Sam’s POV 

Betrayal.

It was a bitter taste in my mouth, one that wouldn’t fade no matter how hard I tried to swallow it down.

It sat heavy in my chest, a burning ache that refused to subside, twisting into something darker, something ruthless.

I had trusted Emma.

I had believed her when she looked me in the eyes and told me the twins were mine. I had built my entire future around that belief, shaping my every decision around the idea that one day, I would be the father my children needed, but it was all a lie.

A cruel, merciless lie.

I sat in my office, staring out the floor-to-ceiling window at the city below, New York stretched out before me, bustling and thriving, indifferent to the storm raging inside me.

The people walking the streets, the ones sitting in their expensive offices or racing through their busy schedules, had no idea that my world had just imploded.

I exhaled sharply, gripping the arms of my chair so tightly that my knuckles turned white.

How could she do this to me?

How could she stand there, with those wide, sorrowful eyes, and expect me to just accept it? To just move on?

The door to my office swung open.

I didn’t look up, I already knew who it was.

“Sam.”

Richard’s voice was careful, measured, as if he knew I was close to the edge and didn’t want to be the one to push me over. My legal advisor was nothing if not strategic.

“We’ve officially filed the lawsuits.” He continued, stepping forward and placing a thick folder on my desk. The weight of it felt symbolic, tangible proof that I wasn’t going to let this go.

“Emma’s company and Knight Enterprises have both been served. The claims are airtight. If they try to fight it, they’ll have a war on their hands.”

A war.

Good.

I finally turned my gaze toward Richard. He was watching me closely, his fingers laced together in front of him like he was bracing for whatever I would say next.

“Good.” I muttered.

Richard hesitated. I could see the flicker of hesitation in his eyes before he spoke again.

“Sam,” he said carefully, “are you sure this is what you want?”

I let out a humorless chuckle and shook my head, “You think I filed these lawsuits on a whim?”

“No,” he admitted, “I just think revenge doesn’t always give you the closure you think it will.”

I turned fully in my chair, leveling him with a stare, “This isn’t about closure. It’s about making them pay.”

Richard sighed, “Look, I know you’re angry… ”

“Angry?” I cut him off, my voice low but sharp, “You think this is just anger?” I pushed back from my desk, standing.

“I spent five years believing I had a family. Five years blaming myself for not being there, for missing out on their lives. I lived with that guilt every single day. And now? Now I find out that none of it was real?” I let out a slow breath, shaking my head, “No Richard. This isn’t anger, it’s retribution.”

He studied me for a long moment, then nodded, “Understood.”

I sat back down, pressing my fingers against my temples. I could already feel the dull ache forming, a headache brought on by too many emotions I didn’t have time to process.

Richard adjusted his glasses, “There’s one more thing,” he said, flipping open the folder, “Emma’s place of work? Their legal team reached out, they want to arrange a private meeting.”

I scoffed, “To do what? Beg?”

Richard didn’t answer.

I exhaled sharply, shaking my head, “I'm not interested.”

“But you know they’ll push for it Sam, you might not have a choice.”

“Oh, I have a choice,” I said darkly, “And my choice is to destroy them.”

Richard didn’t argue. He simply nodded and gathered his papers, “I’ll keep you updated.”

I nodded once, dismissing him.

When the door clicked shut behind him, I leaned back in my chair, staring up at the ceiling.

This wasn’t just about Emma anymore.

Jeff Anderson had taken everything from me. And now? I was going to take everything from him.

The next evening, I met with Michael Rhodes.

He was already seated when I arrived, his fingers tapping against the rim of his whiskey glass, his sharp eyes watching me as I slid into the seat across from him.

“So,” he drawled, swirling the amber liquid in his glass, “You want to help me take down Jeff Anderson?”

I leaned back, expression unreadable, “I don’t want to take him down.” I let the words settle before adding, “I want to destroy him.”

Michael smirked, his interest piqued, “I like your enthusiasm.”

