Louis sat behind the large mahogany desk in his office, reviewing documents on his tablet while the low murmur of board members filled the room. The air smelled faintly of coffee and polished wood. It had already been a long day.
A soft knock sounded.
Mimi stepped in, holding a folder.
"Mr. Louis," she said politely. "Mrs. Camilla is here with some investors."
Louis didn't even look up immediately. His fingers paused on the tablet before he finally raised his head.
"Let them in."
Moments later, Camilla entered confidently, dressed elegantly as always. Two men in expensive suits followed behind her, their smiles calculated and polite.
"Louis," Camilla said smoothly, as if she owned the place.
The meeting began.
Charts, projections, negotiations. The investors spoke in careful tones while Camilla occasionally interjected with comments that sounded supportive on the surface but subtly questioned Louis's decisions.
Halfway through the meeting, Andre quietly stepped beside Louis.
"Sir," he whispered. "Mrs. Tabitha is here. She said she needs to speak with you urgently."
Louis frowned slightly.
"Tell her I'm in a meeting."
Andre nodded and left.
Outside the office, Tabitha sat on the long leather couch in the reception area. Her heels rested loosely on the floor and her phone lay in her hand.
Andre approached her.
"Mrs. Tabitha, Mr. Louis is currently in a board meeting."
"I'll wait," she replied simply.
Andre hesitated.
"It might take a while."
"That's fine."
Hours passed.
The sun dipped low outside the glass windows, turning the sky orange before fading into deep blue.
Mimi eventually approached her gently.
"Mrs. Tabitha… it's getting late. Would you like me to call a car to take you home?"
Tabitha shook her head.
"I'll wait."
Summer had also tried earlier.
"You've been here since afternoon," she said softly. "You should at least eat something."
"I'm fine," Tabitha insisted.
But eventually exhaustion caught up with her.
By the time the board meeting ended, it was already night.
Louis stepped out of the conference room, loosening his tie slightly.
Andre followed behind him.
"The investors seemed satisfied," Andre said.
Louis nodded but his mind was elsewhere.
Then he walked into his office.
He stopped.
Tabitha was asleep on the couch.
Her heels were on the floor beside her, one slightly tipped over. Her phone had slipped from her hand and rested on the carpet. Her head leaned against the couch cushion, hair slightly messy from sleep.
Louis stared at her for a moment.
"Has she eaten?" he asked quietly.
Summer shook her head.
"No, sir. She's been waiting since afternoon."
Louis frowned.
He gathered his documents slowly before walking over.
"Tabitha."
She stirred slightly.
"Tabitha."
Her eyes fluttered open slowly.
"Louis?"
"Let's go eat."
She pushed herself up, rubbing her eyes.
"No… wait. I came to tell you something important."
Before she could continue...
The office door opened again.
Camilla stepped in.
"Oh good, you're done," she said cheerfully. "Perfect timing. I invited the investors for dinner at my place tonight."
Tabitha looked immediately irritated.
"I'd rather have dinner with my husband alone."
Camilla's smile thinned slightly.
"This dinner is important. For the investors."
Louis sighed lightly.
"Let's just go."
Outside the building, the cars were waiting.
Louis opened the passenger door for Tabitha but before she could enter...
Camilla grabbed her wrist.
"Tabitha, ride with me."
Without waiting for a response, she pulled her toward her own car.
The moment the door closed, the friendly expression disappeared from Camilla's face.
"So," Camilla said coolly. "What did you want to tell Louis so urgently?"
Tabitha remained quiet.
Camilla chuckled softly.
"I already know."
Tabitha slowly turned to look at her.
"You saw me earlier today, didn't you? With the investors."
Tabitha didn't answer.
Camilla continued calmly.
"The deal you closed earlier with those partners… I already spoke to them."
Tabitha's eyes narrowed.
"I told them to sabotage it."
Silence filled the car.
Camilla leaned back comfortably.
