The bar was dimly lit, buzzing with quiet conversations and the occasional clink of glasses.Ryan nursed his drink at the counter, swirling the amber liquid in his glass as he tried to silence the whirlwind in his mind.Mrs. Devereux’s words echoed relentlessly, Either you get rid of the problem, or the problem will get rid of you.He let out a heavy sigh and took a long sip.He needed to think, to figure out his next move before Sophia could sink her claws in any deeper.He had always been in control, or at least, he thought he had been. But now, the tables had turned. And he hated it.His thoughts were interrupted when the door to the bar swung open, drawing his attention to the entrance. His grip on the glass tightened when he saw her.Sophia.And beside her… Julian Devereux.Ryan’s jaw tensed as he watched the two walk in, their presence immediately commanding attention.Julian, as always, carried himself with that effortless charm, exuding power in a way that made people instinct
Ryan’s fingers twitched at his side, but he knew better than to start a fight here. Instead, he exhaled through gritted teeth. “You’re wasting your time. If Sophia thinks I’m sticking around, she’s delusional.”Julian’s smirk didn’t falter. “That’s the beauty of it. You are sticking around, whether you like it or not.”Ryan’s blood ran cold as Julian pulled something from his pocket and slid it across the bar toward him, a neatly folded piece of paper.Ryan hesitated before picking it up. As he unfolded it, his breath caught in his throat. It was a paternity test form.“I took the liberty of arranging everything for you,” Julian said casually. “All you have to do is sign, and the world will believe that Sophia’s baby is yours.”Ryan’s throat went dry. He knew the baby wasn’t his. Sophia knew it too. But this… this was a trap. A very well crafted one.He looked back at Julian, who simply raised his glass in a silent toast.“Checkmate,” Julian said smoothly.Ryan felt his pulse hammerin
Sophia drummed her manicured nails against the table, her eyes flitting between the exit where Ryan had just left and the bar where Julian sat, deep in thought.Something about the way Julian looked, detached, troubled, made her uneasy. She had been waiting for him to return, but now she was beginning to wonder if he was about to tell her something she didn’t want to hear.Her mind raced with possibilities. Had Ryan said something to shake him? Had Julian changed his mind about helping her?That couldn’t happen. Not now.Julian was the only person powerful enough to keep Ryan in check, and without his backing, she had nothing. The so called leverage she had over Ryan was shaky at best, and if Julian withdrew his support, she’d be left vulnerable.She straightened as Julian finally returned to the table, his expression unreadable. She searched his face for any sign of hesitation, any shift in his demeanor that would indicate things had changed.Julian took a sip of his drink before mee
Julian set his keys down and leaned against the doorway, watching her. Even amidst a crisis, she carried herself with grace, strength, and determination. It was one of the many things about her that captivated him.Finally, Alexis looked up and noticed him. A tired smile crossed her lips. "You’re back."Julian pushed off the wall and walked over to her. "And you’re still working. Have you even taken a break?" His tone was gentle, but there was a hint of concern beneath it.She sighed, closing her laptop partially. "There’s too much to do. The leak could cost the company millions if we don’t handle it right. The damage control alone has been exhausting."He pulled out a chair beside her and sat down. "I know. But you also need to rest, Alexis. Running yourself into the ground won’t solve anything."She exhaled, tilting her head back slightly. "I just… I can’t believe this happened. We’ve spent months on this project. Every detail, every design, we put our hearts into it. And now it’s a
The morning sun cast a golden glow over the Montgomery Group headquarters as Alexis stepped out of Julian’s car.She turned to give him a small smile, but his usual smirk was absent. He had been distant since the night before, and though he reassured her it was just work stress, she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more. Still, she had enough on her plate and decided to let it go for now.As soon as she stepped through the grand glass doors of the building, Claire, her assistant, came rushing towards her, her heels clicking urgently against the marble floor."Ms. Montgomery! You need to see this," Claire panted, handing Alexis a tablet. "Sophia is holding a press conference right now."Alexis’s brows furrowed as she took the tablet and tapped the screen.The live broadcast from a major news network flickered before her eyes, revealing a tearful Sophia standing behind a podium, surrounded by flashing cameras and eager reporters.Her hair was impeccably styled, and her makeup w
Alexis’ phone rang, the caller ID flashing Sophia’s name. She sighed, rubbing her temple as she debated answering.After the stunt Sophia had pulled at the press conference, Alexis wasn’t in the mood for whatever justification she was about to spew. Still, she picked up, pressing the phone to her ear as she stepped into her office.“I assume you saw the press conference?” Sophia’s voice was surprisingly light, almost casual, as if she had merely announced a new fashion line rather than confessed to leaking company secrets.Alexis clenched her jaw, fighting to keep her tone even. “Yes, Sophia. I saw it.”“Good,” Sophia chirped. “I thought it was the best thing to do, you know? To clear the air, show some remorse, and, well… I meant every word, Alexis. I do miss you.”Alexis scoffed, sinking into her chair. “Miss me? You mean after betraying me in more ways than I can count?”Sophia let out an exaggerated sigh. “I knew you’d be like this. But look, I’m taking responsibility. I’m leaving
