NEVEA'S P. O. V.

I stand by the resort table at the corner of the hall, casually glancing at the time displayed on my iPhone homes screen, my palms sweaty around my phone and the other fidgeting with the side of my red silk gown.

No doubt I was doing a terrible job hiding the fear and disappointment coursing through me as I glanced out through the entrance door too many times.

Each time I looked, I expected to see Kai walking in through the door, dressed in his black suits with a bouquet of flowers for me, a smile on his face as he kisses me on the lips and tells me that he was just held up by the city's traffic.

But I had a gut feeling he was playing with me, with our important day, again.

Kai Sargent was the rich CEO of the Alpha Med companies where I also worked at as his personal assistant.

Kai and I have been dating for five years and today was our engagement party. The room is already occupied with everyone who is supposed to be here celebrating this day with us.

Everyone except my soon to be fiance, Kai.

The beeping of my phone jerks me and I bring my phone to my face to see a text message from Kai. He was calling off this party because he needed to attend to something. He doesn't tell me anything else.

Seconds later a message came from Claire Colton into our office group.

Kai's angelic, beautiful and drop dead gorgeous crush, Claire has again faked an injury and Kai has gone to the rescue.

And I only know this because of Claire's message to the group.

"Hello everyone. I am so sorry but I have sprained my leg during my yoga training this morning and I won't be able to attend the ceremony. Thanks to our boss Kai who is taking care of me I would recover fast."

I'm caught between rage and pain.

Claire flooded the group chat with pictures, attempting to gather sympathy. There was even one where she was lying on a stretcher while Kai hovered beside her with a look of concern on his face.

I gripped my phone so hard it almost cracked. This had to be a joke, right? That concern was supposed to be for me. Kai couldn't just cancel the party we had planned for a year. And just for Claire faking a damn injury?

Every member of the group showed concern and left messages. And I knew that I was dreaming all this while. Nobody cared about me.

With tears welling in my eyes, I walked out and drove myself home.

In the living room that I shared with Kai in his penthouse, I paced around, a part of me hopeful that Kai would walk through that door, pull me into his arms and tell me that he is mine and nobody else's.

Stupid, but I didn't give up.

When the door rang, I sprint to open it, only to find my monther and father, the supposed white and red ribboned gift box my father had intended to give me at the ceremony in one hand.

"Oh my girl." My mother calls sympathetically, hugging me. "We barely made it to the event when we heard what happened. You deserve much better dear."

" I thought… I thought today would be different. I thought he’d finally choose me over her," I muttered, burying my face deep in her shoulder.

"Kai is a fool because he can't see what he's losing. But I know that Claire isn't as innocent as she seems." My mom says comfortingly as we pull apart.

Everyone in the company adored Claire - the sweet rich man's daughter who always smiled, polite and yet principled, and had always had an eye for Kai.

But I never trusted her. Neither did my mom.

“you know this injury of hers is fake, talk about convenient timing." My mom says.

My heart raced, knowing that it was not only me who thought of this.

“You think… she did this on purpose?”

She scoffs

“Oh, child. Of course, she did. She’s been playing this game for years, pulling Kai closer every chance she gets. You think she’s helpless, but I see right through her.”

My hands clench into fists.

"Then, how come Kai doesn't?"

"Kai is only blinded by his crush for her, Nevea, but I trust you will handle this perfectly."

After staying with me for an hour, I wanted to be alone so I asked if they could leave me alone and they did. I pull out of my dress and laid down on my bed.

Just then, Claire flooded the group chat with pictures of her with Kai, where he is tending to her, spoon feeding her and many other things. The members sent heart and care emojis and this only caused me more heartache. It was like nobody cared that I was supposed to be getting engaged to this man today.

Before I turned my phone down, I texted Kai, asking him to call me.

Deep down I knew he wouldn't call me if I didn't ask him to.

