LOGINSTONE INDUSTRIES~ NEW YORK "Mr. Blackwood," Amelia said, not bothering to stand. "You have a strange definition of 'appointment.'"He stepped inside, letting the heavy door click shut behind him. His eyes swept the room, pausing on Ariana, who was now awkwardly trying to sit up straighter on the couch. He gave a slight, dismissive nod before his gaze landed back on Amelia."Some matters are too urgent for appointments," he said, his voice a low rumble. "And too delicate for secretaries.""Iris, please give us the room," Amelia said, her eyes never leaving Blackwood. "And hold all my calls."As the secretary rushed out, Ariana pushed herself up from the couch. “I should be on my way out let me give you too privacy ”“Stay,” Amelia and Alexander said at the same time.Amelia shot him a sharp look, then turned to Ariana. “Please. Stay.”Ariana hesitated, then slowly sat back down, her eyes moving between them.Amelia leaned against her desk, folding her arms. “So,” she said coolly, “t
NICHOLAS HALE APARTMENT ~ NEW YORK The kiss hit like fire weeks of tension spilling out all at once. No holding back. His hands tangled in her hair, tilting her head deeper into his. She gripped his sweater, pulling him close until there was no space between them.He tasted like wine and heat, everything she’d been denying herself. She moaned, and he responded with a low growl that shook her chest.When they finally pulled back, both gasping, his dark eyes burned with desire.He didn’t hesitate. He took her hand and led her upstairs.The bedroom was big, dark wood, white sheets, city lights sparkling through the windows. He turned her to face him, fingers brushing the strap of her dress.“Last chance to lecture me about conflicts of interest,” he said, a teasing curve to his lips.She smirked and yanked his sweater over his head. “Shut up, Nicholas.”He laughed low, rough and then his mouth was on hers again. He walked her backward until her knees hit the bed. Clothes came off in a
THE GUERRA GRAND MANSION~ SPAINGabriella stepped into her sunlit bedroom at the family villa outside Madrid. The red dress from last night still draped over a chair, a trophy of her victory. Her skin still tingled from Alejandro’s hands, his desperate kisses, the way he’d lost control. She let herself smile a sharp, triumphant curve.She picked up her phone and dialed. The line connected on the second ring.“Papá,” she said, voice smooth, controlled, and a little satisfied.“Speak,” Esteban Guerra’s deep, cold voice answered. “He’s taking the bait,” she said, letting a slow, deliberate pause hang. “Alejandro… he gave in last night. On the balcony. Completely. He couldn’t resist me.”A low hum of approval came through the line. “Good. Very good. The family dinner is next week?”“Yes. He’ll invite me. I know him too well to think otherwise.”“Make sure he does,” Esteban said, tone icy with pleasure. “Make him need you. Remember, Gabriella, the goal isn’t just a wedding ring on your f
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OFFICE~ NEW YORK Katherine was hunched over her desk, scanning another brutal draft term sheet, when her phone buzzed. Nicholas Hale’s name flashed on the screen. Her stomach gave an odd little flip. She answered.“Hale,” she said, trying for neutral.“Rodriguez. I’ve got news that can’t be explained over email or across a conference table.”“Good news or bad news?” she asked, pen hovering over a clause about asset divestitures.“Depends. Are you still surviving on coffee and sad takeout?”She glanced at the half-eaten container of limp salad at the corner of her desk. “It’s efficient,” she muttered.“That’s a tragedy,” he said. “I’m finishing the counter-offer to Ariadne tonight. I need a second brain to look it over one that doesn’t charge by the hour. Mine. At my place. I’ll cook. You can critique my clauses and my carbonara.”Katherine leaned back in her chair. Dinner. At his place a very bad idea. And yet… it sounded better than anything else in weeks.“
ORTEGA DINNER ~ SPAIN“Is that Gabriella Guerra?” a woman murmured. “God… she looks dangerous.”“After everything with the Favino ships?” another whispered. “And she shows up like this? The nerve. So calm. So untouchable.”Gabriella began her descent, heels clicking softly against the marble. She moved slowly, gracefully, like she owned the room. People stepped aside without realizing they were doing it.She stopped near a familiar face Isabella Ortega, dressed in diamonds and polite curiosity.“Lovely to see you,” Gabriella said smoothly, her voice warm and effortless.Isabella blinked, clearly caught off guard “Gabriella… you look stunning.”“Thank you,” Gabriella replied with a small smile that never quite reached her eyes.Then the mood shifted.Alejandro Favino arrived.The room seemed to dim around him as he stepped inside. Tall. Broad-shouldered. His black tuxedo fit him perfectly, sharp and expensiveHe paused near the bar when a familiar voice stopped him.“Alejandro. I was h
INT. BLACKWOOD INDUSTRIES – KATHERINE’S OFFICE – LATERThe room was no longer frozen in panic. Now it buzzed with sharp, nervous energy.Nicholas Hale stood by the table, calm and precise in his tailored suit. Papers were spread everywhere contracts, numbers, projections. Katherine paced back and forth like a trapped animal. Vivian sat stiffly in a chair, eyes locked on Nicholas, her expression guarded. She didn’t trust easy answers.Nicholas ended a quiet phone call and set his phone down. “I’ve spoken to their representative,” he said. “The Ariadne Group is… aggressive. But they’re real. And the money they’re offering is enough to wipe out the Cortez case and fix our worst debt problems.”Katherine stopped pacing. “So they can save us.”Vivian didn’t move. “What’s the price?” she asked sharply.Nicholas met her gaze. “What they call ‘total cooperation.’”Vivian’s jaw tightened. “Meaning?”“A full reset,” he said calmly. “They’ll want the board cleared out. New leadership they app







