Page 315 of Hateful Games

“You could’ve told me over the phone,” I jeer, arching an eyebrow. Taking a seat across from him to show I’m not intimidated, I smirk. “Perhaps when you sent the text.”

My father follows suit, settling on the chair to my left. “What was so important you had to call us in the middle of the day?”

“I’m afraid the time has come to balance the scales and end the corrupt reign of the D’Cruz legacy, men,” he announces bluntly and slides one file to each of us. His tone is all businesslike as he delivers his threat. With the readiness of a manipulative man plotting for years. The room filling with his smugness. “You, Danish, will sign The Cruz Port over to me, while your son will resign from the CEO position and both your shares will be sold to me. If you both say no, Danish, then the information in the files in your hands will be made public tomorrow, along with a copy sent to the CBI.”

His words ring in my ears while my eyes read the dump of confidential information in my hands as I flip through the pages. I don’t want to believe what I’m seeing, but the truth slaps me in the face that my instincts were right all along. Though, it’s far too late.

Mihir’s been stealing my clients.

The file holds every single detail about the Middle East project I’ve been keeping on the down-low. The secret location of my team where they’ve been working for the past few months.

“There’s more where that came from, Nova. I have access to every deal your company’s ever done and will be doing. Whatever decision you make, they’ll all be mine regardless,” Mihir informs me before laughing evilly. “Although you might be wondering how I got my hands on it.”

My father isn’t faring any better, his face ashen as he stares at his lap. I catch a sight of the photos he’s looking at but can’t make them out. What does Mihir have on him?

Someone inside my company has been sabotaging me and it isn’t my fucking former assistant, who I last checked was in jail. Mihir must’ve paid off a higher-up in my company, who leaked all the sensitive information to him, thus ruining me and my firm’s reputation.

But who would be foolish or daring enough to go against me?

As if I summoned the traitor, the door creaks open from behind me.

The figure walks past my side to face me beside a smug-looking Mihir.

I stare into my wife’s dark eyes.

Chapter Eighty

Nova

The woman before me isn’t my Rose.

It can’t be.

While my wife held mischief, fire, and longing filled with love, this one could chill the hottest of deserts with her iciness. I would even welcome the one that hated me with a passion, but not this version of her.

A hollow and indifferent shell.

What did you do, Rose?

Her eyes stare at me, but they slice right through me. My brain is all frazzled, unable to comprehend the sudden ocean wide distance between us. I’m seconds away from ripping from the chair and yanking her closer when Mihir’s voice breaks my trance.

By some miracle, I suppress the urge and become alert.

My subconscious aware that my world is about to be ripped into shreds.

In a way I’ll never be able to repair.

“I’m glad you could join us, Rosalie.” He smiles at her proudly. I stare unblinking when she responds with one of her own and curls her hand over his shoulder. His gaze cuts to mine, flashing a mocking look. “You must have a lot of questions, Nova. Don’t worry, you’ll get all your answers. Though I believe you’re smart enough to put two and two together.”

My whole body vibrates, wishing this is a nightmare and I’ll wake up.

The last few months flashes before my eyes, the way a dying man’s life does, as I attempt to form an explanation for why Rosalie would willingly stand by her abusive father’s side.

Was it all a farce?

An act to fool and trap me?

“Rosalie?” my father says. The lingering sting of betrayal evident after he welcomed her with open arms. “What’s going on?”

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