a halt outside the wrought-

d suit that seemed like armor, his face a cold mask of indifference. But

en took a single, synchronized step forward. They said nothing, but their sheer size and the cold, professional stillness i

e had seen the car coming. Her hands were ice-cold, b

. The air crackled with a tension that was

ment. "Are you done with the theatrics? Tearing up contracts, ca

dreams. The face she had once loved and

her voice shaking slightly despite her

ow how this works. The more you push me away, the more you

omplete misreading of the situation, wa

it through the bars of the gate. It landed on the grass at her feet

was her past, her future, her family's r

placed by a profound, bottomless contempt. "You really b

owed his eyes. No one spoke to h

nly woman I care about is Amina Rowe. She is my soulmate. You ar

just as he'd intended. He ex

ling thing. "Then I'm happy for you. Now take y

mory, the mere mention of Amina sent Candice into a spiral of insecurity. He

he concluded. A higher level of psychological warfare. She's

ipping the iron bars. "But it won

watch on the gate." she said to her head of security. "If he tries t

ted for a second, then no

ndice's team stood their ground. The two

t her retreating back. "I will make you crawl.

n't loo

ud. He had never felt so out of control,

d the door. He punched the leather se

is phone and di

angerously low. "Initiate Plan B. I want you to start sho

d against the cool stone of a garden wall and slid to the ground. Her e