Devon's Pov "Didn't think you'd come along," I said as Liam walked into the office, his crew trailing behind him, already scattering to the areas that needed tending to.He chuckled, a low, almost smug sound that I knew all too well. "And miss a moment when Devon is vulnerable, at the tip of my finger? I couldn’t miss it for the world."I gave him a smile, one that was a little more strained than I’d intended. The smile was temporary and left my face as quickly as it came. It didn’t reach my eyes. I knew how to keep my emotions guarded, but the thing about Liam was that he always knew exactly which buttons to push. He’d always had that effect on me. I let the smile linger a moment longer, forcing it to stay before it slipped away just as quickly as it had appeared. "Enjoy the view, then," I replied coolly, my voice betraying nothing of the tension I could feel coiling inside. "Gladly, good sir," Liam said, his grin stretching across his face as he made his way further into the room
Karen's Pov Sunday mornings were already meant for tidying up the house especially as Devon didn't go to work on those days. He and Lauren would always use it as a day of hell and one worse than every other day. I hated it but I didn't have much of a choice or at least I didn't think I did.I sat at my window side stationed just inches away from my room. It was a typical Sunday morning but things were extremely different, I didn't have to work much and the new apartment was as good as well…new.I took up my phone scanning through my notifications, it had already been a week since I left Devon's estate and since I got that text from him. I sat on the couch close to the open window staring out at the city. Sunday mornings were always empty without activity but at night the city grew wild and alive. I walked over to my bed, sank back in it and buried my head in my hand. I'd grown this past week, I thought about Devon much less than I expected I would but nevertheless I still did.I co
Karen's Pov.Inhaling a deep breath trying to steady my nerves as I opened the door.A figure came into view, standing before me was a woman looking around my age with a smile and a friendly air around her. Her dark hair pulled into a loose ponytail and bright eyes that held a cool warmth. Her outfit was simple but put together, lazy sweatpants, a cozy sweater and a pair of sneakers that looked a little well-worn. For a moment. I just stood there unsure of how to respond. I hadn't planned on meeting anyone today, least of all, a stranger at my door.."Hello neighbor, " she said, waving, her voice light and friendly. "I’m Lena, your neighbor. I stay just down the hall. I saw you move in just last week and thought I'd stop by to say hello and maybe introduce myself. I hope I’m not interrupting anything."Her smile was genuine, and her easy-going presence made me feel... slightly less tense, though I still couldn’t shake the knot in my stomach. I hadn’t expected anyone to stop by so
Karen's Pov.“We'll be having a banquet by Monday evening and you'll be accompanying me.” Liam said, leaning back against his chair.” Meaning you Karen have to accompany me as my personal assistant.” I stood in front of his table, my gaze locking onto his as his face curled into a friendly smile. Liam had been more of a close friend than a boss to me and things were now well less…awkward.“Alright boss “ I said, lifting my arm to my head in an ‘aye captain’ manner, getting a chuckle from him.Even after being his personal assistant for a month, I'd never had to accompany him to any meetings with any companies but the fact that he needed me on this one meant I'd have to make a good impression for the safety of the company and his name.“It's kind of a fun masquerade banquet so be on your best fit.” He said, giving me a small wink. “Dress to kill the show but still please don't hug all the attention.” He shoulder went down like a kid pleading to have his ice cream all to himself. “Oh
Karen's POVSaturday evening, it was finally the day. I was staring at my closet, completely lost. I had spent the entire morning thinking about Liam's invitation to dinner last night and now what to wear.i didn't really know how all these worked it had been ages I last went on a date so it was…complicated I had been thinking about it non-stop since the moment I stepped out of his car and even before going to bed last night. Lena had noticed my distracted mood earlier this morning , and, as always, she had no problem calling me out. "You’re really thinking about this guy a lot, huh?" she asked, nudging my shoulder as I sat down at my desk.I nodded absentmindedly, then shook my head. "It's not like that Lena" I muttered, glancing at her. "I just... I don't know. I don't want to mess things up with him."After our first meeting Lema and I just well…clicked."Girl, you're overthinking this. Just relax and let whatever happens, happen. It’s not that deep I promise" she reassured bu
Karen's POV“I want to tell you something very important, Karen.”The casual air we had been sharing since arriving at the restaurant vanished in an instant. My heart fluttered, a nervous excitement sparking within me. I stopped mid-sentence, the wine glass just below my lips and my eyes locked into his piercing gaze. He looked at me in a way that made my breath pause in my chest and something fluttered in my stomach.The feeling was overwhelming but not new and that only made my nervousness creep in. The last time I felt this way was with him. Devon.I swallowed, pulling myself back to the reality that was unfolding. "What is it?"He hesitated. I watched his jaw tighten slightly, his fingers tapping nervously on the edge of his wine glass gripping it so tightly that I could almost see the glass crack. Was he nervous? “I just... I want to say—” Liam started again, but then, as if something inside him shifted, he stopped. His lips pressed together in a thin line, and his gaze flick
