(?)

It was more of a murmur, a very inconsistent babbling, and practically inaudible, but a word. And a four-syllable word! It was a big and complicated word to say, especially in my condition. I could hardly believe it. And looking at Gavin's wide-eyed blue irises, neither could he.

Very slowly, with all the delicacy and gentleness in the world, the man with angelic hair and aura sat beside me. The distance between us had become a bit smaller, and now he stared at me with such intensity that I felt my face flush. I returned the gaze. I saw his Adam's apple bob up and down as he swallowed nervously, indicating his anxiety. Indeed, the fingers of his hands were slightly trembling. To be completely honest, I still wasn't a hundred percent well. The echoes of these crises could last for minutes or hours. I tilted my head as I observed him, wondering if we would just keep staring at each other or risk having a... verbal conversation.

"Can you speak?" was the first thing he said after two long minutes of eye contact. His voice was so soft, as if he were speaking to a frightened puppy.

I gestured with my hands and head, signaling "I don't know." And it was true. It had been a monumental effort to make my throat produce sounds, especially coherent ones. It was an excellent surprise to know that there was still a solution for my muteness, but that didn't mean I was cured already. Dr. Solloman said these crises could recreate a violent atmosphere enough for my body to temporarily regain its voice, but it wasn't the recommended way to attempt a cure. Exercises and constant practice would be the true and recommended methods for that.

Gavin nodded affirmatively as he continued to whisper:

"Okay. Okay, you don't need to strain yourself. I'm... I'm glad your voice... hasn't completely disappeared." The sound of his choppy breath was evident each time he formulated a sentence. "Are... you feeling better?"

I nodded.

"Great." Then Gavin leaned in closer and kissed my forehead.

Before I could even react, he quickly stood up and apologized, looking disoriented.

"Oh my God, what foolishness on my part... I'm so sorry, I..."

I put both hands up and gestured with my eyes that it was okay. The contact didn't trigger me. Perhaps having gone through this emotional rollercoaster had shut down most of those triggers, at least for now. Then I smiled sadly at him and got up. I needed to get ready for breakfast. Gavin looked anguished as I passed by him and started to descend the stairs towards the bathroom.

While brushing my teeth, I wondered if he would tell Donovan what happened. How would he react to the news? Yesterday, Urus's vice-president seemed on the verge of embracing me, but restrained himself as much as he could. Would he still come close to me after that? Would Gavin suspect if suddenly Donovan made excuses to keep his distance? I didn't want to be the cause of their distress.

I also thought about Gavin's ex-fiancée, Alexandra. As he talked about her, part of my heart shriveled with some strange feeling. It was uncomfortable and ugly, but I didn't pay much attention to it. Yet, imagining him smiling, wearing a ring on his finger, planning a future with her... Something in me just didn't like it. Gavin also told me about the betrayal, the call girl, and what happened in the office. If I could speak, I would say that even if there was no carnal act like a kiss or something more between Alexandra and that James guy, just her maintaining contact with the man who was undermining his work and worse, flirting with him, was considered betrayal. Poor Gavin reacted just like a man like him would, with emotions on edge and unable to think clearly. The cry of the ex-fiancée upon discovering his slurs was pure falsity and shamelessness, nothing more than that.

I knew it was wrong to judge things unilaterally, but given the circumstances, there was no reason for me to doubt my host's word. I trusted what he had told me. I sincerely hoped that this woman wouldn't cause any trouble, and that the incident at the gathering would be the most buzzing she would produce in our lives.

With hair combed, clean teeth, and equally washed face, I left the bathroom and went straight to the kitchen. Gavin still seemed cautious with his gestures, avoiding loud noises and hurried movements. It touched my heart to see how much he cared about me, but I also felt guilty for having such an impact on his daily life. I didn't want him to feel completely responsible for me, after all, I was already an adult. But it was also true that under the current circumstances, I wasn't entirely ready to take the reins of my life.

If there was still any life to take the reins. There was nothing left to recover. My existence was based on being constantly encouraged to do basic things like eating and bathing. Even therapy was something I did not to seek comfort and guidance, but because I didn't want to become a bigger problem for Gavin and Donovan. Today's nightmare was an isolated incident, but there was a time when they were so frequent that I was afraid to sleep.

I don't know why I dreamed about my suicide early this morning. Was it the anguish of thinking I was betraying Gavin somehow? But we didn't have any relationship like that. It didn't make sense to even consider such a thing.

Gavin served my coffee in a beautiful porcelain cup, along with two toasts arranged on a small white plate.

"I'll join you shortly, shorty," he said, heading to the bathroom.

Shorty. That's what Donovan constantly called me.

Was it a dig? Or simply my conscience tormenting me mercilessly?

I responded with a smile and sipped my coffee.

. . . . . . . . . . .

(GAVIN)

Once again, I owed a lot to Dr. Solloman. It was thanks to him and his careful guidance, as well as more intensive research into mental health, that I knew exactly how to control and remain firm during a panic attack from the girl. If it weren't for that, she would probably still be screaming and hurting herself. Maybe she would have done something irreversible.

Since the day I pulled her lifeless body out of the bathtub filled with water, blood, and dirt marking every diameter, I promised myself that I would never let something like that happen again. And seeing her speak again, even if just a simple word, let the seed of hope that had always existed within me sprout; now you could already see a small but undeniable little sprout. If I nurtured that with care, attention, and affection, it would soon grow into a leafy tree. She had been through horrible things that had destroyed her, but I could take her hand and help her rebuild herself.

