Eternal Bond

A Clash of Wills

The security guards flanked her, clearly trying to restrain her, but it was too late. She had already barged into the heart of Voss Enterprises, unafraid and unaware of the chaos she was causing.

The foreign investors exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of what was happening. Nathaniel’s assistant shot up from her seat, rushing toward Anna to stop her, but the fiery woman was undeterred. Her eyes were locked onto Nathaniel with a fury he had rarely seen, and the guards were no match for her determination.

"You think you can just throw money at me and walk away?" she shouted, her voice echoing around the room. "Do you have any idea who you just disrespected back there?"

The room was silent. No one had ever spoken to Nathaniel Voss that way, least of all in the middle of such a crucial meeting. The investors sat frozen, their gazes darting between Anna and Nathaniel, unsure of what would happen next.

Nathaniel rose slowly from his seat, his eyes darkening. "Miss," he said, his voice calm but filled with a barely controlled anger. "This is not the place for this."

"I don’t give a damn where we are!" Anna spat, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "You think you can just toss money at people and make your problems go away? Well, I’m not some problem you can fix with your wallet, Mr."

The investors shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Nathaniel’s assistant looked as though she was about to faint. The security guards stood by the door, unsure whether they should intervene or stay back.

Nathaniel’s jaw clenched as he stepped forward, his towering form casting a long shadow over Anna. Despite her fury, she didn’t back down. She glared up at him, her chest rising and falling with each breath, her fire matching his icy calm.

"Miss Wheeler," Nathaniel began, his voice a dangerous whisper, "you are interrupting a very important meeting. I suggest you leave before you cause any further damage."

"Damage?" she echoed, incredulous. "You’re the one who hit my car, insulted me, and then threw money at me like I was some... some charity case!" She took another step forward, her finger pointed accusingly at him. "I demand an apology. Not just for the car, but for how you treated me."

Nathaniel’s eyes narrowed, and for a moment, something flickered in them—a hint of something darker, something not quite human. Anna didn’t notice it, but the foreign investors shifted uncomfortably, sensing that something about the man in front of them was off.

"You’re making a scene," he growled, his voice low and threatening.

"Good!" Anna shot back, her voice unwavering. "Maybe you need someone to stand up to you for once in your life."

There was a pause, a tense silence that seemed to stretch on forever. Nathaniel’s assistant took a cautious step toward him, her voice barely a whisper. "Mr. Voss, maybe we should—"

"Enough," Nathaniel interrupted, his voice cold and final. He turned his gaze back to Anna, his eyes flashing with something primal. "You want an apology? Fine."

The room held its breath. Anna, too, was momentarily taken aback. She hadn’t expected him to concede, not like this.

"I apologize," he said slowly, his words dripping with contempt. "I’m sorry for hitting your car, Miss."

Anna blinked, surprised. But the satisfaction she’d expected to feel never came. Something about the way he said it felt wrong, hollow.

Nathaniel straightened his tie, his icy demeanor returning in full force. "Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting to finish." He gestured toward the door, indicating that she should leave.

But Anna wasn’t done. She wasn’t about to let him get away that easily, especially not after everything he’d said and done.

She crossed her arms over her chest, defiant. "I’m not going anywhere."

Nathaniel’s apology hung in the air, but Anna wasn’t satisfied. She narrowed her eyes, feeling the hollowness in his words. He wasn’t sorry. Not really. He was only apologizing to get rid of her, and that only fueled her anger further.

“Wait,” Anna said, her voice firm as she took a step closer to him, refusing to be intimidated by his towering presence. The investors exchanged uneasy glances, clearly uncomfortable with the confrontation that was unfolding in front of them.

Nathaniel arched an eyebrow, his cold gaze locking onto her. “What now, Miss Wheeler? I’ve already apologized. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

Anna crossed her arms, standing her ground. “No, not like that. I don’t just want an empty apology for the car. You need to apologize for throwing money at me like I was some beggar on the street. I have my own money, Mr. Voss, and I don’t need yours.”

