Chapter 4

Anna

I was still on the main road when a black car cut in front of me and stopped.

I hit the brakes hard. My heart slammed once against my ribs. For a second I thought we were going to hit but we stopped inches apart in the middle of the road.

I glared at the car through my windshield. Was the earth testing me today? I got down to yell at whoever was in the car but a man also got down and walked towards me. He was dressed in a tailored suit and he looked handsome.

He stopped inches in front of me. 

“Are you drunk?" I asked him angrily

“Get in" he ordered 

Oh he's definitely drunk

“I'm sorry who do you think you are, you can't just ask me to get in the car after the almost killing me” 

I glared at him

He massaged his temples and tilted his head back. 

“I need to talk to you and I don't have all day" he said with a clenched jaw

I gave him a polite but not genuine smile 

" Well I don't want to talk to you so get your car off the road” 

I didn't wait for his reply, I turned my back to him.I was walking toward my car when he suddenly grabbed my wrists, and dragged me towards him.

“I’m going to help you,” he yelled, his voice sharp and right in my face. “You have nowhere to go, I have a proposition for you but you have to get in so we can talk better" 

I raised my eyebrows at him. 

“How do you know?" 

“Get in first" he said leaving no room for arguments before walking towards his car

I sighed and followed him, "what do I have to lose?" I thought to myself 

 I slid into the passenger seat and shut the door behind me. He started the engine without looking at me.

" Who are you?”

“Zeke Trusova”

“Where are we going?” I asked. “And what about my car?”

“Someone will bring your car,” he said, eyes still on the road. “You’ll find out where I’m taking you… if you relax.”

I scoffed

“Relax? I'm in a strangers car with no idea where we are going so no relaxing is not an option" 

I sat back against the seat and glanced out the window. I knew I was crazy for entering his car but crazy things keep happening today.

The car finally came to a stop. He stepped out,then I followed suit. I froze at the sight before me. It wasn't as grand as my husband's house, but it came pretty close.Despite my dislike for the man who brought me here, I couldn't deny that the sight left me in awe.

Every detail seemed carefully crafted, from its elegant architecture to the flawless landscaping surrounding it. It looked less like a house and more like a work of art brought to life. As I stepped inside, I was amazed by how beautiful it was. The interior was just as beautiful as the outside.

" If you're done gwaking at my house let's get down to business”

" I wasn't” I lied and he knew it too.

" So now you have to answer my questions, who are you, how do you know about what happened and what do you want from me”

" Like I told you earlier it's not time for that yet and I have ears everywhere. The reason I brought you here is simple I want to destroy the Ricci empire and I need your help”

I paused for a long time, my breathing became shallow.

“My husband's company" my voice came out flat 

He nodded

I narrowed my eyes at him 

" I don't understand why would you think I'll help you do that” I frowned 

He shrugged his shoulders 

  " Because you have no choice” 

I moved closer to him

" Because I have no choice?”

He sighed heavily and pinched his lips together 

" I want you to divorce Alex and I'll give you all the power you want. You'll take over my company and you'll help me destroy Alex" he stared at me intensely 

I swallowed a big gulp of spit and looked away.

“I'm sorry I can't. Alex is my husband" I finally musterd up the courage to look at him.

He didn’t even blink.

“He’s about to divorce you. He already chose a story over you and he slept with someone else. You saw the picture yourself, you have nowhere to go I’m offering you a way to not stay on the bottom of this" 

My brows pulled together 

“How do you know about my husband?” I asked. “How do you know he’s trying to divorce me? How do you know about everything that happened between us?”

He said nothing.

My mind raced through everything. I had never met this man before today, yet he somehow knew things I hadn't told him, things only Alex and I should have known.

“I don't understand,” I whispered. “Why me?”

“Because you deserve better.”

I shook my head. “No. I can't accept this.”

“You can.”

“I said no.”

He leaned forward, his eyes fixed on mine. 

“Then tell me what you're going back to, because from where I'm standing it looks like nothing” 

My heart sank. He knew too much.

“I don't want your help,” I said, even though his offer had already begun to pull at the doubts I'd been trying to ignore.

“You don't have to want my help,” he said quietly. “Just take the offer”

I stayed silent for a while, replaying everything that happened today. Alex betrayed me, he didn't believe me, everything is in shambles. Maybe this was my chance to stop begging to be believed.

I lifted my eyes to him.

“Fine.”

His brows rose slightly.

“I'll do it,” I said, my voice steadier this time. “I'll help you take over Alex's company but first we have to get engaged. Fake if it has to be. You want my help against him, you put your name next to mine first.”

“If I say yes what do I get" 

“That’s the part that comes later.”

I looked at my hands. Then at him.

He studied me for a long second and I thought he was about to say no but then he nodded once.

“Done,” he said. “We draw it up. You help me burn his company down. You get everything I promised. Do we have a deal?”

 I didn't know if I could trust this man, and I certainly didn't know why he was helping me. But for once, I wasn't going to let Alex decide what I was capable of. If he wanted to throw me away, then I'd show him exactly what he had thrown away.

" Yes we do”.