I reached into my briefcase and pulled out a thick folder, “Anderson industries has been negotiating some major deals,” I said, sliding it across the table, “Deals that, if they were to fall through, would put them in a very difficult position.”

Michael flipped through the pages, his smirk widening as he scanned the documents.

“This is interesting.” He murmured.

I watched him closely, “You help me, and I’ll make sure you get exactly what you want.”

Michael glanced up, meeting my gaze.

“And what is it you want?” He asked.

I didn’t hesitate, “To make Jeff Anderson suffer.”

Michael chuckled, setting the folder down, “I think we can work something out.”

Good.

This was only the beginning.

^^^^^^^^^_^

The next morning, I arrived at my office earlier than usual. Sleep had eluded me, leaving me restless, my mind racing with every possible move I could make against Emma and Jeff.

As soon as I stepped inside, my assistant, Lisa, approached.

“Mr. Newman,” she said, a nervous edge in her voice, “Emma Jones is here to see you.”

I stilled.

A slow, cruel smile spread across my lips.

“Send her in.”

A moment later, the door opened and Emma stepped inside.

She looked different, not the polished, confident woman I had known. No, this Emma looked weary, exhausted even. 

For a split second, something inside me wavered but then I remembered the betrayal. The lies. The years I had lost because of her.

My expression hardened.

“What do you want Emma?”

She swallowed, clasping her hands in front of her, “We need to talk.”

I leaned back in my chair, “About what? How you lied to me for years?”

She winced, “Sam, I didn’t know.”

I let out a bitter laugh, “You expect me to believe that?”

“I’m telling the truth,” she insisted, stepping closer, “I never meant to hurt you.”

I studied her for a long moment before speaking.

“You already did.”

Emma’s shoulders sagged, and for the first time, she looked truly defeated, “Please,” she whispered, “Don’t do this, don't go down this path.”

I stood, walking around the desk until I was standing directly in front of her. “You took everything from me,” I said, my voice low, “Now, I’m going to do the same to you.”

Her eyes filled with unshed tears, “Sam, please… ”

I tilted my head, “Was Jeff worth it?”

She flinched as if I had struck her.

I smirked, “That’s what I thought.”

Emma stared at me for a long moment, and then, finally, she turned and walked toward the door, but before she left, she paused.

“This isn’t going to fix what you’re feeling,” she said softly, “It won’t make the pain go away.”

I didn’t respond.

She lingered for a second longer, then walked out, closing the door behind her.

I exhaled slowly, rolling my shoulders.

I didn’t need her to understand.

I didn’t need her to forgive me.

I just needed to make her regret everything.

And I would.

Because this war was just getting started.

 ###Chapter 51###

Emma’s POV

The moment I stepped into the penthouse, I could feel the weight of something heavy in the air. It wasn’t obvious, no slamming doors, no shattered glass, but it was there, lingering, thick and unspoken.

I had spent enough time around Jeff to recognize when something was wrong and tonight, something was definitely wrong.

He stood near the window, his back to me, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. The city lights reflected in the glass before him, a sea of movement and life, but Jeff wasn’t paying attention to any of it.

He was completely still, his shoulders tense in a way that made my stomach tighten with unease.

I took a slow step forward, carefully closing the door behind me. The soft click of the latch echoed in the silence, and that was when Jeff finally moved. He turned his head slightly, just enough to acknowledge my presence, but not enough for me to fully read his expression.

I cleared my throat, "You're upset." It wasn’t a question, I was telling him. 

Jeff let out a slow breath, finally turning to face me. His dark eyes locked onto mine, unreadable yet intense, "You met with Sam."

My heart skipped a beat.

I had known this conversation was coming the moment I walked into Sam’s office earlier today, but I hadn’t expected Jeff to find out so quickly. I hesitated for a fraction of a second, but there was no use denying it.

"Yes," I admitted, my voice calm but firm, "I did."

Jeff’s expression didn’t change, but I saw the way his fingers flexed slightly before he clenched them into fists, "Why?"

