AlexI tell Sophia goodbye and turn in the opposite direction, stuffing my hands into my pockets as I start walking. My mansion is just a few blocks away, and I’d rather take my time getting there. Today has been a great day, and I want to savor it.The breeze rolls through the streets, carrying the faint hum of traffic and the distant chatter of people spilling out of cafés and restaurants. The city is alive, moving forward as if the chaos of the morning never happened. But for me? Today was the beginning of a long game.Sophia—who would’ve thought she had it in her? The way she walked into that meeting, cool and composed, knowing exactly what she was doing. Watching Nathan’s face as he realized he had lost control? Priceless. I should’ve recorded that moment. Hell, maybe Bellion did. He had been laughing just as hard as I was.Nathan Carter, the man who always had everything under control, completely blindsided. Beautiful.And Sophia? She was a force. If there had ever been a doubt
SophiaBy the time I pull up to my apartment, my mood is downright foul. The conversation with my mother still rings in my ears, grating on my nerves. I shouldn’t have picked up the call, but some part of me—maybe out of habit, maybe out of guilt—hadn’t let it go to voicemail.I take a deep breath, gripping the steering wheel for a moment before exhaling and stepping out. I sigh, massaging my temple before stepping out of the car. At least the moving company isn’t here yet—I have a few moments to myself.But the pizza guy is. It's refreshing to see something’s going right.I wave him over, and he jogs up with the box in hand, his bright red cap tilted slightly as he reads my name on the receipt. “Large pepperoni?”“That’s me.” I take the box.“That’ll be $5,” he says, holding out the card machine.I swipe my card and, after a moment of thought, slip him a tip in cash. His face lights up. “Thanks a lot! Have a great day.”I give him a tight-lipped smile and take the box, already antici
SophiaThe moment I drive through the grand gates of Hawthorne School of Global Commerce, I feel like I’ve stepped into another world.The campus sprawls out before me, a breathtaking blend of ancient and modern architecture. Towering stone buildings with arched windows and ivy-covered walls stand in contrast to sleek glass structures with minimalist designs. The contrast is seamless, as if centuries of business leaders have walked these halls, leaving behind both their legacy and their vision for the future.I grip the steering wheel, taking it all in. This place is massive.Pulling into the parking lot, I quickly realize I’m in a different league. The cars here aren’t just expensive—they're luxury. Bentleys, Rolls-Royces, top-tier sports cars, and chauffeur-driven black SUVs fill the lot. I glance around, wondering if these belong to faculty members or students. The thought that students could be driving these cars makes my stomach flip.What am I getting myself into?I take a stead
NathanWhen I wanted something, I got it. Simple.If it was difficult, I kept trying until I broke through whatever stood in my way. Some called it obsession, but I called it ambition. If you wanted to stay ahead in business, you had to be relentless.And yet, after all my work, after every deal I had secured and every risk I had taken, I still couldn’t figure out how the hell Sophia managed to get twenty-nine percent of my shares.I stared at my computer screen, scrolling through the transactions for the hundredth time. It made no sense. Those shares weren’t just lying around, waiting to be scooped up. And they weren’t cheap. Not in this economy. Not even with my company’s current state.People were pulling out, yes. I could admit that. But twenty-nine percent? That wasn’t just a few nervous investors jumping ship. That was a calculated move. A deliberate shift.And Sophia had pulled it off.I exhaled sharply, my fingers drumming against my desk. She shouldn’t have been able to do th
SophiaThe drive back from school is peaceful, but my mind is anything but racing with thoughts. My classes at Hawthorne School of Global Commerce are intense, and I barely have time to process everything before my phone starts ringing. I glance at the caller ID—it’s my lawyer.With a sigh, I connect the call through my car’s Bluetooth. “Hello?”“Hey, Sophia. I need you to stop by my office today,” he says, his voice calm but firm.I frown. “Is there a problem?”“Not exactly a problem,” he hedges. “Just some routine legal work. Final property transfer documents. I need your signature on a few things.”I drum my fingers on the steering wheel. “I thought all of that was settled.”“This is just a formality,” he assures me. “Shouldn’t take long.”I exhale. “Fine. I’ll be there in thirty.”My lawyers office is quiet when I arrive, and his assistant waves me in without the usual pleasantries. He’s already at his desk, flipping through a thick file when I take a seat across from him.“Alrigh
SophiaThe documents spread across Alex’s sleek black desk form a chaotic puzzle of numbers, accounts, and transactions that don’t quite add up. I run a hand through my hair, my brain aching as I try to connect the dots.Alex sits across from me, his eyes scanning the laptop screen with the kind of intensity that tells me he’s found something interesting. He’s been quiet for the last few minutes, his fingers tapping a slow rhythm against the desk.I exhale sharply. “Please tell me you’ve found something, because my head is starting to spin.”He doesn’t look up. “Oh, I’ve found plenty. None of it good.”I straighten. “What do you mean?”Alex angles the laptop so I can see. A series of financial transactions fill the screen, highlighted in red.“Every time money was moved, it coincided with a major deal or announcement from Carter Industries,” he explains. “Nathan wasn’t just funneling money for himself. He was hiding something—covering up losses, possibly shifting debt, maybe even fund
