The confident, challenging edge in Jaguar's voice sent a sharp wave of tension crashing through Fati's chest. Suppressing her rising fury, she countered with a scathing, mockingly cold tone,
- And how exactly do you plan on executing that, Jaguar?! Do you honestly view me as such an easy prey?! Especially since you haven't been present in my life for long, agonizing years... I have mastered the art of living without you, and now, your presence and your absence in my world are entirely one and the same
His resonant voice drifted through the receiver warm, unyielding, and carrying a low hum that violently rattled her composure,
- No, my darling... my presence is monumental in your life... because I know for a fact that I am still deeply rooted within the depths of your heart.
A sudden silence hung heavy between them. The words froze in Fati's throat, her gaze drifting into space as she mentally grappled with the searing weight of his claim. Had his arrow struck the absolute truth? Had she spent the last seven years unconsciously harboring his ghost within her heart, and was that the sole reason she had fiercely forbidden any other man from breaching her defenses and entering her life? And why on earth had she delayed demanding a divorce until recently?!
"No... that is absolutely untrue!"
Her mind violently revolted against such submissive thoughts. She loathed him, detested him, and the reality was simply that she had been biding her time to grow powerful, independent, and a renowned neurosurgeon all so she could finally stand before him with equal might and demand her freedom as a true rival.
Biting down on her lower lip with a mixture of suppressed pain and sheer stubbornness, and just before she could grant him a chance to respond or slam the line in his face to break the siege, she demanded in a strained voice dripping with bitter irony,
- And what is your next grand scheme then, Jaguar?! To make me fall in love with you all over again... only to slaughter me as an act of revenge?! As is always the case with men who know nothing but betrayal?
A stunned silence reigned inside the luxury vehicle as Jaguar held the phone to his ear, listening in a daze to the repetitive, disconnected tone: "Beep... Beep...". She had slammed the line in his face, yet despite his burning pride, he silently thanked her in his heart. He thanked her because, in truth, he possessed no immediate answer to counter her lethal question. He knew that words were utterly useless now; only actions could prove the contrary to her to prove he was no longer the monster seeking her demise.
His memory violently flashed back to their cursed wedding night. He had tried to protect her; he had bitterly warned her to flee and save herself, but she had been blinded by her own arrogance, unable to perceive the sinister, terrifying intentions his grandfather was weaving for her family. And today, he was tasting the absolute bitterness of his own sins. Despite his desperate attempts in the past to resist taking revenge, he had fallen into the sinful trap of believing that she and her grandfather were the sole reason his own grandfather had slipped into that prolonged coma. Because of that blind malice, he had abandoned her on that pitch-black night, leaving her entirely alone to battle fear and the freezing cold beside her dying grandfather.
He let out a deeply bitter breath, a dark remorse washing over him.
"If only I had helped her then..."
Jaguar had never been a man to extend a helping hand to others; he was stripped of basic empathy, yet Fati... Fati alone possessed that hidden authority to compel him to be a human being who felt and softened. It suddenly struck him that even in the height of his twisted jealousy, he hadn't bothered to thank Peter, the man who had sheltered his wife on that torrential night and shielded her from the cruelty of the streets. He felt a pressing urge to do something, even if minor, to repay a fraction of this debt to that impoverished family.
Pulling out his corporate phone, he immediately dialed his loyal assistant, Dan Dam, dictating a swift sequence of specialized arrangements and aid packages for Peter and his grandmother. At that exact moment, the car doors opened and the bodyguards slid inside after completing their task. Turning toward them, Jaguar inquired in a crisp tone, his piercing eyes demanding details about Peter's residence. They informed him of the young man's dire financial state and his modest apartment in this destitute neighborhood.
He paused for a fraction of a second, adjusting the lapels of his high-end suit, and commanded in a firm, non-negotiable tone,
- In that case... cancel our current destination. Let us go pay them a visit... We are going to visit Peter and his grandmother in their home right now.
Jaguar ascended the concrete steps leading to the apartment, flanked by his bodyguards who carried bulky crates of fresh, premium fruits they had just purchased from nearby stores under his directives. With every step he took inside that dilapidated building, his eyes deeply accustomed to the opulence of mansions realized the extent of the sheer, crushing poverty and misery under which the residents of this forgotten neighborhood lived.
