2025-01-26 22:00:14The restaurant was perfect—modern yet intimate, with soft amber lights casting a warm glow over every polished surface. The kind of place where the waiters wore sharp suits, the cutlery gleamed like silver mirrors, and the wine list was thicker than the menu. Evelyn ran her fingers over the rim of her wine glass, letting the faint hum of conversation around her settle like a comforting backdrop.
Daniel sat across from her, his presence as commanding as ever. His tailored navy-blue suit hugged his broad shoulders perfectly, and his sharp jawline tensed slightly as he inspected the wine in his glass. He exuded confidence, the kind of man who knew he was the center of attention without even trying.
Evelyn hated how much she craved that confidence. It wasn’t love, not really, but Daniel filled a void she couldn’t bear to face. After all, it was easier to drown in someone else’s ambition than to confront the ruins of her own choices.
“Evelyn.” His voice cut through her thoughts, smooth but firm, like the clasp of an expensive watch. “Are you even listening?”
She blinked, adjusting her focus back on him. “Of course. Sorry, I was just... distracted.”
Daniel raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “You’re not thinking about him again, are you?”
Her stomach twisted. She reached for her wine glass, hoping the sip of Cabernet would wash away the guilt. “No,” she lied, her voice softer than she intended. “Not at all.”
But she was. How could she not? Today wasn’t just another day—it was their anniversary. Or rather, it would’ve been if things hadn’t fallen apart. Marcus would’ve remembered. He always did. Even when Evelyn forgot, Marcus never did.
She gripped the stem of her glass tighter, her knuckles whitening. Why did he have to show up in her head tonight of all nights? She’d made her choice—left the quiet, predictable life with Marcus for the thrilling chaos Daniel offered. And yet, Marcus lingered, like a ghost haunting the edges of her mind.
“Good,” Daniel said, leaning across the table with a dazzling grin. “Because I don’t share, Evelyn. Not even memories.” His hand found hers, his touch possessive.
Evelyn forced a smile, though her heart felt heavy. “I know, Daniel.”
The waiter interrupted the moment, arriving with their entrees. Evelyn let out a small breath of relief as the plates were set before them, giving her an excuse to pull her hand away. She needed something—anything—to distract herself from the growing ache in her chest.
But then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw him.
The glass door of the restaurant reflected Marcus’s face as he stood on the sidewalk, his fists clenched at his sides. He’d been standing there for a while now, just staring. A part of him hoped he was wrong, that it wasn’t her inside. But he knew Evelyn too well. The way her hair fell over her shoulders, the way she tilted her head when she laughed—it was unmistakable.
She was sitting at a table near the window, across from a man he didn’t recognize. A man who wasn’t him. Marcus’s jaw tightened as he watched her laugh, her head tilting back slightly in a way that used to make his heart skip a beat. Now, it felt like a knife twisting in his chest.
This wasn’t just any night. It was their anniversary. The day they’d promised forever to each other. And here she was, laughing with someone else, as if that promise meant nothing.
Marcus took a step forward, the anger bubbling inside him threatening to boil over. His reflection in the glass shifted, and he barely recognized the man staring back. His usually calm and calculated demeanor had been replaced by something raw, something dangerous.
The restaurant’s doorman stepped in front of him before he could reach the door. “Sorry, sir, you can’t enter without a reservation.”
Marcus’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not here to eat.”
“Then you’re not coming in,” the doorman said firmly, crossing his arms.
Marcus didn’t argue. He knew making a scene wouldn’t help. Instead, he stood there, glaring past the doorman and through the glass, his chest heaving with unspoken rage.
And then, Evelyn looked up.
Their eyes met through the window, and for a moment, time seemed to stop. Evelyn’s smile faltered, her laughter dying on her lips. Marcus could see the guilt flash in her eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by something colder. She turned away from him, back to the man sitting across from her.
Her heart dropped the moment she saw Marcus. He looked different—harder, angrier. The man she knew was calm, steady, always in control. But the man standing outside the restaurant was a storm barely contained.