Karen's POV"I... I think I’m in love with you, Karen.”The words hung in the air like they could shatter at any moment. His gaze didn't leave mine and I could see a sparkle shimmering in his eyes. He wasn't lying. I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that he just made a confession to me under the moonlit night with stars shattered around the horizons. I felt my heart breaking as the disappointment creeped in, I wished I could reciprocate the sparkle and shimmer, to tell him the words he her just said back but I couldn't open my mouth. A word didn't leave my lips as I sat still, a lot of words. The world around us seemed to blue, the gentle sound of the river’s waves fading into the background. My breath caught in my throat as the shock of his words sank into like a stone that was thrown into the river.My breath hung in my throat as the wind suddenly felt like they were pinching at my skin and I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak.Liam’s hand was still gilding min
Karen's Pov The soft morning light seeped through the curtains, the sun light feeling the room and giving beauty the self made painting's on the wall. The sound of birds chirping outside and the few passing cars signified the beauty of Sunday mornings. I sat down at my couch just near the window with a warm blanket draped over my lap. The peace of the Sunday mornings felt oddly haunting as the memories of Liam and I continued appearing in my mind. I had barely slept, my mind still racing with everything that had happened.Liam’s confession still echoed in my head, a painful reminder of the vulnerability I hadn’t been able to return. The way he looked at me, the feeling I couldn't reciprocate.The doorbell rang, pulling me out of my spiral of thoughts. My heart jumped, half-expecting it to be Liam standing on the other side of the door. But when I opened it, it wasn’t Liam.It was Lena, holding two coffee cups, the unmistakable scent of fresh brew I knew so well wafting into the apa
Devon’s POV I stood outside the office building, taking a deep breath before pushing open the door. I had been dreading this moment for weeks, but I knew I had to do it. I had to get back on my feet, and this was the first step.As I walked up to the reception desk, the receptionist looked up at me with a mixture of surprise and annoyance. "You're back," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. "I didn't think you'd actually show up after yesterday's... performance."I felt a flush rise to my cheeks as I remembered my attempt to persuade her to let me see Karen. "Yeah, I'm here to start work as the errand boy," I said, trying to sound confident.The receptionist raised an eyebrow. "You're the one who was trying to sweet-talk me into getting you an interview with Karen, aren't you?" she said, her tone accusatory.I nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Yeah, that was me."The receptionist shook her head. "I'll let Mr. Greg know you're here," she said, picking up the phone.A few minut
Karen’s POV The day had finally arrived, Jordie's birthday. I had been planning this surprise party for weeks, and I couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she walked into the room. The kids, Paris and Austin, were bubbling with excitement, and I could tell they were having a hard time keeping the secret.As we waited for Jordie to arrive, I couldn't help but think about our past. The struggles i had faced when I first arrived at New York on the streets of the cold allies. It was a miracle that I meant Jordie that night. There were tugs running in the ally and I didn’t know. The kids where coming and I couldn’t afford the money for a hospital so I just slumped down on the side and hold that death would just take me once and for all cause the pain was too unbearable for me and I just couldn’t.I wanted to stay alive to give birth to my kids but the pain of everything was just too much. Liam wasn’t willing to give it a rest and still chased after me and after smuggling into dif
Karen’s POV Being the biggest in the business world all over the globe might come out as flashy but really it wasn’t as easy as it looked. After leaving the Chicago for good all I could do was hover around the street until a Mrs Jordie stumbled upon me and took me in. I stepped unto my Bentley parked just outside GlassHouse Inc. and into the car. I still had to check the previous document from the past week but I’d told Greg to keep the organised for me until I had the time to check it. The Asian were calling from left to right and that was enough case on my plate. Work was so busy thanks to my personal assistant who decided to bail after getting pregnant in a blink of an eye. I started the car engine but just before I could move, Grey appeared on the other side of the glass and I lowered the window waiting for him to speak. “The man from earlier ma’am, he called saying you granted a position for him. “Greg was loyal and alway making sure to confirm things twice, I couldn’t sa
