Michael pulled the car up few minutes after Damien had called him. He stepped out of the car and opened the back door for them."Sir," he greeted softly with a bow.Damien nodded and slipped his hand into Lyriel’s, guiding her into the car first before following after. The ride was quiet at first with only the hum of the engine filling the silence. Then Lyriel glanced at him, worry in her eyes."Damien… why did the chairman ask for you so suddenly? Did something happen?"Damien turned his head, meeting her gaze. For a moment, he just studied her face, then he reached for her hand, squeezing it gently."I’m not sure yet," he said, his tone low but steady. "But no matter what happens, don’t worry. I’ll tell you everything once I’m back."Lyriel’s lips parted as if she wanted to say more, but she closed them again, nodding slowly. "Alright. Just… be safe."Damien gave her a faint smile, brushing his thumb across her knuckles. "I need to, I still have you."Michael finally pulled up in fr
The place had fallen into complete silence after Damien’s cold words. The whispers began softly, but in seconds, they grew into a wave of murmurs."Did he really just say it’s over between them?" someone muttered, glancing at Alondra."Embarrassing… she was discarded in front of everyone."The more they whispered, the more Alondra’s chest tightened. Her smile twitched as she tried to hold herself together. "Why bother when Damien is only joking… he likes to say silly things when he’s upset. He'd come back" Natalia said. "You don't need to worry, it's time you give him the attitude he's asking for and let's see how long he can hold it up." She added.Alondra’s fake laugh died on her lips as the whispers continued. She felt her dignity cracking apart like a glass placed under a hammer.Gilbert stood still, his eyes narrowing. He didn’t care much about Alondra’s shame, he only cared that Damien had flipped the table on their plans. "What are you planning at?" He gritted out softly, his
Alondra slipped into her dress slowly, pulling the zipper up while letting out a small sigh. Her hair was messy, falling over her shoulders, and she brushed it back with her fingers. Gilbert sat on the edge of the bed, buttoning his shirt one after the other, his eyes never leaving her."I think he’s waited enough," Alondra said as she fastened her earrings. She turned to look at him, her lips curling into a sly smile. "Mind driving me there? Or are you still busy with your ghost girlfriend?"Gilbert chuckled under his breath, shaking his head as he reached for his jacket. "Don’t worry about Lyriel. I have a surprise for her," he muttered. Alondra’s brows lift slightly."A surprise? What is it about?" she asked, curious."You’ll see and I'm sure you'd love it," he answered vaguely, slipping his watch on.Alondra rolled her eyes but didn’t ask further. Instead, she bent to pick up her purse. Before she could stand straight, Gilbert was already beside her. He pulled her closer by the wa
Damien poured himself another glass of wine, the liquid glinting under the dim lights. He picked up a second glass and poured for Gilbert too, sliding it across the table with a slow smile."Since you came all the way here, at least let’s drink like brothers," Damien said. His tone was soft and friendly, but his eyes carried that sharpness that always made people uncomfortable.Gilbert forced a small smile, picking up the glass. "Of course."Damien leaned back lazily in his chair, crossing one leg over the other. He raised his own glass, sipping slowly before setting it down. Then, without a word, he reached for his cigarette case, lit one, and took a long drag. The smoke curled up into the air as he exhaled slowly, his gaze fixed on Gilbert."Now," he said calmly. "Repeat what you just said."Gilbert shifted a little in his seat but pretended to be unbothered. "I said… we should work together. That project will benefit you the most since you’re the sole heir to the Cruz empire."Dami
Damien was walking toward his office when a guard suddenly stepped in front of him."The chairman wants you in his office right away," the guard said.Damien narrowed his eyes. "The chairman?"The guard nodded. Damien didn’t say anything else, only slid his hands into his pockets and walked behind the guard, his calmness showing that he wasn’t worried at all.When he entered the office, the chairman was seated, his face full of stress. "Do you know anything about Gilbert’s project?" he asked.Damien didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he looked at the chair in front of the desk. "You didn’t even ask me to sit. That's not very nice." He gave a small smirk. "But never mind, I’ll sit myself."He pulled the chair out slowly and sat down like he owned the place. He leaned back comfortably, crossing one leg over the other. "Now… what did you just ask again?"The chairman’s frown deepened. His voice dropped lower. "Damien…"Damien sighed as though bored. "Father, even if I told you the truth
Gilbert straightened his tie as the projector lit up behind him, displaying images of futuristic skyscrapers, glittering cityscapes, and glowing digital models. His voice flowed smoothly and confidently through the boardroom."What I am presenting today is the future of the Cruz empire. A project that blends three of the strongest pillars in today’s economy...real estate, technology, and finance.""Our empire has always been known for luxury estates and towers. Now, I propose a leap forward. Smart skyscrapers and residential estates powered by artificial intelligence, where every system, from lighting to security is automated and controlled from a single app."He paused as the slides shifted to a dazzling mock-up of a shining residential tower with floating hologram displays."The Cruz Living App," Gilbert continued, "will allow owners and tenants to monitor everything; maintenance, rent payments directly from their phones. With blockchain integration, investors can buy shares of thes