Chapter 9: The Mistake I couldn't undo

David's POV

The moment I stepped into the mansion, I regretted coming home.

"David!"

Charlotte's voice echoed across the living room before I could even remove my suit jacket.

I closed my eyes briefly.

Not again.

I had spent the entire day attending meetings, reviewing reports, and preparing for the most important business deal of my career.

The last thing I wanted was another argument.

"What is it this time?" I asked tiredly.

Charlotte hurried toward me with excitement dancing in her eyes.

She shoved her phone in front of my face.

"Look at this."

I glanced at the screen.

A Chanel handbag.

Another one.

The price nearly made me laugh.

Eighty thousand dollars.

I lowered the phone.

"And?"

"I want it."

I stared at her.

"Charlotte, I bought you three Chanel bags last week."

She rolled her eyes.

"So?"

"So?"

My patience snapped a little.

"Charlotte, those bags haven't even been used."

"They're old."

I blinked.

"Old?"

"Yes."

She folded her arms.

"Fashion changes quickly, David."

For several seconds, I simply stared at her.

Then I laughed.

Not because it was funny.

Because it was ridiculous.

The sound clearly offended her.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No. Say it."

I rubbed my forehead.

Over the last few months, Charlotte had become impossible.

Every week there was a new demand.

A new vacation.

A new handbag.

A new car.

A new piece of jewelry.

Nothing was ever enough.

"David."

"What?"

"I also want to visit Paris."

I looked at her.

"Paris?"

"Yes."

She smiled brightly.

"We can stay there for two weeks."

I almost choked.

"Two weeks?"

"Maybe three."

I let out a long breath.

"Charlotte."

"What?"

"I have work."

"You always have work."

I stared at her.

The same woman who once seemed sweet and caring now felt like a stranger.

Nothing mattered to her except money.

Money.

Shopping.

Luxury.

Attention.

The argument continued for nearly an hour.

By the time it ended, Charlotte was furious.

"You've changed!"

She pointed a finger at me.

"You don't love me anymore."

I laughed bitterly.

"Love?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

I shook my head.

"I'm tired, Charlotte."

"Tired of what?"

I looked directly into her eyes.

"Tired of feeling like an ATM."

The silence that followed was deadly.

Then her face darkened.

"You know what?"

She grabbed her designer purse.

"Maybe I should find someone who appreciates me."

The words hit harder than they should have.

Not because I cared.

But because they reminded me of something.

Or rather...

Someone.

Vivian.

The moment Charlotte stormed upstairs, my chest tightened.

The mansion became quiet.

Painfully quiet.

I sat alone in the living room.

And for the first time in months...

I thought about my ex-wife.

Vivian.

A bitter smile appeared on my face.

Vivian never behaved like this.

Never.

She had access to all my money.

Every account.

Every card.

Every luxury imaginable.

Yet she rarely spent anything.

Whenever I bought her something expensive, she would smile and say,

"David, you don't have to spend so much on me."

Whenever I suggested extravagant vacations, she worried about my workload instead.

Whenever I worked late, she waited up for me.

She remembered every important date.

Every anniversary.

Every birthday.

Every achievement.

She always put me first.

Always.

A sharp pain struck my chest.

I hated it.

I hated remembering.

Because memories only reminded me of what I had lost.

I stood up abruptly.

No.

There was no point thinking about Vivian.

That chapter of my life was over.

Or at least it should have been.

Yet every corner of this house reminded me of her.

The dining room.

The staircase.

The garden.

The kitchen.

Everywhere I looked, I saw memories.

And for the first time since our divorce...

Regret found its way into my heart.

The next morning, I arrived at Blackstone Holdings before sunrise.

The towering glass skyscraper stood proudly against the New York skyline.

Blackstone Holdings.

My family's legacy.

One of the largest real estate, infrastructure, healthcare, and hospitality companies in the country.

Normally, being here gave me confidence.

Today was different.

Today could change everything.

My assistant hurried beside me.

"Good morning, sir."

I nodded.

"Morning."