Evelyn’s chest tightened, but she forced herself to focus on Daniel. She couldn’t let Marcus see how much his presence shook her. “Daniel,” she said, her voice trembling slightly, “he’s here.”
Daniel followed her gaze, his eyes narrowing as he spotted Marcus outside. “Him?” he said, his tone dripping with disdain. “The ex?”
Evelyn nodded, her hands gripping the edge of the table. “I didn’t know he’d be here.”
Daniel smirked, leaning back in his chair. “Let him watch, then. Let him see what he lost.”
“No,” she said quickly, her voice barely above a whisper. “Please, Daniel. Let’s just leave.”
But Daniel wasn’t listening. He reached across the table, taking her hand in his. “Why should we leave? You’re with me now, Evelyn. He’s the past.”
And then, before she could stop him, Daniel leaned forward and kissed her.
Marcus felt the blood drain from his face as he watched Evelyn kiss the man across from her. It wasn’t just a kiss—it was deliberate, calculated, meant to hurt. And it did. The pain hit him like a freight train, leaving him breathless.
The doorman stepped closer, sensing the tension radiating off Marcus. “Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
Marcus didn’t respond. He couldn’t. His eyes were locked on Evelyn, on the way her lips pressed against another man’s. It was like she was trying to drive the knife in deeper, twisting it until there was nothing left of him.
But then, something inside him shifted. The pain didn’t disappear—it transformed. It became something darker, something colder. Marcus straightened, his shoulders squaring as he took a step back.
“Fine,” he said quietly, his voice barely audible. “I’ll leave.”
The doorman relaxed slightly, stepping aside as Marcus turned and walked away. But Marcus didn’t feel defeated. No, this wasn’t over. Not yet.
As he disappeared into the night, a single thought consumed him: They’ll regret this. Both of them.
Marcus walked away from the restaurant, his footsteps echoing against the pavement. The city lights blurred around him, his vision clouded by the storm brewing inside. He didn’t know where he was going, but it didn’t matter. All he knew was that he couldn’t let this go. Not this time.
And as the shadows swallowed him whole, one thing became clear: This wasn’t the end. It was only the beginning.
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The door creaked open as Marcus stepped into the house that no longer felt like home. The weight of the evening clung to his shoulders, heavier than the coat he had draped over his arm. The faint scent of Evelyn’s expensive perfume lingered in the air, a sharp reminder of the life he was about to leave behind. The living room was dimly lit, shadows stretching across the walls, but the silence was deafening.He exhaled slowly, taking in the surroundings. The place was spotless, as always, every cushion perfectly arranged, every trinket in its place. Evelyn had always been meticulous about appearances. But to Marcus, it all felt hollow now.He walked toward the staircase, his footsteps muffled by the thick carpet, and paused at the base. For the first time in years, he felt like a stranger in his own house. The memories came flooding back—laughter, arguments, stolen moments of tenderness—but those felt like they belonged to someone else, someone he no longer recognized.He clenched his
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The morning air was crisp, carrying with it a faint scent of rain from the night before. Marcus stood at the edge of the curb, his suitcase by his side, watching the empty road in front of him. The house behind him still loomed, its cold, pristine walls a reminder of everything he had just walked away from. He exhaled slowly, his breath visible in the chilly air, and glanced down at his phone.The call with his uncle from the night before still rang in his ears. "Tell me everything," Richard had said, his voice laced with both concern and authority. And Marcus had told him—everything about Evelyn, the betrayal, the humiliation. He had laid it bare, and Richard had listened in silence, only speaking at the end to say, "I'll take care of it. Be ready in the morning."Marcus didn't know what "take care of it" meant, but he trusted his uncle. Richard Carter was a man of his word. A man of power. And as much as Marcus had tried to distance himself from the Carter family over the years, dee
