For the first time in many days, joy returned to Kiara’s heart, her hope multiplying tenfold.Mark Harrington was among the most successful young billionaires in the city. He was one of her seniors in college and Killian’s classmate.When she’d collected his contact information after the reunion party, Kiara hadn’t put much hope into getting a chance to strike a collaboration with Mark.He was among Killian’s circle of friends, and she never expected that he would be a bit interested despite sending the proposal to him anyway.Mark was the current CEO of HQ Enterprise, mainly dealing in real estate. His family was among the top socialites in the city, and their business’s success kept increasing throughout the years.If Mark invested in the Storm Empire’s revival, Kiara would be able to kick off the business in no time. His investment would be enough to rent a company’s space of their own and also hire employees.Mark’s assistant had told her to meet him here, at his private Villa.In
He flipped through the pages, slowly, taking his time to carefully go through the proposal. His brows furrowed once in a while, and finally, when he was done, he closed the document.“There’s nothing wrong with it, Kiara.” Greg looked up. But then he paused for a moment before adding, “Your proposal is fair, yes. But fairness doesn’t automatically translate to security for investors. From a legal standpoint, they’re weighing risk against potential return. Reviving a collapsed enterprise is seen as a high-risk venture. That should be part of the reason why they’re shying away. ““Here’s what you can do.” He dropped the proposal, leaning forward with rapt attention. “Structure the proposal as a time-bound contract. Specify a defined period, say six months, or a year, within which measurable profits must be shown. If the business fails to meet the benchmark, the investors have the express contractual right to terminate the agreement.”“More importantly…” Greg went on. “You can include a
As Sophia came forward, Killian straightened up, shoving his hands into his pockets. Kiara could finally breathe normally, her heartbeat steadying. Sophia stopped beside them, her eyes flashing with suspicion for a moment. But she concealed it with a perfect smile. “How have you been, Sis? It’s good to see you again. Mom mentioned that you didn’t move into the mansion after the divorce. Everyone’s worried.”At Sophia’s words, Killian’s gaze returned to Kiara, and an indescribable expression flickered past his face.Kiara scoffed.By revealing that she didn’t move into the mansion, Sophia obviously aimed to plant a seed of doubt in Killian’s mind. He could think that her family tossed her out, and that would make her look smaller in his eyes.But Kiara had her own reasons for not staying in the mansion.Ignoring Sophia’s question, she walked away.Fortunately, Killian didn’t return to the hall. The rest of the evening went quite well, and although the main topic was still about her,
The temperature inside the room dropped, tension rising, and a deafening silence fell in the air. A hundred pairs of eyes traveled back and forth between Killian and her, their expressions a mix of disbelief and discomfort. “Good!” Prof. Annabelle clapped, her lively laughter cutting through the air. “Who knew I would be graced with an opportunity to witness both my favorite students debate over such a controversial topic?”She stared at Kiara, her face beaming with pride. “You seem like the kind of girl whose sense of responsibility and high self-esteem doesn’t allow her to rely on others.”Then she turned to Killian. “Mr. Reid, you are very protective of your loved ones. You can’t bear to witness the woman you love suffer, right?”Kiara laughed inside.The Professor had misunderstood Killian’s statement. He wasn’t loving but possessive. Killian was more concerned about dictating someone’s life than letting them follow their own path.“But you guys are a perfect match!” Prof. Annab
All eyes turned in that direction.As Killian stepped in, the murmurs died down and the hall sank into silence. Even a pin-drop could be heard.Dressed in a sharp suit that fitted his strong physique, his magnetic presence filled the hall, causing the lively air to shift to a tense one. His gaze was on his wristwatch, and his other hand was holding his phone to his ear as he spoke into it, “Cancel it now!”Killian was making a phone call. His initial statement, however, was in sync with her response, and everyone could have deemed it a mockery to her idea.However, it turned out to be a coincidence. An ironic one at that.Kiara shifted in her chair, dazed for a few seconds as she stared at him. Why was Killian here? It wasn’t just a coincidence, was it?Everyone else whispered the same question, echoing her confusion.“Someone pinch me. Is he Killian Reid or are my eyes tricking me?”“Mr. Reid never attends any of the school reunions hosted so far. Is there a special occasion tonight
Kiara turned around, her nervousness replaced with joy immediately. “It’s great to see you again, Professor.”“How long has it been?” Prof. Annabelle pulled her into a hug and chortled. “Six, seven years? You haven’t changed a bit, Dear.”“Neither have you, Professor.” Kiara smiled.Someone exclaimed from the crowd, “Prof. Annabelle is here!” drawing everyone’s attention to them.Everyone left their chairs and came forward, laughing and smiling.“You haven’t changed a bit, Professor. In fact, you look younger than you were some years ago.”“It’s a pleasure to have you here tonight. Thank you for accepting our invitation, Professor.”“We couldn’t wait to see you again after hearing that you’re back in the country. This dinner is especially to celebrate your return.”As her college mates welcomed Prof. Annabelle and greeted her, Kiara was pushed aside by the crowd.She stood at the back, watching with a smile, and then someone suddenly bumped into her.“Oh, it’s you, Kiara Storm!” The l