Chapter 1

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ALEX

"Damn It,"

I hissed and jerked my hand when the hot coffee spilled over and scorched my fingers. I set the mug on the table and wiped my hand with tissue paper. I wished the vessel was a living thing so that I could thrash it to a pulp. I had become more temperamental and more frustrated in the matter of a week. I knew why. Because of her absence from my life, from my sight, and from my home.

A week had passed. Dad informed me that she was living with them. The news brought relief to my raging nerves but I didn't go there to see her. My heart and my mind were still at loggerheads. Both of them refused to give in.

I've done a lot of struggles in my life. Struggled to build my empire from scratch. Struggled to hold myself together in the face of adversities. But no struggle felt as nerve-straining as this. I was torn between my hatred and love for her. Both were intense to the point of exhaustion. Ravaging. I wanted to move on but my hatred for her wouldn't let me.

So I decided to give myself some time. Letting her go was out of the question. I was never going to free her from my clutch. She was mine. All I had to figure out was whether I wanted to imprison her or hold her for the rest of our lives.

A week had passed since the night she called quit on us. Dad had informed me that she was living with them. It would be a lie if I say the piece of information didn't bring me relief. It did. A part of me was happy that she turned to my parents. Means she take them as her family. We are still connected in some way.

Not only that but her company too was suffering from her absence. Crystal's resignation has had a deep impact on her subordinates. The dip in their enthusiasm was palpable. It was beyond me how she had them wrapped around her finger in a matter of the month. There was no ounce of doubt in how capable she was as a leader. Her performance testified to that. I was impressed. Thoroughly. Her planning and executions were on point. She had brought a lot of reforms in the span of a month. Losing her was a loss of an asset. And Shirley spared no opportunity to reiterate that. They wanted her back.

I had also revoked the transfer order of the accountant. Reason? Don't know.

Today was mom and dad's wedding anniversary. A smile crept up my lips thinking about that. Mom and Dad had an amazing love story. They both were still in love with each other. Especially, dad. I had always noticed the special spark in his eyes every time Mom entered his vision. A spark.

A small dinner was planned tonight to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Today I was going to see her too. Crystal. My heart thudded at the thought. I was still unsure about my feelings for her. But I guess, today I was going to get my answer.

CRYSTAL

A week. A whole damn week but no text or call from him, let alone an apology. Dad fostered my hope when he said that Alex has feelings for me but he is not able to understand it. And that very shred of hope is now killing me. Slowly and painfully. How can he have feelings for me? Ain't you tempted to spend every waking moment of your life with the one person you have feelings for. Don't you want them to be right before your eyes all the time? But with Alex, it seemed the opposite.

What he did with me that night was unacceptable. I was still seething. Still burning. And no way in hell I was going to forgive him for that. I wouldn't be able to go back to him even if he accepted me. But still, somewhere in my heart, I refused to believe he let her touch him.

For him, forgetting me was easier than I thought. I was afraid we were walking up a blind alley. This little plan of ours was going to blow apart. And that my heart was going to get the short end of the stick. Alex had nothing to lose. It was me who had her heart on the line.

We were going to have a small family dinner to celebrate Mom and Dad's anniversary. Dad, mom, me, and Alex. For obvious reasons, I was nervous. Mom and Dad didn't tell me but I am sure the dinner was a part of their plan to bring us together. But would it succeed? I didn't count much on it.

The day went in a haze of preparing for the dinner. I had baked a chocolate cake along with cookies for my pillars of strength.

My heartbeat accelerated as the evening approached. I was anxious and nervous both. I wondered what would he have thought when he learned that I was living with his family. What would he have thought about me? Thick-skinned? Desperate? But I didn't have much of an option. My family was over the moon right now as Fania was going to get married very soon. I didn't want to disrupt their peace and happiness.

Mom dragged me out of the kitchen and told me to get ready as I had flour all over me as the time for dinner neared. Only half an hour was left. I smiled at Mom and headed to my room to groom p for the dinner. Just half an hour. The only thing swirling in my head was that I was going to see him in half an hour. To be honest, I was conflicted. I wanted to see him but at the same time, I didn't want him to come into my sight like ever. The bruises he had inflicted on my heart were still fresh. Still Bleeding.

I didn't know what was going to happen today but I knew one thing that the night was going to be long.

Twenty minutes later, I was decked out in a blue knee-length dress. I kept my hair open and painted my lips red. I wondered if he had arrived or not. Just the thought of him was enough to send my heart into shivering.

I was not ready to face him. How was I going to face him with all the anger that was bottled up inside me? How was I going to sit beside him when I know that he hates my guts? And most importantly, how was I going to look at him when his eyes held nothing but resentment for me.

It wasn't the time to think about all this. So, I stilled my wobbly nerves and made my way downstairs. I sensed his presence even before I laid my eyes on him. My heart did a somersault when I saw him.

There he was. Embracing Dad. He hadn't seen me yet as his back was on me. I climbed down the stairs without looking away from his huge intimidating form. How many days had passed? Eight days. In a heartbeat, I felt swamped by intense emotions. Cruel emotions, which were tormenting me all night, all day.

And then he turned around. My step faltered and my mouth went dry his steely grey orbs connected with my glassy blue ones. It was beyond me how I was still affected by him despite everything he did to me. We stood in silence. His unyielding orbs boring into mine, turning me blind to our surroundings. He had divested me of my thoughts. I just kept staring, drinking on him. Making up for the drought that plagued my soul for the last one week. I didn't know why was he staring back though.

He had to avert his gaze when Mom threw her arms around him. He leaned forwards and gave a chaste kiss on Mom's cheek and murmured something in her ear.

My heart wriggled and I turned around and walked back to the kitchen with teary eyes. the realization was hard-hitting. The realization that he still had my heart and I didn't have his.

The image of him whispering kisses on that girl's skin infiltrated my mind every time I closed my eyes. Rage poured into me once again. His eye reflected no remorse and that what hit me the worst.

"He is here, honey. Let's go outside," I looked over my shoulder and saw Mom standing by the door. I hadn't told them about that woman yet as I didn't want them to feel mortified. I nodded without turning around and wiped my tears.

'Don't cry, child. Everything's going to be alright. I promise you that Alex would come to you on his knees," she held my shoulder and said. I smiled at her and nodded.

I stilled my nerves and followed Mom out.

I didn't know then that he had come with an intention.

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