Julian sat in his office, the city skyline stretched before him through the floor to ceiling windows, his fingers gripping his phone tightly.The news of Sophia’s press conference had spread like wildfire, and the sheer audacity of her actions had him fuming.He had given her strict instructions to keep a low profile, to wait for his command, yet she had gone ahead and acted on her own accord, basking in the attention while turning the situation into a sob story.He dialed her number, pressing the phone to his ear as it rang. The moment she picked up, he didn’t wait for pleasantries. His voice was cold, sharp like a blade.“Who the hell gave you permission to hold that press conference, Sophia?”On the other end, Sophia hesitated before responding. “Julian, I did what I had to do. I couldn’t let the company suffer any more. I needed to take responsibility.”Julian scoffed. “Needed to take responsibility? Or needed to manipulate public sympathy? You’re under me, Sophia. You don’t get t
Alexis sat frozen in her office, Ryan’s words echoing in her mind.The weight of the revelation pressed down on her chest like an iron fist, constricting her breath.Julian. Mrs. Devereux. The Montgomerys. The manuscript leak.Nothing made sense, and yet, everything suddenly did.She replayed every moment, every interaction, scouring them for signs she had missed.Had she been naive?Had she been gullible?Had she walked into Julian’s arms blindly, believing he was her sanctuary when in reality, he had been the orchestrator of something far more calculated?The anonymous message...Her breath hitched as she remembered it, the text that had shattered her world that.A message that lead to the hotel room.An unknown sender.At the time, she had been too consumed with heartbreak to question the source.Had it all been Julian?Had he wanted her to break things off with Ryan so seamlessly that he had fed her the truth at the perfect moment?And then there was the way Julian had been there,
Alexis arrived at the company with a renewed sense of focus. She pushed aside the pounding in her head, the exhaustion in her bones.The crisis with Moreau wasn’t over yet.And if there was one thing she did know, it was that she needed to deal with this before Julian could interfere any further.As she stepped into the office, her assistant rushed toward her.“Miss Montgomery, you’re here,” Her assistant said breathlessly. “I was worried when I didn’t hear from you last night.”Alexis forced a small smile. “I’m fine. What’s the update?”She hesitated, concern flickering in her eyes. “We managed to stall the media fallout, but Moreau’s people are already moving to cover their tracks.”Alexis’s jaw tightened. “That’s not surprising. He was too confident last night. Someone is backing him.”The assistant nodded. “I did some digging, and…” She lowered her voice. “It looks like Charlotte Wainwright is involved.”A sharp chill ran down Alexis’s spine.Charlotte.Of course.A bitter smile c
By the time they reached the suite, her vision was blurring at the edges.Julian carried her straight into the bedroom, lowering her onto the bed with a gentleness that surprised her.She let out a weak breath as she sank into the mattress, the exhaustion pulling at her like an anchor. But then she felt his hands on her shoulders, his fingers brushing against her face.“Alexis,” he called her name again, but it was distant, like an echo. “Hey, stay with me...”But she was already slipping under, the drug finally winning the battle she had fought so hard to resist.The last thing she heard before the darkness took over completely was Julian cursing under his breath.And then, nothing.Julian sat on the edge of the bed, his fists clenched as he watched Alexis succumb to the effects of the drug.Her breathing was even, but her face was pale, her usually sharp eyes shut, her body still.His stomach twisted.He had arrived just in time, but just in time wasn’t good enough. She had still be
Alexis drifted in and out of consciousness, her body feeling sluggish and heavy. She struggled to focus, but her mind was wrapped in a thick fog, making it nearly impossible to process what was happening.The last thing she remembered was the club, Mr. Moreau, the drugged drink. And then...She tensed, realizing she wasn’t on the ground. Someone had caught her. Someone was holding her.Her breath hitched as she forced her eyes open, fighting the dizziness.A face hovered above her.Familiar.Sharp jawline. Dark eyes filled with something unreadable.Julian.Her heart slammed against her ribs.Was she dreaming?No. This was real."Alexis?" His voice was sharp, laced with urgency. "Can you hear me?"She tried to respond, but her throat was too dry. She felt his arms tighten around her as he pulled her closer, shielding her from the curious stares of onlookers outside the club.He was warm.Too warm.She hated it.Or at least, she told herself she did."Julian..." she finally managed to
