Chapter 9
Roman’s pupils contracted in alarm as he shouted, “Naomi Jensen! Stop this madness! Get down from there now!”
But she ignored him completely, her bloodshot eyes fixed on him with disturbing intensity.
“What’s the point of living if you don’t want me anymore? I meant what I said, Roman. Take one step toward that door and I’ll throw myself off this balcony!”
Her emotional state was so volatile, her words so hysterical.
Roman clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, a vein throbbing visibly at his temple.
He knew with absolute certainty that Naomi wasn’t bluffing.
In the end, he gave in.
Naomi flung herself into his arms with satisfaction, demanding he sleep with her that night.
Roman pushed her away, exhaustion written across his face.
“The company’s in crisis. I have work to handle tonight. Go to bed without me.”
With that, he retreated into his study.
This wasn’t just an excuse. With Dominic Lloyd having taken his position, Roman needed to offer better terms to keep his key clients from jumping ship.
He spent the night revising several partnership proposals and sent them to their emails. But they all disappeared into the void
without response-only Norwood Industries indicated they might be willing to meet in person to discuss options.
Getting this news provided Roman some small comfort, enough to finally feel sleepy. Yet every time he closed his eyes, memories of his life with Hazel flashed through his mind-walking hand-in-hand after dinner, cuddling on the couch watching movies, pruning flowers together in the garden… But the final image always froze on Hazel walking away from their home, never looking back.
Roman jolted awake, gasping for air like a drowning man, his eyes bloodshot.
Sleep abandoned him completely after that, and he sat at his desk until daybreak.
Early the next morning, Roman was in the closet preparing for the Norwood reception when he caught Naomi’s reflection in the mirror, standing behind him with a dark expression.
“Where are you going? Are you trying to find Hazel? Are you seriously determined to drive me to suicide?!”
Roman sighed deeply, suppressing his irritation as he explained the current business situation.
“I’m extremely busy right now. Could you please stop making everything more difficult?”
With that, he grabbed his phone and left. In his haste, Roman failed to notice the venomous look in Naomi’s eyes.
Their social circle was small, and news traveled fast. Overnight, everyone had heard about Dominic Lloyd replacing Roman.
Those who had once eagerly sought Roman’s favor at events suddenly vanished without a trace. Experiencing this for the first time, Roman felt a complex mix of emotions.
He vaguely recalled when news of his father’s affair with a student first broke-all his classmates had shunned him. Back then, only Hazel had stood by him. She had gone to extraordinary lengths to cheer him up, carefully protecting his dignity.
21:11
Taking Amnesia to Dump His Dying Wife? Challenge Accepted!
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That’s when Roman had sworn he would always be good to Hazel.
But in the end, he’d lost her…
A searing pain tore through Roman’s chest. He covered his reddened eyes and hurried to the restroom.
As the event was winding down, Roman finally approached Victoria Norwood, CEO of Norwood Industries.
But he had barely spoken two sentences when a figure suddenly lunged from the corner, swinging a wine bottle directly at Victoria’s
head.
