Chapter 10:
The airport was crowded, filled with the usual noise of rolling sutcases, distant announcements, and rushed conversations. I sat calmly in one of the lounge chairs near the boarding gates, my fingers wrapped around a coffee cup.
I wasn’t nervous. I should have been. Two years ago, the thought of being in the same room as Jason Romano would have sent my heart racing. But now? I felt nothing. Or at least, that’s what I told myself. He had no idea what was coming Jason was already here, waiting for his flight. His men were hovering nearby, sharp–eyed and alert. They They should have been. I adjusted my sunglasses, letting my gaze sweep over him.
y weren’t watching for me, though.
Jason hadn’t changed much. The same sharp jawline, the same broad shoulders, the same cold, unreadable expression. Except now… He was about to be in my hands.
My lips curled slightly as I watched his men return with a bottle of water. Right on time. The seal was intact. The brand was familiar. No one would ever suspect that the water he was about to drink had been carefully tampered with. A rare poison, Undetectable. Deadly within minutes. Of course, I wasn’t going to let him die. Not yet.
Jason unscrewed the cap, tilting the bottle back as he drank. One sip. Two. Then three. I counted the seconds in my head. One… two… three… It started subtly. A slight shift in his posture. The way his fingers flexed against the armrest. The slow blink of his eyes, as if the world had suddenly become too bright.
And then–His breathing changed. Shallow. Unsteady. His free hand moved to his chest. I watched, calm and patient. He tensed, gripping the chair’s armrests as his body betrayed him. His jaw clenched. His pulse quickened. Then his breath hitched–sharp and strangled. His men noticed something was wrong. One of them stepped forward, brows furrowed.
ting to the
e poison
“Boss?” Jason didn’t respond, Instead, he swayed. His face paled. His fingers clutched at t his chest, his body reacting spreading through his bloodstream.
My cue. I stood, moving smoothly through the crowd. People had started to notice. A bu woman gasped as Jason staggered, nearly collapsing onto the floor
businessman glanced over, eyes widening. A
“Wait isn’t that Jason Romano?” someone whispered.
“Oh my god, he’s having a heart attack!” another voice gasped.S
“Call an ambulance!” someone shouted
“He looks bad–someone help him!”
Then, I was there. A stranger in the crowd. A concerned passenger. “Sir? Are you okay?” My voice was soft, urgent. Jason barely registered me. His knees buckled, his vision blurring
His men rushed forward. “He’s having a heart attack! Boss!” someone echoed in panic.
No, he wasn’t. He was dying. And I was the only one who could save him.D
I.knelt beside him, my fingers already reaching into my bag. The antidote was ready–a small, nearly invisible injection hidden in my palm. Jason’s hand shot out, gripping my arm in desperation. His pupils were blown wide, his body trembling. For a split second, his gaze locked onto mine.
And something flickered in his expression. Recognition. Confusion. Fear. My heart should have clenched. But it didn’t. I pressed the antidote into his skin. A quick, painless injection. His body jerked slightly, reacting to the dose. His grip on my arm tightened, then slowly loosened
His men were barking orders, calling for medics. I leaned in slightly, my voice barely above a whisper. “You’re going to be fine.” Jason’s eyes were still on me, hazy and unfocused. His breathing evened out–ragged, but no longer labored. He was stabilizing.
The murmurs in the crowd grew louder
“Did that woman just save him?
“She knew exactly what to do.“}
“Who is she?”
And then, finally–The medics arrived. I pulled back, watching as they took over, lifting Jason onto a stretcher. His men moved aside, but Jason’s gaze never left me. He was still staring. Like he was seeing something impossible.
And then, just as they were about to wheel him away- I removed my sunglasses. Jason’s entire body went still. His breath caught in his throat His hands curled into fists.
“E–emma he rasped.
I tilted my head slightly, giving him a small, almost amused smile. “I think you’re mistaken, sir,” I said smoothly. But his face told me everything. He didn’t believe me. He was shaken.
For the first time, Jason Romano looked like a man who had seen a ghost. And as they wheeled him away, his hoarse voice carried through the air–1 owe you my life.70
A slow smile curled on my lips.
Yes, Jason. You do. And you have no idea just how much I plan to make you pay !!
“Who Who are you?”
“Seraphina Velasquez…”
Jason Romano was watching me I could feel it. Even in a room full of people, his eyes tracked my every move.
It had been two weeks since the airport incident. Two weeks since I saved his life. Two weeks since I let him see my face–lust enough to
12:35 PM c
It had been two weeks since the airport incident. Two weeks since I saved his life. Two weeks since I let him see my face–just enough to haunt him, just enough to make him wonder if his dead wife had returned from the grave. And now, he was obsessed
I played my role well. A mysterious businesswoman. A powerful investor. A woman with a face that kept him up at night. And today, I was making my next move.
The Romano Empire was hosting an exclusive investor’s dinner, a gathering of elites and stakeholders. It was the perfect setting to slip into Jason’s world, to start tearing it apart from the inside. Dressed in a sleek black gown, I walked through the grand ballroom, a glass of champagne in hand. Ethan had arranged everything–funding, documents, connections. I wasn’t just here to play. I was here to own. Jason’s company. His empire. His world. And he had no idea
“Seraphina Velasquez,” a voice purred beside me. I turned slowly, coming face–to–face with the man himself.
Jason Dressed in a tailored black suit, looking every inch the powerful CEO. But his expression–cold, calculating–bave away the storm beneath the surface.
“Mr. Romano,” I greeted smoothly, taking a sip of my drink. A pleasure. His gaze lingered on me, searching, burning.
“You look familiar.” His voice was deep, controlled. But there was an edge to it?
I arched a brow. “Do 17%
His jaw clenched, I could almost hear his thoughts. You look like her. You look like my wife. You look like Emma. But he didn’t say it.!!! Instead, he took a step closer. Too close. The scent of his expensive cologne wrapped around me, dark and intoxicating. “Who realy are you?” he asked quietly, his tone laced with suspicion
I smiled. “A businesswoman, I answered simply. “An investor. Someone interested in the Roman Empire.”
His eyes darkened. “You saved my life,” he murmured, almost to himself. “And now, you want to invest in my company?”
*Strange coincidence, isn’t it? I tilted my head, letting amusement dance in my eyes
Jason didn’t smile. His fingers curled around his glass, knuckles whitening. He was unraveling. Perfect
I brushed past him, leaving the scent of jasmine and danger in my wake. “Enjoy your evening, Mr. Romano,” I murmured before disappearing into the crowd.}
