Nobela ni Lady haven

The room settled into a comfortable silence after Kael's departure.The sandalwood incense curled lazily through the air, while somewhere beyond the paper-paneled windows, the distant melody of a violin drifted in from the ballroom. It was peaceful. Warm.Liora's eyes, however, remained fixed upon the carved doors through which Kael had disappeared.She hadn't realised she was staring until an amused voice interrupted her thoughts."My dear..."Eva's lips curved into a smile that belonged to someone who had spent an entire lifetime reading hearts more accurately than words."...you are watching the door rather intently."Liora blinked, startled from her thoughts."I..."Eva folded her elegant hands upon her lap."You and my grandson are rather fond of one another, are you not?"The words landed with astonishing precision.Liora's face immediately bloomed a delicate shade of pink."What?"She laughed nervously."No... no, Mrs. Blackwood."Her head shook so vigorously that several loose

The carved wooden doors closed behind them with a muted thud, shutting out the relentless hum of the gala as though the world itself had been asked to wait.Inside, time moved differently.The room breathed tranquility. Delicate silk screens embroidered with cranes and cherry blossoms divided the space into intimate corners, while soft amber lanterns bathed everything in a warm glow. The scent of sandalwood and jasmine lingered gently in the air, carrying with it memories of another era. Every piece of furniture had been chosen with intention rather than extravagance. It was elegant without trying to be.And seated beside the wide window overlooking the illuminated gardens was the woman who had built the Blackwood legacy long before Kael had inherited it.Eva Blackwood.Age had silvered her hair but had stolen nothing else.She remained breathtaking.Her snow-white hair was gathered into a graceful chignon, revealing a face sculpted with remarkable refinement. Fine lines rested around

“Who,” Kael Blackwood asked coolly, his voice slicing through the silence of the car like a blade drawn from velvet, “gave you the permission to parade around with my financial director?”My eyes widened.For a second, I genuinely thought I had heard him wrong.“What?”The word escaped before I could stop it.But Kael did not even look at me.His gaze remained fixed ahead, sharp and unreadable, as though he had merely stated a fact rather than uttered something utterly absurd.“Drive.”The command came cold.Immediate.The driver obeyed instantly.The car rolled forward smoothly, but my thoughts did anything but.Parade around?With Jared?My brows knotted together as I turned toward him in disbelief.Was he serious?I opened my mouth to argue—to ask what exactly he meant by that outrageous accusation—but before I could utter another syllable, the car slowed again.And then stopped.I blinked.Already?Through the tinted windows I could now see the grand entrance of the venue glowing

The car slowed.Then stopped.Abruptly.The slight jerk pulled me out of my thoughts as my brows furrowed, my fingers instinctively tightening around the edge of my folder.“What happened?” I asked, turning slightly toward Jared.He didn’t answer immediately.Instead, his gaze remained fixed ahead, his jaw tightening just a fraction before he nodded forward.“Look.”I followed his line of sight.And there it was.A sleek black car—impossible to miss.Parked a little ahead of the venue.Even from a distance, it carried a presence that was… unmistakable.My stomach dipped.Of course.Before I could process it further, another car door slammed open from the vehicle ahead, and a man stepped out quickly—recognisable almost instantly.The CFO.He moved with urgency, his polished shoes clicking against the pavement as he approached our car.Jared lowered the window before I could.“Ms Hale,” the CFO said, slightly breathless but composed enough to maintain professionalism. “Alpha has request

Author’s POVThey stepped out of the building together, the quiet, curated elegance of the space fading into the more functional hum of the building below. The shift was subtle, but real—the kind that reminded everyone that what existed upstairs was reserved, controlled, and not easily accessed.Nike walked ahead, relaxed as always, while Jayden moved beside him, his presence calm but watchful. A step behind them, Liora followed, her posture straight, hands loosely held in front of her, every inch the composed professional she had trained herself to be.And then—Kael.He stood a little ahead, already engaged in conversation with the CFO, a file in his hand, his tone low and precise. He didn’t need to raise his voice. Authority sat naturally on him, woven into every word, every pause.Behind him stood Jared.The moment Jared’s eyes landed on Liora, he froze.For a heartbeat, he simply stared.Then he pushed himself forward, leaving his place behind Kael without hesitation, walking str

The minute my vision fell on her silhouette, something in me stilled—and then unraveled.Desire didn’t build. It struck. Sharp. Immediate. Unforgiving.My eyes followed without permission.Every curve. Every subtle shimmer of that fabric against her skin. The way the dress clung to her like it had been made for her and no one else.I couldn’t look away.Didn’t want to.And worse—I didn’t try.That dress…My jaw tightened.That fabric was a lucky bastard.Touching her like it belonged there. Tracing lines I had no right to even think about. Settling against her skin in ways that made something dark and possessive rise in my chest.A slow breath left me, controlled, but not calm.She was a vision.No—she was a problem.And all I could think about was tearing that perfection apart just to see what lay beneath it. No barriers. No restraint.No.I shut it down instantly.You cannot afford that.Not with her.Not ever.“Huh… weak.”Kilian’s voice echoed in my head, amused, sharp, entirely t