are dressed to their nines, posture exuding business and faces stricken with relief. Dimitri wedges himself right next to me, arms snaked around my waist the entire conversation. I don't catch most of the delicate matter, the words are a tiny buzz in the background. All I can think about is Jeremiah. Even in the betrayal and events leading up to it, he's all I'm thinking about. I'm angry, disappointed and simmering with burning hate for the man.

He was my friend. How dare he.

Nav's brown eyes flick to mine, "We won't do anything unless we have Mrs Asterio's consent. We need her to be on board with the plan." The three men turn to look at me. I freeze in my position and sheepishly blink at them.

Nav offers me a small smile and reiterates his sentence. "Are you sure you would like to proceed ahead with suing Mr Jeremiah Spencer?"

I don't breathe nor do I blink. Am I sure about this? Maybe it was a misunderstanding, maybe he didn't intend for this to happen.

Maybe– "Look at what he did to you, Bella." Anwar raises an arched eyebrow, displeasure holds his voice. "He tried to sabotage your marriage. Don't spare him another thought."

My eyes snap shut for a second. I think back to that evening Dimitri left for Toronto. That horrid evening I invited everyone over and wrecked the penthouse into piles of trash trying to search for the missing envelope. I think back to the night the news broke out and a so-called whistleblower leaked the NDA onto public television. I was so humiliated.

The worst of all of it? Everyone knows who I am now. Isabella Romero – Hugo's Antolin's daughter.

"Do it." I don't recognise the sound of my own voice as I speak the words.

Jeremiah didn't think about me at all whilst betraying me. I won't spare him another thought either.

Nav makes eye contact with Dimitri. One final confirmation before this sets into motion. Dimitri smiles at me first before giving Nav a firm nod. "Yes, send him the papers." My heart ticks, a heavy weight holds me down onto the sofa. I let out a shaky breath.

"Very well, sir. I will start the paperwork effective immediately. Jeremiah Spencer is about to be served."

I snap my head to the window, staring outside at the skyline and ignoring the bubble of anxiety that flourishes through my chest. I don't realise that my leg is bouncing when Dimitri soothes a hand just above my knee. He gives it a gentle reassuring squeeze. Everything will be fine, I interpret.

"Fucker deserves it," Anwar states, deep in thought. "Who does he think he is messing with non-disclosure agreements."

Dimitri and Nav close up the final details of the legality. I sit idily and listen closely to the conversation. Nav hunches over the sofa arm, pulls his little briefcase to his knees and begins searching for some papers. He frowns before slowly closing it.

I don't need a magnifying glass to know something's gone wrong. "I'm sorry. I seem to have left the paperwork at the office. I didn't bring my laptop either so I can't reprint it." The three of us stare at him in horror. "Don't worry, the subpoena won't be sent out until some evidence is collected against Mr Spencer. I'm currently working on it but I need Mr Asterio to sign some documents on behalf of Asterio Industries." He flashes us a bright smile.

"Would you be willing to travel down to my chamber and sign them?"

Anwar and Dimitri pass each other a blank look before they both rise. They've agreed and Nav sighs in relief. Dimitri's not pissed exactly but seems a little exhausted with Nav's forgetfulness. He pulls me up from the sofa and I link my arm into his as we step into the elevator. Instead of stopping in the lobby, we head straight down to the underground parking lot.

Dimitri and Nav step out first, their voices a low murmur of sullen speculation. Anwar loiters after me as I take slow steps behind them.

I need – no, I can't do this. It's crazy and I shouldn't. The more my teeth sink into my bottom lip, the more I can't shake the feeling out. I need to see him.

I need to know why exactly he's done this.

I spin around to Anwar, almost colliding into his chest. He pauses, eyes widened in panic and arms spread out in case I trip over. "Bella? You okay? I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there."

I give him the brightest smile I can pull on my lips and stare up at him with nothing but good intentions. "Anwar..." I call. "You know, you're a really good friend of mine?"

His eyebrows pull together and his face morphs into confusion. "Bella... I don't like where this conversation is going. Whatever you need me to do, isn't happening." He states clearly. Undoubtedly. Undeniably.

"You haven't even asked." I counter, innocently blinking at him.

"I don't care and I don't want to know." He tries to take a step around me but I block his exit again. He takes a cautioned step backwards and glances over my shoulder at Dimitri. He's telepathically calling for his help but Dimitri's too wrapped in his conversation to notice Anwar's cry for help.

"Please Anwar? I really need you to do this now." His face falls into worry. His eyebrows are dented and his lips thin in displeasure. Before finally... finally he rolls his eyes and sighs a defeated breath. Bingo. I've got him exactly where I want him.

"What is it? You're going to get me killed by your husband, aren't you?"

