LOGINGEORGE
I watched Leila from across the crowded hall as the launch celebration continued.
Waiters moved through the space with champagne, and guests gathered in small groups to exchange business cards.
Leila had been standing and working since the launch began, stopped by someone the second she finished a previous conversation.
She had barely sat down all evening.
I
GEORGE"Dad," I said as I walked into the living room. Theodore lifted his head and looked at me. He was thinner than he'd appeared on the screen when we spoke in New Delhi. His white collar sat loose around his neck, and a wooden cane leaned against the arm of his leather chair. "George. There you are."Across the room, Ellen sat beside Karl with her hands folded. Karl's silk tie hung loose, and his gaze stayed fixed on the floorboards. Neither of them had moved when I came in. The fire had burned down to embers, and the lamps were low. I hadn't expected to find Karl here, especially sitting beside Ellen as though they were planning something. He hadn't looked up once since I entered, and I couldn't tell whether he was avoiding my eyes or simply had nothing to say to me. Ellen sat with her hands folded, perfectly composed. Nobody spoke, so I waited. Before anyone else could speak, one of the house staff appeared in the doorway. "Ma'am, dinner is ready," she said, facing Ellen.
GEORGEI watched Leila from across the crowded hall as the launch celebration continued.Waiters moved through the space with champagne, and guests gathered in small groups to exchange business cards.Leila had been standing and working since the launch began, stopped by someone the second she finished a previous conversation.She had barely sat down all evening.I slipped away the moment I saw her step out of the hall, the fruit salad I'd ordered for her still cold in my hand.By the time I caught up to her in the hallway, she was still speaking with another person.I waited at a comfortable distance until they finished before stepping directly into her path.“Leila, eat first.”She glanced down at the plastic container, then up at my face. &l
LEILAGeorge's arms stayed wrapped around me from behind long after the laughter faded, his chin resting against my hair as we swayed slightly to the music.The lounge was quieter now. Soft music played through the speakers while conversations continued around us in a low hum.I let my body relax against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart against my shoulder."I haven't laughed like that in longer than I can remember," I said, tipping my head back to look up at his face."Then we should do it more often," he said, his voice low beside my ear.I smiled. "I'd like that."We stayed like that for another moment, just listening to the slow music before I turned around in his arms."We should get going now," he said as he took my hand, his fingers locking firmly with mine as
KARLThe board members sat around the long glass table. Ellen sat at the very head, her hands resting on the arms of Theodore's chair.My secretary moved quickly along the room, as she dropped a white document in front of each person.I walked to the center of the room and slid into my chair."Everything is here," I said. "Every transfer. Every account. The stock dropped eleven percent. My name has been in every headline this city has printed in the last two weeks. I used none of that time to fix any of it."Hands reached out. Fingers caught the corners of the folders, pulling them closer over the glass. Pages began to turn in a ragged, uneven rhythm.The whispers passed sideways between the chairs. Heads leaned together, chins dipping toward the white sheets."I know there are concerns about the gaps in these numb
KARL"Karl," my lawyer whispered, his voice low enough that only I could hear it. He leaned in closer, his breath warm against my ear, his fingers pressing into the fabric of my sleeve. "Say something. We can't let this collapse."I didn't answer him. I kept my eyes locked on Leila a moment longer, watching the even rise and fall of her chest, then my eyes drifted to her swollen belly. The sight of her pregnancy was a quiet reminder of George's action over my life. She hadn't moved either. Her hands rested flat against the glass table, her posture perfectly still, like she was waiting to see whether my pride would actually break before I said a single word. The silence in the room pressed against my ears."I'm sorry, Leila," I said finally, the words coming slower than I wanted them to. "For the injunction. For two years of work that should have had your name on it and didn't. For every consequence that followed from decisions I made and you never had any say in."Marcus Vance exh
LEILAI pressed the phone to my ear, but I tilted the speaker just enough so George could hear the line between us. "Karl," I said. My voice came out flat. "With regards to the suit you filed against me, my team and I have an offer for you," Karl said. His tone was cold, like he was reading from a memo someone else had written. He didn't pause for me to answer. "Communicate with your lawyer and give us feedback."The line went dead before I'd finished drawing the breath to respond. I lowered the phone to my knee and stared at the dark screen. George's hand settled over my shoulder, warm through the fabric of my sweater. "I don't like how rude that was," he said, his voice dropping into a low register. "I think he's up to something, and I don't want you to face him alone, Leila.""I'm going to reach out to my lawyer," I told him, turning my head to meet his gaze. "Whatever it is, I'll let you know if it's something where I need your help."George's jaw tightened, his fingers rigid
EVELINA The door opened.Aria Vance walked in with one hand resting lightly on Julian’s arm. She glanced around the table easily, already smiling before anyone spoke.Julian looked across the room. His eyes passed over me without stopping before settling on his parents.“Dad. Mum.” A beat. “ This
EVELINA The corridor felt different when I stepped out of Dr. Yuen’s office.People were moving faster. Reception staff straightened behind their desks. Nurses glanced toward the entrance like they were expecting someone important.A name passed quietly through the hallway. “Aria Vance.”I kept wa
EVELINA The notification was still on my screen when I woke up.CONGRATULATIONS. YOU HAVE QUALIFIED FOR THE APEX URBAN PRIZE. Final submission window: 7 days.I stared at it through a few hours of broken sleep and the dull ache climbing up the back of my neck.Outside the studio windows, the sky h
EVELINA “Sign them whenever you’re ready.”A white envelope landed on my keyboard. For a second, I thought it was another batch of revisions from Sterling Group. Then I saw the words on the front.Divorce Agreement.Julian Sterling stood across from me in his charcoal suit, still buttoned up. His







