40. Nicholas
Chapter forty
Nicholas
I glance at the clock again, the relentless ticking echoing in the silence of my office.
It’s been over an hour now, and Amara still hasn’t shown up to work.
Where the hell is she?
She told me this morning to go in alone because she’d be a little late, but this? This is different. She’s never been this late before, and every minute that passes feels like a weight on my chest. If she needed a break, if she wanted to stay home, she could’ve just told me. She could ask me for anything, and I’d give it to her.
Another glance at the clock.
Still nothing.
The frustration inside me tightens, curling in my stomach.
I grab my phone, my fingers itching to send her a message, but before I can hit send, a knock at the door breaks through the chaos in my head.
Fucking finally.
“Come in,” I say, my lips twitching into a grin, anticipation swelling in my chest. Is it normal to be this obsessed with your fiancée? I don’t think so, but right now, I don’t care.
The door creaks open, but my grin quickly fades when I realize it’s not Amara.
It’s Sophie.
For a moment, I don’t know whether to feel relieved or frustrated that it’s not Amara standing there. Maybe Sophie has answers. Maybe she knows something I don’t. I feel like I’m teetering on the verge of losing my mind.
“Sophie. What can I do for you?”
Sophie doesn’t seem to notice the shift in my mood. She steps into the room, holding a stack of papers in her hands.
“These came in for you,” she says, her tone sharper than usual, a bite to it I’m not used to hearing from her.
I nod, momentarily confused. Sophie’s never sounded like this before. But I don’t have time to think about it. Amara’s still not here. And I have no idea why.
“Thanks,” I mutter, grabbing the papers, already half-turning to reach for my phone.
She turns around and leaves, the door clicking shut behind her.
I glance down at the papers in my hands, expecting nothing more than routine contracts, maybe a report or two to sign. But then my eyes catch the words on the first page. My stomach drops, and for a moment, the room feels like it’s closing in around me.
Amara’s name.
And under it, in bold letters: Resignation .
What the fuck?
She still has two weeks left on her contract. Two weeks before I can finalize the deal that’ll get her everything she wants. That’ll give her the promotion, the stability, everything she’s worked for.
I scan the letter again, my confusion growing with every word. There’s nothing in here about a transfer, a raise, or a move to another department. Just… resignation.
I drop the paper like it’s burning my hands, my thoughts spiraling, but I immediately grab my phone, dialing her number.
The phone rings.
And rings.
And rings.
No answer.
I try again. Four. Five times.
Still nothing.
Frustration and panic claw at me. I stand up, the office chair swiveling as I push away from the desk, my mind racing.
My hands shake as I walk toward the door, determined to find out where she is. Sophie and Jade look up when they see me coming, their eyes widening before they quickly turn back to their work, pretending to be busy.
I stop in front of their desks, my voice low and tight. “Where is she?
Sophie avoids my gaze, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. “Um… we don’t—”
I cut her off. “Don’t lie to me. Where the hell is my fiancée?”
“She’s packing,” Jade says, crossing her arms over her chest.
Packing .
I blink, the word not quite registering in my mind. “Packing?” I repeat, my confusion clouding my thoughts. “Packing for what?”
Jade scoffs, sharp and loud. “She’s moving in with me,” she tells me, her words slicing through me, turning my world upside down. “Are you seriously going to act like you don’t know why she wouldn’t want to live with you anymore?”
I don’t answer, turning away, my mind racing to connect the dots. Why would she be packing? Why would she be leaving?
I check the security feed on my phone. My heart clenches when I see her standing in the living room, suitcase in hand, struggling to close it.
The air in my chest tightens as a mixture of dread and anger rises inside me.
I swipe the screen away and call for my driver. “Lionel, get the car ready. I need to go home. Now.”
“Right away, sir.”
It feels like the longest ten minutes of my life. My leg jitters nervously, thoughts spiraling out of control. Everything was fine between us, right? We were good. We were perfect. How did it all fall apart so fast?
The car pulls up in front of my building, and I barely wait for it to come to a full stop before I’m jumping out, heading inside. The elevator ride feels like an eternity, each second stretching longer than the last. My hands tug at my hair, frustration clawing at me.
Please, let this be a mistake. Let her still be here. Let this all be some kind of misunderstanding.
Because I can’t lose her.
I reach my apartment door, heart pounding in my chest. I step inside and freeze when I spot her, standing by the doors, suitcase in hand, looking like she’s ready to walk away for good.
She blinks, her expression unreadable. “What… What are you doing here?”
I swallow hard, fighting to keep my voice steady. “What am I doing here? The real question is, where the hell are you going, Amara?”
Her gaze drifts away, her eyes avoiding mine. “I thought you’d be at work.” Her voice is small, distant, and it fucking tears at me.
“Why would you want me to be at work? Why are you trying to run away from me?” I take a step closer, my chest aching.
She shakes her head, her eyes glued to the floor like she can’t bring herself to meet my gaze. I reach for her, my hand hovering near her cheek, but she flinches, stepping back. The rejection hits me like a physical punch to the gut.
“Amara, what the hell did I do?” I ask, my voice strained, cracking. “Please, tell me. Whatever it is, I’ll fix it.”
She lifts her head, finally meeting my eyes, and the green I love—wet and blurry, full of tears—rips through me.
“I know,” she whispers.
“Know what?” My brows knit together, frustration and confusion crashing through me. I don’t understand. What the hell is she talking about?
She takes a deep breath, her hands trembling at her sides. “ I know , Nicholas. I know none of this was real to you.” Her voice wobbles. “I know I was just a means to an end to you. You never cared about me. Not really.” She shakes her head, the sound of her voice breaking something inside me. “I just don’t understand why you had to lie and pretend to care about me this whole time.”
My frown deepens, the confusion settling deeper into my chest. What the hell is she talking about?
“I would’ve gone along with it if you asked. You didn’t have to—” Her words cut off as I take a step toward her.
Her lips press together, her gaze falling to the floor. The pain in her eyes twists my insides. “I would have done anything for you.”
Her words hit hard, landing like a punch to the gut. I take a step back, struggling to understand.
“Amara, what the fuck are you talking about?”
She lets out a bitter laugh, hollow and broken. Tears streak down her face, leaving wet trails. “You don’t have to keep pretending. I heard what you told your brother.”
I freeze. The air seems to leave the room, suffocating me as the blood drains from my face. “My brother?”