I beam at him, "Maybe?" I shrug my shoulders and lean closer to his ear. "I need to speak with Jeremiah. Right now. I need you to take me to his flat please. I'd rather not head alone but this is extremely urgent."

His posture goes rigid and he slowly pulls back, his jaw clenched in exasperation. "Have you lost your goddamn mind, Isabella? This is a legal matter now. I strongly suggest you don't get involved and let Nav handle it."

I practically beg him, claw all my anger and sadness into my face and explain how this needs to be done. I need some sort of closure, I need to know why Jeremiah did it. "Now is the perfect time. I won't get an opportunity during the court case. I must speak with him, Anwar. Please?"

He tunnels a hand through his hair and sighs a heavy breath. His eyes flick back to Dimitri in the distance and then to me. For a second, I almost think he's going to say no. He's going to tell me to leave it all behind. But instead, he braces his arms against his hips and stares. "Fine, you crazy woman! If I get murdered by Dimitri, you're paying for my funeral. Where does he live?"

"Shepherd's Bush."

He cranes his head at me, his eyes wide and mouth agape in horror. He makes a noncommittal noise, "That's a whole thirty minutes!"

"That's exactly why we can't waste any time. Vamanos!"

His jaw clenches and taps his trouser pocket, beginning to search for his car keys. He shakes his head to himself and mutters something underneath his breath. "My boss who ironically is your husband won't be happy about this."

"Sucks to be you." I glimmer at him. He flashes me a dark look, a warning telling me to shut the fuck up because this will end in murder.

Behind us, footsteps approach and Dimitri and Nav mutually agree on something. Anwar panics and shifts around but stumbles over his two feet. Dimitri stares at him in worry and asks if he's okay. Pink creeps to his cheeks and he gives me a small head shake. "So who am I carpooling with?" Nav inquires.

I brush my hand over Dimitri's shoulders, brushing the pad of my thumb over his stubble. If this is what it takes to convince him then I'm in line for three Oscar's. "Actually– I was thinking of a little detour. I need to urgently go see Quinn and Anwar's kindly offered to take me."

Dimitri's eyebrows furrow in the middle and he shakes his head. But before he can reject my plea, I don't let him speak. "Please? It's been three days since I've come back and I ran away. She must be worried sick." Again, I'm such a terrible friend. I don't deserve someone like Quinn. I'm always using her name for issues that have nothing to do with her.

"The paperwork?" Dimitri arches a challenging eyebrow at me.

Nav slides into the conversation, "I'll only be needing you for the documents, Mr Asterio. If I need Mrs Asterio, I'll be in contact."

I smile up at Dimitri. I've won this. He subtly rolls his eyes. But to me, it's not so subtle. "Fine. Half an hour. You come straight back to the penthouse. No catching flights to foreign countries." I laugh in response to the joke he's made and he places a gentle kiss on my cheek.

Anwar presses his key and his car blinks to life. He opens the door and Dimitri hesitantly lets me go. I wave him goodbye once the car pulls out and watch as his frame shrinks. This will be mine and Jeremiah's last conversation, I think.

Anwar pulls outside a building with my given directions. When he came over to the penthouse months ago, he told me where he lived and how he was able to afford such a place. With his promotion that never was intended for me.

He pursues his lip in thought. "Huh, he lives here?" He does another inspection of the building. "I'm guessing it's a one bedroom furnished flat. Probably cashes his whole paycheck on it." I roll my eyes and tell him to follow after me. What he does with his money is not my concern. My only concern right now is finding out why he did what he did.

"Yup. He got promoted the day I resigned my job." I can't help it, the words fall out of my mouth. Anwar's lips twist to the side in some form of disapproval and he silently follows me inside. We inform the reception of our arrival and a call is made to Jeremiah's flat. Five minutes later, we're given a green light and a flat number.

Number 105 on the 15th floor.

With trembling fingers, I ring the doorbell and we wait. Me a little nervously and with a huge weight.

"We don't have to do this." Anwar murmurs besides me. "Pretend you ringing the doorbell was an accident. We can still make a run for the elevator, you just need to take off your heels and run." He offers, eyeing the steel doors in the distance.

"No. I need to do this."

Footsteps approach the door, the locks twist and sound then the door flings open. A tired Jeremiah Spencer in a hoodie stands before me.

"Bella!" He breathes, almost shocked that it's really me standing before. For a second, we simply stare at each other. Jesus, I don't remember confrontations being this hard.

His gaze slowly flicks over to Anwar who gives him a hard glare. All malice and hate. Jeremiah ignores him at all costs.