AlexMaybe telling her to stay was a mistake. I take a slow sip of whiskey, letting the burn settle in my chest. It doesn’t do much to clear the fog in my mind. My fingers tap idly against the glass as I stare at the files spread across my desk. “Stay.” The word lingers, heavier than it should. I meant it—I wasn’t about to let her drive home this late. But having her here, in my house, in my space, unsettles me in ways I don’t care to examine. It’s been years since someone other than Bellion or an overstaying business associate spent the night under this roof. The house wasn’t built for guests. It’s a fortress. A war room. A place for strategy and control. Sophia Mitchell isn’t just someone. She’s Nathan’s ex-wife. The woman caught in the wreckage of his empire. Whether she realizes it or not, she’s my problem now. A knock at the door pulls me from my thoughts. “Come in.” Bellion steps inside, his expression as unreadable as ever. He’s mastered the art of discretion ov
SophiaThe shrill beeping of my alarm drags me out of sleep. With a groggy sigh, I blink against the dim morning light filtering in through the heavy curtains. My body feels like lead, every limb weighed down by exhaustion. Last night drained me—not just physically but mentally.I stare at the ceiling for a moment, trying to gather my thoughts. So much has changed in the past few weeks. And now, waking up in Alex Carter’s house of all places? That’s another thing I never could have predicted.I glance at my phone. No time to waste. My schedule is packed, and the last thing I need is to start the day feeling rushed.With a deep breath, I force myself out of bed. The guest room I’ve been given is luxurious, far too refined for someone just crashing for the night. Everything here is polished, elegant, and intimidatingly perfect. I half expect a hotel concierge to knock and ask if I need room service.Dragging my tired body to the bathroom, I flip on the light, rubbing my eyes before taki
SophiaI leaned against the city skyline from the penthouse window, my hand clenched around the stem of a wine glass. The amber liquid inside didn't much ripple, but my mind was far from still. The battle between Nathan and me had grown more powerful than business, more powerful than revenge. It was personal now.Bellion's voice echoed in my head. "Chloe's been exposed. Nathan hasn't moved yet."That was the problem.Nathan never remained still.I looked over at Alex, who was sitting on the couch, watching me. His suit jacket draped over the arm of the couch, his white shirt sleeves rolled up as he sipped a drink. He was just as tired as I was."He's plotting something," I said finally.Alex sighed. "Of course, he is."I set my glass on the table and folded my arms. "Then why do I get the feeling that we're still one step behind?"Alex stared at me with all seriousness. "Because Nathan is most dangerous when he is quiet. He is letting the world destroy Chloe first before he moves."I
SophiaI stood in the doorway of my office, looking out over the city I had fought so long to reclaim. The skyline burned gold in the early evening light, the glass towers creating the illusion of tranquility. But inside me, inside this war I was waging, it was anything but peaceful.Nathan had begun it, setting fire to the orphanage, and I had retaliated. A move for a move. A game of burn and destroy.But now we were past retaliating.This was no longer a battle.It was a reckoning.A gentle knock at the door snapped me out of my trance. Bellion entered, his face as serene as ever, but his eyes sharp. "It's done."I turned to face him, my fists curled around the edge of my desk. "And?"Bellion gave me a black leather folder. "The case is airtight. Offshore accounts. Illegal arms dealings. Bribes. This—" He tapped the folder. "—is what takes Nathan Carter down."I exhaled slowly, heart rate consistent. "Then we run it."Bellion hesitated, and that was so out of character that I notice
SophiaThe orphanage retained the scent of smoke. It clung to the walls, to the furniture, to the air that I inhaled, like a reminder of what had happened.I stood in the remains of what had been the children's library, my fists clenched at my hips. The bookshelves were burnt half-way, some scattered on the floor, their cracked and blackened spines gleaming. Ash swirled in the sun through the shattered windows, coating the desecrated remains of the world I'd built for them.For them.And Nathan had laid waste to it.I gasped hard through my nose, trying to suppress the anger raging hotter than the fire that had nearly consumed this structure.Behind me, Mrs. Peterson crossed her arms, her voice trembling with barely contained rage. "They could have died, Sophia. If we hadn't smelled the smoke in time..." Her voice broke. She took a shuddering breath, fighting to continue. "Whoever did this wanted to make a point. And we both know who that is."I already did.I turned around, my face c
