Brandon Scott wiped the last bit of dust from the polished counter when his phone buzzed sharply. Without wasting any time, he picked up.“Sir, the application went through. Reckon International, your wife's company has been approved for listing. Tomorrow morning, during the prime time slot, she’ll be ringing the Nasdaq bell.”Brandon froze mid-step, the rag slipping slightly from his hand. “Are you certain?”“Yes, sir. And the press conference is being broadcast live on TV right now. The whole market is buzzing.”"Good job, Joe,” he said warmly. “You’ve handled everything flawlessly. I’m proud of you.”After ending the call, Brandon smiled with quiet pride. For the past two years of their marriage, he had supported Sophia behind the scenes, but she had remained unaware of the countless ways he had worked to pave her path. Now, he had secured her approval for a position that many brilliant and ambitious executives in the city had applied for—yet only she had been chosen.Brandon h

The following day, the front door clicked open, and Sophia Bennet walked in.She still smelled of champagne, though she tried to hide it with a small smile.The house was quiet—too quiet—until her eyes landed on Brandon.He was sprawled across the sofa, still in yesterday’s shirt with dark circles shadowing his eyes. His phone lay loosely in his hand, as though he’d been waiting the entire night.Sophia dropped her bag on the entryway table and lifted her chin. “You’re here? Then make yourself useful. My shoulders ache. Give me a massage.”Brandon stayed still with his tired eyes fixed on her.Her lips tightened. “What’s with that look? Don’t tell me you’re too tired. Even Ryan would never say no if I asked.”The thought slipped out of her mouth before she could stop it, and her chest warmed just remembering him. Ryan was caring, always smiling, guiding her gently, and making her feel cherished. Ryan was Sophia’s first love, back after many years abroad. Sophia believed he was t

Brandon managed to get Jessica Marion to the nearest hotel so he could help her.As he sat at the edge of the bed, he pressed a sterilized blade gently against Jessica’s wrist, letting out controlled drops of blood and guiding the poisoned heat out of her system. His movements were precise and steady.This was not his first time administering such treatment.The setup was simple, yet something about it felt intimate.His hand rested over hers as her breathing steadied, rising and falling in quiet rhythm. The faint color returning to her cheeks told him that the toxin was fading.---When Jessica woke, her head pounded, and her body felt oddly weak. She stirred, confused by the unfamiliar ceiling above her. She could tell that she was in a hotel.Slowly, she sat up and froze.Red traces streaked across her arms and collarbone, faint but visible against her pale skin. Horror jolted through her chest. What… what happened to me? Her mind flashed back to the leering faces of those th

At the far corner, by a window, Ava Bennet, Sophia’s mother, sat with a delicate porcelain cup raised gracefully to her lips at the hotel lounge. Her friends sat around her in a circle of admiration.“Truly, Ava,” murmured Helena, the plumpest of the group, adjusting her pearl necklace as though it might impress the hotel staff. “Your Jessica has outdone herself. Hosting a banquet in this hotel, of all places! And then booking the presidential suite for you… If it were my daughter, she wouldn’t even dare step foot in here. The price of tea alone could swallow her month’s salary.”The others chuckled, shaking their heads with envy and awe.“My son is still asking me for money every other month. And here you are, living in a presidential suite, being paraded like royalty. You’re blessed, Ava. Absolutely blessed.” Helena chimed in with a self-deprecating laugh.Their voices overlapped. Ava lowered her gaze, tracing the rim of her cup as though embarrassed by their words. She let them

Brandon stepped forward calmly and placed a steadying hand on Jessica’s shoulder.“Mrs Bennett, don’t make a scene,” he said evenly. “There’s nothing improper going on here.”Ava let out a sharp, derisive snort. “Nothing improper?” she repeated mockingly, her eyes darting from Brandon’s steady hand on Jessica’s arm to the faint flush on Jessica’s cheeks.“And yet you bring her to a hotel? Do you take me for a fool, Brandon?”Jessica’s face flushed and she shook her head quickly. “You’ve misunderstood, madam” she said earnestly. “Brandon only brought me here to look at an apartment. That’s all. I need a place and he thought this might suit me. Please don’t twist it into something it’s not.”For a brief second, Ava froze. Her painted lips parted and her arched brows twitched as though she were weighing Jessica’s words. Then, just as quickly, her composure cracked—and she burst into laughter. Loud, mocking laughter that made the women clustered behind her exchange uneasy looks.“A