MasukThe city lights stretched endlessly outside the penthouse window, but Tiana didn’t look at them. Her eyes were fixed on the folder Vince had left open on the desk—Caldwell’s empire laid bare in black and white.Her fingers traced the edges of the documents absentmindedly, but her mind wasn’t on the paper. It was on the night’s events. On Vince. On the way he had carried her through the chaos, his presence unwavering, his gaze never leaving her.She sighed softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. He had saved her—again—but the words he had whispered before, the ones about keeping her alive, echoed in her mind. “I don’t want you to die.”She hated that it made her heart beat faster.The sound of footsteps made her jump slightly. Vince appeared in the doorway, hands casually in his pockets, yet every inch of him radiated controlled intensity.“You’re still awake,” he said.“I couldn’t sleep,” she admitted quietly. “Too much on my mind.”He stepped closer, resting one hand lightly
The night was thick with tension.Tiana stood in the center of Caldwell’s private office, every muscle taut, every breath measured. The dim lighting made the room feel smaller than it was, suffocating in a way that mirrored the fear and anticipation coiling in her chest.Across from her, Ethan Caldwell lounged casually behind his massive desk, his fingers tapping slowly on the polished wood. His smile was smooth, confident—like he already knew he was about to win.“You’re persistent,” he said softly, leaning forward slightly. “I’ll give you that, Miss Solche. But persistent won’t save you.”Tiana’s jaw tightened. “I’m not here to save myself.”“No?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “Then what exactly are you here for?”Her eyes narrowed. “To finish what you started. To pay back every life you’ve destroyed.”He chuckled lightly, leaning back in his chair. “Bold words. But you’re standing alone.”She didn’t answer. Her hand brushed subtly toward her bag—a small, hidden recorder Vince had i
The apartment was quiet, almost eerily so.Tiana sat at the edge of the bed, fingers tangled together, staring at nothing. The anticipation gnawed at her. Tonight wasn’t just any night—it was the night the next move against Caldwell had to be made. The night she might finally start seeing the pieces fall into place.But the ache in her chest wasn’t from exhaustion alone. Her body reminded her, sharply and cruelly, that time was slipping faster than she could act.The door opened softly behind her, and Vince stepped in. He moved silently, like he belonged in every shadow, in every corner.“You’re tense,” he said, closing the distance.“I’m not tense,” she replied quickly, almost too quickly. But her shallow breath betrayed her.“You’re lying,” Vince said simply. His gaze fell to her hands, her posture, the way she refused to meet his eyes. “How bad is it?”Tiana flinched slightly at the question. Not because she hadn’t considered it before, but because it reminded her that she couldn’t
The tension didn’t fade.Not after the argument.Not after the silence that followed.It settled into the space between them like something alive—quiet, watchful, waiting for the next crack.Tiana stayed by the window longer than she needed to.Not because she cared about the view.But because turning around meant facing him again.And right now…She didn’t trust herself to do that without reacting.Behind her, Vince ended the call slowly.“Done,” he said.She didn’t turn.“Done what?”“A consultation.”That made her glance over her shoulder.“With who?”“Specialists.”Her expression hardened instantly.“No.”“You don’t even know the details.”“I don’t need to.”She turned fully now, her eyes sharp.“I told you already—I’m not interested in treatment.”“And I told you,” Vince replied calmly, “that it’s not optional.”Her laugh was short and cold.“You don’t get to decide that.”“I already did.”The words hit like a spark.And just like that—The argument reignited.“You’re crossing a
Morning came too quietly.Tiana woke to the soft glow of sunlight filtering through the curtains, the kind of calm that didn’t match the storm still lingering in her chest.For a moment, she didn’t move.Didn’t think.Just breathed.Slow.Careful.Like her body might break if she did anything more.Then the memory returned.Vince’s voice.“Because I don’t want you to die.”Her eyes opened fully.And just like that, the calm shattered.She sat up slowly, ignoring the faint ache in her chest.“That doesn’t change anything,” she murmured to herself.It couldn’t.It wouldn’t.Because if she let that one sentence mean something…Everything else would fall apart.By the time she stepped out of the room, she had already rebuilt her walls.Cold.Controlled.Untouchable.Vince was in the living area, exactly where she expected him to be.Working.Focused.Like nothing had changed.But something had.She could feel it in the air.In the silence between them.“You’re awake,” he said without look
The room felt too still. Too quiet. Tiana’s body lay motionless on the polished floor, the faint rise and fall of her chest the only sign she was still breathing. Ethan stood over her, his expression unreadable, but his mind was already racing. This wasn’t just weakness. This wasn’t just a faint. There was something deeper here. Something hidden. “She’s not what she claims to be…” he murmured under his breath. The sharp sound of the doors slamming open cut through the silence. Ethan turned. And there he was. Vince Donovan. He didn’t rush. He didn’t speak. But the air shifted the moment he stepped inside. Cold. Heavy. Commanding. Ethan straightened slightly, his lips curving into a faint smile. “Well,” he said smoothly, “this is unexpected.” Vince’s gaze didn’t move to him. Not immediately. It went straight to Tiana. On the floor. Unconscious. And something inside him snapped into focus. “What happened?” his voice came out low. Contr







