Love's Bitter Edge (Eva and Leonard)

From just a few sentences, I could tell how terrifying that moment must have been. But questions swirled in my mind.

Leonard would never let anything happen to his child, and Amelia wouldn't either. So, how did Luca manage to take the kid? If I remembered correctly, the child was old enough to walk and run around. This wasn't something as simple as snatching a baby. What was more, why was Amelia the only one there? And why did she end up pushing Luca off a building?

The puzzle pieces in my head began to fall into place, forming a darker truth. I couldn't shake the suspicion that Luca had been framed. Someone might have gone to extreme lengths to secure the position as heir.

Zack's next words confirmed my theory. "Leonard proposed to Amelia. Right after, she was taken to the police station. It caused quite a stir. Did you hear about it?"

I shook my head. I hadn't kept up with the news at home for a long time. Since I was "dead", it seemed only right to stay invisible and avoid reopening any old wounds-especially those that involved Leonard.

Zack arched a brow but didn't push further. "Doesn't matter. It's got nothing to do with you anyway. And from the looks of it, you're doing pretty well here in Erewhon. Give it a few years, and you can probably go back without anyone remembering what happened." He shrugged, a grin playing on his lips. "Julian's dying for you to visit and meet the baby, though."

I sighed, raising my glass. Just as I took a sip, someone bumped into me, spilling a bit of wine.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to," came a slurred apology.

It was Thomas, who was clearly drunk. His bleary eyes squinted at me. "Rinatta?"

I gave him a polite nod and quickly signaled to an attendant, "This gentleman belongs to that table. Can you help him back over?"

Thomas, too intoxicated to argue, allowed himself to be guided away. But not before throwing me a few lingering glances.

Zack, watching the scene, quirked a brow. "Are you not going to say hi?"

I gave a sheepish smile. "Let's find somewhere else to talk?"

I had no interest in sticking around for more of Mackenzie's passive-aggressive jabs. Leaving the bar seemed like the best option.

...

The next morning at work, Mr.

Finnley came rushing over, excitement lighting up his face. "Rinatta, the folks from Gray Realty are here. They're interested in your design proposal!"

Hearing that, my own excitement sparked. Gray Realty was a major player in Erewhon. If we could land a deal with them, the long-term benefits would be enormous.

I had reached out to them on my own initiative a while back, but their response had been lukewarm at best. Now that they'd come to us, it was a golden opportunity.

Looking visibly hungover, Mackenzie overheard and immediately inserted herself into the conversation. "Gray Realty? Let me handle this," she said, trying to sound authoritative. "It's just a design project. Rinatta can prep the materials, and I'll present them."

Her condescending tone made it sound like I was her assistant.

This time, I didn't need to argue. Mr. Finnley cut her off firmly, "No way. This project isn't for you."Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

He turned to me. "Rinatta, get everything ready. The meeting's in ten minutes."

Ignoring Mackenzie's sour

expression, I went straight to my

desk to prepare. Gray Realty was far too important, and Mr. Finnley wouldn't risk switching presenters at this stage.

When I arrived in the meeting room, though, Mackenzie was already seated in the middle, acting as if she were in charge. I simply smiled, shook my head, and walked to the front. "Thank you for coming today," I began, addressing the Gray Realty team. "It's an honor to discuss this collaboration. I've prepared a design proposal tailored to your needs."

I clicked to open the presentation, and the screen lit up.

What appeared wasn't my proposal, though. Instead, it was a slideshow of photos from last night-photos of me and Zack at the bar, looking far too cozy to explain away. The room collectively gasped. I froze, my mind racing as I stared at the screen. Who had done this? And how did they get these photos?