Todos los capítulos de Sold to Jade Neil: Capítulo 21 - Capítulo 30

JADEThe first freeze of late November coated the floor-to-ceiling glass of the penthouse in intricate, crystalline patterns. Below, the city was shrouded in a low, silver fog that swallowed the tops of the skyscrapers, turning the sprawling metropolis into a quiet ocean of slate and white.Inside, the living room was warm, filled with the rich scent of dark roast coffee and cedar wood burning in the glass-enclosed fireplace.I stood near the perimeter wall, a heavy dark robe thrown over my black trousers, watching Madison. She was sitting cross-legged in the center of the plush floor rug, surrounded by a mountain of rolled blueprints, fabric swatches, and material cost ledgers. Her dark hair was coiled up with a wooden drafting pen stuck haphazardly through it, a few soft strands framing her face.Her sapphire compass necklace caught the flickering orange glow of the hearth as she reached for her mug, her brow furrowed in deep concentration over a 3D structural rendering of her next

JADEThe first heavy snow of December fell over the harbor like a shroud of white velvet.From the floor-to-ceiling glass of our private suite in the warehouse loft, the harbor below looked entirely subdued. The giant steel cranes moved through the falling snow with silent, mechanical grace, their vast arms outlining the perimeter of Vanguard’s main shipping yard. There were no flashing news cameras, no corporate summonses, and no urgent calls from family attorneys. The silence that filled our space was clean, deep, and utterly ours.I stood near the drafting island, a half-empty mug of black coffee held loose in my right hand. I wasn't looking at terminal manifests or vessel arrival schedules. I was looking at Madison.She was sitting on the broad window seat, wrapped in a heavy, charcoal-knit sweater that slipped slightly off one pale shoulder. Her dark hair was pinned up loosely, and the sapphire compass necklace rested right against the soft hollow of her throat. On her knee reste

MADISONMidnight on the water didn't arrive with a sound; it arrived with a sudden, suffocating drop in the wind.The South Pier sat at the jagged southern tip of the harbor—a stretch of industrial waterfront that Vanguard had reclaimed from a bankrupt municipal authority three months prior. Massive rusted iron gantries towered over the asphalt, casting long, skeletal shadows under the dim amber glow of halogen floodlights. Out on the dark water, the tide slapped rhythmically against the wooden pilings, carrying the sharp, cold scent of salt, wet diesel, and approaching fog.I stood beside Jade near the nose of the Dodge Charger. I wore a tailored black wool trench coat buttoned tightly to my throat, my hands thrust deep into the pockets, my fingers curled tightly around the leather strap of my drafting bag. Beside me, Jade was a silent, imposing figure in a heavy dark coat, his broad shoulders squared against the chill, his hands casually tucked into his trousers.Behind us, parked a

MADISONBy mid-December, the rain that had plagued the coast turned to thick, heavy sleet.The harbor looked like a giant graveyard of steel and grey water. Huge ice floes drifted past the timber pilings of the secondary docks, while the cranes at the Vanguard terminal worked under blinding yellow floodlights, loading high-capacity cargo containers onto ocean-bound freighters.Inside the glass-walled conference room on the top floor of the Vanguard headquarters, the air was warm, smelling faintly of roasted coffee, polished leather, and rainy air coming off the river.I sat at the long mahogany table, my laptop open beside three thick binders of international maritime statutes. Opposite me, Marcus was rapidly clicking through a series of encrypted asset ledgers on the wall monitor, his dark eyes narrowed in deep concentration."The Swiss court in Geneva filed a formal injunction three hours ago," Marcus said, tapping his stylus against the digital glass. "Dominic didn't try to seize t

MADISONThe terminal gates at the old Vance Logistics yard did not creak; they groaned under the weight of rusted hinges and the unrelenting assault of the icy wind off the bay.Six months ago, this yard had been the beating heart of my father’s corporate domain—a high-security perimeter where thousands of shipping containers were routed daily under the cold, watchful eyes of armed guards and corporate auditors. Tonight, under the blinding flash of the Charger’s headlights, it looked like a desolate graveyard of hollow steel crates and overgrown gravel.Jade brought the Charger to a smooth halt ten yards behind a sleek, vintage silver Mercedes sedan parked directly in front of the main terminal office. The car’s engine was idling quietly, a thin plume of white exhaust curling into the freezing rain."Marcus," Jade said into his secure earpiece, his voice low, steady, and devoid of any warmth. "Keep the perimeter team at the outer fence. If anyone tries to enter or leave this yard with