Chapter 11 – Plotting Over Relaxing
I stared at the news headlines and watched as Jack made a fool of himself on national television. He was yelling, unhinged, spiraling… and it made me happy.
“I’m glad you were able to get the video,” I said, crossing my legs as I took a sip of wine.
Ryder smirked, lounging across from me with a half-buttoned shirt and eyes that glittered with danger.
“I can get you anything you want, Darling. All you have to do is ask.”
He stood, offering me his hand, and led me upstairs.
The bedroom he gave me was twice the size of what I used to have in Jack’s house. There was a walk-in closet filled with outfits in my size, perfumes I used to love, even a faint scent of lilac in the air. Everything had been tailored for me-like he’d always known I would return.
I walked to the balcony, pushed open the glass doors, and inhaled deeply. For the first time in three years, the air didn’t feel like poison.
It felt like freedom.
I turned back to Ryder, my eyes misty but clear.
“Thank you.”
He shook his head. “No, Gwen. If you didn’t save me that night, we wouldn’t be here. I owe you my life. This is only the beginning of paying it back.”
“Rest up. I’ll come get you at dinner,” he added, then disappeared down the hallway.
The room fell silent, just the sound of the sea breeze against the balcony glass.
I took a shower in a hot bubble bath and sighed softly. I could get used to a luxury like this.
When I was done bathing I stood before a mirror and I looked at my body. I saw the scar below my abdomen, it was like a painful reminder of what I’ve lost.
Holding back the anger rising in my chest, I got dressed and went to meet Ryder.
He was sitting in the garden wearing an unbuttoned shirt. The breeze was blowing around him, luttering his shirt and hair.
paused in the doorway, breath catching in my throat. He was barefoot, shirt half-open, the breeze playing in his hair like it belonged there. He looked like sin sculpted into a man.
‘You’re outside? I told you to rest,” he said.
gulped softly, swallowing the drool I had gotten upon seeing him like that.
‘I couldn’t sleep. Not when I haven’t finalized the plan on how to deal with Jack next,” I answered.
‘Darling, we have all the time to strike, right now you need to rest,” he said to me.
I shook my head, “I can’t rest. I need to start working on how to get rid of him. He’s ruined my life so badly, I’m not going to let him get a moment of peace.”
Ryder nodded, “Alright. What do you have in mind?”
“What’s the update on Jack’s company?” I asked.
“His company would have almost gone bankrupt but he forced his board members not to sell any shares and now Cara’s parents are backing him,” Ryder answered.
“Cara’s parents helped him?” I asked through gritted teeth.
Ryder nodded, “Yeah but the company isn’t completely secured yet.”
“I want to buy all the shares in his company, I want to own the major shares so I can secretly be the major shareholder and CEO,” I stated.
“I can get that done. We just need to pay a visit to the board members and coax them to give up their shares,” Ryder said.
I smiled, “Thank you so much, Ryder, I don’t know what I would have done without you.” “Darling, stop thanking me. I’d do anything for you,” Ryder said to me.
Just then a man arrived and whispered something in Ryder’s ears.
The man was the same man who had picked me up from the airport.
Ryder frowned when he heard what the man had to say. Then he waved him off.
When the man left I turned to Ryder with a frown.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“It seems that it may require a lot more persistence to get the shares we want,” Ryder answered. “Why?” I asked.
I didn’t have patience. I wanted the power to deal with Jack.
“Cara’s parents seem to have struck a deal with a Chinese investor who is willing to pour in millions of dollars into Jack’s company,” Ryder replied.
I frowned, tapping my chin when suddenly an idea popped in my head and I smiled widely.
“I have an idea, Ryder, and it will require a trip to China,” I grinned.