Nathaniel’s eyes darkened, his jaw tightening as the tension in the room thickened. The investors shifted in their seats, sensing the dangerous shift in the atmosphere. One of them, an older man with a thick Russian accent, cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Perhaps this is not the best time for us to be here,” he said, standing up. The other investors nodded in agreement, quickly gathering their things.

“We can continue our discussion another time, Mr. Voss,” another investor added, his voice filled with polite detachment. “We’ll be in touch.”

Nathaniel’s assistant, who had been hovering anxiously in the background, shot a panicked glance at her boss. She knew how important this deal was, how much time and effort had gone into preparing for it. Losing these investors now could be catastrophic, not just for the deal, but for the entire company.

But Nathaniel didn’t seem to care. His gaze was still locked on Anna, his expression unreadable but his anger simmering just beneath the surface. The investors, sensing the tension growing even more unbearable, quickly filed out of the boardroom, leaving behind an awkward silence.

Anna stood her ground, watching as the investors exited, one by one. The last one, a portly man in a navy blue suit, gave her a small, apologetic smile before slipping out the door. Now, it was just her and Nathaniel in the room, the door closing with a heavy thud behind them.

Nathaniel’s fury was palpable, his chest rising and falling with each breath as he struggled to contain his anger. The room, once bustling with activity, now felt like a pressure cooker ready to explode. His assistant stood frozen in the corner, her eyes wide with fear as she looked between the two of them.

“You... you cost me that deal,” Nathaniel said, his voice low and dangerous. “Do you have any idea what you’ve just done?”

Anna met his gaze, unflinching. “I don’t care about your deal. What I care about is how you treated me. You think you can just throw money at people and make your problems disappear? I’m not one of your problems, Nathaniel Voss.”

Nathaniel’s fists clenched at his sides, the muscles in his jaw tightening as his anger threatened to boil over. He was used to control—control over his business, his employees, his life. But this woman, this fiery, stubborn woman, was standing in front of him, refusing to bend to his will. And it enraged him.

“You have no idea who you’re dealing with,” he growled, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. “I could ruin you with a single phone call.”

Anna’s eyes flashed with defiance. “Go ahead. Try me.”

Nathaniel took a step toward her, his towering form casting a shadow over her smaller frame. But Anna didn’t back down. She stood her ground, her chin lifted defiantly as she stared him down.

“I don’t care how much money you have,” she continued, her voice steady despite the tension in the air. “You don’t get to treat people like they’re beneath you. You think you’re so powerful, so untouchable. But let me tell you something, Mr. Voss—money doesn’t buy you respect. You have to earn it.”

Nathaniel’s anger flared, and for a brief moment, something flickered in his eyes—something dark and dangerous, something not quite human. It was as if the beast within him, the creature that he kept hidden from the world, was clawing its way to the surface.

Anna sensed the shift in him. She didn’t know what it was exactly, but something about his presence changed, becoming more menacing, more predatory. Her instincts screamed at her to leave, to get out of there before things escalated further.

But she wasn’t done yet.

“And another thing,” Anna continued, her voice steady despite the growing fear gnawing at the edges of her resolve. “You owe me a real apology. Not just for the car, but for the way you treated me. You can’t just throw money at people and expect them to fall at your feet. You need to apologize for that—and you need to promise you’ll never treat anyone like that again.”

Nathaniel’s eyes narrowed, his fury building with each word she spoke. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, his muscles taut as he fought to contain the growing storm within him. He could feel the beast inside him, the vampire blood that coursed through his veins, pushing against the surface, hungry for release.

“Leave,” he growled, his voice barely more than a whisper, but filled with a deadly edge.

Anna didn’t move.

“Leave,” he repeated, louder this time, his voice dripping with barely restrained rage.

But Anna stood her ground, her arms crossed over her chest. “Not until you apologize.”