April’s POVThe alarm had been ringing for at least five minutes, shrill and persistent from the nightstand, but neither of us stirred. Wren had kicked the blanket halfway to the floor in her sleep, sprawled diagonally across my couch like she was auditioning for the role of “dramatic corpse.” I wasn’t much better because I was buried under a pile of throw pillows, still in last night’s oversized PJ, the faint crinkle of empty chip bags around us like fallen leaves.My phone buzzed again, the alarm finally giving up in favor of a calendar reminder, and I groaned, dragging a pillow over my head.“Your phone is bullying us,” Wren mumbled, voice muffled against the couch cushion.“Your snoring was bullying me,” I shot back, though my words came out groggy, my throat still thick with sleep.“Rude,” she muttered, rolling onto her side. “That was not snoring. That was… soft nocturnal breathing.”"Yes, yes. We know."The alarm finally shut up which meant silence and peace for about ten secon

I didn’t expect him to come in person.A random lady knocked earlier to inform me that Chairman Hale, grandfather dearest, was waiting in the executive lounge. You can imagine how my pulse kicked. The man's visits were.....how do I say this, a thorn in my flesh? Yeah, that's the word. Moreover, he rarely stepped into Hale HQ these days. Mostly because he didn't need to considering how his shadow alone ruled this halls. For him to come unannounced......it felt fishy. Something was definitely brewing somewhere.As I walked down the corridor with Quinn, he cleared his throat. "Do you need me to prepare....""No need,"I cut him off. "Whatever he has to say, he's going to say it to my face."Entering the lounge, we found him seated like the king he probably was. Cane in hand, silver hair like steel threads, his presence commanding as if he still sat at the head of this empire. His eyes found mine. The stare didn't look good, believe me. But other than the emptiness, there was a spark of am

Sinclair's POVThe night had bled into dawn before I could finally surrender to restless sleep.By the time I woke up, I could feel the taste of iron on my tongue as though I'd bitten through my restraint in the dark.Veronica had vanished into the bathroom and I could hear the hiss of water against the tile as she hummed off key to.....I don't know. Some random song I guess.The suite smelled of her heavy perfume but my mind was far from her.It was on......yeah, you guessed it. On April. On....him.My phone buzzed on the nightstand and I hurriedly snatched it. It was Quinn. Hehehe. Right on time.I picked up on the second ring."Spill,"I said, my voice extremely hoarse from disuse.Quinn took a minute to yawn so loudly, I don't know how I didn't strangle him through the receiver. "Listen to me, kid. It was so boring. They talked for an hour....or two. It was all about work, family, and dreams, I guess. Then, it was lights out. That's it."I sat on the edge of the bed, keeping my elb

I woke up the next morning with sunlight spilling through the curtains, catching on the edges of the tall glass windows. My room overlooked the overly familiar city of Avalon, the streets already buzzing below, and for a brief moment I just lay there listening to the hum of life beyond the glass.Khalid’s laughter still rang faintly in my memory from the previous night. He had such a warm way of speaking, the kind of presence that disarmed you without even trying. Around him, I found myself loosening in ways I hadn’t even expected. Who knew Arab men could actually be that fun?He tended to ask lots of questions that made me laugh, that made me think, and most importantly.....he listened. Properly listened. That alone made him feel rare in a world full of men who only waited for their turn to talk.And honestly? It would be wonderful if he decided Hale Corp was worthy of his investment. He was charismatic enough to make anyone believe he could turn sand into gold, and having him as a p

April’s POVThe pool lights still shimmered when I dragged myself out of the water. My legs trembled, not from the chill, but from the kiss that still clung to my lips like fire refusing to die.A normal human being probably would've left immediately, gone up to her suite and slammed my head against the nearest wall until common sense returned. But no. Me being me, I stood there dripping like an idiot, clutching the railing, with my chest rising and falling as though I had just surfaced from drowning.What did I just let happen?What did he just do?And why—out of all the nights, all the moments—why did Sinclair Hale choose this one to completely upend my sanity?I grabbed my phone from the lounge chair where I’d tossed it earlier. My fingers hovered over the screen. I had exactly one person I could call who would understand, even if she mocked me for the rest of eternity.I dialed Wren's number.She picked up on the third ring, she sounded real groggy but clear enough to be heard. “D