Suzanne’s pov:I woke up with a gasp.My hand flew to my chest as I sat up, the echo of the fire still flickering behind my eyes.My heart was pounding, my skin clammy with sweat, and for a moment, I couldn’t tell if it had been real.The smoke. The white envelope. The choking fear of seeing something I couldn’t unsee.But then I looked around.The room was dimly lit, the curtains drawn back just enough for the early morning light to trickle in.My water glass was exactly where I left it. No mysterious envelope. No smoke. Just silence. Just me.It was a dream. Just a dream.I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, willing the shaking to stop.I had dreamt about Tavon before, but this time it was different, more vivid. More cruel. As if my subconscious was trying to warn me of something that hadn’t happened yet.A soft knock came at the door, followed by it creaking open slightly.“Mrs. Khan?” one of the nurses peeked in, holding a tray with fresh meds and a soft smile. “You’re awake
Suzanne’s pov:The line went dead.My breath hitched, and for a moment, I couldn’t even bring myself to pull the phone away from my ear. It was like my skin had gone cold all at once. A slick, awful feeling began to crawl up my spine."Hope you got my pictures."I dropped the phone onto the blanket and stared at it like it had turned into something venomous.My hands shook as I picked it back up and went to my messages. One unread thread. No name. Just that same number.I tapped it open.My breath caught.No. No.I blinked—once, twice—as if somehow, the pictures would disappear if I didn’t look too hard. But they were still there. And they weren’t just pictures. They were me.Me—exposed. Vulnerable. Caught in moments I didn’t even remember someone capturing.My stomach turned violently.The angles… the lighting… He’d taken these without my knowledge. I remembered that room, that bed. My old apartment. I remembered trusting Tavon. I remembered falling asleep next to him.And now…N
Suzanne’s pov: His strong arms wrapped around my waist. His hot breath creased my face, giving me a hot sensation, my mouth flew open, and my eyes locked on his.An immense hunger for me lingered in his eyes. He craved me, and I craved him too.“You're so fragile, so sexy,” he planted a kiss on my cheek, then his eyes returned to my face, his hands squeezing my waist, moving down to my butt.Dominic’s pov:I was merely trying to control the urge to fuck her recklessly. She was wearing a white see-through polo-like shirt, which was very revealing.Her nipples stood firm, demarcating themselves from her round soft perky breasts.I moved my other hand up her back and pressed her against my shirtless chest. “Uh…” she moaned against me. Her chest heaved up and down.“I want to fuck you, pumpkin,” I rushed to her lips and began sucking on them. She parted her lips, letting me into her mouth.I held her head and deepened the kiss, while she muffled in my mouth, giving me the spark that I ne
Dominic’s pov:The morning light seeped through the curtains like a silent witness to the night before. Golden slivers danced across the sheets, casting faint shadows over the woman lying beside me.Suzanne.Her breathing was soft, steady—peaceful in a way I hadn’t seen in a long time. Her lashes fluttered slightly, lost in whatever world sleep had drawn her into.I sat up slowly, careful not to wake her. My hand braced against the mattress, muscles tensing as I watched her for a long moment. There was something sacred about this quiet. A rare pause in the chaos.But peace had never been mine to keep.I brushed a thumb across her cheek, lingering just long enough to memorize the softness there. And then I rose from the bed. The cold air met my skin like a jolt back to reality, to everything I’d tried to bury in the heat of last night.Tavon.That bastard’s voice still echoed in my head. “Let’s see how loyal he stays when he sees the real you…”I clenched my jaw, grabbing a clean s
Tavon’s pov:The text had come at dawn. No name. Just a number I hadn't seen in months. But I knew that tone. Sharp. Calculated. Dangerous.“We both know how much your pride matters. But if you don’t pick up my call, I’ll send your precious videos to your mother first. Then your church group.”Fiona.I stared at the message for a full minute, my mind still foggy from the restless night before.The audacity. She really had the nerve to crawl back from whatever cave she’d vanished into, after ruining everything and leaving me like a fool.I let the phone ring twice when she finally called. Just to let her wait.Then I answered. “You got some balls, showing up now.”Her voice came in cool, unbothered. “You always did like my balls better than your own.”I chuckled bitterly. “Still a bitch, I see.”“And you’re still a fool. So nothing’s changed.” She didn’t laugh. “But let’s not waste time with banter. You know why I’m calling.”I slumped deeper into the leather seat of my rented apartme
Suzanne’s pov:I was curled up in the armchair beside the balcony doors, one of Dominic’s throw blankets wrapped around my shoulders… The soft rumble of distant waves rolled through the partially opened doors, the morning sun casting faint golden streaks across the marble floors.I wasn’t reading. I wasn’t scrolling. I was just… sitting. Letting the quiet be enough.Everything about last night still lingered, his hands, his breath, the way he looked at me like I was the only thing in the world that made sense.After everything that had shattered between us, something felt stitched back together, like some part of me that had gone numb was warm again.Still fragile, still trembling at the edges, but healing.My fingers traced slow circles over the fabric on my lap.I hadn’t spoken to Dominic yet this morning.He’d gone to handle some business, or so he’d said when he left our bed at dawn.But he didn’t leave like a man escaping. He kissed my forehead, tucked the blanket around me, a