"And the investors I brought today? I told them to make it impossible for Louis to secure a deal with them."
Tabitha clenched her hands slightly.
"Why?"
Camilla smiled faintly.
"Because later, when the company struggles, I'll simply say that if Louis had accepted the investors I introduced instead of your deal… the company wouldn't be facing losses."
Tabitha stared at her.
"You're insane."
Camilla shrugged.
"You can tell him if you want."
She leaned closer slightly.
"But you have no proof."
Tabitha said nothing.
"Even if you somehow convince him," Camilla continued calmly, "I still control the board. And the investors."
The car slowed as they approached Camilla's mansion.
"So do whatever you like," Camilla finished. "It won't change the outcome."
At dinner, the atmosphere seemed elegant on the surface.
Crystal glasses clinked. Expensive wine flowed. The investors laughed loudly at their own jokes.
Louis kept glancing at Tabitha.
Finally he leaned toward her quietly.
"What did you want to tell me earlier?"
Tabitha simply picked up her glass and took a sip of water.
She ignored him.
Louis frowned slightly.
He assumed she was still annoyed about earlier.
Then suddenly
One of the investors leaned back in his chair and looked directly at Tabitha.
"You know," he said with a grin, "Mr. Louis is very lucky."
Louis' eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean?"
The man smirked.
"I mean… if a woman like her was around me…"
His gaze lingered on Tabitha deliberately.
"I wouldn't mind spending the night."
The table went silent.
Louis' voice dropped coldly.
"Watch your mouth."
"That's my wife."
The man laughed.
"Oh relax."
Then he reached out and casually touched Tabitha's hand.
Louis stood up instantly.
"Take your hand off her."
The investor didn't move.
"Or what?"
Louis' temper snapped.
But before things escalated..
Tabitha grabbed Louis' arm.
"Louis."
He looked down at her, stunned.
"It's not that deep," she said lightly.
The words hit him harder than the insult.
Not that deep?
Anger began rising again...but this time it wasn't directed at the man.
It was directed at her.
Why was she smiling with them?
Why wasn't she angry?
The dinner continued awkwardly until it finally ended.
The ride home was silent.
Louis stared out the window.
Finally he spoke.
"Did you enjoy the way they treated you?"
Tabitha looked forward calmly.
"Of course not."
"Then why didn't you say anything?"
She sighed.
"I didn't want you to lose the deal because of me."
Summer shifted slightly in the front seat.
She looked at Tabitha.
Then at Louis.
"Sir… she came today to warn you."
Louis turned.
Andre frowned.
"Warn him about what?"
Summer spoke carefully.
"She overheard Mrs. Camilla talking earlier."
Andre crossed his arms.
"Do we have proof?"
Summer hesitated.
"No."
Tabitha finally spoke.
"She told me everything herself."
Louis looked at her sharply.
Tabitha calmly repeated everything Camilla had confessed in the car.
When she finished, she simply shrugged.
"If you believe me, good."
"If you don't, that's fine too."
Louis remained silent.
She continued calmly.
"But if you're smart… you'll start looking for another investor. Someone bigger than them."
She opened the car door.
"And don't let Camilla know."
Then she walked straight into the house.
From the hallway upstairs, Sam watched everything.
She saw Tabitha storm inside.
Her lips curved slightly.
They fought.
Perfect.
She quickly prepared the usual tray and went to Louis' study.
But when she entered..
Louis didn't even look up.
"I don't want tea."
Sam blinked.
"I..."
"Bring wine. And snacks."
Her face brightened immediately.
"Yes, sir."
She hurried away excitedly.
Moments later she returned with a bottle of wine and snacks.
Louis took the tray from her hands without even looking at her.
"Thanks."
Then he walked away.
Sam followed with her eyes.
He didn't go to the study.
He walked straight toward Tabitha's room.
And entered.
Sam stood frozen in the hallway.
Her heart sank.
