Arabella stood at the window of her bedroom, watching the rain slide in slow trails down the glass. The morning was quiet—eerily so. Nathaniel hadn't come to bed the previous night, and she hadn't asked why. She didn't need to. Silence had said more than words ever could.
She wasn't angry—not entirely. But she was tired. Tired of the secrets. Tired of the weight of other people's mistakes. She had promised Nathaniel she wouldn't walk away if he was honest. But the burden of honesty came with consequences neither of them were fully prepared for.
A soft knock on her door stirred her from her thoughts.
"Come in," she said.
It was Elina, holding a tray of breakfast. Her eyes swept over Arabella's pale face and distant gaze.
"You didn't sleep," Elina noted softly.
Arabella gave her a faint smile. "I'm not sure sleep would've helped."
Elina set the tray down. "You're strong, you know. Most people would've collapsed under half of what you're dealing with."
"Strong doesn't mean unbreakable."
"No," Elina agreed. "But it means you know how to bend without shattering."
Arabella sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. "Nathaniel promised to tell me everything. And I believe he wants to… but that doesn't erase the damage already done."
Elina hesitated before speaking again. "And Liam? Have you decided what to do about him?"
That name made Arabella flinch, just slightly. "He's complicated. There's something in him that's… familiar. Dangerous, but protective in his own twisted way."
"You don't love him," Elina said with certainty.
Arabella looked up, meeting her friend's eyes. "No. But he sees the parts of me Nathaniel refuses to look at."
"And yet, you still want Nathaniel to see you."
That truth settled in the air like a stone between them. Elina squeezed her hand gently before stepping back.
"I'll be downstairs if you need me."
When Arabella finally made her way into the main hall, she found Nathaniel in his study. The door was partially open, and she heard the low tones of a phone call. His voice was clipped, irritated.
"I don't care if he owns thirty percent of the stock, if he tries to interfere again, I'll burn his entire legacy down."
There was a pause.
"No, I don't need you to remind me what's at stake. Just handle it."
He ended the call with a sharp tap of the receiver. Arabella stepped into the doorway.
"Something wrong?"
Nathaniel looked up. His expression softened only slightly. "Just corporate politics. Nothing you need to worry about."
"I'd like to decide that for myself."
He tilted his head, watching her carefully. "You look tired."
"I feel it."
He stood, walked toward her, but stopped a few steps away. "About last night—"
"I don't want another apology," she interrupted. "I want action. You said you'd tell me the truth."
"I will. I've already arranged for all the internal reports regarding Helena's operations. You'll have access to everything."
"That's a start," she said quietly.
He moved closer. "But?"
Arabella met his gaze. "But you're still hiding something. Not about Helena. About you. About why you're afraid of letting me in."
His jaw clenched. "It's not fear. It's control. I spent my whole life building walls because that's how you survive in my world. I didn't know how to be vulnerable until you."
"Then be vulnerable," she said, voice trembling. "Be real. With me."
For a long moment, Nathaniel said nothing. Then he reached for her hand.
"I'm trying."
She nodded slowly, accepting that small crack in his armor as the progress it was. But just as the moment seemed to soften, a knock came at the front door.
Elina's voice floated in from the foyer. "Arabella, someone's here to see you!"
Arabella frowned and stepped out, finding Elina standing awkwardly near the entryway… and beside her, dressed in dark slacks and a fitted coat, was Liam Marcellus.
Of course.
"Good morning," he said with a slow smile, eyes flickering between her and Nathaniel who had followed closely behind. "Hope I'm not interrupting."
Nathaniel's expression turned to stone. "What are you doing here?"
"I have something for Arabella. A private matter." He turned to her. "May I?"
Arabella hesitated, feeling Nathaniel's presence bristle beside her like a shield ready to strike.
"It's okay," she said. "We can talk in the garden."
Nathaniel stepped forward. "Whatever you need to say, you can say in front of me."
Liam chuckled lowly. "Still possessive, I see. But no, this is between Arabella and me."
She turned to Nathaniel. "Please."
His lips thinned, but he stepped back. "Five minutes."
Outside, the garden was damp with morning dew, the sky still gray with mist. Liam walked beside her, hands in his coat pockets.
"You're not afraid of pushing him, are you?" he asked.
"I'm tired of living in fear."
He nodded approvingly. "Good. Because what I have to show you might push him over the edge."
Arabella paused. "What is it now?"
Liam pulled a flash drive from his pocket. "Helena's been making side deals with a foreign investor—a man known for laundering money through corporate real estate. She's trying to secure power in case Nathaniel decides to turn on her. This is bigger than just forged contracts, Arabella. This is about control of King Enterprises."
She stared at the flash drive in his hand. "Why are you giving me this?"
"Because I want you to know the full truth. And because if war breaks out in that empire, you need to be ready to choose a side."
She took the flash drive. "I'm not choosing between you and Nathaniel."
Liam leaned in closer, eyes burning. "You already have. You just haven't said it out loud yet."
Before she could respond, Nathaniel appeared at the garden's edge, arms crossed. The tension between the two men rippled like a storm.
"Time's up," he said coldly.
Liam looked at Arabella one last time. "Don't wait too long to decide, Arabella. You're playing a dangerous game."
He left without another word.
Nathaniel stalked up beside her. "What did he want?"
She held up the flash drive. "Evidence. About Helena. About what's really happening in your company."
His jaw tensed. "You don't need him. You have me."
"Then act like it," she snapped. "Stop treating me like someone you need to protect from the truth. I need to know everything if I'm going to survive this. If we're going to survive this."
Nathaniel's eyes darkened with something primal—jealousy, maybe, or fear. But he didn't argue. He reached out and gently took the flash drive from her hands.
"Then let's face it together."