I crossed my arms, feeling a sudden wave of defensiveness rise within me, "Because I needed to talk to him, I needed to see for myself where his head was at, what his next move would be."

Jeff exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair, the action more frustrated than anything else, "Emma, do you even realize what you’re doing?" His voice wasn’t angry, but there was something sharp in it, something that sent a shiver down my spine.

"I know Sam is angry," I replied, my voice softer now, "But I don’t think he would ever…. "

Jeff’s jaw tightened as he stepped closer, cutting me off, "You don’t think he would hurt you?" His voice was low, controlled, but there was an edge to it.

"Emma every time you go to him, every time you stand in front of him, it’s like you’re provoking him. It’s like you’re trying to see how far he can be pushed before he breaks."

I swallowed hard, "That’s not what I’m doing."

"Then what are you doing?" Jeff challenged, his eyes locked onto mine, "Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re walking straight into the fire without realizing just how badly you could get burned."

I opened my mouth, then closed it.

I wanted to tell him that I wasn’t being reckless, that I wasn’t putting myself in danger for the sake of it, but the truth was, I wasn’t sure anymore.

Maybe a part of me was testing Sam, pushing him to see if there was anything left of the man I had once known beneath all that anger. Maybe a part of me was hoping he’d stop, that he’d realize how far he was about to fall before it was too late.

"I just don’t want him to ruin his life over this," I finally said, my voice barely above a whisper, "He’s going too far Jeff. The lawsuits, the business deals he’s sabotaging, the people he’s aligning himself with, none of this is going to bring him peace. It’s only going to destroy him."

Jeff studied me for a long moment before he finally sighed, his expression softening just slightly. Then he reached out, cupping my face gently, his thumb brushing over my cheek.

"Emma listen to me," he murmured, "Right now, we need to focus on protecting ourselves. We can’t let anyone, or anything, come between us."

I frowned slightly, "What do you mean?"

Jeff let his hand drop and took a small step back, as if he needed distance before saying what came next. His eyes darkened, his jaw tensing.

"There’s something I haven’t told you," he admitted, his voice quieter now, "Something that could change everything if Sam ever uses it against me and if he does, I need you to be prepared."

A chill ran down my spine, "Jeff what are you talking about?"

He hesitated, like he was weighing his words carefully. Then, finally, he spoke.

"Your accident."

I stiffened, the mention of it bringing back a rush of memories or rather, the lack of them, "What about it?"

Jeff’s gaze didn’t waver, but I saw the flicker of unease in his eyes, "It wasn’t a car accident Emma. That was just the story you were told."

My stomach dropped, "What? The story I was told or the story you told me?” 

Jeff exhaled, his fingers flexing before he folded his arms across his chest, "It wasn’t random, it wasn’t some tragic mistake, you were hurt because of me."

I stared at him, my heart pounding so loudly in my ears that I barely heard his words, "Jeff what are you saying?"

He nodded slowly, as if bracing himself, "Before I met you, I was involved with a group called The Collective."

I frowned, "The Collective?"

"It was an organization that operated in the shadows. They had power, influence but they weren’t exactly on the right side of the law." He paused, "And I was one of its leaders."

I took a step back, needing space, needing air, "You were a part of something illegal?"

Jeff’s jaw tightened, "It wasn’t just illegal Emma, it was dangerous and when I tried to walk away, things got complicated."

My mind was spinning, "And what does that have to do with my accident?"

Jeff hesitated before answering, "You were caught in the crossfire."

I felt like my legs might give out beneath me, "Are you telling me that The Collective is responsible for what happened to me?"

"Yes.” Jeff admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

A wave of nausea rolled through me.

I stumbled back until I found the edge of the couch and sank onto it, my hands gripping the armrest like it was the only thing keeping me grounded.

"Oh my God…"

"I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to drag you into that world," Jeff said, stepping closer, "I thought I could protect you from it but now, with Sam looking for ways to destroy me, I realize keeping it from you was a mistake. It's only a matter of time before he uses The Collective against me and if he connects it to your accident… "

"He can’t find out," I interrupted, shaking my head, "Jeff if Sam finds out, he’ll use it to destroy you."