Dominic’s pov:The boardroom was filled with chatter, screens glowing as Ford gave his report. I sat at the head of the table, my gaze unreadable, jaw tight, arms crossed.The room buzzed with low voices, papers rustling as updates rolled out, but my mind wasn’t fully in it.Not after the message Desmond forwarded earlier this morning, an anonymous tip about a possible breach in our private server.I’d already ordered the team to trace the source. My gut told me it wasn’t random, not with how quiet Tavon had been lately.And Suzanne… the way she looked last night, wrapped in my sheets, clinging to sleep like it was her only safe place… I couldn’t get it out of my head.She hadn’t said much this morning, but her eyes said everything. She needed peace. And I would burn the whole world to give it to her.“Dominic?” Ford asked, catching my attention.I blinked once. “Continue.”The glass windows overlooking the city reflected a pristine skyline, one I had built, piece by piece. Brick by
Dominic’s pov:The conference room was silent, eerily so.The only sound was the soft hum of the AC and the occasional click of Desmond’s fingers flying across his laptop as he mirrored the contents of the flash drive onto the secure screen.Everyone watched the black window flicker to life, revealing what looked like simple folders. Just names. Some were labelled “Suzanne.” Others, “Dominic K” One was marked Contract in bold.My jaw clenched.Desmond’s eyes narrowed. “Something’s wrong.”Ford stood from the corner, arms folded. “It’s too clean. Too organized. This wasn’t put together by Linda.”Desmond nodded slowly, fingers halting over the keys. “It’s a decoy.”I stepped forward. “Open it.”“I’m not sure that’s a good—”“Do it,” I ordered. My voice echoed in the room, hard as steel.He clicked.At first, the folder opened like a normal file.A few documents popped up, screenshots, edited contracts, and old bank records that meant nothing. But then Desmond’s entire screen flickered
Dominic’s pov:I didn’t realize how long I’d been sitting in that chair.The office was dark now, painted in shadows, the only light spilling in from the city skyline beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.The once-busy hum of staff had long since faded.Phones stopped ringing. Emails went unanswered. Even the steady ticking of the antique clock on the wall felt like it was echoing louder than it should.I hadn’t moved since the ruling.My fingers were still clenched around the edge of the armrest, knuckles bleached white. I felt detached from my body, like I was a ghost hovering above myself, watching the slow unravelling of a man who’d never been allowed to lose before.My heartbeat thudded in my ears like war drums, but everything else was quiet.Too quiet.The courtroom played like a reel in my mind, frame by brutal frame.Linda’s entrance is like a queen returning to a throne that never belonged to her.The judge was already in her pocket.The smug politicians, their loyalty boug
Dominic’s pov:The courtroom wasn’t unfamiliar to meI’d been in and out of them for years, lawsuits, zoning battles, acquisition disputes.But this one was different. This wasn’t about money, or concrete, or blueprints.This was personal!!!I walked in, flanked by Peter Black and Ford.The weight of tailored silence followed me.My presence was enough to make heads turn and mouths shut. Cameras lined the marble corridor outside. Linda wanted the media circus. She wanted the public eye. She was probably somewhere smiling already.My eyes scanned the room.She was already seated, radiant in a navy pantsuit that hugged her curves like sin, her golden hair pinned in a deliberately messy chignon that made her look effortlessly powerful.Her lips curled when our gazes locked like this was a game and she had the upper hand.I didn’t blink. I didn’t give her the satisfaction of a smirk or a glare.The judge entered, an aging man named Harold R. Linley.I’d met him years ago. Back then, he w
Dominic’s pov: The envelope wasn’t hand-delivered. That would’ve been too loud. Too messy. Too traceable.Instead, it came folded in thick ivory paper, nestled inside a black leather folder and passed to me by Desmond, who looked as if he’d seen a ghost.“It’s from her,” he said grimly. “Linda.”I took it. No expression. No words. The weight of it was heavier than the folder itself.I cracked it open, my hands steady even as my heart slammed against my ribs.A formal letterhead. A lawyer’s name I recognized was Greaves & Hanley. One of the most vicious corporate litigation firms on the East Coast.I scanned the first page. Then the second. My jaw tightened with every line.She was filing for administrative control over Khan Architectural.Citing “neglect of fiduciary duties,” “executive mismanagement,” and “shareholder endangerment.”Bullshit. Crafted, polished, and loaded with legal jargon, but still bullshit.Desmond was already pacing behind me. “She’s aiming for a hostile takeo
