're

e's with your uncle! She's

s face

lence was

en

"Is this what you meant? When you

ngle brow. "Took

n them, her anger r

ne step forw

watche

ago-now standing under the sun, squirming in shame,

in the air. His eyes burned into her like they were trying to

too

d hers, firm but not forceful-yet desperate. "What the he

idn't

ical and snatched her phone from Talia's limp fingers like she was st

ack with a deliberate pause,

in. The pavement clicked beneath her heels like applause from the universe. She sl

mpulsive! Elira, listen to me-Kieran's not

nd. Didn't even ro

ve him one last glance through t

inst the road like a

a pebble so hard it pin

oing to do?! She can't... she can't be with Kieran Vale! That man is too we

stared at the street E

t see asphal

h h

own

n damn

eneath Kieran, kissing his

stomac

a's pleas. The door slammed shut behi

fists clenched at her sides,

t at the empty road.

That E

et out a breath she didn't realize she'd been hold

ted butler

n't returned yet. She said to inform you t

I'm heading out tonight anyways. Tell her when

cour

t say ano

shed marble floors as she ascende

. The adrenaline rush was fading, and beneath all the fire and

ed me. What if... what if he changes his mind? What if he wanted something disastrous in return? What if tonight wa

bag onto the couch. The room smelled faintl

t the R&D blueprints. These weren't just

anced biometric tech integration-something even KV Dynamics had been flirting with. A confidential pitch to

ls. Investor reviews. Cross-c

other to her finance lead to approve bonus structures. She even vi

airtight. No vulnerab

cked th

12

ed, stretching in her seat. Her

toward the bathroom,

ced at t

– SHAYLA (U.

d up. "Ye

ipped. "Ma'am, the meeting with KV Dynamics has b

a pa

tpon

No follow-u

not worry too much. They came to us,

, ma

delay more than twice, we pull our offer and

am. Anyth

a thank-you card. And keep tracking any mentions of my na

ompile the next bri

you,

nded th

glanced at th

47

as spr

hed her clothes slowly, peeling

rubbed until her skin glowed. Afterward, she toweled off, slathered lotion on

dress that had haunted

d dr

Temptation wov

, he said. Like I'm some fi

e dress hanging quietly

ac

o

at the

ss the chest, teasi

oth, it look

it shimmered like

iled.

stepped into the dre

re melte

pdo, with tendrils fallin

e h

wine

ond

ed with

her head, studying herself like an a

nce," she