THE EXILED KING

KISSED BY STRATEGY BROKEN BY EGO

“Nolan!” Evelyn shouted as her eyes widened in horror.

She rushed forward, pushing Nolan away from the Zahir Malikyan who was now crouching down, with one hand pressed tightly to his jaw.

“What did you just do?” she demanded, her voice was shaking.

Nolan’s chest heaved as he looked at her, still burning with fury.

He didn’t answer her at first.

“How dare he disrespect me like that?” Nolan said, his voice was low and cold, but filled with pride.

Evelyn turned and looked at Zahir Malikyan, who was still on one knee, wincing from the slap.

A storm of emotions flooded her eyes—anger, fear, shame.

Nolan stood there, silent now, watching everything like a man suddenly waking up from a dark dream.

Reality began to sink in.

What have I done?

The voice of reason whispered in his head.

This man was not just anyone. He was powerful, respected, feared.

Hitting him could bring serious trouble.

"I should’ve stayed calm…" Nolan thought for a moment.

"I should’ve handled it differently."

But then, another voice shouted louder inside his chest.

"No!"

"This is my wife. My woman. No man—no matter who he is—should be allowed to kiss her like that."

“Fuck it!” he growled under his breath, clenching his fists again, ready to go at the Sheikh one more time.

But Evelyn stopped him.

“Nolan, stop! Stop this madness!” she yelled, grabbing his arm with both hands.

He tried to break free.

But Evelyn held tighter, using every bit of strength she had.

“Please!” she cried. “Not here. Not like this. You’ll ruin everything!”

Then, with fire in her eyes, she dragged him.

She took his hand and pulled him with her—fast.

Down the hallway.

Up the stairs.

Past curious glances and whispers.

Until they reached a solitary room at the top.

She pushed the door open, yanked Nolan inside, and slammed the door shut behind them.

The room was quiet, empty, and cold.

Evelyn turned away from him for a second.

She placed her fingers on her temples, breathing hard, trying to gather her thoughts.

Her chest rose and fell, her mind was spinning with everything that had just happened.

Finally, she turned back to him, her eyes were sharp and filled with disbelief.

“What the hell did you just do to Zahir Malikyan?” she asked, her voice was low but dangerous.

Evelyn’s eyes burned into Nolan’s. Her chest was still rising and falling fast.

But before she could say another word, Nolan stepped closer.

Now his voice was no longer cold. It was deep, confused, and trembling with pain.

"And what were you doing with Zahir Malikyan?" he asked, staring into her eyes. "Why the kiss, Evelyn?"

She blinked. Her lips parted but no words came out at first.

Then, she turned her head slightly, with guilt flashing in her eyes.

"It wasn’t what you think," she said quietly. "Everything you saw—me holding his hand, smiling like that, even the kiss... it was all part of a plan."

"A plan?" Nolan repeated, his brows furrowing.

"Yes!" she snapped now, her voice growing stronger. "Zahir Malikyan is the son of one of the most powerful oil moguls in the world. He himself owns several oil blocks. You know we’ve been having some trouble with our supply deals, Nolan. I was trying to win him over—to get his support, to make him one of our main investors."

Nolan stared at her like she had just grown horns. His jaw tightened.

"We already have investors," he said, with a voice that was heavy with disbelief. "Good ones. Ones who’ve been pumping serious money into the company."

"But they are not Zahir Malikyan!" Evelyn fired back without missing a beat.

That hit Nolan like a punch to the chest.

For a moment, he was silent. His fists were clenched at his sides.

Then anger flooded through him again, hot and dangerous. He took one step closer to her.

"You’re standing here... defending what I saw with my own eyes?" he said, his voice began to rise. "You call that business? You call kissing him a strategy?"

He shook his head in disbelief.

His hands trembled—not with rage, but with something deeper. A mix of betrayal and heartbreak.

Slowly, he reached for her hand.

"If you ever needed more investors... all you had to do was ask me, Evelyn," he said, his voice was lower now. "I would’ve done everything in my power to bring the right people in. I would’ve moved mountains for you Evelyn, as I have always done ever since we met each other."

But Evelyn pulled her hand away sharply.

"Spare me that crap!" she said bitterly.

Nolan blinked. Her tone cut through him like a blade.

"You always act like the hero!" she continued. "Like you’re the only one who can save my company every time there’s a problem. Why does it always have to be you?"

She stepped back.

"When do I get a chance to bring in something big? When do I get to prove myself for the company that my father left in my care?"

Nolan’s patience snapped.

"BECAUSE YOU SUCK AT IT!" he shouted, his voice echoing in the room.

Evelyn froze.

He stepped closer, shaking with fury.

"If I wasn’t involved, your company would’ve crashed five years ago! You want to know the truth? Without me, the investors would have backed out, the projects would have failed, and you’d be out there begging for contracts that never come!"

He paused, breathing hard.

"You say you were trying to win an investor—by kissing him?" He frowned deeply.

"Damn it, Evelyn... If that’s your idea of strategy, then before you gather half of the investors I’ve brought in, nearly every billionaire on earth will know the shape and size of your vagina!"

SLAP!

The sound cracked through the air like a whip.

Evelyn’s palm had landed hard across Nolan’s face, her eyes were wide with tears and rage.

Nolan didn’t move.

His cheek burned from the slap. But it wasn’t the pain that hit the hardest—it was the look in Evelyn’s eyes. The rage. The disappointment. The heartbreak.

Slowly, he turned his gaze back to her.

“I’m... I’m sorry,” he said, his voice was low and filled with regret. “I overreacted. I shouldn’t have said that.”

Evelyn didn’t say a word for a moment.

She just stared at him like he was someone she didn’t recognize anymore.

Then, her lips moved.

“You’ve ruined it, Nolan,” she said coldly. “All of it.”

She stepped away from him.

Nolan reached out, his hand was shaking as he tried to hold her back.

“Evelyn, please…”

But her voice came sharp and firm.

“Don’t you… dare.”

Her words froze him in place.

And just like that—without another word—he watched his wife walk away from him, her heels clicking on the floor as the door slowly creaked open… and then shut behind her.

Silence.

Heavy.

Cold.

Final.