2025-03-22 20:37:45Nate stepped into the mansion, letting the chauffeur shut the door behind him. The house was quiet except for the faint clinking of cutlery from the dining room. His eyes swept over the space…nothing had changed. Same expensive furniture. Same grand chandeliers. Same perfect, picture-book life.
But it was all a lie. His wife, Serena, sat at the long dining table, smiling as if nothing in the world could ruin her mood. The table was covered with dishes, a feast laid out like some celebration. And at the very center, steam curled from a cup of tea. His stomach twisted. “Welcome home, darling,” Serena said, her voice warm, eyes soft. She stood gracefully, hands clasped in front of her. The wife who had poisoned him. The woman he had loved more than anything. Once upon a time, he would have walked straight to her, taken her in his arms, kissed her forehead, and told her how much he had missed her. But now? Now, all he felt was hatred. “You didn’t have to do all this,” he said, his tone even. “I wanted to. You’ve been so busy lately.” She walked toward him, reaching for his tie. He caught her wrist before she could touch him. Serena’s eyes widened slightly, a flicker of confusion in them before she masked it with a chuckle. “Did you have a bad day?” Nate let go of her hand and stepped past her. He pulled out a chair but didn’t sit. Instead, he picked up the cup of tea and studied it. The same tea she had given him every night. The tea that had been killing him slowly. Serena tilted her head, watching him carefully. “You’re not drinking?” “I’m not hungry,” he said, setting the cup back down. “You should eat.” Serena frowned, her smile slipping just a little. “Nate, what’s wrong?” He turned away. “Nothing.” “Nate.” He kept walking. She had always been good at acting, but he saw it now…the way her hands clenched at her sides, the slight shift in her posture. She wasn’t just concerned. She was calculating. He reached the hallway, but he stopped. He could throw her out. Divorce her. Strip her of everything. But that wasn’t enough. No, he had a better idea. Nate turned back, walking to the table again. Serena’s expression brightened, but he ignored it. He pulled out a chair and sat down across from her, even as disgust burned inside him. She had taken everything from him before. Now, he was going to take everything from her. He picked up the glass of tea once more, turning it slightly in his hand as if admiring it. The steam rose lazily, carrying the faint scent of herbs. His lips curled into a small smile as he brought it closer to his lips. He could feel Serena watching him. Her eyes, always so composed, held something different now. Anticipation. Expectation. But before the tea could touch his mouth, he stopped. Setting the glass back down, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. His expression softened, voice dropping into something warm, affectionate. “I’ll only drink it if you take the first sip.” Serena blinked, her perfect smile faltering for just a second before she let out a soft laugh. “Nate, you’re being silly. This is your tea.” “Is it?” His tone remained calm. “I don’t remember you ever making me tea before.” Her fingers curled slightly against the table, but she quickly relaxed them, tilting her head with a playful pout. “I wanted to do something special for you. You’ve been working so hard.” Nate nodded slowly, pretending to consider her words. But inwardly, his mind raced. His health had only started to fail after he began drinking this tea. It had been so gradual, so subtle. Headaches. Fatigue. Weakness. He had thought it was stress. But now? Now, he knew better. Serena reached for the cup, as if to take it from him. “Come on, just drink it. It’ll help you relax.” Nate’s grip tightened around the glass. “No.” Before she could react, he moved. He lunged forward, grabbing her by the jaw with one hand while shoving the cup toward her mouth with the other. Serena gasped, her hands flying up to push against him. “Nate…what the hell are you doing?!” “Drink it.” His voice was low, controlled. She twisted, struggling against his grip. “Stop! You’re hurting me!” The tea sloshed dangerously close to her lips as she thrashed, her nails digging into his wrist. And then… The glass slipped from his hand. It hit the table first, then the floor, shattering into sharp pieces. The tea spread across the polished surface, dripping down to the carpet below. For a second, there was only silence. Serena’s chest rose and fell, her eyes flashing with something darker than just anger. She wiped at the droplets of tea on her skin, then snapped her gaze up at him, looking truly pissed. “What the hell is wrong with you?” Nate leaned back, his smirk cold. “I wanted you to drink what you so badly wanted me to drink.” Her lips parted, then pressed into a thin line. She huffed, her nostrils flaring, but instead of arguing, she simply stood, brushing imaginary dust off her dress. