Shadows Of A Forgotten Spring
Billionaire Shadow 114

Chapter

114

Sitting in the dim glow of his bedroom, illuminated only by the television light, which cast flickering shadows across the walls, Brandon Kings sat watching the news. The news played on but he wasn't listening to the anchor's voice anymore; all he was focused on was the replaying footage of Emma and Jaden kissing at the coffee shop.

It was the hundredth time he had watched, his chest tighter each time the scene unfolded. The kiss wasn't a peck, wasn't fleeting; it was passionate, undeniable, with emotions that twisted a knife deep into Brandon's heart. The image of radiant and happy Emma in the arms of Jaden played repeatedly on every news outlet and social media platform. This was no ordinary news; this was the number-one trending topic worldwide.

Brandon's hand crashed down onto the arm of his chair, and suddenly, he was angry. But beneath that anger was something much stronger; hurt, jealousy, and a bone-deep ache he hadn't felt in years. He ran a hand down his face, trying to steady himself, but it didn't stop the anger.

With a shaky breath, Brandon reached for the framed picture on his bedside table; a photo of him and Diana Walker, taken just weeks before her life was cruelly stolen. The sound of her laughter echoed in his mind, the sparkle of her eyes with love and mischief. She had been his world, and when Marina took her away, she destroyed him in ways he was still trying to recover from.

Tears brimmed in his eyes and flowed over, running down his cheeks as he stared at the photo, his fingers trembling, outlining Diana's face. "I'm so sorry, Diana," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I couldn't save you. I failed you."

The guilt and the grief just seemed to close in around him, like some immovable weight. For over five years, he had been a shadow of the man he once was, picking up the shattered pieces of his life while trying to keep the rest of the world from seeing how broken he truly

was.

Another thought rushed across his brain and he wiped his tears dry.

"Diana wouldn't want this." He whispered. "She wouldn't want me living in this eternal pool of pain and regret."

He had felt a stir at the sight of Emma during the function at the Wings of Hope. Her face had caught his attention immediately. Emma reminded him a lot about Diana; and that appalled him.

So he'd kept his distance, stayed away, convincing himself it was for Emma's sake. She'd already gone through so much pain, and the last thing he would want was adding to that. But maybe just maybe, he'd stayed a bit too far away. Now, in front of the whole world, Jaden was about to steal her away forever.

He placed the photo back on the table, his resolve hardening. Emma wouldn't slip through his fingers without a fight.

Brandon picked up his phone, booking the earliest flight out of the country the following morning. His heart pounded as he confirmed all of the details. There was no guarantee that Emma would listen to him, much less choose him. Yet he had to try.

He leaned back in his chair, staring at the confirmation email when doubts began to creep into his mind. Was he doing the right thing? Was he capable of giving Emma the love she deserved, or was he just chasing a ghost of the past?

Brandon shook his head and shook the doubts away. This wasn't about Diana anymore. It was about his future and happiness. AAAAA

Annie had been flipping through the news aimlessly, her emotions churning in a storm inside. The headlines about Emma and Jaden's public display of affection had been screaming at her in mockery, images of them kissing, images of them being happy plastered everywhere. It seemed all anyone had been speaking of was Emma and Jaden, the golden couple of the

season.

Annie's lips pressed into a thin line as she continued to scroll. In her chest, relief mingled with bitterness. On one hand, Emma's budding relationship with Jaden might finally shift Alexander's focus back to her, something she had been

1/2

111

11:10 Tue, Dec 24 GGG

Chapter 114

desperately trying to achieve. But on the other hand, the sight of Emma so joyful, so radiant, was filling Annie with a bitter resentment she couldn't swallow.

She let out a soft hiss under her breath, her fingers tightening on her phone.

As Annie was about to close the news app, a notification popped on her screen. Her stomach flipped when she saw i I was an email. Curiously, she opened it and instantly froze.

It wasn't just an ordinary email. It was a bombshell.

A video clip stared back at her, with a chilling message:

"Pay me $10 million, or I'll send this to your man."

Her heart stuttered, and a cold sweat broke out on her skin. Blood drained from her face as she clutched the phone tighter, her breath hitching in her throat. She glanced at Alexander, ensuring he was asleep, before slipping out of bed. Her legs felt like jelly as she tiptoed into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

Annie's shakingly turned the volume down on her phone and hit play. The video started, and it was as if the world was caving in around her.

There she was, unmistakably her, tangled up with a man she had been seeing a few weeks ago. Her heart dropped into her stomach as she recognized every damning detail.

She began breathing in short, panicked gasps. She wanted to deny it, to convince herself this was some deepfake or cruel joke, but she couldn't. The evidence was simply irrefutable. Even with her putting on a face mask, the gunshot scar to her shoulder, that unfortunate reminder of the day her first wedding to Alexander got ruined, was quite clear.

Tears pricked her eyes as she stared at the screen. How had it come to this? How had she been so careless?

She had only accepted to fuck the man all in the name of getting pregnant but now, he was using it against him even thoughy she had paid him handsomely for his service.

Annie felt her chest tighten as the realization set in. It wasn't just her reputation on the line; this was everything she had fought for. Alexander would ruin her and all she had put into it if he were to see this.

Her mind began to race with possibilities on how she could get the money he has asked for. Ten million dollars was a huge amount for her. Even one million dollars she couldn't provide, but to Alexander ten million dollars was merely a chicken change.

She began to wonder how she could pull it off without making Alexander suspicious.

She cursed under her breath.

Her breathing thickened and her sight blurred as she replayed that video again and again for any way to deny the truthfulness of it. Hopeless, in too deep.