The more time passed, the more important she became in my life. It was no longer just a civic duty or empathy. Of course, these things were still involved, but it had become undeniably personal. I didn't see any kind of judgment coming from her eyes, and that's why it was so comfortable to talk about the things that troubled me. My fears and insecurities were trivial compared to hers, but that didn't make her arrogant, hesitant, or even offended. It only proved that she was a girl with a noble heart; someone who even from inside a well, didn't forget that there were other people in the world who might need help.

And it was her they destroyed. With so many horrible, greedy, and unscrupulous people roaming the world, living in luxury and comfort, it was precisely her who paid with her life, sanity, and well-being for sins she never committed.

Both times the girl managed to verbalize, they were in extreme moments. In one of them, her voice was screeching, hoarse; strong and weak at the same time. And in the other, it was so low, such a weak noise, it could hardly be heard. I would so like to know what her voice was like. What her normal tone was, without tons of trauma preventing her from speaking clearly. And even though the circumstance had been terrifying, it was good to know that all was not lost; that she could fully regain her voice. And whatever I could do to help her, I would.

Back at the table, I started to look at her while sipping my coffee. She was still a bit shaky, but there was no sign that she would collapse again. I took that as a positive sign. Things would get better. All the patience I was exercising needed to stretch, but it wasn't a hindrance.

It was a gift.

Here is the English translation:

**JAMES**

I'm in a video conference with three allied businessmen. "Subordinates" would be the more appropriate word, but I know they wouldn't like being called that. It's been a week since Alexandra's... idea, and I've been weighing every detail of her plan while adding a point or two of my own that could be useful.

I didn't know if the demon woman's motivation stemmed from boredom or emotions she hadn't yet overcome. After all, why care about the words of a useless and disdainful little rat? Gavin might have his name on Urus' formal contracts, but everyone knew that it was that other insufferable Donovan who really called the shots and had put everything in order. He was the true visionary, the alpha who called the shots there and had the firm grip necessary to command everyone under his domain. A formidable opponent, and the only one worthy of my recognition.

The men appearing on the laptop screen are respective representatives from my branches: one from Mexico, another from Argentina, and the last from Colombia. They all wear the same expressions of fear and caution they always do when actively discussing how our economies have thrived in recent months and the short- to long-term plans to maintain or even increase those profits.

Rarely do I need to speak much. I simply nod approvingly and take notes. After all, mistakes are not tolerated, and everyone there knows what I do with useless people who waste my time. They're perfectly capable of continuing in their roles, and if they show incapacity, they'll be irreversibly fired and replaced in the blink of an eye.

The Mexican representative is speaking now. The others, as well as apparently myself, are paying attention, but my mind can only think of Alexandra's eyes on mine as she cheerfully details every second of the plan, which not only would remove Urus from play but also permanently tarnish Gavin and Donovan's reputations.

It would be a devastating blow, but it required caution. Outwardly, we could be stopped and even punished if caught doing something of that magnitude. Secrecy, calm, and total discretion would be our greatest weapons right now. And I not only had the means but also the complete competence to execute everything and emerge victorious in the end. In Alexandra's own words, that was exactly why she was counting on me and why my brilliant mind would be responsible for the rival company's dirty wreckage in the end.

Destroying a major competitor, as well as ending the lives of the two people I despised most in the world after my parents. It sounded like music to my ears, just like the hefty revenues that annually flowed into Altari's coffers.

Great things were happening, and even greater ones were yet to come.

Lost in lust and anticipation for the future good news, I ended up letting slip a wicked smile of triumph. The three representatives quickly lost their composure; the Mexican affiliate even stuttered in his speech.

My smile widened even more.

**ALEXANDRA**

One of the rare moments I could take a break from all the data gathering and exhausting, elaborate meetings at Jew was during lunch break. After devouring my salad, I locked myself in the huge office and smoked five to ten cigarettes, along with consuming at least five hundred milliliters of coffee. The accumulated stress of work was welcome, though. It was that determined spirit, achieved raw goals, and long investments that had brought us all the pomp that a company like ours deserved. We had achieved the best revenues lately, which was notable for a place that had once been on the brink of bankruptcy.

My miserable and imbecile ex-fiancé had most of the blame for the near disaster. I was so stunned and stunned that I did such bad business and almost deposed my own company. It was only the blind faith that some of the interns still had in me, and smooth bribes paid on the sly, that kept me as CEO. After regaining all my control, the traitors who asked for my head were summarily dismissed. The garbage was thrown away, and now only the loyal were by my side.

The delicious James Ethan was also a strong ally, not only in terms of my career but also in my success as a fulfilled woman. He was an arrogant fool, but when he was in the same room as me, he was just a trained little dog. He felt empowered, of course, and I wanted it to be like that, too. If he suspected any kind of manipulation on my part, he could turn against me, and that would destroy us both. It's much better that the fierce wolf next door be your friend than your enemy. Add to that the fact that he was excellent in bed, always causing me exorbitant sensations that left me in heaven. A true gold mine.

He seemed excited when I said I wanted to get Gavin out of our lives once and for all, as well as that closet I called friend, Donovan Jones. Thus, we wouldn't be owners of the best and most profitable companies in this country, as we would have our egos satisfied by defeating our rivals. Our aligned interests were strong, and we could be unbeatable if we crushed those filthy cockroaches. It was as easy as taking candy from a child. In his arrogance, James said he "would think about it." But the definite yes was written on his forehead. I immediately knew I had hooked him. It was just a matter of dictating things the right way, the way he wanted to hear.

Where would that straw-haired fool be? Did he even imagine the hell his life would become? And when he ran off to plead for help from his best friend, he would only have time to find out that he too would be up to his neck in trouble.

Drawing on the last cigarette of the day, I allowed a lazy smile to take over my face. Their days were numbered. My absolute success was about to begin.