เข้าสู่ระบบ“Ten minutes,” the driver said. I nodded, barely looking up from the file in my hand.“Make it five,” I replied. “I don’t like waiting.”“Yes, Miss Morrison.”The car moved smoothly through the city, traffic parting just enough to keep us moving. Another meeting, another negotiation, another step deeper into a life that no longer felt unfamiliar. My phone buzzed with a text from Brian; On my way. Send me the updated numbers.I typed back quickly; Already sent. Don’t be late.A second later—I’m never late.I almost smiled, almost.The car slowed slightly, a red traffic light. I glanced up absentmindedly, my gaze drifting toward the sidewalk and then—It stopped. Not fully but just enough to notice something that didn't make sense. A private, high-end hotel entrance across the street. The kind of place people didn’t casually walk out of and walking out of it—Brian. I stilled. He looked exactly like he always did but that wasn’t what caught my attention. It was who walked out behind him
Rumbidzai woke up slowly. Not in a peaceful or comfortable way, but aware. Too aware. Her head throbbed faintly, the aftermath of alcohol still lingering—but her mind? It was sharp as ever, clear and calculating. She didn’t move or open her eyes immediately because she could already feel it—The unfamiliar space. The shift in atmosphere and the presence beside her. There was a slow breath then she opened her eyes and turned. Brian Adrian was already awake. Sitting at the edge of the bed, dressed, composed and watching her. Not with confusion or regret but with something far more dangerous—Clarity.Rumbidzai’s lips curved slightly. “Well,” she said softly, pushing herself up against the pillows, “that wasn’t how I expected the night to end.”Brian didn’t respond. He didn’t move, he just watched her and that told her everything. He remembered all of it and somehow found it interesting. “You’re quiet,” she added, studying him. “Most men aren’t, after a night like that.”“Most men,” Brian
The announcement broke the city, no one had been expecting the news. Neil Morrison has passed. Within minutes, it was everywhere. News channels Headlines Markets reacting Power shifting and at the center of it all—was me. Brian didn’t stay for any of it, not for the calls, the condolences or for the quiet war already beginning behind closed doors. For the first time in a long time…He stepped away.The bar was dimly lit. Quiet enough to think and loud enough not to. He didn’t come here often but tonight he needed the distance. A glass of whiskey sat untouched in front of him. Then another and another.“Rough day?” The voice was light and playful. Brian didn’t look up immediately.“I don’t do conversations,” he said.“Good,” the woman replied, sliding onto the seat beside him. “Neither do I.” She caught his attention.He glanced sideways. She was already watching him.Confident. Too confident. “Then what do you do?” he asked.A small smile curved her lips. “I dare peop
The call came just as we were about to leave. “Miss Morrison—your father’s condition has worsened.”Everything else stopped, none of it mattered in that moment.“I’m on my way,” I said.The drive felt longer than it should have. Even with Brian pushing the car faster than usual, cutting through traffic with precision—It wasn’t fast enough.Nothing was. My hands rested in my lap, still, controlled but my mind wasn't still at all. You don’t have a choice anymore. His voice echoed in my head.“He’s been declining for days,” Brian said quietly. “They just didn’t want to alarm you.” I didn’t respond because I already knew I had seen it. The way he was getting weaker with each day, the time slipping away.I just…didn't expect it to be this soon.The hospital doors opened before we even reached them. Some staff members were already waiting.That alone told me everything. “Miss Morrison,” one of the doctors said carefully, “he’s asking for you.”My chest tightened. "Take me to him.”The room w
“Get me everything, shut down external access points,” he said into his phone as he walked past me. “Lock all active transfers. I want a full trace on every transaction in the last thirty minutes.” His tone had changed. It was colder and deadly precisely. This was his world and now—It was mine too. I ended the call and grabbed my tablet from the table, pulling up the company’s internal system. The numbers hit instantly. Red flags, alerts, unauthorized movement.“They’re fast,” I said.“Not fast enough,” Brian replied.He stepped beside me, his shoulder almost brushing mine as he scanned the screen.“See this?” he pointed. A sequence of clean transactions.“They’re not stealing randomly,” he continued. “They’re targeting specific assets.”“Strategic,” I murmured.“Experienced,” he corrected.My jaw tightened. “This isn’t someone panicking,” I said. “This is someone who knows exactly what they’re doing.”“Yes which means they’ve been waiting.”The realization settled in. “They knew I’
The city looked different from up here. It was much more quieter and controlled. Like everything below belonged to me. I stood near the window, the lights reflecting faintly against the glass, my thoughts still lingering on the morning. Vincent’s face, the moment it broke, the realization. A soft sound behind me pulled me back. “You’re thinking too much.” Brian, I didn't turn to look at him. “I just took someone’s entire company,” I said calmly. “I think that qualifies.”“It does,” he replied. His footsteps were slow. “But that’s not what’s on your mind.”My fingers rested lightly against the glass. “And what do you think it is?”“You,” he said. That made me turn, he was closer now. Much closer. Close enough that I could see the sharp focus in his eyes. The way he studied me like he was trying to figure something out.“You’ve changed,” he added.I held his gaze. “That was the point.”“Yes,” he said quietly. “But not like this.”Something in his tone shifted the air between us.“Like
By morning…The entire city knew my name. Morrison heiress returns. Neil Morrison’s daughter appears after years in hiding. The new face of a billion-dollar empire. The headlines were everywhere and Vincent Carter was about to get what was coming for him. I stood in front of the glass windows of th
I didn’t look back even though I could feel their eyes burning into my back. Because I already knew what to expect. Shock, confusion and the beginning of something far more dangerous—Interest.“Don’t slow down,” Brian said quietly beside me.“I’m not,” I replied. But I understood what he meant.Th
“I don’t take orders.” The words came out sharper than I intended. Brian didn’t react. Not even slightly “If that were true,” he said calmly, “you wouldn’t be in this situation.” We had barely stepped out of the hospital before he started. “From this point forward, you don’t go anywhere alone,” he
The room felt quieter when I stepped back inside. For a moment, I just stood there, watching him. My father looked weaker than before. The sharpness in his presence had dulled, but it was still there—buried beneath the illness and the exhaustion. His eyes shifted toward me as I approached.“You met







