“Absolutely,” Kyla responded with a smile that seemed warm, handing him a glass of water. “Drink this. It’ll calm your nerves.”
Without hesitation, Ryder accepted the glass and drank it down in one steady gulp.
Unbeknownst to him, Kyla had slipped a deadly, untraceable poison into the water.
The poison took effect swiftly. Ryder grasped his chest in agony, his face contorting in shock, before he crumpled to the floor in a heap. Kyla watched his convulsing body with a cold, emotionless gaze.
“Dispose of this,” she commanded her team, her voice void of warmth.
Her subordinates quickly removed Ryder’s body, erasing all traces of the incident. After adjusting her attire as if nothing had happened, Kyla made her way to Noah.
“Are you still searching for her?” she asked, entering Noah’s study with a false concern laced with hidden intent.
Noah, haggard and with worry etched into his face, looked up. “Kyla, hello,” he said weakly, overwhelmed by fatigue.
“Let her go, Noah,” Kyla said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Weren’t you two heading toward a divorce anyway? Maybe it’s for the best if she just disappears.”
“Enough!” Noah exclaimed, standing abruptly and shoving Kyla back. His eyes blazed with rage. “You don’t understand anything!”
Kyla staggered from the push, anger flashing in her eyes, but she quickly masked it with a hurt expression.
“Why are you so harsh with me?” she asked, feigning distress. “I’m just worried about you…”
“Get the fuck out!” Noah shouted, pointing toward the door, his voice thunderous.
However, Kyla wasn’t easily dismissed. She left the study and hurried to find Isabel.
Tears streamed down Kyla’s face as she pleaded, “Mrs. Wall, you have to talk to Noah! He’s losing his mind over Sadie!”
Already predisposed against Sadie, Isabel’s irritation deepened after hearing Kyla’s words.
“Trouble seems to follow that woman wherever she goes!” Isabel erupted, slamming her hand on the table in anger before storming off to find Noah.
“Sign this, Noah!” She threw the divorce papers at him, her voice firm and commanding. “You’re done with her after this.”
Noah glanced at the divorce papers, a mix of emotions crossing his face, but he remained silent.
“What are you thinking?” Isabel’s voice grew harsher as she saw his reluctance to sign. “Are you really going to disregard my advice because of her?”
Noah remained silent, visibly torn by his decision.
“Just look at what she’s done to you!” Isabel’s words dripped with disappointment as she observed his conflicted demeanor. “You’re letting her destroy you.”
“Mom, I don’t want to talk about this right now,” Noah murmured, massaging his temples, his voice tired.
“This needs to be discussed now. Your negligence at work, the past scandals-have you forgotten them all?” Isabel pressed, her voice sharp and filled with disdain for Sadie.
“Those issues are behind us, Mom,” Noah replied dismissively.
“Behind us? Do you realize the embarrassment she’s caused the Wall family?” Isabel was furious. “I’ve always said she wasn’t right for you. Kyla is everything Sadie is not-kind, moral, well-educated. How can Sadie compare?”
“Mom, about Kyla and me…” Noah began, clearly conflicted.
“You and Kyla belong together. It’s a blessing that Sadie is out of the picture. She was nothing but a hindrance!” Isabel insisted firmly. “Now, sign these papers and marry Kyla. Do it quickly!”
“I need to deal with something urgent right now, Mom. We can talk about the divorce later,” Noah responded, standing up to leave.
“Noah…” Isabel started, but he had already exited the room, leaving her alone with her frustrations.
Noah slouched in his office chair at Wall Group, overwhelmed by a sense of defeat. The people he had sent to search for Sadie had returned with no updates.
“Where could you possibly be, Sadie?” he muttered to himself.
Had she really managed to leave the city? Given her limited resources, escaping so quickly seemed unlikely. Perhaps she had help.
Suddenly, an idea struck him. Alex must be involved.
Springing from his chair, Noah grabbed his coat and rushed out.
Arriving at Howe Manor, he found it eerily quiet.
“Mr. Howe left for a business trip days ago,” the butler explained, his face marked with unease.
“Days ago?” Noah’s heart sank. His lead had vanished. It felt as if Sadie had disappeared from the world.
“Damn it!” he cursed under his breath, pounding his fist against a nearby surface, frustration boiling over.
Later, in the dim lighting of a local bar, Noah sought solace in drink after drink. The alcohol dulled both his senses and his heart. Visions of Sadie, sometimes smiling softly, sometimes resolute in her departure, haunted him.
“Sadie…” he whispered, his voice raw with emotion.
“Noah?” The soft inquiry came from nearby.
Kyla approached, her presence marked by a subtle fragrance. She steadied the drunken Noah, a glimmer of triumph in her eyes.
“What are you doing here?” Noah asked, struggling to focus his eyes.
“I’ve come to take you home,” Kyla replied, her smile gentle as she led him outside.
Once inside a hotel room, Kyla eased Noah onto the bed. Looking at his face, she felt a surge of excitement she couldn’t contain. She began unbuttoning his shirt, leaning in close.
“Sadie…” Noah mumbled, still calling another woman’s name.
“Noah, it’s me,” Kyla whispered, panic flickering in her eyes.
As Noah’s clarity returned, he recoiled and shoved her away, his expression filled with disgust.
Kyla’s face turned pale, her eyes flashing with anger. “It’s me, Kyla, Noah,” she said, stepping closer to him again.
“Leave now!” Noah’s voice was cold, rejecting her again.
Kyla stood there reeling from the rejection, her eyes burning with fury. She hadn’t expected that even now, Noah’s heart was still with Sadie.
With a furious glare, she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
In her car, Kyla slammed the door, her frustration boiling over. She hit the steering wheel hard, her nails threatening to pierce the leather.
“Damn you, Noah!” she muttered under her breath.
His thoughts were still with Sadie, not with her.
Kyla couldn’t come to terms with it. Why couldn’t he see her instead? Why did all his affection belong to Sadie alone? Why was she constantly overshadowed by Sadie?
Kyla inhaled deeply, attempting to calm her pounding heart. She reminded herself to maintain composure.
To her, Sadie’s disappearance was a stroke of luck. If Sadie remained out of the picture, Kyla was convinced she stood a chance.
She was determined to prove to Noah that she was a more suitable partner than Sadie.
Her plan was to erase Sadie from his heart and make him love her. Determination welled up in Kyla’s eyes, and a confident smile began to form on her lips. She ignited the car’s engine and accelerated away from the hotel.
In Cairhienen, another country, the sun cast a brilliant glow. From the floor-to-ceiling windows, the skyline with its towering skyscrapers and the lively streets below portrayed a vibrant urban life. Standing by the window, Sadie drew in a breath of the fresh air, feeling an overwhelming sense of relief and liberation.
She turned to survey her modest, yet tastefully decorated apartment, a slight smile playing on her lips. This was the space she had secured on her own; it was small, but it felt like home. Here, she could begin anew and embrace her true self.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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