"I know," Jeff admitted, "That’s why I need you to know the truth, I need you to be prepared."

I took a shaky breath, my mind still struggling to process everything, "I don’t even know what to feel right now. Should I be angry at you for lying to me? Or should I be relieved that you did?"

Jeff crouched down in front of me, his hands resting on my knees as he met my gaze, "I don’t expect you to forgive me right away but Emma, you have to understand, leaving The Collective wasn’t easy. I severed all ties to them, I walked away and I made sure they could never come near me again."

I searched his eyes for any sign of doubt, "Are you sure? Are you really free of them?"

"Yes," he said without hesitation, "They have no hold over me anymore and I will never let them hurt you again."

I let out a slow, unsteady breath, "Right now, I don’t know what to do with all of this information but I do know one thing, I have a mission."

Jeff frowned, "What mission?"

I met his gaze, "Dealing with Sam."

Jeff let out a quiet sigh, "And after that?"

I hesitated before answering, "After that, I’ll decide how I feel about you lying to me."

Jeff’s expression darkened slightly, but he nodded, "Fair enough."

Silence stretched between us, heavy and unspoken. My world had just shifted again, but I couldn’t fall apart.

Not yet.

Because before I could decide how I felt about Jeff’s past, I had to face Sam.

And that battle was only beginning.

^^^^^^^^^_^

For a few blissful days, everything was quiet. Too quiet.

After my confrontation with Sam, I had expected another strike, another calculated move meant to ruin Jeff and me, but nothing came.

No legal maneuvers, no threats, no cryptic messages designed to get under our skin. It was as if Sam had decided to let us be and for the briefest moment, I allowed myself to believe that maybe, just maybe, he had changed his mind.

I should have known better.

The peace was shattered one morning when the news broke, rippling through every major media outlet like wildfire. Social media, television, newspapers, everywhere I turned, the same damning headline screamed at me:

“Jeff Anderson Exposed: Former Leader of International Crime Syndicate, The Collective!”

My stomach clenched as I skimmed through article after article, each one worse than the last. Some called him a fraud, others a master manipulator who had hidden his criminal past behind the pristine image of a powerful CEO.

There were speculations, accusations, whispers of underground dealings and secret connections. People who had once admired him were now calling for his resignation, demanding justice for crimes he had never even committed.

I looked up from my phone, my pulse hammering against my ribs. Across the room, Jeff stood by the window, his posture stiff, his face unreadable.

His phone lay on his desk, vibrating every few seconds with incoming calls from investors, board members, and journalists. He hadn’t answered a single one.

“Jeff…” I began, hesitant.

“I knew this was coming.” He said quietly, his voice devoid of emotion.

I swallowed, “You knew Sam would do this?”

“I didn’t know when.” He admitted, finally turning to face me. His eyes, usually sharp and controlled, held a flicker of something else, something dangerously close to regret, “But I knew he would use my past against me, it was only a matter of time.”

I exhaled, running a hand through my hair, “Jeff, The Collective is, was, notorious. No one ever knew who its leaders were, people only knew the name and the destruction left in its wake. And now, your name is being tied to it.”

Jeff’s jaw clenched, his fists tightening at his sides, “I walked away from that life a long time ago. It’s over.”

“Maybe, but the world doesn’t see it that way.” I took a step closer, searching his face. “They see a businessman who built an empire on deception. They see a man who had everything, power, money, influence and wonder how much of it was tainted.”

He didn’t respond, but I could see the war raging inside him. And then, as if the universe wanted to remind us that things could always get worse, his phone lit up again.

The board had summoned him.

The tension in the boardroom was suffocating.

I sat beside Jeff at the long, polished mahogany table, my hands clasped tightly in my lap.

Around us, the members of the board, seasoned business executives, most of whom had been with the company since Jeff’s father built it, looked at him with expressions ranging from disappointment to outright fury.

