Chapter 116 One Hundred and sixteen
Six Years Later….
It's been six years. Six long, painful years since Izzy had walked out of his life.
Dominic sat at his desk, staring out the window of his office. The city sprawled beneath him, lights twinkling as if nothing had changed, but everything had. Six years since she’d demanded that check from his mother and disappeared into the night, leaving him empty-handed, heart shattered, and desperate to find her.
At first, he thought maybe his mom was lying. He had run to Izzy’s apartment that night, only to find it empty. She was gone. He tried calling Maya, but she was nowhere to be found either. Every lead ended in silence.
Six fucking years.
And what did he have now? A failed marriage on the edge of divorce. A business that demanded every ounce of his attention. And Sienna… God, Sienna. She had been a mistake, a nightmare he’d been trapped in because he thought he could move on. She was cruel, selfish, and impossible. Life with her had been hell… every day a reminder that he was living with the terrible choice that he made.
He slammed his fist lightly on the desk, frustration boiling through him. All this time, all this money, all these decisions… and still, the one person he truly wanted, the one person who had ever mattered, was gone.
His chest ached in a way he hadn’t felt since that night she left. He closed his eyes and whispered under his breath, “Where are you, Izzy?”
The office felt colder than ever, the city outside indifferent to his pain. Six years. And he still hadn’t stopped thinking about her.
Dominic’s office door opened before he could respond, and there she was… his mother, Miranda. The woman who had controlled so much of his life, who had never let him forget that nothing in his world came without her approval.
His chest tightened. His relationship with her hadn’t been the same since Izzy left. There was tension, unspoken blame, and a distance that hadn’t existed before.
“What do you want?” he said, voice sharp, cutting through the quiet like a blade.
Miranda raised an eyebrow, unfazed by his tone. “Isn’t it time you dropped that nasty attitude with me?” Her voice was smooth, venom wrapped in silk.
He didn’t answer. He just leaned back in his chair, jaw tight, eyes on the skyline beyond the window.
“Well,” she said, stepping closer, heels clicking against the floor, “I came to make sure you understand one thing…. attending today’s fundraiser is Important… we have reputable business partners that will be there. I don’t want excuses, Dominic. Do not fail me.”
Her gaze was icy, commanding, and for a moment, Dominic felt that familiar tight knot of frustration mixed with resentment. He had spent years trying to live on his own terms, yet she still had the power to make his life feel like a trap.
He clenched his fists on the desk, forcing himself to stay calm. “I’ll be there,” he said finally, cold and clipped. Not a word more.
Miranda gave a satisfied nod, a small, almost predatory smile on her lips, before turning and leaving as quietly as she had arrived.
The moment the door shut, Dominic sank back into his chair, his thoughts drifting… Izzy. Six years. And still, her shadow haunted every corner of his life. He shook his head, trying to focus on the fundraiser, but deep down, he knew that nothing today would matter… not if she was still out there somewhere, beyond his reach.
Dominic ran a hand over his face, rubbing the tension from his jaw. The office felt smaller, suffocating in its silence now that his mother had left. Every word she’d said echoed in his mind… fundraiser, important partners, don’t fail me. But all he could think about was Izzy.
He leaned back in his chair, staring at the city below, lost in memories of her. Her laugh. The way she’d looked at him, fearless and sharp, even when his own heart had been a mess. Six years had done nothing to erase her from his thoughts.
The phone on his desk buzzed, snapping him out of his reverie. It was Sienna. He didn’t even glance at it, letting it ring until it went to voicemail. He couldn’t deal with her today… not her complaints, her demands, her constant reminders that his life had been a mistake.
Dominic stood, pacing the office, mind racing. He had money, power, a business empire…. but none of it meant anything without Izzy. He had searched and searched for years… he couldn’t find her.
He slammed a hand onto the desk. “I can’t keep doing this,” he muttered to himself. “I can’t… just give up.. I can’t .”
The fundraiser loomed ahead… a perfect, pristine event where he’d be expected to smile, charm partners, and secure deals. But inside, a storm was building. For six years, he’d lived a life of control and compromise, and now he knew there was only one thing he truly wanted, one thing he had never stopped chasing.
And he would do whatever it took to find her this time again.
Dominic strode into the grand ballroom, late as usual, suit sharp but mind elsewhere. The chatter of guests, the clinking of glasses, the soft hum of the string quartet… it all felt distant, like background noise he wasn’t really hearing.
He scanned the room, eyes narrowing at the polished smiles and carefully staged tables. His mother’s words echoed in his head… don’t fail me, don’t fail me. But he wasn’t thinking about business. Not today.
A voice cut through the air, clear and commanding.
“Please, let’s welcome the pioneer of this event…the woman who handled it all, Mrs. Isabella Valenti.”
Dominic froze.
The room turned toward the stage, and there she was. Standing tall, elegant, confident. The sunlight… or maybe the spotlight… caught her hair just so. Her smile was calm, soft. His chest tightened, his heart hammer he couldn’t believe his eyes.
“Izzy…” he breathed, his voice barely audible.