Seraphina watched the metropolitan cityscape unfold below her as she stood by her penthouse's wide windows. Although she had always enjoyed the authority that came with shaping the story, she felt a fresh sense of fulfilment today. As she completed the draft of a message to a reliable reporter, she tapped the screen of her phone. Muttering to herself, "This should be just the right touch," The fabricated tale about Lillian was audacious, yet it included enough veracity to be plausible. It was going to do incalculable harm. A smirk pulled at her lips as her fingers lingered over the send button, and then she tapped it one last time to send the message. Notifications buzzed on the phone a few moments later. The press had attacked. As word got out, Lillian was charged with business espionage. It was the ideal weapon. Knowing that Lillian would be the one drowning after her well-planned blow, Seraphina waited as the tide started to turn. Lillian sat at her gorgeous mahogany workstation
Sitting by himself in his office, Damon could hardly hear the constant bustle of the city outside. Even though the afternoon sun was shining brightly through the wide windows, the room felt cool. His gaze, burdened by a hundred unsaid ideas, strayed to a picture of a woman from a bygone era that now appeared far away and alien. Lillian. Before the barriers she now wore like armor had solidified around her, the picture caught her in a rare moment of vulnerability. A reminder of the faith he had once had,trust he had betrayed,her gentle and trusting smile now seemed to mock him. A feeling of yearning tore at him as his fingertips lingered over the frame. It was only now that he understood how much he missed her. The way her eyes would light up when she discovered anything, anything, worth being thrilled about, her laughter, and her keen wit. Now, it was really difficult to recall those days when their relationship was so... complex. Shaking his head, he struggled to control the surge
Lillian watched the city below her, a jungle of steel and glass, pulse as she stood by her office's enormous glass window. She was tormented by the news headline on her phone, and the steady hum of traffic seemed far away and unimportant. As the words sank in like a slow poison, her fingers grew tighter around the screen. The Harrison Group's main asset is purchased by Blackwood Industries. Her face was emptied of blood. It had caught her off guard. Not this action. She had spent years cultivating the most profitable portion for her company, which now belonged to Damon Blackwood. A man she believed she could outsmart, control, and influence. Now, though? It hurt more than she had anticipated since he had outplayed her. She made a small line with her lips. There was no hesitancy, no terror. Just resolve. "Ms Harrison, are you alright?" With a note of worry in her voice, her assistant's voice broke the stillness. Lillian's demeanour seemed unconcerned as she looked over her shoulder. T
The atmosphere in Damon's office was oppressive and tense. Clenching his hands at his sides, he walked in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. Lillian was all his mind could focus on. She had hit first; he had not anticipated it. The report on his desk was scathing. A single deliberate action had shredded one of his major investments. "Damn it," Damon grumbled under his breath, scowling at the page's figures. The takeover was a message, not only a corporate move. Lillian was moving with accuracy. Without a second thought, he picked up his phone and called his contacts. On the first ring, his assistant Jeremy answered. Bring the board together. Damon snapped now, his words laced with rage. Waiting, he couldn't get rid of Lillian's calculating grin. She was far too smart for her own benefit, which drove him crazy. She had always been a step ahead, but now she had crossed the boundary. Do they believe they can use me? Damon's voice was a low growl with a menacing undertone. We sha
Damon strode around the large room, his thoughts whirling like the storm clouds outside. Though his attention was miles away, the glass walls of his penthouse provided a stunning view of the city. Lillian's recent acquisition had really upset him; now, a fresh difficulty had appeared. Hearing the door to his office open, he turned to face the man standing in the doorway. Jaxon stood there, his countenance unreadable, his wide shoulders filling the screen. His gaze was icy, a warning Damon was not in the mood to follow. Damon snarled, "Get out," but Jaxon stayed planted, slowly and purposefully walking inside. As he said, Jaxon sounded almost aloof and quiet. Damon, she's not only a business associate. She's off-limits. Damon's temper surged; the words stung with an unanticipated sharpness. You believe you can govern me, Jaxon? His voice was low, menacing. You have no clue what you're walking into. Jaxon kept looking. I know just what I'm entering. Blackwood, you are overstepping.
Damon, what is wrong? She asked, moving closer and sounding worried in her voice. You have been distant of late. What occurred? Her query, weak and unsure, lingered in the air. Damon didn't even glance up to see her. His thoughts miles away, he looked absorbed in his own world. Before he eventually looked up, a small sigh slipped from his lips; his eyes were frigid and far away. Damon said flatly, without feeling, "Seraphina, I have larger issues now." For a brief moment, his gaze flashed to her, but there was no warmth, no love, no anything. His comments made Seraphina's heart sink. The man who had before been so enthralled with her was now a stranger. It struck her like a slap in the face. She was no longer the main focus. He didn't even consider her in his head. Trying to hide the pain threatening to consume her, she forced a grin and swallowed hard. "I see," she murmured, her voice calm but frigid. The stillness between them was thick and stifling. She could now sense the sep