HIS LAST CHOICE HIS FOREVER

his heart uneasiness

The Blackwood Corporation was known as a place where nobody made mistakes.

Every employee knew one rule.

Ethan Blackwood did not tolerate weakness.

But there was one person who had always been the exception.

Victoria Moore.

She walked into the company building like she belonged there.

And in a way...

She did.

For years, everyone believed Victoria would become the future Mrs. Blackwood.

She was elegant.

Beautiful.

Powerful.

She understood Ethan better than anyone.

Or at least, that was what Ethan believed.

"Good morning, Mr. Blackwood."

Victoria entered Ethan's office holding a folder.

But unlike everyone else, she didn't wait for permission.

She walked straight toward his desk.

"You didn't sleep again."

Ethan looked up from his documents.

"You still notice that?"

A small smile appeared on her lips.

"Of course I do. I always have."

For a moment, Ethan said nothing.

Because that was true.

Victoria had been there during his hardest years.

When he was fighting to take control of the company.

When his family doubted him.

When everyone saw him only as a wealthy heir.

Victoria saw the man behind the name.

Or at least, he thought she did.

"I reviewed the marketing proposal you sent."

She placed the file down.

"I made some changes."

Ethan opened it.

"Good work."

Victoria smiled.

That was what she loved.

Ethan's approval.

His attention.

His trust.

The same trust that gave her a position inside his company.

The same trust that made her believe she would always have him.

Then her eyes landed on a photograph on his desk.

Isabella.

Her smile disappeared.

"So..."

Her voice became quieter.

"She is really staying."

Ethan didn't look up.

"Yes."

Victoria forced a smile.

"I still can't believe you married her."

"It was necessary."

"Necessary?"

Ethan leaned back.

"Her family situation. My family's expectations. The media."

Victoria studied him.

"You make it sound like she means nothing."

"Because she doesn't."

The answer came quickly.

Too quickly.

But Victoria noticed something.

He defended the marriage.

Yet he didn't sound completely convinced.

"Then why did you bring her to your home?"

"Because she is my wife."

"Only because of the contract?"

Ethan didn't answer.

And that silence bothered her.

...

Meanwhile, at the university, Isabella sat in the library with Adrian.

"You are avoiding everyone today."

She looked up from her laptop.

"I'm studying."

"That's not an answer."

She sighed.

"People talk too much."

Adrian closed his book.

"Let them."

"You make it sound easy."

"It is easy when you know who you are."

Isabella looked at him.

For someone who was always confident, those words affected her.

Because Adrian knew her before Ethan Blackwood.

Before the marriage.

Before the rumors.

Before everyone started seeing her as someone else's wife.

"You know..."

Adrian smiled.

"I actually miss the old Isabella."

She raised an eyebrow.

"The old Isabella?"

"The girl who used to argue with professors and then apologize five minutes later."

She laughed.

"That was not me."

"It was completely you."

For a moment, Isabella forgot everything.

The rumors.

Her family.

The marriage.

Everything.

Then someone interrupted.

"Having fun?"

She looked up.

Ethan.

Standing there in a perfectly fitted suit, looking completely out of place in the university library.

Adrian stood.

"Mr. Blackwood."

Ethan's eyes moved to him.

Then back to Isabella.

"You didn't tell me you had plans."

Isabella frowned.

"Why would I?"

A small tension filled the space.

Adrian noticed.

"I'll leave you two."

"No need."

Ethan's voice was calm.

Almost too calm.

Adrian looked at Isabella.

"See you later."

After he left, Isabella turned to Ethan.

"What was that?"

"What?"

"You appeared at my university without telling me."

"I came to check something."

"Your company has cameras everywhere. You could have checked from there."

Ethan looked away.

"I had a meeting nearby."

She smiled.

"Of course."

He looked at her.

"What?"

"Nothing."

But her smile annoyed him.

"You think I'm lying."

"I think you don't even know why you came."

That hit harder than he expected.

Because she was right.

...

That evening, Victoria watched Ethan from across the room during a company dinner.

She knew him.

Or she thought she did.

She noticed the way his eyes searched for his phone.

The way he checked messages.

The way he looked distracted.

"You're thinking about her."

Ethan looked at Victoria.

"What?"

"Isabella."

His expression hardened.

"Don't start."

Victoria smiled sadly.

"You never used to be distracted."

"People change."

Those two words hurt more than Ethan realized.

Because Victoria knew.

Something was changing.

The man who once looked at her like she was his entire world...

Was beginning to look somewhere else.

And for the first time...

Victoria was afraid of losing Ethan.

Not because of a marriage contract.

But because she was starting to realize Isabella Sinclair was becoming the one person she couldn't compete with.