Kian's POV
It was six years ago.
That's to show how long it's been since the incident that led to her disappearance. It reminds me of how long since I stood there, mopping indecisively like a fool and never doing anything to stop her from walking away.
And right now?
She's obviously not the same woman I abandoned when she needed me the most. She's a full force now. A force to reckon on.
Amara Sinclair wasn't just a name; she's the CEO and brain behind Sinclair Holdings.
A woman full of power, and knows nothing but power. Talk of influence, she's a great force. She didn't just survive, she built an empire on her own.
And right now, I'm the one desperate for her help. Here I am knocking at her door for mercy.
This is a battle nobody prepared me for in this life. I was never ready for this unexpected turn in my life.
The car door shut loudly behind me, but my mind was elsewhere. The city was a blur of what it used to be outside the tinted windows since my encounter with Amara.
"Where are we heading to, sir?"
That was my driver, but I made no attempt to answer. I had managed to exit the office, but left my mind stuck there.
Talk of her voice, how collected her posture was, calm beyond word's description, and still unbothered by my presence.
Everything about her body language dictates that I never existed.
I leaned back, trying to gather my thoughts, the leather seat already uncomfortable, and the least I could do was closed my eyes.
How did she manage to build all that in just years? As little as six years? And from scratch, with nothing?
The Amara I knew was not without dreams, but I can't forget that the dreams had no resources to back them up. But now, when we meet again, I discover she's not just a big name, but she's sitting at the top of the food chain.
And for me, with all the powers and influence, here I am at her mercy, needing her help to survive.
It was until this moment that I discovered that shame has a bitter taste.
The irony is very painful, but that was the situation I found myself in.
I had foolishly abandoned her, turned my back on her when she needed me the most.
And now, the woman I treated like trash that l had walked away from, paid no attention to her needs, is the only one who determines what happens to my company; Donovan Tech.
I have labored sleeplessly to ensure Donovan Tech gets to the level it is right now, but unfortunately, it's slipping through my fingers and everything lost and forgotten, all thanks to just one bad merger and, instead of a board willing to help, they are ready to eat me alive.
And funny as it may be, Amara Sinclair happens to be the only person in the position and powerful enough to make that unusual change that would turn everything all around.
That is the most pathetic thing ever.
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My phone kept buzzing uncontrollably.
It was none other than Evelyn Donovan.
Of course, just like the perfect distraction she is, my mother has developed her senses to know when I'm no longer in charge.
I kept staring at the flashing screen of my phone. My thumb persistently hovers over the button to answer the call.
But yet, I made no attempt to pick it up.
Not today or all day at least.
I'm not prepared to hear her voice singing the reality of my situation to me, of how much of a failure I am.
And definitely, I am not prepared to explain anything to her.
I have come here for business, and should focus on that alone.
This visit was meant to be centered only on a merger discussion. Strictly business and professional, nothing attached again.
But how will that be possible when, all in my view, is a little boy running around in her office, a replica of me?
Jayden, her son.
But what is not clear to me is whether he is mine?
The resemblance can't be mistaken, it's too sharp to neglect. My mind, despite all the effort I pushed towards letting go, still didn't let go.
If he is truly mine, what would that even contribute now?
Would she ever permit me to play the loving role I should have been playing since?
Would any explanation even make me be?
Or would she recall everything that transpired, then slam the door brutally in my face without looking back, and this time, my offense would be deserving of it?
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I pulled out my phone again after it had stopped rigging.
Sinclair Holdings; a great empire.
I scrolled past different contracts. There were numerous partnerships. Profits skyrocketed higher than what most corporations realize, even for decades.
But how did that happen?
How did she manage to build such a massive empire, and all was done so quickly?
Did she get any help from anyone?
I paused as I observed a picture on the wall.
It was a charity gala. And Amara was radiating in an emerald dress, and beside her was a tall man with well-chased broad shoulders, his aura erasing confidence. His hand, which was one of the first things I observed about their closeness, was resting a little too comfortably on her lower back.
I stared furiously at the photo, and I discovered I had done that longer than I should and was expected of me.
Is he the one responsible for bringing him into this world, like his father?
Is he the one who was selfish enough to stand by her when I did nothing to keep her?
A sudden bitter taste started creeping into my taste buds.
I shouldn't care now since I wasn't there for her.
But unfortunately, I do.
Will this be classified as being jealous? Or should I term it curiosity?
What if she didn't stay single after leaving me, but got married?
Or she's probably engaged?
Would that be enough to explain the level of confidence and grace she carries?
Why should something as insignificant as that bother me?
But unfortunately, I don't even have an answer to that either, neither am I ready for the confrontation.
Business, that's what brought me here.
My focus should entirely be on the business that brought me here.
I opened my laptop for the seventh time. And all I could see were spreadsheets, projections, but none of them gave me joy, all of them were bleeding red. Donovan Tech is dangerously hanging by a tiny thread.
And funny enough, Amara holds the sharp scissors.
Would she forget about everything that happened and rescue me?
Or would she involve the horrible past she had with me, allow it to cloud her judgment?
I closed the laptop again even without handling what made me to open it. The questions seemed endless, but the answers which were supposed to give clarity aren't coming forth.
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I rubbed my temples nervously.
Just six years ago, things were done differently. I was the man in control, she had no say where I was. She was the one with big dreams, but, unfortunately, had no resources to back them up.
But now, the reverse is the case. Now I'm chasing her.
I can't decide what she does to me, and between needing the business help of someone I once treated badly, and desiring to know the truth about her son, Jayden.
Or the possibility that I rejected and abandoned her when I should have been her pillar, and now, another might have stepped into the vacuum I left behind.
For all I know, I will return tomorrow.
And in this tomorrow, I'll summon courage and face her again.
But I wouldn't want anything to jeopardize my business. Should it be business first, to set the ground running since everything and everyone are going against me?
Or should I demand the truth about that little boy?
But, what I can't decide on is which battle I'm more afraid to confront.
But even though I don't know which to handle first, I'm very sure of one thing: I'm never walking away again, but how will Amara react?
Will it affect my business deal with her?