로그인THIRD PERSON'S POV That evening, Ethan arrived at Zara’s apartment with a mixture of hope and hesitation. He’d been on edge all day, wondering if she had even thought about him, if she was okay. The knock on the door felt heavier than usual, and his heart thumped with anticipation.The door swung open before he could even knock a second time.“Why is it opened down?” He thought to himself.He stepped in carefully and there she was but she wasn’t alone.A man was sitting on the couch with her, laughing at something she had just said. They were half naked over a blanket.His face twisted slightly as he saw Ethan standing there, and for a moment, the room froze.“Ethan?” Zara’s voice caught in her throat, a flicker of panic crossing her eyes.He stepped inside, trying to mask the sharp pang in his chest. “Zara… I—”But before he could finish, the man on the couch spoke, his tone casual but pointed. “And you are?”Ethan’s jaw tightened. He glanced at Zara, searching for an explanatio
Nicole's POV I froze as I went through Adrian’s stuff. My fingers trembled slightly as I flipped through files and notebooks, my mind racing. Tabs… tracking… notes on his family. Everything pointed to the fact that he was working against them, quietly, methodically.Could this be the reason he spoke so calmly, so casually, about everything? The boardroom, Marianna, Liam… all of it? Was it all part of some plan he had been keeping from me? My stomach twisted. Part of me was curious, drawn to the layers of strategy he had hidden so well.I lifted one of the files, and my heart nearly stopped. There were notes, names, dates, connections. He’d been watching, keeping track of everyone and everything. And somehow, I hadn’t suspected a thing. How could I have been so blind?Suddenly, the front door creaked open. My head snapped toward it, and panic shot through me. My hands flew, scrambling to put everything back in place, stack the papers neatly, and make it look like I’d never touc
Adrian's POV The director took his seat, clearing his throat. The room fell into a tense silence. Every eye was on him, waiting for what he would do.“I have five points,” he said calmly, his gaze sweeping the room. “And I cast my vote for Adrian Blackwood.”The words landed like a hammer. A collective gasp filled the boardroom, and Marianna’s carefully composed expression cracked just a fraction. Her eyes blazed with fury, but she forced herself to remain seated, biting back the words she wanted to shout.I allowed myself the smallest smirk, one that I directed subtly toward Marianna. She noticed, I knew, and the hint of her boiling anger made the moment all the sweeter. Liam’s face went pale, and his jaw clenched so tightly I could almost hear the muscles grind.Ethan’s eyes met mine, and he gave the slightest nod, a shared spark of triumph between us. I could feel the weight in the room shift. Where moments ago, Liam had thought the game was in his favor, now the balance h
Adrian's POV I walked into the boardroom, papers in hand, and immediately noticed Ethan’s posture. He wasn’t his usual calm, collected self. His hands tapped nervously on the edge of the table, and his eyes kept flicking to the door as if expecting someone to burst in.“Ethan,” I said, raising my voice just enough to break through his distraction. “What’s going on with you? You’ve been off since this morning.”He hesitated, swallowing hard. “It’s… Zara,” he muttered finally. His voice was low, almost guilty. “She’s been… weird lately. She barely picks up my calls. I… I don’t know what to do.”I leaned back, crossing my arms. “Weird how?” I asked, keeping my voice steady but my mind racing.He looked down at the table. “She’s… distant. Angry, maybe. She doesn’t want to see anyone right now. And when I do talk to her, she just… yells. She doesn’t want me around.”I nodded slowly, trying to offer what little comfort I could. “People deal with things differently, Ethan. Maybe she’s bus
Nicole's POV When we got home that day I felt very relieved. I had slowly become free in Adrian's apartment.I sat across from Adrian in the living room, the soft hum of the city outside our window filling the quiet gaps between us. He was casually flipping through some papers, clearly focused, but I could feel the tension radiating off him even in this calm space.“What’s the recent activity going on in the company?” I started a small talk.“So… the election,” he said casually, setting the papers down. His tone made it sound like he was talking about the weather, but I knew better. “Better me and my brother.”I raised an eyebrow. “You’re always so calm about everything,” I said softly, leaning back in my chair. “Even when they treat you like… like garbage.”Adrian looked at me and gave a small, knowing smile, almost fond. “They are family,” he said simply.I blinked at him, not sure if he expected that to be enough of an explanation. “Family?” I repeated. “Even when Marianna and L
Nicole's POV I was walking through the sleek corridors of the company, trying to focus, trying to act normal, when I almost collided with someone.“Nicole?”I froze. My blood ran cold before anger surged. I looked up, and there he was, Liam. Standing there, smirking like he had the right to exist in my world.The hatred in my chest felt like it was about to explode. My hands curled into fists at my sides. I couldn’t even imagine what I would have done if he had dared to touch me or speak first.“I… uh…” he started, his tone surprised, almost unsure.I didn’t give him the satisfaction of an answer. I looked at him, really looked at him, and let my eyes do the talking. The hate, the disgust, the betrayal, all of it was there. Every ounce of it.“I can’t… I can’t believe I ever—” he began, trying again, but I cut him off in my mind.No. I wouldn’t listen. I then walked past him, deliberately slow at first, letting him feel the sting of my silence. “Nicole?”I ignored his words, his







