The silence in the room felt like a living thing. Thick, heavy, and suffocating.Thiago stood just a few steps inside the door, his broad frame blocking the light from the hallway. He didn’t look at anyone else. His focus was entirely on me. And that, more than anything, made my pulse skip erratically.I hadn’t expected him to come here, to walk into the heart of my territory, uninvited and undeterred. But here he was, as dangerous and charismatic as ever, and suddenly I was more uncertain than I wanted to admit.I stood still, facing him, my back straight, my expression a carefully constructed mask of control. Inside, however, my thoughts were a mess—shattered, scattered like a thousand pieces of broken glass. He was the last person I ever wanted to see again, but now, with him standing there, I wasn’t sure if I could keep pretending that I didn’t want him to stay.“You shouldn’t be here,” I said, my voice cold, even though my heart was anything but.Thiago took a slow step toward me
I didn’t sleep that night.Not because I couldn’t—but because I didn’t want to.Sleep meant letting my guard down. Sleep meant giving my subconscious permission to summon every flicker of Thiago’s voice, his eyes, the ghost of his hand on my cheek.And right now, I couldn’t afford to be haunted.I sat on the balcony of my penthouse, watching the Miami skyline melt into the soft bruises of dawn. The city glittered with false promises—sleek towers, pristine beaches, and power hiding behind polished smiles. Just like him.“You look like hell,” Lucia said from the doorway, wrapped in my spare robe, hair a tangle of sleep.I didn’t bother turning. “Good morning to you too.”She padded over and sat beside me, cradling a mug of coffee she must’ve made on her own. That, or Victor was here too, lurking like the neurotic bodyguard he pretended not to be.“Want to talk about it?”I looked at her. “No.”Lucia took a sip, then nodded like she expected that. “Okay. Want to strategize?”That was mor
I didn’t cry.Not in the elevator. Not in the town car. Not even when Lucia tried to hug me and I nearly elbowed her in the face out of sheer, unfiltered tension.Crying was for women who lost. I hadn’t lost.Not yet.But as I walked back into my office that evening, I felt like something inside me had been surgically removed without anesthesia. A piece of me I hadn’t realized was still latched to Thiago. Something raw and messy, still clinging to the illusion that he wasn’t a monster in a custom-made suit.“Was it done?” Victor asked without looking up from his laptop, his tie loosened and his sleeves rolled.I threw the USB drive on his desk. “Not yet. But soon.”He finally glanced up, eyebrows lifting. “You didn’t use it?”“I showed it to him.”“Jesus, Bridgette,” he muttered. “That was leverage.”“It still is,” I said tightly. “But I needed him to know I’m not bluffing.”Victor leaned back, fingers steepled under his chin. “You went to see him, didn’t you?”“He asked me to come up
The next morning, I put on my sharpest suit—the navy one with gold buttons that made me feel like a general—and walked into the Bermudez Group headquarters like I still belonged there.Because technically… I did.My name was still on the board. My shares were still untouched. Thiago hadn’t made his move to strip me yet.But that clock was ticking.The receptionist froze when she saw me. “Ms. Martinez—Thiago said—he’s not in this morning—”“I’m not here for him,” I said, brushing past her. “Tell Eduardo to meet me in the main conference room. Now.”I knew the place better than most of his inner circle did. I helped design the damn layout.By the time Eduardo walked in—sweaty, confused, clutching a tablet—I was seated at the head of the table with a folder labeled The End waiting for him.“What is this?” he asked, glancing at the guards outside.“A choice,” I said.I slid the folder across to him. Inside were copies of the files Damien decrypted—carefully redacted, but damning enough. Co
The next few days felt like a blur. Each morning, I dressed with purpose, knowing that Thiago was out there, likely plotting his next move, but I had my own strategies to execute. The hours spent sifting through documents and preparing counterattacks felt more like war tactics than business maneuvers. But the game was never going to be simple with Thiago. He didn’t just fight to win; he fought to destroy.I barely slept, always a step ahead, always thinking of the next move. The truth about Thiago’s involvement with his father, his manipulation of the shell companies, the falsified accounts—it was all coming together. But I knew it wasn’t enough. Thiago was cunning, and I was going to need more than just paperwork and strategy to take him down. I needed leverage. I needed to turn his allies against him, to make him realize that the walls were closing in.Lucia was my first point of contact. She was more than a colleague; she was my confidante in this battle. She had access to some of
I left Ainsley’s office with a quiet sense of satisfaction. There was a certain power in knowing that a man like him could be so easily swayed with the right amount of leverage. Thiago had never understood that. He’d always assumed that people were either his allies or enemies, that everything could be black and white. But I knew better. Everyone had a price. Even Ainsley. And once you found it, the game shifted in your favor.I knew the next step wouldn’t be easy. Thiago was unpredictable, dangerous when cornered. And I had no doubt he was already preparing for the fallout from our last confrontation. He was calculating, meticulous—traits I had once admired but now saw as vulnerabilities. His arrogance was his weakness, and I had every intention of exploiting it.As I walked back to my car, the weight of what I had set in motion hit me. The files I had handed Eduardo, the conversations I had with Lucia and now Ainsley—each one was a thread in a web I was weaving. It was no longer abo
