“Was he seriously trying to sleep with her tonight? Did Xena not satisfy him at the hotel? Why come home just to disgust her again?” Miranda thought.
“I’m used to sleeping alone. There’s no reason for us to share a bed,” she said flatly, her brows furrowing in rejection. The disgust on her face made her feelings crystal clear.
Felix’s gaze darkened, his expression turning cold. “It’s the eighth.”
As the words left his mouth, he pressed his palm against the wall and the room instantly went dark.
Miranda’s breath caught. “Felix, go back to your room. I don’t want-”
Before she could finish, he grabbed her wrist in the dark and pulled her toward him. She struggled, but he was too strong. She fell into his arms, the outline of his sharp features barely visible in the dim light.
She tried to push away, but his arm clamped around her waist and held her tightly.
“Let me go!” Miranda snapped, her cheeks flushing with anger.
“Did you drink tonight?” Felix suddenly asked.
She had only half a glass of wine, and that was hours ago. Still, he had noticed.
Miranda turned her face away and didn’t respond.
Felix suddenly grabbed her chin, his lips moving in close.
But Miranda instinctively covered her mouth and turned her head sharply to avoid him.
That seemed to push him over the edge. With a flash of irritation, he pinned her under him and forcefully pressed her wrists above her head.
Miranda was suddenly reminded that her period had just started. She closed her eyes and stopped struggling.
And then–he stopped.
Just like that, everything froze. As if he had lost all interest.
In the darkness, his voice was cold and indifferent. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’m not going to beg you or anything.”
Miranda let out a silent breath. He didn’t need to beg. Not now. Not ever.
Even if he did, she would never say yes.
The next morning, as Miranda was having breakfast, Lucas called with a sense of urgency.
“Mira, do you have a minute? We’ve got an investor meeting on Wednesday. We need you to give a speech.”
“Sure. I’ll prepare a draft in advance,” she replied calmly.
“Are you nervous?” Lucas asked, knowing she probably didn’t have experience with this kind of public speaking.
“Not at all. I’ll be ready,” Miranda said with confidence.
“Great. See you Wednesday.”
After breakfast, Miranda went upstairs to begin preparing. Since it would be a formal pitch to investors, she knew she had to bring her A–game.
1/3
Chapter 14
+25 BONUS
On Saturday night, Miranda was in the living room playing with Gigi when she heard the front door open. Felix stepped inside, carrying their daughter in his arms.
Mia clutched a brand–new toy, and the tear stains still visible on her cheeks made it clear that Felix had just bought it to cheer her up.
“Gigi! I missed you so much!” Mia wriggled down from his arms and ran over to hug the beagle. Gigi wagged her little tail and bounded over, thrilled to see her young owner again.
But the moment Felix approached, Gigi immediately tucked her tail between her legs and scurried to Miranda’s side, cowering at her feet as if frightened of the man of the house.
That night, curled up in bed, Miranda listened as Mia excitedly recounted her weekend at Susan’s place. Although her mother–in -law had never warmed up to her, Miranda felt comforted knowing that she truly loved Mia.
Before she knew it, three days had passed. Each morning after dropping Mia off, Miranda returned home to work on her presentation. Wednesday arrived in a flash.
She had sent her speech to Lucas the night before, and he had been delighted. He wasn’t sure when she had regained her expertise, but the presentation impressed him with its strong mix of theory and practical insight. Several of her points were especially convincing.
At eight o’clock that morning, just after dropping Mia off at school Miranda received a call from Lucas.
“Mira, the presentation starts at ten. Try to get here early so you can get settled.”
“I’m on my way,” she replied.
Half an hour later, Miranda arrived at the third–floor conference hall in the research wing of Atlantis City Medical University.
Lucas and James were already there.
She walked over with her bag and greeted them.
“I’m really looking forward to your presentation,” Lucas said with clear admiration. “With a proposal like this, I’m confident we’ll secure some serious investment.”
He gave her a thoughtful look and asked, “By the way, Mira, when did you get this good? Your medical analysis is stronger than
mine.”
Miranda smiled. “Even after I left school, I never gave up on the field. My father left me a lot of medical texts, and I kept studying on my own.”
“That’s impressive. Just proves that talent doesn’t always come from a degree. You’re Professor Stone’s daughter–it was always in your blood,” Lucas said warmly.
Once Lucas stepped away, James turned to her with curiosity. “Why didn’t you mention your accomplishments from the lab in Merika?”
Miranda shook her head. “I didn’t graduate here. Without a degree I felt it wasn’t appropriate to bring up.”
James had read her speech too, and he found it sharp, original, and persuasive,
Miranda had just been about to ask Lucas which companies would be attending when he was called away again. Left on their own, she and James took a walk through the courtyard below, casually chatting about the upcoming lab launch,
As they strolled, Miranda unscrewed a bottle of water and was about to take a sip when her eyes suddenly widened.
A group of more than ten people had turned the corner from the parking lot, all dressed in sharp suits. But it wasn’t their presence that startled her.
It was the man walking at the center of the group.
Chapter 14
+25 BONUS
Her husband. Felix Gibson.
Even surrounded by others, he stood out–tall, composed, strikingly handsome. There was a quiet authority in his posture, and though he was engaged in polite conversation, his expression remained cool and detached.
On instinct, Miranda stepped behind James.
James narrowed his eyes and glanced toward the group heading toward the conference hall. Once they passed, he turned to her. “It’s okay. He’s gone.”
Miranda stared in the direction Felix had disappeared, her mind spinning..
James looked at her, surprised. “Wait… he doesn’t know you’re part of this project?”
