Chapter Two Hundred and Three

Ryan’s POV

The security guard didn’t even try to stop me this time.

Guess my father had already stopped pretending I wasn’t his son.

The elevator ride up to the top floor of Crown Luxe was silent except for the dull hum of tension vibrating in my chest.

The mirrored walls reflected a face that didn’t quite look like mine. It was eerily calm. The kind of calm that came only when you had nothing left to lose.

When the doors slid open, Mr. Davis, my father’s assistant, flinched like he’d seen a ghost.

“Mr. Ryan,” he stammered. “He’s expecting you.”

“Of course he is.” I brushed past him and entered the office.

Maximilian Edwards sat behind his massive oak desk, back straight, jaw tight, the city skyline burning gold behind him.

He didn’t look up right away, just kept flipping through a file as though I were another tedious meeting on his schedule.

“Son,” he said finally, voice sharp as glass. “You’ve caused quite the spectacle.”

I leaned against the door, hands in my pockets. “Good morning