I was nearly sleeping off in the couch in the midst of all the chaos inside my head when I heard the elevator jinxing and Kai stepping out into the living room, his button down shirt sleeves folded up to his elbows, his hair disheveled and what I assume to be anger in his eyes.

"Nevea, we need to talk." He says as he closes in on me.

Flinching off the couch with an even bigger anger, I yell "you're right we need to talk! What the hell, Kai? Standing me up like that just to go tend to Claire!"

He seemed confused by my statement. Oh so he didn't know about the little charade Claire did in our company group.

"Wait, how did you....." He trails off "anyways, I just wanted to ask you if there is a problem with how I handled my business"

"Business? Kain do you not know what today is? What it meant to us?"

"Nevea!" He screams, shaking me off balance "Claire was hurt badly and I needed to be there to take care of her! Because it is my duty as her boss!"

What about his duty to me as my boyfriend? And why was he so pissed, yelling at me when I should be the one doing that?

"You always do this, Kai! Every time! I am done wasting my time with you and your excuses! It's over, Kai! I'm done!" I turn around, attempting to put as much distance between us as much as possible but before I could take two steps, his big hand is spinning me back by the shoulder, his hand over to grab my neck aggressively.

This causes me to stumble back as I gasp for air, falling back on the fur couch behind. But he still didn't let go. Instead, the pressure around my neck Increased.

For the first time since our five years being together, I saw venom in his eyes and the pure hate pulsating through his eyes as they glared down at me.

I tried to keep my eyes open but the pressure on my neck was too much, so I had no choice but to start hitting his hands around my neck.

That did the trick because he quickly pulls away after a while, a new found fear in his eyes as he flinched off me.

Before I could regain myself, he was disappearing from the room and into the elevator. While I remained there sobbing.

KAI's P.O.V.

I dashed into my car and sped through the gates of my penthouse. I never imagined that I would ever lay hands as aggressively as I did on Nevea. I may not have hit her, but I was this close to. She was hurting after the decisions I made and I nearly hit her for getting angry.

I sped through the dark streets until I was pulling up in front of a bar, coming into an abrupt stop.

This was the only place I knew I could clear my head. I was feeling too many emotions at the moment.

Inside the car, I felt trapped and the air suffocating. I couldn't get the tears on Nevea's face out of my head.

I've always liked Claire since the first day her father invited me to his home, requesting for a position for his daughter in my company. That was before I met Nivea. Even still I've never pursued a relationship with Claire until Nivea came along.

I may have liked Claire for a long time but I respected Nivea. Maybe my decisions had been a little bit off the hook.

Claire was one of my devoted workers. After she called me this morning, asking for my assistance, I hadn't expected that she was hurt. She had phoned me with a certain note of desperation in her voice and id thought she was in danger. So I hurried to see her only to find her getting strapped to a stretcher just outside her yoga class.

I couldn't leave her alone so I went with her, forgetting about what today was. What it meant to Nivea.

I knew we have been straining away from each other since the past few months but it was no excuse for what I did.

I do not understand why she was so upset.

I pull out my phone and decide to check the company group. I remember noticing the tons of messages when I heard my phone vibrate and I saw Nivea's message earlier but I hadn't had time to check it out.

I'm shocked when I see all the pictures Claire sent into the group and all of the pity and love the other members showered on her.

I grit my teeth as I saw one of the pictures she shared where I was standing over her as I tried to help secure her on the stretcher before the medics carry her away.

I read the caption and felt angry. Why would she lie like this, making people believe that I was with her for other reasons than to make sure she was alright.

Was this why she had asked me to stay longer with her, coming up with lies after lies each time I demand to leave? So she could tell everyone that I am taking care of her, in the process leaving w different message?

I run a hand through my hair. I wished Nivea would understand. As the CEO of ALPHA MEDICS, I am responsible for a every single person's well being. Alpha medics goes beyond just some company, it is an organization whose name speaks for.

Still, the guilt gnawed at me.

Before I step out of the car, I texted my friend , Ivar.

At the bar, I order for my favorite Martini, careful not to finish a bottle before it's too late.

