Norah sat in the passenger seat of the sleek, dark car, her focus distant as the trees blurred past. Jacob, sitting at the wheel, remained in silence, his jaw clenched, hands gripping the steering wheel as they drove toward the lake house. The windows were tinted, and Jacob's trusted bodyguards, disguised in everyday attire, ensured they wouldn't provoke any suspicion or stir up a commotion outside.
A few minutes later, Jacob's phone rang. His assistant's voice crackled through the speaker, and the news sent a cold shock through the air in the car. "The government has just announced they're shutting down your industry. It's official, bankruptcy is imminent. Former investors are pulling out. Your reputation is in ruins, Sir."
Jacob's face hardened, and he muttered under his breath. "That
disgraceful woman… she's behind this." His wife had orchestrated this disaster, and the weight of her betrayal pressed down on him like a vice.
Minutes passed in agonizing silence, only to be broken again when a news alert popped up on Jacob's phone. He clicked on the notification, and a video started playing. His stomach dropped as he watched, a man who looked uncannily like him, engaging in an erotic scene with a beautiful woman, while Neila was bound and crying in the background. The man's face was partially obscured, but , his physical features his unmistakable hair—was clearly visible.
"Neila…" Jacob growled, his fists clenching as the scene unfolded on the screen.
By the time they arrived at the lake house in Kaelen Province, known for its rich agricultural landscape and serene simplicity, Jacob's anger had simmered into a cold fury. His mind was racing, his reputation shattered, and the weight of his past sins closing in. Inside the study room of the grand estate, Norah, dressed in a professional beige blazer and skirt suit, paired with a sleek black shirt and heels, stood with Jacob's trusted men: Cedric Borga, his right-hand man, and Eli, his personal assistant. They were gathered around a monitor, discussing the crisis.
"President, this is an atrocity," Eli said, horror lining his features as the video replayed on the screen. The headlines blared across the screen:
'EVERSON CAUGHT TRESPASSING IN SCANDALOUS VIDEO AMIDST GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN'
'INFAMOUS ATTORNEY: NORAH DRAVEN UNSCRUPULOUS LAWYER SUMMONED TO REPRESENT THE CHAIRMAN OF THE D.A FASHION INDUSTRY.'
'UNSCRUPOLOUS TEAM MERGING: A BEAST AND THE ALOOF LAYWER.'
Norah's voice cut through the tension, commanding the room. " Borga, secure the president's protection—bring in the finest bodyguards. We can't let this escalate further." Cedric nodded respectfully, and Norah's eyes remained sharp and focused.
In his mind, Cedric couldn't help but admire Norah's control. She would've made a great Ladyboss for our sir, he thought.
" Moreson, find the best cyber-hacking team you can get your hands on. I want to know who's behind this," Norah ordered, her tone unwavering.
Cedric and Eli left swiftly to fulfill their tasks. Meanwhile, Jacob paced in the study, his anger burning as he muttered, "That woman…"
Norah, however, was studying the video intently, analyzing the details of the scene. Jacob stopped in his tracks, momentarily distracted by her presence. This wasn't the time to be distracted, but he couldn't help himself. Norah's attire was so different from the casual outfit she had worn at his mansion. Today, she was a vision of elegance, professional and commanding. The beige suit paired with black heels, her hair tied in a regal bun, she looked like a political queen, exuding both power and grace.
A sudden wave of memories hit Jacob.
---
Flashback...
"Jake? Jake?" Norah's voice trembled as she stood in the doorway of his apartment. She was just sixteen, filled with anticipation and anxiety. She had unexpected news, but she wasn't sure how he would take it. As she crept closer, she heard voices coming from his room.
When she opened the door, the sight before her was nothing like she had imagined. Jake, on top of a woman—Neila—naked in the heat of passion. Norah froze, her body a stone statue as her heart shattered in an instant.
They broke apart quickly, Neila wrapping herself in a sheet, while Jake grabbed a towel to cover himself. His gaze met Norah's, and she saw nothing but cold indifference in his eyes.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice devoid of any emotion she had ever known him to have.
"I came to tell you..." Norah's voice faltered, caught in a whirlwind of emotions she could barely contain.
He grabbed her arm forcefully pulling her out of the chamber. He yanked her and she nearly fell on the living room's floor.
"How'd you get in , I thought I told the maid not to let you in." He groaned in frustration.
"I ...I came to tell that I'm actually —..."
"Listen, Norah," he interrupted, the words like daggers. "I told you, I was with you for pleasure, nothing more. I do not love you. If you need money, I'll give you whatever you want—just tell me."
Her chest tightened with pain. "But I—"
Without another word, Jake reached into the drawer of his table and pulled out a check. "Here, ten million crowns. Take it. Go away. Leave me."
At that moment, Neila emerged from the bedroom, dressed provocatively in a nightgown. She walked toward Jake, caressing his chest and wrapping her arms around his neck before kissing him passionately. It was a slap in the face, all of it, especially when she turned to Norah with a venomous smile.
"Norah," Neila sneered, "You should know better than anyone—you're nothing but a poor orphan."
