d like a thousand-pound anchor on her chest. The opulent office surrounding her appeared to

r to make the first move. She couldn't focus on the words in front of her. She could only hear the beat of

lyn froze, her fingers twitching slightly against the desk. He was playing with her, twisting the knife in

risk losing everything she'd battled to build... or say no and see her son's future slip

ble in his. His gaze was steady and predatory, as if he could see through every l

is safety, His future." Her heart skipped a beat. She

ce, "If you don't sign, your son's lif

d to keep him safe from this world, even from the man who was stand

already too

arsh glare of Alexander's office, making her feel bad about not being able to make up her mind. Her breath was shallow, her

e with the future of all she cared about. She said, "I'm not d

but his eyes got sharper and darker. He took a h

f making that decision?" he quest

d everything we've made without any pr

n't. Her heart pounded in her chest, each pulse a reminder of what was at risk. Her child, Her l

look softened, but only for a short while. "I understand more than

this alone, Evelyn." Her fingers tightened around the pen, the pressure increasing, the option

kid, his innocent face, and the future she had promised him. The life she had tried to establish for him. And now,

e pen to the page. She felt like the future was slipping through her finge

made it thus far. It was all there for her to see, like a plan for her future: the trade, the contract. But the more she gaz

hisper, but the question burned with more

er face as if he were trying to read her mind. The room appeared to shrink aro

about business, don't you?" His vo

know that. And you always have, deep down. She was angry, b

as when we first met." I don't w

tepped closer, closing the space between them. Evelyn could feel the he

"This isn't just about money or power. It's about control. You've always been mine, and I've alway

skin crawl. He wasn't just asking her to sign a deal. He wanted more. He want

led as she tried to ma

ander exploiting her again, playing

already lost? "Tell me, Evelyn," he mur

real cost of

lking away with your

y about all of this? Her heart raced, and she

is was about Alexander's strength. The more she fought back, t

ody told her to leave, to get away before it was too late. But she realized she couldn't le

smile, cold, calculated, and full of purpose. He was fully aware of what he was doing. He knew how to control

to walk aw

t while I have control over your future." Her gaze flickered to the contract on the ta

he pawn, whether she liked it or not. "You think I'll just do what y

l me like this, after ever

been in charge of you from the start, Evelyn. You already kno

wasn't the same woman who had left him all those years ago. She had changed, learned, and gotten st

he words out even though they felt like

ymore." He laughed softly, an

about that,

the contract and going back to his world or walking away and losing everything she had worked for. But the more

tification, her heart raced. It was a simple, cryptic message: "Yo

ntly looked back up at Alexander, but his e

send the

meone else

r memory. You don't know everything. You're going straight into a trap. She didn't know who had sen

watching her every move and reaction extremely closely. "Is the

ssage. He had to. "I..." Evelyn stumbled, her mind racing. She couldn't let him see

t the idea that someone

riend? A c

o is even mor

nelt down to look at the phone in h

le secrets? He reached for the phone,

umping. She couldn't let him read the message.

yelled, her voice har

looked her in the eye and smiled that knowing smile tha

he real question is,

head started to spin. She couldn

words came out much more steady than she fel

determination stiffening. She had to keep her mind on her work. She needed to know who sent the message. She couldn't just st

but she had a bad feeling that they held the key to everything. She stopped breathing as she flipped through the papers. The papers had

uddy trying

in a game far more haz

ght of her choice made her chest hurt. She knew the truth