LOGINOne week earlier...The office was silent except for the faint hum of the city beyond the glass walls. Night had already settled over Manhattan, the skyline glittering like scattered diamonds beneath the dark sky. Yet Alexander Vanderbilt had not moved from his desk for nearly twenty minutes.A file lay open before him. Inside were photographs. Not business documents. Not contracts. People.Alexander lifted one between his fingers.The man in the photograph stood outside a modern glass building, speaking with several employees. His posture was relaxed, his expression professional.The name beneath the image read:John Walker. Alexander’s assistant. Or rather—his former assistant.Alexander leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable.“Send him in,” he said quietly.Finn, who stood near the door, nodded once and left.A few minutes later, the door opened. John Walker stepped inside. He was a man in his mid-thirties—well-dressed, composed, the sort of person who had always perf
Alexander lifted his face from the curve of her neck. His thumb brushed softly across her trembling lips.“Because…” he murmured, his voice low and certain, “you love me.”Before she could answer, he leaned in again and captured her lips.Ava turned her face aside in instinctive protest—but Alexander had no intention of letting her escape so easily. When she shifted left, his kiss followed. When she turned right, his lips found her again.Relentless.Determined.Somewhere deep inside him, a powerful instinct was sounding the alarm.If he let her go tonight… he might truly lose her forever.The moment he had brought her through that door, he had already made his decision.Tonight, no matter what happened, he could not let her leave.Even if it meant restraining her, keeping her by force, refusing to let her walk away again—he would endure whatever came after.The music still flowed through the room.The female singer’s voice drifted gently through the air.Beautiful faces, no cares in
“I’ve thought it through carefully.”Ava slowly swirled the wine in her glass, watching the crimson liquid circle lazily along the rim. Her gaze remained lowered, as though the answer she sought might somehow be hiding there.“You really shouldn’t acknowledge Cello.”Alexander’s expression did not change.“Reason.”She lifted her eyes at last.“You want children,” she said quietly. “There are plenty of women who can give them to you.”Her tone was calm—too calm.“We can’t be together.”Alexander leaned back slightly in his chair.“Reason.”Ava looked directly at him now. The warm lamplight reflected in her dark eyes, making them shimmer with a sincerity she rarely allowed him to see.“I’m not suitable for you,” she said softly. “And you’re not suitable for me.”Silence lingered between them for a moment.Then Alexander spoke.“I don’t accept that.”Ava exhaled slowly and turned her face aside. When she looked back at him again, a hint of frustration had crept into her voice.“Then wha
Alexander peeled another crayfish with practiced ease.This time, however, instead of placing the shrimp neatly onto Ava’s plate, he held it out toward her mouth.Ava immediately turned her face to the left.His hand followed.She turned sharply to the right.The shrimp followed again.Alexander appeared perfectly calm, holding the shrimp patiently between his fingers. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her stubborn expression while speaking casually to Marcello.“Cello,” he said thoughtfully, “I’m sure your mum never told you that actually, she and I—”Ava’s mouth snapped open.She bit directly onto his finger.Hard.Her eyes narrowed at him in open warning.You absolute scoundrel. If you dare finish that sentence, I’ll bite it clean off.“What’s wrong?” Marcello asked curiously.Afraid Alexander might say something even more outrageous, Ava quickly released his finger and swallowed the shrimp in one swift motion.“Uncle Vanderbilt was simply saying,” she said smoothly, “that y
As the taxi approached the kindergarten, Ava spotted Marcello from a distance.The little boy stood patiently at the gate beside one of the teachers, his small backpack hanging neatly over his shoulders. The courtyard beyond them was already empty—every other child had long since been collected.Because of the unpleasant incident at the gym, Ava had arrived later than usual.“Thank you,” she said quickly to the driver as she pushed open the door.Before stepping out, she instinctively glanced left and right, scanning the street with cautious eyes. She looked for reporters, unfamiliar faces, anyone lingering too long near the school entrance.Seeing nothing suspicious, she hurried across the pavement.“Sorry I’m late,” she said warmly as she took Marcello’s small hand.The teacher smiled politely and waved them off.Ava wasted no time. She guided the little boy straight back to the taxi, settling beside him as the car pulled away toward their rented apartment.Once they were moving aga
With a casual wave of her hand, Ava stepped past the female trainee and moved forward, pressing a palm to her chest as though still catching her breath.“This time,” she said between light gasps, “I’ll choose the event.”Poppy had expected hesitation, perhaps even retreat. Instead, Ava volunteered without the slightest prompting. The surprise lasted only a moment before satisfaction curled through Poppy’s chest.“Fine,” she replied at once. “Whatever you choose.”Ava’s gaze drifted around the circle of spectators before settling on the equipment nearby.“Bench press.”Poppy nearly laughed.In her mind, Ava’s earlier success had little to do with strength. Pull-ups, after all, could be aided by a lighter frame and quick reflexes. Bench pressing, however, relied on sheer muscular power. There would be no clever tricks there.And muscular power was something Poppy prided herself on.“Very well,” she said briskly. “Let’s begin.”Naturally, she added a small calculation of her own. Ava had