Thiago didn’t speak for a moment, and the silence hung between us like a heavy fog. I could feel his presence behind me, that sense of him looming, waiting for me to crack, but I refused to let him see any sign of weakness. I kept my back straight, my hands clasped in front of me as I stared out the window. The skyline beyond was still the same, but I couldn’t ignore the weight of the moment.He hadn’t moved. I had expected him to be angry, maybe even confrontational, but there was something else in his stillness—a sense of control, as though he was waiting for me to make the first mistake.“Why are you doing this?” His voice broke the quiet, low but intense. It was the kind of question he always asked when he was trying to get into someone’s head, to unravel their thoughts. But I wasn’t that easy.“Because I can,” I said simply, turning to face him. I let the words hang in the air, sharp and pointed. “Because I’m done watching you destroy everything we built.”Thiago’s lips tightened
The elegant ballroom shimmered with chandeliers and buzzed with animated chatter as it was turned into a splendid venue for commemorating my father's real estate company's tenth anniversary. The hall was crowded, and people sipped their drinks while enjoying the music of a live band playing soft tunes in the background. A scene full of charm and elegance that somehow couldn't fill the void I felt deep inside me despite all the beauty and luxury around. Amidst the crowd, I found myself wandering aimlessly as my steps took me in no particular direction. A gentle smile graced my lips, concealing the fatigue that weighed heavily on me as I warmly welcomed my father’s guests. Meanwhile, I scanned the crowd but couldn't spot my husband, Derick, anywhere. It felt like he was intentionally distancing himself from me, especially ever since he learned about my struggle to give him the one thing he longed for the most—a child. It was distressing for me, but it became even more painful when
Thiago didn’t speak for a moment, and the silence hung between us like a heavy fog. I could feel his presence behind me, that sense of him looming, waiting for me to crack, but I refused to let him see any sign of weakness. I kept my back straight, my hands clasped in front of me as I stared out the window. The skyline beyond was still the same, but I couldn’t ignore the weight of the moment.He hadn’t moved. I had expected him to be angry, maybe even confrontational, but there was something else in his stillness—a sense of control, as though he was waiting for me to make the first mistake.“Why are you doing this?” His voice broke the quiet, low but intense. It was the kind of question he always asked when he was trying to get into someone’s head, to unravel their thoughts. But I wasn’t that easy.“Because I can,” I said simply, turning to face him. I let the words hang in the air, sharp and pointed. “Because I’m done watching you destroy everything we built.”Thiago’s lips tightened
I left Ainsley’s office with a quiet sense of satisfaction. There was a certain power in knowing that a man like him could be so easily swayed with the right amount of leverage. Thiago had never understood that. He’d always assumed that people were either his allies or enemies, that everything could be black and white. But I knew better. Everyone had a price. Even Ainsley. And once you found it, the game shifted in your favor.I knew the next step wouldn’t be easy. Thiago was unpredictable, dangerous when cornered. And I had no doubt he was already preparing for the fallout from our last confrontation. He was calculating, meticulous—traits I had once admired but now saw as vulnerabilities. His arrogance was his weakness, and I had every intention of exploiting it.As I walked back to my car, the weight of what I had set in motion hit me. The files I had handed Eduardo, the conversations I had with Lucia and now Ainsley—each one was a thread in a web I was weaving. It was no longer abo
The next few days felt like a blur. Each morning, I dressed with purpose, knowing that Thiago was out there, likely plotting his next move, but I had my own strategies to execute. The hours spent sifting through documents and preparing counterattacks felt more like war tactics than business maneuvers. But the game was never going to be simple with Thiago. He didn’t just fight to win; he fought to destroy.I barely slept, always a step ahead, always thinking of the next move. The truth about Thiago’s involvement with his father, his manipulation of the shell companies, the falsified accounts—it was all coming together. But I knew it wasn’t enough. Thiago was cunning, and I was going to need more than just paperwork and strategy to take him down. I needed leverage. I needed to turn his allies against him, to make him realize that the walls were closing in.Lucia was my first point of contact. She was more than a colleague; she was my confidante in this battle. She had access to some of
