Mag-log inAvery’s POVThe gavel fell three times, each strike sounding like a thunderclap that shattered the remnants of the Woods family dynasty."In light of the highly severe and criminal nature of the evidence presented," Judge Reyes’s voice cut through the courtroom chaos with absolute finality, "this court denies the plaintiff's request for an injunction. The administrative freeze on Hector Woods' shares remains permanent, and this file is being forwarded immediately to the federal prosecutor's office."She looked down from the bench, her sharp eyes fixing directly on Hector, who was vibrating with a silent, pale terror. "Bailiffs, please escort Mr. Woods and Mrs. Juliet Woods to the holding area downstairs. Federal marshals are already en route.""No! This is a setup! You can't do this to me!" Hector screamed, his voice cracking into a pathetic, desperate shriek as two burly court officers grabbed him by his arms. He kicked blindly at his o
Caspian’s POVThe heavy oak doors of the federal courthouse didn't just swing open; they felt like the gates of an arena. The marble corridors echoed with the frantic clicking of cameras and the overlapping shouts of reporters. Media vans lined the curb outside, their satellite dishes pointed toward the sky like vultures waiting for a carcass. The headline was already trending across every financial wire: The Woods-Global Civil War.I walked through the security checkpoints without looking left or right. I had discarded my usual charcoal suit for a stark, midnight-black tuxedo, the same one I had worn to the gala where this war truly began. My tie was straight, my cuffs crisp, but beneath the billionaire armor, my chest felt hollowed out."Mr. Sterling," Vance whispered, matching my long, hurried stride down the hallway. He held a leather briefcase tightly against his side. "The legal disclosure forms are fully finalized and logged into
Avery’s POVThe fluorescent lights of the Woods-Global executive boardroom felt like a slow, agonizing interrogation. It was four in the morning, but the concept of time had completely lost its meaning.The mahogany table was buried under mountains of financial ledgers, legal briefs, and crumpled cups of cold espresso. My fingers trembled slightly as I rubbed my temples, trying to blink away the burning exhaustion behind my eyes. The rain outside had finally stopped, leaving the city skyline below wrapped in a suffocating, pale fog."The math doesn't change, Ms. Woods," Marcus, our lead corporate attorney, sighed heavily, adjusting his glasses. He looked as drained as I felt. "If Hector’s petition for the injunction succeeds at the 9:00 AM hearing, the judge will freeze all voting rights tied to your father’s trust. You won't just be stripped of the interim Chairwoman title, you won't even be allowed on the property.""And Hector walks b
Caspian’s POVThe crystal tumbler shattered against the brick fireplace, raining jagged glass and amber scotch over the hearth. I didn't care. I didn't even blink. I just stared blindly at the dancing orange flames, my hand frozen in the air where I had just thrown the drink.The penthouse felt like a tomb. It had been twelve hours since Avery walked out of the municipal cemetery, twelve hours since she tore my chest open and left me bleeding under a stormy sky. The heavy downpour outside had slowed to a miserable, rhythmic drizzle, streaking the floor-to-ceiling windows with endless gray lines.I was drowning, suffocating in the quiet. Everywhere I looked, I saw her. I saw her standing by the marble kitchen island laughing over chopped cherry tomatoes; I saw her curled on the sofa in my oversized black T-shirt; I saw her green eyes reflecting the morning sun right before everything broke."Caspian.”Jameson’s gravelly voice cut
Caspian’s POVThe slam of the penthouse door echoed through the empty hallway like a gunshot.I stood paralyzed. On the floor, the scattered papers of the Sophia file mocked me, her smiling photograph staring up from the dark wood planks. Seven years of planning, seven years of fueling my rise to power with a brutal thirst for revenge, all burned to the ground in a single moment.The ghost of my past had just destroyed my future."Avery!" I roared, the sound tearing from my throat.I sprinted out of the office and tore through the living room. I threw open the heavy front door and lunged into the elevator corridor, but the digital display was already shifting downward. G– Garage. I didn't wait. I ripped open the fire door and took the concrete stairs three at a time, my heart hammering a frantic, violent rhythm against my ribs.By the time I burst into the basement garage, the screech of tires echoed off the concre
Avery’s POVThe silence that stretched between us was heavier than any boardroom tension, darker than the shadow of the Woods estate. Caspian stood motionless in the doorway, his broad frame blocking out the light from the hallway, his face entirely unreadable. The gray eyes that had looked at me with such fierce tenderness just hours ago were now as cold as a winter sky.On the floor between us lay the scattered contents of the folder. A photograph had drifted face-up onto the dark wood. It wasn't a corporate headshot. It was a candid photo of a young woman with a laughing, sun-drenched smile, her dark hair blowing across her face.Amaya Sophia."You shouldn't be in here, Avery," Caspian said, his voice dropping into that low, gravelly register. It wasn't angry. It was flat. Utterly devoid of emotion. And somehow, that terrified me more than if he had yelled."Who is she, Caspian?" My voice shook, but I forced myself to st
Caspian’s POV Hector actually walked into my office one afternoon. Just walked in. Usually, he stayed far away, only talking to me if he absolutely had to. So when my assistant told me he was waiting, I was genuinely surprised.He came in looking… almost normal. Not the scared mouse he'd been sinc
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







