Chapter 16
Under Noah’s pressure, the team at Skeldon Group managed to scrape together a bid proposal to subind to the client, desperate to protect their jobs.
But with such limited time and little experience with the project, the proposal was full of flaws. Unsurprisingly, they lost the bid.
Noah returned to the office with a story expression, He unleashed his fury on everyone in sight. By midday, he had slashed salaries across multiple departments.
The employees were outraged. They knew it wasn’t their fault.
It had been a last–minute order, and no one could have put together a polished proposal under such tight time constraints. Winning the bid under those conditions had never been realistic
If anything, it was Noil’s poor leadership that caused it. Yet somehow, all the blame had been dumped on them.
They couldn’t help but think that none of this would have happened if Noah hadn’t spent all his time flirting with Patricia. He neglected the company’s operations and drove Calista out the door
To make matters worse, ever since Patricia became “Mrs. Sheldon,” she had been strutting through the office draped in luxury jewelry and designer handbags. She Banted her status as Noah’s wife, throwing her weight around like she ran the company.
The resentment among the employees only deepened.
(A few senior engineers resigned outright. The rest quietly started looking for new jobs,
But Noah remained oblivious to how deeply the situation had deteriorated. He told himself the company didn’t revolve around any one person. If someone left, they could be replaced.
He had built Sheldon Group from the ground up. His leadership and sharp instincts were more than enough to keep things running
Losing that deal wasn’t the end. There would be other opportunities
What he failed to see was how much of the heavy lifting had always been handled by Calista. She wasn’t just another employee; she had been his right hand. Most of the project negotiations, the logistical oversight, and the tough calls had always been something they worked through together,
Without her, every crack in his leadership started to show,
Determined to prove himself and make up for the missed deal, Noah rushed to invest in a new project
But he skipped proper vetting and moved forward without a thorough review. His impulsive decision ended up costing Sheldon Group a significant financial loss. It put a serious strain on the company’s cash flow.
While Noah struggled to keep the company afloat, Patricia offered no support. She made no effort to understand the situation or ease the pressure. She just kept demanding more. Her appetite for laury had only grown with his indulgence,
What had started with designer handbags soon escalated to a limited–edition sports car, and now she was eyeing tare, high–priced jewelry from private
auctions
The company’s financial struggles didn’t stop the endless string of credit card notifications. Each one made Noah’s head throb.
He eventually tried to reason with ber. He told Patricia the company was facing real pressure and asked her to cut back for a while. The houry items weren’t essentials, and they could wait until things stabilized.
However, Patricia dismissed his concerns without a second thought. She accused him of being stingy and selfish, insisting that whatever she spent was barely a drop in the bucket for a corporation the size of Skeldon Group.
Patricia never cooked. Every time Noah came home, she expected him to order takeout without question
In the same syrupy voice Noah once found endearing, she would say, “Oh, darling, you know how terrible 1 cooking? That would hurt so bad.
in the kitchen. What if I burn myself
“Besides, the grease and smoke are disgusting. I don’t want to turn into one of those housewives with oily hair and dull skin. Just order something for yourself. It’ll taste way better coming from a real chef anyway.”
Every time Noah came home after a business dinner, all he saw was Patricia fast asleep in their king–sized bed.
If she happened to wake up, she would wrinkle her nose the moment she caught a whiff of alcohol and smoke on him, complaining that he stank. Then, she would complain about how late he came home, how line time he spent with her, and how he was ruining her sleep.
In the exhaustion of his day–to–day life, for the first time, Noah felt a deep and undeniable regret.
Back when Calista was still around, Noch would come home to warn meals waiting on the table.
She would hand him the utensils with a qudet smile and say, “Come try this, I made all your favorites. You’ve had a long day, so eat up. Horse–cooked meds are cleaner than what you get ourside, and with your stomach, you’ve got to take better care of yourself.”
When he came home drunk from meetings, there was always a light left on for him. The moment he opened the door, she would stir from half sleep, smile at hten, and head to the kitchen to make him a hangover remedy.
He used to find her constant concern annoying. She always fussed over the smallest things, always acting like a busybody.
Only now did he begin to realize what decades of quiet, unwavering care truly meant, and how deep that kind of love rant.
Chapter 16:
Noah’s eyes burned, slowly welling up with tears. He missed Calista more than he could bear.
2/2
Meanwhile, far away in Avendale, Calista was living a peaceful and happy married life.
Theodore, stern and commanding with the outside world, was endlessly thoughtful and gentle with her.
Whenever she so much as glanced twice at something in a shop window, it would show up in front of her the very next day.
She often forgot the small things she mentioned in passing, but Theodore remembered them all. And one by one, he made sure they happened.
The moment a new runway piece or haute couture collection dropped, it would be hand–delivered straight to Calista’s walk–in closet, often before it even
hit the stores.
Every luxury car in their garage was custom–ordered for her preferences. At auctions, Theodore had spent hundreds of millions on rare diamonds without batting an eye, as long as it made her smile.
Their private estate was filled with endless rows of blooming white roses, her favorite. A team of full–time gardeners maintained the grounds, ensuring they were always in perfect bloom, just for her.
Theodore had hired an award–winning chef to prepare their daily meals, all because he didn’t want Calista to exhaust herself.
But on the rare occasions when she chose to cook, he would savor every bite with genuine appreciation. He would compliment her with quiet sincerity, kiss her on the forehead, and softly whisper how grateful he was for her effort.
Whenever Theodore needed to leave the house, he made sure to let Calista know where he was going and when he would be back.
And whenever he had free time, he was always by her side. Whether it was reading quietly or strolling through the city, he never grew tired of her company. It seemed like being near her was all he ever wanted.
Theodore was nothing like Noah.
He saw and cherished every bit of effort Calista made, moved by even the smallest things she did. He made sure she never had to question his love, offering her both emotional security and the kind of presence that made everyday moments feel intentional and meaningful.
Their love was the kind of story others looked at with envy. It was like something out of a modern fairytale,
In this relationship, Calista finally experienced the warmth and beauty of real love. Slowly, the scars of her past began to fade, softened by a tenderness she once believed she would never feel again.
