Thomas glared at Marcus and Liam as they stood firm in the room. His pride and fury screamed at him to act, but the physical dominance of Donald's men left him with no choice. He could see that resisting them further would only escalate his defeat. With a low, reluctant growl, he stepped aside and signaled his men to stand down. “You may take her,” Thomas spat, his voice dripping with venom. “But don’t think for a second that this changes anything. I’ll find a way to get what I want from DeGrand Cooperation, and you’ll regret interfering.” Marcus and Liam exchanged brief, knowing glances. They were used to threats like this, the kind that came from men used to holding power. They knew Thomas’ words were full of bravado, yet still, they treated the warning seriously enough to remain vigilant. “Understood,” Marcus replied calmly. “But right now, our priority is getting Jane out safely. Your threats can wait.” Thomas’ lips curled in a vicious smile, showing his teeth. “You think t

Jane's mother suddenly leaned forward, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “But Jane, how did Jaxon even know where you were? You said you were locked up. No one knew where you were taken to.” Jane paused, her fingers tightening slightly around the mug in her hands. The memory stirred something cold in her chest. “I called him,” she said softly. The room went silent. “You… called him?” Michael asked, disbelief flickering across his face. “How?” Jane nodded. “After Thomas and his men left me alone for a while, I managed to find my phone. They hadn’t taken it yet. I was shaking, but I knew I had only one chance. So I called Jaxon and told him everything—that I had been kidnapped, that Thomas Lewis had threatened to kill me if I didn’t cooperate with him.” Her mother gasped. “Oh my God…” “I told him where I thought I was,” Jane continued. “I didn’t know if he’d believe me or if he could do anything, but he listened. He didn’t interrupt me. He just told me to stay alive and

“Yeah, I saw them together yesterday. The way she looked at him—there’s no way it’s nothing,” the other staff replied. Jane’s fingers tightened around the folder in her hand. For a split second, she almost laughed. Unbelievable!That was the only word that came to her mind.Ivy Harrington—CEO of DeGrand Corporation, a woman whose influence reached far beyond Boston—paired with Donald? The same Donald she knew? The same man she’d once discarded without a second thought?It didn’t make sense!Jane’s lips curled into a faint, scornful smile. If anyone in this world was unworthy of standing beside Ivy, it was Donald. He was a useless low-life!Jane believed that Donald only wanted to hide behind a woman of power. She had seen through him long ago—or so she believed.But as the whispers continued, doubt crept in.What if it wasn’t just gossip?Jane straightened her back. No. She wouldn’t allow Donald to worm his way into Ivy’s world unchecked. If Ivy truly believed Donald was someon

Jane’s fingers tightened around the edge of Ivy’s desk.She hadn’t planned to say it this way—not so bluntly, not so directly—but the words had been pressing against her chest since the moment Ivy asked her to speak. If she hesitated now or if she softened it, Ivy might dismiss everything as jealousy or bitterness.So Jane lifted her head and said,“Donald Smith is a criminal, a rapist!”The words landed heavily in the room.Bianca’s breath caught. Her eyes widened before she could stop herself. The office, which had moments ago been merely tense, seemed to grow colder.Ivy did not react immediately.She remained seated, her posture composed, and her gaze steady on Jane’s face. There was no shock in her expression, no immediate disbelief—only a careful, assessing calm that made Jane’s pulse race faster.“Explain,” Ivy said.Jane swallowed.“He was imprisoned because of it,” she continued quickly, afraid that if she paused, she would lose her nerve. “He didn’t go to prison because o

Jane returned to Ivy’s office a short while later. In her hand, she held a small audio device. She placed it carefully on Ivy’s desk and pressed play. The voice that emanated was desperate, pleading, and full of regret. Jane leaned slightly forward, her eyes fixed on Ivy.“Listen carefully,” Jane said, her tone low and urgent. “This is Donald. He was pleading to be released from prison at that time. He admitted what he did and begged for freedom, even though he knew the gravity of his actions. You need to understand, Ms. Harrington, this man is dangerous, and you must be cautious if you’re thinking of trusting him.”Ivy sat back in her chair, her eyes narrowing slightly as she listened. The sound of the voice, the desperation, and the emotion in it all made her pause. Jane didn’t stop there; she continued, layering her narrative with other fabricated “evidence” to reinforce the story. She spoke of supposed witness statements, alleged court documents, and other contrived details—