“Wow, wow... I did not expect to see you in a place this classy,” Liana said, sweeping her gaze over Harry. “Romantic dinner, huh? Impressive. You’ve really upgraded—landing yourself a wheelchair-bound sugar daddy.”Arabella arched an eyebrow, her eyes narrowing. “Liana, if you have nothing important to say, I suggest you leave.”Liana giggled, leaning coquettishly against her boyfriend’s arm—clearly making him uncomfortable. The man nudged her lightly, silently urging her to stop. She ignored him.“Relax, Bell. I’m just surprised. You used to act all high and mighty. Refused overtime, wouldn’t take on flirty male clients, turned down every chance to climb the ladder. But look at you now—guess all it took to level up was a wheelchair with a hefty bank account behind it. Oh, sorry—your husband, right?”Harry stayed silent. But his jaw tightened, eyes sharp. His hand gripped the edge of the table so hard his knuckles turned white. Still, not a word from him.Arabella, on the other hand,
Arabella stared at the termination agreement, emotions swirling inside her like a storm. The amount printed on the paper made her chest tighten—thousands of dollars. A figure she never imagined she'd have to pay just to quit a job. It felt like a trap. Guilt twisted inside her, but so did anger.“I don’t regret resigning,” she murmured under her breath, “but… why does it have to cost this much?”Carla looked at her, her expression calm but firm. “There’s not much we can do, Bella. It’s all in writing. You signed the contract.”“I know,” Arabella whispered, nodding slowly. “But back then, I didn’t fully understand what I was agreeing to. I didn’t think the consequences would be… this big.”Carla folded her hands on the table. “I get that this is hard for you. But those are the boutique’s rules.”Arabella exhaled deeply. “If I can’t pay it all at once… is there any other way?”Carla paused, then replied, “I don’t have the authority to make that call. But I can talk to management—maybe th
After the kiss, silence swallowed them whole.Arabella kept her head down, her feelings in turmoil.Her lips still felt warm, her cheeks blushed, and her chest pounded like a war drum that didn’t know when to stop.Meanwhile, Harry… just stood there, staring at Arabella as if time had frozen.No one spoke. No one dared to meet the other’s gaze.“I... I shouldn’t have—” Harry’s voice was barely audible. He felt guilty for crossing the line. But… he couldn’t help himself. His heart had already chosen Arabella.“Don’t say it was a mistake,” Arabella cut in quickly, though her voice trembled. “Because I know it wasn’t.”Harry looked at her, uncertain.“But if you regret it—”“I don’t regret it,” she replied immediately.Then she exhaled slowly. “I’m just... scared.”Harry took a step closer, carefully, as if afraid the moment would shatter.“Scared of what?” he asked, though he already knew.Arabella was probably traumatized—betrayed by Mike, her ex.Arabella bit her lower lip. It took a
“You should take it,” Arabella said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.Harry hesitated for a second, then glanced at the screen of his phone before stepping out to the balcony. Just in time.The moment the glass door closed behind him, Arabella finally exhaled. Her hand rose to her cheek — she could still feel the warmth of his fingertips. Her heart was pounding like a warning bell and a silent wish, both at once.Was this just an escape? Or something deeper... something real?She didn’t have the answer. But one thing was certain — she wasn’t alone anymore.Harry came back minutes later, his expression darker.“That was one of my men,” he said. “They lost Johan’s trail. He took a sudden leave, and his phone’s dead.”Arabella sat up straighter. “You think he ran?”“Possibly. Or… he’s meeting Adam directly. I’ve already sent two people to track him down.”“I’ll go through his last reports,” Arabella said, already reaching for her laptop. “If he tampered with anything, I’ll know.”
There was a soft knock on the door.Arabella turned just as Harry walked in, holding a folder thick with documents. His expression was grim.“Bella,” he said quietly, “I just got word from my contact. Adam’s not backing down. He’s approaching one of your father’s trusted directors—Mr. Johan.”Arabella’s hands clenched. “He’s using an insider to infiltrate us?”Harry nodded. “I suspect he’s trying to take you down from the inside. Maybe through tampered financial reports or manipulated operational data.”Arabella stepped closer, locking eyes with him. “Are you sure?”“I am. And there’s more.” Harry opened the folder and revealed photos taken from surveillance—Adam was seen meeting someone in the parking lot of the corporate building. The man’s face wasn’t unfamiliar to Arabella.“Mr. Johan…” she whispered. “He helps compile our annual performance report.”“If he falsifies data, it could make the company appear as if it’s in financial trouble. That gives Adam grounds to claim shares, us
Adam stood casually by the side of the table, his body leaning slightly forward as if trying to assert dominance. Arabella sat across from him, arms folded over her chest, her gaze unyielding.“It’s been a while, Mrs. Harry Anderson. Last time we met… if I recall correctly, you nearly threw a glass in my face.”Arabella arched a brow, clearing her throat. “You should be grateful I’m still being professional today.”Adam grinned. “You’ve always been fun when you're angry. But let’s talk business.”He placed a thick-stamped folder onto the table and slid into the seat opposite her. With confident hands, he pushed the folder toward her.“This is the draft proposal I once discussed with your father, back when he was still active. I thought we could continue where he left off—even if he hasn’t fully recovered.”Arabella opened the document and began to read. Her face tightened, her brows drawn together in concentration. Adam watched her intently, eyes sharp, as if waiting for a crack in he