I pulled Raymond outside, promising to explain everything later to avoid any further complications. He was understanding, nodding as he headed to his department. I wasn't sure what he overheard, but I saw him standing by my office door a few moments later. He looked serious.
"Honey, trust me. I'll handle this," I said, trying to calm him down. "I promise I'll explain later."
Once Raymond left, I didn't waste time. I immediately sacked Nicolas. His manipulation and deceit weren't going to work on me. I wasn't falling for his tricks again.
Later that day, I called Raymond into my office. He walked in with a strained expression, avoiding my eyes as he sat on the sofa.
I could tell he wasn't in the mood for talk, so I leaned in, using my most seductive charm to reassure him that everything was fine. "It's nothing I can't handle, trust me," I whispered, hoping it would put him at ease.
Later that evening, as I prepared dinner in the kitchen, my phone kept ringing. I heard it from the hallway, and when Raymond answered, I assumed he'd just check who it was. But then he came to me, looking confused.
"Nicolas called," he said, holding the phone. "I answered, but he didn't speak. Who is he?"
I froze, knowing that he'd be jealous. "Nicolas is one of the investors we're trying to convince," I lied, keeping my voice casual.
He seemed satisfied with the explanation, and I breathed a sigh of relief. But I knew I couldn't let him find out I still had Nicolas' number. After I grabbed the phone, I quickly deleted it.
I didn't know why Nicolas was calling me that evening, but I could only imagine it wasn't for anything good. The Bance family's goodwill had died with his father.
The next weekend, while I was cleaning the house, Raymond complained about my actions. I shot back teasingly, "Don't pregnant women work?"
He chuckled, but then replied, "A pregnant CEO doesn't work the same way, right?"
Curious, I asked, "Are pregnant CEOs different from other women?"
Raymond gave me a smirk and grabbed the vacuum from my hands. But what followed wasn't what I expected. He dropped the vacuum on the floor and swept me up in his arms, heading straight for the bedroom.
I gasped, realizing his intentions. "Honey, it's too early for sex," I protested.
But he ignored me and tossed me onto the bed, clearly determined. I quickly struck a deal. "After you are done, you will clean the house," I said, not even waiting for him to think it through.
Without hesitation, he agreed. But I reminded him the next morning about the deal. His face went pale when he realized he'd promised to clean the entire villa. I even recorded our conversation to make sure he'd keep his word.
We watched him clean, and Bela's teasing made everything even more hilarious. At one point, we went out for ice cream, eating it in front of him while blasting Bruno Mars. He couldn't take the mocking and left the cleaning halfway, heading inside with a growl.
Then I got an unexpected call from Charles. "You have a visitor," he said. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that it was Nicolas again. What was he doing here?
Before I could call security to have him escorted out, he pleaded it was about business. Though I didn't trust him, my curiosity got the better of me.
"I'm sorry for what I did," he said, his tone sincere but strangely desperate. "The investors will return tomorrow to close the deal for your new branch. I... I was trying to win you over, but I see now that was a mistake. All I want is for you to consider being with me."
I couldn't hold back my anger. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but it's clearly not of this world. I have a fiancé, and I'm carrying his child. There's no way in hell I'm marrying you. Even if I were single, I would never go back to the torment you put me through. Keep your investors. I'll find my own."
I was fed up with his games.
That week, I spent countless hours meeting with the president to find a new investor. The pressure was building as I neared the deadline to finish the hospital in Asia. Then, I got a call from the investigator.
"My investigation led me to a woman," he began. "She's a gang leader in the northern part of the country. She's respected in her city, but she's also dangerous. I didn't go any further, but I'd advise you to be careful if you plan to visit her. She's marked by a particular tattoo that signifies her leadership."
"Thanks, but I don't plan on going near her," I replied, feeling disappointed. "What was I even expecting from someone who abandoned me?"
As I pondered my thoughts, Raymond called out my name from the hallway. "You've got a visitor," he said, but when I stepped outside, it wasn't the president I was expecting, it was Nicolas. Again.
I forced a smile and escorted him out of the villa. "Nicolas, the next time you show up around here, I'll have my lawyer file a report against you," I warned. "And don't say anything foolish to my fiancé."
Later, I asked Raymond if Nicolas had said anything while he was there. He reassured me, saying Nicolas had been quiet.
The following morning, I got a call from the president. "We've got a billionaire investor that is willing to fund your new branch. He'll meet you at noon."
I rushed to prepare everything for the meeting. But just as I was getting ready, Raymond stormed into my office. "Who is Nicolas to you?" he demanded.
I went silent, unsure how to respond.
Raymond didn't wait for an answer. "I know everything. He's your ex-husband, right? You could've told me, but I guess you didn't trust me enough. I also heard you were supposed to marry him in order to get investors."
I begged him to leave and promised I'd explain everything later, but he refused. He wouldn't stop ranting. Just as the tension was building, the door swung open.
A woman walked in with two bodyguards flanking her. She was calm, collected, and beautiful, but the eagle tattoo on her neck sent a shiver down my spine. Her bodyguards looked like giants, and Raymond couldn't hold back any longer.
"Quiet!" one of the bodyguards snapped, and Raymond froze. The next words out of his mouth were a total shock.
"Mom?!"