Two

The sharp click of Damien Cavanaugh’s shoes echoed through the marbled floors of Black Cliff Hotel, each step measured, commanding. Heads turned as he passed, his tailored black suit fitting like a second skin. He barely spared a glance at the entrance guards as they straightened instinctively.

“I don’t need an escort,” he said, raising a hand before they could speak. His tone brooked no argument. Without breaking stride, he headed toward the elevators.

Inside, his assistant, Duffy, stood beside him, shifting uneasily. He was efficient, capable—but always on edge in Damien’s presence. That was how Damien preferred it. Complacency led to mistakes.

As the elevator ascended, Duffy cleared his throat and handed over a phone. “Sir, it’s Aaron. He’s been calling repeatedly.”

Damien’s gaze remained ahead. “I said no calls until five.”

“I know, but he insisted. Said it’s urgent.”

With a sigh, Damien took the phone. “What is it, Aaron?”

“Uncle Damien! Finally, I got through!” Aaron’s chipper voice grated against his ears.

Damien opened his mouth to respond, but a sultry moan filtered through the line. His jaw tightened.

“Geez, lower it, Jeana!” Aaron snapped, his voice muffled.

Damien’s grip on the phone tightened. “Did you call to discuss your sex escapades with that woman?”

“No, no!” Aaron’s voice turned hurried. “I called to share good news. You won’t believe it—I secured a big deal for Sterling Dynamics. This time with Aurion Corp.”

Damien stilled. Aurion Corp was no small feat. Even he had struggled to gain their trust in the past. His gaze flickered to Duffy, whose breath had caught, his expression one of sheer disbelief.

“Really?” Damien’s voice remained neutral.

“Yes, Uncle Damien. I personally negotiated it. This morning, I signed the deal on behalf of Sterling Dynamics.”

Damien leaned against the elevator wall, his mind working through the implications. Aaron? Securing a deal with Aurion? It didn’t add up.

As if sensing his doubt, Aaron pressed on. “I worked hard for this. I’ve proven I’m capable of being COO. You can trust me now, can’t you? I mean, look at what I’ve achieved! I sealed it entirely on my own.”

“Stop patting yourself on the back,” Damien said sharply. “I’ll evaluate the deal myself.”

Aaron faltered. “Y-yes, Uncle.”

Without another word, Damien ended the call and handed the phone back to Duffy.

Duffy exhaled shakily. “Aurion Corp? That’s… nearly impossible. Aaron must be taking after you, sir.”

Damien gave a terse nod, but unease settled in his gut. Aaron couldn’t be trusted. The only reason he even held a position in Sterling Dynamics was because of family ties—a decision Damien questioned daily.

The elevator chimed. As they stepped into the presidential suite, Duffy gasped audibly.

Damien turned sharply. “What is it?”

Duffy hesitated, his hands trembling. “Sir, it’s Sterling Dynamics.”

Damien’s brow furrowed. “What about it?”

Duffy swallowed. “The stocks are plummeting.”

Damien’s stride slowed. “Why?”

Duffy’s face paled. “Aurion Corp publicly canceled the deal just moments ago.”

A cold silence stretched between them. Aurion Corp wasn’t known for making rash decisions. Someone had caused this.

“When?” Damien demanded.

“Shortly after Aaron’s announcement.”

Damien’s jaw tightened. Either Aaron had botched something, or someone was targeting him—and, by extension, Sterling Dynamics.

“Find out why,” he ordered, voice low, controlled. “Every detail. I want it fast.”

“Yes, sir.” Duffy turned, but not before Damien caught the flicker of fear in his eyes.

Left alone, Damien moved toward the window, gazing out at the city sprawled beneath him. His own reflection stared back—cold, calculating.

Aaron had either messed up or stumbled into something deeper than he could handle.Someone was going to pay for this disaster.

“And it sure as hell wasn’t going to be my company—or me,” he concluded, gnashing his teeth.

Damien flexed his wrist absently, his eyes locked on the flashing headlines across the television screen.

"Sterling Dynamics Faces Unprecedented Loss After Aurion Deal Falls Apart."

The words grated on his nerves, each syllable an insult. The news anchors’ grim expressions and speculative commentary only fueled his frustration. The media vultures were already circling. With a flick of his wrist, he grabbed the remote and turned off the TV, the action sharper than necessary.

A rapid knock broke the silence, followed by Duffy bursting in, hair disheveled, face pale. “Sir! I couldn’t get direct intel right away, but I managed to scrape this together through your… connections.”

Damien waved a hand, cutting him off. “I know. Just get to the point. What’s going on?”

Duffy swallowed hard. “Aaron didn’t secure the contract himself. It was backed by Royal Inc., but something went wrong. They withdrew their assurance, which forced Aurion Corp to pull out. That’s why the deal collapsed.”

Damien leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming against the armrest. “Royal Inc.,” he muttered. “I should’ve known. And who owns Royal Inc.?”

“It’s a subsidiary of Algernon Empire,” Duffy replied cautiously.

The name sent a ripple of awareness through Damien. “Algernon Empire? Who’s in charge?”

“The chairman is still the official head, but his health has been in decline.”

Damien exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “I need that deal back, Duffy. It’s not just a contract—it’s a power move. Losing it isn’t an option.”

“Should I call Aaron to—”

“Don’t call that idiot.” His tone was cold, cutting. “He’s good for nothing. I’ll handle this myself. Someone at Algernon Empire needs to fix this, and I’ll make sure they do.”

Duffy hesitated. “Then you’ll need to meet with the heiress.”

Damien arched a brow. “Heiress?”

Duffy nodded, stepping forward to hand him a photograph. “Sophie Algernon. She’s the current face of Algernon Empire, given her father’s condition. She’s been handling things quietly behind the scenes.”

Damien studied the image, his gaze narrowing. “Details?”

“Her personal life is tightly guarded. I could only get her contact information.”

“Good. Fix an appointment for this evening at six. Here.”

“Here?” Duffy blinked, momentarily caught off guard.

Damien’s gaze hardened. “Make it happen.”

“Yes, sir.” Duffy hurried out, leaving him alone.

The silence stretched, but Damien’s mind remained restless. He knew the Algernon Empire well enough to anticipate their moves. This wasn’t just about business; there had to be leverage somewhere, and he intended to find it. Thankfully, he wasn’t on their bad side. Yet.

Time dragged. A cold shower did little to clear his thoughts. As evening approached, he moved to his dressing room, slipping into a crisp white shirt. His fingers had just begun fastening the buttons when a soft but deliberate sound reached his ears—footsteps.

Then, a voice. Rich. Steady. “Hello?”

Damien turned toward the mirror, his hands stilling mid-motion.

Standing in the doorway was a woman with striking features—delicate yet commanding. Dark chestnut hair framed her face, and piercing eyes studied the room with an intensity that suggested she missed nothing.

For the first time in a long while, Damien found himself momentarily speechless.

There was a flicker of something in her gaze—surprise, perhaps—but it vanished almost instantly, replaced by a poised confidence.

This was Sophie Algernon.

And Damien wasn’t sure if he admired her or was already calculating how best to stake his demands.