Chapter Eleven Sarah's face burned with shame and fury. Her heart hammered. Fear, panic, uncertainty—all of it churned in her stomach.She opened her mouth to argue, to say something, but the words wouldn't come.Then Drake stepped forward.He'd been watching everything. Silent. But he couldn't take it anymore."Perhaps you've been deceived by Ethan all along," Drake said, his voice sharp. "Don't you know who he is? His record?" He gestured at Ethan with barely concealed disgust. "He's an unemployed drifter. Fresh out of prison. Completely unworthy of someone as distinguished as you."Ethan must have tricked her. Pulled some shady scheme. He'd always been sneaky.Victoria smiled—calm, unbothered."I've always known his true identity," she said simply. "And I like him just the way he is.""No!" Drake's voice rose. "Someone from old money like you should be with someone from another old money family."He straightened his jacket, chest puffed out. The implication was clear—only he was w

Chapter ThirteenThe banquet hall buzzed with activity.Murmurs of conversation mixed with slow jazz music. Elite guests mingled in clusters, champagne glasses in hand, alliances forming and dissolving over cocktails. The stage at the front held a small orchestra, their performance providing elegant background noise for Boston's power players.Ethan sat at a round table near the side of the room. Four chairs surrounded it, but only one was occupied—his. He sipped champagne slowly, watching the crowd, studying faces and body language, waiting for Victoria's call.Then he heard it.The scrape of a chair being pulled out beside him.Ethan turned, frowning—And groaned internally.Sarah.Drake right behind her.Are they serious right now?After everything Victoria had said to them. After the public humiliation. After being told to leave him alone. They still had the audacity to sit here?Were they not self-aware? Or were they really this stupid?"Oh, it's the woman's boy toy," Sarah said

Chapter FifteenVictoria glanced at Ethan, irritation flickering in her eyes."Drake Hastings is requesting an audience," she said, her tone tight. "Should I have them bring him in? Humiliate him a bit?"As much as that idea pleased Ethan—and it did—he knew it wasn't necessary."That won't be needed," he said, a small smile playing on his lips. "Someone like Drake Hastings isn't worth your time."Victoria nodded, then turned to her secretary. "Send him away."The secretary bowed. "Yes, ma'am." She turned and left the office.---Outside, Drake stood anxiously in front of the massive doors, his mind racing.Sarah had placed all her hopes on him. If he failed to secure this meeting, it would look terrible. His image—his reputation—would take a hit.But he was confident. Victoria Chen would see him. He was Drake Hastings, from an old-money family with connections. She wouldn't look that far down on him.When the secretary emerged, Drake straightened, grinning.The expression on her face

Chapter SeventeenDrake Hastings slung an arm around Caleb Stone's shoulders, his grin wide and triumphant as he turned to face the crowd. The champagne had gone to his head, and the elation of Sarah's new partnership status had inflated his confidence to dangerous levels."My friend here really helped me greatly today," Drake announced loudly, his voice carrying across the room and drawing everyone's attention. Conversations died mid-sentence as heads turned their way. "We are so close, Caleb and I. We communicate frequently—not only that, but our business ties will grow even stronger from now on."The words tumbled out of him in a rush. The status, the title Victoria Chen had given Sarah—being a partner for B Corporation—made his shoulders square with pride. He stood taller than he had in years. In his mind, he was now indirectly connected to B Corporation's success. What could be better than that?Drake kept rambling, drunk on his perceived elevation in status. "A really good frien

Chapter Nineteen"Stop!" Ethan's voice cut through the chaos, hard and commanding. He looked down at Caleb with an expression that was cold and utterly unreadable.Caleb froze for a split second, then burst into laughter. "What was that?" he mocked, his voice dripping with contempt. "Stop? How dare you order me around?""He must have definitely lost his senses," one of Caleb's friends chimed in, joining the laughter."Who does he think he is?" another sneered, looking Ethan up and down dismissively."He thinks we're having a stage play here!" The group erupted in mocking laughter. "Stop? Did he really just say 'stop'?"They laughed as if it were the funniest thing they'd heard all night.Ethan didn't react to their mockery. He simply stepped forward, his gaze still locked on Caleb with that same unwavering intensity. "Stop all this ruckus you're causing here," he said again, his voice level and steady. "And stop molesting her. That's enough."His tone left no room for negotiation.Alt