Andreas' POV
I was seated in my living room as Carol, my business partner and one of the few people I trusted, gave me an update on our profits. The business was thriving, especially in Australia, and I had been contemplating moving our headquarters there to expand further.
After we wrapped up the discussion, I asked him, "Did you bring what I asked for?"
Carol hesitated. "Are you sure you want this?"
His hesitation irritated me. I raised an eyebrow and said in a cold, stern voice, "Why the fuck would you doubt my word?"
Shaking his head, he retrieved a file from his bag and placed it on the table in front of me.
I opened it, and the images inside immediately caught my attention. Each photo told a story, intriguing and calculated. I scanned through the content of the papers, and a smirk tugged at the corner of my lips.
Carol was watching me closely, but his efforts to read my thoughts were futile. No one, not even him, could discern my emotions unless I allowed it.
He finally broke the silence with a smirk of his own. "So, Andreas, what does it feel like being betrayed and cheated on?"
I picked up my glass of wine, took a sip, and replied coolly, "Nothing. Heartless people don't feel anything. They make others feel."
Carol's eyes narrowed. "So, what's the plan?"
"Nothing."
He didn't believe me, but I didn't care. All he could do was accept my answer.
Carol chuckled. "What about Luka? What's the move there?"
I swirled the wine in my glass and replied, "I have my plans."
Carol's grin widened. "This is going to be interesting."
I returned his smirk. "Everything I do is interesting."
As Carol prepared to leave, he suddenly stopped and turned back. "By the way, who's Carsyn?"
The name didn't ring a bell. "I don't know."
Carol raised an eyebrow. "Strange. Rose asked me to deal with her."
I couldn't care less. "Maybe she has a problem with her. Handle it."
Carol studied me for a moment. "In my experience, Rose only gets me involved when a woman is connected to you."
I dismissed his comment with a wave of my hand. "Do what you want. I don't care."
After he left, I headed to my bedroom, a sanctuary where no one was allowed without my permission.
As I entered, my blood boiled. Rose was on my bed, dressed in a revealing nightgown, her intentions painfully obvious.
She smiled seductively. "Andy, come here."
Andy. The audacity.
I approached her, my expression darkening with every step. Her confidence wavered, but she tried to maintain her composure, continuing her act.
I reached out, brushing her cheek with my knuckle. Her face lit up with victory, convinced her seduction had worked.
And then, in an instant, my hand tightened around her neck.
Her face turned red as she struggled against my grip, gasping for air. I leaned closer, my voice cold and deadly. "Am I being too lenient with you?"
When she was on the brink of passing out, I released her. She collapsed onto the bed, coughing and choking.
"No one disrespects my rules," I said. "Clean yourself up and meet me in the library."
She nodded vigorously and fled the room.
I shouted, "Bentley! Change my bedsheets!"
Bentley, a woman in her fifties who had been like a mother to me, entered the room. She shook her head in disapproval but said nothing, as always.
---
In the library, Rose sat stiffly on the sofa. I looked up from the file Carol had given me.
"What are you planning?" I asked.
She stammered, "Nothing. I just want to keep my position as Mrs. Finley safe."
I smirked. "Why? Isn't your lover enough for you? Do you need to climb into my bed too?"
She stayed silent, her head lowered.
I continued, "Be obedient, and you'll keep your title. I'm a man of my word. Or do you doubt me?"
She shook her head quickly.
"Why were you at my college today?" I pressed.
She hesitated before replying, "I was told someone might be a threat to my position."
I pinched her chin, forcing her to look at me. "If I find your people following me again, you'll regret it."
She apologized, then cautiously asked, "Who is Miss Carsyn David to you?"
At the mention of her name, an unfamiliar feeling stirred within me—an irritation, a disturbance I couldn't place.
"Leave," I said, dismissing her.
As Rose left, I leaned back in my chair, thinking about Carsyn. Who was she, and why was her name getting under my skin?