Leaving Him Behind

Without a single word of protest, Maya pushed open the heavy passenger door and stepped out of the sleek black Maybach. The freezing mountain air hit her skin the second her boots touched the gravel, a stark contrast to the heated, suffocating tension inside the car. She pulled her thin coat tighter around her shoulders and walked away, leaving Desmond behind in the desolate darkness.

Sitting in the driver's seat, Desmond gripped the leather steering wheel. He watched her diminishing figure in the rearview mirror until the shadows swallowed her. Instead of the familiar rush of victory he usually felt when getting his way, a sharp surge of deep irritation coiled in his chest. He could not fathom why the always gentle, yielding Maya was demanding a divorce with such stubborn resolve. He had swallowed his immense pride to seek her out tonight, offering an olive branch, yet she threw it back in his face.

Audrey’s hysterical tears echoed in his mind. Deciding to prioritize Audrey’s panic for the moment, Desmond pressed his foot down on the gas pedal. The powerful engine roared to life. He drove off into the night, abandoning his wife on the empty mountain road.

The wind howled through the barren trees. Maya walked along the unpaved shoulder, her footsteps crunching in the quiet night. Before the chill could seep into her bones, her phone vibrated in her pocket. Caleb's name glowed bright on the screen.

She swiped to answer.

"Maya, where are you right now?" Caleb’s voice came through the speaker, heavy with raw anxiety over her safety.

A rare glimmer of warmth touched her heart at the sound of his genuine concern. "I'm halfway up the mountain road," she replied, her breath forming small white clouds in the frigid air. "I'm heading back."

"What about Mr. Radcliff?" Caleb demanded.

"He left." Her tone carried zero emotion.

A sharp intake of breath hissed over the line. "He left you alone halfway up a deserted mountain in the middle of the night? Don't move another inch. I'll come pick you up. Wait for me!"

Before Maya could utter a word of refusal, Caleb ended the call.

She slipped the phone back into her pocket and stood by a weathered guardrail, kicking loose stones into the abyss below to pass the time. Ten minutes later, the aggressive roar of a sports car engine echoed up the winding road. Brilliant headlights sliced through the darkness, illuminating her figure.

The car screeched to a halt right in front of her. Caleb threw open the passenger door and jumped out before the engine even settled into a purr. He rushed over, overwhelming relief etched across his handsome features as his eyes scanned her for injuries.

"Maya, get in," he urged, his hands hovering over her shoulders as if wanting to guide her, but holding back out of respect.

A genuine, exhausted smile touched her pale lips as she climbed into the heated leather seat. "No wonder so many girls want to be your girlfriend," she teased, buckling her seatbelt. "You're just too chivalrous."

Caleb closed her door, hurried around the hood, and slid into the driver's seat. He played along smoothly, a warm glint in his dark eyes as he turned to look at her. "What about you? Do you think I would make a good boyfriend?"

Maya leaned her head against the headrest, closing her eyes for a brief second. "Of course. You'd be a perfect boyfriend."

His bright smile tightened, the edges faltering just a fraction. A hidden sorrow flickered behind his playful demeanor, barely masked by the dim dashboard lights. "Unfortunately, the person I like doesn't like me back."

Missing the underlying weight in his confession, Maya reached over and patted his broad shoulder in solidary comfort. "What a coincidence. He doesn't like me back, either."

Caleb let out a soft, bitter chuckle. "Your consolation sucks. Now I feel even worse."

"Alright, let's head back to the villa. I have to start work tomorrow."

Caleb raised an eyebrow, shifting the gear. "Are you coming back to be my manager?"

"Nope. Besides, you already have a manager. We can't work together again."

Caleb smiled but stayed quiet, steering the car down the winding mountain pass.

Early the next morning, the serene atmosphere of the Eastridge villa shattered. Maya had barely finished her first cup of black coffee when the front door swung open. Sienna marched into the spacious living room, greeting Maya by dropping a massive, towering stack of corporate documents onto the glass coffee table with a resounding thud.

Maya stared at the mountain of paperwork, a headache already forming behind her temples. "Can you give me one more day of rest, Ms. Mercer?"

Sienna planted her hands on her hips, a wicked smirk playing on her lips. "Your three-year break is over. Read through these on our way to the office. We have a tough battle to fight today!"

Maya sighed, gathering the thick binders. "Come on, it’s my first day back! Can't I have something easier?"

