جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 100

NYLAI sat in the temporary office, the file still open, the old contract documents staring back at me. Kael’s name was right there, listed as a negotiator on the project. Why would he do that if he knew everything about me? If he knew how much this company meant to me, how I had grown up inside these walls, learning at my father’s side? The betrayal cut deeper than I expected, mixing with the memory of his arms around me on the mountain, the surprise birthday, the way he had looked at me like I was the only thing that mattered.Before I could spiral further, the door to my office burst open. Mia Hangrove strode in without knocking, her heels clicking sharply on the floor, her designer coat perfectly tailored. She looked every bit the polished heiress they said she was.“Where is Kael?” she demanded, eyes scanning the room as if he might be hiding behind a filing cabinet. “I need to speak to him right now.”I stood slowly, crossing my arms. “This isn’t Kael’s office. If you want t

NYLAI wanted to chase after Kael the second he turned away, my feet already moving before my brain caught up. But I knew I still had work to do. The emergency vote in a few hours wouldn’t pause for me.I forced myself back into the temporary office, shut the door, and buried myself in the final push. We worked straight through dinner.“These numbers look solid,” I told them at four o’clock. “But we need more. Push the loyalty bundle harder. Offer an extra month of support if they sign by tomorrow.”My assistant, Sarah nodded. “I’m sending the revised proposals now. One client already replied positively.”By eight at night the office had emptied except for me. I stared at the updated projections, the tie from the presentation still stinging. Jason had somehow matched my momentum. I packed my bag and told the driver waiting outside, “Take me to Kael’s penthouse.”The ride felt too long. When we arrived, two bodyguards stood at the entrance. I approached them quickly.“Is Kael here? I n

NYLA She had that same confident tilt to her chin like the room would eventually adjust to her presence whether anyone liked it or not. I didn’t give her that satisfaction. “I don’t want to talk to you.” My voice came out flat, she didn't even flinch. Instead, her lips curved into a very uninterested smile. “That’s unfortunate,” she said, closing the door behind her like she had all the time in the world. “Because I didn’t come here for tea and biscuits.” Kael didn’t move from where he stood near the door. His face was already firm with annoyance. “So, I reject you and the next best thing for you, is to follow me around? How pathetic,” Mia took a few steps closer, “I came to help her.” she said, shifting her gaze to me. “You were at my office a few days ago, threatening me and now you want to help me? You mistake me for a fool.” I let out a quiet breath in disbelief “You shouldn’t be surprised,” she replied calmly. “Kael knows I'm full of surprises. And now I’m the o

JASONI leaned against the wall outside the suite, phone pressed to my ear, listening to Mia’s voice come through.“She’s vulnerable right now,” Mia said. “I’ll pretend to offer help. Make her think I’m giving her a way out. I’ll drop the pregnancy bomb and walk out. That’s when you come in, your job is to corner her and make her crumble. She’ll be forced to skip town or play by our rules.”I smirked, the plan tasting sweet. “You really think she’ll buy it?”Mia laughed softly. “She’s stupid enough to believe any help will be given to her. Just you wait and see. She’ll reach for anything that looks like a lifeline.”The line went dead. I slipped the phone into my pocket and waited the agreed minute before pushing the door open.The scene inside stopped me for half a second. Nyla looked terrible with a pale face. Kael stood beside her in a robe, eyes already glaring in fury. Their confused expressions were exactly what Mia had promised.“What the hell are you doing here?” Nyla demanded

MIA"Will you be needing anything ma'am?" I shot her a death stare as she scurried away.The plan was working. That was the thing I kept telling myself as I set my phone down on the dresser.It was working exactly the way it was supposed to. Nyla was shaken, certainly the board chairman would discard whatever accusations she had. By monday morning everything would fall into place the way I'd mapped it out. I should have been satisfied.So why did I still feel tensed?I grabbed my bag before the thought finished itself. Standing still was making it worse. I needed to talk to someone who actually understood the full picture, and there was only one person on this earth who did. I was in my car before I fully decided.Evans lived in one of those neighborhoods that was quiet. The kind of people always purchased such houses specifically for pride sake. The house was dark when I pulled up, I didn't care. I knocked anyway, three sharp raps, and then pushed the door when I heard the lock g