LOGINCHAPTER 28The quiet didn't stick around, did it? It never really does. By late morning, the penthouse was starting to hum, not just waking up, but moving with purpose. Phones were buzzing against marble, their vibrations a subtle thrum in the air. Message alerts chimed in sharp bursts, names dropping in quick, unfinished whispers, like smoke from a just-struck match.Andrew had already migrated to the living area, his jacket now slung over his broad shoulders, sleeves straightened with a crisp snap. He looked ready to storm a boardroom, even though he hadn't moved an inch from his sun-drenched spot.Nancy noticed, her gaze tracing the sharp lines of his posture. "You dress differently when you're trying to win," she remarked, her voice light but with a hint of challenge.Andrew didn't look up from his phone. "I'm always trying to win.""Not like this."That made him pause. Just for a second, his thumb hovered mid-scroll. Then, a notification sliced through the air, a sharp chime, fol
CHAPTER 27Morning arrived, not with a gentle touch, but simply, quietly. The first hint of gray light, like a muted watercolor wash, seeped through the penthouse blinds, stretching long, indistinct stripes across the rumpled sheets. Andrew was already awake, perched on the edge of the bed, elbows on his knees, his phone held loosely but unlooked at. The screen’s cool, sterile glow reflected in his eyes, a stark blue against the room's deepening shadows.A list of names waited, and he didn't scroll. The sheer weight of each one pressed down on him, like unseen hands holding him in place. Then, a soft, yet certain knock sliced through the quiet. "Andrew?" It was Nancy.He let out a ragged breath. "Yeah." The door cracked open, and she stepped in, her hair still mussed from sleep, carefully balancing two steaming mugs that carried the faint, comforting scent of chamomile. "You've been up long?" she asked."A while." She glanced at his phone, noting the white-knuckle grip, then met his e
Chapter 26The penthouse didn’t settle.It shifted into something quieter. Focused.Victoria had claimed one end of the room, phone pressed to her ear, voice low but edged with steel.“No, I’m not asking you to decide now… I’m asking you to remember who built the company.”A pause on the line, heavy with unspoken calculations.Then, “Yes. Tomorrow.”She hung up without another word and immediately dialed again, fingers flying across the screen.Andrew stood near the table, the document still splayed before him, though he wasn’t reading it anymore. He already knew every line by heart, every calculated threat etched into his mind.Nancy watched him from the kitchen counter, arms loosely folded, weight shifted to one leg in that casual, observant stance of hers.“You’re not going to sit?” she asked, her tone light but probing.“I’m fine.”“You’ve been standing in the same spot for ten minutes.”“I’m thinking.”“That again.”Andrew glanced at her, a flicker of amusement cutting through th
Chapter 25No one moved immediately after that.The words didn’t fade.We’ll see.They stayed in the room, settling into the spaces between them and stretching the silence thinner than before.Victoria was the first to shift, not dramatically, just a small straighten of her shoulders, the kind that meant she’d already moved past the moment.“I’ll start making calls,” she said, reaching for her phone.Andrew didn’t look at her. “Not yet.”She stopped cold.“…Andrew.”“Not yet.”Same tone. Low. Steady. Not raised. But not something to argue with.Victoria studied him for a second longer than necessary, as if deciding whether to push. Then she exhaled softly and dropped her hand.“Fine.”Nancy hadn’t moved, still leaning slightly against the arm of the couch, arms loosely crossed, watching him in that quiet way she had.“You said you’d call the board,” she said.“I will.”“You’re delaying.”Andrew glanced at her. “I just said I will.”“That wasn’t the point.”He held her gaze for a secon
CHAPTER 24The silence followed them from the elevator and into the penthouse like a physical weight. No one spoke. No one even looked at each other.“Welcome back, sir.”Andrew barely offered a nod as he stepped inside, his fingers already working at his cufflinks. “James.”“A delivery arrived for you, sir.” James hesitated, his gaze shifting toward the marble console. “From Cross Enterprises.”Nancy’s head snapped toward the table. The envelope was there, stark white against the dark stone. Waiting.Andrew saw it. He didn't slow down. He walked right past it, heading for the bar.“You’re not opening that?” Nancy asked, her voice cutting through the quiet.“I just got back.”“That wasn't an answer, Andrew.”He finally loosened his sleeve, the fabric bunching in his grip. “I already know what’s inside.”Victoria moved toward the table, her shadow falling over the envelope. “Then you know it isn't good news.”“Which is usually when people open things,” Nancy added, crossing her arms.A
CHAPTER 23The restaurant was unlike any place Andrew usually frequented. It was smaller, quieter, and far too simplistic for his refined tastes. He surveyed the modest decor with a skeptical eye and couldn’t suppress his disbelief.“…This is where we’re eating?” he asked, glancing at Nancy with an incredulous eyebrow raised.Unfazed, she met his gaze with a steady resolve. “Yes.”Victoria, already seated, gestured for him to join them. “Sit down.”“I have much better places,” he muttered, scanning the bare walls adorned with unassuming art. “And yet, here you are,” Nancy quipped, amusement flickering in her eyes.With a resigned sigh, Andrew lowered himself into the chair, his towering presence imposing even in this relaxed environment. “…I’ve lost control of my own life.”Nancy smiled, the kind of smile that suggested genuine mirth. “You’re adjusting.”Just then, a waiter approached with an easy demeanor that contrasted sharply with the stuffy service Andrew was accustomed to. “Goo







