All Chapters of His Empire Crumbled When I Left: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

I was deep in a complex data set when the professor called."Flora, congratulations!" His voice was electric. "The Paris project. Top research, your own lab, full funding—it's yours!"My hand stilled. My fingers froze over the keyboard."This is a golden ticket, Flora," he continued, his voice softening. "But you know what this means. You'll have to leave Chicago."Leave Chicago.Leave the city I'd called home for three years.Leave Gwen."Okay," I heard myself say, my voice distant. "I'll go say my goodbyes."I went back to the estate. I wanted to spend one last night with Gwen.I walked through the main doors. The staff was rushing around. They were setting up for a party.Gwen stood in the center of the hall. He was snapping orders like a general."The champagne tower goes on the right, not the left!" His voice was cold, absolute. "No mistakes tonight."He saw me. His eyes went colder."You're back.""Gwen, I have great news—""Whatever it is, it can wait." He cut me off. His eyes c

Chapter 2

A sharp pain lanced through my chest. So much for his promises. So much for forever."Excuse me. I don't feel well." I managed a weak smile. I stood up. "Please, enjoy your dinner.""Flora," Eliza's soft voice called from the head table. "You look pale. Should I help you to your room?"She sounded so sincere. If I didn't know the real her, I might have been grateful."No, thank you." I practically fled the room.Back in my bedroom, I leaned against the door. My chest heaved.Three years. Three whole years.The light in Gwen's eyes, the part that was just for me, began to die the day Eliza walked through that door.I wasn't the brilliant data scientist he once paraded around anymore. I was just a burden. A weight he had to carry.But Eliza was different.She was the saint. The grieving widow. A victim who needed his protection.I changed out of my evening gown and into a silk robe, but sleep was the last thing on my mind.Around midnight, I heard a faint noise coming from the study.I c

Chapter 3

I snapped the suitcase shut. I turned to face him."The charity gala next week..."I started to explain. He cut me off, impatient."Forget it. You're running away again, is that it? Run away again. See if I come looking for you this time."The words died in my throat.Fine. He didn't care anyway.He'd find out everything when I was gone.My hands tightened on my dress. I made up an excuse."I'm just getting my dress ready for the gala."His expression softened a little."Whatever. Get some rest."Then he turned and left.I knew I'd be sleeping alone. Again.The next morning, the roar of an engine woke me up.I looked out the window. Gwen was helping Eliza into his Maserati.Eliza wore a white dress. Her smile was sweet. They looked like lovers heading out on a date.Where were they going? I pulled out my phone. It didn't take long to find out.My social media feed was a flood of their pictures."Falcone Don Spotted in Beverly Hills with Late Brother's Widow.""A Devoted Brother-in-Law,

Chapter 4

Gwen's POVThe private jet cut through the clouds, leaving Vegas behind. I stared out the window, a knot tightening in my gut."Gwen, can't we stay one more day?" Eliza purred, leaning against my shoulder. "There's a concert tonight I'm dying to see.""No," I said. The word came out harder than I expected. "We're going back to Chicago."Eliza pouted. "What's the rush? There's no family emergency."I couldn't tell her why.Maybe it was the three calls from Flora last night. The urgency in her voice—a sound I'd never heard from her before.She said she had something important to tell me."Business," I lied.Before the plane landed, I had the driver swing by Cartier."That diamond bracelet," I said, pointing at the one in the window. "The hundred-thousand-dollar one."The salesman's eyes lit up. "An excellent choice, Mr. Falcone. This is our limited edition—""Wrap it up."I remembered Flora stopping outside this shop once. She stared at that bracelet for a long time. I was on a call with

Chapter 5

Gwen's POVI sat in the study all night, gripping the divorce papers. The paper was damp with my sweat, but every word was burned into my mind.As soon as the sun came up, I called the family lawyer."Get to the manor. Now."Half an hour later, he was standing in front of me, trembling, sweat beading on his forehead."Boss, the divorce agreement... it's ironclad," he stammered.My voice was a low growl. "You're telling me she's not my wife anymore?""Yes, sir. Legally, your marriage is over."His words hit me like a sledgehammer.I shot up from my chair and slammed my fist on the desk. The heavy wood groaned."Get the hell out."He scrambled out of the room like his life depended on it.I sat there alone, my thoughts racing in a thousand different directions.Where the hell did Flora go? Why would she leave like this?I remembered the name of her old professor. I drove straight to the University of Chicago.In the computer science building, Professor Mitchell was packing up files. He l

