เข้าสู่ระบบ"Most of these images were taken entirely without my awareness," I add fuel to the fire. Realizing something, Catherine immediately shifts her body, placing herself completely between me and Banks. "Are you a stalker? Wow, you must be a literal psycho." Banks looks past her, his eyes locking onto mine, and I can't help but flash him a wicked smile from behind Catherine's protective frame. "You don't know me, sir, but I will gladly spend every single penny I have to make sure you rot in a jail cell, you absolute nincompoop." "Nincompoop?" I echo under my breath, grinning at Banks. My cheeks puff out as I bite the inside of my mouth to keep from laughing out loud. Banks's expression turns completely hard and brooding at the insult. "Catherine Kalievsky," Banks begins smoothly, slipping his hands back into his tailored pockets. "No. Since you formally divorced, deported, and sent your ex-husband to twenty years in a federal prison, you go by Catherine Davenport. American born and b
ELEANOR POV"I promise that in a few days' time, I will reach back out to you about securing the commercial space for my perfume line," Catherine smiles warmly across the table at my words. I take a slow sip of my iced drink just as a waiter appears at our side."The young gentleman at the corner table asked me to give this to you, ma'am," the waiter says, handing me a folded white paper."Oooooh," Catherine teases the moment the waiter leaves."Someone has a secret admirer." I squint my eyes at her."Oh, stop it.""What? He definitely has excellent taste, Eleanor. When I saw you walk into my store and request for raw products to create your perfume from scratch, I was completely drawn to your talent. I'm certain he is too." I shake my head with a smile and open the folded sheet.You have a beautiful smile. Can I invite you back to my place tonight? I glance over at the corner table, and the man catches my eye, raising his glass to me w
The door open, showing my personal assistant."The lunch with the Prince is fully prepared, Mr. Banks.""I'll let you two gentlemen be, sir," Carlton says, gathering his tablet and beginning to walk out."Carlton," I call, stopping him at the threshold. He turns around."Anthony and I will both be attending this lunch.""We will? I'm pretty sure I have a particular port business meeting to attend to first," Anthony grins through each words. I look directly at Carlton."His port proposal was officially approved this morning." Anthony's grin widens to his ears."And I'll be calling a corporate luncheon in a few days myself." He adds as I stand up, adjusting my cuffs."Excellent news. You can easily gain far more powerful connections with the prince then," I add."You just want me right by your side, don't you, Banks?" He teases, adjusting his tie as we step out into the private corridor."The formal adjustments to the schedule will be made immediately, Mr. Banks," Carlton says from righ
"How is her current social status?""You completely cut off her funds. Banned her from the high-end sectors. Her mother's car dealership business is currently undergoing a massive fraud case, and your father cut off all his financial support," Carlton lists. I look up at him."She apparently had a massive fight with your father.""When don't they?""This time, he refused to do her bidding at a luxury auction they both attended three nights ago." I breathe in deeply, pulling up a separate live footage link of Eleanor. She is currently at her driving class, focused and breathtaking."At the auction's valet parking, your father seemed to refuse her request, so she slapped him." I pause, my eyes tracking Eleanor's car on screen."Wow. She's quite fierce, it seems," Kayden states."She's a diagnosed sociopath, kid," Anthony tells him."After the slap, she apologized immediately, but your dad abandoned her right at the valet. She had to walk.""Walk all the way back home?" I question, and C
BANKS POVSafe to say, Eleanor completely pushed me out of her apartment. And now, it is officially day two without her. Five days in total without touching her soft skin. I don't think my sanity can survive any further."The man just got released for the DUI which caused the massive accident," Carlton states, and I look back down at the surveillance footage of Montana flirting with the exact same truck driver responsible for Eleanor's crash. She actually traveled all the way over to China just to execute this."Montana met him..." he continues, his voice edged."Montana?" I repeats."Yes, Mr. Banks," Carlton replies smoothly, and I wonder briefly when he started calling her by her first name. Montana thrives entirely on unearned respect and fear; she never lets anyone address her so casually. "She met him in Guangzhou for the very first time, the night before the day of the accident." My fist tightens around the edge of the tablet as I watch the screen play the clip of Montana passi
"You did?" he seethe, his grip wrapping around my waist"Who is he?""I didn't! I don't even know who she's talking about," I stammer, glaring at my sister."He even wrote a three-page love letter to you, Sis" Zara adds oil to the fire, pausing by the stairs."Quite a vibrant young love life you had, Anor," Banks hiss into my neck. I have absolutely no idea what neighbor Zara is talking about. Someone else must have lived that childhood, because it certainly wasn't me."And how old are you that you know so much about sneaking out, Zara?" I counter, trying to deflect the lethal gaze burning into the side of my face."You had better not be sneaking out of the house to see any boys," I add."I sneaked out the second I left the single-digit age, sis," she shrugs. Single digits?"When she turned ten years old," Banks supply automatically. I whip my head to look at her."You sneaked out of the house at ten years old?!"
ELEANOR POVRoland has aged.Not badly — he looks good, he looks healthy but I can see the years in the set of his jaw and the particular way he holds his shoulders, like a man who has been carrying something heavy for so long the posture has become permanent. He is twenty-nine years old and he ha
"Jesus!" I jump back, my hand flying to my chest as I face Vandiver"I apologize, miss.""Mr. Van... I am just going into the next store to buy raw formulation materials," I say, pointing aggressively at the glass storefront. Honestly, sometimes he acts like I’m an escaped con
Eleanor POV"The furniture will be completely arranged before your arrival tomorrow, ma'am."I offer the interior designer a tight smile, grab my handbag, and head out to where Vandiver is waiting by the sleek Rolls-Royce.I don't have a regular job anymore, and w
"I still can't believe there's a hundred grand sitting in my account," he chuckles, his voice cracking.I lay flat back on the bed, staring at the ceiling."Me too. I screamed. I danced. In fact, I thanked the man more than I've ever thanked anyone in my life."