The next morning, I put on my sharpest suit—the navy one with gold buttons that made me feel like a general—and walked into the Bermudez Group headquarters like I still belonged there.Because technically… I did.My name was still on the board. My shares were still untouched. Thiago hadn’t made his move to strip me yet.But that clock was ticking.The receptionist froze when she saw me. “Ms. Martinez—Thiago said—he’s not in this morning—”“I’m not here for him,” I said, brushing past her. “Tell Eduardo to meet me in the main conference room. Now.”I knew the place better than most of his inner circle did. I helped design the damn layout.By the time Eduardo walked in—sweaty, confused, clutching a tablet—I was seated at the head of the table with a folder labeled The End waiting for him.“What is this?” he asked, glancing at the guards outside.“A choice,” I said.I slid the folder across to him. Inside were copies of the files Damien decrypted—carefully redacted, but damning enough. Co
I didn’t cry.Not in the elevator. Not in the town car. Not even when Lucia tried to hug me and I nearly elbowed her in the face out of sheer, unfiltered tension.Crying was for women who lost. I hadn’t lost.Not yet.But as I walked back into my office that evening, I felt like something inside me had been surgically removed without anesthesia. A piece of me I hadn’t realized was still latched to Thiago. Something raw and messy, still clinging to the illusion that he wasn’t a monster in a custom-made suit.“Was it done?” Victor asked without looking up from his laptop, his tie loosened and his sleeves rolled.I threw the USB drive on his desk. “Not yet. But soon.”He finally glanced up, eyebrows lifting. “You didn’t use it?”“I showed it to him.”“Jesus, Bridgette,” he muttered. “That was leverage.”“It still is,” I said tightly. “But I needed him to know I’m not bluffing.”Victor leaned back, fingers steepled under his chin. “You went to see him, didn’t you?”“He asked me to come up
I didn’t sleep that night.Not because I couldn’t—but because I didn’t want to.Sleep meant letting my guard down. Sleep meant giving my subconscious permission to summon every flicker of Thiago’s voice, his eyes, the ghost of his hand on my cheek.And right now, I couldn’t afford to be haunted.I sat on the balcony of my penthouse, watching the Miami skyline melt into the soft bruises of dawn. The city glittered with false promises—sleek towers, pristine beaches, and power hiding behind polished smiles. Just like him.“You look like hell,” Lucia said from the doorway, wrapped in my spare robe, hair a tangle of sleep.I didn’t bother turning. “Good morning to you too.”She padded over and sat beside me, cradling a mug of coffee she must’ve made on her own. That, or Victor was here too, lurking like the neurotic bodyguard he pretended not to be.“Want to talk about it?”I looked at her. “No.”Lucia took a sip, then nodded like she expected that. “Okay. Want to strategize?”That was mor
The silence in the room felt like a living thing. Thick, heavy, and suffocating.Thiago stood just a few steps inside the door, his broad frame blocking the light from the hallway. He didn’t look at anyone else. His focus was entirely on me. And that, more than anything, made my pulse skip erratically.I hadn’t expected him to come here, to walk into the heart of my territory, uninvited and undeterred. But here he was, as dangerous and charismatic as ever, and suddenly I was more uncertain than I wanted to admit.I stood still, facing him, my back straight, my expression a carefully constructed mask of control. Inside, however, my thoughts were a mess—shattered, scattered like a thousand pieces of broken glass. He was the last person I ever wanted to see again, but now, with him standing there, I wasn’t sure if I could keep pretending that I didn’t want him to stay.“You shouldn’t be here,” I said, my voice cold, even though my heart was anything but.Thiago took a slow step toward me
There’s something satisfying about war when you’re the one holding the match.I stood at the edge of the rooftop helipad, the wind clawing through my hair, biting at the silk lining of my coat. Below, Miami shimmered like a jewel—arrogant, loud, and utterly unaware that I was about to start a storm that would rearrange more than just corporate portfolios.I had given the order. Lucia was already moving. Marcus would be monitoring financial triggers by midnight. And me? I was about to weaponize everything Thiago ever underestimated about me.Victor appeared beside me, a tablet in his hand, lips pressed in that familiar frown he wore when he was both impressed and terrified.“Surveillance confirmed,” he said, holding up the screen. “Private jet. Puerto Escondido. The man moves like a ghost.”I snorted. “Not a very subtle ghost if I’m getting tailed by amateurs.”“You’re shaking the nest, Bridgette.”I turned to face him, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “Good.”He studied me for
Three days. Three days since I last saw Thiago, since that damn marina. Three days of pacing, re-reading legal drafts, and trying to focus on work—anything other than him. Anything other than the gnawing frustration that settled in my gut every time I reached for my phone, praying for a message, but finding nothing.Not that I wanted him to contact me. Not that I cared.Except… I did. And it was infuriating. My mind raced with questions, with thoughts I couldn't untangle. What was he doing? What was he thinking? But more than anything, what did he want from me?I shoved my phone aside and straightened, glancing at the papers scattered across my desk, the deals that were still waiting for my signature. Work. Focus on work. It’s what I’d been doing, at least until Victor decided to break the silence.I turned to face him as he leaned casually against the glass wall of my penthouse office. His eyes tracked my every movement, his arms folded, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. It