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but I don’t have time for this,” she muttered, shaking her head. She turned on her heel and walked away, disappointment laced in every step. Nate watched her go, his smirk widening. Her plan had failed. His hatred for her only grew. Nate leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming against the table as he watched Serena disappear down the hall. The air still carried the faint scent of the tea she had tried to poison him with, and he let out a slow breath, his smirk fading into something colder. She thought she was untouchable. She thought she could smile sweetly, bat her lashes, and continue playing him for a fool. Not anymore. Whatever had taken him a year behind had done so for a reason. He wasn’t going to waste this second chance. Every single person who had betrayed him would pay…starting with her. Serena had wormed her way into his life, made him believe she loved him. She had played the role of the devoted wife so well that he had never suspected a thing. And all the while, she had been poisoning him, waiting for him to grow weak enough to finally die. And for what? Money? Power? A life with Lucas? He clenched his fists. He would strip her of everything. She had chased after him, thrown herself at him, made him believe he was the love of her life. She had planned it all so perfectly. But now, it was his turn. Nate would let her think she still had control. He would let her believe she could still manipulate him, that he was just a paranoid, overworked man lashing out. He would let her feel safe. And then… He would take everything. Her wealth, her security, her reputation. He would drag her through the dirt, expose her for the snake she was, and when she had nothing left…when she had lost every single thing she had ever schemed for…he would make her grovel at his feet. She would plead, cry, beg for mercy. And he would give her none. Because mercy was for those who deserved it. And Serena Aldric never would.
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Nate woke up feeling lighter than he had in years. His mind was sharp, his body well-rested. No nausea. No dizziness. No sluggishness weighing him down. It was the first night in a long time that he had slept without that poison creeping through his veins. He sat up, glancing around the unfamiliar bedroom. He had chosen to sleep in one of the guest rooms…far away from Serena. Sharing a bed with his killer had never been an option. He threw off the covers and walked into the bathroom, turning on the lights. The mirror reflected back a man who barely looked like himself. His hair was overgrown, messy in a way that made him look unkempt rather than rugged. His beard was thick, uneven. And his clothe…wrinkled, dull, a size too big. He looked nothing like a billionaire. More like someone who had given up on himself. He let out a breath, gripping the counter. That was the old Nate. The blind fool who had let himself be played. That man was dead. He pulled out his phone and di
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Serena sat in her office, fingers tapping impatiently against the glass desk. The space around her was massive, lined with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the city. The building itself…her building…stood tall, a monument to the empire Nate had helped her build from the ground up. A high-end fashion and luxury brand, known for exclusive designs, limited edition collections, and premium beauty products. It was a business that screamed power, dripping in wealth, worth hundreds of millions. Workers moved like a well-oiled machine below, rushing through the hallways, carrying fabric samples, documents, and tablets loaded with schedules. Models strutted through the lower levels where the latest collections were being prepped for an upcoming show. Executives spoke in hushed tones, closing million-dollar deals. Everything was perfect. Just as she had designed it to be. This was her own world where she ruled. And yet…Serena felt nothing but anger. She couldn’t sit still. She had
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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 a
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Serena was still trying to wrap her head around everything when Nate took her out to dinner. He had insisted, and she hadn’t been able to refuse. She thought they were just going to a regular restaurant. Instead, he led her to a venue that felt more like a theater than a restaurant. The place was grand, with towering red velvet curtains and low lighting that hinted at something more formal than what she was used to. It was like something straight out of a movie…a place where opera singers acted, their voices soaring dramatically in a performance she didn’t understand. Nate, on the other hand, was perfectly at ease. He had a smirk on his face, like he was watching her, waiting for her reaction. Serena didn’t know what to make of him anymore. The man she thought she had married seemed so far removed from the person sitting next to her now. He was cold, distant, and more dangerous than she could have imagined. She tried to focus on the play, but her mind kept wandering back to Nate
