Secretly The Nrillionaire Boss

Nora

Eric’s sigh was heavy, full of frustration, as he felt the weight of his situation press down on him.

He was surrounded by the pristine gardens he’d maintained for so long, but for the first time, he felt like a stranger in them. The insults, the betrayal, and now the smug mockery of Oliver had piled up, turning his anger inward.

“Lisa why? Maybe I am overthinking it,” Eric said within himself.

How had he let himself end up here? He had put everything he had into making Lisa happy, into proving himself worthy, and now he was left with nothing, nothing but the sting of humiliation and a bruised ego.

Eric sighed “it all will be good, I believe that, it is all matter of time,”

The hours dragged on, and Eric poured his energy into the meticulous task of trimming hedges and watering the plants.

“I need to finish this hedges before Mrs. Rodriguez visits the again, I don’t want insult or added stress,” Eric snapped going back to work after remembering Mrs. Rodriguez attitude.

The repetitive work was usually therapeutic, but today it did little to soothe him. His mind was a storm of resentment and regret, each thought returning to the same question: “How did it come to this?”

Eric tried to push the thought away.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across the garden, Eric glanced up at the mansion.

His eyes drifted to the windows, and for a brief moment, he caught sight of a shadowy figure watching him from one of the upstairs rooms. He squinted, trying to make out who it was, but the figure quickly retreated, disappearing behind the curtains. He didn’t know why, but a chill ran down his spine. He felt like a pawn in a game where everyone else knew the rules but him.

Eric quickly remembered Oliver, the privileged kid, and he bit his lips in anger, and he stared back into the mansion.

Shaking his head, he forced himself to look away. It doesn’t matter, he thought bitterly. None of it does.

His thoughts wandered to Lisa the woman he’d sacrificed so much for. He remembered how she used to smile at him, how her laughter had once felt like the brightest thing in his life.

But now, those memories were tainted, overshadowed by her betrayal. He wondered, despite everything, if he could still find a way to make her happy, to prove he was worthy. But even as he thought it, he felt the absurdity of it.

“Why?” he asked himself.

“Why am I even still thinking about her? She chose Oliver. She chose this life. And I…” His thoughts trailed off as he remembered something important the necklace he had bought for her.

It was supposed to be his gift to her, his way of showing her how much she meant to him. But he realized, with a pang of regret, that he had no idea where it was.

Maybe he lost it in the chaos of his anger, or should he be glad that it got missing mistakenly because Lisa never seemed to appreciate it.

Few minutes later, his phone buzzed, snapping him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the screen, surprised to see Nora’s name.

That gave Eric a bit of relief.

“Hey, Nora,” he greeted, trying to sound casual, though the turmoil inside him was evident.

“Eric,” she replied, her voice soft but tinged with a note of urgency.

“Are you okay? You sounded…off when we last spoke.” She added.

Eric let out a humorless chuckle. “That’s an understatement. Let’s just say it’s been a rough,”

Nora had a pause. “Sorry, for last time, when…… when… I try kissing you, I …. I don’t know what came over me, sorry about that, I hope you are not mad?” She inquired over the phone.

“No… I am not, I understand, things happen,” Eric replied.

Nora chuckled, as she used her fingers to play with the necklace on her neck, still on the phone with Eric.

“So Lisa, is she still….. acting up?” Nora asked.

Eric exhaled. “Yeah. Look, I don’t want to talk about it, can we skip it?”

“I wish I could,” Nora blunted, there was sense of urgency, in her tone.

“Why…. Why.. can’t you?” Eric asked.

There was a pause on the other end, then Nora spoke again, her tone cautious. “I heard…things. About Lisa. I wasn’t sure if I should say anything before, but I thought you should know.”

Eric felt a knot tighten in his stomach. “What kind of things?” he asked, his voice low.

Eric became curious.

“She’s been…involved with Oliver for a while, Eric,” Nora said, her tone almost apologetic.

“It wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment thing. She’s been seeing him behind your back, flaunting their relationship to everyone who would listen.” Nora said.

Eric closed his eyes, feeling the sting of her words. He had suspected, but hearing it confirmed was like reopening a wound that hadn’t had a chance to heal. “I figured as much, but I still don’t believe you, I need to make my research,” he murmured.

“I will ask her, then I will know what to do,” Eric added.

“Don’t blame yourself, but Eric just believe me, I am trying guide you,” Nora replied quickly.

Nora continued “Lisa…she’s not worth it. You deserve someone who actually cares about you, Eric, not someone who’s going to use you and then toss you aside.”

“She is not tossing me aside! Okay?! Please stop using that word, it is not helping,” Eric spat out confronting his fear.

“Sorry, I am just trying to assist,” Nora apologized.

Nora forgot about reminding him about the necklace.

There was silence as he absorbed her words. “Look, maybe, Lisa is cheating or not, I never knew until I confirmed it myself” he finally said,

“Listen,” Nora said, her tone shifting, as if she were about to reveal something important.

“I…wanted to call because I have something to tell you. Something that might actually help.” Nora said, picking Eric curiosity again.

Eric’s ears drew closer. “I’m listening.”

“Meet me tonight. There’s something I think you’ll want to hear in person. And…” She hesitated, then added, “I have a deal to offer you.”

“A deal?” he echoed, a hint of suspicion creeping into his voice.

“Yes. I know it sounds strange, but trust me. This might be the one chance you have to turn things around. I’m on your side, Eric.” Nora said.

He took a deep breath, a mixture of curiosity and caution swirling within him. Nora had always been a friend, someone he could rely on, but he had never expected her to have information that could change things.

“Alright, Nora,” he said slowly. “I’ll meet you. Tell me where and when.”