Skip to content
Novel Catalog
Chapter 19
Victor sat back in his chair, feeling the weight of Lucian’s words hang in the air. His mind swirled with thoughts of Eden, of the past, and of everything he had lost. The memory of her face, the way she had once brightened his darkest days, made his chest tighten. Why did she have to vanish? And why, after all these years, was she suddenly back in his life, now as a colleague, a successful designer?
He couldn’t shake the unease gnawing at him. His feelings for her had always been complicated, but now that she was so close—so within reach—Victor wasn’t sure what to do with those emotions. His heart stirred with a mix of longing and confusion.
Lucian’s departure left the room eerily quiet. Victor leaned forward, his elbows on his desk, and his fingers laced together as he tried to regain focus. His thoughts turned back to the Clement family—Haven, the woman they expected him to marry. Victor couldn’t help but feel repulsed by the idea. Haven’s family had already tried to push him into this arrangement, and he could never forget the role they had played in his mother’s downfall.
Rebecca Alwynn, his stepmother, was another matter altogether. She had been a thorn in his side for years, manipulating situations to suit her needs. The tension between them had only grown since the mysterious disappearance of his biological mother. Victor knew that one day, he would get his revenge on Rebecca, but for now, his attention had to be elsewhere.
The mention of Marianne, the woman who had left for a new life abroad, brought a rare hint of softness to Victor’s face. Despite everything, he wished her well. She had been a loyal employee, and her departure was a loss to the company. Still, her decision to leave for love, as fleeting as it seemed, reminded Victor that some things could be more important than business.
But even as he thought about Marianne, Eden’s image kept intruding. She was the only person who had ever seen through his cold exterior. The only person who had ever reached his heart. And now, fate had brought her into his world once again.
His eyes narrowed as he made up his mind. He had to meet with Eden. He needed to know more about her—about the woman who had unknowingly captured his heart all those years ago.
He stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. His resolve was clear. No matter what it took, he would figure out what Eden was truly about. What she wanted. And why she had reappeared now, when he was least prepared for it.
He walked to his office door and paused, his hand resting on the handle. A devilish smile tugged at the corner of his lips. The game had only just begun, and this time, he wouldn’t let her slip away so easily.