**Across the Fallen Golden Kingdom Distant Fires by Damon S. Creed**
The deal that the Whitmore Group had been banking on crumbled like a house of cards.
What was the catalyst for this disaster? Chase, in a fit of rage, had chosen to confront someone in a public setting. The potential partner, witnessing his volatile behavior, deemed him unstable and promptly withdrew from the negotiations.
“I’m so sorry,” Nora said, her voice laced with regret as she gently applied iodine to the gash on Dominic’s arm. “I suggested provoking him out of sheer desperation. I never imagined he would spiral out of control like that…”
Dominic met her gaze, his expression steady and unwavering. He swallowed hard, the tension in his throat evident, but his tone remained surprisingly composed. “It’s alright. What Chase did… it was truly inexcusable.”
Nora blinked, taken aback by his calmness.
He continued, “But, you know, your idea actually bore fruit. Provoking Chase to create a scene was far more effective than our original plan.”
A radiant smile blossomed on Nora’s face, illuminating her features from within. It struck Dominic like a bolt of lightning, igniting something warm in his chest.
After a brief pause, he ventured, “Actually… I think we could keep using this strategy.”
“What do you mean?” Nora asked, a hint of confusion coloring her tone.
Dominic shifted slightly, an air of awkwardness enveloping him. “What I mean is… you could tell people you’re my fiancée.”
“Oh,” she said, nodding slowly. “Faking a fiancée? Sure, that makes sense.”
“It’s not just pretending,” Dominic interjected, his voice firm yet gentle. “What I’m suggesting is… you can say it to others. But perhaps you might want to consider making it real.”
Nora’s eyes widened in disbelief, her heart racing.
Dominic quickly averted his gaze, his cheeks flushing a deep crimson.
“I… you…” she stammered, her words tumbling out in a chaotic rush, utterly flustered.
“Let’s talk later!” she exclaimed, almost darting out of the room, her mind reeling.
She hadn’t anticipated that Dominic harbored such feelings for her, and the realization sent her spiraling.
Their partnership, which had once been strictly professional, had suddenly taken a startling turn.
She needed time to process this unexpected shift.
Meanwhile, at the Whitmore residence, Chase was grappling with a new reality. He had just received a contract termination notice from his former business partner, accompanied by divorce papers that had been delivered directly from the County Clerk’s Office.
The documents were brutally clear, outlining the division of their assets and the custody arrangement for their daughter.
Assets: split fifty-fifty.
Custody: awarded to the innocent party.
At the bottom of the page, Nora’s fingerprint glared back at him, red as blood, piercing through his thoughts like a dagger.
He couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that she had truly left him. That she would abandon him for another man.
How could she be so heartless?
Had she really erased all their promises? The vows they had once exchanged?
That cold, callous woman.
A flicker of vindictive fire ignited in his eyes as he formulated a plan.
“Get me every video and photo of her,” he barked, his voice low and dangerous. “The beach pictures, the bedroom shots, everything—especially the one where that guy was groping her. Upload them. Make them go viral. Let the entire world see.”
Let’s see if she would still carry herself with such arrogance after this.
Meanwhile, at the Faulkner estate—
Nora nearly fainted as she scrolled through the videos, her hands trembling uncontrollably. “You leaked those pictures?” she gasped, disbelief flooding her voice as she called Chase.
“Yeah,” he replied nonchalantly. “So? Changed your mind yet? Come back to me, and I’ll take everything down.”
Nora felt a wave of nausea wash over her. “You’re disgusting.”
“Me? You’re the one who ran off with another man right after the divorce. Who’s the shameless one here?” he shot back, his tone dripping with contempt.
Chase paused for a moment, then softened his voice slightly. “But look—if you’re willing to come back home, I’ll forgive you. I won’t hold your thing with that guy against you.”
With a sharp click, Nora hung up, tears streaming down her cheeks as she scrolled through Weibo.
A tsunami of hatred crashed over her screen.
[Damn, look at her face—like she’s enjoying it. What a whore.]
[Wait… isn’t she that ex-wife from the Whitmore Group?]
[Oh yeah, I heard she’s hooking up with the Faulkner guy now. Talk about moving fast.]

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