로그인Ana was still clutching her stomach when Mirena shoved her into the dressing room. She stumbled forward, barely catching herself on the edge of her vanity before she could collapse.Through the mirror framed in bright bulbs, she saw Mirena step in calmly and shut the door behind her with a quiet click. The sound echoed louder than it should have and a chill crept down Ana’s spine.She hadn’t agreed to this. She’d been wheezing in the hallway moments ago, half-bent in pain, mind scrambling for a way to scream for help before Mirena had dragged her off and forced her into the nearest room.Now she was alone with her—alone with a woman who appeared composed, almost serene, but whose presence radiated anything but peace.Fear tightened around Ana’s chest. She spun around and pressed her back against the vanity so hard the wooden edge dug into her skin.“You—” she began, her voice shaking despite her attempt to steady it. “Do you even know who I am? How dare you attack a random person?” Sh
Evening arrived faster than Mirena expected the next day.Standing before the full-length mirror in her hotel suite, she examined her reflection carefully. She had chosen a fitted, knee-length black silk gown with a subtle slit along one thigh, elegant but not loud, the neckline structured and modest, the sleeves long and tailored to give her a refined, almost aristocratic silhouette and paired with pointed black heels and diamond studs she looked every bit the composed patron of the arts rather than a woman attending to settle a score.Behind her, Eugene stood holding the bouquet of chrysanthemums she had ordered, watching with quiet admiration. “You look stunning, Ms. Crowne,” she said sincerely.Mirena glanced over her shoulder and smiled.“Thank you, Gene.” She turned fully and collected the flowers from her, adjusting the stems in her grip while Eugene reached into her pocket and handed over the physical VIP pass.Mirena flashed her a grateful look before slipping it neatly into
Night had long settled. The kind of night where the sky was ink-dark, offices dimmed one by one, and the world slowly folded into silence.Yet George remained seated in the waiting room of Octa.Hands entwined, head lowered and jaw tight.Twelve hours. Twelve whole hours!That was how long he had been sitting in that same chair, waiting, and not once had the Investment Queen shown herself. And her assistant? Every single time he called, he received the exact same response.“Ms. Crowne is still busy. You’re free to leave if you’d like, but please keep in mind that you’ll be throwing away a very important opportunity if you do so.”Those words.He had heard them again and again. Eight times. Eight calls. Twelve hours of waiting. And each time, those words had held him in place—until now.The door suddenly opened, pulling him from his thoughts.George lifted his head immediately, expecting—hoping—to finally see the person he had sacrificed an entire day for.Instead, he found himself sta
Mirena had never been asked that before.As far back as she could remember, everything in school had naturally revolved around Alexander. He had been the center of attention without trying—the gravitational pull in every room.And she?She had been pulled into his orbit.At least, that was the version of the story she told herself.But now, sitting there with Logan’s eyes fixed on her, she found herself actually thinking about it.Why was she so competitive with him?It felt instinctive. Automatic. As natural as breathing.And yet… she had never stopped to question it.“You don’t know,” Logan said quietly, as if reading the hesitation flickering across her face.She held his gaze for a long second before answering. “It’s not that I don’t know. It’s just… there’s no answer. We’re just meant to be competitors. It’s always been that—”Before she could finish the thought, Logan sighed and pushed himself off the table.“Tell that to a child, Mirena. Not me.”Her brows pulled together.She
Mirena stared blankly at the information before her, utterly speechless. Five out of fifty personnel had votes for her.She didn’t need to be a mathematician to know what that meant—ten percent. A disastrous score.“This…” she began faintly, still stunned. After everything she had done, she had expected something more. If not because of her own efforts, then at least because Eleanor had personally registered her name.A word from Eleanor Vance usually carried enough weight to tilt entire boards. Yet here she was—barely acknowledged.That left her stunned. But what hurt the most was the fact that despite the authority her alias commanded in the investment world, Mirena herself carried almost none in the world of commerce.“I don’t understand,” she muttered, leaning back into her chair, eyes narrowing at the screen. “What haven’t I done right? Or rather… is there anything I’ve done wrong?”Across from her, Logan watched quietly for a moment before speaking.“What has been your approach?
Mirena arrived at Hayes Corporation shortly after leaving Batorè. As she stepped into the building, her gaze immediately caught a familiar face at the reception.The girl who'd sold Victor off for a spot in Logan's company.Ah, so she got a job, Mirena thought, letting her gaze linger for a moment. The girl noticed her too and instantly, her eyes lit up.Without hesitation, she hurried forward, bowing several times. “Ms. Vance,” she greeted politely.Mirena offered a small, composed smile. “Hello. How’s the job here?” she asked.A bright look of happiness spread across the girl’s face before she bowed again.“It’s much better than my previous one. Pays a thousand times better. Thank you, ma’am,” she said gratefully.Mirena nodded, though her eyes briefly drifted to the girl’s position—it was still that of a receptionist. Yet the girl looked genuinely satisfied, even happy.Is Logan really paying her that much? she wondered.“You’re here for Mr. Hayes, right?” the girl asked, pulling M







