Title: The Secret Wife of Ruthless Billionaire

part 26

Part 26: A Heart Divided

Anastasia stood alone in the clearing, the weight of the decision pressing heavily on her shoulders. The jungle around her felt alive with the tension that had settled between the three of them. She had spent so much of her life running from hard truths, avoiding the pain of choosing, but now the choice had been thrust upon her. There was no escaping it. No more running.

She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply, trying to ground herself in the moment. The sound of distant birds calling out, the rustle of the leaves in the wind—it was as if nature itself was offering her solace, trying to calm the storm inside her.

"Anastasia?"

Her eyes snapped open at the sound of Nicolas' voice. He was standing a few feet away, watching her with a mixture of concern and something else—something raw and vulnerable that she rarely saw in him. He took a step closer, his expression softer than before, but still guarded.

"I know this isn’t easy," he said quietly. "But you don’t have to go through this alone. Whatever you decide, I’ll support you."

Anastasia felt her heart twist at his words. Nicolas had always been steady, a constant in her life. He had given her space when she needed it, but he had never stopped fighting for her. And yet, despite everything they had been through, there was still something pulling her back to Alexander. She couldn’t deny it anymore. The connection they shared had always been there, simmering beneath the surface, and now, after all these years, it had erupted back into her life, impossible to ignore.

"I don’t know what I’m supposed to do," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I feel like I’m standing at the edge of something huge, something that could change everything. And I’m terrified."

Nicolas stepped forward, reaching out to touch her arm gently. "I know you are. But you don’t have to be afraid of choosing what feels right for you. You’ve been holding on to so much for so long—maybe it’s time to let go of the fear and trust yourself."

Anastasia swallowed hard, the lump in her throat making it difficult to speak. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears she had been holding back for days. "I care about you, Nicolas. I do. But I can’t ignore how I feel when I’m with him."

She didn’t need to finish her sentence. Nicolas knew exactly what she meant.

"I know," he said softly, his voice tinged with sadness. "And I won’t stand in the way of that. But I won’t pretend that this doesn’t hurt. You mean everything to me, Anastasia. You always have."

She bit her lip, feeling the pain of his words settle deep in her chest. She had never wanted to hurt him. Nicolas was everything she had thought she needed, but now, with Alexander back in her life, everything had changed. She didn’t know what the future held, but she knew that she couldn’t continue to live in the shadows of her own indecision.

"I’m sorry," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Nicolas nodded, his expression stoic despite the storm raging behind his eyes. "You don’t need to apologize. I just want you to be happy. And I want you to be sure. That’s all."

Anastasia felt a tear slip down her cheek, the finality of the moment weighing on her like a thousand bricks. She had to make a choice. It wasn’t fair to either of them to keep stringing them along, to keep them in limbo. The time for decisions had come, and she had to trust herself to know what was right.

A soft rustle of leaves behind her drew her attention, and she turned to find Alexander standing at the edge of the clearing, his face unreadable. He had been waiting, giving her space, but the look in his eyes told her that he, too, was ready for this to end—one way or another.

"I didn’t mean to intrude," he said quietly, his gaze flicking to Nicolas before resting on Anastasia. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

She nodded, trying to gather herself, but the weight of everything was becoming unbearable. "I’m not sure I’ll ever be okay again. Not until I make this decision."

Nicolas took a step back, his hands clenched at his sides, but his expression softened as he glanced at Anastasia one last time. "You have your answer, Anastasia. Whatever you decide, I’ll respect it."

And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing there with Alexander.

Anastasia felt a deep ache in her chest as she watched him leave, but there was no time to linger on that. The choice had been made. It was time to move forward.

She turned to Alexander, her eyes meeting his. There was no more hesitation in her heart, no more doubts clouding her vision. The answer had been clear all along, and now, finally, she was ready to embrace it.

"I’m ready," she said, her voice steady despite the emotions swirling inside her. "I want to see where this can go. I want to be with you, Alexander."

A slow smile spread across his face, and he stepped closer, his eyes filled with warmth and understanding. He didn’t say anything at first, just reached out to gently cup her face in his hands, as if to make sure she was really there, really with him.

"You’re sure?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Anastasia nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. "I’m sure."

And with that, he kissed her—softly at first, as if testing the waters, but then with a growing intensity as their connection surged back to life. The world around them seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them in that moment, finally reunited after all the years of uncertainty.

For the first time in a long time, Anastasia allowed herself to believe in the possibility of a future with Alexander. She didn’t know what it would look like or what challenges they would face, but she was no longer afraid to take that step. Together, they would write their own story.

End of Part 26