When the door opened, the air inside was thick with tension and the faint aroma of aged wine. Around the oval table sat five individuals — four men and one woman — all middle-aged, all sharply dressed, their eyes already assessing the newcomers.They were the legal counsels of five separate firms — companies that Sky Corporation had been negotiating major investment deals with, until, suddenly, they had withdrawn.One of the men, a broad-shouldered man with silvered hair and sharp eyes, was the first to speak. “Miss Green,” he said curtly, “you claimed the chairman himself would be present. I don’t see him.”Emma hesitated, glancing briefly at Chris. “This is the chairman,” she said, gathering her courage. “Mr. Chris."The table erupted with muffled laughter and skeptical glances.“You must be joking,” scoffed another man, his tone dripping with disdain. “We expected someone… established. Not a boy in his thirties pretending to own a corporation.”The woman among them leaned back, cro

The entire room froze. The executives turned to the end of the table where Chris stood, calm and collected, hands tucked casually into his pockets. Most of them had ignored him earlier, assuming he was a low-level assistant tagging along with Emma.Mr. Perkins frowned, clearly irritated. “Who are you? This is a closed board meeting. Get out before security drags you out.”Chris didn’t move. Instead, he strode forward and sat in the chairman’s seat at the head of the table—a seat no one had dared to occupy for years. The audacity of the gesture silenced the room.Emma rose from her chair, straightening her blazer. “Everyone,” she said, her voice firm and steady, “allow me to introduce the man you’ve been so eager to meet. This is Mr. Chris, Chairman of Sky Corporation.”The silence that followed was deafening.Every pair of eyes widened in disbelief. Some exchanged bewildered looks, others struggled to hide their panic. The same man they had ridiculed seconds ago now sat before them as

Outside the EntranceBy the time Chris arrived, the guards blocked his way.“Sorry, sir,” one said stiffly, “private event. Entry is restricted.”Chris frowned. “My wife is inside—Eva Carter, along with her cousin Matt Turner. I was told to meet her here.”“Without an invitation card, we can’t let you in,” another added curtly.Chris showed them Eva’s text confirming her arrival and Brandon’s escort order, but the guards remained unmoved. “Fake message, sir. Please step aside.”Chris’s eyes darkened slightly. He could already piece together the deception. Brandon.Just as he was deciding whether to make a scene or walk away, headlights flashed behind him. A sleek white Maybach pulled up, and from it stepped Susan Langford—elegant as ever, draped in a cream gown that radiated quiet power.She walked closer to the entrance of the hotel in graceful steps until she sighted Chris standing right in front of her. “Chris?” she exclaimed, her eyes widening in pleasant surprise. Her eyes scann

Once seated, the conversation shifted. Eva’s radiance drew attention effortlessly — her poise, her youth, her success as Chairwoman of Cross Corporation. Compliments flowed freely.“Mrs. Carter,” said a man in a tailored silver suit, “ your leadership at such a young age is admirable. I heard Cross Corporation is setting trends even older firms can’t keep up with.”“Indeed,” another chimed in. “Perhaps we could discuss potential partnerships. I believe our Jacob family and your company could achieve great things together,” the scion whose name was Ryan Jacob suggested.Eva smiled graciously, thanking them one by one, while Chris sat silently beside her, his gaze distant but attentive. His posture was relaxed, but his presence didn’t command the same awe. Not yet.“It's a shame that you are married already, you have, and Brando would have made a great pair.” Another one, emboldened by the wine and the thrill of gossip, turned to Chris with a smirk. “So tell us, Mr. Chris,” he began, “

The room was silent except for the faint hum of the orchestra beyond the doors.Matt's eyes widened in shock, and his mind was instantly consumed by greed, seeing that Chris was being offered such an amount of money... Chris looked at the check, then at Brandon, his lips curling into a faint, amused smile.“One million?” he said softly. “That’s all you think she’s worth?”Matt scoffed. “Don’t be stupid. You’ve never even seen that much money. Take it before he changes his mind.”“Quiet,” Brandon snapped, his eyes never leaving Chris’s. “I’m asking again — how much will it take?”Chris leaned back, his tone dropping like a blade. “You misunderstand. I’m not selling my wife. Not for a million. Not for ten. Not for all the Walker family’s wealth combined.” He met Brandon’s gaze — steady, unflinching. “Because everything you own is irrelevant to me.”The silence that followed was deafening. Gasps echoed through the room. A few laughed nervously, thinking it a joke.Brandon’s jaw tight