Anya woke to the scent of freshly brewed coffee and a quiet that felt both comfortable and heavy. Lex was already gone, but a note was left on the pillow. Urgent business. Be back soon. Don't worry, my love. He had a way of making the mundane sound intense. Anya smiled, a small, genuine curve of her lips. She got up, showered, and chose a sleek, comfortable dress. She was no longer just the grieving daughter; she was a woman in love, a woman with a purpose.
Her phone buzzed. It was Zara. "Girl! I got the part! It's just a small role, but it's a start!"
"That's incredible!" Anya squealed, her voice full of genuine happiness for her friend.
"And guess who else is in the show? Mark!" Zara said, a hint of awe in her voice. "The Mark! He's the main star. I saw him at the first reading. He's so handsome in person, it's ridiculous. And he was really nice."
Anya smiled. This was the joy and normalcy she had craved. "That's amazing, Zara. I'm so happy for you. We need to celebrate properly."
"Definitely! But I've got to go. Call time is in an hour. Talk soon!"
Anya hung up, her heart feeling lighter than it had in weeks. She had a purpose, a future, and a friend who was finally seeing her dreams come true. As she was finishing her coffee, the doorbell rang. She wasn't expecting anyone. The maid was on a break, and Lex's guards were always outside, not at the door.
She opened it to find a stunning woman with fiery red hair and a sophisticated smile. The woman's eyes, a vibrant green, scanned Anya with an unsettling familiarity.
"You must be Anya," the woman said, her voice smooth and confident. "I'm Eva. I'm Lex's… friend. I just got back into town and decided to surprise him."
Anya's heart dropped to her stomach. Lex's past girlfriend. The one who was out of the country. She forced a polite smile. "He's not here right now. He had an urgent business matter."
Eva stepped inside without being invited, her scent of expensive perfume filling the air. "I see. Well, I'll wait. I have a lot to catch up on with him." She looked around the penthouse with a smirk, her eyes resting on a photo of Anya and Lex on the side table. "I see he's been keeping himself busy. Did he tell you about me?"
"No," Anya said honestly, her voice barely a whisper.
"I didn't think so," Eva replied, her smile not reaching her eyes. "He likes to keep his worlds separate. But I suppose he couldn't keep this one from you. I was with him for years, you know. We were practically inseparable. We had… a very special connection."
Anya felt a pang of jealousy so sharp it took her breath away. She didn't want to play this game, but Eva's presence was a direct assault on the fragile peace she had just found.
Meanwhile, Lex was at the Volkov Group headquarters. His personal assistant, Loe, a sharp, no-nonsense man with a laptop always in hand, was giving him a briefing on a new development. Across from them stood Dimitri, Lex's personal bodyguard and the head of security for his mafia operations. Dimitri's face was a permanent mask of grim focus.
"Boss, the Zhenya family is making moves," Loe said, his fingers flying across the keyboard. "Damian has sent for Anya's stepsisters. They're going to use them to get to her, and to you."
Lex's jaw tightened. "I expected that. What else?"
Dimitri stepped forward. "We have eyes on them. They just met with Damian's men. They're telling him everything they know, which isn't much, but it's enough to give him a starting point."
"Damian is a snake," Lex said, his voice dangerously low. "He won't make a direct attack. He'll use others to do his dirty work. I've been waiting for him to make a move. He wants to destroy my family name, but he doesn't realize that my family and my company are not the same thing. My family is everything to me."
"And your past relationship with Eva," Loe said, a hint of caution in his voice. "She's back in Oakhaven. I had her followed from the airport. She's at the penthouse."
Lex's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise and annoyance crossing his face. "Send a team there. I don't want her leaving until I get back. She's not to be harmed, just kept under watch."
He ran a hand through his hair, the weight of the situation settling on him. He had known this day might come, but he had hoped he'd have more time. Eva was an old wound, a complicated past that he had hoped to leave behind. He had to handle her with care, for the sake of his future with Anya.
Back at the penthouse, the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Anya had moved to the living room, trying to project an air of calm she didn't feel.
"So, what is it that you do, Anya?" Eva asked, a predatory gleam in her eyes. "Besides shopping, I mean. From what I hear, you're just living off of Lex."
Anya took a deep breath. "I'm heading up a new division of the Volkov Group, actually. A pharmaceuticals company. It's called Phoenix Pharmaceuticals. We're going to change the world."
Eva laughed, a sharp, bitter sound. "Phoenix? How fitting. And how quaint. Lex's little projects are always so adorable. But don't get too comfortable, darling. He gets bored easily. He always comes back to me."
The front door opened, and Anya's heart leaped. Lex was here. He walked in, his eyes immediately finding Anya's, a silent question in his gaze. Then he saw Eva, and his expression turned to stone.
"Eva. What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice flat.
"I just wanted to surprise you, Lexy," she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "And meet your new little friend. It seems she's already found her place in our home."
Anya felt a surge of anger. "It's not 'our' home, Eva. It's Lex's home. And he invited me to stay here."
"Anya," Lex said, his voice a quiet command. "Go to the bedroom. I'll handle this."
"No," Anya said, standing her ground. "I'm not leaving. This is my home, too. You have to tell her about us."
Lex looked from Anya's defiant face to Eva's triumphant one. He knew this was a moment of truth, a choice between his past and his future.
"Eva, listen to me carefully," Lex said, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone. "Anya is my woman. We are together. The past is the past. There is no 'us' anymore. You are to leave, and you are not to come back."
Eva's face fell, the smug confidence replaced by a mask of disbelief and hurt. "Lex, after everything we've been through? I came all this way for you! I'm the only woman who ever understood you!"
"You're not the woman for me anymore," he said, his voice unwavering. "My life is different now. My love is for Anya."
He walked over to Anya, taking her hand in his. The simple touch sent a jolt of electricity through her. He looked into her eyes, a silent apology in his gaze.
"You'll regret this," Eva hissed, her voice full of venom. She stormed out of the penthouse, the sound of the front door slamming echoing through the quiet space.
Anya's anger and fear melted away, replaced by a profound sense of relief. Lex had chosen her. He had stood up to his past and had not hesitated to protect her.
He pulled her into his arms, burying his face in the crook of her neck. "I'm so sorry, Anya. I didn't know she was coming. She's been a part of my past for a long time. I was waiting for the right moment to tell you about her, but I didn't want to bring up any of my old issues while you were trying to heal."
"It's okay," she whispered, stroking his hair. "I understand. I just... I needed to know that you chose me."
He pulled away, his eyes filled with an intense, raw emotion she had never seen before. "There was never a choice, Anya. It has always been you."
He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom. This time, their intimacy was different. There was a desperate need, a raw passion born of fear and relief. He laid her down on the bed, his lips a trail of fire down her neck, over her collarbone, down to the valley between her breasts.
Anya arched into him, her fingers tangling in his hair, pulling him closer. Their lovemaking was a silent conversation, a language of bodies that spoke of trust, of fear, and of a love so deep it was almost painful. He kissed her everywhere, every touch a promise, every thrust a silent vow. She met his passion with her own, her cries of pleasure a testament to the fire he ignited within her. They moved together as one, their bodies a perfect fit, their souls united in the storm of their passion.
Afterward, they lay in each other's arms, the silence filled with the gentle rhythm of their breathing. Anya felt completely and utterly safe, cherished, and loved. Lex held her close, his head resting on her chest, his every breath a promise. For the first time, she felt like she was not just a part of his life, but his entire world. The shadows of the past were still out there, waiting. But in the warmth of his embrace, she knew she had a new, unbreakable shield.