Mag-log inAvery’s POVThe silence in the boardroom was heavy. Every single eye at the long mahogany table was fixed on me. These were the same men who had nodded along to Hector’s lies for years. They were the ones who had stayed quiet while my father's legacy was systematically stripped away.Now, they were looking at me with a mix of fear and sudden respect.I kept my hands flat on the smooth wood of the table, leaning forward just enough to let them feel the weight of my presence. Caspian stood a few paces behind my right shoulder. He didn't say a word, but his massive, silent presence felt like a wall of solid iron at my back."Before we begin looking at the quarterly numbers," I started, my voice cutting through the quiet room like a sharp blade, "we need to establish some new rules. The old way of running Woods-Global is dead. The corruption ends today."A senior board member named elder Mr. Harrison cleared his throat nervously. He adju
Avery’s POVThe quiet morning did not last forever. By two in the afternoon, the real world came knocking on our door.I stood in front of the full-length mirror in the penthouse bedroom. I wore a sharp, emerald-green pantsuit. It was my father’s favorite color. It made me feel strong. I clamped a pair of simple gold hoops into my ears and took a deep, steady breath.My phone was buzzing continuously on the vanity table. I picked it up. There were thirty missed calls and over fifty unread text messages. Most of them were from reporters, but the top message was from Marcus.Marcus: The divorce petition has been officially logged with the court clerk. It is on the public record now. The media is picking it up fast.I stared at the screen. A strange sense of relief washed over me. It was out. The final string tying me to Hector Woods had been cut cleanly by the law.A pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind
Avery’s POVThe morning sun crept slowly through the sheer curtains of the master bedroom. It painted warm, golden lines across the heavy duvet. I stirred softly, blinking against the bright light, and felt the familiar, heavy weight of Caspian’s arm draped securely around my waist.I didn't move. I just lay there in the quiet room, listening to the steady, deep sound of his breathing against the back of my neck.His chest was pressed firmly against my spine. Every time he took a breath, his whole body moved with mine. It felt incredibly grounding. For the first time in as long as I could remember, I didn't wake up with a heavy sense of dread pooling in my stomach. I didn't wake up wondering what cruel joke Hector was going to play, or what scandal the media was going to drop on my lap.The air was completely still, smelling of clean sheets and the faint trace of Caspian’s woodsy cologne.Slowly, I shifted my body so I could tur
Avery’s POVThe drive back to the penthouse was completely quiet. The city outside the window was full of bright lights and busy people, but inside the black sedan, it felt like a different world. It was safe and still.I leaned my head against the cool glass window and watched the buildings roll by. My mind was spinning with everything that had happened today. I had sat in my father’s chair. I had looked the board members in the eyes and made them listen to me. I had taken control. But now, the business day was over. As the car came closer to Caspian’s building, my stomach began to twist into nervous knots."We are here, Ms. Woods," Vance said softly as he steered the car into the private underground garage. The car came to a smooth stop right in front of the private elevator doors. Vance got out quickly and opened my door for me."Thank you, Vance," I said, stepping out into the cool air."Have a good evening, ma'am," he
Avery’s POVThe door to my father’s old office closed with a soft, solid click. The heavy noise shut out the rest of the world. Sarah and Marcus stayed out in the hallway, leaving me completely alone in the massive room.I stood still for a long moment, just listening to the quiet.For five years, this room had been Hector’s playground. He had changed the artwork, brought in ugly modern chairs, and covered the walls with trophies he didn't earn. But the bones of the room were still the same. The large mahogany desk still sat in the center, and the huge glass windows still showed the whole city.Slowly, I walked over to the desk. I ran my fingers along the smooth wood.There was a black leather chair behind it. Hector’s chair. I pulled it out, sat down, and leaned back. The leather felt cool against my skin. I closed my eyes and let out a breath I felt like I had been holding for years.I am here, I thought. I actually m
Avery’s POVThe bright flashes of the cameras hit us the moment we pushed through the heavy glass doors of the courthouse.Reporters shoved microphones toward my face, all of them shouting at once. The noise was loud and chaotic, a sharp contrast to the quiet courtroom we had just left behind."Ms. Woods! Is it true that your husband is being charged with murder?""Mr. Sterling! Did you use your company to hack the Woods family accounts?"Caspian did not say a word to them. His tight grip on my hand kept me grounded in the middle of the crowd. He used his large body as a shield, blocking the worst of the pushy reporters as he guided me toward his waiting black sedan.Vance held the car door open for us. I slid into the back seat quickly, and Caspian climbed in right after me. The door shut with a heavy click, locking the loud world outside.I leaned my head against the cool leather seat and took a long, deep br
Avery’s POV The memory of the attack still clung to me like a bad dream. I’d spent the night at Desmond’s, barely sleeping, every creak of the floorboards making me jump. He’d made me some weak tea and just let me talk, absorbing all my fear and confusion.He came into the living room, where I was
Avery’s POVMy phone buzzed on the kitchen counter while I was making pancakes the next morning, the caller ID flashing Jasmine’s name. A knot of dread tightened in my stomach. Part of me wanted to ignore the call, to pretend I hadn’t seen it. But another, angrier part of me wanted to know what she
Caspian’s POVThe ink on the acquisition papers was barely dry before the changes started. Woods’ Enterprise was mine now, Sterling Enterprises’ newest holding. Stepping into what used to be Hector’s corner office, I took a slow breath. His cheap cologne still faintly lingered. Time to air this pla
Avery’s POV The next meeting was in the company’s boring conference room. The big table felt like we were about to argue, with Juliet sitting stiffly at one end, Hector looking nervous beside her, and Caspian cool as a cucumber at the other end. I was next to Hector, feeling like I was just watchi







