Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 101 - Chapitre 110

Serena’s POVThe cab pulled to a smooth stop a few meters from the back entrance of Rhodes Inc. I paid the driver, stepped out, and immediately noticed the crowd hanging around the building.A block away, beyond the heavy perimeter gates, the high, restless chatter of people vibrated through the concrete. Reporters, camera crews, and union banners had gathered outside the corporate headquarters front entrance, their presence swelling like a tide around the building.I stepped through the back entrance into the underground garage, the cool air wrapping around me as my heels echoed against the concrete.Killian was already out of the car, having arrived some minutes earlier. He stood beside the driver’s door with one hand pressed firmly against his temple, his fingers buried in his hair. His eyes were squeezed shut, his jaw drawn tight against what was clearly a vicious surge of pain from his concussion. He had managed to put his suit jacket back on, but his collar was open, his tie han

Serena’s POVMy gaze moved calmly around the table, studying every face and placing each person under quiet suspicion.“The stock took a three percent hit the moment the union story went public,” Harrison, a senior director, said, tapping his pen against his notepad. “Investors are nervous. Killian, shouldn’t we cut our losses on the waterfront site? Pause any further expansion plans until this settles?”The room went quiet.Killian leaned back slightly in his chair, his expression unreadable. He looked around the table, letting the silence stretch for a moment before his gaze settled on Harrison.“Give me one solid reason why we should abandon an eighty-million-dollar investment,” he said calmly. “If you can give me one, I’ll do just that.”Harrison opened his mouth, then hesitated.Killian waited, perfectly still.No one else at the table spoke.“If we stop, we lose our international partners and damage our credibility,” David finally interjected, rubbing his brow. “We can’t simply p

Killian’s POVThe light from the pen-torch flashed once, twice, direct into my eyes. I blinked, the white beam piercing the lingering dull ache behind my temples.“Pupils are equal and reactive,” Dr. Vance murmured, setting the light down on the metal tray beside the bed. He reached out, his thumb and forefinger lightly pressing against the base of my skull, testing the subtle swelling near the hairline. “Any nausea when you turned your head just now? Any blurred vision?”“No,” I replied. My throat felt scraped raw, but the dizziness had long since subsided. “I’m fine.”“You’re stubborn,” Vance corrected gently, sliding his stethoscope around his neck. “A concussion isn’t something you walk off because you have a company to run, Killian. But physically, your vitals are stable. You’re good to go. Just keep off the heavy exertion for as long as possible.”Behind the doctor, the curtain was pulled back, and Vivian stepped forward. The tension around her shoulders seemed to melt away all a

Serena's POVFor three long seconds, neither of us moved. His gaze dropped to my lips, and his grip on my waist tightened just a fraction, pulling me into the narrow threshold of a choice.Chime.The lift came to a complete stop, and the heavy doors slid open smoothly, revealing the bright, marble-tiled expanse of the empty ground-floor lobby.The sudden flood of bright light broke the spell. Killian didn't push me away, but he didn't kiss me either. He stepped back, stabilizing me until I had my footing, though his hand remained wrapped tightly around mine."I'll drive you home," he said, his voice rough and completely firm as he began leading me out of the elevator toward the private garage exit."Killian, no, you don't have to do that," I said, trying to pull my hand back, though my voice lacked its usual sharp authority. "I can just get a car.""You're working past eight o'clock because of my schedule," he said, refusing to release his grip as we walked down the quiet access corri

Serena's POVI was thrown sideways off my feet, airborne for a fraction of a second before tumbling onto the hard concrete. The SUV thundered past the exact spot where I had been standing a second ago, the rush of cold air dragging against my clothes as the vehicle screeched around the pillar, its tires squealing against the epoxy floor before speeding up the exit ramp and vanishing into the night street above.I hit the floor hard, rolling onto my side, my eyes squeezed shut as I prepared for the crushing impact of the ground. But the expected blow to my head never came. A solid body took the brunt of the fall, shielding me completely as we skidded across the smooth concrete.Silence fell over the garage, thick and heavy.I opened my eyes, my lungs burning as I gasped for air. I was lying on the concrete, and Killian was kneeling over me, his hands trembling as he hovered above my shoulders."Elena," he choked out, his voice laced with a raw, unadulterated terror I had never heard fro