A week after the summit, at dawn in Van der Meer Enterprises’ Rotterdam headquarters, the sleek boardroom abuzz with triumph. Elise stood before her team as she reviewed the latest figures. The Laurent partnership had sent the company’s stock soaring, cementing its dominance in the tech world. “This is your victory,” she said, her voice ringing with pride, turning to Margot, whose blonde bob caught the light as she clutched her tablet. “Your strategy was flawless, Margot. We’re untouchable now.”Margot beamed, her usual sharpness softened by the win. “We’ve outpaced every rival, Elise,” she replied, her fingers tapping the tablet, graphs spiking upward. “The Laurent deal’s a game-changer.” Elise nodded, her thoughts drifting to Lukas Brandt—his quiet approval of her dossier, his rescue in the atrium. She’d credited the team, but his unseen role lingered, a truth she wasn’t ready to voice. Instead, she smiled, her resolve firm: her empire would thrive, and she’d keep an open mind, as

Elise stood by a high window, she’d invited Lukas for a private drink, a chance to clear the air after months of tension. Her empire thrived, bolstered by the Laurent partnership, but Lukas’s role—his rescue, his refusal to sabotage her dossier—demanded acknowledgment. She sipped a glass of red wine, waiting, her auburn hair loose, a rare vulnerability softening her poise.Lukas entered, his dark jacket simple, the emerald crest pin absent, his hazel eyes scanning the room with herbalist-honed caution. “Elise,” he said, his voice low, steady, as he took a seat at the bar. The lounge was quiet, the hum of Rotterdam’s tech world a distant echo. Elise joined him, sliding a glass of whiskey his way. “I owe you an apology,” she began, her tone earnest, her green eyes meeting his. “I misjudged you, Lukas. Called you a ‘modest herbalist,’ dismissed your strength. And… thank you for not sabotaging my company. I know what you did.”Lukas’s fingers paused on the glass, surprise flickering acros

Claes Van Hoff’s biotech lab occupied the top floors of a refurbished warehouse, a fusion of cutting-edge technology and minimalist architecture. The lobby was polished, almost sterile, but it pulsed with quiet energy: the hum of refrigeration units storing rare compounds, the soft clicking of researchers’ shoes on the polished floors, and the occasional buzz of holographic displays projecting molecular structures mid-air. Claes was waiting, his posture as precise as the lab itself.“Ms. Marquez,” he said, stepping forward with a handshake that was firm but measured, the kind that conveyed control rather than friendliness. “I appreciate you coming on such short notice.”Elise nodded, her gaze scanning the lab before settling back on him. “Your proposal intrigued me, Claes. But intrigue alone doesn’t make me invest—or risk.”Claes smiled, a flicker of charm that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Of course. You’ll forgive me if I cut to the chase: I have a revolutionary herbal compound, a d

The exhibition hall of the Hague Biotech Expo buzzed with the low hum of conversation. One wrong move, one miscalculation, and the toxin planted in Claes’s samples could undo months of painstaking work and irreparably damage Van der Meer Enterprises’ reputation.He glanced at Elise, who stood near the front of their booth, her posture straight, jaw tense. She had spent the past hour fielding questions from potential investors and clients, smiling politely, but Lukas knew her smile was brittle. The strain of balancing ambition and integrity had left subtle shadows under her eyes. And yet, despite the tension, she had made her choice. She had publicly defended him, staking her credibility on his skill. That was no small act, and Lukas acknowledged it with a quiet, internal nod."Are you ready?" Sofia’s voice came from behind him. She leaned in slightly, eyes scanning the crowd with the same sharp vigilance that had uncovered Claes’s scheme. “Everyone is watching. If you succeed, it will

Lukas adjusted his white coat, the polished wooden counter of the demonstration stage beneath his hands steady despite the surge of adrenaline coursing through him. Beside him, Elise’s eyes sparkled with controlled intensity, her tablet flickering with real-time data on the attendees, investors, and the subtle murmurs of the press.“Ready?” she asked, her voice low but firm.Lukas nodded. “More than ever. Let’s show them what we’ve built.”They began their presentation, introducing the herbal drug prototype with precise articulation. The compound, a fusion of Dutch wild herbs and exotic botanicals, was designed to fortify immunity while mitigating chronic inflammation—a breakthrough, if the audience’s reactions were anything to judge by. Whispers of admiration rippled through the forum. Investors leaned forward, jotting notes; fellow researchers exchanged impressed glances.But among the approving nods, Lukas felt it—an icy undertone, subtle but unmistakable. A shadow lingered near th