MasukSTONE INDUSTRIES – THAT AFTERNOONAmelia sat at her desk, staring at her phone.It rang.Rebecca."How did it go?""He peed his pants."Amelia blinked. "What?""He grabbed my arm. I threatened him. He let go. And then he realized he'd wet himself like a frightened old man."Amelia was silent for a moment.Then she laughed. It was tired, but real."You're serious?""I never joke about bodily functions, Amelia. It's unprofessional."Amelia shook her head. "What happens now?""Now we wait. Forty-eight hours. If he doesn't back down, I send everything to Don Eduardo.""You think he'll back down?"Rebecca was quiet for a moment. "I think he's scared. And scared men make mistakes.""Let's hope you're right.""I'm always right." A pause. "By the way. You owe me a new pair of shoes. His floor was sticky."Amelia laughed again. "I'll buy you ten."---FAVINO PENTHOUSE – THAT EVENINGAmelia walked through the door. Valentina was on the couch, watching TV."How was your day?""I made an old man
BLACKWOOD INDUSTRIES – TWO HOURS LATERThe building was a monument to ego. Black marble. Gold letters. Guards with earpieces who thought they were secret service.Rebecca walked through them like they were furniture.Click. Click. Click. Her heels on the floor.Move.---The receptionist looked up. "Do you have an—""No.""Ma'am, I really need you to—"Rebecca put both hands on the desk. Leaned in."Call Alexander. Tell him Rebecca Stein is here. Tell him I have something that belongs to his wife. And tell him if he doesn't see me in two minutes, I'm mailing it to Don Eduardo before lunch."She smiled."Actually. Tell him that part last."The receptionist grabbed the phone.ALEXANDER'S OFFICE – TWO MINUTES LATERAlexander Blackwood sat behind his desk. Seventy years old. Still had shoulders like a boxer. Still had eyes that could cut glass.He didn't stand."Rebecca Stein." His voice was slow. Gravelly. "You've got balls walking in here.""I've been told.""Sit down."She sat. Didn'
No one spoke.Mr. Sterling tried again, careful now. “Belle is winning with younger buyers. TikTok. Influencers. Viral campaigns. We’re still relying on traditional marketing.”Sophia nodded once. “Then we evolve.”She faced the entire room now.“I want a full list of top beauty influencers. Every platform. Every follower count. Who they work with. Who they hate. Who they can be persuaded.”A pause.“We’re going to take them.”Ms. Crystal frowned. “That could cost millions.”Sophia didn’t even blink.“It could cost billions to lose.”Her gaze swept across the table sharp, challenging.“I’m willing to spend whatever it takes.”A beat.“Are you?”No one answered.Another executive spoke up. Ms. Vance. Product Development. "Ms. Langston, the board has concerns about your leadership. The recent firings. The aggressive tactics. People are talking."Sophia walked slowly toward Ms. Vance. Her heels clicked on the floor like gunshots."Let them talk." She stopped in front of her. "I don't ca
LANGSTON MANOR – MORNINGDamien stood by the window, his coffee was in hand while he was staring out at the perfectly trimmed gardens like they might give him answers. His shoulder was fine now. The wound had healed into a thin scar.But inside? Something still felt wrong. Heavy.Behind him, the bathroom door opened.Sophia stepped out like she had everything under control silk robe, perfect hair, not a single flaw on her face. She smiled when she saw him.“You’re up early.”Damien didn’t turn. “Couldn’t sleep.”She walked over slowly and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her cheek against his back. “Bad dreams My Love?”A small pause.“You could say that.”She leaned in closer, trying to pull him into her warmth. “I can help with that.”But he didn’t move. Didn’t react.That’s when she knew.Sophia pulled back and looked at him properly. Her smile faded, little by little.“You’re thinking about her again.”Damien finally turned, his expression tired. “I’m thinking about a l
FAVINO PENTHOUSE – THE NEXT MORNINGThe morning sun came through the big windows. Amelia sat at the kitchen table in her bathrobe. The folder Victor had given her lay open in front of her. Photos. Bank records. Secrets.Her younger sister Valentina walked in, yawning. She was still in her pajamas, her hair a mess. She poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down across from Amelia.Valentina pointed at the folder. "What's that?""Insurance," Amelia said quietly.Valentina frowned. "Insurance for what?""For the war. Against Don Eduardo. Against Alexander. Against all of them."Valentina stared at her sister. Her eyes went from Amelia's face to the folder and back again. "You're going to use it? Whatever is in there?"Amelia looked down at the evidence. Pictures of Catalina Reyes with another man. Letters. Proof of money being stolen from her own father."I don't know yet," Amelia admitted.Valentina shook her head. "Yes, you do know. You're just afraid to admit it to yourself."Ameli
VICTOR SANTOS'S OFFICE – LATE THAT NIGHTThe office was hidden in an old, dirty building. No name on the door. No windows facing the street. You could walk past it a hundred times and never know it was there.Inside, Victor Santos sat behind a massive wooden desk. His hands were folded in front of him. His eyes were sharp like a knife. He was Alejandro's uncle. The mafia connection. The man who fixed problems that couldn't be fixed legally. The man who made people disappear.Amelia sat across from him. Her hands were in her lap. Her face looked calm, but inside she was tired. Very tired.Victor studied her for a long moment. Then he spoke."You look tired, Amelia.""I am tired," she admitted."Good." Victor nodded slowly. "Tired people make better decisions. They don't waste time on emotion. Emotion gets people killed."Amelia almost smiled. "Is that why you wanted to meet with me so late?"Victor leaned back in his chair. It creaked under his weight. "I heard about Don Eduardo.
THE FAVINO ESTATE — LATE MORNINGThe house felt different after Marisa left.Amelia noticed it first.The servants moved softly, avoiding eye contact. Phones were kept on silent. Even the sunlight pouring through the tall windows felt restrained, like it didn’t want to interrupt whatever storm was
ALEJANDRO STUDY~SPAINShe opened her eyes wide and stared right into his. As he watched her lose control from his touch, all the walls between them came crashing down. This wasn't just about their bodies it was giving in completely, becoming one, like a promise whispered in the shadows."Oh God, t
THE GUERRA ESTATE ~ SPAIN Gabriella burst into her father’s study at the Guerra estate.Her hair was messy, her makeup streaked, and her eyes were wild with anger.“He humiliated me!” she yelled. “He threw me out like trash!”She didn’t wait for Esteban to respond.“Alejandro had his guards drag m
The door clicked shut behind Alejandro. The silence hit immediately.Amelia let out a slow breath and pressed both hands to the desk. “Get it together,” she muttered to herself.She looked at her reflection in the mirror again. Hair slightly messy. Cheeks flushed. Eyes too bright.“Great,” she sigh