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The car ride home was silent. Not the comfortable kind. Not the kind where two people were simply tired or lost in thought. No, this silence was sharp. It was full of things left unsaid, of truths hanging just beneath the surface. Tense didn’t even begin to describe it. It was the kind of silence that wrapped around Serena’s throat and squeezed. She sat rigid in the backseat, not leaning against the plush leather, as if even touching anything around her might give her away. Her fingers were laced tightly in her lap, knuckles white, nails pressing into her own skin like she needed to feel something real. Her heart had not stopped racing since the curtains dropped at the opera. Her eyes were locked on the world outside the window, where city lights smeared against the glass. But she wasn’t seeing anything. Her mind was somewhere else. With Lucas. With Nate. With everything spiraling out of her control. Nate sat beside her, legs crossed at the ankle, one arm lazily thrown along th
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The Stranglers’ Golden Brown played faintly from the corner speaker in Nate’s office. Soft sounds of the bass and electric guitar, the gentle beat of the drum. That haunting voice. Then… The ringing in Nate’s ear came out of nowhere. It was sharp. Loud. Piercing. He sat still in his chair, staring blankly at the papers spread out in front of him. His fingers loosened, and the pen slipped from his hand without a sound. His jaw clenched. His heartbeat slowed, then kicked up again. He looked up. The clock on the wall said 10:32 a.m. No. No way. Not today. His chair scraped hard against the floor as he pushed back and stood. The sound echoed off the glass walls of his office. His chest felt tight. The buzzing in his ear wouldn’t stop. Then he remembered. Today. Her. Marjorie Blake. The old woman. The blood. Her neck. The scream. He’d been there a year from now, standing in the hallway of the nursing home as a nurse covered her lifeless body. His throat had burned
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018
Nate smiled like a man with time on his side.Owen stood beside him, arms crossed, shifting ever so slightly when Nate turned his head. That smile…it wasn’t the old Nate smile. This one had teeth. It was calm, too calm. Like he knew exactly where this was going.“You mind if I talk to the CEO alone?” Nate asked, his voice easy.Owen blinked. “Alone?”“Yeah. Just for a few minutes.”There was something in Nate’s tone…too casual, too cool…that made Owen’s chest tighten a little. He tried not to show it. Gave a tight laugh instead. “Sure, of course. Just don’t steal him from us, alright?”Nate looked at him. A quiet second passed.Then he stepped forward.He pushed open the door to the corner office without waiting for permission, like he owned the place. Which, funny enough, he probably could have…if it wasn’t a damn scam.Inside, the man behind the desk looked up fast. Too fast. He was thin, dressed in a stiff black suit that didn’t fit right. His tie was crooked. His chair looked too
017
Owen had always thought Nate was a fool, the kind of guy who walked around with a target on his back, just begging to be taken down. But now? He couldn't help but feel a little impressed…just for a second.Nate had changed. No more beards, no more thick glasses. His clothes were sharp, crisp. He had an aura around him now, something that made him look like he actually belonged in the world of billionaires. Owen had to admit, for a moment, he wasn’t sure who he was looking at. Was this the same guy who once bumbled through board meetings, looking like a deer caught in headlights?Still, Owen wasn’t worried. He’d been with Nate since high school. He knew Nate's type…the guy who wanted to play with the big boys but didn’t have the stomach for it. Owen could smell weakness, even if it was buried under layers of expensive suits.“Hey, Nate,” Owen greeted, his voice smooth, that easy smile on his face like he was welcoming an old friend. He walked into Nate's office with a swagger, his team
016
Serena hadn’t seen Nate in three days. Three days of silence, of not knowing what he was planning, of fear crawling under her skin. She and Lucas had driven out to a hotel deep in the city. It wasn’t about luxury anymore…it was about hiding. About breathing away from his shadow. But even here, he felt close. Lucas was pacing. Back and forth. The window was open, but the air was still hot. He looked over at her, eyes sharp. “He’s not who he used to be.” Serena sat on the bed, arms wrapped around herself, her legs pulled close. Her lips trembled before she could stop them. “You don’t know the half of it.” Lucas frowned, slowing his steps. “What do you mean?” She didn’t answer immediately. She stared at the floor like she was trying to dig through it with her eyes. “It started the night he came back,” she said finally. “The first night I poisoned the tea.” Lucas stilled. “I set everything up perfectly. Got the dose right. It wouldn’t kill him, just weaken him. Bit by bit