The words felt like a knife, twisting deeper with each syllable. Norah's heart cracked in that moment, the realization hitting her that Jake had used her for her innocence, for her virginity, all while pretending to love her. He had forced himself on her, shared her deepest secrets and pains with Neila, he's lover , and then had the audacity to make out in her presence purposely. This was cruelty in it's highest peak.
At that moment Norah knew that she had to face the consequences and future alone, thick or thin, storm or sunny, she would not go down defeated, there was a life in her that needed her to be the best of herself, with or without Jake. Her family had disowned her because of the pregnancy she had no one besides him and he stabbed her in the back, or moreso in the heart.
With shaking hands, Norah tore the check in half, and without another word, she turned and left the apartment. Behind her, she could hear their laughter echoing, their lips locking as if nothing had happened at all.
---
Back in the present, Jacob stood in the study, his stomach twisted with guilt. The bitter taste of regret gnawed at him. How could he have done that to her? Now, Neila had created a fabricated scene almost exactly as what he did that night to Norah, to destroy him further. Maybe he deserved it.
Norah's calm voice brought him back to the present. "Mrs. Everson isn't capable of doing something like this on her own." She thought out loud.
Eli, having returned with more disturbing news, spoke up. "The Blackwood family is wealthy, but they can't replicate a lookalike like this."
Norah's sharp eyes focused on the screen. "Your dear president has more enemies than he realizes. And it's not just his wife. There is another source, it appears they have joined hands to bring you down, President." She stepped back from the TV, walking toward the grand window, her movements deliberate, noble.
Jacob's mind raced, putting the pieces together. "The mansion attack... It was an attempted murder."
Eli looked horrified. "No, it wasn't a murder attempt. It was a warning."
Norah nodded, her voice cool and calculating. " Truly. Someone within your empire is conspiring against you. Mrs. Everson is working with them. They plan to use the unborn child as bait, making the government believe it's yours. Furthermore their goal is too end your life, figuratively and physical."
Eli stood frozen in shock and awe. Norah Draven was a masterpiece, a woman who embodied beauty, intellect, and a lethal edge. She was unconsciously alluring and her demeanor decent , cold but undeniably appealing. Her precision in analysis and the way she handled herself with such grace made her all the more captivating.
"We need to act fast," Jacob said urgently.
"Eli," Norah commanded. "Get me the full dossiers on all your staff. I want a special task force investigating the President's doppelganger."
"Right away," Eli said, leaving the room.
As the two men departed, Jacob stepped forward, his voice low. "You're now ordering my staff?"
Norah didn't miss a beat. "I will leave now too I've got things to investigate, the underworld empire is involved with the showcasing of that video, we have enhanced your security. You are safe for now Mr. Everson." she said, turning to walk away. But before she could leave, Jacob reached out, grabbing her wrist with surprising force.
"What are you doing?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing.
"Norah, I—" His words faltered as she yanked her hand from his grasp.
"Ms. Draven. Formality is a virtue," she said coldly, her voice as composed as ever.
Jacob stepped forward again, this time more insistent. "I want to apologize," he said, his voice tinged with regret.
"Apologize?," she replied, perplexed.
Jacob grabbed her wrist once more, pulling her close. Her body was pressed against his, too close, too intimate. His breath quickened as he spoke, his words heavy with guilt. "I know you lost our baby."
For a moment, Norah's eyes widened. She hadn't expected him to believe the Blackwood's lies. But it didn't matter now. She had a beautiful daughter, healthy and loved, in the Western Vade.
"My baby ," she corrected him a sharp reminder that he didn't listen to her that day, instead he was treating her like a fine piece of shit, Norah's gaze was bitter, devoid of any emotions as she looked at him straight in the eyes, " it is if no importance now." she replied, voice colder than ice.
Jacob's face was inches from hers, his gaze burning with remorse. "It matters to me. I was a jerk. I'm sorry. I wish I had listened to you. I never wanted to hurt you." His grip on her waist tightened.
Norah struggled, her body tensing against him, but her heart beat faster in her chest. She fought to keep her rationality intact, to push back the emotional whirlwind his presence stirred inside her.
"As I said , it's all past nonsense. Your life is at stake, do not bother yourself with past matters. Release your grip," she commanded, her voice low and firm.
Jacob realized what he was about to do. He was about to kiss her, just as he had all those years ago. But he knew it was too late for that. He had hurt her too much. He released his grip off her body.
Before anything could happen, the door opened. A doctor walked in, one of the best in the country.
"You called a doctor?" Jacob's voice was sharp, irritated.
"Yes. He'll treat your wounds. I'll take my leave now," Norah said, stepping back.
"You should stay with me. It's not safe for you, especially when the world knows you are fighting for me," Jacob insisted, his voice edged with concern.
Norah's eyes locked with his, and she stepped forward. Her face was inches from his, her cool composure unchanged. "I don't fight for you. I fight for justice." She turned and left the room, leaving Jacob standing there, heart in turmoil.
And for the first time in years, Jacob realized, he had loved her back then, and now, seeing her again, he knew he was completely in love with her.