All Chapters of Poison: Two Can Ruin: Chapter 11 - Chapter 15

ANNA POV“Your debt-to-equity ratio on the Singapore acquisition is projected at four point two percent,” Peter says, his voice flat, razor-sharp, and totally commanding the quiet boardroom.I sit at the long wooden auxiliary table in the corner—the designated seats for family members who don't hold voting rights. Across the room, floor-to-ceiling windows look straight out over the gray skyline of Manhattan. I keep my eyes on Peter. He stands beside the digital projection screen in a charcoal three-piece suit, stepping through the financial metrics with cold, flawless precision. He looks untouchable. He looks like a man who doesn't feel pain, doesn't hesitate, and never makes a mistake.“The board won't approve a leverage ratio above four percent without additional collateral,” a senior director says, shuffling his papers.“The collateral is secured through the tertiary holding account,” Peter replies without blinking. “We clear four point two, or we don't buy.”Before the director ca

ANNA POV“Put the camera pen in the left side of your purse,” Peter says, his voice flat and clinical as he leans over my shoulder.We’re sitting in the back of his black utility van, parked two blocks down from the high-end hotel bar where Jack drinks every Thursday night. The plan is mine. I’m meeting Jack under the guise of an emotional breakdown. I’m going to pretend I’m considering taking him back, play the heartbroken ex, and push him until he admits on tape that Richard paid him to target me from the very beginning.Peter reaches out, his cold fingers brushing against my collarbone as he adjusts the micro-microphone clipped to my dress lining. His touch sends a sharp shiver straight down my spine, but his grey eyes remain totally detached, like he’s fitting a wire on a total stranger.“If he touches you, give the signal,” Peter says, his thumb lingering for a fraction of a second against my skin before he pulls back. “I’ll come in.”“You’ll blow our cover,” I say, taking a slow

ANNA POV“I’m Elena,” the woman says, standing up the second I open my office door. “Peter’s fiancée.”She’s tall, blonde, and wearing a tailored European-cut suit that screams old money. She holds a sleek leather clutch in her hand, smiling at me with a polite, razor-thin expression that doesn't reach her bright blue eyes.My chest tightens so hard I forget how to draw air into my lungs.“He didn't mention you were coming,” I say, holding the door handle tight to keep my fingers from trembling.“So you’re the sister,” Elena says, stepping forward and taking her time looking me up and down like I’m a piece of cheap furniture. “Peter mentioned you when Richard married your mother. Though he didn't mention you were still living under his roof.”The word sister hangs heavy in the quiet office, spoken with a sharp emphasis that feels like an intentional stake in the ground.“I’m his business partner,” I correct her, walking past her to slide into the chair behind my oak desk. “Is there so