CHAPTER FOUR:
Nicole stood in the grand marble lobby of Blake Real Estate, her head tilted toward the gold lettering etched into the archway.
Blake Enterprises
Legacy. Loyalty. Leadership.
Her name was still embedded somewhere in the company's founding documents. But not on any boardroom plaque or on any contract. Not on any recent deal because she had given it all up.
Her heels echoed across the polished floors with the kind of authority she hadn't worn in months.
She hadn't meant to come here today—but something had pulled her.
She reached out and let her palm brush against the elevator panel. But she didn't press anything.
Instead, her mind wandered back to the last time she'd taken that elevator and the last time she sat at that table.
**** Few years back....
She wore navy silk and a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Her father's portrait loomed at the far end of the conference table—stoic, beloved, intimidating. Julian sat beside her, fingers lightly circling hers beneath the table.
"I'm proud of you," he whispered, just before she signed.
"You're choosing us. Not just a company. We'll build everything from the ground up."
Her signature was elegant,and just like that, her seat passed to someone else— Kendra, her mentee, her friend
Nicole had hugged her that day. She remembered how Kendra had leaned in and whispered, "You're brave."
Nicole smiled and whispered back, "Just in love."
---
Back in the present, that line made her stomach twist.
She didn't go upstairs or ask for anyone.
Just stood in the lobby of the empire she helped build—then quietly slipped out through the back door like a ghost.
Outside, Camille waited in the car, sunglasses pushed into her curls, windows cracked just enough to catch the breeze.
"You went in?" she asked as Nicole climbed in beside her.
Nicole shook her head. "No. I just... remembered."
Camille gave her a long look. "I still think you should tell me what's really going on."
Nicole kept her gaze out the window. "Julian's hiding something."
"Something like...?"
"Something big."
Camille's voice dropped. "Affair big?"
Nicole didn't answer. Instead, she pulled out her phone and held it up.
"This was in our cloud drive. Last edited four days ago."
Camille leaned closer. "Floor plans?"
"For a house," Nicole said softly. "Not ours. Different state, the deed is in his name only."
Camille's brows drew tight. "He's buying property behind your back?"
Nicole nodded once. "I haven't even told him I'm pregnant. And he's out here building a whole new life."
Camille stared at her, the weight settling in. Then she handed the phone back, face unreadable.
"You need to stop asking questions," she said, "and start getting answers. I know a guy, he's quiet and discreet."
Nicole hesitated. "A private investigator?"
Camille nodded. "Fake name, untraceable payment. You need to know what he's doing, not what he's saying."
Nicole's first instinct was to argue. To hold onto trust. Her father had taught her to build first, tear down later. But her gut—the part of her she'd ignored for too long—was louder now.
She nodded slowly. "Okay. Give me the contact."
---
That night, in a different part of the city, Julian poured champagne into a tall, thin glass. The lights were low. The apartment was unfamiliar and sleek.
Across from him, Kendra sat in nothing but a silk robe, one heel dangling lazily from her painted toes.
He handed her the glass.
"To new beginnings."
She raised a brow. "She still doesn't know."
Julian's lips curved into a smug, controlled smile. "She's patient and loyal. She won't walk away."
Kendra studied him. "You don't know that."
"Oh, I do," he murmured, brushing a fingertip along her leg.
"Nicole doesn't walk away. She's the kind of woman who thinks staying is strength."
Kendra leaned in, voice low. "So when are you leaving her?"
Julian sipped his drink, smiled faintly and said nothing as if he was unsure.
---
Back in her quiet apartment, Nicole sat in bed, the glow of her phone lighting her face.
She stared at the contact Camille had just sent: MALACHI VEIL — Private Intel Consultant
She crafted the message carefully. Fake name,fake story. But the pain behind it was real. Carefully rethinking, she then decided and pressed send