out of the station. A moment later, the clouds bro

the betrayal she had just faced. She ignored the chill, forcing

g hand. One glance at the sender soured her mood further-Iris, Geor

oment before she tappe

s no room for a fake like yo

een-a photo. Her belongings, piled carelessly in fr

ips parted, but no words came o

e thought, swallowing the bi

ing over backward to meet their every demand-to be t

ted her l

crificed for them. All for a family that was n

he had been the biggest fool o

e top of the screen, tapped the three dots, an

orward. Suddenly, the world tilted at the edges. Her vision blurred.

e scanned the rain-swept street fo

sleek luxury car sliced through the rain, pulling to a sharp stop right before her

at the car-just as the driver's door opened and a ma

egs in impeccably tailored trousers and polished dr

Mirena as her gaze locked wi

ast person she ever wan

nder

less, rain plastering her hair to her cheeks, as his gaze

opped just before her, his eyes traveling from her drenched hair to

derisive-it pierced what l

ch word deliberate. "Who would have guessed the woman they hailed as the queen o

, though her voice wavered as she replied, "Pathetic?" She gave him a slow, deliberate onc

hrough his ash-gray eyes. A silent challen

e dry space beneath his umbrell

ning strength. "Yet in all that time, you never once managed to s

air seemed to still around them. His driver shivered involuntarily-even a

bit out, his voice sharp enough to draw blood. But she didn't fl

ickname he despised. "I stepped away for five years-gave you every

nyielding. "Be careful. I'm not the man I was five years ago

ghed softly, stretching her neck like a proud swan, even as her pulse flut

th, then released her. She took a half-step ba

y of yours." His tone was mocking, and Mirena went still. He had struck a nerve-and the f

ern," she said coldly, he

thly. "When my greatest rival takes a fal

was her hand that closed around his throat. He didn't look startled. If anything, a tr

ng her, challengi

, her steps faltered. She swayed

ntact, glancing down with a f

gainst his, slipping downward. His arms clos

ren

espo

hand pressing against her forehead. Eve

. His gaze swept the rain-drenched street before settlin

ing his phone from his coat pocket. His fingers moved across the screen, and w

ate in thirty minutes

a reply and turned toward the car, M

s he settled into the backseat, his v

~

use, his personal doctor, was

y grown two heads as he watched him carr

der took a step back. "Are you waiti

y, his practiced hands checking vitals, as

e stepped away, shaki

ed. He stood by the window, hands i

ical exhaustion," Michael reported, then added under his breath, "It's

he held an empire in her hands and traded it for people who never val

en ventured carefully, "You don't se

Michael? Enjoy analyzing people?" His tone was deceptively smooth, edged with w

dition is stable. Call me if there's any change." He gathered hi

leaving a heavy, weight

he bed, his gaze lingerin

owed, lashes trembling as if wrestling with some unseen torment. A single tea

inst her forehead. Almost instantly, the tension in her featur

s he began to withdraw his touch, the room's still

name flashing on the screen-George-d

ce, powered it off without a second thoug

George had cause

. His reckon