Shadows Of A Forgotten Spring
Billionaire Shadow 61

Chapter 61

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Annie growled gutturally, and her eyes blurred with angry hot tears. She threw her phone down on the table as she controlled herself from throwing it across the room. She was shaking in a blind fury as the enormity of what this all implicated hit her. Instead of siding with her, instead of standing by her as he should have, Alexander had chosen to protect his ex-wife. He had humilated her, abandoned her, and left her to deal with the fallout alone.

Her mind was racing through the implications. Alexander had drawn a line in the sand, and it was more than evident on which side he stood That ungrateful bastard," she spat, her voice cracking. Tears streamed down her face, but they werent tears of sadness, they were tears of pure, unfiltered rage. How could he do this to her Side with Emma? Put that ugly woman above her?!

Annie's fists were clenched, her nails digging into her palms, while she tried to steady herself. She couldn't afford to fall apart now. She had to think, to plan her next move. But the truth stared her in the face her time under Alexander's roof was slipping away, slowly but surely. His actions were a warning; a sign that he wasn't willing to keep her around indefinitely

The thought made her chest contract. If Alexander turned his back on her finally, she'd lose everything, the life, the status, the security. She needed to act fast, to secure her place permanently in his life before it was too late.

Wiping away tears with shaking hands, Annie straightened her backbone. What she needed was leverage, something that would the Alexander irreversibly with her. One thing etched in her mind, the one that could flip everything in her favor, a child. If she became pregnant, Alexander would not be able to deny her so easily. A child would seal her place and let Emma never wholly get back into his life again

But how? The clock was ticking, and Alexander's patience with her seemed to be wearing thin. She had to act soon, or she risked losing everything she had schemed and fought for.

She screamed "No. Promising to find a way out and when she does, she'd make sure both Alexander and Emma regretted ever underestimating her.

Coming out of the back to back meetings that ran for hours, his tie slightly loosened with a look of tiredness etched into his features, Kevin promptly walked up to Alexander, holding a file in one hand and a tablet in the other. The air was thick with anticipation, and Kevin excitement was palpable.

"Good news, sir," Kevin announced, a rare smile breaking across his usually serious face.

Alexander glanced at him, his expression was unreadable. "Let's hear it," he said, his voice calm but laced with tiredness Kevin passed on the tablet, eyes sparkling with excitement. "The CEO of W2 Holdings has replied to our request. She's agreed to come." Alexander's brow furrowed as he scrolled through the email flashing on the screen. He could hardly believe his eyes: the twist of disbelief was right there beneath his thoughts. As a last resort, he had asked Emma to try and contact the elusive W? Holdings CEO. After all, this mysterious CEO was known for avobling the public eye. The possibility of receiving a posENA response had seemed laughable at best.

ettual

Yet, here it was in black and white, confirmation that she was not only willing to donate huge amounts of money like she had been doing for the past four years but was also attending the prestigious Aurora Honors event Alexander read the twice, as though he couldn't quite believe the words staring back at him.

"She's coming to this year's Aurora Honors, Kevin added with barely contamed excitement. It's official. She'll be here in just a few days

The W2 Holdings CEO wasn't just an ordinary business tycoon She was a legend in the industry-an innovator whose empire had grown exponentially in the last four years, despite her insistence on remaining in the shadows.

"That's unexpected," Alexander admitted, his voice carryin mund already rating. Why now!

w? What had prompted suc

of awe. He handed the tablet back to Kevin with his denge of intal to someone so 21:15 Tue, Dec 17 V

Chapter 61

As they walked towards the car, Kevin seemed to continue, undeterred in enthusiasm. Im as curious as you are, sir, to see the face behind the name, to finally meet the woman who has kept everyone guessing. It is going to be one of the year's highlights." Alexander said nothing but went quiet; his mind was somewhere else. The timing was suspiciously perfect.

Sliding onto the back seat of his car, Alexander slumped against it; the soft humming of the engine was a short reprieve from the chaos that was in his mind. He stared out the window, watching the city blur past as questions swirled within him.

The sudden decision by the CEO of W2 Holdings felt like a puzzle piece falling into place but raised more questions than it answered. Her family's well-documented commitment to privacy made this public appearance even more perplexing, What had changed? A flicker of admiration crossed his face as he thought of Emma. She had agreed to help him despite everything that stood between them, and now it seemed she had come through in a way he hadn't anticipated. But this revelation only deepened the mystery. If she was capable of pulling off something this monumental, what else was she capable of pulling off

As the car threaded its way through the city, one overriding feeling oozed into Alexander's thoughts: the Aurora Honors was going to prove far bigger than he'd ever thought.

Slowly, he exhaled, the weight of expectation falling on his shoulders. "Let's make sure everything is perfect for the Aurora Honors, he said firmly to Kevin, who nodded in agreement.