"We've confirmed the meeting."

A smile finally appeared on my face.

"Excellent."

This was the deal.

The one everyone had been talking about.

The one investors were waiting for.

The one capable of taking Blackstone Holdings to a completely new level.

If everything went well today, our expansion plans would become reality.

The elevator doors opened.

The executive floor was already busy.

Employees rushed everywhere.

Executives whispered nervously.

Assistants carried documents.

Something felt different.

I frowned.

"Why does everyone look terrified?"

My assistant swallowed.

"He'll be arriving soon."

I immediately understood.

A smile appeared on my face.

Of course.

Alexander Kane.

One of the most powerful businessmen in the country.

A billionaire.

A visionary.

A man whose name carried influence in every boardroom.

I had heard countless stories about him.

The business world respected him.

Feared him.

Admired him.

And today...

He was meeting me.

For months, Blackstone Holdings had been pursuing this partnership.

Now it was finally happening.

I adjusted my suit.

Everything had to be perfect.

This deal would change our future.

It could increase our market value dramatically.

It could secure our next decade of growth.

Most importantly...

It could silence every competitor.

For the first time in weeks, I felt hopeful.

An hour later, the boardroom was filled.

Executives sat quietly.

Lawyers reviewed documents.

Department heads checked reports repeatedly.

Nobody wanted to make a mistake.

The atmosphere was tense.

Then suddenly—

A message appeared on my assistant's phone.

His eyes widened.

"Sir."

I looked up.

"They've arrived."

The room instantly fell silent.

Every executive straightened.

Every conversation stopped.

Everyone waited.

The elevator doors opened outside.

Footsteps echoed through the corridor.

Slow.

Measured.

Confident.

Then the boardroom doors opened.

Several security personnel entered first.

Professional.

Disciplined.

Alert.

The room grew even quieter.

Then he appeared.

Alexander Kane.

The man himself.

His presence was impossible to ignore.

Tall.

Handsome.

Powerful.

The kind of man who commanded respect without speaking a single word.

His expensive suit fit perfectly.

His expression remained calm.

Controlled.

Unreadable.

The room practically held its breath.

Even I felt the pressure.

Not fear.

Respect.

Because men like Alexander Kane weren't born every day.

They were built through ambition, intelligence, and ruthless determination.

I immediately stood.

"Mr. Kane."

A smile appeared on his face.

"Mr. Blackstone."

We shook hands.

His grip was firm.

Confident.

Exactly as I expected.

"It's an honor to finally meet you."

Alexander nodded.

"The pleasure is mine."

Everyone watched silently.

The meeting began shortly afterward.

For nearly two hours, we discussed numbers.

Projects.

Expansion plans.

Future investments.

Alexander listened carefully.

Occasionally asking questions.

Occasionally challenging our projections.

His intelligence was obvious.

Nothing escaped his attention.

By the end of the discussion, I felt confident.

Very confident.

Everything was going perfectly.

This partnership was practically secured.

For the first time in months, I saw Blackstone Holdings' future clearly.

Bright.

Powerful.

Untouchable.

Then something unexpected happened.

Alexander's assistant entered quietly.

Holding a black folder.

He approached Alexander and whispered something into his ear.

Alexander nodded.

The assistant handed him the file.

Without much interest, Alexander opened it.

His eyes scanned the first page.

Then suddenly—

He froze.

The change was immediate.

Subtle.

But impossible to miss.

His expression darkened.

The room became strangely cold.

My smile disappeared.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

"Mr. Kane?" I asked carefully.

No response.

Alexander continued staring at the file.

His jaw tightened.

The room fell silent.

Every executive exchanged nervous glances.

Then slowly...

Alexander lifted his head.

His gaze landed directly on me.

For the first time since entering the room, his eyes looked dangerous.

My heartbeat slowed.

What was happening?

Without saying a word, Alexander pushed the file across the table toward me.

Confused, I reached for it.

Then I looked down.

The moment I saw the photograph inside, all the blood drained from my face.

It was vivian.