The hospital corridors had quieted now, the chaos of the earlier hours fading into an uneasy calm. The night outside pressed softly against the glass windows, bringing with it the gentle hum of city lights and the occasional cry of an ambulance far in the distance. The scent of antiseptic lingered in the air, oddly comforting in its own sterile way.Avery stood by the vending machine, though she made no effort to make a selection. Her hand rested against the cold metal, her thoughts far from snacks or caffeine. Her gaze was fixed ahead, but her mind was still in that hospital room—watching her father’s chest rise and fall with labored breaths, hearing his voice as he spoke of Stephen like he was still part of their family.She could still feel the guilt clinging to her chest, a dull ache that wouldn’t leave.A moment later, the soft scuff of footsteps pulled her out of her trance. It was Justin, carrying two paper cups of coffee. He approached without a word, his gaze lingering on her
Avery sat quietly in the hospital’s waiting lounge beside Shane, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. The sun had started to rise outside the tall window, casting a soft orange glow across the sterile white floors. Neither of them had slept, and their father still hadn’t fully woken. The last few hours felt stretched thin, like fragile glass about to crack.“Can I see him now?” Avery asked gently as a nurse passed by with a chart.The nurse smiled politely. “We’re preparing his private room now. Just a few more minutes.”Shane leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, his face shadowed with exhaustion and barely held-together emotion. “He looked so pale when they wheeled him in,” he muttered. “I’ve seen him tired, angry, even sick… but never like that.”Avery said nothing, because she didn’t have a comforting reply. She had never seen their father as vulnerable either. It terrified her.Not long after, a nurse reappeared, gesturing to them. “You can go in now. He’s awake but weak.
Avery descended the marble steps of the rooftop lounge, her heels clicking rhythmically beneath her. The night air had grown colder, stinging against her skin, but the pressure in her chest left her feeling hotter with every step. The party still buzzed behind her—music, laughter, the gentle hum of wealth and power—but she needed to be away from it.Away from the lies.From Tamer’s smirks. From Justin’s quiet, unreadable eyes. From the cracks forming in a world she had just begun to rebuild.Her mind was a maze of tangled thoughts as she climbed into the waiting black car. Justin held the door for her, as always, his face tight but unreadable. She gave him a tired nod and slid into the back seat, letting the soft leather cradle her weight.She didn’t speak for the entire ride home. Not to Justin. Not to herself.All she wanted was one night of peace, one moment to be still.But fate—fickle and cruel—had other plans.—The call came just as she was stepping out of her heels, alone in t
The glow of the chandeliers inside the lounge cast a soft golden hue over the glittering guests, laughter and music echoing through the room as the celebration wore on. From the outside, the event was flawless—champagne flowing, deals being whispered in corners, and glasses raised in honor of Shane Rodrigo, who now basked in the limelight beside powerful men and women who once doubted him.But just beyond the surface of glamour and gold, deception crackled beneath the velvet air like electricity.Justin stood near the entrance, watching Avery from a distance as she moved gracefully through the crowd. Her smile was practiced, her voice polished, but he could see the fatigue in her eyes. She was doing everything she could to hold this empire together—to lead, to protect, to make everyone believe she had everything under control.He wanted to tell her everything—about Tamer, about the call to Susan, about the plan to marry her just to take control of the company. But every time he starte
Tamer stood on the terrace, watching as Avery disappeared into the crowd of guests inside the party. The cool night air brushed against his skin, and a slow, satisfied smile spread across his face. He hadn’t missed the way she’d avoided his question about the kiss. The way she had brushed him off with a smile and a casual “Goodnight” told him more than she realized. Avery was falling for him—slowly, maybe, but undeniably. And he knew exactly how to use that to his advantage.With a deliberate glance around to ensure no one was nearby, Tamer pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed a familiar number. He waited for a few rings, pacing slowly across the terrace as he did, before a voice answered on the other end.“Tamer,” came the smooth, confident voice of Susan Anderson—Stephen’s mother. There was a subtle edge of impatience in her tone, but also a hint of anticipation. “I was wondering when I’d hear from you. I assume things are going according to plan?”Tamer smirked, leaning cas
The sounds of laughter and clinking glasses echoed faintly behind them as Avery and Shane stepped out onto the quiet terrace, away from the prying eyes of the guests still reveling inside the party. The cool night air offered a much-needed respite from the tense atmosphere of the evening, and for the first time since the event began, Avery felt she could finally breathe.Shane, standing beside her, let out a long sigh, running a hand through his hair in frustration. His earlier anger had subsided, replaced now by a look of guilt and exhaustion. He leaned against the railing, staring out at the city lights, his shoulders hunched as if the weight of everything was finally catching up to him.“I’m sorry, Avery,” Shane muttered, breaking the silence. His voice was low, but the sincerity in his tone was unmistakable. “I let Stephen get to me. I shouldn’t have let him manipulate me like that.”Avery turned to look at him, her expression softening. She had suspected as much. Stephen had alw
The atmosphere of the rooftop event had shifted once again, and as the night deepened, the celebratory mood began to settle back in. Guests mingled with renewed enthusiasm, sipping their drinks and exchanging business cards, oblivious to the simmering tension beneath the surface. Avery was standing by one of the high tables, deep in conversation with a few of the investors when she noticed Shane approaching from the corner of her eye.He moved through the crowd with a determined stride, his eyes locked on her. Avery could see the fire still burning in his gaze, though something about his expression suggested a deeper conflict. He was clearly still seething from the conversation with Stephen, but she could tell he had something on his mind.“Shane,” she greeted him warmly, a smile already forming on her lips. “What a perfect timing.”Shane paused, slightly taken aback by her welcoming tone. “Avery, I—” he began, but before he could finish, Avery reached for his hand, pulling him close
The aftermath of Stephen’s public display hung heavily over the gathering. Avery had made her stance clear, and though the whispers hadn’t fully subsided, she had asserted herself in a way that earned her a degree of respect from those present. However, the tension was far from gone.Stephen stood by the bar, nursing another drink, his mind swirling with frustration. He had hoped his little speech would stir doubts about Avery’s ability to lead, but she had turned the tables on him with her bold response. As he downed his whiskey, his eyes scanned the room until they landed on Shane, standing alone in the corner, watching everything unfold with a brooding expression.An idea sparked in Stephen’s mind. He had always been good at reading people, and Shane’s simmering resentment toward Avery was a tool waiting to be exploited. A cruel smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he made his way toward Shane.“Well, well,” Stephen said, his tone mocking as he approached. “The great Rodrigo
The air in the rooftop lounge seemed to crackle with tension as Avery stood by the edge of the gathering, her cheek still faintly red from the confrontation with Susan Anderson. Despite the uneasy calm that had settled over the event after the slap, the celebration continued, albeit with hushed whispers spreading throughout the crowd. Avery tried to shake off the lingering effects of the altercation, focusing on the well-wishers and sponsors who were still discussing the success of the GreenWave Technologies project.Just as she was beginning to feel like the night might regain its momentum, a sudden shift in the atmosphere caught her attention. A murmur spread through the crowd as eyes turned toward the entrance. People began to whisper, and the hum of conversation faded as Richard Rodrigo, Avery’s father, entered the gathering, supported slightly by Shane at his side.For a moment, Avery froze, her heart skipping a beat. She hadn’t expected her father to come, not in his weakened s