d settled between Evelyn and Leo. For a moment, neither of them moved. Evelyn's mind raced, her heart pou

hed in a silent, unreadable expression. "I told you," he repeat

er-whoever-was waiting at the door. The seconds stretched on, heavy and unyielding, before

His face was smooth, professional, but there was something in his eyes that made Evelyn's stomach twist. It

voice calm but purposeful. "I'm David Sinclair. I work for

n her as if he was silently questioning whether she would let this new intrusion dictate the rest of their evening. But she had no choic

but she refused to acknowledge him as David entered, his presence forcing the room to shift.

r, adding a rhythmic sound to the tension that still lingered in the room. He set do

but carrying the weight of urgency. "There's a movement within the b

loud made it all too real. Her father's firm had always been her backup plan, the

voice steady despite the u

you to relinquish control, Evelyn. They believe your personal life has become a liability, an

oo hard to build her own empire, to create something i

s tightening around the armrest of the cha

reality. "They want you to make a choice: your care

ut she had never anticipated being forced into a decision like this. Leo's face, unreadable, flashed in he

more out of curiosity than any real hope for support. She had known David for years,

mething-regret, maybe, or sympathy-but it was gone in an instant. "I'm just here to

e choice seemed so simple: let go of Leo, cut ties with the man who had once been her partner, or risk losing everyth

away. She had chosen power o

the unspoken words that had built up over the years

e all mixed together in a way that threatened to undo everything she had built. She had never wanted to hurt him. But now, st

en the two of them. "I'll leave you to di

cting emotions. She couldn't lose everything now, not after all she h

room, and Evelyn found herself facing the hardest decision of her life. She wa

ming. "Evelyn," he whispered, his voice

ment, that she might hav