At the head of the table, Mr. Whitmore, the eldest and most influential member, tossed a newspaper onto the table. The front page bore Jeff’s face, a stark contrast to the bold headline branding him a criminal.

“This,” Whitmore snapped, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade, “is a disaster.”

Jeff didn’t flinch, “I assume you’ve all seen the reports.”

“Seen them?” One of the younger board members, Mr. Carlson, let out a bitter laugh, “They’re all anyone is talking about. We’ve lost nearly a quarter of our stock value in less than twenty-four hours. Investors are in a frenzy, we’re hemorrhaging money Jeff.”

Mrs. Langley, one of the more diplomatic board members, leaned forward, her expression grave, “Clients are threatening to sever ties, some already have. The damage to our reputation is staggering.”

Jeff remained composed, his expression giving nothing away, “I understand the severity of the situation.”

“No Jeff,” Whitmore said coldly, “I don’t think you do.”

He steepled his fingers, his gaze drilling into Jeff, “This company was built on integrity. Your father spent decades cultivating a reputation of trust and respect and now, because of your past, we are on the verge of collapse.”

Jeff exhaled, slow and controlled, “You’re overreacting.”

“Overreacting?” Whitmore’s voice rose, his face reddening, “The world now knows that our CEO was once linked to an international crime syndicate. Do you have any idea what that means for us? For the future of this company?”

I glanced at Jeff, willing him to say something to ease the situation. Instead, he remained silent, his hands resting calmly on the table.

Another board member, Mr. Reynolds, scoffed, “You should have disclosed this Jeff. Your past affiliations…. ”

“I cut ties with The Collective long ago,” Jeff interrupted, his tone sharp, “I have never used my connection to them to further this company.”

“But you lied,” Langley interjected, her tone softer but no less firm, “If we had known….”

“What would you have done?” Jeff challenged, his piercing gaze sweeping across the room, “Would you have refused to work with me? Because let’s not pretend that this company hasn’t thrived under my leadership. Every decision I made, every risk I took, it was for the success of this company.”

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them.

Finally, Whitmore spoke, his voice low and deliberate, “This isn’t about your achievements Jeff. It’s about the fact that this company’s name is now being dragged through the mud because of you. We cannot afford that.”

Jeff leaned forward slightly, his presence dominating, “So what’s your solution? You want me to step down?”

The tension thickened.

“We are considering all options,” Langley said carefully, her eyes betraying sympathy, “Including a transition of leadership.”

Jeff let out a humorless laugh, “You think replacing me is going to fix this?” He leaned back, shaking his head, “That would be the worst move you could make. The moment I step down, it’ll be seen as an admission of guilt and if you think investors are panicking now, just wait until they see instability at the top.”

A murmur rippled through the room. Even those who had been against him seemed to hesitate.

“The only way to fix this is to face it head-on,” Jeff continued, his voice unwavering, “I am not the man I was a year ago and I will not let one man’s vendetta destroy everything we’ve built.”

The room was thick with unspoken words.

Finally, Whitmore exhaled, rubbing his temples, “Jeff, the board has to think about what’s best for this company.”

“And I am what’s best for this company,” Jeff said, his tone absolute, “I built this empire, I will not let it fall.”

Another heavy silence.

Finally, after a long moment, Whitmore sighed, “Fine. You have time to fix this but hear me, Jeff, if things don’t improve, we will take action.”

Jeff nodded once, his face unreadable, “Understood.”

The meeting adjourned, and one by one, the board members filed out.

I remained seated, my pulse still racing.

Jeff sat beside me, unmoving.

“They were really going to force you out.” I said finally, my voice quiet.

“They still might,” he admitted, rubbing a hand over his jaw, “But I won’t let them.”

I exhaled slowly, “Sam really went for the kill this time.”

Jeff met my gaze, his eyes dark with resolve, “He wanted to break me.” His fingers tightened around mine, “But he won’t.”

I nodded, but deep down, a cold sense of unease settled in my chest.

Sam had drawn first blood.

And I had a feeling he wasn’t finished yet.