closed laptop. Her chest felt tight, her mind racing with

disguised as an engagement. And

sn't just hurt-she was angry. How dare he pursue her, make her feel so

atile mix of confusion, hurt, and a growing defiance. She'd spent years being silent, bendin

er answers and she was d

her purse and left the apartment. The crisp morning air

t in his office, his hands steep

nstructing an impenetrable fortress around his life, keeping everything and every

uard down, showing her a side of h

give her what she wanted, not with the weig

ng him out of his thoughts only to

Ashcr

is before it spirals. Call me." The message read as

bligation, a chess move orchestrated by their families to se

supposed t

in the picture, every

ime with a call from his assis

carried a note of urgency. "There's someo

ring her name as his h

He murmured sile

none of the turmoil brewing inside him a

all. Dominic's heart began pounding hard as he

the elevator onto the top floor of Blackwood Holdings. The plush carpet muffled her f

ass doors to Dominic's office, a flicker of doubt crept in. What was

nning. She hadn't felt this unsure of herself in a lo

ramatic backdrop behind him. He looked up, his face a mask of calm, but the f

low and steady, but she cau

r swing shut behind her. "I wasn't sure if you

ediately, watching her wit

n, Dominic. About this." She tossed her phone onto his desk, the headli

Dominic's jaw tightened,

e her best efforts. "Why did you pull me into this if y

," Dominic said finally,

n. "Because right now, it looks like you're playing games wit

his gaze intense. "You wer

, her voice trembling. "Just

, and the silence stretched

... it's complicated. There are thi

don't get to pull me into your life, make me feel like there's s

nted this?" he said, his voice finally breaking. "You think I wa

d vulnerable, and for a moment, O

anything, the door behi

lled as Olivia turned to see a tall,

n Olivia and Dominic, her expres

c said, his vo

op as Lila stepped into the room, her po

, her gaze lingering on Olivia before shiftin

er, his jaw clenched as he g

uld feel the tension in the room, becoming thick and suffocating, bu