bChapter /bb241 /b

    ISADORA’S POV

    * 74%*

    b4201 /b

    The van rolled to a slow stop a few meters away from the towering ss structure of ke Enterprise. Even from here, thepany’s massive logo gleamed proudly under the afternoon sun, a symbol of wealth, prestige, and power. If we pulled this rust–bucket of a van right up to the front entrance, they wouldn’t even let me past the sidewalk no matter how I was dressed. Image mattered in this part of the city, and showing up in something like this was the fastest way to draw suspicion.

    “Alright, we’ve gone over this before,” I said firmly, my voice cutting through the low hum of the van’s engine. My eyes swept over the group in front of me armed men in dark tactical gear, their faces grim and focused. “This n must not fail. Anyone who tries to y the hero, anyone who tries to disrupt what we’re doing you have my permission to shoot them.”

    There was no hesitation in their response. They gave me sharp, deliberate nods, the kind soldiers give when they’ve alreadymitted to following through, no matter the consequences. One by one, they checked their rifles, the metallic clicks and snaps echoing in the confined space. The smell of and gunmetal filled the air.

    I slipped my hand into the small purse at my side and pulled out my phone. A quick nce at the screen told me my Uber was almost here. Theer of my lips tugged upward in satisfaction.

    –

    Yes, I was going to order an Uber to somewhere just a few feet away from here. The irony wasn’t lost on me method of transport. But it was necessary. If I walked over to ke Enterprise on foot, the security detail would stop me before I even reached the front me, of all people, taking such a mundane steps. And if I arrived in this van? Forget it, they’d probably have me escorted off the property before I could even open my mouth.

    Thankfully, the ride wouldn’t cost much given the short distance. Not that appearances.

    money was the issue, it was about control, precision, and keeping up

    The sliding side door of the van opened, and I stepped down carefully, making sure not to snag the delicate hem of my dress on the metal lip. Every detail mattered today, even the way I carried myself. My heels clicked softly against the pavement as I took a quick scan of my surroundings. No familiar faces in sight. Good.

    “Can you hear me?” A voice crackled in my ear, low and direct. For a moment, I almost forgot about the tiny mic and speaker they had discreetly sewn into my dress earlier. The device was so small and light that I barely noticed it.

    “Yes,” I replied softly, my gaze still sweeping the street. “Can you hear me?”

    “Loud and clear,” the voice came back, steady and reassuring.

    Before I could say more, a sleek ck sedan slowed to a stop right beside me. My Uber. Without another word, I gave the men in the van one final, deliberate nod an unspokenmand and slid into the back seat of the car.

    The driver’s eyes flicked to me through the rearview mirror almost instantly. I caught the faintest trace of curiosity there maybe even suspicion. Most drivers wouldn’t have epted my request for such a short ride, but this one had. Whether it was for the fare or because he wanted an excuse to meet me, I didn’t care. What mattered was that he had taken the job.

    The engine purred as we pulled away from the curb. The ride was brief, barely long enough for me to gather my thoughts. Through the tinted windows, the gleaming skyscraper of ke Enterprise loomed closer with each passing second.

    When we reached the building, the driver barely had time to put the car in park before a sharply dressed doorman strode forward. bWith /bprofessional ease, he opened my door and offered a polite nod./

    I stepped out gracefully, my heels clicking against the stone walkwayb. /bThe moment bI /bstraightened up, the air bwas /bfilled bwith /bbthe /bbrapid /bbburst /bbof /bbcamera /bshutters and the blinding re of shbulbs.

    For a heartbeat, I just stood there, letting the attention wash bover /bbme/bb. /bbI /bbhad /bbmissed /bbthis/bb, /bmissed bthe /bbrush/bb, /bbthe /bfeeling bof /bbbeing /bbat /bbthe /bbcenter /bof tall the intoxicating reminder of who I was band /bbwhat /bbI /bbcould /bbmand /bbwith /bbjust /bbmy presence/b.

    bAnd /bwhen bthis /bbwas /ball bover/bb, /bbwhen /bthose assassins bfinished /bbwhat /bbthey /bbwere /btasked bto /bbdo /bbmy /bbsweet /bbboo /bbboo /bbbear /bbwould /bfinally count to his bwould /bremember what we bhad /b

    14:20 Sat, b23 /bAug.

    I was already making progress with him. At first, he couldn’t even look at me. He shut the door in my face, avoided my calls, pretended I didn’t exist. But now? Now he had allowed me into his ce after all this time. That was something. That was progress.

