Semua Bab Empire of Her Own: Bab 1 - Bab 8

I didn’t sleep.I lay beside Liam in the dark, staring at the ceiling as his breathing evened out, deep and unbothered. He slept the way only people without guilt could—fast, heavy, complete.The woman in the red dress never stayed the night.I knew because Liam came to bed an hour later, smelling of cologne and toothpaste, sliding under the covers like nothing had happened. He didn’t touch me. Didn’t apologize. Didn’t explain.He never did.At some point near dawn, I closed my eyes—not to rest, but to survive.The morning arrived dressed in routine.Sunlight spilled through the curtains, catching on glass and chrome. The penthouse looked immaculate, as if the night before hadn’t cracked something open in me.Liam moved through the bedroom like a man who owned it—and me. He buttoned his shirt, glanced at his watch, and spoke without looking up.“You’ll be ready by seven,” he said. “Board dinner tonight. Sinclair Global reps will be there.”Sinclair Global.Again.My pulse ticked faste

Betrayal doesn’t arrive all at once.It seeps in—through gaps you didn’t know existed—until one day you look around and realize the room you’re standing in is no longer the one you built together.I learned that on a Tuesday.Liam left early, claiming a breakfast meeting. He kissed my cheek in passing, already scrolling through his phone, and didn’t notice when I flinched.As soon as the door closed, I stood there for a long moment, listening to the echo of his footsteps fade down the hall.Then I moved.I didn’t grab my purse. I didn’t change out of my robe. I slipped into the guest bedroom, pulled my burner phone from the drawer, and dialed Naomi.“I need confirmation,” I said without preamble.Naomi didn’t pretend not to understand. “I was hoping you wouldn’t.”“I’m done hoping,” I replied. “I need truth.”There was a pause, the faint sound of typing. Naomi worked fast when she needed to.“Give me an hour,” she said. “And Ava—”“Yes?”“Once you see this, you won’t be able to unsee

The first headline appeared three days after the divorce was finalized.SINCLAIR GLOBAL ANNOUNCES NEW CEOThe article was polite. Conservative. Almost boring.That was intentional.No photos. No background. No personal history beyond a vague mention of “extensive international experience.”I read it from the quiet of my apartment, coffee cooling in my hand, pulse steady.Liam wouldn’t notice it yet.Men like him never did—until something touched their ego.At Hayes Innovations, the mood shifted before the reason became clear.Liam felt it in the way conversations stopped when he entered rooms. In the way his CFO cleared his throat before speaking. In the way investors suddenly asked sharper questions.“You’re sure Sinclair is still interested?” Darren asked during their morning meeting.Liam waved him off. “They want us. They just want leverage.”Darren hesitated. “They’re moving fast. Aggressive restructuring. New leadership.”“Good,” Liam said. “That means they’re nervous.”He didn’

Liam didn’t sleep that night.He lay awake in his penthouse—their penthouse, though the word felt wrong now—staring at the ceiling as Ava Sinclair replayed behind his eyes like a puzzle he couldn’t solve.Her posture. Her voice. The way she’d looked at him without asking for anything.It unsettled him more than anger ever could.Across the city, I slept soundly for the first time in months.Not because I was at peace—but because my body finally believed I was safe.Morning light spilled across my apartment, warm and unapologetic. I woke slowly, stretching, letting myself exist without anticipating someone else’s needs.When I checked my phone, three missed calls blinked on the screen.Liam.I didn’t listen to the voicemails.I didn’t need to.At Sinclair Global, the ripple from yesterday’s meeting had already spread.Executives spoke in quieter tones. Assistants moved faster. The energy was alert, sharpened.Pierce joined me in my office just before noon.“He asked for another meeti