ARIANA'S POV
My heart skipped a bit. What did he mean here? How had he even managed to find this place? Had Flora included a map in that diary of hers?
"How do you know it's here Nate?" I asked him. "It could be anywhere in this mansion".
"She specified that it was in the old unused room in the mans…"
"Nate, Nate, listen to me, we need to go back to the living room. The others are worried sick about you," I said, trying to reason with him. "You've been missing for a whole day, Pa and Ma are worried".
But Nate's face contorted
ROBERT'S POV I trudged through the dense woods, my eyes scanning the terrain for any sign of Nate. We were all yelling his name at the top of our voices. I could not believe this was where Ariana had run into the other day. The place was damn creepy. I couldn't imagine anyone being here alone. It felt like it could be home to all creeping and crawling things and I shivered at the thought that Nate had got lost here. Where on earth could he be?The police officers and search dogs combed through the underbrush, their voices and barks echoing through the silence. Richard walked beside me, his face set in a determined expression. I knew he was scared but could not show it. He had to be strong for Margaret. Even though Nate was my son, this man was more a father to him tha
ROBERT'S POV Nate was safe, but the weight of what awaited me weighed heavily on my shoulders. I had to tell him the truth and that was final. Enough of hiding secrets. As soon as we entered the mansion, Margaret rushed towards us, her face a picture of various emotions. I could see the worry lines etched deeply into her forehead, and her eyes were red from tears shed in fear and relief.This must have taken a toll on her because it definitely was not easy. Margaret had raised Nate as her own child."Rob, Richard, thank God you're back!" Margaret exclaimed, her voice trembling with emotion. "Nate's upstairs, he's safe."Richard hugged his wife tightly and I looked around, my eyes searching for Ariana. She was nowhere to be found. My heart skipped a beat.Relief had washed over me like a tidal wave when I heard Nate was safe but it was quickly replaced by a gnawing sense of anxiety. How do I begin? What would I say to him?"Rob", Margaret called, her voice shaking. "I…thin…you must k
ARIANA'S POV As I stood on the balcony with Robert, the weight of my decision pressed down on me like a heavy cloak, suffocating me with its burden."Ari…please even if not for me, for Nate's sake. He worships you. God!" He threw up his hands in the air frustrated and I wished I could just hug him and tell him that I was going to stay with him. I wanted to. But I couldn't. His words hung in the air, thick with desperation and longing, but I knew I couldn't falter now. Not after everything that had happened.I instead moved past him and walked away from him, my heart heavy with emotion. I knew I had to leave, for my own sake and for Nate's. We couldn't continue with this toxic pattern, not when a child was involved. As I packed my few things into a carry on bag, I felt a sense of liberation wash over me. I was finally taking control of my life, finally standing up for myself. This entire experience had been a lesson for me and I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I was ready to face wha
ARIANA'S POV I stepped off the plane, feeling a mix of emotions as I made my way through customs and baggage claim. I was back in America, and it was time to face the music. I hailed a taxi and headed to Barbara's house, eager to see my friend and confidante.As I walked in the door, Barbara enveloped me in a warm hug. "Welcome back, darling! How was your trip?"I couldn't help but grin as I launched into an enthusiastic recounting of my adventures in London. Barbara listened with a warm smile, asking questions and making supportive noises in all the right places.When I finally wound down, she fixed me with a
ARIANA'S POV “Yes! And I mean it!” Rob said firmly.I stood there staring at him, my box on the bed, open with clothes spilling out of it. And then I turned and left the bedroom and began to descend the stairs rapidly.It must have taken Rob a significant amount of time to recover from my abrupt departure because I was almost out the main door when I heard his footsteps descending the stairs.He could keep the clothes and I dare him to keep me away from my Nephew and step-son, I was leaving.
ARIANA'S POVTwo days had passed since my mother's bombshell, and I was still reeling from the news. Bankrupt. The word echoed in my mind like a death sentence. How could this be happening? Vanderbilt Holdings, the company generations of Vanderbilts had built from scratch, was on the brink of collapse.Even working could not calm my nerves. I went to the office each day and sat down blankly staring at the computer. As I sat at my desk, staring blankly at my computer screen, an email notification popped up. My heart skipped a beat as I saw the subject line: “Urgent: Board Meeting - Vanderbilt Holdings.”I felt a sense of trepidation as I opened the email. The message was brief an
ROBERT'S POV The silence in the room was thick and one could have heard a pin drop in that large room. I saw Ariana's face turn an ashen colour and she kept her eyes on her father. I could not imagine what she was feeling at that moment.The CEO, Mr Thompson finally spoke up. “I think we should hold our horses before saying something like that Richard”.“Well, you and I know for a fact that it is true Thompson. The earlier we filed for bankruptcy, the better. We are in debts, stretched thin and losing money in the market every day”, Richard said, raisi
ARIANA'S POV As Odette introduced herself, the entire room seemed to pause. Who bears Odette anyways? I didn't like her. I knew that immediately. What kind of a CEO looked like that? She was stunning, with piercing green eyes and raven-black hair that cascaded down her back like a waterfall. Her skin was a radiant olive tone, and her full lips curled into a sultry smile. She stood tall, her slender figure accentuated by a fitted black dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. A gold necklace glimmered around her neck, and her stilettos clicked against the floor as she moved.I felt a pang of jealousy as Rob's eyes locked onto hers, his gaze lingering a moment too long. My heart tittered. This woman was trouble and I hated her all over again for it.“Hello, everyone,” she said again, her voice husky and confident. “I am the CEO of Elite Enterprises.”As she began to speak, her words were laced with authority and intelligence. She presented a proposal for a merger, outlini