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The driveway leading up to the Carter estate was a long stretch of cobblestone surrounded by towering oaks. The winter air was crisp, and the faint gray clouds above hinted at an oncoming storm. Marcus slowed the car as the grand, Victorian-style mansion came into view. It had been years since he’d last set foot here, and yet the sight of it still stirred something in him—nostalgia? Bitterness? He wasn’t sure.He parked near the front steps, taking a moment to steady himself. The past few months had been nothing short of chaos, and now, standing here again, he felt like a man teetering on the edge of two worlds. One was his past—the ghost of the man he used to be, broken and humiliated. The other was his future, the man he was becoming: calculated, focused, and unrelenting.As he stepped out of the car, the front door opened. Richard Carter, his uncle, stood tall in the doorway, his sharp features softened slightly by a welcoming smile.“Marcus,” Richard greeted, his voice firm but wa
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The office building of Prescott Industries loomed in front of him like a fortress. Its sleek glass facade reflected the pale morning light, sharp and unyielding, much like the people who worked inside. Marcus stood across the street, his hands buried in the pockets of his tailored coat, observing the flow of employees filing into the building. He took a deep breath, steadying himself.This was it. The first step.He adjusted the tie around his neck, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. It had taken months of planning, connections, and careful maneuvering, but he was finally here. Not as Marcus Carter, the man Evelyn had cast aside, but as someone entirely new.Inside that building, they wouldn’t see the broken man they thought they’d destroyed. They’d see someone confident, capable, and untouchable. They’d see someone they underestimated—and that was exactly what he wanted.Marcus walked through the revolving doors, his polished shoes clicking against the pristine marble f
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Marcus adjusted the cuffs of his tailored suit as he stepped into the large conference room. The air was crisp with the faint smell of coffee and fresh paper, and the hum of muffled conversations filled the space. He scanned the room with calm precision, his eyes landing on her. Evelyn.She was seated near the far end of the long mahogany table, her posture as poised as ever, one manicured hand resting on the armrest of her chair. Her expression was unreadable, but Marcus caught the slightest twitch of her lips when their eyes met. She didn’t smile. Neither did he.Instead, he moved with deliberate steps toward his seat, directly across from her. His confidence wasn’t forced anymore—it came naturally now, as if he had been born for moments like this. Evelyn could feel it. The Marcus she had once known—the quiet, soft-spoken man who avoided confrontation—was gone. Replaced by someone sharper. Someone unpredictable.“Morning,” Marcus said casually as he pulled out his chair, his voice s
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The announcement came during the morning meeting. Marcus walked into the conference room with the same measured stride he always carried, his confidence unshaken. But this time, the air around him felt heavier. Charged. Anticipatory.The director waited until everyone was seated before clearing his throat, commanding silence. Evelyn sat two seats away from Marcus, her fingers nervously tapping the armrest of her chair. She’d barely slept the night before, her thoughts consumed by the strange shift in Marcus’s demeanor and the director’s cryptic hints about “a new opportunity.” Now, her stomach churned with unease.“I have some exciting news to share,” the director began, his voice calm but firm. “As you all know, we’re restructuring to better align with the company’s growth. And with that comes new leadership opportunities.”Evelyn’s heart sank. She already knew where this was going.The director turned to Marcus, smiling warmly. “I’m pleased to announce that Marcus Carter has been ch
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Marcus walked slowly toward the marble staircase, feeling each step echo in the quiet night. Around the mansion, old trees towered high, their branches dancing in the wind, as if holding deep secrets. The atmosphere grew tenser as they approached the main door, made of dark wood with intricate carvings.When Marcus knocked, the sound resonated throughout the area, adding to the palpable tension. A few seconds later, the door creaked open, revealing an elderly woman with white hair standing in the doorway. Her face showed surprise and a hint of fear upon seeing the two men before her. However, she quickly welcomed them inside, giving a brief glimpse into the dark, cold room.Inside, the ambiance changed drastically. Flickering lights on the ceiling created moving shadows on the walls. Antique furniture cluttered the room, every corner filled with items that seemed like buried memories. Marcus and Richard exchanged glances, sensing the unspoken tension between them.As they explored the