"Stop it," Sienna scoffed, grabbing her car keys. "During your absence, those idiots nearly overturned Vellora Group. They stuffed the company payroll with their incompetent relatives. Just a horde of freeloading parasites taking money without doing an ounce of real work. If you stand by and watch, the company will collapse in no time!"

Maya pressed her lips together, her expression hardening. She carried the heavy folders out to the car.

During the morning commute, Sienna steered her sleek sedan through downtown traffic. She cast a sideways glance at Maya, her natural instinct for gossip flaring up.

"By the way, I saw Caldwell's rising movie star hanging around your kitchen this morning," Sienna said, a cheeky grin spreading across her face. "You bold woman. You just got separated from Desmond, and you're already entertaining a famous celebrity in his private villa? I admire the hustle."

Maya kept her eyes glued to the profit and loss margins on the page. "First, Caleb and I are strictly platonic friends. Second, Desmond and I haven't finalized the divorce yet, so technically, he isn't my ex-husband. Don't spread rumors."

"So you haven't divorced Desmond yet, but you're staying with a movie star?" Sienna marveled loudly, her eyes wide with shock. "How thrilling!"

Maya pinched the bridge of her nose. "Did you even understand what I just said?"

Sienna lifted her chin. "Of course, I'm not an idiot."

"Are you sure about that?" Maya countered.

"Bah, Maya. Just shut up!"

Maya did not say another word, turning her attention back to the grim financial reports.

Before they reached the next intersection, the harsh ringing of Maya's phone cut through the quiet hum of the car. Maya glanced at the screen. An unfamiliar number flashed on the display. She swiped to answer.

Desmond's voice barked through the speaker with pure, unadulterated anger. "Maya, take my number off the blacklist!"

Without missing a beat, she pulled the phone away, tapped the red button, and hung up on him. Her fingers moved swiftly over the screen, powering the device off. She tossed the dead phone straight into Sienna's lap.

"Procure a brand-new SIM card for me today," Maya ordered coolly, staring out the window at the passing skyscrapers. "Deactivate this old one. I want to sever the connection to him for good."

Sienna rolled her eyes, recalling Maya's earlier teasing. She adopted a sarcastic tone. "I'm the Vice President, not your secretary! Go buy your own SIM card!"

Maya flipped to the next page of the report, her voice deadpan. "Sure. Since Vellora Group is on the brink of ruin anyway, let's just pull the plug and file for bankruptcy right now."

"No, no, please, Your Majesty, I was wrong!" Sienna pleaded with a dramatic sigh. "I'll get it done for you right away, okay?"

Maya looked at her fawning expression and offered a faint smile. "It was just a joke. Don't take it seriously."

Sienna shook her head in sheer disbelief, merging into the fast lane.

Upon arriving at the towering glass doors of Vellora Group headquarters, Maya wasted no time. Her heels clicked sharply against the polished marble lobby floor, radiating an aura of undeniable authority. She marched straight up to the executive floor and convened an emergency shareholders' meeting.

Inside the expansive boardroom, the atmosphere hung thick and tense. A dozen older men in tailored suits sat around the mahogany table, murmuring in displeased whispers. For years, they had run unchecked, siphoning resources and bending company policies to their whims.

Within just one hour, Maya dismantled their fragile power structure. She projected damning financial data onto the main screen, calling out their specific failures with ruthless, surgical efficiency. She stripped them of their assumed authority, silencing their protests with cold facts.

One by one, the once-domineering, greedy old men shoved their chairs back and stormed out of the boardroom. Their faces flushed bright purple with anger, humiliated and furious, yet powerless against her flawless logic.

Soon, only Sienna and Maya remained in the quiet conference room.

Sienna leaned back in her chair and flashed a big thumbs-up, a thrilled smile lighting up her face. "Ms. Monroe, that was magnificent! It was so satisfying watching you put those arrogant fossils in their place. They've never taken a hit like that."

Maya remained unfazed by the victory. Her expression stayed flat, her dark eyes locked on the company data scattered across the table.

"Immediately compile a comprehensive list of those shareholders' incapable, freeloading relatives," she ordered, tapping a manicured finger against a bloated payroll sheet. "Hand it to me by the end of the day. We'll start mass layoffs tomorrow morning."

Sienna blinked, her smile faltering slightly. "So fast? Those old men just suffered great losses today. Kicking out their protected family members right away might provoke a massive backlash."