SophiaI barely slept.Chloe's voice lingered in my mind like a dirge. Not the threat, but the words. Not the implication—that it was going to happen. But the finality of it."Tyler's going to steal something from you. This time, it's personal."She'd smiled when she spoke. Not with menace—but at last.And that frightened me.I sat on the edge of the bed, my fingers tapping a restless rhythm against my knee. The city outside the hotel window was already awake, the skyline burning with streaks of early morning light.Alex remained sleeping on the couch, his shirt unlatched at the collar, his face serene in a way that did not usually happen when he was awake. He had remained sitting with me for the majority of the night, observing, waiting—aware I would never reveal to him what was really bothering me.Because I had no idea how to tell him.For the first time since this war began, I wasn't sure I was prepared for what lay ahead.Nathan's always played a game of power, a game of dominati
SophiaCity lights streaked across the car window, neon smudges against the black ink of night. The hum of the engine filled the silence between us, thick with all we had not said and tension that refused to disperse.Nathan had lost.But why did it seem like we were still caught up in his game?I curled my fingers around the detonator, its smooth edges cold in my hand. Its power should have been satisfying. The way Nathan's smirk had faltered, the way his shoulders had stiffened when he'd realized I'd outmaneuvered him.But his parting words gave me hesitation."You think you've won?"Alex was beside me, his form coiled in repressed anger, his amber eyes fixed ahead. His knuckles were white on his knee, his fingers twitching as though he was struggling not to pull a gun on the air itself.I exhaled slowly. "Say it."His head moved slightly, his jaw tight. "Say what?""That you think I should have let you kill him."Alex's mouth opened, then closed again. He inhaled through his nostri
SophiaThe moment the countdown stopped, the air in the warehouse shifted. Silence stretched, thick and unyielding, as if the universe itself had paused, waiting to see what would happen next.Nathan stood motionless, his smirk still lingering, but something flickered in his eyes—something close to frustration. He hadn’t planned for this. He hadn’t expected me to win.For the first time in this game we'd played, I saw the cracks in his perfect control.Alex still had the gun pressed to Nathan's temple, his breath steady, his grip tight. I could see the math in his eyes—whether killing Nathan here, now, would subtract from or add to our problems.I already knew the answer.It wouldn't be enough.It had taken Nathan years to construct his empire, ringing the city with his power like an impenetrable fist. Assassinating him would only make him a martyr to the citizens who still remained faithful to him.We had to dismantle him piece by piece.Destroy him in a way he could never recover fr
SophiaNathan’s smirk tightens as his finger presses down on the detonator.The blinking red lights surrounding the warehouse pulse in unison, their glow reflecting in his cold, calculating eyes.He’s baiting us.Nathan Carter doesn’t set off explosives without an audience.And we’re the ones playing right into his hands.Alex stiffens beside me, his gun steady in his grip. His muscles are taut, his stance predatory. He’s waiting for the right moment to strike. But I know Nathan better than that.Nathan isn’t reckless.He doesn’t bluff.And right now, the only thing keeping us alive is the fact that he still wants something.Nathan tilts his head slightly, amusement flickering across his face. “You seem awfully calm for someone about to watch everything they love burn.”I don’t rise to the bait.Because that’s exactly what he wants.I take a slow step forward. “If you were going to kill us, you would have done it already.”His fingers flex around the detonator, but his smirk doesn’t f
SophiaThe dock looms ahead, bathed in the glow of scattered floodlights. The scent of salt and gasoline hangs thick in the air, blending with the distant hum of cargo ships cutting through the dark waters. The entire place is crawling with Nathan’s men—armed, efficient, and ready.Nathan knew we were coming.I feel it in my bones, the undeniable certainty that we’ve walked into something more than just a weapons smuggling operation. He isn’t just moving product—he’s making a statement.And if we don’t act fast, it’s going to be in blood.Alex crouches beside me behind the stack of shipping containers, his eyes scanning the dock’s layout. “We count at least fifteen guards patrolling, plus whoever is inside.”Bellion’s voice is calm in our earpieces. “Your window is closing. If you’re making a move, it has to be now.”I exhale slowly, gripping my gun tighter. We’re outnumbered, but we’ve never let that stop us before.“We split up,” I say, my voice low but firm. “Alex, you take the eas
SophiaThe cold night air wraps around me as I step out of the safe house, but the chill running through my veins has nothing to do with the temperature. The city hums in the background, distant and unaware of the battle brewing in its shadows. I grip my coat tightly, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts."Nathan let me go."Chloe’s words play on a loop in my head, each repetition another reminder that something isn’t right. Nathan never lets go of leverage. He never surrenders control. Which means he didn’t need Chloe anymore—because he has something bigger.Alex walks beside me, his posture rigid, his mind undoubtedly racing in the same direction as mine. His sharp eyes scan the street, his body tense as if waiting for an unseen threat to materialize.“We need to move,” Bellion says from the car ahead. His voice is calm, steady. But I know him well enough to recognize the slight edge in his tone. Even he can feel it—something is shifting.Alex and I exchange a glance before sliding into