Bonds

Chapter 111

-Alex’s POV-

My gaze locked onto him, unwavering. It felt like an eternity, my vision boring into his. Years of pent–up questions swirled within me, a relentless storm demanding answers. Why? Why did he have to take her away? There was no justification, no explanation that could erase the gaping hole her absence had ripped in my life. He’d murdered her in a fit of rage, his temper a monstrous beast that had devoured the one person who loved me unconditionally.

I stood there, the weight of that moment heavy on my shoulders. The urge to end his pathetic existence was a tangible presence, a tempting whisper in the back of my mind. Death, however, felt like a kindness he didn’t deserve. He needed to suffer, to drown in the guilt of his

actions.

With a final, steely glance, I turned on my heel and walked away. Silence followed in my wake, a deafening echo of the hollowness within me. He was dead to me in that moment, his existence erased from my consciousness.

The world blurred into a kaleidoscope of colors as I drove, my mind a chaotic mess. There was no destination in sight, only the desperate need to escape the suffocating weight of everything that had happened. The car rolled on autopilot, my senses numb, until I found myself staring at the imposing glass and steel edifying that housed Daniel Stone’s company.

Stepping out of the car, a strange stillness hung in the air. Every head in the vicinity swiveled towards me, a silent symphony of surprised murmurs. The receptionist, a woman with a perfectly manicured smile, started to open her mouth, but a single icy glare from me slammed it shut faster than a slammed door.

Without a word, I pushed past her and stormed into Daniel’s office. He sat behind his expansive desk, his big frame filling the space with an air of arrogant entitlement. His eyes narrowed in surprise at my arrival, the initial shock morphing into a smug smirk that stretched across his

face.

“Well, well,” he drawled, his voice laced with amusement. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit?”

spat,

smirk on his face widening further. “Is that so?” he chuckled, a humorless

now?”

pressed, my words clipped. “Tell me

laugh erupted from his throat, a hollow sound devoid of any genuine humor. “Finally decided you’re weak, have you? Come crawling back to

I held. But I forced myself to remain calm, to push down the urge to rip his throat out. “What will it take?” I repeated,

in the room crackled, thick enough to cut with a knife. My mind wandered, a memory from my childhood surfacing. My father’s words echoed in the recesses of my thoughts, each one a

anger.

source of all my problems from the very beginning. If he had just allowed me a normal childhood, the unconditional love of my mother by my side, I wouldn’t be

Chapter 111

be gone, my relationship with Adrian wouldn’t

all with

been the puppeteer, his twisted teachings still holding

were two sides of the same coin, a horrifying thought that made me clench my fists. But for now, I had to play

accept,” he drawled, the mockery dripping from his every

this pathetic power struggle, this need to be the one standing over a defeated enemy. Fine. If that’s the game he wanted

released the tension in my shoulders, the facade of barely contained fury replaced by a studied nonchalance. Glancing around his office, I spotted a glass cabinet tucked away in a corner, housing a collection of expensive–looking bottles. A slow, deliberate smile played on my lips as I strolled towards it, the

let out a low growl, the sound rumbling from his chest, but I ignored him completely. Reaching for the cabinet door, I swung it open, the clink of crystal against glass echoing in the tense atmosphere. My fingers brushed against

Perfect.

the bottle, I grabbed two crystal glasses from the shelf, their weight surprisingly light in my hand. As I turned back towards him, I could practically feel the heat of his glare burning into my back. But I held his gaze in a silent

pristine desk with a soft thud, I watched his reaction. His jaw clenched, the vein in his temple throbbing. with