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Novel Catalog
Chapter 48
Victor’s thoughts were far from the cold business strategies unfolding at the Alwynn Group headquarters. He had spent hours in the porridge shop, unable to rid himself of the image of Eden. Something about her stirred a storm inside him—something deep and unsettling, a thread of connection he couldn’t explain. It wasn’t just her resemblance to the woman from his past, it was her presence itself that captivated him, though he was reluctant to admit it.
He hadn’t left the shop immediately after Eden’s departure, letting the quiet settle around him. The sunlight streaming in from the glass door seemed to highlight his solitude, accentuating the weight he carried. The people in his life—his family, his business empire, and his enemies—always surrounded him, but they were all distant, disconnected. He wasn’t part of their world, and they weren’t part of his. Not truly.
Victor stood abruptly, shoving his hands into his pockets, his jaw tight as he walked out of the shop. His phone buzzed in his hand, breaking through his thoughts. It was Anson, finally.
“The search is ongoing, but we’ve found a lead. A woman with the same surname, living in River City. I’ll need more time to confirm it’s her.”
Victor’s heart skipped a beat. River City. Eden’s hometown.
He clenched his jaw, stuffing the phone back into his pocket. It’s her, he thought, a rush of determination coursing through him. It has to be.
Meanwhile, in the opulent offices of Jotham Alwynn Group, Rebecca was busy putting her plans into motion, completely unaware of the storm Victor was about to unleash. As she walked into the office, her red dress flaring slightly, Vincent looked up from his computer, giving her a warm, eager smile.
“How’s it going? Have you arranged everything?” he asked, his tone a bit too eager, his eyes calculating.
Rebecca’s smile was cold, almost predatory, as she spoke. “Everything is set. A few days from now, there’s a banquet at the MS Hotel. Haven and Victor will both be there. We’ll make sure she gets what she wants.”
Vincent’s face darkened as he crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s a shame, isn’t it? If that woman had just gone into the right room all those years ago, Victor wouldn’t be this successful today. But now, look at him—making clothing companies thrive, outpacing even our own group.”
Rebecca sneered, her sharp eyes glinting with malice. “It doesn’t matter. Haven is someone we can control. She’s someone we can use. We’ll make sure she marries Victor, and then we’ll have everything.”
Her voice dropped to a whisper, laced with venom. “Victor has to disappear. The world doesn’t need him anymore.”
Victor’s focus remained unbroken as he moved through the city streets, heading straight for his next destination. His mind raced, all of his years of waiting and searching finally coming to a head. The woman he had been trying to find, the woman who had haunted his dreams for so long, was closer than ever before.
But there was something darker creeping into his thoughts now—something about the Alwynn family’s plans that didn’t sit right with him. Rebecca’s manipulations were becoming more transparent, and he knew she had no intention of ever letting him live freely. It wasn’t just business anymore. It was personal.
His phone buzzed again, but this time it wasn’t Anson. It was a message from Haven.
“Victor, I’m looking forward to seeing you at the banquet. I know we’re meant to be together. Don’t keep me waiting.”
Victor’s lips curled into a tight, humorless smile. He was tired of the games, tired of being pushed around by those who thought they could control him. The days of doing as they wished were coming to an end.
Back at the office, Rebecca and Vincent exchanged a knowing look. Everything was falling into place. They thought they had Victor cornered, but what they didn’t know was that Victor was far from powerless. The game was changing, and no one—least of all them—knew what he was capable of when he was backed into a corner.
As Victor’s figure disappeared down the streets, heading towards his next move, his resolve hardened. The past wasn’t just a shadow anymore—it was the key to his future. And Eden was at the center of it all.
The storm was about to break.