"Anyone who has an issue with it can come directly to my office and talk to me face-to-face."

With that, Maya stood up, gathered her files, and walked out. She already possessed a clear picture of Vellora Group's rotting foundation. If she did not amputate the dead weight now, the company would go bankrupt before next year.

Back in her founder's office after a three-year hiatus, Maya did not waste a single second on sentimentality. She dove straight into the restructuring plans.

Within mere hours, news of the mysterious, iron-fisted founder's dramatic return rippled like a shockwave through Caldwell's elite business circles. The nameless woman who had built Vellora Group from the ground up and vanished was back, taking no prisoners. Speculation ran wild over whether she could pull the sinking empire back from the brink.

Meanwhile, across the city in his opulent penthouse office at Radcliff Group, Desmond paced behind his desk. The floor-to-ceiling windows offered a sweeping view of Caldwell, but his focus remained locked on his silent cell phone. His meager patience ran terrifyingly thin. Maya’s number remained unreachable, returning a hollow, automated voice message every single time he tried to call her back.

The heavy wooden door cracked open. His loyal assistant, Nolan, stepped into the chilling atmosphere, his posture rigid. He did not dare walk too fast in the presence of his boss's foul mood.

"Mr. Radcliff," Nolan began, his voice hesitant. "Our acquisition team just reported a major shift. The founder of Vellora Group unexpectedly returned to power today. Given her aggressive maneuvers this morning, we suggest putting our planned buyout on hold."

Desmond halted his pacing. His jaw clenched tight, a muscle ticking in his cheek. He did not care about some corporate ghost returning to save a failing business. He cared that his wife was ignoring his calls and sleeping under another man's roof.

"Continue with the acquisition," Desmond ordered coldly, his eyes narrowing in spite. "Add another twenty million dollars on top of the original offer."

"But sir, back then, this founder rose to prominence and retired abruptly. Her return means she intends to save the company at all costs. Vellora Group might not be the best target for acquisition right now."

"Continue with the acquisition," Desmond repeated, his tone dropping to a dangerous octave. "Add more money if needed. Do not make me repeat myself! Also, send a detail to guard the entrance of Caleb's villa around the clock. Notify me immediately if Maya appears."

"Yes, Mr. Radcliff." Nolan nodded. He sensed his boss's turbulent frustration and felt deeply puzzled. Nolan knew Desmond cared for Audrey, so he could not understand why Desmond refused to just sign the divorce papers and marry Audrey instead. But Nolan knew better than to cross that line.

Nolan stepped forward, carefully placing a square velvet box onto the polished desktop. "The jewelers delivered this morning. The Tears of the Angel you ordered at Oakhaven. Would you like to give it to Ms. Monroe in person?"

Desmond flipped the lid open. Resting on a bed of black satin was a dazzling, expensive diamond and blue gem necklace. A massive blue drop-shaped gem served as the main stone, surrounded by thousands of flawless diamonds. The sapphire caught the overhead lights, sparkling with an icy brilliance.

He had specifically purchased the rare piece weeks ago as a third-anniversary gift for Maya, planning to surprise her right before their bitter argument pushed the matter aside. Pressing his lips together into a thin line, Desmond stared at the glittering jewels.

She loved elegant things. This would look perfect against her skin. He decided firmly that he would force her to accept it. He would track her down, corner her, and give it to her in person.

"Okay," Desmond stated. "I'll give it to her myself."

Nolan bowed his head and quietly exited, leaving Desmond alone in the massive, quiet office.

Desmond picked up a lucrative corporate file, intending to review the quarterly projections, but the black ink blurred on the crisp white paper. He could not focus. His mind became consumed by the vivid memory of Maya's resolute, unhesitating departure on the cold mountain road.

The way she looked at him before stepping out of the car. The hollow emptiness in her eyes. The chilling finality in her voice when she declared she would definitely divorce him.

He gritted his teeth. A profound frustration swelled within him, accompanied by a deep, disorienting ache spreading through his chest. It was an unfamiliar sense of loss, a gnawing void he had never experienced before, and it infuriated him.

Unable to stand the suffocating silence of the room, he abruptly slammed the thick folder closed. The sharp smack echoed against the glass walls.

Just as Desmond rose from his leather chair, preparing to go outside and get some fresh air to clear his chaotic thoughts, his cell phone suddenly rang loudly on the mahogany desk.