Semua Bab Billionaire: Bab 41 - Bab 45

I wasn't surprised when Elise sent me an invitation.Sara, if you have time, I'd like to talk to you informally. Not as representatives of the foundation or GCI. But as women who happen to be working on the same project.The location is at a small café in Kreuzberg. Too quiet for a meeting, but too public for an open confrontation.I arrived on time.Elise was already seated. Her tea was almost finished. She wore plain black clothing. Minimal makeup, but her aura remained… elegantly intimidating.“Sara,” she greeted me with a neutral smile. “Glad you came.”I sat across from her. “Me too. Better to talk directly than make assumptions.” She nodded. “Exactly.” The waiter came. I only ordered an espresso. Elise refused a refill. “I just wanted you to sit for a moment. Not steal your day.” I looked at her. “You don’t need to steal it. I came here on purpose to listen.”She smiled again. Wider, but sharper.“Let’s get straight to it,” she said. “I know you and Matthias are together.

Berlin welcomed me with drizzle and orange light from the tram windows. I returned with a small suitcase and a wooden box from Görlitz. The more important thing than all of that was a calmness that no longer demanded explanations from others.I didn't come to ask Matt to change. I didn’t come to mend what was broken. I came to see—clearly—whether this love could survive, not because it had to… but because it still wanted to.***The apartment was quiet when I opened the door. Matt was sitting in the living room. Gray sweater. Messy hair. He didn’t get up. He didn’t panic. He just… stared.I closed the door. Put down the suitcase and walked slowly towards him. “How many days were you there?” he asked. “Three. But it felt… enough to age.” He smiled slightly. But his eyes remained restless. “I didn’t bother you while you were there,” he said. “Not because I didn’t want to. But because I knew… you needed to be alone.” I sat across from him. The distance between us wasn’t as far

PART 45“The delegation from Brussels will arrive this afternoon,” Rachel said at the Monday morning meeting. “They want to review how the Arini Division is being run after the restructuring.”I nodded. “Prepare the documents, show them everything transparently. They need to see that we are being honest.”Rachel hesitated for a moment. “One more thing…”I turned my head.“The head of the delegation is Elise Wagner.”A second of silence, enough to make the entire room hold its breath.I nodded again—his time more slowly.“Alright. We’ll welcome her with the necessary formalities.”But inside my chest, something opened up again.Elise arrived that afternoon, on time as usual. Her hair neatly tied back with a white blazer hug her body. Not too formal, but sufficiently distant. I stood to greet her in the foundation’s lobby. “Elise,” I said. “Sara,” she replied. A faint smile. Cold, but not insulting. Like someone who knew she wasn’t there as a guest, but not as a friend either.W