CHAPTER 478: ACTING CEO

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Chapter 478

~Author’s POV~

Davion turned toward the mirror at the side and stilled completely. His reflection stared back at him with eyes that were no longer the same.

One violet.

One deep, icy blue.

His breath caught. "No... that’s not..."

But the mirror didn’t lie.

Davion stepped closer, his gaze locked onto the unnatural colours now pulsing softly in his irises. The same colour as—

"Blue... Snow," he whispered.

Davion could feel it. The bond magic—somewhere, something had flared. He lifted a hand and watched his fingers tremble faintly.

Then a slow, dark smile curved his lips. A glint lit his mismatched eyes, his voice a low, promising tone. "I did say I was coming, didn’t I?"

He stepped back from the mirror and straightened, all trace of tension falling away as his usual calm mask returned—only now it wore a purposeful look like armour.

"I’m coming to get you."

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~Zara’s POV~

"I’m back." I exhaled sharply.

It had been a while—a couple of weeks in fact since I last stepped foot into this company.

The morning sunlight poured through the tall windows of the office tower, casting a warm glow over the shiny marble floors and lighting up the company logo at the centre of the lobby.

I walked into the company and headed straight for the elevator, ignoring the stares sent my way as I got in.

I stepped out of the elevator, heels clicking softly against the floor, and inhaled deeply. The air smelled of fresh coffee and lavender cleaning spray.

It had been weeks—too many, honestly—since I’d last walked into this place.

And I hadn’t realised how much I missed it until now.

"Miss Gold!"

I turned just in time to catch Taylor jogging toward me, a stack of folders hugged tightly to her chest and her short brown curls bouncing with every step. Her face lit up the moment she reached me.

"Oh thank the Moon Goddess, you’re here!" she exhaled, smiling brightly. "It’s so good to see you again, ma’am!"

I smiled at the familiar energy. "Taylor. You haven’t changed a bit."

"Well, you’re the first bit of sanity to walk through those doors in weeks," she said, half-joking, then added with a breathless rush, "And—Mr. Snow made you Acting CEO until his return."

I blinked. "What?"

"Yes. Alpha Storm, the Chairman, gave his full approval. Said it was long overdue, and you already have experience handling things when Mr. Snow is away."

I was quiet for a beat as we walked down the hallway toward Snow’s office, the click of our heels falling in rhythm. "I suppose I’m not just visiting then."

"Not even close."

Taylor pushed open the tall mahogany doors to Snow’s office, and I stepped inside. The moment I saw the desk, I stopped.

Stacks. Piles. Columns.Documents in neat but alarming rows, folders colour-coded, tabs marked.

I winced. "Tell me this is a staged disaster for dramatic effect."

Taylor chuckled nervously. "I wish."

"What has Hunt being doing? I informed him to step in for Snow when he left abruptly."

"Yes, he did. Mr. Hunt has been managing since Mr. Snow left abruptly, but he had to travel a few days ago for a cross-border business conference. He won’t return until next week."

I sighed, crossing the room to set my bag down beside the chair. "I see. What are we dealing with?"

"I went through everything yesterday after Mr. Zephyr told me you’d be stepping in. I sorted the urgent files, flagged the ones with looming deadlines, and separated ongoing cases into digital folders for easier tracking."

I turned to her, smiling. "Taylor, you did well."

She looked pleasantly flustered. "Thank you, ma’am."

"When was the last time you got a raise?" I asked out of the blue.

She blinked. "Last year."

"You’re due. Why hasn’t Snow done something about it?"

Taylor shrugged a little. "He gives bonuses and tips sometimes and they are good, like really good. He is generous with it and I’m grateful for that."

I nodded. "Still—go to HR later. I’ll write a letter for you to deliver."

"Thank you, ma’am." Her eyes shimmered with gratitude.

I turned back to the desk, staring down my paper nemesis. "Alright. Where shall I begin?"

—

Two and a half hours later, I was elbow-deep in contracts, financial breakdowns, audit reports, expansion requests, and an unresolved board dispute between two foreign branch directors who seemed to hate each other more than they valued their jobs.

I pushed away from the desk, stood, and stretched until I heard a satisfying crack from my neck.

"Fuck," I muttered, rubbing my shoulder. "I almost forgot how it felt to be this busy."

Astrid’s voice stirred inside me smugly. "You mean productive. You’re glowing, babe."

I smirked. "I’m sweating."

"Same thing. But I gotta say... this place hasn’t changed one bit. Still reeks of stress and paperwork. Remember that time you and Snow made love on this desk?"

I froze mid-stretch, a slow grin spreading across my face.

"How could I forget?" I murmured aloud, glancing at the far edge of the desk.

That night had been wild and unexpected. Snow had cornered me after a late meeting, all charm and tension. We hadn’t even made it to the couch. My back had hit the desk, papers scattered everywhere, and his hands had been so...

Astrid chuckled. "You’re blushing."

"I am not."

"Liar."

I shook my head with a soft laugh, cheeks warm as I sat back down.

Then came a knock. Three soft taps. I straightened instinctively. "Come in."

Taylor peeked in, hands clasped in front of her. "You have a visitor, ma’am."

I frowned. "Visitor? Who?"

"He... didn’t say. Just asked for you by name."

That wasn’t helpful, but I trusted Taylor’s judgment. "Let him in then."

She stepped aside, and in walked someone I hadn’t seen in like a month or weeks.

My cousin.

Same tall frame. Same cheeky grin. Same chaos in a suit.

"Zara," he said with mock drama. "You look too powerful for your own good."

My face lit up instantly. "Andrew!"