Who’s she?

~ ELIJAH ~

“Ms. Thorne.”

I called behind her, noticing how she halted in her tracks without swerving around to face me.

I strolled in quick steps, approaching her with my sweaty fingers raking through my hair.

She turned around to stare at me, her purse tightly clutched in her hands. A small smile was carved on the corners of her lips, sending a strange jolt through my chest.

There was something about her. Her aura and the confidence exuding from her whole personality.

She was nothing like Danielle, my late wife—ex-wife. Yet, there was a spark and a defiance that I could recognize.

Davina felt daring, and the way she’d spoken eloquently in the boardroom had left me utterly speechless.

“Did you forget anything, Mr. Harrington? Or perhaps you’ve mistaken me for someone who entertains casual talks after a corporate takeover.”

Sassy.

Her voice. I could listen to her talk all day without being bored. Her soft, sweet voice was like a melodious tone fit for my ears.

It sounded familiar yet new—like a half-remembered lullaby from a distant past that had taken on a sharp, modern beat.

She stood with her shoulders squared, not batting an eyelash as she kept her gaze fierce.

I’d never seen a woman so bold, captivating, and fearless.

Her gaze felt like a spotlight that exposed every weakness I usually kept hidden. And for the first time in years, I felt a prickle of genuine intimidation.

I smiled. “I wanted us to discuss and celebrate our new partnership.” I stroked my chin gently with two fingers. “You know, a little celebration?”

She slightly tilted her head, a tightening expression I couldn’t fathom in her eyes.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” I shrugged my shoulders. “Sounds great, right?”

“I’m sorry to burst your bubble, Mr. Harrington, but I take my work seriously and don’t mix it with fun.”

Ouch.

That was a blatant rejection right there.

I swallowed hard, clearing my throat slightly. How could I convince her? She felt like a hard nut to crack, and that was going to take a lot of work.

Suddenly, my tie felt too tight around my neck.

My voice lowered. “It’s not just fun.”

“Really?” Her tone was taunting. “Then, what is it?”

“Just a little outing,” I flickered my eyes at the board members exiting the meeting room. “Just you and me, maybe a private dinner at your favorite restaurant.”

My ears caught the mocking sound of her scoff, lingering for the next few seconds. Hearing that wounded my pride, but I wore a defiant expression—meeting her gaze with an unyielding stare despite the internal wound.

Davina’s voice lowered to something… threatening. “Are you trying to ask me out on a date, Mr. Harrington?”

“Not at all,” A fake smile broke out of my lips while my hands waved her words off. “It’s just… a friendly gesture.”

She twisted her lips into a snarl, her glinting eyes piercing through mine. Davina took one step in retreat, her voice turning cold.

“If you’d excuse me, I’ve got something important to attend to.”

She didn’t wait for a response; she simply turned on her heel and walked away. My carefully crafted composure felt like it was cracking, and a mix of frustration bubbled inside me.

The faint scent of her perfume, sophisticated and cool, lingered in the empty space as she walked majestically.

Davina’s confident stride didn’t falter as she walked away, my eyes watching her keenly. For some reason, I couldn’t look away or take my eyes off her.

I rubbed my temples, suddenly feeling a migraine threatening to split my head into equal halves.

What was it about her?

It wasn’t just her beauty, though that was undeniable. She was shaped like a perfectly sculpted figure, and her face was like a goddess—pretty and delicate.

Maybe it was her unflinching gaze, the way she commanded a room. It was something more. Something that snagged at a memory I couldn’t quite grasp.

“Davina Thorne…” I tasted the name again, trying to feel the powerful taste it left on my tongue.

I was going to get her, no matter what it took me.

Women like her were who I loved—women that dared me to act more than a handsome Prince Charming.

My usual charm, my effortless allure, had bounced back in my face. Clearly, that wasn’t a woman to be wooed with sweet words.

Fortunately, I had other methods to resort to.

I drew a deep breath and attempted to head back to my office. When I turned around, she was standing in front of me with a sharpened look and crossed arms.

“Seriously, Elijah? You couldn’t even try to hide your thoughts?”

Her voice was a shrill, piercing accusation that made my teeth clench. I’d forgotten that the woman I’d married was more of a CCTV.

“I was only welcoming her to the company.”

The white lie rolled off my tongue without any hassle. But knowing Sorayah, that was a lie she’d never buy.

“Really? It’s funny how you take me for a fool.”

“Sorayah—‘

“—That woman just showed up here for the first time. It’s been barely two hours after meeting her, and you’re already chasing after her like a lovesick puppy?!”

“That’s enough, Sorayah,” I growled, my patience wearing thin. Her dramatics always grated on my nerves, especially at that moment. “We just signed a deal, a necessity for the company’s survival. You know the state of our finances.”

Her jealousy and possessiveness had always been a suffocating blanket for the past four years. I hadn’t dared to even glance at another woman, knowing her eyes, or her spies, would be everywhere.

“Are you blind, Elijah?” She stormed towards me, her eyes blazing. “That woman is a stranger. And I can feel her dangerous aura as someone who’s here for something entirely different than she proposes. I tried to warn you back there in the boardroom, but you refused to listen to me. That woman is powerful, and you just gave her half of your company?"

I hated when she sounded that way. Did she think that I was happy about the situation of the company?

But what else could I do? And why was she so doubtful about Davina?

Was it jealousy?

I ran my palm over my face, heaving a deep sigh. Convincing Sorayah was going to take months of work, if not years. And I didn’t have the time to do that.

“You’re wrong about Davina,” I found myself defending, the words surprising even me. “Yes, she has that ‘powerful’ aura, but it doesn’t mean she’s a bad person. Besides, her company has been the one sponsoring every monetary transaction for the past four years.”

Sorayah smirked, burying her teeth into her lower lip. It was evident that she had so many words to say but had decided to keep them.

“If I were you, Elijah. I’d run a background check on her.”

I knitted my brows together at her suggestion.

A background check?

That wasn’t a bad idea. As a matter of fact, she was right. Davina felt oddly familiar, and there was something about her that I couldn’t decipher.

Sorayah turned around to leave, her words leaving a striking impression in my memory.

A background check. Davina Thorne.

Instinctively, I reached for my breast pocket, retrieving my phone. My slick fingers scrolled through the screen, searching for the right contact.

At the first ring, the receiver picked up. I glanced around the surroundings, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Carmen,” I said, my voice curt and dripping with command. “I need you to reach David. Tell him I have a highly confidential assignment. I want everything he can dig up on Davina Thorne. Every single detail. And I want a response by tomorrow morning.”