"Kai." I hear my name from ahead and I look from the compelling glass of alcohol to see Ivar walking up to me. "I got your text."

Ivar orders his own drink and takes a seat next to me.

"I messed up Ivar." I confess to him as I finally look from the half filled glass.

"Take it easy, Kai, I heard everything that happened."

"Yes," I nod "now Nevea's pissed."

"She shouldn't be. You need to stop feeling guilty because you did what you had to do."

"Yeah by putting Claire first..."

"No, you put the company first. You did what you had to do."

"I cancelled our engagement to go meet Claire, Ivar...."

"Trust me, you did what you had to do. You know how the company's society is when it comes to their employees. If you hadn't been there take care of Claire, you would be facing a panel. You know how the company's secrecy works, they wouldn't want their names out there. You know who you're dealing with here, Kai, it's Claire fucking Colton."

"Yes but Nevea wouldn't see it that way. And I cannot even blame her. I stood her up yet again. I don't know Ivar but it just feels like I'm losing her. I've been so focused on the company lately, it feels like there's been a huge gap drawn between us, like I'm losing her..."

Ivar sets down his now empty glass from his lips and turned fully on his seat to face me.

"Listen man, you don't have to keep beating yourself around. You did what was best for the company and saving yours ass too. Anyone in your place would have done what you did. Nivea is just upset because today was supposed to be a big day for her, you know how extra women can be."

I strain my eyes towards the window, watching the dark night. Ivar was right. But I just needed her to understand my intentions.

Sending my dilemma, ivar holds my shoulder and says "you did the right thing, Kai..."

"I don't know.... I love Nevea and.... I really don't wanna lose her. “I just… I don’t want to lose Nevea,” I whispered.

“You won’t. Nevea loves you. That’s why this is hitting her so hard. But she’ll come around. You’ve been together so long to be ruined by just a simple injury."

I let out a long breath, feeling some of the tension in my chest loosen. Ivar was right.

The ALPHA companies is the most important thing to my family and lineage right now and it is my job to be where I am needed above anything else. I know I called off the engagement but I couldn't have been in two places at the same time.

"Thank you, Ivar... I needed to hear that."

Ivar and I pathed ways after sharing a few more drinks. The weight on my shoulders reduced as I pulled up into the compound. Now I needed to find a way to make things right with Nevea.

As I walk out of the elevator of my penthouse, I felt a strange surge of loneliness engulf me.

I call out for Nevea but there's no response. My heart skipped a beat as I imagined scenarios where she had hurt herself because of the pain I caused her while I was out drinking with Ivar.

If she hurt herself, or worse killed herself while I was away, I would never forgive myself.

Calling her once more, I strode into our bedroom to find our shared closet open, her side empty.

She has removed all of her belongings and left.

She has left me.

I sink into the floor, pain tugging at my chest.

NEVEA'S P. O. V.

I never thought I would ever see myself packing my clothes and leaving Kai's penthouse behind even though over the years I have seen signs that this day would come.

Two years into our relationship Kai had asked me to move in with him. At the time I was still working at the bar where he met me downtown .

Kai was a jealous type and joked about how he didn't want men looking at me every day in and out. I always thought I liked his protectiveness and jealousy. Which woman wouldn't? Especially when he makes provision for the alternative for you and doesn't command you around or forces you to do what he wants.

And I was foolishly in love. At the same time one week after moving into his enormously sleek penthouse, he had offered me a job as his personal assistant in his office.

As I tossed my clothes into my bag set on top of our queen sized bed, hands trembling, tears cascading my cheeks, I thought about how sweet and pure our relationship had been since the beginning, before Claire appeared and started working in his company.

I remember how Kai used to make me wait behind during late hours so we could have sex on his desk. And how he would usher me into his bathroom to fuck me over the sink after a hard day conference meeting. I remember how he would ask me to cancel all of his meetings just so he could take me to a surprise date which he has planned with his close friend, Ivar.

