back. Her heels clicked sharply against the marble fl

zine he had been pretending to read. His eyes, usuall

subtle shift in Ethan's expression. He leaned ba

lowly, "just keeps get

ut laced with warning. "Be careful, Luc

ered. "If it's for you, Ethan,

moment, it seemed like he might say something-b

windows of his office. The city lights gleamed below, but his gaze was distant. His back, so straight a

others in wha

ds echoed i

got to live a clean, untroubled life-while he, Lucas

la practically ran to Sophia's

acquisition of Elyra

, and now SUN, Ethan's company, was accelerating its acquisition of Elyra. Lucas an

, the acquisition plan sped up. And now Lucas was suddenly hesitating to seal t

way because they didn'

e reputation, the resources, the r

lives depending on that contract fall a

texted her. It was on the top floor-lavishly furnishe

k ramrod straight, like a small anim

ill damp. The soft fabric contrasted with the usual sharpness of his suits,

over and sat across from he

n't show

tract." she finally said, fo

nd picked up the contract. He held it be

ed. You can hav

yes lit up

ightly, voice smooth

dropped. "Wh

night," he

re she could react, he added

t the contract,

lf to breathe, to think. She couldn't afford to

through gritted t

ed but sai

sture of goodwill. He just sat there, watc

aign, the brand vision, the timeline-but he barely responded. He

is phon

ed to a

as her

ed forward, grabbed the cont

ning until she was

, trembling, clutching the stamped contract in her

han: I'm outs

ect him to com

came screeching to a halt in front of the

er window r

like he'd s

clutching his chest. "Another minute and

ned. She turned towa

t, hands gripping the wheel so

o the backseat

silent. The tensi

. "He was in the middle of a dinner with a client worth over ten million. O

heart c

timillion-dolla

f Ethan's head-at that f

lost control, never made impulsive decisions. And yet toni

time she had seen

as subtle, flee

k of light had pierced through the dark, heav

d time, is he?" Sophia asked, starting to feel