For the first time, Arabella saw the truth in his gaze—not dominance, not pride, but genuine, shaken emotion. He was jealous. Not just of Liam—but of anyone who might take her away from him.
The billionaire's armor was cracking.
And in that crack… was a man she might finally begin to understand.
Nathaniel didn't say anything as they walked back inside. He still held the flash drive in one hand, his grip tight, knuckles pale. Arabella walked beside him, aware of the tension simmering beneath his calm surface.
They entered his study, and he closed the door behind them. The silence was thick as he walked over to his desk and inserted the flash drive into his encrypted laptop.
Arabella watched the screen over his shoulder, her heart pounding as folder after folder appeared. Names. Dates. Account numbers. Offshore transactions. Helena's digital fingerprints were all over them.
"This… this could ruin her," Arabella whispered.
"No," Nathaniel corrected, his voice low and dangerous. "This will destroy her. And if Liam has this, it means Helena's already exposed. She'll retaliate. She won't go down quietly."
Arabella took a shaky breath. "Then we need to act before she does."
He turned to her, surprise flickering across his face. "We?"
"Yes, Nathaniel. We. If you're going to fight this battle, I'm not going to watch from the sidelines. Not anymore."
A beat passed. Then he reached out and gently touched her face, his thumb brushing her cheek. "I don't deserve you."
She caught his wrist. "Then prove you do."
He stared at her for a long moment before leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. It wasn't fiery or demanding—it was raw, grounded in a deeper connection they were just beginning to uncover.
Suddenly, the screen chimed. Nathaniel turned to see a new file loading—PRIVATE: KING ENTERPRISES INTERNAL BOARD STRATEGY – Helena Montgomery.
He opened it. The first few lines were chilling:
> Phase One: Discredit Arabella.
Phase Two: Frame Nathaniel for financial fraud.
Phase Three: Assume full control.
Arabella stepped back. "She wants to destroy both of us."
Nathaniel's hands balled into fists. "Not if I destroy her first."
But Arabella placed a hand on his arm. "No. Not like this. If you retaliate the way she expects, you'll fall right into her trap. We need to be smarter."
He looked at her, eyes dark with emotion. "I'm not used to letting others lead. I've always fought my battles alone."
Arabella stepped closer. "You don't have to anymore."
Another soft chime came from his phone. Nathaniel glanced at the screen—BOARD MEETING MOVED: EMERGENCY SESSION CALLED BY HELENA.
Arabella's eyes narrowed. "She's moving faster than we thought."
He nodded. "She's scared. She knows someone leaked the files."
"Then we have one chance to beat her at her own game."
Nathaniel looked at her with new clarity. "You want to go with me?"
She met his gaze steadily. "This is my fight too."
A long silence passed. Then, slowly, he smiled.
"You amaze me, Arabella."
She gave a faint smile back. "Let's keep Helena guessing."
---
The boardroom was a warzone dressed in suits and marble walls.
Arabella stood at Nathaniel's side, dressed sharply in a dark green pantsuit that gave her the poise of a queen. Heads turned as she entered beside him—some in shock, others in suspicion. But one face held no surprise—Helena's.
She sat at the far end of the table, cool and composed, but her eyes narrowed at the sight of Arabella. "Didn't expect to see your little wife here, Nathaniel."
"She's not here as my wife," Nathaniel replied smoothly. "She's here as a partner. In business. And in battle."
Murmurs swept the room.
Arabella met Helena's gaze with calm defiance. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Helena."
"Likewise," Helena said sweetly, though venom laced her tone. "Though you may be a little out of your depth."
"I doubt that," Arabella replied with a polite smile. "In fact, I've come across some very enlightening documents lately. About off-the-books dealings with foreign investors."
Helena stiffened slightly, but recovered quickly. "Those are baseless accusations."
Nathaniel stepped in. "We have enough evidence to open a federal investigation. But I'd rather settle this internally. You resign quietly—no police, no scandal."
Helena laughed. "You've always been sentimental, Nathaniel. That's why you're weak. And if you think I'm going down because your new plaything dug up a few files, you're wrong."
Arabella leaned forward. "The only weak one here is the woman who hides behind manipulation and threats because she knows she's already lost."
Gasps echoed across the table.
Helena stood abruptly. "You think I'm afraid of you? You think anyone here believes you?"
Arabella reached into her briefcase and slid a printed dossier across the table. "This is a copy of every transaction tied to your name. Including the ones you tried to erase. Cross-referenced and verified. You underestimated me, Helena. That was your first mistake."
One of the board members picked up the file and flipped through it, frowning. Another followed.
Helena's confidence cracked.
Nathaniel watched silently, his hand brushing Arabella's under the table. Pride swelled in his chest.
"You'll regret this," Helena hissed.
"No," Arabella said calmly. "You'll regret ever thinking I was someone you could break."
---
Later that night, after Helena had stormed out and the board had unanimously agreed to begin an internal audit, Arabella stood on the rooftop terrace of King Enterprises. The city sparkled below like stars scattered across the earth.
Nathaniel joined her, silent for a moment before speaking.
"You were brilliant today."
Arabella smiled faintly. "I only did what had to be done."
"No," he said, stepping closer. "You did more. You saved me. You saved this company."
"I didn't do it for the company."
He turned her gently toward him. "Why did you do it?"
Arabella met his eyes, the wind tugging at her hair. "Because I love you. Even when I hate you. Even when you hurt me. I still love you."
His breath caught. "Arabella…"
"But I won't lose myself to love," she added. "I won't become invisible just to be beside you."
"You won't have to," he whispered. "You never did. I just didn't see you clearly. But I do now."
He cupped her face and kissed her—deep and tender, not just claiming her lips, but surrendering his soul.
And for the first time, there was no wall between them.
Only truth.
Only fire.
Only them.