The laughter in the penthouse slowly faded into a comfortable quiet. Elias finished the last sip of his whiskey and stood up, stretching his back slightly. “Alright,” he said, setting the glass down. “I’ve tormented you enough for one night.” Steven leaned back in his chair with a tired smile. “That’s very generous of you.” Elias walked past him toward the hallway. But before disappearing into the guest wing, he stopped and looked over his shoulder. “You like her,” he said simply. Steven didn’t answer immediately. Instead he stared out at the glowing skyline of the city. “I do.” Elias nodded once. “Then don’t let your empire scare her away.” And with that, he left the room. Steven sat there for a while longer, the quiet of the penthouse wrapping around him. The city lights stretched endlessly outside the glass walls, but his mind was somewhere else entirely. Jennifer. Her smile. Her laugh. The way she held onto his jacket like it meant something.

Steven hesitated, caught between the usual rules of propriety and the overwhelming urge to simply be near her. Finally, he gave in, sitting on the edge of the bed. “You realize this is a big step,” he said, trying to keep his tone teasing. Jennifer tilted her head, smiling up at him. “I know. But I feel… safe. With you.” The words hit him in a way that nothing else had in years. He shifted slightly, sitting beside her, their knees almost touching. “I like that you feel safe,” he murmured. Jennifer scooted closer, resting her head lightly on his shoulder. “I always feel safe when I’m with you.” Steven’s hand found hers, lacing their fingers together. He felt a flutter in his chest—a mixture of excitement, tenderness, and something deeper he hadn’t allowed himself to feel in a long time. They stayed like that for a while, talking quietly about nothing and everything, laughter spilling between them in gentle waves. Occasionally, Steven would brush a strand of hair from her

The café Elias Smith chose that afternoon was quiet in the way only very expensive places manage to be. It sat along the riverfront of Riverage City, tucked between two glass office towers. The kind of place where conversations were soft, the coffee was served in porcelain instead of paper, and the waiters moved like ghosts who had signed contracts promising never to interrupt important people. Elias liked places like this. Not because of luxury. But because powerful people could speak freely there. He arrived early. Of course he did. The old man had never been late a day in his life. He sat by the window with a cup of black coffee and watched the river traffic slide by slowly. Barges moved lazily across the water. A small ferry crossed toward the opposite bank. The city hummed with its usual calm arrogance. Elias checked his watch. Right on time. The café door opened. Louisa Payne walked in. Even from across the room she carried the unmistakable presence of

But something in his expression shifted slightly. Jennifer noticed. “What?” Steven hesitated. “Nothing.” Steven looked out the window toward the river. “What's going on?“ “Nothing really.” But in truth, he knew better. The Black Ledger was built on silence. It thrived in the shadows. And the moment people started talking about it, even casually, the system had a way of noticing. Jennifer nudged him gently. “Hey.” Steven looked back at her. “You promised today was a day off.” Steven smiled slightly. “You’re right.” She rested her head on his shoulder again. “So stop thinking about anything be it power structures.” Steven chuckled. “Easier said than done.” Jennifer closed her eyes comfortably. “Well for the next few hours…” She wrapped her arm around his. “You’re just Steven.” Steven looked down at her. “And what does that mean?” Jennifer smiled softly. “It means you’re my boyfriend who owes me dinner tonight.” Steven laughed q

Neither of them spoke. Because both of them knew that the very moment they got home, everything would come out. The Guler mansion stood tall and immovable, just like the man who owned it. The car pulled in, the doors opened and the storm began. The moment they stepped inside, Finn turned. “What exactly do you think you were doing?” Dianna didn’t flinch. “I’m working.” Finn stared at her like she had just spoken another language. “You call that working?” “Yes.” “You are a Guler.” “And I’m also a human being.” Finn let out a sharp breath. “No. Right now, you’re a woman making terrible decisions and calling it independence.” Dianna’s eyes flashed. “At least I’m doing something.” “Oh, you’re doing something alright.” Finn paced once across the room, then turned back. “You had everything.” His voice rose slightly now. “Everything.” Dianna’s jaw tightened. “And I still do.” Finn laughed. That same sharp, disbelieving sound from earlier.