Se connecterMara’s POVI stared at the screen until the letters blurred into cold white lines.*“Mara, I’m outside your gate. Open it. We need to talk.”*A sharp, incredulous breath left my lips."The absolute audacity."How did he even know where I lived? Did he have someone trail me from the office, or did Eleanor hand over the address after her ambush?And to order me around like an employee? To stand outside my private residence in the dark and demand I open the gates as if he still owned every doorway I walked through?"Mommy, who is that?"Adriel was looking up at me, his fingers sticky from cookie dough, noticing the sudden stiffness in my posture.I immediately locked the screen and slid the phone back into my pocket, forcing my shoulders to drop and my voice to sound smooth. "Just business, sweetheart. Go wash your hands with your brother and sit at the dining table, okay? Auntie is setting out the plates.""Are you coming?" his brother called from the kitchen counter."In two minutes,
Mara’s POVThe drive home from Carter’s Group gave me time to breathe, but it didn't clear my head.Damon’s furious, suffocating glare in that corridor kept flashing behind my eyes. He still looked at me as if I owed him explanations, Like the past was something he could summon and dismiss whenever it suited him.A bitter laugh caught in my throat as I stopped at a red light.It was funny how the mind worked. Seeing him so twisted with suspicion today dragged up a memory I hadn’t touched in years,that first night after he threw me out.I had left their mansion with a single battered suitcase and barely enough cash in my bag to scrape by. With no cards and nowhere to go, I ended up at a cheap, rundown motel on the outskirts of the city. The wallpaper had peeled at the seams, the neon sign outside hummed a dull, broken tune all night, and the mattress felt like stone beneath my back.I had sat on the edge of that squeaking bed in the dark, clutching my coat around myself against the da
Mara The elevator doors slid shut, cutting off the heavy chill of the executive suite.I leaned back against the mirrored wall and blew out a long breath. Beside me, Ethan looked completely unfazed, casually tucking his phone into his jacket pocket."You okay?" he asked, glancing sideways at me."Fine," I said, smoothing down the front of my blazer. "Just wasn't expecting a hallway ambush."Ethan let out a dry chuckle. "Vanessa has a habit of showing up where she isn't wanted. Don't let her get to you.""She didn't." The elevator chimed at the ground floor, and I stepped out beside him into the lobby. "I'm just tired of people acting like every breath I take is about them.""Narcissists usually think the world is their personal stage," he said, holding the glass exit door for me. "Come on. Let's find somewhere quiet before the afternoon review."We crossed the street to a quiet corner cafe tucked away from the main traffic. We took a small table near the back, sheltered by tall pot
The glass doors of the executive suite slid open, and Vanessa marched straight through, her heels clicking sharply against the floor.She had just found out that Ethan had bought a massive stake in Carter’s Group. Her chest burned with fury. *How could Damon let his biggest rival into their family business without telling her?*As she turned the corner toward the CEO's office, the conference room door opened.Ethan stepped out, buttoning his jacket.Vanessa froze at the sight of him.Ethan looked up, his eyes meeting hers. For a fraction of a second, his stride slowed, but his face remained completely calm and unbothered.Vanessa crossed her arms, forcing a cold smirk onto her face. "So the rumors are true. Ethan lurking around Carter’s Group."Ethan slipped a hand into his pocket. "Vanessa. Good afternoon."His tone was completely flat, devoid of any warmth or bitterness.She stepped closer, glaring at him. "What is this, Ethan? Some pathetic attempt to get back into my life?"Etha
At the coffee shop."You know, I was completely joking when I said you should buy me coffee," Ethan said, sliding into the leather booth across from me. A quiet, teasing warmth lit up his eyes. "I half-expected you to leave me on read."I let out a soft laugh, adjusting my cup between my palms. "I don't make promises I don't intend to keep. Besides, you practically saved my life on the highway. I don’t even want to imagine myself arguing with a tow truck or waiting for my mechanic to arrive."It was just a ride, Mara," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "Any decent person would have stopped.""It wasn't just a ride to me," I countered, looking right at him. "It saved my morning."He smiled at that, and the effortless charm of it caught me completely off guard. It was an open, disarming grin that reached the corners of his eyes, showing off even, white teeth. Before I could catch myself, my eyes tracked the casual motion as he ran a hand through his dark hair, brushing a few stray st
The chairman tapped his pen against the mahogany table, clearing his throat to cut through the quiet hum of side conversations. "Now that everyone is seated, let’s get down to business." I flipped open my leather folio, skimming the balance sheets and allocation drafts. The objective was straightforward: Carter’s Group was preparing for a multi-market overseas expansion. With Ethan’s capital infusion officially finalized, the board had to lock down the exact oversight structure before a single dollar moved. "We have received the proposed investment schedule," the chairman continued, nodding toward the financial officers. "The funds will be released across four distinct tranches. However, before the first wire goes through, we must define the governance framework." An older shareholder down the table leaned forward, his spectacles slipping down his nose. "And just how much operational interference are we expecting from our new outside investor?" The chairman looked toward Etha