Devon's Pov.The moment I pushed open the door to the president's office, my throat went dry. She was there, seated behind a massive desk exuding the same aura she had the yesterday at the auction.My heart thudded inside my chest. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I heard her say icily, her gaze slicing through me as if I were nothing more than an inconvenience. After the brief encounter yesterday, I didn't think it was possible to see her again, I thought that was going to be the last time or at least it'd take a longer while.She looked over at me before returning her gaze back to her system. It was like she didn’t even know me. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. My mind reeled. How could she sit there, looking at me, and act like I wasn’t the man she once called her husband? “I’m here for the interview,” I managed to say, forcing my voice to stay even. Her gaze lingered on me for a brief moment before looking back at her system. “I wasn’t aware we were still condu
Devon’s POV It was a threat, his words didn't hold empty warmings, he meant it and I didn't even understand why? What did I have to do with it?O'Hara looked at me, his gaze piercing through me like a knife ready to slice me at any time. “Also, I'd need you to infiltrate GlassHouse Inc., Devon,” he said, pacing back to his desk. “They’ve been too secretive, too calculated. It still doesn't sit well with me. I need someone on the inside. Someone who can uncover what makes them tick and bring that information back to me.”His gaze focused on me, this time with a boring intensity. “And that person is you, Devon.” I frowned, my stomach twisting. “You want me to infiltrate the company? As what—a spy?” He arched a brow. “Call it whatever you like, but yes. There’s a job opening for a personal assistant to the president. You’ll apply, ace the interview, and secure the position. From there, you’ll learn their business secrets—every negotiation, every partnership, every weakness.” I
Devon's Pov The evening air was cool and carried a faint scent of rain as I exited the auction house. My steps were heavy, every echo against the pavement a stark reminder of my failure. Karen was alive—alive and thriving. I should have felt relief, joy even, but the cold indifference in her eyes, the sheer lack of emotion in her voice, had turned my victory into ashes. I hailed a cab and gave the driver my address, leaning my head against the window as the city blurred into streaks of light and shadow. My mind churned with memories of Karen, her sudden reappearance, and the venom dripping from Liam’s words. “She doesn’t want you, Devon. She never did.” Her words had cut deep but not as deeply as the icy gaze on her fame and the cold demeanor she carried. I spent five dreadful years looking for her, sacrificing pieces of myself along the way, just for her but all that was gone because the woman I loved was now a stranger. The cab pulled up in front of the auction building an
Devon's POVThe entire room was frozen and in complete silence as all eyes turned. The silence was so deafening that one could almost hear a pin drop.Karen's voice was clear and deliberate and pierced through the tension of the room. My breath caught in my throat and my throat ran cold as I saw her.“Thirty million dollars. “ She repeated, her voice echoing in my ears.The auctioneer blinked, visibly taken aback by the huge amount gap but he was quick to recover.“Thirty million dollars! Do I hear thirty-five million?” But the room had gone still. No one dared to challenge her bid.Who would, it was an insane price for just a mere artifact despite its value. I couldn’t move. My gaze was locked on Karen as she lowered her sunglasses, revealing the same piercing eyes I’d thought about every night for the past five years. Her expression was calm, almost emotionless, as if she hadn’t just dropped a fortune without hesitation. “Going once…going twice…” The auctioneer’s voice filled
Devon's Pov. The evening arrived faster than I expected. I spent most of the day pacing my apartment, nerves twisting in my stomach like a coiled spring. Every second that ticked by was a reminder of the stakes. I couldn’t fail—not this time.My eyes met the wall clock and as it an alarm rang in my head. I had an hour left before midnight and that was all the time I had to get the artifacts. I quickly bolted into the bathroom, I showered quickly, the water was cold on my skin beating at my back as if preparing me for what I was about to face. I finished up in the next ten minutes and was out. I fished out a suit from my wardrobe. The suit was an old one, slightly outdated but the only one I had left with me and still it was a little oversized. I brushed off the faint hint of dust from the shoulders and threw it on it the next minute. It wasn't glamorous but it was the most expensive looking I had. The auction was going to be filled with a lot of fancy men and women of high standin
Devon's Pov. 5 YEARS LATER…The air in the upscale restaurant buzzed with muted conversations from the people already seated. I could hear the clicking of the glasses from the happy couples and friends in the background and faint jazz music. I sat at the private both, holding a glass of water that had long gotten warm. Across from me was Mr O'Hara, he sat, his gaze piercing through me as though he could see my insides. The silence between us was deafening.Mr O'Hara, one of the wealthiest and most influential investors in the industry. His suit was perfectly tailored. He was a very important man, his demeanor was cold and his eyes made it clear that he didn't tolerate mediocrity.The meeting was my very first in over five years, each before that was always rejected as soon as the investor knew who they were going to address. I'd also let Gemini go a few months later, I couldn't pay her so there was no use keeping her around. I'd had to leave San Francisco and move to Los Angeles j