CLAYTON'S P.O.V.

She didn't recognize me.

And I didn't know if I should be relieved or upset about it. It had been years, so long have I ached to have her in my arms again, but alas, I was nothing more than a stranger to her.

We've both changed; the years and life had taken a toll on us, but one thing was certain: my feelings for her never did.

Seeing Yvonne so broken, crying in the fúcking cold, made me want to strangle the bastard she, unfortunately, tethered herself to.

A long breath heaved out from me as I dragged a hand over my face. If only I had stayed...

I knew without a doubt that Edgar was the one who caused her pain last night. I could still feel Yvonne's hot tears soaking my shirt, her body shaking in mine as I held her. Pain, guilt, and plenty of other ugly feelings slithered across my spine and stabbed me right in that beating organ. It was too late to hold her, I should have done so sooner. I never should have left.

"Fuck" I muttered, sinking further into the leather chair.

The years had changed everything, but they changed nothing. She was married. Fucking married to a man who wasn't me, yet my reaction to her had been so overwhelming just like the first time we met. Just like those years ago, she had leaned into me and trusted me.

I wanted to take her back to my house. I wanted to soothe her, but once her tears subsided, Yvonne insisted I drop her off at her best friend's.

"You know," Thane drawled, his brooding gray eyes as assertive as usual, "I thought you came here to catch up. But it seems like you would rather brood all day. Is this because of the sudden decision to step out of the shadows and take over your company or something more...personal?"

I lifted one shoulder in a shrug, my eyes trained on the skyline behind him. "Just some though times. Who else would understand that better than you do?"

Thane and I had schooled together in London, and as only sons of wealthy families who would one day take over our companies in Seattle, we developed some kind of bond, only that I stayed in London longer than I should have.

Long enough for her to marry Edgar fúcking Baxter.

I shook my head, trying to organize my train of thought. "Forget about it," I said to Thane. "I came here for a reason- for you to fill me up on everything that happened in the Seattle business world while I was away. What changed? What's new?"

Thane didn't answer. He kept studying me, for any other person, his stare would be unnerving, but not me.

A smug smile curled on his lips "I know that look,"

I raised a brow. "What look?"

His half smile widened. "It's a woman, isn't it?"

I rubbed my fingers on my temple. Trust Thane Renihardt to see through a person like glass. With a long exhale, I agreed to his assessment. "And let's you are right. So what?"

His eyes crinkled with amusement, shoulders shaking with quiet laughter. "Clayton Voss. I had never seen you with a woman in all our years at Oxford. Who is she?"

He wasn't wrong. While we were at university, I'd had random flings, women whose names and faces I barely remember; I could never hold on to a serious relationship because all those women-they weren't her.

Even after she married Edgar, even after she wed someone else- Yvonne still stays at the center of my heart.

"Don't you have to take your wife to her ultrasound or something?" I deflected, steering the conversation in his direction instead.

Warmth I didn't know my friend capable of showing so openly flickered in his eyes

I was happy for him, at least he got to be with the woman he loves

We can't all be that lucky

Thane tilted his head slightly to the side and threw my question back with his question. "Are things that bad between you and her?"

"Oh, God. You won't let this drop will you?" I groaned

The side of his lips curled upwards. "It's only fair you tell me. You have no other friends here"

I leaned forward slightly "How far were you willing to go to get your wife back?"

His shoulders grew taut, eyes gleaming with a possessiveness I knew all too well.

"I was willing to do anything," Thane said without hesitation. " It didn't matter what I had to do. How long did I have to wait? How many boundaries I crossed or how much I invaded her space-so long as she was mine again."

My frustrations only tipped over. Thane was... chivalrous? Relentless? Whatever it was, it wasn't as fucked up as mine Who is still holding onto a very much married woman who doesn't even remember me

Yvonne had looked straight through me like I was a stranger, and it fucking hurt.

"Forget this" I muttered. "Just give me the latest updates."

Thane didn't push further. He filled me in on everything I had missed. Market changes, rivalries, mergers, and new faces in the industry. When we finished, I stood up and shook Thane's hand.

"Hey, Thane," I called just as I reached the door.

"Yes?"

