INICIAR SESIÓNKiara's pov “Kiara?”I blinked.The room came back into focus slowly—the long glass table, the projector screen, the expectant faces turned toward me.“Sorry?” I said, sitting up straighter.Mr. Walter frowned slightly. “I asked what you think about the revised layout for the Westbridge project.”“Oh—right,” I said quickly, flipping through the pages in front of me like I hadn’t just completely zoned out. My eyes scanned the design.“It’s… it's good,” I started, then paused, forcing myself to actually focus. “But it lacks personality.”That got their attention.Mr. Walter leaned back slightly. “Go on.”I pointed at the layout.“It feels like something we’ve already done before,” I said. “There’s no identity. No statement piece. If we want this project to stand out, we need something bold. Something that makes people walk in and remember it.”Silence.Then a slow nod. “I agree,” he said. “What do you suggest?”I opened my mouth,then stopped. Because for a split second, my mind drifted
Miriam pov“Why does he act like that?”I paused mid-step, turning slowly to look at Susan.“Act like what?” I asked, though I already knew where this was going.She folded her arms, leaning against the kitchen counter as she watched me closely.“Like your child doesn’t exist,” she said bluntly.I rolled my eyes and walked past her, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.“Don’t start,” I muttered, twisting the cap open.“I’m serious, Miriam,” she continued, following me into the living room. “Every time you mention him, it’s always some excuse. He’s busy. He’s stressed. He’ll come around. Or probably when he wants to use you. Like… when exactly?”I took a sip of water, ignoring her for a second before dropping onto the couch.“I guess he’s going through some stuff right now,” I said casually.Susan blinked.“Going through stuff?” she repeated. “Miriam, he has a son.”I shrugged. “And?”“And that should matter!” she snapped. “You make it sound like it’s optional.”I leaned back, s
Alex’s POV“Send me the proposal before noon.”I didn’t look up as I signed the document in front of me, flipping the page with practiced ease. My office was quiet except for the soft hum of the air conditioning and the occasional tapping of my pen against the desk.“Yes, sir,” my assistant replied quickly.“And make sure legal reviews clause seven again. I don’t want any loopholes.”“Got it.”The door closed behind her.I leaned back in my chair and exhaled slowly, loosening my tie just a little. The morning had already been packed with meetings, calls, unfinished reports and investors breathing down my neck.Yet somehow, none of that was what was occupying my mind.My phone buzzed on the desk.The moment I saw Kiara’s name on the screen, my attention shifted immediately. I picked it up without hesitation.“Kiara.”“Hi Alex.”The tension in her voice hit me instantly.I straightened in my seat. “What’s wrong?”There was a pause on her end. The kind where you could hear someone thinki
Leo's pov“Do you think I should call him?”The question slipped out before I could stop it.Kiara, who had been scrolling through her phone again, probably rechecking those pictures for the hundredth time, paused and looked up at me.“Call who?” she asked, though I could already tell she knew.“Mark,” I said.Her expression changed immediately to disapproval.“No,” she said, firmly.I frowned slightly.“No?”“No,” she repeated, lowering her phone to her lap. “That’s exactly what you shouldn’t do right now.”I leaned back against the couch, exhaling slowly as I ran a hand through my hair.“I don’t know, Kiara. Maybe Miriam is trying to use him against me,” I said. “Or maybe there’s some misunderstanding. I should at least hear from him directly.”She shook her head.“And what are you going to say?” she asked. “Hey Mark, I saw you having lunch with the woman who just blackmailed me. Care to explain?”I didn’t respond immediately because when she put it like that, It sounded really bad
Miriam's pov “Pick this one.”“No.”“Susan—”“I said no.”I rolled my eyes dramatically and dropped my phone onto my lap, staring at her like she had just committed a crime.“You don’t even have taste,” I said flatly.Susan gasped, clutching her chest like I had stabbed her.“Excuse me? Me? No taste? Miriam, I literally helped you pick half your wardrobe.”“And half of it is questionable,” I shot back, picking up my phone again.She leaned closer, trying to snatch it from me.“Let me see that again.”I turned the screen away quickly.“No. You already rejected it.”“Because it’s ugly!”“It is not ugly!” I snapped, pulling the phone back toward me. “It’s elegant.”“It looks like a curtain.”I paused.“It does not look like a curtain.”“It does,” she insisted, nodding firmly. “If you wear that out, I’m pretending I don’t know you.”I scoffed and tapped the screen, zooming in on the dress again.It was gorgeous and perfect. She just didn’t get it.“You’re jealous,” I said finally.She b
Kiara's pov “Leo, I saw something today.”The words came out the moment I stepped into the living room. I didn’t even bother taking off my heels. My bag slipped from my shoulder onto the couch as I stood there, my phone still clutched tightly in my hand.Leo looked up immediately from where he was sitting, his brows pulling together at the tension in my voice.“What happened?” he asked, already getting to his feet.I walked toward him without another word and held out my phone.“Look at this.”He took it from me slowly, his eyes scanning my face first before dropping to the screen. I watched his expression closely as he swiped through the pictures.At first, nothing.Then I saw this look of recognition on his face. His jaw tightened slightly.“Where did you get this?” he asked, his tone lower now.“I took them,” I replied. “At lunch. They walked into the same restaurant I was at.”He looked up at me again.“You’re sure this is today?”“Yes.”Silence.I crossed my arms, my chest still
Leo’s POVI excused myself calmly, but the moment I stepped into the restroom, my smile vanished. I locked myself in there and dialed Vincent immediately.“Talk to me,” I said the second he picked up.“I was able to track the guy,” Vincent replied. His voice was low. “I’ve got his location too.”My
Leo’s POV“Miriam, breathe! Please, breathe.”My hands shook as I held her shoulders, gently at first, then harder when she didn’t respond immediately. “Stay with me. Miriam, please.”This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.We were arguing, something small that escalated the way things always did be
Chapter 58Kiara’s POVI was still shaking when the sirens finally went silent.The smell of burnt rubber hung thick in the air, mixing with dust and panic. My car sat mangled by the side of the road, the back crushed in so badly I could barely recognize it as mine.Every time I looked at it, my ch
Kiara’s POVAlex parked in my usual spot and turned off the engine. “Are you sure you’re ready?”“I’ve been ready for three days,” I replied.“That’s not the same thing.”I looked at him. “You promised. One week.”He sighed, defeated but watchful. “I’ll walk you in.”“I can manage.”“I know,” he sa







