Chapter: 30: Burning RetortSOPHIA LANCASTER "We have something else to do," Daniel announced, I blinked, the residual adrenaline from my digital encounter with Ethan still vibrating in my veins. My laptop was shut."Something else?" I repeated, "Daniel, the integration…""It's finished," he interrupted, waving a dismissive hand. "You said the code needed polishing it's polished. The Yamamoto team is flying out tomorrow morning."He walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out at the city. "I've booked the private dining room at Le Bernardin. Seven o'clock. I've invited the inner circle of the Board, the CFO, and the PR team for a dinner, Sophia."He turned back to me, his eyes sweeping over my form, "Go home," he instructed. "Change. The navy is... fine for the office, but tonight requires impact. Wear the red dress.""I have a few calls to make, Elena has the itinerary. I'll meet you there don't be late."He walked out without waiting for a confirmation, leaving the door open behind him. I stared a
Last Updated: 2026-01-15
Chapter: 29: Digital GhostSOPHIA LANCASTER The cursor on my screen blinked. I was sitting in my corner office at Lancaster Innovations, surrounded by glass walls that offered a panoramic view of the Manhattan skyline. I shifted in my ergonomic leather chair, crossing my legs tightly. It didn't help, nothing helped. The ache Ethan had carefully cultivated in Napa, the one he had refused to satisfy, had now settled into my bones. It wasn't just sexual anymore, it was a constant, low-grade fever that made my skin too tight and my temper too short.I looked down at the coffee Daniel had placed on my desk earlier, a peace offering after the disastrous sex of the previous night. "We're a team," he had said this morning, kissing my cheek as if I hadn't spent half the night staring at the ceiling, wishing I were anywhere else. "The Yamamoto deal is just the start."I gritted my teeth and turned back to the monitor, I couldn't think about Daniel. If I thought about Daniel, I would scream. I needed to lose myself in
Last Updated: 2026-01-14
Chapter: 28: StrandedSOPHIA LANCASTER We finally made it back home, and Daniel had being vibrating with energy. He had the Japanese partnership, the infusion of capital, and the photo op of the smiling, united power couple.I, on the other hand, felt like I was crawling out of my skin. Ethan's command still echoed in my mind, uncross them. I had spent the entire car ride home shifting in my seat, the damp heat between my legs mocking me. I was wired, hypersensitive, and physically desperate."Scotch?" Daniel asked, already walking toward the bar. He was pouring two glasses before I could answer."Water," I said, dropping my purse onto the sofa. "I have a headache.""Nonsense," Daniel said, turning around with two glasses. He walked toward me, his smile wide and arrogant. "We're celebrating. You were excellent today, Sophia. Truly." He handed me the glass. I took it just to have something to hold, something to keep my hands from shaking."I did what had to be done," I muttered, taking a sip. The alcohol b
Last Updated: 2026-01-13
Chapter: 27: Sit And SufferSOPHIA LANCASTER I came down from the plane and as I walked, I couldn’t help but think about what Ethan said back at Napa.I want you to miss me, he had said."I hate you," I whispered through clenched teeth."You're late," Daniel said by way of greeting. He didn't ask how the flight was, he scrutinized my face, his lip curling slightly. "And you look exhausted, you have bags under your eyes.""Good morning to you too, Daniel," I said, my voice flat. "Yamamoto is already at the office. The legal team has the final drafts printed, we are just there to sign and shake hands. If you look tired, he'll think you're hesitant."I slid into the backseat of the car, and Daniel climbed in beside me, immediately tapping on his tablet. "We have two hours to get you changed, I've laid out the beige skirt suit, it's modest. Yamamoto doesn't like flash.""No," I said.Daniel's fingers stopped moving, and he turned his head slowly to look at me. "Excuse me?""I said no," I repeated, turning to face
Last Updated: 2026-01-12
Chapter: 26: The AcheSOPHIA LANCASTER The car ran over the Napa roads tearing me apart from the inside out, I couldn't sit still.I shifted in the leather seat, crossing and uncrossing my legs, but every movement was a fresh form of torture. The dress slipped and slid against my skin, grazing the sensitized flesh of my inner thighs.I squeezed my eyes shut, gripping the armrest until my knuckles turned white. My mind was a traitor. It kept looping the scene from the dinner table, I could feel the ghost of his hand sliding up my leg. I could hear the murmur of business talk all acting as a surreal backdrop to the illicit, devastating pleasure he had forced upon me."God," I whispered my breath fogging the glass slightly.I looked out the window at the passing street, and I thought about Daniel. I thought about the intimacy of our marriage. Daniel touched me like he was checking items off a grocery list, he never made me feel like this. He never made me feel like a wild thing, desperate to be tamed.I felt
Last Updated: 2026-01-11
Chapter: 25: Critical HeatSOPHIA LANCASTER I walked back into the main hall, my lips still throbbed from Ethan's kiss, and my skin felt too tight for my body.Composure, I told myself, smoothing the silk of my dress over my hips one last time. I walked through the sea of tuxedos and designer gowns, keeping my head high. I could feel the ghost of Ethan's hand on my thigh.I approached the VIP table. Julian Thorne was still there, checking something on his phone, looking bored again. The moment he saw me, he slid the phone into his pocket and straightened up. "Mrs. Lancaster," he said, genuine interest returning to his eyes. "I thought perhaps you'd fled the scene, most people find my interrogation techniques exhausting.""I don't fatigue easily, Mr. Thorne," I said, sliding back into my seat. "And please, call me Sophia. 'Mrs. Lancaster' makes me sound like I'm hosting a charity gala."Julian chuckled, reaching for his scotch. "Fair enough. You were telling me about the modular architecture of Project Aether b
Last Updated: 2026-01-10
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