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Evelyn, on the other hand, seemed trapped in tension. Her fingers tightly clutched the edge of her napkin, and Marcus could see she was struggling with swirling emotions. Although she avoided Marcus's gaze, there was something in her expression that couldn't be hidden. Regret? Guilt? Those questions spun in Marcus's mind, but he didn't want to get caught in doubt.Daniel Prescott, sitting at the head of the table, leaned back casually, a cynical smile gracing his face. In the tense atmosphere, his comments only fueled the fire of discomfort."How bold of you to come, Carter. But I suppose you've always had a flair for the dramatic," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.Marcus wasn't surprised by the jab; he had faced Daniel many times before. Instead, he stepped forward, asserting his presence in the uncomfortable dining room. His gaze locked onto Daniel's, challenging and confident."And you, P
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If Prescott was here, it meant there was a deeper agenda, and he had to be ready to protect his team and the project that was so important to them.With every step he took, Marcus tried to ease the tension within himself. He knew this was the moment he had to show strength and leadership. In his heart, he was determined not to let Prescott dominate the situation. He would fight, no matter how difficult it was.“Is there anything else?” Marcus asked, his tone calm but sharp, creating an atmosphere of attentiveness in the meeting room.Claire hesitated for a moment, choosing her words carefully. “Just… be careful, Mr. Carter. Something feels off.” Her voice carried genuine concern, reflecting her sharp instincts.Marcus glanced at her sharply, feeling the tension flowing between them. His lips curved into a small knowing smile, as if he realized that this uncertainty was
12
Marcus's gaze hardened, signaling an unwavering resolve. His voice was calm yet firm, cutting through the tension that enveloped the room.“He will regret ever crossing me.”His words echoed around the table laden with food, serving as a warning to all who heard them. There was no room left for lies or pretense; tonight was about facing the truth.Behind them, the sound of the front door slamming reverberated through the night, intensifying the situation. Evelyn's voice called out, filled with desperation and tremors.“Marcus, wait!”There was a mix of worry and hope in her tone, as if she were struggling to pull him back from a deep abyss. But Marcus did not stop. He didn’t even glance back, as if each step was a march toward freedom from the chains that had bound him for so long.With each steady stride, Marcus felt a weight lift.
11
The dishes on the table, which were supposed to be the center of attention, seemed increasingly meaningless. All the luxury and beauty of the food ceased to matter when faced with the arrogance and pretense surrounding them. Marcus felt more and more alienated, trapped in a game he did not want to play, but he knew that tonight was an opportunity to change everything.Marcus took a deliberate sip of his wine. “Business is thriving, thanks for asking. Although I hear you've experienced some… setbacks recently.”Daniel's smile dimmed for a moment, but he quickly recovered. “Setbacks are part of the game, Carter. Something you’d know if you played at my level.”“Oh, I’m playing,” Marcus replied smoothly. “I just don’t think we’re still in the same league.”The tension in the room escalated, creating an atmosphere that became
10
Evelyn, on the other hand, seemed trapped in tension. Her fingers tightly clutched the edge of her napkin, and Marcus could see she was struggling with swirling emotions. Although she avoided Marcus's gaze, there was something in her expression that couldn't be hidden. Regret? Guilt? Those questions spun in Marcus's mind, but he didn't want to get caught in doubt.Daniel Prescott, sitting at the head of the table, leaned back casually, a cynical smile gracing his face. In the tense atmosphere, his comments only fueled the fire of discomfort."How bold of you to come, Carter. But I suppose you've always had a flair for the dramatic," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.Marcus wasn't surprised by the jab; he had faced Daniel many times before. Instead, he stepped forward, asserting his presence in the uncomfortable dining room. His gaze locked onto Daniel's, challenging and confident."And you, P