    And once I had his attention again, I would get to experience all this again every day.

    It was only a matter of time

    He can’t live without me.

    Lapproached the ss fa?ade of the building, its surface reflecting the scene outside. The chatter of well–dressed guests filled the air, mingling with the low hum of expensive engines purring in the driveway. Just as my hand was about to push the ss doors open, my gaze snagged on something–no, someone that made my pulse quicken.

    Olivia Greyson.

    Or perhaps I should call her by her shiny new title – Olivia ke, the freshly crowned CEO of ke Enterprise. At least, that’s what the whispert on the street had been saying all week.

    She was impossible to miss, striding forward with that infuriating elegance that made my stomach twist. But what caught my attention more than F smug poise was the entourage that shadowed her every move. Not just bodyguards, these men were armed. I spotted the subtle bulges beneath tailored jackets, the hard glint of awareness in their eyes.

    A ripple of irritation rolled through me. That was something the group didn’t know. They’d been expecting standard security, not professionals carrying live weapons. This little detail could change everything. I made a mental note to pass it along, though my mind was already calcting theplications.

    She walked with pride, chin high, steps measured, as if she owned the very air she breathed. It was the same pride that had once focied people into thinking she was noble, kind, untouchable. I knew better. And it only fueled my contempt.

    Enjoy yourst seconds on Earth, Olivia, I thought, my lip curling ever so slightly. You’re about to be erased from this.

    But then my focus shifted. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed two young men standing off to the side, half–hidden in the shadow of a marble colump. Something about one of them tugged at my memory.

    My eyes narrowed. “Was that… Adrian?” I whispered under my breath, leaning forward just enough to peer through the re on the ss.

    The more looked, the more my heart sank. Yes, it was Adrian — my Adrian. His stance, the way he tilted his head, the way he absentmindedly tugged at his coat sleeve… I knew every inch of him.

    But what was he doing here? And why, of all ces, here?

    My gaze followed his, curious. That’s when I saw it, he wasn’t just loitering. He was staring. Hopelessly, helplessly, longingly staring at Olivia as she greeted the arriving guests.

    A sour taste filled my mouth.

    Did he…e here for heri? /iNo. That couldn’t be right. Adrian despised her or at least, that’s what I had believed. So why would he show up at a ceremony hosted by the woman we both had every reason to hate?

    And then the realization hit me like ice water down my spine.

    If Adrian was here, he was in danger. Serious danger. The assassins didn’t know who he wasb. /bbTo /bthemb, /bbhe /bwas just another guest, banother /bbface /bin bthe /bcrowd. And when they made their move, if he tried to intervene because of course he wouldb, /bbhe’d /bnever bbeen /bable to keep himself bfrom /bbying /bbthe /bbhero/b. They would follow orders.

    And my orders were clear: Anyone who tries bto /binterfere bgets /bshot.

    In other words… I had just unknowingly given the green blight /bbfor /bbmy /bbown /bbpeople /bbto /bkill bthe /bbman /bbI /bbam /bbcrazy /bbabout/b.

    14:20 Sat, 23 Aug

    My grip on the door handle tightened until my knuckles whitened. My heartbeat pounded in my ears as I ran through every possible oue. I saw it vividly, Adrian stepping forward, shouting, reaching out, and then the muzzle sh. The blood. The stillness.

    No. I couldn’t let that happen.

    “… I need to tell them,” I muttered under my breath, the urgency rising in my voice. “There’s a small change in n. They need to Friow who trient and under no circumstances should they touch him.”

    Thank goodness for the tiny microphone sewn discreetly into the seam of my dress. With it, I could reach them instantly, no fumbling with phones, nó unnecessary dys.

    But still, I couldn’t have this conversation out in the open. Too risky. Too many eyes. Too many ears.

    I scanned the lobby area for a discreet corner or an empty hallway, anywhere I could duck into without drawing suspicion. I started to take deep voice sounded behind me.

    “Ma’am, are you okay?”

    I turned sharply, and there stood the doorman, his neatly pressed uniform crisp under the soft glow of the lights. His brow furrowed slightly as he studied me, perhaps noticing the way I hovered at the threshold, hand frozen on the door as if I couldn’t decide whether to enter or turn back.

    “I’m fine,” I said quickly, forcing a polite smile that I didn’t feel.

    Without waiting for his response, I stepped away from the door, imy /iheels clicking against the floor as I moved toward a quieter section of the building. My mind was already racing ahead, mapping out exactly how I was going to warn my crew without tipping anyone off.

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