Chapter 4

Nyx pov

Zevran Voss, the man who had made history by becoming the youngest governor at thirty-three, stood at the entrance.

His expression was cold and inscrutable, his dark hair falling carelessly across his forehead as he strode into the office in an impeccably tailored black suit. A bodyguard followed closely at his side, maintaining a watchful distance.

He was even more handsome in person than he appeared on television.

His sharply defined features, commanding presence, and intimidating aura made him difficult to ignore.

The moment he approached the table, the manager scrambled to his feet and bowed respectfully.

“Governor Zevran, it's not what it looks like. I was simply surprised to see a woman interested in purchasing land in Ravencrest Lane,” he explained hastily, his earlier arrogance replaced by nervous deference.

I almost rolled my eyes. Of course, that was his excuse.

In this country, women rarely occupied positions traditionally dominated by men. Major investments, lucrative businesses, and significant property acquisitions were often treated as the exclusive domain of men, while women who dared to venture into those territories were met with condescension and ridicule.

Apparently, even purchasing land was enough to provoke their astonishment.

“How utterly ridiculous,” I thought.

“I don't care whether the buyer is a man or a woman,” Zevran declared, his frigid voice cutting through the room. “Both deserve equal opportunities to purchase whatever they want, provided they have the financial means to do so. Your personal prejudices have no place in a professional establishment.”

The manager immediately lowered his head, unable to offer a convincing rebuttal.

I watched Zevran, a flicker of admiration stirring within me.

And then, something else flashed through my mind. Recognition.

I remembered this man vividly, not because of his political achievements or extraordinary wealth, but because of the horrifying circumstances surrounding his death in my previous life.

Zevran Voss had died exactly two weeks after this day.

The news had sent shock waves through the country. A man of his stature, a powerful governor and billionaire CEO, had been killed when his private plane was bombed while he was travelling to meet the president for a confidential meeting.

At the time, his death had been portrayed as a sophisticated assassination orchestrated by powerful corporate interests threatened by his growing influence.

But the truth was far more sinister.

Several companies had conspired against him, determined to eliminate a man whose wealth, political authority, and expanding business empire posed a threat to their interests.

And among those responsible was none other than Zac.

That despicable bastard had participated in the conspiracy because he believed Zevran's company posed a threat to his own business empire. Rather than compete fairly, he had chosen to eliminate his rival through a calculated act of murder.

I had discovered the truth much later, after stumbling upon a confidential file in Zac's office. The documents contained details of the assassination plot, including the arrangements, the people involved, and the meticulous steps they had taken to ensure Zevran would never survive the journey.

I remembered the shock that had consumed me as I read through those pages, struggling to comprehend how someone I had loved so deeply could be capable of orchestrating such a ruthless crime.

Back then, I had been powerless to change anything.

But this time? A cold smile tugged at the corners of my lips.

Zac, your carefully constructed world is about to collapse around you.

I wasn't going to allow Zevran Voss to die, not when I possessed knowledge that could prevent his assassination. More importantly, I wasn't going to let Zac get away with another act of treachery.

If saving Zevran meant destroying the man who had betrayed me, then I would gladly do both.

There was another detail I remembered about Zevran, one that had initially sounded like nothing more than an absurd rumour.

Before his death, whispers had circulated that he was secretly developing a spacecraft capable of remaining in orbit for years, allowing its occupants to survive until the apocalypse had passed.

At the time, I hadn't paid much attention to the speculation. It had sounded like an extravagant billionaire's delusion, the sort of ambitious undertaking that would require astronomical funding and technology beyond the reach of ordinary people.

But now, with the apocalypse approaching, that rumour took on an entirely different significance.

If Zevran was genuinely developing such a vessel, he might possess resources and technological capabilities that could prove invaluable to my survival.

Perhaps fate had just presented me with an opportunity I couldn't afford to waste.

A smirk gradually formed on my lips. Well, wasn't this interesting?

It seemed the time had come for me to befriend my ex-fiancé's greatest enemy.

And if I played my cards correctly, I might gain far more than an ally.

Zevran finished addressing the manager before turning away and heading toward another section of the building. My gaze followed him, my mind already calculating the possibilities.

“Here you are, ma'am. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience earlier,” the manager said, his attitude undergoing a remarkable transformation. He hurriedly brought out a tablet and placed it before me. “These are the available properties in Ravencrest Lane. You may review the options and select whichever suits your requirements.”

I barely registered his words. My attention remained fixed on the direction Zevran had disappeared into.

I had no intention of wasting this opportunity. I needed to speak with him again, preferably somewhere we could discuss his impending assassination without attracting unnecessary attention.

After several minutes, Zevran finally reappeared, walking toward the exit with his bodyguard beside him. That was my cue.

I pushed the tablet aside, rose abruptly from my seat, and hurried after him.

“Sir! Please, could you spare me a moment?”

I quickened my pace, but before I could approach him, his bodyguard stepped directly into my path, blocking my advance with an intimidating glare.

“Stay back.”

“Please, I need to speak with him. It's extremely important,” I insisted, trying to keep the urgency out of my voice.

“Let her through,” Zevran commanded.

His bodyguard immediately stepped aside.

Zevran turned toward me, his piercing dark-blue eyes settling on my face. His expression remained impassive, giving away nothing about what he might be thinking.

“What is it you wish to discuss with me, young lady?”

I hesitated, briefly surveying our surroundings. Several people were still moving through the corridor, and the last thing I needed was for someone to overhear a conversation that could potentially save his life.

“Please, could we speak somewhere private?”

One of the men accompanying him let out a derisive scoff.

“You want to speak with the governor in private?” he muttered, his tone dripping with contempt. “What extraordinary nerve you have.”

I ignored him, keeping my gaze fixed on Zevran.

For a moment, the governor studied me in silence, his sharp eyes seemingly searching for some indication of my intentions. I could only imagine what he was thinking. A complete stranger had approached him out of nowhere, requesting a private conversation without offering the slightest explanation.

Under ordinary circumstances, I might have appeared suspicious.

But I couldn't afford to hesitate.

Finally, Zevran gestured toward the office he had just left.

“After you.”

Relief flickered through me, although I concealed it beneath a composed expression. I followed him back into the office, where he took a seat opposite me and crossed one leg over the other.

His eyebrows lifted slightly as he regarded me.

“Now, what exactly do you have to tell me, Miss...?”

I leaned forward, resting my hands on the table.

“First of all, I want to be completely transparent with you.”

His expression remained unreadable.

I drew a steady breath, knowing that what I was about to say would sound utterly preposterous to anyone who hadn't experienced what I had.

“You're going to die in two weeks.”

For the first time since I had encountered him, Zevran's composure faltered.

His dark-blue eyes widened almost imperceptibly, surprise flashing across his features before his expression hardened into its familiar, icy facade.

“What do you mean?”

“In two weeks, you'll be travelling to meet the president for a private meeting, correct?”

The atmosphere in the room changed instantly.

Zevran leaned forward, his gaze sharpening as he studied me with renewed suspicion.

“How do you know about that meeting?”

I deliberately ignored his question.

“During that trip, your plane will be bombed by your enemies. The attack will be carefully orchestrated, and the people responsible will ensure that you have no opportunity to escape.”

His expression grew increasingly severe, but I continued before he could interrupt.

“I can provide you with documentary evidence detailing the assassination plot, including the identities of the people involved and their plans to carry it out.”

A concealed smile tugged at my lips.

The evidence existed, and I knew exactly where to find it. That file was sitting somewhere in Zac's office.