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Marcus walked slowly toward the marble staircase, feeling each step echo in the quiet night. Around the mansion, old trees towered high, their branches dancing in the wind, as if holding deep secrets. The atmosphere grew tenser as they approached the main door, made of dark wood with intricate carvings.When Marcus knocked, the sound resonated throughout the area, adding to the palpable tension. A few seconds later, the door creaked open, revealing an elderly woman with white hair standing in the doorway. Her face showed surprise and a hint of fear upon seeing the two men before her. However, she quickly welcomed them inside, giving a brief glimpse into the dark, cold room.Inside, the ambiance changed drastically. Flickering lights on the ceiling created moving shadows on the walls. Antique furniture cluttered the room, every corner filled with items that seemed like buried memories. Marcus and Richard exchanged glances, sensing the unspoken tension between them.As they explored the
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The announcement came during the morning meeting. Marcus walked into the conference room with the same measured stride he always carried, his confidence unshaken. But this time, the air around him felt heavier. Charged. Anticipatory.The director waited until everyone was seated before clearing his throat, commanding silence. Evelyn sat two seats away from Marcus, her fingers nervously tapping the armrest of her chair. She’d barely slept the night before, her thoughts consumed by the strange shift in Marcus’s demeanor and the director’s cryptic hints about “a new opportunity.” Now, her stomach churned with unease.“I have some exciting news to share,” the director began, his voice calm but firm. “As you all know, we’re restructuring to better align with the company’s growth. And with that comes new leadership opportunities.”Evelyn’s heart sank. She already knew where this was going.The director turned to Marcus, smiling warmly. “I’m pleased to announce that Marcus Carter has been ch
7
Marcus adjusted the cuffs of his tailored suit as he stepped into the large conference room. The air was crisp with the faint smell of coffee and fresh paper, and the hum of muffled conversations filled the space. He scanned the room with calm precision, his eyes landing on her. Evelyn.She was seated near the far end of the long mahogany table, her posture as poised as ever, one manicured hand resting on the armrest of her chair. Her expression was unreadable, but Marcus caught the slightest twitch of her lips when their eyes met. She didn’t smile. Neither did he.Instead, he moved with deliberate steps toward his seat, directly across from her. His confidence wasn’t forced anymore—it came naturally now, as if he had been born for moments like this. Evelyn could feel it. The Marcus she had once known—the quiet, soft-spoken man who avoided confrontation—was gone. Replaced by someone sharper. Someone unpredictable.“Morning,” Marcus said casually as he pulled out his chair, his voice s
6
The office building of Prescott Industries loomed in front of him like a fortress. Its sleek glass facade reflected the pale morning light, sharp and unyielding, much like the people who worked inside. Marcus stood across the street, his hands buried in the pockets of his tailored coat, observing the flow of employees filing into the building. He took a deep breath, steadying himself.This was it. The first step.He adjusted the tie around his neck, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. It had taken months of planning, connections, and careful maneuvering, but he was finally here. Not as Marcus Carter, the man Evelyn had cast aside, but as someone entirely new.Inside that building, they wouldn’t see the broken man they thought they’d destroyed. They’d see someone confident, capable, and untouchable. They’d see someone they underestimated—and that was exactly what he wanted.Marcus walked through the revolving doors, his polished shoes clicking against the pristine marble f
5
The driveway leading up to the Carter estate was a long stretch of cobblestone surrounded by towering oaks. The winter air was crisp, and the faint gray clouds above hinted at an oncoming storm. Marcus slowed the car as the grand, Victorian-style mansion came into view. It had been years since he’d last set foot here, and yet the sight of it still stirred something in him—nostalgia? Bitterness? He wasn’t sure.He parked near the front steps, taking a moment to steady himself. The past few months had been nothing short of chaos, and now, standing here again, he felt like a man teetering on the edge of two worlds. One was his past—the ghost of the man he used to be, broken and humiliated. The other was his future, the man he was becoming: calculated, focused, and unrelenting.As he stepped out of the car, the front door opened. Richard Carter, his uncle, stood tall in the doorway, his sharp features softened slightly by a welcoming smile.“Marcus,” Richard greeted, his voice firm but wa
