登入Sephora floated lazily in the pool. The Saturday afternoon sun warmed her skin gently. Water sparkled around her as Chloe splashed nearby in her colorful floater. Lily laughed from the shallow end and nanny watched with a gentle smile from her chair nearby. Chloe giggled loudly and slapped the water hard. Droplets flew everywhere, catching the light. Sephora pretended to be surprised and splashed her back with a soft wave. The little girl squealed with pure delight. “I win, Mummy!” Chloe declared proudly, raising her small arms. Lily shook her head from a few feet away. “Both of you are cheating. That is not fair play at all.” Sephora grinned widely. She rarely let herself relax like this. Few people ever saw this softer side of her. The laughter felt good after weeks of tension and conflict. It washed away some of the weight she carried daily. Chloe tried to splash her again with all her might. Sephora dodged easily and sent another gentle wave toward her daughter. More giggle
The following morning, Dominic arrived at Ainsworth Corporation’s temporary headquarters in City A before most of his staff. The building occupied three floors of a modern office tower overlooking the financial district. The space was impressive enough. But Dominic wasn’t interested in architecture this morning. His mind was elsewhere. The argument with Chelsea still lingered in his head. So did Sephora. Especially Sephora. Every word she had spoken during their meeting seemed carved into his mind. His jaw tightened as he strode into the conference room. Several executives were already waiting. The moment he entered, everyone stood. “President Dominic.” He nodded and took his seat at the head of the table. “Let’s begin.” The presentation started immediately. For the first ten minutes, Dominic listened in silence. Then his mood darkened. Three major suppliers had declined meetings. Two logistics companies had suddenly become unavailable. Several inve
Dominic did not speak when he entered the penthouse. The doors closed behind him with quiet finality, but the sound echoed louder in his head than it should have. The meeting with Sephora replayed in fragments: Sephora’s piercing eyes, her unwavering voice, the way she cut him down without hesitation. You abandoned me. You chose Chelsea. “If you push too far, you will lose everything you have worked for. Everything.” Each sentence carved deeper into his resolve. He loosened his tie as he walked further inside, barely noticing Chelsea waiting near the living room. Her posture was straight and rigid, her expression braced for confrontation. “Dominic,” she called softly. He did not answer. That silence made her tense. She stepped closer, heels clicking on the polished floor. “You’re back late. How did it go?” Still nothing. Her eyes narrowed. “Did she insult you?” Silence. “Did Lucian threaten you through her?” she pressed. Dominic stopped. Slowly, he turned
The moment Ethan’s voice reached her ears, Sephora was already on her feet. “What happened?” Her tone was sharp, cutting through the air and forcing Mira to look up from her notes. On the line, Ethan sounded strained, his usual composure fractured. “Chloe is missing.” For a heartbeat, Sephora thought she had misheard him. “What?” “We can’t find her. She was playing with the other kids just minutes ago. Lily turned away for a second, and when she looked back, Chloe was gone.” The blood drained from Sephora’s face, leaving her skin pale and clammy. “How long?” “About fifteen minutes.” Fifteen minutes. Her fingers tightened around the phone until her knuckles whitened. “Have you called security?” “Yes.” “Checked the exits?” “Yes. Lily is searching one side of the venue. I’m covering the other.” For the first time in years, real fear seized her heart—not for herself, not the looming threats from Dominic or Chelsea, but pure terror for Chloe. “I’m comi
Chelsea. Of all the visitors she might have imagined today, Chelsea never crossed her mind. Three years earlier, Chelsea had been the one Dominic picked instead of her. The woman who watched Sephora’s marriage fall apart without a word. The one who claimed everything Sephora once called hers. And now she stood outside the door. In her office. At Cole Industries. A faint smile curved Sephora’s lips. How intriguing. Mira shifted, clearly uncomfortable. “Should I turn her away?” Sephora leaned back in her leather chair. “No.” Her smile grew a touch sharper. “Send her in.” Mira hesitated, doubt clear on her face. “Ma’am—” “It’s okay.” The assistant paused, then nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” Moments later, the door swung open. Chelsea stepped inside wearing a bright, practiced smile an and an oddly extravagant outfit. “Sephora!” Her voice rang out confidently. “It’s been too long. Who would have thought I’d see you again after attending your own funeral.” Sephora observed h
Dominic stood frozen for a moment after Sephora’s words landed. The silence between them felt heavier than anything she had actually said. It was not loud. It was not dramatic. That was what made it worse. She had already delivered the final blow. She had told him plainly that he would never have her back. Dominic straightened slowly, trying to regain control of his expression. His jaw tightened as he looked at her. “You think you can just speak to me like that?” he said quietly. Sephora did not react immediately. She looked at him as if he was something slightly inconvenient she had been forced to pause her day for. “You let me go once,” she said calmly. “Don’t act like I’m something you can retrieve.” That sentence hit harder than anything before it. Dominic’s eyes darkened. “I didn’t let you go,I had no choice. You know that” he said. Sephora tilted her head slightly. A faint, almost bored smile touched her lips. “Spare me the bullshit Dominic,” she repl
The call came just after lunch.Mira was reviewing Sephora’s schedule for the rest of the week when a notification flashed across her screen. One of the executive secretaries was requesting immediate clearance.That alone wasn’t unusual.What was unusual was the expression on the her face when Mir
Dominic didn’t speak during the entire ride to the hotel. The car door had barely shut before the chaos of the airport, shouting reporters and camera flashes faded into silence. But one question refused to leave him. “Is it true that Mrs. Sephora Cole… is your ex-wife?” He leaned back against th
Dominic stepped out of the car and glanced up at the hotel at City A. It was tall, polished, and quiet in a way that spoke of power. People walked in and out in expensive suits and dresses, but no one stopped. No one stared. No cameras. No Paparazzis. For the first time in a long time, he was
“Repeat that,” Dominic said calmly. The finance manager swallowed. “The third quarter projections have dropped again. The investments we made earlier this year are not performing as expected.” “How bad is it?” “ Around twelve percent below target.” A quiet murmur spread across the room.