Alexis let the silence stretch between them, letting him believe, for just a moment, that his words had sunk in.Then she smiled.Not the soft, vulnerable kind of smile he was probably hoping for.But a slow, knowing, and dangerous one."You really are something, Ryan," she said, shaking her head slightly. "But let me make one thing clear to you." She leaned in, just enough to lower her voice, her gaze unwavering. "I don't need you. I don’t need Julian. And I sure as hell don’t need to be manipulated into fighting battles that aren’t mine."Ryan’s smirk faltered.She stood up, smoothing out her dress. "Thank you for the entertainment, but I think we’re done here."Ryan grabbed her wrist just as she turned."Alexis, wait..""Let. Go."There was no room for argument in her voice, and Ryan hesitated before releasing her.She straightened, exhaling sharply. "Enjoy your little schemes, Ryan. Just don’t expect me to play along."With that, she walked away, leaving Ryan staring after her.Al
Alexis's fingers curled around the edge of the table, her patience thinning by the second. “Cut the act, Ryan. You run from home into hiding after you ran your mouth back home, and now, suddenly, you show up here with him? What do you want?”Ryan let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. “Alexis, Alexis, Alexis… I don’t want anything. I just figured, since we’re both here, we should clear the air.”“Clear the air?” she repeated, incredulous. “After you threw a grenade into my marriage?”He sighed dramatically, leaning back against the plush leather of the booth. “Look, I know you’re mad at me. But let’s be honest, Alexis, you deserved to know the truth. I did you a favor.”Alexis clenched her jaw.Her fingers itched to throw the drink sitting in front of her right in his smug face, but she kept herself still.Controlled.“A favor?” she echoed, her voice icy.Ryan’s smirk widened. “You would’ve found out eventually. Julian married you for revenge. I just saved you the heartbreak of fig
In the dimly lit grandeur of her penthouse, Charlotte Wainwright stood by the floor to ceiling window, the Parisian skyline stretching endlessly before her.The Eiffel Tower glittered in the distance, but her mind was far from the breathtaking view.She swirled the deep red wine in her crystal glass, a small, satisfied smirk curving her lips as she took a slow sip.Everything was unfolding exactly as she had planned.Julian would be hers.Not Alexis Montgomery.She had watched for far too long as Alexis paraded around as if she were untouchable, as if she were worthy of Julian’s love. But she wasn’t.Julian had been hers first.She had known him before Alexis even entered the picture, before he became entangled in this ridiculous revenge scheme that had somehow twisted into something real.Charlotte scoffed.Real.As if Julian could ever truly love Alexis.He might think he does, but that’s just because he doesn’t know any better.He was blinded.Confused.And she was going to fix tha
At the Montgomery subdivision office in Paris, Alexis stepped into the sleek, modern office her heels clicking against the polished marble floor.The entire floor was abuzz with tension, employees moving frantically, whispering among themselves, eyes darting toward her as she made her way through the main hallway.She ignored the stares.Right now, she had one goal, to get to the bottom of the crisis that had erupted in this branch and fix it before it spiraled further out of control.She had barely been in the city for an hour, yet her mind was already occupied with balancing two battles, one professional and one personal.She exhaled sharply.The personal could wait.For now, she needed to ensure that the Montgomery name didn’t suffer any further."Ms. Montgomery," her Parisian assistant, Margot, hurried over, holding a tablet in one hand and a folder in the other. "We’ve compiled all the details regarding the crisis. The internal investigation suggests that the issue stems from a b
Ryan nodded solemnly. “Even if you found out the truth, Julian had a backup plan. He wasn’t just going to let you walk away. That’s why he’s after you now. He’s going to twist things, make you believe it wasn’t as bad as it seems. But you know the truth, Alexis. He doesn’t love you. He never did. He just didn’t expect to lose control this soon.”Silence stretched between them.Alexis didn’t just feel hurt.She felt rage.Her nails dug into her palms, her entire body stiff with the weight of Ryan’s words.Julian had played her.Humiliated her.And she had let him.But not anymore.She looked Ryan dead in the eyes, her voice cold as ice. “If Julian thinks he still has control over me… he’s in for a rude awakening.”Ryan smirked.Perfect.Ryan hid his smirk quickly, schooling his expression into one of concern.He needed Alexis to stay angry, to let the fury consume her so completely that she would never look back.“I just don’t want you to fall for his tricks again, Alexis,” he said, hi
Julian stormed out of the Montgomery Group, his head pounding with frustration. He barely noticed the curious stares of the employees as he made his way to his car, his fingers dialing Victoria’s number before he even shut the door.She answered on the second ring. “Julian?”“Find out where Alexis went,” he ordered, his voice sharp and urgent. “I don’t care what it takes. Just get me the details.”Victoria, ever efficient, didn’t waste time with questions. “I’ll get back to you in ten.”Julian ended the call and exhaled, gripping the steering wheel tightly. Alexis had left, but that didn’t mean she had escaped him.Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, Alexis stepped off the jet, the crisp Parisian air hitting her as she descended the stairs.The city was bright, alive, and bustling, but for her, it felt muted. Her thoughts were too loud.She handed her bag to the waiting chauffeur, barely paying attention as she reached for the car door.Just as she was about to step inside, a voice fr