LOGINThe air inside the sports car didn’t just feel quiet—it felt like a vacuum, swallowing our breath as we tore through the rain-slicked capital streets. Behind us, the blinding, predatory flashes of the gala cameras finally bled out into the dark horizon. I didn’t look at the road. I kept my head turned, green eyes tracing the sharp, rigid line of Cara’s profile, illuminated only by the toxic green glow of the dashboard dials. Her knuckles were stark white, manicured fingers practically crushing the leather of the steering wheel as she stared down the wet asphalt. Forty minutes. Not a single sound passed her teeth. She was still wearing that flat, dead, corporate mask she’d put on in the shadows of the VIP lounge. But between our seats, the restraint was thick, heavy, and hot—a physical current vibrating through the leather. The car lunged past the estate gates and slammed into the concrete garage. The exact millisecond the engine died, the heavy steel security doors rumbled down,
The grand ballroom of the Shangri-La was a blinding sea of flashing camera lenses, crystal chandeliers, and low, rhythmic high-society chatter.I kept my arm looped securely through Craig’s, my fingers gripping the fine wool of his tailored tuxedo jacket to anchor my trembling posture.My four-inch stilettos clicked smoothly against the polished marble as we navigated the perimeter of the ballroom, cutting through the crowd under the predatory gaze of the corporate board members and the estate lawyers. Every single lens in the venue was trained directly onto our faces, tracking the visual metrics of our contract.We were officially executing our first high-profile public appearance under the seven-year strategic layout. "Keep your posture perfectly loose, Daph," Craig murmured smoothly, his lips barely moving as he flashed a brilliant, adoring smile toward a prominent lifestyle photographer. He leaned down, his face within inches of my curls, masterfully projecting an aura of inten
DAPHNE POV The grandfather clock in the foyer struck 7:00 AM, its steady, mechanical ticking kept time like a metronome counting down. The morning sun filtered through the panoramic glass walls of the dining pavilion, casting long, sharp shadows across the mahogany table. There was no clinical distance separating our perimeters today. Cara sat directly to my left, her charcoal corporate suit jacket tossed over the back of her chair, while Craig occupied the head of the table. In the dead center of the table layout, resting right next to a fresh pot of black coffee, sat a yellow legal pad and a heavy fountain pen. We were officially opening the first joint strategic meeting of our seven-year performance. "Let’s map out the foundational data first," Craig initiated, his voice dropping into a low, clinical pitch as he uncapped the pen. He drew a sharp line down the center of the paper. "We have exactly eighty-four months left before the twins hit the age milestone req
CARA WHITE POV The raw, electric warmth of our lips meeting in that deep, suffocatingly true kiss felt like the first real breath I had drawn in three years. But the moment our mouths parted, the cold, clinical shadow of our reality rushed right back into the master bedroom. The contract terms were still ticking. The illusion of a clean, immediate fairytale ending violently dissolved against the stark metrics of my father’s last will. "Seven years," Daphne whispered softly, her green eyes locked onto mine as she carefully adjusted the tiny, sleeping infants against her chest. Her voice carried a heavy, sobering weight that made my throat instantly tighten. "We still have seven long, exhausting years left on the clock, Cara. The board and the estate lawyers are going to track every single move this family makes until the twins reach the milestone required by the inheritance clause." A ragged sigh escaped my lips as I reached down, my fingers gently tracing the identical, pri
The adrenaline tore through my veins like wildfire as I slammed my foot onto the accelerator, forcing the sports car to its absolute mechanical limits down the winding residential boulevard. The pavement blurred into a violent streak of grey beneath my tires. My heart was slamming so hard against my ribs it felt like it would break through my chest. The truth reeled through my brain on a permanent, dizzying loop. She never slept with him. The twins were an IVF creation. She moved into his quarters strictly to protect my brand from my father’s lawyers. Every single piece of the toxic, monstrous ice age I had subjected her to was a catastrophic miscalculation. I had branded her a manipulative liar when she had been quietly bleeding through a near-fatal hemorrhage across the globe strictly to save my dream from the fire. The luxury brakes screamed in agony as I violently pulled the car into the mansion’s gravel roundabout, shifting into park before the tires could even st
CARA WHITE POV The digital clock face embedded in the glass wall of my corner office swept smoothly to 1:00 PM. Kazzy announced that the regional logistics plan for the Visayas branches was finalized, her sharp, clinical tone cutting through the ambient air-conditioning noise. She slid a glossy marketing blueprint across the marble conference table. "All we need is your signature on the third-party distribution clause, Cara, and the entire national launch is legally ready for production." "Pass me the fountain pen," I said flatly, my voice emotionless. I drew the heavy document closer, refusing to let my mind wander back to this morning's dining table scene. For the past five hours, I had been deeply immersed in supply-chain data, relying on my brand's infrastructure to drown out the memory of Daphne’s tearful, green eyes. I had to maintain the mask. The business was the only anchor I had left to survive the wreckage of my personal life. SLAM! The heavy double doors o
I looked at the clock when I woke up. It's almost lunch. It was already dawn when I hit the sack last night 'cause I finished the k drama I was watching. Aside from plants, that's my other way to let time pass or divert myself. After I washed and brushed my teeth and put on my bra, I left the room.
Everything went according to my plan. Craig and Eroz did get back together. The four of us were happy, laughing when we arrived home. We came from a dinner in a prestigious restaurant and watched the gigs of a popular band in the country. We did a lot of things throughout the day, and I witnessed ho
"Hey! Stop drinking," I was already tipsy or perhaps drunk when Cara decided to show up and join us. Just a while ago, Zammy was the one sitting beside me. Now it was Cara who's being a pain in the ass. As usual, Cara being Cara. "What's your problem?" Slightly, I raised my voice. I'm still in th
WHAT A SMALL WORLD. Little did I realize Zekiel Arhon Mondrade is Cara's ex-boyfriend's younger brother. I already confirmed when I asked Zekiel. He even got inquisitive about how I knew his brother. I just came up with an excuse and made up a sort of story. Now I am in the urge to know why Cara and





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