"Come inside." Silently we step inside and the door closes behind us. Anwar filters his gaze over his flat and it's surprisingly tidy. A bookshelf filled with classics, high ceilings, glass table, muted colours. Very bachelor pad-esque. Anwar on the other hand, stands well away from Jeremiah. He leans next to the wall near the door – almost wanting to leave just as he stepped in.

"How have you been? Where the hell have you been Bella?" Jeremiah finally asks. His brown eyes turning molton.

"Fine." I state.

Silence grows between us. "I need you to be honest with me." I finally break the silence and stare him dead in the eye.

"Yes?"

"Why did you take the NDA?"

His body freezes, his whole posture goes rock solid and his mouth falls. He's as guilty as he looks. He runs a hand through his hair and pulls on his shirt collar. "I don't know what you're talking about, Bella. I was worried about you–"

He's gaslighting me. Invaliding my truth and statement and telling me he cares about me. "If you really cared about me, you wouldn't do what you did. Not only did you breach a legal document but you also jeopardized my identity and sabotaged my marriage with Dimitri. How fucking dare you!"

His eyebrows pull taunt and he takes a step forward. I take one back and behind me, I feel Anwar ready to launch at him. He doesn't speak and bites down on his lip. "Don't try to deny it, Jeremiah. There's evidence being piled against you as we speak. There's a video of you taken in the lobby on that day. It was you who stole the NDA."

"Bella–"

"Why would you do this to me?"

He sighs a deep breath and then finally he explodes. His baritone dancing off the walls of his flat and his chest rising and falling erratically. He's mad. He's so angry. "I liked you first and then he comes along with his money and flashy car and you're quitting your job. For him! Tell me, Bella. Was the marriage worth it? He didn't even try to stop the media. He went straight back into Asterio Industries with the company under his name while you were missing for a whole three months."

I frown at him. "I didn't quit because of him. I did it all on my own merit."

Jeremiah throws his hand into the air, calling bullshit. "Lies! You've changed Bella. Look at you, expensive jewellery, thousand pound fragrance, and terrible morals."

Something inside me snaps like a thin piece of lead and in this moment of time. I really see Jeremiah for who he is. A selfish, insecure, threatened man. He's projecting all his anger and hurt at someone he never knew until I married him. How pathetic. "Who are you to judge me?" My voice doesn't tremble. "Believe it or not. This is how I've always been. I'm Hugo fucking Antolin's daughter. I was raised in this world and Dimitri was the one to reacquaint me with it."

He glares at me. Wholly stubborn. My voice is icy and doesn't falter as I continue to rip into him. "Besides, what were you trying to achieve? Me to come running into your arms after the fallout with Dimitri?" He ruined everything. He blew the cover on mine and Dimitri's relationship.

His face falls into sadness, his bottom lip trembling. An emotion I can't decipher passes over his face. "I never expected that." he vehemently shakes his head, denying everything. "I didn't know you had ran away and I tried finding you. I really did."

I scoff at his remark, amused. "Yeah? By sitting on your sofa and watching the news? Reading the tabloids and getting off on the fact that mine and Dimitri's marriage was as good as dead." I arch an eyebrow at him. Behind me, Anwar tries to contain a laugh too.

He takes a cautioned step towards me, his hefty hands wrapping around mine. I snatch them away and grit out, "Don't touch me." Anwar's already three steps ahead of me with the door open. I plough through the door, rushing down the narrow hallway to the elevator. Anwar's jamming his fingers into the call button but the elevator takes its time to open. Jeremiah runs after me, my name a desperate plea on his lips.

"Just hear me out!"

He stands in front of me, his height slightly intimidating as I glare up at him. The elevator doors open and Anwar pulls on my wrist, yanking me inside. "No, I'll see you in court." With that said, the doors close and that's the last I ever hear of Jeremiah Spencer.

The court proceedings take three weeks. Nav is absolutely ruthless and leaves no stone unturned. Throughout it all, Dimitri sits beside me, hand in hand. Even when the moments become rough and unbearable, he never leaves.

Jeremiah eventually pleads guilty and he's charged with financial damages which include – breach of contract, defamation and breach of privacy – all owed to Asterio Industries. At this rate, he's pale as ever and he'll spend his lifetime repaying the debt and damage caused.

I'm slumped against the pillar outside the courthouse, staring vacantly at the passing cars. Dimitri nudges me gently in the shoulder and hands me a coffee. "I think you need this more than I do." I thank him.

He doesn't say anything at first and we silently watch a few cars zoom by. "Are you okay?" he asks, his voice a tired timbre.

"Yes, I'm just glad it's over." I really am. I never expected this friendship to end in the abrupt manner it did, but I'm glad I can finally close the chapter. I take a sip of coffee – it tastes bitter and gravelly in my mouth then I'm running for the bathroom and vomiting everything out.