Until Claire came along

And apparently, he had liked he long before he met me but never pursued a relationship with her and now I'm the one getting hurt.

I reach to touch the bruises his hand had left around my neck and more tears falls down my eyes. I couldn't believe Kai would ever lay his hands on me, in my own rights.

Just then, my phone started to ring and I checked to see that it's Ivar. I know he is aware of what happened today so is he calling to lecture me too?

"Nevea do not make a rash decision and just let Kai fix this." His voice is raspy and I can tell that he is driving.

I was infuriated by his comment.

"Fix this? How can he fix this, Ivar? He cancelled our engagement party for another woman without thinking twice! I have given Kai more chances than he deserves. I'm done."

Tossing in the last of my clothes, I pull the bag out and drove off.

Two years of moving in with Kai, I didn't have my personal apartment to move into so I drove down to my parents apartment.

My dad opened the door at the first ring and embraced me upon seeing me. They didn't need to ask me any questions as I quietly slipped into my old room.

Dragging my luggage up the stairs felt like a different kind of pain and the sight of my old room cut deeper. It has been years since I last slept in here. I'd started living in my own after I started working at the bar. But thankfully my parents kept cleaning up the room so it looked tidy as I walked in.

I didn't have the energy to unpack right now so I dump my bag at the first spot I could before dragging myself into my bathroom. I must have spent an eternity under the shower, lost in my own thoughts.

I suddenly felt cold even when it was the middle of summer. Once fully dressed in my old pyjamas, I climbed my bed but before I could hit my pillow, my phone dinged of a text message and I checked to see that it's from Kai.

"Baby please can we talk?"

There is absolutely nothing to talk about, I thought but before I could put the phone down, it started ringing. I laid back, trying to ignore it, shutting my eyes close and hoping to sleep off. But he kept calling, my phone ringing after ringing.

Frustratedly, I pick it up.

"Nevea I just got home and....and you're fucking gone! Please let's talk about this...."

"There's nothing left to talk about, Kai. I told you before you left, it's over. I'm done."

"Nevea please could you just try to understand me for once. This is what you do every time, you never try to see things from my own side..."

"Let me guess, you did what you did for the betterment and interest of the company?" I cut him off.

"Nevea..... You know how things works in the society family, in my family!"

"Kai! When are you going to stop for a moment and realize that I am supposed to matter to you as much as that society matters to you! You play with my feelings any chance you get, Kai. You go running to Claire every time even when it hurts me! You know that Claire only fakes injuries like that just to get you away from me and closer to her and yet you fall for her tricks every time, even today, our special day! How am I supposed to move from that?"

"You're not listening to me, Nevea. You don't understand that as the first Celestial son of the society, it is my duty to make sure that the company is running smoothly and it means putting everything in line."

"So you don't feel sorry that you cancelled our engagement? We spent the entire last year planning our engagement, Kai! My parents even came with presents as well as many other people and they were all there and you stood me up!"

"I am sorry, Nevea and you have every right to be angry, to hate me even but I just wanna see you and have a talk with you please."

"Talk about what? To give me one of your excuses? I'm done hearing your excuses Kai..."

“It's not an excuse! I just need a moment to explain everything. I thought you’d understand my position of being the CEO of that company and also the first society son. This isn’t just about us.”

“Right. Because your responsibilities are clearly more important than our relationship. I get it, Kai. But that doesn’t change how I feel.”

He sighed, and I could hear the frustration in his breath.

“You’re right, it doesn’t. But I never wanted to hurt you. I just wanted to do what was best for the Society. You know I care about you, don’t you?”

“Do I? Because it sure doesn’t feel that way. You keep saying you care, but your actions tell a different story."

Kai continued to argue endlessly about his responsibility , leaving me to wonder why I was even putting up with all he had to say. He was treating me like I didn't know what it takes to run a company, to be the first son of a strong society of power and hierarchy.

So I ended the call and switched off my phone as he wouldn't stop calling.