Arriving home, Jackson’s mind was a storm. The interviewer’s cryptic words replayed in his head, like a song stuck on a broken loop. He hadn’t done anything wrong—or at least, he couldn’t think of anything. But the unsettling feeling wouldn’t leave him.
“Could Anastasia be behind this?” The thought hit him out of nowhere, sending a sharp pang through his chest.
“No,” he shook his head, as if to push the idea away. “That’s impossible. Her grandmother wanted us married. She wouldn’t—couldn’t—do something like this.”
Yet, his chest tightened as doubt gnawed at him. He began pacing the room, each step quicker than the last.
His mind spiraled. He replayed every interaction fr
“Oh, there he is,” a man in a sharp suit approached the table, and Emmanuella stood up, smiling as she gave him a warm hug.The way Emmanuella spoke, smiled, and embraced him made it obvious—no words were needed. This man was clearly her boyfriend.As he reached the table, he greeted everyone with a casual “hello,” and settled into the seat right beside her.There were ten people gathered around the table, each sitting next to their significant other, enjoying the food, drinks, and the atmosphere—until Juliet spoke up. “Why don’t we all introduce our partners and share what they do for a living?”That’s when Anastasia saw right through Juliet’s intentions. Ever since they were kids, Juliet had always flaunted her status like a crown.Anyone beneath her was treated like dirt, and she made sure they knew their place. “A Lannister never mingles with the riff-raff,” she used to say, referencing her favorite show.The moment she asked for introductions, Anastasia could already tell what sh
Hearing Anastasia’s words, Juliet shot up from her seat. There was no way she was going to stand by while Anastasia disrespected her man. If Anastasia wanted to play dirty, she was ready to take it a step further.“Oh, so you think your family’s all pure and perfect? Why don’t you tell everyone how Grandma and Grandpa built the Stewart Empire? They didn’t do it by hard work; they did it by stealing—siphoning funds, to be exact!” Juliet’s voice was sharp, echoing through the room as the bombshell hit.Everyone froze, their shock evident. Emmanuella’s eyes widened, and even Anastasia, who was rarely caught off guard, stood still as if she had been slapped in the face. Her heart raced as she processed what she had just heard. Her entire life, she had believed in the integrity of the Stewart family. Her grandparents, especially, were always seen as hardworking, respected figures. The idea that they stole money?“Liar!” Anastasia’s voice cracked with anger, her fists clenched. “You’ll say
Anastasia took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling as she tried to calm herself. After a moment, she finally returned to the table.But as soon as she sat down, she could tell things had gone from bad to worse. Alex was standing now, and everyone, except Emmanuella, was throwing cruel comments at him.Even though Emmanuella wasn’t joining in, the sadness in her eyes as she watched Alex made Anastasia's heart twist. Something was terribly wrong."Alex, what’s happening?" she asked, gently placing her hand on his shoulder.Before Alex could respond, Juliet, always the loudest in the room, jumped in with her mocking tone."Your little boyfriend here’s been showing off since you left," Juliet sneered. "He said he’d throw you the most lavish wedding after graduation. You guys are graduating next week, right? So, what’s his plan? Sell his father’s apartment?"Juliet’s laughter rang through the air, cold and cutting. Michael, ever her partner in cruelty, laughed right along with her.
While Juliet and Michael were wrapped up in each other, exchanging kisses, Anastasia knew it was time for her to leave with Alex. Her heart felt heavy, weighed down by everything that had happened.But before she could go, she leaned in close to Emmanuella, whispering something into her ear. Emmanuella responded just as softly, sharing a moment that no one else could overhear. As curious as everyone might have been, no one knew what they said.Since Alex and Anastasia had driven Emmanuella to the gathering, she wasn’t ready to leave yet. Her boyfriend had arrived, and he would be the one taking her home.Now, it was just Alex and Anastasia in the car, and the silence between them felt thick with unspoken thoughts. Anastasia’s pulse quickened as she struggled to find the right words. Finally, after what felt like forever, she spoke.“Alex, why did you agree to that bet?” Her voice trembled, betraying the vulnerability she tried so hard to hide. “It was a trap—to break us up—and you walk
When Anastasia got home, her mind was racing, but she knew what had to be done. She picked up her phone and dialed her grandma. “Ma, please call a family meeting about what you told me earlier,” she said firmly, her voice holding an undercurrent of tension.“Are you ready to accept our terms?” Nancy asked coldly. Anastasia’s silence on the other end of the line was all the answer she could give.***Not long after Anastasia hung up, Nancy wasted no time. She called Anastasia’s parents, relaying the news with brisk efficiency.Just as quickly, Nancy called Anastasia’s cousins, her uncle, and her aunts, and within the hour, the Stewart Mansion was filled with family members, the tension so thick it felt like you could cut it with a knife.They all gathered around the dining table, wine glasses placed before them as they exchanged puzzled glances, wondering what this sudden meeting was about.Anastasia stood, her face void of any warmth, her usual bright smile replaced with a somber expr
Meanwhile, after Alex drove Anastasia home before she went to her family meeting, he returned to his own apartment.Since the moment he put on the ring, his life had changed. He rented a new, decent apartment for himself, but he was still keeping a low profile.Just as Alex was about to enter his apartment, Michael lifted his binoculars from his car, zooming in from the distance he had parked, to see where Alex was living.Certainly, Alex had stood up to him at the recent get-together, and Michael was not ready to let him go scot-free without teaching him a lesson.Back in his country, no one dared speak to him that way. But here, someone had, and he intended to make Alex a scapegoat.Now knowing where Alex lived, Michael reversed his car and went on with his day, returning to his girlfriend’s arms as if he hadn’t done anything.***Later that night, Michael dialed some numbers and spoke in Italian, “Andiamo da quel figlio di puttana adesso” (Let’s go to that son of a b*tch now).“Si,
The next morning, Alex woke up from a bad dream, panting heavily like a dog that had just finished a race.Realizing it was only a dream, he noticed he had been sweating all night. He got out of bed, hoping that what he had seen wouldn’t come to pass.In the dream, a man he had never seen before had tried to kill him. Just as the man was about to strangle him, Alex jolted awake.He went into the bathroom, refreshed himself, and prepared an omelet for breakfast.As he finished prepping, his phone buzzed with a single ring. It wasn’t a call but a text. When he checked, he saw the name "Anastasia" appear in his thoughts.Then, he opened the message.“Good morning, love. As much as I hate to tell you this, I have to. Please come to my family villa ASAP. They want to see you.”Reading the text, Alex knew it was going to be another hectic morning at the Stewarts' villa. No doubt, Anastasia’s grandmother and family wanted him to back off from their daughter.He sighed, ate his breakfast, the
Hearing Nancy’s question, Alex simply smirked, the corners of his lips curving upward in silent amusement. There was no need to explain himself to the Stewarts. They had formed their opinions about him long ago, and nothing he could say now would change that. Besides, it didn’t matter to him. What they thought, their judgmental whispers, their scrutinizing eyes—all of it rolled off him like rain off a slicked surface.Instead, he turned his attention to Anastasia, his expression softening when their eyes met. A quiet resolve settled over him. With a subtle nod, he signaled it was time to go.Without a word, they rose from the dinner table, leaving behind the clinking of cutlery and the murmurs of disbelief that followed them. The stares, heavy and piercing, didn’t faze Alex in the slightest. To him, the world outside those walls held far more weight than the suffocating judgment within them.Nancy’s mouth fell open in sheer disbelief. She blinked rapidly, trying to process what had ju