Michael noticed the shift long before anyone else mentioned it. Clarissa no longer came to Donovan Industries unless it was absolutely necessary. No calls. No quick check-ins. No familiar knock on his office door.Everything was suddenly email.Email… or passed through his secretary.Even her tone had changed — no warmth, no small jokes, no concern tucked between her sentences. Just straight, clipped professionalism.He felt it everywhere.In the quiet of his office.In the empty space beside him during meetings.In the way he now lingered over his phone, waiting for a message that never came.He tried to ignore it at first. Tried to tell himself she was busy settling into her position as CEO. That she needed space. That he was imagining things.But Michael was not a fool.He knew avoidance when he saw it.He had lived too many years in silence to mistake this one.****At Ainsley Group headquarters, Clarissa kept her pace steady, her mind buried in reports and numbers, anything that

Michael’s return to Donovan Industries was quiet than anyone expected. No grand announcement. No formal welcome. He simply walked into the building early in the morning, dressed neatly as always, though a little paler, a little slower, carrying a calmness that felt strangely heavy.The staff greeted him warmly. Some with concern, others with relief. But Michael noticed the shift the moment he stepped into the executive floor.The atmosphere had changed.Things had run smoothly in his absence; smoother than he imagined.Clarissa had held Ainsley Group together, juggling pressures that should have broken her.Sophia had taken charge of Donovan Industries’ internal matters with more maturity than he had seen in years.The two women who once clashed at every turn now moved with an ease that hinted at mutual respect.He stood at the hallway for a brief moment, watching them through the transparent glass wall of the conference room. Clarissa was explaining a projection on the screen whi

The storm eventually faded. The headlines and comments slowed.But Michael didn’t return fully to the office. After the press conference, after everything he had carried alone, his health, the weight of leadership, the whispers that chipped away at him, he quietly stepped back.He sent Sophia an email about temporary delegation of duties.He sent Clarissa a short message about travelling for rest.And then he left the city.No security convoy. On his own. Not even with his assistant.*****The retreat house wasn’t large or luxurious. It wasn’t built for business or visitors. It was a quiet property tucked at the edge of a small countryside town, surrounded by tall trees and open fields that carried the smell of grass whenever the wind blew.Michael sat on the porch, a cup of tea beside him, a blanket around his shoulders though the morning wasn’t cold. He wasn’t thinking about work. Not about investors. Not about public opinion.He was thinking about her.And how, no matter how far

Clarissa stood at the far end of the conference room, tightening her grip on the presentation file as the foreign investor — Mr. Dalmar, raised his voice at her. The meeting was supposed to be a simple review of the revised counter-proposal she and Sophia had prepared, yet it had quickly turned into a heated confrontation.Dalmar paced irritably. “This mess started because of that scandal online. Do you think we want to tie our money to a leadership drowning in rumours? You’ve lost control of your corporate image, Miss McCann. I’m not convinced you’re capable of holding a stable partnership.”Clarissa maintained a calm posture, but her jaw tightened. “With due respect, the allegations online were false, and the press conference already clarified that. The company’s performance is still on track. The revised proposal addresses all your concerns—”“And I said it’s not enough.” Dalmar interrupted sharply. “You’re too inexperienced. I’m not here to gamble with my firm’s assets.”Several

Clarissa moved quietly through the back entrance of the café, her cap lowered and glasses hiding most of her face. She had chosen this place deliberately — small, quiet, and far from the usual corporate spots. The journalist was already inside, seated by the window, tapping on his phone with the self-assured confidence of someone who believed he held power over giants.He didn’t bother standing when she approached. Instead, he looked up at her with a faint smirk, as though he had been expecting the confrontation.“You came alone,” he said. “I’m impressed.”Clarissa sat opposite him. “You’ve been releasing stories that are not just harmful, but dangerous. I want to know your source.”He raised a brow. “Straight to the point.”“This isn’t a game,” she replied, her voice calm but firm. “The documents you published were confidential. That leak could trigger an investigation big enough to shake both companies. So I’ll ask you again; who gave you the information?”He leaned back, crossing