"If, let's say, by the time you realized your wife was the one for you, she had already married someone else, what would you have done?"

"Then that someone else would have had to lose, and I wouldn't have felt sorry about it. " A ghost of a smile hovered on his lips. "She's my axis, Clayton. My balance. Without her, I'm lost."

I mulled over his words for five short seconds, then with a departing nod, I left Thane's Company complex and slid into the driver's seat of my car.

Was this what love did to people, consumed them, gnawed and ate on their souls till all the lines blurred and there wasn't one who was willing to cross?

I reached into my pocket, stroking the cold metal there that had kept me connected with her even though we were oceans apart.

There and then, something snapped inside me, fell into place, and locked tight. I wouldn't let Yvonne shed another tear for her useless husband. If not for anything, but because I saw her first,

Because I loved her first,

Because she's his, when she was always meant to be mine.

YVONNE'S P.O.V

The Expresso sharpened my senses, making me feel more energetic and ready to start the day.

Sasha's blazer fitted my body as if it were mine- the perks of having a best friend just your size.

I sipped my coffee as my heels clicked against the marble floor of the SliverThorn group, though my insides were a chaotic tangle of restless nerves as I tried to ignore the stares from Lucinda and Daisy.

Edgar hadn't called or texted, not that I was expecting anyway.

After I had cried in the hands of that stranger, he dropped me off at Sasha's apartment. I barely managed any sleep, and no, it wasn't because I was still crying over Edgar's betrayal. It was him- the stranger with the navy eyes that bore into my soul. The way he held me strongly like an anchor, letting me ruin his expensive shirt with my tears.

Something about him made me feel...safe. I know he was a stranger, and thus, I should have been cautious, but he emitted a familiarity I couldn't place my head on.

I wished I had collected his number or something, to thank him for last night, to hear his deep soothing voice again... anything. It's just sad that I may never see him again.

The regional manager hollered as he stepped into the office.

"This is going to be fun" Lucinda whispered.

Daisy snorted out a laugh. "Here comes the storm."

Every muscle in my body locked rigid. I tightened my eyes shut and took in a deep breath. Hopefully, Edgar would have some decency and keep things quiet till we close from work.

"And where are you coming from Mrs Baxter?" he bellowed, coming to stand at my side.

My stomach dropped, so much for hope. "Sasha's" I answered quietly.

Edgar fumed beside me, his nose flaring. I brought the paper cup to my lips in an act of nonchalance, but my heart was racing faster than a jackrabbit.

"You think I'm going to buy that lie?" He thundered. "Did you really leave home late at night just to go to your best friends, or did you spend the night with someone else?" Edgar's voice dripped with sarcasm.

Lucinda whistled, Daisy covered her laugh with a cough.

Anger flared in my veins at Edgar's insinuation. He was the one who cheated and now he's trying to spin things around. I placed the paper cup down. "Get lost" I gritted out, fisting my hands tight.

Edgar released a humorless laugh. "You dare say that to your manager and husband? Do you know that I can make your life miserable both at work and home?"

I arched a brow at him. "Isn't that what you've been doing for five years?"

Edgar drew his head back, stunned by my retort, but his eyes quickly hardened. He knocked over the paper cup, spilling coffee on my desk.

"What is wrong with you?" I snapped.

Edgar laughed again, a wicked gleam in his eyes as he jabbed a finger into my shoulder. "You want to know what is wrong with me?" his raised voice drowned out the murmurs of the two gossips in the office.

I swatted his finger away, forcing in a breath, "Not here, Edgar. You're the manager, you can't be seen quarreling." I tried to reason with him, but somehow, that only infuriated Edgar the more.

"No Yvonne! We are having this conversation right here, right now!"

With one swipe, he pushed away the papers off my desk, sending them flying. My annoyance boiled over.

"I swear to God if you don't leave right now..."

"You will do what?" he barked. "Walk away? call the security on me?" Edgar laughed when I only stared at him. "You love your father too much to choose yourself."

Edgar's words pierced through my chest and into my heart, making my eyes burn. He smirked, knowing that he was right. I wouldn't be able to do anything to Edgar, I couldn't even leave his cheating, gaslighting self.

I stared down at my shoes, mortification, pain, and helplessness burning my eyes. The floor became blurry.

