Reborn To Conquer

010

Serena’s heart pounded when Nate walked into the room. She barely had time to process what she was seeing. The man who used to wear sloppy clothes, whose glasses were perpetually falling off his face, was now someone completely different. His hair was neatly styled, his face clean-shaven, and his clothes…designed to perfection…made him look more like a business tycoon than the man she once knew. The transformation was staggering.

She barely had time to react before Nate’s voice cut through the air, cool and calm. “Serena.” His gaze locked onto hers, intense, unblinking, and the air around them seemed to tighten.

Serena froze. This wasn’t the same Nate. The one who used to follow her every command was now standing in front of her with a strength that was almost palpable. He looked… different. Powerful. Intimidating.

But it was his eyes…sharp, calculating…that unsettled her most. He had changed, and she was still trying to catch up.

Her phone buzzed in her hand, and she quickly answered, desperate for some distraction. It was Lucas, and she couldn’t afford to ignore him. But as soon as she heard his voice on the line, she felt a rush of panic. What if Nate heard? What if he found out what she and Lucas had been discussing?

She could feel Nate’s eyes on her, watching, waiting for her response.

“Serena.” Nate’s voice had a sudden edge to it, pulling her attention back to him. “Who’s on the phone with you?”

Her chest tightened, and for a split second, her mind went blank. Had he heard her conversation with Lucas? Was he aware of what they had talked about? The fear of being caught made her throat go dry.

Before she could answer, Nate took a step closer, his voice more insistent now. “It sounds like my cousin, Lucas, is on the phone. Why is he calling you?”

Serena’s heart skipped. Her thoughts scrambled, and she quickly pressed the phone to her ear, trying to pretend she wasn’t panicking. “It’s… it’s nothing,” she said quickly, trying to cover the nerves in her voice. “Just some business stuff, you know?” She forced a smile, even though her stomach was twisted in knots.

Nate raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. “Business, huh?” His voice was low, almost teasing, but there was an undercurrent of something darker in his words. “With Lucas?”

Serena’s pulse quickened. She could feel the pressure building between them, the silence stretching out as Nate studied her every move. She had to get out of this.

“Yeah,” she said quickly, trying to sound confident, but the lie tasted bitter on her tongue. “Lucas is just… he wanted to discuss some business matters. You know how he is.”

Nate didn’t say anything for a moment. He just stared at her, his expression unreadable. But then, something in his gaze softened, just a little. He wasn’t fooled, but he didn’t press further. Not yet.

“You’ve always been a smooth talker,” he said finally, his voice still carrying that cool edge. He seemed to be processing everything. “But I’ll let it slide this time.” His lips curled into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

Serena let out a quiet breath of relief, but it was fleeting. She couldn’t shake the feeling that he was watching her, reading her, and waiting for her to slip up.

“I’ll let you go, then,” Nate added, his voice turning casual again, but there was an underlying tension in his words. “But I don’t like the idea of my cousin having so much to say to you.”

Serena didn’t know how to respond. She didn’t want to provoke him, but she couldn’t help feeling the weight of his words pressing down on her. She quickly hung up the phone, her fingers trembling as she did.

For a moment, the silence between them was thick. Then Nate stepped closer, his presence overwhelming, like he was filling every inch of the room with his energy. His gaze never left hers.

“Well,” he said, his voice smooth but laced with something dangerous, “I’m glad to see you’re still good at lying. I’ll give you that.”

Serena didn’t know how to respond to that. She didn’t have to. The look in Nate’s eyes was enough. He knew she was lying, but he wasn’t calling her out on it… not yet.

“I’ll just say this, Serena,” Nate said softly, his voice dripping with a new kind of menace. “You’ve made a lot of choices, and you’ve hurt a lot of people. And now, you’re going to pay for it.”

Serena’s stomach dropped. She tried to swallow, but the lump in her throat made it almost impossible. Nate was here, and this was not the man she had married. This was someone else. Someone dangerous. Someone who wasn’t afraid to break her down, piece by piece.

“Why don’t we have a little chat about your little business deal with Lucas?” Nate continued, his voice taking on a sinister edge. “We can talk about how much of a problem it’s causing me.”

Serena’s mind raced. She had no idea what he was talking about, but she knew she was in deeper trouble than she had ever imagined. She had no control here. Nate had control.

And just like that, she realized how much her world had shifted. This wasn’t just about business anymore. This was about survival.