LOGIN[Asher]"What the fuck are you talking about?" My hand slammed against the desk as I tried to make sense of what the hell was going on.But he said nothing. Silence.My jaw clenched, my lips pursed and just when I opened my mouth to speak, Raphael's voice cut through. "Asher Langston, you and that thing you call a wife messed with the wrong person!" And just like that the line went dead.I stood still right in the middle of my office, trying to calm the fury brewing inside me but it felt impossible.My chest heaved, my hand tightened on my phone as I tried to comprehend what the hell was going on and it suddenly clicked.The day you made my sister shed a tear.His sister, Elena? Wait a damn minute.What did Elena tell Raphael?I swallowed so hard my throat hurt. My hand trembled. I was beginning to see red.A low chuckle left my lips, and before I knew it, I was dialing back Raphael's number.Once. Twice. And up until the fifth ring, it went straight to voicemail.I picked up my car
[Asher]A few days later..."What do you mean they’re all withdrawing?" My voice came out clipped, colder than I intended.James shifted on his feet, the hesitation in his eyes doing nothing to calm the fire building in my chest."What the hell is going on?" I demanded.Before he could respond, a knock came on my door. One of my managers stepped in, his face pale, his hand shaking around the tablet he was holding."Sir…" He swallowed hard, his voice low but urgent. "All our major shareholders are pulling out—almost at the same time. And our stock… It’s dropping fast. Like someone hit a switch."For a moment, silence. Then James and I locked eyes.He knew. I knew. This wasn’t random.Something was wrong. Terribly wrong."Sir, this—this has never happened before," the manager stammered. "Even during the scandal two years ago, the selloff wasn’t like this. This feels… orchestrated.""Something’s definitely wrong," I snapped, running a hand through my hair, the weight of it pressing down
[Elena] Thirty minutes later, a knock came at my door. "Come in," I said softly and the door swung open. My lips pressed into a small smile as I watched Cassie look ever so beautiful making her way in. "Hey friend." Cassie purred. I rose to my feet and circled the table just as she stretched out her arms. "Welcome," I mumbled, giving her a side hug before ushering her to sit. I walked back to my seat and settled down, turning to stare at one of the most beautiful women I've ever met. "So here we are? The newest resident of Boston." I teased and Cassie waved her hand, smiling. "I moved in two days ago like I told you, and of course, I wanted to come see you as soon as possible. I already missed you." "Urgh, that's so sweet. I missed you too." Her brow furrowed for a second as she stared at me, her lips pressed together and just as I was about to ask if everything was okay, she cut me off. "Are you okay?" My brow creased. "I am, why?" She leaned a bit closer, placing her hand
[Elena]"No, like fucking no girl! Tell me you're joking, that's what I want to hear you say right now!" Natalia snapped on the phone.My lips pursed as my eyes flicked toward the door Raphael had walked out of just a few hours ago.When I didn't say anything to Nat, her voice came again now louder. "Listen, Elena, you're my best friend, and I swear I'm trying so fucking hard not to hang this call and do what you'll hate me for. What the hell do you mean by you told him to let it go?""Nat, please, you should understand what I mean, I...""I don’t understand a damn thing. There’s a difference between you not letting them know and now that they know who the hell those bastards are!" Natalia snapped, and I clamped my mouth shut."Do you want me to remind you what those two people did to you?""Nat, don't do that. That's not what I'm talking about, you should know I want to let this all go. It's in the past!""No it's not. And even if you don't want to hear it I'm going to say it. That b
[Elena]The moment my brain registered what my brother just asked, every part of my body went still.My lips parted to say something, but I snapped them shut.This was different.Different from the first time he had asked if I knew Asher. Raphael didn't have that kind of look on his face right now, and that can only mean one thing. He knows!But how? Did he...I mean did he really dig into my past?"What do you mean?" I mumbled, my hand slipping from the table and clutching my dress underneath my desk. "What do you mean if I've known him before now?"His brow furrowed for a second. I could see the way his jaw clenched for a second before he released it. "It's just a question, Princess. Have you known him before now? And when? What was your relationship with him if you had?"My heart skipped.One part of my mind whispered that this might be a harmless question. He could just be asking out of curiosity or anything but another part of my mind knew better.From the way he sounded on the ph
[Raphael]I didn't want to talk to her about it but I needed to be sure.I needed to make sure what I read was right, because if so, then heaven and hell help Asher Langston.I will make sure I reduce him to nothing.I will make his life so miserable that he will wish he had never existed, and to the one who was by his side? Vienna? I learnt that she was the daughter of Elena's adoptive parents.I stared at the files in front of me for the umpteenth time just as I ended the call with Elena.My eyes darted around every detail on it.She was married to Asher in a contract and they put her through all of this?Elena had told the story, told us everything that happened, but she refused to call names. What I wasn't expecting was for it to be the man I had just made her sign a contract with.A contract that she can not withdraw from because of its terms and conditions, but that doesn't mean that I'll allow her anywhere close to him."You can't conclude this yet. Asher might not be the one s







