LOGIN~~Kai’s POV~~I was sitting in my office, staring blankly at three different syndicate security reports spread across my heavy mahogany desk. My mind wasn't on the numbers or the territory expansion. It has been a busy day today and I was completely exhausted but I still had a few technical software expansions to work on before the close of the day. My phone chimed against the polished wood.I picked it up, expecting an update from one of my underbosses, but the caller ID showed Sophia. I slid the phone to my ear."Sophia," I answered, leaning back in my leather chair. "What’s up girl? Are you good?""I’m doing perfectly fine, Boss Man," Sophia’s sharp, confident voice echoed through the speaker. "I’m just calling to make sure you actually have your life together. I hope you have something grand planned out for next week."I pinched the bridge of my nose, frowning. "What are you talking about? My next week's schedule is still on, I have several meetings and appointments next week.A
~~Hazel’s POV~~The smooth hum of the air conditioning was the only sound echoing through my top-floor corner office.After the boardroom session wrapped up, I didn't spend another second dwelling on Damon or Melissa. They were trapped in the net I had cast, and the clock was ticking down. E&H Investments had dozens of multimillion-euro real estate portfolios across Europe that required my attention, and I threw myself into the work for the next eight hours.By half-past four in the afternoon, the bright Roman sun was still pouring through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. I was reviewing an acquisition contract for a luxury resort property in Amalfi when a soft knock sounded at my door.Lisa pushed the door open, a wide, sly grin playing on her lips."Miss Sinclair," Lisa said, leaning against the doorframe. "You're still working overtime?""Just finishing the Amalfi risk assessments," I replied without looking up from my screen, my fingers tapping against the keyboard. "Is everyth
~~Damon’s POV~~I pushed open the double doors of Boardroom A, stepping onto the thick, plush carpet with a confident stride that I had practiced in the mirror that morning. Still, sweat prickled at the back of my neck beneath the stiff collar of my tailored suit. Melissa walked half a step behind me, clutching her tablet so tightly her knuckles had gone white. Two of our senior Moretti Group executives, Arthur and David, followed closely, their presence meant to back us up, though I could feel the tension radiating off them as well.Around the massive mahogany conference table sat seven senior board directors of E&H Investments. At the center of the table, sitting in the chief investor’s chair like she had been born for it, was Hazel.She looked imposing. The sharp charcoal-grey suit she wore was perfectly tailored, not a single crease out of place. Her dark hair was pulled back into a sleek, severe style that left her face completely open — cold, beautiful, and completely unreadable
~~Hazel's POV~~The morning sun broke through the heavy glass windows of the master suite, casting long, golden streaks across the hardwood floor.I stood in front of the full-length mirror, smoothing down the front of my tailored charcoal-grey pantsuit. The sharp, double-breasted cut hugging my waist felt like armor. I wore a crimson silk blouse underneath, the collar buttoned crisp and clean, and paired it with six-inch black stilettos.Behind me, the bathroom door clicked open. Kai stepped out, drying his dark hair with a white towel. He was already wearing his crisp trousers and a black dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms.He stopped in his tracks, his dark eyes sweeping down my suit, taking in every inch of my stance with slow, burning approval."You look deadly, bellisima," he murmured, tossing the towel aside as he walked over to stand behind me."Good," I said smoothly, turning my head to look at him in the mirror as I fastened a pair of diamond stud earring
I turned to face him, standing in the middle of his living room. I rubbed the back of my neck, staring down at his hardwood floors before forcing my eyes up to meet his."Look..." I started, my jaw tight. "I didn't come here to apologize, alright? You know I don't apologize to anybody."Reed raised a single eyebrow, a faint, cynical smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Clearly.""Shut up and listen," I growled softly, though there was no real bite to it. I let out a long, heavy breath, dropping my hands to my sides. "I came to tell you that you're an idiot," I started, my voice gravelly.Reed raised an eyebrow, a flicker of dry sarcasm breaking through his stoic mask. "Good to know a week of my absence didn't soften your charm, Boss.""And," I continued, stepping further into his living room and looking him dead in the eye, "I came to admit that I was a complete bastard to you."Reed went quiet. The defensive tension in his broad shoulders visibly faltered, his sharp eyes searchi
~~Kai’s POV~~I stared at Hazel, utterly convinced she had lost her mind."What?!" I repeated, my eyebrows pulling down into a sharp glare. "No. Absolutely not. I don't apologize to anybody.""You apologized to me," Hazel countered instantly, her chin lifting with that unyielding, fearless confidence that always threw me off balance."That's completely different," I growled softly, brushing my hand through my hair as I tried to sidestep her logic. "You're my woman. You're my heart, Hazel. That's entirely different from apologizing to one of my men.""He isn't just 'one of your men' and you know it, Kai Valentino!" Hazel said, her voice dropping into a stern, commanding tone. "Reed is your best friend. He's been standing in the trenches with you since you were teenagers! He has taken bullets for you, covered your back, and protected this family. You can't just throw him away like trash because you were having a meltdown and couldn't handle your own guilt!"I opened my mouth to argue, b
Damon left early in the morning.He didn't tell me where he was going or when he would be back. He just kissed Melissa goodbye at the kitchen table while I was making breakfast, and then he was gone. Gone to handle the Moretti family business. Gone to do whatever it was that men like him did when th
I couldn't sleep.I lay in the guest bedroom for hours, staring at the ceiling, listening to the sounds of the house. At some point around 2am, I gave up pretending and went downstairs to the living room. I curled up on one of the couches with a blanket, my mind racing with everything I had heard at
I didn't sleep that night. I lay in the guest bedroom, which had become my usual bedroom even though I was supposed to be married, and I listened to the sounds of the mansion settling around me. I listened to Damon's footsteps as he moved through the house. I listened to him talking on the phone to
***** ~~ Hazel's POV ~~ ***** I had been planning this day for weeks. Three years. Today marked exactly three years since I became Mrs. Damon Moretti. Three years of a marriage that was supposed to change everything and instead had slowly, quietly, broken me in ways I didn't know a person could