Inside the room, Tabitha had already changed into comfortable clothes and was about to sleep when Louis walked in carrying the tray.
She looked at him in surprise.
"What are you doing here?"
He placed the tray on the small table.
"I don't know who to believe," he admitted honestly.
Tabitha leaned against the headboard.
"But your idea makes sense."
She raised an eyebrow.
"You mean finding another investor?"
"Yes."
He poured two glasses of wine.
"But it won't be easy."
Tabitha took a glass.
"Nothing about business is easy."
For the first time, Louis actually sat down beside her.
They started discussing possibilities.
Potential companies.
Foreign partners.
Market risks.
Louis found himself explaining details he had never shared before.
Strangely…
Tabitha understood quickly.
She even offered ideas he hadn't considered.
For the first time since their marriage...
Louis felt like he was actually talking to a partner.
Not just a wife.
Hours passed.
The wine bottle emptied.
The snacks disappeared.
Their conversation slowly faded into comfortable silence.
At some point...
Both of them fell asleep.
On the same bed.
Without even realizing it.
The first thing Louis noticed when he woke up was the silence.
The room was quiet, the curtains half open with soft morning light spilling across the bed.
He blinked slowly, still half asleep.
Then he turned slightly.
The space beside him was empty.
The blanket had already cooled.
Louis frowned slightly and pushed himself up, rubbing the back of his neck. For a moment he sat there, trying to recall how the night had ended.
Wine.
Business discussions.
Tabitha arguing about investors.
Somewhere in between all that… they had both fallen asleep.
Together.
He looked around the room again.
Her phone wasn't on the bedside table. The bathroom door was open. No sound of running water.
She had already left.
Louis got out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash up. Within minutes he was dressed in his usual sharp suit, adjusting his cufflinks in the mirror before heading downstairs.
The mansion was already busy with morning activity. Maids moved quietly across the hallways and the scent of fresh coffee filled the air.
But one thing was missing.
Tabitha.
Louis' eyes instinctively scanned the living room.
Nothing.
Dining area.
Still nothing.
He frowned slightly.
Andre was standing near the entrance reviewing something on his tablet.
"Where's Tabitha?" Louis asked casually.
Andre looked up.
"Mrs. Tabitha left early this morning."
Louis paused.
"Early?"
"Yes sir. Miss Summer rushed out with her."
That only made Louis more curious.
He walked outside toward the car where Andre was already opening the door for him.
Louis got inside but his thoughts were already elsewhere.
The car pulled out of the driveway.
He pulled out his phone.
For a moment he hesitated.
Then he called her.
The line rang twice before she picked up.
"What?" Tabitha's voice came through the phone, sounding busy and distracted.
Louis frowned slightly.
"Where are you?"
"Busy."
"What does that even mean?"
"I'll call you later."
Before he could respond...
The line went dead.
Louis slowly lowered the phone.
Andre glanced at him through the rearview mirror but wisely said nothing.
Louis leaned back against the seat.
Busy?
Busy doing what?
Tabitha had never been the type to rush out early in the morning. In fact, most days she barely showed up anywhere before noon.
Yet today she ran out with Summer at sunrise?
Something didn't add up.
His fingers tapped lightly against the armrest.
Then another thought crept into his mind.
Stanley.
Louis' jaw tightened slightly.
He remembered the name.
That man had appeared around her before. Smiling too comfortably. Talking to her like they had known each other for years.
Louis didn't like it.
Not one bit.
Could she be meeting him?
Was that why she rushed out so early?
Louis scoffed quietly to himself.
Why did it even matter?
He had never cared what she did before.
Never cared who she talked to.
Yet now…
He looked down at his phone again.
For some reason, the short call irritated him far more than it should have.
"What exactly are you up to, Tabitha…" he murmured under his breath.
The car continued down the road as Louis stared out the window, his thoughts far from the office waiting for him.
And far too focused on his wife.