Chapter 364

Without another word, Nathan turned on his heel and walked out of the room.

Serena's head whipped toward the door where he'd disappeared, her face a mask of stunned disbelief.

Those words had been spoken in a moment of wounded pride, a desperate attempt to make him stay.

Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined he would actually leave.

A tidal wave of fury and anguish crashed over her.

All she'd wanted was for Nathan to pull her into his arms, to whisper that he still desired her—not some sterile vow of retribution.

Back at Black Enterprises, Nathan marched into his office, his expression carefully blank.

Moments later, Walter entered, his features drawn tight.

"Mr. Black, Bradley has confessed," Walter announced. "He claims to have harbored resentment toward you for years."

A pause.

"Since... certain past incidents."

"He was biding his time for the perfect moment to strike."

"When those compromising photos of you and Miss Cole surfaced online, he assumed she held special significance to you."

Nathan's eyes narrowed to dangerous slits, his gaze sharp enough to flay skin. "And what exactly was his original plan?"

Walter hesitated, discomfort radiating from him. "He... intended to have Miss Cole assaulted."

"He planned to record the entire ordeal and send you the footage."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop twenty degrees.

Nathan's expression darkened like a gathering storm. "They've got remarkable audacity, don't they?"

"Fortunately, our team intervened in time. Otherwise—" Walter left the grim alternative hanging in the air.

Nathan's jaw tightened, irritation flashing across his features.

Once again, Serena had become collateral damage in his personal wars.

Another debt he owed her.

When would this cycle ever end?

The thought twisted like a knife in his gut.

After a weighted silence, his gaze turned razor-sharp. "Dig up everything on Bradley," he commanded.

Walter immediately understood the subtext. "You suspect someone might be pulling Bradley's strings?"

Nathan's voice was ice. "It's a distinct possibility. I'd rather be thorough than regretful later."