Chapter 9

The morning sunlight in New York filtered through the gaps in the curtains of the hotel suite, casting thin streaks of light across the work desk. I sat facing my laptop with a cup of black coffee slowly steaming beside me. Although my body had been briefly overwhelmed by exhaustion after last night's phone interaction, my mind was now completely clear and under control.

The bedroom door opened quietly before Lidya stepped inside, her expression stiffer than usual.

"Madam," Lidya called as she placed a digital tablet on my desk. "Since six this morning, two black sedans have been parked across from the hotel lobby. Our guards have confirmed that they belong to people sent by Gostav Group."

I wasn't surprised. Having lost direct access to communication with me, Kael would naturally choose the invasive methods he was accustomed to: tight surveillance and indirect pressure.

"Are they trying to get inside?" I asked calmly, taking a sip of my black coffee.

"Not yet, Madam. But Mr. Kael appears to have stationed them there to monitor your every movement and that of Young Master Darren. Besides..." Lidya paused for a moment. "The hotel management just informed us that Gostav Group has attempted to rent the entire floor directly beneath our suite."

A faint, cold chuckle escaped my lips. Kael was beginning to reveal his desperation openly. The man who had always maintained a cold and controlled image was now acting impulsively, like someone who had completely lost his direction.

"Add personal security personnel from New York's top security agencies," I ordered firmly, staring directly at Lidya. "Starting today, double the security. Make sure no one from Gostav Group can get within five meters of Darren. If they attempt to cross the line, use legal channels against their acts of intimidation."

"Yes, Madam. I'll take care of it immediately."

"What about our business expansion schedule today?"

"Today, you have a lunch appointment with Mr. Julian Khana, the owner of the largest media consortium and retail network on the East Coast," Lidya replied, handing me a business profile dossier. "Mr. Khana is very interested in Alder Corp's health product line and wants to discuss exclusive distribution rights for his luxury shopping mall network."

Julian Khana. An influential man who possessed not only enormous financial power but was also Gostav Group's sworn enemy in New York's investment sector. Partnering with him would be the perfect strategic move—not only to strengthen Alder Corp's position but also to narrow Kael's room to maneuver in this city.

"Confirm the meeting," I said briefly. "And make sure Darren stays inside the suite with the childcare team and internal guards while I'm away."

At one in the afternoon, I was at a private glasshouse-style restaurant in Manhattan. Sitting across from me was Julian Khana—a thirty-five-year-old man with a strong and commanding leadership aura—sipping his drink as he listened to the business points I presented.

"An extremely impressive proposal, Miss Aluna," Julian said with a faint, appreciative smile. "Alder Corp's herbal formulation methods meet the highest safety standards I've ever seen in the New York market. I'm very impressed."

"It's an honor to hear that praise from you, Mr. Khana," I replied in a measured, professional tone. "We simply prioritize quality and integrity in every product."

However, in the middle of our smoothly flowing business discussion, the corner of my eye caught movement beyond the restaurant's glass door.

A man in a dark suit stood rigidly there.

Kael.

The man stood beneath the light drizzle that had begun to fall, seemingly ignoring the fact that his drenched appearance was attracting the attention of several VIP guests. His reddened, sunken eyes stared straight toward my table—or more precisely, at my interaction with Mr. Khana. Although he was standing at a considerable distance, the expression on his face was unmistakable, radiating emotional shock, burning jealousy, and such profound desperation.

Mr. Khana noticed the direction of my gaze. He glanced briefly out the window before looking back at me, the corners of his lips lifting faintly.

"It seems Mr. Gostav is very disturbed by Alder Corp's presence in this city," Mr. Khana remarked casually, clasping his hands together on the table. "Or perhaps... he's disturbed because you're no longer within his reach, Miss Aluna?"

I shifted my gaze away from Kael and back to my business associate, refusing to let the man's presence outside affect my emotions in the slightest.

"Mr. Gostav's presence has nothing to do with our business decision, Mr. Khana," I said coldly and bluntly. "My focus is entirely on the agreement between Alder Corp and Khana Cinema Group."

Mr. Khana chuckled softly, his eyes reflecting an even deeper admiration for my composure. "An exceptional attitude. In that case, let's sign this memorandum of agreement."

As I signed the partnership documents on the table, I knew Kael was watching every detail of my hand movements from outside. The man was witnessing firsthand how I built an alliance with his greatest rival, without giving him the slightest room to interfere in my life ever again.

When I stepped out of the restaurant a short while later, closely escorted by two heavily built bodyguards, Kael tried to move closer.

"Aluna..." he called hoarsely, his voice nearly drowned out by the sound of the rain.

My guards immediately formed a tight barricade, blocking his path before he could even reach my line of movement. I simply walked past him, staring straight ahead with my head held high, leaving Kael standing frozen behind the barricade of my guards, drenched by the rain and defeated in the most absolute way.