Chapter 19 (Author’s POV)

Amanda stepped into the company, the doors sliding open with a soft whoosh, and immediately, the whispers and murmurs began. She could feel the eyes of the office on her as the familiar scent of polished wood and freshly brewed coffee filled her senses.

The usual office hum, punctuated by the occasional murmur of conversations, was present, but it was as though it all faded into the background as Amanda became the focal point. She noticed the surprised glances, the double-takes as people recognized her.

Their curiosity was palpable, and she could almost hear the silent questions being whispered in hushed tones.

What was she doing here?

Where had she been?

What had happened to her?

But she wasn't concerned. Let them whisper all they wanted. They could gossip until they turned blue in the face.

The fact was, she had been gone for over a week-time that felt both like an eternity and like no time at all-but now she was here, and nothing, absolutely nothing, could change that.

She had come to reclaim her space, to remind herself and everyone around her that she was not some fragile, wilting flower to be tucked away in the background.

She kept her gaze focused ahead, her steps sure and steady, striding confidently through the familiar corridors.

The sounds of the office, the click of keyboards and the low hum of chatter, surrounded her, but she blocked them out.

Today, none of it mattered.

She was not just the receptionist anymore. Today, she was someone more. Someone who wouldn't let herself be controlled or diminished.

It wasn't long before she reached her old spot-the receptionist's desk.

The place she had once spent countless hours greeting clients, answering calls, and ensuring the smooth operation of the office.

She used to love this spot. It felt like her home base, her little world in the chaos of the office.

But now, as she stood there, taking it all in, it felt different. She was different. Time had passed, and in that time, she had changed in ways she couldn't fully comprehend.

Her eyes scanned the area, and that's when she noticed Kyle talking to one of the other receptionists.

His face lit up the second he saw her, a big grin spreading across his features.

Before she could even register what was happening, he had jumped up from his seat and pulled her into a tight hug, lifting her off the ground slightly in his excitement.

"Amanda!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine happiness.

"I've missed you! Everyone's been asking where you've been. We thought maybe you'd gotten lost or injured or something. I couldn't even get through to you!" He chuckled, though there was a clear undertone of concern in his voice.

Amanda couldn't help but smile at the warmth in his tone.

She had missed the easy camaraderie she'd shared with him. "A lot has happened," she said, shrugging slightly, trying to downplay it all.

"My brother's been sick, so I had to take care of some things." She felt the weight of the lie on her tongue, but she didn't feel ready to share the whirlwind of events that had unfolded in her life-especially not the part about her sudden marriage to Raphael.

Kyle's expression softened, his eyes turning sympathetic. "I'm sorry to hear that. I hope everything's okay now." He hesitated for a moment, looking around as if ensuring no one was listening before leaning in slightly.

"But hey, I've got the latest gossip for you." His voice dropped lower, a conspiratorial grin tugging at his lips. "Annabel got fired."

Amanda froze for a split second. The words hit her like a ton of bricks. Annabel? Fired? That wasn't possible. Annabel had been one of the top performers at the company, always well-liked, admired for her work ethic and charisma.

The news seemed so out of place, so completely unexpected, that Amanda's mind struggled to process it.

"What? Annabel got fired?" she asked, her voice incredulous. Her heart began to race, a dull thud echoing in her chest as she tried to piece it together. What could have happened? What did she miss?

"Yeah," Kyle confirmed, his tone lowering even more. "It happened just three days ago, after the big meeting. They found out she'd been skimming off the company's funds for her personal use. Apparently, she was living the high life on the company's dime, buying expensive things and partying while the company paid for it all. It was a big deal.

They couldn't overlook it anymore." Kyle's face darkened, and he sighed.

"It just sucks, you know? I like her, I really do. I wish she hadn't done what she did."

Amanda's mind was reeling.

Three days ago?

That was the same day she had gotten married to Raphael.

The same day she had stepped into a new, foreign world. The timing felt too uncanny to ignore.

A sickening feeling curled in her stomach, and she stood frozen, processing what Kyle had just said.

Annabel's firing, the day of her wedding-it felt like these events were somehow connected, like pieces of a puzzle she hadn't been able to see until now.

Could this be part of what Raphael had been hiding?

Could he have known about Annabel's embezzling, and that was why she was fired? The suspicion gnawed at her, relentless and uncomfortable.

"So, who's the new CFO, if Annabel isn't around anymore?" Amanda asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she tried to shift the focus from the unsettling news.

Kyle shrugged, his expression confused. "I don't know yet. The boss hasn't decided. It's all anyone's talking about around here. Everyone's trying to guess who's next in line for the position." He gave a half-hearted smile. "I'll keep you updated on everything that's going on."

Before Amanda could respond, Kyle pulled her into another hug, and for a brief moment, she let herself relax in his arms.

The familiar comfort of his embrace felt like a brief reprieve from the storm of thoughts swirling in her head. But that calm was shattered by a voice she knew all too well.

"What's going on here?" Raphael's voice rang out from behind her, cold and sharp. The sound cut through the air like ice, freezing Amanda in place.

She turned, and her heart dropped to her stomach when she saw him standing there, flanked by a few of his executive team members.

His eyes locked onto hers, his expression hard, distant, and unreadable. The air seemed to freeze around them, and for a moment, the world seemed to pause. If looks could kill, she would have been six feet under by now.

Amanda immediately let go of Kyle, the tension thick between them. She could feel the eyes of the room on her, and the weight of Raphael's gaze felt like a physical presence pressing down on her.

Her mind raced, her thoughts scattered in a hundred different directions. What had she done? What was she supposed to do now? The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She was in trouble. She had messed up.

Raphael didn't say a word. He simply took a step toward her, his gaze never leaving her face, and with each step, the tension in the air grew more suffocating. Amanda couldn't breathe. She had crossed a line. And she knew, deep down, that nothing would ever be the same again.