THE INTERNAL CONFLICT

Rory stepped out of the café, her heart was pounding heavily as she made her way to her car. Unknown to her Victor was there the whole time, listening to their conversation. The cold evening air did little to cool the heat rising in her chest. Jason’s words replayed in her mind like a broken record, Divorce Victor and marry me.

She shuddered, gripping her purse tightly. The meeting had revealed more than she expected. Jason wasn’t behind the scandal regarding the twin babies, nor was he behind Nexus Innovations’ fierce competition with them, but he had seized the moment to worsen her fall by manipulating the media. She believed him because, even before now, she suspected that someone else was involved. But still, he was behind that media outage; that revelation alone was unsettling, but what disturbed her most was his parting words Jason had asked about Ami. How did he know about her daughter? And why would he bring her up?

The bigger question on her mind was if she should tell Victor everything they discussed. It left her in deep thought: how would she tell her husband that Jason had asked her to divorce him? It didn't make sense. But could she handle Jason on her own? She wants to tell Victor everything, but she fears he will become temperamental and might do something rash. 

Jason now works with a crime syndicate, he is dangerous. Rory fears what a confrontation between him and Victor could result in. Then, she decides to shield him away from the trouble; she decides that she is not going to tell him about Jason's condition. She believes that she can handle the situation just fine.

The chauffeur opened the car door, snapping her out of her spiralling thoughts. “We’re back, ma’am,” he said.

She barely acknowledged him, stepping out of the car. The ride home was a blur; her mind was running in circles. She thought of Tasha; could she be the one orchestrating all of this? Business owners in London respected her; they even admired her; none would dare go to such lengths to bring her down. But Tasha? Jason’s scorned ex? She had every reason to want revenge.

When they pulled up to the mansion, Victor was already at the entrance, his piercing gaze locked onto her. She felt a lump form in her throat as she stepped out. He didn’t say a word; he simply pulled her into a warm embrace. It was comforting, but she knew better than to think he hadn’t noticed something was off.

They walked in together. Once they were inside, Victor finally spoke. “How was the meeting?”

Rory hesitated. “Jason isn’t behind the scandal or Nexus. He just amplified the issue with the media.”

Victor narrowed his eyes. “Okay, and?”

She took a deep breath. “And he accepted my apology.”

Victor studied her quietly, his expression was unreadable. Then, in a calm but firm tone, he asked, “Is that all?”

She swallowed hard. “Yes.”

His gaze sharpened. “He didn’t ask for anything in return?”

Her breath hitched, and for a split second, she felt exposed. Did he know? Had he heard? Her mind flashed back to the café, to the man sitting near them. He had been wearing a white shirt and baseball cap, but his build was nothing like Victor’s. She had dismissed the thought of being followed then. But now, Victor’s questions felt too precise.

Before she could respond, a sweet, excited voice cut through the tension. “, Munny, Daddy, dinner is ready!” Ami’s little feet pattered against the floor as she appeared, beaming with pride. “I cooked!”

Rory exhaled, grateful for the distraction. Victor’s jaw relaxed slightly as he bent down to scoop Ami into his arms. “You did, huh? Then it must be a feast fit for royalty.”

Ami giggled as they made their way to the dining table. Rory sat down, but she barely touched her food. She pushed the food around with her fork, her mind was still miles away. Jason’s words echoed again. Divorce Victor and marry me.

She glanced at Victor, who was happily indulging Ami as she talked about how she helped the chef mix the ingredients. His warmth and his love for their daughter were everything she ever wanted. And Jason thought she would throw that away for him?

Her thoughts shifted, and Jason asked about Ami. He must be the one watching them from the black car because he knew too much. The realization made her skin crawl.

Then there was Tasha, barely three months ago, before everything started, Tasha returned to the country after eight years since she had left. For what purpose? Whatever this was, she needed to dig deeper. Was Tasha working alone, or was she connected to a larger force?

A gentle touch on her hand made her jolt slightly. She looked up to see Victor watching her with concern, his usually sharp features softened. “It’s going to be alright,” he murmured.

She managed a small nod, but her mind was far from at ease.

After dinner, they took Ami to bed, they took turns to read her favourite stories until she slept off. The moment they stepped into their bedroom, Victor shut the door and turned to her. “You’re still thinking about the company, aren’t you?”

Rory hesitated, then nodded. “I suspect Tasha.”

Victor frowned. “Who is Tasha?”

She sighed. “Jason’s ex left her eight years ago when he was obsessed with me, and I took advantage of the situation then. She is the only other person I know who would have a motive to do this. Besides, her father is well-connected. I learnt she came back to London exactly three months ago, that was the same time the problems with Nexus started.”

Victor’s expression darkened. “I’ll get a private investigator to look into her.”

She wanted to feel reassured, but the weight in her chest remained. He noticed and pressed further.

“Tell me, what else is bothering you?” His voice was steady, but there was a knowing edge to it.

Rory hesitated, then finally whispered, “Jason asked about Ami.”

What?