Hannah's POV:I sat in my office chair staring blankly at the glowing monitor. Numbers and charts filled the screen, but they blurred together into a meaningless haze. My mind wasn’t here. It had been drifting more and more lately, and I hated it.It had been a month since I took over Maria’s company and merged it with mine and Josh’s. On paper, everything was perfect—investors trusted us, clients lined up, and the company name was already echoing in places I had only dreamed of before. But perfection was always a fragile thing.Maria had been quiet. Too quiet. And if I knew my sister, silence wasn’t surrender—it was plotting.I tapped my nails against the desk, trying to focus, but the sunlight streaming through the glass wall caught the edge of my desk and reminded me of fire. That fire.My stomach twisted. The police had called me days ago.‘We’ve got the culprit.’Their words had sounded like victory, but it hadn’t felt like one. A CCTV camera from the adjacent building had caught
Maria’s POV:The sunlight had slipped through the curtains in thin streaks, spreading across the ceiling like golden blades. I lay flat on my back, staring up at them, but they didn’t warm me. They mocked me. Each strip of light felt like Hannah’s smile—bright, triumphant, untouchable.Hannah.Even thinking her name made bile rise in my throat. She had stolen everything from me. The company should have been mine. I had poured my charm, my wit, my careful image into shaping that future, and then, with one sweep of her smug little hand, Hannah had taken it all. Now, everyone looked at her as though she were some perfect goddess, the kind people wanted to worship.I clenched the bedsheet until my knuckles burned white.The door creaked open, and I forced myself to relax. Rage could never show. Not here. Not with him.Stiles walked in with a tray balanced in his hands. The smell of buttered toast and coffee filled the room. He looked at me the way a man looks at his whole world, eyes soft
Hayes’ POV:I never thought I’d see the day when I’d be staring up at Hannah like this—my ex-wife, the woman I once dismissed, now standing above me like she owned the world.And worse? She actually did. She owned what I considered my whole world now. Maria's company was all I have going for me. If I lose it, I lose everything.I felt my jaw clench as the reality settled in. The lobby was still buzzing with whispers, employees staring as though they were watching a drama unfold live. Maria’s company… no, Hannah’s company now.My throat was dry, but my pride was louder. I snapped, “You’re lying. This is just some cheap trick.”Her smile didn’t falter. That was the part that made my stomach twist. Hannah had always been soft, always easy to guilt, to bend, to silence. But the woman standing in front of me was different—sharp, deliberate, untouchable.I fumbled for my phone, dialing Maria. She had to clear this up. She would never—could never—let Hannah take everything we built.The line
Hannah’s POV:Maria’s face twisted the moment I said the words. Her lips trembled, her eyes darting away, and for once she didn’t have a witty comeback ready. The proud, polished sister who always had an audience suddenly looked like a child caught red-handed.But I didn’t let my gaze soften. Not this time.Before she could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway. A familiar voice floated in, calm and delicate, as if the house wasn’t suffocating with tension.“Hannah, stop.”It was my mother. She walked in with a tray of fruit, the faint smell of oranges mixing with the cold air of the room. Her smile wasn’t for me, of course. She set the tray down in front of Maria, touching her shoulder gently like she was some fragile doll.“I brought this for you, Maria. You mustn’t dwell on what happened tonight. It’s just one award. Nothing to cry about.”Maria pressed her lips together, milking the sympathy with a practiced look of defeat.I couldn’t help the laugh that slipped
Hannah’s POV:It had been almost two weeks since the fire outbreak. The smell of smoke had long faded from the walls of the office, but the memory of it clung to me like a shadow. Luckily, nothing of importance was lost in the flames—just a few files and furniture. The police were still investigating, dragging their feet, or maybe they just had too little to work with.But I hadn’t forgotten what I saw. That fleeting figure, the familiar outline. I was confident Maris had something to do with it. My gut never lied. Still, I kept quiet. For now.The past weeks hadn’t been entirely dark. Our company’s government contract had changed everything. It wasn’t just a project—it was recognition, validation. And today, the fruit of our hard work was about to be displayed for all to see. We were receiving the award for Most Innovative and Fastest Rising New Company.The irony wasn’t lost on me. With this award in hand, it was undeniable: I had won the bet with Maria.I stood before the mirror in
Hannah's POV:Crimson red blazed from the end of the hall. The perpetrator was long gone now. I had called the fire service, and now I was trying to save as much of our documents and property as I could.The fire was still in its early stage; it hadn't begun to spread too wide yet. I dashed down the hall again, grabbing another box of packed gadgets and throwing it down with the others down below.I ran back in again. But now the fire was catching faster, burning as high as the ceiling. Still, I couldn't leave anything behind. I dashed in and grabbed the last of the boxes and headed out.And that was when it happened. The flames burnt loose the weakened ceiling, and it came crashing down in chunks. Before I could realize what was happening, it was too late; a huge piece had landed on my head. I dropped to the floor with a loud yelp.Still, I managed to push the box out of the space with the last of my strength. Now I just lay on the floor, my head aching badly and my vision blurring.