A bodyguard knocked on the door, and it swung open to reveal Peter. The young man stood entirely paralyzed, absolute shock and utter disbelief contorting his features as he beheld the formidable billionaire standing upon the threshold of his modest home. Before the youth could utter a single word, Jaguar spoke in a calm, resonant, and deeply serious masculine tone,
- I have come here personally to thank you for assisting my wife in the past.
Peter stepped aside, welcoming him in a daze, and Jaguar walked into the tight space with measured strides. Scanning the cramped living room, his gaze locked onto the elderly Mrs. Matilda, who was reclining on a worn, sagging couch that dominated the room. The grandmother attempted to stand up with immense difficulty, leaning heavily on her grandson's hands to offer a respectful greeting, but Jaguar gestured for her to remain seated. Before either of them could speak, he announced in a crisp, non-negotiable tone,
- Please... prepare yourselves immediately. You are moving out of this place today... A brand-new apartment has been fully purchased under your names in an upscale neighborhood.
Before the young man or the old lady could comprehend the words, Jaguar stepped toward Peter, taking his hand and firmly placing a heavy check for a massive financial sum into his palm. He continued in a practical tone,
- This sum is to cover your relocation costs and guarantee a dignified life... Once you settle in, I want you to report to my corporate headquarters; there is a distinguished position awaiting you there. My private secretary will contact you within two days to explain all the details.
Faced with looks of sheer disbelief and the overwhelming tears of joy that glistened in the eyes of Peter and his grandmother both utterly rendered speechless Jaguar turned with rigid composure and walked out of the apartment, leaving without waiting for a single word of gratitude. Sliding into the plush leather seat of his luxury car, a faint, deeply buried smile traced his lips. At that exact moment, he realized he had unlocked a completely new facet of himself a trait that brought a strange, pure happiness to his heart that he had never sampled in his entire life. He didn't know how it had managed to breach his defenses, but he knew with absolute certainty that he had learned it from "Fati."
Since Jaguar had firmly resolved to ensnare her back into his love, he understood that this warfare required a completely different caliber of intellect. He had to exert every ounce of effort to thank and bless every single soul that had cherished Fati and shielded her through those six barren years. He wouldn't leave a single person who had extended a helping hand without making them rejoice for ever being a part of her world. He would initiate this plan immediately with her best friend and family, who had filled the massive void of his absence. Pulling out his phone, he contacted his secretary, Dan Dam, ordering a comprehensive and detailed report on that family to orchestrate a reward worthy of what they had provided to his woman.
But before that, she must reveal her true self to him and the truth about his intentions.
Ultimately, he fired a brief text message to Fati, carrying his usual authoritative tone:
[I will pick you up at exactly 8:00 PM for dinner.]
Her response was instantaneous, flatly rejecting his invitation. He instantly checked her refusal with another text:
[Rejection is not an option... I need you to meet someone of paramount importance tonight.]
Night descended, and Fati was stepping out of the gates of her medical clinic, pure exhaustion weighing down her posture. She froze upon spotting him standing beside his luxury vehicle, waiting for her. Clutched in his hand was a lavish bouquet of roses an exact replica of the one she had received days ago and carelessly tossed into the trash. Stopping in her tracks, she glanced at the flowers, then locked her eyes onto him, inquiring in a questioning tone,
- Was it... was it you who sent me that bouquet the other night?
He tilted his head with calm confidence, his eyes anchoring on her as he murmured,
- Of course... who else would possibly dare?
Averting her gaze, she sighed,
- I didn't know... regardless, it's fine, and thank you. But I am deeply exhausted and need to rest. I will not go out with you tonight, Jaguar.
- Oh, yes, you will
He delivered the words in a resolute tone that stripped away any choice. His powerful hand reached down to envelope her palm with an overwhelming yet gentle grip, leading her toward the vehicle as she stood dazed, momentarily surrendering to her sheer fatigue.
When they arrived at the upscale restaurant.He forced her to take the bouquet with her, they stepped inside. The moment Fati scanned the room, her eyes widened in a paralyzing shock that completely captured her tongue the old maid, Rosetta, was seated right there at one of the tables! At that exact moment, Jaguar stepped closer from behind her until his warm breath grazed her ear. He whispered in a deep, resonant tone brimming with a mixture of cunning and nobility, while his sharp eyes anchored onto the velvet flowers cradled in her hands,
- And now, my darling... step forward, and give her the bouquet.