Through the phone, Kiara heard his slow breathing. The sound pulled her back to the previous night. Heat rushed to her face as the memory returned. The silence lingered.
"So?" Archie finally spoke. "What exactly did you call me to say?"
"I... well..."
"If you don't know what you want to say, then don't waste my time. I'm busy. Call again when you actually have something to say."
"Arrogant..." she murmured under her breath.
"What was that?" Archie asked sharply, one eyebrow lifting at the boldness of the comment.
"I said... I'm currently attending university. I can't skip my classes."
"University?" The word caught his interest immediately. Something about this didn't seem right to him.
"Yes. Please don't keep me locked inside that mansion. I can't live like a prisoner."
"I can decide whatever I want when it comes to you. In case you forgot, your father practically handed you over to me."
"What...?" The words left her in disbelief.
"You heard me correctly. That arrangement gives me the right to decide what happens to you. But since I'm not completely unreasonable, I'll allow you to keep studying. Of course, that depends on how well you behave."
"I used to believe my family were the villains in my life. Now it seems you've joined them." Without another word, the call ended.
"Cloe?" Archie called out her name, only to realize the line had already gone dead. The sudden silence made his grip tighten around the phone.
"You stubborn girl!" he muttered through clenched teeth. "Just wait. I'll make sure you regret mocking me."
At that exact moment, another call came through. The name on the screen belonged to his escort, Jackson.
"I hope you finally have the information I asked for."
"Yes, sir," Jackson replied. "And you might find this interesting. Right now, I'm watching your wife enter the pool area at the Watson mansion."
"What are you talking about?" Archie sneered. He rose abruptly from his chair. Nothing irritated him more than being deceived.
"Mr. Villarreal, I may be mistaken, but the woman I'm seeing looks exactly like your wife. The resemblance is so strong that the only explanation I can think of is that they are twins."
"Damn it! No one plays games with me."
Without another second of hesitation, he strode toward the office door.
"Sir, your meeting begins in seven minutes." Susana reminded him while hurrying after him.
"Cancel it," Archie replied as he stepped into the elevator.
"But sir, that meeting is extremely important," she insisted nervously.
"I said cancel it!" he shouted. The elevator doors slid shut.
"Sir, you should stay calm," Jackson remarked through the phone. "Don't let your anger control you."
"You don't get to tell me how I should behave. Call the security team immediately. I'm heading straight to Watson Realty."
The moment he gave the order, he ended the call.
Rage still burned across Archie's face, and the intensity of it made the entire floor fall silent. No one dared approach him, and even fewer were brave enough to hold his gaze for more than a second.
"Aarchiee!" His friend Ryan walked in, looking sharp and confident. He stepped forward and shook Archie's hand.
"Oh boy..." Ryan muttered after taking a closer look at him. "Why do you look like that?" His eyes narrowed with curiosity. "I just got back from my trip, and the first thing I did was come see you. This is the welcome I get?"
"Go to hell, Ryan. I didn't ask you to show up and lecture me."
"Okay, okay. You're clearly in a terrible mood. But I'm your best friend. You might as well tell me what's going on. Besides, you already know my favorite cure for stress. A VIP bar, beautiful women, the best whiskey money can buy, and music loud enough to forget your problems."
"You know what... that's the first sensible thing you've said today. We'll do that later. First, I have somewhere to go."
Ryan's eyes lit up immediately. "Perfect. Then I'm coming with you."
"Suit yourself," Archie replied flatly. Ryan didn't mind the cold tone at all. He had grown used to Archie's personality long ago.
The two men left the company building together. Security personnel escorted them as they walked toward the entrance, where a luxury car already waited.
"Where would you like me to take you, sir?" he asked respectfully.
"Watson Realty," Archie answered as he got into the car. Ryan slid into the seat beside him.
"So what business do you have at a real estate company?" Ryan asked after a moment, unable to hold back his curiosity any longer.
"Do you remember Cloe Watson?"
"Of course I remember!" Ryan burst out laughing. "She's the one who left you hanging that night." His grin widened with mischief. "That must've stung. No woman ever turns you down, Archie. She really knew how to make a fool of you."
"If you keep laughing, I'll throw you out of this car myself," Archie warned coldly. "Do you understand?" The threat wiped the humor off Ryan's face. He swallowed and forced himself to stay quiet.
"Alright, alright. I'm sorry. But I can't pretend that story isn't unforgettable. So what's your plan once we get there? We've been out of touch for a while, and it feels like you have a lot to explain."
"You'll find out soon enough," Archie replied, keeping the details to himself.
The car stopped in front of Watson Realty. Archie stepped out and headed straight for his father-in-law's office.
"Good morning, Mr. Villarreal!" The blonde secretary looked delighted to see him, her expression lighting up the moment their eyes met.
"Where is Mr. Watson?" Archie asked as he continued walking without slowing down.
"He's in his office, sir," she answered quickly. "Let me announce you first."
"That won't be necessary," Archie replied sharply. His intensity made the atmosphere tense. Meanwhile, Ryan lingered behind him and casually glanced over the secretary from head to toe.
"Sir, you can't enter without an appointment!" she said nervously as she hurried after him. Archie ignored her, pushed the door open, and walked inside.
The moment Maxwell Watson saw Archie enter, his eyes widened in shock. The color drained from his face as panic flickered across his features.
"Mr. Villarreal! What an unexpected pleasure." He hurried forward with an overly cheerful smile and extended his hand for a handshake. The gesture remained hanging awkwardly in the air when Archie ignored it completely. Instead of a greeting, Maxwell faced a cold glare filled with barely restrained fury.
"I'm sorry, sir, I tried to stop him," the secretary said nervously from behind them.
"There's no need to stop him. After all, he's my son-in-law. Would you like something to drink?"
"Leave," Archie instructed without taking his eyes off Maxwell. She hesitated and looked at her boss. Maxwell gave a small nod.
Once she stepped out and shut the door behind her, the tension in the office exploded.
"Is there some kind of problem?" Maxwell asked, pretending not to notice Archie's anger.
"You've got a lot of nerve trying to play games with me," Archie said coldly as he stepped closer until they stood face to face. Ryan watched the confrontation with quiet amusement.
"I honestly don't know what you're talking about," Maxwell replied with a deep frown.
"The woman currently in my house is not Cloe Watson. You're going to explain this right now. Because with a single phone call, I can tear your pathetic company apart."
