(22
Norman didn’t actually keep me on a short leash, but he had installed a tracker on my ring.
With a simple press, my exact location was sent in real–time to his phone.
I couldn’t help but laugh at his overreaction.
Even without his interference, I was confident that my plan would’ve worked. After all, I was no stranger to defending myself.
Norman didn’t reply to my sarcastic remark.
But in the days that followed, his schedule grew increasingly hectic.
I overheard an assistant briefing him, mentioning words like “acquisition,” “Rocco family,” and “stock prices.”
Piecing the puzzle together with some gossip I had caught wind of, it didn’t take long for me to connect the dots.
Mathias’s company had been on the brink of going public, and its financing phase was almost complete when Nathalia used his name to siphon off a significant chunk of funds.
Though the culprit was caught, the majority of the money had already disappeared into Nathalia’s pockets.
Rejected
Abandoned, Untilthebini Man found Mạ
With the company’s finances in chaos and panic spreading like wildfire internally, Mathias secluded himself in
his old house.
Even when the investors demanded withdrawals after the rumors hit, he remained locked away, refusing to leave. Thanks to Norman’s strategic push, the dream of listing Mathias’s company was shattered beyond repair. But the blows didn’t stop there, Mathias now faced the looming disaster of a failed wager, staring down a massive penalty for breach of contract.
If the compensation had been confirmed, all of Mathias’s efforts over the past decade would have crumbled to dust.
I had expected him to hold on for a little longer, but just three days later, the news hit Rocco Group was facing bankruptcy liquidation.
I stared at the TV screen, caught off guard, unable to look away.
From everything I’d known about him, I thought that even if he fought until the end, the foundation of Rocco Group was solid enough to weather the storm.
But it seemed more likely that Mathias had simply thrown in the towel, surrendering without a fight
Behind me, Norman stood in silence before suddenly stepping forward, his presence as comforting as a large, loyal dog. He nuzzled his head gently against my neck.
“Wife, you’re not angry, are you?”
Since that day in the mall, Norman had taken to calling me that, almost like it was his silent declaration of ownership.
Spending so much time with him up close, I had begun to realize that he wasn’t the cold, stoic leader the world‘ believed him to be.
Most of the time, Norman acted like a big, overly eager dog, just waiting for a chance to please me. A simple wave of my hand, and he’d come bounding over, tail wagging with uncontained enthusiasm.
“I hate the way Mathias looked at you.
“He doesn’t deserve you!”
“I might’ve used a few tricks,” he added, his voice laced with a playful hint.
“Are you upset?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at his slightly dejected tone.
“Why would I be upset? After all, it’s my husband helping me get even.”
“And besides, in just two days, it’s our wedding. Isn’t it a bit inappropriate to talk about other men right now?” Meanwhile, Mathias had locked himself away in his house for an entire week, the weight of his failing empire pressing on him.
No matter how many calls came in from his employees and investors, he ignored them all.
Even as his company teetered on the brink of bankruptcy, Mathias couldn’t summon the strength to care.
Once, he had fought tooth and nail, driven by a relentless need to earn money and prove himself. Yet now, regret
ate at him as he realized the price he had paid for trusting Nathalia, his unwillingness to let go.
The one person he had truly loved had slipped through his fingers, pushed farther away with every foolish decision he had made.
Nothing was more important than Irene. But why had it taken him so long to realize that?
If only he had woken up sooner…
His gaze swept over the empty house, and with every passing second, the pain in his chest deepened. Irene’s presence was gone, her things had vanished
Clothes, shoes, a toothbrush… they were all absent, leaving only the hollow silence in their w
