were everywhere by

. In one photo, he was tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his expression uncharacteristically gentle. In another,

ry knew it was a carefully crafted ill

ty gala on Friday. It's going to be their first official appearanc

"Don't worry, I

e. It was a lie. All of it. But then, a cold dread

nclair

ould be

d Seraphina together at that very party. He had seen Seraphina whisper something in Dominic's ear, laughing, and something inside him

It was a humiliating scandal for their family, and the moment the business r

t let that h

ing her desk phone. She

'm sorry, Ms. Harding, he's in the quarterly strat

Avery asked, h

t anothe

Caleb would go home, get ready, and head st

simple phone call, a plea to "behave himself," wouldn't work. He would

ling, so critical to the business, that

, her mind racing. The Innova

looks from other employees. Caleb's assistant, a young woman n

you can't go

tant a look of such cold, urgent authority

he heavy oak door

able fell silent, their heads turning in unison to stare at h

ng of this?" he demanded,

le disapproval in the room. She wa

e whisper that only he could hear. "I need

, that his anger faltered, replaced by a sudden, sharp concern. He

called for a fifteen-minute recess,

frustration returned. "Avery, th

t care about Dominic Baxter, and I meant it," she said, her voice hard and fast. "I

n was plain

Innovatech Silicon. Their stock is undervalued, they're desperate for a buyout, and their new patent on micro-etching is a game-changer. Baxter Dynam

ancial models, the market v

public war with Dominic Baxter, it will put us on his radar. He'll start digging. He'll see

problem and transformed it into a mult

eplaced by the CEO of Harding Industries. He was seeing his little sister not a

ed smile spread

s and full of a newfound respect