Chapter 10 - The Choice
Nathan stood perfectly still, looking at the furious board members before turning his intense gaze directly toward me.
He slowly reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out his heavy gold CEO badge, and tossed it casually onto the mahogany table.
"The company is officially yours now, gentlemen, because I finally have the only thing I have ever actually wanted," Nathan declared firmly.
He walked past the stunned executives, grabbed my hand gently, and led me out of the towering glass building forever.
We drove out of the city in complete silence, heading straight toward his incredibly secluded, beautiful wooden cabin in the mountains.
That evening, the roaring fireplace cast a warm, golden glow across the massive living room as the snow fell softly outside.
Nathan poured two glasses of expensive wine, sitting closely beside me on the plush, comfortable leather sofa.
"I am so sorry I hid the truth from you, Maya, I was terrified you would hate me for what my family did," he whispered softly.
I looked into his dark eyes, finally seeing the vulnerable, deeply lonely man hiding behind the ruthless billionaire myth.
"You proved you wanted my heart first when you gave up your entire empire just to walk away with me," I replied, smiling gently.
He reached out, tracing my jawline with incredible tenderness before leaning in to capture my lips in a deep, breathtaking kiss.
There was no hesitation, no fear, and no panic as he finally carried me toward the bedroom.
He worshipped every single inch of me, treating my body and my heart with absolute, profound reverence.
It was the perfect, beautiful first time I had always dreamed of, erasing all the pain and betrayal of the last few months.
For three peaceful months, we lived quietly in the mountains, completely happy and entirely isolated from the corporate world.
Then, on a crisp Tuesday morning, a completely unmarked black box was left sitting ominously on our snow-covered front porch.
I carried it inside, my heart suddenly racing as I broke the heavy wax seal and opened the wooden lid.
Inside the box rested my father’s tarnished silver pocket watch, the exact same one the stranger had given me in the basement.
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Tucked beneath the ticking watch was a single, handwritten note written in my father’s undeniable, unmistakable handwriting.
"You took back the company, my sweet Maya, now it is time for me to return from the dead and take back my daughter."
