"Who the heck is he?!" Mark's voice echoed through the mansion like a thunderclap before the tablet hit the marble floor with a deafening crash.
Shards flew in every direction as he paced the room, his chest rising and falling like a man on the edge. His eyes were bloodshot, dark circles deepening from sleepless nights haunted by Aurora's face and the silence she left behind.
"Oh Lord, please bring Miss Aurora back into this mansion," Paul muttered under his breath, clutching a tray of untouched food, "else hell knows what my crazy boss will do next."
"What did you say?" Mark snapped, his voice sharp like a blade. Paul froze. "N-nothing sir. I was just wondering… who that man is. The one… the one near madam."
Mark's jaw clenched. He turned and slammed his fist on the glass table, causing Paul to jump. "Exactly what I've been asking myself every damn day!" His voice cracked. "Who is he? And why does she smile at him like she used to smile at me?"
There was a terrifying stillness before Mark turned away, dragging a hand through his unkempt hair. His suit was wrinkled, his beard unshaven, and his eyes those once cold and calculative eyes now carried a haunting emptiness.
"I've tried everything in my power to get in contact with her," he muttered to himself, not even aware that Paul was still in the room. "I call her with unknown numbers just to hear her voice… even for a second. But it's never enough."
Paul remained silent, watching his boss unravel, unsure whether to leave or stay.
Mark clenched his fists and pulled out his phone again. "I asked Nora one of my workers to infiltrate the Wilson mansion. Her task is to feed me information about what Aurora does every day. I had no choice," he said, almost defensively, as if trying to justify his actions to himself.
"She helped me by using a micro camera. I could see her. I was really happy today when she said the baby kicks just like me."
His voice softened for a moment, as if that thought alone brought him fleeting peace.
"It's the only thing keeping me sane. She's still in love with me I know it. I see it in her eyes. She tries to hide it, but she can't. I'll bring her back tonight and not even her father can stop me." Paul stepped forward cautiously. "Boss, maybe it's best to wait. Madam she's still angry, and hurt. She's pregnant. You don't want to—"
Mark spun around with a crazed glint in his eye. "I know what I want, Paul! And I want my wife back. I want my child under this roof. Not in that mansion, being watched over by her overprotective father who never wanted me in the picture in the first place."
He picked up a framed picture of Aurora, gently brushing his thumb over it. "I love her, Paul. God knows I do. Every second without her feels like suffocating in slow motion. The guilt, the nightmares, the silence it's killing me."
Paul swallowed hard, unsure of how to respond. Mark turned to the window and stared into the night. "I was a fool to let her walk away. But this time, I'm not going to just sit and watch another man raise my child. No matter what it takes… Aurora is coming back home." He didn't notice the tears forming in his eyes.