POV.....????
They all think time heals wounds.
What nonsense.
Time heals nothing.
It digs deeper.
It hardens.
It turns simple jealousy into methodical hatred.
I'm sitting in my office, the lights dimmed, an untouched glass resting in front of me.
I'm not drinking. Not yet.
I like to keep a clear mind when I think about him.
Alex Besson.
Just hearing his name irritates me.
He's always had everything without even asking for it.
Admiring looks.
Indulgent teachers.
People ready to follow him.
And Jon.
Always Jon.
They were two against the world.
And me… always behind.
Always the third one.
The one forgotten in photos.
In memories.
In successes.
When Jon left, I thought it was over.
That their friendship would collapse.
That Alex would finally fall back into place.
But no.
He had to take the only person I ever loved.
Asael.
She…
She was my obsession long before I understood what love meant.
I would have given her everything.
Absolutely everything.
I loved her since adolescence.
Not like a fling.
Not like a whim.
I loved her with that naive certainty you have when you believe love is enough.
I offered her a stable life.
A constant presence.
A future without running away.
But she never hesitated.
Alex.
Always Alex.
Even when he left.
Even when he wasn't there.
Even when I stood right in front of her.
She looked me straight in the eyes that day.
"He'll come back. He promised me."
That sentence destroyed me more surely than any rejection.
And he came back.
Of course he did.
With money.
Power.
A reputation.
And he married her.
Right in front of me.
That day, something broke inside me.
Forever.
It was no longer jealousy.
It was a debt.
A debt life had to repay me.
Alex thinks I gave up.
That I settled for living in his shadow.
What a mistake.
I never stopped watching.
Never stopped waiting.
And then… she appeared.
I lower my eyes to the photo on my desk.
A smile too innocent.
A gaze too pure for this world.
Esther Besson.
His daughter.
His pride.
His weakness.
His breaking point.
She carries his light.
And Asael's gentleness.
I smile slowly.
"You are perfect," I murmur.
I only saw her once.
Just once.
And I understood immediately.
She is everything he protected.
Everything he succeeded at.
Everything he loves unconditionally.
It's almost ironic.
Alex built walls around his business, his empire, his accounts.
But around her…
He only placed love.
People like him always forget one thing:
love is a weakness when you know where to strike.
I don't want her dead.
No.
Not yet.
I want him to watch.
To doubt.
To wonder where he failed.
I want him to feel what I felt when Asael spoke his name.
And Malik…
My son is the perfect piece.
He doesn't understand everything.
Not yet.
But he obeys.
He seeks my approval.
My validation.
All I have to do is guide.
Suggest.
Plant the seeds.
Alex Besson took what I loved most.
So I will take what keeps him standing.
And when he falls…
I'll be there watching.
Silent.
Patient.
As I have always been.
POV — Esther
Deep down, I just want to sleep.
Is that too much to ask?
I groan when my phone alarm rings for the umpteenth time.
I turn it off with an annoyed gesture and roll back under the covers, pulling them over my head, searching for the perfect position.
I'm two seconds away from falling asleep again when the door suddenly opens.
No need to look.
My mother.
She's the only one who enters like that.
She walks over and yanks the blanket away without mercy.
"ESTHER, your alarm went off several times. Didn't you hear it?"
I slowly sit up, still half asleep.
"Mom… why are you yelling?
It's only eight o'clock. I still have time…"
I try to grab the blanket back, but she doesn't let me.
"I'll yell if I want, I'm in my husband's house—"
"Your husband, I know, you tell me often," I sigh.
She walks to the window and pulls the curtains open sharply.
The light assaults me immediately.
"You need to get up and get ready for the meeting."
"Mom, the meeting is at ten."
Eight o'clock.
Way too early to get out of bed.
She turns to me, her gaze dark.
"When it comes to waking up at dawn and wandering alone through the city, you're the first.
But for an important meeting, you suddenly become lazy."
Of course.
She wasn't going to let that go.
I open my mouth to answer, but she cuts me off:
"Listen carefully. I'm leaving.
When I come back, I want to see you ready."
And she leaves without letting me reply.
I stay in bed a few more minutes, then sigh and finally get up.
Bathroom.
The hot water runs over my skin and helps wake me up.
I put on a bathrobe and step out.
When I return to the bedroom, I find Mina and my mother.
"What are you doing here?" I ask, surprised.
"We came to help you get ready," Mina says with a smile.
"Yes," my mother adds, "no way you're dressing just any way.
This meeting is very important."
"But it's just a meeting… not a date," I protest.
"So what? Even then, you need to look presentable," Mina replies.
My mother hands me a dress.
"Wear this."
An elegant cream-colored work dress, straight cut, fitted just right.
Neither too strict nor too soft.
Professional. Respectable.
With nude heels, medium height.
Then she hands me a small box.
"And this."
"These are bracelets and earrings," she says.
"I ordered them especially for you, from the best jewelry store."
I open the box.
Delicate white gold earrings, paired with a discreet bracelet set with small clear stones.
Everything perfectly matched.
"You're doing too much for a simple meeting…"
"Mina, did you hear that? She's never satisfied," my mother snaps.
"Get ready, Esther. We're waiting downstairs," Mina says, ending the discussion.
They leave without letting me respond.
They're really strange…
For a simple meeting.
I get dressed, apply light makeup, grab my bag, and head downstairs.
In the living room, Mom, Mina, and Dad are there.
Dad looks at me… and his expression softens.
He smiles. Proud. Emotional.
"You're beautiful, my darling."
"May no harm come to you," my mother says softly, touching my cheek.
"You're stunning," Mina adds with a smile.
I smile back, reassured.
A few seconds later, I leave the chalet.
Destination:
Arrison Holdings.