Chapter 161
Christiana’s POV
| was at my desk, flipping through a few reports Grace had left for me, when the door to my office opened
without a knock. My head shot up, irritation bubbling, only for it to double when saw him...Daniel Brooks.
“Christiana,” he said, his lips curling into a smug smile as he sauntered in, uninvited.
“Daniel,” | said flatly, leaning back in my chair. “What are you doing here?”
He spread his arms as if the answer was obvious. “I'm here to talk business. | just flew in from Dubai this
morning, and | couldn’t wait to see you. Thought you'd appreciate my dedication.”
Dedication? My jaw tightened. “Dedication isn’t barging into someone's office uninvited. And we've already had
this conversation. I'm not interested in partnering with you.”
His smile faltered, but only for a second. “Con, Christiana. You're being unreasonable. We'd make a great
team. Your company, my resources we could dominate the market. You're too smart not to see that.”
“| see plenty.” | said coldly, standing to face him. “And | see through you, Daniel. This isn’t about business. It's
about your obsession with getting involved in my life, Alex's life, and my company. | won't allow it.”
He blinked, clearly not expecting the sharpness in my tone. “Obsession? Is that what you think this is?” He
chuckled, but there was no humor in it. “We're friends, Christiana. I'm just trying to help.”
“Friends?” | let out a bitter laugh. “Not anymore. You changed, Daniel. You're not the man | knew months ago. |
can’t be friends with someone like you....someone who manipulates, schemes, and thinks he can control
everything around him.”
His expression darkened, the fake charm slipping. “I'm trying to give you an opportunity here, Christiana. Don’t
makeout to be the bad guy.”
“You are the bad guy,” | shot back, my voice rising. “You've been meddling in Alex's business, undermining him.
You're trying to worm your way into my company, my life. It ends now
Daniel's jaw clenched, and his gaze turned sharp, almost predatory. “You don’t mean that. You're just angry.
Once you calm down, you'll see reason.”
“Reason?” | spat. “The only thing | see is a man who doesn’t know how to take no for an answer.”
He stepped closer, too close, his voice dropping to a chilling calm. “You think you can just pushaway? After
everything I've done for you, Christiana?”
| pressed my hand against my desk, forcing myself to stay composed despite the unease creeping up my spine.
“You've done nothing but disrupt my life. Get out, Daniel. Stay away from me, my children, Alex, and his
business. I'm warning you.”
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtHis smile returned, but it was twisted now, his eyes glinting with something unsettling. “You're making a mistake.
I've always been on your side, Christiana. No one else will protect you the way | can.”
“Protect me?” My voice was filled with disdain. “I don’t need your protection. I've been doing just fine without
you meddling in my life.”
His smile faded, replaced by a stubborn set of his jaw. “You'll regret this.”
That was it. My patience snapped. Without another word, | reached for the button under my desk and pressed it,
summoning security.
Daniel's eyes flicked to my hand, and his face twisted in frustration. “You're really doing this?” he asked, his tone
a mixture
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Chapter 161
of disbelief and anger.
“Yes, | am,” | said firmly. “Because clearly, you don’t know how to leave when you're told.”
The door opened moments later, and Grace entered, followed by two security guards. She looked flustered, her
gaze darting betweenand Daniel. “Ma’am, I'm so sorry. | didn’t realize...
“It's fine, Grace, | said sharply, keeping my eyes on Daniel. “Get him out of here.”
The guards moved toward Daniel, who raised his hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright. No need to make a
scene,” he said, though his tone was anything but apologetic.
As they escorted him out, he glanced back at me, his gaze burning with unspoken threats. “This isn’t over,
Christiana. You'll cto your senses.”
“Not likely,” I said coldly, watching until the door shut behind him.
Grace turned to me, her face pale. “I'm so sorry, ma'am. | should've stopped him at the reception desk. | didn't
think...” “It’s not your fault, Grace | said, though my voice was sharper than | intended. | sighed, running a hand
through my hair. “Just make sure he’s not allowed in the building again.”
“Of course, ma'am. I'll handle it right away,” she said, nodding quickly before leaving.
The room fell silent, but the tension lingered like a storm cloud. | sat back down, my hands trembling slightly as |
stared at the door.
Daniel Brooks had crossed a line today, and something toldhe wasn’t going to stop. But if he thought Id let
him intimidate me, he was in for a rude awakening.
I sank back into my chair, staring at the door as if it would swallow up the memory of what had just happened.
But it didn’t. The weight of Daniel's words, his obsessive gaze, lingered, heavy and suffocating. | couldn't help
but despise him.....despise the man he had become.
How could someone change so much in a matter of months? It was as if Daniel Brooks, the Daniel | once knew,
had been consumed by something dark and unrecognizable.
He used to be humble, grounded. | remembered when he spoke passionately about his dreams, his plans to rise
above his modest beginnings. Back then, there was no arrogance, no manipulative edge to his ambition. He
worked hard and respected boundaries. He was... considerate. Kind, even.
But now? Now he was a shadow of that man. His sudden wealth, his growing power...they had corrupted him,
twisted him into someone | didn’t recognize. Someone who thought money and influence could replace decency.
And then there was his obsession. His deluded belief that he could somehow takeaway from Alex. The very
idea made my stomach churn. To think | had once nursed good feelings for him, once admired his resilience and
charm. It made this all the more unsettling.
| shook my head, anger rising in my
. on 8
chest. This was my fault, wasn't it? |
) q
hadn'tPltely Sse tie after |
al traed/ Him own. | thought |
could manage the situation, maintain
a cordial distance. But that sliver of
leniency had given him the wrong
idea. He thought it meant something.
He thought he meant something to me.
And now, because of my hesitation, he was here, trying to bulldoze his way into my life, into my family’s life. |
felt sick at the thought of him targeting Alex, the man | truly loved.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
Alex. Just the thought of his name
steadied me, groundingin the
chaos Daniel had red ue Alek!
whorkndW@dhy flawed part of me
and still stood by my side. The
thought of anyone trying to replace
him, especially Daniel, was laughable.
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But that didn’t erase lie saduess lingering in the corner of my heart. Somewhere beneath the disgust and anger,
there was a faint sense of pity. Not for the man Daniel was now...but for the man he used to be.
The good, considerate man who had
once shared his dreams with me. The
man who had show i his of
hymanity befOre power and
obsession turned him into a monster.
That man was gone now, replaced by
)
someone | couldn't bear to look at.
| pressed my fingers to my temples, exhaling slowly, The Daniel used to know was just a memory. What stood
beforetoday was a stranger. And no matter what I'd fel
t for him before, | couldn't let that stranger interfere with my life
Not anymore.