The Don's Hun

             POV: Vivienne Ashford

By eight o'clock the following morning, I was sitting behind my desk at Ashford Technologies, drinking coffee. The office was quieter without Damon and Camille.

Rosalie Huxley knocked and entered, carrying a folder.

"Ms. Ashford, we've received a request for an emergency strategic partnership from the executive board of Cavendish Holdings."

My fingers tightened around my coffee cup.

"Who will be leading the meeting?" I asked.

"The Chairman himself. He's requested a private breakfast meeting at Celestia Fine Dining in the Crown District at nine-thirty. The proposal concerns a multi-billion-dollar enterprise cloud migration."

I considered the offer. A partnership with Cavendish Holdings could be a major opportunity for Ashford Technologies.

"Confirm the meeting, Rosalie. I'll attend personally."

Celestia Fine Dining occupied the top floor of the Grand Aurelian Hotel. The restaurant had been reserved for the morning, and no other guests were inside.

The maître d' greeted me as I stepped out of the private elevator.

"Ms. Ashford. The Chairman is expecting you in the Solarium Suite."

He led me down the corridor and opened the doors.

A man stood beside the window, dressed in a charcoal suit. He turned as I entered.

I stopped.

It was the man from Obsidian.

The man I had slept with.

No. It couldn't be.

His eyes met mine, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

Don Roman Cavendish.

"You're right on time, little rabbit."

I stared at him, unable to hide my shock.

"You're the Chairman of Cavendish Holdings?"

He picked up his coffee cup.

"Cavendish Holdings, Northstar Logistics, Sterling Crown Investments. They're all mine."

I took a step back.

"You're the Don?"

"Now you understand."

I couldn't believe it. The man I had spent the night with without knowing who he was belonged to one of the most feared families in Valmora. He was also the Chairman of the company that had requested this meeting.

"You arranged this meeting to get me here."

"I sent a legitimate proposal," he replied. "Ashford Technologies needs enterprise cloud services. My companies have a use for what you offer. But I also wanted to see you."

"I'm not interested in your business, Mr. Cavendish. And I'm certainly not interested in you."

I turned towards the door.

Before I could leave, he caught my wrist.

"Let go of me."

"It's Don Roman," he said.

"I don't care what title you use. I don't do business with mafia bosses, and I won't repeat what happened at Obsidian. It was a mistake."

He laughed.

"Nothing between us is over, Vivienne."

I pulled my wrist free.

"Stay away from me and my company. If you interfere with Ashford Technologies, I'll take Cavendish Holdings to court."

I turned and walked out without waiting for his reply.

---

Ten minutes later, I entered Genevieve Winslow's law office.

She looked up from her desk.

"Vivienne? What happened?"

"Remember the night we went to Obsidian? The night you stepped outside to take that call and didn't see me leave?"

Genevieve nodded.

"Yes. I meant to ask what happened to you that night, but everything was so hectic afterward. Where did you go?"

"I went upstairs."

Her eyebrows drew together.

"Upstairs? Why?"

"I entered a private room where some men were having a meeting. There was a man sitting at the head of the table. I approached him, and..." I hesitated. "I spent the night with him."

Genevieve stared at me.

"Vivienne, you did what?"

"I didn't know who he was. I only found out today."

"Who was he?"

"The man from Obsidian. His name is Roman Cavendish. He's the head of the Cavendish Syndicate and the Chairman of Cavendish Holdings."

Genevieve's pen slipped from her fingers.

"Roman Cavendish?"

I nodded.

"Vivienne, do you understand who you're dealing with? He's the most dangerous man in the Republic of Valmora. He controls the ports, has influence over politicians and the police, and commands the most feared mafia organisation in the country."

"He arranged a business meeting to get close to me. I told him to stay away from me and walked out."

Genevieve stared at me.

"You walked out on Roman Cavendish?"

"Yes."

---

Over the next twenty-four hours, Roman made sure I couldn't ignore him.

My phone kept ringing from unfamiliar numbers. Bouquets of red roses arrived at my office every few hours. I blocked the numbers and told Rosalie to throw every bouquet away.

I thought refusing him would make him lose interest.

I was wrong.

When I arrived at Ashford Technologies the following morning, I found the office in chaos. Phones were ringing, and employees were rushing between departments.”

Rosalie hurried into my office, holding her tablet.

"Ms. Ashford, we have a serious problem!"

I stood up.

"What happened?"

"More than ten of our corporate partners have terminated their contracts overnight. Silvercrest Pharmaceuticals, Moonstone Fashion House, Evercrest Media and Apex Biotechnologies are among them."

My blood ran cold.

"All of them? Overnight?"

"Every single one." Rosalie swallowed. "My contact at Silvercrest told me what happened. Don Roman Cavendish personally contacted the chairmen of these companies last night. He warned them that anyone who continued doing business with Ashford Technologies would face the consequences."

I gripped the edge of my desk.

Roman was making good on his threat.

He was coming after my company.