Chapter 6

Gwen's POVFor weeks, I tried to write to her.I'd start a letter, then tear it to pieces.Flora, I was wrong...Rip.I know you can't forgive me, but...Rip.Please, just let me explain...Rip.What the hell was there to say? Sorry? Excuses? Begging? The words felt cheap and empty.In the end, I did the only thing a Falcone knows how to do."Wire ten million to Flora's overseas account," I told my finance chief."Yes, Boss."A week later."Another twenty million.""Boss, that amount—""Do it."Another week."Twenty more."The finance chief hesitated. "Boss, that's fifty million total. But...""But what?""The money in that account... not a single cent has been touched."My heart sank into a black pit.She wouldn't even look at it. To her, the money was as worthless as I was.That night, I was in the study, drowning myself in whiskey. Anything to numb the gnawing pain.Suddenly, the intercom on the desk crackled to life."...can't believe that stupid bitch just walked away."It was Eli

Chapter 7

Flora's POVFive years later, Chicago was still the same—familiar and strange all at once.I stood at the floor-to-ceiling window of my hotel room, looking down at the city I'd once called home for three years.A copy of Forbes lay on the table, my face on the cover."FLORA ROSSI: THE AI QUEEN'S JOURNEY FROM DATA SCIENTIST TO BILLIONAIRE."An eight-billion-dollar acquisition had put my name on the global stage.But right now, I was just a former student, back for my mentor's funeral.Professor Mitchell's memorial was at the university chapel. Dressed in a black suit, I sat in the front row, listening to colleagues remember the man who changed my life. Without him, I never would have had the courage to leave Chicago, let alone achieve what I had.The reception was at a five-star hotel nearby. I held a glass of champagne, making small talk with other academics."Flora, congratulations on the acquisition," a professor said. "Eight billion dollars. It's astonishing.""Thank you," I smiled

Chapter 8

Flora's POVWhen I hesitated, a flash of panic crossed Gwen's face."And Caesar," he added quickly, his voice shaking. "Our Malinois. He passed away. But he had a puppy... looks just like him."Caesar.I remembered that big, loyal dog. When I first moved into the manor, he was the only one who kept me company when I felt alone."When did he die?" I asked."Two years ago." Gwen's voice grew thick. "He kept waiting for you to come back. Right up until the end, he'd go to the main gate and watch for you."My heart clenched."Okay," I said. "I'll come and see."The light that flooded Gwen's eyes was like a drowning man finding air."Really?" he asked, unable to believe it."Just to see," I repeated."Right," he nodded, over and over. "Right. Just to see."Twenty minutes later, I was in his Maserati. The same one from five years ago, just with a few more miles on it."You still drive this?" I asked."It was the first car we bought together," he said, his eyes fixed on the road. "I couldn't

Chapter 9

Flora's POVAfter dinner, he asked hesitantly, "Do you want to stay the night? Your room... I've kept it just the way it was."I saw the fragile hope in his eyes, and a wave of complicated feelings washed over me."No, the hotel is easier," I said, standing up. "Thank you for dinner."Disappointment flickered across his face, but he hid it quickly."I'll drive you back.""That's okay, I'll get a car.""Flora," he called out as I turned to leave. "Thank you. For having dinner with me tonight. This was the happiest I've been in five years."I just nodded and left.Back at the hotel, I lay in bed, wide awake. The night replayed in my head. The restored "Star Map." The carefully prepared dinner. The deep, bottomless regret in Gwen's eyes.Five years. I thought I was over it.But tonight proved that some wounds never really heal.The next morning, I packed my small bag and prepared to leave for the private airfield. I hadn't told Gwen my flight time. I just sent a text.Thank you for last n

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