets away from his grip and strode back to the bed, picking up her clothes.

Her eyes drifted to her phone on the floor and she gasped loudly.

“ Oh my God! I had a very important meeting with the board members this morning and you brought me here”.

She hurriedly picked up her clothes, rummaging through them in an anxious look.

“ The meeting should be over by now, why are you in such a hurry! ”.

“ This is all your fault, Carter, that meeting was meant to determine the fate of MONA EMPIRE”.

Her finger pointed at him while she glared at him.

“ I just saved your life and this is what I get? ”. Carter sighs loudly as he walks over to her.

“ Let me help you get dressed” he spoke softly, but she moved away from him, hurrying away from him.

Audrey steps into the light fully dressed she grabbed her purse ready to leave, but his words stopped her halfway.

“ How is it possible that you haven't even asked me about our daughter”.

Audrey paused and for her, it felt like hours went by while she stood there unable to turn around and face him.

“ Six years, Audrey, six years since you left our daughter at childbirth without a word or phone call, you come back to New York and all you are after is the company and a divorce”.

He stopped and took a few steps closer to her.

“ You carried her in your womb for nine months, doesn't she mean anything to you? ”.

“ My daughter is fine without me and I do not need to interrupt”.

“ Yes she is fine, but is she happy without her mom? ”.

“ She has lived without me all her live, she doesn't need me”. Audrey clenched her fist tightly as she forced her feet to take the initiative and leave the room.

Chloe had just finished supervising the newly arrived fabrics when her phone rang with an unknown caller.

“ Hello, ma'am! ”

“ I told you not to call me! ” she spoke in a low tone.

“ I am sorry about that but I think you did not explain further about the target”.

“ What are you talking about? ”.

“ She had several people tailing her, so it was not easy getting away from their tail”.

“ Is she dead? ”.

“ Not yet, I was trying to avoid the other tails so I lost her, but now that I am more clear about the target, she will be down by evening.

“ You gave me your word that this was going to be a smooth job, what the hell are you saying now? ”.

“ I am saying that I need to watch her quietly for a while, with the tails behind her, she might be murdered by others”.

“ I do not care who the killer is, I want her dead by nightfall, and do not call this number again, I will be the one to contact you”

She explained before hanging up while letting out a loud sigh.

“ Is everything alright? ”. Ashley ask as she almost falls to the rack of fabrics standing in front of her.

“ Ashley! You startled me! ”. Chloe exclaimed.

“ What were you doing? ”. Ashley asked while staring at the phone she was clutching onto firmly.

“ It is nothing important, get to work”.

“ I came to pick up the fabrics that are ready, are you through supervising them? ”.

“ Not yet, just a few more designs left”.

“ How is it coming up with Carter? ”.

“ We are fine! ”.

“ Is he saying anything about getting married to you? ”.

“ Not yet, although Audrey has filed for a divorce, he won't sign the divorce paper”.

“ Then try getting pregnant, remember he came around with the fake pregnancy”.

“ Shi… Lower your voice ”. Chloe spoke loudly while trying to wrap her fingers around her lips.

“ Relax! No one is here, everyone is busy”.

“ Ooh! ”. Chloe exclaimed while adjusting the strap of her dress.

“ I don't know, it's so hard getting him to touch me”.

“ It is hard, but not impossible, he's a man after all, we're just some few alcohols, I think that things will get moving, and this time make sure it is real”.

“ You have a point, Ashley, sometimes I feel like it's Mona who makes him still want Audrey, I mean the girl looks so much like her mom and likes everything her mom likes”.

“ Give him a child that looks like you and trust me, he will forget her in a blink of an eye”.

“ I am going to get an ovulation kit on my way from work and hope this works out”.

“ It is going to work out! ”. Ashley was optimistic while she helped Chloe pick out the genuine fabrics.

*****

Audrey was panting heavily as she stepped out of the elevator while Jason followed behind her.

“Finally you decided to show up! ”. He tightened his jaws as he spoke.

“ You do not speak to me in such a manner, now brief me on how the meeting went? ”.

“ There was no meeting because you did not show up, they all left in a bad mood and since then, Kyle won't stop calling”.

“ Alright, I will speak to him on a video call, you can go now”.

Audrey spoke before she began to turn on her computer, but Jason still stood there, his eyes fixed on her.

“ What? I thought I just dismissed you! ”.

“ That meeting was a very important one, we just made it to the front page of the timeless magazine, topping Colton fashion and now you are going to let it get ruined just like that”.

“ I am not going to remind you of who the boss is again, do not speak to me in such manners, I have private problems that I also need to take care of, I built this company from scratch and whatever comes out of it shall be my cross to bear”.

Jason had only worked with her for a few days, so he wasn't certain of her personality. Seeing how furious she was about nothing, he stepped out of her office.

Audrey let out a long sigh as she ruffles her fingers into her hair.

“ I guess I will have to face the music”. She exclaims as she dials Kyle on a video call, after three rings, his masculine face popped out from her screen.

“ Audrey hi! ”.

“ Kyle I am so so sorry, I was attacked today by some gunmen”.

“ Oh, mine! Are you alright? ”.

“ Yes, I was able to escape with some help, were you present at the meeting? ”.

“ yeah! I was life at some point, but I think that you will have to earn their trust before they can approve of this new project”.

“ It is through this project that I can get their trust, we have to commence the project as soon as possible to get us in line”.

“ Am sorry, this was the first meeting you had with the board members and you did not show up, they are not going to approve of the new collection unless you have something more”.

“ This collection is going to put us into the market, you have to convince them”.

“ That was your job Audrey and you failed at it, besides, it is too expensive, is there no way we can cut short the budget”.

Audrey exhales deeply, her eyes fixed on the screen of her computer.

“ Kyle! How many years did we work together in Paris?”.

Kyle pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs...