Eternal Bond

Beneath the Facade

"Nathaniel’s anger boiled over. He took another step toward her, his towering frame casting a shadow over her. His chest heaved with the effort of holding back the beast within him, but he was losing control. His eyes darkened, the whites of them almost disappearing as his pupils dilated.

The temperature in the room seemed to drop, and Anna felt a shiver run down her spine. She didn’t know what was happening, but she knew she had pushed him too far. Something about him wasn’t right—something dangerous was lurking beneath the surface.

Nathaniel’s assistant, sensing the danger, rushed forward, placing a trembling hand on his arm. “Mr. Voss, please,” she whispered, her voice shaky. “Let her go.”

For a moment, it seemed as though Nathaniel might snap. His entire body was tense, his hands trembling with the effort of holding back the beast within him. But then, slowly, he exhaled, his muscles relaxing just enough for the tension in the room to ease slightly.

Anna, sensing the change, took a step back. She didn’t know what had just happened, but she knew it was time to go. Whatever battle she had been fighting was over—for now.

“You’re not worth it,” she muttered under her breath, turning on her heel and heading for the door.

Nathaniel didn’t move. He stood there, his chest rising and falling as he fought to regain control of himself. His assistant hovered nearby, her eyes wide with fear as she watched him, unsure of what to do.

As Anna reached the door, she paused, glancing back at him one last time. “You’ll regret this,” she said softly, her voice carrying a hint of something more—something he couldn’t quite place.

And then she was gone, the door closing behind her with a soft click.

Nathaniel stood in the middle of the boardroom, the weight of what had just happened settling over him like a heavy blanket. The deal was gone. The investors were gone. And now, he was left with nothing but his simmering anger and the echo of her words ringing in his ears.

He turned to his assistant, who was still standing there, frozen in place.

“Get the car ready,” he ordered, his voice cold and detached. “Now.”

The assistant nodded quickly, rushing out of the room to carry out his orders. Nathaniel took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair as he tried to shake off the lingering fury that still gripped him.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t forget the way Anna had stood up to him, the way she had refused to back down. It wasn’t just the loss of the deal that bothered him. It was her.

She had gotten under his skin in a way no one ever had before. And that infuriated him more than anything else.

Nathaniel Voss wasn’t used to losing. But today, it felt like he had lost something far more important than a business deal.

And he wasn’t sure how to get it back.

Anna slammed the door behind her as she stormed into the small apartment she shared with her roommate, Olivia. Her heart was still racing, and her hands trembled with leftover adrenaline from the encounter with Nathaniel. How dare he? How dare he treat her like that—like she was nothing but a nuisance, someone he could dismiss with a flick of his wrist and a wad of cash?

Olivia, lounging on the couch with a book in hand, looked up as Anna came in. She raised an eyebrow at the sight of her friend, flushed and pacing, clearly fuming about something.

“Well, someone's had a day,” Olivia remarked with a grin, marking her place in the book and sitting up straighter. “What happened?”

Anna stopped pacing, throwing her bag on the floor in frustration. “You will not believe the day I’ve had. I went to confront that guy—the one who scratched my car? You know, the one I told you about last week?”

Olivia’s eyes widened in interest. “Wait, the same guy who threw money at you? You actually went to confront him?”

Anna nodded, her lips pressed into a thin line. “Yeah, I couldn’t just let it go. So I went to his office to give him a piece of my mind.”

Olivia raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in her eyes. “You? In a corporate office? Now that must’ve been a sight.”

Anna plopped down on the couch beside her, rubbing her temples as she replayed the encounter in her head. “Oh, it was more than a sight. It was a complete disaster. He was in the middle of some big meeting—foreign investors, or whatever—and I barged in and confronted him in front of everyone.”

Olivia’s eyes widened. “You didn’t!”

“I did,” Anna groaned, her voice tinged with regret. “And now, I think I ruined his deal. The investors walked out, and I could see how furious he was. But you know what? He deserved it.”

Olivia let out a low whistle, clearly impressed by Anna’s boldness. “Wow, you really went for it. So, tell me—what happened? What did he say?”

Anna rolled her eyes. “He apologized, but it was so fake. He didn’t mean a word of it. And then, when I called him out for throwing money at me, he got all defensive. He even threatened to ruin me. Can you believe that?”

“Wow,” Olivia muttered, her brow furrowing in thought. “He sounds like a real piece of work. So, who is this guy? What’s his deal?”

Anna sighed, leaning back into the couch cushions. “I don’t even know. His name’s Nathaniel Voss, and from what I gathered, he’s the CEO of some big company. He acts like he owns the world, though.”

At the mention of Nathaniel’s name, Olivia’s eyes widened in recognition. She sat up straighter, looking at Anna with a mixture of surprise and concern.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Olivia said, holding up a hand. “Did you just say Nathaniel Voss?”

Anna frowned, noticing the sudden shift in her friend’s demeanor. “Yeah, why?”

Olivia blinked, clearly taken aback. “Anna, Nathaniel Voss isn’t just any CEO. He’s the Nathaniel Voss. He’s the heir to the Voss family fortune. They own an entire chain of companies—technology, real estate, luxury goods—you name it, they’ve got a hand in it. His family’s loaded.”

Anna stared at Olivia in disbelief. “What? You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Nope,” Olivia continued, shaking her head. “He’s been in the papers a bunch of times. You know those rich heirs you always read about? The ones who were born with silver spoons in their mouths? Yeah, that’s him. The Voss family is one of the wealthiest families in the country.”

Anna scoffed, sinking deeper into the couch as the pieces started to fall into place. “No wonder he was acting like such a spoiled brat. He’s probably been pampered his whole life—never had to work for anything.”

Olivia shrugged, watching her friend with a knowing smile. “Well, he’s definitely got that reputation. Rich, powerful, used to getting his way. But still, I can’t believe you barged in on him like that. That’s bold, Anna.”

Anna groaned, covering her face with her hands. “I wasn’t thinking. I just wanted to confront him, and then it all spiraled out of control. And now, I’m the one who looks like a fool.”

“Hey, don’t be so hard on yourself,” Olivia said, giving her a reassuring nudge. “I think it’s great that you stood up for yourself. Most people wouldn’t have had the guts to do what you did.”

Anna sighed, letting her hands fall to her lap. “Yeah, but now I’ve probably made an enemy out of one of the most powerful men in the country. He could ruin me with one phone call.”

Olivia waved a dismissive hand. “Nah, I doubt it. Guys like Nathaniel Voss have bigger things to worry about than some random girl who barged into his office. Besides, it sounds like he had it coming.”

Anna gave a small, tired smile. “Maybe. But I don’t know, Liv. There was something about him—something... I don’t know, off.”

Olivia raised an eyebrow. “Off how?”

“I can’t really explain it,” Anna said, her brow furrowing in thought. “It was like he wasn’t just angry. It was more than that. He looked... dangerous. Like, for a second, I thought he might actually lash out. There was something in his eyes, something dark.”

Olivia frowned, her expression serious for the first time. “That’s... weird. Are you sure it wasn’t just the tension from the meeting?”

Anna shook her head. “No, it was more than that. It was like something was... lurking beneath the surface. I don’t know, maybe I’m just overthinking it. But it freaked me out.”