Chapter 9
The following weeks passed in a blur. I buried myself in work at Verona Vogue, a fashion company known for its bold, cutting–edge designs. My days were filled with meetings, designs, showroom displays, and countless reports. It was easier to drown in tasks than
confront the shadow of Niklaus that loomed over me. I thought I’d left him behind that night, but I was wrong. He followed me–not physically, but digitally, stalking me on every social media platform I used.
One day, while finalizing a design proposal in my office, his name popped up on my
Facebook messenger.
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“Please, Rosalyn, let’s meet and talk.”
I scoffed and ignored it, my fingers stilling over the keyboard. What could we possibly talk about. That he owed Melanie everything and would always put her first? That he thought he could waltz back into my life whenever he wanted? I wasn‘ t falling for that again.
Thankfully, he never showed up at my house, something I silently thanked Abby for, considering she‘ d helped reinforce my boundaries. My workday continued without interruptions, and by late afternoon, I was in the showroom with a few colleagues,
finishing up the day’s displays. The
atmosphere was light–laughter, shared ideas, and the creative buzz of styling racks for the
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next collection. For a moment, I felt at peace.
When I finally returned to my office, I sat down to wrap up a few emails. Just as I was about shutting down my computer, there was a knock on my door.
“Come in,” I called absentmindedly.
The scent hit me first–deep and intoxicating, like cedar and musk. My head snapped up.
“Hello, mi amor,” Niklaus said, stepping inside with an unsettling confidence.
I froze, my heart pounding as I stared at him. Of course, he had somehow charmed his way past security. His status could unlock doors without effort. But I refused to let him see my unease. I leaned back in my chair, feigning indifference, my eyes returning to my laptop.
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He crossed the room, his every step deliberate, until he stood directly beside my desk. His gaze bore into me, but I refused to look at him. Instead, I focused on the screen in front of me, though my mind spiraled as his scent clouded my senses.
“Rosalyn,” he murmured, his voice soft yet piercing.
I slammed my hand on the desk. “Damn it, Niklaus, what do you want?” I snapped, shoving my chair back and standing.
“To talk,” he said simply, his tone almost pleading.
“Talk about what?” I threw my hands up. “How you’ve been parading around with Melanie while sending me cryptic messages? I
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can’t do this with you, Niklaus. Not
anymore.”
“You don’t mean that,” he said, stepping closer. His voice was quieter now, but I could hear the desperation in it. “You still care about me. I know you do.”
I shook my head, grabbing my purse.
“We’re done, Niklaus. I’m leaving.”
I pushed past him, but he followed like a relentless shadow, his footsteps echoing behind me. By the time I reached the parking lot, I could feel his presence like a weight on my shoulders.
When I stopped at the edge of the lot, he glanced around. “What happened to car?”
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“It’s not mine,” I said flatly, turning to
face him. “You got it for me, remember? I returned it to your family’s house a week ago.”
“What?” His brows furrowed in disbelief.
“Your mother didn’t tell you?” I tilted my
head.
“No. I haven’t seen her. I’ve been busy with Melanie, and-”
“Of course. Melanie.” My voice dripped with sarcasm. “Too busy to notice the obvious, right?”
“Rosalyn, I-
“Save it.
At that moment, a sleek black car pulled up.
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The driver’s door opened, and Charles stepped out, his warm smile immediately easing some of my tension.
“Hey, Rosalvn. Need a lift home?”
I nodded. “Yes, Charles. Thank you.”
Niklaus stiffened as Charles walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for
- me.
As I moved toward the car, Niklaus‘ s voice cut through the air. “Who’s that?” The
bitterness in his tone was unmistakable.
I glanced back, my lips curling into a smug smile. “He’s a good friend and colleague.”
Niklaus‘ s jaw tightened. “Taking a ride from a good–looking Canadian guy, huh?
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Why?”
‘Because he cares for me,” I said pointedly, watching the flicker of jealousy in his eyes.
“Why?” I voice dropped, his frustration palpable. “Are you two–timing now?”
“What?” I snapped, my voice rising.
He took a step back, shaking his head.
“Nothing.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Really? Are you accusing me of cheating on you back then, Niklaus? Now?”
“No,” he muttered, his voice low. “I just
“Listen,” I interrupted, my voice firm. “We’re done. I owe you nothing.”
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Chapter 9
“You kind of dumped me, Rosalyn, and I won’t accept that.”
“Well, you’ll have to deal with it the same way I’ve dlt with watching your public show with Melanie. Grow up.”
Without another glance, I climbed into Charles‘ s car, slamming the door shut.
As we drove off, I caught one last glimpse of Niklaus standing frozen in the parking lot, his hands balled into fists, his face dark with frustration.
