2025-03-25 01:29:38Nate 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 dialed a number. “Doctor,” he said when the line connected. “Come to my house. Now.” … The doctor arrived within the hour, carrying a black case. “You want to switch to lenses?” the man asked, adjusting his tie. “Yes.” The doctor opened the case, pulling out a small container. “These should work for you. I’ll guide you through…” “I’ll figure it out.” Nate took the lenses, turning toward the mirror. His hands were steady as he removed his glasses, set them aside, and carefully put the lenses in. When he blinked and looked at himself again, something had changed. His sharp green eyes were no longer hidden behind thick lenses. His face looked different. Stronger. He felt different. He picked up his glasses, staring at them for a second before tossing them into the trash. The doctor raised a brow. “Well, that’s one way to do it.” “Send me the bill.” Without another word, Nate turned and walked out. . . . The barbershop was quiet when he stepped in, the scent of aftershave thick in the air. A few men were getting their hair cut, but his arrival turned heads. “Need a trim, sir?” one of the barbers asked, eyeing Nate’s messy hair and beard. “More than a trim,” Nate muttered, settling into the chair. “Fix it.” The barber smirked. “You got it.” Nate closed his eyes as the clippers buzzed to life. The first cut was sharp, clean. Hair fell in thick clumps, his beard disappearing under the razor’s careful strokes. By the time the barber finished, Nate looked at himself in the mirror and barely recognized the man staring back. His jawline was sharper. His face looked younger, his features more defined. He ran a hand over his smooth chin, exhaling. “Good?” the barber asked. Nate smirked. “Better than good.” He paid, left a heavy tip, and walked out. . . . Shopping had never been something Nate cared about. His wardrobe had always been simple…plain suits, casual shirts, clothes that blended into the background. Not anymore. He walked into the most expensive store in the city, his presence commanding attention. The staff rushed to greet him, sensing money. “I need a full wardrobe,” he said, pulling off his old jacket. “Everything.” The stylists went to work, pulling designer pieces, measuring his frame, dressing him in clothes that fit perfectly. A crisp black suit, that clung to his body. A dark blue dress shirt that brought out his eyes. A watch that cost more than most people made in a year. By the time he stepped out of the dressing room, the difference was undeniable. He looked powerful. He looked like a man in control. A group of women browsing nearby turned their heads, their eyes widening. One of them whispered something to her friend, a blush creeping up her cheeks. Nate caught her staring and smirked. The old him wouldn’t have noticed. The new him? He didn’t just notice. He owned it. … Harris pulled the car to a smooth stop in front of Aldric Innovations. The towering glass building reflected the early morning sun, standing tall and proud in the heart of the city. Nate adjusted the cuff of his new suit, exhaling slowly before stepping out of the car. The moment his polished shoes hit the ground, he straightened his shoulders and walked forward, the weight of the past no longer dragging him down. This company was his. Had been his ever since his father died two years ago. But they had tried to take it from him. Not this time. As he walked through the entrance, heads turned. Conversations slowed, fingers hesitated over keyboards, and people exchanged quick glances, confusion crossing their faces. At first, they didn’t recognize him. Then, realization hit. Eyes widened. Mouths parted in shock. This wasn’t the Nate Aldric they were used to seeing. This wasn’t the quiet, unassuming man who blended into the background. This Nate walked like he owned the world. A side smirk played at his lips as he continued forward, ignoring the whispers. Halfway through the lobby, a familiar figure rushed toward him. His personal assistant, Ryan Holt. The same Ryan who had smiled in his face, worked under him for years, and then stabbed him in the back without hesitation. What had it cost him? Nate had given this man everything. Had helped him build his future, even opened a small business with him on the side. And yet, when the vultures came circling, Ryan hadn’t hesitated to betray him. Nate’s smirk didn’t waver as Ryan reached him, tablet in hand, his expression unreadable. “Mr. Aldric,” Ryan said, falling into step beside him. “There’s an urgent board meeting this morning. They require your presence.” Nate didn’t respond right away. Instead, he let his eyes drag over the man beside him. Ryan. A liar. A traitor. And yet, he still walked with that same air of professionalism, as if he hadn’t played a part in destroying the very man he now answered to. Interesting. Keeping himself in check, Nate simply nodded. “Lead the way.” Without another word, Ryan guided him toward the conference hall. A room full of men and women who had once sat before him and cast their votes against him. People who had been manipulated into turning against him. People who thought they had won. Nate stepped forward. It was time to show them they had made a mistake.
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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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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
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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
