جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 40

We were back 48 hours. 48 hours of peace. Then Sophia walked into Cole Tower. --- I was in Damian’s office. Sorting library book donations. Blueprints on the floor. Coffee in my hand. Happy. The door opened. No knock. “Wow,” Sophia said. “They really let anyone in here now.” Damian stood up instantly. “What are you doing here?” “Board meeting,” she said, smiling. “I’m back on the board, Damian. Didn’t Mia tell you?” “Mia didn’t tell me anything.” “That’s weird.” She looked at me. “Hi, Ali. How was Bali? Or did you two actually go? I heard it was just for show.” My stomach dropped. “Get out,” Damian said. “Oh, I will. After the meeting.” She sat down. Crossed her legs. “We have a lot to discuss. Like the $250,000 donation to a ‘community library.’ Anonymous. From a shell company. That’s you, right?” I didn’t breathe. Damian didn’t flinch. “What’s your point?” “My point is the board thinks it’s a conflict of interest. You’re using company money for your wife’s projec

SHE FINDS OUT The email came at 2:14AM. From: First Community Bank Subject: Deposit Notification - $250,000.00 My hands were shaking. I was in the warehouse. Alone. Again. Counting boxes because I couldn't sleep. Because of Ch 32. Because the funding was cut. $250,000. Anonymous Donor. --- I called the bank at 8AM. "I'm sorry, Ms. Cole, donor information is confidential." "It's my library." "I understand. But I can't—" "Then who can?" "The account holder." I hung up. Damian was at Cole Tower. "Lawyers," he texted. "All day." Since he resigned in Ch 31, he’d been in meetings nonstop. Trying to fight Sophia. Trying to save us. I didn’t text him back. Instead I went to Mia. "Can you trace this?" I showed her the deposit. She looked at it. Frowned. "Ali... this is a lot of money." "I know. Can you trace it?" "Give me 24 hours." --- 24 hours later: "It's him," Mia said. Quiet. "The transfer came from Damian Cole's personal trust. Not Cole Industries. His own mon

I woke up alone. The bed was cold on Damian's side. 8:14AM. No text. No note. After last night, I thought... I don't know what I thought. Last night we said it. I love you. Three words. No contract. My phone buzzed. Mia: *You good? You were glowing yesterday.* Me: *Yeah. Good.* I wasn't good. Because Damian wasn't here. --- I went to the warehouse. He wasn't there. Marco said, "He called. Said he had meetings." "What kind of meetings?" "Didn't say." I texted him. *Morning. Coffee?* No reply. 12PM. *Are you okay?* No reply. 4PM. *Damian, talk to me.* Delivered. Not read. --- At 6PM I went to Cole Tower. Security stopped me. "Ms. Cole, Mr. Cole isn't seeing anyone today." "He's my husband." "I know. But his instructions were clear." Instructions. Clear. I went home to the penthouse. Empty. His suit was gone from the closet. His toothbrush was gone from the bathroom. Panic started in my chest. Did I say too much? Did I ruin it by saying I love yo

It came in the mail. No return address. Just my name. Handwritten. Ali Cole. Cole Tower Penthouse. I almost threw it away. Junk mail. Then I saw the paper. Thick. Expensive. Not junk. I opened it in the kitchen. Damian was in a meeting with lawyers in the other room. About the lawsuit. About the board. Inside the envelope: One sheet of paper. One photo. The paper read: *Stay away from Cole. Or you’ll regret it. 30 days.* No signature. The photo was of my mom. At her front door. Watering plants. Taken yesterday. My hands started shaking. --- "Ali?" Damian called from the office. "You okay?" "Yeah," I called back. Voice steady. "Just mail." I folded the letter. Put it in my drawer. Under my journals. I could handle this. I had to. He'd just proposed for real in Ch 36. He'd just given up everything. I wasn't going to be the reason he lost more. --- That afternoon I went to the warehouse alone. Told the bodyguards to stay in the car. "I need 20 minutes

"You're not staying alone. End of discussion." Damian said it at 8AM. After two nights of him sleeping in a chair outside our door. "Fine," I said. "But I'm bringing my books." "All of them?" "All of them." --- My apartment was small. One bedroom. One window. One plant I kept forgetting to water. Damian stood in the doorway with two bodyguards behind him. "This is it?" "This is it." "It's... cozy." "It's home." We started packing. Boxes everywhere. Me: books, clothes, mug that says "Librarians do it quietly." Him: watching. Carrying boxes. Not letting me lift anything heavy. "Damian, I can carry a box." "No." "I'm not breakable." "I know. But I am." He said it so quietly I almost missed it. I stopped packing. "You're scared I'll leave?" "I'm scared they'll hurt you if you're not with me." I kissed him. "Then let's go home." --- Cole Tower Penthouse. It was huge. Too huge. White floors. Floor to ceiling windows. Nothing on the walls. My boxes looked tin