Semua Bab CLAIMED BY HIS RIVAL FRIEND.: Bab 41 - Bab 50

I stood by the poolside, watching the calm blue water sway a little, though my gaze was fixed on it, my mind wandered farther. I watched the ugly sight of already-clogging blood on my knuckle and sighed deeply. I knew the pain throbbing behind the skin was painful, but could that be compared to the wrenching tightness in my heart? Never!My mind drifted a little, back to a few minutes before I walked out of the mansion that no longer seemed enough to contain Amila and me, I had angrily shoved my knuckle hard into the wall.That woman was becoming something else. Unreasonable! Yes, that's the word. “If you are not blind, you would see the company is struggling to stay afloat!” I snapped at Amila, yanking off my suit jacket. “You would know this was no time to dispense money! The loan we took two years ago is still unpaid! The banks would come knocking soon,”“Excuse me,” she scoffed, both hands clasped to her chest, foot tapping religiously on the floor. “The loan you took… Not we, G

I sighed as I twitched the side of the phone, ending the call for the hundredth time. I had blocked several numbers related to him. But each time, Gabriel still found a way to reach me, and then I thought about it. I still needed him to see I could actually survive without him. I sat on the long desk across from Patra, the canteen was buzzing with staff, plates clattering, pleasantries flying and eyes enough to drown me settled on me. So, joining Patra at her table was the safest thing to do. “What?!” I snarled, almost yelling. Her eyes had not left my face for the last ten minutes I sat here. If I hadn’t known her, I would think she was trying to remember my face from a dream. After a moment, she gave a small laugh, swallowed the food in her mouth, and finally spoke. “You know,” she said, leaning forward a little, “when I first saw you that day you came asking to see Mr. Banks without any proper appointment, I instantly knew you were a big deal. And the fire in your eyes? Unq

A laugh tore out of my throat before I could stop it. It sounded sharp and loud in the quiet dining room. I thought it was a joke, a very funny one. But when I lifted my face and my eyes met his, the laugh died instantly. His mouth was only a thin line, he wasn’t smiling. His expression was dead serious, eyebrow lifted at one corner. “You… You’re not joking?” I asked, my voice breaking in the middle. “Williams, please tell me you’re joking.” He shook his head slowly. “No, Maya. I’m not joking.” His voice was low and steady. “I meant every single word. I’ve waited four years, four years, Maya…. Four years watching you with him, knowing you deserved better. I can’t bear to lose you to any other man again. I can’t let one more year pass without making you my wife.” My heart gave a heavy jolt. It felt like someone had punched me in the chest. I wanted to say something, just anything, but the words felt too heavy, stuck somewhere deep in my throat. I pulled my hands out of his a

“I didn’t mean to hurt you “ I gasped, standing in the middle of my office, staring at the closed door Maya had just slammed shut like it was the beginning of my problems. The sound still echoed in my ears. Her cologne lingered in the air; soft jasmine mixed with something warm that always reminded me of her. I swallowed hard, my throat tight.Selene showing up like that last night had caught me completely off guard. I hadn’t seen her in months since we parted ways. I thought I was handling the situation the best way I could in that moment. I didn’t want her putting Maya’s face all over her live stream. I knew Selene too well, she could be irrational and Maya wasn’t ready for that kind of exposure, and honestly, neither was I. A lot was at stake; major projects, partnerships, the reputation we had built for Banks Holdings. One wrong headline and everything could crumble, I had seen that happen so many times. Bloggers would have a field day. Imagine captions like “WILLIAMS BANKS H

I stared at the amber liquid in the fresh glass Damian had just ordered for me, then looked up at his face. His words still hung in the air smooth, confident, and a little too knowing. I was about to respond when the bar door opened with a sharp push. Cool evening air rushed in.Williams walked in.My breath caught. Why on earth was he here? Did he trail me to this mini, safe haven?He scanned the dimly lit room until his eyes landed on me. Then they moved to Damian sitting beside me. I saw his throat tighten visibly, his jaw clenched harder, but he said nothing. He didn’t greet Damian. He didn’t even acknowledge him even when the handsome stranger raised a hand for a handshake. Williams only darted him that look that said too much, like Damian was in a place he wasn’t supposed to be, or maybe me too.Williams walked straight to the counter, pulled out a thick stack of notes from his wallet, and dropped them beside my glass with a quiet slap.“This should cover her bill,” he said to