Chapter 106
“And the man you were talking about? Who was he?” I pressed. Yes, I heard that part too.
Dominic sighed heavily, his grip on the wheel loosening. “I think Nathan has people watching us. It’s not just paranoia, Raina. Something’s going on.”
I stared at him, my chest tightening. “Has Alex completely poisoned your mind against Nathan? You used to like him. What changed?”
Dominic shook his head, frustration flashing across his face. “Alex was right, you wouldn’t believe me,” he muttered, yanking the key out of the ignition.
I grabbed his arm before he could get out of the car. “Why are you acting like this? Did I do something?”
Dominic’s silence cut deeper than any words could have.
“Is this about the shares?” I asked quietly, my voice trembling.
He didn’t answer. It had to be it.
When we got inside, I felt an overwhelming wave of doubt and guilt crash over me. Was I wrong to accept the shares and estates? Maybe I should give them back.
The next morning, I found Dominic in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with a mug of coffee in his hand. The sight of him, calm and detached, only added to my frustration. I crossed the room, determined to confront him about last night.
“Can we talk?” I asked, keeping my tone steady.
Dominic didn’t even glance at me. He took a slow sip from his mug before replying, “Not now, Raina.”
I felt my patience snap. “Why not? You’ve been acting strange for weeks, and I deserve to know what’s going on.
He set the mug down, his jaw tightening. “You won’t understand now, Raina. Not yet.”
“What does that even mean?” I pressed, my voice rising slightly.
Dominic turned away, his shoulders tense. “It means you’ll see soon enough,” he snapped at me before walking out of the kitchen, leaving me standing there, fuming.
His cryptic words stuck with me throughout the day, gnawing at the edges of my mind. I couldn’t focus on anything else, and by the time I sat at my desk, I knew I needed a distraction. My eyes landed on my laptop, and a thought struck me–the files Alex had sent me.
I hesitated, my fingers hovering over the trackpad. Part of me didn’t want to open them, didn’t want to give Alex the satisfaction of proving himself right. But curiosity won out. I clicked on the email, opened the file, and pressed play.
The screen flickered to life, and my heart sank as I saw Nathan sitting across from a woman in a dimly lit room. The sound was slightly muffled, but his words were crystal clear.
“Raina thinks I follow her around because I like her,” Nathan said, his tone cold and detached. “…but that’s not the case. I’m here for revenge.”
My stomach churned. What?
“She’s just a means to an end,” he continued, his voice emotionless. “The plan is simple: marry her, get access to the Graham wealth, and then-” He gestured dismissively. “…well, she’s irrelevant after that.”
I clutched the edge of the desk, my vision blurring with unshed tears. No, this couldn’t be real. This wasn’t the Nathan I knew–the Nathan I trusted. But as the video played on, the cracks in my perception widened.
“If I marry Raina,” Nathan added, leaning forward, “it’ll be easier to control everything from the inside.”
My breath hitched, my chest tightening as though a vice had clamped around my heart. This couldn’t be happening. The man I had fallen for, the man I thought cared about me, was using me? And for what? Revenge? Power? Wealth?
The video ended abruptly, leaving a suffocating silence in its wake. I sat frozen, unable to process what I had just seen. Was this why Nathan had been so insistent on being part of my life? Did he know about the shares? The estates? Or was this just a cruel coincidence?
Before I could spiral further, a soft knock at the door startled me. My hand flew to the laptop, slamming it shut as I turned to see Adelaide stepping into the room. She carried a small tray with a steaming cup on it.
“I brought you something to help with the stress,” she said with a gentle smile, setting the tray down on the table.
I blinked at her, trying to ground myself. “Thank you,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.
Adelaide tilted her head, studying me. “Are you okay, Miss Raina? You look… troubled.”
“I’m fine,” I lied, forcing a tight smile.
1/2
Chapter 108
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She nodded, though her expression didn’t change. “You’ve been taking the tonic regularly, right? It should be helping.”
“It is,” I replied automatically, even as my mind raced. I reached for the cup, hoping the warmth would steady my trembling hands. But as I sipped, the bitterness of betrayal lingered far longer than the tonic’s calming effects.
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