For the next two hours, Xavier kept his promise, whisking her away to fun and interesting spots, making her birthday truly unforgettable. When it was about an hour left before their flight, they began to head back to the hotel to pack up their belongings. Ari couldn't take her eyes off the pictures, already envisioning the perfect social media post to show Liam what he'd be missing out on. "This was—" she began, but Xavier cut her off abruptly. "Hang tight," he said, his voice low and urgent.Ari's curiosity turned to confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked, but before she could get an answer, Xavier slammed on the brakes and accelerated the car, leaving her wondering what was happening.Ari's eyes widened in terror as she clutched her phone to her chest, her other hand white-knuckling the roof handle. "What the fuck are you doing?" she screamed, her voice shaking with fear. "We still have forty minutes to make it to the airport!"Instead of answering, Xavier's gaze remained fixed

Gabriele's eyes gleamed with anticipation as he sat in the opulent first-class cabin, his fingers flying across the screen of his phone. A thin, chilling giggle escaped his lips every time a refresh failed to yield the desired headline. "Nothing, Marco," he said, looking up at his assistant, who sat stiffly beside him. "Still nothing. Don't you think the death of Xavier would make a splash? Then why is it not on the internet yet" Marco's voice was a low, deferential monotone. "With all due respect, sir, the local authorities are often... slow. And Leonardo's men are efficient at cleanup. We should wait for a direct confirmation." Gabriele's giggling became more pronounced, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Leonardo wouldn't have made a mistake in getting rid of Xavier, right? After all the trouble I went through in creating a perfect scene for him ." Marco's expression remained impassive. "No, sir. Leonardo is driven by pure vengeance. He'd fail only due to extreme, unforeseen

The next morning,Ari woke up feeling very relaxed. It's been a while since she felt that great. No Company to rush to,no boss bossing her around. It was just the perfect morning.As she headed to the kitchen, her stomach growled, demanding attention. She decided on a hearty breakfast, French toast, crispy bacon, and her specialty, perfectly seasoned scrambled eggs. The aroma of sizzling bacon and melting butter filled the air, and she hummed along to her favorite playlist that was blasting from the living room.Just as she was about to taste her scrambled eggs to see it was perfect enough,a wave of nausea washed over her. She clamped her hand over her mouth, dashing to the bathroom. After a few miserable minutes, she emerged, feeling weak and trembling.As she collapsed onto her bed, a pungent smell caught her attention. "My eggs!" she exclaimed, rushing back to the kitchen. The smoke detector was shrieking, and a plume of black smoke billowed from the pan. She frantically switched of

Ari stood motionless outside the coffee shop door, Xavier’s cruel words echoing in the sudden, shattering silence of her mind. Too manly…demanding energy... pain in the ass in a relationship... why her ex-boyfriend likely cheated on her. It was the ultimate, targeted blow. He hadn't just insulted her appearance; he had attacked her worth, her personality, and her deepest point of humiliation—the painful memory of Liam's betrayal,only to have this arrogant man—her nominal boss—reach in and twist the knife that Liam had left behind. She swallowed the metallic lump of grief and fury in her throat. Her eyes were burning, but she refused to let the tears fall, not here. Not for him. How could he say that? It was one thing to dislike her, but to use her most vulnerable memory as a casual talking point was monstrous. With a ragged, silent breath, she pulled her hand away from the door and turned, forgetting the purse and the taxi, needing only to escape. Meanwhile, across the city, Damian

Ari stabbed the 'Emergency Stop' button, halting the elevator instantly. Then, she frantically mashed the button for the 7th floor. The elevator groaned as it slid back down. When the doors opened, Ari stepped out with the kind of focused intensity that made people instinctively move aside. She walked swiftly past the sea of cubicles, her mind racing through her history with her team leader. He was the one she covered for when he missed deadlines. He was the one she had helped out every time he felt tired. Why would he do this? The motive, she realized, had to be bigger than a simple power play—it had to involve greed and she would destroy him for that.She approached the corner where his office was located. Instead of seeing him seated at his desk, she saw his back, a blur of movement as he clutched his stomach and practically dove toward the restroom sign.“Excuse me,” Ari said, stopping a passing colleague. “Is the team leader alright?”The colleague, a young analyst, shook his he