LOGINDon Falcon’s office occupied the highest floor of the mansion, overlooking a stretch of city that seemed small beneath the vast glass windows. But that morning, no one in the room dared appreciate the view. The air felt heavy, dense with pressure that came entirely from the man seated behind the gle
“Not if it’s treated immediately.” The doctor looked at Cale calmly. “But she needs complete rest. No stress, no fear, and she must not be left alone.”Lydia raised a brow. “That last part sounds important.”Dr. Weber took out fever medication and wrote an additional prescription. “I’ll give her an
The hotel room door flew open harder than usual. Fast footsteps entered the main suite, followed by a rush of cold air from the hallway before the door could close again.Cale came in first, still wearing the same suit he had left in that morning. His face was unreadable, but the tight line of his j
“Like what?”“Being… warm to strangers.”Lydia chewed slowly before answering. “No. I’m selective.”“Then why me?”“I don’t know,” Lydia said lightly. “Maybe fate?”That answer left Naomi quiet.To shift the mood, Lydia began talking about small, ordinary things. About a woman named Althea who, in h
Morning crept slowly into the hotel suite, still wrapped in silence. The heavy curtains had not been fully opened, leaving only pale lines of light stretched across the floor. In the guest room, Naomi woke with ragged breaths, her body drenched in cold sweat. Her hands clutched the sheets tightly, a
Morning arrived in Berlin beneath a pale sky, the air still carrying the last bite of the night’s cold. On the upper floor of Brandon’s modern office tower, the main conference room had been prepared an hour earlier. A long wooden table was lined with final documents, the presentation screen already
“No,” she growled under her breath. “Not today.”Eli opened her eyes; her breath caught in her throat.“Tomorrow is important,” Selena continued, more to herself than to Eli. “Your face can’t look ruined.”Eli stared at her mother, confused. “Important for what?”“Go to your room,” Selena ordered. “
“Yes. He didn’t like it,” Lydia continued. “He said if Selena had a goal, why did she have to force Eli like that? Josh felt sorry for her. He said… Eli is a good girl.”Silence followed, as if each of them was processing the weight of Lydia’s words. None of them had expected Selena to be using Eli
Oscar slowly lifted his head. His breathing was ragged, his chest rising and falling unevenly.“If you refuse,” Cale continued—his voice calm, stripped of any overt threat, which somehow made it far more terrifying—“you never should’ve thought about refusing in the first place. You do remember your
“Once you’re inside,” Oscar continued, his voice dropping even lower, “Callister Group will be paralyzed. The board of commissioners will scramble to save themselves, including Bret, who personally gave me my orders. Domestic and foreign investors will start pulling out. I think it began a few days