I blinked back the tears. I would not cry here, I would not give Edgar that satisfaction. I wouldn't cry so Lucinda and Daisy wouldn't get anything to mock me with, but most of all, I couldn't cry now because there was no stranger with deep blue eyes to hold me and whisper to me that I'd be okay.

"You better start..."

"What is going on here?" A deep, commanding voice filled the office;

Edgar stiffened "Mr....Mr Voss." He stuttered.

"That's him," Lucinda whispered dreamily to Daisy. "The CEO we've been expecting for weeks. He's finally back after so long. He is so-"

"Fucking hot," Daisy supplied; I could hear the reverence in her voice.

I heard the clicking of the man's shoe as he rounded towards my cubicle.

"Mr. Voss." Edgar greeted, his voice tight "This is a personal-"

"Are you alright?"

A shudder ripped through me. I know that voice, he's...

Slowly, I raised my face, taking his pristine shoes first, tailored pants, strong build, and then.....Navy eyes.

Him.

My heart skipped a beat.

"Mr Voss?" I whispered.

He tilted his head slightly to the side, his deep blue eyes absorbing me, taking me in. The shudder rippled through me the second time.

I didn't know how long I stared at him with my heart racing and my mouth agape, but it was long enough for Edgar to speak up.

"Mr Voss. This is a personal..."

"No. This is disruptive," he deadpanned. That voice that spoke softly to me turned as hard as steel with Edgar.

"This is a professional setting. You don't deal with personal issues here." He took a step forward, making Edgar flinch.

I watched them, transfixed at how one man carried a deep air of authority.

"And never-" Mr Voss' voice dropped to something low and dangerous. "-ever raise your voice to one of my employees again."

Edgar's face flamed red. "I didn't mean-"

He held one hand up, silencing Edgar. He reached down to pick up one of the papers Edgar pushed off my desk.

The entire office was silent as he read the reports I worked on yesterday. Without a word, Mr. Voss took the rest of the documents on my desk to read; his hand brushing mine in the process.

Such a small, almost unnoticeable graze, but my breathing hitched. I felt his touch in every wire of my brain, in every nerve ending in my body, and with the way he paused, I think he felt it too.

"You did all this?" he asked, his voice doing strange things to my insides.

I hesitated, then nodded once.

Mr Voss's expression didn't change, but something in his eyes sparked.

"Call the previous acting CEO and have him meet me in my office." He said to his assistant whom I hadn't even noticed

Then without another word, he turned to leave.

The office seemed to stretch time for a moment as he walked out, leaving us in confused silence. Edgar didn't waste any more time; he returned to his office with his ears red-a sign that he was pissed.

I sank into my seat. I could hear my blood pounding in my ears. The stranger from last night is Mr Voss. The CEO of SilverThorn group, and I had cried like a child in his arms.

Christ.

My cheeks heated. Did he recognize me as the lady from last night? I wasn't sure I wanted him to.

Just when I thought the day couldn't get any worse, ten minutes later, uniformed men stormed into the company premises.

"The cops are here" Daisy muttered, peeking out her window.

The sharp clack of boots echoed through the hallway. Everyone in the different offices that lined the floor turned. Four uniformed officers stepped into ours.

"Edgar Baxter?" the lead officer called.

Edgar stood abruptly, his face turning pale. "What is the meaning of-"

"You're under arrest for financial crimes related to the SilverThorn group."

Stunned silence.

What?

Edgar froze; it wasn't until the handcuff snapped that he regained his voice.

"Yvonne! You did this to me, didn't you?!" Edgar shouted as the cops escorted him out. My fingers shook, what just happened? Financial crimes?

I turned towards the doorway, only to find him. Mr Voss. He stood there, arms folded, and while everyone else watched Edgar being dragged out, he watched...me.

The side of his lips twitched into something akin to a smile, my heart fluttered in my chest. The world narrowed to his deep blue eyes, eyes that told me he remembered last night.

Trapped in a world where I had learned to fade into the background and act invisible, he made me feel seen-My husband's Boss. My CEO.

I didn't know if the way he stared at me was a good sign or if I should run and hide, but one thing was certain, I was about to find out.