Chapter 101

~ Franklin ~

My mind was a jagged landscape of unanswered questions, and at the center of it all was that final, cryptic conversation with the private investigator.

"Drop the case, Mr. Flemington... for your own sake... drop it."

I snapped out of my trance, rubbing my temples until the skin burned. The words felt like a physical weight. I could still hear the tremor in his voice—the sound of a man who had seen something he wasn’t supposed to see.

He had been threatened; I was certain of it. But by whom? At the exact moment I was poised to unmask the person who had tried to dismantle my life with those photos, the door had been slammed in my face.

The coincidence was too sharp to ignore. Was the person behind the nude photos the same one who had pushed Octavia? Or were there two separate predators circling her, waiting for the perfect moment to strike? The thought that she was being hunted from multiple angles made my blood run cold. I ran my hands through my hair, my pulse thundering with a mixture of fear and white-hot fury.

I was sitting in my office, staring at a stack of documents I couldn’t bring myself to read, when a voice broke through the fog.

"Mr. Flemington...Mr. Flemington?"

I blinked, looking up to see Anthony, my secretary, standing in front of my desk with a look of quiet concern.

"I’ve been calling your name, sir," he said softly.

"Sorry, Anthony. I was...lost in thought."

"I understand," he said, nodding respectfully. "I heard the news about Mrs Flemington. I wanted to offer my sincerest wishes for her quick recovery. The whole office is rooting for her."

"Thank you, Anthony," I muttered, leaning back in my chair. "Did you have something for me?"

"Nova Corp called. They’re eager to discuss the next phase of the collaboration. I need your approval to schedule a time. Given the circumstances, I can push it to next week if you’re not up for it."

I stared at my desk. The world was still turning, even if mine had ground to a halt. I believe Octavia would want me to keep the firm steady; she would hate the idea of being the reason I let the Flemington legacy slip.

"No, it’s fine. Schedule it for one o’clock this afternoon. That’s two hours from now, right?" I glanced at my watch, the ticking of the seconds sounding like a countdown.

"Are you sure, Mr. Flemington?" Anthony clarified, lingering by the door.

"Yes. I need the distraction."

"Very well, sir." He turned to leave, but I stopped him.

"Anthony? Have you heard from that investigator lately? The one you helped me contact?"

Anthony looked puzzled. "How recently, sir?"

"The last few days. Has he reached out to the office or tried to bypass my personal line?"

"No, sir. The last time I spoke to him was weeks ago, when I first handed you his contact details. Is there a problem? Did he not deliver the results?"

I studied Anthony’s face, looking for any sign of hesitation, but there was none. "No problem. Just checking. Thank you, Anthony."

He nodded and left, closing the door with a soft click. I sat in the silence, the investigator’s warning echoing in my ears. If he hadn’t reached out to Anthony, he was truly trying to disappear.

Whoever had spooked him had done a thorough job.

The Nova Corp meeting was a blur of technical jargon and projected revenue charts. I performed my role with mechanical precision, answering questions and steering the conversation while my mind remained miles away in a quiet hospital room.

Once the boardroom cleared, I didn’t head back to my desk. I headed for the elevator. I needed to see her. On the way to Manhattan General, I had Walter pull over at a boutique flower shop downtown.

I stepped inside the fragrant, humid air and picked out a massive bouquet of orchids and sunflower—Octavia’s favorites.

As I walked out of the shop, adjusting the wrapped bouquet in my arms, I collided with someone coming from the opposite direction.

"Watch where you’re..." I started, then froze.

Standing before me, dressed in a sharp designer suit and a smirk that felt like a slap, was Bella Washington. My ex. The woman who had taught me exactly how much damage a person could do under the guise of love. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"Bella," I said, my voice turning to ice.

"My, my...what a pleasant surprise to see you, Franklin," she said, her eyes scanning me from head to toe. "It’s been quite a while."

"I can’t say the feeling is mutual," I replied, tightening my grip on the flowers. "Move aside, Bella. I’m in a hurry."

"Now, now. Why the cold shoulder? I’m sure you’ve heard the news... everyone has. I heard about what happened to Octavia. It’s so...tragic that she’s hospitalized."

She said the word ’tragic’ with all the sincerity of a shark. I narrowed my eyes. "I’m heading to the hospital now. So if you’ll excuse me."

"How have you been, Franklin? Since the breakup? You look...tired." She stepped forward, invading my personal space with that familiar, cloying perfume.

"Are you really going to ask that right now? On a busy street corner while my wife is in a coma?" I felt a surge of disgust.

"Duh. Yes," she said nonchalantly, a playful smile playing on her lips.

"Fine. To answer your question: I’ve been happy. Liberated. Every day without your games has been a blessing. I’ve never felt better than the moment I walked away from you."

Her smile faltered, her perfectly manicured brows drawing together.

"You don’t mean that, Franklin. You’re just hurting. We had something real."

"We had an illusion, Bella. And I’m done with magic tricks." I caught Walter’s eye across the street where he was waiting by the limo. I gestured for him, and he hurried over. "Take these to the car, Walter," I said, handing him the bouquet.

I checked my watch, dismissing her entirely. "I have to leave. I don’t have time for a walk down memory lane with someone I’d rather forget. Goodbye, Bella."

I started to walk away, but her voice caught me, ringing out over the noise of the traffic.

"I miss you, Franklin!"

A few passersby turned to look, their curiosity piqued by the scene. I paused, my back to her. I didn’t turn around. I knew exactly what she was doing. This was the opening act of a campaign to wiggle back into my life, to use me as a ladder now that her own reputation was likely stalling. She was a predator, and she smelled blood in the water now that Octavia was incapacitated.

"There isn’t a single day that passes where I don’t think of you," she called out, her voice dropping into a rehearsed, remorseful tone. "I miss us."

"Well," I said, speaking to the air in front of me, "it’s a shame I don’t feel the same. I don’t think of you at all, Bella. Not until you’re standing in my way."

I took a step forward, determined to put distance between us.

"I hope we meet again, Franklin! Somewhere more private than a sidewalk!"

"If we meet again, it will be across a boardroom table, and I will treat you with the same professional indifference I show any other rival. Goodbye, Bella."

I crossed the street without looking back, my heart thumping with a different kind of adrenaline. Entering the limo felt like stepping into a sanctuary. As Walter pulled away from the curb, I saw her in the rearview mirror, standing on the sidewalk and watching the car disappear.

I had been a fool for Bella Washington once.

I had let her vanity and her greed dictate my happiness. But as I looked at the the flowers sitting on the leather seat beside me, I knew I had learned my lesson. I wasn’t that man anymore. I was a man who belonged to someone else—someone who was currently fighting for her life.

"The hospital, Walter," I said, my voice steady. "And drive fast."

I had a war to fight on two fronts now: one against the shadow in the stairwell, and one against the ghosts of my past who thought they could find a way back in through the cracks. They were both going to be disappointed.