Linda’s pov:The rooftop bar was empty, private, exclusive, and overlooking the glowing skyline.The kind of place reserved for power plays and whispered betrayals.A steady wind tugged at my silk coat as I crossed the deck toward Tavon, who sat alone in the corner booth with a glass of whiskey in hand like a man planning a revolution.I didn’t sit immediately.I stood at the railing, overlooking the city as if it were mine to command.In a way, it still was. These buildings, these men, these stories? I’d been part of their foundations long before they started pretending I didn’t matter.“Took you long enough,” Tavon muttered, not even glancing up.I finally turned, sliding into the seat across from him like I owned the night. “I had to make sure I wasn’t followed. Dominic’s hounds are everywhere these days.”He smirked. “That’s because he knows someone’s playing chess with his life. I crossed my legs, fingers toying with the gold chain at my throat. “He will soon.”“What’s this meet
Dominic’s pov:The conference room was silent, eerily so.The only sound was the soft hum of the AC and the occasional click of Desmond’s fingers flying across his laptop as he mirrored the contents of the flash drive onto the secure screen.Everyone watched the black window flicker to life, revealing what looked like simple folders. Just names. Some were labelled “Suzanne.” Others, “Dominic K” One was marked Contract in bold.My jaw clenched.Desmond’s eyes narrowed. “Something’s wrong.”Ford stood from the corner, arms folded. “It’s too clean. Too organized. This wasn’t put together by Linda.”Desmond nodded slowly, fingers halting over the keys. “It’s a decoy.”I stepped forward. “Open it.”“I’m not sure that’s a good—”“Do it,” I ordered. My voice echoed in the room, hard as steel.He clicked.At first, the folder opened like a normal file.A few documents popped up, screenshots, edited contracts, and old bank records that meant nothing. But then Desmond’s entire screen flickered
Dominic’s pov:The boardroom was filled with chatter, screens glowing as Ford gave his report. I sat at the head of the table, my gaze unreadable, jaw tight, arms crossed.The room buzzed with low voices, papers rustling as updates rolled out, but my mind wasn’t fully in it.Not after the message Desmond forwarded earlier this morning, an anonymous tip about a possible breach in our private server.I’d already ordered the team to trace the source. My gut told me it wasn’t random, not with how quiet Tavon had been lately.And Suzanne… the way she looked last night, wrapped in my sheets, clinging to sleep like it was her only safe place… I couldn’t get it out of my head.She hadn’t said much this morning, but her eyes said everything. She needed peace. And I would burn the whole world to give it to her.“Dominic?” Ford asked, catching my attention.I blinked once. “Continue.”The glass windows overlooking the city reflected a pristine skyline, one I had built, piece by piece. Brick by
Suzanne’s pov:I was curled up in the armchair beside the balcony doors, one of Dominic’s throw blankets wrapped around my shoulders… The soft rumble of distant waves rolled through the partially opened doors, the morning sun casting faint golden streaks across the marble floors.I wasn’t reading. I wasn’t scrolling. I was just… sitting. Letting the quiet be enough.Everything about last night still lingered, his hands, his breath, the way he looked at me like I was the only thing in the world that made sense.After everything that had shattered between us, something felt stitched back together, like some part of me that had gone numb was warm again.Still fragile, still trembling at the edges, but healing.My fingers traced slow circles over the fabric on my lap.I hadn’t spoken to Dominic yet this morning.He’d gone to handle some business, or so he’d said when he left our bed at dawn.But he didn’t leave like a man escaping. He kissed my forehead, tucked the blanket around me, a
Tavon’s pov:The text had come at dawn. No name. Just a number I hadn't seen in months. But I knew that tone. Sharp. Calculated. Dangerous.“We both know how much your pride matters. But if you don’t pick up my call, I’ll send your precious videos to your mother first. Then your church group.”Fiona.I stared at the message for a full minute, my mind still foggy from the restless night before.The audacity. She really had the nerve to crawl back from whatever cave she’d vanished into, after ruining everything and leaving me like a fool.I let the phone ring twice when she finally called. Just to let her wait.Then I answered. “You got some balls, showing up now.”Her voice came in cool, unbothered. “You always did like my balls better than your own.”I chuckled bitterly. “Still a bitch, I see.”“And you’re still a fool. So nothing’s changed.” She didn’t laugh. “But let’s not waste time with banter. You know why I’m calling.”I slumped deeper into the leather seat of my rented apartme
Dominic’s pov:The morning light seeped through the curtains like a silent witness to the night before. Golden slivers danced across the sheets, casting faint shadows over the woman lying beside me.Suzanne.Her breathing was soft, steady—peaceful in a way I hadn’t seen in a long time. Her lashes fluttered slightly, lost in whatever world sleep had drawn her into.I sat up slowly, careful not to wake her. My hand braced against the mattress, muscles tensing as I watched her for a long moment. There was something sacred about this quiet. A rare pause in the chaos.But peace had never been mine to keep.I brushed a thumb across her cheek, lingering just long enough to memorize the softness there. And then I rose from the bed. The cold air met my skin like a jolt back to reality, to everything I’d tried to bury in the heat of last night.Tavon.That bastard’s voice still echoed in my head. “Let’s see how loyal he stays when he sees the real you…”I clenched my jaw, grabbing a clean s