Chapter 92Andre's POV:The morning sunlight poured into my room like a damn spotlight, but my eyes weren't on the rays. They were on her. Vanessa. Curled up in my bed, hair messy, lips parted slightly, cheeks flushed from last night. She was chaos and calm wrapped in one small, beautiful package.I could count each soft breath she took, the steady rise and fall of her chest beneath my sheets. I'd memorized every freckle across her nose, the way her eyelashes fanned against her cheeks when she slept. The sheet had slipped down to reveal her bare shoulder, and I fought the urge to trace my lips on her and start over.I didn't want to leave.My chest ached with something I couldn't name. Something that felt dangerously close to forever.My phone kept vibrating. Calls. Messages. One after the other. After a short deliberation, I took a quick look at Stanley's message, and I knew what it was all about. Another draining meeting with the board members."Emergency board meeting. 30 minutes.
Chapter 91Vanessa's POV:I spent the last hour trying to calm my racing heart, pacing back and forth on the balcony like a lunatic, clutching a throw pillow to my chest. Everything felt suffocating. The more I thought of them, the more I thought of jumping off the cliff to escape the cruel turns of my life.I never expected things to go this way—so much that I have no control over anything. My heart continued going back to Matt. I couldn't help but think how hurt he must feel after being beaten like that—physically, mentally. He'd probably hate me now, and the thought of it was killing me. I was ashamed to even think of visiting him at the hospital tomorrow. What would I say to him? Apologize that he got beaten up for speaking to me earlier?And Mr. Garcia. He's so jealous, and he thinks Matt will take his place in my life. After one more hour, I finally stepped out and made my way down to the pool area to search for Andre. The air was cooler, scented with the chlorine from the wa
Chapter 90Andre's POV:Vanessa.She was trembling. Crying.She stood between me and the man I wanted to kill.I stepped back, breathing hard, fists soaked in blood. My heart pounded, but not from rage anymore—from the realization of what I almost did.I ran the bloody hand over my hair in frustration.Vanessa leaned beside Matt. His face was a mess; he was barely moving. She tried to help him, her hands shaking."Vanessa," I warned in a low tone.She had to get up from there. Matt is a loser; he doesn't deserve her kindness.She looked up at me furiously and snapped,"Do you want to kill him?!""Let's go," I growled. I pulled her up, dragging her with me while she struggled to separate herself from me, out to the corridor."Why did you fight with him?!" she yelled at me and shoved me away with all her might."He threw the first punch," I said. "I was just getting our order—you can ask the waitress.""And you think that justifies what you did? Sir, he was bleeding, and you barely have
Chapter 89Andre’s POV:The office buzzed like a hive of wasps, filled with whispers, stolen glances, and gasps that didn’t quite reach the surface. I could hear them murmuring her name—Vanessa. Every corner I turned, I caught someone looking at her with heavy eyes, and I couldn’t care less. Let them talk. Let them stare. It was all the could do. She belonged to me.I watched her from behind the glass wall of my office, her head bent low, her fingers nervously tapping her keyboard. She looked too fragile to handle their poison, but I knew better. Vanessa had strength in her, a quiet, burning kind that people often underestimate. Still, the vultures around her didn’t deserve her.I sent her a bouquet of rose flowers through Stanley—red, white, and yellow, with a note tucked inside which read, . I wanted everyone to know she wasn’t just any girl. She was mine.I watched her face on the monitor as she opened the card. The flush that painted her cheeks, the tiny smile that tugged at her l
