My Ex-Crush, My Husband

Chapter 2 – Shadows Behind the Throne

Morning sunlight spilled through the tall glass windows of Adrian Holdings’ towering headquarters. From the 30th floor, the city stretched endlessly—cars crawled like ants, skyscrapers pierced the sky, and the blue horizon whispered promises of hope. But to Roy Adrian, it was nothing more than an empty backdrop.

On the polished black desk, his laptop screen glowed with stock charts, financial reports, and business headlines. The ticking clock filled the silence, each beat pressing against his chest like a weight.

Roy sat upright in his leather chair, his black suit sharp against his broad shoulders, a crimson tie adding an edge of power. His face was composed, but his right fingers tapped the desk in a steady rhythm—a subtle c***k in his mask that only he noticed.

“Mr. Roy, the board is ready,” Daniel Lim, his corporate attorney, announced as he stepped inside with disciplined strides, a thick file in hand.

Roy didn’t turn. “Let them wait.”

His voice was cold, clipped, unyielding.

Daniel exhaled quietly. He was used to this stubbornness.

In the Boardroom

The boardroom smelled faintly of expensive coffee and tension. Senior directors—mostly men with graying hair and decades of experience—sat upright, waiting for the young heir who now led Adrian Holdings as its youngest CEO.

When the door opened, Roy entered with commanding strides. Every head turned, and for a moment, silence blanketed the room. He wasn’t just the company’s leader; he was the living symbol of Adrian Holdings’ legacy, son of the formidable Dato’ Adrian.

Roy opened the file and began without hesitation.

“The European market is shifting. If we don’t move now, competitors will consume us whole. Adrian Holdings was not built to follow. We lead.”

His tone was calm, yet every word landed like a bullet.

One of the senior directors, Mr. Harris, spoke up.

“Roy, your father was always cautious. He built this empire with care, not reckless leaps. You’re too young to gamble everything on a single decision.”

Roy turned, his gaze sharp enough to cut.

“With all due respect, Mr. Harris, times have changed. Fear will only make us prey. I won’t allow Adrian Holdings to fall—not while it’s in my hands.”

Silence followed. The hum of the air conditioner was suddenly too loud.

A whisper rippled among the directors. “He’s exactly like his father…”

But deep inside, Roy knew—he wasn’t like his father. He was harder. Colder. And far more willing to sacrifice.

After the Meeting

Back in his office, Roy leaned into his chair, releasing a slow breath. Daniel closed the door behind him, placing the file on the desk.

“You dismissed their proposals without hesitation. Are you certain?”

Roy’s lips curved into a faint, sardonic smile. “Daniel, in this game, hesitation only gives your enemies time to strike.”

Daniel studied him carefully before asking, “And Ana? Does she know what you’re planning?”

For a split second, Roy’s eyes flickered. That name—Ana—sliced through his composure. He turned toward the window, avoiding Daniel’s gaze.

“Ana…” His voice dropped, softer, almost vulnerable. “She isn’t just some girl. She’s… the one I couldn’t have before. And now, I won’t let her slip away again.”

Daniel fell silent. He had worked with Roy long enough to know this was rare—Roy hardly ever spoke with such rawness.

“Roy,” he said cautiously, “you understand the risk. If this contract leaks, your reputation—”

“I’ll bear it,” Roy cut him off, his tone turning steel once again. “The company needs Ana. And so do I. That’s the end of it.”

Night at the Penthouse

That night, the city glittered beyond the glass walls of Roy’s penthouse. Neon lights painted the skyline, but Roy stood on the balcony, glass of red wine in hand, his back turned to the view.

The drink did nothing to calm the fire inside him.

Ana’s face haunted him—the smile that once disarmed him, the pain in her eyes now, mingled with strength he both admired and feared.

Why am I still bound to her?

Why her, when I could have anyone I want?

He knew why. Ana was the unfinished chapter of his life. The girl he once let go, the memory that had never left him. And in Roy Adrian’s world, there was no such thing as letting go twice.

His hand clenched the balcony railing.

“Ana… you think I’m playing games? No. I’ll make sure you’re mine. Whatever it takes.”

Flashback

His mind drifted back to his school days. A younger Roy sat at the back of the classroom, a boy already carrying the weight of a powerful family name. Ana—bright-eyed, warm, always smiling—was the only one who dared treat him like just another classmate.

But fear of vulnerability made him cruel. He had hurt her instead of admitting what he felt. One reckless choice had burned the bridge between them.

And yet, through the years, her face had never left him.

Now, fate had placed her in his path again. But this time, he wasn’t that insecure boy. He was a CEO. A man with power, resources, and the will to bend destiny to his favor.

This time, he wouldn’t lose her.