Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 81 - Chapitre 90

Seraphina's POVThe guest suite in Sterling’s house felt less like a sanctuary and more like a gilded cage. I was trapped between two monsters. One who wanted to break me under the guise of protection, and another who had already discarded me at his gates.At 3:14 AM, the blue light of my phone cut through the darkness. A notification pinged—an email from the Hartley Group’s HR department. My heart hammered against my ribs as I opened it, expecting a formal termination notice.Subject: Reinstatement of Position - Seraphina AshfordDear Miss Ashford, after a thorough internal review of the recent administrative incident, we are pleased to inform you that your suspension has been lifted, effective immediately. Your contributions to the Anderson project have been re-evaluated, and we value your continued commitment to the firm. Please report to your desk at 9:00 AM today. All records of the previous dispute have been expunged.I sat

Seraphina's POVMadison’s laughter followed me like a physical stench as I walked away, but I didn't turn back. I didn't give her the satisfaction of a reaction. In the past, her barbs about my "cheap hems" or my "thrift store" style would have stung, making me pull at my sleeves and wish I could disappear into the sidewalk. Now, they just felt like static noise. I had a promotion to secure, a project to lead, and a father to save. I didn't have room in my schedule for Madison Harrison's insecurity.The subway ride back to Sterling’s was a blur of mental preparation. V-Logistics Group. Santa Maria Logistics. The names on the blue folder Henderson had handed me were a constant drumbeat in my head. It was a Vitale company.“This will be the last time we see each other,” he had told me in California.“Go home. Staying here won't change his mind,” Nico had said in the rain.As I reached the penthouse, I focused on the task at hand rather than the man behind the curtain. I didn't let mysel

 Sterling’s POVThe crystal chandeliers of the Plaza ballroom felt like they were mocking me, their shimmering light reflecting off the surface of a world I was rapidly losing my grip on. My father was a ghost, the Ashford accounts were frozen in a mess of litigation, and my name—once a golden ticket in this city—was starting to smell like rot.But tonight was supposed to be the turning point.I straightened my cuffs, ignoring the slight tremor in my hands. I had spent the last week groveling at Vivienne’s feet, whispering promises of devotion, weathering her tantrums about her "illness" and her demands for constant attention. It had been exhausting, degrading work, but it was a necessary investment. Tonight, Vivienne had promised to officially introduce me to Lorenzo Vitale as her partner.With the Vitale shadow behind me, the creditors would vanish. The Prescott name would be resurrected.That

Lorenzo's POV"I have no 'special' relationship with Mr. Vitale," Seraphina’s voice cut through the heavy air of the hallway, as cold and clinical. "We aren't even friends. We aren't even acquainted beyond the scope of the merger. I am an analyst, and he is a client. That is all."The words felt like a physical slap. I stood there, my face a mask of granite, but inside, a dark, hot irritation flared. She was dismissing me. Denying everything.I watched her walk away, her spine straight.  She didn't look back. I wanted to reach out, to grab her arm and force her to admit the fire I knew was burning beneath that professional veneer.  But I remained motionless. A Vitale does not chase. We command.Beside me, Sterling Prescott let out a long, audible breath. I could see the renewal of hope in his eyes, the smug satisfaction that if she was nothing to me."Daddy?" Vivienne’s voice broke through my thoughts, high-pi

Seraphina's POVI'd done what I came here to do. Delivered my presentation. Smiled politely. Made small talk with investors who barely looked at me. Now all I wanted was to get out of this dress, out of this building, out of my own skin.But the terrace was calling to me.Through the glass doors, I could see the empty stone balcony overlooking Central Park. Cold. Dark. Quiet. Everything I needed right now.I slipped outside. The cold was a relief. It numbed the ache that had been building in my chest since the moment I saw them together in that hallway.Sterling and Vivienne.He'd told her he loved her. Out loud. In front of everyone. In front of Lorenzo.I shouldn't care. I'd moved on.But seeing him look at her the way he used to look at me---My fingers tightened on the stone railing.No. I wasn't going to cry. Not over him. Not anymore.The door opened behind me. I tensed, expecting Lorenzo, or worse, Vivienne come to gloat."You looked like you needed rescuing."I turned.The man