015
Nate didn’t sleep. Not that night. Not the next. He sat in front of a wall of monitors, eyes fixed, arms folded tight, barely blinking. His team worked behind him, silent. No one dared speak unless they had something that mattered. No coffee runs. No useless updates. Just surveillance tapes, call records, and a mess no one wanted to say out loud. Then something pinged. “Sir,” one of his guys said from behind a desk. “We’ve got something on the footage. Rear exit. Two hours before the hit.” Nate turned his head slightly. “Show me.” The screen changed. There he was again. The masked man. But this time, outside. Moving fast through the alley, head down. But Nate didn’t care about his pace. It was what he did next. He stopped. Pulled out a small phone…burner type. Dialed. The feed had no audio. But you didn’t need sound. His body told the story. He waited. Ten seconds later, he nodded once. Like he got the greenlight. Then tossed the phone straight into a drain an
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The footage spread through the elderly home like wildfire. A masked man. Caught on camera. His movements were sharp…deliberate…each step echoing a quiet confidence, like he’d rehearsed it. There was no hesitation in the way he turned corners or how he avoided the line of sight from the nurse’s stations. It was like he knew the layout intimately. Like he belonged there. Like he’d done this before. The hallway lights cast long shadows behind him, but he didn’t flinch. His figure moved swiftly, purposefully, until he reached a particular turn…one that led straight to Room 106. Then, abruptly, he stopped. A pause. Barely a second, but enough. The masked man tilted his head upward, and for the first time, his body language faltered. He’d noticed something…or rather, someone. He was being watched. From a sharp, unexpected angle, Nate Aldric stood just out of direct view, his presence casting a heavy silence across the hallway. Their eyes didn’t meet, not exactly, but something passed
013
The Stranglers’ Golden Brown played faintly from the corner speaker in Nate’s office. Soft sounds of the bass and electric guitar, the gentle beat of the drum. That haunting voice. Then… The ringing in Nate’s ear came out of nowhere. It was sharp. Loud. Piercing. He sat still in his chair, staring blankly at the papers spread out in front of him. His fingers loosened, and the pen slipped from his hand without a sound. His jaw clenched. His heartbeat slowed, then kicked up again. He looked up. The clock on the wall said 10:32 a.m. No. No way. Not today. His chair scraped hard against the floor as he pushed back and stood. The sound echoed off the glass walls of his office. His chest felt tight. The buzzing in his ear wouldn’t stop. Then he remembered. Today. Her. Marjorie Blake. The old woman. The blood. Her neck. The scream. He’d been there a year from now, standing in the hallway of the nursing home as a nurse covered her lifeless body. His throat had burned
012
The car ride home was silent. Not the comfortable kind. Not the kind where two people were simply tired or lost in thought. No, this silence was sharp. It was full of things left unsaid, of truths hanging just beneath the surface. Tense didn’t even begin to describe it. It was the kind of silence that wrapped around Serena’s throat and squeezed. She sat rigid in the backseat, not leaning against the plush leather, as if even touching anything around her might give her away. Her fingers were laced tightly in her lap, knuckles white, nails pressing into her own skin like she needed to feel something real. Her heart had not stopped racing since the curtains dropped at the opera. Her eyes were locked on the world outside the window, where city lights smeared against the glass. But she wasn’t seeing anything. Her mind was somewhere else. With Lucas. With Nate. With everything spiraling out of her control. Nate sat beside her, legs crossed at the ankle, one arm lazily thrown along th
011
Serena was still trying to wrap her head around everything when Nate took her out to dinner. He had insisted, and she hadn’t been able to refuse. She thought they were just going to a regular restaurant. Instead, he led her to a venue that felt more like a theater than a restaurant. The place was grand, with towering red velvet curtains and low lighting that hinted at something more formal than what she was used to. It was like something straight out of a movie…a place where opera singers acted, their voices soaring dramatically in a performance she didn’t understand. Nate, on the other hand, was perfectly at ease. He had a smirk on his face, like he was watching her, waiting for her reaction. Serena didn’t know what to make of him anymore. The man she thought she had married seemed so far removed from the person sitting next to her now. He was cold, distant, and more dangerous than she could have imagined. She tried to focus on the play, but her mind kept wandering back to Nate
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 a