Chapter 88Vanessa's POV:I was having another one of those nerve-wracking moments when I opened my eyes. The morning sunlight filtered through my curtains, but all I felt was chaos churning in my chest. Today, I was going back to work.Back to that building again, when I didn’t know how ready I was to face the judgmental stares and slicing words.My heart leapt to my throat when I heard the honk outside. I darted to the window, pulling the curtain back just a little. And there he was.Mr. Garcia.Stepping out of his sleek black car in a grey suit, sunglasses perched like a crown—every inch the king he was. But instead of waiting, instead of texting or calling, he walked up to the front door.I barely had time to collect myself when the knock echoed.I went out in my nightdress and opened the door. He stood there, eyes lazily peering at me from head to toe.“Good morning, my Vanessa,” he said, voice low and intoxicating. Before I could even say anything, he leaned forward and pressed
Chapter 87Vanessa POV:Claire squeezed my hand. “I’m just watching out for you, babe. I love you. Be careful, okay?”I nodded, feeling both touched and scared at the same time.Her eyes searched mine, not just scolding but truly concerned. "I've seen how much you've struggled to get where you are. I don't want anything—or anyone—taking that away from you."We sat there in silence for a while, and my mind kept spinning.Had I been stupid?Was I reading too much into what happened with Andre?He had made me feel like I was the only girl in the world... but what if that was just how he was? I’d seen him flattering others—he was pretty good at that.A part of me wanted to trust him. The other part... the louder part... was terrified. My mind was beginning to eat me up."You don't think..." I started, then hesitated. "You don't think he could feel the same way I do?"Claire's expression softened. "Maybe he does. I hope he does. But hope isn't a strategy to break you further, Vanessa. Espe
Chapter 88Vanessa's POV:I was having another one of those nerve-wracking moments when I opened my eyes. The morning sunlight filtered through my curtains, but all I felt was chaos churning in my chest. Today, I was going back to work.Back to that building again, when I didn’t know how ready I was to face the judgmental stares and slicing words.My heart leapt to my throat when I heard the honk outside. I darted to the window, pulling the curtain back just a little. And there he was.Mr. Garcia.Stepping out of his sleek black car in a grey suit, sunglasses perched like a crown—every inch the king he was. But instead of waiting, instead of texting or calling, he walked up to the front door.I barely had time to collect myself when the knock echoed.I went out in my nightdress and opened the door. He stood there, eyes lazily peering at me from head to toe.“Good morning, my Vanessa,” he said, voice low and intoxicating. Before I could even say anything, he leaned forward and pressed
Chapter 87Vanessa POV:Claire squeezed my hand. “I’m just watching out for you, babe. I love you. Be careful, okay?”I nodded, feeling both touched and scared at the same time.Her eyes searched mine, not just scolding but truly concerned. "I've seen how much you've struggled to get where you are. I don't want anything—or anyone—taking that away from you."We sat there in silence for a while, and my mind kept spinning.Had I been stupid?Was I reading too much into what happened with Andre?He had made me feel like I was the only girl in the world... but what if that was just how he was? I’d seen him flattering others—he was pretty good at that.A part of me wanted to trust him. The other part... the louder part... was terrified. My mind was beginning to eat me up."You don't think..." I started, then hesitated. "You don't think he could feel the same way I do?"Claire's expression softened. "Maybe he does. I hope he does. But hope isn't a strategy to break you further, Vanessa. Espe
Chapter 84Vanessa’s POV:“I want you to feel safe here. Like you belong. Because you do.”I leaned into his touch.When he kissed me again, it was slow—reverent.But then I pushed him away and darted out of the lavender room, heart hammering as I rushed toward the next.Behind me, his footsteps echoed—measured, calm. Too calm.He was hunting me.I spun around just as he filled the doorway, one hand braced against the frame, a smirk tugging at his lips.“Running again?” His voice was pure velvet. Dangerous.I swallowed, stepping back toward the bed. “Maybe. I just didn’t want to make it too easy for you.”He prowled forward, slow and deliberate, like a predator toying with his prey. His eyes darkened, a storm gathering in their depths.“You think you can outrun me in my own house?”I grinned, backing up until the bed pressed against the backs of my knees. “I can try.”He arched a brow, completely unhurried. “Go ahead then. I’ll even give you a head start.”My heart skipped wildly. "Yo